0:00:02 > 0:00:06Selling houses is not easy. You're dealing with the most expensive thing people ever buy.
0:00:06 > 0:00:08There are more of them than ever before.
0:00:08 > 0:00:11A square foot can be worth £3,000.
0:00:11 > 0:00:14Many of us say they are our least favourite professionals...
0:00:14 > 0:00:16The customer's always right, aren't they? No!
0:00:16 > 0:00:20..yet we turn to them at some of life's most stressful moments.
0:00:20 > 0:00:22I can't control it, you can't control it.
0:00:22 > 0:00:25Yes, we're off!
0:00:25 > 0:00:27They are the estate agents.
0:00:27 > 0:00:29You'd get a better response if you say you're a mass murderer.
0:00:29 > 0:00:32What inane comments do you want to make now, Alan?
0:00:32 > 0:00:34HE LAUGHS
0:00:34 > 0:00:38This series goes behind closed doors across the UK, with the agents...
0:00:38 > 0:00:42- It needs everything doing to it. - ..and their clients.
0:00:42 > 0:00:44We're moving!
0:00:44 > 0:00:48Gary takes us to the streets of London's super-rich...
0:00:48 > 0:00:52My firm has recently sold four houses of, let's say,
0:00:52 > 0:00:54£40 to £60 million.
0:00:54 > 0:00:57..it's knock-down prices with Lynne in County Durham...
0:00:57 > 0:01:00It went to auction with a starting bid of a pound.
0:01:00 > 0:01:03..there's straight-talking Dave in Birmingham...
0:01:03 > 0:01:05So when I tell you you're not getting it,
0:01:05 > 0:01:08don't come crying back to me saying, "I'd have gone another 500 quid."
0:01:08 > 0:01:10..rookie Lewis in Devon...
0:01:10 > 0:01:13These surveyors are dangerous, dangerous people.
0:01:13 > 0:01:16..and in London's cheapest borough, Dagenham,
0:01:16 > 0:01:19Caroline, Andy and Darren.
0:01:19 > 0:01:23They had a bonfire in the front room here. This is ridiculous.
0:01:23 > 0:01:27With unique access, we'll learn the tricks of the trade...
0:01:27 > 0:01:30As an estate agent I could class that as a wet room.
0:01:30 > 0:01:33..and find out what's really going on
0:01:33 > 0:01:36in the UK's crazy property market.
0:01:36 > 0:01:38I'm rather hoping that bankers might have
0:01:38 > 0:01:41taken our place at the bottom of the pile by now.
0:01:41 > 0:01:44- Welcome to estate agency. - HE HOWLS
0:01:53 > 0:01:59In 2013, over a million homes were bought and sold in the UK.
0:01:59 > 0:02:02The market is very strong up to five or six million,
0:02:02 > 0:02:05and I believe it will become even stronger than it was.
0:02:07 > 0:02:09If you get a nice area that's popular,
0:02:09 > 0:02:12the price is only going to go one way.
0:02:12 > 0:02:16But the country's property market is more polarised than ever before.
0:02:16 > 0:02:19We haven't come out of the first recession yet.
0:02:19 > 0:02:22There's a lack of employment. People haven't got money to buy.
0:02:22 > 0:02:25It's grim. It's grim.
0:02:25 > 0:02:29Whether the good times are just around the corner remains unclear...
0:02:29 > 0:02:32The property market here has been affected by the recession,
0:02:32 > 0:02:35but I guess we're lucky to be in such a nice place really.
0:02:36 > 0:02:38..but one thing is certain...
0:02:39 > 0:02:43Do you want to live next to a railway line? Maybe not.
0:02:43 > 0:02:46..in the competitive world of estate agency,
0:02:46 > 0:02:49selling houses isn't getting any easier.
0:02:49 > 0:02:52Where we put a mortgage application in on a Monday,
0:02:52 > 0:02:54get a surveyor's access call on a Wednesday,
0:02:54 > 0:02:56have the mortgage offer by the following Monday,
0:02:56 > 0:02:58those days are gone.
0:02:58 > 0:03:01Despite what the banks will tell you, they're gone.
0:03:09 > 0:03:14Keeping his head above water, veteran estate agent Dave Simms
0:03:14 > 0:03:17has worked the tricky streets of Hodge Hill for 30 years.
0:03:17 > 0:03:20This is a tough, rough area to deal in.
0:03:20 > 0:03:23This is an area where people are pretty savvy to try
0:03:23 > 0:03:26to cut you out or to try and tickle you,
0:03:26 > 0:03:28and that means we have to be one step ahead
0:03:28 > 0:03:31of the guy who's got the feather duster.
0:03:31 > 0:03:33And I think we are.
0:03:33 > 0:03:37I've sold that one, I've sold that one, I've sold that one.
0:03:37 > 0:03:40I've definitely sold that one, I've definitely sold that one.
0:03:40 > 0:03:43I've definitely sold that one and that one and that one.
0:03:43 > 0:03:47Moving with the times, Dave soon wised up to a new wave of buyer.
0:03:47 > 0:03:49Who bought all those houses?
0:03:49 > 0:03:52Well, 30 years ago - Mr Jones, Mr Smith, Mr Brown.
0:03:52 > 0:03:56And now it's Mr Hussain, Mr Akhtar, Mr Mohammed.
0:03:56 > 0:03:58Mr Jones, Mr Smith, Mr Brown doesn't buy here.
0:03:58 > 0:04:01And when I say they don't buy here, I mean they don't buy here.
0:04:01 > 0:04:04100% of our buyers are Pakistani.
0:04:04 > 0:04:07This is a part of Birmingham that has changed more
0:04:07 > 0:04:12in the last 10 to 15 years than any other part of Birmingham.
0:04:12 > 0:04:15It's just a very, very different area than what we remember it as.
0:04:15 > 0:04:22- Were you brought up near here? - Yeah, I was born in Parkfield Road, which is the next road down to here.
0:04:23 > 0:04:27So Parkfield Road, Alum Rock. So this is where it all started.
0:04:27 > 0:04:29- Do you live at 26? I was born in that house.- Oh, yeah.- Oh, yeah.
0:04:29 > 0:04:32- Nice house. You were born here? - Yeah.- Oh, yeah.- Yeah. Yeah.
0:04:32 > 0:04:34I used to come out here when I was about three or four
0:04:34 > 0:04:36and I used to wait for my dad to come home from work.
0:04:36 > 0:04:38- Oh, yeah. - He had the motorbike at the time.
0:04:38 > 0:04:41And then I used to sit on the motorbike,
0:04:41 > 0:04:43shoot down the back and then come round.
0:04:43 > 0:04:46Neighbours used to come and moan at Dad for putting me on the motorbike.
0:04:46 > 0:04:49Many of Dave's clients are moving from terraced houses
0:04:49 > 0:04:51in the Alum Rock area, where he was born...
0:04:53 > 0:04:56..to larger semis in Hodge Hill.
0:04:56 > 0:04:58Well, my parents did exactly the same.
0:04:58 > 0:05:01They moved from Parkfield Road to Sandhurst Avenue.
0:05:01 > 0:05:05Mr Hussain and Mr Ahmed and Mr Akhtar and Mr Yunis today
0:05:05 > 0:05:10are making the same trip as Mary and Derek Simms made how many years ago.
0:05:13 > 0:05:17Have many of your contemporaries stayed around here?
0:05:17 > 0:05:20- No, everybody moved out on the last one.- Why did you stay?
0:05:20 > 0:05:24Because I work here. This is my job, my life, it's what I do.
0:05:24 > 0:05:26You either embrace it or you don't.
0:05:26 > 0:05:29And embrace it, Dave has.
0:05:29 > 0:05:31His new clients know exactly what they want
0:05:31 > 0:05:33when it comes to buying houses.
0:05:35 > 0:05:39That's the parrot. Yeah, it's part of the family, or she is.
0:05:39 > 0:05:43Ideally, living altogether is key, with extended families close by.
0:05:43 > 0:05:47There's six of us - Mum, me, brother, two sisters
0:05:47 > 0:05:50- and Dad over here.- Hello.
0:05:50 > 0:05:54A lot of the Asian community are your close family network,
0:05:54 > 0:05:56so you want to have the biggest house possible,
0:05:56 > 0:05:59so at least to accommodate everyone.
0:05:59 > 0:06:03Maz Ali and his family already own two houses on this street and he's
0:06:03 > 0:06:07going for the hat-trick with his eye on his next-door neighbour's too.
0:06:07 > 0:06:10This one in the midst of being developed, that's my sister's house.
0:06:10 > 0:06:12That was a three-bedroom.
0:06:12 > 0:06:15By the time we've finished that, that'll be a six-bedroom.
0:06:15 > 0:06:18This is the one we're looking to buy for my younger brother.
0:06:18 > 0:06:21The next one's my own. That's the one we bought and developed.
0:06:21 > 0:06:25You know, a traditional Asian family you probably have first generation,
0:06:25 > 0:06:28second generation, third generation,
0:06:28 > 0:06:30and even fourth generation living in the same house.
0:06:30 > 0:06:33Over the years, tradition has changed a bit
0:06:33 > 0:06:35where you buy a house close by.
0:06:36 > 0:06:40- Close by or next door?- Well, if you can get next door even better,
0:06:40 > 0:06:42because you know your neighbours.
0:06:44 > 0:06:47It's Hodge Hill - the land of mighty extensions.
0:06:47 > 0:06:50To get an idea of how much he should offer his neighbour,
0:06:50 > 0:06:52Maz has roped in Dave.
0:06:52 > 0:06:56- So who am I doing the valuation for, you or him?- This lad here.
0:06:56 > 0:06:59I'm doing a valuation for you, how much you should pay for this,
0:06:59 > 0:07:02- and then you'll make him an offer based on what I say?- Yeah.
0:07:02 > 0:07:05OK. Let's see where we go.
0:07:05 > 0:07:07Banking on any future business,
0:07:07 > 0:07:11competitive Dave is valuing this property free of charge.
0:07:11 > 0:07:15So there's a chap here who's obviously trying to buy
0:07:15 > 0:07:18this house, we've got a seller who's part done it up...
0:07:20 > 0:07:22..part being the operative word.
0:07:22 > 0:07:26It's just shabby, isn't it? The good news is John Wayne is still alive,
0:07:26 > 0:07:29because there's a few cowboys that have been in this house doing a few jobs.
0:07:29 > 0:07:32Having done his mooch about,
0:07:32 > 0:07:35expert Dave's in no doubt what the house is worth.
0:07:35 > 0:07:37As a house that you want to build and to do stuff to,
0:07:37 > 0:07:40this isn't worth a lot more than 100, 110 grand.
0:07:40 > 0:07:43But you might end up having to pay 120, 125 for it...
0:07:43 > 0:07:46Well, he's saying he's had it valued 145 to 150.
0:07:46 > 0:07:49- 150. Yeah.- That's ridiculous.
0:07:49 > 0:07:52Well, no, there's not a chance this is a 145, 150 from anybody.
0:07:52 > 0:07:54And I will go...in fairness, I'll go and tell him.
0:07:54 > 0:07:57- I'll go and tell him that as well. OK?- OK.
0:07:57 > 0:08:00I think I'm a bloke of the world, so I think I can speak to folk
0:08:00 > 0:08:06honestly and straightforwardly, and I don't lie to folk.
0:08:06 > 0:08:09It's a fairly easy house to value, it's around 120, 125.
0:08:09 > 0:08:11It's not 140, 145.
0:08:11 > 0:08:15Done up, kitchen finished, bathroom finished, the full works,
0:08:15 > 0:08:17then maybe it's 140, 145.
0:08:17 > 0:08:20I make sense in my valuation, I give people...
0:08:21 > 0:08:23..the reasons for my value.
0:08:23 > 0:08:26I don't just say, "Your house is worth 120,000 quid."
0:08:26 > 0:08:30- See, we've had Dixons in... - Well, no, you can have the Pope in.
0:08:30 > 0:08:33It ain't worth...it ain't 140, 145.
0:08:33 > 0:08:36I think I do the job well. If I didn't think I did it well,
0:08:36 > 0:08:38I wouldn't be doing it, I'd be doing something else.
0:08:38 > 0:08:42- OK. Cheers fella. - Do your clients listen to you?
0:08:42 > 0:08:45More often than not, yes. Because I think they trust us.
0:08:54 > 0:08:57Life in Hodge Hill may have changed,
0:08:57 > 0:09:01but just an hour down the road it seems as if time has stood still.
0:09:03 > 0:09:05Lovely countryside.
0:09:06 > 0:09:11Mark Annett runs his own estate agency in the north Cotswolds,
0:09:11 > 0:09:14home to picturesque properties and notable neighbours.
0:09:14 > 0:09:17So we're here in Chipping Campden.
0:09:17 > 0:09:19David Cameron lives sort of near Chipping Norton really,
0:09:19 > 0:09:22along with Jeremy Clarkson.
0:09:22 > 0:09:24You know, it's a good pitch to be.
0:09:26 > 0:09:30Chipping Campden is a jolly nice old market town.
0:09:30 > 0:09:34It's a nice area. I mean, it's a sought-after area.
0:09:34 > 0:09:37I'm afraid it's high property prices generally.
0:09:37 > 0:09:40Some of these town houses in the High Street,
0:09:40 > 0:09:42some of them will be a million to two million.
0:09:46 > 0:09:50I suppose places like Chipping Campden conjure up old England.
0:09:50 > 0:09:53You know, you can walk along little village lanes or go
0:09:53 > 0:09:56into villages and think, "Crikey, this is like going back in time."
0:09:56 > 0:09:59You just see lots of lovely cottages and houses,
0:09:59 > 0:10:01but there are modern people living in them.
0:10:01 > 0:10:05They've all got broadband here. I mean, we've all got telephones.
0:10:09 > 0:10:12Famed for the beauty of its High Street and surrounding countryside,
0:10:12 > 0:10:16the town attracts 12 million visitors each year.
0:10:16 > 0:10:18We get the odd one or two with a label on them saying,
0:10:18 > 0:10:21"I'm a tourist, I want to waste a bit of time.
0:10:21 > 0:10:24"Just give me something to do this afternoon for ten minutes."
0:10:24 > 0:10:26They come in and say, "I wonder if I could view this property
0:10:26 > 0:10:29"at four o'clock?" And you say, "OK, can we make it five?
0:10:29 > 0:10:33"No, we've got to get the taxi back to Heathrow, we're flying back to Australia."
0:10:33 > 0:10:35I mean, it's just a waste of time.
0:10:35 > 0:10:38The classic one, Mark, was when the American came in,
0:10:38 > 0:10:42"Kind of looks old in this town. We were thinking it's really old.
0:10:42 > 0:10:45"How do they make it look so old?" We said, "Because they are old!"
0:10:45 > 0:10:47You know, we had the Chaucer Tales filmed here
0:10:47 > 0:10:49and all they did was throw a bit of straw on the floor
0:10:49 > 0:10:52and they were back in the Canterbury Tales era, weren't they?
0:10:56 > 0:10:59With houses dating back to the 14th century,
0:10:59 > 0:11:01Mark's speciality is period property.
0:11:03 > 0:11:07I mean I would defy anybody, you know, that didn't like this.
0:11:07 > 0:11:09It's just super, I think.
0:11:10 > 0:11:13But chocolate-box homes here aren't cheap.
0:11:13 > 0:11:18A Cotswold three-bed typically costs a whopping £500,000...
0:11:19 > 0:11:23..more than double the UK average.
0:11:23 > 0:11:25The main orchard is up here, which I'll show you.
0:11:27 > 0:11:30The trees have been manicured, I think it's beautiful.
0:11:30 > 0:11:33- And some dream homes... - I think it's great.
0:11:33 > 0:11:36..sell for over two million.
0:11:36 > 0:11:38You know, it's got that wow factor.
0:11:44 > 0:11:48Mark's heading to his latest instruction, Clerk's Cottage,
0:11:48 > 0:11:50a 300-year-old Cotswold stone cottage
0:11:50 > 0:11:53that hasn't been on the market for over a century.
0:11:55 > 0:11:59Well, the church, they've owned the cottage for, I don't know,
0:11:59 > 0:12:02since the beginning almost, I should think, in one form or another.
0:12:02 > 0:12:05And here we are to sell it.
0:12:06 > 0:12:08Sorry about the cobwebs.
0:12:08 > 0:12:10Who did live here?
0:12:10 > 0:12:14Originally, as I understand it, the parish clerk who lived here,
0:12:14 > 0:12:17hence it's Clerk's Cottage. That's what I think.
0:12:17 > 0:12:21- I shall call it a Cotswold gem... - HE CHUCKLES
0:12:23 > 0:12:25..with scope for improvements.
0:12:28 > 0:12:30I mean, the London market will love it.
0:12:30 > 0:12:35Quintessential Cotswold cottage, lovely countryside.
0:12:35 > 0:12:37You know, ideal to come up on a Friday night.
0:12:40 > 0:12:44Price guide, I've said 300 to 350.
0:12:45 > 0:12:50This valuation lark, you know, it's not a science.
0:12:50 > 0:12:54I mean, how many properties are sold like this that you could say,
0:12:54 > 0:12:57"Oh, well, there were four sold round the corner..."
0:12:57 > 0:12:59I mean, it just isn't going to happen.
0:13:01 > 0:13:04So it's based on my gut feeling of the market.
0:13:04 > 0:13:09The trust-owned cottage is not being sold through conventional means.
0:13:09 > 0:13:12In two months' time it's up for grabs at public auction.
0:13:12 > 0:13:18It's going to auction because the owners are a charitable trust
0:13:18 > 0:13:24and they have a duty to sell for as much as they can get on the day,
0:13:24 > 0:13:30so going to auction is a good way of letting the market decide what it's worth.
0:13:30 > 0:13:34'Put people in a room and let them bid.'
0:13:35 > 0:13:37Lovely spot, isn't it?
0:13:48 > 0:13:50See yous later. Bye.
0:13:50 > 0:13:54Four hours north of Mark, in the small town of Spennymoor,
0:13:54 > 0:13:57County Durham, is estate agent Lynne Blaney.
0:13:59 > 0:14:01Lynne regularly deals with homes
0:14:01 > 0:14:04whose owners have failed to pay the mortgage.
0:14:04 > 0:14:06Despite having the cheapest average house prices in the UK,
0:14:06 > 0:14:10just under one in every 100 properties
0:14:10 > 0:14:13in County Durham are being claimed back by the banks.
0:14:13 > 0:14:17Today we have quite a few company-owned properties
0:14:17 > 0:14:19to check on for insurance purposes.
0:14:19 > 0:14:21Right, down this way.
0:14:21 > 0:14:24In estate agent language,
0:14:24 > 0:14:28a repossessed home is referred to as a company-owned property.
0:14:28 > 0:14:31The people have just upped and left
0:14:31 > 0:14:33and just left their personal possessions.
0:14:33 > 0:14:35Quite sad in a way. It is.
0:14:35 > 0:14:39If you'd attended an eviction or a house where a family had lived and
0:14:39 > 0:14:43they were in the process of moving out, it was really, really rare.
0:14:43 > 0:14:45These days it isn't.
0:14:45 > 0:14:48They come on our books all the time, evictions
0:14:48 > 0:14:53and we get given empty properties where families have already gone.
0:14:53 > 0:14:56And, you know, we'll clear everything out and some will leave,
0:14:56 > 0:15:02as we see, including a bottle of champagne - if you like a drink?
0:15:02 > 0:15:04SHE LAUGHS
0:15:04 > 0:15:09Rising unemployment has made repossessions a common occurrence.
0:15:09 > 0:15:13But it's not all doom and gloom in the north-east.
0:15:13 > 0:15:17Where some see no hope, others see pound signs.
0:15:17 > 0:15:19Are they quite a good deal if you're a buyer?
0:15:19 > 0:15:23Oh, wow, yeah. Absolutely. Absolutely.
0:15:23 > 0:15:25We've had offers on little two-bedroom terraced houses
0:15:25 > 0:15:28at around about £19,000.
0:15:28 > 0:15:31When we were in a good marketplace, you know, 2006, 2007,
0:15:31 > 0:15:34we were selling them same little two-bedroomed terraced houses
0:15:34 > 0:15:37for, like, 50 and 60 grand.
0:15:39 > 0:15:42But I'm sure that the good days will come back.
0:15:42 > 0:15:46Local property developer Wilf Fleming is a man on a mission
0:15:46 > 0:15:49to buy up cheap houses.
0:15:49 > 0:15:51I've come from nothing.
0:15:51 > 0:15:53I'm a guy who's done well for himself in the town.
0:15:53 > 0:15:57Wilf, are we in? Have a seat. What is it you're after?
0:15:57 > 0:15:59I don't know, something to get my teeth in to.
0:15:59 > 0:16:02- I'm a bit bored.- A bit bored?- Aye.
0:16:02 > 0:16:04Let's see what the craic is.
0:16:04 > 0:16:06You're looking well-tanned, are you going away?
0:16:06 > 0:16:09- You must be on a sunbed, are you? - No, no sunbeds.
0:16:09 > 0:16:11There's a little bit of the spray stuff out of the bottle and all,
0:16:11 > 0:16:14- just to give a healthy glow. - SHE GIGGLES
0:16:14 > 0:16:19Wilf buys old repossessed houses to do up, sell on or rent out.
0:16:19 > 0:16:23With £60,000 to spend, one of Lynne's recent instructions -
0:16:23 > 0:16:26a three-bed bungalow in urgent need of attention -
0:16:26 > 0:16:28is right up his street.
0:16:28 > 0:16:30I've seen one up High Croft.
0:16:31 > 0:16:34There's a bungalow got a notice on up there, like a repo one.
0:16:34 > 0:16:36To recover their debts,
0:16:36 > 0:16:40banks want to sell repossessed homes ASAP.
0:16:40 > 0:16:43Often going to market on the cheap,
0:16:43 > 0:16:45they can be a very good deal for quick buyers.
0:16:45 > 0:16:50- It's shocking, Wilf.- It's all right. I'll buy that with pleasure.
0:16:50 > 0:16:55Sensing a bargain, Wilf's keen to snap up High Croft whatever state it's in.
0:16:55 > 0:16:57I can take you up, let you have a look, cos we've got the keys.
0:16:57 > 0:17:00- No, I don't even want to have a look. - You don't even want to have a look?
0:17:00 > 0:17:03- If it's right to buy, I'll buy. - It's got vermin in there.
0:17:03 > 0:17:05- That's all right. - I'll keep you informed.
0:17:05 > 0:17:07- I'll sort the job out. - No, no matter, all right.
0:17:07 > 0:17:11Tell them I'm not frightened of mice, I'll put somebody else in to kill them.
0:17:11 > 0:17:14When they see my builder, the mice will run away. Yes.
0:17:14 > 0:17:18- Oh, well, there you go. - See you later, ta-ra.- See you after.
0:17:27 > 0:17:31The hunt for reasonably priced repos isn't just restricted
0:17:31 > 0:17:33to bargain basement Britain.
0:17:33 > 0:17:35- How big is your boat?- 40 metres. - 40 metres.
0:17:35 > 0:17:39I just came off a boat of a 105 metres.
0:17:39 > 0:17:43Gary Hersham has been selling property to the world's wealthiest
0:17:43 > 0:17:47people from his estate agency in Mayfair for more than 30 years.
0:17:47 > 0:17:50The most expensive property I ever sold
0:17:50 > 0:17:52was a building for £198 million.
0:17:52 > 0:17:55One has to be rich to afford a property in prime central London.
0:17:57 > 0:18:01Stratospheric prices, but not every property is off the scale.
0:18:01 > 0:18:05In Gary's world, when homes worth millions get repossessed,
0:18:05 > 0:18:10they're referred to as distressed properties and deals can be struck.
0:18:10 > 0:18:13Distressed implies when the bank has not been paid
0:18:13 > 0:18:16and the bank decides to sell that property to get its debt back.
0:18:16 > 0:18:18That's a distressed property.
0:18:18 > 0:18:22Distressed properties in exclusive central London aren't two-a-penny.
0:18:22 > 0:18:27Sometimes you need inside connections to nab them.
0:18:27 > 0:18:29- How are you?- Good.
0:18:29 > 0:18:31Gary's after a millionaire's pad at a modest price
0:18:31 > 0:18:33for one of his wealthy clients.
0:18:33 > 0:18:38He's called in Tim Garland-Jones, a broker for some of the country's
0:18:38 > 0:18:42finest reclaimed mega-buck mansions
0:18:42 > 0:18:45and posh problem properties.
0:18:45 > 0:18:47Because we're independent, we get asked to offer appraisals
0:18:47 > 0:18:50and advice on off-market stuff, distressed properties,
0:18:50 > 0:18:53which is where potentially we might be able to have a chat.
0:18:53 > 0:18:57With a number of high profile pads on his books, Tim's keen to impress,
0:18:57 > 0:19:00but experienced Gary is a hard man to please.
0:19:00 > 0:19:03I have quite a few properties.
0:19:03 > 0:19:06We've just finished Alexander McQueen's house in Dunraven Street.
0:19:06 > 0:19:09We're currently doing the largest house in St George's Hill
0:19:09 > 0:19:12for a very, very good Russian client of ours.
0:19:12 > 0:19:14It's a replica French chateau.
0:19:18 > 0:19:21We've just got planning for the largest house is Surrey,
0:19:21 > 0:19:25135,000 square feet, which was in the news quite predominantly.
0:19:25 > 0:19:27I'm sure you're aware of Updown Court.
0:19:27 > 0:19:29It had no reception room to speak of,
0:19:29 > 0:19:32unless you want to call the entrance foyer a reception room.
0:19:32 > 0:19:35- Yeah, that's right.- It was a house that had three swimming pools,
0:19:35 > 0:19:39two of which were existent. It's right next to the motorway,
0:19:39 > 0:19:44and I had it under offer for £68 million at one point in time,
0:19:44 > 0:19:46only to be told that you can't read your papers,
0:19:46 > 0:19:50Sunday papers, in the garden. Know the house back to front.
0:19:50 > 0:19:55Tim's back catalogue boasts Updown Court,
0:19:55 > 0:19:58the UK's most expensive repossession ever.
0:19:58 > 0:20:03With 103 rooms, 24 bedrooms and a heated marble driveway,
0:20:03 > 0:20:07this distressed mansion hit the headlines in 2011
0:20:07 > 0:20:12and was snapped up for a mere £35 million - half its original price.
0:20:12 > 0:20:15But Updown Court isn't on the agenda today.
0:20:15 > 0:20:20Gary's client wants a posh doer-upper in the centre of town.
0:20:20 > 0:20:24I'm particularly looking now for a distressed property,
0:20:24 > 0:20:27Mayfair, Knightsbridge or Belgravia, but it has to be something
0:20:27 > 0:20:29that's really special, totally un-modernised,
0:20:29 > 0:20:32where my client can bring it up to a very high standard
0:20:32 > 0:20:34of his own occupation.
0:20:34 > 0:20:36- It's got to be a proper house.- Yeah.
0:20:36 > 0:20:39It can't be something that's a nine million quid thing.
0:20:39 > 0:20:40A very rich person.
0:20:40 > 0:20:43We've just sold something for him for about a £100 million,
0:20:43 > 0:20:47and I'm looking for something that is a special house.
0:20:47 > 0:20:49- No, that's fine.- Either way. OK. - That's good.
0:20:49 > 0:20:52Thanks for waiting for me. The traffic was terrible.
0:20:52 > 0:20:54Oh, no, that's all right. That's fine, no problem whatsoever.
0:20:54 > 0:20:59Fully briefed, Tim's challenge is to find Gary the perfect pad.
0:21:02 > 0:21:07Gary's not the only agent looking for the ideal property for his buyers.
0:21:07 > 0:21:13Back in Birmingham, Dave's taken on a large semidetached house on Twycross Grove...
0:21:15 > 0:21:18Hello, anyone home? Estate agent.
0:21:18 > 0:21:24..a popular street, and the perfect property for his particular clientele.
0:21:24 > 0:21:26So many Asian people want to live in this area
0:21:26 > 0:21:30because the housing stock we have in this area fits their requirement -
0:21:30 > 0:21:35the ability to extend, the ability to create more space.
0:21:35 > 0:21:39For Mr Hussain, for Mr Ahmed, it has to be divorced reception rooms,
0:21:39 > 0:21:45door to the kitchen, door to the lounge, door to the second lounge.
0:21:45 > 0:21:49When there's some business to be done or there's family guests to come,
0:21:49 > 0:21:51they do like the second reception room.
0:21:51 > 0:21:55That's one of the big tick-boxes for this style of property
0:21:55 > 0:21:58with the majority of people who are looking around here.
0:21:58 > 0:22:01And if there's one thing better than two reception rooms,
0:22:01 > 0:22:03it's the potential for three.
0:22:03 > 0:22:06Originally when this house was built, it had a cloak cupboard here.
0:22:06 > 0:22:09Next to it, here, is a coal house.
0:22:09 > 0:22:13Then if we go in to the kitchen we have a pantry.
0:22:13 > 0:22:19If you actually knock the cloakroom, the coal house and the pantry out,
0:22:19 > 0:22:24all of a sudden this six-and-a-half foot side garage
0:22:24 > 0:22:28becomes a nine-and-a-half, ten-foot third reception room.
0:22:28 > 0:22:32- Why don't they use it as a garage? - Nobody uses a garage for their cars.
0:22:32 > 0:22:36You use a garage for your golf clubs, for your lawn mower,
0:22:36 > 0:22:41the ability to go UP into a third storey,
0:22:41 > 0:22:45OUT into a third reception room, back, above...
0:22:45 > 0:22:48It gives you everything that Mr Hussain's looking for,
0:22:48 > 0:22:50and that's what makes this the perfect Asian house.
0:22:51 > 0:22:56Your average three-bed semi in Hodge Hill goes from around £150,000.
0:22:58 > 0:23:01But not all of Dave's properties tick the right boxes.
0:23:04 > 0:23:08Hilltop Drive is a bargain price semi at just under £130,000,
0:23:08 > 0:23:11but it's had little interest.
0:23:13 > 0:23:16Annie Fields is selling the house for her father
0:23:16 > 0:23:19after he began to suffer from dementia...
0:23:20 > 0:23:22Dad's had to go into an old people's home
0:23:22 > 0:23:25because he can't possibly look after himself any more.
0:23:25 > 0:23:29..and she needs to sell fast to afford to pay the care home.
0:23:29 > 0:23:32If he hadn't owned his own home, then all the costs would
0:23:32 > 0:23:34have been waivered, everything would have been paid for.
0:23:34 > 0:23:39- Is he a rich man?- No, not by any means. Not by any means.
0:23:39 > 0:23:42He's worked from the time he was 14, and now he's got to sell it.
0:23:45 > 0:23:48Over 20,000 people a year are forced to sell their homes
0:23:48 > 0:23:50to help finance care home fees.
0:23:53 > 0:23:56It does feel weird...being here.
0:23:57 > 0:24:00With Annie's dad's sole assets tied up in the house,
0:24:00 > 0:24:02selling up is the only solution.
0:24:04 > 0:24:07Obviously, you know, the people who own the home are on our backs.
0:24:07 > 0:24:10I don't know whether these people will turf him out.
0:24:10 > 0:24:13I can't see them turfing him out, but you just don't know.
0:24:15 > 0:24:17And I don't want to think about Dad being upset in any way,
0:24:17 > 0:24:19any more so than he has to be.
0:24:20 > 0:24:22How important is it that this house sells?
0:24:22 > 0:24:26Very. More than very. Extremely.
0:24:26 > 0:24:30This morning, Dave's on his way to Hilltop for a precious viewing
0:24:30 > 0:24:31at Annie's must-sell house.
0:24:32 > 0:24:35We've struggled with this one. We've had this up for sale
0:24:35 > 0:24:37for probably about six months. We've tried everything.
0:24:37 > 0:24:41We've had open days, lots of advertising...
0:24:41 > 0:24:43- Why won't it sell, then? - It's not Asian-friendly.
0:24:43 > 0:24:47There's no real area for it to be extended, so it's not one
0:24:47 > 0:24:51of the traditional semis where you can extend over the side garage.
0:24:51 > 0:24:54Right, come on in, all, help yourself,
0:24:54 > 0:24:56have a look around, see what you think.
0:24:56 > 0:24:58With everything crossed, Dave's hoping
0:24:58 > 0:25:00potential buyer Mr Khan likes what he sees.
0:25:00 > 0:25:04The good thing about an integral garage house, though, is what
0:25:04 > 0:25:05you get upstairs, because, of course,
0:25:05 > 0:25:08- you get three better bedrooms.- Yeah.
0:25:08 > 0:25:11'Absolutely you've got to be good at reading people.'
0:25:11 > 0:25:15"Are they serious, are they really genuine, are they having me on here?
0:25:15 > 0:25:18"Do you reckon he can do this? Has he got that money?"
0:25:18 > 0:25:20As you say, it's been brought down a couple of times.
0:25:20 > 0:25:25It was 149,950, then 139,950, now 129,950.
0:25:27 > 0:25:31'I'm not into the foreplay, I'm into just...'
0:25:31 > 0:25:34"Are we going to do this or not? Are you going to buy this house?"
0:25:35 > 0:25:39And much to Dave's surprise, it looks like Mr Khan is.
0:25:39 > 0:25:42So...would you be able to accept 125 cash?
0:25:43 > 0:25:47- Are you making me an offer of that? - Yeah.- OK.
0:25:47 > 0:25:51Bingo! Mr Khan's offered 125,000 cash -
0:25:51 > 0:25:53four grand under the asking price,
0:25:53 > 0:25:56but a lifeline for Annie's dad's care home bills.
0:25:57 > 0:25:59Right, OK. Do you want to pop up to the office now
0:25:59 > 0:26:01- and we'll see you up there? - All right.
0:26:01 > 0:26:04- OK, all good. Smashing.- You sure?
0:26:04 > 0:26:06Yeah, I'm good. I'm with all that.
0:26:06 > 0:26:08It all looks so easy when it happens like that, doesn't it?
0:26:10 > 0:26:12First thing, let's wait and see
0:26:12 > 0:26:14if they will be in the office in five minutes,
0:26:14 > 0:26:16but they seem pretty genuine.
0:26:17 > 0:26:21And if they will offer 125,000 for this, my client will be doing
0:26:21 > 0:26:24gambols across the lawn later on this afternoon.
0:26:24 > 0:26:25All good, let's lock up.
0:26:26 > 0:26:29Where have they been for six months?
0:26:29 > 0:26:31I mean, we've shown half of Kashmir round that house in the
0:26:31 > 0:26:33last six months and, erm...
0:26:34 > 0:26:37..not a sniff, not a sniff.
0:26:37 > 0:26:41But that just shows how strange this job can be, you know,
0:26:41 > 0:26:44a spot-on house, a spot-on buyer, you go and do a viewing,
0:26:44 > 0:26:47everything seems great, and they go, "No, thanks, don't like it."
0:26:47 > 0:26:50And then you turn up with low expectations...
0:26:52 > 0:26:54..and something like that happens.
0:26:55 > 0:26:57Or so we think happens!
0:26:59 > 0:27:01We're still 200 yards from the office.
0:27:03 > 0:27:07Dave's keen to get Mr Khan back to the office while the iron's hot.
0:27:07 > 0:27:10Making an offer on a house is not legally binding,
0:27:10 > 0:27:13it's a mere chat-up line until the money appears.
0:27:17 > 0:27:19And there you go, nobody here.
0:27:22 > 0:27:24That's a shame, isn't it?
0:27:24 > 0:27:27They promised us, they promised us!
0:27:27 > 0:27:31Oh, we were starting to doubt you. You OK? All good?
0:27:31 > 0:27:33- Do you want to come into the office?- Yes.
0:27:35 > 0:27:39Right, OK, let's take some of your details down.
0:27:39 > 0:27:43Mr Khan has recently sold his house for 110,000.
0:27:43 > 0:27:46He's a cash buyer and seems ready to go.
0:27:46 > 0:27:47- OK, smashing.- Nice meeting you.
0:27:47 > 0:27:49OK, we'll give you a call
0:27:49 > 0:27:51- a little bit later on.- All right. - Take care.
0:27:56 > 0:27:57So far, so good.
0:28:01 > 0:28:04In Spennymoor, County Durham, it's business as usual for Lynne.
0:28:06 > 0:28:09She's checking out the three-bed repossessed property
0:28:09 > 0:28:11on High Croft that had local developer Wilf
0:28:11 > 0:28:13chomping at the bit.
0:28:13 > 0:28:17Welcome to the glamorous life of the estate agent.
0:28:19 > 0:28:22Having been left in a state by its former owners,
0:28:22 > 0:28:25it's now ready for the open market.
0:28:25 > 0:28:28We took this property on our books a couple of weeks ago.
0:28:28 > 0:28:31I came in and I got as far as this door,
0:28:31 > 0:28:33and I literally couldn't get any further.
0:28:33 > 0:28:35I couldn't get in any of the bedrooms,
0:28:35 > 0:28:39and I literally walked in, took a camera there and walked back out.
0:28:41 > 0:28:45People who own this have had to move out for whatever reason.
0:28:45 > 0:28:47This was their home.
0:28:47 > 0:28:49It may once have belonged to a family,
0:28:49 > 0:28:53but now it belongs to the bank, and they want their money back.
0:28:53 > 0:28:55Now it's all being cleaned out,
0:28:55 > 0:28:59we've got the board up, it's now on the internet and it's fully available
0:28:59 > 0:29:04at 54,950, which is an exceptionally good price.
0:29:04 > 0:29:07The best piece of advice I could give anybody if they're buying
0:29:07 > 0:29:09a company-owned property is,
0:29:09 > 0:29:12"Move as quick as what you possibly can."
0:29:12 > 0:29:14In this instance, I think whoever did it up
0:29:14 > 0:29:17and put it back on the market would make a small profit on it.
0:29:20 > 0:29:23And the thought of making a profit has got developer Wilf
0:29:23 > 0:29:26first through the door, flashing the cash.
0:29:27 > 0:29:29- Mrs Blaney. - What can I do for you today?
0:29:29 > 0:29:32I see that bungalow's come on the market at High Croft.
0:29:32 > 0:29:38Mm-hm, it certainly has. On the market at 54,950.
0:29:38 > 0:29:40I tell you what, I'm only going to bid them once,
0:29:40 > 0:29:43I'm not going to prat on. I'll give them 53.
0:29:43 > 0:29:46I won't go a penny more. The money's in place. Is that fair?
0:29:46 > 0:29:50- Yeah, I'm just going through this. 53, cash....- Mm-hm.
0:29:50 > 0:29:53Wilf's 53 grand offer's on the table,
0:29:53 > 0:29:57but with the whiff of easy wonga in the air, the following day
0:29:57 > 0:30:01in walks rival developer Geoff Ellis, and he means business.
0:30:03 > 0:30:05You're quite happy to place an offer,
0:30:05 > 0:30:07you've seen the condition of it.
0:30:07 > 0:30:09There was an offer came in yesterday which was a little bit less
0:30:09 > 0:30:14than the asking price from somebody in a proceedable position like you.
0:30:14 > 0:30:16- Yeah.- So I'll take all your details as well.
0:30:16 > 0:30:18And the amount that you want to offer?
0:30:18 > 0:30:21- The full asking price, yeah. - Right. Okey-dokey.
0:30:21 > 0:30:24Geoff's in with the full asking price,
0:30:24 > 0:30:26hoping to knock Wilf out of the game.
0:30:26 > 0:30:28Offer of the full asking price.
0:30:30 > 0:30:33Correct. No survey and no searches.
0:30:34 > 0:30:35Yes.
0:30:35 > 0:30:38Lynne's straight on to High Croft's owners.
0:30:38 > 0:30:41Until Geoff can prove he has the funds, it's still anyone's game.
0:30:41 > 0:30:43Correct.
0:30:46 > 0:30:50Finding the perfect place to live can be a lifelong quest.
0:30:50 > 0:30:54The Cotswolds recently ranked as one of the most desirable places
0:30:54 > 0:30:56to buy property in the UK.
0:30:57 > 0:31:00It can even boast more celebrities per square acre
0:31:00 > 0:31:04than anywhere outside London - if that's your thing.
0:31:04 > 0:31:07But housing stock on Mark's patch is limited,
0:31:07 > 0:31:11and now developers are muscling in to build more property.
0:31:11 > 0:31:13You're keen to get on this morning, Monty.
0:31:13 > 0:31:17With government targets to build over 150,000 new homes
0:31:17 > 0:31:21by 2015, change is even coming to picturesque Chipping Campden.
0:31:22 > 0:31:24Well, I think the development
0:31:24 > 0:31:28and the changes, for places like Chipping Campden, is inevitable.
0:31:28 > 0:31:30Good boy.
0:31:30 > 0:31:33'But the more they come in, the more they destroy the very thing'
0:31:33 > 0:31:36they came here for, that's the point.
0:31:36 > 0:31:40Last week, planning inspectors gave permission for 16 new houses
0:31:40 > 0:31:42to be built on Badgers Field.
0:31:42 > 0:31:46There were quite a lot of people strongly against it, and have
0:31:46 > 0:31:50been strongly against this field being developed for a long time.
0:31:51 > 0:31:54It just seems a shame to put more concrete and tarmac
0:31:54 > 0:31:58and all the rest of it down on that particular spot.
0:31:58 > 0:32:01But the point about development, it's not saying we don't want any,
0:32:01 > 0:32:03it's just making sure that it's in the right places,
0:32:03 > 0:32:06and the point here is, this isn't the right place.
0:32:07 > 0:32:10But, you know, from an estate agency point of view, yeah.
0:32:11 > 0:32:13You build 'em, I'll sell 'em.
0:32:15 > 0:32:19With ancient rural England being sold off an acre at a time,
0:32:19 > 0:32:23some of the local residents are thinking about moving out...
0:32:23 > 0:32:25before the diggers move in.
0:32:25 > 0:32:27Sorry I didn't get the bird doo off that!
0:32:27 > 0:32:28SHE LAUGHS
0:32:28 > 0:32:31Marilyn, originally from Virginia,
0:32:31 > 0:32:35lives just a stone's throw from Badgers Field, and has had enough.
0:32:35 > 0:32:38- And I have a shed in there. - Yeah, brilliant.
0:32:38 > 0:32:40- So that works really well.- OK.
0:32:40 > 0:32:45So Mark's been called in to value her two-bed property, Wren Cottage.
0:32:45 > 0:32:48- And then you've got a dishwasher. - Little dishwasher.- Yes, brilliant.
0:32:48 > 0:32:50- Yeah, boiler's hidden. - Yeah, yes, lovely.
0:32:50 > 0:32:52And then this becomes a little room,
0:32:52 > 0:32:54and then my office is another little room.
0:32:54 > 0:32:56I mean, I think it's a pity if Badgers Field
0:32:56 > 0:32:58is making you sell this one.
0:32:58 > 0:33:01Well, the Badgers Field thing does really disturb me.
0:33:01 > 0:33:04The most material point is getting up and down the road.
0:33:04 > 0:33:06Well, I know, but.. I mean, it's impossible.
0:33:06 > 0:33:10- I know, but it's a muddle.- Yeah.- It's a bugger's muddle.
0:33:10 > 0:33:15Mark's priced this quaint Cotswold cottage at 350,000.
0:33:15 > 0:33:17I just think that it's devastating.
0:33:17 > 0:33:21There's a children's playground right next door to this field,
0:33:21 > 0:33:24there's tennis courts, everything is going to be affected.
0:33:24 > 0:33:26But where you will go, do you know?
0:33:26 > 0:33:29Probably Cornwall. They have lovely hills in Cornwall.
0:33:35 > 0:33:37- Is it lemon?- Lemon sponge. - Lemon sponge.
0:33:37 > 0:33:40Even in these changing times, back at the office,
0:33:40 > 0:33:42everything stops for tea.
0:33:42 > 0:33:47- Need a boost this time of the day. - Lovely.
0:33:47 > 0:33:51People don't like change, I think none of us likes change
0:33:51 > 0:33:55and, you know, Badgers Field and that little part
0:33:55 > 0:33:58of Chipping Campden presumably will change.
0:33:59 > 0:34:01But then it's all...
0:34:01 > 0:34:02there's going to be some development,
0:34:02 > 0:34:05there's got to be some progress, I suppose.
0:34:05 > 0:34:06If you call it progress.
0:34:17 > 0:34:20In Birmingham, Annie's must-sell house
0:34:20 > 0:34:23on Hilltop Drive is making progress.
0:34:23 > 0:34:27Prospective buyer Mr Khan has been asked to provide proof of funds.
0:34:27 > 0:34:32Wily old Dave needs to know he has a serious buyer on his hands.
0:34:32 > 0:34:35We ask for a lot more proof now than we did five years ago,
0:34:35 > 0:34:3810 years ago, 25 years ago,
0:34:38 > 0:34:41just so you can be a little bit more assured
0:34:41 > 0:34:43that what people are telling you is correct.
0:34:43 > 0:34:46- Why, why's that? - People lie a lot more.
0:34:48 > 0:34:51We try and get all the things that can go wrong out of the way
0:34:51 > 0:34:54before we commit to somebody and jump into bed with them.
0:34:54 > 0:34:55Is that because you're cynical?
0:34:55 > 0:34:59Absolutely. Completely and utterly right.
0:34:59 > 0:35:03It's because we've been lied to, tickled so many times
0:35:03 > 0:35:07in the last few years, yeah, that's exactly why, yeah, cynical.
0:35:08 > 0:35:12Estate agents often phone each other to share client info.
0:35:12 > 0:35:15They all want to keep the local market moving.
0:35:15 > 0:35:18Hello, Martin, David Simms, Alex Smith and Company.
0:35:18 > 0:35:20How are you, all right?
0:35:20 > 0:35:24Martin, we've just had a Mr Khan walk in to my office
0:35:24 > 0:35:25and make an offer on a property.
0:35:25 > 0:35:28He's your client from Lydford Grove in Erdington.
0:35:28 > 0:35:32He's OK, yeah? You've seen the deposit, he's got all that?
0:35:34 > 0:35:36Ta-ra, bye-bye.
0:35:38 > 0:35:40Well, he looks as good as he said he was.
0:35:40 > 0:35:42If you were just going on paper,
0:35:42 > 0:35:46he looks as good a buyer as you're going to get.
0:35:46 > 0:35:50So...happy days. I think the vendor will be delighted.
0:35:53 > 0:35:56Convinced Mr Khan is a sound buyer,
0:35:56 > 0:35:59it's time to call Annie with the good news.
0:35:59 > 0:36:04No, no, it's our pleasure. All right. Thanks then, bye.
0:36:04 > 0:36:08After six months of trying, with Annie's dad's house sale
0:36:08 > 0:36:12nearly complete, the care home can soon be paid off.
0:36:12 > 0:36:15Just elated, absolutely and utterly elated,
0:36:15 > 0:36:19because you just think, yes, finally it's gone, you're just...
0:36:19 > 0:36:22You can't really put it into words, it's just...
0:36:22 > 0:36:26Well, it's relief just knowing that Dad will be safe.
0:36:26 > 0:36:28Dave's on a roll.
0:36:28 > 0:36:32He's had a call to show Twycross Grove - his perfect Asian house.
0:36:32 > 0:36:36But worryingly, the potential buyer looks very familiar.
0:36:36 > 0:36:41Here's an interesting one for you. Isn't the chap on the drive there,
0:36:41 > 0:36:44he's not the guy who made the offer on Hilltop, is he?
0:36:46 > 0:36:49All right, guys, come on in. Come on in, please.
0:36:49 > 0:36:53Despite having just had his offer accepted on Annie's must-sell house
0:36:53 > 0:36:57on Hilltop, Mr Khan's now turned up with his family to see this one.
0:36:57 > 0:37:00You were the man we showed round this morning.
0:37:00 > 0:37:02- Yes, yes.- Lovely.
0:37:02 > 0:37:04Please help yourself, have a look around.
0:37:04 > 0:37:06Hello. Are you OK? Good.
0:37:06 > 0:37:10You could be setting a record if you buy this one as well,
0:37:10 > 0:37:13two in one day, I tell you, that would be just perfect, that would.
0:37:13 > 0:37:15It's for my son and daughter-in-law.
0:37:15 > 0:37:19Right. So the Hilltop Drive one is for you, is it, yes?
0:37:21 > 0:37:25Mr Khan says this morning's house, Hilltop, is for him,
0:37:25 > 0:37:28and this one for his son,
0:37:28 > 0:37:29but Dave's concerned.
0:37:30 > 0:37:32It worries me why he's here.
0:37:33 > 0:37:36We'll find out, don't worry.
0:37:36 > 0:37:41Well, I think it's old. If you have a look. Hello, hello.
0:37:41 > 0:37:43CHATTER
0:37:43 > 0:37:44There was me talking.
0:37:44 > 0:37:47See you later. You'll be on commission if you...
0:37:47 > 0:37:49Have you got any more sons?
0:37:49 > 0:37:51HE LAUGHS
0:37:51 > 0:37:54Thinking he'd successfully shifted Annie's dad's house
0:37:54 > 0:37:59this morning, Dave now fears it's all about to fall through.
0:37:59 > 0:38:02It's always worrying when you agree a sale, accept an offer,
0:38:02 > 0:38:05think you're all fairly well progressed
0:38:05 > 0:38:09and negotiated with a chap on a house, only to find him
0:38:09 > 0:38:12turn up at the next viewing that you do, looking at another house.
0:38:13 > 0:38:17Is it possible to make a cash offer of £150,000?
0:38:17 > 0:38:21Sure enough, the next morning, Dave's fears are confirmed.
0:38:21 > 0:38:25Mr Khan wants to switch his offer from Annie's dad's house
0:38:25 > 0:38:27to Twycross Grove.
0:38:27 > 0:38:30We'll certainly put that cash offer to her.
0:38:30 > 0:38:33- All right. 152, then.- OK. 152, I'm pretty sure she'll take it.
0:38:33 > 0:38:34MR KHAN COUGHS
0:38:34 > 0:38:38- Hey, don't die on us before completion, OK.- No, no, no.
0:38:38 > 0:38:40OK. That's bad for business, yeah.
0:38:40 > 0:38:42Don't get yourself stressed with it. Good man.
0:38:42 > 0:38:45- Thank you very much. I'm sorry about that.- Don't worry.
0:38:45 > 0:38:48- No, don't worry about it. That's fine.- It's only 22 hours.
0:38:48 > 0:38:51Yeah, exactly. Just stay alive, OK. Just stay alive, OK.
0:38:51 > 0:38:52Just stay alive.
0:38:54 > 0:38:57Annie may have just lost the house sale,
0:38:57 > 0:39:00but in the cut-throat world of estate agency,
0:39:00 > 0:39:02business is business for Dave.
0:39:02 > 0:39:04He made our morning yesterday.
0:39:04 > 0:39:08He's kind of broke our morning/ made our morning today.
0:39:08 > 0:39:10I need a chocolate biscuit.
0:39:11 > 0:39:13It's the first one I've had out the packet.
0:39:15 > 0:39:17What a difference a day makes.
0:39:17 > 0:39:20I just hope that works out for him now, you know, because I think
0:39:20 > 0:39:23all through yesterday we felt that he was a decent enough fella.
0:39:23 > 0:39:25He'd done all the things that he said he was going to do.
0:39:25 > 0:39:28We had a little bit of jitters at the end of the day
0:39:28 > 0:39:30when we saw him turn up at Twycross.
0:39:30 > 0:39:36And they were, well, you know, they came true those jitters.
0:39:36 > 0:39:38But at least he's buying Twycross.
0:39:38 > 0:39:41Everyone's a winner, except Annie.
0:39:41 > 0:39:45Brave Dave's given Karen the job of telling her the bad news.
0:39:45 > 0:39:46Do you want a cup of tea?
0:39:46 > 0:39:51Yes, please. Can I have some Valium and vodka in mine, please?
0:39:51 > 0:39:52Yeah.
0:39:55 > 0:39:56'Hello.'
0:39:56 > 0:39:59Hi, Annie, it's Karen at Alex Smith. Are you OK?
0:39:59 > 0:40:01'Yes, I'm fine, thank you. Are you?'
0:40:01 > 0:40:05Oh, well, hmm, I've got some bad news for you, I'm afraid.
0:40:05 > 0:40:09The chap that made the offer yesterday's been in to the office
0:40:09 > 0:40:13to say, "Look, I'm sorry, but I won't be buying it."
0:40:13 > 0:40:15'Right. OK, so we're back to square one again.'
0:40:15 > 0:40:16We're back to square one.
0:40:16 > 0:40:17'Right.'
0:40:17 > 0:40:19- All right.- 'Yeah, OK.'
0:40:19 > 0:40:21'OK, thanks. Bye-bye.'
0:40:22 > 0:40:23Oh!
0:40:27 > 0:40:29Oh, it's not good, is it? It's a shame.
0:40:29 > 0:40:32But that's part and parcel of it, I'm afraid.
0:40:32 > 0:40:37Until those contracts are signed and exchanged, anything can happen.
0:40:37 > 0:40:39Anything can happen.
0:40:43 > 0:40:45Back in the Cotswolds,
0:40:45 > 0:40:48with just a few weeks before the auction on Clerk's Cottage,
0:40:48 > 0:40:51Mark's arranged viewings for the 300-year-old property.
0:40:51 > 0:40:57He's hoping his swanky new brochures have pulled in the punters.
0:40:57 > 0:41:00I said, "Clerk's Cottage is a charming Cotswold gem.
0:41:00 > 0:41:02"Now offered for sale for the first time on the open market
0:41:02 > 0:41:04"with vacant possession.
0:41:04 > 0:41:07"This sale presents an excellent opportunity to buy a super cottage
0:41:07 > 0:41:11"with scope to modernise and update as necessary."
0:41:11 > 0:41:13Well, I think that's all fair really.
0:41:13 > 0:41:15Charming. Is that a word you...?
0:41:15 > 0:41:18I didn't use charming. Have I used...? Yes, I did.
0:41:18 > 0:41:22I said, "Clerk's Cottage is a charming Cotswold gem."
0:41:22 > 0:41:24I couldn't think of anything better to say really.
0:41:24 > 0:41:26I mean, I do, I think it is a gem.
0:41:26 > 0:41:30I mean, you know, it doesn't take long to write this sort of garbage.
0:41:30 > 0:41:32HE CHUCKLES
0:41:36 > 0:41:39It's quite a good size that car.
0:41:39 > 0:41:42But it looks like Mark's marketing "garbage" is working.
0:41:42 > 0:41:45The first prospective bidders have turned up.
0:41:45 > 0:41:46It's got potential.
0:41:46 > 0:41:50- It's got a lot of potential, actually.- Definitely.
0:41:50 > 0:41:52With a guide price of 300,000,
0:41:52 > 0:41:56this is a rare chance to own a piece of Cotswolds heritage.
0:41:56 > 0:41:57Much interest?
0:41:57 > 0:42:00Yeah, we've got a bit. People are always cagey with an auction.
0:42:00 > 0:42:03- I always buy at auction, so...- Oh.
0:42:03 > 0:42:05- So we're quite used to it.- Yeah.
0:42:05 > 0:42:07Yes, we would be quite interested in it.
0:42:07 > 0:42:09It would suit me down to the ground.
0:42:09 > 0:42:12I don't like big. I like a nice small cottage.
0:42:13 > 0:42:15Thank you very much.
0:42:15 > 0:42:17All right, good to see you. Cheerio. Bye-bye. Bye.
0:42:19 > 0:42:20There we are.
0:42:20 > 0:42:23You never know, we might see them at the auction.
0:42:23 > 0:42:26The trouble is, the ones you think are interested don't turn up
0:42:26 > 0:42:29and the ones you think are a waste of time do.
0:42:29 > 0:42:30You can never tell.
0:42:32 > 0:42:36As news spreads, more eager viewers follow.
0:42:38 > 0:42:41- It's a cracking spot.- Yeah. - I called it "a little gem".
0:42:41 > 0:42:45You know, when you look at the picture,
0:42:45 > 0:42:48I just think it's, you know, it's just pretty.
0:42:48 > 0:42:50Yeah, it just ticks a lot of boxes really.
0:42:50 > 0:42:53We can see the end product, can't we?
0:42:53 > 0:42:56- If you've any queries, come back to me, by all means.- Lovely. OK.
0:42:56 > 0:42:59Rightio. Cheerio. Nice mullions at the front.
0:43:03 > 0:43:07I saw an estate agent in the town here and he's asked me
0:43:07 > 0:43:09how it was going with Clerk's Cottage.
0:43:09 > 0:43:12I said, "Well, OK, you know, we've had quite a few viewings,"
0:43:12 > 0:43:14and he said, "Very brave."
0:43:16 > 0:43:19There are risks with house auctions.
0:43:19 > 0:43:21People may come to the viewings,
0:43:21 > 0:43:24but it doesn't mean they'll turn up to bid later on.
0:43:24 > 0:43:27I've turned up for an auction and there's been two people there,
0:43:27 > 0:43:31and one of them's reading the paper and the other one's the auctioneer.
0:43:31 > 0:43:38And it's a disaster, a farce, a nonsense. Everybody looks stupid.
0:43:38 > 0:43:41But there you go, that's the risk you take.
0:43:41 > 0:43:44With some positive interest, Mark's next commission
0:43:44 > 0:43:48rests on shifting Clerk's Cottage come auction day.
0:43:48 > 0:43:52- Good to see you. Is your wife still in the...?- Oh, yeah.
0:43:52 > 0:43:54You're not going to leave her in there, are you?
0:43:55 > 0:43:58You know, there's many a slip between cut and lip
0:43:58 > 0:44:01and we don't want any disasters.
0:44:01 > 0:44:04But we're quietly confident.
0:44:05 > 0:44:10That's it. All right. OK. Might see you up in the office, then.
0:44:10 > 0:44:12OK. Thanks.
0:44:17 > 0:44:21It's been three weeks since the sale on Annie's dad's house
0:44:21 > 0:44:26on Hilltop fell through and the care home bills continue to pile up.
0:44:26 > 0:44:29But finally, a new bid comes in.
0:44:29 > 0:44:31Alex Smith and company.
0:44:34 > 0:44:37Hilltop Drive, yes. How can I help you?
0:44:45 > 0:44:46110.
0:44:51 > 0:44:53Six weeks completion.
0:44:54 > 0:44:56Yeah. All right.
0:44:56 > 0:44:59Thanks ever so much for your call. I appreciate that, bye.
0:45:00 > 0:45:04Considering the amount of time it's been on the market, the number
0:45:04 > 0:45:08of people we've shown round, she needs to take that now, I think.
0:45:09 > 0:45:13From a 129 to 110. Karen calls Annie.
0:45:13 > 0:45:18A chap that we showed round last night, he's offered 110.
0:45:18 > 0:45:21Now I know it's not the best offer in the world.
0:45:25 > 0:45:28Right. I would urge you to consider it,
0:45:28 > 0:45:31only because of the situation that you're in.
0:45:31 > 0:45:34Not being rude, but what kind of charges are you
0:45:34 > 0:45:38looking at a month there on the care home?
0:45:39 > 0:45:41A week?!
0:45:41 > 0:45:44My flabber is well and truly gasted on that.
0:45:44 > 0:45:47- Speak to you later. - 'OK, then, speak to you later.'- Bye.
0:45:47 > 0:45:50Karen's not convinced turning down the offer is a sound move.
0:45:50 > 0:45:53I think if they don't take this offer that they might live to
0:45:53 > 0:45:57regret it and I don't want that for them.
0:45:57 > 0:46:02Having lost out on the offer of a 125 for her dad's place,
0:46:02 > 0:46:07the thought of reducing another 15,000 is a drop too far for Annie.
0:46:07 > 0:46:10There's no way we're going to let it go for less than 125.
0:46:10 > 0:46:14Because it was on the market for a 140 more or less,
0:46:14 > 0:46:19we've reduced it down to a 129. And I think a fair offer,
0:46:19 > 0:46:22a fair price for the house is 125.
0:46:22 > 0:46:25But we may look at it differently if it's this time next year
0:46:25 > 0:46:28and the house still hasn't been sold.
0:46:28 > 0:46:30I don't know. We may have to.
0:46:32 > 0:46:35These are pressures that folk don't normally get.
0:46:35 > 0:46:37It's all about emotion.
0:46:37 > 0:46:39This business has got very little to do with houses,
0:46:39 > 0:46:41very little to do with bricks and mortar.
0:46:41 > 0:46:43This is a people business.
0:46:47 > 0:46:51Please do not tell me that if you're going to spend five million,
0:46:51 > 0:46:55150,000 - which is 2% - is going to influence your figures,
0:46:55 > 0:46:57because I wasn't born yesterday.
0:46:57 > 0:47:01In Mayfair, Gary Hersham is getting all worked up about another
0:47:01 > 0:47:03multi-million pound deal.
0:47:03 > 0:47:07Keeping his cool, trusty driver, Kuki.
0:47:07 > 0:47:12In terms of properties that Gary looks at, are very high value.
0:47:12 > 0:47:15I think the last one was about three-point-something million,
0:47:15 > 0:47:20and the most expensive, over a 100 million sterling.
0:47:20 > 0:47:24Yeah. Which is quite a substantial amount of money.
0:47:24 > 0:47:27Dealing with such huge figures as an estate agent
0:47:27 > 0:47:30means having to always be on top of your game.
0:47:30 > 0:47:32We're looking at a flat,
0:47:32 > 0:47:36£12.5 million for valuation purposes.
0:47:36 > 0:47:41One has to be eloquent, elegant, confident and, above all,
0:47:41 > 0:47:42know one's market.
0:47:42 > 0:47:45One mistake is one mistake too many.
0:47:45 > 0:47:48I'm going to show an entire building that's been converted
0:47:48 > 0:47:50into a single family house.
0:47:50 > 0:47:51How much?
0:47:51 > 0:47:53Nine million.
0:47:54 > 0:47:56- It's quite cheap.- It is.
0:47:58 > 0:48:03The super prime market in central London has sky-rocketed in
0:48:03 > 0:48:07the last five years, fuelled by both super rich buyers and a brand-new
0:48:07 > 0:48:12breed of property developer who know what billionaires are looking for.
0:48:12 > 0:48:16There are two categories of clients that one deals with.
0:48:16 > 0:48:18The first are homeowners...
0:48:18 > 0:48:21Can I finish? Can I finish?
0:48:21 > 0:48:24..and want to sell their amazingly beautiful houses in
0:48:24 > 0:48:26prime central London.
0:48:26 > 0:48:29Oh, congratulations on buying the flat in Audley Square.
0:48:29 > 0:48:33That was quite a nice coup. You've now got the whole terrace? Yeah.
0:48:33 > 0:48:35On the other hand, you have the developer,
0:48:35 > 0:48:40who knows price per square foot, he knows values, he knows quality.
0:48:41 > 0:48:44But there are two developers that have taken things to another level,
0:48:44 > 0:48:47acquiring super-star status along the way.
0:48:47 > 0:48:51The Candy Brothers started off with a modest £6,000 loan
0:48:51 > 0:48:54from their gran, and are now worth billions.
0:48:54 > 0:48:57Their most famous development is One Hyde Park -
0:48:57 > 0:49:0386 luxury apartments with starting prices of £20 million.
0:49:03 > 0:49:09Candys changed the face of London by giving the buyer a ready-made,
0:49:09 > 0:49:13ready-to-move-into house or flat, and the Candys created
0:49:13 > 0:49:17the finest product that nobody had dreamt of creating beforehand.
0:49:17 > 0:49:21The Candys' developments have almost single-handedly raised prices in
0:49:21 > 0:49:27prime central London from £1,000 per square foot, to a whopping £7,000.
0:49:27 > 0:49:31What was not assumed or understood, or even believed,
0:49:31 > 0:49:34was that people would pay those prices.
0:49:34 > 0:49:36What developers didn't understand was
0:49:36 > 0:49:39if you do that you will achieve this.
0:49:39 > 0:49:41They thought they was an upper limit, there was no upper limit.
0:49:41 > 0:49:45Today, Gary has a meeting with Richard,
0:49:45 > 0:49:48one of the Candys' trusted representatives.
0:49:48 > 0:49:51- Nice to see you. - So what's the lowdown on this one?
0:49:51 > 0:49:54Rich Arab who we've acted for for many years died,
0:49:54 > 0:49:56wants to sell the house.
0:49:56 > 0:49:59We're quoting 19-ish million quid, totally un-modernised,
0:49:59 > 0:50:03and I think it's almost practically a demolition job. OK.
0:50:03 > 0:50:06Modest, by Candy Brother standards,
0:50:06 > 0:50:09this seven-bedroom double-fronted property is in the heart
0:50:09 > 0:50:13of Kensington, one of London's most exclusive addresses.
0:50:13 > 0:50:15Let's go upstairs.
0:50:15 > 0:50:19Gary needs to adapt his patter to developer speak.
0:50:19 > 0:50:22What counts is potential value, not emotional connection.
0:50:22 > 0:50:25It's an investment, not a home.
0:50:25 > 0:50:28I have Addison Road totally un-modernised under offer
0:50:28 > 0:50:31at 30 million, totally un-modernised, bigger garden.
0:50:31 > 0:50:33That's the one with the dog-leg garden
0:50:33 > 0:50:35- and the swimming pool at the back?- Correct. Correct.
0:50:35 > 0:50:39- Yeah. We're under offer at 30. - Really?- Absolutely really.
0:50:39 > 0:50:42The developer is looking to be able to add value,
0:50:42 > 0:50:44it's as simple as that, he wants to add value.
0:50:44 > 0:50:47I've sold most of these Holland Villas Road houses.
0:50:47 > 0:50:50- These are 35 to £40 million houses done properly.- Yeah.
0:50:50 > 0:50:55Adding value relates to purchasing the property at the correct price,
0:50:55 > 0:50:59inputting the correct amount of money to create a fine product.
0:50:59 > 0:51:01But more than anything else,
0:51:01 > 0:51:04you'll make a 20 or 25% developer's profit.
0:51:04 > 0:51:07Worthless bathroom. You never want a bathroom on a half landing.
0:51:07 > 0:51:10All of this will go over here.
0:51:10 > 0:51:13As will the pool, because there's no need to have an external pool.
0:51:13 > 0:51:16I sold that one, I sold that one.
0:51:16 > 0:51:18Must have sold 20 of these in my career.
0:51:18 > 0:51:20- Yeah, I like it.- I thought so.
0:51:20 > 0:51:23I've got to be very clever with price though, you know what I mean.
0:51:23 > 0:51:25- Yeah. - PHONE RINGS
0:51:25 > 0:51:30Yes, Ben? Not at 50,000 when they owe me a 135,000.
0:51:30 > 0:51:32Do not think anything's going to start
0:51:32 > 0:51:34unless it has a one in front of it.
0:51:34 > 0:51:37Ben, first of all, get me the money then we'll talk about that.
0:51:37 > 0:51:39Yes, I give you my word. Bye-bye.
0:51:39 > 0:51:41Despite the apparent interest,
0:51:41 > 0:51:43Richard decided not to make an offer.
0:51:43 > 0:51:49One has to take one's hat off to the Candy Brothers because,
0:51:49 > 0:51:53as I said, they have completely changed the face of London.
0:51:53 > 0:51:54Bye.
0:51:54 > 0:51:58Six months on, the mega-rich mansion is still on the market,
0:51:58 > 0:52:01priced at just under 18 million.
0:52:06 > 0:52:10Over in Spennymoor, local developer Geoff may not
0:52:10 > 0:52:13be in the Candy Brothers league, but he's still making his mark.
0:52:14 > 0:52:16With his funds in place,
0:52:16 > 0:52:20he won the sale of the once derelict repo, High Croft,
0:52:20 > 0:52:25and he's done a revamp and wants Lynne in to check out his handiwork.
0:52:25 > 0:52:28I'll follow you, show us what you've done.
0:52:28 > 0:52:31- Completely different, man, isn't it? - Wow.
0:52:31 > 0:52:36We took everything out. Everything. All that was left was a skeleton.
0:52:36 > 0:52:38All the walls off, everything.
0:52:38 > 0:52:41It's a good job that you've got vision, though, isn't it,
0:52:41 > 0:52:44- because a lot of people haven't.- Yeah.
0:52:44 > 0:52:46Loads different.
0:52:47 > 0:52:50Geoff spent nearly 20,000 doing this up.
0:52:50 > 0:52:52He now wants to see what it's worth.
0:52:52 > 0:52:56How much do you think it would be on the market now, finished?
0:52:56 > 0:52:58I would have thought...
0:52:58 > 0:53:02We've had one on the corner, one on the market round the corner at 99,
0:53:02 > 0:53:06and that was...it was nice, it had been refurbished,
0:53:06 > 0:53:09it was canny, and that was only a two-bedroom.
0:53:09 > 0:53:16- So I probably would have thought 110, just short of 120.- Yeah.
0:53:16 > 0:53:18Are you happy with that price, Geoff?
0:53:18 > 0:53:21Never happy, are you?
0:53:23 > 0:53:26Having bought the bungalow for 55,000, it is
0:53:26 > 0:53:32now worth over a 100, making Geoff nearly 30 grand in just ten weeks.
0:53:32 > 0:53:35Thank you ever so much and we'll see you again, Geoff.
0:53:35 > 0:53:37- Bye.- Bye.
0:53:42 > 0:53:46In Chipping Campden, the day of the auction has finally arrived.
0:53:47 > 0:53:50What's this, pre-auction tucker, is it?
0:53:50 > 0:53:51Auction food, yes.
0:53:51 > 0:53:55- Muster them all up and get the arms going and bids going.- Yeah.
0:53:55 > 0:53:58Well, there's no turning back now, we've got to do it, haven't we?
0:53:58 > 0:54:01- Yeah. Get in amongst them. - Have no fear.
0:54:06 > 0:54:07Cake polished off,
0:54:07 > 0:54:11Mark heads out to face the bidders in the pub next door.
0:54:14 > 0:54:17No backing out now. I hope they all turn up.
0:54:21 > 0:54:25But this isn't just an opportunity to sell Clerk's Cottage with
0:54:25 > 0:54:29interested locals gathering, it's a good chance to promote the business.
0:54:31 > 0:54:36Ladies and gentlemen, I welcome you all here this evening.
0:54:36 > 0:54:39The success of the business is reputation.
0:54:39 > 0:54:42And hopefully, in a relatively small community,
0:54:42 > 0:54:45there are enough people who do like the cut of my jib.
0:54:48 > 0:54:51But there is a serious side to it. It's about doing deals.
0:54:51 > 0:54:53I mean, there's no point going round loads
0:54:53 > 0:54:57and loads of lovely houses if you don't sell them.
0:54:57 > 0:54:58You've got to sell them.
0:54:58 > 0:55:01I'm not going to mess around.
0:55:01 > 0:55:06We've got Clerk's Cottage to sell, so we'll crack on and sell it.
0:55:06 > 0:55:10So put me in then, what shall we say? 350,000?
0:55:10 > 0:55:14With the guide price set at 300,000,
0:55:14 > 0:55:18Mark hopes the cottage will sell for over 350.
0:55:18 > 0:55:21- 300,000.- 250.
0:55:21 > 0:55:24At 250,000. Thank you very much. Here in the front.
0:55:24 > 0:55:27250,000. And may I say 260?
0:55:27 > 0:55:31With some familiar faces present from the Clerk's Cottage viewings,
0:55:31 > 0:55:33the bids are going up.
0:55:33 > 0:55:40260,000. Thank you, sir. And 270. 270.
0:55:40 > 0:55:42At 270,000.
0:55:42 > 0:55:43May I say 280?
0:55:45 > 0:55:50280. At 280,000. May I say 290?
0:55:50 > 0:55:55In the room at 290,000. You're going 300.
0:55:55 > 0:55:57Well done, at 300,000.
0:55:57 > 0:56:02Auction etiquette is all about being discreet and holding your nerve.
0:56:02 > 0:56:05One sudden move and you might accidentally buy a house.
0:56:05 > 0:56:08At 305,000.
0:56:08 > 0:56:12And may I say 320? 320,000.
0:56:15 > 0:56:18335? At 335,000.
0:56:18 > 0:56:21It's a little gem, they don't come up.
0:56:22 > 0:56:24340.
0:56:24 > 0:56:26- 300 and...?- 40.
0:56:26 > 0:56:31340,000. At £340,000. And 45.
0:56:31 > 0:56:34350. At 350,000.
0:56:34 > 0:56:37It's reached 350 and is still going up.
0:56:37 > 0:56:42At 350. And 55? And 55. 355,000 in the front.
0:56:45 > 0:56:47May I say 60?
0:56:50 > 0:56:53360. Will you go another 5?
0:56:53 > 0:56:55Say 70 and knock him out.
0:56:59 > 0:57:02360,000. May I say 65?
0:57:02 > 0:57:06At 65. It's 365,000, then.
0:57:06 > 0:57:09Is there anyone else who wants to join in?
0:57:09 > 0:57:12For the first time, then, at 365,000...
0:57:15 > 0:57:18It's in the front of the room and, make no mistake,
0:57:18 > 0:57:23I'm going to sell it. At 365,000. Anyone else?
0:57:24 > 0:57:27At 365, it's yours, sir. Well done.
0:57:27 > 0:57:30CROWD APPLAUD
0:57:30 > 0:57:33I have to say, I'm delighted with the price.
0:57:33 > 0:57:37I think it's a very good price. We've done the business.
0:57:37 > 0:57:40The winning bidders have decided to turn Clerk's Cottage
0:57:40 > 0:57:42in to a holiday home.
0:57:42 > 0:57:44It's another bit of rural England
0:57:44 > 0:57:48sold by Chipping Campden's best known estate agent.
0:57:48 > 0:57:51Job done. Rock on, Tommy.
0:57:51 > 0:57:52HE LAUGHS
0:58:01 > 0:58:03Next time...
0:58:03 > 0:58:07Oh! How can they live in a place with cockroaches?!
0:58:07 > 0:58:09..from complete tips...
0:58:09 > 0:58:11There's also a chocolate sandwich in here as well.
0:58:11 > 0:58:14That's not a euphemism. That's a chocolate sandwich.
0:58:14 > 0:58:16..to mega-bucks building sites...
0:58:16 > 0:58:20A lot of imagination is required. That's the bones of a square foot.
0:58:20 > 0:58:23Just that bit there is going to be £1,800 to £1,900.
0:58:23 > 0:58:25..the agents do whatever it takes...
0:58:25 > 0:58:28Obviously you've got to look your best when you're with customers.
0:58:28 > 0:58:30You've got to smell nice.
0:58:30 > 0:58:33..to shift houses in the crazy property market.
0:58:33 > 0:58:37You can't believe a word anybody says...except me.