Taking care of business

Left Fes for the Big C leaving Moaniss in charge with Ben with a 3 page worklist for all the workers so we all knew what was expected in my absence. Spent a good two hours on the morning of departure ensuring everyone on the case and left a float for contingencies with Moaniss. Starting to put the pressure on them now subtly and me leaving at this time should ensure a spurt of activity to impress me on my return, thats the theory.

In the house at this time we have a carpenter putting wooden counter bar in the kitchen, plumber putting all bathroom fittings together so I should have at least one functioning bath and shower and three man plaster and tadelakt team who are giving the whole house and bathrooms their critically acclaimed finish. Their tadelakt work continues to amaze and even had the esteemed David Amster admiring the quality without quite being able to put his finger on exactly how it was achieved and what was in the secret lime mix.

Theres also of course thee Da Capo ladies and Mernissi whos sole job this week is to clear and clean all terraces. The metalman will be making stairway down from top terrace to next level terrace and the builder is oddjobbing throughout the house after laying the glass floor in the intermediary bedroom. The zellige team are finishing tiling floors in two bathrooms and finishing kitchen in apartment. So its all go as I left so lets leave them to it shall we and take a break in the Big C.


Reporting now from Chefchaoen as I have been up here four days now trying to relax but invariably it has been all househunting. On the first visit with Pete and Karen here we found an incredible house on the top edge of the medina and parking next door and a garden a huge bonus. It looked straight out of a magazine and we decided it had to be bought especially at 39000 euros even though my money is tied up in the Fes property i figured somewhere along the line i could find 13000 as a share as it could take 5 months to complete. My experience with an ex partner before should have warned me about getting involved in another project of that type but hey ho you only live once, and people over here leap into projects with such abandon and spirit of adventure that its refreshing although probably not rational.

Anyway this visit was to put a small deposit down and i mean small about 1000 dh and this would hold the house until paperwork was ready, it has been promised ages ago but not materialised. The house would then be signed for in 6 months when Karen and Pete return from Oz. As it stands it would make 3 two bed apartments with a top terrace and its value then would double we estimate if not more. Anyway we shall wait and see as the months progress but prices here are climbing almost daily.

Linked up with Archi in his shop my multilingual carpet man and general right hand man and spent my first night as a guest in his semi built house on a hilltop overlooking the town, with his family. We sat eating kefta and watching the stars from his bijou garden planning the coming days.

The next day at the shop bumped into two girls, Susan who lived near Ronda in Spain and her friend Charmaine who lived in Dubai for her sins as a nurse but also had a small property portfolio in England and looking to add to it over here. Alongside Archi we all went on a mission to look at property and i found myself in the simsaar role evaluating each house according to price,size,condition and views etc. They kept telling me I was good at my job and I suppose I am as I have picked up so much knowledge over the year but now should be the time to charge a fee for services rendered. This became clear when both girls found a property they liked and we ran around finding the owners and paperwork and hammering out fair prices.

By the third day deposits were changing hands and bank accounts were being opened and it was all getting serious especially as both girls asked if I could manage the reform of their houses. So I could see another project coming together alongside the house with Pete and Karen that could earn a few shekels especially if I brought Archi in as the chantier as he has his head screwed on on that front as well.

So with Mernissi house galloping to the end of its refit and spending next month kitting it out etc the ongoing Chaoen projects in a few months time could tie in nicely we shall see. Also have been getting a few emails from potential investors, friends from home and could start lining up stuff for them to see as well. You have to keep busy here and have a few irons in the fire so to speak and be able to adapt to whatever is required of you at whatever time.