Episode 4 Best of Homes Under the Hammer

Hello and welcome to the best of Homes Under The Hammer.

Did you on, on this programme

we have featured a huge variety of property,

some bought for just a few thousand quid, others for well over a million pounds.

Yeah, but our choice hasn't been dictated by price. More importantly,

it's just our favourite memories from the last few years.

So here's our pick of the bunch for today.

In Kent, a pub where the taps had run dry

provided a story which had me welling up.

And the train to Nottingham was on time, but had they called time on this old house?

These are two of our favourite properties from the early days.

Find out what happened to them when they went under the hammer.

I'm in this beautiful rural hamlet in Kent

just seven miles away from the City of Canterbury.

This village has a strong sense of community.

It's all focused around today's auction lot. The Two Sawyers of Woolage Green is up for sale.

The village pub had recently stopped trading.

It went to auction with a guide price of £220,000 - £240,000.

It was being sold with living accommodation upstairs, a large bar and garden area.

Built in the 1800s, it's Grade II listed,

which means you would only be able to do a limited amount to change its appearance.

So, what's it all like on the inside?

Ah, yes, a traditional olde-worlde Kentish pub.

It's got an amazing feeling in here.

It really smells like a pub.

This fabulous traditional inglenook fireplace.

All the brass plaques still on the brickwork. What a fabulous place.

The thought now of turning this into a family home does worry me slightly.

Don't forget, it is Grade II listed.

And you could be up against an awful lot with the local planners.

And why make it a home when it's still got so much use as a pub?

I'm starting to feel excited about the prospect of someone coming in,

doing the whole place up and filling those taps with beer again.

# It's lonesome away From your kindred and all

# By the campfire at night Where the wild dingoes call

# But there's nothing so lonesome So dull or so drear

# Than to stand in the bar Of a pub with no beer... #

People in the pub trade these days will tell you that to run a successful business,

you really do need to serve up good food.

It's just a little bit small in here.

It could do with an extension, subject to planning permission, of course. Or even a refit.

These cupboards are a little dated.

It could do with a new cooker.

The thought of serving up all of that pub grub in this small space,

I think it will be a bit of a squeeze.

Upstairs is much smaller than you would imagine.

With an open-plan living area at the top of the stairs, there are also two bedrooms.

There's a bathroom but no kitchen.

That means bar food every night, I think.

Now this really shows the property's age. Look how low this doorway is.

It's very claustrophobic in here.

It is all under eves. For a bedroom, this is very small.

You shouldn't be put off with old properties.

Don't forget, this is Grade II listed.

Over here, there's a certain amount of water damage.

There's obviously a problem with the roof, although it does look quite solid from the outside.

I would definitely get in an expert to check that out. Overall, quite disappointing upstairs.

I can't see any families wanting to move into a pub like this.

It may not suit a family but might suit a young couple wanting to start a new business,

or perhaps an older couple looking to make a bit of money in retirement.

The pub certainly has a lot of character to build on

and it'd be an outright shame if it was converted into a home.

The residents of the village are so passionate about not wanting to lose their local pub

that they've held meetings and have made leaflets to hand out on the day of the auction

to try and stop people from buying the pub and turning it into something else.

It seems this pub has really brought the community together in many ways.

So, will it retain its pub spirit and open the doors to the public once more?

Or will the developers get their hands on it and turn it into an idyllic country house?

There's only one way to find out. Let's go to auction.

£220,000 to get me on the way.

220, I have at the back. 220, I'm on the way. 220. 225?

225. 225, I have.

And 30, 230 and 35, 235.

At £230,000 I've got. 235 I want. Are we done at £230,000?

235 sitting down. 240 now, if you like? 240?

At 235 sitting down in the middle and 240 I want. At £235,000 I'm bid, and 240 I want.

Are we all done at £235,000?

£238, I've got. 240 now, make it.

£240,000, if you like. 240, I have.

242 at the back? 240,000 I've got.

It is in the room to sell at £240,000. You need to hurry up if you're going to bid.

At £240,000 I have for the first time then. At £240,000 for the second, if you're all done.

At £240,000 for the third and final time if everyone else is out?

-Yes!

-Yes, what a cheer!

And the winner is Brenda - she's the happy one, in case you hadn't noticed - and her brother, Tony.

The reason Brenda is so jubilant is that they tried to buy the pub before but it didn't go through

and then it went to auction.

But now it's rightfully theirs.

What was the price you'd agreed prior to the auction?

£250,000. So that was a better bonus.

-Even better.

-So it really was meant to be, wasn't it?

It was. There's BH out on the front.

It's got my name stamped all over this pub. Delighted with it all.

How did you feel the first time you clapped eyes on it?

We'd gone out for the day. Tony said let's go and find some lunch.

We walked in and I said, "I could do with something like this.

"Get my life back on track." Walked in and found out it was up for sale.

-Why hasn't your life been on track?

-My husband died, all of a sudden.

Oh-h. How long ago now?

Two years in June.

On my oldest son's wedding day.

That's so sad. Tony, you've been there

-every step of the way with Brenda...

-Yeah.

-..helping her along.

And my kids, they've been wonderful and they are behind me 100%.

'Let's hope this place brings some comfort for Brenda, who feels she's ready for a brand-new start.

'Brenda was a landlady for years.

'Together with her late husband, Kevin, they took on pubs

'that needed work and turned them back into the heart of community.

'But what made this pub so special for her?'

-I felt as though my husband was still sitting on my shoulder.

-Really?

-Mmm.

-Did you get any signs?

Yeah, a rainbow board with the menu and he believed in rainbows.

-Did he really?

-Yeah. So I just feel I'm at rainbow's end now.

# Somewhere

# Over the rainbow... #

If Kevin believed in rainbows then he must have believed in the pot of gold at the end too.

But before Brenda gets her hands on it, there's lots of work to be done here.

Do you have a budget for any changes?

Probably around £10,000.

Initially.

New carpets and actually decorating and bathrooms upstairs.

I feel really focused now. My life can start moving on again.

I can't sit on my backside any more. I have to get up and earn a living.

I know Kev's saying, "Go for it, girl, you can do it".

-He's there behind you, isn't he?

-Definitely.

So, will Brenda reach her pot of gold at the end of the rainbow,

and will she turn this pub back into the hub of the community?

We'll find out later when we come back.

Bulwell is just off the M1 in the East Midlands, in the suburbs of Nottingham.

It was an old mining town but has now been swallowed up by the expanding city.

It still has its own amenities and is much sought after by first time buyers and developers.

It's got a lovely local community.

More importantly, from the property point of view,

you've got ace links into the city centre.

There's a brand new tram line, amongst other things.

Even better, the house we're looking at is just over there.

On the face of it, it's not the most glamorous of locations,

but the house prices here reflect that.

And for somebody looking at taking their first step on the property ladder, that could be all-important.

We're off to see a three bedroomed end of terrace house

at a guide price of just 52 to 56,000.

It's described as in need of some upgrading,

but there's no structural work needed, apparently.

So, what you've got here is a fairly modern end terrace.

Probably built in the mid 1980s.

Nice big entrance hall.

Something interesting on the floor here, though.

A kind of outline as if there's been something here in the past,

maybe a downstairs loo or a cloakroom.

The stairs leading to the bedrooms and then into the front room.

Loads of room in here. Look at this.

You've got a living room area and a dining room off the end of it,

with the big double doors on the end. Lots of light flooding in.

Good to see that.

Oh, but charming. I don't suppose you can expect too many period features in a place like this,

but THAT is a 1980s fireplace to beat them all.

Wonder if, in years to come, that'll be in an architectural salvage place.

It might not, but this will.

Ha! Look at that for a boiler!

That's straight out of Heath Robinson.

But seriously, if you're paying not that much for this house,

the cost of replacing a boiler like that could be a significant portion

of the actual cost, so definitely something to take into consideration.

So, I like that. A good-sized space. Through here into the kitchen.

Now, clearly this is somewhere you've got a bit of work to do.

I guess these are kind of serviceable,

but personally, I would rip this lot out.

You can definitely make some big changes to this kitchen.

Out there, again, useful space.

I guess that's another...

Yep, storage area there.

Possibility for some extension going on, as you have got room and it looks to me like

other houses have done that, so the precedent has been set.

So, all in all, a good-sized property.

Upstairs, there are three bedrooms.

Two good-sized doubles,

both in need of revamping, but otherwise pretty sound.

And a smaller single,

which would be fine as a spare room, study or children's room.

There's a family-sized bathroom, where a new suite would probably be worth installing,

but overall, I think it's not bad.

Well, a property like this is never going to be everybody's cup of tea,

but it's a big house and it's not a lot of money.

So, for a first-time buyer, I think it's ideal.

Let's find out what happens when it goes to auction.

Lot number 30.

31 Latimer Close in Bulwell.

Three-bedroomed, end town house, mostly double-glazed,

part central heating, in need of a bit of improvement.

£50,000. Don't mind where we start.

50... For Latimer Close. 50.

50 is bid, thank you.

At £50,000, the opening bid at 50.

51 is bid.

51... 52...

53 is bid.

54...

55...

56.

56... 57.

56,000 at the back. 57?

57... thank you. 57.

At 57,000. 58.

58 on my far right. 57, gentleman's bid.

At 57...

57,500...

58 is bid.

58,500...

59... 59,000...

59,500.

At 59,500.

At 60... £60,000.

At 60. One more?

And a half. 60,500.

Walks away at 60,500.

61 quickly... 61 at the back.

61, stick with it.

At 61,500... 61,500...

62 may I say?

No. 61,500 then, this side.

62, quickly anyone... Or else we're selling at 61,500 for the first time.

61,500 for the second time.

Third and last chance.

All done at 61,500.

Sold 61,500. Thank you.

And for £61,500, the successful bidders were local couple, Paul and Joanne.

They've had their eye on the house for some time.

Paul works for a call centre in Nottingham.

And Joanne is a waitress and busy mum to 15-month-old Harrison.

-Paul, Joanne, congratulations.

-Thank you.

Tell me about yourselves.

We've been married nearly eight years.

At the moment, we're living in a one-bedroom flat.

So, this is like a luxury to us.

Three bedrooms. And we're looking forward to moving in.

And with a young one, as well, it's going to be a lot easier having three bedrooms.

We're currently sleeping in the front room on a sofa bed and he's taken over the bedroom, so it became

a necessity to look for somewhere else.

Joanne's from Bulwell, anyway. Her mum lives just across the road.

So, it's just going to be a whole lot nicer,

just for the family environment.

So, what about plans for this place, then? What are you going to do?

The first thing is really just to get all the decor off the walls.

Get it stripped back as much as we can.

We've got all our friends coming on Saturday to help us, with the scrapers.

-We're looking forward to that.

-Get the BBQ on.

Get the beer flowing and get everybody working on the house for free, really.

-You're having a painting party?

-Yeah, that's it.

Strip the garden. Strip the front and back.

Hopefully get it fairly liveable in the next 10 to 14 days, really...

-And then work from there.

-Two weeks, then.

Are you planning to move in?

Yeah, we've got quite a short time-frame,

but hopefully it can be done.

We've got people coming in, doing quite a bit of work.

I've got a decorator.

Hopefully, we're going to be having the kitchen and bathroom replaced,

in the next four to five weeks.

So, within a couple of months it should be easily liveable, really.

What about Harrison's room?

-What's the plan for that?

-That's priority!

What you doing, Thomas the Tank Engine?

Not made our minds up yet, but nice, bright colours, whatever we decide.

Whatever colour it turns out to be... Red, green or purple,

whether Teletubbies or Thomas, I don't think Paul and Joanne

are going to have much playtime,

if they hope to get this house ready in a few weeks' time.

We'll be back later in the show to see how they've got on.

We sometimes go back to properties and a fortune has been spent.

Sometimes we go back and there's just been a lick of paint.

But we do always go back.

It's the moment of truth.

Remember that old pub in Kent?

It had loads of character but needed someone to come and fix it up

and bring it back to the locals who missed having a place for a good old beer or two.

It was bought at auction for £240,000 by Brenda and her brother, Tony.

For Brenda, it was a chance to start all over again, having lost her husband two years earlier.

It's been two-and-a-half months since we last saw them and just look at the change in here.

# I can see clearly now the rain has gone

# I can see all obstacles in my way

# Gone are the dark clouds that had me blind

# It's gonna be a bright, bright, sunshiny day... #

I think Brenda's finally reached her pot of gold,

and I'm sure her late husband Kevin would be very proud of her.

Everybody's pitched in the here, including Tony, his wife, Jane, and Brenda herself.

I've been out there at 10.00 at night sawing trees down.

Well, bushes, not trees, I don't believe in cutting trees down.

It was so we could have a walkway through brambles and what have you.

It was really, really hard work. Especially for an old lady.

Excuse me!

The upstairs accommodation has enjoyed a fabulous makeover as well.

It's become the perfect place for Brenda to put her feet up after a long day behind the bar.

And that old rundown pub we last saw is now a very happening place.

So I suppose the obvious question is, how's business?

Booming. Absolutely booming. Yeah. Couldn't ask for any more.

We've got plenty of bookings. Weekends are good.

Sunday lunches, we're stacked out every Sunday since we started.

People have to get in pretty quick to get a seat now on a Sunday.

The success that Brenda and Tony have enjoyed

would not have been possible without the support of the community

who were behind them every step of the way.

Even the Mayor was present at the opening.

For the locals, the fight to keep their pub alive has finally paid off.

We like to make everyone feel like they are welcome in our home.

And this is what we tried to create.

Give them the right prices and everything, good beer and hopefully, they'll come back.

The past couple of months have been extra hard for Brenda and Tony

because they've had to juggle a business as well as renovating.

It's obvious the improvements have been very worthwhile.

Let's see what the agents have to say.

The owner's created an atmosphere that draws people in.

The restaurant and pub business is now, I understand,

after a short time, producing a very good weekly and monthly income.

I think with the way the property's been improved

and the level of business that's now being conducted,

the value must be between £275,000 and £300,000.

Brenda and Tony have so far spent £255,000 on the property,

having paid £240,000 for it at auction.

It's now worth £300,000. They will have boosted its value by £30,000.

But Brenda says it doesn't matter because she wouldn't sell anyway.

This is home forever.

My dad was born in the next village up so, I've come full circle.

Back to my roots.

# It's gonna be a bright, bright, bright sunshiny day

# It's gonna be a bright, bright sunshiny day... #

We return, now, to Bulwell in Nottinghamshire

and to the three-bedroomed house bought for £61,500

by Paul, Joanne and their son, Harrison.

So, this is hopefully now a rejuvenated family home.

Looks promising from the outside,

but how did Paul and Joanne feel about what they've done on the inside?

To be honest with you, I can't see the difference.

I really wish I could, sort of, do the timelord thing, Doctor Who, and

go back three or four months and see what it was like and then come back.

Well, we might not be Doctor Who or a timelord,

but we do have the technology

to grant Paul his wish.

Here are those changes and they're pretty impressive.

DOCTOR WHO-STYLE MUSIC

So, where did this modernisation begin?

We started with Harrison's bedroom,

cos we wanted that to be right for when we actually moved in.

So, Harrison's room got done,

and then our bedroom got done.

But before that, we found out that the electrics needed changing.

That was the Wednesday before we moved in on the Saturday.

So, it was all hands to the barrel,

ripping floorboards up and getting the plasterboard off the wall.

Sockets in - for us to move in on the Saturday.

Presumably, once they were in the house, work could start in earnest.

Surely, one of the first major jobs was to tackle that boiler?

It was a monstrosity, that boiler. It was absolutely awful.

Pipes...everywhere. So...

So heavy, as well.

And the boiler system used up three storage cupboards.

So now, with all that out, you know,

we've turned the three storage cupboards into four, really.

And we're able to use them, whereas before it was just wasted space.

It was quite amazing, that boiler.

It was like the engine from some alien ship

that Doctor Who might have come across.

But with it gone, Paul could crack on with his tasks.

My main three jobs were the fencing outside,

the kitchen and the bathroom.

Brother-in-law did all my electrics.

I had a mate who did the plumbing.

And...we also had a man come in

to do the laminate floor,

but also the decking outside.

Had a decorator, as well.

He's decorated every room,

and also the staircase.

He did all the staircase which I think looks lovely,

with the runner up the middle now.

I'm convinced, actually, that Harrison thinks the decorator is one of the family.

When we moved in, Jamie was here, working on the house.

So, I think he thinks that

he was actually living here before and we've moved into his house.

So, he cries every time he goes home, sort of thing.

Wonders where he's going, cos he should live here.

He just loves the space and the garden.

He spends hours out there,

just digging in the soil and picking up worms,

and coming to give Mummy little presents.

But he loves it and it's made all the difference to his life,

cos we only lived in a one-bedroomed, upstairs flat before.

Paul, Joanne and Harrison all seem delighted with their new house,

but will two local agents be equally impressed?

We asked them along to assess the work.

Paul and Joanne paid £61,500 for the house

and are on course with their £10,000 budget.

So, any valuation in the region of 72,000 would make it a pretty good investment.

Putting this on the open market, we'd look to achieve about £75,000.

Probably start marketing in the region of about 79,950.

Looking to, as I say, achieve the offers around mid 70s.

With this property, you could ask for a little bit more, but that may mean

standing in a queue, waiting for some other properties to sell first.

This was never really a property developing project -

but an 8 to £10,000 potential return for three months' work -

that's not too bad.

So, how did Joanne and Paul feel about that?

We thought about 79, didn't we?

-Yeah, I'm pleased.

-We thought that would be top.

Well, that's that then. All done.

A nice home. A good investment.

Now, it's time to relax and enjoy the fruits of their labour.

# Lazy Sunday afternoon

# I've got no mind to worry. #

I'm sure Paul, Joanne and Harrison will get in to the swing of relaxing

and having well-deserved lazy Sundays after all their hard work.

We hope you've enjoyed sharing our own fond memories from our Hammer archives.

And we'll be continuing our selection for you next time.

-We'll see you then.

-Goodbye.

-Goodbye.

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