The reason I buy in Resort Communities, such as El Gouna, Sahl Hasheesh etc.

[distant dreamer]

Hi everyone,

To those not sure of whether to pay extra and buy in a resort community such as El Gouna, Sahl Hasheesh, Gamsha Bay etc etc, just thought I'd mention some reasons why I'm so glad I did! Obviously you will pay more for the privilege but if you can afford it I feel its worth it!

My comments refer to El Gouna - I realise other resort communities may run slightly differently - but these may be some things to bear in mind when purchasing:

1. LOVE IT WHEN WE HAVE JOBS TO BE DONE!!

In El Gouna it is a sheer pleasure if things go wrong, or you need work doing on your property! Be it plumber, electrician, carpenter you just need to make a free phone call. Then generally the same day (depending on urgency),they send someone round to give you a handwritten quote, and if you agree, then the work is carried out by the team they send round which is always very quick! In the UK I am filled with fear if we need a plumber - never can get one!!!

2. THE PRICE OF MAINTENANCE JOBS!!

The work is done efficiently and so cheap!!! We had a window replaced, a security lock installed (which they went to Hurghada to shop for),and all electric sockets replaced plus other minor jobs and the bill - around £30 (a couple of years ago).

3. FREE PHONE CALLS WITHIN EL GOUNA

4. EXCELLENT TRANSPORT SYSTEM - very cheap and easy to get around

5. MOZZIE SPRAYING throughout the resort, so that you don't have to worry about being bitten to death!

6. OWNER DISCOUNT - Varying discounts at shops, bars, restaurants and leisure facilities for owners. Access to most resort hotels beaches/pools at very reasonable prices or in some cases free.

7. SIMPLE TO PAY UTILITY BILLS - They provide utilities so this saves you having to deal with Egyptian companies. Bills for water and electic come every month and you can pay them when you arrive, at the office provided. Indeed some people have been known not to pay for a couple of years, and just settle when they finally go there again. Mind you they seem to be cracking down on this now!

8. EXCELLENT HEALTH CARE AND EMERGENCY SERVICES IN RESORT

9. GENTLE INTRODUCTION TO PROPERTY OWNING IN EGYPT! Its a bit like a European Resort, but with the exotic touch, for those that aren't quite brave enough to venture into the "real" thing

10. EVERYTHING POSSIBLE ON SITE - If you don't want to leave there is everything on hand, so you can have to venture out if you don't want to.

11. FRIENDLY PEOPLE - A growing number of expats are starting business there and making it their permanent home. Its a bit like "going home" as you start to make loads of new friends and there's a lovely community spirit.

12. FABULOUS FACILITIES - We can walk to both a stunning marina with its fabulous restaurants or Downtown with more restaurants/shops and its more "authentic" feel

13. GROWING PROPERTY PRICES - An excellent return on investment has been made, certainly by those who purchased in the early days. My friend paid £26,000 (in 2003 I think) for her apartment and was offered £100,000 recently!!

14. ONSITE MANAGEMENT AGENCIES - For those wishing to rent out their properties, their is an excellent choice of companies throughout the resort who will deal with every aspect of management for you including collecting visitors from the airport, check in/check out, laundry, shopping, advertising - so you can just sit back and enjoy your investment!!!

 

[awahee123]

Certainly sounds as though early investors have made a healthy profit only if they wanted to move away from El gouna to maybe another new resort.There is no doubt it is very nice and i'm sure other developers have and will copy El Gouna probably on a larger scale,personally for myself it is too quiet.However if you like quiet you will undoubtedly love El Gouna.

 

[Peter Mitry]

Sahl Hasheesh will be organized in exactly the same way. The object is to make the experience of owning a holiday home as stress free as possible. Owning in the town is great if you are a 'hands on' sort of person that doesn't mind sorting things out for themself (like Queenie, she seems to be a very switched on lady!). However, many people don't have time to even think about their holiday home; they just want to deal with an on site office which they know will take care of everything. After all that what we are paying for!

 

[awahee123]

A lot of people as Peter mentions do like to just go on holiday when they visit their particular property and don't want to be bothered with diy whilst on holiday.for these individuals it is ideal to have everything done for you,I personally do prefer a bit of hands on approach,however anything I am not comfortable with goes straight out to a tradesman.El Gouna I am guessing will be smaller than Sahl and Gamsha Bay,if this is the case there may be a different feel to them compared to El-Gouna.

 

[dave99]

El Gouna downtown - ro real roads

El Gouna downtown - ro real roads

Why is there still no proper roads Downtown if the place is so great.

All the things mentioned sound great but those NON-roads will stop me going again - been 4 times to hotels but no more unitl the roads are completed.

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[CMChris]

El Gouna downtown - ro real roads

Why is there still no proper roads Downtown if the place is so great.

All the things mentioned sound great but those NON-roads will stop me going again - been 4 times to hotels but no more unitl the roads are completed.

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Why do you need to drive downtown in El Gouna or drive to the marina? Just ring for a toctoc (think that's spelt right) or walk. Certainly isn't far at all. And it will keep the air cleaner too.

 

[awahee123]

LOL yeah those little 3 wheeler things they are cool for around town.

 

[crombiestone]

It will be a long time until Sahl and Gamsha are bigger than El Gouna . The sand roads probably cost more to keep up than tarmac roads (They are like this due to the continued development or low use of the roads) ,but arent a big problem .The main roads to downtown are tarmacced now.There is much more to be worried about in Hurghada and on the road between El Gouna & Hurghada than an un tarmacced road. A developmpent that sets the standard will always be knocked by the competition . Mr Sawiris does listen to the residents and will act to keep El Gouna in the competition.

 

[dave99]

Roads El Gouna

It will be a long time until Sahl and Gamsha are bigger than El Gouna . The sand roads probably cost more to keep up than tarmac roads (They are like this due to the continued development or low use of the roads) ,but arent a big problem .The main roads to downtown are tarmacced now.There is much more to be worried about in Hurghada and on the road between El Gouna & Hurghada than an un tarmacced road. A developmpent that sets the standard will always be knocked by the competition . Mr Sawiris does listen to the residents and will act to keep El Gouna in the competition.

Hi
I've stayed in El Gouna Hotel 4 times - those buses and toc tocs are good idea but a tarmac road would be much more comfortable on those wooden seats and there would be less sand blowing around.

I was there in Dec and noted that they is much more work being done to tarmac the road on the outskirts - so why not on the roads downtown and to the Marina.

The whole concept is great - just seems to have taken a very long time to get finished, and now some of the hotels need some refurbing.
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No idea about apartment quality etc - but they look great - the lagoons look cool but they're not that good for swimming in.
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[distant dreamer]

Sorry can't agree - some lagoons are great for swimming in. We spend many happy hours in our "massive swimming pool" which we often have to ourselves, either swimming or lazing on our lilos. Our apartment is near the Sheraton and we've even swam all the way round the Sheraton island - quite exhausting in the heat but great fun, stopping at all the little different beaches on the way.

The apartments there are good quality. Ours is basic, but has a lovely domed ceiling in the living area and a vaulted one in the bedroom. Plus the views from our large balcony over the lagoon are just great. In fact can't wait to get back there!!

 

[awahee123]

Sounds bootiful,
Dave99 why didn't you stay near your development in the Arabia district?

 

[dave99]

You mean the one that's on the Red Sea Residencia Contruction thread

Sounds bootiful,
Dave99 why didn't you stay near your development in the Arabia district?

You mean the one that's on the Red Sea Residencia Contruction thread

- that shows the 2nd floor being completed - on time
- with Sea Views in three directions
- and a fantastic sunset at the rear,
- and an open aspect on three sides
- and a sun roof
- and near the new Marina

or the other one (just kidding - I only have one so far)

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[dave99]

El Gouna Lagoons

Sorry can't agree - some lagoons are great for swimming in. We spend many happy hours in our "massive swimming pool" which we often have to ourselves, either swimming or lazing on our lilos. Our apartment is near the Sheraton and we've even swam all the way round the Sheraton island - quite exhausting in the heat but great fun, stopping at all the little different beaches on the way.

The apartments there are good quality. Ours is basic, but has a lovely domed ceiling in the living area and a vaulted one in the bedroom. Plus the views from our large balcony over the lagoon are just great. In fact can't wait to get back there!!

My comments are based on what it's like at the Sheraton and the Movenpick beach / lagoon:

It's just not like the sea - no sea view - feels like mud under foot not sand - the water is OK though, but not as clear as the sea - not so many fish to watch either.

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[distant dreamer]

I'm sure a little bit of mud between our toes is a small price to pay for everything else that this fabulous resort has to offer, not to mention the excellent returns for investors that have been made here over the last few years!

 

[crombiestone]

Dave 99

The lagoons may not be sea front but ,even on a seafront development ,from how many properties can you walk out of your door ,step off your terrace and straight onto a beach ? The lagoons give this advantage to many of the properties in El Gouna . The sea is still only short distance away. Its the best of both worlds for me.

 

[awahee123]

To be honest I would rather have a lagoon a few metres away muddy or not,has el gouna anything to prove?, it's here ,it's stunning,ok we may think it needs further development but I haven't come across anybody here who is complaining about their property or development,so they must be doing something right.

 

[crombiestone]

To be honest I would rather have a lagoon a few metres away muddy or not,has el gouna anything to prove?, it's here ,it's stunning,ok we may think it needs further development but I haven't come across anybody here who is complaining about their property or development,so they must be doing something right.

I dont think El Gouna has anything to prove . I think it is one of the best ,if not the best resort on the Red Sea, when you weigh up everything that El Gouna offers at such a high standard . With all of the new developments , El Gouna gets overlooked as being too expensive ,which on evaluation ,I do not think is the case .

The extra space that the lagoons give go a long way in justifying the increased cost for property in El Gouna. i.e no worries that the neighbouring high rise development will block the sun from your pool at certain times of the day and the choice of sitting around the pool or lying on the lagoon beach directlt in front of your property .Also most apartment complexes there (excepting the Marina) are no more than three stories high so the cost is inevitably higher for the developer as there is less return per m2 of land . Throw in the massive choice of restaurants (over 100) centralised customer service,the largest choice of activities in the red sea,superb security and integrated transport system and it looks more of a bargain than you first think

Invest in the best

 

[Roger]

Hi all,

First time poster to this forum. We went to El Gouna last year, and for the first time ever we want to go back to the same place, same hotel (Dawar El Omda) this year.

I liked the place so much that buying a villa has been preying on my mind... I'm having trouble finding pricing info, though. Can anyone point me to a decent website that actually shows prices?

TIA

 

[crombiestone]

Hi all,

First time poster to this forum. We went to El Gouna last year, and for the first time ever we want to go back to the same place, same hotel (Dawar El Omda) this year.

I liked the place so much that buying a villa has been preying on my mind... I'm having trouble finding pricing info, though. Can anyone point me to a decent website that actually shows prices?

TIA

El Gouna seeems to have this effect on many people .

Most property sales are handled by Orascom .Here is a link to their site

Destination Details

It might be worth registering your interest with them .If they have you on file they will send you details of new releases and of any offers that they have.

 

[realestatemart]

Properties Owners

El Gouna is like a complete comunity,calm, clean and european life style
some buy through Orascom and others whom can't wait buy from Villas or houses owners whom like to sell their properties in order not to wait for ayear some timesto have your property so what you think?