Sunday, July 11, 2021

Dear Your Overseas Dream Home Reader,

The world today runs at a rapid pace.
The web and social media are constantly “updating,” and you feel the urge to keep up…streaming services put thousands of TV shows and movies at your disposal, and there’s always a new “must-watch”…smartphones keep you connected 24/7 to friends, family, and work via email and text, and there is always somebody to reply to.

All tremendously convenient, of course. But it can all be a bit overwhelming at times.

So why not retreat somewhere you can slow down?

Where you can get to know your neighbors and the afternoon crew at your local café…or enjoy long walks in the countryside where the only reason to use your phone is for GPS to not get lost…or do your daily shopping at little shops and markets in your neighborhood rather than a big box store.

In charming villages across Europe, this can be your lifestyle. And my researchers have found homes in appealing locations where you can enjoy that lifestyle to the fullest.

Saint-Gilles-Vieux-Marché, France

Listing Price: €66,000 ($80,520)

In the northwest corner of France is Brittany, which covers a peninsula that juts out into the Atlantic. The region actually has close links across the British Channel, sometimes being referred to as Little Britain, due to the vast migration from the island to the peninsula many centuries ago. It’s also considered a Celtic nation.

The Breton coast is 1,780 miles, making up a third of the country’s coastline, and is very “indented” and varied—marked by cliffs and rock formations (many of striking pink granite), capes, and inlets, as well as sandy beaches. Traditional culture is strong here, and unsurprisingly local cuisine is focused on seafood.

In the hamlet of Saint-Gilles-Vieux-Marché, about 25 miles from the seacoast, is a two-bedroom home. It’s also close to Lac de Guerlédan, a lake surrounded by forest popular with day trippers, and the village bar/restaurant is a stone’s throw down the lane. Both bedrooms have fireplaces, and the purchase also comes with a 3,000-square-foot garden a short walk away, just past the church.

Gelli, Wales

Listing Price: £98,950 ($136,575)

In the south of Wales, in the Rhondda Fawr Valley and on the banks of the river of the same name, is the village of Gelli. Gelli translates to “Small Grove” in English.

From 1877 until their final closures in the 1980s the coal mines were the main employer in town, and even played host to early coal miner union organizing efforts. The surrounding region, encompassing the valleys of Rhondda Fawr and Rhondda Fach, once had 75 working mines at its peak.

But it’s also a place of natural beauty, where you can trek across rolling hills and the slopes of the river valleys, not to mention along the river and through the woods. Plans call for a network of walking trails to connect the small towns and villages in the area.

A three-bedroom home in the heart of Gelli, on a quiet side street, is available for just $136,575. It’s close to schools, parks, the river, and shopping.

Álora, Spain

Listing Price: € 89,000 ($105,358)

Álora is one of southern Spain’s famed “white villages,” so named for whitewashed homes capped with red barrel tile roofs tightly clustered on hilltops. The town is known as the birthplace of the malaguena style of flamenco, created in the late 19th century by singer Juan de la Cruz Reyes Osuna, a.k.a. El Canario de Álora.

You can enjoy the slow rhythms of small-town life here, but the major coastal city of Málagais is only a 40-minute drive; the train takes 50 minutes. That puts big city shopping, golf courses, world-class beaches, and an international airport within striking distance. Not to mention you’re in the heart of the Costa del Sol.

Just across from Álora’s main park in the center of town is a three-bedroom home, historic but updated and ready to move in. From the terrace you have an expansive view of the surrounding countryside.

Wishing you good real estate investing,

Ronan McMahon, Real Estate Trend Alert

P.S. If you’re interested in any of these listings you should hire an attorney and do your own due diligence. I haven’t visited these properties in person or done any due diligence on them.