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00:01For over 22 years, A Place in the Sun has been helping couples find their dream homes abroad.
00:07I'm getting a bit of a tingly feeling. Are you? Loving it, loving it.
00:12Creating hundreds of happy households across the world.
00:15Oh, it's gorgeous. Beautiful. Shall we do it?
00:18Look, we're all welling up here.
00:20In this series, we'll be revisiting some of them to find out what happened next.
00:25Can I get a high five? Yeah. Oh, yeah.
00:29Today, Jean Johansson makes a splash in Cyprus.
00:32Two and a half years ago, Leah Charles King went house hunting with father and daughter Uri and Cheyenne
00:38to find a home the whole family can enjoy.
00:41How does that water feel? It's so refreshing.
00:44Now you see why this is my favourite thing to do when I come to the side door.
00:47No, we didn't.
00:49Well, Dani Mingiz is visiting the stunning hilltop village of Mijas Pueblo in southern Spain,
00:54catching up with Carmen and her son, Wayne, who she helped find a holiday home nearly eight years ago.
01:00Hello. So good to see you guys.
01:03Good to see you. Love a double hug.
01:05So nice to be back in Mijas.
01:17Being out on the water, I can't help but just feel the magic that surrounds this place.
01:22Ancient Greek legend says this is the birthplace of Aphrodite, the goddess of love and beauty.
01:28Now, I don't know what Uri and Cheyenne think about Aphrodite, but I know that they fell in love with
01:33Cyprus,
01:33so much so that they bought their forever home here, and I'm hoping that Uri's wife, Hazel, feels exactly the
01:39same.
01:40I mean, how could she not?
01:42Gorgeous!
01:43To get to southwestern Cyprus, you fly into Pathos Airport, which takes four and a half hours from the UK.
01:51And from there, it's 45 minutes' drive to where Uri and Hazel now live.
01:55As well as stunning beaches and crystal-clear waters, Cyprus is steeped in history,
02:01with loads of architectural sites containing Roman remains in this part of the island.
02:06These days, though, in many towns and villages around here, British residents outnumber Cypriot ones.
02:13It was back in 2021 when Uri, who's originally from Israel, asked us to find him and his wife, Hazel,
02:20a permanent home in Cyprus for their maximum budget of £200,000.
02:25And as Hazel couldn't come on the house hunt, he brought their younger daughter, Cheyenne, along.
02:30We've got a very close, in-sync kind of a relationship.
02:33Really good.
02:34If he asks me what am I thinking, nine times out of ten, I know what he's thinking.
02:39Leah first met them on the coast just outside Pathos to find out what sort of property Uri was and
02:45wasn't looking for.
02:47I don't like the new houses, the new development. It's not for us at all.
02:51The garden, not too big that I don't have to work too hard to keep it.
02:56Part of my dream is to have a little bit of chicken here and a swimming pool. It will be
03:00a bonus.
03:01Amazing.
03:02Uri ideally wanted a bungalow and first off, Leah found him a two-bedroom one close to the hillside village
03:09of Polemi.
03:10Very nice.
03:12You can ask for more of your wives, let's be honest.
03:14Is this part of the dream, Uri?
03:15Yes.
03:16And things got even better once they got inside.
03:20Yeah, speechless. What did I say?
03:22Bless him, he can't see it.
03:23Oh!
03:25Wow!
03:26Uri, you look like you've got a little tear in your eye.
03:28Almost, yeah.
03:29I think you do, I'm looking very good, I can see.
03:33So Leah had a super strong contender in the bag as she headed to property number two.
03:38The three-bedroom bungalow painted lime and with some matching fruit trees, but it left a bit of a sour
03:44taste.
03:45This is very, which I don't like.
03:48A bit more basic in a way.
03:50Very.
03:51Yeah.
03:52The other place I could go in, put the stuff in the wardrobe and leave her.
03:56Here I will have to work for it.
03:58And the overall impression wasn't good.
04:01There is no character there, whatsoever.
04:03Absolutely nothing.
04:04It's like a hospital more than a house now.
04:07Now to have it as a house, it will cost money.
04:10You're not feeling it, are you?
04:11Nothing, nothing.
04:12No.
04:12So Leah needed to find a cure for that place and was hoping to do exactly that with property number
04:18three.
04:19This three-bedroom Finca-style bungalow in the pretty village of Coilie.
04:23And she had a medical problem of the good type inside.
04:26Oh, my God.
04:28Your heart's palpitating, but you're okay?
04:32I think so.
04:33Look at the handle.
04:34Breathe, breathe, breathe, guys.
04:36Yeah, you know, it's perfect.
04:39Perfect.
04:39The way that these people have a taste.
04:43They're geniuses.
04:44The rest of the place was pretty perfect as well, topped off by the stunning roof terrace.
04:49Oh, my God.
04:51That's a prize.
04:52Wow.
04:53Wow.
04:53And, of course, you've got this view.
04:57That's amazing.
04:59So Leah had a new front runner, which she was hoping to improve on even more with property number four.
05:05The three-bedroom villa in the village of Pano Arodes, which was the first place on the house hunt to
05:10come with its own pool,
05:11and also the first with more than one floor.
05:15Oh, wow.
05:16Now, I know you really like bungalows, but I couldn't resist showing you this one.
05:21I didn't want new development, but it's nice.
05:24So this has surprised you then?
05:25Oh, yeah.
05:26Definitely.
05:27Now, look, there is not a lot of land around the property.
05:30Would that throw you off in terms of the chickens?
05:33So in the end of the journey, like we say, we will have to compromise.
05:38Leah left Cheyenne and Uri to look around on their own, starting in the light and bright living room.
05:45Very nice.
05:46What a living room.
05:48Look how many windows and lights.
05:51Wow.
05:52Look at the kitchen.
05:54Wow.
05:55And the main bedroom was a big hit.
05:58Oh, very nice.
06:01It's an ensuite as well, don't forget.
06:04And a balcony.
06:06Wow.
06:07This is a place for the morning, the coffee.
06:10Absolutely.
06:11And the scene in front of you.
06:12What else you can ask?
06:15Despite not being what Uri had perhaps envisioned at the start of the house hunt, this villa was another big
06:21success.
06:23It's a very nice place.
06:24So much to think about.
06:26But for now, is this one a contender as well?
06:28Yeah, yeah.
06:29So we've got three contenders in the bag.
06:31So far.
06:32How on earth are you going to choose at this point?
06:34I'm so glad it's not actually me making the choice right now.
06:37Oh, I love you, baby.
06:39This house hunt couldn't have been going any better, and Leah really pushed the boat out with her fifth and
06:45final property.
06:46This yellow three-bedroom house priced over budget, but negotiable to the top end of Uri's.
06:53Would you live here yourself?
06:55Yeah.
06:55Where's the key?
06:57I would live here, yeah.
06:59It's big, it's luxurious, it's comfortable, it's nice, it's warm.
07:03Once again, Leah had smashed it out of the park.
07:06This place gave her yet another contender, but Uri and Cheyenne narrowed their choice down to that one and the
07:12villa with the pool,
07:13before taking the evening to talk things over with Hazel back home.
07:18I think we will put offer.
07:21On which property?
07:22Number four, the...
07:24Herodice House.
07:25That place was just over £196,500, and Uri's initial offer of £163,000 was rejected.
07:34The lowest they're willing to go is £182,000.
07:38What about meeting in the middle?
07:39Yeah, £182,000.
07:40If they really want to sell, maybe they'd be willing for £2,000, you're compromising.
07:45Yeah, let's try it.
07:46Let's give that a whirl.
07:47And that compromise worked for both parties.
07:50They've accepted £180,000.
07:53It's like he's crying.
07:56Uri, I'm loving this right now for you.
07:59Well done to Uri, to Hazel, and to all the family.
08:03Cheyenne, well done for helping Dad.
08:05This has been great.
08:14I'm so excited to be in Cyprus.
08:16I can't wait to meet them and find out what's happened since.
08:20I see his drink, no?
08:22He's got a drink.
08:23Oh, hello!
08:24Hi, Cheyenne!
08:24Ready?
08:25Hello!
08:25Nice to see you in person in Cheyenne.
08:28I feel like I know you two and you must be Hazel.
08:31Very pleased to meet you.
08:32All the way from sunny Aberdeen.
08:33All the way from sunny Aberdeen to Cyprus.
08:35First things first, I have to send my regards from Leah.
08:37She had so much fun with you two.
08:39Yeah, it was great.
08:40So have you guys moved here permanently now?
08:42Yeah, six months already.
08:44You've done it.
08:45Fantastic.
08:45Have you come over as well, Cheryl?
08:47Yeah, I've just come for a quick visit before I go on to see my sister.
08:50So this is my first time seeing the house as well since we've moved here.
08:53Oh, it's so exciting, isn't it?
08:54Why don't you come?
08:55We'll go and show you the house.
08:55Oh, I can't wait.
08:56Let's go.
08:56Hey, let's do it.
08:59Coming up, I take a tour of Uri and Hazel's house and find out how they're settling in
09:04to life out here in Cyprus.
09:06It took eight and a half months to arrive our shipment.
09:09I mean, these are the things that can happen when you're doing a permanent move.
09:12It doesn't always go smoothly.
09:20Today, I'm in Panawarodes in south-western Cyprus with Uri and Hazel plus their younger daughter,
09:26Cheyenne.
09:26Two and a half years ago, they were house hunting with Leah Charles King and bought
09:31this three-bedroom villa, though they only moved here permanently six months ago.
09:36Okay, Jane, this is the house.
09:38Do you know, it is even better in real life.
09:41Beautiful house.
09:42It's gorgeous.
09:43But Uri, first question, where are the chickens?
09:47No, no chickens.
09:49Don't remind them.
09:50I'm quite happy that it's no chickens because I have enough to do here.
09:54I bet.
09:55Have you made a lot of changes to the place?
09:57Yeah, we made the changes.
09:59Yeah, we paint the wall white.
10:01Yeah.
10:02So it's much more bright here.
10:03We did the solar panel to save money for electricity.
10:08And the pergola?
10:09And the pergola.
10:09Ah, the pergola is very nice.
10:11I worked a lot on the garden.
10:13I'm not complaining.
10:14I enjoyed every second of it.
10:16And I like what's coming out from the olives.
10:18Yeah.
10:19I'm spending a lot of time here, cleaning the pool all the time, you know.
10:22Cheyenne, can you remember when you first came in?
10:24Did you know it was the one?
10:25I don't remember, I don't remember thinking it was the one until I looked over to my dad
10:30and then he beamed and he goes, this is exactly what I was looking for.
10:34Hazel, you put a lot of trust in these two.
10:37I would not let my husband pick a property without me.
10:39Every property, they show me all the pictures that they took.
10:42So I got a pretty good idea.
10:44And also I trusted them because I'd never actually been to Cyprus before we bought the property.
10:48That is a leap of faith, I have to say.
10:50It's Mediterranean.
10:51I knew roughly what I was letting myself in for.
10:53So I was quite happy to move here, yeah.
10:55Cannot wait to see it inside.
10:57We'll show you.
10:57I'll leave you guys to it.
10:58Maybe some drinks.
10:59Yes.
11:03Okay, this is the living room.
11:05Lovely living area here.
11:07And a nice bit of tradition inside as well with the fireplace and the archway.
11:12Yeah.
11:12Yeah.
11:13So you have made too many changes in here.
11:15When you bought it, it was furnished.
11:16For us, not my taste, but they're comfy.
11:19Yeah, it gives you a great start so you can see where you want to put everything when your
11:22own stuff comes.
11:23And has it arrived from Scotland?
11:25It took eight and a half months to arrive our shipment.
11:29That's quite long.
11:30They told us maybe six to eight weeks, they said.
11:32Between six and eight.
11:33And I told them I don't mind if it would be ten.
11:35I mean, these are the things that can happen when you're doing a permanent move.
11:38It doesn't always go smoothly.
11:40But you got your stuff in the end.
11:42This is part of the game.
11:43Is it starting to feel homely?
11:45It is now.
11:46Yeah.
11:46When we start to pay off our pictures and that, now it's really feels like home.
11:50I love this.
11:52This is huge.
11:53Isn't it just?
11:54It's a massive kitchen.
11:56It's so many cupboards.
11:58I hate the colour of the doors and the cupboards.
12:00I can live with them until we sand them all down and paint them a different colour.
12:03And this is one of the bedrooms of the kitchen here.
12:05Yeah.
12:05That's where Shiaan's staying just now.
12:07It's en suite.
12:08So she's by herself.
12:09She doesn't have to bother anybody.
12:10We don't bother her.
12:11It's just great.
12:12Yeah.
12:12And it's three bedrooms all en suite.
12:14I remember you, Uri, being quite happy about that when I told you.
12:18It's game changing.
12:20Yeah.
12:20It's fantastic.
12:21Yeah.
12:22I mean, you need the room for your two daughters.
12:24You know, our grandchildren as well.
12:25The grandchildren as well.
12:26Yeah.
12:26This is another spare bedroom.
12:29Oh, I see there's still unpacking going on in there.
12:32So much unpacking still to do.
12:34Okay.
12:34This is our bedroom in here.
12:36This is another great sized room.
12:38A big room, yeah.
12:39How do you feel about these cabinets, Hazel?
12:41I've lived with them for a while.
12:43Well, once he finishes his kitchen project, he's got this one to do.
12:47Uri, I'm picturing this list of things for you to do and it's getting longer and longer
12:51with every room.
12:52And are you happy, Uri, that you got the second floor?
12:55Because you wanted a bungalow originally, didn't you?
12:57Yeah, but yeah, it's not, you know, I forgot about it like already.
13:02And you've got an en suite with this room as well.
13:04Yeah.
13:04Biggest change in the inside of the house.
13:06Oh, let me see.
13:09It's our new bathroom.
13:11Oh yeah, it feels modern and new in here.
13:14There was a bath there and the shower was over the bath.
13:17Hazel went two years old for two weeks.
13:19So I talked with one of the builders in the area here
13:21and I told him, listen, you have two weeks, can you make it?
13:24He said yes.
13:25Was it an expensive thing to do in here?
13:28It's just over £1,000.
13:30Okay.
13:31Shower room sorted, you've got a great bedroom and a terrace as well.
13:35Lovely terrace out here.
13:36Come and have a look.
13:38Oh, I can tell these two are just so passionate about this place.
13:42They definitely made the right choice.
13:48Yep, this is the balcony here.
13:51Oh, lovely Tess, look at those views.
13:54I know.
13:55Yeah.
13:55Now, people think they're going to use their outside space
13:57all hours of the day, but I bet you don't.
14:00Till 10ish in the morning.
14:01Yeah.
14:01You can sit here.
14:02Oh, that's lovely.
14:03It's always breeze and it's shade.
14:06And then you can't come out.
14:08But in the evening is the best place to be.
14:12So a bit of coffee here in the morning?
14:13Yes, exactly.
14:14Well, tea actually.
14:15Okay.
14:16Tell you what, I could use a cup of tea.
14:18Cheyenne's making us tea downstairs.
14:19I'll bet it go down.
14:20Do you want to go on down?
14:21I'll look at my tea.
14:22Oh, yeah.
14:23Unsurprisingly, perhaps Uri and Hazel haven't done too much to the villa yet,
14:27but there's loads in the pipeline for sure.
14:30Now, I know they rented out the house before they moved here permanently,
14:33so I'm looking forward to finding out more about that
14:36and their new life here in Cyprus over a nice cuppa.
14:40Oh, and you got my tea.
14:42Oh, sorry.
14:43This is perfect.
14:43A nice bit of cake.
14:44This here is a Cypri cake.
14:47It's really popular here.
14:48A Lenten cake.
14:49It's made with cinnamon.
14:49Lemon and tahini.
14:51It's gorgeous.
14:52Mmm, I'll have a bit of that.
14:53Now, you came out with £200,000 to find this perfect property.
14:57How much did you spend in the end?
14:59£180.
15:00Amazing.
15:01Which we were very happy.
15:03It left us money for, you know, repairs, things, whatever.
15:08And, of course, there's extras.
15:09There's fees.
15:10There's money to the agent.
15:11Yeah, you know that it's taxes and the lawyer.
15:16All together, I believe it was around £3,000.
15:19And how did you find the process?
15:21Was it quite quick, Hazel?
15:23It was very quick.
15:24I think it was the same day that we actually decided on the house.
15:27They went with the estate agent down to the lawyer, got all the paper signed.
15:42That's quick?
15:43Yeah.
15:43We were still looking after my stepfather in Scotland.
15:46And so we looked for tenants.
15:49We needed somebody to look after the place in the winter, in the summer, look after the
15:54pool.
15:54And then we moved out in January.
15:56At the end of the day, it worked perfect.
15:57Yeah.
15:58And it's good because they're in, so they can sort of tell you any little problems.
16:01Exactly.
16:02For example, we got a telephone from the people that it's raining.
16:08The two bedroom was leaking.
16:09The roof was leaking.
16:10That's a big problem, Murray.
16:12No, it was a big, yeah.
16:14We spent, let's say, up to day about, like, the pergola and the shower and the roof and
16:21the solar panel, whatever, all together around £3,000, £30,000.
16:27If I know this area, this part of Cyprus, already your properties increased in price?
16:32Yeah, yeah.
16:33We spoke with our agent and he said that today it's in the market, 230-something, 40, yeah.
16:43I mean, it sounds as if you chose the right island, first of all, because you'd never
16:46been here.
16:47No, they speak English.
16:48They drive on the right side of the road, because the left side is the right side of
16:51the road.
16:52We've got proper plugs.
16:53I didn't have to change things.
16:54And is it how many?
16:55Yeah, it's very comfortable.
16:57It's very comfortable here.
16:58Very comfortable.
16:59I agree.
16:59Cyprus is a very easy transition.
17:01Very easy.
17:02And what will be your transition in the future?
17:04Where are you in the process, because you couldn't get residency here?
17:06Oh, that was a long bureaucratic thing.
17:09Also, again, take a lawyer.
17:12Take a lawyer.
17:12Don't try to be clever and somebody will do it for you.
17:16Also, start the process when you are still in UK, because the lawyer can tell you what
17:23you can prepare already, which when you're coming, it's already.
17:26Do it with a lawyer.
17:28Yeah.
17:28If you ask the lawyer, they will give you an official list of what you need to do.
17:31You need all your utility bills.
17:33You need marriage certificates, which is not a problem.
17:35But we got married in Israel.
17:37So everything's in Hebrew.
17:38It has to be translated.
17:39Then we have to have it translated by an official translator.
17:41We got all the papers through.
17:43We got the law.
17:43We went to the immigration office.
17:45And we now have our yellow certificate, which means we're in our temporary residence.
17:48So now we've applied for the NHS here.
17:51We can be part of that.
17:52It's a process, but you just have to go through it.
17:54You just go through it step by step and you'll get there.
17:56It's OK.
17:57It must be nice for you to see how their lives are changing, not working anymore.
18:01Yeah.
18:01It's so much more fun to ask them how their day is going.
18:04Before it would be, I'd ask them and it would just be a torrent of, oh, do you know what
18:09we had to like suffer today?
18:11And now that they're here, they're excited.
18:13They have stories to tell.
18:14I don't remember the last time I saw them this time.
18:17Just perfect here.
18:18Perfect.
18:19No regrets whatsoever, but moving.
18:21Really happy that we moved out here.
18:23And how are you getting to know the local area, Polis and Latchie?
18:26We're logging up to Latchie.
18:27Just walking around the marina.
18:28It's so pretty.
18:29Great restaurants.
18:30It's lovely little coffee shops and restaurants.
18:32Sometimes we don't even stop for that.
18:33We just walk around the boats, walk along the seawall and look out the sea.
18:37It's just lovely up there.
18:38It's so picturesque.
18:38It's really nice.
18:39So have you gone out on a boat?
18:41No, no, I haven't yet.
18:42No, no.
18:42You must do that.
18:44Have you been to the Blue Lagoon?
18:45No.
18:45Oh, it would be my absolute pleasure to take you guys to the Blue Lagoon.
18:49It is so pretty.
18:50Why don't we meet tomorrow in the morning when it's a bit cooler?
18:53Yeah.
18:54We've got our swimsuits ready, but I'm going to have another bit of this cake.
18:57Yeah.
18:58Please help yourself.
18:58You can't stop beating it, you guys.
19:00Lovely.
19:00Good.
19:01It's great to hear how much Uri and Hazel are enjoying life in Cyprus, despite not having
19:06been here that long.
19:07And now I'm looking forward to playing tour guide and taking them to my favourite spot
19:12on this beautiful island.
19:14Morning.
19:14How are you?
19:15Thanks.
19:18Right, off we go and look at the views from here.
19:21Isn't it gorgeous?
19:22I'm excited for you to see the island from here.
19:25From the other side.
19:26Yeah, we've never seen it from here.
19:27You'll have to admit, every time I'm in Cyprus when I'm filming the show, as soon as I've
19:31got free time, I'm on a boat and I'm out to the Blue Lagoon.
19:34Yeah.
19:34And you know, your property is such a short drive from the marina as well.
19:37You've got all this on your doorstep.
19:39Yeah.
19:40Great.
19:41I've been trying to persuade him to buy a little boat, but I think it's out of our league.
19:44That'll come later.
19:45You just bought the property.
19:46Just calm down.
19:47Let's get you settled in first.
19:48Yeah.
19:49This is the Bath of Aphrodite over here, so if you swim in these waters, you gain eternal
19:54youth.
19:54I've been in there many times.
19:58The Blue Lagoon is just off the west coast of Cyprus, near the town of Neo Horeo.
20:04You can take a boat trip there from Latchee Harbour and prices start from around £20 per
20:09person.
20:10So this is the Blue Lagoon.
20:12Can you describe that colour?
20:14No.
20:15It's undescribable, isn't it?
20:17It's really, really weird.
20:18And it's so clear and gorgeous.
20:20So you can feel the boat stopping, they're putting the anchor in.
20:23And then we can just jump in for a swim.
20:27Let's just jump right in and jump right in.
20:33Wee-haw!
20:33Woo-hoo!
20:36How does that water feel?
20:38Water, water, water, water, water, water, water, water, water, water, water, water,
20:39water.
20:39That is so refreshing.
20:41It's so clear.
20:42Now you see why this is my favourite thing to do when I can describe it.
20:47Let's go for a swim, shall we?
20:49Shall we?
20:51Local legend says if you swim here at midnight, you'll find your true love.
20:55So even though we might be at the wrong time to manage that, there's no doubt Uri, Hazel
21:00and Cheyenne have strong feelings about this island already.
21:04Don't be shy.
21:05This is all part of our boat ride, so have a bit of watermelon.
21:09Perfect thing after a swim.
21:10I've been waiting for a proper watermelon.
21:14Now tell me this.
21:16When you two first met Leah, did you ever think that a couple of years later you'd be
21:21sat on a boat eating watermelon just having swam in the blue lagoon?
21:24It's like a dream come true.
21:27Getting into the property market at the right time is everything.
21:30I see how much prices go up year on year when I visit.
21:34Yeah.
21:34So I think you're getting a good time to get the three bedrooms, the three en suites, that
21:38beautiful space you've got outside.
21:40We're talking about it.
21:41Yeah.
21:41And you know, loads of people sit at home in the UK or wherever talking about, let's
21:47look at a place abroad.
21:48You've actually done it.
21:49So what advice would you have for anyone that's sat at home thinking, should we get a property
21:53abroad?
21:53Just do it.
21:54Number one, just do it.
21:56Do it.
21:56There's nothing to worry about.
21:58Easy.
21:58And you have to do it.
21:59Don't think twice.
22:00And Elsa, just get your mind into it.
22:02We're going to do it and that's it.
22:03Yeah.
22:03Look for a place and do it.
22:04It was an excellent experience.
22:06Oh, so glad.
22:07Much, much better than I thought.
22:09Do you know how nice that is to feel?
22:12The amount of times they would call me and talk about things that they want to do and
22:16what they would do if they could and what they're planning to do in Cyprus.
22:19And now they're like, we're doing it.
22:21We're doing it.
22:23Of course.
22:24Yeah.
22:24Wow.
22:25It's amazing.
22:26Really a dream come true.
22:27So let's have a drink to enjoy your retirement on beautiful Cyprus.
22:32Yay!
22:33Congratulations.
22:34Bye.
22:41It's been lovely meeting Uri, Hazel and their daughter Cheyenne.
22:45Everything seems to be falling into place and now that they're settled, they can start
22:49living their dream lives.
22:53Coming up, Dani Mingys is heading to Mijas in southern Spain to catch up with Carmen and
22:58her son, Wayne, who she helped find a stunning holiday home with incredible sea views some
23:04eight years ago.
23:05When you manage to get out here for a weekend or a bit longer, when you first step through
23:10the door into your property, how do you feel?
23:14First of all, it's very much like home from home.
23:17And then it's the peacefulness and the calmness.
23:32Being up here in the mountain air with that view down to the sea really does bring a type
23:37of peace.
23:37It's no wonder that Carmen was searching for a tranquil location here when I took her
23:42house hunting around the beautiful Mijas Costa with her son, Wayne, and she sure did find it.
23:50After a flight into Malaga Airport, the gateway to the Costa del Sol, Mijas is an hour's
23:56drive west.
23:57Stunning views and picture-perfect whitewashed towns and villages are what draw people to this
24:02area, the most popular of them being Mijas Pueblo itself, loaded with traditional bars and
24:08restaurants lining its cobbled streets that lead to squares filled with everyday life and
24:13the clopping of hooves.
24:15And while it may feel like a world away from the glitz and glamour of the Spanish coastline,
24:20it's just a short drive to an eight-mile stretch of postcard-ready beaches and seaside resorts
24:26called Mijas Costa.
24:28Back in 2016, Carmen, who had a flexible budget of around £130,000, had brought along Wayne,
24:37one of her three sons, and we started with the chat on the beach to find out exactly what
24:42Carmen was after.
24:43It is a little bolt hole, somewhere to be able to come for a short break and unwind,
24:50recharge the batteries and go back home and go back to work.
24:53OK.
24:53Yeah.
24:54I've just come along to help my mum see, you know, these properties, so hopefully she's
24:58going to make the right decision.
25:01Carmen wanted somewhere with access to a communal pool, sea views and a balcony.
25:06The first option I had lined up, a 20-minute walk from that beach, had all of those things,
25:11and was in a development of former timeshare apartments called Mira Flores.
25:16Now, the property that we're going to see is top floor. It's right up there. What's your first impressions of
25:22the building?
25:24The building itself, you know, I do like it. It's got the character and the feel about it. But it's
25:32top floor. If there's no lift, you know, I would have to really think about that.
25:37They had a good look around the open-plan living space and two bedrooms of this top floor apartment. On
25:43the market, a few thousand over Carmen's ideal budget.
25:46But those stairs proved to be too much for Carmen, and that place received a no.
25:51Up next, I had an option closer to the bustling beachfront town of Huengarola in La Cala Hills.
25:57Well, this property is ground floor. Mm-hmm. You could just go straight out to the pool. Yeah.
26:03Well, you actually can because it's that one right there, so it's on your doorstep.
26:09That's right, isn't it? You could crawl out to the pool if you want.
26:13Let's see, hip hop, yeah. Yeah.
26:17Jump off the bed into the pool.
26:19That was a great start for this garden apartment with two bedrooms that, like our last,
26:25was on the market a touch over Carmen's ideal budget. But once they got inside...
26:30Quite dark. Yeah. That's what I thought it was dark, yeah.
26:33And the walls are... I don't like that colour.
26:37Another no. I really needed to impress with my next option, but before heading there,
26:42I thought we'd take a break so I could find out a bit more about the motivations behind this search.
26:47I'm really grateful that, you know, I've had the chance to have a family
26:51and then put, you know, channeled out all my efforts into looking after a family,
26:56bringing the family up, and then, and now I've got my time now.
27:00So it's more or less living your life in reverse.
27:03And you seem quite happy the way that you've done it.
27:05Yeah, I'm happy. I'm happy now, but at the time, you know, you don't think it.
27:09You know, you think, oh, dear, you know, this is it now.
27:11You know, you're looking after children and that's it for the rest of your life
27:15and you don't have nothing else.
27:16But it's wonderful, really, that now you have the opportunities for women to work
27:21and older women to carry on working, which is good.
27:26Next, I thought I'd try something a bit different property-wise,
27:30so we headed up into the hills to Mujas Pueblo, the jewel in the area's crown,
27:35with its traditional whitewashed buildings and authentic tapas restaurants.
27:39The property I had lined up was a real find on one of the very few developments
27:44that had a communal pool and offered suitable properties
27:47within reach of Carmen's budget. I was so excited.
27:52Now, you said you liked a view. How's this?
27:54Yeah.
27:57This is...this is fantastic.
27:59And with a pool there, yeah.
28:02You can actually relax here.
28:05Yeah. Yeah, I do like this. Now we're here.
28:07Is that the dream?
28:09That is the dream.
28:10Does it make you feel a bit emotional?
28:12Very.
28:13Can you just see yourself relaxing down there by the pool?
28:15I can.
28:16I can.
28:17And once we got to the apartment itself...
28:19That's your front door, number 28.
28:22It's very sweet, isn't it?
28:24What's that?
28:25Mother's birthday.
28:27Your...your mother's birthday?
28:28Yeah.
28:2928th August.
28:30Aww.
28:31You're off your emotions today.
28:36Do you think that means something?
28:38Me, personally, I do.
28:40Yeah.
28:40Because I'm that way inclined.
28:41Yeah.
28:42You are, yeah.
28:43Do you like signs?
28:45Yeah.
28:46She's looking down.
28:47Aww.
28:48Mum sort of believes in, you know, certain things that are meant to be.
28:52Okay.
28:52And, er, yeah, I have a good feeling about this place.
28:55Me too.
28:56Yeah.
28:57While this duplex apartment only had one bedroom, it was very spacious.
29:02It was around £9,000 over Carmen's ideal budget, but with room for negotiation.
29:07So this would be your living room?
29:10Yes.
29:11That's...that's my living room.
29:14It's got the feel to it, doesn't it?
29:16The character.
29:17Yes, character.
29:18Red's full tiles.
29:20Lucky red.
29:21Is it?
29:22Red is lucky.
29:23Yeah.
29:2328 was lucky number because it was your mum's birthday.
29:26Do you think she'd be quite proud to see you out here now, you know, where you are in life
29:30and looking for a house?
29:31She was always very proud and she was always very happy for us, wasn't she?
29:36Yeah.
29:40Your very own panoramic views.
29:43Look at that.
29:45Yeah.
29:45Absolutely nothing in front, look.
29:47Nothing in front except the coast.
29:49It's very inspiring.
29:51I think this is my mum's ideal bolt hole that she was after from the beginning, really.
29:59Carmen and Wayne also gave the large bedroom with its own terrace a thumbs up and we had
30:03ourselves a super strong contender.
30:06I tried two more properties this hilltop apartment with two bedrooms that was on the market nicely
30:11under budget and had a wonderful terrace with views to rival our contender.
30:16And this penthouse apartment back in Miraflores that had two terraces and a bright modern interior.
30:23But neither cut the mustard, Carmen's heart was already taken.
30:26Tell me where we're at.
30:29Well, I have thought about it deeply and I have set my heart on the one bed apartment
30:34in Miha's Pablo.
30:36And, yes, I would like to put an offer in for it.
30:40OK.
30:40So, would you like to have a think about it this evening?
30:44Do you want to act quickly?
30:45Um, well, I think I've thought enough for it on it.
30:50So, you want to make an offer now?
30:52Yes.
30:53Yeah, definitely.
30:54How exciting.
30:54Yeah, it's what I want.
30:56I've set my heart on it now.
30:58The apartment was on the market for just over £139,000 and Carmen asked me to make an initial
31:05offer of £128,500.
31:09I did as she asked and we sat down at the marina in Quangarola to wait for a response.
31:18Hello.
31:20Hi.
31:21How are you?
31:26Right.
31:26OK.
31:27And that's the minimum.
31:31OK.
31:32Do you mind just hanging on for one minute?
31:34So, the agent's come back to me and said that the owner can't accept the offer of £128,500.
31:41However, she's put a counteroffer out there.
31:43She said she'd take £130,400, but that is the minimum that she'll go to.
31:51Now, I know £130,000 was the top end of your budget, so do you want to think about it
31:56or would you like to accept that?
32:00Yeah.
32:00That's going to be as good as I'm going to get.
32:02Yeah, it's only £4.
32:03It's only £4.
32:04I'll give you the £400.
32:06I'll go, Wayne.
32:07There you go.
32:09That's fine.
32:10She'd like to accept that offer, yeah.
32:13Thank you so much.
32:15Bye.
32:16Oh, well done.
32:18Well done.
32:19Thanks.
32:20Thanks.
32:20All right?
32:21Yeah.
32:22All right?
32:23Got it.
32:24Thanks.
32:25Oh.
32:26Give me a hug.
32:27Oh.
32:29It's been very exciting, very much.
32:31Yeah.
32:31Come on, Wayne, bring it in.
32:32Give us a hug.
32:33Yeah.
32:34It's been a bit of an emotional journey, hasn't it?
32:37Very emotional.
32:39So many ties there.
32:41I think that's the emotional part about it.
32:43Yeah.
32:43I just think that, you know, it's so funny that it's got these little bits.
32:47It's almost like it's a calling, you know?
32:50Yeah.
32:50It's always...
32:51I'm a believer in that.
32:52I really am.
32:55That was one of my first A Place in the Sun property searches.
32:59I was so happy to be a part of Carmen's journey.
33:02And I'm equally pleased to be back and meeting up with them once again.
33:06Hello.
33:07So good to see you guys.
33:09Hi.
33:09Good to see you.
33:10Love a double hug.
33:11It's so nice to be back in the house.
33:14How are you both?
33:15Very well.
33:16You look well and selfish.
33:17You look...
33:18You both look so well.
33:19Oh, thank you.
33:20Yes.
33:20How long has it been?
33:22It's been a while.
33:23Been a while.
33:23I think it's about eight years.
33:24Eight years.
33:25Oh, my gosh.
33:26And, yeah, it's all going well as well as it can be.
33:30And still happy, still love it.
33:32Good.
33:32Oh, I'm glad to hear it.
33:34Can we see it if you want to hear it?
33:35Yes, please.
33:37So good to see Carmen and Wayne again.
33:39Coming up, that one-of-a-kind apartment.
33:43Still just as gorgeous, Carmen.
33:45Isn't it nice?
33:46Wow, yeah.
33:46It's just beautiful to sit here.
33:48That view!
33:49Can't help but just...
33:50You can get lost in it.
33:57Today I'm in Mijas Pueblo in southern Spain, catching up with Carmen and her son Wayne,
34:03who I helped find a peaceful apartment for Carmen to escape to for holidays nearly eight years ago.
34:09Back then, when we first saw it, Carmen was filled with emotion and tells me she's still in love with
34:15the place.
34:16I can't wait to look around.
34:18Oh, it still looks just as gorgeous.
34:20Isn't it lovely?
34:22So lovely.
34:24I remember that 28 and when you first saw that.
34:26Do you remember?
34:27Yeah, I can remember the 28.
34:28Was it your mum's birthday?
34:30Is that right?
34:30It was, and it was the 28th of September when we came up.
34:33What are the chances of that?
34:44I don't know.
34:46From the onset, it was going to be a bolt hole and that's what it's been.
34:49It's been very good to me.
34:51Have you managed to come out with your mum, Wayne?
34:53Yeah, I've been out once or twice, yeah.
34:55Yeah.
34:55Really nice.
34:56Relaxing.
34:57Right.
34:57I'm desperate to have a look inside.
34:59Go and lead the way, Carmen.
35:01Come along.
35:01You're trying to take me for a tour.
35:11Still just as gorgeous, Carmen.
35:13Isn't it nice?
35:13Wow, yeah.
35:14It's just beautiful sat here.
35:15That view!
35:17Can't help but just...
35:18Can't help.
35:18You can get lost in it.
35:19I do.
35:20I do.
35:20Now, when we viewed it, I'm pretty sure I remember it looking quite different in terms of furniture.
35:26Oh, I've put my little bits and pieces.
35:29I think I changed and had some new sofas.
35:33I had aircon put in because you do need that.
35:35And Wi-Fi and the, you know, the internet, television and all that.
35:40When you managed to get out here for a weekend or a bit longer,
35:43when you first step through the door into your property, how do you feel?
35:48First of all, it's very much like home from home.
35:51And then it's the peacefulness and the calmness.
35:56You know, you can sit out and have a cup of tea in the morning and you just feel very,
36:01very, very spiritual up here.
36:04Yeah.
36:04You still like...
36:05I know it sounds cliche, but you're at one with everything, elements and yeah.
36:11I love that.
36:12And the view is beautiful.
36:13So, before we get out onto that balcony, you're going to show me a little bit more of the property.
36:18Yeah.
36:18Come down and see the view from the bedroom.
36:20Yes, please.
36:21After you.
36:26Lovely.
36:28So nice.
36:32Waking up to that.
36:34I just love it.
36:36When you go to bed at night and you see all the little lights and, you know, I always have
36:41the curtains open and it's just so nice.
36:43It's very pretty and to wake up in the morning, it's lovely and fresh and look out.
36:49Right, you can see, look, right beyond the coast and the sea in front.
36:53At home, I probably wouldn't feel spiritual at all.
36:56Yeah.
36:56But being here, yeah, definitely.
36:58I love that you're a little bit spiritual.
37:00Yeah.
37:00Yeah.
37:01You got to when you've got a mum like climbing.
37:03I know.
37:05Love that.
37:06I noticed coming down the stairs that you've done the bathroom up.
37:09Yes, yes, that really did need doing because it was quite old.
37:14I think it was partitioned off and they had a little shower.
37:17Yeah.
37:17So...
37:18It needed doing.
37:19Yes, you did.
37:19Yeah, it looks nice now, yeah.
37:20It looks lovely.
37:21Yeah.
37:22We've spoken about the view and the outside loads.
37:24I'm really keen to get out on that Tyrus and have a look.
37:27Yeah, let's go.
37:28Go on.
37:28Go on, then.
37:34Well, this is still stunning.
37:37What a spot, eh?
37:39Beautiful, isn't it?
37:40Yes.
37:40Absolutely beautiful.
37:41And actually, you feel so private out here, don't you?
37:44It's very private.
37:45You know, like I said, there's nothing in front.
37:47And then each side, you know, very secluded.
37:51I'd be doing a bit of naked sunbathing.
37:53Well, yeah.
37:54Have you given it a go?
37:55Well, that's for me to know.
37:58She has.
37:58Nobody else.
38:01Have you made any friends?
38:02Oh, yes, it's a lovely community here.
38:06Neighbours.
38:07Yeah.
38:07They always said, you know, I inspire them to buy their place because they saw me with this
38:12one.
38:12And when the one below me came available, they bought it and they absolutely love it.
38:18As I said, it's home from home.
38:19You come back and you see people and it's really nice.
38:23Yeah.
38:23But it must be for you, Wayne, hearing that quite nice because, obviously, your mum's
38:28coming out here by herself.
38:29To know that she's got a nice community around her makes such a difference.
38:32Yeah, it does.
38:33Yeah, it really does.
38:34Like, she's fitted into part of the community.
38:37Yeah.
38:37That is really nice.
38:39Yeah.
38:39Yeah.
38:39It's nice to have that sort of...
38:40And it has to be a special place like this place to sort of, I think, to do that sort
38:45of thing.
38:45Yeah.
38:46You must be hungry now.
38:47Would you like to have some lunch?
38:48Always.
38:49Music to my ears.
38:50Let's do it.
38:50Yeah, it would be lovely.
38:51Shall I give you a hand?
38:52Yes.
38:52Come on.
38:53We can chop, Wayne.
38:55Carmen's an inspirational woman and it's great to see Sunwayne supporting her.
39:01Lovely to see you both.
39:02So happy to be here.
39:03Shall we have a little cheers?
39:04Yeah.
39:05Cheers.
39:05Cheers.
39:06Cheers.
39:07This is just lovely.
39:08So when I saw you last, it was when we were out here and you got the property for,
39:14I think it was $130,400, is that right?
39:17Yeah.
39:18I can remember the $400 because you said, oh, I'll...
39:20He was quibbling, oh, I'll give you the $400.
39:23Can you remember that?
39:24That's great.
39:25Oh, I'll give you the $400.
39:26He just wanted to wrap it up.
39:27Love that.
39:28So since you've had the property, Carmen, have you spent much on it?
39:31Put the bath in because it was just a shower room in there.
39:34Yeah.
39:35And little bits and pieces like the air con.
39:39And bought some new sofas and stuff like that.
39:44Yeah.
39:44Just the little things, you know.
39:45Little things.
39:46Was it expensive getting the bathroom done?
39:49In pounds, about £6,000.
39:52OK.
39:53Because the flooring was done as well.
39:55Got it.
39:56Yeah.
39:56Property prices and spring have gone up a bit.
39:59Have you ever had it valued or felt the need to do that?
40:03Yeah.
40:03It was about two years ago when, I think because of COVID and everything else,
40:09I was finding it very, very hard to keep up.
40:13And that's what I did, put it on for sale.
40:17Oh, you put it on the market?
40:19Yeah.
40:19And you had an offer on it?
40:21Yeah, the offer was €195,000.
40:25That's good.
40:25It was good, yeah.
40:27Considering what you bought it for, that's a nice wee, that's a tasty little profit.
40:31It is a profit, yes.
40:32But you decided not to in the end?
40:35I think in my heart of hearts, you know, it would have been very hard to have parted
40:40with it, as you know.
40:41Yeah.
40:41What did you think about that, Wayne, and how did you feel?
40:44I was a bit sort of trying to talk her out of it, but I know the situation she was
40:51in.
40:51But yeah, I was hoping that she didn't need to do that.
40:55Yeah.
40:55Yeah.
40:56And we're here now, so it's good.
40:58Well, it's a testament to how much you loved this place, that you managed to get through
41:02that time and stick with it.
41:04Would you ever, given it's such a beautiful life out here, would you ever move out here
41:08permanently?
41:09Not permanently, because I always think, yeah, you don't get any younger and you get to
41:15the stage where you will want to be looked after or you're not able to move very well.
41:21Yeah.
41:22But it's nice to have the choice to spend longer, you know, like a couple of months out here
41:28and enjoy it.
41:30Have you done a long stint like that yet?
41:32No, not yet, because I'm still working.
41:34Oh, you need to take a sabbatical, don't you?
41:37Oh, yes, definitely.
41:38I'll take a sabbatical.
41:40That was delicious.
41:41Cheers.
41:42Cheers.
41:42Thank you for that.
41:43Cheers, Wayne.
41:44Cheers.
41:45What a lovely Spanish lunch, but there's no time for an afternoon siesta.
41:49Wayne's got a surprise lined up, a short walk away in the centre of Mijas Pueblo.
41:53Yeah.
41:55What are we doing, Wayne, then?
41:57We're going for a ride.
41:59In this?
42:00Yeah.
42:01Are we?
42:01Jumping girls, we're going to go for a ride.
42:04I've never been in one of these.
42:05Go on, Daddy.
42:06That's so exciting.
42:06First time I've been in it as well.
42:11Woo-hoo!
42:12This is fun.
42:14Have you ever been on a tuk-tuk round Mijas Pueblo?
42:16All the time I've been here, I've never been on a tuk-tuk.
42:18What about you, Wayne?
42:19No, never.
42:20What do you think?
42:21It's really good.
42:26Wherever you go in Mijas, you've got a view.
42:28Yes.
42:29There's lovely little streets and alleyways, and there's beautiful houses and little squares.
42:38This part's nice, too.
42:40This is the square I was thinking of that was quieter.
42:44Oh, yeah.
42:44This is...
42:44Yeah, this one.
42:45This is higher up.
42:46Yeah, that's nice.
42:47And this is nice here.
42:48Oh, yeah, that's really nice.
42:49They have music here on Saturday night.
42:52Oh, cute!
42:52Yeah.
42:55Wayne, are you seeing more of Mijas than you've seen before right now?
42:58Yeah.
42:59Are you? Good.
43:00Yes, really good.
43:01Yeah, really good.
43:02This is up where the bullring is.
43:04And it's nice in the shops of Peter, look.
43:07Really cute.
43:08And you know something about the bullring.
43:10It's the smallest bullring in Spain.
43:12Do they still use it as a bullring?
43:15Not anymore.
43:16Five years ago that we stopped bullfighting here in Mijas, and right now on summertime,
43:21they open on the weekends and they have flamenco shows and horses.
43:25Oh, I love that.
43:29I reckon we should pull up and go and find a little spot to go and take in that view
43:33together
43:34one last time.
43:35What do you reckon?
43:35Yeah, that's a good idea.
43:37Lovely.
43:37Yeah.
43:42I really, really loved our house hunt and I loved that we found that property for you.
43:48It's obviously...
43:49Well, it feels like it's made you really, really happy and added a lot to your life,
43:54being able to have this sort of bolt hole that you can escape to.
43:56Oh, it has.
43:57It has added a lot to it, yeah.
44:00And what about you, Wayne?
44:01How has it been for you seeing your mum go through the process of getting a property
44:06in Spain and actually having somewhere that she can escape to?
44:10It's been really exciting, really.
44:12Yeah, it's been really good.
44:13I think you're quite happy for me, aren't you?
44:15Every time I say I'm coming out, he says, oh, that's good.
44:18That's good, mate.
44:19Yeah.
44:19He always says that.
44:20Yeah.
44:21Definitely.
44:22I like to get the use out of it, yeah.
44:24Yeah.
44:25I have loved catching up with you so much and I know we're going to keep in touch.
44:29So, it's not bye for long, it's bye for now.
44:31Yeah, bye for now.
44:33Bye for now.
44:33Lovely to see you guys.
44:34And you.
44:35Take care.
44:41I'm sure it's obvious how much I absolutely adore Carmen.
44:44So, it's been fabulous catching up with her and Wayne.
44:48To make that dream happen, there was a lot of hard work, sacrifice and determination.
44:53So, to see her living it has just been a thing of beauty.
44:58If you'd like to be on a place in the sun to find your own dream home, go to channel4
45:02.com forward slash take part.
45:05Thank you .
45:06go to date for each other, please, change your connection ever with people.
45:06Yes, thank you.
45:06Thank you, everybody.
45:20To be honest whatever it is, follow your ways.
45:22Thanks for the introduction of the serene, no matter what you're worried about.
45:23Thank you
45:29And if available at night for three, the company, each of you, inaudibleätzen.
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