Some stories start small and slowly grow into something big. For us, it all began on 17 August, when Dyango visited the house in Posadas for the first time, together with his parents, but without Gaia or me. We followed the whole thing by video call, curious and a little nervous. It only took a few minutes for us to realise: this house had something special. The views, the tranquillity, the nature… even through the screen, it felt right.
During that visit we also discovered that the sellers were Dutch — and, as it turned out, the parents of the former drummer of Dyango’s band, Clouded Mind. It wasn’t quite a magical “this house is calling us” moment, but it did bring an unexpected sense of familiarity, as if the first barrier had suddenly disappeared.
Don José
Back in the Netherlands, we made an offer on 19 August, which was accepted straight away. That’s when the real work began. We hired a Spanish lawyer, José — whom we soon started calling Don José — who did an excellent job from day one. He dug deep into everything that needed sorting out: the tourist licence, the right to keep horses, the status of the apartment within the property. No question was too much, no document too complicated.
Meanwhile, Dyango and his mother Rosa visited the Caja Rural to arrange the financing. Another José was waiting for them there. All that was missing was a valuation, and we were assured everything would work out fine. That gave us enough confidence to put our house in the Netherlands up for sale, and the first interested buyers came forward almost immediately.
Misunderstandings and delays
But then the misunderstandings and delays began.
Although the sellers had verbally promised to legalise the apartment, at the last moment they told us they no longer wanted to. That part, therefore, could no longer stay in the provisional purchase agreement. In the end we reached a compromise: we would take care of the legalisation ourselves, and they would help us apply for the tourist licence — something we couldn’t get without them, because of the 6-year tolerance rule and the 500-metre rule regarding neighbours. With this agreement we were able to sign, even though it wasn’t the path we had originally imagined.
Meanwhile, things at the bank still weren’t settling down: the valuation report didn’t arrive, messages went unanswered, and every update demanded endless patience. When the report finally came through, we had to pay €500 — but even then we were told the loan couldn’t be granted. It turned out one crucial document was missing: the irrigation certificate, proof that you have the right to irrigate. On a property with 180 olive trees, that’s mandatory, and applying for it can take three years.
With that news, we had no choice but to cancel the sale of our house in the Netherlands and disappoint the buyers, even though they already knew the purchase in Spain was a condition. Still, it was painful. And that’s when we realised something else:
we still hadn’t seen the house with our own eyes.
It was time to go.
22–25 November — finally in Spain
We travelled as a family — the three of us — to Seville, where we stayed at Dyango’s parents’ house. Our eight-year-old daughter, affectionate, adventurous and animal-mad, felt the adventure just as intensely as we did. For her it was a dream trip: a mix of holiday, future plans and possibilities waiting to be discovered.
We hoped the house and its surroundings would feel just as they had during the video calls. And they did.
In fact, it was even more beautiful.
The first thing that struck us was how green everything was. The house was in good condition, but the grounds and the stables need a lot of attention — something we now mostly see as opportunity. Just 300 metres away begins the Sierrezuela nature area, and the moment we set foot there we knew this was exactly the place we wanted to live. Mountain bike trails, walking routes, wildlife, space for horseback rides… the possibilities are endless.
We also visited two primary schools. We were welcomed very warmly, and many of the teachers spoke surprisingly good English. Our daughter was taken in straight away by the other children, who came up to her curiously and wanted to play with her right away. She soon knew exactly which school was her favourite.
Since we were nearby, we visited Almodóvar Castle, where scenes from Game of Thrones were filmed. The atmosphere, the views and the history of the place were impressive. Our daughter was especially fascinated by the dungeons, while we enjoyed the beautiful chapel and the imposing dining hall.
The castle is only seven minutes by car from the house, and that inspired us: our future apartments would be named Casa Valyria and Casa Meleys, with matching colour palettes.
New hope for financing
During the trip we spoke to Kiron, a financial advisor specialising in foreign buyers. He explained straight away that the Caja Rural isn’t actually allowed to grant loans to foreigners. So the valuation had been for nothing. It was painful to hear, but also a relief: finally, someone who knew what he was talking about. Our hopes are now pinned on him.
Meanwhile, Don José keeps steadily pushing forward with the legal side of things — a solid rock amid the waves.
A curious call from television
Well before our trip, we had already been in touch with a TV programme. They were interested and wanted to schedule a video call. As it turned out, the appointment we arranged fell right during our visit to Spain. As we walked around and saw the property in person for the first time, we told our story to the production team through a screen. It felt special — as if our dream had suddenly become even more tangible.
On 8 December they’ll come to the house for a longer conversation. Will it ever air? No idea. But that makes our adventure all the more exciting and unpredictable.
Looking ahead
We hope to move to Spain as soon as possible, and in any case before May. Our plans are clear: two apartments for 10–14 people, horseback rides through nature, mountain bike rentals, and donkey walks for families.
But above all, we hope this project brings us what we’re looking for: calm, love, space, and a life connected to nature.
It doesn’t feel like we’re leaving.
It feels like, little by little, we’re coming home.
And this is only the beginning.
