Comments on: Grand Atlantic Condos: One Sold To Date

By: OBA: “Trying To Turn A Lemon Into Lemonade” | Bernews.com

OBA: “Trying To Turn A Lemon Into Lemonade” | Bernews.com — Sat, 16 Aug 2014 10:02:03 +0000

[...] Grand Atlantic property was originally planned as a housing development, however only one unit sold in the first six months, and late last year Government decided to solicit [PDF] requests for [...]

By: BEST Comments On Bermudiana Beach Resort | Bernews.com

BEST Comments On Bermudiana Beach Resort | Bernews.com — Wed, 30 Jul 2014 13:02:04 +0000

[...] one unit sold in the first six months, and late last year the new administration decided to solicit [PDF] [...]

By: Debate Over Grand Atlantic Property Continues | Bernews.com

Debate Over Grand Atlantic Property Continues | Bernews.com — Sat, 19 Apr 2014 12:50:03 +0000

[...] South Shore property was originally built as affordable housing, however sales were slow, with only one unit selling in the first six months, so the Government asked for proposals from potential [...]

By: Grand Atlantic To Become All-Suite Condo Hotel | Bernews.com

Grand Atlantic To Become All-Suite Condo Hotel | Bernews.com — Wed, 16 Apr 2014 14:02:04 +0000

[...] one unit sold in the first six months, and late last year new administration decided to solicit [PDF] requests [...]

By: Weeks: ‘All The Danger Seems To Have Faded’ | Bernews.com

Weeks: ‘All The Danger Seems To Have Faded’ | Bernews.com — Tue, 08 Apr 2014 18:38:03 +0000

[...] one unit sold in the first six months, and late last year new administration decided to solicit [PDF] requests [...]

By: OBA: “PLP Blaming Anyone But Themselves” | Bernews.com

OBA: “PLP Blaming Anyone But Themselves” | Bernews.com — Tue, 12 Mar 2013 13:02:03 +0000

[...] announced that 100% financing was available, however six months after that it was confirmed only one unit had [...]

By: Grand Atlantic Condos: “Take A Step Back” | Bernews.com

Grand Atlantic Condos: “Take A Step Back” | Bernews.com — Fri, 08 Mar 2013 12:14:02 +0000

[...] first-time home purchasers at the Grand Atlantic Development, however six months after that it was confirmed only one unit had [...]

By: AR

AR — Sun, 07 Oct 2012 11:56:46 +0000

I count two full-stops.

By: Simon Says

Simon Says — Fri, 05 Oct 2012 19:18:46 +0000

Drug Dealers wont even purchase these apartments because they bear too much resemblance to actual prisons!

By: Bernews

Bernews — Fri, 05 Oct 2012 10:25:41 +0000

Actually, there have been numbers given before about loan approvals [5], those being screened by the bank [15] and amount of people interested [190] - but we believe the first time the Ministry confirmed the amount of sales was this week....we have been asking about actual sales for some time lol. What Minister Weeks said in June was 5 persons received approval to purchase. The video of his full statement at that press conference is here.

By: Bermuda Onion

Bermuda Onion — Thu, 04 Oct 2012 21:43:26 +0000

They are not low income housing. They are just made to LOOK like low income housing!

By: Family Man

Family Man — Thu, 04 Oct 2012 18:03:36 +0000

Interesting: On June 1st the Royal Gazette quoted Minister Weeks as saying five units had been sold and 15 more purchasers were being screened for approval.

http://www.royalgazette.com/article/20120601/NEWS/706019978
Public Works Minister Michael Weeks has defended the Grand Atlantic housing project against critics, saying interest in the development remains high.

Five units have been sold and 15 people are being screened for approval, he stated.

I wouldn’t want to accuse Minister Weeks of being dishonest, after all, he may be just unable to count.

By: Kno dat

Kno dat — Thu, 04 Oct 2012 15:40:16 +0000

Regular Everyday working folk cannot afford this Sh!T!!
This is so Ridiculous!! Start homes for Who???
Not me thats for sure!
Not to mention they are so UGLY!!
South shore Eye Sore is what they should be name
feel a little sorry for the persons that got one they just got ripped right off!!!

By: media

media — Thu, 04 Oct 2012 15:24:37 +0000

Remember, this project was conceived during to boom years. The plan was to create decent housing for the middle class, not for the low wage earners. By filling the 78 units with over 150 voters that were only too grateful to have a decent place to live in an overheated and impossible housing market, the PLP thought they would have secured the area for generations as a PLP stronghold. Things haven’t quite worked out that way for them though. The reality right now is that they might have just 2 more votes with those new occupants.

At least the UBP did actually create a lot of affordable housing for average folk. Which is still evident all over the island. The same can’t be said for the PLP.

By: media

media — Thu, 04 Oct 2012 15:14:37 +0000

Gilbert Lopes is building more! He is building 1 bed units. Hard to believe at this time isn’t it? He certainly has the money to blow on them as he has cleaned right up with all the condos he has built in the past 10 years, both privately and the Government ones. Just visualize more of the same up there at Grand Atlantic! A wall of concrete that is only going to be even larger by the time he has finished there.

By: media

media — Thu, 04 Oct 2012 15:07:55 +0000

Just wait a few more years. As someone who lives on the South Shore, maintenance is no joke and very expensive. Those units are new now but as they start aging the place is going to need serious upkeep, added expenses down the road for any potential gullible buyer. If not they will start to look much worse than they do right now. You would think Ewart Brown would have realised that fact as he too lives right on the South Shore. He has the wealth to deal with it though. I would never have built so called ‘affordable housing’ directly on the South Shore.

By: Trotty

Trotty — Thu, 04 Oct 2012 14:19:50 +0000

I don’t no much about this project since I have left the island. this brings back to mind something that was being said back in 1988, Bermudians will not be able to buy a home in Bermuda because it will be to over priced. And it is very true today. Must people can come up with $4,500 a month and then try and pay all the other bills in a household in this day and age. No I am not sure how many of you all remember that it was once said that Bermuda is going to the haves and the have nots. no middle class and from what I am seeing not only in Bermuda but around the world this is so very true. If the governments don’t step in and help the people buy actually trying to help the peop[le of their nations, who the hell will. It seems to me that the people in power already have the money and the power and those that would like to have just a little of that will never get it nor will they ever pay of a home as they could have done back in the 70′s,80′s and 90′s. If you are down at the lower end of thepole you the system to me seems as though it will keep you there. In times not so long ago if you paid $4,500 a month for a house you would have been paying and $800,000 home not some half ass Condo with no grass with a chain link fence in the back of it.
Just my thoughts good luck to the one person or persons that purchased that single condo

By: Unbelievable!

Unbelievable! — Thu, 04 Oct 2012 14:12:04 +0000

Well the affordable prices surely has had an impact on the familys at Loughlounds. Go up on MyBermudaHouse and eMoo and see the units that are up for sale at Loughlands! $3,500 mortgage maintenance $375 and other utilties adds up to $5,000 per month. This is definietly not AFFORDABLE.

By: media

media — Thu, 04 Oct 2012 13:39:58 +0000

I wonder whether they are considering offers or are the prices fixed?
I wonder what the first cost of each unit is? Obviously if only one has sold out of 78 the pricing is set too high and just like in the real world if a property does not sell at a given price, the price is reduced to attract offers and a potential sale. I have not seen any reduction on the sales prices so far. I have not seen any promotion of the units. Do they really want to sell them?

By: Dawn de Toilet

Dawn de Toilet — Thu, 04 Oct 2012 12:22:24 +0000

excuse me…5000 a month is your payment not the cost to live. You still have all your other bills – electricity, food, cable, internet and then car payments, fuel and of course food.

By: Dawn de Toilet

Dawn de Toilet — Thu, 04 Oct 2012 12:21:02 +0000

Who can afford that? Maybe the drug dealers?

By: Dawn de Toilet

Dawn de Toilet — Thu, 04 Oct 2012 12:16:53 +0000

And if I could I still wouldnt buy one of these places!

By: Dawn de Toilet

Dawn de Toilet — Thu, 04 Oct 2012 12:16:20 +0000

you are lucky if the average family can even afford $100,000. I know being an average Bermudian I will have to pay rent my whole life as I could never afford these so called “low income housing”!

By: Dawn de Toilet

Dawn de Toilet — Thu, 04 Oct 2012 12:14:19 +0000

they are too small inside too and no elevator..can you imagine all the grunting and groaning moving in and eventually out and the damage to the walls and doors cause everything is so small with little room to move?

By: Dawn de Toilet

Dawn de Toilet — Thu, 04 Oct 2012 12:12:01 +0000

so funny zombie but so true!

By: seriously

seriously — Thu, 04 Oct 2012 12:06:40 +0000

way over priced for a condo, half a mill to live in a complex that reminds me of a project in the us! best of luck W&E selling those for that price plus the ledge under it looks like those houses will give out in 20 years

By: QED

QED — Thu, 04 Oct 2012 11:09:57 +0000

If something is not selling it means that it is OVERPRICED. $195K – sounds good to me. More Govt. failure…

By: hmmmm

hmmmm — Thu, 04 Oct 2012 10:43:52 +0000

LOL!

By: Mad Dawg

Mad Dawg — Thu, 04 Oct 2012 09:36:06 +0000

Yeah, Duane, seniors love all that going up and down several flights of stairs just to get to their front door.

Or maybe they could use the elevator…..? Oh no, not in this case. No elevators here.

Duane, if you think its such a great investment, go to Butterfield and get a 100% loan for $650,000, buy an apartment, and take advantage of Paula’s “economic recovery”. Rent it out to the flood of expats coming in. Can’t fail, right?

By: judge dread (r)

judge dread (r) — Thu, 04 Oct 2012 08:22:36 +0000

unfortunately we built affordable housing for people to buy, when we needed to build affordable housing for people to rent.
as someone who has done a far bit of work on this site, i will say that the interiors are not that bad, but the overall design of the individual blocks is very unattractive.
i.e.. walking past my neighbours kitchen and bedroom on the way to my unit is not what i would want to be buying into.
we are living in a time with many single parents, and people needing to work more than one job to be able to keep a roof over their head and food on the table. i cannot understand for the life of me WHO thought that building housing to buy at this cost was a good idea.
the government should own them, the government should rent them out, and the government should maintain them. rent them at an affordable price, take care of them and it could 20-25 years from now be a contributor to our public purse.

By: Skink

Skink — Thu, 04 Oct 2012 08:11:16 +0000

Charge the U.S. 3 million each for “All” of G.I.t.m.o. Prisoners from Cuba and we should place them in our own camp on south shore……put up the barb wire and pay off our debt, case closed!!!

By: Skink

Skink — Thu, 04 Oct 2012 08:06:51 +0000

yep!!…….rent them out to tenants that don’t care about landlords property, only to leave them in a mess when they haven’t paid the rent…….good idea indeed!!! I’m the landlord……..no thanks.

By: craig looby

craig looby — Thu, 04 Oct 2012 06:20:27 +0000

how r those monthly payment affordable?

By: Miguelito

Miguelito — Thu, 04 Oct 2012 06:17:04 +0000

What grocery store is that? Oh, you mean that empty building?

By: Observant

Observant — Thu, 04 Oct 2012 03:42:52 +0000

And a surfboard for the day you wake up in the Atlantic???

By: Observant

Observant — Thu, 04 Oct 2012 03:39:15 +0000

Can we get an “AMEN”???

By: Observant

Observant — Thu, 04 Oct 2012 03:38:00 +0000

I think it says that a) they are NOT low-income housing and that b) nobody wants to wake up in the Atlantic one morning!!

By: Cinderella

Cinderella — Thu, 04 Oct 2012 02:33:14 +0000

“Affordable” for a family of three (and one on the way) means purchase price of $150,000 maximum.
Also it would be an idea to build a fenced bridge as a crossing to the grocery store on other side of the road.

By: Curious

Curious — Thu, 04 Oct 2012 02:13:37 +0000

Should be rented out to people who cant afford much most ppl jus want a roof over their head financial assistance should look into this. Pay what u can affford! Even if its 600 per month. Somethin is better then nothin. Not everyone needs cable. A roof.
Food and running water is all we need!!!!

By: PLOP

PLOP — Thu, 04 Oct 2012 01:17:37 +0000

Seniors with all those stairs…really! It is an epic fail of the PLP and they spent our money to do it.

By: observer

observer — Thu, 04 Oct 2012 00:57:22 +0000

And they like to be deceived, because they will continue to vote them back in until it is to late.

By: Formidable Deviant

Formidable Deviant — Thu, 04 Oct 2012 00:55:27 +0000

There aren’t any guests, they’ve all gone to Barbados, and the expats are in Cayman or have gone home. Cheers Paula, you’ve royally screwed it up.

By: Formidable Deviant

Formidable Deviant — Thu, 04 Oct 2012 00:50:21 +0000

They don’t look wonderful to me, they look like a prison camp.

By: observer

observer — Thu, 04 Oct 2012 00:46:30 +0000

and people will continue to vote for them.

By: Sylvan Richards Jr.

Sylvan Richards Jr. — Thu, 04 Oct 2012 00:43:27 +0000

This development was ‘sold’ to the gullible Bermudian public as a wonderful new HOTEL development and the condo units were to be sold to finance the wonderful new HOTEL that was to be built there. Well that definitely ain’t gonna happen at the Grand Atlantic site. Now to add insult to injury the developer is gonna build a bunch of additional smaller units out of his own pocket that he will sell for a profit while competing with the plp who can’t sell the larger completed units. This is complete madness bought to you by the illustrious plp who…”Had to deceive you and have continued to do so since 1998″

By: Duane P. Santucci

Duane P. Santucci — Wed, 03 Oct 2012 23:58:32 +0000

Since WE AS BERMUDIANS refuse to stand up and do something when all the high rents start coming into this Island by one foreign affiliated real estate firm that no one took to task,then the BERMUDIANS got greedy and went after the high end market and profit from it at a time we had many foreign companys in here paying top dollar and the bases before leaving here had there personnel doing the same as to the foriegn companies,offering the GREEDY BERMUDIAN LANDLORDS more then the average Bermudian can afford,then the majority of landlords got on the band wagon and did the same and the sad part is that many of them had put their rents up high but still had a low mortgage even with the fluxuation of the interest rates.then the real jokers who had their homes paid off already took advantage and raked up their rents and their houses are paid for and some of those jokers still refuse to have low rents even in this bad economy and they are PART OF OUR DOWN FALL..so do the math and tell me how does one collect this same amount $30K and higher a year for units back in the day under rent control would not have even been suitable to collect half of that,but because our government has not been dillegent in these areas of seeing which hoes should really be under rent control,many home owners are getting away with high class robbery.guest workers in this country being charged by the head up to $1000.00 a month and higher per person with nothing less then 6 in a dwelling,do the math and see why we are in the postion we are.

By: Opressed

Opressed — Wed, 03 Oct 2012 23:46:53 +0000

Not any more, you should hear the noise generated by that natty looking gas station, let alone the never ending traffic.

By: Duane P. Santucci

Duane P. Santucci — Wed, 03 Oct 2012 23:46:04 +0000

In all honnesty I see this as a great oppurtunity to take an invest back into our own with these units becoming another Far rockaway developement,far rockaway was developed to assist our seniors with affordable housing and it actually has worked and is working with the acception that there are still seniors out here needing these types of units but being able to have someone live in with them.

Many of our seniors are able to do for themselves but have a constant fear of living alone in todays society and insecurities about their future,be it health,finances,affordability or crime and feel more comfortable just knowing someone else is living in the dwelling with them,be it a relative or friend. so if we cant get them sold why not make it a developement that would help them,after all you do have the new gas station that is like a small mini variety store and convient store,you have southlands that once developed into a national park on the northern section and a public beach on the south,it will be a great area for retirement not to mention who ever opens the new grocery store after all the wrangling is over.then you still have what seem to be the developement behind the gas station,that at last check I thought was a new hotel up an coming.

As many folk think this developement is not worth the time money or energy,i think it can worka nd the units are very attractive for seniors living or first time home owners,or those that want to down size.

By: eye on you

eye on you — Wed, 03 Oct 2012 23:10:16 +0000

Im sorry even if they were 1/2 t price I wouldn’t put my family and money at risk. The places actually look nice and the view and location is great but , no thanks.

By: keepin' it real

keepin' it real — Wed, 03 Oct 2012 23:09:22 +0000

“In General” the best comment thus far…you beat me to it!