I read a post on Facebook recently that promoted the €1 property scheme in Italy. If you recall, it was this scheme that prompted Amanda and Alan to buy their first restoration project in Sicily.

Clearly, Facebook is never the platform for getting reasoned argument, and the majority of comments on the original post seem completely unaware that a €1 property purchase might come with conditions. Many seemed to be aghast that they might have to spend more than €50,000 to restore their new €1 purchase. One or two asked if any €1 properties were available in cities like Milan…

Italy, like Spain, has regions that suffer from rural depopulation. For centuries, the same families have lived in these remote rural areas and have survived mainly on agriculture. However, in more recent times, commensurate with improved education, younger generations have sought work in the cities or abroad and have had to leave behind their family villages. The older generations die out and local people see no value in the old houses that are left empty. Regional governments, therefore, have to find ways of attracting investment from elsewhere, but clearly they are not intent on just giving houses away to all and sundry, like some bargain property jumble sale. They want commitment, investment and a breath of new life to keep these villages alive. Of course there are conditions.

However, as we discovered, for those people who understand why these schemes exist and are prepared to commit, then a great deal can be achieved in a very short space of time.

We know of a Dutch couple who won a competition to win a run-down house in a remote village in the Alpujarras - the southern foothills of the Sierra Nevada here in Andalucia. This initiative was also organised to draw attention to the plight of dying rural villages. This committed couple have shown what can be achieved, as they have painstakingly restored their property, organised art tours, art residences, cookery classes and built a community of like-minded people with similar vision. I have followed their progress on social media with interest, and we are yet to meet, but it is clear that they have forged a sympathetic path within the community; not bringing unwanted change, but respecting the spirit and integrity of the place they now call home and working with the local people to regenerate with love and care. This all comes with hard work and determination. You can take a look at their website: https://casa3polopos.com/

Last summer, a great deal was achieved in a very short period of time.

The purchase of Amanda and Alan's property was completed at the end of March 2024. The planning application was immediately submitted, with close liaison with the planning department at the town hall, and with the architect who worked on on this project. Much of Moclin now falls within a conservation area, adding another layer of appraisal for building projects within a radius of the 13th Century Moorish Castle.

Builders, in the meantime, were assembled on the basis that they could start the project almost immediately, complete the work by mid August and who could work within the parameters of a filming schedule. It is unlikely that many builders would ever be able to meet these criteria.

It was important for us that local people were used wherever possible. This project was, after all, about bringing opportunities to villages suffering from rural depopulation. Builders were given various tours of the property, and many were honest enough to say that they couldn’t possibly manage the project within the timeframe. The start date was an issue, as almost every building company has a diary booked at least 6 months ahead with ongoing projects, and this wasn’t really a project for individual labourers. Our own trusted sub-contractors were lined up for the plumbing, electricity and carpentry but a team was needed for the main elements.

The Suárez Brothers are a local firm with an excellent reputation. Their mother and I act in the same local dramatic society, and we had wanted them to do the building work on Esperanza 9 but they had a backlog of projects. Even last year, they had a full schedule of work, including the renovation of a local bar. However, Antonio, one of the brothers, managed to do a reshuffle and could commit to a start date on 2nd May, erecting the scaffolding that would be needed to replace the roof. We had just over three months to restore a village house that had been empty for 35 years. The roof needed to be completely replaced, bedrooms and bathrooms created and a kitchen fitted. At the rear of the house, there was a ruined casita that was once a stable, and the tumbled roof had been covered with asbestos that had to be safely removed before any work could be done.

This was no easy project and it required the commitment and passion that I outlined above. We cannot thank enough all those people who were involved, from the Ayuntamiento and Paloma, our architect, across to every member of the Suárez team who had a united vision to create something special in just 3 months.

Although we had to do a huge amount of the ground work before the filming crew arrived at the very end of April, the actual build was overseen by Scott Thompson, the crew’s own Project Manager. For those people who have seen the first two series of the programme, they will know Scott. He lives in Sicily and became involved in the first series, and then followed the team to Tuscany; it became a solid team. Here, in Spain, it was a slightly different prospect in that Scott doesn’t speak Spanish and is used to working with Italian builders, not Spanish. However, Scott does understand Project Management and a timetable that works around a filming schedule, so had spreadsheets for every day of the shoot and how these might work with a construction team.

Scott and Alan attack ‘Jeremy’ Vine [BBC Episode 6]

I felt confident that we had prepared everything sufficiently for the TV crew to move in and just get on with the job and enjoy the process, maybe falling in love with Moclin at the same time!

Returning to that idea of buying a property for €1 and expecting a free ride, our summer demonstrates that commitment is a vital ingredient. You can’t tackle these projects half-heartedly, and these initiatives are designed to encourage people to invest both money and time and passion into an area. Similarly, if you buy a ruin in a village in Spain, regardless of the purchase price, it is important to understand that you are buying into a community as well, and that comes with responsibility; a responsibility to help keep a village alive.

You can read earlier posts in this series by clicking on the links below:

Our Summer with Alan and Amanda 1
Our Summer with Alan and Amanda 2
Our Summer with Alan and Amanda 3
Our Summer with Alan and Amanda 4
Our Summer with Alan and Amanda 5
Our Summer with Alan and Amanda 7

Follow us on Instagram:

Andrew @awatsonone
Ian @ianrutter
Casa Higueras @casahiguerasmoclin
Esperanza 9 @calleesperanza9
Granada Village and Country @granada_villageandcountry
Granada Cultural Holidays @granadaculturalholidays

Alan’s work overalls in the studio/wardrobe

‘Amanda and Alan’s Spanish Job’ is being shown on BBC One from 24th January 2025 and will be available on iPlayer.

For the programme, Amanda and Alan bought their property through our estate agency business, Granada Village & Country and we were instrumental in putting together the building teams who completed the renovation of the property.

The property will be available for sale through Granada Village & Country, and featured on Rightmove, at the end of the series.

Our other businesses as featured on the programme:

Casa Higueras Bed & Breakfast
Esperanza 9
Granada Cultural Holidays

With enormous thanks to Amanda, Alan and the entire team at Voltage TV for choosing Moclín and for your enthusiasm, love and consideration throughout the filming of the series. We loved having you all here!