Estrela Do Atlantico Ponta Negra

[rangers]

Hi Danny,

Thanks for the information you have given me.
It sounds like it is just before the takeover of the apartment.

Have been sent pictures of the complex from the Manzanares (our lawyers that the contracts are written by) which was taken just before Christmas, and they looked very good.

I have also looked a bit at googel eart, and seen pictures taken from the area. It looks like it`s been in a very good area with nice houses around.

Regards Rangers

 

[Danny44]

We have lift off! Keys being released on 28 March. I assume that everyone got the same email today?

 

[WeBuyTX]

Can someone explain who is BI & DI and the role they played in this development? (Builder, developer, attorney for builder ?)

Please also pass on your thoughts about BI & DI and Obelisk International.

I was considering an investment in Natal solicited by Obelisk where they had a subdivision in Brazil acting as the developer that was partnering with a local builder to build Minha Casa Minha Vida housing. They promised 75% return on investment (75% in one year, initial investment at end of 2nd year). In the end I backed out as the land did not have title insurance and they claimed they needed to close within weeks and had the last needed investors. I'd like to know how Obelisk stands behind what they sell to know whether to consider them regarding future business.

Thanks,
Matt

 

[JOHNALANROBERTS]

Good morning.
Whilst I cannot shed any light on the developers you mention I can mention as far as Obelisk are concerned my last investment ended in a loss of approximately £90.000 and with a group of 28 others are struggling to recover monies through legal channels.I will admit when I voiced my concerns Obelisk kindly directed me to their disclaimer

 

[rangers]

Hi Matt,

BI & DI (the developer),I can not comment on, but as John says Obelisk was the intermediary in a number of sales for Aston Lloyd who has gone down the drain.
Obelisk mentions not a word about the old disaster prospect they sold on the home page.
Estrela do Atlantico is not mentioned on their homepage either.

Keep your wallet closed is my advice

Rangers

 

[rangers]

Hi Danny,

Have you got the keys to the apartment, and if so how does it look?

Personally, I have not heard a word from the Manzanares to take over my apartment.

Is there anyone else who has heard from the developer or Manzanares on the acquisition date?

Regards Rangers

 

[JOHNALANROBERTS]

Hi,I keep trying to work with the said solicitors however replies are very slow and i really am in the dark as to where i am up to with the purchase and it appears that the fees have increased dramatically am trying to go more directly to the developers for info.

 

[Wack666]

Almost there!

Hi all, the last I heard from Ana Claudia (Terra Verde Imóveis (the person I am dealing with in regards to snagging on the new build)) is Bi&Di are still waiting for the 'Habite-se' from the fire department (27-03-2012)

I have not heard from Manzanares with regard to the final payment and fees although late last year Manzanares mentioned fees will be higher as the Brazillian government have increased the cost of various legal certificates and procedures.

I have received an electronic brochure from Ecocil (the developer) and received an email from a guy called Emanuel @ Ecocil who stated that Ecocil will be launching the development with a launch party behind the football stadium on April 2nd, unfortunately Ecocil won't pay for my flight from the UK to attend the launch
If anyone wants a copy of the brochure please email me (pvsjwatson@hotmail) unfortunately the brochure is 4MB in size so too big to attach here.

 

[Wack666]

Hi all, I see on the Terra Verde Imoveis web site that there are 3 sale adverts for apartments in Estrela, ranging from R180,000 to R293,000 although they are all listed with the same pictures and descriptions. I have emailed Ana to ask for some more information.
As I mentioned earlier the launch party for Estrela is suposedly happening today.
Anyone have any other news?

 

[Danny44]

Hi all

I have not been able to update due to being very busy here. I attended the Vistoria on 28 March as arranged. We found a few minor problems with the apartment, highlighted them and signed that we had been there. We were led to believe that it would be approx 1 week after that we would get the keys! Thats where we were standing.

Reading the latest from others here is very interesting indeed as I can assure you there was no party! Also I was led to believe on the 28th that the habite se was in place from the prefetura? The building is ready to go (torre B anyhow) dont know too much about torre a as it was WAY behind in October.

All of this leads me to believe the gut instinct I originally had at the time of the vistoria that we were being hoodwinked. We were invited for the vistoria after we started to push at them, we were invited to shut us up! But, we are back hounding them again as they have not even sent us a copy of the paperwork we completed for the faults that we found. As I said before their office is now closed on site and the "workmen" are openly joking that the way things are going we will be lucky to be in before the world cup!

I really wish I could be giving you better news but even the locals here who have bought in the complex are resigned that it will be august at the earliest! Given the readiness of the building today its an absolute joke to think they could drag this out until august! But this is Brazil and if there is a hard way to do it, they excel at it!

Wack, would it be possible for you to send me the email (pm me) that mentions the party as i would love to confront them with it and ask why i was not invited? I just want more ammo to throw at them. In my last email to them (thurs) I have requested a face to face meeting with a senior of the company to explain why no clarity exists with these apartments, would love to take a copy of the email with me!

This is one of the worst companies I have had the misfortune to deal with. We invest good money with them and they have not the courtesy to to even take a phone call from us, even an email seems a lot of work for them (even for nordeste folk)

Again, if my being here can be of any use to you, feel free to ask!

 

[Danny44]

Hi all, I see on the Terra Verde Imoveis web site that there are 3 sale adverts for apartments in Estrela, ranging from R180,000 to R293,000 although they are all listed with the same pictures and descriptions. I have emailed Ana to ask for some more information.
As I mentioned earlier the launch party for Estrela is suposedly happening today.
Anyone have any other news?

The apartments are all the same apart from the duplex, the prices rise in blocks of 5 when you start to go higher up the building, the extra you are paying for is the view! I have been in the duplex on the 40th floor, the view is STUNNING! But saying that anywhere over the 10th floor gets a very good "vista".

 

[rangers]

Hey Danny,

Unfortunately, it did not surprise me, but we'll cross my fingers that it does not go out until August!

Have they said anything about the delay, if you get discount on the purchase price?

But otherwise, is the apartment looked like the pictures on their website, and
the furniture is the same as the pictures etc ...?

Regards Rangers

 

[Danny44]

Hey Danny,

Unfortunately, it did not surprise me, but we'll cross my fingers that it does not go out until August!

Have they said anything about the delay, if you get discount on the purchase price?

But otherwise, is the apartment looked like the pictures on their website, and
the furniture is the same as the pictures etc ...?

Regards Rangers

The latest information is that keys will be given end of may? Difficult to get excited about it. If it happens.

It would appear we need to pay the whole amount then claim back at a later stage, which could take forever.

I have not bought a furnished unit so have no idea about that.

 

[Traceace]

The latest information is that keys will be given end of may? Difficult to get excited about it. If it happens.

It would appear we need to pay the whole amount then claim back at a later stage, which could take forever.

I have not bought a furnished unit so have no idea about that.

Hi, I am brand new to this forum, so please bare with me. I have bought an apartement on the 28th floor, tower B. I was out there for a month in Jan and Feb 2012, and Ive actually been into my apartement. I have got loads of info if your like me, on the snagging, and also getting furniture for the apatrtement. Believe me, its a minefield out there, but I have got some fantastic English connections. The whole place needs doing out, there isnt even a toilet seat. I have contacts, that are English, that look after apartements out there, who can help you get the furniture, all the things you will need if you want to rent the place, ie bed linen, crockery everything, and they can also help you rent the place aswell. They are English, and great to work with One thing I did learn out there, dont trust anybody, stick to people you can trust, and believe me the apatrements look fantastic, but you need somebody out there to help you sort the place out.

 

[JOHNALANROBERTS]

Hi Danny
can you post the contact details of reliable people it would be greatly appreciated!
best regards

 

[Danny44]

Hi Danny
can you post the contact details of reliable people it would be greatly appreciated!
best regards

Not sure what you mean? I can give you the contact details of Bi&Di, as is the case in most matters in Brazil reliable is not really in their constitution!

Bi&Di do Brasil Incorporações Imobiliárias Ltda
Av. Deputado Antônio Florêncio de Queiroz , 2491.A (Rota do Sol)
59092.500 - Ponta Negra - Natal - RN - Brasil

Tel. 55.84.3236.4200

Email [email protected]

 

[Danny44]

Hi, I am brand new to this forum, so please bare with me. I have bought an apartement on the 28th floor, tower B. I was out there for a month in Jan and Feb 2012, and Ive actually been into my apartement. I have got loads of info if your like me, on the snagging, and also getting furniture for the apatrtement. Believe me, its a minefield out there, but I have got some fantastic English connections. The whole place needs doing out, there isnt even a toilet seat. I have contacts, that are English, that look after apartements out there, who can help you get the furniture, all the things you will need if you want to rent the place, ie bed linen, crockery everything, and they can also help you rent the place aswell. They are English, and great to work with One thing I did learn out there, dont trust anybody, stick to people you can trust, and believe me the apatrements look fantastic, but you need somebody out there to help you sort the place out.

Feel the need to respond to this one as a warning to those not too familiar with brasil other than being a holiday/investment location!

1. I have lived here in ponta negra for the best part of a year and the only Englishman I have met thus far tried to rob me! There are many Italians I know living here, most have been swindled by other "gringos" when they were getting established here. This can be a harsh lesson for those less experienced in Brasil. Be VERY VERY careful who you trust or leave in control of your interests if you are not living in the country as the majority of gringos would happily wipe your eye given half a chance. ( these guys would never do this to a brazilian as consequences are not attractive, so they prey on other gringos) My advice is where possible attend to your own matters in person in Brasil.

2 Brazilians, very few who you can count on! Talk a great game, promise the earth, then forget about it! Jeito brasileiro

3. It's Brazilian standard to supply units without toilet seat, light fittings ect. Don't know what you guys who bought furnished were promised but I would be 100% certain that there is only furniture in 1 apt as it stands today (B 2001).

4. Am very curious where and how you came across all these English people in Natal. Not that I am suggesting they don't exist rather I'm short of people to talk to sometimes and am always listening for English speakers everywhere I go. As I say, a year now and I found one!

Sorry to sound like a doom merchant but finding someone you can really trust here is a challenge at best. Better to be warned and aware!

 

[Traceace]

Hi, thanks for that info, and believe me ,I agree with everything you say. I didnt want to put to much bad stuff in my first blog as I didnt want to make people depressed and down. No worries with the guys I met, I knew one of them from England, and I was intoduced to the other guy. He said exactly the same as you, trust nobody, and he was so right. They are top guys, honest and genuine, and Ive been working with them since I came back to England, and Ive met people that they look after there apartements for, and they could not speak more highly of them, and believe me they know the system out there, as they get Brazilian workers to put in hand made cupboards and wardrobes, as the furniure and fittings out there is utterly rubbish, and they always get the work sorted and done, as they only pay them once they have completed parts of it. They were the first to warn me, never ever pay up front, you will never see them again. Many thanks for your warning, but I learned an aweful lot when I went out there, it was'nt a holiday, I went out there purely to sort out my apartement.

 

[debzor]

Feel the need to respond to this one as a warning to those not too familiar with brasil other than being a holiday/investment location!

1. I have lived here in ponta negra for the best part of a year and the only Englishman I have met thus far tried to rob me! There are many Italians I know living here, most have been swindled by other "gringos" when they were getting established here. This can be a harsh lesson for those less experienced in Brasil. Be VERY VERY careful who you trust or leave in control of your interests if you are not living in the country as the majority of gringos would happily wipe your eye given half a chance. ( these guys would never do this to a brazilian as consequences are not attractive, so they prey on other gringos) My advice is where possible attend to your own matters in person in Brasil.

2 Brazilians, very few who you can count on! Talk a great game, promise the earth, then forget about it! Jeito brasileiro

3. It's Brazilian standard to supply units without toilet seat, light fittings ect. Don't know what you guys who bought furnished were promised but I would be 100% certain that there is only furniture in 1 apt as it stands today (B 2001).

4. Am very curious where and how you came across all these English people in Natal. Not that I am suggesting they don't exist rather I'm short of people to talk to sometimes and am always listening for English speakers everywhere I go. As I say, a year now and I found one!

Sorry to sound like a doom merchant but finding someone you can really trust here is a challenge at best. Better to be warned and aware!

Out of interest, Danny, the gringos who tried to 'rob' you - did they actually try to steal anything, or is it a case of overcharging when compared to Brazilian prices for work, services, etc?

 

[rangers]

Hello everyone,

Finally got mail from BI & DI to take over the apartment.
Assumes that everyone else got the same email!

But it said nothing about the delay discount in the mail.

Want good advice on how I should get fitted furniture, kitchen / bathroom fittings, etc. .....? without having to travel down to Natal and do it for myself!

Regards Rangers