Every business has a story, and the one behind Your Property Concept starts in two very different places: a pub just outside Exeter and the leafy North London suburb of Barnet.

Chris and Katy may have taken different routes to the Costa del Sol, but both had already built careers centred around people, business and property long before launching Your Property Concept. Their family ties to Spain sparked an early connection with the region, while years of professional experience gave them the knowledge and confidence to establish an agency that reflects their own values and approach.

Chris: born into hospitality

Chris often jokes that hospitality was quite literally in his blood. His parents ran a pub in Exeter and he was born there. Upstairs, he is keen to point out, not in the bar.

When he was still a young boy, the family moved to an area just outside Wolverhampton, where life continued to revolve around the pub trade. From an early age, Chris was helping out, learning how businesses operate and developing the people skills that come naturally when you spend your childhood surrounded by customers.

He always had an entrepreneurial streak. While most teenagers were still wondering what they wanted to do with their lives, Chris was already immersed in business. By the age of 18, he was running his own traditional English pub.

Looking back, it is easy to see how those experiences laid the foundations for his future career. Hospitality teaches you how to communicate, solve problems and build trust, all skills that translate surprisingly well into real estate.

Spain was also part of the picture long before he moved here. Chris’s aunt owned a home in Alhaurín and family visits introduced him to a completely different way of life. His mother later bought a property in La Cala de Mijas and when Chris eventually made the move to the Costa del Sol himself, that was where he based himself.

Nearly a decade later, he is still there. What keeps him in La Cala is simple. Everything is close at hand. The beach, restaurants, shops, golf courses and neighbouring towns are all within easy reach, making everyday life straightforward and convenient.

These days, when he isn’t working, you’ll often find him spending time with his wife and their new baby, walking along the seafront or keeping a close eye on Wolverhampton Wanderers. The latter can occasionally be more stressful.

Katy: from London to the Costa del Sol

Katy’s story begins in North London. She grew up in Barnet before later moving to Hackney and went on to gain a degree in Psychology at university. The common thread throughout her early career was people. She always wanted to work in roles that involved interaction, communication and understanding what makes people tick.

Before moving into property, she worked in both high-street and Michelin-starred restaurants, enjoying the client-facing side of hospitality but becoming increasingly aware that shift work wasn’t something she wanted to do forever.

She later worked as cabin crew, combining her love of travel with a career that revolved around meeting people from all walks of life.

Spain had always been familiar territory. Her parents owned a home in East Marbella and she regularly visited the Costa del Sol. Eventually, the thought of living here became harder to ignore.

Almost exactly ten years ago, Katy found herself between jobs in London and decided to send her CV to a real estate company in Spain. Three days later, she was invited for an interview. She got the job and three weeks later, she had moved to Spain.

“It all happened so quickly that I didn’t really have time to overthink it,” she says.

That decision marked the beginning of her career in the Costa del Sol property industry.

Her first home was in El Rosario, before later moving to Guadalmina Alta, where she has now lived for eight years. The location suits her perfectly. Friends are nearby, work is convenient and San Pedro, Marbella and Puerto Banús are all just minutes away.

Outside work, Katy enjoys the active lifestyle that drew her to Spain in the first place. You’ll often find her at the gym, walking along the boardwalk with her new puppy or spending time with friends. One of her favourite things about living on the Costa del Sol is that a morning on the beach and a weekend in the Sierra Nevada can comfortably fit into the same season.

Finding their way into real estate

Although they arrived through different routes, both Chris and Katy discovered that property was a natural fit.

Katy began her Spanish career in real estate before moving into a Sales and Marketing Manager role for a developer, gaining valuable insight into the new-build sector and buyer behaviour.

Chris had long been interested in property and had hoped to learn the business alongside his aunt, who had inspired his interest in the industry through her life in Spain. Sadly, she passed away before that opportunity became possible.

In many ways, building his own agency years later feels like completing a circle that began during those family visits to Alhaurín.

Both went on to gain extensive experience within the Costa del Sol property market before eventually deciding to launch Your Property Concept together.

The business reflects both personalities. They are professional yet approachable and knowledgeable without being intimidating. They’re a highly successful duo who are serious about property, but never take themselves too seriously.

Today, Chris and Katy combine very different experiences, personalities and skill sets, but they share the same belief that buying or selling a property should feel straightforward, transparent and enjoyable. That approach has become the foundation of Your Property Concept.