A Pace in the Sun’s Jean Johansson left one couple feeling somewhat disheartened during their quest for a property in Cyprus.
In the episode broadcast on Tuesday evening, Jean accompanied Maxine and John to Cyprus, aiming to locate their ideal home within a £150,000 budget.
The duo from County Durham were in search of a two-bedroom, two-bathroom holiday abode close to the beach and local facilities. They mentioned they had some flexibility with their budget and could go up to £180,000 for the “perfect” property.
Jean’s first offering was an apartment priced under budget at £140,000. Initially, the property seemed promising, as the couple appeared to take to it, though John was quick to express reservations about living in a complex despite his willingness to keep an “open mind.”
Upon entering, Maxine remarked that the apartment felt “a little dark. ” Despite trying to stay optimistic during the viewing and acknowledging the spaciousness of the place, Maxine identified a significant “deal breaker” she couldn’t ignore.
From the balcony, Maxine lamented to Jean that all she could see were air conditioning units and water tanks, conceding, “It’s not good, is it?” She later confided to her husband that this issue was indeed a “deal breaker for me,” reports the Mirror.
Having passed on Jean’s initial choice, the property expert presented a second option a townhouse priced at £120,000.
Maxine was charmed by the property’s proximity to the beach, and John was impressed by its “bargain” price.
“It is ticking a lot of boxes,” enthused Maxine, her delight evident as they wandered through the generous spaces of the property and out towards the garden.
After indicating to Jean that the second property was indeed a “contender,” they proceeded to explore the third holiday home on offer another expansive townhouse.
Despite its £157,000 price tag, Maxine and John were quite taken with the sizeable nature of the property, declaring it a “major improvement” over their second viewing.
One slight hitch concerned the distance from the coast; however, Maxine was quick to assuage Jean’s concerns, affirming that it “didn’t put them off.”
Unfortunately, the location of the fourth property did not make a good first impression on the couple. Yet before exploring further, Jean implored: “I need you to promise me you’ll keep an open mind.”
“I don’t know what to say, really,” Maxine confessed as they toured the property solo, pinpointing yet another potential “deal breaker”.
She added: “I know we can do work on this, but I am not sure I really want to.”
The house hunter later admitted to Jean that they cut the viewing short and “didn’t view all of the rooms” because it wasn’t what they were looking for.
“We didn’t go in all of the rooms, but it is definitely not for us, I’m afraid, Maxine told Jean.
The fifth property on Jean’s list was priced at the higher end of the couple’s budget, at £172,000. Jean admitted she received a “lukewarm” reaction from the couple, who said they were overwhelmed by their choices.
When making a final decision, Maxine and John made an offer on the third property. They decided to try their luck and put in an offer for £140,000, which was rejected.
The seller offered them a counteroffer of £155,000, which was higher than Maxine was willing to pay. However, the couple soon returned with a counteroffer of £144,000, which the seller declined.
A Place in the Sun airs weekdays at 6pm on Channel 4.