Devon Escape to the Country

It's the bane of people's lives, that daily commute to work,

but here you could well commute by sea tractor! It was invented in 1969 by Robert Jackson

in exchange for a case of champagne. So which county has extravagant inventors and spectacular vehicles?

Join me as we set sail for another Escape To The Country.

Today we help a couple swap the Staffordshire suburbs for retirement by the sea.

Love the pool. I'd be there all day.

'We'll checkout some amazing million-pound coastal homes.'

Very good, very nice.

-'And will today's mystery house hit the right note?'

-Oh, wow! That's so nice.

-The wow factor.

Today, I'm on the south coast of Devon making the journey from the mainland to Burgh Island.

At low tide it's a 250-metre walk, but at high tide the only way to access the island is in style

using this sea tractor. All very exciting. It's a form of transport unique to this part of the world

and it brings new meaning to the word cruising.

For nearly 80 years, Burgh Island has been a retreat for the rich and famous

seeking privacy and solitude. Noel Coward, Agatha Christie and The Beatles all escaped to the hotel

and a couple of Mrs Christie's novels were based around its shores.

Burgh Island may be the jewel in south Devon's crown,

but the entire county is a scenic gateway for holidaymakers and homebuyers,

all looking for their slice of coast and countryside.

Sandwiched between Torbay and Plymouth, the South Hams is one of the most rural seaside regions.

Extensive farmland almost tumbles into the 56 miles of stunning coastline.

For those with relaxation in mind, there are over 23 beaches to enjoy.

Countless villages, winding estuaries and narrow lanes make up this beautiful landscape

and with so much sea on the doorstep it's an absolute Mecca for water sport enthusiasts and yachtsmen.

When you consider that most people who live on this coast own a boat or two

and that 42% of the properties are either second or holiday homes, it costs to live here.

A mere square foot of property will set you back upwards of £1,000.

Add a sea view or direct access to the water and you double or triple your budget.

But let's put the big bucks aside. whether it's a coastal castle or country cottage,

there's plenty of variety to be had in this county for all budgets. Take a look at these.

If living by the sea is at the top of your wish list, how about a boathouse in Dartmouth?

It comes with two two-bedroom apartments with open-plan living spaces for those estuary views.

It's not a massive property, but proximity to the water comes at a cost.

This will set you back a whopping £1.3 million.

Head inland and you'll get a lot more for your money.

This four-bedroom thatched cottage oozes character in every room.

It's set in 1.5 acres of land. The rural views are as impressive, but come at half the price -

£550,000.

Or for the even more modest £340,000, how about this three-bedroom Victorian house

situated near the village of Down St Mary?

It's beautifully restored and comes with a farmhouse kitchen and a spacious garden, too.

As we've seen, there are plenty of tempting properties on offer,

so let's meet today's buyers who are ready to drop anchor and take the plunge in South Devon.

Busy restaurateur and property developer Pritpal, and wife Ruby,

have lived in their six-bedroom house in Newcastle under Lyme for 25 years.

-I fell in love with this house. Ruby was away at the time. I said, "I've found our dream house."

-Yeah.

Within, I think, six weeks we were in.

Since then we have altered this house probably 300 times!

It was a bungalow, now it's a house.

With retirement on the horizon and three grown-up daughters gone,

they've decided it's the perfect time to do the same and have set their sights on South Devon.

We'd like a house overlooking the sea, so that in the morning we could walk on the beach

-and just enjoy it. The house we can alter.

-Yeah.

-But the view...

-The view is important.

-The priority.

So proximity to the coast will be all-important, but what else are they looking for?

We want to downsize. Some of the rooms we don't use.

-So it's best to have a smaller house.

-It has to have probably a minimum of three bedrooms.

-And...

-I would like a big kitchen. Definitely.

The biggest no-nos are beams. Oh, I hate beams.

-I don't like dark areas.

-We like to have a modern house.

-Yeah.

-With lots of glass.

So it's not the typical character home we're hunting for.

But are Pritpal and Ruby after a typically large country garden?

Even though we're downsizing the house, one thing I don't want to do is downsize the garden.

We love entertaining people. We have lots of friends and family and we have a barbecue

and a bouncy castle for the children. We'd like to do that.

But it's not just garden parties...

This is our entertainment room. The whole family loves this room. We get together here for parties.

Yeah. We've got a cooker here and sink and mini bar.

This is the sort of thing we'd be looking for when we move. An entertainment area.

And with what looks like a pub in their house, I've got the picture.

These two really like to party, but surely they have some outdoor pursuits planned?

We'd love to do sailing. We'll definitely be learning to swim.

-And definitely be doing lots of walking.

-Yeah.

-Won't we?

-Walking to the pubs.

-Yes!

-I quite like that. That's my favourite part.

As a property developer, Pritpal is no stranger to doing up houses. Their dream home needn't be perfect.

This is my favourite room. I've designed it the way I want it.

And I'm looking forward to something similar in my new house,

decorated the way I want it to look.

Pritpal and Ruby don't have to sell. How much money do they want to splash out on their coastal retreat?

Our budget for the new property is £750,000

and we're willing to go up to £1,000,000.

Pritpal and Ruby are cash buyers, which makes this an exciting hunt.

Their budget is huge, but their demands quite modest.

They're after a detached property with three bedrooms, two reception rooms, a large kitchen diner,

a space to entertain 30 or so guests. Yeah, 30 - that's large1

And a spacious garden to enjoy long, hot summer barbecues.

But - and there is a but - they're after sea views.

And in this county that comes at a premium.

Since Pritpal and Ruby both want the seaside and the countryside right on their doorstep,

we'll focus today's property search between Bigbury and Dartmouth,

South Devon's most rural stretch of coastline.

We've lined up three fantastic homes for them to view, but I won't reveal the price until they look around.

And then, just to shake things up, the last house will be a mystery house and a real challenge for them,

but not in the way you might think.

-Pritpal, Ruby, welcome to South Devon. How are you?

-Good.

First of all, a big thank you for the budget! A big budget always means lots of fun

and your demands are quite modest, apart from the fact that you want this sea view.

-Yeah.

-You know that'll cost you?

-Nothing is cheap nowadays.

-Have you looked round this area?

-On the internet, but that's not what you can see for real.

Devon is a beautiful part of the world. We've been to Torquay, but we haven't been here.

-We've got some wonderful properties, including the mystery one. Shall we get on with it?

-Yes.

Sounds easy enough,

but they want an ultra-modern house with sea views

in one of Devon's most rural and expensive areas.

Thatched cottages and character homes are no problem here.

Modern mansions are slightly more elusive, so even with £1,000,000,

this could be quite a challenging property search.

You don't seem to be bothered about the finer points of the house. You know that it can be change?

Yeah. The property can be altered.

We have done a lot of construction work to our own house to make it the way we want.

But the one thing you can't actually do anything to is the view.

-Once you have a view and the land, you can make the house to your own liking.

-You can, yeah.

Well, sea views won't be a problem with our first property.

We're heading east to Strete Gate, which overlooks the spectacular Start Bay.

This really is a coastal retreat as there's nothing much here bar miles of beach at Slapton Sands

and the nature reserve.

But just a 10-minute walk away is the pretty hilltop village of Strete.

I'm sure they'll be happy to make the hike for the pub and restaurant.

The property we're viewing is just a stone's throw from the beach.

-Not a bad location?

-No, quite good.

-So far, so good.

-What about that sort of blue tinge at the front?

-I like that.

-Know what it is? A swimming pool.

-I'm not really keen on a swimming pool outside. We can always...

-Fill it up!

-No! You can't! Why don't you like a swimming pool outside?!

-Because we've got the ocean!

-But you like the look of it?

-I do.

Come on.

'I can't believe they'd want to fill in this swimming pool! As property developers,

'they'll have some design ideas for the interiors of this '50s house,

'but in terms of the space and decor, it won't be too big a project for them.'

-Come in through these snazzy doors.

-Yeah.

-They concertina out.

It opens out the whole courtyard and kitchen.

Even if you were cooking in here, entertaining there, you'd still be part of it. Come on in.

-Mmm.

-I quite like this.

-It's just like our kitchen.

-It is!

-Granite work surfaces, electric oven.

Also the oil-fired range. To the left, a totally private annex, built by the current owners.

-It's got a bedroom, a bathroom, so for guests ideal, really.

-Yeah, ideal.

-Into your dining room...

-Mm.

-Yeah, it's quite nice, isn't it?

-Quite nice.

-The ceilings are dated.

I quite like that. It's the original '50s ceilings.

Looking through the cosmetic, what do you make of the space? I love that it opens to the kitchen.

Yeah, I like that. It's all one, the kitchen and the dining room.

You've got another formal dining room and then the living room.

-I'll take you through. Come on.

-Yes.

Pritpal, let me tell you, you're going to love this ceiling(!)

-Yeah, same ceiling again.

-What do you make of this formal living space?

-It's big. It's big, isn't it?

-A reasonable size, yes.

'Ruby and Pritpal seem a bit underwhelmed by this drawing room, but there's plenty more to come.

'And let's not forget this is a downsize for them.'

This is a study at the moment. Could be a TV room. And then this conservatory.

-Oh, yeah.

-Which will be a massive, massive sun trap.

-South-facing. It's going to get the sun all the time.

-Yeah.

-You feel a bit warm.

-You do.

And we've got these double doors so you can open them up as well.

And I like the view from here - the garden, the grass.

'I think Pritpal and Ruby are warming to this house. Let's hope that continues upstairs.

'There are four bedrooms in all.'

So, one of your bedrooms.

-Dual aspect.

-Mm. It's a bit small, isn't it?

-Is it?

-Mm. It's a small bedroom.

-The master bedroom is en suite,

so three bedrooms are serviced by one bathroom, which is just there. Do you want to have a look?

-That's nice. It's a small bathroom.

-Well, yes.

-It's got a shower at the back.

-That's quite good.

-Yeah.

-I'll show you the master bedroom.

So we cross over from one side of the house to the other, in a way.

Two more bedrooms here, almost identical in size.

And then...the master bedroom.

-Ah, right.

-Mm-hm.

-I expected it to be slightly bigger.

-It seems a bit compact for me.

-OK. What about for you?

It'll do. I just need a bed!

That's a typical man expression! "I just need somewhere to lay down my head at the end of the evening."

-Is that the bathroom?

-It is.

-Now this is a good size.

-Mm, it is a good size.

-Almost bigger than the bedroom!

-It is.

-You've got loads of storage space.

-Lots of storage.

'So lots of space for towels, but it's sea views Pritpal and Ruby are really after.

'This house delivers.'

Wow.

-That is good, isn't it?

-I personally would probably cut the trees

-and plant them at the back...

-You can prune them, can't you?

-Yes.

-Then you can see the sea.

-But as far as wanting to have a view of water, it doesn't get much better.

-It doesn't. Very nice.

-Fancy seeing the gardens?

-Yes.

-Yes.

-Got the energy?

-Yeah.

-OK, come on.

'I'd say that's a thumbs up to the view. Let's see if the garden will have the same impact.

'There's around one acre, complete with a pretty lawned area and its very own paddock.'

-Quite a distance from the house now.

-Yes.

-This is your paddock area.

-They're growing potatoes. There's this huge wooden structure.

-There's a lot of potential.

With all that in mind, let's go back to the front lawn.

-And you can think about how much it's worth.

-Right.

-Right.

'They certainly seem to see the pros with this property, but will they be impressed by the price?'

Let's sit down here, shall we? You can't ask for a better view.

-No.

-So, Ruby, how much is it worth?

I think with the location and...considering everything,

-I think 995.

-995.

-Pritpal?

-Em, I think I quite agree with Ruby.

-I think, yeah, round about a million pounds.

-A million pounds.

I can tell you the whole thing - swimming pool, lake, sea, house - £1,250,000.

It's been on the market for a year and a half, though. So is it something you'd make an offer on?

-Em, I certainly like to think so.

-Yeah...

But not with the way the house is.

-Something needs to be done.

-Things need to be changed. If the price came down, we would consider.

-Good.

-Especially thinking of the current market.

-Yes.

I...

-I like the view.

-No, I do.

-You can't put a value to it.

-Go and have another look around. There's plenty to take in.

-Yes.

-The grounds, house, take your time.

-OK.

-I'll wait for you by the front. I'll be by the pool!

-OK!

-I've always wanted to say that.

There are four reception rooms, four bedrooms, a conservatory and a separate guest annex.

This comes pretty close to delivering everything they asked for and, after 18 months,

there will be some room for manoeuvre on the price.

The external is superb. The sea.

This is just perfect.

The location is fantastic. The kitchen is good, swimming pool.

-The kitchen is all right.

-I like it.

-Nice and bright.

-It's got a lot of light.

-Yes. And the open door as well.

In summer time that would be nice to sit outside with a barbecue.

Ah, perfect timing! My work is done.

-Have you seen enough?

-Yes.

-Come on. Plenty more to see.

'As restaurateurs, Pritpal and Ruby will be delighted to know that the South Hams aren't just famed

'for cream teas, but also a gastronomic delicacy - the Bigbury Bay oyster.

'So, acting as official taster, I've come to the Avon Estuary to meet oyster farmer Richard Marsh.'

-Richard, how are you?

-Hi, Aled.

-I've come to give you a hand.

-Fantastic.

-Well, we need to put some chest waders on.

-OK, so where exactly are the oysters now?

I've got three areas. West Bank is along down here, then East Bank on the opposite side of the river

and then the south is from that pink buoy right down to the end.

-How many oysters?

-About 300,000.

-300,000 oysters?!

-It's a lot of oysters.

-Wow! We don't have to get them all out today?

-Just a couple of thousand.

Richard is an urban escape success story himself. He moved here six years ago from London

'and took over the oyster bed, learning his trade as he went.'

-What sort of lifestyle is it?

-Fantastic. You can see where we are.

-No sitting on the Tube going into London any more.

-You don't miss it?!

-Not on days like today, no!

-Shall we get on with it, then?

-Yeah, let's go for it.

-Brilliant.

'The oysters here aren't native to Devon. They're Pacific oysters brought in from a hatchery.

'They're matured here for 2-4 years and the location makes them special.

'The combination of sea water with the fresh water from Dartmoor creates a perfect feeding ground

'for the oysters, and that results in higher meat content and a unique nutty flavour.'

-So these are almost ready to come out?

-Yeah, these are.

-They're pretty much fully grown.

-What do we do?

-Turn the bags.

So grab the bag, turn it on its side,

and then give it a little shake like that.

That's just knocking off the new growth so they get a nice, deep body instead of going flat.

'This is backbreaking work! Richard has over 30 tons of oysters.'

-Now I've helped you a bit, I wouldn't mind tasting them.

-I've got some on the quay for you.

-Fantastic.

-Let's go.

-'Oysters are fantastic for vitamins and minerals.

'Just six a day would more than fulfil your daily intake of iron, copper, zinc and calcium,

'but there's an art to eating them.'

-First of all, you have to pour away the liquor because that's the very salty part.

-Right.

Then you have to sever the muscle underneath, turn it over, so it's loose.

Then you stroke the oyster and it will produce a secondary liquor.

I've never done that before.

-I've eaten oysters loads of times.

-A squeeze of lemon...

and it's ready to eat.

So the best way is to suck into the mouth from that direction,

then you'll compress the oyster with your tongue to the roof of your mouth where it'll start to dissolve.

After a few seconds, you get left with the muscly part. Give that a chew. That's where the sweetness is.

Once you've found that, you swallow and you just get the most amazing after-taste of the ocean

that invigorates your whole body.

God, that's fantastic. That's awesome.

-Wow, yeah!

-You really get the sweetness and the after-taste will keep coming.

Thanks. It's been fantastic.

Good luck with the business. It doesn't sound like you need it. You've got the luck here.

I feel the luckiest man on days like this, doing this for a living.

-Thanks so much.

-Nice to have met you.

-And you too.

As the sun sets over the beautiful South Devon coast,

our first day of house-hunting is over.

'Pritpal and Ruby want to retire from busy lives in Staffordshire

'to relocate to the seaside in South Devon.

'They have up to £1 million to spend on a three to four-bedroomed modern house with sea views.

'We've shown them one house with wow factor, but they had plans for it.'

-I'm not really keen on having a swimming pool outside the house. We can always...

-Fill it up.

'There's plenty more to come to get their creative juices flowing.'

-I don't think I would have these here.

-I'd knock these down.

'But will today's mystery house finally deliver?'

I love it. This is exactly what we're looking for.

'Next we're heading to the outskirts of the village of Malborough,

'a couple of miles from Salcombe.

'Malborough is set in the heart of rural farmland and is home to two quaint pubs, a couple of restaurants

'and some stunning churches, but it's sun-worshipping that Pritpal and Ruby have in mind

'and they won't have far to go.

'Beautiful Hope Cove beach is just two and a half miles away.

'They can either drive or walk the beautiful South West Coast Path.

'And there's refreshment once they get here. But beach life will have to wait as we have a house to view

'that's just back in Malborough.'

So, Ruby, what do you reckon?

-It's a nice property.

-Late Georgian, you've got the triple garage.

You've also got the little annexe room there. It's got a bedroom, toilet.

-And you've got this building here.

-What's in there?

-Games room.

-You like your games room.

-Yeah.

-It's really nicely done.

'This house dates from the 1800s

'and has been extended and beautifully refurbished in the last ten years.

'It comes with space and style, but will Ruby and Pritpal like it?

'Your guess is as good as mine.'

-Ah!

-This is your hallway. Off the hallway, you've got a little study.

-I quite like these very old slate or quarry tiles.

-Flagstone flooring.

-I like those.

-Let's move through.

'They like the flagstone floor. Could this mean they're leaning towards more character?'

-Come on through to what I guess is the most important room.

-Ah!

-It's not very big, is it?

-Do you think it's too small?

-I think it's too small.

-It's big enough to cook in, isn't it?

-It's practical.

-Yes.

It's OK for a couple, I think.

Let me show you the dining room.

-Yeah...

-I know what you're gonna say. Too small?

-It is small.

-But you are downsizing, aren't you?

-Yes, but at the same time, we want to entertain.

-Right.

'I know Ruby likes to entertain around 30 people at a time.

'Although this room may not be big enough, there's just the thing at the back of the house.'

-I have to say this is where I'd spend all of my time.

-Yeah.

-Yeah, this is a bit more like it.

-This is good.

-Lovely, isn't it?

What a great place for a party!

-Absolutely.

-I'm already starting to think that we probably could move that kitchen out of there.

-Yeah.

-And bring it here.

-Bring it outside. Probably have a doorway where the window is.

And people can walk through. There's lots of things you can do here.

I think any property we move to, there will be our personal changes to it.

-He's not happy unless he's knocking down a wall.

-Not doing this to it either.

-But I think this is just superb.

-I think it's fantastic. I really like this.

'These two aren't short of vision, but they might be happy with the next room just the way it is.'

-The running theme, the floor.

-Oh, yes.

-Through the downstairs space.

-Hmm.

-Yeah. This is nice.

-Yeah, I like this size.

-I'm getting the impression that you like this house.

-We do like it.

That part, we weren't that keen, but now...

Yeah, walking around, we can see a lot of positives.

'It looks like we're on a roll. Now let's hope upstairs won't disappoint.

'It shouldn't. It comes complete with three bedrooms, including two double guest bedrooms,

'one of which is used as a sitting room, and there's a guest bathroom.'

This is your master bedroom.

-Oh, right.

-It's quite nice.

-Yeah, it's good.

This is just the sleeping part of it. The current owners have knocked through two or three rooms,

-so it's actually a vast space. Follow me.

-All right, OK.

This is your dressing area.

Lots of storage.

-I don't think I would have these here.

-In the middle.

-In the middle.

-I would probably knock these down completely.

-No way?

-Yes.

Come on, Pritpal, you wouldn't(!)

-Yeah.

-I'd have the bed in the middle somewhere.

-So you'd make it a very long room?

-Yes.

-I'd make it big as one.

-Yeah.

-You've also got an en-suite. Come and have a look.

-Oh, OK.

You can't say this is too small.

Oh, no, I like this.

-I think we would have a bigger window to let more light in.

-Right. Well, let's not dwell here.

Plenty more to see. Let me squeeze past you.

'The entire loft space has been converted, but there's a wooden theme with a fair few beams,

'so what will Ruby make of it?'

-It's a study.

-If you want open-plan, I give you open-plan!

-Yeah, but...

-Oh!

-HE SIGHS

-This is how a building stays up.

-I know that, but I don't like the beams.

-Not even in a loft space?

-No, I don't like loft spaces.

-I get suffocated.

-It could be a study for me. I could have this as an office.

-Yeah.

-He's loving this.

-Yeah, he is.

-This could be an ideal place for a bar.

-For a bar?

-Yeah.

-Hmm.

'So that's the drinks cabinet sorted,

'but Ruby and Pritpal could be having pool parties with this property.'

I love the pool. I'd be there all day.

-I'd be with you.

-Would you?

-Who's gonna do the cooking?

-Forget the cooking!

-It's so pretty everywhere you look.

-Very pretty.

-You've got the shed there. I've never seen such a pretty shed, the pergola, nice decking.

-The barbecue area.

-The barbecue area, yes.

-You've got a vegetable patch down there. Not that you'd care cos you won't be cooking.

-No.

I quite like to do the gardening. I like to get my hands in the mud.

-Saving money already!

-Yeah, you are.

-Growing your own vegetables.

-It's a great garden.

-Great. Absolutely wonderful.

You've got a little pond there.

-Can you see?

-Oh, gosh.

-Shall we take a walk down there?

-Yes.

-Think about money as we go.

-OK.

-Right, OK.

'All in all, there are 1.5 acres, so more than enough space for Ruby's many guests.'

-Yet another lovely area to relax.

-Yeah, beautiful.

-It's a naturally fed pond.

-Oh, gosh.

There are different places you can just relax.

Little pockets, yeah.

How much is it worth?

I think it's worth 1.2.

-1,200,000?

-Yeah.

-Pritpal?

-I think you're way, way too much.

-Too high?

-Yeah.

This probably is worth...

To me, I think it's round about £750,000.

-Shall I tell you how much it's on the market for?

-Yeah.

-Offers in excess of £1 million.

-OK.

-Has that changed things?

I think I need to look around a bit more.

Well, take it all in. There's plenty to look at. It could be yours.

-Yeah.

-You can afford it.

-Of course. Thank you.

You can afford it - "Of course," he says.

Positive responses. They really love the outside space.

But they're quite enamoured by the actual house itself.

Yeah, they want to put their own stamp on it, but who wouldn't?

On the market for offers over £1 million, this property is almost right on the money.

And it's a fantastic country home.

So will Ruby and Pritpal want to take the plunge?

I like this property a lot, beautiful interior, although the kitchen isn't very up to spec,

but that can be sorted out.

-This could be done quite nicely. Yeah.

-That's pretty, isn't it?

-Yeah.

A lot of things can be done to this place. The one negative point here

for this house for me would be that we need to spend quite a bit of money

to make it the way we want it.

-Are you done already?

-Yes.

-How disappointing. You don't want another look? I'm quite happy here.

-Come on then. Plenty more to see.

-Yeah.

-Let's go.

So it's time for the mystery property. This should be interesting.

Our couple like a modern design with sea views,

so we're taking them to an old piggery that's been tastefully restored, a mixture of old and new.

What this property has is an incredible kitchen/diner with plenty of space to entertain.

But it's a mile from the sea, so all you get is unadulterated country views.

Will they go for it or will they call me a swine?

-We're on our way to the mystery property.

-Yeah.

-What do you think we've got planned for you?

-Probably quite modern.

-Yes.

-Right.

-Probably we're looking at the sea.

-Yeah.

-Right.

-Probably by the lake.

-Lots of light, lots of air. A sea breeze, you know.

-OK.

'All will be revealed soon as we don't have far to go.

'We're heading east to the heart of the countryside just a mile from Blackpool Sands.

'For good beach life, Ruby and Pritpal will be hard pushed to find a better spot than Blackpool Sands.

'This award-winning Blue Flag beach is privately owned,

'but the owners are happy to share it with the many, many visitors.

'When watersports and sunbathing get too much,

'a mile down the road is Stoke Fleming with its 13th century pub.

'The mystery house is perfectly situated between the beach and the village.'

So welcome to the mystery property. You're both speechless.

-Different.

-It is different.

-Very different.

-You'll never guess what it used to be.

It was an 18th century piggery barn.

-Wow!

-Which has been totally refurbished, renovated.

-Have all the pigs gone?

-Yes, I can assure you.

-Shall we get a bit closer to it?

-Yeah.

-Follow me.

'This barn conversion was completed just a few months ago, so it's brand-spanking new.

'It's beautifully finished with a mixture of modern and character features

'and needs nothing doing to it at all.

'So can we persuade Pritpal and Ruby to invest in a real slice of rural Devon?'

You've got pine flooring. Come on through to one of the living areas.

-That's a nice size, yeah.

-These are clean lines, aren't they?

-Hmm.

-Do you like it so far?

-So far, so good.

So if it's the wow factor you're after...

Oh, wow, that's so nice!

-That's the wow factor.

-That is really good.

-You wanted a breakfast room where you could entertain.

-I like that.

Come on down.

What a room!

That is so nice. I love it. This is exactly what we're looking for.

-I would be here all day.

-Shall we go upstairs?

-Yes.

-Let's go up.

'Finally, I think we've found one room Ruby is 100% satisfied with.'

And how about this for living space?

-Oh, no.

-"Oh, no" what?

Beams, beams and more beams!

They're straight line beams, not olde-worlde beams.

I know, but I just don't like beams.

-I really don't. I'm not being funny.

-Downstairs is the wow factor.

-Yes.

-Upstairs is the "ooh" factor.

Really?

-Oh, dear.

-If it had a clean cut here...

If I'd come in last night and put a straight ceiling there, you'd have loved it?

-It would have been fantastic.

-It's so cleverly done. You've got the old piggery windows.

-They're beautiful.

But with a modern twist. Just behind you, clear glass. Come this way.

-Yeah.

-More beams.

'What can you do? I thought this mix of old and modern with big, open spaces would be spot-on.

'But it looks like I was way off the mark.

'Ruby and Pritpal could hide the character, but what a waste of stunning original features

'that usually come at the very top of most people's wish lists!'

So this is your master bedroom. Let me close this door.

-It's got a bathroom.

-It has.

-Nice, isn't it?

-Yeah.

-The idea is that you're lying in the bath and you're looking out at the pleasant valley.

-And the beams.

'I'm not giving up yet.

'The guest bedrooms beyond the living room have less character, so might be more to their taste.

'There are three double en-suites.

'Plus one single bedroom, detailed as a study, but all are unfurnished.'

This is an alternative really to your master bedroom.

-Very nice.

-Look how bright it is!

-It's beautiful.

-Fantastic. So much light in here.

-En-suite as well.

-Go and have a look.

-All right.

-Yeah, that's...

-That's good.

-Shower as well.

-That's to our liking.

-Yeah, I like that.

-So if the whole property was like this...

-It would be perfect.

-Really?

-It would.

'It seems for Ruby and Pritpal this house has plenty of plus points, but just as many negatives.

'Let's see if the land can convince them that a few beams might be worth living with after all.

'There's five acres to play with.'

-Come on out.

-Yeah.

Oh, it's so beautiful outside.

-Can you imagine when this is all done up? Lovely grass.

-Yeah.

-I think it's the mix, isn't it?

-Lots of potential.

-The modern, the old. And things can be done.

Let's go down to the bottom of your garden and tell me if you like the property or not.

-I can tell you if you can afford it or not. How's that?

-OK.

'That's a bit more positive. They're considering how this property might work for them. But will the price?'

How much do you think it's on the market for?

I think probably...about 800.

-£800,000?

-£800,000.

-That's purely because it's got the land.

-OK.

I think I'd go slightly higher on that.

990.

It's on the market for £965,000.

-There you go, Ruby, you're close again.

-He knows nothing.

-He doesn't.

I think it was wishful thinking on your part, wasn't it?

-Yeah.

-Start with the kitchen. Let's hope that the love of the kitchen transcends into the whole house.

-Here's hoping.

-OK.

-I'll be outside.

-OK, thanks.

Well, can't win 'em all.

We've found one thing out though - that Ruby doesn't like beams.

She's got a pathological hatred for them. They both don't like anything with character.

It's gonna make that move to the country quite difficult.

With a price tag of £965,000, this barn conversion comes in £35,000 under budget.

If it was for anyone but Ruby and Pritpal, it wouldn't need anything doing to it all.

But I think this house has too much character and it's not often that I get to say that.

What I like about this property is the land and the view is superb.

And it's pretty quiet.

We're looking to come down to Devon to have peace and quiet

and we can find it here.

I love the kitchen in the house.

This is exactly what I'm looking for.

The rest is not up to my liking.

-Here you go, one very warm coat.

-Thank you.

You've seen all the properties. The tour is over. Don't tell me if you're gonna go for any of them yet.

-Shall we go and grab a cold drink?

-That would be so good.

-Come on.

-My language!

'So that's it for our property tour of South Devon.

'Ruby and Pritpal have liked elements of all the houses we've shown them,

'even though they'd have major plans for them, so there's a lot to think about.'

Now it's time to find out what our couple made of the properties.

They haven't been backward in coming forward with their views, but has one house ticked all the boxes?

Let's find out, shall we?

Well, guys, we've seen a variety of properties here in South Devon.

-Some you've liked more than others? Is that right?

-Yes.

Our first property, the house with the lake and the sea at touching distance...

-That was an amazing house.

-Yeah.

-Ticks all the boxes.

-It does.

-Really?

-Nearly all the boxes.

-Nearly.

-Nearly all the boxes.

-What's not right?

-The width of the house.

-The width?

-It's long and narrow, but that could be made the way we want.

-Great location.

Fantastic. You can't go wrong there.

Let's talk about the Georgian farmhouse.

-Fantastic house again. Lots of land.

-A couple of acres of land.

As we actually went in, you didn't like the kitchen.

-The kitchen was too small, which I didn't expect in that house.

-OK.

-But again, the kitchen can be put at the back of the house.

-Yes.

And finally, the mystery property.

Hmm. I loved the kitchen.

That's exactly what I'm looking for.

But the only let-down was the beams.

I didn't expect you to say that at all.

-I'm sorry. I just don't like beams.

-We tried with the beams.

-Yes.

-Any you're gonna go and see again?

I think we'd like to go and see the house with the lake and the sea view.

-That property ticks a lot of boxes which we want.

-Yeah.

I'm delighted. Good luck in your search. It's been fantastic being with you.

-I hope you do find your home here in dreamy Devon.

-We do as well. Thank you.

-Thank you for your help.

So, as Ruby and Pritpal make their way home,

it's good to know that they'll be back to South Devon very shortly.

They absolutely love the county. Who wouldn't?

But finding that modern house built to their exacting standards isn't going to be easy.

If it is the house with the lake and the sea view, here's betting that they'll still knock some walls down!

Till next time, goodbye.

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Subtitles by Subtext for Red Bee Media Ltd 2009

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