A Prestige Buyer’s Journey: Meet Joanne and Martin Davison

Meet Prestige clients Joanne and Martin Davison!

Both are British nationals and live and work in London. Martin is a Chief Financial Officer and Joanne works as a Sports Nutritionist. In 2019 they purchased a renovated Finca in the centre of the island, Can Coll, which they now share with their two teenage children and their extended family. Read on to find out more about their personal journey of finding their dream home in Ibiza…

Tell us a little bit about your first experiences in Ibiza…

Our first trip was a beautifully peaceful experience which was a surprise as Ibiza is renowned as the party place. We fell in love immediately with the beautiful beaches, stunning turquoise water and the positive energy we felt.

What made you want to buy a property in Ibiza?

It reminded us of California with its relaxed, international vibe and with lots of trees and vegetation. It has good quality restaurants and beaches, and the whole island is easily accessible.

What kind of property were you looking for and why?

We wanted a refurbished property with character and in a rural area that would suit our growing family.

What points were you willing to compromise on and where did you draw the line?

We were open-minded about the location and the age of the property but would not compromise on it having character and the general ‘feel’ of the house. We had made a list of our "must-haves" several years previously, and Inge at Prestige Properties worked with us to find the most suitable fit.

Tell us a bit about your general experience of searching for a home in Ibiza?

We had been looking abroad for at least ten years for a new home, but when we visited Ibiza, we knew that is where we wanted to settle. Like many people, we had been keeping an eye on properties available via the internet. Still, when we visited Prestige Properties and met Inge, we felt we were in good hands with a high-quality agent and a good range of properties on their website.

What were the biggest challenges you faced during the search process, and was Prestige able to help you overcome some of these?

It was difficult to reduce the search to a specific area as you can have fantastic properties in areas you might not think about – you need to be open-minded. You have to trust the agent to guide you. We felt Inge got to know us as a family and directed us to areas and houses that best suited our needs.

What would your main advice to other home buyers, about to embark on a similar journey, be?

Use a good local lawyer. Also, think carefully about who you are going to use to exchange your money into euros. There are lots of brokers, but do you trust them with your money? We already had an overseas bank with a euro account, and this certainly helped.

Overall, what difference do you think working with Prestige made in your journey of finding and buying your dream property in Ibiza?

Inge at Prestige was incredibly helpful and so cheerful, it was great to work with her.

Finca in Ibiza
Prestige Properties IBIZA clients

Do you have any questions or need more info?
Send us a message and we will get back as quickly as possible!

    A Prestige Buyer’s Journey: Meet Tobias Punga

    Tobias Punga is German living in London where he works in finance. In 2019, with the help of Prestige’s agent Juliette, he purchased a magnificent villa up the hills in San José which he refurbished. Find out more about Tobias’s personal journey in the below interview:

    Tell us a little bit about your first experiences in Ibiza…

    Every island or destination I’ve been to had a unique signature experience… the party place, the spiritual retreat, the family oriented environment etc…. Ibiza struck me that it encompassed it all. Everyone found something that made them fall in love with the island… to each his own and Ibiza owned it all.

    What made you want to buy a property in Ibiza?

    The idea was to have a place that can be shared by my family and friends. An open hang out for who is important to me already and who might be in the future. A place for all sort of talent to mingle; exchange thoughts, and having a fun time.

    What kind of property were you looking for and why?

    A spacious place that can be changed in a way so I can have an impact, but still respecting the style and rules on the island, and still leaving my own personal touch. Big enough to host a decent sized group, close enough to the airport, but not getting disturbed by the noise, and having nice beaches and Ibiza town in close reach.

    What points were you willing to compromise on and where did you draw the line?

    Enough rooms, sea view, not too far from the airport, and south facing were points I did not want to compromise on.

    Tell us a bit about your general experience of searching for a home in Ibiza?

    The offers I saw in Ibiza were either overpriced or the quality I found wasn’t satisfying. It took me more than 3 years to find the perfect set up.

    What were the biggest challenges you faced during the search process, and was Prestige able to help you overcome some of these?

    They key is to look at as many opportunities as possible and sharing with the agent in detail what you are looking for to make the search process as efficient as possible – important for seller, buyer and agent in the end to not waste anybody’s time.

    Once you found your ideal property, how smooth (or turbulent) was the process until finally signing at notary and making it your own.

    It was a rather turbulent process, as the seller was more than 10 individuals that resided in three different countries. Any negotiation was therefore a little longer than in any usual sales process.

    What would your main advice to other home buyers, about to embark on a similar journey, be?

    Use a qualified agent, a talented architect, interior designer & construction companies, a knowledgeable lawyer, and spend enough time searching.

    Overall, what difference do you think working with Prestige made in your journey of finding and buying your dream property in Ibiza?

    Showing the profile I asked for ;).

    Can Xica villa in san jose ibiza
    Can Xica villa in san jose ibiza
    Can Xica villa in san jose ibiza

    Do you have any questions or need more info?
    Send us a message and we will get back as quickly as possible!

      A Prestige Buyer’s Journey: Meet Jeroen

      Jeroen is Dutch and lives in Amsterdam where he owns his own Media Agency. In 2018, with the help of Prestige’s agent Inge, he purchased a lovely terraced house in Roca Llisa, near the golf course. Find out more about Jeroen’s personal journey in the below interview:

      Tell us a little bit about your first experiences in Ibiza…

      1988 was the year that I came to the island for the first time. I remember that Sa Trinxa was booming at the time: they were the first to translate house music to the club scene. Parties would just start because a bunch of people came together and there was music, the vibe was truly miraculous. Of course, more people realized.

      What made you want to buy a property in Ibiza?

      First of all because I was looking for a location abroad with a steady, warm climate which wasn’t too far by plane. More importantly the beauty of the island mesmerized me. I love the fact that you can find places where there is much to do, but also can find peace and solitude. And everything within a relatively small island.

      What kind of property were you looking for and why?

      To be honest, I wasn’t looking for a place where lots of renovation would be involved. I wanted something easy, accessible and of course something which made me feel at home right away. Ah, and of course something with a view.

      What points were you willing to compromise on and where did you draw the line?

      Sea view was something I’d love, but wasn’t a hard requirement. However, I really did want a swimming pool (private or shared) so you can cool off during the hot summers. I also wasn’t too keen on having property in Ibiza town.

      Tell us a bit about your general experience of searching for a home in Ibiza?

      You really need to clear time in your agenda as properties move fast and you have to be flexible to visit the island in order to view the house. It’s also difficult not to make too many compromises and find the home you really want, so patience is key.

      What were the biggest challenges you faced during the search process, and was Prestige able to help you overcome some of these?

      It’s important to make your wishes as clear as possible, however it’s also nice when they come with an ‘out-of-the-box’ property which you wouldn’t have thought of right away. As it was my first experience with buying abroad, I thought it was rather challenging to keep an eye on the different rules and laws. For me it was super important that for this reason I was doing business with people who I could trust, as I wasn’t familiar with many of the local laws.

      Once you found your ideal property, how smooth (or turbulent) was the process until finally signing at notary and making it your own.

      To be fair: everything went pretty easy. Of course, it’s completely different compared to buying something here in the Netherlands, in terms of viewings and checks of the property. I remember myself thinking when I signed a few weeks later at the notary: "Okay so that’s it, I own a house now".

      What would your main advice to other home buyers, about to embark on a similar journey, be?

      If it is something you really want to do, do it. But don’t forget that you will probably have a lot of struggles too. But that comes pretty much with every house. You need to find your way around, get to understand how things works, and the only way of doing so is by just diving into it.

      Overall, what difference do you think working with Prestige made in your journey of finding and buying your dream property in Ibiza?

      Their kind and personal approach was very helpful. Finding a property takes time, so you need to have a good relationship with your real estate agent.

      Do you have any questions or need more info?
      Send us a message and we will get back as quickly as possible!

        A Prestige Buyer’s Journey: Meet Melissa

        In the Spring of 2014 Melissa Spero and her husband walked out of the notary with the keys to their dream home in their hands. At last, after 12 months of searching, visiting, deliberating, etc. they were ready to finally realise their dream of a second home in Ibiza. After the purchase they embarked on the journey of transforming the property into a place that corresponded even more with their vision and after 12 months of a full renovation they were finally able to spend their first summer in their new home Los Olivos. Read here the unique journey of Melissa and her husband…

        Prestige Properties: Tell us a little bit about your first experiences in Ibiza…

        Melissa Spero: I first came to Ibiza in my 20s and was immediately struck by its energy, light and stunning natural beauty. From that moment on, I knew I wanted to live here at some point in my life.  It took another twenty years of solid graft to get here but I made it in the end!

        What made you want to buy a property in Ibiza?

        I wanted a sanctuary from the hard life of working in London, but I also wanted to have a place where I was surrounded by open minded people from all walks of life. Ibiza is unique in that sense – to be able to live in such beautiful natural surroundings with such a diverse and ever-changing community of people is what makes it so special.  Also, the dramatic difference to life on the island in different seasons means that it is like living in four different places every year so that ensures things stay interesting.  It is also super easy to hop on a flight back to the UK whenever you need to.

        What kind of property were you looking for and why?

        We started off by wanting a property in the campo where we had a view of the sea and sunsets.  Mid-way through the search we got seduced by some lovely houses which had neither of those things and thank god the house we eventually bought had both.

        What points were you willing to compromise on and where did you draw the line?

        I thought I had been willing to compromise on a sea view, but eventually I realised I wasn’t: what’s the point of living on an island if you can’t see the sea?  I’m also so glad that the house is located centrally – great for beaches but also really convenient for Ibiza town (which I love), schools and the airport.

        Tell us a bit about your general experience of searching for a home in Ibiza?

        Hard work – along with Prestige I spent hours scouring the internet for suitable places. I got totally carried away at one point and got way out of my budget.  Luckily the place that Prestige found for us ticked every box.

        What were the biggest challenges you faced during the searching process, and was Prestige able to help you overcome some of these?

        We wanted to cast our net really wide and Prestige told me that in addition to their own properties they work with other agents on the island so if I saw something, Prestige would organise it all for me and make it as pain-free as possible with the other agency.  When you don’t have the luxury of time, this approach is fantastic.

        Once you found your ideal property, how smooth (or turbulent) was the process until finally signing at notary and making it your own.

        Prestige made the process super easy and efficient – they talked us through the necessary steps we had to take and it was went extremely smoothly.

        If you have experience buying property in other countries, is there something that makes the process in Ibiza stand out in a particular way?

        You have to forget your experience of buying a house in your home country – lots of old properties here don’t have the correct papers but that is the norm here so keep your nerve.  As long as you have a good lawyer and are working with a good agency you will be fine!

        What would your main advice to other home buyers, about to embark on a similar journey, be?

        I’d say, explore every inch of the island. Because it’s in mode at the moment, people automatically look for properties in the north of the island, but the areas like Buscastell and Benimussa, near San Rafael where our house is located have everything – breathtakingly beautiful countryside, the best sunsets and beaches, as well as being close to amazing Ibiza town and Dalt Vila – where life remains during the winter months.

        Overall, what difference do you think working with Prestige made in your journey of finding and buying your dream property in Ibiza?

        Without Victor at Prestige, we wouldn’t have brought our dream house and I would probably still be taking the tube to work every day in London – so I’d say the difference was life changing!

        Do you have any questions or need more info?
        Send us a message and we will get back as quickly as possible!

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