‘We do the work so you can enjoy the journey.’ A conversation with Paddyanne McAllister

You’ve been on the island for many years. How did your relationship with Ibiza begin? 

I’m from Northern Ireland and I came to Ibiza the first time when I was 14 with my cousin, just the two of us. I came to visit my sister who was doing her first season here - my mother thought this was a good idea!
I went to Space in the morning, to Pacha, to Amnesia. I went everywhere and at the time I was thinking – although it sounds crazy – ‘when I’m 18, I'm going to come and live in Ibiza’. And I did. I flew one day after my 18^th birthday, and that was in 2001. At first, I did seasons during my holidays from university and doing part time jobs like PR and working in bars. When I moved here permanently in 2008, I went to work in the British Consulate. That’s when I found my passion for helping people fix things. 

How did your career in lifestyle management develop in Ibiza?

When I was at the Consulate, I found it very natural to be the person that people came to when they were in trouble or needed advice. I was already fluent in Spanish by then and that’s been a very important element of my life and career here in Ibiza. I can chat just as easily with my local neighbours as a lawyer or a police officer or government official, and because I speak their language, they trust me. I opened a language school when I left the consulate and I started to help people with their paperwork. Very quickly I developed a reputation for getting things done efficiently, especially when Brexit meant that suddenly everyone was clamouring for residencia papers. By 2020 I had opened Next Stop Ibiza and had a staff of 10 working from home during the pandemic and trying to relocate hundreds of British people who wanted to stay in Ibiza. It was beautiful chaos! Now I work mainly with British, Dutch and German clients, and moving to Ibiza has become far trickier and more expensive than it used to be. For people from the UK, it’s a lengthy and technical process, so to have someone who knows the ropes is essential. 

You don’t just look after paperwork, you source property too. Can you explain a little more about that?

When Next Stop Ibiza became such a success it was natural to gravitate into property searches for my clients. Everyone needs somewhere to live, whether it be a rental or a purchase, and because I've been here so long, I know everyone. I can get off-market properties and the owners trust the clients that I’ll recommend because they’ve known me for so long - it all comes down to the little black book. It makes perfect sense for clients to employ a specialist like me – international clients often can't speak Spanish; they can't make an appointment. They don't know which agents to trust or who's going to run off with their deposit. They don't know the pros and cons of living in a finca, which may be damp and in the middle of nowhere. When clients first move here from Shoreditch, they’re thinking that a 30-minute drive from school or the shops is nothing. But it’s different in Ibiza, and six months later they contact me and say, ‘Hey, you were right. I need something closer to town.’ In London an hour-long commute is nothing but believe me when I say you don’t want to be driving from San Vicente to Es Cubells every day! The reason clients need people like me is because it saves them money overall in the long run. I know all the pitfalls and potential problems in advance. 

What is the current demographic of people moving to Ibiza and are they renting or buying?

Currently the greatest influx to the island is of digital nomads. People who can work nomadically, who are not necessarily wealthy, but are affluent enough to pay the rent and live well. In terms of clients looking to buy, it makes sense to employ Next Stop Ibiza because with us you’ll have access to more properties and get better deals at the right rates.  The first thing we do is book in a clarity call. It’s the most beneficial thing because I can gauge so much from that hour: what they like to do, how they like to spend the time, do they have children and how old are they? Do they want to go to a café for breakfast every morning and see people they know? Well then let’s not put them in the mountains. If they're talking about yoga and nature then they may be better in the north. If they like going out all the time and eating in flashy restaurants and going to Formentera, it’s probably the south. We really get to know our clients and develop a personal relationship with them so we can guide them on their journey. We literally hold their hand right from that first call all the way through the viewings, the negotiations, the paperwork and the legals, all the way to getting the keys. We’ll even unpack your house for you if that’s what you want! 

What are people looking for? What is your most common request?

Everyone has heard of Santa Gertrudis and often that’s what they think they want, with four bedrooms and a pool. But Santa Gertrudis is a top-tier price range and people don’t always realise that they’ll be paying a premium to live there. I love to introduce clients to areas that they might have overlooked, that have a ton of charm and great connections. I love Illa Plana for example, which is close to Talamanca – beautiful coastal properties with views of Formentera and tons of privacy, yet Marina Botafoch is right on your doorstep and you can walk into Ibiza Town. Salinas is another gem that’s hidden in plain sight. There is some phenomenal architecture on the hills overlooking the salt flats and you have one of the best views in the island. Great, high-octane fun in summer and totally relaxed and low key in the winter, with super hiking everywhere. Close to the tennis club and just five minutes from the airport.

What about those here on holiday? Do you work with them too?

There are a lot of people who own houses in Ibiza but don’t actually live here. Perhaps they're here for August or the Christmas holidays and while they’re away the house is getting damp, or there's a leak at midnight and no one's checking on it, which means it turns into a big problem. These people need a trustworthy company who hold they keys and can make these checks. I fell into this by accident, because I came became the key holder for friends who own properties on the island and then realized there's actually a huge market for it. A client in Holland can’t be ringing around for an Ibicenco plumber at four o'clock in the morning in Spanish. It’s just not going to happen. So, we’re paving the way for people to be able to exist here in a fuss-free way. That’s why we offer a monthly subscription – Bronze, Silver or Gold – to take away headaches from people and let them get on with enjoying the island. Our tagline has always been, ‘We do the work so you can enjoy the journey.’ I think we deliver on that.