Moroccan property discussion groups.

Over the last few months the upsurge in interest in buying property in Morocco has resulted in the growth of the number of online discussion groups and fora (yes,that is the plural of forum). For most of them the lifespan has been short as none appear to have reached a critical mass of contributors. This is to be expected because, as people either purchase a house or decide against investing in Morocco, they drop out.

Yet there is a real need for such groups. Not just for newcomers to Morocco, but also for those involved in property and with valuable information to share.

Those becoming involved in Morocco fall into two quite recognisable groups - those buying modern apartments or villas as holiday homes or rental investments and those purchasing the older riads and dars in the medinas in order to restore and conserve them. Both groups also have many needs in common. An understanding of Moroccan history, culture language and legal system is essential if their Moroccan experience is to be successful. The cultural differences between Moroccans and Europeans run far deeper than appear on the surface and to grasp this and attempt to understand it is important and rewarding. Small things such as respecting dress standards, learning polite forms of greeting in Darija - all contribute to building better links to the local community and making your foray into Morocco enjoyable.

A forum that is not purely about the initial purchase of property, but broadens out into restoration tips, cultural exploration and other aspects of living in Morocco has a far greater chance of longevity and growth.

Ex-patriots already living in Morocco have talked about such a forum, but at this stage only one other exists and that is on the new website for Fez Medina Consulting run by Adil. You will find it on a link from his site here: Fez Medina Consulting

One of the newer discussion groups that we have made contact with does show signs of promise if it can reach the right audience and a critical mass. Moroccomove.com, run by a British property investor, not only has a discussion forum, but also a news tracking service. We wish them well and hope that they can succeed where others have failed.

The site is still new, but growing daily, and its owner is very open to suggestions for future directions for the forum. You can find them here: Morocco Move


Tags: Morocco Fes, Maghreb news