I recall it was a beautiful sunny day in June 2018 when I had the opportunity to meet John and Carolyn and their three young boys for the first time whilst they were out on holiday. Tired of staying in hotels and travelling with excess luggage they had decided to come see me as they were interested in purchasing a holiday home, somewhere they could escape the daily stresses of life and spend quality time together as a family. Let’s face it, Carolyn is a mother, wife and businesswomen, so where better to enjoy family holidays and get away from it all than in Quinta do Lago.

Our discussions continued over a period of time and it became apparent that the thought of immigrating to Portugal had become a serious one. Superb year-round weather, delicious Portuguese food, good selection of international schools and a safe environment to bring up their children, could you blame them?

It wasn’t long after these discussions that John and Carolyn flew out as we had set aside a few days of viewing a broad selection of properties and we were able to find them one of Quinta do Lago’s flagship modern contemporary villas and the property that has become their new full time residence.

A few months into this new and exciting journey in their lives, I had a chance to pop by the villa for a chat over a coffee with Carolyn. “So, how it all going and how can you describe this new chapter in your life?” I asked her. The response was, “Simply perfection Mario! The transition from UK life to here has been so smooth and John and I, along with the children couldn’t be happier. The children have settled nicely into International School and spend their free time involved in sports lessons at The Campus or simply playing on the beach while John and I enjoy a glass of wine. There is a strong sense of community here and people are so family orientated which has made the settling in so much easier, we feel that we have truly found balance to our lives.”

When asked how they are enjoying the property, Carolyn lights up with a sense of pride. “We absolutely love this property, the layout works perfectly for us and the location is ideal for walking down to The Shack or across the road to The Campus, and as footballing people it’s nice to sit and nosey as to which football team is down here for training!” We both burst out into laughter. “I love to cook and enjoy spending my evenings cooking for the family while the boys snuggle up with John in the cinema room. Coltham Developments placed a lot of focus on detail and was able to create a quality home perfect for modern day family living”.

Carolyn proceeds to express her love for travelling and tells me they have begun exploring Portugal and loved their recent city break to Lisbon. “It was amazing! We stayed in The Ritz and spent our time walking in the beautiful nearby parks, exploring the narrow cobbled streets and historical sites of the city”. The fact that the family love to ski and with Sierra Nevada a mere four drive away, they are planning a long weekend away before the end of the ski season.

And on that note, it’s 15h00 and we have to say our goodbyes as it’s time to collect the children from school. As Carolyn walks me to the door she thanks for me for all my support and guidance throughout the process which is most rewarding to hear. As professional estate agents, we have an important responsibility of supporting our purchasers and sellers every step of the way and knowing I have been able to make a positive difference to the lives of this lovely family leaves me feeling positive about the exciting times that lie ahead for this special part of the world and the place we are fortunate enough to call home, the Algarve.