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A part-time home on Spain's undiscovered Costa de la Luz

Having flown the world as a commercial pilot with British Airways, Guy Hirst thought he knew Spain. But when his brother advised him and his partner Jo to take a closer look at the Costa de la Luz, they knew straight away that it was somewhere they wanted to spend more time.

Guy, 54, is a Training Captain on Boeing 747s. He, his partner Jo, and their colleague Trevor run a training consultancy company, Atrainability, which specialises in assisting hospital operating teams to function more safely and efficiently. Guy and Jo already had a property in Spain – an apartment in Almeria, where they and his sons had enjoyed holidays – but were looking for somewhere where they would feel comfortable spending more time as retirement beckoned.

"My interest in property abroad stems from when I was a child," says Guy. "My father was an airline pilot so we were fortunate enough to travel abroad in the days when it was a real experience! In the late 1950s we were taken on holiday to the Algarve area of Portugal. This was long before Faro airport opened, so it was a marathon 3-hour flight to Lisbon, then a 7-hour car drive to southern Portugal. I can still recall the fantastic sandy beaches and the landscape. I also recall my parents dragging us around various plots of land that they were interested in buying. Sadly they couldn't raise the necessary finances to purchase. With hindsight they would have made a million!"

"In 1986 we ended up on a package holiday to a resort near Almeria. I can be impulsive, and decided to buy an apartment while I was there. While I owned that apartment I tended to travel to that area of Spain. It was fine, but I never really felt I wanted to be there for more than a couple of weeks each year. However, it served its purpose and gave my sons the opportunity to take their friends there on some lads' holidays!"

"In the past decade, I've had some good golf holidays on the Algarve. We usually base ourselves at Val do Lobo and play the excellent course of San Lorenzo and others in the local area. So….we now have the Spanish connection and the golf connection. Then my brother called me. "Guy," he said, "A friend of mine is selling properties in an area of Spain that would suit you. It's the real Spain. Much quieter than the usual resorts. Brilliant beaches and golf courses..." When I used to fly shorthaul I'd been to Seville, Gibraltar, Faro etc, but I was completely unaware of the part of Spain to the east of the Algarve and west of Gibraltar. Jo and I decided to go and take a look."

"Somehow, I never felt that the Almeria area was the place for us to settle down," says Guy. "But the more I saw of the Costa de la Luz, the more I could see us living there on a part-time basis. We would never want to completely move away from England, and intend to spend a few months in Spain each year."

Guy and Jo organised an inspection trip with Superior, and were taken to see various properties, from small developments of town houses to large rambling villas. They had identified five basic criteria for their ideal property, including a south-facing aspect and being within walking distance of local bars and restaurants. However, none of the available homes met all five criteria, so they left empty-handed. However, they had identified the area they liked - Nuevo Portil – and, a few months later, were contacted by Superior and told that a new development there was being released off-plan, due for completion in 2 years time. The houses there met all their criteria, so Guy and Jo put down a deposit."

"We have been lucky enough to see many parts of the world, and the beaches around Portil are some of the best I have ever seen. They are in the Cape Town class," explains Guy. "The local golf courses are excellent. Considering how new they are, they're in great condition and will soon be challenging their more famous counterparts along the coast in Portugal! Portil is also close to the delightful little fishing village of El Rompido which has some beautiful yet casual restaurants. They positively welcome children into their restaurants rather than making them feel unwanted!" "The climate on the Costa de la Luz is ideal. Almeria is very arid and the heat can be intense, whereas here the climate is exceptional, with a pleasant breeze that helps to cool the air in summer. The landscape is beautiful. The lush fruit groves give it a very picturesque quality. It's also not too far to the Sierra Nevada mountains. There are some beautiful and historic cities locally like Seville and Jerez and, although there is building going on, it seems to be on a lesser scale to other areas of Spain."

Guy heard of Superior because his brother recommended the company. "Two or three of my friends have also used their services," says Guy. "We have all been particularly impressed by the Superior staff who escorted us on our inspection visits. Another positive factor was that they could recommend the right lawyer and bank etc. The main thing was that we really did not feel in any way pressurised."

"Would-be buyers of Spanish property should definitely have a look at the Costa de la Luz," advises Guy. "I think you only have to compare the prices of homes around Val do Lobo etc to see the value in the Costa de la Luz. While our priority was to buy somewhere where we wanted to spend time, we also felt that this was an area in which to invest. I don't see the venture as any sort of a gamble."

Guy's other piece of advice is to talk with people who have already purchased and been through the process of furnishing homes. There are some excellent people around who will help and get work done well, while there are others whom I would not care to use. I understand that Superior are putting in place a network of recommended companies who can facilitate the post-purchase process, which will be a useful addition to their services."

Finally, Guy sums it up. "Three hours after arriving at Gatwick airport, we were sitting at a beach bar in El Rompido. It's another world - and it's so close. Go for it!"