As our own holiday home is in Murcia, Spain, I always love watching “A Place in the Sun” when they feature this area. Murcia has it’s own airport now or you can fly into Alicante which is around an hour away. The old airport we used to fly into for around ten years was called San Javier but has sadly closed down now. It was such a lovely, small and friendly airport.
Neil and Andi
This couple Neil and Andi want to move to Puerto de Mazarron in Murcia to enjoy retirement and also to free up some money for their son Joel who wants to be a pilot. Joel is obsessed with flying and the extra cash will help to fund his career. The property budget is £155k.
Property 1 in Alcolar
The first property is in a town called Alcolar which is near fantastic beaches and this gorgeous Murcia coastline. The first property doesn’t have its own private pool but is only 400m from the beach so a great option as they have a dog (Dixie) are are looking forward to walks on a local dog friendly beach.
This home has three bedrooms and two bathrooms and the garden is low maintenance. The front courtyard is very pretty and this property also comes with a roof terrace and views of the sea. Who wouldn’t want some of the sea views. After stepping into the property however it seems that the living space will be a little small for them especially after they get their furniture in however they do like a freestanding log burner.
The kitchen diner is lovely and seems to provide enough space however there is no oven currently in the kitchen. The couple would need to fit an oven themselves. The roof terrace and sea view are definitely the highlights of this property and Andi especially loves the sparkling sea view. Neil is less convinced though and thinks overall the property is just going to be too small. The outside space and location is a winner but the inside of it lets this property down.
Property 2 – Also in Alcolar!
They head off to the next property looking for more within space. The next property, however, is just a three minute walk from that one as they love the area so much. First of all they stop off to see one of the mini coastal trails and this would be perfect for their dog walks. Laura does however give them a help helpful tip in that some of the little beaches in coves in that area of the coastal path are actually nudist beaches. Definitely something to bear in mind if nudist beaches are not your thing, or if they are!
First impressions are that they might prefer a detached property however the price is good at just under £138,000. Sadly, this property is written off as well as even though they really love the outdoor space, the inside is too small for a permanent home in Spain. Therefore, Laura is going to give up on the coastal location and head inland, in the hope that they can find some more space for their budget.
Properties in Camposol
Next they head to an urbanisation called Camposol which has around 600 homes altogether. En route they stop off at the garden centre as the couple are really keen to get some fruit trees and grow some plants that you couldn’t grow back in the UK. As well as fruit trees and lemon for their gin and tonics they’re also keen on growing some colourful and trailing plants in their own outside space. As they turn up to the next house things already look much more promising. They love the fact that the house is detached on its own large plot. It’s on the market for around £142k and has three bedrooms and a private swimming pool.
This Spanish house really delivers on space and has the WOW factor with the gorgeous curved swimming pool and mountain views. As they walk in Neil comments “now we’re talking” which is a promising sign. The compromise here is moving further away from the coast. However, with their own private swimming pool this may not be too much of an issue. This property definitely looks like the first contender, most of the boxes are ticked. Andi asks Laura if she can find this house but closer to Mazarron. They are definitely on the right track.
As it is clear they want to be closer to the beach they head back to nearer the coast for the next property. But first up they talk to dog walker Lisa who lives in the area and runs Yoga classes. She tells them how dog friendly the area is and there are local animal shelters where you can volunteer to walk or foster dogs as well.
Property 4 Puerto de Mazzarron
Back in Puerto de Mazarron the couple recognise the next property from seeing it online. They absolutely love the sea views and even happier when Laura tells them about the outdoor kitchen here. Neil is keen to do some outdoor cooking. This is a three bed two bath villa with roof terrace on the market for just over £155k. The owner is also willing to accept an offer so that could be a deal to be done on this property in Spain. With beaming faces the couple set off to explore this property inside on their own. I wonder if it’s going to be another contender?
The view from the roof terrace is even more spectacular. Even though this property is quite small the space is definitely workable and they both seem really keen on everything this property has to offer. They think their son Joel will really love the pool. It’s amazing as they can even hear the sea. Now the couple need to weigh up whether they want to compromise on space to be close to the coast. This is the new front runner as this house is now overtaken the last house.
Final Property – Mazzarron Country Club
Mazarron Country Club is 15 minutes drive from the coast and the area is lovely. This one has been on the market for four months and it’s just over £153,000. The owner is also up for some negotiation. Both Neil and Andi are keen to get into the property to have a look around. I really like the yellow colour of this property it’s as it’s the same colour as our holiday home in Murcia on Mar Menor Golf Resort. Inside this property is a big living space with open plan lounge and diner. Upstairs there is a balcony with beautiful views.
Straight away they say they can see themselves in this property as it feels homely. Andi would go so far as to say that Laura has “nailed it with this one”. The dream is very close now and they can even picture their dog Dixie in the outside area around the pool. After a slow start to this property search in Spain it looks like they may be ending on a high. I can’t wait to see if they go ahead and make an offer with this one. Neil is happy because it’s detached and even goes as far as to say that he thinks this is “the one” too!
Making an Offer on a Property in Puerto de Mazzaron
As predicted after the very promising reactions to the last property the pair decide to offer £142500 of their £150k budget to keep that some money for decorating and some cosmetic improvements to the property. It’s a good starting offer. Laura put in the offer. The vendor thinks that offer is a bit cheeky and said he was looking for something closer to £150,000.
Offer Accepted – Great News!
They go back with an offer of £147,500. The agent gets back to them and it seems that the vendor is playing hardball! He’s asked for £148k. That’s agreed and there is a deal – smiles all round. They’re so happy and can’t wait to move to Spain to start their new life with their son Joel and dog Dixie.
I’m really glad that this property search worked out for Neil and Andi as Puerto de Mazarron really is an amazing area of Spain and they are ready for retirement and the next chapter in their lives.
A Place in the Sun Success Story in Murcia
Budget: £155k
Final Deal: £148k
