Buying in Spain: An Irish estate agent fell in love with the white villages of Andalucia on a holiday there - so he stayed, and now sells new and second-hand properties in the area. Kate McMorrow reports
All it takes to boost an overseas destination is for someone to write a bestseller about it. Peter Mayle was one of the first with his Provence books, followed by Annie Hawes in Liguria and Chris Stewart on the Alpujarras.
Alpuwhere? Las Alpujarras is the name for a region in Andalucia, southern Spain, where unspoiled white villages cling to the southern slopes of the Sierra Nevada.
The area was virtually unknown before Stewart's first book, Driving Over Lemons, hit the bookshops. A Parrot in the Pepper Tree and The Almond Blossom Appreciation Society followed and droves of expats arrived, seduced by descriptions of the remote splendour and friendliness of the Alpujarras.
It's raunchier than Provençe and too earthy for the common taste, says Chris Stewart, one reason why the region is unlikely to be flooded with tourists any time soon.
Maynooth overseas agent John Mulligan fell in love with the Alpujarras when visiting his cousin John Courtliffe, who settled in the white village of Valor some years ago.
With property in his veins, it wasn't long before John had found an olive grove for sale, bought it and secured planning permission for five traditional cortijas or farmhouses on large plots. Planning hinged on building a road from Valor to the site, which is a 10-minute walk.
Two of the cortijas sold before they were finished and the remaining three are now on the market, along with a portfolio of re-sale cottages and village houses in various stages of repair.
Prices haven't reached the levels of the costas, but they're rising fast, mostly due to the influx of foreigners, who have dubbed the region "the new Tuscany".
The newly built cortijas cost €220,000 and €210,000 depending on plot size, although each has a big garden with olive and almond trees and room for a pool.
Aimed at those who want a new-build with a bit of character, the houses come with central heating, open fireplace, two double bedrooms and large open-plan sittingroom and kitchen. Local stone terraces look across the valley to Vinca.
Among the re-sale properties is a 1,000sq m (10,764sq ft) rundown mansion for €282,000 that could be transformed with a serious injection of money. It would cost another €100,000 to do a first class job but would make a unique property, says John Mulligan with refreshing candour.
Mulligan's new web-based company, www.abodes.ie, has a section on ethics, a welcome innovation in the overseas property business.
Another one to catch the eye is Casa Pedrana, a perfectly-restored three-bed village house on the edge of Vinca, with a price tag of €190,000.
No garden, but two large terraces looking over the valley. Also in great order is Casa Krystyna, a restored village house with two bedrooms, wood-burning stove and small terrace for €123,000. There are plenty of doer-uppers for a bit less.
An old village house crying out for restoration comes with a roof terrace, outbuildings and a walled orchard for €105,000. Adventurous souls wanting to follow in Chris Stewart's footsteps could consider Cortiho Los Mimbres, a furnished farmhouse on 0.75 hectares of olive and fruit trees, 1.5kms from the nearest village. The price tag is €182,000.
Getting there is easier than you think. Aer Lingus operate two flights a week to the Andalucian town of Almeria and the Alpujarras region is about an hour's drive inland.
www.abodes.ie
