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Greece: Size Matters - Mike Saunders, Snobby Homes

Size matters!

Unlike the UK and Spain, where property prices have dropped like a stone, the market in the Greek islands has remained relatively stable. A villa in Crete for example, on a large plot, will cost well in excess of 250,000€, but typically the average budget for purchasers from the UK is around 150,000€.

Even with this budget, many of those buying a property in the sun still yearn for land and plenty of it - vast acres of the stuff - but why? For a start more land costs more money and there’s a whole lot of difference between enjoying a spot of gardening and suddenly finding you’ve become a farmer by default. Can you afford hired help? If not you’ll work yourself into the ground, fighting 24/7 to prevent a withered wilderness in summer becoming an overrun jungle in winter.

Those who buy for holidays tend not to worry too much about plot size, as they are not there long enough either to create a garden or be able to maintain it. We often hear from those intending to move permanently to Crete, “I want a lot of land as I love gardening.”

If you fall into this category, perhaps you would like to hear from one who really knows – before you make a big mistake.

Denise Gilbert, from Croydon, is passionate about gardening. She and her family used to spend many holidays in Crete over the years and fell in love with the island. After her husband died she took stock and decided to move to Crete and start a new life. She began to look for property and discovered just what she was looking for in the village of Kamisiana in western Crete.

Denise says, “On my holidays I’d met and spoken with people who had bought houses on large plots and now realised it was a mistake. As they got older, what was previously difficult to maintain, now became downright impossible to look after. I love gardening but the need to spend every waking minute of your time out in the heat just trying to keep on top of things was a pressure I could well do without. I calculated what I wanted to grow - and the space needed - and discovered I could be self-sufficient and have a lovely garden without being chained to my fork and spade. I suppose people may want a large plot for privacy, but I bought a Snobby which comes with a walled garden - and therefore I had privacy, but paid less for the privilege.”

Denise’ home is one of five, surrounded by olive trees, with a panoramic sea view towards the picturesque fishing village of Kolimbari and the soaring Rotherpou Peninsular.

Says Denise, “While the cost of living in Crete is much lower than in the UK, I liked the fact I could make my money go even further by growing all my own vegetables. The whole of my garden is around 118 sq. m. yet you would not believe what can be grown.”

Denise buys plants and seeds from the local animal feed shop in nearby Tavronitis, and is often given cuttings by friendly neighbours. She has three tomato and two red pepper plants as well as a bed of huge red onions growing beside the garden path by the side of the house. A gravelled area in front of a sun terrace has now become a jungle of triffid-like leaves hiding melons, butter squash, cucumbers and courgettes. On the lower terrace she has a vegetable garden of just 20ft x 10ft and planted here are spinach, broccoli, aubergines and beans.

“I’m still trying to get it right,” she says. “I planted three courgette plants and grew so many I had to give them away. As fast as I cut them so others grew in their place. It’s the same with the tomatoes too. Once I’ve planted a crop the only tending they need is watering, which I do in the evening, when it’s cooler and there’s less chance of evaporation. With plenty of water and the level of sun you get in Crete, it’s small wonder that everything does so well.”

But Denise’ garden is not just about vegetables. There’s an abundance of colour with geraniums, palms, bougainvilleas and a lemon tree and grape vine too - although these will take a couple of years before giving fruit.

Says Denise, “Why would you need a huge great plot – unless as a status symbol? A garden like mine is perfect. It doesn’t rule my life, I can potter to my heart’s content and at the end of the day you cannot beat the taste of fresh organic produce you’ve grown yourself - without too much effort either.

If you are thinking of buying a property with plenty of land you really do need to think things through carefully, for today and for the future, because size does matter and small is beautiful if you really want to get a life.

Mike Saunders

Mike is Marketing director of Snobby Homes, www.snobbyhomes.co.uk

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