Chapter 6: 'Sweat and Tears'
'We aren't going to spend the entire two weeks looking at properties, are we?' TA whined as he wrestled with his seatbelt. I gave one of those distracted and barely-hiding-my-impatience-half-muttered, 'What? No', responses that most women will be familiar with. Firmly wedged into a seat on a Thomas Cook September flight, I was really hoping this was going to be the visit that finally secured us 'The House in Turkey'. If, only, I, could, get, comfortable ......!
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'I think she's here!' I called to TA as I pulled aside the white billowing curtain at the apartment window. Bang on time, our first agent Mandy, greeted us with a huge friendly grin and whisked us out of the searing heat of Calis to view the shortlisted properties in a marginally cooler Ovacik.
How can a house, in the flesh, seem SO different to the idea you had of it online? The first two houses Mandy showed us around had been okay but not for us. And now, finally the last on this agent's shortlist, House No.3. A definite favourite of mine from my endless nights scouring the internet back in Sheffield. I had been particularly excited about seeing it. And now we were here, stood on the driveway and I was so disappointed I wasn't sure if it was a bead of sweat or a tear trickling down my cheek.
The interior failed to lift my spirits. The windows were all in the wrong places, the crazy layout of the open plan downstairs area irritated me with its smallness and the pool was more 'plunge' than 'large family fun'. The 'authentic Turkish kosk' was so low it looked like a luxurious chicken coop. Was the house really owned by a diminutive family? Mandy hadn't met them, so was unable to answer ...
And our ever cheerful agent was not deterred by our tepid responses so far. 'There are other properties you may have not considered ...'
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It was always going to be the property that swung it rather than the agent. Mandy was excellent. Could not fault her unfailing enthusiasm, her encyclopaedic knowledge of the area (lived here for 20+ years) and her ability to think outside my very closed box of criteria. She arranged new viewings there and then on the spot, although I did wonder at times if she was making a phone call or really just delivering a little hushed aside directly to the TV camera à la Phil Spencer. But, it wasn't to be. Mandy, thank you though, you were fantastic.
Bring on Agent 002, Lennie. We started the day in Calis. Property No.1 was beautiful. Everything that could have been done, had been done. And with excellent taste. Even the furniture included in the sale was perfect. The location was flat and within yards of a dolmus route. And I am sure that if we had been 15 years older and wanted to see and speak to each and every one of our neighbours every day, and wave to them in their gardens, and nod to them on their balconies, it would have been a no brainer.
We exhausted Lennie's portfolio. I had a sort of favourite, TA had not seen 'the one'. Lennie showed us everything that came remotely near our criteria. The majority of which were handsome houses and often amazing value but just didn't press our buttons. We were all a little despondent and very tired so called it a day. As he dropped us off back at the apartment in Calis, he leaned out of the car window and called, 'I'll call you tomorrow. I have an idea'.