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