What do a new Jaguar and a modern interpretation of the Citroën 2CV have in common with buying a home? Perhaps more than you might think. Two very different cars, a few personal memories and some thoughts about how our priorities change over time. Sometimes having what suits us is more important than having more.
From the sublime to the ridiculous?
Over the last week, I've been following the arrival of two very different cars. At first glance, neither has much to do with the property market here on the Costa del Sol, but they got me thinking about the choices we make, what we really need and how our priorities change over the years.
The first was the new Jaguar Type 01, a car that has attracted plenty of controversy because it represents such a dramatic change in direction for the company. I've owned five or six Jaguars over the years, and I thoroughly enjoyed them. They were comfortable, practical cars for their time, and when I was travelling extensively for business, they were excellent working tools.
I can understand why some traditional Jaguar enthusiasts have been unhappy with the new direction. But times change, and manufacturers have to change with them. Looking at the new car, I can appreciate what Jaguar is trying to achieve. It's an impressive piece of design, certainly makes a statement and will undoubtedly appeal to people who want something rather different.
Would I buy one? Probably not. Not because I don't like it, but because my life has changed. These days, I simply don't need a car of that size. Parking it would be a nuisance, and much of what it offers would be wasted on me. That doesn't make it a bad car. It simply means it wouldn't be the right car for me.
At the other end of the scale
The second car that caught my attention was the proposed return of the Citroën 2CV.
Now, that's a car with which I also have some personal history.
Many years ago, when I was an area director for Black Horse Agencies, we had a fleet of Citroën 2CVs in the North Liverpool area. They were painted green and white, the company colours, and carried the Black Horse Agencies logo.
We used them for getting around and viewing cars, and they were wonderful little vehicles.
They certainly attracted attention, although for rather different reasons from a Jaguar. They were simple, reliable, almost unbreakable and enormous fun to drive. They did exactly what we needed them to do, without any unnecessary complications.
Looking at the pictures of the new 2CV concept, I found myself smiling. It captures something of the character of the original while bringing the idea into the modern world.
And here's the funny thing. Of these two completely different cars, it's the little Citroën that I could actually imagine buying.
If the eventual production version delivers on the promise of the concept, it could be just the sort of practical, economical little runaround that suits my life today. Easy to park, inexpensive to use and, hopefully, just as much fun as the original.
The Jaguar might be the more impressive car, but the Citroën is the one that appeals to me.
What has all this got to do with property?
Quite a lot, actually.
Working in estate agency for nearly fifty years has taught me that the most expensive property isn't necessarily the one that will make somebody happiest.
There are people who want a large villa, extensive gardens, a swimming pool and plenty of space for entertaining. If they can comfortably afford it, enjoy it and make good use of everything it offers, that's absolutely fine. There's no reason why they shouldn't have it.
But equally, there are people who would be perfectly happy with a modest two-bedroom home, a pleasant terrace, somewhere to sit outside and perhaps a café or a few shops within walking distance. They don't necessarily want more rooms to clean, a large garden to maintain or facilities they'll hardly ever use. They simply want a home that works for them.
Neither choice is better than the other.
What suits us changes over time
Just as my Jaguars suited me when I was spending much of my working life on the road, the property that suits somebody at one stage of life may be completely wrong for them twenty years later. A family with children may need several bedrooms, plenty of storage and space for everyone to have a little independence. Later on, when the children have grown up and moved away, some of that space may no longer be necessary.
Of course, plenty of people love their larger homes and have no desire to move. That's their choice, and there's nothing wrong with it. But others begin to realise that they would rather have less property to look after and more time to enjoy doing the things they like. Sometimes a smaller home, in the right location, can offer a better quality of life than a much larger one. And sometimes the opposite is true.
It's not really about size or price. It's about finding something that fits the way you want to live.
Being happy with what we've got
There's another thought that has been on my mind increasingly in recent years.
We live in a world where we're constantly encouraged to want something bigger, newer or more expensive. A better car, a larger house, the latest technology or whatever happens to be fashionable at the moment. There's nothing wrong with ambition, and there's certainly nothing wrong with enjoying the rewards of hard work, but I do wonder whether we sometimes spend too much time thinking about what we'd like to have next, rather than enjoying what we already have.
When that ambition means stretching ourselves financially, taking on unnecessary debt or making compromises in other areas of our lives, it's worth asking whether the additional expense will really make us happier.
I've always believed that buying a property should be about finding the right home, not simply the most expensive one somebody can afford. The same applies to cars, and probably to most other things in life.
If a large Jaguar is what you want, you can afford it comfortably and it gives you pleasure, enjoy it. But if a little Citroën does everything you need, makes you smile when you get into it and leaves you with more money and time to enjoy other things, that's a pretty good choice too.
Perhaps the real luxury is having a life that suits us, being comfortable with what we have and taking the time to enjoy it.
And that applies just as much to the homes we choose as it does to the cars we drive.
If you would like help finding your ideal Costa del Sol property or just want to discuss what might suit your needs, call us on (0034) 952 90 52 00, WhatsApp us, or email info@michael-moon.com. We look forward to hearing from you.
