FEATURE
www.euroweeklynews.com
27 April - 3 May 2017 / Costa de Almería
45
Advertising feature
Sun, Sea And Selling Houses Has made the Garners of Spanish Property Choice a household name BUSINESS is booming for this top Almeria real estate agency following regular appearances on a successful UK property show. Spanish Property Choice run by the Garner family from the Midlands, who have lived and worked in Spain for the past 12 years, was one of only two family estate agents featured on the popular Channel 4 series, Sun, Sea and Selling Houses. The Garners covered the Almeria area. The 20-hour long programmes follow the day-to-day business of this agency selling dream Spanish properties to British and international investors.
We now have almost 7,000 followers on Facebook and have over 75,000 hits a day on our website. It also chronicles family adventures along the way. And it seems Mum Sharon, Dad Steve, daughter Emma, son Shaun and son-inlaw Matt have made quite an impression on the viewers following their trials and tribulations. But the firmly established agency has also seen a big demand from those seeking properties in the sun. So much so, their Facebook page has been swamped with messages and enquiries causing a few late nights in the Garner family household. Sharon takes up the story: “It was a great pleasure to be asked to take part in the series. Although other agents in our area were filmed for the taster show, we were so proud to be one of only two, the other being the Rodriquez family in Alicante, to be offered the series. We’re all absolutely overwhelmed by the huge response. We’ve actually had a few sleepless nights just trying to keep up with the enquiries, currently around 30-50 emails an hour at some points.
We now have almost 7,000 followers on Facebook and have over 75,000 hits a day on our website. We have clients who watched the show contacting us from not only the UK, but from Ireland, Florida, Paphos, Crete, Portugal, France, Italy and all over Spain asking us to find them their dream home in the sun. Business has always been good, but this extra exposure has really fired things up. We hoped it would go well. But this has all been well above our expectations.” So what’s been the secret of the family’s success? Steve told us: “I think viewers and prospective buyers have seen just how honest we all are. We’ve just got on with things and been ourselves throughout the filming. In fact, it was so well done we sometimes forgot the cameras were there. We are all passionate about delivering a first class
service and helping people to fulfil their dreams along the way. When we recommend a property, it’s almost as if we are thinking of buying it ourselves. We always offer advice and guidance relating to the real day to day world in Spain, and people appreciate that. Shaun added: “I think viewers have identified strongly with the family feel of the series. They can see we are all genuine people who have just the same ambitions and dreams as them. Potential buyers need to know they can fully trust those advising them, and we look upon each client as a new friend we’re trying to help. It’s strange at first, to see yourself on telly, but it was great fun to do. When Stephen and Sharon moved to this beautiful province of Costa Almeria, their original intention was to semi
retire. Their son Shaun attended a Spanish public school, and Emma found employment initially for a Spanish recreational company. However after a very short period of time, Stephen and Sharon were head hunted by a Spanish Property Developer in Olula del Rio, who saw potential in the historical experience they both had to offer the Spanish real estate market. Consequently they opened their first office predominantly selling old farmhouses, cave houses and traditional Spanish village houses full of charm and character. The rest as they say, is history. Spanish Property Choice have successfully developed into the region’s leading Real Estate Agency, now leading the market for inland and coastal resale properties and long term rentals. Rob Butterfield, Executive Producer for Ricochet (Warner Bros) said: “We can all relate to wanting to give up Blighty to go live in sunny Spain. This series is following the Brits chasing that dream, and the people helping them make it a reality, living the dream themselves. Our two families featured in the show, are very much at the heart of their communities and enabled us to see what life in the sun is really like. The Garners, are making waves on the Spanish property scene in Mojacar. Mum Sharon and Dad Steve may be the bosses, but the agency is a real family affair.” Sun Sea and Selling Houses was commissioned my David Sayer for Channel 4, Executive Produced by Rob Butterfield and Series Produced by Emma Walsh for Ricochet.
REGIONAL PARTNER
THE GARNERS: left to right - Son Shaun, Mum Sharon, Dad Steve, Granddaughter Alicia-Mae, Son-in-Law Matt, Grandson Lucas and Daughter Emma.