Hola, amigos! At the end of 2024 we collected the keys to our €40,000 abandoned farm in southern Spain. The house had been sitting empty for more than 20 years — the land was overgrown, and while there was furniture inside, much of it had been left untouched for decades and was no longer usable. Recently, while going through old photos and videos, we realised we’d never actually put all of the progress side by side. So this week we sat down and did exactly that: a proper then vs now look at where we started, and just how far this little farm has come.
Getting In: The Access Road
One of the very first things we did after getting the keys was arrange for a tractor to clear an access road down to the farm. After more than 20 years of neglect, even reaching parts of the property wasn’t straightforward. Seeing that first dusty track appear felt like a huge milestone — the first real sign this abandoned Spanish farmhouse was going to become ours.
Clearing 20 Years of Dust
With access sorted, attention turned to the house itself. Every room needed cleaning, every cupboard needed sorting, and every day uncovered another job that hadn’t even been on the list the day before. At that stage we hadn’t even realised the house was connected to mains water — we were bringing bottled water with us and collecting extra from a local fuente. Once things were a little more manageable, our first big shopping trip wasn’t for anything exciting or Pinterest-worthy — just basic beds, storage, and the essentials to make the longest days possible.
Then vs Now: The Kitchen
The kitchen is one of the spaces that’s evolved the most. When we first got the keys, it was full of dust, old furniture and years of neglect — we didn’t even have cooking facilities inside, and the only way to boil a kettle was on an old camping stove out on the land. Gradually we installed a cooker, cleared the old furniture, and transformed the room into a space that actually works for our family. Today it’s where we cook, work on our businesses, homeschool the kids, plan future projects and gather at the end of a busy day. Looking back at the photos now, it’s hard to believe it’s the same room.
Then vs Now: The Living Room
In the early days there wasn’t much here beyond the basics — a sofa, a projector, and somewhere to collapse at the end of a long day. It wasn’t stylish, but it gave us somewhere to relax and escape the endless list of jobs waiting outside. Over time we’ve slowly added furniture, storage and the little touches that make a house feel lived in. Today it’s one of our favourite places to unwind, and a world away from those first few months.
Then vs Now: The Bathroom & Bedroom
The bathroom hasn’t seen the biggest transformation on the farm, but even small improvements have made a huge difference — a reminder that transforming a home isn’t always about major renovations. Our bedroom followed a similar path: in the beginning it was purely function over appearance, just a bed, temporary wardrobes and enough furniture to get by while we focused on making the farm livable. With each visit we added a little more storage, comfort and personality, and today it finally feels like a place we can truly call our own.
Then vs Now: The Kids’ Room
Perhaps the most rewarding transformation has been Hayden and Maya’s room. At first the priority was simple — somewhere comfortable to sleep. As time went on, what started as a basic shared bedroom gradually evolved into two very different spaces, each with its own character reflecting who they are. Watching them make it their own, and seeing how excited they get with every new addition, has been one of the real joys of this journey.
Then vs Now: The Patio & Our First Solar Setup
One of the things that drew us to this off-grid homestead in the first place was the chance to spend more time outside — the views, the climate, the space around us. At first the patio was just an empty space dominated by a temporary solar setup: foldout panels, cables and equipment everywhere, not particularly attractive but helping us take our first steps towards off-grid life. Slowly we added seating, planted flowers, and created spaces to sit together as a family after a long day’s work. Some projects have already changed again, and a few have been “enthusiastically redesigned” by our pups — but that’s all part of the journey.
Reclaiming Nearly 6 Acres of Land
Beyond the house and patio lies nearly 6 acres of land, and when we first got the keys, much of it was hidden beneath years of neglect — overgrown weeds, fallen branches and thick vegetation. Little by little we began reclaiming it: countless hours of clearing, cutting back, and bonfires from years of accumulated growth. It wasn’t glamorous work, but with every area we opened up, we discovered a little more of the farm’s potential.
Bringing the Olive Grove Back to Life
One of the most rewarding transformations has been watching our olive grove come back to life. Many of the trees had been left unmanaged for years, hidden amongst weeds and overgrowth. Today we can properly access them again — and we’ve been fortunate enough to harvest olives from our own land, with more than enough olive oil to last. Something that felt almost unimaginable the day we collected the keys.
Setting Up “The Youth Club” Caravan
As the land became more accessible, we could finally start thinking beyond simply maintaining it and begin creating spaces to actually enjoy. Setting up the caravan was one of those projects — what started as somewhere practical to stay has become a useful extra space, whether that’s for visitors, a quiet spot to escape to, or what the adults have nicknamed “the youth club” (that’s for us, not the kids).
Looking Back on the Journey So Far
Going through all these photos and videos, one thing is very clear: progress doesn’t happen in big dramatic leaps. Most of the time it’s hundreds of small decisions, small improvements and small jobs that slowly add up. There’s still plenty left to do — gardens we want to create, projects we haven’t even started, and always more ideas than hours in the day. But this isn’t the finished version of Cortijo Renacer. It’s simply the next chapter, and what was once an abandoned farmhouse has become a place filled with memories, laughter, hard work and family moments. A place that no longer feels like a project. A place that feels like home.
Watch: Then vs Now — Our €40,000 Abandoned Farm Transformation
Here’s the full episode, looking back at everything that’s changed since we collected the keys:
How We Turned a €40,000 Abandoned Farm Into a Home | Then vs Now
Jump to the moments that matter most:
- 0:00 – Collecting the keys at the end of 2024
- 0:51 – Clearing an access road down to the farm
- 1:13 – Clearing out 20 years of furniture and dust
- 1:53 – Our first shopping trip: just the essentials
- 2:08 – Then vs now: the kitchen
- 3:03 – Then vs now: the living room
- 3:42 – Then vs now: the bathroom
- 4:07 – Then vs now: our bedroom
- 4:44 – Then vs now: the kids’ room
- 5:54 – Then vs now: the patio & our first solar setup
- 7:07 – Reclaiming nearly 6 acres of land
- 7:38 – Bringing the olive grove back to life
- 8:12 – Setting up “the youth club” caravan
- 9:06 – Looking back at how far we’ve come
Join Our Off-Grid Journey in Spain
We’re a UK family living off-grid in Andalusia, Spain — turning an abandoned farmhouse into a home, one small job at a time. Subscribe on YouTube and follow along as we keep transforming Renacer McGlynn (that’s Spanish for “to be reborn”) into the homestead we’ve always dreamed of.
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¡Hasta la próxima!