We are quietly beginning to explore what the future might look like. We haven’t decided anything yet, but we are allowing ourselves to imagine where our boat might one day rest for a little longer.

And so I would love to take you with us into this process.

Behind the scenes we are having many conversations. The kind of conversations that slowly shape a dream into something a little more concrete. What truly matters to us? What would a place need to offer? And what kind of house would feel like a home for our family?

We quickly realised that the search is not only about a house. It is about a place. A rhythm. A life that fits both our family and the boat that has become such a central part of it.

So we began making lists. Lists of must haves and nice to haves. The things that feel essential and the things that we can talk about, adjust or perhaps even let go of. Because anyone who has ever searched for a home knows that perfection rarely exists. And in our case the picture is even broader than just a house. It is a landscape, a community, a harbour, a school, a feeling.

Somewhere along the way you always have to give a little. We do not expect every single box to be ticked. What matters more is understanding which things are truly priorities and which ones leave room for flexibility.

So here are some of the things we are currently taking into consideration in our search.

Location and accessibility
• Within about one and a half hours from an international airport
• Within twenty minutes from a good school for Philou
• A marina within roughly an hour so the boat can remain part of our life
• A region that is alive during winter and not only in summer
• Close to an authentic village with a square and a few restaurants and not to far from a city with good infrastructure and services
• Preferably a place with a real community rather than a purely tourist destination

The house and the land
• At least four bedrooms so there is space for family and friends
• A plot of at least one thousand square metres
• A swimming pool and space to park, preferable a garage
• Privacy and not surrounded by dense development
• Ideally views of nature or the sea

One thing we realised quite quickly is that we are not looking for a modern minimalist house. What really attracts us are homes with character.

Think natural stone, traditional architecture and a place with a bit of history. A house that feels rooted in its surroundings.

Ready to live in
The house should be liveable from the moment we arrive. Renovations are absolutely fine, but mostly cosmetic. We are not looking for a major structural project.

Rental potential
We would also like the house to have some potential for (summer) rental.

Ideally there would be a separate guest space such as a small studio or guesthouse, or at least the possibility to create one. The idea would be to rent during the year and adding the main house in the summer months, roughly from mid June to mid September, which could help generate income.

Connection with the sea
Because our life revolves so much around the boat, being connected to the sea remains important.

A marina within an hour where we can have a berth, maintenance and winter storage would be ideal. A small harbour closer by would be a beautiful bonus.

The atmosphere of the place
More than anything we are drawn to places with soul.

Villages with a square and a few tavernes.
Local life.
Children playing outside.
Olive groves, mountains or the sea nearby.

Places that are authentic rather than urbanised villa areas or fully touristic zones.

The rhythm of daily life

One small but meaningful detail we often talk about is the rhythm of daily life.

We love places where you can go out for dinner a little earlier, where families gather in the evening and where children are naturally part of village life.

A longer term dream
And finally there is the bigger picture.

We would love this place to also be somewhere where friends and family can come together. A place that might one day host small gatherings, retreats or moments of connection with nature and the sea.

A place that works beautifully together with our life on the boat.

In one sentence, what we are looking for is quite simple.

An authentic house with character on a generous piece of land, close to a lively village and within reach of a marina, affordable and suitable for both family life and summer rentals.

Will we find it exactly like this?
We honestly do not know.

But these are the thoughts guiding our search as we slowly explore Crete, Spain and perhaps places we have not even thought of yet.

And as always, we will take you with us along the way.

Sometimes the future begins with nothing more than a list and a feeling.