Interview: Marjon Van Aarle on Life, Family, and Building in Costa Tropical’s Alfa-Mar

EN: Welcome to Alfa-Mar; Marjon, Vincent, Daan and Yara! Thank you very much for talking to us today. In this edition of El Nexo, we wanted to present the perspectives of a new owner who is building a brand-new house in Alfa-Mar. The first question is one that we ask everybody. How did you find Alfa-Mar, and why did you choose to build a home here?

MVA: I was thinking about buying a house in Spain and when I told a friend about it, he introduced us to Lars Snellaars (the architect), about 3 years ago. After some discussion, Lars showed us some properties and a plan to renovate an old house. Later he also showed us a design for a new house to be constructed. I immediately felt that was what I wanted… a new design, not an old house to renovate. But I also realized that it could take longer and that we would not have a house in Spain soon. When Lars discovered the plot in Alfa-Mar, he sent us a video of the property. So, we came to view the property and made the decision to choose Alfa-Mar.

EN: Did you consider other locations before settling on Alfa-Mar and Costa Tropical?

MVA: Originally, we were just planning to buy a house, but we didn’t know where in Spain. I knew where I didn’t want to be…. not in Catalunya or Marbella, for example. We considered San Sebastian, which was quite expensive, and Valencia had problems regarding rentals. So, we crossed out those places from our list. Costa Tropical was a good choice because we already had a connection with Lars, and the Alfa-Mar plot presented a nice opportunity with great views! We also saw properties at Monte de Los Almendros, which were nice… and Costa Aguilera was also nice, but the maintenance was not very good. In the end, Alfa-Mar was perfect for us considering everything.

EN: It is a big decision to build a new house. What are the key factors that helped you and your family to reach this decision?

MVA: We didn’t start with “I’m going to build a new house”…. we were just looking and when we saw the houses that were for sale, most were traditional Andalucian style houses, which was not what we wanted and not the house of the future. New houses today are built differently, more open plan and not a lot of small rooms. Most houses that we saw needed extensive renovation… not just painting or refreshing. Of course there was the option to buy a brand-new house, but they were more expensive. Or we could buy an old house that needed significant renovation, which could take several months. The question was whether we would have the house that we really wanted… and the answer was, probably not so! Then Lars showed us a plan and a new design. We said, “this is really nice, is this possible?” The answer was, yes, it’s possible! So, we went from buying a brand-new house or renovating an old house to building a brand-new house in a way that suits us. Another reason was that it’s a better investment for us.

EN: Was there one consideration that was more important than others in the decision making? Or was it just location?

MVA: We had to consider a combination of factors – location, views, maintenance, price. Of course you want everything for the best price. What was important for us and why we checked the box for Costa Tropical was because it is not too touristy like Marbella. I think there are multiple things, not just one thing. The location is very important, but equally important is the right people to work with, like Lars and Alberto. I think there is also the issue of the right “feeling”! Feeling is something you cannot describe.

EN: I understand … it’s an intuition.

MVA: Yes, intuition! I think we had a nice feeling with Alfa-Mar, I don’t know why. We have this nice feeling that we will experience, now and later, with the people here. Also, it’s only one hour from both Malaga and Granada airports. We really wanted the sea views, and the climate is also really nice.

EN: So, your house will be a modern aesthetic…. how would you describe the features of your new house?

MVA: Yes, it will be modern, but not too modern. On the outside, at the terrace, we want to have more Spanish style stone although I don’t know exactly what it’s going to be, because we still have to choose everything. In the design, we also have some wood. It’s an open plan with the kitchen and living area in one space…. and connected with the terrace and swimming pool. The upstairs will be two bedrooms and two bathrooms… downstairs, one bedroom and one bathroom. The fourth room will be an extra bedroom with bunk beds for children. And of course, a multi-purpose room for laundry, etc.

EN: Sounds very nice. Your project team is new to Alfa-Mar. How did you find this team?

MVA: As I said earlier, Lars was introduced to us by a friend a few years ago. It’s nice to work with someone who is enthusiastic and positive, because I’m also able to think together with him and give my input. Lars already had contact with Alberto, and he brought in Alberto, who I think is a good builder.

EN: Yes, it is always good to make connections through people you know. Will this be a holiday home or do you envision living here full time in the future?

MVA: This will be a holiday home, because our children still have school obligations and we cannot be there for a long time. We plan to rent the house, so that the house does not sit empty for a long time. Summertime would be good to rent as we probably won’t be there because of the heat, humidity and the crowds. We like to go there when it is not that crowded. We also like it when there are not just tourists, but more people who live there. What we don’t like is when there are too many tourists, because we love the Spanish experience. And I hope that we can experience that in Costa tropical for a long time.

EN: I also understand that you are not a stranger to the Costa Tropical area. What are some of your favorite places and things to do around here?

MVA: I like Hotel Miba because I’ve stayed there a few times and it’s nice. We haven’t been to Almuñecar yet, so we are going to see that next time. We’ve been to Salobreña, but more often to the Playa Granada beach. The children really like the surf (watersports) school, Awa, which also has a restaurant. We once rented a house near there and we could walk to the beach, so we checked out some plots near the golf course. But we chose Alfa-Mar because of the beautiful sea views and relaxed vibe. The questions were – do we want to walk to the beach and everything, or do we want to have this perfect, relaxing sea view, and take the car to go somewhere? That’s the only disadvantage I could think of, but you can’t have it all. So, in the end we chose Alfa-Mar! Perhaps later, we may consider buying a scooter just so that you don’t have to use the car all the time, and especially when it’s really crowded, parking would be easier with a scooter.

EN: We would love to know your story, could you tell us a little bit about your work and your family?

MVA: Yes, I’m “in between” at the moment. My dad passed away about 4 years ago. He had a fruit and vegetable wholesale business, which I took over because I worked with him in the company. Last summer, I sold the company and now I’m helping the new owner to run the business. Meanwhile, I’m also doing a study because I’m planning to start my own company, a new business which is about coaching people. So currently I’m in transition. My husband, Vincent, works with a shipping company, Wärtsilä, which is a large international company from Finland.

EN: We are glad to welcome more families with kids to Alfa-Mar. What are your kids’ ages and their interests? What do you like most about this area as a family?

MVA: Our son, Daan, is almost 15. We also have a daughter, Yara who is 9. The kids like water sports… for sure my son does. Daan is like a daredevil who tries everything with sports, and he enjoys everything he can do. He doesn’t play tennis yet, but I think he would like to play.

EN: What would Daan or Yara like to say to other kids in Alfa-Mar?

MVA: I think Daan would like to find a tennis or surfing partner. He would just like to find other children who he can do activities with. He likes playing everything, loves soccer and also gaming. So, I think it’s just finding someone who he can play with, because it’s about doing something with other kids who are the same age. When we rented a house the last time, they were telling us that it was a bit boring, “where are the other children?” So, it would be nice if they could meet other kids. Of course, not everyone will be there at the same time. But they don’t need a lot, they just need one or two friends that they can do something with, whether in the community or going to the beach together. That’s enough.

EN: Now back to an adult question – Alfa-Mar is more than 50 years old, and we are working hard to improve our infrastructure. However, not all infrastructure is visible, and people often cannot appreciate the importance of it. As the saying goes “out of sight, out of mind!”. Because you are building a brand-new home that will rely on the infrastructure, could you share any thoughts or ideas about maintenance and upkeep of our infrastructure?

MVA: I think that is a difficult question for me, because I really haven’t thought about it that much. But I do know maintenance is necessary. Otherwise, things would not look good anymore. I think the whole community is responsible for the maintenance, in addition to their own house. Renting could also be a way to help support maintenance of your home. I think it’s better for the neighbors when there are more people, whether renting or living there, instead of houses staying empty. Because when it’s empty, people can just move in and take over your house. It is also better for burglary and theft. So, it is something you can do as a homeowner – maintenance of your own house, also maintenance for the community, and enhancing safety and security in the community.

EN: Based on what you already know about Alfa-Mar, do you have any suggestions for us and the community? What are some things you would like to see in your new community?

MVA: Well, one thing would be for the children. I think it would be really nice for the children to have their own WhatsApp group, and have contacts, and then see each other when they’re in Alfa-Mar at the same time. I don’t know how it works for the adults because I haven’t seen much in our Whatsapp group, “Hi, we’re going to be in Alfa-Mar next week”. Maybe that’s because they’re already texting with each other privately. What I’m wondering is, how do we meet more people? Is that something you organize at the pool area? Because there’s a small bar there, right?

EN: No, we don’t have a bar at the pool, but we would love to create one in the future. That would be a terrific addition to the community, and many neighbors would welcome it. I’ll add it to our wish list. Many neighbors go there with other friends and neighbors. We also have a petanque court, so neighbors play pétanque together. People who like tennis also play together. We host a summer party every year, but unfortunately not everyone could come during that time, so we want to plan another event this year. A kind neighbor already volunteered to organize a wine tasting event, so stay tuned for that.

MVA: We love wine, especially Spanish wine. I think that would be nice, because if you do one event in the winter and one in the summer, more people can come. We are looking forward to being there when our house is ready.

EN: We thank you for investing in Alfa-Mar, and hope that you and your family will soon meet other neighbors and start new friendships. In Alfa-Mar, vacant plots and unoccupied homes are an eyesore and a worry for the community. Vacant plots with overgrown and dry vegetation are a fire hazard. Vacant homes are not only a worry for potential illegal occupation, but they are also a refuge for rodents, cockroaches, etc. We are delighted when those properties are sold, and new owners arrive and build new houses or reform them. It is a good thing for our community.