THE PROBLEM
Lisa and John Jenkins want to `get away from it all' in the Algarve, but are finding that new homes there tend to be in urban areas. They have a budget of pounds 700,000
"For years, my husband and I have taken our holidays in the Algarve. Initially we went because of my husband's love of golf, but while being a `golf widow' I began to explore the countryside and felt very much at home. The locals are friendly and English is the second language and widely spoken. The keenness of the Portuguese to please, together with their country's history, culture and lifestyle made our visits very enjoyable.
"We have a large house and garden in Sussex and suddenly we have found it all rather hard work. We want to sell it, buy a flat on the South Coast and use the rest of the money to buy a permanent home in Portugal. Although we are downsizing we certainly do not want to give up our quality of life. It has been difficult to find what we are looking for, which is a brand new home with a view, which is not surrounded by other homes.
"We have looked in Quinta do Lago and Vale do Lobo but find that it really is `Weybridge-by-the-Sea'. That is fine for some people but as a permanent residence we want to be more in tune with the culture and ambience of Portugal. We are only interested in a new home and are looking for a minimum of four bedrooms, good-sized reception rooms as we like entertaining, a private garden of manageable size, a secure environment and, if possible, a view, ideally of the sea."
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