Right then, as promised, because today was a singularly boring day (school run, greek lesson, telephone calls to Kelly, Dad etc, dinner, baths and bed, nothing on tv again) I am going to post about our house.
We had lived in Sissi for about 2 years and although we had made some friends and certainly knew our way around the area, it had quickly dawned on us that apartment living was not for us. Although the beach was just at the bottom of our road (literally) we still missed having a garden.
Also it never ceased feeling strange to me living 'upstairs'. Sissi, after the first year started filling up with fellow expats like us, and although I wished them well, I began to yearn for somewhere a little more out of the way, and 'greek'. Another important consideration was finances; we needed a bigger place and Sissi had become too expensive for us, for the type of property we wanted.
We started to look further afield and discovered our village, less than 20 mins drive from Sissi, and 5 mins drive from a largish, traditional greek town with small hospital, bank, post office etc. It also has two junior schools, a high school and good bus routes. A few bars and restaurants are open all year round.
We contacted various greek estate agents and viewed a few properties; all ruins requiring extensive work. The problem was the houses were either not going to be big enough, or had no garden at all, or were going to blow our budget, before the cost of refurbishment.
Then one of the agents suggested this house. At first I turned it down, from simply looking at the front garden; the only garden in fact and far too small.
We gave up on our village and started looking into new build around Sissi. But it became quickly obvious that it was out of our price range. Discussions went on late into the night and I found myself thinking more and more about this village house.
So one day we came back to view again; and when I stepped into the ground floor I was hooked!
I could see the amazing potential for a large family home...........
So we bought it! We had worked out we could afford it (just) and we did. Duncan's firm (he works for a building co.) did the refurb. We bought in the August and had to wait until the following January for the building licence and electricity connection!
I discovered I was pregnant with Dom in that January so began to feel panicky. We managed to sell our apartment very quickly to another English couple who luckily agreed to us continuing to live there, but now we were paying rent; an extra unwanted cost.
The house was not ready on time due to various factors involving bureaucracy and we had to move out ; we got a last minute reprieve; friends let us move into their holiday home (bless you forever J & K) and we finally moved in in June 2006.
Almost without exception, the villagers have been so welcoming (one or two are grumpy old men!) but we feel very happy and settled here. We are not locals and never will be but we are made welcome at all events and treat with friendliness and respect. This is all I have ever wanted and offered as a neighbour.
It is so quiet and safe here; I sleep easy; the children have freedom unheard of in the UK and we look out onto olive groves and the mountains beyond. There are a two or three English couples here; full time, part time; none with children but we do not feel here that we have to be part of a clique; something which seems to have happened in other expat areas. We are free to be ourselves which is great.
The children go to school up the road in the nearest town; they have made friends easily and seem to fit it; they obviously are foreign but are accepted all the same. We try to go to the village taverna every so often to show our face and I nod and wave to all; sometimes I say 'Kali mera' 50 times whilst out in the front garden!!!
I am posting some before and after photos of our lovely house.....and that's my post for tonight!!xx
We had lived in Sissi for about 2 years and although we had made some friends and certainly knew our way around the area, it had quickly dawned on us that apartment living was not for us. Although the beach was just at the bottom of our road (literally) we still missed having a garden.
Also it never ceased feeling strange to me living 'upstairs'. Sissi, after the first year started filling up with fellow expats like us, and although I wished them well, I began to yearn for somewhere a little more out of the way, and 'greek'. Another important consideration was finances; we needed a bigger place and Sissi had become too expensive for us, for the type of property we wanted.
We started to look further afield and discovered our village, less than 20 mins drive from Sissi, and 5 mins drive from a largish, traditional greek town with small hospital, bank, post office etc. It also has two junior schools, a high school and good bus routes. A few bars and restaurants are open all year round.
We contacted various greek estate agents and viewed a few properties; all ruins requiring extensive work. The problem was the houses were either not going to be big enough, or had no garden at all, or were going to blow our budget, before the cost of refurbishment.
Then one of the agents suggested this house. At first I turned it down, from simply looking at the front garden; the only garden in fact and far too small.
We gave up on our village and started looking into new build around Sissi. But it became quickly obvious that it was out of our price range. Discussions went on late into the night and I found myself thinking more and more about this village house.
So one day we came back to view again; and when I stepped into the ground floor I was hooked!
I could see the amazing potential for a large family home...........
So we bought it! We had worked out we could afford it (just) and we did. Duncan's firm (he works for a building co.) did the refurb. We bought in the August and had to wait until the following January for the building licence and electricity connection!
I discovered I was pregnant with Dom in that January so began to feel panicky. We managed to sell our apartment very quickly to another English couple who luckily agreed to us continuing to live there, but now we were paying rent; an extra unwanted cost.
The house was not ready on time due to various factors involving bureaucracy and we had to move out ; we got a last minute reprieve; friends let us move into their holiday home (bless you forever J & K) and we finally moved in in June 2006.
Almost without exception, the villagers have been so welcoming (one or two are grumpy old men!) but we feel very happy and settled here. We are not locals and never will be but we are made welcome at all events and treat with friendliness and respect. This is all I have ever wanted and offered as a neighbour.
It is so quiet and safe here; I sleep easy; the children have freedom unheard of in the UK and we look out onto olive groves and the mountains beyond. There are a two or three English couples here; full time, part time; none with children but we do not feel here that we have to be part of a clique; something which seems to have happened in other expat areas. We are free to be ourselves which is great.
The children go to school up the road in the nearest town; they have made friends easily and seem to fit it; they obviously are foreign but are accepted all the same. We try to go to the village taverna every so often to show our face and I nod and wave to all; sometimes I say 'Kali mera' 50 times whilst out in the front garden!!!
I am posting some before and after photos of our lovely house.....and that's my post for tonight!!xx
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