Please help, so excited,bought a little flat in Calangute when we were there in January going back in March to finalize things. Have found this site most helpful, you are all real experts, would liked to take my wireless laptop with me. Is there anywhere in Calangute with Hotspot as I need to access all the amazing info re furniture suppliers etc whilst there. Really appreciate this. TA

Mike,

I haven't done what you are doing - but we are going down the same road. I am supposed to become the part owner and a Director of a Goan registerd company and at the same time I have set up a Company here in the UK with an Indian Director.

This is for business purposes - but I too have heard that this is a way of aquiring property in Goa and also of being able to get funds out. I would be very interested to know if you need to have anything in the way of Insurance for a company in India? In the UK you have to have Employers Liability Insurance for a company - even if it's a family affair.

John

Hi,
Question to current owners of property in Goa.....what do you do with your properties during the monsoon if you're back in the UK? We have been told that they need airing regularly to stop them becomming damp etc. Is this true?

hi towpal
i believe a lot of people use those large bags that you can remove all the air out of and seal up also have someone local to check on things
mike

john
i will not need insurance as the company will be classed as a nil company so to speak as i wont be trading
mike

My wife and I find ourselves having a few reservations as to just what we are letting ourselves into..........Let me explain.

We visited Arpora, Goa in January this year for the first time and are totally besotted with the place. Never before have we taken a holiday somewhere where we found it so difficult to leave. Never before have we had a holiday when we both can't wait to go back again!

We were so taken with the place that we found ourselves signing up to buy our own apartment at Riviera Palms in Little Goa. At the time of our holiday it all seemed so straightforward; it would be easy to let the apartment to friends and family to help with the repayments and we would be using the apartment 2 or 3 times a year ourselves, until we retire when we hope to live there for six months of the year.

Not until we came home and looked into the practicalities of jetting ourselves or our potential visitors to Goa did we hit a few hurdles:-

1. There are no charter flights to Goa unless you are booking it with accommodation.

2. Scheduled flights entail a change at Mumbai airport meaning extra cost and extra travel time.

3. It is more expensive to buy return flights to Goa than it was for our 2 week package holiday!

We would really appreciate any hints or tips and any cheap flight operators that you can recommend that will convince us that we are doing the right thing!

Also, can anyone adise us how easy is it to rent out an apartment for longer periods and is there any demand?

Thanks in advance for any advice.

Mike

Mike

I can only help with one thing.

There are charter flights to Goa.

Monarch definitely do them and I'm sure others are available but I would agree that the prices do vary enormously depending on the time of year.

There is a post dealing with flights whch would be worth a read but Companies such as Sunmasters will sort you out charter flights. It is worth remembering that the plan is to increase the number of weekly flights to Goa so things will only get better.

Also even if you have to fly via Mumbai this isn't as daunting as it might at first seem.

There are several HT'ers who own property in Goa that they let and I'm sure they'll give you some further info on the practicalities.

Mike

All the operators do Charter flights to Goa but they have to sell them with one nights basic accommodation which no one ever uses to get round the Indian rules. When looking on Tour Operators Web sites try searching under accommodation rather than flight only. I know a lot of them only but these on sale later that they do the packages. For instance if you look on First Choice web site they call them Goan travellers.

We are purchasing a property in South Goa via a UK agent and have just received the contracts. We would like these checked out by a UK lawyer who has knowledge of the Indian property market - does anyone have any recommendations? Any help would be much appreciated.

We are purchasing a property in South Goa via a UK agent and have just received the contracts. We're going back to Goa in a few weeks to view the property but we would like these checked out by a UK lawyer who has knowledge of the Indian property market - does anyone have any recommendations? Do we also have to get a local lawyer to check the contract? Any help would be much appreciated.

Jacki

Hi Jacki,

We're in the same position having just received contracts this morning for a property in South Goa. I guess we need to check that the developer really owns the land and that proper planning permission has been obtained so if anybody out there can help it would be much appreciated. Where is your place Jacki? We might be neighbours!
Regards,

Jeff & Cora

Hi Jeff & Cora,

Our place is in Cavelossim. We are going out to view it on 17th March and will be taking the contracts with us for signature and to hopefully open a company.

When I read a lot of the posts on here - I get the impression that people just sign the contracts and it appears to be okay - I presume it's because we're buying from developers and not a private sale of land.

When is your property due to be finished? Have you seen it?

Let's keep in touch.

Cheers,

Jacki

Hi Jacki,

I haven't seen our place as such as we're buying off-plan. We were out there for a week last September and saw various places with a couple of different developers. The one we went with is connected to Keith Morling Estates and we saw the site which is about 1 mile from Colva Beach. Completion is supposedly 24 months but the contract allows for 6 months grace! I've been corresponding with a guy whose Uncle is a Lawyer and Notary in Panjim and he's insistent that contracts should be checked by an independent Lawyer. Apparently there are dozens to choose from in Margao but I don't whether that would be convenient for you.Speak to you soon.
Regards,
Jeff

hi towpal and all at HT.
just back after taking possession of our apartment in candolim - We are using the services of a well respected agency to look after our apt when we are there and also when we are not - agency name is 5 Star services - they have referencies and are reasonable priced. Now looking forward to going back out end of March for a "holiday" as our last couple of weeks were very hard work,moving in - but made a lot more easy thanks to lots of help and advise from HT Members. Bye the way we are flying with Jetair from LHR for 23days over Easter - choose any day out and back - cost just under £500 each.

Have any of you read the Reserve Bank of India website before purchasing property? You are supposed to get approval from the RBI before purchasing property here. Be warned, to quote from a local newspaper here, "Foreigners are allowed entry and stay in India at the pleasure of the Government ......" in other words, they can chuck you out when they choose !!!

Hi Bam
Very pleased you've got your apartment, bet your knackered! We also have just got back on Friday after horrendous flight. We spent most of the two weeks looking in tile shops and bathroom shops and came back exhausted (and our place isnt even ready yet) so I know it must be 100 times worse for you! Our future neighbours have been there 5 months and their still not completely sorted. Am really dreading the actual takeover! Did you manage to get much done?

Hi Flip,

My understanding is that as long as you purchase through a Company,which costs around £300 to set up,then you should be okay,but I could be wrong! The RBI must know what's happening as there are plenty of Brits buying. Why don't they stop it if they want to?

Cheers,

jeff
you must really get your own lawyer. Take nothing as gospel.
I have been told that if you can afford to lose all your investment then Goa may be a good buy. Many people who are buying have property portfolios and are willing to take the risk.

Jeff46 - I am only trying to help folks out - you may be aware of setting up a company, other folks don't, and believe me, I know lots of folks who have 'bought' apatments here, on a tourist visa without setting up a company. If you can afford to lose that money, then so be it.