Suffolk

Download Subtitles

Transcript

0:00:02 > 0:00:05The county I am in today has a reputation for being a rather quiet,

0:00:05 > 0:00:09rural place, but back in the day it was a linchpin of English history.

0:00:09 > 0:00:14The ramparts of this fantastic fortress have witnessed the feuding of Norman lords,

0:00:14 > 0:00:17ruthless Tudor princesses and the impoverished Georgians.

0:00:17 > 0:00:22But will today's Englishmen find a home to be their castle?

0:00:22 > 0:00:24Find out in just a moment.

0:00:36 > 0:00:40Today, we're helping a couple of air stewards take off for the country,

0:00:40 > 0:00:44so fasten your seatbelts for some first-class properties.

0:00:44 > 0:00:47- Oh, wow.- Wow! This is fabulous.

0:00:47 > 0:00:49- I absolutely love it.- Yeah.

0:00:51 > 0:00:53There could be some turbulence.

0:00:53 > 0:00:57- We can't put the marquee in here, can we?- No.

0:00:57 > 0:00:59There was a very grand roll of the eyes!

0:00:59 > 0:01:03And we take a flight of fantasy.

0:01:03 > 0:01:05And the door over there, where does that lead to?

0:01:05 > 0:01:08- That leads into the magic kingdom!- Secret!

0:01:11 > 0:01:16Today I'm in Suffolk, and this is Framlingham Castle, one of the earliest examples of a curtain-wall

0:01:16 > 0:01:20castle - that is, with a big outside wall and no central keep.

0:01:20 > 0:01:23One of its most famous residents was Mary Tudor,

0:01:23 > 0:01:27who left here in 1553 to set off for London for her coronation.

0:01:27 > 0:01:32But Framlingham isn't the only crowning glory of this county.

0:01:32 > 0:01:35Making up the southern portion of East Anglia

0:01:35 > 0:01:38and bordered by Norfolk, Cambridgeshire and Essex,

0:01:38 > 0:01:42the largely rural landscape of Suffolk was once an economic powerhouse,

0:01:42 > 0:01:44built on the medieval wool trade.

0:01:44 > 0:01:51Tell-tale signs of these rich bygone days lie in the majestic wool churches and perfectly preserved

0:01:51 > 0:01:54medieval towns and villages found throughout the county.

0:01:54 > 0:02:00The wool boom only lasted a couple of hundred years, but the sheep are still going strong, with 78% of

0:02:00 > 0:02:06the county's land given over to agriculture, although these days the money tends to be in crops.

0:02:06 > 0:02:12To the east, the 47-mile Heritage Coast attract holidaymakers and second-home buyers in equal hordes,

0:02:12 > 0:02:19getting their fix of old-world charm in the genteel seaside resorts of Southwold and Aldeburgh.

0:02:25 > 0:02:31Suffolk's relatively close to London but still managed to retain its rural atmosphere, and that's largely

0:02:31 > 0:02:35because it doesn't have a very extensive road and rail network.

0:02:35 > 0:02:39If you want to commute, you can just about do it if you live in the south, around Sudbury.

0:02:39 > 0:02:43But it's more difficult if you're up towards Norfolk in the north.

0:02:43 > 0:02:44And that's reflected in the prices.

0:02:44 > 0:02:49In the south, property costs 36% more than it does in the north.

0:02:49 > 0:02:51So it means that, if you don't have to commute,

0:02:51 > 0:02:53there are some real bargains out there.

0:02:53 > 0:02:57For just under £500,000, you could snap up this charming

0:02:57 > 0:03:00Grade II listed thatch in Hartest Hill.

0:03:00 > 0:03:06It's a bit of a TARDIS, with two reception rooms, a huge kitchen diner and four bedrooms.

0:03:06 > 0:03:10And the views are definitely out of this world.

0:03:10 > 0:03:14If you have bigger property ambitions, how does 4,000 square feet sound?

0:03:14 > 0:03:18Cos that's what you'll get with this stunning barn conversion near Haverhill.

0:03:18 > 0:03:21It comes with four bedrooms, a country kitchen

0:03:21 > 0:03:23and a really impressive vaulted living room.

0:03:23 > 0:03:28Set in an acre, it's on the market for £695,000.

0:03:28 > 0:03:31Finally, if money is no object, dazzle

0:03:31 > 0:03:35your friends with this five-bedroom Edwardian-style home in Woodbridge.

0:03:35 > 0:03:37In exchange for a cool 1.25 million,

0:03:37 > 0:03:41you'll get spacious, elegant living spaces with all the mod cons.

0:03:41 > 0:03:46You can chill out in the conservatory or warm up in the heated pool.

0:03:48 > 0:03:51Suffolk's finest, and pretty good-looking, don't you think?

0:03:51 > 0:03:55But will they be good enough for our high-flying couple this week?

0:03:55 > 0:03:56Let's meet them.

0:03:57 > 0:04:03In-flight cabin crew Royce and his fiancee Lisa met mid-air seven years ago, flying out of Heathrow.

0:04:03 > 0:04:06They've shared Lisa's three-bedroom, two-storey

0:04:06 > 0:04:09maisonette in Forest Row, East Sussex ever since.

0:04:09 > 0:04:13They also used to run a French antique furniture business downstairs.

0:04:13 > 0:04:16But they've shut up shop to prepare a departure

0:04:16 > 0:04:19for the country to buy their very first home together.

0:04:21 > 0:04:26We did a tour of all the different counties within about two hours from

0:04:26 > 0:04:31where we worked, and Suffolk had pretty much everything we liked in where we want to live.

0:04:31 > 0:04:36It had beautiful countryside, the style of the houses was gorgeous. It was everything we wanted, really.

0:04:36 > 0:04:39- Yeah.- Looks like we'll be landing in Suffolk, then.

0:04:39 > 0:04:43But how rural are these two prepared to go?

0:04:43 > 0:04:45Ideally, I'd like to be more in the countryside,

0:04:45 > 0:04:49because we are right in the middle of a village at the moment.

0:04:49 > 0:04:53And it's very noisy, so I'd like to be somewhere very rural.

0:04:53 > 0:04:56I think I'd prefer to be on the peripherals of a village, really.

0:04:56 > 0:05:01Just on the edge where we can actually walk to the local pub or the little village shop.

0:05:01 > 0:05:03But not too close.

0:05:03 > 0:05:07So, stumbling distance for a pint will be priority for Royce, but

0:05:07 > 0:05:11public houses aside, what are they looking for in their dream house?

0:05:12 > 0:05:17I love the Georgian-style properties with the high ceilings, the lovely cornice.

0:05:17 > 0:05:21Something that's going to really complement our furniture, fairly big pieces.

0:05:21 > 0:05:23Yeah, and I love country cottages, don't I?

0:05:23 > 0:05:25Thatched roofs, inglenook fireplace.

0:05:25 > 0:05:28Something nice and creaky.

0:05:28 > 0:05:30They've spent time doing up Lisa's maisonette,

0:05:30 > 0:05:33so I'm hoping they will at least agree on the particulars.

0:05:33 > 0:05:36In this house, I love the kitchen.

0:05:36 > 0:05:40It's huge. We spend a lot of time in there, don't we, of an evening?

0:05:40 > 0:05:44- Yeah.- We eat in there lot. So I don't feel now that

0:05:44 > 0:05:49- I could go back to a small kitchen.- No, absolutely not.- I love my kitchen.

0:05:49 > 0:05:52It would be nice in the next house to actually have an extra bedroom.

0:05:52 > 0:05:54We've got three at the moment, but when we have

0:05:54 > 0:05:58a big family gathering, there's nowhere for everyone to sleep.

0:05:58 > 0:06:02- So we'd like four bedrooms in the next house.- Ideal, really.

0:06:03 > 0:06:08With plans to keep lots of chickens and grow their own veg, a big garden is going to be a must.

0:06:08 > 0:06:11But there's an even bigger reason why they need the extra space.

0:06:12 > 0:06:16I have got a dream about getting married in the garden.

0:06:16 > 0:06:20So that would be lovely, to be able to have the space to have a marquee in the garden.

0:06:20 > 0:06:24I think that would be a really romantic setting.

0:06:24 > 0:06:28So that's the dream property, but what about the nightmare?

0:06:28 > 0:06:31I'd never consider buying a new build.

0:06:31 > 0:06:33I don't like new properties at all.

0:06:34 > 0:06:37Or bungalows.

0:06:37 > 0:06:39- I don't like bungalows. Do you?- No!

0:06:40 > 0:06:42Royce and Lisa have had

0:06:42 > 0:06:45their property on the market for a few months, so they

0:06:45 > 0:06:48already know exactly how much they'll have to spend on the big move.

0:06:48 > 0:06:52Will it be a first-class or an economy budget, I wonder?

0:06:52 > 0:06:58The budget for the new property is about £450,000.

0:06:58 > 0:07:03But I think we'd be happy to look at properties up to about £500,000, wouldn't we?

0:07:03 > 0:07:07- As long as that incorporated all the work that needed doing, really.- OK!

0:07:09 > 0:07:13Royce and Lisa may work together at 35,000 feet, but when it comes to

0:07:13 > 0:07:16buying property, they don't have their head in the clouds.

0:07:16 > 0:07:21They want a four-bedroom, detached house out in the countryside with some land for their chickens.

0:07:21 > 0:07:25And, depending on who you talk to, they want Georgian or medieval features.

0:07:25 > 0:07:28But for half a million pounds, that's not unreasonable here

0:07:28 > 0:07:30in Suffolk, so I've got my fingers crossed.

0:07:30 > 0:07:34Lisa and Royce also want to be closer to Lisa's sister

0:07:34 > 0:07:37in Royston on the Hertfordshire/Cambridgeshire border,

0:07:37 > 0:07:39to spend more time with Lisa's nephew and niece.

0:07:39 > 0:07:44So it makes sense to start the property search in West Suffolk, below Bury St Edmunds.

0:07:44 > 0:07:48We've tracked down some choice character homes to view,

0:07:48 > 0:07:51where, as always, I'll be asking them to guess the property prices.

0:07:51 > 0:07:53Last but not least there's the mystery house.

0:07:53 > 0:07:55But will it be a yay or a neigh?!

0:07:59 > 0:08:00- Welcome to Suffolk.- Thank you.

0:08:00 > 0:08:03The weather god's shining on us(!) And what about Heathrow?

0:08:03 > 0:08:08I imagine it's important for your job to be close to the airport, isn't it?

0:08:08 > 0:08:10It's about two hours from here, so it's perfect.

0:08:10 > 0:08:13Yeah. We only do the journey twice a week, so it's not too bad.

0:08:13 > 0:08:15- We don't do it daily.- That's good.

0:08:15 > 0:08:18- This is the first house you've bought together, isn't it?- It is.

0:08:18 > 0:08:22Will there be fireworks while you decide which style you want?

0:08:22 > 0:08:23Quite possibly, yes!

0:08:23 > 0:08:27In terms of doing things up... I know you've both got, sort of, flair for that thing.

0:08:27 > 0:08:30Yeah, no, we love that.

0:08:30 > 0:08:32The more work, the better, really.

0:08:32 > 0:08:37- Yeah, we're more than happy to do as much or as little work as possible, really.- Structural stuff or just...?

0:08:37 > 0:08:38Yeah, absolutely.

0:08:38 > 0:08:41You're gung ho, that's great!

0:08:41 > 0:08:45So all I need to just double check is your budget, because obviously that's very important.

0:08:45 > 0:08:47- You're still on for £500,000?- Yes.

0:08:47 > 0:08:49- Is that the pain barrier? - Absolutely.

0:08:49 > 0:08:54Yes, I think any work that needed to be done would have to be within that sort of budget.

0:08:54 > 0:08:57Well, you've got to remember that it is a buyer's market at the moment,

0:08:57 > 0:09:00so the asking price probably has a little bit of leeway.

0:09:00 > 0:09:02But there's beautiful properties here.

0:09:02 > 0:09:05It is a great county, so let's start looking.

0:09:06 > 0:09:09So, for half a million on the nose, we are looking for

0:09:09 > 0:09:14a spacious period home with four bedrooms, a big country kitchen diner,

0:09:14 > 0:09:18a few reception rooms, and they'd like to have scope to flex their DIY muscles.

0:09:18 > 0:09:20So far, so doable.

0:09:20 > 0:09:24In fact, my only concern is finding that marquee-accommodating garden.

0:09:24 > 0:09:30They haven't specified a size, so it will all depend on how big "big" is.

0:09:34 > 0:09:38In terms of what happens if we find your dream house, how quickly can you sell your property?

0:09:39 > 0:09:43Well, we do have some offers on the table. They're not

0:09:43 > 0:09:46- exactly what we would like.- No.

0:09:46 > 0:09:48But I'm sure there's room for negotiation.

0:09:48 > 0:09:50And if we find the right house at the right price,

0:09:50 > 0:09:53there's no reason why we couldn't move quickly.

0:09:53 > 0:09:56That's good, because that is the thing in the market at the moment.

0:09:56 > 0:10:00If you can move swiftly, that really works in your favour.

0:10:00 > 0:10:02Well, we'd better get started, then.

0:10:02 > 0:10:05We're kicking off today's house search in Ovington

0:10:05 > 0:10:08which, at just over one hour from Lisa's sister in Hertfordshire,

0:10:08 > 0:10:11and a little over two hours from Heathrow,

0:10:11 > 0:10:13should be spot-on, location-wise.

0:10:13 > 0:10:18It's a very peaceful, rural hamlet, so should meet Lisa's needs to be out in the sticks,

0:10:18 > 0:10:24but Royce needn't panic - just two miles away is the historic town of Clare.

0:10:24 > 0:10:30Replete with period properties, the ruins of a Norman castle in Clare Country Park,

0:10:30 > 0:10:32and most importantly, a pub or two.

0:10:33 > 0:10:37So here we are. You've got a duck pond.

0:10:37 > 0:10:40But this is the property I want to show you, not the duck pond.

0:10:40 > 0:10:42- Wow.- It used to be a pub.

0:10:42 > 0:10:45Up to the '50s, it was a pub, but the bones go back to the 1800s.

0:10:45 > 0:10:48- Oh, wow.- It would have been a farmworker's cottage.

0:10:48 > 0:10:52- It's lovely. Very nice.- New windows...- It does have new windows.

0:10:52 > 0:10:57- ..which I don't like, but could be changed.- Quite easily, yeah.

0:10:57 > 0:10:59- The general look is really nice. I like it.- Good.

0:10:59 > 0:11:03- Let's look around and you can tell me if it's exactly what you want. - Excellent.

0:11:03 > 0:11:07I'm hoping this property will have the right mix of cottagey character features for Lisa

0:11:07 > 0:11:12but be spacious enough for Royce. Let's see if we're in the right ballpark.

0:11:12 > 0:11:14Come on in.

0:11:17 > 0:11:18- Very nice.- Ooh, beams.

0:11:18 > 0:11:21Beams, yes. But not beams that are going to brain you.

0:11:21 > 0:11:24- No.- no.- And nice colour scheme, as well.

0:11:24 > 0:11:26You've got a big hallway but I want to show you this room,

0:11:26 > 0:11:30cos this is a better example of what's going on.

0:11:30 > 0:11:35This is the...sitting room, I suppose. You've got three reception rooms. This is one.

0:11:35 > 0:11:38- OK.- Very nice.- This feels quite contemporary inside.

0:11:38 > 0:11:44It does. I don't know if that's because of the colour or...

0:11:44 > 0:11:48Mind you, the furniture's probably got something to do with it. It's quite contemporary furniture.

0:11:48 > 0:11:51- Is it old enough?- Yeah.

0:11:51 > 0:11:56- Yeah, I think so.- That was hesitant. - I need to see more, I think.

0:11:56 > 0:12:00Good. Let's take a look at the other reception room.

0:12:03 > 0:12:08- This is the dining room.- Oh, I like this.- Bit more lower beams.- Yes.

0:12:08 > 0:12:11- Nice.- I like the fireplace.- Yes.

0:12:11 > 0:12:14This would have been the actual main part of the pub.

0:12:14 > 0:12:16It's a lovely room. I like this end of it, especially.

0:12:16 > 0:12:21- I like that.- The little windows are really cute. It's got a really nice feel, this room.

0:12:21 > 0:12:28- You've got a great little snug. They use it as a toy room but it could be an office.- Ah!- Lovely.

0:12:28 > 0:12:31That'd be a good room for you to put all your boys' toys.

0:12:31 > 0:12:35ROYCE LAUGHS Yes. Definitely.

0:12:35 > 0:12:38- A bit more interest at this end of the house?- Yes. - Absolutely.- Show me more!

0:12:38 > 0:12:42'Your wish is my command, Lisa.'

0:12:44 > 0:12:48- In we come. This is the kitchen. You'd never guess.- Wow, this is lovely.- Wow. Really nice.

0:12:48 > 0:12:53- I love the beams.- Yeah, I like those.- "Wows" and "lovelys". - The fireplace.

0:12:53 > 0:12:56This was added in 20 years ago but I think, as always,

0:12:56 > 0:13:01- these country kitchens, they're the heart of the home now. - Absolutely.- I like it.

0:13:01 > 0:13:05It's a nice place and you've got a gigantic utility room

0:13:05 > 0:13:06- and pantry here.- Pantry?!

0:13:06 > 0:13:11- Pantry.- Wow.- Always wanted a pantry.- So you can keep all your bits and bobs.

0:13:11 > 0:13:14- You can go straight out into the garden.- That's nice.

0:13:14 > 0:13:18That's a nice touch. Great room for cooking, socialising.

0:13:18 > 0:13:20What's interesting about this property,

0:13:20 > 0:13:24I think, because of its pub history, is there's something special up here.

0:13:27 > 0:13:29Ooh, staircase!

0:13:30 > 0:13:34- Cute little stairs.- Very cute. - Into a cute little bedroom.

0:13:34 > 0:13:38Wow! This is lovely!

0:13:38 > 0:13:40- This is so cute.- What a surprise! - Isn't it great?- Yeah!- Yeah!

0:13:40 > 0:13:44- Oh, my goodness. There's a bathroom there, as well! - Very nice en suite.

0:13:44 > 0:13:48- The shower.- Perfect guest bedroom. - It is, isn't it?- Really good.

0:13:48 > 0:13:53- It's a really nice quirk in the property.- Yeah. It's great.- I like it.

0:13:53 > 0:13:58- I like all the uneven walls.- Yeah.

0:13:58 > 0:14:02And the beam. Not so good when you're drunk.

0:14:02 > 0:14:05I thought this was a lovely surprise.

0:14:05 > 0:14:07- It's a really nice surprise.- Love it.

0:14:07 > 0:14:11- This is the fourth bedroom - there's three more on the other side.- OK.

0:14:12 > 0:14:17'Back across the hallway is the main staircase which leads up to the family bathroom

0:14:17 > 0:14:19'and three double bedrooms.'

0:14:19 > 0:14:22These bedrooms are all sort of the same size...

0:14:24 > 0:14:29- ..which means you need to make some decisions about how you're going to use them.- Mm.

0:14:29 > 0:14:36I'm even wondering whether it might be better to have these three as guest bedrooms on this side

0:14:36 > 0:14:41- and you have...- The one above the kitchen.- Yes.- That's exactly what I was thinking.

0:14:41 > 0:14:48- The only thing is, there's not masses of storage there.- Yeah, and our wardrobes wouldn't fit in.

0:14:48 > 0:14:51We knew that maybe we wouldn't be able to fit all of our furniture in.

0:14:51 > 0:14:54We could fit some in downstairs and we'd be really happy with that.

0:14:54 > 0:14:56I think we'd get most pieces in.

0:14:56 > 0:15:02- This here is very low.- You need to see this move into the country as a chance to buy NEW things.

0:15:02 > 0:15:06- Absolutely! Sounds good.- Sell your big pieces and buy new things.

0:15:06 > 0:15:09- Never a problem for Lisa. - Antique fairs.

0:15:09 > 0:15:13Well, it's all food for thought and, talking of food, out in the garden

0:15:13 > 0:15:15there's a little surprise for Lisa.

0:15:15 > 0:15:17CHICKENS CLUCK

0:15:17 > 0:15:20Now, you're going to like these!

0:15:20 > 0:15:26- Brilliant! Do they come with the property?- I'm not sure the chickens do, but the chicken village does.

0:15:26 > 0:15:29I love it. This is definitely an idea of ours we wanted to do.

0:15:29 > 0:15:33- It's brilliant, isn't it? A great area for it, as well.- Really good.

0:15:33 > 0:15:38So the chooks are catered for but at one third of an acre, will the garden measure up to size?

0:15:38 > 0:15:44- Let's talk gardens because I know you wanted a big garden.- Mm-hm.

0:15:44 > 0:15:51- How big is big?- Ideally, we want one big enough to put a marquee in, to get married.

0:15:51 > 0:15:53Obviously, we couldn't fit a marquee in this.

0:15:53 > 0:16:00- It's a nice size, though.- It's a nice size and the open fields gives the feeling that it's a lot bigger.

0:16:00 > 0:16:01Absolutely.

0:16:01 > 0:16:05OK, let's talk about price. What do you think it's worth?

0:16:05 > 0:16:07I would probably say...

0:16:08 > 0:16:10..475?

0:16:10 > 0:16:15I'd be nearer to sort of 485-490.

0:16:15 > 0:16:18It's been on the market for six weeks, and it's on at 495.

0:16:18 > 0:16:23Why don't you have a look around inside and weigh up the pros and cons

0:16:23 > 0:16:26- and then I'll meet you at the front? - OK.- Great, OK. Thanks.

0:16:26 > 0:16:29That's not a bad start at all.

0:16:29 > 0:16:34Just under budget at 495, this ex-pub has nearly everything they're asking for...

0:16:42 > 0:16:45..and it even comes with a chicken coop.

0:16:45 > 0:16:48Sadly, the third-of-an-acre garden doesn't seem to be big enough

0:16:48 > 0:16:51to fulfil their marquee wedding day dreams.

0:16:51 > 0:16:54Just as I thought, finding the right HOUSE for their budget

0:16:54 > 0:16:59is not a problem. Finding a big garden attached could be tricky.

0:16:59 > 0:17:01Loved the chickens, obviously,

0:17:01 > 0:17:03and it was great that they've got their special area out there.

0:17:03 > 0:17:07The inside of the house is great. They've really decorated it nicely

0:17:07 > 0:17:09and made a great job of the place.

0:17:09 > 0:17:13Kitchen size, fabulous. Love that. It's got a really nice, homely feel.

0:17:13 > 0:17:19Really warm feel to it. The dining room and the rooms leading off it are great.

0:17:19 > 0:17:21Really love those. Got loads of character.

0:17:21 > 0:17:27I don't know if this WOULD work as a master, because you've got no height for wardrobes.

0:17:27 > 0:17:34- It would mean having the wardrobes on the other side of the house... - Dressing there and sleeping here.

0:17:34 > 0:17:36It'll be a real pain.

0:17:38 > 0:17:42- All done?- Yes, all done.- Very good. Well, brollies up, I'm afraid.

0:17:42 > 0:17:44- Let's push on.- OK, brilliant.

0:17:55 > 0:17:59Lisa and Royce are resolute fans of period buildings.

0:17:59 > 0:18:01For Royce, that's big, old Georgian town houses.

0:18:01 > 0:18:05For Lisa, it's a case of the older and creakier, the better.

0:18:05 > 0:18:08Earlier in the week, they decided to jet off to Lavenham,

0:18:08 > 0:18:11one of the best-preserved medieval towns in the UK.

0:18:11 > 0:18:18Local expert Jane Gosling's on hand to fill them in on its historically rich back story.

0:18:18 > 0:18:20- I hear you're into timber-frame buildings.- Yes, we are.

0:18:20 > 0:18:26- Well, you've come to timber-frame heaven here. We've got over 320 listed buildings in Lavenham...- Wow.

0:18:26 > 0:18:30- ..which is an amazing feat. One of them does include the phone box, though.- Oh!

0:18:30 > 0:18:34You're standing in the marketplace - one of the most historic parts of the village.

0:18:34 > 0:18:36Used to be a town. We call it a village now

0:18:36 > 0:18:39because, in its heyday, it was earning huge amounts of money

0:18:39 > 0:18:43from the production of wool and cloth and it was those rich clothiers

0:18:43 > 0:18:48who built these wonderful buildings. We were the 14th richest town in England in 1524.

0:18:48 > 0:18:53We paid more tax than York, Lincoln, Norwich, many of the big cities.

0:18:53 > 0:18:56However, the boom days weren't to last long.

0:18:56 > 0:19:00Heavy taxation, combined with stiff competition from Dutch cloth-makers -

0:19:00 > 0:19:05who settled in neighbouring Essex and produced cheaper and more fashionable cloth -

0:19:05 > 0:19:08brought an end to Levenham's wealth by the mid-16th century.

0:19:08 > 0:19:12The rapid decline in fortune meant the merchants were unable to follow

0:19:12 > 0:19:14the vagaries of architectural trends,

0:19:14 > 0:19:20leaving behind this perfect snapshot or medieval home showmanship.

0:19:20 > 0:19:24However, unarguable, the most impressive building of all

0:19:24 > 0:19:27is the 15th-century church of St Peter and St Paul,

0:19:27 > 0:19:31regarded by many to be the finest wool church in the UK.

0:19:33 > 0:19:35It's one of the biggest churches in East Anglia.

0:19:35 > 0:19:39The tower here is 141 feet high.

0:19:39 > 0:19:41- Wow.- It is enormous. - Incredible, isn't it?

0:19:41 > 0:19:44And some of the detail - it's all solid stone.

0:19:44 > 0:19:49Many churches that you see are rubble faced with brick,

0:19:49 > 0:19:54but here you've got solid stone. This was the best that money could buy.

0:19:57 > 0:20:00For us, it's back to the business of seeing what half a million can buy.

0:20:00 > 0:20:03So for our next property, we're hopping just over the border

0:20:03 > 0:20:06into Essex to Pebmarsh, an hour and 20 minutes

0:20:06 > 0:20:09from Lisa's sister, and just two hours from Heathrow.

0:20:09 > 0:20:13The village itself is peaceful and quiet, with little bar

0:20:13 > 0:20:17pretty period properties interrupting the sleepy lanes.

0:20:17 > 0:20:19There's a pub, though it's closed for the time being.

0:20:19 > 0:20:22But once it reopens, it's just stumbling distance

0:20:22 > 0:20:26from our next house, which is definitely one for Lisa.

0:20:32 > 0:20:33Wow!

0:20:33 > 0:20:36Ah, look at those eyes light up.

0:20:36 > 0:20:39- Really pretty! - Yeah, it's gorgeous. Beautiful.

0:20:39 > 0:20:43- What's nice about this thatch is that it's two years old.- Is it?

0:20:43 > 0:20:46So it's got at least 30 years in it before you have to do anything with it.

0:20:46 > 0:20:48- That's brilliant. - It's a listed building.

0:20:48 > 0:20:50- OK.- Grade II listed.

0:20:50 > 0:20:53But, as you'll see over here, there have been

0:20:53 > 0:20:57quite a few modifications, so it's not impossible to change things.

0:20:57 > 0:20:59- Your thoughts from the outside?- Love it.

0:20:59 > 0:21:02Beautiful. It definitely has the kerb appeal.

0:21:02 > 0:21:04It's just a gorgeous building.

0:21:04 > 0:21:06Very chocolate box.

0:21:06 > 0:21:08Fantastic reactions.

0:21:08 > 0:21:12I just hope the interior lives up to these high expectations.

0:21:12 > 0:21:16At 400 years old, it's not lacking in Lisa's must-have character features.

0:21:16 > 0:21:20And it certainly has the creaky crookedness she's after.

0:21:20 > 0:21:23Ah, nice and dry and warm.

0:21:23 > 0:21:27- This is a rather splendid kitchen extension.- Wow!

0:21:27 > 0:21:29- Lovely.- Really gorgeous.

0:21:29 > 0:21:32The house is actually about 400 years old.

0:21:32 > 0:21:35- OK.- But it was extended out into the back in the 1940s.

0:21:35 > 0:21:42And then, in 1997, it was taken out to this beam here and then again to this beam.

0:21:42 > 0:21:47- And then to this one a few years ago.- Right.- So it's kind of been a work of progress in various steps.

0:21:47 > 0:21:50This is the final product. What is great is that the present

0:21:50 > 0:21:53owner works in demolition, so a lot of this is reclaimed stuff.

0:21:53 > 0:21:57These pitch pines are from a church in Cambridgeshire,

0:21:57 > 0:21:59- the floor stones come from a brewery.- I like those.

0:21:59 > 0:22:01Yeah, they're nice.

0:22:01 > 0:22:04So there's lots of lovely, kind of, period features in it.

0:22:04 > 0:22:07Yeah, I really like it. A really homely feeling, isn't it, about it?

0:22:07 > 0:22:11- Yeah.- It works, doesn't it? - Yeah, I love it. I do.

0:22:11 > 0:22:13Do you want to see the rest of the house?

0:22:13 > 0:22:16- Absolutely, yeah.- Come with me.

0:22:16 > 0:22:20'Keen as mustard, methinks, which bodes well.'

0:22:20 > 0:22:23So we're coming into the old part of the cottage here, so mind your head.

0:22:23 > 0:22:27- Oh, wow!- Wow! This is fabulous.

0:22:27 > 0:22:30- Is this more what you were looking for?- Definitely.

0:22:30 > 0:22:33- Well, this is beam-tastic! - This is beam-tastic!

0:22:33 > 0:22:39- Slightly lower.- You'd have to learn to stoop.- Yes!

0:22:39 > 0:22:41The floor's nice in here as well, isn't it?

0:22:41 > 0:22:44So these are actually

0:22:44 > 0:22:49poured-clay bricks and they've got these throughout the downstairs in this lovely herringbone pattern.

0:22:49 > 0:22:51It's gorgeous. I love it.

0:22:51 > 0:22:54What about you, Royce? You sounded less enthusiastic.

0:22:54 > 0:22:59I love the room. You've got that lovely great big TV in there, and

0:22:59 > 0:23:04we want to open the fireplace up, I think, and use that for what it was originally intended for.

0:23:04 > 0:23:06- Never mind. Come with me.- OK.

0:23:10 > 0:23:12So here we go into another...

0:23:13 > 0:23:16..low-ceilinged room. Checking my head height there.

0:23:16 > 0:23:18- The fireplace! - Here's your fireplace.

0:23:18 > 0:23:20That is fantastic.

0:23:20 > 0:23:24- Yeah, I love that.- Wonderful. - It's got a nice feel, this room.

0:23:24 > 0:23:25- Very low again, though.- It is low.

0:23:25 > 0:23:27'Well, there's the rub.

0:23:27 > 0:23:31'And for Royce, it really is a case of rubbing his head on the ceiling.

0:23:31 > 0:23:36'But 400-year-old thatches aren't generally known for their lofty dimensions.

0:23:36 > 0:23:41'At least there's plenty of floor space down here, including a study-cum-dining room.

0:23:41 > 0:23:43'However, that's it for the ground floor.

0:23:43 > 0:23:46'Let's see what they make of upstairs.

0:23:46 > 0:23:51'There's a family bathroom and two adjoining double guest rooms, one with its own staircase access.'

0:23:51 > 0:23:54This is a nice little treat.

0:23:54 > 0:23:56This would be your master bedroom.

0:23:56 > 0:23:58This is lovely, isn't it?

0:23:58 > 0:24:01- Nice bedroom. Nice size. - Really nice.

0:24:01 > 0:24:03Little windows looking over the garden.

0:24:03 > 0:24:04They're gorgeous, aren't they?

0:24:04 > 0:24:06A lot of light.

0:24:06 > 0:24:10But the thing that I really like about this is that.

0:24:12 > 0:24:15- Oh, my God.- What is that?- Oh, wow!

0:24:15 > 0:24:19- That is amazing.- It's fantastic. - I just wasn't expecting that at all.

0:24:19 > 0:24:20It's very unexpected, isn't it?

0:24:20 > 0:24:22Yeah, I thought it was a wardrobe.

0:24:22 > 0:24:25So this is over the new extension of the kitchen.

0:24:25 > 0:24:29Obviously, you wouldn't get this in a period cottage, but it's charming.

0:24:29 > 0:24:31So far, I've only counted three bedrooms.

0:24:31 > 0:24:33- She's sharp, isn't she?- Mmm.

0:24:33 > 0:24:35So I'm a little bit concerned.

0:24:35 > 0:24:37Don't you panic. Follow me.

0:24:37 > 0:24:44'Yes, everybody can stay calm, because, out in the garden, I have quite a surprise.'

0:24:45 > 0:24:47- Ta-da!- OK!

0:24:47 > 0:24:49So you wanted some more space.

0:24:49 > 0:24:50Yeah.

0:24:50 > 0:24:52Interesting.

0:24:52 > 0:24:58This was put on the back of the double garage a year ago, so it's a sort of studio space.

0:24:58 > 0:25:00- Water and electricity here, obviously.- Fantastic.

0:25:00 > 0:25:04Space downstairs, but also two bedrooms upstairs. Oh yes, two.

0:25:04 > 0:25:06Two, wow!

0:25:09 > 0:25:12So you've got one room with a very sharp pitched roof.

0:25:13 > 0:25:15And a little guest bathroom.

0:25:18 > 0:25:22I mean, they're not huge, but you could certainly get a nice bed in for a guest.

0:25:22 > 0:25:23Yeah, you'd get a double bed in here.

0:25:23 > 0:25:27- This is perfect for guests. Two bedrooms as well. - I wasn't expecting that.

0:25:27 > 0:25:30- Yeah, it's brilliant. - We aim to please.

0:25:30 > 0:25:32You do, you do a good job!

0:25:32 > 0:25:36- So, effectively, you've got five bedrooms...- Fantastic.

0:25:36 > 0:25:38..and three, four bathrooms.

0:25:38 > 0:25:41- I'm spoiling you! - You are.- You certainly are.

0:25:41 > 0:25:42I'm not sure you deserve all that!

0:25:43 > 0:25:49Well, we're exceeding expectations so far, but the garden could be make or break.

0:25:49 > 0:25:52The whole plot comes in at around a quarter of an acre.

0:25:52 > 0:25:56So, if Lisa wants a very small wedding, we might be OK.

0:25:56 > 0:26:00But I get the feeling Lisa's big day is going to be just that - big.

0:26:00 > 0:26:03Well, the garden's not huge, I have to admit.

0:26:03 > 0:26:07It's a wraparound garden that goes all the way around the property.

0:26:07 > 0:26:09Most of it's been eaten up by the extensions.

0:26:09 > 0:26:11- But, I think, in a good cause.- Yeah.

0:26:11 > 0:26:17- Yeah, absolutely.- You've got space at the front and you've got space at the back with the lovely courtyard.

0:26:17 > 0:26:20- We can't get the marquee in here, can we?- No.

0:26:20 > 0:26:22That was a very grand roll of the eyes!

0:26:22 > 0:26:26Not quite big enough, Alistair, if I'm going to be honest.

0:26:26 > 0:26:31But it is pretty, and I love the way it goes right the way around the house. I really like that.

0:26:31 > 0:26:35- It would be nice if it was a bit bigger, but there's always a compromise.- Yeah, absolutely.

0:26:35 > 0:26:37How much do you think it costs?

0:26:38 > 0:26:40495?

0:26:40 > 0:26:42- Right at the top?- Yeah, absolutely.

0:26:42 > 0:26:45I don't think we'd get much change from half a million.

0:26:45 > 0:26:47I think maybe about £5.

0:26:47 > 0:26:49You are on the money. It's exactly that.

0:26:49 > 0:26:53- You'd get £5 from £500,000.- OK.

0:26:53 > 0:26:55- And it's only been on the market a week.- Has it?

0:26:55 > 0:26:59- So it might not be on the market for very long.- No, I don't think so.

0:26:59 > 0:27:00It is a wonderful house.

0:27:00 > 0:27:03Yeah, it's stunning. Stunning house.

0:27:03 > 0:27:06We're already starting to look at how we could adapt it to our way of living.

0:27:06 > 0:27:08I've noticed. Very good.

0:27:08 > 0:27:11Why don't you wander round and do a bit more of that?

0:27:11 > 0:27:13- OK.- And I'll see you at the front.

0:27:13 > 0:27:14OK. See you later.

0:27:14 > 0:27:19'At a fraction under half a million, it's a lot of cottage for the money.

0:27:19 > 0:27:25'It has three reception rooms, a big country kitchen diner, three bedrooms, and the icing

0:27:25 > 0:27:29'on the cake, a self-contained annexe with a further two bedrooms.

0:27:29 > 0:27:32'It sits in about a quarter-of-an-acre plot,

0:27:32 > 0:27:35'which sadly means no room for a marquee in the garden.

0:27:35 > 0:27:38'But will Lisa be able to compromise on the dream wedding

0:27:38 > 0:27:40'for the dream house?'

0:27:40 > 0:27:42Obviously, I love it because of all the beams.

0:27:42 > 0:27:46But I'm really concerned for you, for the height, because it really is low, isn't it?

0:27:46 > 0:27:48Yes. Some of them are really low.

0:27:48 > 0:27:51Look at that, you can't walk clear of that, can you?

0:27:51 > 0:27:54No, but I think it's something you get used to. I could live with this.

0:27:54 > 0:27:56I have no problem with it.

0:27:56 > 0:27:59My first impressions - it was absolutely stunning.

0:27:59 > 0:28:02It was like a real chocolate-box cottage. I loved the thatched roof.

0:28:02 > 0:28:05I think the garden is perfect.

0:28:05 > 0:28:12It doesn't have the space we wanted to have the sort of dream wedding, the marquee.

0:28:12 > 0:28:15I can live with that. I think we can always do that somewhere else.

0:28:17 > 0:28:19- Are you ready?- Yes.

0:28:19 > 0:28:22- We are going to venture into the Suffolk rain again.- Excellent(!)

0:28:26 > 0:28:29As we've already seen, Suffolk isn't short of period homes.

0:28:29 > 0:28:34But one of the most fascinating has to be 12th-century Framlingham Castle.

0:28:34 > 0:28:37This is no crumbling relic of a forgotten age, though.

0:28:37 > 0:28:40It's actually lived in by custodian Diana Howard,

0:28:40 > 0:28:44who has kindly offered to fill me in on life amidst the ramparts.

0:28:44 > 0:28:46Diana, this is quite a pad you have here.

0:28:46 > 0:28:50- Aren't I lucky!- Yeah, you are. How long have you lived here?

0:28:50 > 0:28:53I've lived here for 24 years.

0:28:53 > 0:28:55Who were your illustrious predecessors?

0:28:55 > 0:28:59It was basically the Bigods through to the Mowbrays, through to the Howards.

0:28:59 > 0:29:02And, obviously, Mary Tudor.

0:29:02 > 0:29:07And she raised her standard here and left to be Queen of England.

0:29:07 > 0:29:09That's a good bit of history, in your back garden.

0:29:09 > 0:29:15- It is.- If a child or maybe even if I were to draw a castle, this is kind of how I would draw it.

0:29:15 > 0:29:17Did it actually do battle?

0:29:17 > 0:29:21Was it besieged? Did it actually serve its purpose?

0:29:21 > 0:29:25Well, I'm ashamed to say it had a three-day siege here in 1215.

0:29:25 > 0:29:28And after three days, they surrendered.

0:29:28 > 0:29:31- Three days and they gave up? - Three days and then he gave up, yes.

0:29:31 > 0:29:32That's rubbish!

0:29:32 > 0:29:36It is rubbish, but then it would have been a shame to spoil it, wouldn't it?

0:29:36 > 0:29:39'Essentially built as an ostentatious show of wealth,

0:29:39 > 0:29:42'over the centuries Framlingham has had many guises.

0:29:42 > 0:29:49'During Elizabeth I's reign, it was turned into a prison to detain Catholic priests.

0:29:49 > 0:29:54'Later still, a poorhouse was built on the grounds, which was in use right up until 1839.

0:29:54 > 0:29:58'Today, it's both Diana's home and open to the public.'

0:29:58 > 0:30:02It's strange, because it feels like there's these amazing walls, then you come in and

0:30:02 > 0:30:06it's just a big space with a few relatively little houses in it.

0:30:06 > 0:30:09Yeah, you could be shot for that!

0:30:09 > 0:30:14Basically, we never had a keep, and if you see the towers,

0:30:14 > 0:30:17every tower had a purpose.

0:30:17 > 0:30:23So tower six was the chapel, and over in the far corner to the left was the first Norman hall.

0:30:23 > 0:30:26I notice you've got a chimney up here.

0:30:26 > 0:30:28They don't belong to the original building?

0:30:28 > 0:30:31No, they're much later. They're Tudor chimneys. Most of them are dummies.

0:30:31 > 0:30:34Bricks were very new, very expensive.

0:30:34 > 0:30:38The chimneys were put up to show how wealthy we are.

0:30:38 > 0:30:43They're a wonderful achievement. You'll see them when you get closer.

0:30:43 > 0:30:46'It seems our obsession with home improvement is nothing new.

0:30:46 > 0:30:50'And you can really appreciate how impressive the architecture is up on the walls.

0:30:51 > 0:30:58'Standing 44 feet high and between eight and ten feet across, it's a feat of medieval construction.'

0:30:58 > 0:31:03- How long did it take to build? Because it's a phenomenally big structure.- It's huge.

0:31:03 > 0:31:07The books vary, but generally it's between 10 and 12 years.

0:31:07 > 0:31:11It's amazing, back then in the 1200s, because it was all done by hand.

0:31:11 > 0:31:14There were no modern methods. It was all hands-on.

0:31:14 > 0:31:16You've lived here 25 years.

0:31:16 > 0:31:18Do you get a bit blase about living in a castle?

0:31:18 > 0:31:22Everybody says to me, "You're so lucky to live there."

0:31:22 > 0:31:29I think, "Oh!" But in actual fact, I really probably will only appreciate it when I move out.

0:31:29 > 0:31:32The grass is always greener on the other side of the moat!

0:31:32 > 0:31:35Yes! Absolutely!

0:31:35 > 0:31:38- Thank you very much for sharing it with us.- Pleasure.

0:31:42 > 0:31:45Well, that's it for our first day of property hunting in Suffolk.

0:31:45 > 0:31:49Has it lived up to Royce and Lisa's expectations?

0:31:51 > 0:31:54- What do you think of the old pub? - I like that house.

0:31:54 > 0:31:57- I really liked it from the outside. - Did you?- Yeah.

0:31:57 > 0:32:02- You didn't really like the windows. - No. I liked it better inside.- Love the kitchen, size of the kitchen.

0:32:02 > 0:32:07- And the little room above that was nice.- But that was the biggest bedroom, wasn't it?- Yeah.

0:32:07 > 0:32:11- So...- That's the downside to the whole house - the size of the bedrooms.

0:32:11 > 0:32:15- So, the thatched house?- Oh, yeah. You like that one.

0:32:15 > 0:32:17Yeah, I was like, "Wow! This is it. This is it. This is the one"

0:32:17 > 0:32:22- It's really chocolate box. - Real chocolate box. Stunning. - How would you feel about the garden?

0:32:22 > 0:32:28- It wasn't as big as you'd like. - It's not, but there's always a compromise.

0:32:28 > 0:32:30At the end of the day, you don't live in the garden.

0:32:30 > 0:32:36- So it's maybe something I will have to end up compromising on.- Yeah.

0:32:36 > 0:32:38So that's fine. You looking forward to tomorrow?

0:32:38 > 0:32:41- Yeah, I think it's good. I've really enjoyed today. It's great fun.- Yeah.

0:32:48 > 0:32:52Flight attendants Lisa and Royce want to pack their bags for Suffolk.

0:32:52 > 0:32:58So far, our properties have passed muster, but will our next house pass with flying colours?

0:32:58 > 0:33:01It's exactly what we pictured.

0:33:01 > 0:33:06- Absolutely.- And the mystery house makes quite an impression.

0:33:06 > 0:33:08But is Royce just horsing around?

0:33:11 > 0:33:14The sun is shining, that's good for our property search today.

0:33:14 > 0:33:17But I've also been racking my brains about why Lisa and Royce

0:33:17 > 0:33:20didn't absolutely love the properties I showed them yesterday.

0:33:20 > 0:33:22I think it's because they were a little TOO perfect.

0:33:22 > 0:33:27In a way, there wasn't space for them to put their own mark on it. I'm bearing that in mind.

0:33:27 > 0:33:29Also I'm thinking about Royce's head.

0:33:29 > 0:33:34Any more low beams and that man's going to concuss himself.

0:33:34 > 0:33:37We're sticking with Suffolk today, and heading first to Gislingham.

0:33:37 > 0:33:41It's an hour and a half from Lisa's sister, but almost a three-hour drive to Heathrow.

0:33:41 > 0:33:46However, the further north we go, the more we should get for our money.

0:33:46 > 0:33:52Settled by the Vikings in the 10th century, Gislingham has been a thriving village for 1,000 years.

0:33:52 > 0:33:55The medieval church plays a leading role in village life.

0:33:55 > 0:34:00There's a pub for Royce and a plethora of traditional Suffolk pink cottages.

0:34:00 > 0:34:02Our first house of the day is situated

0:34:02 > 0:34:07on the edge of this village, surrounded by open farmland, so it should suit both of them.

0:34:09 > 0:34:11- This is the property I want to show you.- OK.

0:34:11 > 0:34:13- Very pretty.- It's nice.

0:34:13 > 0:34:15- Like it?- Yes.- Good-looking house.

0:34:15 > 0:34:17I can see neighbours very close by.

0:34:17 > 0:34:22- Yeah.- It's a quiet little village, but you do have these new builds at the back.

0:34:22 > 0:34:23Yeah. OK.

0:34:23 > 0:34:26- It's something we have to bear in mind.- Yeah, OK.

0:34:26 > 0:34:29I guess once we're inside, you'll see where...

0:34:29 > 0:34:32Is there just the one building next door?

0:34:32 > 0:34:33We'll talk about that when we get there.

0:34:33 > 0:34:39'I must admit I have very high hopes for this Grade II-listed 17th-century farmhouse.'

0:34:39 > 0:34:44Packed with character and creakiness, but this one has a little more headroom for Royce.

0:34:44 > 0:34:47Come straight in here. This is the...

0:34:47 > 0:34:48Call it what you like, really.

0:34:48 > 0:34:50It's the old part of the house.

0:34:50 > 0:34:54- It's fabulous.- Beautiful. - Really nice.- Love the fireplace.

0:34:54 > 0:34:56- Great height on the ceilings.- Yeah.

0:34:56 > 0:34:59- Really nice. It's exactly what we'd pictured, wasn't it?- Yeah, very nice.

0:34:59 > 0:35:01This is one of the smaller rooms.

0:35:01 > 0:35:04Ooh, exciting!

0:35:06 > 0:35:08This, I think, is the jewel of this house.

0:35:08 > 0:35:12- The central space.- This is stunning.

0:35:12 > 0:35:14Absolutely beautiful.

0:35:14 > 0:35:18- It's really nice.- The whole house feels really warm, really cosy.

0:35:18 > 0:35:20It's got a lovely feel to it.

0:35:20 > 0:35:22That's what I like to hear.

0:35:22 > 0:35:26I think the combination of character with extra space is doing the trick.

0:35:29 > 0:35:31Another very big room.

0:35:31 > 0:35:34- Wonderful.- Yeah. Beautiful room. It's beautiful.

0:35:34 > 0:35:38- Really big room, isn't it?- This was the dairy, so originally the floor

0:35:38 > 0:35:40sloped across an angle and the milk used to run down into the...

0:35:40 > 0:35:43- Wow.- Another great beam.

0:35:43 > 0:35:45Again, not too low.

0:35:45 > 0:35:47So there's another very lovely, sunny room in there.

0:35:47 > 0:35:50That's a sort of sitting room with doors out to the garden.

0:35:50 > 0:35:53- That's nice, isn't it? - Nice library or something.

0:35:53 > 0:35:55You can explore at your own pace.

0:35:55 > 0:35:58But I think there's space here for you to put your mark on it.

0:35:58 > 0:36:01- Yeah, there is. - It's not all finished.- No.

0:36:01 > 0:36:04So there's space for you to do something. For example, the kitchen.

0:36:06 > 0:36:10This is a good-sized kitchen, but it needs your loving care and attention, I think.

0:36:10 > 0:36:14Yeah, absolutely. We could put our own stamp on this, couldn't we?

0:36:14 > 0:36:19- It's probably something we would do regardless.- Yeah. - And it's a really good size.

0:36:19 > 0:36:22Is it as big as our one at home?

0:36:22 > 0:36:26It's not dissimilar in size. Is there a utility room?

0:36:26 > 0:36:32- Yes, as you can see through here, you've got a whole utility area here, washing machine.- That's good.

0:36:32 > 0:36:33We could definitely make this work.

0:36:33 > 0:36:36- We could fit an island in here, couldn't we?- Absolutely.

0:36:36 > 0:36:38And a little table if we wanted to.

0:36:38 > 0:36:43Not that you'd need a table in here, because you've got the dining room right next door.

0:36:43 > 0:36:46- Yeah.- It's got a good feel. - It has. Really nice feel.

0:36:46 > 0:36:51'So I think I can safely say the ground floor was a success.

0:36:51 > 0:36:54'Time to check out upstairs.'

0:36:57 > 0:37:00This is a great room. Simply to illustrate...

0:37:00 > 0:37:04- Look at the floor!- Exactly! - Incredible, isn't it?- I like that.

0:37:04 > 0:37:08It's wonderful. You'd have to think very carefully about the furniture you have.

0:37:08 > 0:37:13- Yes.- It's got four bedrooms, two bathrooms upstairs, so we can take a little tour.

0:37:13 > 0:37:15It goes in a sort of dog leg.

0:37:17 > 0:37:18Coming through here.

0:37:18 > 0:37:21You said you wanted squeaky floorboards.

0:37:21 > 0:37:24Yeah, these are really creaky, aren't they?

0:37:24 > 0:37:26Proper floorboards under there.

0:37:26 > 0:37:28- Be nice to expose them, though.- Yeah.

0:37:28 > 0:37:32Off the landing is a good-sized family bathroom,

0:37:32 > 0:37:36plus a guest bathroom, a double bedroom and a sink.

0:37:38 > 0:37:41I'll show you this room. They're not using this

0:37:41 > 0:37:44as the master bedroom, but it could easily be the master bedroom.

0:37:44 > 0:37:46- I think this would make a lovely master bedroom.- Yeah.

0:37:46 > 0:37:49And the door over there, where does that lead to?

0:37:49 > 0:37:51Ah. That leads into the magic kingdom!

0:37:51 > 0:37:54- Secret!- This I love.

0:37:54 > 0:37:56Oh, my goodness.

0:37:56 > 0:37:58This is absolutely incredible.

0:37:58 > 0:38:00- What a surprise!- Yes!

0:38:00 > 0:38:04- You want potential, this has ultimate potential.- Oh, my God.

0:38:04 > 0:38:06- It goes on.- This is incredible.

0:38:06 > 0:38:11All boarded, windows, light, electricity, and it actually goes

0:38:11 > 0:38:13all the way back that way along the house, too.

0:38:13 > 0:38:16- That's not boarded at the moment, but could be.- Really?

0:38:16 > 0:38:19It's an amazing space, and it hasn't been utilised at all.

0:38:19 > 0:38:21- Fantastic. I love it. - I absolutely love it.

0:38:21 > 0:38:25- A window at either end so you've got plenty of light coming in.- Yeah. - It's really nice.

0:38:25 > 0:38:27The excitement levels have risen!

0:38:27 > 0:38:29- I'm very excited. - Really love the house.

0:38:29 > 0:38:36It's a definite thumbs-up inside, but will the garden be the sticking point?

0:38:36 > 0:38:40Sadly, the grounds aren't palatial, but Lisa says she's coming round

0:38:40 > 0:38:42to the idea of compromising on outside space.

0:38:42 > 0:38:44Let's see how far she's willing to go.

0:38:44 > 0:38:50- The garden used to be much, much bigger.- Yes.

0:38:50 > 0:38:53The present owners sold it off for building.

0:38:53 > 0:38:56It is a shame, but frankly we couldn't have shown it to you

0:38:56 > 0:39:00if it did have the garden, because it would have been way out of your price range.

0:39:00 > 0:39:02- Of course.- So let's think positive.

0:39:02 > 0:39:09Actually, they've managed to make the garden, despite the proximity of these other houses, quite discreet.

0:39:09 > 0:39:13You're not actually overlooked anywhere, so it's quite a private little garden.

0:39:13 > 0:39:15A great kitchen garden over here.

0:39:15 > 0:39:19And a fabulous outside workshop.

0:39:19 > 0:39:22The house itself is amazing. It has everything we really want.

0:39:22 > 0:39:25Yeah, it's stunning, the house.

0:39:25 > 0:39:29There's just so much scope for improvement, which we like.

0:39:29 > 0:39:32I feel really disappointed now that I've come out here,

0:39:32 > 0:39:36but I guess this is going to have to be the compromise, isn't it?

0:39:36 > 0:39:39- Life's full of disappointments. - Absolutely.

0:39:39 > 0:39:42So I was wondering what you thought the price was,

0:39:42 > 0:39:46because obviously there are factors involved, doing renovation.

0:39:46 > 0:39:49I'm going to go for 450.

0:39:51 > 0:39:53I still think it's at the top end of our budget, really.

0:39:53 > 0:39:55About 490, I suppose.

0:39:55 > 0:40:00I'd love to say that it was 450, but it is actually more like yours.

0:40:00 > 0:40:03It's a little bit higher. You'd get £50 out of half a million.

0:40:03 > 0:40:06I think that's 3-0 now.

0:40:06 > 0:40:10- This has been on the market for more than a year.- Wow, OK.

0:40:10 > 0:40:15- It's dropped its price considerably in that time, but there's still room for negotiation.- Yeah.

0:40:15 > 0:40:20- Why don't you have a wander around, see what you think, and I'll see you out the front.- OK.

0:40:20 > 0:40:25At £50 shy of 500,000, this farmhouse is right at the top of the budget.

0:40:25 > 0:40:28However, it's been on the market for 15 months,

0:40:28 > 0:40:32so there should be room for manoeuvre, freeing up cash for home improvements.

0:40:32 > 0:40:34Both obviously like the fact that they can

0:40:34 > 0:40:38renovate the kitchen and attic, but the job could be tackled over time.

0:40:38 > 0:40:43It's a deceptively large character property, with four reception rooms and four bedrooms.

0:40:43 > 0:40:46The garden is under a quarter of an acre,

0:40:46 > 0:40:50but it does include a veggie patch, a double garage and a workshop.

0:40:50 > 0:40:52So there's plenty of space for chickens,

0:40:52 > 0:40:55but sadly no room for wedding guests.

0:40:55 > 0:40:58Is it really a compromise Lisa can make?

0:40:58 > 0:41:01When we came inside, I absolutely couldn't believe it.

0:41:01 > 0:41:04The hallway bit was full of character, there were beams everywhere,

0:41:04 > 0:41:11and the height was brilliant for Royce, so I thought we'd got a winner here, brilliant.

0:41:11 > 0:41:15- You could use this as a reading room or a little library. - That'd be nice, wouldn't it?

0:41:15 > 0:41:17That's fantastic. It looks over the garden, too.

0:41:17 > 0:41:23The garden has the kitchen garden, which is already brilliantly stocked, and it looks great.

0:41:23 > 0:41:25Everything's there.

0:41:25 > 0:41:28When we went into the garden, I felt really gutted. I thought, "Oh, no!"

0:41:28 > 0:41:32I think Royce could live with it. I definitely think he could.

0:41:32 > 0:41:34Me, I don't know.

0:41:34 > 0:41:37I'm really going to have to have a serious think about it.

0:41:37 > 0:41:39I wonder if they've managed to process their disappointment.

0:41:39 > 0:41:42Hi there. Big smiles.

0:41:42 > 0:41:43- All good?- Yes.

0:41:43 > 0:41:46Let's press on.

0:41:50 > 0:41:55Enthusiasm for keeping chickens has risen dramatically over the last couple of years,

0:41:55 > 0:42:00thanks to greater awareness of poultry welfare and ambitions for the back-to-basics good life.

0:42:00 > 0:42:04Having lived with a small courtyard for the last seven years,

0:42:04 > 0:42:09Lisa and Royce can't wait to find a home where they can house plenty of chooks.

0:42:09 > 0:42:15We've sent them along to meet Nick Wills, one of Suffolk's biggest wild-fowl breeders.

0:42:15 > 0:42:18- I hear you're interested in keeping a few chickens.- Yeah, we'd love to.

0:42:18 > 0:42:22- Are rare breeds more difficult to look after?- No, they're easy to look after.

0:42:22 > 0:42:26Rare breeds are much hardier than cross-bred chickens, much more winter-hardy.

0:42:26 > 0:42:31They lay in the winter, as well, and they're very easy to keep.

0:42:31 > 0:42:35- Come and have a look. See which one takes your fancy. - Brilliant.- Thank you.

0:42:35 > 0:42:38A rare-breed chicken will set you back around £35,

0:42:38 > 0:42:42which isn't a bad investment, considering their lifespan is around nine to ten years -

0:42:42 > 0:42:45much longer than a cross-breed or battery hen.

0:42:46 > 0:42:50Here we are. These are good examples of rare-breed chickens.

0:42:50 > 0:42:52Wow. What chickens have we got here, then?

0:42:52 > 0:42:57We have various colours in Couchins. Blacks, buffs, blues.

0:42:57 > 0:42:59They're the ones with the furry feet.

0:42:59 > 0:43:04The feathers on their feet will stop them scratching your garden up, if you let them out free-ranging.

0:43:04 > 0:43:07They're bred for their colour and their look, rather than their egg-laying capacity.

0:43:07 > 0:43:10- They DO lay eggs - about 50-80 a year.- Yep.

0:43:10 > 0:43:17And they lay a peachy-coloured egg. Similar to the ones in the shop. But taste better!

0:43:17 > 0:43:19Also in here, we have the Welsummer.

0:43:19 > 0:43:21They're the brown ones there.

0:43:21 > 0:43:24Welsummers lay a very dark egg.

0:43:24 > 0:43:28These are cream-crested Legbars. They're bred for their egg colour.

0:43:28 > 0:43:32- They lay a blue egg.- Lovely!- Wow! - Much like a duck egg.

0:43:32 > 0:43:38- That's my favourite so far. - 150 eggs a year. Maybe a few more if you look after them well.

0:43:38 > 0:43:42To keep chickens in top condition, Nick suggests giving them a constant supply of poultry pellets

0:43:42 > 0:43:48via a feed bucket, rather than hand-feeding once a day, when they tend to overeat.

0:43:48 > 0:43:50Do you have to have a cockerel in there with them?

0:43:50 > 0:43:54Yes, a cockerel is an advantage. He'll keep the hens in order.

0:43:54 > 0:44:00They're probably happier with a cock - it's a more natural way of keeping chickens.

0:44:00 > 0:44:03If they're happy, they will keep laying.

0:44:03 > 0:44:07Well, there'll be no ruling of roosts if we don't find Lisa and Royce that dream garden.

0:44:07 > 0:44:11Maybe the mystery house will come up smelling of roses.

0:44:14 > 0:44:19The mystery house is meant to shake people up, and I'm not sure that Royce, and certainly not Lisa,

0:44:19 > 0:44:22want to be shaken up, because they're quite clear what they want.

0:44:22 > 0:44:26But I quite like a challenge, and a couple of things have been playing on my mind.

0:44:26 > 0:44:31One is that they're quite a long way from London if they're thinking of commuting there every week,

0:44:31 > 0:44:34so that's one issue, and the other thing is land.

0:44:34 > 0:44:37They want to have their wedding in their garden.

0:44:37 > 0:44:41So this mystery house, it's going to shake them up.

0:44:44 > 0:44:47Mystery house time. What do you think I'm going to show you?

0:44:47 > 0:44:52It'll be something completely different, probably.

0:44:52 > 0:44:54So it would be maybe a new build.

0:44:54 > 0:44:57Hopefully something that'll actually be thought-provoking.

0:44:57 > 0:45:01So what about garden? Has that become something you could compromise on?

0:45:01 > 0:45:02What are your thoughts?

0:45:02 > 0:45:06I think you could probably compromise more than me on the garden, couldn't you?

0:45:06 > 0:45:13I think for me I just want the feeling of having some space, an acre would be fantastic.

0:45:13 > 0:45:16- An acre's a lot of land.- It is. - People say, "I want an acre,"

0:45:16 > 0:45:19- but actually an acre's a lot to look after.- A lot of work as well, yeah.

0:45:22 > 0:45:25Finding that acre garden with the big character home

0:45:25 > 0:45:29on a budget of half a million has so far proved rather tricky.

0:45:29 > 0:45:31So we're changing tack with the mystery house,

0:45:31 > 0:45:35which is situated in Shelland, with good road links into London.

0:45:35 > 0:45:41It's a beautiful Suffolk village with handsome period properties and an enormous village green.

0:45:41 > 0:45:47So far, we've compromised on land, but they mystery house is really going to deliver on that front.

0:45:47 > 0:45:50However, there's a very big pay-off.

0:45:50 > 0:45:55It's a nearly-new build, having been completed in 2002.

0:45:56 > 0:45:59Here we are. This is the mystery house.

0:45:59 > 0:46:02Be kind.

0:46:02 > 0:46:05It's the mystery house, it's meant to be different.

0:46:05 > 0:46:10- It's certainly different. - This is an interesting property.- OK.

0:46:10 > 0:46:12Not quite chocolate box, though, is it?

0:46:12 > 0:46:15- It's not chocolate box yet.- No!

0:46:15 > 0:46:18- Give it a bit of weathering.- Yeah!

0:46:18 > 0:46:22- But you have a beautiful green. - It is nice, the green's lovely.

0:46:22 > 0:46:25It's all common land, as far as the eye can see.

0:46:25 > 0:46:27There'll never be any building here.

0:46:27 > 0:46:29- You've got open fields behind you. - Loads of woodland.

0:46:29 > 0:46:32- Yet you're well placed to get into London.- Yeah.

0:46:32 > 0:46:39- So even if you were just thinking about that, location, I think it's a good idea to bring you here.- OK.

0:46:39 > 0:46:41- You don't like it, do you?- No!

0:46:43 > 0:46:45I knew this was going to be a challenge,

0:46:45 > 0:46:48but if Lisa wants her acre plus, then she'll have to compromise elsewhere.

0:46:48 > 0:46:51But although modern, this still has a character feel.

0:46:54 > 0:46:56Straight into the biggest room.

0:46:56 > 0:46:58- OK.- Nice room, actually.

0:46:58 > 0:47:00- It's a great size.- Yeah.

0:47:00 > 0:47:03In one way, it has everything you've asked. It's got very high ceilings,

0:47:03 > 0:47:06it's got beams, it's got a big open fireplace.

0:47:06 > 0:47:08The fireplace is actually really nice.

0:47:08 > 0:47:12It does have potential, and there are things you could change.

0:47:12 > 0:47:15We could render the front to make it look a little bit older.

0:47:15 > 0:47:19But that might be a bit extreme!

0:47:19 > 0:47:21I know what it's like - you have this image

0:47:21 > 0:47:23of the dream house, "Everything's got to be like this,"

0:47:23 > 0:47:27- and it's excruciating when it doesn't really fit the bill.- Yeah.

0:47:27 > 0:47:30Sometimes it's quite good to just step right outside of that,

0:47:30 > 0:47:33and I know this is not ideal for you, but to just think,

0:47:33 > 0:47:35"Well, that is a plus," or, "That is a good thing."

0:47:35 > 0:47:38- Yeah. OK.- Absolutely.

0:47:38 > 0:47:40- So I'll keep an open mind, then. - Yeah.

0:47:40 > 0:47:45That's what I like to hear, although I have a sneaking suspicion Lisa may be humouring me.

0:47:47 > 0:47:49This is the kitchen.

0:47:49 > 0:47:52- It's a good size. - It's nice, actually. Yeah.

0:47:52 > 0:47:54Yeah, it's a good-sized kitchen.

0:47:54 > 0:47:58So it's got lots of mod cons, as you'd expect in such a modern house.

0:47:58 > 0:48:04You've got a big boot room there, because they've got horses, and then along here,

0:48:04 > 0:48:05a gigantic...

0:48:05 > 0:48:07Ta-da!

0:48:07 > 0:48:09- That's brilliant, isn't it? - Yeah, like that.

0:48:09 > 0:48:10Fantastic.

0:48:10 > 0:48:14So because they could design it from scratch, they got everything they want.

0:48:14 > 0:48:18They got a big double range, a big Belfast sink.

0:48:18 > 0:48:21I do like the sink. The sink is very nice.

0:48:21 > 0:48:24'Could Lisa be warming up to this house?

0:48:24 > 0:48:27'I think she might be, although I say that very tentatively.'

0:48:27 > 0:48:31The space down here is certainly versatile, with two double bedrooms,

0:48:31 > 0:48:35one of which is currently used as a study.

0:48:35 > 0:48:39Upstairs is another very bright bedroom and the family bathroom.

0:48:39 > 0:48:42- So this is the master suite. - OK, it's a nice size.

0:48:42 > 0:48:45Very bright and airy, isn't it?

0:48:45 > 0:48:48So you have a little en suite.

0:48:48 > 0:48:50- Lovely.- And again, light coming in.

0:48:50 > 0:48:56I don't think it's the sort of house that we would choose for ourselves.

0:48:56 > 0:48:59Indeed, the interior is not really ticking the boxes. I can feel that.

0:48:59 > 0:49:03My heightened sensitivity about property feels that.

0:49:03 > 0:49:10- But one of the reasons I've brought you to this property is because it offers a lot of outside space.- OK.

0:49:10 > 0:49:14- Fantastic.- This is something I know you wanted, and it's a good thing to talk about.

0:49:14 > 0:49:17- OK. Let's have a look. - Let's get out in the sunshine.

0:49:17 > 0:49:20So it's back downstairs to see if the garden will come up trumps

0:49:20 > 0:49:25as there's not one, not two, but three acres.

0:49:25 > 0:49:27Room for a marquee and then some.

0:49:28 > 0:49:31- Do you like horses?- I love horses.

0:49:31 > 0:49:34It's amazing, isn't it?

0:49:34 > 0:49:39- All of this is what comes with that property.- Really? - Three acres of land.

0:49:39 > 0:49:41Fantastic.

0:49:41 > 0:49:43That's a bit more like it, isn't it?

0:49:43 > 0:49:47- It's enough space for a marquee. - Definitely enough space for a marquee.- Two marquees.

0:49:47 > 0:49:49It's lovely. Absolutely gorgeous.

0:49:49 > 0:49:52Imagine having your own horses.

0:49:52 > 0:49:55It's a bonus, but can you imagine using this much land?

0:49:55 > 0:49:57I think I could.

0:49:57 > 0:50:01- Really?- Yeah, like you said, you can have horses.

0:50:01 > 0:50:04We talked about having pigs before.

0:50:04 > 0:50:06So you've got more options, haven't you?

0:50:06 > 0:50:11It wouldn't go to waste, but I don't know what we'd use it for immediately.

0:50:11 > 0:50:15But eventually I think we'd find some use for it.

0:50:15 > 0:50:17When we retire.

0:50:17 > 0:50:22The reason why I wanted to test your commitment to land was because obviously the properties

0:50:22 > 0:50:26we've been showing you haven't had huge plots of land and they've been at the top of your budget.

0:50:26 > 0:50:32I was just wondering if it's a price you want to pay, or is it just a bit of a luxury?

0:50:32 > 0:50:34Hmmm.

0:50:34 > 0:50:37How much you think this property costs?

0:50:37 > 0:50:42I'd say, because of the size of the land, maybe 475.

0:50:42 > 0:50:49With the house and the garden, I would have said 420, but with the land, 485, 490.

0:50:49 > 0:50:51It's on the market for 495.

0:50:51 > 0:50:57- Wow.- It is wow, because I know that the house is not pushing all your buttons,

0:50:57 > 0:51:01but it perhaps makes you think a bit about how much you really want the land.

0:51:01 > 0:51:04Yeah, maybe we didn't consider that.

0:51:04 > 0:51:05It does give us a better idea.

0:51:05 > 0:51:10Why don't you have a wander round the grounds and then we can push on

0:51:10 > 0:51:13- for the last moments of the show. - OK, thank you.

0:51:14 > 0:51:18Very interesting, because I know the house is not what they're looking for,

0:51:18 > 0:51:24but I really do think showing them land and showing them how much land costs

0:51:24 > 0:51:28was a good tactic, because it's going to make them think. It's got to make them think.

0:51:30 > 0:51:34Under budget again at 495, this modern equestrian home

0:51:34 > 0:51:38is very spacious with a huge living room and a big kitchen/diner.

0:51:38 > 0:51:42It has three to four bedrooms, depending on how you use the study,

0:51:42 > 0:51:46but most importantly comes with a whopping three acres.

0:51:46 > 0:51:48So Lisa needn't stop at one marquee,

0:51:48 > 0:51:51she could have a whole Bedouin village if she wanted.

0:51:51 > 0:51:55What's more they could even make some money renting out the stables,

0:51:55 > 0:51:58but can they give up on a creaky character home

0:51:58 > 0:52:00for a slice of country life?

0:52:03 > 0:52:10- OK, so it seems either we can have the land or the house.- Yeah.

0:52:10 > 0:52:13You don't seem to be able to have both.

0:52:13 > 0:52:15No, but that's OK. We know that now.

0:52:15 > 0:52:17I really wanted both.

0:52:17 > 0:52:21I know you did, but I think the house is more important.

0:52:21 > 0:52:24I think you're right. So what do you think, Mister?

0:52:26 > 0:52:27The house. All right.

0:52:27 > 0:52:29Come on.

0:52:29 > 0:52:32I think coming to this house has helped,

0:52:32 > 0:52:39because it is on a fabulous plot with great views which the other houses have not necessarily had.

0:52:39 > 0:52:43But now I think I realise that what's really important is the inside of the house,

0:52:43 > 0:52:46because at the end of the day, you don't live in the garden.

0:52:46 > 0:52:49It does actually tick some of the boxes, because you asked for beams

0:52:49 > 0:52:54and Alistair's given you beams, a big fireplace.

0:52:54 > 0:52:57Not enough character, is it?

0:52:57 > 0:53:01It doesn't feel like it's had any history, because it hasn't, because it's so new.

0:53:02 > 0:53:06Okey dokey, let's get a drink and talk about things.

0:53:06 > 0:53:07OK, brilliant.

0:53:15 > 0:53:17Well, that's it for our property tour of Suffolk.

0:53:17 > 0:53:21I hope we've helped Lisa and Royce work out their priorities.

0:53:21 > 0:53:26Now they just have to work out which of the houses suits them best.

0:53:26 > 0:53:32Well, Royce and Lisa certainly have clear opinions about what they want, but will they have clear opinions

0:53:32 > 0:53:36about which house they've decided on? Let's find out.

0:53:41 > 0:53:43Are you all Suffolked out?

0:53:43 > 0:53:45- No, no, no. Not yet.- Fired up?

0:53:45 > 0:53:47- Very much.- Yeah, love it.

0:53:47 > 0:53:52Let's look back at some of the houses. The first one I showed you was the old pub.

0:53:52 > 0:53:56- What do you think of that now? - I think there was a lack of feeling there.

0:53:56 > 0:54:01When you're buying a house, you get that right feeling when you walk into a house.

0:54:01 > 0:54:05- We didn't really get that. - No, and the upstairs was just too small.

0:54:05 > 0:54:07And the thatched cottage. What did you think of that?

0:54:07 > 0:54:09You seemed to really like it when we first arrived.

0:54:09 > 0:54:15That was really pretty, I was really excited when I saw that.

0:54:15 > 0:54:18It really looked great, but the impracticality of those ceilings,

0:54:18 > 0:54:23I'd be hitting my head all the time. I'm quite clumsy at the best of times.

0:54:23 > 0:54:28With those low beams, I'd have plasters on my head for the entire time.

0:54:28 > 0:54:30And the farmhouse dairy, you seemed to love that.

0:54:30 > 0:54:33That was a real surprise for me.

0:54:33 > 0:54:37When we turned up outside I thought it looked quite small.

0:54:37 > 0:54:39- But we came in and there were beams everywhere.- Stunning.

0:54:39 > 0:54:45Great head height, really nice rooms, it had everything we would want from a house.

0:54:45 > 0:54:48And more inside.

0:54:48 > 0:54:51Because we asked for three reception rooms, and there was four.

0:54:51 > 0:54:54And then the mystery house, which had loads of land.

0:54:54 > 0:54:57I mean, the land at the mystery house was amazing

0:54:57 > 0:55:01and the fact that you have room for horses, chickens, pigs.

0:55:01 > 0:55:05But the house just wasn't to our taste, was it?

0:55:05 > 0:55:09It was a new build which we are really not keen on.

0:55:09 > 0:55:15And it's fine for somebody, but not for us with our taste.

0:55:15 > 0:55:17It just didn't work for us.

0:55:17 > 0:55:20If you look at all those houses, I'm assuming not the mystery house,

0:55:20 > 0:55:22is there one that jumps out, that you would proceed on?

0:55:22 > 0:55:25I think for me, definitely the farmhouse.

0:55:25 > 0:55:26I absolutely loved the inside.

0:55:26 > 0:55:29It's just whether we can get it for the right price.

0:55:29 > 0:55:31So are you going to go and revisit it?

0:55:31 > 0:55:33- I'd love to.- Yeah, I think so.

0:55:33 > 0:55:39I think we need to get a firm offer on ours, but I would definitely like to go back and have a look around.

0:55:39 > 0:55:44Maybe draw up some plans and get some ideas on costings - of what it would cost.

0:55:44 > 0:55:50When I think about those properties, clearly the mystery house proved that land alone is not enough.

0:55:50 > 0:55:51The house is all-important.

0:55:51 > 0:55:54And it's interesting that you've plucked that one out of the hat,

0:55:54 > 0:56:00because the compromise was on the land and the surroundings, and yet you loved the house.

0:56:00 > 0:56:02- Absolutely, yeah. - Perfect house for us.

0:56:02 > 0:56:05So maybe the house outweighs the land.

0:56:05 > 0:56:07I think it does. Most definitely.

0:56:07 > 0:56:09You were right all along.

0:56:09 > 0:56:11I hope that your house sale goes through lickety-split,

0:56:11 > 0:56:14because it would be great for you to move here as soon as possible.

0:56:14 > 0:56:17Suffolk needs you, and it's been a great pleasure.

0:56:17 > 0:56:20- Thank you very much.- Thank you.

0:56:23 > 0:56:27What a great couple, and not an altogether unexpected choice.

0:56:27 > 0:56:33And I just hope that they manage to sell their property and make this Suffolk dream of theirs become true.

0:56:33 > 0:56:36And if you've come over all dreamy about rural retreats,

0:56:36 > 0:56:40make sure you join us next time for more Escape To The Country.

0:56:40 > 0:56:44If you want to escape to the country in Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland

0:56:44 > 0:56:46or England and need our help, please apply online:

0:56:58 > 0:57:02Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd

0:57:02 > 0:57:06E-mail subtitling@bbc.co.uk