Real Life Stories Buying Case Study: Morocco

Date Published:

18/06/2008

Property 5: Under the Orange Tree
This is our last property but we wanted to end on a high note and 'Riad Isabelle' doesn't disappoint. It's a fantastic fully-furnished riad renovated three years ago. This property is also located in Dar Bacha - and we pass from a humble alleyway through a low medieval front door and enter into another world of sublime peace. Riad Isabelle’s courtyard has a cool blue feel but the central feature is the four orange trees in its garden.

The ground floor has of an open living area, a second living room with Moroccan cushions scattered around, dining room and a kitchen with an oven, fridge-freezer and washing machine. The first floor has three en-suite bedrooms, one with a glorious four-poster double bed. The roof terrace offers views across the Palace and the nearby mosque. Our agent tells us that the rental income would be around €1,200 (£820) per week here.

What does Ruth think?

'The final property fitted in best with my plans - I loved the romantic style of that riad, it was much more accessible than the others I had seen and had been very well renovated. But I need to think harder about the financial situation, as it was over my budget.

'I now realise that you need to employ a manager here. Logistically, you would need to have someone on site to look after the guests.

'However, it has been a helpful trip in showing me what is available and what can be done. For instance, you could buy a riad, do it up and then re-sell it at a profit or you could buy one that's been already renovated and use it as a rental property. This trip has given me a lot of food for thought.'

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