"Hillside Paradise"

With dreams of retirement in Sri Lanka in an idyllic setting in the cool hill country, I used to surf the Internet looking for suitable properties. Then, some years ago, I came across an advertisement that carried the title "Hillside Paradise". Ever the sucker for an appealing line, I visited the site and soon realized that the description of the property matched the headline.

"Hillside Paradise" was located in Galaha near the central hills of Kandy. According to the description, it was "17 acres in total, with a good clean title. It is comprised of two hills, one mostly wooded, and one mostly grass. . . There is a small creek which runs between the two hills, and a larger creek on one side. There is also a fresh water spring with an ample supply of fresh water. The property has two small but well built houses, one of about 800 sq. feet and one of about 500 sq ft. . . One or two acres is terraced, and was previously in tea." According to the description, the property has a variety of vegetation, including bananas, mangoes, jak fruit, avocado, limes, tea, coffee, pepper, and much more. In essence, a veritable Garden of Eden.

The asking price was US$79,000. I sent an e-mail expressing my interest, but Max, the owner, had lost interest in selling the property.




Last November, I was clearing old e-mails from my computer and came across Max' reply. So, I sent a message to him wondering if he had changed his mind. He had, and offered me the property at the reduced price of US$50,000. I was visiting Sri Lanka last December and got permission from Max to visit the property.

I drove through the picturesque Peradeniya Campus of the University of Sri Lanka on the way to Galaha. But, soon, the narrow road became difficult to negotiate, with numerous pot holes and sharp curves a constant challenge and danger. The 3 kilometres of road to the land beyond Galaha town was a disaster. In some places, it had been completely washed away and I thought the car would break down. Finally, I reached the property after a full hour's drive from Kandy. The description, and Max, had assured me the drive was only 30 minutes.

The caretaker Sarath is a prematurely retired agricultural instructor. He was doing his best to bring the property to an income generating state, with a small dairy of three cows, some chickens, and goats. He was paving the paths with rocks, clearing the land, and attempting to plant various fruit trees and vegetables. But rabbits, porcupines, wild boars, and monkeys were a nuisance, destroying everything that he cultivated. The main house was in even better state than Max had described. Two brooks flowed through the property and the sound of flowing water was music to my ears.


On the way back to Kandy, we drove through Hantana Estate, a beautiful tea plantation with rolling hills and lovely vistas. But the drive was difficult because the road had completely washed away in parts. The drive back to Kandy took an hour. The terrible roads dissuaded me from buying the property. Max seemed disappointed by my decision.


At this stage, I must say a few words about Max. Beyond his hotmail address, I knew nothing about him. I Googled, and he wasn't on the Internet. His messages, although always polite, were cryptic and written only in lowercase. He appeared to travel a lot, to Europe, North America, and India. After the deal was done, I was relieved to delete the more than 100 incoming and outgoing e-mail messages I had exchanged with him!

However, at the back of my mind, I had the feeling that the property was being sold at a bargain price, and that I should not let it go. Nevertheless, managing the property would not be easy, so I needed partners. Max kept hinting that the property was definitely on the market and that he would soon be accepting a "lowball" offer. Then, out of the blue, he offered me the property for $34,000 provided I could finish the deal by April 14. He said he was "fed-up" with Sri Lanka.

Then, I thought of Hamlin, my brother-in-law. Hamlin, a quantity surveyor by profession, has lived and worked in the Middle East for 25 years and was eager to return to Sri Lanka and become a gentleman farmer. When contacted, he was enthusiastic about the land, especially after he saw some photos on the Internet. He agreed to be responsible for the running of the "farm' and its day-to-day expenses. So, I had a partner. I also "invited"my friend and relative Gihan to coordinate the purchase, because neither Hamlin and I were in Sri Lanka. In the end, Gihan's help proved invaluable in putting the deal through.

But, the deal was far from done. Max owned the property in the name of a business he had set-up, and this caused some confusion. Further, he did not want to visit Sri Lanka to sign the deeds and wished to do it through a power of attorney from abroad, France or India, wherever he happened to be. He did not have any faith in his Sri Lankan lawyers, and my lawyers, with the best of intentions, wished to search the title of the property and go through the time consuming legal procedures. Enter my friend Herman Gonsal, who found us a lawyer who would not only expedite these procedures but also open his office on April 14, a public holiday. Finally, Max agreed to fly in to sign the deeds in person.

All parties met in Colombo on April 14 and the purchase went through smoothly. Max turned out to be an especially pleasant person, well traveled and widely knowledgeable about most matters. He wasn't the eccentric I assumed him to be. He had traveled from Delhi, where he worked for IKEA, and was taking excess luggage weighing over 100 kg (mainly books) from the property back with him.

In the end, we discovered that Max had paid $37,000 for the property, and spent at least $20,000 more on it. We got a bargain, a property worth at least thrice its purchase price. You lose some, but, occasionally, have a winner, too!

I hope to see Hamlin as a "gentleman farmer" before too long.