A British family say they haven’t looked back after buying an olive grove and cortijo in Andalucia.
Callum and Jemma McGlynn, from Scotland, relocated with their children, Hayden and Amaiya, after buying a run-down farmhouse in Cantoria, in Almeria’s Almanzora Valley, for just €40,000.
Speaking to The Sun, Callum said life in Britain had become a grind.
‘We felt like we were working Monday to Friday just to pay the bills. You’re constantly stuck in a cycle where you can’t do anything. We were just existing – not living.’
After several house-hunting trips to Spain, they settled on what they now call Cortijo Renacer.
The property had stood empty for 20 years and was considered uninhabitable, which explains the low price.
However, Callum says the structure was solid and required mostly cleaning and basic work to make it liveable.
The financial difference has been dramatic. Their annual local taxes in Spain are roughly what they used to pay each month in the UK.
Car insurance now costs between €200 and €300 a year, compared to nearly €1,200 back home.
They have also installed solar panels, meaning they pay nothing for electricity, and use rainwater collection systems.
The land includes 100 olive trees, which they maintain themselves and use to produce their own olive oil. Much of their shopping is done at local markets.
Both Callum and Jemma still work in the tech sector – but now remotely from their Spanish farmhouse.
‘This move has given us the freedom to make choices,’ Callum said.
There is one drawback. As British citizens post-Brexit, they are limited to staying in Spain for 90 days in every 180 without a residency visa.
However, they see this as an opportunity to travel during the periods they must leave.
The couple have chosen to homeschool their children in both English and Spanish.
Summing up their new lifestyle, Callum said: ‘Everything we do now is for us and our family – not to fill someone else’s pockets.’
Jemma admitted the transition hasn’t been effortless, adding: ‘It’s harder than you expect. You have to work a bit harder for everything, but the rewards definitely outweigh the difficulties.’
Callum’s advice to others considering a similar move: ‘Just do it. We only have 80 or 90 years on this planet – why not? Take the risk, because it’s a risk that will pay off. People will judge you, but if you don’t try, you’ll never know.’
Read more Andalucia news at the Spanish Eye.
