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Short filmTranscript
00:00Southern Spain, house hunting in and around the beautiful coastal town of Raquetas de Marne.
00:07I'm Ben Hillman, home designer and property expert.
00:10For the best part of a decade, I've been helping house hunters find their dream properties
00:14whilst giving them a little design inspiration too.
00:18Today, I'll be using all my skills to find the perfect place for Deb and Steve.
00:21And Deb certainly knows what she doesn't like.
00:25Into your living room, with its cosy little fire in the corner.
00:30I don't like it.
00:33Oh!
00:35As well as what she does.
00:37Oh, look at that view. That's amazing.
00:39Fantastic.
00:40I feel like king of the castle up here.
00:43I get a little carried away at a luxury pad.
00:46This staircase, it's so grand.
00:48I can imagine coming down there in a dinner suit, martini in hand.
00:52People waiting at the cocktail party down here.
00:55But at the end of the day, do I find my house hunters their perfect place in the sun?
01:00I can't imagine you laying here in your two-face.
01:03No!
01:03Deb and Steve met 18 years ago on a blind date.
01:11They've always enjoyed their holidays to Spain.
01:15And now that they're both retiring, they've made the big decision to move out here permanently.
01:20All they need now is a house.
01:25Deb, who owned and ran a handful of cafes, actually retired last year.
01:30While Steve's currently working as a driver for a plumbing company.
01:33They live in Clacton-on-Sea.
01:35I love cooking and baking.
01:39That's my thing.
01:40I mean, any spare time I get, that's where I'm.
01:42I'm in the kitchen.
01:44Because I just love it.
01:46You like eating it.
01:47I like cooking it.
01:48You like eating it.
01:49Yeah, I love eating it.
01:49It works well.
01:50That's one of my hobbies, is eating.
01:55With a good kitchen clearly high on the list of priorities, Deb and Steve are ready to go
02:00with their UK property on the market and a Spanish residency lawyer consulted.
02:05They've chosen to focus this search around Roccatas de Mar in Almeria province
02:10with their budget of £150,000.
02:20It's a pretty resort and fishing town, a 15-minute drive west of Almeria City,
02:25with its international airport welcoming flights from most corners of the UK.
02:31Roccatas de Mar, with its winding streets and authentic bars and restaurants,
02:35offers a great combination of traditional neighbourhoods and buzzing tourist areas,
02:40offering access to a handful of pristine local beaches around the town.
02:46There's also a great little marina here if you're keen to get out on the water.
02:50And for lovers of history and the arts, Castilla Santa Ana,
02:54built between the 16th and 17th centuries, holds exhibitions and concerts.
02:59Roccatas de Mar offers great value for money when it comes to holiday homes.
03:04Whilst many Spanish coastal resorts are seeing property price increases,
03:09Roccatas prices are remaining stable,
03:12which means there are some great deals still to be had out there,
03:15and I'm going to find them.
03:17But first, I need to gather a little more info,
03:19so we're meeting on the beach for a chat.
03:22Deb and Steve, welcome to Roccatas de Mar.
03:25How are you feeling?
03:26Yeah, good, thanks.
03:27Good.
03:27Yeah?
03:28How good are we talking?
03:29Very good.
03:30Yeah.
03:31Why have you chosen Roccatas de Mar out of all the places in Spain?
03:35The temperature, mainly, because it's...
03:37Yeah, the climate.
03:38...south, isn't it?
03:39Quite south, so...
03:40Yeah.
03:40Yeah.
03:41How are you feeling, then?
03:42Looking around you now, do you feel like this has been a good choice?
03:46I think the beach is absolutely fabulous.
03:48I mean, it's a great beach.
03:50Yeah.
03:50It's huge.
03:52Are you beachy people?
03:53Yeah, oh, God, yeah.
03:54A beachy family?
03:55Yeah.
03:56Yeah, I'd much rather be on the beach than anywhere.
03:58Would you really?
03:59OK, so this is a really important element of the search for you guys.
04:03Yeah.
04:04Now, between you, you've got how many children and grandchildren?
04:08Three children between us and five grandchildren.
04:11So are you hoping that they all want to come out at the dinner time?
04:14Yeah, we'd love them to come out.
04:15Yeah.
04:16Yeah, definitely.
04:17Well, look, let's get down to business, shall we,
04:19and talk about the kind of property you're hoping to find here.
04:23What have you been hoping and dreaming about over the last...
04:27Goodness knows how many years, Steve.
04:29A two-bed, two-bath.
04:32A pool would be nice, but not necessary.
04:3420 minutes walk to the beach.
04:36OK.
04:36Max, sort of thing.
04:38Near to the bars and restaurants.
04:40OK, so that sounds pretty doable.
04:44Is there anything else in particular you'd like to add to that, Deb?
04:47I'd much prefer a house, I think.
04:50Right.
04:50Because it's a permanent move.
04:53I don't want a holiday home, I want a house.
04:56Style, the look, the feel.
04:58It's got to be modern.
05:00Has it?
05:01Clean lines, tidy.
05:04But I also like somewhere that looks nice from the street as well.
05:07It's got to have a bit of...
05:09Yeah.
05:09Bit of a peel.
05:11Are there any no-nos in particular?
05:14Yeah, I don't want to share anything with anybody.
05:16I don't share.
05:17What about with Steve?
05:17I don't share...
05:18No, she doesn't share a lot.
05:19No, no.
05:20Never got out of our own balcony.
05:23No, I don't, like, you know, shared terraces.
05:26I don't do shared.
05:26OK.
05:28No.
05:28You've got a budget of £150,000.
05:31Yeah.
05:32Any wiggle room on top of that?
05:33About £15,000.
05:35That's pretty good.
05:36And that was 10% then?
05:37Yeah.
05:37Basically.
05:38So up to £165,000.
05:40Yeah.
05:40Right, are you up for seeing some properties?
05:43Absolutely.
05:43Should we go now and see?
05:45Let's go now.
05:45Come on, then.
05:46Let's go.
05:47Well, Deb certainly seems like a woman who knows what she wants.
05:52The perfect house is out there somewhere, and I just need to find it.
05:55Our first place is in a popular beach area just south of Rokettus de Mar.
06:00But before heading there, as this is all new to these two, I want to make a quick stop.
06:07Right, before we really get going, I wanted to bring you down to the port here in Rokettus de Mar,
06:13simply because it's beautiful.
06:15It's lovely.
06:15It's lovely, yeah.
06:16It's really lovely.
06:17There's a few bars and restaurants.
06:19Yeah.
06:20Just over there.
06:21This whole town was built up around a small little fishing village.
06:26But it still has that heritage.
06:27So the fishermen once a week come in, and they sell the fish over there on the edge where you can bid on it.
06:35So whether or not you want to bite on it, it's quite a nice little bit of local life to come and see.
06:39Lovely.
06:39Yeah, I'd like to do that.
06:40Would you bid?
06:41Would you bid on some fresh fishing?
06:42Yeah, I would.
06:43What are you in the market for, madam?
06:47Crab.
06:48I like crab.
06:49Would you try cooking a little bit of crab at home?
06:52Yeah, definitely.
06:53Give it a go.
06:54So you try anything.
06:55Yeah, I would.
06:56Fantastic.
06:56Lucky thing.
06:57Yeah.
06:58Very lucky.
06:59Let's go and see if the first kitchen I've got lined up for you is good enough to cook this crab in, shall we?
07:05Right, okay.
07:06Come on.
07:06Sounds good.
07:06The first course has gone down well.
07:08The first course has gone down well.
07:11The main is less than a 10-minute driveway in an area called Playa Serena.
07:15While there are a handful of hotels here, it's also popular with expats as you can find houses rather than just apartments within reach of the beach.
07:25All right, the moment you've been waiting for after all these years, I'm going to stop you off here on this beautiful palm-lined street.
07:34We're only seven minutes' walk from the beach, and that beach is Playa Serena.
07:38That's good.
07:39And it comes with all the associated amenities like Chiringuitos, which is Spanish for beach bar, and shops and bars and all that kind of stuff.
07:48So that's all close by.
07:49The property we're going to look at is that one there, so it's a sort of townhouse style.
07:55Yeah.
07:56She's pulled a look on me!
07:59I don't like the fact it's right on the front of the road.
08:04I would say it's a little bit deceiving, the way the house is set up.
08:09So formally speaking, yes, that's your front door, okay, but the orientation of the house really is toward the back and the sunshine.
08:17There is more to this house than meets the eye.
08:20Two bedrooms, two bathrooms, two outdoor spaces, so you've got a lovely balcony around the back.
08:24You've got a good-sized terrace.
08:26It was built in about the 1980s, price-wise.
08:30It's just getting into your wiggle room at just under £151,000.
08:35It might need a little modernisation inside, a little bit of tweaking.
08:40I'm not saying the right things for you, am I?
08:42No.
08:42Just give it a chance for the moment, okay?
08:44Let's have a look around inside.
08:46Okay.
08:47While we've not exactly got off on the front foot with this one, once you're on the private first-floor balcony, or in the rear courtyard terrace, that fairly quiet road is a distant memory.
08:59There's also a communal pool here.
09:03Inside, the living room leads through the dining area to a good-sized kitchen.
09:08That should be perfect for Deb to boil up some crap.
09:10Both bedrooms are bright doubles.
09:14There's a bathroom and a shower room.
09:16We're starting at the back.
09:19Now, as you'll see, this is probably the entrance you will use to the house, because it brings you into this lovely courtyard garden.
09:26At least I thought it was lovely until I saw your face.
09:31What are you thinking?
09:34No?
09:35It's not what I had in my mind, no.
09:37It's not doing it for you?
09:39No.
09:39See, I thought a terrace would be all right, and you could dress it up with the potted plants and whatnot.
09:44Yeah, but I just...
09:45No.
09:47Is it the size of it?
09:48Is it the style of it?
09:49Is it the fact there aren't any plants?
09:51What is it?
09:51I think it's too small, for a start.
09:54This is too small?
09:55Outdoor space?
09:56Because you've got the balcony up there as well.
09:57Yeah, I know.
09:58It feels closed in a bit, cross-to-play a bit.
10:00Yeah.
10:02That's the big issue here, isn't it?
10:04And it is a bit...
10:04It just...
10:05Everything needs...
10:06And you're looking at a dirty wall.
10:08Uh-huh.
10:08Yeah.
10:09Into your living room, with its cosy little fire in the corner.
10:16Don't like it.
10:17Oh!
10:18There's not enough natural light in this room.
10:20It's like an alley.
10:21Right, it's too narrow for you, is it?
10:23Yeah.
10:24It needs...
10:25In my opinion, it needs too much doing.
10:28Yeah.
10:28But I don't like the outside.
10:30So, I don't like the lounge, so I wouldn't do it up anyway.
10:35Clearly, it's not the one for you guys.
10:39I like to think we've learnt something from it.
10:41Yeah.
10:41So, shall we hit the road and go and see the next?
10:43Let's do that.
10:43All right, I'll follow you out.
10:45Lovely.
10:48Well, not my best start to a property search,
10:52but I won't be down-hearted,
10:55because I know I've got four more goodies lined up.
11:00This Playa Serena townhouse with two bedrooms
11:04and a price tag just sneaking into our wiggle room
11:06of just under £151,000
11:08never really got off the ground.
11:11That was a very bad start,
11:16but I'm determined to show Debra a property she'll love.
11:20We're heading back into Burkettis-Demar for our next option
11:23to the La Molina part of town.
11:25It's a residential area popular with Spanish families
11:29and about a 20-minute walk from the coast.
11:33But on the way, I can't resist and have a quick stop at the beach
11:36as I know it's Deb and Steve's happy place.
11:40Guys, just up the road from the port
11:42where you're going to get your crabs
11:43is this lovely beach.
11:46Romania Beach, in fact.
11:48What do you think of it?
11:48It's about almost a mile long.
11:50It's great, it's lovely.
11:52Yeah, it looks superb, yeah, lovely.
11:54What you've got here is loads of lovely beach bars, restaurants.
11:58I mean, it's got it all here, it's got it all going on.
12:00It is lovely and plenty of water sports.
12:05How do you fancy that?
12:06Yeah, sounds good.
12:07For the boys.
12:08Yeah, would they love that?
12:09Yeah, the grandkids would love it, yeah.
12:11If you just want to take a kayak out for an hour,
12:13it's about £8.60 or something like that,
12:15or £13 for a windsurper.
12:17It's quite reasonable.
12:18That's good, it's really good, yeah.
12:20Look, I know the first property
12:21didn't really whet your appetite, did it?
12:23No, it didn't.
12:24But don't be downhearted.
12:25No.
12:26It's just the start of this adventure, OK?
12:28OK.
12:29We've got plenty more to see.
12:30We're going to head five minutes up the road,
12:31about 1.2 miles from here.
12:33OK, lovely.
12:34You see the next one?
12:34You up for it?
12:35Yeah, lovely, thank you.
12:42Coming up, if it's more space
12:43and a better outlook that they're looking for,
12:46then this generous four-bed townhouse
12:48may be the forever home that they're after.
12:57Today, I'm in southern Spain,
12:59house hunting in and around the lovely seaside town
13:01of Roquetas de Mar with Deb and Steve,
13:04who are in search of their forever dream home.
13:07And although they liked the location of my first property,
13:11more family space is on the cards.
13:15Deb also had concerns about the curb appeal
13:17and outlook from that first option.
13:20And as it was on the market a little over her
13:22and Steve's ideal budget of £150,000,
13:25I've got my work cut out to impress these two.
13:28We've now come to the La Molina area,
13:32on the edge of town and just over a mile from the beach.
13:36Property is more affordable here
13:38as there are fewer holiday homes and less tourist facilities,
13:41which I think might work better for Deb and Steve.
13:46OK, so we're a 17-minute stroll from the beach and the castle
13:50down there on the coast.
13:52This is a full-on four-bed house.
13:56OK. Now, in terms of curb appeal,
13:59please tell me, does this have any for you?
14:02It's nicer to look at than the last one, isn't it?
14:04Yeah, and we look out onto this park as well.
14:08Yeah. Which is quite a good thing.
14:10I mean, in terms of style inside, this is way more modern.
14:14OK. You've got three outdoor spaces.
14:16You've got a garage. Yeah, I was just going to say.
14:18As well. Yeah.
14:19Now, whether or not you want a garage... Yeah, we do.
14:21Do you? Well, I mean...
14:22We don't have to have, but to have that as an option,
14:26it's lovely, isn't it?
14:27Price-wise, it's just under £138,000,
14:30so it's amazingly priced.
14:32Yeah, that's good. That's interesting, that, isn't it?
14:34Yeah. Yeah, for a four-bed.
14:36But this area of town, it isn't seasonal.
14:38There's always life here. OK.
14:40There's always people coming and going,
14:42cafes are open, all that kind of stuff.
14:44Shall we? Let's do it.
14:46Let's do it. Come on. Let's do it.
14:48As well as that garage, there's a front terrace with this one,
14:54a courtyard area at the back,
14:56and a first-floor balcony.
14:59Inside, the living room is open to the dining area,
15:02and there's a separate modern kitchen
15:04that I'm confident Chef Deb will like.
15:07The main bedroom is a great space
15:10with its private balcony.
15:12The second and third are also big and bright rooms,
15:16while the fourth is probably also a double,
15:19although currently used as a walk-in wardrobe.
15:22Finally, there are two bathrooms.
15:26All right, let's start at your front terrace, shall we?
15:31There's the window into your garage just behind us here.
15:35Yeah. So, what do we think?
15:38Bearing in mind, one of three outdoor spaces,
15:40because you've got the balcony,
15:41then you've got pretty much an equal-sized terrace
15:44out the back as well.
15:47Fast improvement on the last one, isn't it?
15:50It's a lot tidier, a lot more modern.
15:51It looks clean and cared for.
15:54Yeah.
15:54What would you want to do with this, Steve, then?
15:57Yeah, have a few pots, a table and sofa probably out there,
16:01a garden sofa.
16:01Do you sort of, like, turn it into a real outdoor room?
16:05Is that the kind of thing you'll be doing?
16:06Yeah.
16:07No, it's nice.
16:08It's private, isn't it?
16:10Yeah.
16:10Yeah.
16:11Yeah, it's nice.
16:12That's good.
16:13This is so much better.
16:14It is.
16:14This is so much better than our last property.
16:17Yeah.
16:17I was getting worried there for a moment.
16:19Come on, let's get inside.
16:22How does this grab you?
16:24Yeah, it looks nice.
16:25It's nice.
16:25Nice size.
16:26Yeah.
16:27I quite like the floor.
16:28Yeah?
16:29Yeah, I like the tiles, yeah.
16:31The decoration, we like white.
16:32We like plain white.
16:34So would you stick with this, then?
16:36Yeah, I'd stick.
16:36Definitely.
16:37Yeah.
16:37Now, the furniture isn't included here in the prices.
16:40It sometimes is, but it's not on this occasion.
16:42We'd be bringing our own anyway, so it's not an issue for us.
16:45Yeah, I was wondering that.
16:47Are you literally just loading the van up, driving it all down?
16:50Yeah.
16:51Yeah.
16:51Who's going to do that?
16:52Are you going to pay for something, or are you going to drive it down?
16:54No, no, we won't do it.
16:55No, no, we won't do it.
16:55No, no.
16:57No, that is back-breaking work.
17:07The most important room of the house, Deb.
17:09Yeah.
17:10How do we feel about it?
17:12Yeah, it's nice.
17:12Nice size.
17:13Nice square kitchen.
17:15Yeah.
17:15It's interesting, isn't it?
17:16Every baker, every chef is very particular about their kitchen.
17:20Why square for you?
17:22Well, it's just nice with the worktops going all the way around.
17:26But we'd have to extend that one over there.
17:28Yeah, we would.
17:29What is your favourite thing that Deb bakes?
17:31Definitely a chocolate eclairs.
17:33Oh, really?
17:34Why are they different?
17:35They're massive.
17:37Who doesn't like a massive eclair, eh?
17:40Yeah.
17:41OK, well, look, it all sounds good so far.
17:44Why don't you go and enjoy the rest of it?
17:45OK.
17:46And I'll catch you in a moment.
17:47Yeah, OK.
17:48Well, we have just taken a huge leap forward with this property.
17:55They really seem to like it.
17:56In fact, I think I've served up something rather tasty here.
18:02See, we wouldn't really need a fourth bedroom, would we?
18:05No, but it's not a bad size for a fourth bedroom, is it?
18:08No, but I'd rather kit this out as a proper walking wardrobe.
18:11Yeah.
18:12So that you haven't got to have that furniture then in other rooms.
18:16Yeah.
18:16Just have it all here.
18:17Yeah, that's a good idea.
18:20This is a nice room, isn't it?
18:21Yeah, it's a good size.
18:22And I like that balcony off the bedroom.
18:25That's really nice.
18:27It's bright, isn't it?
18:28Yeah.
18:28This more modern home in La Molina with four bedrooms and a below-budget price tag of just under £138,000 has gone down pretty well.
18:41Righty.
18:42How'd you get on?
18:42It's a lovely house and it's very spacious and I like the high seat.
18:48Yeah, it's great.
18:48In fact, unusually large main bedroom here.
18:52Yeah.
18:53You don't typically get bedrooms of that size.
18:55No, it is a good size.
18:56They were all good size bedrooms.
18:57The whole property is a good size.
18:59Yeah.
19:00For the money, I mean, I think it was quite a bargain to be fair.
19:03Oh, brilliant.
19:05So, well, if you're saying that, can we call it a contender, this one?
19:09Is it in that bracket?
19:12No.
19:13No, you...
19:13How can you tell...
19:15Value for money?
19:16You were so positive about it all the way around.
19:19What's gone wrong?
19:19It's nothing to do with the house.
19:20The house is lovely.
19:22It's just this area's not right for me.
19:24Is it?
19:25No.
19:25No, it's not.
19:27OK.
19:28So what would do it for you, do you think?
19:31Proper outside space.
19:33Mm-hm.
19:34Where I can actually walk outside onto an outside terrace.
19:39Right.
19:40Yeah.
19:40And a slightly different area, by the sounds of things, too.
19:43Yeah.
19:43OK.
19:45You're keeping me on my toes.
19:46I like it.
19:46Come on.
19:50I thought that was going so well.
19:52But the area and the outside space, two key elements, just weren't right.
19:57While I scratch my head and work out where to head next, I'm calling in reinforcements
20:02in the form of Jason, an expat loaded with local knowledge.
20:08Well, Deb and Steve, I want you to meet Jason here.
20:10Hello.
20:10Hello there.
20:11Nice to meet you.
20:12Hello, Jason.
20:12You've been here for many years now, haven't you, Jason?
20:14Yeah, I've been living here 17 years.
20:16So, do you speak Spanish?
20:18I speak quite a good level of Spanish and my wife is actually from Mexico, so her first
20:23language is Spanish.
20:25Great.
20:25We do actually help some people with various things, like, for example, getting their internet
20:31put on, applying for residency, and this type of thing.
20:34That's great.
20:35Where can we actually go to learn Spanish while we're here?
20:38We have a guy that actually teaches Spanish.
20:42He comes to the bar and does it there in small little groups, so it could be very useful
20:48for you guys to do that.
20:50Oh, that's good.
20:51Yeah.
20:51How is it you ended up choosing this part of Spain to live?
20:54Well, you know, it's very flat, as you can see, you know, it's good for cycling, it's
21:00good for walking, you know, there's a number of activities.
21:02I actually belong to a walking group here.
21:04We go out and discover different parts of Almeria, and it's...
21:08So, you'd be interested in that, wouldn't you?
21:10Yeah, I would, yeah.
21:11Definitely.
21:11Yeah.
21:12Thank you so much, Jason.
21:13We are going to go and see our next property.
21:16It's very nice to meet you.
21:17Thanks, Jason.
21:18That's it the most.
21:18Come on, guys.
21:19See you next, Jason.
21:20Bye.
21:24Coming up, we're on my next property, another four-bed townhouse, but this time in the centre
21:29of Roquetas de Mar, the everything that Deb and Steve are looking for.
21:39Today, I'm in southern Spain with Deb and Steve house hunting in and around the town
21:44of Roquetas de Mar in search of their new forever home.
21:48So far, both this Playa Serena townhouse and this modern house in a residential part of
21:53Roquetas de Mar have failed to hit the mark.
21:56I'm feeling the pressure, but still have three more chances to get it right, working with
22:01Deb and Steve's £150,000 budget.
22:03For my next roll of the dice, we're heading back towards the beach to a place in an area
22:11called Las Lomas.
22:13This is a more sought-after location than our last, with great access to the coast and town
22:18centre, as well as arguably more charming properties.
22:22All this puts a 10% premium on prices.
22:27Right, you will have noticed that we have come much further into town this time.
22:32We are a leisurely eight-minute stroll from the beach we were at.
22:38So, very close by the High Street, just on the other side of this road.
22:43Yeah.
22:43Here.
22:44And then around you, you've got restaurants, bars, cafes, and your front door is just over
22:49there.
22:50A little bit different, again, architecturally.
22:52Are you preferring this, then?
22:53Yeah, I quite like it.
22:56More so than the last, or...?
22:57Yeah, definitely.
22:58Why is that, then?
22:59Location-wise, particularly.
23:02Just like the last house, four bedrooms, one and a half baths this time.
23:07It's just over £149,000.
23:10Not particularly negotiable, but still nicely...
23:12Still not a bad bath, isn't it?
23:14...in your budget, isn't it?
23:15Yeah.
23:15It's in good condition, but you probably do want to make a few little upgrades.
23:19Yeah.
23:19As you'll see when you go around.
23:22Shall we go through the garage or the gates?
23:24Gate.
23:25The gate, yeah.
23:25Gate.
23:26Come on.
23:28We have another front terrace here, but this one is brighter and greener than my last and
23:33includes a nice seating area.
23:36There is also one at the back and then a balcony on the first floor.
23:41Inside, there's a living room and separate kitchen.
23:44The main bedroom has access to the balcony, while the second is also bright with its double
23:50doors and a Juliet balcony.
23:53The third and fourth are also very usable bedrooms.
23:57There's a large shower room and a toilet.
23:59Look at this.
24:03Now, this is a bigger front terrace.
24:07Do you like it?
24:08It's quite nice.
24:10Yeah.
24:10Mm.
24:11So it's quite peaceful and cool, actually.
24:13Yes.
24:14Yeah, it does feel cool.
24:16I think this particular bit of raised bed here could go.
24:20You almost double the space at this place.
24:22Yeah.
24:22I did think that.
24:23I think.
24:24That is, yeah.
24:25It's obviously been added at a later date because you've got the original planter there,
24:29which beautifully screens the streets.
24:31Yes.
24:32But then this kind of is eating into very, what would be usable.
24:36Yeah.
24:36Yeah, that would have to go, wouldn't it?
24:38Yeah.
24:41So, well, look, I already know this is going.
24:44So what do we think of it?
24:45It's not as big as the last one, either, is it?
24:47It's not as nice as the last.
24:49And it is.
24:49And it's darker.
24:50It's definitely darker, isn't it?
24:52Yeah.
24:53You would want to.
24:54I mean, I know you don't want curtains and nets and blinds.
24:57Obviously, you're going to open all of this up.
24:58But I do think it'd be nice to have a doorway through there, out onto your rear terrace.
25:03Yeah.
25:03Sofa here.
25:04Sofa there.
25:06Telly up there.
25:06So you're all sort of facing the fire.
25:09Yeah.
25:09And just opening it up.
25:10Oh, yeah, absolutely.
25:11A bit more.
25:12Yeah.
25:13I see it as a refurb.
25:14Oh, do you?
25:15Yeah, definitely.
25:16Okay, to get it up to your standard, so to speak.
25:19Absolutely.
25:19Do you want to go and check the rest of it out, then, while I wait for you?
25:22Yeah, okay.
25:23All right.
25:24Thanks.
25:24Okay.
25:28It's not as nice as the last kitchen, is it?
25:31No, it's not.
25:31The whole lot needs changing.
25:33Yeah, including the floor.
25:34Yeah.
25:35Yeah, I think it's a little bit too much, to be honest.
25:38It's a bit more than we wanted to do, isn't it?
25:40Yeah.
25:40See, this is a good-sized room, but then they all are, aren't they?
25:46Yeah, they are.
25:46They're really big rooms.
25:48The balcony looks all right, but I mean, the windows need replacing.
25:51But it's, yeah, there's just, I feel there's too much work.
25:54This last low-mass townhouse has four bedrooms and is on the market within budget at just
26:01over £149,000.
26:06Right, then, I know there was a bit of work to do with this property.
26:10Yeah.
26:11Having looked around fully, where are you at with that?
26:16Yeah, there's too much work to be done.
26:18Okay.
26:19Yeah.
26:20So, are you saying to me, because of that, this isn't a contender?
26:24No, not a mum, I'm afraid.
26:26I'm trying so hard here, but it's not panning out quite yet.
26:31So, where do we go from here?
26:32Because you liked that last property, didn't you?
26:34The last house.
26:35The condition of the last house.
26:37In this position.
26:38Yeah, I do feel like we've looked at the best properties in this part of town.
26:43How would you feel about moving a little further out to a little area called Aguadolfe?
26:48Okay?
26:48Great.
26:49Yeah?
26:49Lovely.
26:50Lovely.
26:54It's a 25-minute drive north and a more tourist-focused town, with what are said to be prettier beaches
27:01and a much larger marina.
27:03It also comes with a fairly dramatic backdrop.
27:06Built up against the mountains that separate the wider area of Roquetas de Mar and Almeria.
27:12So, guys, we are in a completely different area of town now.
27:17In fact, kind of a completely different town.
27:19Still in Roquetas Municipality, but in the town of Aguadolfe, which means in Spanish?
27:25Sweetwater.
27:26Very good.
27:27Someone has been doing their online courses.
27:29It's actually a very new town, a very short history.
27:32It came into existence in the 20th century, just as a smattering of houses, but here's
27:37a fact.
27:38It was one of, if not the first, tourist towns in Spain made popular in the 1960s.
27:44It's lovely.
27:44It's quite...
27:46It looks all on one road and bustly-bustly, which I quite like.
27:50It's a four-minute stroll from the beach, which is just at the bottom.
27:53Is it?
27:54Yeah.
27:54That's good.
27:55Yeah, it's not bad, is it?
27:56We are going to look at what I think is quite a spectacular property next, and it's a 15-minute
28:03stroll from the park.
28:04Lovely.
28:04Should we get a walk-in, Cheezer?
28:05Yeah.
28:05Lovely.
28:06Come on.
28:06Lovely.
28:09As property here in Aguadolfe is roughly 10% more expensive than in Roquetas de Mar,
28:14we're heading to a more affordable part of town called Aguadolfe Hills.
28:19Built into the mountainside, the roads can be a little steep here, but that means views,
28:24and this one is on at a great price.
28:28You're going to be looking at this three-storey townhouse.
28:33It looks nice.
28:34It looks nice.
28:35It looks quite big as well.
28:37It is a huge property.
28:38I know.
28:39It is only advertised as two bedrooms, but you've got another room right at the top, which
28:43could be an easy third-bedroom guest suite, you know, if you have guests staying.
28:49I mean, this place inside is amazing.
28:53It's immaculate.
28:54It's very contemporary.
28:56Sounds good.
28:56It's got a beautiful kitchen.
28:58Yeah.
28:59The least expensive we've seen so far.
29:01Oh, really?
29:02Yes.
29:03Just under £128,500.
29:05Yeah.
29:06That's quite good.
29:07It's good.
29:07Really good.
29:08Oh, not to mention communal pool.
29:11Oh, is there?
29:12Which is £20 a month, which is just at the end of the road.
29:14Oh, OK.
29:15Well, look, I really want you to get inside and see this.
29:18I think you're going to like it.
29:20Lovely.
29:21OK.
29:22Go and do it.
29:28I was hoping for a little bit more excitement, but when they see this property inside, I can't
29:37imagine they're not going to fall in love.
29:40This communal pool is obviously great to have, but the private terrace at the front of the
29:45property and roof terrace, both with unrivaled views, are sure to blow anyone away.
29:51Inside, the living and dining room should work, as should the modern kitchen.
29:57There's also a toilet on this floor, and then upstairs are two good-sized bedrooms and
30:03the shower room.
30:05Finally, on the top floor, there's a large room set up as a second living space and a
30:09toilet that could easily be used as another bedroom suite.
30:15Oh, it's a nice space.
30:17It's lovely, isn't it?
30:19Look at that view.
30:20Look at that.
30:20Yeah, it's lovely, isn't it?
30:21I mean, that makes the walk-up worth it when you see that.
30:24Yeah.
30:25The barbecue area.
30:26Yeah.
30:27Oh, this is a nice-sized room.
30:29It's big, isn't it?
30:31Yeah.
30:31It's a lovely size, isn't it?
30:32It's really nice.
30:34I think I'd open my kitchen up.
30:36Yeah, I think that would actually look nice.
30:39Oh, it's a lovely size, right?
30:41Yeah.
30:41It's lovely.
30:42Look at that view.
30:43Look.
30:44And the flooring's nice as well, isn't it?
30:46Nice and tiled.
30:47Wow, look at that.
30:49Oh, look at that.
30:50Oh, look at that view.
30:51That's amazing, isn't it?
30:52It's fantastic.
30:53I feel like king of the castle up here.
30:56I really do.
30:57This house with a view is listed as a two-bed, but has potential for a third and a budget-friendly
31:03price tag of just under £128,500.
31:07All righty, Roo.
31:11Look, I'm hoping you're feeling on top of the world up here.
31:16Yeah, it's lovely.
31:17Amazing.
31:18What a house, hey?
31:19I know.
31:20It's fabulous.
31:20The trouble is, we're thinking about the future.
31:26It was a steep old drive to get up here to the property.
31:30Look at it inside.
31:32Look at the life you'd have here.
31:33It's lovely inside.
31:34I totally understand that this, you know, it's up the hill.
31:37It feels a bit of a stretch for you guys, especially as you're trying to future-proof the place as well.
31:43Is this a contender?
31:46No, I'm afraid it's not.
31:47For me to say, I can't, no, it isn't.
31:49You're not a contender.
31:51Okay, I'm just going to have a little weep.
31:52Come with me.
31:53We're going to head back down the hill into town.
31:56Okay.
32:01Coming up, can I wring out my hanky and finally find these two their dream home?
32:06How do you feel about kneading your dough in here?
32:11It's red.
32:17Today I'm in southern Spain helping Deb and Steve find their new permanent home in and
32:23around the coastal town of Roquetas de Mar.
32:27And this has been a challenging search as after four viewings, we have zero contenders.
32:33If I'm honest, nothing has really got close.
32:35And everything has been a compromise too far.
32:39Deb and Steve have a budget of up to £165,000.
32:44And I'm determined to make my last chance count with what I think is a standout option.
32:49But before heading there, I'm slipping away to check out one of the best properties of
32:58sale in Roquetas de Mar at the moment.
33:00This seven-bedroom golf course villa with views over the 18th could work very well as a luxury
33:06holiday or permanent home.
33:10And it's not as expensive as you might think.
33:13Being on the market for less than £900,000, I'm meeting the agent for a look around.
33:18Norea, lovely to meet you.
33:21Nice to meet you.
33:22I'm liking the look of this place.
33:25What style are we calling this, would you say?
33:27Yeah, this style is a modern classic.
33:31Well, that sounds perfect.
33:32Can we have a look around?
33:33OK, let's go.
33:40Wow.
33:41What a lovely space this is.
33:44Yeah.
33:44And I see what you mean about this kind of modern, classic kind of mix of architecture
33:51going on here.
33:51Because you've got these kind of neoclassical touches with the balustrade in and especially
33:56this lovely marble floor.
33:58Where is it from?
33:59The marble is from Greece.
34:01This must be very expensive, right?
34:03Yeah.
34:04Mm-hmm.
34:06Yeah, some very expensive touches in here.
34:07I love the fireplace and I love the sweeping staircase.
34:11It's so grand.
34:12I can imagine coming down it in a dinner suit, martini in hand, people waiting at the cocktail
34:18party down here.
34:19Yeah.
34:20Should we try the staircase out?
34:22Yeah.
34:22All right.
34:23This is the main bedroom.
34:30Oh, this is lovely, isn't it?
34:32And it's everything a main bedroom should be with that fantastic dressing area.
34:37Yeah.
34:37Really good.
34:39Lovely bathroom.
34:40Yeah.
34:41But also, I mean, I haven't seen many terraces off of a bathroom.
34:45Yeah.
34:45That's a bit luxurious, isn't it?
34:47That is very nice.
34:48This is lovely, Norea.
34:52What a pool.
34:54What a garden.
34:55What a wonderful lifestyle.
34:57Yeah.
34:58To have this place.
34:59Yeah.
34:59You know, and even more wonderful if it's a holiday home as well.
35:03Yeah.
35:04Oh, amazing.
35:05I could stay here all day, really.
35:07But I can't.
35:09I've got to get on with my job.
35:11But, Norea, thank you so much for showing me around, but I'd better hit the road.
35:17A pleasure.
35:17A pleasure, though, Mike.
35:22We're heading back to Aguadolphe, the location of our last place.
35:26But I've got somewhere lined up that's more central and future-proof this time.
35:30Before heading there, we've got just enough time for one more beach stop.
35:35Hey, look, this isn't bad, is it?
35:38Strolling along the beach in Aguadolphe.
35:40Lovely, isn't it?
35:41Lovely, yeah.
35:41How does this compare with Rockettas to Marr Beach further down?
35:45I prefer this a lot more, yeah.
35:47Yeah, I quite like it down here.
35:49I think it's nice.
35:50I think this is the town for you guys.
35:51Yeah, I think it is.
35:53That's the way we're going with this, is it?
35:55Yeah, I think so.
35:55Why do you think we are?
35:56Why do you think this one's working so much better?
35:58It doesn't feel so touristy, this bit.
36:01This seems more like somewhere you could live.
36:03Yeah.
36:03It's got all the amenities you want.
36:05Again, it's about a mile long.
36:07Yeah.
36:07But this time, just offshore, there's a natural reef out there, brimming with sea life.
36:15And I know you like your swimming.
36:16Yeah.
36:17Do you fancy a bit of snorkelling?
36:18Yeah, I'd do that.
36:19Because I think that would be fantastic.
36:21Yeah, I'd definitely be up for that, yeah.
36:22Especially with the kids, the grandkids?
36:23Yeah.
36:23Oh, they'd love it.
36:24Yeah, the grandkids would love it.
36:26Just got to find the right house.
36:28That's it.
36:28Yes.
36:29No pressure.
36:30One left to see.
36:30Yeah.
36:31OK.
36:36While Aguadolphe is on average 10% more expensive than Rockettes de Mar, the more source-after
36:41and flatter parts of town can be more like 15% to 20% dearer.
36:45So we're heading into Deb and Steve's wiggle room with this one.
36:50Right.
36:51We have come down the hill.
36:52We are in pretty much the heart of town now.
36:55Yeah.
36:55How are you feeling being down at this level?
36:58Yeah, I quite like it.
36:58A bit more comfortable.
37:00It's a nice road.
37:01Yeah, very nice road.
37:04Residential area.
37:05To where a 12-minute stroll from the beach.
37:07Shops, bars, restaurants, cafes, everything galore around the corner.
37:12So, location-wise, it should work for you.
37:15What do you reckon?
37:15Sounds like a good position.
37:17Yeah.
37:17Now, look.
37:18Our final property.
37:20A white terraced house.
37:23Yeah, I don't mind what I'm seeing.
37:26Uh-huh.
37:27And I like where it is, so...
37:28So, that's a good start.
37:30Four bedrooms.
37:31One and a half bath.
37:32Got a garage.
37:33Fairly recently refurbed by the current owners.
37:36It's on the market for just over £159,000.
37:40I thought it would be more expensive, because it's in a good location.
37:44Mm.
37:45It has a communal pool out in the back.
37:47So, you step out of your back door and, oop, splash, you're in.
37:50Well, that's a surprise.
37:51Yeah.
37:51What do you expect me to say that?
37:52That's not too bad.
37:54And again, with a communal pool comes a fee, and that is £43 a month, thereabouts.
37:58I think that's fine.
37:59Yeah, that's not too bad.
38:01Yeah.
38:01Now, there's a lot riding on this property, so we'd better get in.
38:05Let's get in.
38:06At the back, there's a first-and-ground-floor terrace here, both overlooking the communal
38:14pool, as well as a more enclosed option at the front above the garage.
38:20Inside, there's a living and dining room with direct access to the pool, as well as a separate
38:25kitchen that's in great condition.
38:29I just hope Deb likes the colour.
38:31And there's a toilet.
38:32Upstairs, all four bedrooms are a similar size, although two have access to a terrace.
38:40And there's a modern shower room.
38:44How do you feel about kneading your dough in here?
38:48It's red.
38:49Yeah.
38:50It's a nice size.
38:51It is a nice size.
38:52Yeah, that's good.
38:54It's clean.
38:55Yeah.
38:55And it's got nice worktops.
38:58I don't know if I can do the red cupboards, though, but, you know.
39:01So you'd have to change it somewhat?
39:04Or even if you just kept the bottom ones and maybe changed the top ones.
39:09Ah, yeah?
39:10Just to minimise that?
39:11Yeah.
39:12Looks tidy.
39:12OK.
39:13Yeah, it does.
39:14And I quite like this floor in here, as well.
39:16Yeah.
39:17All right.
39:18OK.
39:19This is good.
39:20Right, then.
39:25Living space.
39:25That's, yeah, that's a good size, isn't it?
39:28Yeah, it's nice.
39:29Yeah.
39:30Almost sort of two areas to it, in a way.
39:32I'm guessing that would have been more the living space, this more sort of like a dining spot.
39:36Yeah.
39:36Probably, yeah.
39:37Could you see your furniture in here?
39:40Yeah.
39:41Yeah.
39:41Yeah?
39:42Yeah, I could.
39:43Can you see yourself here, guys?
39:46Maybe.
39:47I don't know yet.
39:48I haven't seen enough.
39:55That's something we haven't seen yet, isn't it?
39:57Yeah, it is.
39:58Right off of your back gate.
40:00Yeah, and I should imagine on a really hot day, that would be a marvellous thing to have.
40:05That is a lifestyle must, isn't it?
40:07It is.
40:08It's lovely.
40:08But...
40:09Uh-oh.
40:10Don't do it to me, Deb.
40:12I feel like I'm in a goldfish bowl.
40:16It's too overlooked.
40:18The pool's, like, really close to the apartment.
40:23This is not going to work for you, then?
40:24I can't imagine you laying here in your two-piece.
40:26No.
40:29No.
40:30Are we going to check out the rest of it while we're here?
40:32Yeah, I do.
40:33I'll go and see the rest.
40:34All right, go and do that.
40:35Good.
40:38It's quite nice.
40:48Yeah, it's not a bad size.
40:48I mean, it's nice.
40:49It's got built-in wardrobes.
40:51That's good.
40:51Yeah.
40:52It's a plus, isn't it?
40:53Yeah.
40:53But I can see from here, I'm still overlooked.
40:56I like the tiles, and I love that sink.
41:01I think it looks really nice, but it's way too small.
41:04It is.
41:05For a four-bedroom house.
41:07There's no bath.
41:08There's only a shower.
41:09This Aguadolfe townhouse with four bedrooms and great pool access is on the market, a little
41:16into Deb and Steve's wiggle room of just under £159,500.
41:23Now, I know it didn't work for you at the pool, but how did you get on upstairs?
41:27The bedrooms are good sizes, but I did find the bathroom too small.
41:31OK, yeah.
41:32I mean, it was the only bathroom in the house, and it was just a shower room.
41:37So is this, in essence, our fifth non-contender?
41:42Yeah, sorry, it is.
41:45What has gone wrong?
41:47I mean, it's always the case that property search is going to boil down to a little bit
41:49of compromise.
41:50I don't think we've managed to find that with the properties that we've looked at.
41:55No, maybe not.
41:56I think that's what we really kind of need to sort of maybe think on tonight and what might
42:01work in your favour and maybe what you could let slide a little bit.
42:04Yeah.
42:05Perhaps.
42:06Yeah, we'll have a think about it tonight.
42:08Yeah, we will, yeah.
42:09Right, shall we go and put our feet up?
42:10Let's do that.
42:11Come on.
42:16If you would like more information on any of the properties featured on today's show,
42:20you know what to do.
42:21Go to aplacensun.com forward slash programmes.
42:27We've come to the end of our tour around Riquetis de Mar, here in the Almar,
42:31Victoria region of Spain, with Deb, Steve and their ideal budget of £150,000 with
42:37a further £15,000 of wiggle room.
42:40They were looking for the perfect forever home and I'm afraid to say I've failed to
42:44find it for them.
42:45But after a night of digesting everything we've seen, I'm keen to find out where
42:50they want to go from here.
42:52I just hope I can steer them in the right direction.
42:54Good morning, guys.
42:58Morning.
42:58How are you feeling this morning, after a good rest?
43:01Good.
43:01You know, because, you know, we were, I think we were exhausted, weren't we?
43:05Yeah.
43:05We did a lot.
43:06We did.
43:06We did a lot.
43:07We saw a lot.
43:08We did.
43:09How have you found this part of Spain?
43:11Because you've never been here before, had you?
43:13No.
43:13I do like it.
43:15I feel as if I need to see a little bit more.
43:17Mm-hmm.
43:17What would you need to see?
43:19What would you want?
43:19I just want to see probably a couple of different areas.
43:22I'd like to see the city.
43:23Yeah.
43:24That'd be nice.
43:25So further up the road, Almar, yeah.
43:26Yeah.
43:27Yeah.
43:27We've only scratched the surface, really.
43:29We need to see a little bit more.
43:30So, some lovely houses.
43:32And I think the thing we battled against, really, was sort of working out a compromise that you
43:37would be happy with.
43:38You know, having spent a night sleeping on that, have you moved forward or...?
43:43We would make compromises, obviously, for the right property.
43:47I think when you find the house you want, there might be something missing, but if you
43:53like it that much, you're going to compromise because you want that house anyway.
43:56So, when you find the house you love, you're prepared to make it work.
43:59That's what it is, isn't it?
44:00Well, it is for me.
44:01So, in truth, we didn't really find anything you found in love with?
44:06No, maybe not.
44:07I mean, there was a couple we really liked, but it wasn't...
44:11Enough.
44:11It wasn't enough for me.
44:13It wasn't, yeah, it just wasn't quite right.
44:16What are you going to do from here on in?
44:18We're going to come back, rent for a couple of months and have a good look around.
44:22Well, I am confident that right house is out there and waiting for you.
44:26So, I wish you all the best when you come back out here next time.
44:29But in the meantime, cheers, guys.
44:32Thanks, man.
44:33Cheers, man.
44:37Well, what an interesting search that proved to be.
44:40Some highs, some lows, and even though the right property proved somewhat elusive,
44:45it's clear now that Deb and Steve have fallen in love with this beautiful part of Spain.
44:51And I wish them all the best with their continued search.
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