Karen and Gary from Dudley in the West Midlands have been dreaming of a home in Spain for around 25 years.
They have been married for 32 years – with a daughter who’s 30 – but life events have meant that it’s never been the right time to realise their hopes.
“We’ve had a challenging few years,” says Gary, 63, referring to the fact that Karen, 64, has battled different types of cancer for 20 of them. She’s currently got bone cancer but is managing it with oral chemotherapy.
“After all we’ve been through it was finally the right time to do it,” says Gary, referring to the pandemic and the years around it when Karen could not travel due to treatments. “I had searched online for properties for years. There was always a reason not to do it.”
The couple headed to A Place in the Sun Live at Birmingham’s NEC in September 2024 and were flying out to Malaga a month later. “I had always watched the TV programme, and we did a screen test as a bit of fun,” says Gary, an IT manager. “But it was the push that we needed.”
What can you buy on the Costa del Sol for £240k?
After all that time, things happened very quickly. Helped by Jasmine Harman, they found their perfect home in Mijas on the central Costa del Sol, after looking at homes around Fuengirola and Benalmádena. Their budget was £240k for a two-bedroom home that would be easy to reach without having to drive – and with some outside space.
In fact, although they were looking for a two-bedroom apartment, Jasmine found them a townhouse on an urbanisation in Mijas, which is a great central location on the Costa del Sol. “We loved the feel of it, the pool area and it came fully furnished, which we realised after was such a big bonus,” says Karen. “Having to furnish it would have been a hassle we have avoided.”
After their offer was accepted in a very emotional episode – shown in February 2026 – they stayed on after filming to sort things with their lawyer and open a bank account. “The purchase was all very swift as the property was owned by the development,” says Karen. The couple paid £218k, plus fees.
What happened after their offer was accepted?
Yet it wasn’t quite plain sailing. In November, Gary had a heart attack and now has a stent. “I thought I was fit and healthy,” he says. “As I was being wheeled into theatre, I remember thinking: ‘I have been waiting 25 years to get our place in Spain and now I’m not going to see it.’”
But he recovered well and they completed a couple of weeks later. Lots of walking is what the doctor ordered, and they’ve certainly been doing that along miles of the coast.
What is life like living in Mijas on the Costa del Sol?
The public transport is great – they get the train from Fuengirola to Malaga and love visiting the city itself every time they are staying in Mijas.
“The beach is just four minutes’ walk from our door,” says Gary, as if he can’t quite believe their luck. “We love it and have visited as much as we can within our 90-day limits.”
They’ve been out at Christmas and relish the fact the resort is open 365 days a year. Chloe, their daughter, uses it too – and in fact Jasmine stayed briefly on the resort herself during her Renovation in the Sun project – and popped in to say hello.
“We actually prefer coming out when it’s quieter,” says Gary. “We’ve been out at least every couple of months. We dreamt of lazy days of walking and eating and it’s ideal.”
How much does it cost to run a property in Spain?
The resort, which has a security van and well-kept grounds, costs them €1,500 per year in community fees, which they feel is very fair for the ‘safe and relaxing’ environment. They used A Place in the Sun Currency to transfer money across for the purchase and make the regular transfers.
“We like to think we did everything right. We felt reassured by the brand,” says Gary.
“A Place in the Sun was good to us, it helped us finally buy abroad.”
Ready to start your own journey to Spain?
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