American Couple Turns Abandoned Farmhouse in Portugal into Dream Home
An American couple, Alan Andrew and his Belgian husband Vincent Proost, have recently completed their dream home in the rural region of Alentejo, Portugal. What started as a search for a vacation home ended up becoming a permanent relocation for the couple.
The couple, who met in London in 2006, had been living in the UK for around two decades when they began their search for a new home in Europe. After exploring various countries, they fell in love with Alentejo and decided to look for a house there.
After viewing around 80 properties, they stumbled upon an abandoned farmhouse in the village of Figueira e Barros. However, it soon became clear that the house was beyond repair, and they would have to build from scratch.
To fully commit to the project, they decided to move to Portugal permanently. After purchasing the property in 2019, they rented a nearby house while finalizing the sale and going through the process of obtaining residency. They also started working with architects and builders to create plans for their new home.
However, their plans were interrupted by the Covid-19 pandemic. As Portugal went into lockdown, the couple found themselves with nowhere to go after being asked to move out of their rental home. They ended up sleeping in a tent for two weeks before being able to stay in the barn on their property.
Despite the challenges, construction work on their house continued, although at a slower pace due to Covid restrictions. They were finally able to move into their finished home, named Casa Baio, which features five bedrooms, an outdoor swimming pool, and solar-powered systems.
The couple has also embraced the farming aspect of their property, tending to their 175 acres of land, which includes olive trees and various animals. They produce their own organic oil and have adopted regenerative organic practices on their farm.
The locals in Figueira e Barros have warmly embraced the couple, with Andrew noting that being two gay men living in a rural farm in Portugal was never an issue. The couple has been welcomed into the community and has made friends with both locals and fellow expats.
They have now opened Casa Baio as a bed and breakfast, with four of their en suite bedrooms available for bookings. The couple has noticed an increase in the number of Americans relocating to Portugal, particularly in the Alentejo region.
Although they admit adjusting to the slower pace of life has taken some time, the couple is grateful for their new home and the warm reception they have received from the Portuguese community. Their journey from searching for a vacation home to creating their dream farmhouse in Portugal has truly been an adventure.