It appears to me that if more attacks persist, then it will show the strength of the ones who perpetrate such crimes.   However, if we see a long cessation then one possible conclusion is that this could be the climax and farthest extension of their reach.  Since the last major terrorist event in May of 2003 in Casablanca (killing 35 people as I recall),  the local authorities have seemed to put their best resources forward to crack down and prevent these types of actions.   Let’s hope for the second.   – Mark lives with his family in Morocco.  He loves the beauty that Morocco holds and is one of the managing partners for the site, www.riadreviews.com.

Dar Seven Restored by Chic Marrakech

We are proud to publish our first interview on the blog, and we are focusing on a topic we find wildly interesting, the purchase and renovation of riads. We recently have been chatting with  Grant Rawlings, the director of Chic Marrakech, a company that does riad renovation in Marrakech. Here is the transcript of the interview:

Describe to us exactly what Chic Marrakech does and how is it different than other companies doing real estate in Marrakech?

Chic Marrakech is the first practice to offer a comprehensive, fully integrated one stop shop service for the design and restoration of riads in the Medina.

With an emphasis on a quality, personable service, we provide a unique package for English and English-speaking clients who might otherwise struggle with the French and Moroccan language barriers here, and this package covers every aspect of the renovation and restoration process.

This process begins with a consultancy service to help clients make informed decisions on the purchasing of property, and runs right the way through to designing and realising exciting, creative designs, thus ensuring total control over an entire project.

Chic Marrakech is not an estate agency, but with our strong network of local contacts, we often come across riads on the market at local, un-inflated prices and we propose these to clients when it is appropriate.

How long have you been in business?

My construction partner, Abdellatif Lamselli, has established an enviable reputation over the last thirty years and has built over 650 riads, not to mention many notable commercial projects and villas.

I have been working with Abdellatif for over three years now in Marrakech.

I originally graduated from Oxford Polytechnic in 1996 with a 2.1 BSc Hons in Estate Management then trained in the West End in property development until qualifying as a surveyor. Since that time I took to working in a more creative role in the industry in a design and build practice for commercial office space, before leaving London to settle with my Moroccan wife in Marrakech and work in the Medina.

What is the market like now in light of the world economy?

The market has been greatly effected, perhaps with values dropping by as much as 30% or more. This is not universal. Between 2004 and 2009 Morocco experienced its first real property boom then crash, but most locals don’t have a grasp on basic economics and have no interest in slashing the price of their riads. They still dream of values reached in the peak of the boom, which in the top areas of the Medina were 10,000 dhs per m2. This isn’t helping getting the market moving again.

There are still sales going through, as my wife and I can attest. We have managed to sell two houses since December, but prices have to be keen.

Another major factor in the crisis is the drop in the pound. This has to some extent halted the major influx of British buyers into the market.

Are there still some great deals or amazing properties in the medina to be bought?

There is a two tiered market in Morocco; one for Moroccans and one for foreigners. It is not always the case, but sometimes using simsars, or local agents in Marrakech, you can find property with un-inflated local price tags at around 5,000 dhs per m2.

To put this in some kind of context, my wife and I bought our current 120m2 riad in 2008 at 625,000 dhs through a simsar, which broke back to £37,500.

There will always be opportunities out there that represent real value at local prices, but it is a question of finding them.

I recently posted a blog listing some unrenovated riads at interesting prices on behalf of several simsars to help link buyers directly with local agents I am fond of and trust, who are selling some good opportunities.

Can you tell us about any specific riads/riad owners you have worked with, and what a project entailed?

Riad Timila is a live project that might serve as a good example. (www.riadtimila.com)

Three English clients bought Riad Timila in 2008 to open as a guest house. The vendor had patched up the riad and superficially restored it before placing it on the market to hide many of its problems and maximize his profit.

Initially remedial work was undertaken to put the riad back in good working order.

Subsequently, the clients purchased the adjoining property to double the size of the guest house and I was given four months to demolish and build a new house.

This has required bringing two build teams on site to double up and accelerate the work schedule and we are currently on track to complete the extension on time for the opening night on 20th September.

What are the greatest challenges you face in your work?

Most of my issues stem from awkward neighbours who are locals with too much time on their hands and nothing better to do than cause problems on a daily basis.

Ensuring standards are maintained in the 45 degree summer heat is difficult, as is trying to manage a build team in Ramadan.

If I wanted to know more about real estate/riads for sale in Marrakech, can you point me to some resources to read?

Unfortunately, I never found any aid or reference to help me negotiate my way through the property market. I began my blog in response to this problem and to provide English people and English speaking foreigner’s honest information to help them understand how market in the Medina worked.

I had the advantage of having a Moroccan wife and her contacts to assist me through my first two ventures, buying, renovating then selling riads, but I still made mistakes and my objective with the blog was to detail what I learnt from my experiences, to help others on their way.

It never ceases to amaze me that there is not more information out there on the internet.

I recently came across The View From Fez blog that contains some reliable information on Morocco and the Moroccan property market.

I have also seen a new book listed on Amazon, but cannot comment on it, as it is not something I have read. It is entitled Buying a Property in Morocco – your essential guide to purchasing, letting, selling and living in the world’s hottest new destination by Leaonne Hall.

Ok, on  a different note, can you give us your top 5 spots not everyone would know about in Marrakech?

1. Café du livre (www.cafedulivre.com)

This hip little literary cafe is a great hangout, which does interesting cultural events and encourages local artists and writers.

2. Café des espices (www.cafedesespices.net)

This funky café is situated in the Medina’s prettiest square. It is a great spot to stop and people watch and it offers lovely, simple organic fare.

3. Le Bled de Grenadine (www.lebled-granadine.com)

This is one of Marrakech’s best kept secrets. It has a lovely quiet pool you don’t have to pay to use, unlike Nikki Beach or La Plage Rouge with their exorbitant entrance fees, and the home cooking is serious.

4. The Cyber Park

Located opposite Koutoubia, right in the heart of the Medina, is the enticing oasis of the Cyber Park. It offers one the chance to escape the city’s heat and bustle, and unwind in its lush surrounds.

5. Les Cascades D’Ouzoud

These are Morocco’s highest and most spectacular waterfalls and make an excellent day trip from Marrakech.

Thanks Grant for taking time to answer these questions! For any of our readers wanting to know more, be sure to check out Grant’s beautiful site at Chic-Marrakech.com

Marrakech Skyline

When is the best time to go to Marrakech? Depends on what you are looking for. If it is purely weather based, the following chart shows the historical weather averages for Marrakech.

Marrakech Weather Averages

Overall, Spring is a good time to come to Morocco in general and Marrakech is no exception. Though I will warn you that if you are looking to swim, Spring can be hit or miss based on the temperature. Because Marrakech cools down at night, it takes longer in the year for the water in pools to not be pretty cold even if the day is hot and the sun is beaming down.

Late July and August are low times for traveling to Marrakech because of the heat, but if you are looking for a bargain, many riads run specials for this time of year so you can get a lot of bang for your dirham (or pound/euro/buck whatever you are spending!)

If you are wondering about rain in Marrakech, here is the skinny. When it rains, most riads put up a clear plastic tarp over the courtyard rooftop opening to keep water from coming in. That does keep most of the water out most of the time. The beauty of the riads are that they were made for a different time, when people felt it was natural to have their lives impacted by the daily changes in weather.  So, the plastic tarps are a 21st century solution to let people live independently of the weather. And it is a decent solution, most of the time. The medina itself is very old, and when it rains parts of the medina lanes can be left with standing water as well.

We have been in riads when it is raining and also been walking through the medina when it rains. It isn’t that bad if you don’t mind a little adventure.  We have an Irish friend who lives in Marrakech, who always says, “You Americans and your fear of rain! If us Irish stopped doing things when it rained, we would never do anything.” So for all of you who live in rainy countries, I am sure a little rain or some standing water in a lane will not phase you at all.

Let us know if you have any questions!