A British expat couple have revealed how their spontaneous decision to buy a house on Channel 4's A Place In The Sun dramatically altered their early retirement plans, ultimately forcing a major lifestyle reset.
From Global Nomads to Property Owners
Neil and Sarah, who document their travels on YouTube as 2GoRoam Travels, had sold all their possessions years earlier to fund a life of perpetual global travel. By 2023, they had spent five years exploring multiple continents, living their dream. Their path crossed with the hit property show by chance when Neil spotted production crew at an event.
Despite Sarah's initial reluctance—"No, because we don't want to buy a house"—Neil persuaded her to participate for the experience of television, not with any intention to purchase. He even warned her not to appear too interested in any properties during filming.
The Temptation of a Spanish Villa
The couple's resolve vanished when they viewed the third property in the village of Rojales, Spain. Neil described the moment as a revelation, thinking to himself, "If this is on budget, how can you say you don't like it? It's perfect." Contrary to all their plans, they went ahead and bought the house.
However, buyer's remorse set in almost immediately. Over a bottle of cava after paying the reservation fee, Neil turned to Sarah and said, "We've got a problem." The issue was twofold: their new Spanish home and their beloved motorhome. The property came with a major limitation for UK passport holder Neil—the Schengen area's 90-in-180-day rule—while the motorhome was bought for endless European travel.
Realigning Dreams with Reality
Neil stated plainly: "Buying a house in Spain kind of ruined our dreams. It ruined everything for us, because Sarah and I love travel." The property sat unused, "gathering dust," as the couple felt tethered. They made drastic changes, selling the motorhome and Neil securing an Irish passport via his grandmother to circumvent travel restrictions.
The ultimate solution was to sell the Spanish house. Now back to full-time travel, they plan an extensive five-month tour of Asia, including Vietnam, Taiwan, South Korea, and Japan. Reflecting on the experience, Neil concluded they were thankful to the show. "We've realised it saved us from ourselves," he said, adding they have "reset the clock" to travel for the next decade and won't buy another property for at least ten years.
A Place In The Sun airs on Channel 4 and streams on Channel 4's website.
