From tiny house dream to apartment in Spain: our story

Sometimes the most beautiful adventures start with a dream – and that was exactly the case with us. In 2022, we fantasized about a tiny house in southern Europe. We could already see it in front of us: a converted shipping container, minimalistically furnished, placed on our own piece of land somewhere in Spain or Portugal.

But dreams and reality are two different things.

Although the idea of off-grid tiny living appealed to us enormously, we soon ran into a number of obstacles:

• No place to build – in Belgium, we couldn’t find a location anywhere where we could remodel our container before it moved south.
• Lack of clarity about regulations – where and how to buy a plot of land in Spain or Portugal? And are you allowed to place a container there at all? The rules turned out to be anything but clear.
• Tiny houses still unknown in Southern Europe – although the concept is popular in Northern Europe, there was little infrastructure and regulation around tiny living in Spain and Portugal.

We didn’t want to give up on the dream, but we felt everything: this was not the right route for us. Still, it kept itching to have my own place in the south. And at the end of 2022, that feeling became so strong that we decided: it’s now or never.

With our tiny house plans on hold, we started looking for an affordable home in southern Spain. We heard stories about apartments that had been for sale dirt cheap since the banking crisis of 2008. That sounded like an opportunity we couldn’t pass up.

So we got in the car and drove towards Murcia, Spain.

The first two weeks were a rollercoaster of disappointments. Many apartments were located in abandoned resorts, surrounded by empty buildings and atmospheric streets. But on our penultimate day it happened: we found our dream place.

Las Terrazas de la Torre – a resort that did feel lively.

We immediately saw a great apartment, but felt that it was not the apartment yet. The day before our departure, we decided to schedule a final viewing with a real estate agent. And then it happened.

There it was. Our penthouse.

What makes our apartment so special?

• Southwest facing – the sunsets are magical
• View of the golf course & pool
• Plenty of space (2 bedrooms) without a lot of work on the interior
• Bargain price: €62,500 – a real no-brainer

We immediately felt: this is it.

One small detail: we didn’t just have that money in our account. But luckily we had a house in Belgium of which that amount had already been paid off, so the bank gave the green light for a loan that itself contained more than the purchase price.

The paperwork took longer than expected, but in April 2023 – just before the Easter holidays – we finally received the redeeming message:

“Everything is complete. You can come and get the keys!”

The dream became a reality.

Today, that apartment, La Terraza Azul, has become our permanent place in Murcia – and also a place that we rent out to other travelers.

In the next blog we will tell you how we furnished, refurbished and rented out the apartment – including all the highs and lows.

Do you also dream of a place in southern Spain? Do you want to know how we approached the purchase process, what pitfalls to avoid, or just get inspiration for your own adventure? Feel free to send us a message and we will be happy to help you.

Have you ever considered buying a holiday home in Spain? Let us know in the comments.

Curious about the result? Check out La Terraza Azul – the same apartment from this story, now fully furnished and bookable for your own stay in Murcia.