Editorial
Dear Readers, I am pleased to share with you the last issue of Real Estate Mauritius Property Investment Guide. In this last edition we have two special guests, Mr Gaetan Siew who shares his insights about the Smart Cities of Port Louis (French article) and Ms Karen Alexandre who also shares her Interior Décor article on Home Staging to sell your home. I wish to officially present our new brand:
Homes.mu Your online marketplace
A friendly marketplace where property owners and industry leaders will be able to sell, trade and share their products and services to benefit from all our marketing advantages. To maintain our online marketing strength from www.Real-EstateMauritius.com, we will redirect all our online positioning to Homes.mu Our partnership with Cube Design will give us the local reach in all their key locations such as shopping malls, public spaces and shell stations. We invite the smartest Financing and Insurance companies to tender for the lead generating tool available on homes.mu portal and mobile application.
Finance & Insure this Home
Our strategy is to be the most popular real estate portal and mobile application available on the market by making it a FREE TOOL to join for all home owners in Mauritius.
issue No.6
A thorough rebranding of Real Estate Mauritius into Homes.mu is now in the making.
Thank you all for your contribution in the making of this last property investment guide.
Real Estate Mauritius will honor our original agreement and will migrate your properties on the new portal this November-December until the agreed 2016 end date.
Very exciting times ahead.
Our goals are to : 1. Be the most user friendly portal and application. 2. Seek to reach the largest database of the active home owners in Mauritius. 3. Offer the latest digital and marketing services available to all our new clients. Now new industry partners can enjoy a far more efficient and more advanced technological tool to best market their projects, real estate agencies and sell their properties, products and services online via our Top Ranking Portal and Social Media Networks. In this issue we welcome back: • Cuisine & Bain Ltee • Quickbooks.mu • Floorsafe • CubeDesign.mu • Eroc • Rockview • Blue Island Resort • Lattitude • L’escale • Gecko Lodge • Cap Tropical • Nine On Park • Mont Choisy Parc • Capitaine Pike • Page Administrator We welcome onboard our new partners and property owners who selected our network to advertise in our free publication: • Inthemood.mu • Strawberry Contracting Ltd • Lifecoat Painting Ltd • Paper Link Ltd • GSR La Gaulette • Mr Mahen from la Gaulette • Axess - Citroen C1
My partners and I now look forward to the successful launch of Homes. mu and preparing our new bi-lingual quarterly publication for the beginning of next year. Your feedback and advises are welcome. For all your marketing needs our team remain at your disposal. Best regards,
Sebastien Staub
A product of Staub Marketing Ltd • Director : Sebastien Staub • Design : Cube Design ltd (www.cubedesign.mu) & Web development : Mataora (www.mataora.com) • Real Estate Mauritius ( Address : Hermitage, Ave King George, Floreal, Phone no: (230) 696 09 68 | 57 94 64 37, Email: info@real-estatemauritius.com, Website: www.real-estate. mauritius.com ) • Printed by T-Printers.Ltd (230) 233 25 00 • Disclaimer • All information and advice provided within the Real Estate Mauritius (REM) website, Property Investment Guide (PIG) is provided for general information purposes only and does not constitute a legal contract between REM and any person or entity. • If you rely on the information on this Site you are responsible for ensuring by direct contact with REM, its accuracy, currency or completeness. • The REM web site and PIG are subject to change without prior notice. Although every reasonable effort is made to present current and accurate information, REM makes no guarantees of any kind and accepts no responsibilities for errors within the content. • Any links to external Web sites or email addresses provided within the REM web site and PIG are provided as a courtesy. They should not be construed as an endorsement by REM web site and PIG of the content or views of these sites, nor do they imply a relationship with the owner of that link. •
Real Estate Mauritius Rent - Buy - Holiday Rentals
CREATE YOUR PERSONALISED GIFT LIST FOR
My list on In The Mood速 allows you to create a personalised gift list using products on the website or by creating your own projects such as: home renovation, honeymoon, or any other lifetime experience. Visit inthemood.mu/mylist and get your friends to contribute to YOUR gifts.
inthemood.mu
About Mauritius Nestled in the heart of the Indian Ocean, south of Africa and east of Madagascar, this dreamy isle sits ideally between the Tropic of Capricorn and the equator, providing a perfect tropical climate all year round. Mauritius is the main island, from which the country derives its name. Of volcanic origin, it’s almost entirely surrounded by sheltering coral reefs. With hundreds of amazing passes with perfect waves, lefts and rights, short and long barrels and deep to hollow tubes, it’s a
surfer’s paradise and with numerous, vast lagoons to boot, there’s great sailing, diving and fishing diversity, too. There‘s no shortage of top spots, swells, lagoons or wind, but there has been a distinct lack of information about all these things
you-drop at Flacq‘s bustling open-air market, a vibrant and colorful marketplace full of fresh local products at great value. The island’s home to countless bars and restaurants. Check out the iconic Banana Bar in Grand Bay, which hosts both local and international artists, from jazz to soul. In the mood for dancing? The numerous nightclubs offer a great atmosphere where you can boogie the night away to the sounds of House, Dance and RnB music played by top DJs.
- until now! This comprehensive guide enables you to experience the range of stunning spots on our beautiful island for yourself. Take the swells and gentle sea breezes, add the impressive Indian Ocean climate, great coral reefs, large lagoons and a handful of quality breaks and you have the perfect surfing, windsurfing and kitesurfing destination. The Unique Mauritian Culture is a blend of Indian, Chinese and Creole sweetness and spices with an influencing European History, in other words amazing local cuisine. Get a taste for the magical mélange of influences with a warm Dol Pourie, whether it’s on a street corner in Port Louis, from a delicious hotel buffet or à la carte at a well-reputed table d‘hôte in Chamarel. You‘ll find specialties everywhere you go, all worth a try. Shop-til-
The island boasts some of the world‘s most beautiful private and public beaches, fringed by swaying palms and lapped by crystalclear turquoise waters. Combine that with the magnificent, exotic sunsets and tropical vegetation of the various game reserves, national parks, private hunting estates and colonial houses such as St Aubin and Eureka where honeymooners can make their dreams come true and you‘ve got a winning formula. Golf fan? Mauritius is fast earning a reputation for being home to some of the world‘s most amazing golf courses. Its fantastic architectural designs by big names such as Ernie Els and Bernhand Langer offer avid golfers a challenging game. But whatever your handicap, you‘ll find somewhere to suit your needs, whether you‘re aiming for a hole in one at one of the top-class hotels or dodging the water hazards on the new Ile Aux Cerfs, you‘ll love putting your way through the stunning settings that are simply unbeatable. The Mauritius Open PGA attracts international and local professionals and many a celebrity has been spotted practicing their swing on the island‘s championship courses. Grand Bay is the place to head for catamaran cruises and sailing boats. Blue Bay and Black River offer amazing trips to nearby islands such as Coin De Mire, Ile Plate, Ile au Gabriel and Ile aux Bennitier. Famous spots for snorkeling and scuba diving include the famous Silver Star wreck and the Cathedral underwater cave. Mauritius and Rodrigues offer some of the world‘s best deep-sea fishing with
Copyright Rockview 2015
many experienced skippers and fishing boat owners, such as Tamarin local fishing legend, Jerome Moonsamy, aka Mr. Bull. Deep sea fishing is possible off the East, North and West coasts and the best operators are based in Black River and Trou aux Biches. The best months are the summer months (October to May.) Mr. Dominique Theveneau offers fly-fishing and casting outings on reefs for individuals or small groups. Not forgetting the Mauritius Aquarium, home to 100‘s of tropical aquatic life and fish. If the sea doesn‘t float your boat, there are numerous land-based pursuits to participate in. Choose from inland adventure tours, sightseeing in four-wheeled drives, on mountain bikes or hiking (Yann De Maroussem from Yanaventures is a great hiking enthusiast who knows his way around the South), along with a wealth of other activities. The adventurous among you should head to Yemen Nature Park for great quad bike riding and abseiling close to the 3 Mamelles Mountains. The game reserve of Domaine Du Chasseur offers fabulous panoramic views and sunsets, while the magnificent Black River Gorges National Park is home to wonderful wildlife, where bird-lovers can spy protected
bird species such as the pink pigeon, kestrels and rare forest trees. Photographers will love snapping away at the Vanilla Reserve des Mascareignes, home to Nile Crocodiles.
If gardening‘s your thing, the Pamplemousse Garden is one of the oldest tropical gardens in the world, bursting with exotic flowers and tropical trees. If architecture‘s your kick, you
won‘t be disappointed by the 1830 Eureka House or St Aubin Colonial House, The Ruins of Ballaclava or Martello Tower, illustrating intriguing history from early settlers. History buffs shouldn‘t miss the modern sugarcane
“the country has attracted considerable foreign investment and has earned one of Africa’s highest per capita incomes” exhibition of L‘Aventure Du Sucre and the Salt Pans of Tamarin, for fascinating facts about the slavery trade. Animal lovers can spend the day with wild stags, tigers and monkeys at Casela Bird Park, home to 140 bird species from five other continents. Set in 25 hectares of tropical vegetation, consisting of a wide variety of palm trees, bamboos, eucalyptus and colorful exotic flowers such as the hibiscus and orchids, you‘ll enjoy a gorgeously-perfumed day.
So, where do we all get this amazing history and mixed heritage from? Well, it all started back in the 10th century when the Arab navigators, already familiar with Mauritius, gave
it the name of Dina Arobi but were not interested in settling. It was only rediscovered by the Portuguese in 1505, followed by the Dutch, who were believed to have caused the extinction of the famous Dodo which is now the emblem of Mauritius. Then came the French, who lost out to the British, before independence was attained in 1968. Since then, Mauritius has enjoyed a stable democracy with regular free elections (every five years). Along with a positive human rights record, the country has attracted considerable foreign investment and has earned one of Africa’s highest per capita incomes. Due to poor weather in the last couple of years, the declining sugar prices have slowed economic growth, leading to some protests over standards of living in the Creole community, but tourism, textile and offshore investments are the other major economic contributors and Mauritius is one of the few countries which has been resilient throughout the global recession.
Invest in Mauritius Email: info@real-estate-mauritius.com or Call us: +230 5794 6437
Tel. 496 81 38
Real Estate File What is the Integrated Resort Scheme (IRS)? The IRS is basically a project for the construction and sale of luxury villas to foreigners in an idyllic setting near the beautiful coastal region of Mauritius. The acquisition of a villa for residential purposes only by a foreigner under the Scheme will allow the foreigner and his family to reside in Mauritius as long as he holds the property. The Integrated Resort Scheme (IRS) provides: Villas sold under the scheme form part of a complex of luxury villas of international standard and high-class facilities and amenities such as: golf course, marina and individual swimming pool, nautical and other sport facilities, health and beauty centres, high class restaurants amongst others. Maintenance, waste disposal, gardening, security and other household services are also included. The extent of land in respect of each villa shall not exceed 1.25 arpents (0.5276 hectares). The villa can be acquired on the basis of a plan or during the construction phase.
What is Real Estate Scheme (RES)? Mauritius is renowned for his hospitality industry with some of the best resort hotels in the world. With this in mind government has attracted foreign investment (FDI) by the introduction of several regulations to allow foreigners to purchase real estate in Mauritius. The Real Estate Scheme (RES) provides: The RES, is a new scheme which has been introduced by the Government of Mauritius at beginning of December 2007 to allow the development of any mix of residences for sale mainly to non-citizens on freehold land of an extent of at least 1 arpent but not exceeding 10 hectares. The scheme must offer commercial and/or leisure amenities in addition to the residential component. Individual sites should not exceed 1.25 arpents. There is no minimum value to purchase in the RES scheme yet on property which exceeds USD 500000 the buyer will be granted residency status once his purchase is approved by the government.
What is Invest Hotel Scheme (IHS)? The Invest Hotel Scheme (IHS) allows hotel developers to finance the development of a hotel project by allowing them to sell villas, suites, rooms or other components that form part of hotel to individual buyers. The Invest Hotel Scheme (IHS) provides: for the development of a hotel on either freehold or leasehold land of more than 1 hectare where unites, villas, suites or other parts of the hotel can be sold; that the buyers of a unit enters into a lease agreement by which the property is leased back to the seller; and that the unit leased to the seller may be used and occupied by the unit owner or any person on his behalf for a total of not more than 45 days in any period of 12 months.
VISIT WWW.REAL-ESTATE-MAURITIUS.COM
The Property Development Scheme (PDS) About the scheme The Property Development Scheme (PDS) allows the development of a mix of residences and the programme is designed to facilitate the acquisition of residential property by non-citizens in Mauritius. The PDS is basically an integrated project with social dimensions for the benefit of the neighbouring community and allows for the development and sale of high standing residential units mainly to foreigners. At least 25% of the residential properties developed under PDS must be sold to Mauritians and member of the Mauritian Diaspora. The Property Development Scheme (PDS), which has replaced the IRS and RES, allows the development of a mix of residences for sale to noncitizens, citizens and members of the Mauritian Diaspora.
Integrated project with social dimensions The Property Development Scheme provides for the following: 1. Development of luxurious residential units on freehold land of an extent of at least 0.4220 hectare (1 arpent) but not exceeding 21.105 hectares (50 arpents). 2. High quality public spaces that helps promote social interaction and a sense of community 3. High-class leisure, commercial amenities and facilities intended to enhance the residential units. 4. Day-to-day management services to residents including security, maintenance, gardening, solid waste disposal and household services. 5. Social contribution in terms of social amenities, community development and other facilities for the benefit of the community.
Eligibility for acquisition of residential property: A non-citizen is eligible for a residence permit upon the purchase of a villa under the PDS scheme when he has invested more than USD 500,000 or its equivalent in any freely convertible foreign currency. The PDS is also a demarcation from the IRS and RES in as much as it does not differentiate between small and big landowners and harmonizes the registration duty to a single rate of 5% instead of USD 70,000 on registration of a deed under IRS and USD 25,000 under RES. Disclaimer: The following persons may acquire a residential property from a PDS Company: (a) a natural person, whether a citizen of Mauritius, a non-citizen or a member of the Mauritian Diaspora; (b) a company incorporated or registered under the Companies Act; (c) a sociĂŠtĂŠ, where its deed of formation is deposited with the Registrar of Companies; (d) a limited partnership under the Limited Partnerships Act; (e) a trust, where the trusteeship services are provided by a qualified trustee; or (f) Foundation under the Foundations Act. 7 Note: A qualified global business as defined under the Financial Services Act 2007 holding a Global Business Licence may acquire property under the PDS scheme.
smart cities et port-louis
I-le Maurice L’exercice de la pratique est un art complexe. Mais la plus belle des révolutions est silencieuse... La plus belle des victoires se gagne sans livrer bataille mais dans le dialogue et la concertation. Le Contexte Ramené à l’échelle mondiale, l’ensemble de l’île Maurice correspond à une petite ville de 1,3m d’habitants - que ce soit en termes démographiques (Tokyo 35m, Mexico 22m) ou économiques (Tokyo 1200 mds €, Londres 450 mds € et Maurice 10 mds €). Si l’on superposait la carte de Maurice à celle de Buenos Aires ou de Bogota, il suffirait de quelques stations de métro pour voyager de Grand Baie à Mahébourg. En visualisant ainsi l’échelle de Maurice, nos villes et nos villages deviennent en proportion de simples ‘quartiers’ de ville et l‘appellation ‘villes satellites’ perd son sens. Les Smart Cities ne seraient-elles alors que des projets ? Elles le sont en effet !! Les Urgences L’absence de vision et de planification urbaine pour le pays pendant de longues années nous a infligés une interminable liste d’urgences à résoudre. Pour n’en citer que quelques-unes, la congestion routière quotidienne (2 heures en moyenne), un retard de 60 000 logements avec un besoin
annuel de 10000, une population vieillissante, et surtout un espace urbain asphyxié à un niveau de saturation frôlant les records du monde. Le corridor urbain Port Louis-Curepipe a besoin d’être aéré et ne peut accueillir davantage. Avec 3 022 personnes par km2 ce corridor se compare en densité à des villes comme Munich, Glasgow, Los Angeles et Kuala Lumpur. Comparé à Delhi (15 m2 d’espaces vert par habitant) nos 3,7m2 paraissent ridicules. Et pour finir, nous sommes 13e au classement des routes les plus encombrées du monde avec 112 véhicules par km, pire que l’Italie, l’Allemagne et le Mexique avec en plus 10% d’accidents de circulation (43 000 pour 450 000). Il sera donc très difficile de régénérer cet espace sans l’aérer
et le vider au préalable afin de pouvoir ensuite assurer une meilleure qualité de vie à ceux qui resteront y vivre. L’Opportunité Les études et les rapports avec leurs recommandations sont nombreux à dormir tranquillement dans les tiroirs. Nul n’a besoin d’un test d’ADN pour savoir qu’un chien n’est pas un chat. L’heure est maintenant à l’action. Il nous faut une acupuncture urbaine pour nous soigner de tout notre cholestérol. C’est la méthode qu’a employée Jaime Lerner, le maire de Curitiba au Brésil, pour transformer sa ville de 1,3 m d’habitants en un lieu de vie durable en quelques années seulement. Une série de petits projets comme autant d’aiguilles d’acupuncture qui régénèrent
le tissu urbain et sont, chacun à leur niveau, des moteurs de développement économique. C’est la méthode que les Smart Cities ambitionnent d’utiliser. Smart ? Le mot a été galvaudé et chacun y est allé de sa définition. Le mot Smart est en fait plus important que le mot Cities, car il veut dire intelligent. Intelligent et durable ! Il ne suffit plus de jouer au bon élève qui économise de l’énergie, l’eau, etc., il faut aller plus loin ; il faut que l’ensemble de ces actions visent à Do more with Less avec l’aide des TIC. Prenons les deux objectifs principaux. Le premier vise à améliorer la qualité de vie des Mauriciens en la soulageant de ses urgences. Et le second a pour ambition de créer une valeur
économique et de nouveaux emplois dans les secteurs de l’innovation et des nouvelles technologies. Ces projets Smart devront développer une autonomie en production d’énergie renouvelable et d’eau ainsi qu’en gestion des déchets. A terme, les excédents pourront être partagés avec les villages avoisinants
Autonomie en
production
d’énergie grâce à une gestion intelligente de toutes les ressources (énergie – eau –déchets). La sécurité et la mobilité des habitants seront accrues en connectant de façon
optimale les espaces et les équipements 24 heures sur 24. Le fer de lance de ces projets sera un centre d’innovation où seront installées les grandes entreprises internationales (ex- Cisco, Veolia, Siemens...) avec, en périphérie, une pépinière de jeunes startups mauriciennes travaillant en bonne synergie. Chaque projet développera une spécificité en recherche et innovation, pour exemples : Omnicane pour les activités aéroportuaires, Riche Terre pour le bunkering et hitech bio-farming, Médine pour le knowledge hub etc. Selon des études de Forbes un hi-tech job génère 4.3 emplois directs. Cette nouvelle configuration permettra : - Une réelle intégration des habitants dans toute leur diversité – catégories socioprofessionnelles, âge (jeunes et seniors) avec un crosssubsidisation des logements. - Une approche Work-LivePlay équilibrant les populations actives et résidentielles afin de limiter la mobilité en dehors du projet. Habiter et travailler au même endroit avec un aménagement urbain privilégiant les piétons à la voiture, dans lequel les enfants peuvent se rendre à l’école en toute sécurité. Une réelle intégration passe par la diversité, une qualité essentielle pour la réussite. C’est elle qui engendre la créativité, l’élément fondamental de l’innovation. L’innovation trouve une terre fertile quand se rencontrent les disciplines, les métiers, les origines, les appartenances, les différences et aussi le savoir traditionnel. New York parle 170 langues, l’Estonie se vante de ses 43 peuples. Si nous parvenons à ouvrir notre hospitalité à la diaspora, et à une 6e génération d’immigrés, ce formidable influx d’expertise (et de capitaux) catalysera notre transition vers une vie meilleure.
Et Port Louis ? Pourquoi ne pas d’abord Smartiser nos villes existantes en premier lieu ? Comme expliqué plus haut cet exercice ne saurait avoir lieu tant le niveau de saturation du corridor urbain Port Louis – Curepipe est élevé. Il faut donc soulager ce corridor en priorité en créant d’autres espaces de vie. Le triangle Port Louis – Riche Terre – Highlands constitue cet ensemble. Riche Terre sera les Bras avec les activités du Port et la ferme bio hi-tech pour nourrir Port Louis et alimenter les 3 300 navires du bunkering. Highlands sera la Tête administrative où se délocalisera la quinzaine de ministères soient 25 à 30 000 employés de bureau. Et finalement Port Louis restera le Cœur en réaffirmant sa dimension capitale, confirmant son rôle de siège du Politique, et centre des Finances et du Judiciaire. Port Louis connaitra ainsi une renaissance urbaine en devenant la ville des arts, de la culture et du patrimoine. Cette stratégie lui donnera un nouveau dynamisme économique, un regain à son attrait touristique et la placera sur la carte du monde. Mais avant tout, il faudra créer une ville conviviale où il fait bon vivre. Pour cela, une approche en 7 points d’acupuncture est proposée: 1. Réaffirmer sa dimension capitale. Lui donner 3 icônes nouvelles
RENAISSANCE
URBAINE
d’architecture qui affirmeront son rôle de capitale. 2. Reconnecter la ville à la mer Après la relocalisation des gares du Nord et Victoria, créer des plateformes aériennes connectant le Caudan et Aapravasi Ghat avec la ville tout en permettant la circulation automobile. (Ex :Hi-line de New York ou la Coulée verte de Paris). 3. Connecter tout son patrimoine en continuité Convertir la plateforme de la Gare du Nord en un parking de 2000 places et transformer toute la zone tampon de l’Aapravasi Ghat en un District Culturel, et le connecter aux quartiers de la Jummah Mosque et du Chinatown régénéré et vivant. Le District Culturel sera piétonnier avec des résidences d’artistes, des galeries d’art, des antiquaires et des lofts dans les vieux entrepôts (godown) en pierre. 4. Insuffler de la vie Reconvertir les 300 000 m2 de bureaux du gouvernement en middle income affordable housing (4 000 appartements)
et doter la ville de nouveaux espaces verts en plantant chaque année 10 000 arbres avec le programme un arbre-un enfant à l’occasion de le Journée de l’Environnement. 5. Apprivoiser la mobilité Diversifier les modes de transport – le Water taxi de Baie du Tombeau arrivera au Grenier pour continuer jusqu’à Pointe aux Sables. Le PortLouisien pourra flâner à pied ou à bicyclette le long des pistes cyclables arborées, ou faire son jogging du Champ de mars au Caudan via la Galerie d’Art le long des quais du Ruisseau du Pouce. 6. Doter la ville d’une nouvelle Intelligence. Connecter tous les parkings de la ville via les smartphones (réduction de 40% de trafic de ville). Organiser un système d’éclairage et de sécurité centralisé. 7. Célébrer la ville Célébrer la ville chaque semaine, chaque mois et toute l’année à travers une série d’événements dans les lieux de mémoire et les espaces de patrimoine : la Citadelle, le Grenier, les Casernes Centrales, le Baz’art, le Théâtre, les anciennes prisons, la caserne des pompiers, le Champ de Mars… autour des tap’az mauriciens. Prenons d’assaut notre capitale, notre pays. Transformons-la en une vie meilleure pour la génération future. Vivre Smart, c’est ça ! Gaetan Siew
Home Staging to Sell Karen Alexandre
property have tried various value added services and solution for the selling of their house, building or property. Hiring the services of an interior design for impressing potential buyers are more and more frequent for selling a property.
INTERIOR Impress potential buyer with the help of our interior design services. Interior design services are not only necessary when you are planning renovation or moving in a newly built home. We have with time discovered various opportunities for owners and promoters to hire the services of an interior design agency. With a strong competition in the sales of property, owners of
DESIGN
SERVICE While buying a new property, purchasers always look for a fresh and well maintain building. In many cases, the purchasers are very strict on the state of the building and want to be on the safe side for their investment. Buying a property is a choice and investment for the long term. Giving a new look and having an interior design service before
offering your property for visits increase your chance to sale your property. Buyers can easily imagine themselves in the proposed property and may project themselves in a new environment. Making a choice for a future property can take much time. Potential buyers may take much time deciding and choosing their new property. A renovated house or property can accelerate the sales decision and procedures. A property with a new interior design is a ready made investment for potential buyer. This will avoid the future owner to look for an interior design services, monitor the works and save on the budget. For more information on our home staging services . Call Beauty & Purpose on 2440675