Fed up with ‘waking up to the drizzle’, Jim and Marlene moved from Lanarkshire in Scotland to Spain in August.
After driving over in a campervan with their two dogs, they’ve just kept the summer going, having moved to Mazarrón in southeast Spain, where there are around 320 days of sun a year – it’s not called the ‘warm coast’ (Costa Cálida) for nothing.
After careers in the NHS – and a brush with cancer for Marlene – they are enjoying a well-deserved retirement. “I have a great pension so was lucky enough to be able to retire early,” says Jim, 55, who worked in psychiatric nursing.
“We love the mild winter here, and it’s a great jumping-off point to lots of other places in Spain to explore. With all the fresh food and exercise we are doing, it’s far healthier too. I’ve lost three stone and Marlene two.”
Why Jim and Marlene chose Murcia
Prior to this impressive transformation, the couple had applied to A Place in the Sun to help them with their search, initially looking in Almería – where they’d never been – and nearly bought a property in 2023. An issue with the licence persuaded them to ‘stop and regroup’.
“There’s a Scottish saying, ‘what’s for you won’t go by you,’” says Jim. “It was fate. We decided we wanted to be nearer the sea, so decided to look at next-door Murcia instead.
“Being on the show was an excellent experience and taught us a lot. It took away the unknown and made it less scary. Also, from watching the show, we knew we could get more for our money in Murcia, so that’s where we went.”
How much property costs in Mazarrón
With a similar budget – €275,000 – they found a three-bedroom house in El Alcolar on the outskirts of Puerto de Mazarrón.
Currently, you can find a two-bedroom apartment there for around €150,000, or a three-bedroom property for €350,000.
Life by the sea on Spain’s Costa Cálida
The quiet residential area was ideal, and they fell in love with the property – with a rooftop solarium, a plunge pool, an outside kitchen, and just 400m from the sea. It’s around 1 hour 40 minutes from Alicante Airport.
“It’s great – I think we picked well. We completed in May and moved out in August, having got our Non-Lucrative Visas. The purchase was straightforward, even the visas in the end. The language has been the hardest part,” says Jim.
“But we love our new life. Mazarrón is a very Spanish holiday town. We walk or cycle nearly every day.”
Inspired by Jim and Marlene’s move to Mazarrón?
Why not check out our free Murcia Buying Guide for everything you need to know about buying and moving to the region, or join us at A Place in the Sun Live in Manchester this February for expert guidance in person.
EXPLORE PROPERTY FOR SALE IN MAZARRON
