A Place in the Sun host Craig Rowe was forced to say sorry to a hopeful property buyer after her potential dream home was snapped up. In the latest episode of the Channel 4 favourite, Craig assisted Kirsty, a headteacher from Northern Ireland, in her quest to find the perfect holiday retreat in Lanzarote.
Accompanied by her mate Wendy and armed with a budget of £120,000, they faced quite the task, which Craig described as “a bit of a challenge”.
Among the properties lined up for viewing, it was a one-bedroom flat in Puerto del Carmen that captured Kirsty’s heart, ideally located near the old town and Playa Chica beach, and just slightly over budget at £120,168.
But the house-hunting journey hit a snag when Craig had to break the news that the apartment had already been sold.
He regretfully informed Kirsty: “It’s news that I’m not at all happy to be giving you, to be honest. The final property that we saw, the newly-refurbished apartment, sold overnight.”
He explained: “They had an offer accepted at the asking price, the deposit has been paid.”
Apologising for the turn of events, Craig added: “Now, even though we knew the property market was boiling, I was really hopeful we would at least have overnight, but that’s not the situation.”
Seeking her reaction, he asked: “So I’m sorry to give you that news. How does that make you feel? What are you thinking?”
Kirsty’s disappointment was clear, prompting Craig to observe: “I can kind of tell by your expression.”
Despite the initial setback, she didn’t let it deter her from finding her dream home, reports the Mirror. She expressed interest in the third property on her search list – a one-bedroom flat in Las Palmas, priced at £123,950 and just a 20-minute stroll from Puerto del Carmen’s old town.
Kirsty made an initial offer of £121,500, including furnishings, but this was turned down. The seller countered with a slightly higher price of over £123,000, which Kirsty also rejected.
After making a final bid of £122,000, the seller responded with £122,500, which Kirsty happily agreed to.
A Place in the Sun airs weekdays from 3pm on Channel 4.