Sometimes the smallest details in a property tell you the most about how people really live.
Why would anyone want two dishwashers?
Earlier today I was looking at a penthouse in Torre Bermeja on the New Golden Mile, Estepona. It's a lovely beachfront property which has open views to the sea and direct access to the coastal walkway. It has one of those terraces where you can spend most of the day relaxing and enjoying the surroundings.
The penthouse has been fully renovated and includes all the features that you would expect to see in a property of this level. It has a bespoke kitchen with high-end appliances. There is a sauna, a Jacuzzi, and even a Bang & Olufsen sound system. The home has air conditioning, underfloor heating, and a long list of details that have clearly been very carefully thought through.
There is one feature in the kitchen, though, that made me smile, not because it is especially luxurious but because it is slightly unusual.
The kitchen has two dishwashers.
Now, at first glance, this may seem a little excessive for a three-bedroom holiday apartment, even one priced at just under €5 million. It reminded me of something a client asked us years ago when they were looking to buy a townhouse.
At the time, I remember thinking it was a very unusual request. The property already had a dishwasher together with a washing machine and also a separate utility room, so there was plenty of space to put a second dishwasher in the kitchen. I could not really understand why having two dishwashers would matter so much.
The couple eventually bought the property, and afterwards I asked them about it.
Their explanation was wonderfully simple. They had two teenage children, and one of the biggest sources of arguments in the house was over emptying the dishwasher. Nobody wanted to do it, so they solved the problem by buying two dishwashers.
Clean dishes stayed in one dishwasher, and dirty dishes went into the other one. When the dirty dishwasher became full, the clean one would usually be empty. The cycle simply switched over. Nobody had to empty anything. No more arguments. Problem solved.
The older I get, the more I realise that property decisions are often less about what looks impressive in a brochure and much more about how people actually want to live.
Sometimes buyers want walkability because they're tired of driving everywhere. Sometimes they want a lift because they're planning ahead for the future. Sometimes they want a home office because they work between countries. Sometimes they simply want two dishwashers because they're fed up with arguing about whose turn it is to empty one.
When you understand why somebody wants something, even if it initially sounds unusual, it suddenly starts to make perfect sense.
Actually, the more I thought about it, the more sensible the two-dishwasher idea started to sound, especially if they host Christmas or Easter for the extended family. At that point, having two dishwashers probably makes perfect sense as well.
If you have a special property requirement and are looking for your dream home on the Costa del Sol, please call us on (0034) 952 90 52 00, WhatsApp us, or email info@michael-moon.com and we will do everything we can to help find the right solution for your needs.
