Yes there is a risk but this is why you need plenty of time. Never buy without going to the municipality to check the plans for the whole estate, ask to see a surveyor at the municipality, get him to explain the plan for the estate, ask him about the builder's reputation and get a solicitor. Buying from a private individual is very risky however. Also what amazed us was that you pay the same whether you have a sea view or not so when we bought, nearly all the best sea /lake views with a guarantee of no building in brtween had already been taken for the sort of flat we wanted....But it is very controlled. The stage payments we have made are on a separate account which the builder has not yet been able to 'touch'. He can only do that when we get the carte de résidence-which is a formality for Europeans_ but can take up to 18 months to get!!!! So last time we saw our promoter he said he was pestering the authorities to issue all the cartes for all the Euopeans who have bought in the residence...Also If he hadn't been issued the certificate of 'fin de travaux', he would have had to pay us back under Tunisian law. Apparently this is to protect Europeans ...But the law may change and be less protective for Europeans from what I can hear because they wnat to make it less complicated
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