Sixty-somethings David and Meg Penny from Gloucestershire appeared on the TV show in February 2017 with Laura Hamilton looking for a townhouse in Axarquia, southern Spain, with a budget of £100,000. Here, the retired IT company director turned novelist explains how their purchase has been going.
“We had been looking at Spain with a view to spending six months a year there. We have two grown-up children, aged 24 and 28, and I wanted to spend the time in Andalusia researching my historical mysteries [there are six books so far].
“We had a screen test at A Place in the Sun’s Birmingham show in September 2016 but it was a while before we suddenly got the call to go and we were flying out to Malaga within a week. We love Axarquia [the area north-east of Malaga] because of the Moorish history, and the fact it still feels very Spanish. It’s not hugely touristy, yet we have the best of both worlds – we are only 30 minutes away from the resort of Torre del Mar where we can get sardines or churros on the beach.
“We were seeking a two-bedroom townhouse in a small town or village with outside space (we have a dog) and Meg is a keen gardener. The house we bought is a lovely rustic property with the original beams located on the edge of a hamlet in a place called Los Hijanos near Llano de Almendra (Land of the almonds). It’s got three bedrooms – it was a two-bedroom farmer’s cottage that was extended. It cost £95,000 which was €110,000 at the time (through Essential Properties – essential-properties.com).
“We found a local builder who helped us add a wood burner, add some aircon and the plumbing, but we have learnt that in Spain everything happens three weeks from tomorrow.
“When we are there we go walking, explore the towns in the area by car, or go to the beach at Torre del Mar. We are also doing a ten-week course in Spanish in the resort. We are not worried at all about Brexit. There are a few Americans moving here and we may apply for an EU passport.
David and Meg Penny recently spoke all about their buying experiences at A Place in the Live at the NEC Birmingham. Click here to view our highlights from the fantastic weekend.
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