With the eye-popping developments that Macau has seen over the past 10 years, it is not only the casino owners and property developers who have become rich quick. Many local Macau residents have also benefited from the opportunities that have come to town and grabbed a piece of the Macau Magic for themselves.
Two roads in from the Inner Harbour docks and a couple of blocks down from A Ma Temple at Barra Square lies the low rise area often called the ‘Yellow Market’. Not much it seems has changed here in the past 50 years. A hive of activity, the market stalls are laden with fruit and cut flowers, the wet market is abundant with fresh vegetables, fish and live chickens, bakeries belch out hot bread and donut smells, and little local shops sell everything from stationery and incense, to handbags and mops. Amongst its dark narrow lanes there’s a real sense of an old Macau neighbourhood where everyone knows everyone; old ladies walking their dogs stop to chat, school children run down the hill from the schools around St. Lawrence’s church, delivery vans hoot and motorcyclists weave their way through the mayhem.
But changes are afoot – and a matter of feet away, just across the road. The two smart 45-storey apartment towers of The Riviera look down, surveying the scenery of their somewhat shabbier 5-storey neighbours. Built in the mid-2000s, The Riviera’s shiny exterior, and marble, portered lobbies stand in stark contrast to its surrounds. And here begins our story.
Mr and Mrs Mak and their 20s-something daughter and son are one local family who, through a combination of grit, risk, bravery and a splash of good luck, are successfully riding the wave that is Macau’s amazing property market. They made the move, symbolically from one side of the road to the other, renting out their old, smaller walk-up home. They are now ensconced in their new home on the 21st floor of The Riviera, complete with balcony, window-seats and views from each room that stretch far into the distance over Macau, Taipa and the China hills beyond the Inner Harbour.
The dream of brand new high rise living was all made possible by the hard work of Mr Mak, a self-employed contractor who spends his days, and often nights, renovating the properties of overseas investors, and Mrs Mak employed for many years at the Lisboa casino. As well as diligently saving their earnings, they managed to educate both their children, first in Macau and then in Taiwan, where they gained their degrees and became proficient in English and Mandarin.
A testament to this couple’s efforts is their wonderful new home. Bought in as-built state, Mr Mak set about making improvements which took him about three months. A first priority was to increase the size of the third bedroom to encroach a little into the dining area.
The balcony, with its pot plants, herbs and breathtaking views, was converted from two small spaces into one larger space, becoming a focal point of the main living area. Concertina doors fold back to enhance the view and bring the outdoor space inside during the cooler months.
The floors were replaced with beautiful natural teak wood with a light matt finish that throws off warmth and light. All-white walls add to the sense of airiness, light and space.
Most of the wood furniture – the dining table, chairs, stools, bench and living room cabinets – were hand made by a carpenter friend. The sofa and lounge chairs are of rose-wood, with carved emblems of bats (‘pin fuk’ symbolizing happiness) and peaches (‘sau tow’, or long life).
A foot and leg massage machine sits ready for use after a hard day’s work.
The kitchen is compact, as most kitchens are in The Riviera, but from it, Mrs Mak manages to conjure up delectable soups, meat stews, and steaming platters of prawns and fish bought from local fishermen who sail up to the Inner Harbor to sell their wares from their sampans.
No renovation work was needed on the two bathrooms, as The Riviera’s as-built standards were excellent already. Marble tiling, a spacious shower area, good quality stainless steel taps and towel racks – and again, wonderful seaviews!
The spacious master bedroom has a window-seat running its length, stunning views, and lots of light that pours in from the large windows.
One of the benefits of living in a new build tends to be the availability of a clubhouse, which developers in Macau seem to be getting right with the mix of facilities on offer. The Riviera clubhouse is no exception; it includes a palm-fringed infinity swimming pool that looks over the harbor, a gym, children’s playground, computer room, entertainment function room, BBQ area and gardens with ponds filled with Koi carp so tame they eat from your hand.
And below on the ground floor, there’s several floors of hourly parking, a well stocked supermarket, an up-market wine and spirits shop and even a McDonald’s!
Power to the Mak family and all others Macau families who have shown that hard work and investment in one’s home does pay off. The larger three-bedroom, 1,200 square feet units of The Riviera, priced three years ago for just shy of HK$5 million are now selling for over HK$10 million today. Now that’s Macau magic – a capital gain in anybody’s book!
