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?

They always do the “now let’s see how much farther your money goes here” thing by taking the couple to a remote village with no amenities and one bar with a menacing-looking pair of old men outside. And, as pps have said, an awesome view of some scrubland with a couple of burnt-out cars just off camera.

The one I watched last night ( a repeat ) I was .
In Cyprus.
They loved, loved Apartment 2. Why I don't know, but each to their own.
They wouldn't go the extra couple of thousand to buy it despite it being way under their budget.
Went for their second choice and paid the same amount for it that they could have bought Apartment 2 for. FFS !!!
Could somebody please explain their logic to me.

I had seen the episode before and wondered the same thing last time too.

It's things like 'I don't like the wallpaper' or 'The dining suite is a bit small'

1. so decorate to your taste
2. they're not leaving the furniture you insufferable nerk

On a recent ETTC, the couple were going around exclaiming how light the property was despite having small windows. I was shouting at the screen "Have you really not noticed that they've got every single electric light on although it's sunny outside, FFS?"

I love it, but God I shout at it, the amount who want lots of bedrooms for all the family to stay in, drives me crazy.
I saw my place in it once ( neighbouring one for sale) the excitement! But they talk shite, said it was a 7 min walk to a place, more like 20 mins

I live in East Cyprus. The village where I live is often featured on the programme when people can't get what they want by the coast. There was an episode where recently where a couple got a 2 bedroom villa with a pool here for 90k. It wasn't what they'd asked for and they were really picky and I was surprised they went for it but I've seen them out and about. They're still here and they seem happy!

My DH works on a few properties that have been on too. To answer a question, over here they're quiet because they film out of season and some of the complexes and town houses have mostly been unoccupied for years.

Love the programme though and that Bulgaria episode recently was hilarious!

. I do have a problem with men putting a proprietorial hand on the small of their partners' backs and guiding them around as if they don't know the way to the door.

I can't stand having my back touched like that by anyone - not even DH and DS. If the producers wanted to film us like that there'd be a Problem. We don't hold hands or link arms either.

@LadyEloise I watched that one it was madness! They really wanted property 2 and I think after they'd made 2 really low offers they were embarrassed to return to it. I also think vendors are insulted by very low offers and if they'd offered 100k to start with it might have been accepted.

When they go off to interview some expat local, I really want them to find the person who says "God, worst mistake of my life, I can't wait to leave".

@MaryLeeOnHigh

When they go off to interview some expat local, I really want them to find the person who says "God, worst mistake of my life, I can't wait to leave".

😂😂.

Today’s was Lanzarote, a favourite place of ours. Healthy budget too £280,000. My personal favourite villa was the older property that had been renovated. Seemed to have more character than the one they bought in the end, although it was nice too.

But Jeepers I wish the wife would have broken a smile! Classic ‘resting bitch face’ with ‘cat’s bum’.

And the ex-pat they met on the promenade was none other than the wife of the couple who were on a while ago and had the daughter with ME.

I saw that one Twospaniels and though they all looked a bit pricey. Not a fan of the lunar landscape Lanzarote though ( disclaimer, never been).

I think they should introduce a new format “Afford Abroad” where you just give the presenters your house requirements and a budget and they find you the best country and location . £40K and want the sun - cave house in Spain. £100k - 4 bed house, massive garden, gite and another 3 outbuildings for conversion-, Limousin France. £250k sun, pool and rental potential - Florida.
I want to present it too!

The couple on today were annoying. Dani showed them round a lovely property and the bloke moans "hmm it doesnt have the mountain views i wanted". They never mentioned views when listing out their requirements. Silly sods.

I wonder if anyone has ever gone into a property and said they don't want to look around because of strange or spooky vibes? Especially places that have been empty for years or need loads of work doing? Also wish they would do a follow-up series or bloopers at the end of each episode

@Twospaniels
I totally agree re the property, I preferred the one you preferred too.
I also couldn't understand why the woman wasn't happier. Buying an expensive home in a sunny place. I wondered was all well in her world. Her partner seemed chipper.
You and I both picked up on it.

I didn't notice that the woman they met was the woman who had been on the show before. I fast forward those bits.

The British seem obsessed with bedroom sizes. Other than to sleep, we don’t spend time in our bedroom when we go to our UK holiday home let alone if we’re in a villa abroad. It’s bizarre.

@Cherrypie32

The British seem obsessed with bedroom sizes. Other than to sleep, we don’t spend time in our bedroom when we go to our UK holiday home let alone if we’re in a villa abroad. It’s bizarre.

Oh I'm glad someone said this! I thought it was just me. The obsession with big bedrooms. As long as the bed fits and there's storage what more do you need? It makes me wonder what they're planning on doing in their bedroom that needs so much space!

The problem is alot of these British people seem to fail to understand that the way of life in a hot country is v different to that in Britain. You won't be lounging around in the bedroom especially when the living-room has windows out onto the garden/pool.

@SeeSawSeen

My mental Bingo card while watching:

Walking into any half-decent room...'It's a good size'

Presenter, standing outside the property... 'What do you think? Do you like it?'
Buyers: 'We need to see inside first.'
Presenter: 'But do you love it? Is it a contender?'
Buyers:

Standing on the terrace...'I can picture myself out here with a glass of wine, hahaha'

Opening the wardrobes, the woman always says...'Great for my clothes, where are Steve's going to go?'

In Spain, inland...'We want REAL Spain, we want to immerse ourselves in the culture'

At the end...'Our budget is £100,000, they're asking £90,000, so we obviously won't go above £60,000'

All these. Plus:

In the kitchen: Presenter: Who's the cook? Man: Me. Presenter: REALLY? That's the washing up for [partner] then ha ha ha.

In the kitchen: 'Great! I can talk to people from here while I'm cooking'.

Every sodding couple: We like walking, we walk miles every day. [Do they heck as like]

Can't stand those bits where the presenter goes off and looks around a millionaire's pad.

I like Scarlette, Jonnie and Jasmine. I have two pronunciation moans.

Laura pronounces 'here' as 'hee'.

Scarlette doesn't change her pronunciation of 'the' before words that start with vowels. For example, most of us would say [phonetically] 'the house' but 'thee agent', she always pronounces it 'the'. Hard to explain but listen and you'll hear and you'll never forgive me for pointing it out.

@TellingBone
Spot on

My personal bugbear is as you pointed out :
"At the end .....Our budget is £100,000,
they're asking £90,000, so we obviously won't go above £60,000."

Just once I'd like the presenter to say "Whoa, Hold on there !!! You came out saying you had a budget of £100,000. You're being offered the house of your dreams for £90,000 ( they've already dropped the price £12,000 ) and because you only want to pay £60,000, you are now turning it down. FFS !!!! Why have you wasted my time, the viewers time and the cameraman's time ?"
I'm not sure Johnny wouldn't put them straight

Just watched a repeat of a couple from Rochdale [I think] looking around Orlando with Laura. They seemed a lovely pair really but the woman was so unforthcoming it was embarrassing, and Laura had that forced smile she does when she's annoyed.

To top it all, they got a bargain offer accepted but in the update at the end they had withdrawn their offer the following day. I KNOW WHO DID THAT.

Also wish they would do a follow-up series or bloopers at the end of each episode

I would also love to see follow-ups too, it would be really interesting to see how the full experience pans out.

I'd love to see Homes in The Sun Revisited.
Like they sometimes do on Location, Location, Location

@HuggedTheRedwoods

Also wish they would do a follow-up series or bloopers at the end of each episode

I would also love to see follow-ups too, it would be really interesting to see how the full experience pans out.

Yes to follow ups. But only five minutes on each thanks.

Did anyone ever see the show “Escape to the Continent”? It was good if you were sick of the sight of Spain in APITS. There were people buying houses in Sweden and Switzerland.

I'd love to watch a property programme where the following phrases are banned:

• It's a good/nice size (What does that even mean?!)
• Oh look, there's a window/wardrobe etc.!(Ummm, yes, standard in houses and rarely a cause for surprise)
• It's got/hasn't got the WOW factor (shudder - let's never say that again)
• It has potential, but OBVIOUSLY we'd need to put our own stamp in it (subtext: it's impeccable, but we are the only people in the world with good taste and nothing is good enough for us)

-We have to go away and think about it (when they have no intention of buying anything, ever, or going even close to what they say their top budget is) -We don't need a TV: we could sit here all day admiring the view! (Suuuurrrreee you could) -Imagine waking up to that view! (View? That's scrubland!) -If we could pick up house B and put it in location A...(Well you know you can't, so stop it)

If APITS eliminated these, it would be 99% silence

(I love APITS really, I just think familiarity is ever so slightly breeding contempt!)