Lorraine and John are searching in Southern Spain around the beautiful white washed village of Competa with Jean Johansson. They want a traditional Spanish house with outdoor space and ideally a sea view.
John and Lorraine have always dreamed of owning their own holiday home and before coming to “A Place in the Sun” for help, they’ve already viewed over 30 properties in this area. Things they love about the area are the passionate people, the music and how family orientated the people are.
£130k Budget
They’ve decided it’s now or never to go ahead with the purchase of a holiday home. They have a budget of 110 thousand with £20,000 “wiggle room” so they can view properties up to £130k.
This is a relatively undiscovered side of Spain and you can reach it by flying into Malaga. The white washed villages (pueblo blancos) of this stunning region are a draw for many
The area is becoming more popular with people from abroad and in villages such as Competa they are almost 50% expat community. Now that the couple are getting closer to retirement they feel it is a good a time as any to do things they enjoy such as cycling, walking and dancing – all while visiting their holiday home in Spain.
Spanish Home with Traditional Features
They are keen on getting a minimum of two bedrooms and a traditional Spanish house with some nice traditional features.
They’ve also requested to be close to amenities. Did you like to be close to the action. Jean looked a bit shocked when she discovered they have already viewed 30 properties and feels like she has a challenge on her hands. They are ready to move fast as someone picked them to the post when they finally found a property they liked previously.
The First Property – Traditional White Spanish Townhouse in Competa
The first house is in their favourite village of Competa. It’s a busy and social location with lots going on such as shops, Cafes, bars and a lively buzzing atmosphere. Lorraine describes this town as her Shangri-La – the place that she always dream to be. Or what some people call their “Happy Place”!
Property one is just a 10 minute walk from the square so Lorraine is super excited to get going. It’s a townhouse they like the look of from the outside but are a little concerned about a building close to it which has just been demolished. Apparently this will all be cleared within a few days so nothing to worry about.
On the market for just over £112k, the property has an additional 2nd living area which makes a great snug. It also has a fantastic terrace on the top floor with amazing views. The terracotta tiles in the living area are a big hit. As is the wood burner.
Wow That’s a View and a Half
Wow that’s a view and a half, is the reaction when they see the spectacular view from the terrace. Presenter Jean Johnnasson is pleased that they haven’t seen a property designed like this before and she thinks they have a contender in the bag. The house is actually the best one they have viewed to date. This makes Jean very happy. The only issue is mild concern about the over the road building plot.
They set off to find a property with more curb appeal…
Property Two in Archez Spain
The search for a holiday home in southern Spain continues with a maximum budget of £130k. The next area is Archez which is a beautiful village and could be described as Competa’s little sister. Smaller and quieter but just as beautiful.
It’s a very impressive looking property from the outside with iron gates and lots of detail. It’s on the market for just over £137,000 but the owner has said that this is up for negotiation. This would be right at the top end of their budget. There is even an old Bodega in the basement. The roof terrace offers great views across the village.
When they walk in they say “wow” – they really like the living space downstairs. They especially love the plastering and cornices. The house dates back to 1869. They love the history of the place. The village view is so pretty please and it’s also a sun trap on the terrace too.
This character townhouse looks to be the new front-runner in this holiday home search in southern Spain. The only one concern they have is that there is no bedroom window in the downstairs bedroom. John tells Jean that this property is number one it will be very hard to beat.
Next they have asked to view a house that is more light and airy.
Light and Airy Home in Sayalonga
The next property is located in Sayalonga. On the way they stop off to meet Helen who runs a magazine for expats in the area. She tells them all about the social opportunities to meet other people and also let them know about the local bus that they can use to get the round and from Competa they can take the bus right down to Torre Del Mar. From there they can head on to many other Spanish destinations.
This property has three bedrooms and brings in lots of light. It is full of little surprises. Lorraine and John are intrigued. It’s been on the market for over a year so there is some negotiation on the price which is currently on the market for just over £127,500. Interestingly, the owners are Danish and this might explain the style of the interior which the couple love. Overall, this area is new to John and Lorraine but they have heard good things about it.
The property is entered through the kitchen and is full of traditional mixed with modern interior. They are starting with a view which is amazing and you can see for miles with mountains all around. Compared to their busy lives in London the area feels so peaceful and relaxing. The living area is lovely with very high ceilings and lots of light which is a real bonus for townhouses in this part of Spain.
Lorraine especially, is very surprised to see the high ceilings in the townhouse. It looks like this Scandinavian Style Townhouse could be another contender. It’s so very different to anything that they have seen. The only thing they’re not sure about is that you enter the property straight from the street into the kitchen. Moving forward they have asked for a sea view which has always been a dream.
Property 4 – Canillas De Albaida
They all head off to another pueblo blanco called Canillas De albaida. On their way they stop off at a Dance Studio and try some Argentinian tango. Even Jean joins in!
Prices in this area used to be cheaper but are now similar to Competa after a recent rise in prices.
This property is in a quieter area to Competa – just 20 minutes away. The difference with this property is it is all brand-new inside very stylish and modern. It’s on the market for just under £129,500 however the builder has said he will listen to offers around £125,000. There are two terraces and sea views. This definitely gets Lorraine and John animated. At the moment there is no kitchen in the property and they need to use their imaginations.
They are going to look around this one on their own. The walls have a concrete finish in the bedroom and Lorraine said it is mind blowing. It is definitely different to anything they have seen. They love the log burner and Juliet balcony. All of the other houses have been full of charm and character but this one is extremely modern. However, they really like it especially the sea views. Lorraine wasn’t expecting to like something so modern. Jean took a risk with this property but they absolutely love it.
Traditional Vs Modern
With one more property left in the running it’s coming down to traditional versus modern. They are going back to their favourite area of competition for this last part of the house hunt.
Final Property – Back in Competa
The last property is a three bedroom townhouse set over three floors and lovely iron work on the outside. It’s on the market for just over £120,500 which is brilliant value for the centre of Competa.
However, after looking round the property they are just not sure about it. Lorraine feels that she has been spoiled with the previous few properties which they loved. Her priorities have changed over the course of the search. Having seen the more modern properties it seems that the couple prefer those. It will be interesting to see what they decide to do. When they walk into the final property they don’t get the feeling at all.
On a clear day you can see right down to the Sea from this property which is a beautiful view, however the weather is not playing ball and it’s very cloudy. Maybe that is not helping to sell this house! Lorraine said that seeing the previous houses has opened her eyes to things that she didn’t realise that she would like. They head off for a cup of tea before doing a second viewing at the two houses in the running.
It’s the Scandinavian house and the modern house that they love. But they rule out Sayalonga because of the area.
Making an Offer
They decide to make an offer on the ultra modern house instead. They offer 120k with the offer to include having a standard kitchen fitted.
This offer was rejected and the builder came back with an offer of £124k which would include a kitchen and worktops and white goods.
However John and Lorraine decide to try another counter offer of £122,500. The builder has confirmed that he would accept that offer or they can pay £124,000 and he will add a beautiful awning to the outdoor living space. They decide to accept the 122, 500 offer without the awning.
Offer Accepted
Hurray! They have a new holiday home in the Axicia area of southern Spain. They have reached a deal with the builder on the newly renovated property.
Going Off Brief – Result
It’s great to see that this couple have found their dream holiday home and it’s always interesting when the house they end up choosing is so different from their original brief. In this case they stuck to the location in their brief but in terms of the style of the home they went for something completely different. They asked for traditional features and went for an ultra modern newly developed property in the end!
Good luck to them for the future!
