Laura Hamilton catches up with Gilly and Jane to see for herself some of the amazing transformations in their holiday home in the Dordogne. Leah Charles-King re-visits Steve and Carrie in Islantilla in Southern Spain to hear the positives of having a home in the sunshine.
Dordogne, France
Gilly and Jane
Budget: £100,000
Date of house purchase: August 2016
Gilly and Jane were looking for a traditional stone house to make their holiday home in the Dordogne region of France. Following a health scare they decided that they didn’t want to waste any time in using their budget of £100,000 to find a traditional three bedroom property with a garden that ideally had blue shutters! Laura Hamilton showed them 5 great properties and finally the couple decided to buy the fourth property – a 3 bedroom restored stone cottage they instantly fell in love with for £97,500! Laura returns to France to meet up with the couple and see what changes they’ve made and how they’ve furnished it. Plus they invite Laura to join them on a trip to a Brocante (local flea market)!
Islantilla, Spain
Steve and Carrie
Budget: £122,000
Date of house purchase: July 2021
Carrie and Steve wanted to find a holiday home in the resort of Islantilla in southern Spain. For their maximum budget of £122,000 they wanted an apartment or townhouse with a minimum of 2 bedrooms. They wanted space for their 3 grown up children and their dog to come and stay. After Leah Charles-King showed them 5 properties – there was only one really captured their hearts – property 4 which was a semi-detached house with a large garden, 4 bedrooms and a self-contained apartment in the basement! 2 years later Leah returns to Islantilla to see how the couple have decorated and furnished it the house, plus Carrie and her son Cameron invite Leah to join them on a boat trip!