- 3 months ago
Category
📺
TVTranscript
00:00after over 20 years of helping other people find their dream home overseas
00:08we're actually doing ourselves this house is the first time I've done any
00:17sort of demolition let's get on with it hammer it down that camera out what can
00:27go wrong I'm currently in hospital waiting for the prognosis it's very difficult to keep it
00:36together to be honest I'm ready to throw in the towel basically I'm a professional now
00:44I've just made a big hole for like a house renovation requires a lot of wine oh and then
00:51oh this is the dream this is what we hoped life in Spain would be like
01:01oh never in my wildest dreams did I ever think that something like this would be a reality
01:21having helped hundreds of people find their dream homes on a place in the Sun Jasmine Harmon has
01:27found one of her own at the western end of the Costa del Sol this stretch of coastline is part of
01:37Estepona but they're calling it the new golden mile I don't even know what that means I don't
01:41know what the old golden mile is this is the new golden mile and you say we decided I mean you told
01:47I decided with its Andalithian old town glamorous coastline and the Sierra Burmeja mountains as a
01:54backdrop Estepona is a unique and enchanting place that Jasmine and her family are already enjoying
02:01having moved over from London to a rental while they wait to complete on their new home I'm feeling
02:09nervous excited out of my debt but trusting that eventually it's all going to be okay
02:21Jasmine and her husband John have been married for over 15 years having met on set he's a cameraman
02:29who's worked with a host of popular property and food TV shows he is someone I know I can always
02:36rely on he will do anything for the people that he loves he is very driven he's very ambitious and
02:45he makes me laugh with his stupid sense of humor John's traveling back and forth to the UK for jobs
02:57there are times during the year where jazz and I are super busy and we are like ships crossing in the
03:02night other times the year we're really lucky and we get to hang out as a family you know both of us
03:08are very family orientated people that's why the Spanish culture and lifestyle suits us actually it's
03:15much more family orientated here their children 11 year old joy and Albion nine have been settling in
03:26at a local school joy is a very very smart kid I mean I'm learning stuff from her all the time she's
03:36a really good friend Albion is the kind of joker of the family always larking around you could argue
03:45he's very similar to me if you could describe money in three words what would they be and stinky kind
03:53and old as me seeing and experiencing a different life will hopefully show them that they can do
04:09anything and they can go anywhere because the world is their oyster Jasmine and the kids already have EU
04:15passports as Jasmine's mum is from Cyprus which has made the move out to Spain really easy and once
04:23Jasmine started looking at properties it didn't take her long to get that feeling I think our house has got
04:30the most amazing potential I love the character of it I love the fact that it's got lots of traditional
04:38features and I think once we've finished with it it's going to be phenomenal financially we have
04:48stretched ourselves to the absolute maximum in order to be able to buy the house we've got no plan B
04:56there's no option for failure we've got to make it work this project of a property is the place they've
05:06had an offer accepted on we've got an opportunity to buy something that we can work on we can add value
05:15we can make it into a much better home for our family than anything we could have afforded otherwise
05:22that house is all location location location yeah it's not going to be living the dream in there
05:29is it until we've gone through the whole renovation project no it's a dream location it's not a dream
05:35house at the moment while they wait for all the paperwork to go through Jasmine and John have arranged
05:46things to show the kids their future home for the first time this is it kids what do you think
05:53this is like your mommy's house hunters tiny house hunters so look this with the blue paint is our house
06:10what's your favorite bit so far Albs the blue paint don't you like the natural exposed brick
06:17all right come on let's go in is it your house of dreams not exactly my house of dreams but
06:25it's split over four levels down in the basement is a large room with potential a storage room a bathroom
06:35and a garage what do you think Albs I'll be I know you're thinking this screams Spanish dream lifestyle
06:47yeah definitely oh careful I'll be mind you don't trip a very luxurious toilet what did you think of the
06:58window there is none there is just a hole in the wall looking at the house again I'm starting to feel
07:09quite daunted I don't know why I think the first time I walked in there something just hit me and I
07:15thought I can make this work I can do this this is going to be amazing it's got so much potential I
07:19could really really see myself there now seeing it for what it really is there is a huge amount to be
07:28done for me this is one of the first priorities yeah the my worry is this looks like a water pipe but
07:38where it's supplying and where it's coming from and why it's dangling over here I have no idea this
07:43isn't even finished I mean the garage door is basically a shower curtain this keeps the thieves obey I
07:51guess my biggest anxiety is making the right decision for my kids say cheese
07:59the worst thing that can happen with the house renovation is you get something wrong or you have
08:04to pay for something again but when it comes to my children and their future you think you don't want
08:11to mess up their lives I've got this whole weight of responsibility up on the ground floor there's a
08:20lounge diner with doors to a balcony and a kitchen what do you reckon kids it smells bad it's tiny tiny
08:31also on this level there's an unfinished bathroom and the bedroom with ensuite what do you think is
08:41going to be in this room so you guys are going to share this room we haven't decided yet this will be
08:49the room daddy's banished to when the renovation goes wrong up on the first floor are three bedrooms
08:55one has an en suite and it's very own Sun Terrace
08:59I mean it is quite gross he will carry most of the practical things I will carry
09:20family the emotions I'll carry the disused hot tub off the roof terrace okay that's a deal you can yeah
09:31great don't leave me hanging oh sorry and that's the bathroom with the very damp ceiling what are you
09:45doing see how damp it is
09:52that went in my mouth I just think it's like 10 years of neglect neglect I think the skylight does need
09:59ceiling and everything else like there's nothing in this bathroom that would stay
10:04up on the top floor there's a utility room that leads to a roof terrace
10:13it's not bad is it out here I mean you could make so much more of it this is the skylight for that
10:21bathroom where the dumps coming in yeah yeah I mean why have they got the boys well I imagine
10:25they're waiting down that tarpaulin be careful because it's full of dirty water oh god this is good
10:36abode what if you can't take a bit of tarpaulin off the top I don't know if I've got the stomach for
10:40this renovation did you bring your swimming trunks out no imagine in a couple of months time you'll
10:51be picking up sinkers from the bottom of that pool I'm not too sure not too sure it's obviously loads
10:58more work than we ever thought we would be taking on in Spain the kitchen needs ripping out and
11:06replacing there's walls to knock down there are access issues the pool is empty everything is going
11:17to need to need doing and I've got a screwdriver to do it always we've got to live in it whilst we're
11:27doing the work I think we need some stairs down from there that's going to be one of the first
11:33things we do I don't know if I don't planning permission you don't agree why don't you should
11:37be a priority I mean I'm not even commit it's gonna cost a lot of money I think we need to live in it
11:42first see how much of a problem is any arguments that we have are usually on quite small things most
11:47of the time on the bigger things like moving to Spain or taking on a renovation project we agree
11:57do you think we've made the right decision yeah I'm saying that with a lot of conviction there is no
12:06other option now we have to make it work I can see the potential I can see the finished product I can
12:15see my family there but getting there is going to take an absolute ton of work
12:36after delays at every stage possible Jasmine and John have now been in a rental close by for nearly
12:47six months waiting for all the paperwork to go through on their Spanish property purchase usually
12:53with most of my house hunters over the years it's been very straightforward obviously as soon as I put
12:59my money where my mouth is everything's gone wrong and it has been far from straightforward
13:09we've had to get over quite a lot of hurdles to get to this point including various legal things we
13:16had to look into with the property it's an inheritance so we've had to wait for that to be
13:21processed it's been quite overwhelming but we did eventually exchange contracts and we've got a final
13:29date by which we have to complete which is coming up in less than two weeks
13:35with their Spanish mortgage offer also expiring around the same time the pressure is on but eager
13:44to get cracking and with John away on a filming trip Jasmine's heading over to the house for a bit of
13:49property therapy I've offered the owner to come and help her to clear some stuff up but it's just me
13:55sounds like very kind of me but there is the selfish side of me that also just wants to make sure we
14:03hit our completion date this house since it was built has been in the same family and sadly now the previous
14:14owners passed away we're buying it from their children the owner she's told me what needs to go
14:25what needs to stay what's going to charity so I've got a good idea of where everything's supposed to go oh
14:33oh my gosh I mean it's still a mess but then what do you do with all this stuff I mean these huge tables
14:42there's a throne I think by the look of it there right let's get cracking
14:50when I was growing up our house was very full very cluttered my mum was a hoarder my mum still is a
15:08hoarder actually I find it quite triggering when I see big piles of stuff that looks like junk to me
15:16I remember at the time being a youngster and thinking that the possessions the piles of stuff
15:23were more important to my mum than I was these ones are for charity oh there we go I've been getting
15:34overwhelmed just packing up my own house and I can barely imagine what it must be like trying to clear
15:41out decades of stuff it's not that the lady is a hoarder or anything it's generations of accumulated
15:52stuff that now needs to find a home or needs to go somewhere I love my mum very much I think one of the
16:06really valuable lessons that I've taken from my mum and her hoarding is that we shouldn't be wasting
16:13as much as we waste if you can recycle donate up cycle things then that's really great I know that
16:24John probably won't agree with me but I do quite like these tiles and you know I want to keep a bit of
16:35that traditional Andalusian style in the house I can see how much progress has been made but there's
16:54still quite a lot to be cleared and yeah it's giving me a bit of anxiety to be honest
17:05back at the rental Jasmine's keen to press on with renovation plans but with John away making real
17:15decisions isn't easy I think part of the problem is because John and I both work away so much actually
17:25trying to come together and decide what we want to do and thrash it out we just haven't had the
17:33opportunity to do that yet it's quite heavy on my shoulders because I'm feeling like I'm making
17:37all the decisions at the moment but I know when he comes back he might not agree with all of my decisions
17:43but you know that's just he's gonna have to suck it up
17:50hi where are you Scotland that does not look like Scotland oh my gosh
18:03when I first met John we became really good friends quite quickly we were kind of thrown together on
18:12location I remember one night we went out with the whole team and some friends and I saw him on the
18:21dance floor and I thought there's a man who knows how to make a fool of himself
18:28anyway how's it going just been talking to the lawyer and also I've had a chat with lots of different
18:37people about the project you know but I do think looking at it from roof to basement everything's
18:44going to need doing isn't it the areas where there's damp coming in the roof you just think
18:55we don't need to do that straight away whatever you do if you don't stop the water coming in
19:02so do you think you'll be here when we complete when we move
19:16love you
19:24love you as ever just don't know where to go with it I'm like going around in circles in my head
19:38just I think I've got decision fatigue
19:44the deadline to complete is fast approaching but with Estepona's Moorish Old Town on their
19:54doorstep Jasmine and the family have plenty to enjoy in the meantime all the different color
19:59flower pots that's a different colored flowers me and the kids are having a little explore around
20:06the old town of Estepona big part of us moving to Spain was to be able to immerse ourselves in
20:13Spanish culture learn the language integrate with the community the kids really loved exploring
20:24the old town they liked throwing a coin into the fountain and making a wish who knows what they
20:34wished for I think it's great for kids to have that sort of context of having somewhere that's very
20:48historical as well as really good fun
20:51kids are so simple but then the most fun bit was finding you know some stairs that had a slide right
21:07next to it we stayed there for ages and they absolutely loved it
21:13all that's missing is a little treat ice cream who's ready to go and get an ice cream
21:28we're all learning Spanish the children are doing really well with their Spanish they understand
21:54almost everything what I would love to see is them feeling a bit more confident about speaking
21:59Spanish but I think that will come with time I could get used to this could you
22:05yes every day I think sometimes as a parent you make decisions that you feel are the best for your
22:15family imagine living by the sea being able to do stuff like whale watching and going to the beach
22:23whenever you want okay how does that make you feel about living in Spain yeah but all my all of my
22:31very good friends are in England yeah but we are lucky to live in one of the only places on earth in
22:39between the sea in the mountains I know from my own experiences that living abroad really broadened my
22:46horizons it opened up so many opportunities for me and I want to do that for my kids and it may not
22:55feel like it in the short term but you hope that in the long term it will be an amazing opportunity for them
23:03there is look this is just what it's all about beautiful blue skies
23:31nice annoying box in the history of boxes there's now just a few days until Jasmine and John have to
23:51complete as their mortgage deal runs out and the lease on their rental expires but without any
23:56confirmation it's going to happen the pressure is mounting today is Friday contractually Monday is the
24:19last day that we should complete it's really annoying because we've not been able to extend
24:26our stay in this house so we've got to be out this weekend because we're cutting it so fine
24:34it just got too risky it was too stressful and too much upheaval for my kids and my family and so I've
24:45rented a temporary holiday let just to buy us a bit of time because my lawyer says there's still some
24:52outstanding issues legal issues documents that haven't been produced yet did John did you already
24:58take that blue box of books down it's just here can you put these in it as well with little choice
25:05they start shifting their stuff over to another temporary home while they wait for completion to
25:10happen John is here for about 48 hours so he's able to help which is great he's carrying all the heavy
25:19stuff is this gang to store a bunch of yeah can we write on it what it is so that we don't yeah I mean
25:28this is Albie's clothes you write any smaller if you put your your very focal glasses on you'll be fine
25:38from Kent's the Costa del Sol in many ways I think jazz coped with the process of moving to Spain much
25:52better than I did I'm not a great one for change and now our lives are back in boxes again and most of
26:02the kitchen is in several plastic bags I can't find anything and I don't cope that well with that
26:08it's fine just it'll be fine so be fine I'm trying to drill it into him everything will be alright in
26:16the end everything will be alright in the end I need to hypnotise him maybe John going it's the
26:35lawyer on the phone hi Alex not too bad just in the throes of packing how are you I've just got John
26:42here as well now well listen I've got some wonderful news for you tell us well the news is
26:50that the sellers have provided the bank certificates confirming they don't know anything left on the
26:56mortgage your lender has accepted that so we can complete on Monday oh that is awesome news thank you
27:08amazing thank you thanks Alex thank you so much have a good weekend have a lovely weekend and good
27:19luck with the packing okay thanks Alex see you Monday take care bye
27:23come on I'm so excited it's been such a long time coming but also because I can just see
27:37an amazing future in that house
27:40well done good news that we found out that everything is in place to complete on Monday
27:58whilst I should be super excited I am yeah I've still got huge amounts of apprehension
28:04this is the beginning of a very long slightly uphill road
28:10happy or really pooping my pants but no that's good some of my anxiety comes from the frustration
28:22that whilst we've it's taken six months to get the house across the line sods law it now coincides
28:28with me being super busy at work and and not being in the country so when we get the keys
28:33finally on Monday I won't be there John does tend to be a bit of a worrier sometimes he's getting
28:42worse in his old age whereas I'm getting a little bit less anxious in my old age I think maybe it's
28:48the HRT you know I don't have seem to have the same sort of anxiety as I used to have it's probably an
28:55overshare anyway
29:05I'm just off to my dance fitness class which I do a couple of times a week it's just such a fun class
29:14great workout and really nice atmosphere in the group
29:19Staying active is really important to me I mean whenever I've been feeling stressed or overwhelmed or
29:32just feeling a bit down I go to the class and it makes me feel better it's like medicine for your
29:41well-being and for your mental health
29:43Daniela the instructor she came here when her children were quite little you know from another
29:58country I find her really inspiring she's just somebody who I think well she's got it sussed she's
30:05nailed it I've been so lucky to be able to meet loads of people it's a very international community
30:22around here I found it to be really welcoming and I think wherever you go you will always find your people
30:32it's not always easy and I think it takes a while to settle in and it can be a bit awkward if you say
30:41oh hello would you like to go out for a drink you know it's almost a bit like dating but even more
30:48uncomfortable when you're trying to meet new friends but you have to put yourself out there you're never
30:53going to meet friends and become part of a community if you're just sitting in your house all the time
30:57I feel like I'm getting there
31:11the next morning John's heading back to the UK for a job even Jasmine to finish the move from one holiday left to another
31:18when John's away I cope okay I cope fine I mean everything's a bit more chaotic when it's just me on my own
31:40everything runs like clockwork when I'm not here as opposed to when John's not here everything just runs
31:56there's no clockwork involves when it's me etched in charge
32:01most of the big stuff he's managed to take over already which is great and so I've just got to sweep the
32:22rest of the house I keep finding little nooks and crannies that I've forgotten about things that
32:29I think oh must remember to take that or oh still got to sort out that and I and I also get really
32:36distracted when I'm packing and looking at things and reminiscing and I haven't really got time for that
32:42like I found this Jasmine Harmon my summer holiday diary 1981 today we went to the seaside I splashed my dress
32:56all over it was my great-granddad's birthday nice little memories and I think those things are important
33:05to help you feel a sense of belonging what do you do about your kids pictures and stuff and
33:13writing oh it's a poem that she wrote oh they were doing nonsense poems in school so
33:20the splinky link was ploppish and quip with pithness scotch plass and a squeamish bip
33:29I love it
33:33if I could have avoided having to move temporarily I would have avoided it but it's fine
33:56it is what it is
34:00so it was disappointing to have to move and all that upheaval and packing and everything else
34:09and we still didn't get to move into our own house so it was a bit deflating
34:14that evening Jasmine and the kids are settling into their short-term rental
34:20living out of boxes and holding on to hope that the completion of their new home will happen
34:26in the next few days
34:29mama mama daddy's calling you
34:36hands down the hardest part is being away from the kids
34:41as a loving dad knowing that I'm miles away from my kids in a different country really does pull on my heart
34:56trying to stay awake
35:03it's been an exhausting day we've getting everything moved over here pretty much single-handedly
35:12and as good as it is to be here and you know have everything moved I just keep still thinking about the kids and as a parent you just you know just can't help but
35:15you're doing the right thing for your kids and you want to give them security and stability and is moving from one place to another to then move to another place the right thing to do
35:22a bit of avocado and a bit of lime as well so I just want to get settled here for now even though this is only temporary
35:26we'll probably just get settled here in time for us to move again
35:28we'll probably just get settled here in time for us to move again
35:33what are we doing
35:40what are we doing?
35:45I don't even know why I'm getting emotional
36:15I think I'm just tired
36:17there's a lot of it but it's been a lot to do
36:20and I just hope we can get into our house soon and finally you know have a our home
36:33the reality of it is hitting me it's a lot of work if I thought this was a lot of work just moving from one house to another
36:42imagine the work I've got ahead
37:02Jasmine and John's lawyer Alex who they've given power of attorney to sign all the documents is confident today's the day
37:09he's ready at the notary office where everything gets signed and approved and will keep Jasmine informed
37:16every time my phone vibrates I keep thinking it's going to be the lawyer
37:23hoping to sign in the next 30 minutes then heading back to the office with the keys
37:38oh my gosh exciting hey Astro
37:45hey Astro
37:48you're more interested in my breakfast
37:50aren't you
37:52if the deal doesn't go through Jasmine and John's mortgage offer will expire and they could risk losing the house altogether
38:02after two hours of waiting Jasmine receives some news
38:06okay
38:09hit a snag
38:12notary wants the architect's certificate amended to state finished more than six years ago
38:19and then it has to be stamped by the college of architects
38:24so what does that mean
38:28are we still going to complete today?
38:37I'm so confused
38:39like I mean in all seriousness
38:43I don't even know could this jeopardise the whole thing
38:49if we don't complete
38:51we have to go back to the drawing board
38:53I don't know
38:55I don't know what happens
38:56I haven't got a plan B
38:59it takes 24 hours to be stamped by the college of architects
39:02he says
39:07they've been there all day
39:08they're only raising this now
39:10so
39:12I might as well go back and carry on unpacking then
39:14because it looks like it's not going to happen today after all
39:17I'll wait 24 hours for the document to be stamped
39:20it's super annoying
39:26I don't even want to call John
39:3230 minutes before the notary office closes
39:39hello
39:41hi Jasmine
39:42hi
39:43good news
39:45your lender has agreed to sign today
39:48so long as we provide the architect's certificates
39:52when it's stamped by the college of architects
39:54either tomorrow or the next day
39:56amazing
39:58yeah
40:00oh
40:02fantastic
40:03you're signing now
40:05I'm signing now
40:06okay I'll call you back
40:07okay thank you
40:08bye
40:13oh my gosh
40:15that is exciting
40:17finally some good news
40:20come on
40:24hello
40:25hi Jasmine
40:26I'm just finding out to say congratulations
40:28you now own a Spanish property
40:33thank you
40:35sorry I'm going to overcome I'm real silly
40:37thanks Alex
40:39Jaz is a pretty emotional person
40:40but it's an endearing quality
40:43that is amazing
40:44thank you so much
40:45I'm sorry you've been there the whole day
40:47no no it's okay
40:48it's okay
40:50thank you so much
40:51are you heading back to the office
40:52I'm heading back to the office
40:54I'm heading back to the office now
40:55I've got the keys for you
40:57okay I'll be there as soon as I can
41:00okay bye bye
41:01I never doubted for a second that Jaz would get the house across the line for us
41:07what a relief
41:09it's all going through today after all
41:13finally
41:18and an hour or so later after six months of waiting Jasmine can finally collect the keys from lawyer Alex
41:25hi Jasmine how are you
41:27hello
41:29congratulations
41:31this key ring says lucky
41:33so that's for you
41:35oh that's amazing thank you
41:37I'm going to head over there right now
41:39excellent
41:41finally getting the keys was
41:44wonderful it was exhilarating
41:47it was like
41:49imagine you've just climbed a mountain
41:50and when you get to the top
41:53you almost can't enjoy it because you're so exhausted that you just collapse
41:59that's how I felt
42:03oh my gosh
42:11oh my goodness
42:13that's a lovely parting gift from the vendors
42:17a little throne
42:20my mind is just racing
42:23I'm like which bit do we do first
42:25which is the most essential thing
42:26what do I need to do
42:28I almost can't take it all in in one go
42:31it is a shame that John wasn't here with me
42:34he could have carried me across the threshold
42:37you know like newlyweds again
42:43hello
42:44hello
42:46hi
42:48congratulations
42:50congratulations look
42:51are you there?
42:52are you reading?
42:53look
42:54I mean I should have noted you in the house there's a half-built wall behind you
42:57well done, we're not prepared for moving
42:59Jazz is amazing at grabbing the ball by the horns and just doing it
43:03can you believe it?
43:05six months it's taken us to get to this point
43:09you've done well six months and typically I'm not there but
43:12it's good
43:13I know you're here
43:15all right good work
43:16well done
43:17congratulations
43:19oh I love you well done so I'm not there
43:21bye
43:22okay
43:28I'm absolutely stunned that no one else saw the potential in this before we saw it and snapped it up
43:35my bedroom
43:38because for me I just think it's going to be our dream home
43:46so I feel like I'm on a bit of a high
43:48it's almost like when you give birth
43:50you know you've got all these hormones and emotions and it's just amazing
43:55and then probably I don't know I hope I'm not going to come crashing down
43:59oh my god
44:04how the heck did they get like a jacuzzi off this roof terrace
44:09it's been stressful up until this point
44:11but I think what I've got coming
44:15is going to be even worse
44:16I don't want to move into somewhere that's just a dump where the toilets don't flush the windows don't open nothing works
44:33it's like breaking through the channel tunnel
44:39I can see the kitchen
44:42what's this saying about polishing a turd
44:45although a turd with loads of potential
44:48show
Comments