- 2 weeks ago
Category
📺
TVTranscript
00:00Today I'm house hunting in and around the beautiful coastline and villages of Western Cyprus.
00:08I'm Jean Johansson and over the last 15 years I've been buying, selling and renovating properties both in the UK and overseas.
00:16Today I'm going to be using all my skills to find the perfect place for David and Skevy and we have some straight talking.
00:23I'm sounding really fussy now.
00:25Oh no, here we go.
00:27So previous property was too small downstairs and this is too big.
00:32As a lot of my properties fail to make a splash.
00:35This is a contender.
00:38No.
00:39Oh, I'm going to throw myself in that pool.
00:42I visit a luxury villa with a very special feature.
00:45There's a swim up bar which I'm very tempted to use.
00:49But at the end of the day, do I find my house hunters their perfect place in the sun?
00:54Waking up to that every morning.
00:56That's special. That's Cyprus isn't it? Yeah.
01:02Although she mostly grew up in the UK, Skevy is very proud of her recipient heritage.
01:07Her and David have been dating for five years and it wasn't long before she convinced them Cyprus is a very special place.
01:13Today they run a messy restaurant together in Derby.
01:16And now that they're in a position to buy their perfect holiday home, what else would they look but Cyprus?
01:22For a couple who run a restaurant, it's very appropriate that David and Skevy first met because of food.
01:28He used to own the chip shop where I used to go in, close to where I used to play football for a pub team and just was very aware of her.
01:38And then when I was aware she became single, asked her out on a date and hit the jackpot.
01:44They have a budget of £400,000 to buy a holiday home for them and their combined four children in Western Cyprus.
01:51I have family out there. I'm originally from, my background is from Cyprus.
01:56Yeah, I've always wanted to do it since a very young age.
02:00So yeah, hopefully, hopefully we'll find something out there.
02:04The best way to get to Western Cyprus is to fly into Paphos.
02:12The flight time from the UK is around four and a half hours.
02:16For our search area, we'll focus on around an hour or so's drive from there.
02:20This part of Cyprus has changed massively since the 1970s when tourists first started to visit.
02:26And many of the former fishing villages on the coast and rural villages in the hills
02:31are now lively and thriving holiday destinations.
02:34The majority of Cyprus is estimated 50,000 Brits live in this part of the island.
02:40And along with the beautiful countryside, crystal clear waters and stunning beaches,
02:45there are also lots of places where you can enjoy a bit of a home away from home.
02:51Prices for apartments and townhouses in Cyprus have skyrocketed by 20% in the past year.
02:58That's due to an increase in demand from foreign buyers.
03:01But luckily for Skevy and David, for detached villas in the smaller villages,
03:05that increase has been slower.
03:07So I should be able to find them the right property for the right price.
03:11Before we get started, I'm meeting up with my house hunters on the lovely Coralia Beach
03:15to find out a bit more about them and what they're after in terms of property.
03:20Skevy and David, welcome back to Cyprus.
03:23Aw, thank you.
03:24Yeah, here you are.
03:25And you're Cypriot as well, so this is home for you?
03:27Yes, I am.
03:28My home.
03:29Yeah, I missed it so much.
03:30And do you think you've passed that love of Cyprus on to David?
03:33Yeah, I mean, I've always liked warmer climates, so yeah, I can't wait to get out here.
03:37A more relaxed pace of life.
03:39Yeah.
03:40I've had a long, hard career and it's time to take things a bit slower and enjoy life.
03:44And you've got loads of family here, Skevy.
03:46Yes, well, my sister lives out here and nieces and nephews and I've got...
03:50The others live in England, but we do come out a lot to see her.
03:53I say it's home.
03:55Why have you chosen Paphos in this area?
03:57Definitely get a lot for your money in Paphos.
03:59That's true.
04:00We really like Lachi and Polis around there.
04:04Anywhere, really, in that sort of triangle of land.
04:07So what exactly are you after, you two?
04:09A nice sort of family villa, minimum three bedrooms, three bathrooms, private pool.
04:16We don't really want to be overlooked.
04:18We'd like to see the sea.
04:20Don't necessarily need to be next to it, but if we could be, that'd be a plus.
04:24Not too much work.
04:25Okay.
04:26We're not really into DIY, so something that's pretty ready to go would be better, I think.
04:31So is this purely a holiday home for you two?
04:33No, I'd describe it as a hybrid.
04:35It's probably semi-permanent.
04:37I anticipate, at the start, we'd probably spend half our time here, half our time in the UK.
04:43And, I mean, £400,000 gets you a good-sized property,
04:46so I'm guessing it's not just you two that are going to be using it.
04:50We hope it's just us two, but no, we've got four kids between us,
04:53so no doubt they'll be coming over and spending time here.
04:57I'm looking forward to this.
04:58I think it's going to be a good search.
04:59You've got a good budget.
05:00You speak Greek, you know the island.
05:02Yep.
05:03Shall we get started?
05:04Absolutely.
05:05Please do.
05:06Follow me.
05:07Well, David and Skevy's very generous maximum budget of £400,000
05:11will definitely give me loads of options.
05:14And even though their wish list is fairly long,
05:16I'm confident I can deliver them most things on it.
05:19Property One is close to the village of Kuklia in the hills just outside Paphos.
05:24And en route to it, we're stopping off at one of the nearby resorts.
05:28So I wanted to do a quick stop off at Aphrodite Hills.
05:31Have you been here before?
05:33We have, actually. We came here last year, yeah.
05:35You're gym bunnies as well, aren't you?
05:37We are, yeah.
05:38That's the first thing we like to do when we get up,
05:40go to the gym, get that out of the way.
05:42Yeah, yeah, I also play a bit of tennis,
05:43so I know we've got great tennis facilities here too, yeah.
05:46Yeah, this is a great place to get active but relax as well.
05:50You know, you can have your gym here, tennis, football,
05:53of course you can swim, you can see the sea in the background there.
05:56But also relax, there is an absolutely gorgeous spa here.
06:00Again, something you might indulge in when you're here.
06:02Absolutely, yeah, absolutely. We deserve it.
06:05It's a great place that you can dip in and out of
06:07because my first property is about an eight-minute drive from here.
06:11Oh, wow.
06:12Okay.
06:13This is a complex that you could come and hang out when you want to relax,
06:16use that gym, eat in great restaurants.
06:18Yeah.
06:19Yeah.
06:20Sounds good, doesn't it?
06:21Brilliant.
06:22Yeah, it would be good to see whether you want this kind of life
06:23over here in Cyprus.
06:24Mm, yeah, yeah, yeah, definitely.
06:26Yeah, let's get that.
06:27Let's do it.
06:28My first property is in a development called Venus Rock,
06:32which is just 20 minutes' drive from the airport
06:34and less than 10 from the nearest beach.
06:37That great location means it's popular.
06:40Property prices went up by around 20% last year.
06:43So to get somewhere I think we'll do the job for Skevy and David,
06:47I've had to go close to the top of their budget.
06:50So we're in Venus Rock, sort of halfway between Aphrodite Hills
06:53and the village of Kuklia, which is a nice little village.
06:56It's got just what you need amenities-wise, you know, a couple of restaurants,
07:00supermarket, that kind of thing.
07:02And this is the property.
07:03Looks lovely.
07:04Yeah, it's lovely, yeah.
07:05Really nice.
07:06Really, really nice.
07:07And the pool's lovely and big.
07:09So far, so good.
07:10Yeah, no, I really like it.
07:11It's modern.
07:12It's, er...
07:13Yeah, it looks...
07:14It's only got Kerby Peel, yeah.
07:15Yeah, I think so too.
07:16It just looks great, doesn't it?
07:17Yeah, yeah.
07:18Right, what we've got here is a four-bedroom villa for you.
07:21Three of them are upstairs, all on suite.
07:23You've got one downstairs, a nice kitchen with open-plan dining,
07:27got lovely seating area there that you can sort of sit and lounge.
07:31Yeah.
07:32Yeah, it's got everything we want.
07:34Yeah, can't wait to see more of it.
07:36OK, let me tell you what it costs then.
07:38This property is on the market for just over £394,500.
07:43The agent, when I spoke to her, said it's negotiable.
07:47Keen to see more?
07:48Yes, please, yeah.
07:49After you.
07:51This villa has loads of outside space, including this fantastic pool,
07:55a separate courtyard area and a covered balcony upstairs
07:59with views into the countryside.
08:01Inside, on the ground floor, there's a light and airy open-plan living,
08:05dining and kitchen space.
08:07One bedroom with an en-suite as well as a toilet.
08:10Upstairs, there's the main bedroom which leads out onto the balcony
08:14and has an en-suite bathroom, along with two more bedrooms,
08:17both of which also have en-suites.
08:21Come on into the living area.
08:23Yeah, it's nice.
08:24Very nice, very airy.
08:26It's very neutral colours, which is fine, you know.
08:28It's nice.
08:29Blank cambers, really, yeah.
08:30Yeah.
08:31Let's have a look at this dining, kitchen.
08:33Smaller than what I thought.
08:34OK.
08:35It does feel smaller, generally, inside than it looks from the outside.
08:38Right, OK.
08:39It looked quite big.
08:40How important is the kitchen to you?
08:42It's very important.
08:44I'm a big cook, big family get-togethers and stuff like that.
08:48So, yeah, I do like a big kitchen.
08:50Of course you cook.
08:51You have a mezze restaurant in Derby.
08:53I do, yes.
08:54Well, we do.
08:55It's called mezze.
08:56I've only been open nearly two years.
08:58So, yeah, it's...
09:01I'm quite big on cooking, as you can tell.
09:03OK, I'm honest.
09:04I'll take that on board.
09:05Four bedrooms with this one.
09:06There's three upstairs, one down here.
09:08Do you want to take a look?
09:09Yes, please.
09:10Just over there.
09:17Downstairs bedroom with an en-suite.
09:19Oh, it's sweet, isn't it?
09:20It's a good size, sir.
09:22And it goes straight out into the garden.
09:24I think you two are unsure about this property.
09:29I still like to see upstairs.
09:31Yeah.
09:32But for me, it could do with a bit more space.
09:34Go and see the rest of it, just the two of you.
09:36Look round all the bedrooms and I'm really disgusted
09:39whether this property's big enough for you.
09:41Come and meet me and tell me what you think.
09:43Sure.
09:44Take your time, look round the whole thing.
09:46I can tell they're a little bit unsure.
09:52They keep saying it's nice, but for £400,000,
09:55you want it to be more than nice.
09:59So obviously this is the master bedroom.
10:01I think it's really nice.
10:03Yeah.
10:04Yeah.
10:05Yeah, it's nice.
10:06Oh, this is nice.
10:07Yeah, it's lovely.
10:08This is nice.
10:09Straight off the bedroom as well.
10:11You know, the views are nice.
10:13Well, I thought this villa which is on the market for a negotiable
10:17just over £394,500 would do the job for Skevy and David.
10:22But even though they seem to like everything outside,
10:26inside the size of the kitchen in particular didn't impress them.
10:30So you saw the whole thing?
10:32Yeah.
10:33What do you guys think?
10:35Overall, it's a lovely house, ready to go.
10:39Downstairs is a bit too small for me.
10:41The dining area, and I'm just thinking,
10:43just three out of my siblings coming out,
10:45the whole place is going to be taken up.
10:47So, yeah.
10:48OK.
10:49What did you think, David, overall?
10:50Loads of positives.
10:51I think the outside space is pretty much perfect.
10:54The downstairs living space was a bit small.
10:56And I would also like to see more of the sea.
10:59Are you counting this property out?
11:01Ooh!
11:02I think so.
11:03A bit brutal, sorry.
11:04No, be brutal.
11:05You're spending a lot of money, so you have to be brutal.
11:08And I have to be honest with you,
11:10I'm going to manage your expectation on size for your budget.
11:12The square footage of the properties I'm going to show you,
11:15you know, is going to be around the same as this,
11:18but sometimes you could just have a bit of a feeling of more space,
11:22so I can try and offer you that.
11:24Mm.
11:25It's a shame.
11:26Shame to say goodbye to this property,
11:27but onwards and upwards.
11:29Ready for something a little bit different?
11:31Let's bring this, please.
11:32Come on, follow me.
11:34So, no contender there, but as David said,
11:36we did have plenty of positives,
11:38and I've got a much better idea
11:40of what his and Skevy's priorities are.
11:44As they're planning to spend a fair bit of time out here,
11:47I thought I'd introduce them to someone
11:49who also runs a business in Cyprus.
11:54Right, before I take you to the next property,
11:56I've brought you to Coral Bay Beach to meet Jamie.
11:58Hiya, Jamie. Hi.
11:59How are you?
12:00And I thought Jamie would be a great person for you two to talk to,
12:02because you've been living here 18 years.
12:04Yep.
12:05Jamie's got a business, and like you, she's supreme.
12:07Wow. Aw.
12:08Nice to meet you.
12:09Nice to meet you too.
12:10How'd you find Cyprus overall? Happy?
12:12Beautiful, safe.
12:13No regrets?
12:14No regrets at all.
12:15No.
12:16I'd do it all over again.
12:17And again.
12:18Aw.
12:19One question I've got, Jamie, is obviously you've got your own business
12:21out here.
12:22We're probably a little bit too young to retire fully.
12:24We thought about getting a couple of apartments
12:26and putting on an Airbnb.
12:28Do you think that would work over here,
12:29didn't it, as demand?
12:30Yeah, it's a big demand at the moment.
12:31A lot of people are doing that.
12:32A lot of my clients have got a house,
12:34and they're also buying, like, little apartments
12:36just for the side business, 100%.
12:38Yeah.
12:39Yeah.
12:40So never heading back to the UK?
12:41No, no, no, no.
12:43No.
12:44We'll let you get on with your day.
12:45I know you've got your salon, your business.
12:47Thank you so much.
12:48I've left the girls in charge.
12:49Thanks for talking to us.
12:51See you later.
12:53Bye-bye.
12:54Coming up, if it's all about sea views for Skevy and David,
13:00I think they're going to love my three-bedroom villa
13:03in the village of Pea that comes with these amazing views.
13:12Today I'm on the beautiful western coast of Cyprus,
13:15helping Skevy and David find their dream holiday home.
13:18Hadn't gotten off to the best start.
13:19My first property didn't quite hit the mark,
13:21but I'm not worried.
13:22I've got loads of great properties up my sleeve.
13:25My house hunters, who have a maximum budget of £400,000,
13:29did really like the outside space and the pool at this villa,
13:33but thought some of the interior was on the small side.
13:36So I'm serving up somewhere with a lot more inside space
13:39with property number two.
13:41It's in the lively and popular town of Pea,
13:44just outside Paphos and a short drive from the lovely Coral Bay.
13:47Nearly two-thirds of the population here are British
13:50and it's currently one of the fastest-growing areas
13:53in this part of Cyprus.
13:55Property prices here went up by 30% last year,
13:58so I'm pleased to have found somewhere I think will work
14:01for David and Skevy's budget.
14:03So I've brought you to Pea.
14:05Do you know Pea at all?
14:06We've driven through it.
14:07Yeah.
14:08But yeah, it's nice.
14:09Very nice area.
14:10Yeah, it's nice.
14:11It's got a real villagey feel, I think.
14:13And this is the type of place where if you lived here,
14:15you could walk to a taverna, you can walk to your shop,
14:17supermarket, things like that.
14:19And this is the next property I've selected for you.
14:22It's sweet, isn't it?
14:23Quite colourful.
14:24It's not as nice as the other property on the outside.
14:27Yeah.
14:28The pool's not the same.
14:29But it's...
14:31I'll hold my thoughts till I see inside.
14:34I actually don't mind it from the outside.
14:36I quite like the sort of structure of the building.
14:38Yeah, the outside area.
14:40There's not a patch on the first one we saw.
14:42Yeah.
14:43We've got a three-bedroom villa here,
14:45a very private, lovely pool.
14:47You asked for some more space,
14:48I think you will get the feeling of more space downstairs.
14:51And then David wanted those sea views.
14:54Nice views from the second floor there.
14:56Okay.
14:57It is on the market for just under £386,000.
15:01Okay.
15:02Which is negotiable.
15:03I will say, I think you would come into this property
15:06and do a new interior.
15:08Mm, yeah.
15:09So you've got the money left over from your £400,000 to do that.
15:12Yeah.
15:13I feel this is a lukewarm first reaction,
15:16but let's see if that changes when you get in.
15:18Okay?
15:19Okay.
15:20This villa has a pool with the surrounding courtyard
15:23as well as a balcony along the whole front of the house
15:26with those all-important sea views.
15:29Inside, there's a very spacious, open-plan living,
15:32dining and kitchen area, plus a downstairs toilet.
15:35While upstairs, there are three bedrooms,
15:37all of which open onto the balcony.
15:40One of them has an en-suite shower room
15:42and another is currently used as an office.
15:45Plus, there's another two shower rooms.
15:48Straight in off the pool area.
15:51Kitchen, across to dining and living.
15:54I really wanted to give you that sense of space
15:57because the previous property you felt a bit hemmed in.
16:00I think it's too much of an open space.
16:02I'm sounding really fussy now.
16:04Oh, no, here we go.
16:05That really sounds fussy.
16:06So, previous property was too small downstairs
16:09and this is too big?
16:11This feels like...
16:12For me, it's like a function room.
16:14Is that really rude?
16:15No, no, you get a feeling when you walk into a room
16:18and it has to be good vibes
16:19and I can tell from the way you walked in,
16:21it's not blowing you away.
16:23Yeah.
16:24Yeah, at the risk of contradicting everything
16:26that we said earlier,
16:27it just does feel like a bit of a big rectangle.
16:31Don't give up on this property just yet.
16:33Let me show you one more area
16:34because it's got great views upstairs.
16:36OK.
16:37If this one is not for you, we'll move on.
16:39But let's see the sea views, shall we?
16:41OK, let's do that.
16:43Right, all bedrooms have a view.
16:46Views are beautiful, absolutely spectacular.
16:49But overall, I'm going to be honest
16:51and put a full stop on it.
16:52It's not for me.
16:54I think, all in all,
16:56it's a downgrade on the property we saw earlier.
16:58Oh, right, OK.
16:59Sorry.
17:00No, back to the drawing board for me,
17:02thinking back to your wish list of what you want.
17:05You felt a bit sort of hemmed in here
17:07outside the property,
17:09so if I show you something that's a bit more elevated,
17:11a bit more open...
17:12Yeah, please.
17:13That'd be great.
17:14A bit underwhelmed by the pool, David.
17:16Yeah, compared to the one we saw earlier, for sure.
17:18OK.
17:19I'm going to improve on the pool.
17:21I'll keep some sea views for you.
17:23I'm really trying here.
17:25I'm going to take you to an area
17:26that I think you'll really like.
17:27Brilliant.
17:28Onward and upward, you two.
17:29Right.
17:31Lead the way.
17:34Well, I thought Skevy and David
17:35would really like this villa,
17:37which is on the market for just under £386,000.
17:42But I couldn't have been more wrong.
17:45Pretty much from the outset,
17:46they weren't too keen on it.
17:48I'm getting the feeling that this could be
17:50a bit of a tricky house hunt.
17:53But I'm not feeling too deflated at the moment.
17:56I've still got three properties to show Skevy and David.
18:00The couple run a mezze restaurant back home,
18:03so before we head to our next place in the village of Tala,
18:06I thought we'd stop off at one of the many great taverners here
18:09for a bit of a busman's holiday,
18:11sampling some very tasty Greek food.
18:15Time to stop for some food, you guys.
18:17Look at you both smiling away.
18:19I've brought you to Melija here in Tala,
18:22and this is a favourite restaurant of mine.
18:25They have a mezze here that does 27 dishes,
18:28so I've chosen three for you.
18:30What do you think of the look of these?
18:32Oh, they're amazing.
18:33Well, this is a little tasting I've set up for you.
18:35So we've got cleftico here,
18:36we've got halloumi with honey and carib dip,
18:39and then a special ravioli and cheese and cream on the end there.
18:43That's so good.
18:44Is this the kind of thing you would serve in your restaurant?
18:47Maybe a variation of a thing.
18:48Yeah.
18:49But, yeah, no, it smells and looks delicious.
18:52Because it's a unique way of eating as well,
18:54and I guess you're kind of introducing that to Darby.
18:57Yeah, yeah, it's...
18:58Skavy's vision was always a pick and mix of food,
19:01and we've definitely done that.
19:02I mean, we've got food from not just Cyprus,
19:05from all over the world on our buffet.
19:07This smells wonderful, I just can't wait to get stuck in.
19:09Yeah, well, Tala is a really beautiful village,
19:12and this is a really great restaurant.
19:14You come sit outside and they just keep on bringing the food,
19:17so for foodies like you two, I thought you would like it.
19:20Oh, this is amazing.
19:21Shall we have a taste?
19:22Absolutely.
19:23Oh, we can't wait.
19:24Yes.
19:25Oh, this lamb is amazing.
19:29Coming up, I really want to impress Skavy and David,
19:32so I've brought them to the hills of Tala,
19:34and I'm hoping they'll love this three-bedroom detached villa
19:37that comes from this great pool.
19:39Today I'm on the western coast of Cyprus,
19:47helping Skavy and David find their dream holiday home.
19:50Now, so far they haven't found a property that they love,
19:53but my next house in Tala has the perfect amount of space,
19:56inside and down.
19:58My house hunters, who have a maximum budget of £400,000,
20:02have liked some of the things about both properties I've shown them so far,
20:06but felt neither of them delivered everything they're looking for.
20:10So the search for a contender goes on.
20:12Fingers crossed for my next property in the village of Tala,
20:16which lies in the hills just outside Paphos,
20:18and a ten-minute drive from the nearest beach.
20:21Around half of homeowners here are Brits,
20:23and prices have risen by around 20% in the past year.
20:27So once again, I'm near the top end of Skavy and David's budget.
20:31We're in the hills of Tala.
20:33We're about a seven-minute drive from that lovely restaurant.
20:36What do you think of the neighbourhood?
20:39It's really pretty. It's beautiful.
20:41Yeah, I think it's got a bit of glamour about it.
20:43It always reminds me of the Hollywood Hills,
20:45because there's some great properties up there.
20:47And I think I've chosen a great property for you.
20:50The outside space is quite nice, actually, isn't it?
20:53It's big enough.
20:54I mean, obviously, we've not looked inside yet, but it looks a bit old.
20:57Old?
20:58Yeah, it just looks a bit dated.
21:00I know what you're saying.
21:01I would modernise this front part here.
21:04Yeah.
21:05You know, just with some more modern-looking doors,
21:07that could look great to the sunroof.
21:08So first impressions, I'm not blowing you away.
21:11Yeah.
21:13Three bedrooms with this.
21:15It's got two and a half bathrooms,
21:17and it's on the market for just over £394,500,
21:21which is negotiable.
21:23Do you want to see inside?
21:24Yeah, definitely. Yeah, we'll see inside.
21:26Give it a chance for me, will you?
21:28Come on, let's go.
21:30This villa has a private pool, a sunroom,
21:33a terrace with an outdoor cooking area
21:35and a balcony off the main bedroom,
21:37all of which enjoy these stunning views.
21:40Inside, there's a living and dining room,
21:42a separate kitchen, the main bedroom with a balcony
21:45and an ensuite shower room,
21:47along with two more bedrooms,
21:50a shower room and a toilet.
21:56So come in the front door.
21:59I quite like it inside.
22:00Didn't expect it to be like this.
22:02But yeah, I like the fact that the kitchen is separate.
22:04Separate.
22:05It's OK, yeah. It's better inside.
22:06It looks more modern from the inside than it does from the outside.
22:10Oh, phew, that's a good thing, yeah.
22:12And I think this comes furniture included,
22:14but if you want to get rid of some of the furniture
22:16and put your own stamp on it, I think you definitely could.
22:19Yeah.
22:20You like the inside of this, so that's good.
22:22Yeah.
22:23Let's see more of it. Let's go upstairs.
22:25Yeah. Yes, please.
22:26It's got shower room across the hall,
22:28an ensuite with a double sink
22:30and a bedroom with a view.
22:34The view is amazing.
22:36You can't not but look at that view.
22:38A little bit small,
22:39but then they have got very chunky furniture in it.
22:42Clunky, yeah.
22:43Yeah.
22:44It's big enough, and like you say,
22:45there is really big furniture in here as well.
22:48I can see what's happening here.
22:49There are parts that you like,
22:50there are parts that are not quite working for you.
22:53I think you need to really take your time,
22:55look round the whole thing
22:57and see if this could be for you.
23:00Yeah.
23:01Yeah?
23:02I'm not ruling this one out like I have before, so...
23:04OK.
23:05Yeah.
23:06That's good.
23:07Take your time and I'll find you
23:09and we'll see what you think at the end.
23:11Cheers.
23:13Ooh, Skevy is not ruling this one out.
23:16I could have my first contender.
23:19This must be the third bedroom then.
23:21Very similar in size to the other one, isn't it?
23:24Yeah.
23:25It just feels a little bit small.
23:26I know, I'm being picky again.
23:28Yeah.
23:29On to the conservatory.
23:31I mean, obviously it's a great space.
23:33Looks a little dated colour-wise.
23:34There's a colour scheme and these blinds that need to go,
23:37but you could imagine it all really nice, clean white.
23:40Taking that amazing view would be great, wouldn't it?
23:42I know my family would like to come here,
23:44especially with those views.
23:46So, once again, I've had a bit of a mixed reaction to this villa,
23:50which is on the market for a negotiable just over £394,500.
23:55This time I'm keeping everything crossed to get my first contender.
24:00I'm going to get straight down to it.
24:02Is this a contender?
24:04No.
24:05Oh!
24:06I'm going to throw myself in that pool!
24:09I thought there was enough about it that you liked.
24:12It's a great location.
24:13It really is.
24:14The location is fantastic.
24:15The view is fantastic.
24:16I just think, and it's really helped bring things into focus for me,
24:21the property we saw in Venus Rock,
24:23whilst it had some things that weren't perfect,
24:26I think it's really helped me realise that I like that clean design,
24:29that modern features.
24:31OK.
24:32The outside area there was...
24:33I could see myself there.
24:34In the other two, I couldn't.
24:36Oh, right.
24:37OK, so you're liking something a bit cleaner, a bit more modern.
24:40Yeah.
24:41I need to sort of go back to the drawing board
24:44and think about all those things you asked for,
24:46the three bedrooms, the pool, the great outside space.
24:48Let's go.
24:49We'll stop off on the way.
24:50Come on.
24:54While this is proving to be trickier than I'd initially thought,
24:57and time is running out with just two places left to visit,
25:00my next one is in the seaside village of Pomos,
25:03and while Cyprus is best known for its golden sandy beaches,
25:06the one here is a bit different.
25:08So I thought we'd make a quick stop-off
25:10before seeing property number four.
25:14I've brought you a bit outside of Paphos
25:16because I really wanted you to see Pomos Beach.
25:19What do you think?
25:20Stunning.
25:21Isn't it?
25:22Absolutely stunning.
25:23It's beautiful.
25:24I think it's lovely how the landscape just changes completely here,
25:28the green mountains, gorgeous coast.
25:31What do you think, David?
25:32Oh, it's absolutely gorgeous, yeah.
25:34Even the little marina where we came in, yeah, it's beautiful.
25:37I started snorkelling last year for the first time ever.
25:39I really enjoyed that.
25:40Yeah.
25:41Well, I mean, I can just tell that this beach is going to be
25:43absolutely gorgeous for snorkelling,
25:45so you can have a day where you do a bit of relaxing swimming,
25:47and then you've got a little beach bar here,
25:50lovely restaurant with beautiful views up there as well.
25:53I think it offers something really different.
25:56My next property is about a 20-minute walk from here,
25:58so this could be one of your local beaches.
26:00Oh, wow.
26:01Yeah, perfect.
26:02Sound good?
26:03Sounds good to me.
26:04Let's get a coffee on the way, Mum.
26:07We're the furthest from Paphos we've been so far
26:10at well over an hour's drive.
26:12That does make it the most affordable area we've been to.
26:16So even though we're still close to the top end
26:19of David and Skevy's budget,
26:21this one's the biggest property I've shown them
26:23both inside and out.
26:26Two-minute drive from Paphos Beach.
26:28You're both smiling.
26:30What do you think?
26:32First impression, it's great. It's stunning.
26:35Hallelujah!
26:37Very impressive, yeah.
26:38This is a four-bedroom house, three and a half bathrooms.
26:41It's done to a very nice spec inside
26:43and it's on the market for just over £394,500.
26:48Wow.
26:50You are in a great area here.
26:52It offers the most stunning views of the sea.
26:54How's all that sounding for you?
26:56Can't wait.
26:57Looks amazing.
26:58Just can't wait to get inside here.
26:59Can't see it.
27:00For the first time, Skevy looks happy!
27:02I hope that this lives up to your great first impressions
27:08and I'm going to let you look round it on your own.
27:11Brilliant, thank you.
27:12Get in every room, take in the gorgeous views,
27:15come and find me and we'll see how we go.
27:17Brilliant, thank you.
27:18Off you go, you two.
27:20Enjoy.
27:21I am so happy they look impressed with this property.
27:27It has everything.
27:28A great pool, great views, great area, just a great property.
27:33This detached house has a lovely pool with loads of room around it,
27:37as well as two balconies, both of which have sea views.
27:41Inside, on the ground floor, there's a very spacious open-plan living,
27:45dining and kitchen area, as well as a bedroom with an en-suite shower room
27:49and a toilet.
27:50Upstairs, there's the main bedroom with an en-suite shower room
27:54and shared access to the big balcony with another bedroom.
27:58There's also a fourth bedroom with its own balcony,
28:01plus a family bathroom.
28:03Oh, wow.
28:04Wow.
28:05Oh, wow, this is lovely.
28:07Look at those views.
28:09Nice lounge area.
28:11Nice kitchen.
28:12Well, I know it's a bit dark, but...
28:14A bit dark and old-fashioned, but most of them are, isn't it?
28:16Yeah.
28:17Shall we go and look some more?
28:18Yeah, come on then.
28:19Some downstairs bedroom.
28:21Not keen on the tiles.
28:23That would definitely need to be changed, yeah.
28:25It does have the look of something that's been renovated from the outside
28:28to look brand new, but actually, when you get inside,
28:30there's quite a bit of cosmetic upgrading that is needed.
28:33That floor's everywhere, isn't it?
28:37Yeah, every single room.
28:38It's all just so old-fashioned.
28:44Wow.
28:45I mean, it's an amazing view.
28:47It's such a shame.
28:48I mean, it's just stunning, you know, waking up to that,
28:51listening to that every morning.
28:53Yeah, it's a fabulous location.
28:55But it's just...
28:57It's just too much to do, I think, yeah.
28:58Even the brown theme continues on the balcony.
29:01This house, which is on the market for just over 394,500 pounds,
29:06definitely made a good first impression on David and Skevy.
29:10And given the fact that I still haven't got a contender in the bag,
29:14I'm really hoping that the good impression continued.
29:16Though I am a bit nervous.
29:18I don't like to hear this, but I don't think it's going to happen.
29:25Why?
29:27After having a good look inside, it's very, very dated,
29:31and it's just too much work to throw at it.
29:34I don't think we've got it in us to do it.
29:37Do you mean cosmetic, the interiors and things?
29:40Yeah.
29:41I mean, it is.
29:42It's really pulled at the heartstrings,
29:43cos you stand here, it's such an impressive building,
29:46and this outdoor space is absolutely perfect.
29:48Look at it.
29:49For me, I need to rip everything out.
29:51Yeah. Everything.
29:52Every single floor tile would have to come up.
29:54If I'm honest, if there wasn't as much work here,
29:56if there's just a few rooms...
29:57OK.
29:58..I would have done it.
29:59So you are willing to get your own furniture in,
30:01put up new wallpaper, make it look like you want it?
30:04Yeah.
30:05OK.
30:06I am willing to do that.
30:07It's just, with this one, every single room needed it.
30:10So, for my last roll of the dice,
30:13I'm going to get you something.
30:15Let's stay in this area cos you like it.
30:17Yeah.
30:18Something that I think has done to a really high spec,
30:21something that's modern,
30:22because I think that style makes you happier.
30:25Yeah.
30:26And let's end on a high.
30:27Yeah.
30:28I need to get a contender.
30:29I've never been in this position before.
30:31Right.
30:32Let's do a little stop off on the way
30:34and we'll head to the last property.
30:36Brilliant. Thank you.
30:37Coming up, the pressure's on
30:39as we visit my fifth and final property,
30:41which I really need to hit the spot.
30:44I won't change anything up here.
30:46Say that again.
30:47You wouldn't change anything.
30:49Oh, OK, good.
30:50I'm going to go with that.
30:51I'm going to go with that.
30:58Today I'm in and around the villages and coastline
31:00of Western Cyprus,
31:01helping Skevie and David find their dream holiday home.
31:04Now, this is proving to be a tricky search
31:06and they're very hard to please,
31:08but I'm confident my last property is going to be the one.
31:12Even though I've now shown my house hunters who have a maximum budget of £400,000,
31:18four properties so far, I still don't have a contender.
31:21Although they did like lots of things about the first place I showed them,
31:25this modern villa with a pool.
31:27So I'm really hoping my fifth property, this three-storey townhouse with loads of space, will do the job.
31:34But before we go there, I'm exploring the high end of the property market in this part of the island.
31:40And I've come to the coast near Pea where we saw our second stunning place to check out what I've been told
31:45is an absolutely stunning five-bed, six-bath villa with an amazing pool area.
31:50I'm meeting its owner, who's going to be giving me the tour.
31:54Hi Paula. Hi Jean.
31:56Nice to see you.
31:57Oh, nice to see you.
31:58I am so excited to look round this property.
32:00I know.
32:01Welcome to Cap St George and the Anderton's Hope.
32:04Wonderful, I'd love to see inside.
32:06Come on inside.
32:08Come on.
32:09Oh, Jean.
32:10Wow, great big door.
32:13Let me have a look.
32:15Oh, wow, this is pretty spectacular.
32:19I love the interior design.
32:21Did you have a hand in this?
32:22Well, yes.
32:23I mean, the furniture, the husband, we've done that.
32:27Nice.
32:28And, yeah, I mean, the floor, Italian marble, we got flown in.
32:33Great, and there's plenty of it.
32:35This room just flows really, really well.
32:37I'd love a peek upstairs.
32:38Yes, let's do it.
32:40Walk-in wardrobe.
32:43Every woman needs one.
32:45I know.
32:46This is a great bedroom.
32:48I can see there's lots of lovely fabrics and textures in here.
32:51Lovely terrace off your bedroom as well.
32:53Do you spend time out there?
32:55Absolutely, but mostly down in the garden.
32:58But I'll show you that.
32:59This is a beautiful garden.
33:00Let's do it now.
33:01I'd love to see it.
33:02Come on.
33:03Oh, Paula, this says to me, add a playground and I love it.
33:12I know.
33:13The playground is because our little, well, our teenager now.
33:17Yeah.
33:18He was three when we got the house.
33:20Lovely.
33:21So there's a bit of things for him, the train, the playground and this area of the pool.
33:26Yeah.
33:27And there's a swim-up bar which I'm very tempted to use.
33:31Oh, yeah.
33:32What a great idea.
33:33How much is this property on the market for?
33:36This is for approximately under £6.5 million at the moment.
33:42To live like this, it's worth every penny, Paula.
33:46Thank you so much.
33:47Let me take you out.
33:49That was a pretty special property.
33:51But I know I need to dip my toes back into what's been quite a challenging house hunt so
33:57far.
33:58My fifth and final property is just up the coast from the lovely seaside town of Latchey.
34:02So I thought we'd make a quick stop off there en route.
34:07Last stop, Latchey Harbour.
34:09You guys have been here before.
34:11Yes, we have.
34:12Yes.
34:13We try to come every year, don't we?
34:15Yeah.
34:16Every visit.
34:17Yes.
34:18So you've been here loads of times.
34:19Great little boutiques.
34:20You can buy little dresses and stuff down here.
34:22Bars and restaurants are great.
34:24And then this is where you catch your boat to go out to the world-famous Blue Lagoon.
34:28I've travelled the world and I don't think there's many places where the water is as clear.
34:32Do you agree?
34:33I agree on that.
34:34Absolutely.
34:35That's why I do a little bit snorkelling as well.
34:37Yeah.
34:38Yeah.
34:39It's beautiful.
34:40You never get tired of going there.
34:41It's beautiful.
34:42Good.
34:43Because my next property is about a 20 minute drive from here.
34:45So whenever you fancy going to the Blue Lagoon, jump your car, park and out you go.
34:50Sounds fab.
34:51Absolutely.
34:52Positively for this last one.
34:53Let's go.
34:55That 20 minute drive takes us to the town of Argaka, which is seen as a very up and coming
35:01area where the population is around 50% Cypriot, with the remainder made up of a mix of Europeans
35:07and Russians.
35:08Price wise, it's the most affordable area we've been to so far, meaning I've managed to find
35:13David and Skevy four bedrooms and tons of space for a fair bit below budget.
35:19And here it is, my last property.
35:22Cute.
35:23Yeah, first impressions are nice, yeah.
35:25Super modern.
35:26Good.
35:27The grey windows we like.
35:29Yeah.
35:30Yeah, so far so good.
35:31What do you think of the area?
35:32The area's lovely.
35:33I mean, again, look at the views.
35:35The sea views are beautiful.
35:36Even your carport has views.
35:37Yeah.
35:38Right, I've got a four bedroom house for you here.
35:43It is very modern, which I think at the end of this search we've realised is what you
35:49want.
35:50Yeah.
35:51I think it's done to quite a luxury spec.
35:53There might be a worktop or bits and bobs you want to change, but there's plenty of
35:57money in the budget to do that because this property is on the market for just under
36:03£351,000.
36:04Oh, wow.
36:05Wow.
36:06Yeah.
36:07So it's a good price.
36:08Yeah.
36:09Also for you two, there's a bottom floor that you could make a self-contained apartment.
36:13Oh, right.
36:14Okay.
36:15Cool.
36:16You've got two kids each.
36:17You might have people coming over or you might want to rent it out occasionally.
36:21So this property gives you that option.
36:24Wow.
36:25Okay.
36:26How does that sound?
36:27Sounds brilliant, actually, isn't it?
36:28Yeah.
36:29Yeah.
36:30Ready to see inside?
36:31Let's do it.
36:32Don't be nervous, come on.
36:33This three-storey villa has a lovely pool with lots of room around it, as well as two balconies
36:38with sea views and another with mountain views.
36:41Inside, on the middle floor, there's a living room and a very modern kitchen diner.
36:46Upstairs, there are no less than three bedrooms, all of which have balcony access and en-suite
36:54shower rooms.
36:55And the lower floor consists of a large open-plan area with a kitchen, half of which is currently
37:00an artist's studio, a sunroom which opens onto the pool and a stylish shower room.
37:07Right, got a little porch, clock room here for shoes, jacket and then we come straight in.
37:14Living space with some outside space off it.
37:17You've got a balcony there.
37:18This is a nice pool about it.
37:20I think it's quite nice.
37:21I like it.
37:22Yeah.
37:23Off to a good start.
37:24Want to keep this going?
37:25Let's head to the kitchen.
37:26So, little dining space there and kitchen sink with a view.
37:32Could this one work for you?
37:34Yeah, it could, couldn't it?
37:35Yeah, I like it.
37:36I like it.
37:37The kitchen's nice and clean and modern looking.
37:40I do like it.
37:41I like it.
37:42Yeah, nothing else to add really.
37:43It's exactly that.
37:44It looks modern from the outside and that carries on when you get inside as well.
37:48Oh, great.
37:49That's really the combination I wanted for you.
37:51Excellent news.
37:52Right.
37:53I think we should go and look at one of the bedrooms.
37:55Yeah.
37:56Up the stairs there.
37:58So, this is the main bedroom.
38:00A lovely view.
38:01Got double sink.
38:02Very nice spec for the bathroom there.
38:05And some storage.
38:06Yeah, it really is.
38:08It's like a really smart hotel room.
38:10Yeah, I've had the feeling throughout this property that it's done like a hotel.
38:15I won't change anything up here.
38:17Say that again.
38:18You wouldn't change anything.
38:20Oh, OK, good.
38:21I'm going to go with that.
38:23View out from your bedroom as well.
38:25I mean, waking up to that every morning.
38:27Yeah.
38:28That's special.
38:29That's Cyprus, isn't it?
38:30Yeah.
38:31I'm happy you're happy.
38:33I want that to continue.
38:34So, please look round this on your own at that bottom floor as well.
38:38See what you might be able to do with that.
38:40And I'll meet you by the pool area, which is really nice as well.
38:44OK.
38:45Yeah, I'll see you soon.
38:47Oh, you seem really happy.
38:51And that makes me happy.
38:52I think modern is the way to go for Skelly and David.
38:55This could be the one.
38:57This is another bedroom.
38:59It's a great space.
39:01You know, it's a good size.
39:03And it's lovely.
39:04You imagine the kids coming or anyone coming to stay with us and getting those views.
39:08It's a great view, yeah.
39:09Yeah.
39:10A really good view.
39:11Shall we go out and have a look?
39:12Yeah, sure.
39:13Come on.
39:18Yeah, this is a nice space, isn't it?
39:20Yeah.
39:21I mean, it's an amazing view.
39:22It's beautiful.
39:23Oh, wow.
39:25Yeah, I wasn't expecting that.
39:26It's a great space, isn't it?
39:27It's obviously being used as a bit of an ancillary stroke utility room at the minute and a painting
39:32studio by the looks of it.
39:34But there's no reason why this couldn't be a sort of a kitchen lounge diner with actually
39:42two bedrooms off it and almost a self-contained apartment.
39:46I might finally have cracked it with this villa, which is on the market for just under £351,000.
39:55Skevia and David both seem to really like it.
39:58So I'm hoping and praying they haven't changed their minds since I left them.
40:03I can't end a house hunt with zero contenders?
40:07So what do you think of this?
40:10Yeah, it's nice.
40:11It is nice.
40:12Yeah, there's a lot I do like inside.
40:15Yeah.
40:16I love the outdoor space.
40:18I really like the modern feel of it both inside and out.
40:21It's a really interesting property.
40:22It is?
40:23Yeah.
40:24You know, it goes on and on and it's just how you, it's a lot to think about actually.
40:28Yeah.
40:29I like to really think about how you'd use it, how you get the most out of it.
40:32So the other four that we've seen on this search, I mean, I must say you have been harking
40:37back to Venus Rock a couple of times you've referenced it.
40:40Is that going to be a property that you think about, reconsider?
40:43Yeah, definitely I think.
40:44I think the Venus Rock and this property are the two for me that stood out.
40:49Okay.
40:50So Venus Rock is back in play.
40:51That's great news.
40:52And this one?
40:53Got two contenders?
40:55This?
40:56Two things to think about.
40:57I hear you.
40:58Yeah.
40:59Two great properties to think about, by the way.
41:03And both of those were good prices as well.
41:05So I'll give you the evening.
41:06We'll meet tomorrow.
41:07Take your time.
41:08Give your family a ring, you know, get some advice from people.
41:11And I'll meet you tomorrow and see if you've made any decisions.
41:14Okay.
41:16Thanks, Sheen.
41:21If you'd like more information about any of the properties featured on today's show,
41:25go to a placeinthesand.com forward slash programme.
41:29We've now shown Skefi and David all five properties in Western Cyprus for their budget of £400,000.
41:38And in the running, we have this three-storey villa which we've just seen.
41:42And they're also considering the villa in Venus Rocks.
41:47Now my house hunters have had the evening to talk things through,
41:50I can't wait to find out what their next move is going to be.
41:55Good morning.
41:56Good morning.
41:57How are you both?
41:58We're good.
41:59Long, hard decision-making last night, but we are good.
42:02Okay, yeah, I bet there was lots to discuss.
42:04Yeah, lots to think about, particularly with the last property that really threw a sparrow in the works.
42:09Yeah, I could actually see your mind sort of moving and thinking about your options, really.
42:16So two great properties, did one of them come out in front?
42:19I think we'd probably say the Venus Rock one was the front-runner.
42:22You're kidding!
42:23The first property I showed you, I must say, when I stood there and you counted it out,
42:27I thought, ooh, this has got a lot of what you've asked for on your wish list
42:32and I think it might have been discarded a bit too early.
42:35Do you?
42:36Yeah.
42:37Possibly, yeah.
42:38It is a great property for a great price.
42:41So, have you made a decision?
42:43We have.
42:44What would you like to do?
42:46We're not going to put an offer in it this time.
42:48Oh, what a shame!
42:50We just think that we need to do a little bit more research into that area.
42:54We're pretty sure this search has crystallised our thinking that's where we want to be.
42:59The Venus Rock area?
43:00The Venus Rock area.
43:01Yeah, very nice.
43:02It's great for us in terms of, sort of, commuting, Scary House family in Limassol.
43:07It's basically just off the highway.
43:09It's 20 minutes here.
43:10It's 40 minutes into Lachey, where we really like.
43:14So, I think, yeah, location-wise, that's probably our preferred option now.
43:20And I wish we'd have known that at the start of the search and you guys could have concentrated solely on that area.
43:24I think it is a great area for you and I'm glad that I found you a property that you really liked.
43:30So, why are you not buying it?
43:32So, there was a few things that, niggling, niggling things with it.
43:35The downstairs layout wasn't ideally what we were looking for.
43:39We wanted a bit more open space.
43:40And we do notice that there is quite a, because it's quite a built-up area, there's quite a lot of property there.
43:45So, we just, we may well return to it.
43:47Okay.
43:48But we just think we'd like to have a look at a few more and do a bit more research in that area before we make a sort of final decision.
43:54Thanks to you guys, we know, we know, we've got head screwed on now.
43:57Great.
43:58Pretty soon, we should, we should look for another one and move into it.
44:01I have no doubt that you will.
44:03You definitely know what you want, Skevy.
44:06And good luck to you on your search.
44:08It's been an absolute pleasure.
44:10So, Yamas.
44:11Yamas.
44:12Lovely.
44:13Cheers.
44:18Skevy and David have realised they want a modern property in the Venus Rock area.
44:23And I'm happy I helped them come to that conclusion.
44:26I have no doubt they'll find their dream property in Cyprus very soon.
44:30Skevy and David have stayed in touch with the agents we introduced them to.
44:34They're going back to Cyprus in a few weeks' time.
44:37And I wish them all the very best in finding their perfect property.
44:40If you'd like help with your property search and want to be on A Place in the Sun, then go to channel4.com forward slash take part.
45:10See you next time.
45:11See you next time.
45:12Bye.
Comments