The atmospheric centre of an ancient port town near Valencia proved the perfect spot for the Smits’ holiday home, which the Dutch family snapped up after spotting on HomeEspaña’s website.
Iris and Martin Smits, who have two teenage children, were delighted to get the keys to their character townhouse in Sagunto, about 25 minutes up the coast from Valencia city, in May 2022. They had made a successful offer that included all furniture while at home in Holland in March that year!
“We saw the property on the internet and thought it looked perfect,” said Iris, who runs her own business. “When I spoke to HomeEspaña they told me a sale had just fallen through and they had other viewings lined up. So we knew we had to be quick. We did a video tour and decided to go for it, agreeing a purchase price with the vendor and a reservation fee. That was on a Wednesday and on Friday that week we flew out to see the property and organise everything for the purchase, such as appointing a lawyer and opening a bank account.”
As seasoned holidaymakers in the Spanish Costas and reassured by the services of their lawyer and HomeEspaña, the Smits felt comfortable buying so fast. The transaction progressed and the family drove down from Holland for completion in May.
“Tony at HomeEspaña was especially helpful during the purchase and checked the that everything was satisfactory before keys were handed over,” continued Iris. “The after sales team were also good, helping us with things like getting our internet connection sorted.”
Bursting with character and features, the Smits’ holiday home is special for both its location and style. Located in a dead-end street in the medieval centre of Sagunto, there’s barely any traffic and it offers instant access to the exciting lifestyle of the pretty old town with every type of amenity on its doorstep.
“Location and atmosphere were priorities for us,” said Iris. “We wanted to be in a populated area with easy access to life and activities. Initially, we thought about buying somewhere rural – including in Holland, but realised that wouldn’t be much fun for teenagers. And for security reasons, we wanted a lock-up-and-leave property with year-round neighbours. Also important was being close to Valencia city-centre, which is less than 30 minutes by car or train, and a beach – Sagunto’s beach is 5-10 minutes’ drive by car or local bus.”
As for the property, it certainly has the wow factor. Renovated to a high standard by the previous owners, who were architects, it mixes authentic features with modern touches. Highlights include exposed beams, tiled flooring, log burner, floor to ceiling windows and balconies. The ground floor includes an open-plan living area, leading to the kitchen and dining area, and an en-suite double bedroom. The first floor has a large studio area (possible third bedroom) and another double bedroom with en-suite. There is also a large shady courtyard garden, ideal for al fresco dining and with a small storage building.
The town of Sagunto is a little-known gem. With a beautiful main square and castle with fortified walls, its protected old town mixes Moorish, Jewish and Roman architecture, highlights being ruins of its Roman theatre and circus. The town is a 3-4 kilometres inland of its ancient port, to the north of which is its main beach.
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