We thought we would share our journey with the house since we bought it in May 2019 and let you see our updates and improvements so far.
This is the journey of our holiday home....from May 19 to April 22
This is the journey of our holiday home....from May 19 to April 22
The search...
After saving for years, and then having a gift of an inheritance from our wonderful parents, we decided to do something with it, rather than seeing it dwindle in a bank account year by year with tiny interest rates.
I was browsing the net one evening dreaming of another holiday in glorious Pembrokeshire. We had only found the county and the Freshwater area 2 years previously, and had fallen head over heels in love with this location. We used to go to Cornwall and Bournemouth with family connections, but finding dog friendly beaches were getting more and more difficult so we chose to visit Pembrokeshire.
Whilst having a nose about houses for sale (one of my hobbies dreaming of houses I cannot afford), I saw Freshwater bay holiday park advertised. This was 200mtrs from our favourite beach! There were three houses for sale, and in our budget! I could not believe it.
After a little back and forth between Mike and I, about whether it was right to purchase when Brexit was happening etc., we, or rather he, relented and decided to properly explore the possibility of owning a holiday home. If it would be a good investment, would the family use it, (our 2 grown up kids had never been there), and location location location.
Before taking the plunge, I researched and researched the area and the holiday park, stalking other holiday homes online and looking at how often they were booked etc., and for how much, bothering the estate agents for more information about the three houses, looking into rules and regulations for holiday lets including taxes, and after six months of this, and still seeing the three holiday lets for sale, we started making enquiries about the holiday lets. I was a little worried as they had taken so long to sell, and wondered if they could actually be a good purchase!
The three houses were very different. The one I loved the most was a pink one, fully furnished exactly in the style I loved - shabby chic. There was another pink one, but much more modern inside, and a very dilapidated blue one that I dismissed as it needed so much work.
On a very cold and wet January 2019, we made the 200 mile trek to Freshwater to view the houses. We decided to look at the blue one too as we might as well see it. The biggest selling point for me was the ability to have dogs in the houses as the chalets at the back of the park are not allowed, and the beach is dog friendly all year round. As the owner of two gawjus golden retriever rescues it was imperative that we could have dogs to the house and our guests could too.
The lovely pink house was the first to be seen. Truly lovely inside, but the back yard was tiny, and not really big enough for our dogs at all. I was a bit disheartened. The next pink house was the same really, lovely inside, but no garden at all, so had to be dismissed.
But the blue one. The blue one had a garden! This had not shown at all in the particulars, mainly as it was in such sad condition. It seemed only a few of the 16 houses at the front of the park had gardens so we were entranced. Very overgrown though, and the house itself was just tired and had been left to the elements somewhat with rotting decks and peeling wood but inside was liveable to start with.
I was in love. Mike was nervous!
I could see the potential, and so began a serious nag fest all the way back to Buckinghamshire afterwards! Poor Mike, I think I made his ears bleed. What were we thinking? Owning a house that needed so much work 200 miles away! how can this possibly work?
Luckily my skills in nagging (I could get a medal) and my wonderful hubby who is so trusting, we decided let's go for it.
We put our offer in which was a little cheeky, based on all the work we could see we had to do, and had it rejected, so offered again, and in the end agreed a price that seemed fair for both parties.
So started our love affair and our exhaustion with 16 Freshwater Bay....
I was browsing the net one evening dreaming of another holiday in glorious Pembrokeshire. We had only found the county and the Freshwater area 2 years previously, and had fallen head over heels in love with this location. We used to go to Cornwall and Bournemouth with family connections, but finding dog friendly beaches were getting more and more difficult so we chose to visit Pembrokeshire.
Whilst having a nose about houses for sale (one of my hobbies dreaming of houses I cannot afford), I saw Freshwater bay holiday park advertised. This was 200mtrs from our favourite beach! There were three houses for sale, and in our budget! I could not believe it.
After a little back and forth between Mike and I, about whether it was right to purchase when Brexit was happening etc., we, or rather he, relented and decided to properly explore the possibility of owning a holiday home. If it would be a good investment, would the family use it, (our 2 grown up kids had never been there), and location location location.
Before taking the plunge, I researched and researched the area and the holiday park, stalking other holiday homes online and looking at how often they were booked etc., and for how much, bothering the estate agents for more information about the three houses, looking into rules and regulations for holiday lets including taxes, and after six months of this, and still seeing the three holiday lets for sale, we started making enquiries about the holiday lets. I was a little worried as they had taken so long to sell, and wondered if they could actually be a good purchase!
The three houses were very different. The one I loved the most was a pink one, fully furnished exactly in the style I loved - shabby chic. There was another pink one, but much more modern inside, and a very dilapidated blue one that I dismissed as it needed so much work.
On a very cold and wet January 2019, we made the 200 mile trek to Freshwater to view the houses. We decided to look at the blue one too as we might as well see it. The biggest selling point for me was the ability to have dogs in the houses as the chalets at the back of the park are not allowed, and the beach is dog friendly all year round. As the owner of two gawjus golden retriever rescues it was imperative that we could have dogs to the house and our guests could too.
The lovely pink house was the first to be seen. Truly lovely inside, but the back yard was tiny, and not really big enough for our dogs at all. I was a bit disheartened. The next pink house was the same really, lovely inside, but no garden at all, so had to be dismissed.
But the blue one. The blue one had a garden! This had not shown at all in the particulars, mainly as it was in such sad condition. It seemed only a few of the 16 houses at the front of the park had gardens so we were entranced. Very overgrown though, and the house itself was just tired and had been left to the elements somewhat with rotting decks and peeling wood but inside was liveable to start with.
I was in love. Mike was nervous!
I could see the potential, and so began a serious nag fest all the way back to Buckinghamshire afterwards! Poor Mike, I think I made his ears bleed. What were we thinking? Owning a house that needed so much work 200 miles away! how can this possibly work?
Luckily my skills in nagging (I could get a medal) and my wonderful hubby who is so trusting, we decided let's go for it.
We put our offer in which was a little cheeky, based on all the work we could see we had to do, and had it rejected, so offered again, and in the end agreed a price that seemed fair for both parties.
So started our love affair and our exhaustion with 16 Freshwater Bay....
It has bookings? Oooh errr!
The challenge with buying an existing holiday let, is that they usually have bookings already booked. Some new owners cancel customers, but we were not about to do this. People wait so long for their annual rest and we did not want to let anyone down and also we needed that income to help with the improvements to the house!
So we headed down there for 2 weeks in May 19, and started work.
So we headed down there for 2 weeks in May 19, and started work.
The wooden decks were tired, broken and paint was peeling on the railings. We could see we needed help to patch them up and make them feel safe.
But, how do we find good labourers in an area we know nothing about? Well we hit the jackpot with Mike remembering that a musician friend of his had emigrated to Narbeth in Pembrokeshire, and he remembered also that he was a carpenter! Major result. Patrick was contacted, and fast became our go to handyman, saviour and gardener as he turns his hands to anything. He also owns a house with a super little holiday barn attached, so knew and valued our wishes. The most amazing thing is I found out once we met, that I had known Patrick when he was a small boy as he went to the same primary school as my brother and used to come to our house!! What a small world we live in.
Patrick came and took up any deck boards that needed replacing and fixed for us. He also tackled the garden, unearthing so many great features and letting the plants breath, renewing the path, and closing any gaps in the hedges so dogs were safe.
But, how do we find good labourers in an area we know nothing about? Well we hit the jackpot with Mike remembering that a musician friend of his had emigrated to Narbeth in Pembrokeshire, and he remembered also that he was a carpenter! Major result. Patrick was contacted, and fast became our go to handyman, saviour and gardener as he turns his hands to anything. He also owns a house with a super little holiday barn attached, so knew and valued our wishes. The most amazing thing is I found out once we met, that I had known Patrick when he was a small boy as he went to the same primary school as my brother and used to come to our house!! What a small world we live in.
Patrick came and took up any deck boards that needed replacing and fixed for us. He also tackled the garden, unearthing so many great features and letting the plants breath, renewing the path, and closing any gaps in the hedges so dogs were safe.
How to furnish a house with a tiny budget!
We love to recycle, well I do anyway. Mike is my wonderful sidekick dutifully picking up furniture from all over the place and nodding thinking “she must be mad” when he sees some decrepit old item enter our home! Our children have both picked up the bug, and their houses are now showcasing some great furniture lovingly restored and painted, alongside modern pieces.
My favourite place is Facebook marketplace. Before that, eBay. But Facebook marketplace means you can easily find items in your area and they are usually quite well priced. We knew we had to save our leftover savings for the decorating and big ticket items for the house, so we had to be inventive when it came to inside. The previous owner left the furniture, but it really was not to our taste and rather dated, so we knew we would need more.
But what style?
Pinterest is my 2nd most favourite online hang out, and so started our Pinterest page of everything we loved about summer houses, and also American inspired ones thanks to the clapperboard outside. I still love looking back at this page, seeing my thoughts and dreams for the house.
https://pin.it/36tMi3b
My favourite place is Facebook marketplace. Before that, eBay. But Facebook marketplace means you can easily find items in your area and they are usually quite well priced. We knew we had to save our leftover savings for the decorating and big ticket items for the house, so we had to be inventive when it came to inside. The previous owner left the furniture, but it really was not to our taste and rather dated, so we knew we would need more.
But what style?
Pinterest is my 2nd most favourite online hang out, and so started our Pinterest page of everything we loved about summer houses, and also American inspired ones thanks to the clapperboard outside. I still love looking back at this page, seeing my thoughts and dreams for the house.
https://pin.it/36tMi3b