Pennod 1 Ar Werth

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-Estate agents.

-This is no ordinary house.

-We rely on them.

-Oh, wow! Fantastic.

-In this series, we meet some

-of the industry's big characters.

-Talk business, houses and money.

-We see what it takes

-to be an agent.

-I'll have a nose.

-We experience the highs...

-Accepted, 245. Fantastic.

-..and the challenges...

-Move the door.

-..of putting your house up for sale.

-Subtitles

-Selling houses

-is big business in Wales.

-Every house is different and every

-estate agent has a unique style.

-This is Iestyn Leyshon...

-..from Lloyd Herbert & Jones,

-Aberystwyth.

-****! What are you doing there?

-Iestyn is multitalented.

-He's an enthusiastic estate agent...

-It's a great house.

-When can I move in?

-..a top auctioneer...

-Mrs Jandril, 1 surely?

-..and a bit of a joker.

-Where's the rest of him?

-Today, he's learning a new skill

-to use in his business.

-The red bands

-mark the direction of the camera.

-We're a bit high there, aren't we?

-****!

-'Height Limit Reached'.

-Let's hope he doesn't sell houses

-like he flies drones.

-Hush! I'm concentrating.

-This is Pengarreg Fawr,

-Iestyn's family home.

-He spent

-most of his childhood here.

-This five bedroom house

-is about to go up for sale...

-..and it will be marketed

-at just under 400,000.

-An estate agent rarely

-has to sell his own property...

-..but that's

-the challenge that awaits Iestyn.

-This house

-is in the middle of lots of land.

-This drone can give me

-a picture from above, looking down.

-Hopefully, it will give people

-a better idea of what awaits them...

-..when they view the property.

-I'll turn it the other way.

-That looks like a lush photo.

-Home, James!

-Which way are you going?

-Flying the drone is tricky, so how

-will Iestyn manage to land it?

-I'm not sure that's how you

-should do it, but it works for me!

-The next step

-is to edit the photos...

-..and create a short video,

-which I'll post on Facebook.

-This service

-means people across the world...

-..can see the properties we sell.

-In the Swansea Valley, Carys Davies,

-the proprietor of Perfect Pads...

-..is using a more conventional

-method of selling a property.

-The bathroom and the kitchen are

-the most important rooms to a buyer.

-We list any integrated appliances

-on the property details.

-I'll have a bit of a nose now!

-Carys has been in the letting

-business for over ten years...

-..but selling houses is a new

-and exciting venture for her.

-Carys is preparing a valuation of

-a three bedroom cottage in Alltwen.

-She must be thorough

-and look in every nook and cranny.

-Some might call it being nosey!

-Being nosey is part of my job.

-Some people have said

-they think I have a great job...

-..because I snoop

-around other people's homes.

-Vendors' decor can inspire me -

-be that through paint or furniture.

-I know the owner of this house,

-so she gave me the key.

-It's nice to be able to spend

-some time assessing the property.

-I look at many different things.

-I always remove my shoes

-to show respect for the homeowners.

-It's the polite thing to do.

-Yes - there's nothing worse

-than impolite snooping!

-Has Carys ever been caught

-in an awkward situation?

-No, not personally...

-..but some of my staff

-certainly have.

-We're a letting agent too...

-..and we carry out inspections

-on properties.

-We give them plenty of notice.

-I knocked, then I went inside.

-I opened the bedroom door and

-there they were, reading the paper.

-Nothing embarrassing.

-Carys isn't the only one to find

-herself in an unexpected situation.

-A naked woman has run towards me.

-I thought the house was empty...

-..only for a lady to scream

-"What are you doing here?"

-I've caught people in bed...

-..and not necessarily

-with their own husband or wife.

-We've got to be really careful

-when it comes to that...

-..and make sure we never

-divulge secrets to anyone else.

-Dafydd Hardy is one of the giants of

-the property market in North Wales.

-Dafydd Hardy has been

-in the business for 40 years.

-Got a bit of a tan there, Mr Hardy.

-Mostly on my stomach.

-Mostly on my stomach.

-

-Let's not discuss your stomach!

-My stomach is closer to the sun,

-so it gets a deeper tan.

-The Bangor office is one of his five

-offices in Gwynedd and on Anglesey.

-These are my favourite things.

-The bowler hat lampshades.

-This TV is a recent addition.

-It's a touch screen TV, so clients

-can use it to search for a property.

-The clients love them.

-This map shows every area of

-North Wales with which we deal.

-We cover Anglesey,

-the Llyn Peninsula...

-..Porthmadog

-and across to Llandudno.

-If he sells houses

-like he sells his office...

-..little wonder

-Dafydd is so successful.

-There's a garage here.

-This was

-the first graphic we created.

-Do you see the DH logo there?

-Well, that's now changed

-to a house shape.

-This was the original.

-It works really well.

-It's a nice place to work,

-or so my staff tell me.

-I don't know if it's true

-but I aim to please.

-Back in Aberystwyth,

-Iestyn returns to Pengarreg Fawr...

-..to take a look at it before

-showing it to a potential buyer.

-With over 40 years of memories...

-..it doesn't take long

-before he starts to reminisce.

-When we moved here,

-there was a wall across here...

-..with a 1950s fireplace

-in front of it.

-All this was hidden.

-Mam decided

-to get rid of the old fireplace...

-..revealing

-a bigger and bigger hole...

-..until this revealed itself.

-When we first found this,

-we burned a whole tree trunk.

-We fed the fire

-with a tree trunk...

-..which started by the door.

-It saved us having to saw it!

-You're a man of the world.

-Do you fancy a drink?

-We had lots of parties here.

-My father

-enjoyed making his own wine.

-He used the cellar to do that...

-..and he'd sneak down there

-to fetch some refreshments.

-Not so light but very refreshing!

-One room in the house brings back

-some very retro memories.

-The bathroom,

-with its 1980s chocolate suite.

-Money can't buy a suite

-like this today. Everything's white.

-Look at this marble effect!

-That's a bidet behind the door,

-with its gold taps.

-How did you use the bidet, Iestyn?

-To wash our feet.

-Sit on the toilet

-and soak your feet.

-The strange thing about this room...

-..is its window

-throws light onto the landing.

-See?

-We're still in the process

-of clearing items out.

-All these shelves were full.

-The drone shot is better than that!

-There are old photos here.

-My father was always happy

-and my mother always loved a party.

-There was always

-a warm welcome for everyone here.

-My father loved to sing and

-his favourite song was Cock Robin.

-I left the room whenever he sang it.

-We had Christmas parties

-in the lounge.

-We still have that dumper somewhere.

-How does Iestyn

-feel about selling Pengarreg Fawr?

-This house is different

-because of my close ties to it.

-I grew up here.

-Having a strong connection

-with a house makes it difficult...

-..but it helps to sell it because

-I can share stories with viewers.

-It's a great place to raise children

-and I'd love to sell it to a family.

-They'd enjoy this house

-as much as we did.

-There's no time for more reminiscing

-because Iestyn has a job to do.

-Can he find a buyer who'll

-fall in love with Pengarreg Fawr?

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-Subtitles

-Subtitles

-

-Subtitles

-You can't predict which properties

-will sell and which won't...

-..but, in the Swansea Valley,

-Carys is feeling positive.

-The three bed cottage in Alltwen

-is on the market at 189,000...

-..and Carys has already

-lined up a viewer.

-A first-time buyer,

-so there's no chain.

-As is the case with every viewing,

-we hope for good news...

-..but the selling process is long,

-compared to letting.

-How easy do estate agents find it

-to predict what will sell?

-You get the feeling in your belly.

-You get back to the office, feeling

-convinced it will sell that week...

-..and it's the one that's

-still on your books a year later.

-Every house has a selling price.

-If you market it at the right price,

-it'll sell.

-We don't use powers of persuasion

-in this game.

-People either like a house

-or they don't.

-We tell you about its good points

-and bad points...

-..and leave the decision up to you.

-Traditional, three bed cottage.

-Lovely, big kitchen diner.

-Open plan.

-Two reception rooms

-with a working gas fire here.

-Carys is so keen to sell it...

-..her potential buyer

-can't get a word in edgeways.

-Slow down, Carys! Breathe.

-It's tidier than my

-children's wardrobe, I can tell you.

-Nice and bright. Half tiled.

-The current owner is not in a chain.

-That's good news,

-if you're a first-time buyer.

-First-time buyer. Yes.

-If you need a second viewing, come

-back and we'll take it from there.

-Thank you very much.

-With the first viewing done,

-is Carys confident of a sale?

-It's hard to tell.

-I sometimes feel I talk non-stop.

-If someone's a character

-with plenty to say...

-..the conversation flows.

-He was a really nice man.

-It's a lot to take in

-but I think he liked the house.

-What's not to like?

-It's a lovely house.

-It's traditional

-and full of character.

-Hello!

-How did the viewing go?

-Alright, I think. He liked it

-but he didn't give much away.

-Did he like the layout

-and the kitchen?

-Yes, and he liked the features.

-It's a nice property.

-He was rather photogenic.

-He was rather photogenic.

-

-Why didn't I go?

-Happily married!

-Carys is keen

-to expand the company's portfolio.

-Selling the Alltwen cottage

-would help.

-It also helps her staff that their

-potential buyer is so handsome.

-Will Mr Photogenic return?

-In Mid Wales, an unusual listing

-has attracted some media coverage.

-Half the village of Aberllefenni

-is on the market for 1.5 million.

-Aberllefenni was a community

-built around a slate mine...

-..with quarrymen and their families

-living in the terraced houses below.

-The owner sold the quarry and

-also put these houses up for sale.

-They'll cost you

-the same as flat in central London.

-Selling can have a huge impact

-on the community.

-Dafydd Hardy is here to meet

-the owner of the street, John Lloyd.

-I like the stonework.

-There are nine houses -

-some are bigger than others.

-Are there tenants in each house?

-Are there tenants in each house?

-

-Yes.

-Are they families with children?

-Are they families with children?

-

-Yes, some of them have children.

-One child in the small ones and

-three or four in the big ones.

-Let's hope we find a buyer

-who purchases the whole lot.

-Yes, and someone who

-keeps the tenants on, hopefully.

-John wants to sell the whole street

-to a single buyer...

-..who allows the present tenants

-to remain in their homes.

-Dafydd needs a cunning plan

-for this challenge.

-The challenge in Aberllefenni is

-to sell 16 houses as a single unit.

-We've received

-extensive press coverage...

-..because we pushed this angle

-of selling half a village.

-We've been in the local press -

-Cambrian News, Daily Post and so on.

-We've also featured in a Mail Online

-article and on the Mirror website.

-We've received enquiries

-from abroad and from London...

-..from companies who are

-looking to invest in this area.

-In his quest to sell the street...

-..Dafydd seeks out

-its unique selling points.

-These were built for quarrymen.

-These were built for quarrymen.

-

-Yes, that was the original purpose.

-There were no toilets then.

-Did they use the back gardens?

-Jane, welcome back to Pengarreg

-for your second viewing.

-A stone's throw from Aberllefenni...

-..Iestyn tries to show Jane,

-his old school friend...

-..that Pengarreg Fawr

-is worth buying.

-That's an old bread oven.

-You lit a fire at the bottom and

-the heat was drawn up the flue...

-..around this cast iron oven.

-I like old houses but my husband

-prefers modern properties.

-He likes everything to be in place

-but I like the character here.

-If Jane likes character,

-Iestyn has just the thing for her.

-Let me show you

-the back of the door in here.

-That's not woodworm.

-I had a dartboard up there.

-I wasn't very good at darts!

-I hadn't noticed it.

-Don't forget that bathroom!

-I haven't seen a suite this colour

-for years.

-Luckily, the house has

-plenty of features which Jane likes.

-I love these windows.

-The Georgian style has come through

-in these new windows.

-It's really big

-and it has three windows.

-It's nice and light.

-Where's the kitchen garden?

-Where's the kitchen garden?

-

-At the front.

-It will take a bit of work

-to get it up and running again.

-I wouldn't mind a challenge.

-Call it a midlife crisis!

-Priced at just under 400,000

-and in need of some work...

-..Pengarreg Fawr

-offers plenty of challenges.

-That's your kitchen garden.

-There's plenty of space here.

-Yes, plus you get a greenhouse.

-If you look at the house...

-..do the sheds have anything

-to do with your midlife crisis?

-Yes. The old cow sheds

-attracted my attention.

-She'd had her second viewing,

-so what's the next step for Jane?

-I'll talk to my husband...

-..and think about the costs

-of converting the outbuildings.

-I like the place

-but, at the end of the day...

-..the maintenance costs

-have to be affordable for us.

-Thank you, Iestyn.

-Thank you, Iestyn.

-

-OK. Take care.

-Ta-ta, Jane.

-In Aberllefenni, Dafydd has gone to

-meet one of the oldest residents...

-..to find out more

-about local history.

-Eiriona's home is also for sale.

-Hello. You must be Eiriona.

-I'm Dafydd, the estate agent

-who's trying to sell this place.

-Come in.

-Come in.

-

-Thank you very much.

-Eiriona has lived here

-most of her life...

-..and has fond memories of the area.

-How long have you lived here?

-It will be 50 years in October.

-You've been here for 50 years.

-This is an ancient house.

-It's over 500 years old.

-This was the first house

-to be built in Corris Uchaf.

-The village was then built

-when the slate mines opened.

-They came from Tywyn

-and the surrounding area...

-..to work

-at Aberllefenni Slate Quarry.

-In an ideal world, who would Eiriona

-like to see as her new landlord?

-No matter who buys it, I'll be happy

-as long as I can stay here.

-That's the main thing.

-We've received many enquiries

-but nobody has booked a viewing.

-This is a cosy house.

-Yes, very much so.

-Thank you very much.

-Keep in touch and I'll let you know

-when something happens.

-Enjoy your weekend. Ta-ta!

-Enjoy your weekend. Ta-ta!

-

-Bye. Thank you.

-Dafydd is under pressure

-to sell the street as one lot.

-Will he succeed?

-Can he ensure

-the community is left intact?

-Back in the office,

-Carys makes an important call...

-..to the Alltwen cottage vendor.

-Selling is still new to her company,

-so every sale is important to Carys.

-Carys here, Perfect Pads.

-How are you?

-We've received an offer,

-which I e-mailed to the vendor.

-It's a little bit

-below the asking price.

-Fingers crossed he's had time to

-think about it and that he accepts.

-Who knows?

-Did you get my email?

-Great. Any thoughts?

-You will? Fantastic. Excellent news.

-It's good news for Carys

-and for all the staff in the office.

-Thank you. Speak to you soon.

-Thank you. Ta-ta.

-He's accepted the offer on Alltwen.

-He's accepted the offer on Alltwen.

-

-Oh, that's brilliant news.

-It wasn't on long, was it?

-It wasn't on long, was it?

-

-No. It's great.

-In Aberystwyth,

-the news isn't so good for Iestyn.

-Jane and her husband are undecided

-about buying Pengarreg Fawr.

-It's a bit too soon for them

-to make a decision about it.

-They've got a lot to discuss,

-especially regarding their finances.

-They'll look at how they'd afford

-to buy it and do the work.

-They want to convert the

-outbuildings into holiday lets.

-They currently live in a great house

-which would be difficult to leave.

-They're considering

-some other properties.

-They may come back to me when they

-realize what Pengarreg offers them.

-While Carys strides forward in

-her quest to expand her business...

-..Iestyn keeps working

-to sell Pengarreg Fawr...

-..and Dafydd strives

-to sell a street in Aberllefenni.

-Can they close a deal

-in the coming weeks?

-S4C subtitles by Eirlys A Jones

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