Five years ago we started to build our dream. The big turning point was my burnout and my insights after this period. Actually I was through with working in the hectic and loutishness in the Netherlands. I also lost most of my passion for the world of nutrition which was my field of expertise. This had to change.
I always loved to linger in warm places. But where could we go? The summer season in France is too short and the bureaucracy is one of the worst in Europe. Neither were we charmed by Italy. So we went looking in Spain. Southern Spain attracted us immediately, Andalusia is a beautiful vast area of the Mediterranean. The sun, the diversity of landscapes and the long coastline make it an ideal destination to live in and a great holiday spot. Andalusia is also known as the natural wonder of Europe. The region has Europe's only desert, and also possesses the majestic snow-capped peaks of the Sierra Nevada; extremes in temperature and climate. In addition, of course, the golden beaches of the Costas in the west, interrupted by the unique wetlands of Doñana National Park. All equally special and to us a feeling of 'coming home'.
Now we had to find a place to settle down. The region south of Malaga did not appeal to us because we were aware of the mass tourism. However we were overwhelmed by a tour through the Axarquía: space, green, still so unspoilt and such friendly people!
The hilly landscape resembles that of Tuscany, but Axarquía is slightly rougher and drier. Furthermore it has also one of the healthiest climates in Europe. The whole area is dotted with small natural habitats, such as Sierras de Tejeda, Almijara y Alhama and mountain ranges as los Montes de Málaga. We were convinced that this was the right place for us to build our new life.
We started looking for a bed and breakfast we could take over or a suitable house with enough rooms to turn into a B & B. We noticed that the asking price for an existing B & B was extreme so the probability of making a profitable business out of it would be very small. In addition not all B & B’s are legally registered and / or do not have the appropriate documents. These are real concerns for the near future. Due to the proliferation in recent years the regional government (Junta) is going to structure the rental of rooms and houses.
We searched for a long time and made many beautiful tours to Cómpeta, Salares, Alcaucin and Frigiliana, villages with beautiful housings, but finally we came across a wonderful small holiday park just outside Canillas de Aceituno, in the middle of the beautiful nature of the Sierras de Tejeda, Almijara y Alhama. The park consists of four houses with a large swimming pool, we took up residence in one the houses and we rent out the others (two of them are suitable for six persons and one is convenient for four persons). On the terrace you look out over the park and Lake Viñuela.
© Martin de Vries 2015
Eventually the conclusion of the agreement took some time. We assumed we had a contract and were ready to sign at the lawyer’s office; but this was not going to happen. The owner wanted to settle it in a different way. After a long back and forth discussion the agreement was finally reached. In retrospect we might have benefited more from an experienced Dutch / Spanish consultant.
Anyway, we are quite settled now and we feel very happy. The reservations for next season look again promising. You are very welcome in Casa Lobera!
Un gran saludo
Martin de Vries
More info on Casa Lobera
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We have no shop window or many properties for sale on this website because we believe in personal attention & tailor-made offers; therefore we always work on a specific request basis. From experience we know that buying a home in Spain is different than in your own country, therefore we make every effort to make it run as smoothly as possible.
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Reviews from Our customers
We daily work with great pleasure on fulfilling the needs of our customers. During the years we have been able to help many people find their dream house here on the Costa del Sol. We are quite proud of this and have asked them to share their experiences with you as who can better explain how Team Second Home Andalusia works than our customers themselves?
Worry-free sale of our cortijo in Sedella!
We were impressed with the approach adopted by Caroline and Malcolm of Second Home Andalusia for marketing our property and their approach resulted in a quick almost hassle-free overall sales experience. By getting to know their buyers and sellers’ requirements and objectives, this resulted in less wasted time and unnecessary viewings. They do their research first!
A GOOD YEAR!
Admittedly borrowed from the great film with Russel Crowe, highly recommended for anyone who has or is looking for a home abroad. What a super year 2024 is! If you've been dreaming of a house in Spain since childhood and in 2024 you get to put your signature to the purchase contract of a house in Vélez-Málaga, then you can talk about a good year.
A dream can come true
A few years ago, we came up with the idea of buying a house in Spain. We searched on the internet and by chance came across the site of Second Home Andalusia where we read a lot of information and good reviews. We already knew a few cities in Andalusia, but we had not yet visited the area east of Málaga and were very curious about it. So we booked a cottage in La Axarquía, in Canillas de Aceituno which we found to be so cosy and we thought how nice it would be if we could also find such a place for ourselves.
Casa Limonero, our jewel in the Axarquía
For some time, we had been dreaming of our own place abroad. During a family holiday in Andalusia in autumn 2021, we warmed to Spain. The relaxed atmosphere, the climate, the delicious food appealed to us. Our eye fell on the Axarquía region because of its tranquillity, beautiful nature, friendly people and great weather. Upon returning home, we looked online at the possibilities and ended up at Second Home Andalusia. This seemed almost too good to be true; people who could arrange the whole process from search to purchase and then maintenance and rental for us from their own experience. We were immediately excited.
