A Place in the Sun covers a wide range of properties in the sun, as you might expect. From villas and apartments to chic French farmhouses with blue shutters – something on quite a few wishlists!
Which Property will they Choose?
Usually the properties get better as the property search continues but in some cases the couples fall in love with the very first place they are shown and none of the subsequent properties match up to it.
Sometimes it’s something you can’t quantify like a feeling and other times it’s an amazing view, but once they have their heart set on somewhere it can be difficult to then steer them away.
Saving the Best ‘Til Last
In many cases however, it’s the final property that really steals the show. Usually ticking most boxes on their wishlist and sometimes with an extra surprise or added element that clinches the deal, like a roof terrace with great views or a beautiful swimming pool area.
Sometimes it’s a conflict between an earlier property and the final property meaning the pros and cons have to be weighed up before a final decision can be made.
It’s always interesting with couples when they both like different houses too and you don’t know who will get their way! They usually have to go away to discuss and sleep on it before meeting in the morning to decide if they are going to make an offer on any of the properties shown.
A Place in the Sun Properties in Spain
Some of my favourite episodes are around the whitewashed inland villages in Spain where you get to see some gorgeous historic town houses and charming villas. Places such as Altea, a beautiful village near Alicante make great TV viewing due to the overwhelming natural beauty of the area.
The region of Murcia is also home to a wide range of properties, many of which are on golf courses which offer year round security as well as the chance to play golf of course. La Torre is a popular golf resort for families looking for a holiday home or permanent location. Camposol is another urbanisation with some fantastic value villas with swimming pools.
The main thing for some is to be near the coast so the coastal towns right along the Costa Blanca and the Costa Calida are brilliant for families with miles of beaches and a great choice of apartments and town houses near the beach. Front line properties with sea views always fetch a premium but a few streets back can be a good option for many, combining walking distance to the coast with more space. Malaga and Nerja are popular coastal towns with plenty of action but with a taste of the laid back Spanish life.
A Place in the Sun Properties in France
Other fantastic episodes feature historic areas of France where they view old French houses and barn conversions that come with plenty of land and outbuildings.
Depending on the budget there could be enough spare cash left cover to convert the outbuildings to additional accommodation or gites you could rent out for additional income.
I especially like the episodes where families are making a permanent move to France and they choose areas close to the canals and rivers with watersports and family friendly activities.
Those properties tend to come with plenty of outdoor space, swimming pool and sometimes even an Orchid! The Limousin region of France is always very popular and can tick a lot of boxes for couples and families looking for a relaxing way of life or a tranquil holiday home to escape to in a great area.
Cave Houses
One of the most interesting episodes I saw was when they viewed the cave houses in Granada, Spain and some were on the market for as little as £10k! With her 19k euros budget back in 2016, Tina watkins headed to the Granada Province of Spain after failing to get on the housing market in the UK. Jasmine Harman showed her 5 amazing cave houses with prices from 14.5k euros to 35k euros.
Definitely a great option for anyone on a small budget looking for a property of their own in the sun. Areas where they looked at cave houses included Caniles and Bacor.
My favourite was the final cave house property in Huescar which enjoyed amazing views of the Sierra Nevada mountain range. This property had 2 bedrooms, a bathroom and a good sized living area as well as a separate kitchen. It just goes to show that you don’t have to have a huge budget to get those mountain views in Spain.
You can view more properties featured in A Place in the Sun episodes here.
