For some, buying a property is a one-time event, a transaction to acquire the home they will live for decades. For others instead, like David & Hillary, it’s more fluid than that. Discover why!
The British couple’s Menorcan journey began 25 years ago with the purchase of a holiday apartment in Son Parc. They had initially visited as a family but at the time thought that owning a place of their own was a pipe dream.
Once they had taken that initial leap, it wasn’t so hard to imagine owning a bigger place. The children were still young, so being close to the beach was ideal, and within a couple of years, they had built a three-bedroom villa in the same area. As time passed, however, their needs and wants evolved.
It was time to swap the coast for the countryside.
In 2006 David and Hilary purchased a big Menorquin farmhouse on 20 acres of land. Built in the traditional style, with rough marés walls, beamed ceilings, and tiled roofs, and filled with antique furniture and copper pots and pans, it was brimming with rustic charm.
Although purchased as a holiday home, once their children were grown up, David and Hilary made that rural idyll their year-round residence.
They lived there happily for over a decade — until the opportunity arose to purchase a plot of land on the outskirts of Mercadal. Having lived deep in the countryside, being within walking distance of the village appealed, whilst the wide-open views of green hills ensured it still felt rural. And having experienced life in an old, traditional house, they were ready for a change of style.
The house they designed is an unapologetically modern house, with clean lines, an open plan kitchen and dining room, four bedrooms with ensuite bathrooms, and an infinity pool. It’s a complete contrast to their previous home with every luxury from underfloor heating and air-conditioning to home automation systems, a lift, solar panels, and more.
The couple moved in in late 2020 – but by then the pandemic had forced them to rethink their priorities. With five grandchildren growing up fast in the UK and the ease and affordability of travel looking threatened, they decided to sell the house and move closer to family.
It is with no regrets, however, as the couple has lived the Menorca experience to the fullest. They’ve been holiday homeowners and full-time residents. They’ve bought and they’ve built. They’ve lived in apartments, farmhouses, and contemporary homes.
Is there a clear winner? Not for them. Each property has simply been right for that stage of their lives.