Today’s place in the Sun is set in Alicante province and it’s presented by Laura Hamilton. She is covering the move to Spain by Mia from London who has recently retired due to ill health. Her mum Valerie is joining her on the house hunt and she will be visiting for holidays. However, someone very special will be joining her in Spain on a permanent basis. That’s a super cute dog Cyril who is four years old and her best friend by all accounts.
Alicante Province
I can’t wait to see if Mia find the perfect place in Spain as this area of Alicante province really is gorgeous.
One of the things Mia and Valerie love about Spain is how friendly the locals are and how people wave Hola as they walk past with their shopping bags.
A whopping 5 million people arrive in Alicante airport every year. This place must really be something special. Alicante airport is perfect for reaching many areas of Spain both by the coast and inland.
Mia and Valerie should be able to find some bargains because the inland area where they are searching prices up to 50% cheaper than on the cost. Villages such as La Romana are both beautiful and tranquil and offer a great place for Brits to relocate at fantastic prices. The region is full of cherry, almond and citrus groves.
It’s all about the Garden
Mia is really in luck as her mum is an interior designer so will be able to help if any renovations are required. One of the highest priorities for Mia is her own swimming pool as she plans to go for a swim every day. She also loves pottery and hopes to be able to enjoy that hobby whilst in Spain too. When she starts talking to Laura about gardening it becomes clear that she actually wants I got a full and possibly 1000 m² so she can really enjoy gardening and growing things that the climate in this region allows, unlike the UK.
An Orchard would be ideal for her where she could plant fruit trees. The budget is £170,000 which is a decent budget for the region and there is further wiggle room of around £10,000. They’re going to view five properties in total and hopefully one will be the ideal home in the sun for Valerie’s permanent move to Alicante province. They set off confidently on their search sure that they will find the perfect property.
Property 1 in La Romana
Property one is in the village of La Romana. This charming and sleepy village has attracted a number of expats looking for the real Spain and a taste of rural life. La Romana and the local region is famous for delicacy Gacha Anita and they actually have a Gacha Anita festival in August every year. It’s made from water, salt, flour and garlic and tastes a bit like a garlic pancake. You can add things like meat to it.
There are around 100 houses for sale around La Romana. Prices start at £120k. Mia loves this area and especially the fact that it is surrounded by mountains.
It’s a three bedroom property on the market for £164,500 thousand pounds. It has a gorgeous pool and large garden with an acre and a half of land. The inside of the property is open plan and quite traditional in design. One really sad part of this episode is when they discussed how they are very nearly bought a place in the Sun years ago but Valerie’s father passed away just days before they were set to sign for the property.
Property one ends up as a contender as Mia said it has grabbed her heart but she is just concerned that the two smaller bedrooms may be a little bit too small.
Property Two Near Monover
The next location is the town of Monover. As a French looking property in Spain is Mia’s dream this one looks to meet this requirement. It’s part of a small rural Hamlet and Mia’s first impression is WOW!
This 4 bedroom property is on the market for £191,000 there is no pool but definitely potential to put one in. The garden is quite a lot smaller than the last property but still adequate. Inside the property there is a lot of character with some rooms still in need of development offering a lot of potential. The first living space they walk into is beautiful. There is a lot of work which does scare Mia yet but it is livable and has so much character. I love the stone effect walls and wooden beams.
There is a separate annex for mum Valerie with amazing views and a lot of potential. However this house is top of the budget and Mia is concerned about the amount it would cost to get the house up to scratch. Valerie walks with a walking stick and can’t see all aspects of the house so Mia takes some photographs of the upstairs rooms to show her mum. The second property ends up being the front-runner and definitely a real consideration. She said she would like to wave a couple of magic wands and have the garden all finished.
Sculpting in Spain
In between visiting properties they visit a sculpture workshop which looks like a lot of fun. It’s just £22 for four hours where you can create sculptures from stone.
Property 3 – The Cave House
Property three looks ordinary from the outside but don’t be fooled it actually holds a little secret on the inside. This property is in Hondon de las Nieves. With amazing mountain views and a fabulous pool area this looks super promising. It even has an outdoor kitchen. This lovely house is priced at over £195,000 however Laura said the agent thinks she could get it for around £174,000 and possibly less which is quite a big difference.
The big secret of this property is that it’s actually a 5 bedroom cave house. The original cave part of the property debts back over 100 years. The kitchen draws another “wow” as Mia walks in. There are lots of little nooks and crannies in this house and all of the rooms have character. She loves it so much that she starts to cry when entering the second living area. She can just imagine herself and her dog there.
This one has definitely got both Mia and Valerie excited and is a real contender for Mia’s place in the sun.
Property 4 – Asprey
Property four is just outside the charming town of Asprey. They stop off for a chat with Paula who’s been living in the area for six years and loves it. She loves the laid-back outdoor lifestyle and the fact that the weather is nice all the time. She also says household bills are a lot lower than in the UK. There is a mix of Spanish Dutch and German living in the area.
Property four has a pool and is on the market for £135k. It’s recently been reduced. It also comes with a more manageable piece of land. The owners are keen to sell so there could be a bit of a bargain to be had. The small roof terrace is super cute and perfect for soaking up the rays. Mia and Valerie look around this property on their own and it starts off positively as they really like the look of the outside and the pool. The main bedroom has an ensuite. As they walk in the living room they think it’s a good size but it doesn’t seem to have the wow factor of the other properties and doesn’t get them excited.
They are not sure about it at all and feel like it has a cold and soulless feeling. Having looked at the garden Mia cannot picture her dog there and they don’t bother looking at the upstairs of the property as it’s already ruled out. Even though it’s a bargain they feel like the house has no soul and they’d rather spend their money on something they really like. They are both in complete agreement on this one.
Final Property
The final property put the cat among the pigeons at first and it looked like there could be another contender together with the cave house. The views from the start certainly seem to sell it so it looks promising. The price is just under £174,000. Outside of the pool and there is also the benefit of lots of outbuildings which could be converted. Inside the house there are five bedrooms. One is being used at studio at the moment. One of the things I love about this property is the roof terrace. You can’t underestimate the importance of having great outside space when in Spain. The climate in the Alicante Province is so lovely you’ll definitely end up spending a lot of your life outdoors.
Looking around it soon becomes apparent that this house is not for Mia. It seems the conservatory room with large windows and views out to the pool is the best room in the house but even though there is a gorgeous garden it’s just not for them. So the only one in the morning is the cave house. They really want to go and see that house again. Mia is in a fantastic position as she’s already sold her house in the UK.
Making an Offer on the Cave House
They decide to make an offer on the cave house woo hoo!
Laura has found out from the agent that they would be willing to take an offer of £165,000 on that property. They offer £161,000. Mia is a cash buyer so this puts her in an even stronger position. There is a tense negotiation as the vendor said that they would now take an offer of £175,000 which is £10,000 more than the agent had indicated. Mia said she’s willing to increase her offer to £165,000 but that will be the absolute maximum. In the end there is great news and the offer of £165,000 is accepted for a cave house.
Mia is very excited about her new life in Spain and her mum Valerie is also excited about visits. I am sure Cyril the dog will have a wonderful life there in the cave house and that lovely garden too!
