Pennod 4 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

-Thousands of homes are put

-on the market every year in Wales.

-Most of us use an estate agent...

-..to help us get the right price

-from the right buyer.

-Ruth Tottey, who works

-for the Dafydd Hardy agency...

-..enjoys finding the perfect place

-for buyers.

-In Llangefni, Ruth is on her way

-to show a prospective buyer...

-..a two-bedroom terraced house

-on the outskirts of the village.

-It's a viewing for a lady who's

-only just started house-hunting.

-She wants to live in Llangefni...

-..so we suggested

-she should view this small house.

-She wants something with character

-and that can be hard to find.

-There are very few

-stone houses like this in the town.

-Judging by her requirements,

-this seems ideal for her, on paper.

-I hope she won't be disappointed

-when she sees it.

-The house is on the market

-for just under 110,000.

-Hi, Nest. How are you?

-This is a brochure for you.

-This is a brochure for you.

-

-Lovely. Thank you.

-Come inside.

-Ruth hopes this is the ideal place

-for her buyer.

-This is the first reception room -

-the dining room.

-It's nice that they've preserved

-the house's character.

-This is the kitchen.

-It's nice and light.

-Feel free to open cabinets

-and see what's what.

-You've also got some cobwebs

-as an extra!

-The floor is lovely isn't it?

-The floor is lovely isn't it?

-

-Yes.

-This house is full of character.

-Yes. It's very nice.

-Come through to the lounge.

-These doors are nice.

-They've been treated.

-They've been treated.

-

-Yes, they've been stripped.

-I can imagine a wood burner there.

-I can imagine a wood burner there.

-

-It would be nice and cosy.

-Who likes the house more -

-Ruth or Nest?

-This is the main bedroom.

-This is the main bedroom.

-

-It's quite big.

-Yes, and it's nice and light.

-This is the second bedroom.

-It's small but still very light.

-Yes, and it offers

-a view of the garden.

-So far, so good.

-Yes, thank you.

-That's what I like to hear.

-It seems promising

-but what about the exterior?

-You can see

-half of Llangefni from here.

-I like this open feel.

-I like this open feel.

-

-Yes, it's nice.

-Do you like the house, Nest?

-Do you like the house, Nest?

-

-Yes. I'm very fond of it.

-Have you viewed many properties?

-Have you viewed many properties?

-

-No. This is my first viewing.

-I saw it from the outside and

-I knew I had to see the interior.

-Thank you, Nest.

-Can I keep this?

-Can I keep this?

-

-Yes. Have another copy too.

-Thank you.

-I'll phone you tomorrow.

-I'll phone you tomorrow.

-

-Thank you.

-You know where I am if you need me.

-It went quite well.

-Nest liked the character

-in the house.

-She imagined

-where her furniture would go.

-Things like that are positive signs.

-Ruth tells me that her company

-offers a mortgage broker service...

-..so I'll make an appointment

-with them...

-..to find out where I stand

-in that respect.

-Fingers crossed.

-Marc Morrish

-is an enthusiastic auctioneer...

-..who works in Cardiff

-for Steel & Co.

-More and more empty chapels

-are being sold in Wales.

-Marc has travelled to the Valleys

-to Bethel Chapel, Maesycymmer...

-..which will be sold at auction

-in a few weeks.

-This is Bethel Chapel and

-the building needs a lot of work.

-But it has great potential to be

-developed into a house or flats.

-It could even

-be used as a chapel again.

-It goes to auction

-with a guide price of 70,000.

-As you can see, there's damp here.

-The central heating hasn't been

-switched on for a long time...

-..and there may not even be

-a damp-proof course in these walls.

-The pointing

-may not be up to scratch either.

-There are problems

-throughout the building.

-These polystyrene ceiling tiles

-are a fire hazard.

-The chapel needs renovation but the

-vestry is an even bigger challenge.

-There's water coming through

-the roof in the vestry area.

-This needs even more work

-than the chapel itself.

-There's a small kitchen here

-which needs updating.

-Bethel Chapel is an ambitious

-renovation project for someone.

-Would the effort and costs

-pay dividends in the long run?

-You'd need to spend

-a lot of money on it...

-..but, if you look at it

-in terms of a three bedroom house...

-..its value on the open market

-would be around 250,000.

-Chapels are always popular with

-developers and homeowners alike.

-They just need money

-to carry out the work.

-I hope a few people do turn up today

-to view the chapel.

-We've had several enquiries,

-so we'll see.

-Today will help Marc assess the

-level of interest in the auction.

-It doesn't seem too promising

-but it's a waiting game for Marc.

-Very few people turned up today.

-Since the Brexit vote...

-..we've seen things go quiet

-on the development front.

-It doesn't matter.

-We only need two parties

-to bid on one property.

-Let's hope the auction

-is the answer to Marc's prayers.

-In Aberystwyth, Iestyn Leyshon

-of Lloyd Herbert & Jones...

-..loves nothing more than

-selling houses in rural Wales.

-Today, Iestyn returns to

-a three-bedroom house in Llanilar...

-..to revalue the property.

-An offer

-was accepted on this house...

-..but when the survey came back,

-the sale fell through.

-One of the reasons for that

-was it needs a new roof.

-We lost those buyers...

-..but the vendor has since had

-a new roof and new flashings done.

-I'm here to take a look at that work

-and to take new photos.

-Come in.

-Before the survey was done...

-..Iestyn valued the property

-at just under 125,000.

-Now that the roof is fixed, Iestyn

-is confident the price won't change.

-This house

-has a lot of its original features.

-It's great

-to have a bay window.

-It lets a lot of light

-into a small room like this.

-A cast iron fireplace

-with a timber mantel.

-Buyers love features like this

-in old houses.

-It has two double bedrooms.

-This is a good size.

-This is slightly bigger

-than the front bedroom...

-..so I'd call this the master.

-This is the business end.

-This is a fairly modern kitchen.

-This extension

-was probably built in the 1980s.

-In an old house like this...

-..the original kitchen

-would have been in the basement.

-This area is built against

-the front wall of the house...

-..and the back

-opens out onto the garden.

-This is a great garden.

-It goes down to the river

-which runs through the village.

-The level of the river

-is lower than the garden...

-..but people

-do worry about flooding.

-Let's hope there are no floods

-and the property sells.

-Buying houses can be stressful...

-..but what's the hardest thing

-about selling houses?

-People being disappointed

-when they read a survey...

-..or they fail to get a mortgage.

-People's chains being broken

-and their sale falling through.

-I've sold houses

-which had a rodents problem.

-I've got a number to call...

-..if the vendor wants to get

-someone in quickly to deal with it.

-Stressful? It isn't stressful.

-I sell over 100 properties a year

-and look at me!

-In Cardiff, Marc is in

-the desirable Pontcanna area...

-..to show potential buyers

-around a terraced house...

-..which has currently

-been divided into six flats.

-Come on through

-and I'll show you around.

-I'm showing the property

-to people...

-..to see if they're interested

-in bidding at the auction.

-We've got a one-bedroom

-ground floor flat here.

-Many of the viewers want to

-convert it back into a house.

-Others want to refurbish the flats

-then sell them...

-..or to refurbish them

-and then rent them out.

-Buyers at an auction are usually

-looking for a bargain or a project.

-Marc underlines the potential of the

-property in order to secure a sale.

-This house has got great potential.

-This is a really popular area and

-next door was sold last September...

-..for 540,000.

-The guide price on this property

-is 310,000.

-You need to spend around 100,000...

-..to convert it back into one house

-but it's got huge potential.

-If it will cost at least 400,000

-to turn it back into a house...

-..is that potential enough to

-attract bidders at the auction?

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-Subtitles

-Subtitles

-

-Subtitles

-Selling a house

-can be very stressful...

-..and unexpected problems can arise.

-Iestyn has returned to the

-three-bed cottage in Llanilar...

-..to do some detective work, after

-a second survey uncovered a problem.

-An offer at 5,000 below

-the asking price was accepted.

-That's great. Everyone was happy.

-The surveyor found a problem which

-has nothing to do with the house.

-It's all about Japanese knotweed...

-..which they say is on the riverbank

-behind the house.

-Let's see if we can spot

-this Japanese knotweed.

-Japanese knotweed can cause

-serious damage to properties...

-..and it costs

-up to 4,000 to get rid of it.

-Iestyn wants to know

-how close it is to the house.

-Reaching the river is a problem

-but a neighbour is at hand to help.

-Call me David Attenborough.

-There it is. That's the stuff.

-It's on somebody else's plot.

-It isn't on the land

-of the house we're selling.

-I'm in the jungle

-with rare specimens.

-The estate agent.

-Will you put it in the paper?

-No, there's nothing wrong.

-They said it may be

-behind the house we're selling...

-..but it's far enough away.

-Iestyn hasn't managed

-to reassure Olivia.

-Watch your step!

-I can see stinging nettles.

-There was none where I'd expected to

-see it but there is some downriver.

-Alright.

-Be careful now, Olivia.

-Will it rain today?

-Will it rain today?

-

-I hope not.

-Olivia may be happy but what about

-the mortgage company?

-We'll get a specialist company...

-..to carry out an assessment survey

-to see how bad it is.

-You treat it by cutting it down

-and leaving foot of growth.

-You then inject poison into it...

-..and keep treating it

-for three to five years.

-Every stalk must be treated.

-The other method is to pull it out

-and take it to a specialist dump.

-You're better off

-leaving it where it is.

-Never strim it.

-Just get these boys in to treat it.

-Here's hoping there's no need

-to get those boys in...

-..so that Iestyn

-can complete the sale.

-There's only a little bit there.

-I'm sure the mortgage company

-will be fine.

-David Attenborough reporting. Out!

-How big a problem is Japanese

-knotweed to our other estate agents?

-I think banks and building societies

-make a big story about it...

-..because they don't want

-to lend money at the moment.

-It's a pain.

-It's a nuisance at the moment.

-It comes up in every survey...

-..but Japanese knotweed

-has been in gardens for years.

-In the Swansea Valley, Carys Davies,

-the owner of Perfect Pads...

-..enjoys selling houses.

-Carys is in Clydach...

-..to show a traditional house

-to a potential buyer.

-It's very reasonably priced,

-at under 80,000...

-..so Carys hopes

-she can secure a quick sale.

-It's a traditional,

-two bedroom end terrace.

-It's on at just under 80,000.

-It comes with no parking

-but the garden is quite big.

-One ground floor reception room,

-as you can see.

-It was two rooms originally

-but it's been knocked through.

-The back door, with access

-to the garden, is off the kitchen...

-..and it has

-a ground floor bathroom.

-My client is downsizing and this is

-her first viewing of this property.

-This is a compact house,

-so can Carys sell its plus points?

-What's nice

-is it's all very open-plan.

-Carys hits the ground running,

-suggesting possible alterations.

-You could put a breakfast bar there.

-Downstairs bathroom...

-..which is typical of

-the traditional, terraced property.

-Fully-tiled, which is a bonus,

-and a shower over the bath.

-Very pleasing to the eye.

-That's the ground floor done,

-but will the first floor suit Tracy?

-You get a feeling

-when they enter the property.

-You can tell whether or not

-a client likes the house.

-I'm not sure with this client.

-There may be a bit too much work

-to be done here for her...

-..even though

-it's a lovely-looking house.

-Plasterboard. You wouldn't think so,

-with these walls.

-Carys has to work hard

-to emphasize the house's potential.

-Tracy is playing her cards

-close to her chest.

-You could easily extend.

-The garden's a large size.

-There is potential.

-What do you think?

-You could move in to it as it is but

-there's a lot I'd want to do to it.

-The bathroom downstairs.

-I'd have a look

-if I could put it upstairs.

-There's too much work for me

-on this property.

-Tracy won't buy this house...

-..but Carys is keen

-to find her a perfect home.

-Nice to meet you. Here's my card.

-Based on what you've said, I have

-some properties that may suit you.

-I'll email you.

-She has no intention

-of losing this client.

-We're firm believers in matching

-clients to properties on our books.

-This isn't the one for her...

-..but she may like

-one of our other properties.

-I'll email details of some

-of our other properties to her.

-The key thing is to stay in touch.

-With only a few days to go

-until the auction...

-..Marc has seen interest grow,

-especially in the Cathays district.

-I've got three properties

-in the auction.

-This one - 8 Monthermer Road,

-12 Monthermer Road...

-..and a property around the corner,

-which is 49 Daniel Street.

-They're all within throwing distance

-of each other.

-There's been a lot of interest

-in the three houses.

-A modern kitchen

-with room for a small table.

-It's hard because

-there are lots of viewings...

-..and people

-want to see all three properties.

-Number 8 is open.

-You can have a look at Monthermer.

-This is ideal for an owner-occupier

-to do some work on it.

-Crwys Road is nearby

-and town is a 20-minute walk away.

-It will be very popular.

-It has a guide price of 135,000.

-On the resale market,

-you're talking 200,000.

-There's a separate

-rental opportunity with the salon.

-It's lovely. You'd be happy

-being pampered in here.

-It could be converted

-into four flats.

-Two on the ground floor

-and two upstairs.

-A lot of people turned up today,

-so I'm very busy.

-It takes more than one Marc Morrish

-to show everyone around.

-A week after Ruth showed Nest

-the terraced house in Llangefni...

-..Nest had an offer at just below

-the asking price accepted on it.

-All Nest now needs is a mortgage.

-I heard from the broker this morning

-and Nest's mortgage is approved...

-..and the survey is fine.

-So full steam ahead with that one.

-Hiya, Nest. It's Ruth here

-from Dafydd Hardy, Llangefni.

-I've got some good news for you.

-We've received your mortgage offer.

-Your broker called to let me know.

-Fantastic.

-Full steam ahead now.

-Are you happy? Brilliant.

-I'm delighted for you.

-I love this part of the job.

-We know

-the keys will be handed over soon.

-That's good.

-Back in Cathays...

-..Marc is still showing potential

-buyers around three properties.

-This is the house I told you about.

-Nia is one of those people and she's

-looking for something in particular.

-Market value, 125 to 130.

-And not as much work needs doing?

-And not as much work needs doing?

-

-No. Come in.

-I'm looking for a house for my son.

-He starts working

-at Ysgol Y Wern in September.

-He can't be here today because

-he's travelling around Europe.

-I hope

-we see something we like today.

-There is no gas

-There's just electric.

-Nia has bought at an auction before.

-I bought my first house

-at an auction.

-I went to the auction

-with my father-in-law.

-We lived in that house for 15 years

-and raised our children there.

-I've got three boys.

-Nia's house-hunting for her son but

-she also takes a look at the salon.

-This is a former salon

-with a studio flat at the rear.

-Oh! I can get my hair done.

-Oh! I can get my hair done.

-

-Yes. Take a seat, madam.

-Unfortunately, the houses I've seen

-this morning need a lot of work...

-..so I doubt

-we'll attend the auction on Tuesday.

-Nia won't be at the auction but

-how hopeful is Marc about the day?

-I've been really busy.

-Lots of people turned up...

-..and I've been running

-from one building to the next.

-I'm over the moon with the

-number of people who turned up...

-..to view the properties.

-Let's see what happens on Tuesday.

-Marc has work to do before

-he sells the properties at auction.

-Sold -

-my favourite part of the job.

-Ruth is happy

-to have sold Nest her new home...

-..and Iestyn

-also had some good news.

-The cottage in Llanilar

-has been sold, at last.

-S4C subtitles by Eirlys A Jones

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