• Ever Wondered What's It Like to Be Featured In A Property Series On Channel 4?
• Spanish Property Choice Creating A Property Boom In Almeria
• Sun, Sea And Selling Houses - Has made the Garners a household name

Business is booming for a top Almerian real estate agency following regular appearances on a successful UK property show. Spanish Property Choice run by the Garner family from Birmingham for the past 12 years, is one of two family companies featured in the popular Channel 4 series, Sun, Sea and Selling Houses. The 20, hour long programmes in the first series followed the day to day business of agencies selling dream Spanish properties to British investors. It also chronicles family adventures along the way. And it seems Mum Sharon, Dad Steve, daughter Emma, son Shaun and son-in-law Matt have made quite an impression on the viewers following their trials and tribulations. But the firmly established agency has also seen a big demand from those seeking properties in the sun. So much so, their facebook page has been swamped with messages and enquiries causing a few late nights in the Garner family. The family are now filming for the second series to be seen very soon, but when the first series was recently repeated, another wave of popularity hit social media. The power of TV has certainly helped the market in Almeria.

Sharon takes up the story: “It was a great pleasure to be asked to take part in the series, and we're all absolutely gob-smacked by the response. We've actually had lots of sleeplesss nights just trying to keep up with the enquiries. We've now got more than 10,000 followers on facebook and have clients in Florida, Paphos, Crete, Portugal, France, Italy and all over Spain. Business has always been good, but this extra exposure has really fired things up. I've even had people and companies asking about my clothes and where I buy them? We hoped it would go well. But this has all been well above our expectations.” The first series has also chronicled Sean's organisation of a special Spanish themed day and Sharon's tattoo challenge. So what's been the secret of the families success? Steve told us: “I think viewers and prospective buyers have seen just how honest we all are. We've just got on with things and been ourselves throughout the filming. In fact, it was so well done we sometimes forgot the cameras were there. We are all passionate about delivering a first class service and helping people to fulfil their dreams along the way. When we recommend a property, it's almost as if we are thinking of buying it ourselves. We always offer advice and guidance relating to the real day to day world in Spain, and people appreciate that.

Shaun added: “I think viewers have identified strongly with the family feel of the series. They can see we are all genuine people who have just the same ambitions and dreams as them. Potential buyers need to know they can fully trust those advising them, and we look upon each client as a new friend we're trying to help. It's strange at first, to see yourself on telly and I've been ribbed from a few people, but it was great fun to do. Mum's tattoo has definitely been my highlight – though she's got her own back on more than one occasion.”

When Stephen and Sharon moved to this beautiful province of Costa Almería, their original intention was to semi retire. Their son Shaun attended a Spanish public school, and Emma found employment initially for a Spanish recreational company. However after a very short period of time, Stephen and Sharon were head hunted by a Spanish Property Developer in Olula del Río, who saw potential in the historical experience they both had to offer the Spanish Real Estate Market. Consequently they opened their first office predominantly selling old farmhouses, cave houses and traditional Spanish village houses full of charm and character. The rest as they say, is history.

Spanish Property Choice have successfully developed into Mojacar's leading Real Estate Agency, now leading the market for Inland and Coastal re-sale properties and long term rentals. Rob Butterfield, Executive Producer for Ricochet says: “We can all relate to wanting to give up Blighty to go live in sunny Spain. This series followed the Brits chasing that dream, and the people helping them make it a reality, living the dream themselves.”

The second family are the Rodriguez, a family of Liverpudlians. Dad, Manuel, is originally from Spain. Manuel and Linda are the owners but their daughter Sophie and her husband Damon work with them as well as their daughter Charlotte.

-Ends

The Garners are available for any features on their business/anything to do with Spanish property/luxury/commercial property or otherwise.

Grahame Anderson

For interviews with any of the family , images or extra story information – contact Grahame Anderson in the UK on 191 4157647 or 07741414487