A Place in the Sun

[bloodyhairy]

I have a love/hate relationship with this show. Mostly I love it, and the escapism it represents. It also makes me question my own future, and whether I could see myself retiring abroad (currently single!). Most of the presenters are very good and amiable, although do try a little hard to 'push the product', often when the person viewing has no interest at all!
What gets on my nerves, is the buyers' obsession with space. Why would you need a huge kitchen, or 4 bedrooms, when it's just going to be you and your other half knocking about there?
And what do you expect for 50 grand?!
And then when they view, it's like they've lost all sense of their own identity; they're literally looking at it through their own children and grandchildren's eyes. One woman rejected a property because it had a shower, and no bath for her grandchild Just how often do you think they're going to be visiting, for this to emerge as a major and insurmountable issue?!
And other went round mentally kidproofing the place, even though there were no grandchildren on the horizon yet Get a life!!!
Don't get me started on those who treat the whole thing as a jolly, with no intention to buy. You can see the presenters visibly sag, when they say 'what we're going to do, is go home and weigh up the finances, then return to the area in a few weeks.'
Worse still, are those who put in eyewateringly low offers, even though the place (invariably in Spain) has already seen its price slashed, and is already way under budget. Where is the integrity???
What are your thoughts on this programme?

[NeedWineNow]

I love anything connected with house porn

The one I remember is the couple looking at a lovely apartment in Spain, great outside space - I'd have bought it in a heartbeat. They seemed to really like it and then the wife announced that she didn't like the heat - 'why are you looking move to Spain then?' was the unspoken question!

[purrswhileheeats]

NeedWineNow you'd be amazed at the number of people who visit Spain/Greece/Cyprus in the spring and autumn and decide they want to live there without having experienced the 40c summers

[NeedWineNow]

@purrswhileheeats

I know! Reminds me of the time we went to our favourite place in Greece years ago when we still had reps. The rep who we knew very well - she’d been working on the island ever since we’d started going there - said that the week before she’d had to arrange flights for a couple who’d only been there a few days into a 2 week holiday. They wanted to go home because’it was too hot and too Greek’. What do you expect on a Greek island in August!

[thenightsky]

@bloodyhairy

Watched a really good one yesterday, actually. Was set on the Greek island of Skopelos ('Mama Mia').
Makes a change from Spain!
Couple viewed a property on their own. When they came out, Ben exclaimed 'I've just had two espressos and I'm buzzing!'
Love him.

I'm just watching a repeat of this one I think. Bloke who needs space for his 'museum quality' furniture?

[bloodyhairy]

Yeah. He was a bit of a twat. People with 'very expensive, museum quality furniture' tend to have bigger budgets than you, mate
Still, they were a more entertaining couple than the usual.

[purrswhileheeats]

The Skopelos guy fancied himself as a Sir Ian McKellen type didn't he I watched a repeat recently with a blond lady who wasn't too light on her feet; every single property had 2/3 storeys and really steep staircases Laura (not her fault obviously) dragged her round five properties, none of which were suitable as the poor woman was clearly struggling with the stairs. She would have been better looking at bungalows with a garden for her dogs rather than townhouses with small terraces/balconies - made me wonder if it was the producers who'd failed or if she'd been unrealistic with her criteria?

[mscynical]

@bloodyhairy - agree that the Skopelos couple were a bit more interesting. Even though I cannot stand Mamma Mia it made me want to go there. Really fed up with samey, retiring (dare I say dull) types who all want the same boring homes on urbanisations.

Always get hopeful when people start off wanting an old place in the middle of city/town/village. Much more interesting.

[LadyEloise]

I saw that one too**@purrswhileheeats**

The poor woman had arthritis and you could see walking was difficult for her and all the properties had lots of steps and stairs. Most unsuitable. She didn't buy and I don't blame her. She just wasn't shown suitable properties.

@mscynical my heart sinks when it's a programme on finding a village, town or city property, usually old fashioned with no pool. Give me beachfront, poolside, sea view everytime

Just proves you can't please all the people all the time.

[mscynical]

@LadyEloise - yes, I guess that's why it is a popular programme as it appeals to all of us - eventually!

I guess that I am looking at it with my (tiny) budget in mind. A beachfront, sea view home would be out of my league as many PITS couples find out.

I just wish there were other places than southern Spain, Canaries or Florida. The Skopelos show was interesting just because it was somewhere different to normal.

I love looking up property for sale aboard. Don't think that most continental estate agents/sellers have embraced the 'show home' look that we have here in the UK. Therefore compulsive (and often shocking) viewing. Best to look via local estate agents or Idealista rather than those trying to sell to British buyers.

[Lepetitpiggy]

@Mycircusmymonkey

Or I’ve brought you to this footpath can you see yourself walking along a footpath like this?

Hahahahahahahahahaha, That actually made me laugh a lot. I really like it but only if it's in Portugal as that's where we want to retire to. I get terribly excited if it's somewhere we've been, but it's normally ruddy Albufeira.

[Mycircusmymonkey]

Lepetitpig I only like Portugal ones too. They never seem to go to Eastern Algarve though

[IrmaFayLear]

I love Johnny, so there. So does dh. We’ll have to fight for him!

A few years ago there was a thread about Escape to the Country on here, and a poster whose parents had been on said that they were told to keep touching and made to hold hands.

[LadyEloise]

".......they were told to keep touching and made hold hands."

So they're not as loved up as they appear???
I thought as much.

[IrmaFayLear]

Imo those who have been together six months (Sue and Colin met at work and have six children between them....) are far more touchy than long-married couples (Anne and John have been married 32 years and their children have flown the nest) who usually want “hobbies rooms” at opposite ends of the house...

[purrswhileheeats]

The Home or Away spin off is a MN wet dream. 'Trevor and Denise have been married for 58 years; have three children, 12 grandchildren and 65 great grandchildren. Denise wants to live in Derbyshire close to her family to provide free childcare while Trevor wants to enjoy the 300 days of sunshine a year on the Costa Blanca playing golf and getting pissed

Time to get your ducks in a row Denise!

[IrmaFayLear]

Has anyone seen Escape to the Town or whatever it’s called? Seen two so far, with people wanting to downsize to a market town. With not enough money!! Who knew that Abergavenny was so expensive. And Woodbridge. Cor, you should have seen the cat’s bum faces of the Woodbridge couple, when they saw what £400k buys - or doesn’t buy - in a fancy part of Suffolk.

[MoonJelly]

Misandry MN at its best. So sad

Nope, @swimlyn. Happily married for 30 years, two lovely sons, lots of very good male friends. All of whom have managed to work out that women don't need to be steered around by other people.

[Cygne]

There was a recent Escape to the Perfect Town one where the couple really turned their noses up at the house they were shown, only to have reality brought home to them by being told it was literally the only house in that area within their price range. Some of them really are quite incredibly unrealistic.

I also think the programme-makers need to give up on taking people at their word when they say they're happy to take on a "project" that needs a lot of work. Invariably when they are shown a "project" they reject it, even when it comes in way under their budget so that realistically all they need to do is get a builder in to do all the hard work.

[Justmuddlingalong]

Jasmine, flashing a massive smile, expectantly "Your budget for a 3 bedroom villa with a pool is €200,000.
This 1 bedroom apartment on the 7th floor is €235,000. What do you think?"

Househunters, nervously "Jasmine, no it's not quite right for us."

Me "Jasmine it's a fucking flat, stop pretending it was you who shlepped round the estate agents in the heat looking for suitable houses and stop doing your wee whispering piece to camera being offended about how picky the househunters are. IT'S NOT YOUR FUCKING MONEY THEY'RE SPENDING!

[Twospaniels]

One this week in Lanzarote for £300k.

Argghhhh
You don’t let your 16 yr old daughter choose the villa, the decor or anything else!

Constant “well, it’s really up to Jessie”

Not it’s not up to Jessie, it’s your money and you’re the grown ups

What an irritating couple even aside from that.

[LadyEloise]

@Twospaniels
Their daughter was unwell and I think the move was to help her as the warmer climate was beneficial.
She was over with them but at the hotel as the search would be too much for her.
She wouldn't be able to get up the stairs to the terrace of the house with the lovely views, her Mum said.

But I can see where you're coming from.

[Twospaniels]

@LadyEloise

Yes I realised their daughter had ME and I’m not unsympathetic to that, but they just seemed to defer to what she might want the whole time.

Thankfully I’m not in their shoes so maybe IABU

[LadyEloise]

As I said - I can see where you are coming from,Twospaniels.

[bloodyhairy]

Another one to add to the APITS bingo: 'the price is £170K, but the agent says there's room for negotiation'.

And another scenario that does my head in. Presenter shows the couple a property that could be slashed in price, because it has been on the market for two years. Couple nod their heads and and make noises of appreciation.
This is not a good thing!!! If it has been on the market for two years then there must be a reason that no one else wants it!

[Catsup]

I love it! 'Oooh we wanted something with more light!' When shown a typical town house that's built that way specifically because of the climate. 'Oh, it seems quiet during siesta time?' (no shit!), 'it's a bit small, we don't like all the tiled flooring 🤨, we want something traditional (and then hate that), we want to live in a remote village (but then expect everyone to speak English fluently!), I do not like the decor (traditional), why is there no kitchen fittings? (standard to remove when selling in some countries), I do not like; the heat, the buildings, the bars/restaurants/the no bars or restaurants, the sea, the mountains, the fact its 'foreign' 😂.