0:00:02 > 0:00:06Today's county is associated with Britain's most famous 20th-century composer.
0:00:06 > 0:00:12Fans have erected this rather impressive monument on the beach near where he used to live and work.
0:00:12 > 0:00:15Find out who he is and where I am in today's Escape To The Country.
0:00:28 > 0:00:34Today we're helping a couple swap the fast lanes of London for an artistic life in the country,
0:00:34 > 0:00:37but will any of our properties match their dream?
0:00:37 > 0:00:40I think we're maybe looking for something that's a bit more...
0:00:40 > 0:00:44open and invites the countryside and the light in a bit more.
0:00:44 > 0:00:48And today's mystery house - will it turn out to be the masterpiece?
0:00:48 > 0:00:51- And you can see out and beyond. - And the view! Yes!
0:00:55 > 0:00:59Today I'm in Suffolk, home and birthplace of Benjamin Britten
0:00:59 > 0:01:03and this is Aldeburgh, the place where he spent the greatest part of his life.
0:01:03 > 0:01:06Here we've got the scallop, the monument in his honour,
0:01:06 > 0:01:10and it feature a bit of text: "I hear those voices that will not be drowned,"
0:01:10 > 0:01:15from his most famous work, Peter Grimes, an opera that is set on this stretch of the Suffolk coast
0:01:15 > 0:01:18which was a constant source of inspiration to Britten.
0:01:21 > 0:01:26And this forty-mile stretch of heritage coast continues to inspire.
0:01:26 > 0:01:30In recent years, affluent city folk have headed up the A12 to snap up
0:01:30 > 0:01:33first and second homes both in Aldeburgh
0:01:33 > 0:01:39and in nearby Southwold, turning these genteel seaside towns into increasingly fashionable hotspots.
0:01:39 > 0:01:42Suffolk's location in East Anglia, sandwiched between Norfolk,
0:01:42 > 0:01:48Essex and Cambridgeshire, makes it the ideal weekend getaway for southern urbanites.
0:01:49 > 0:01:52And it's not just the seaside that's a big draw...
0:01:52 > 0:01:54Suffolk is home to classic scenery.
0:01:54 > 0:01:59It's a landscape that inspired one of Britain's most famous artists, John Constable.
0:01:59 > 0:02:05He immortalised it on canvas 200 years ago and, remarkably, it's changed little since.
0:02:05 > 0:02:12Unspoilt market towns, villages and hamlets offer up character properties aplenty,
0:02:12 > 0:02:19from Tudor timber frames to Georgian townhouses and an abundance of thatched cottages.
0:02:19 > 0:02:25And if you have an artistic temperament, this county has its own traditional colour statement -
0:02:25 > 0:02:26Suffolk Pink.
0:02:32 > 0:02:35So, Suffolk is clearly a winner and here are some more statistics to enthuse you.
0:02:35 > 0:02:40The crime rate here is 5% below the national average and it's not too heavily populated...
0:02:40 > 0:02:4566% less than neighbouring Essex and yet it's still commutable
0:02:45 > 0:02:49into London and house prices are pretty reasonable, too. Take a look at what you can get.
0:02:51 > 0:02:53There's plenty to suit all budgets.
0:02:53 > 0:02:56If your pockets are very deep indeed, £1.3 million
0:02:56 > 0:03:03will purchase this six-bedroom 18th-century barn conversation in the hamlet of Cove Bottom.
0:03:03 > 0:03:07It's a huge country pile with four reception rooms, a super sized kitchen/diner
0:03:07 > 0:03:11and bags of rustic charm, all set in an acre of land.
0:03:14 > 0:03:20Or you could be horsing around in this five-bedroom modern house with paddocks and stables in Gislingham.
0:03:20 > 0:03:23It offers masses of space with three reception rooms
0:03:23 > 0:03:28and despite being just five years old, there's a real injection of character charm.
0:03:28 > 0:03:33To ride away with this one, you'll need £625,000.
0:03:33 > 0:03:39Finally, you could be sitting pretty in pink in this traditional Suffolk thatched cottage in Redgrave.
0:03:39 > 0:03:42It comes with four bedrooms, three cosy reception rooms,
0:03:42 > 0:03:47packed with must-have original features, a made-to-measure country kitchen and pretty, lawned garden.
0:03:47 > 0:03:54However, the £395,000 price tag shouldn't put you in the red.
0:03:54 > 0:03:59Pretty impressive stuff but is it gonna be enough to impress today's house buyers? Let's meet them.
0:03:59 > 0:04:06Today's very creative couple are freelance writer Malcolm and artist and gallery owner, Meryl.
0:04:06 > 0:04:11For the last 31 years they've lived in a five-bedroom Victorian house in North London
0:04:11 > 0:04:15but so desperate are they to make the move to the country,
0:04:15 > 0:04:18they've already sold up and are now renting in Hampstead.
0:04:18 > 0:04:23I have always wanted to live in the country, since I was about four.
0:04:23 > 0:04:29I told people that my uncle had a farm and we brought back milk and butter from it.
0:04:29 > 0:04:33It never existed, but I've always had a rich fantasy life!
0:04:33 > 0:04:38Turning a childhood fantasy into reality is a tall order, but we like a challenge!
0:04:38 > 0:04:43Whether the reality of downsizing will live up to their expectations, though, remains to be seen.
0:04:43 > 0:04:47They're splitting the proceeds of the sale of their North London home between a small flat
0:04:47 > 0:04:50near Meryl's gallery in London's East End
0:04:50 > 0:04:53and a country house in Suffolk, which is an ideal location,
0:04:53 > 0:04:56given its direct rail and road links to that part of the city,
0:04:56 > 0:04:58but there are other reasons behind this move, too.
0:04:58 > 0:05:03We were involved for a long time with an arts festival, and a lot of the people who founded it
0:05:03 > 0:05:08live out along in Suffolk and also now we've got friends
0:05:08 > 0:05:11who live along the coast there and in Darsham.
0:05:11 > 0:05:17They know the area but haven't viewed a single property, so do they have a clear location in mind?
0:05:17 > 0:05:24I think we're looking for the edge of a village or close to civilisation, we were saying
0:05:24 > 0:05:31in a distance you could walk for a pint of milk or a pint,
0:05:31 > 0:05:37so not way out in the back of nowhere but not in the village itself, probably.
0:05:37 > 0:05:42Keen equestrian Malcolm also plans to move his horse, Neville, from a livery outside London
0:05:42 > 0:05:44to stables in Suffolk,
0:05:44 > 0:05:49but we need to pin down exactly what kind of accommodation Meryl and Malcolm are after.
0:05:49 > 0:05:58It could be anything from a plain old Victorian vicarage to an 18th-century straightforward house.
0:05:58 > 0:06:03It could even be a complete new-build, architect-designed glass number.
0:06:03 > 0:06:10Meryl and Malcolm are downsizing from a large townhouse, so what's on their wish list?
0:06:10 > 0:06:13We want three bedrooms,
0:06:13 > 0:06:20two bathrooms, we need a good, big kitchen that's gonna be the hub of the place,
0:06:20 > 0:06:25a good big reception room so we can have lots of friends round,
0:06:25 > 0:06:30outside, we need outbuildings for days,
0:06:30 > 0:06:33an acre or two...
0:06:33 > 0:06:37That's a sizeable wish-list! Do they have a sizeable budget to match?
0:06:37 > 0:06:42Our budget for a house in Suffolk is around £400,000.
0:06:42 > 0:06:44I think this is going to be a challenge!
0:06:45 > 0:06:50So if it was good enough to inspire John Constable and Benjamin Britten,
0:06:50 > 0:06:55I'm sure Suffolk will be good enough to inspire our arty couple, Meryl and Malcolm.
0:06:55 > 0:06:57Now they want a three-bedroom house with a big kitchen/diner
0:06:57 > 0:07:00so they can have their artistic friends round for weekends,
0:07:00 > 0:07:04but what they'd really like is some space outside and some outhouses
0:07:04 > 0:07:07to build a studio so they can continue being creative.
0:07:07 > 0:07:13Well, they've got £400,000 so it might be a bit of a squeeze.
0:07:13 > 0:07:17With friends in East Suffolk, Malcolm and Meryl know the area quite well
0:07:17 > 0:07:21and want to focus the search in a narrow 24-mile strip of countryside
0:07:21 > 0:07:25between Woodbridge, Halesworth and the coast.
0:07:25 > 0:07:28This will give them easy access to the A12 into London
0:07:28 > 0:07:29but will make it trickier
0:07:29 > 0:07:32to get everything on their wish list for £400,000.
0:07:32 > 0:07:36In today's show we'll view three of the best homes on the market for the money
0:07:36 > 0:07:41but as always, I won't reveal the price tags until they've had a good look around,
0:07:41 > 0:07:43And the last of the three, our mystery house, will take them
0:07:43 > 0:07:47out of their comfort zone, but will it hit the spot?
0:07:50 > 0:07:52Welcome to Suffolk, guys.
0:07:52 > 0:07:55- Thank you.- How are you feeling about our adventures here?
0:07:55 > 0:07:59- Excited!- Nervous! - Excited and nervous, that's a good combination!
0:07:59 > 0:08:01Well, I've brought you to the Snape Maltings
0:08:01 > 0:08:04where Benjamin Britten founded the Aldeburgh Festival
0:08:04 > 0:08:07which takes place every year so we're continuing a Benjamin Britten theme,
0:08:07 > 0:08:11cultural theme, because I've got you pegged as the cultural couple.
0:08:11 > 0:08:15- Is that fair?- Oh, yes, of course! - Yes, we ooze culture! - Oozing culture!
0:08:15 > 0:08:20And I also sort of imagine that this move down here you're gonna set up an artists' colony
0:08:20 > 0:08:23with painters and sculptors popping round for tea?
0:08:23 > 0:08:28Oh, yeah, that would be great! We've got lots of friends who are working artists in this area
0:08:28 > 0:08:31but also in London, so I think that would be the dream.
0:08:31 > 0:08:34Since we spoke to you last, you've bought a property in London.
0:08:34 > 0:08:40Yes, we've bought a flat in Whitechapel, so right in the gritty heart of East London,
0:08:40 > 0:08:47close to All Hallows, where we operate from, and close to Liverpool Street Station.
0:08:47 > 0:08:50You're still planning to get on the train and come out here?
0:08:50 > 0:08:53Oh, yeah, this is very much part of the dream.
0:08:53 > 0:08:57And has that had an impact on your budget?
0:08:57 > 0:09:04Well, it's tight and pips are squeaking slightly but no, I think we should be all right.
0:09:04 > 0:09:06So we're still talking about £400,000?
0:09:06 > 0:09:10- Yep, that's the target area.- Well, we've got some lovely properties
0:09:10 > 0:09:13including the mystery house, so shall we stroll through the reeds?
0:09:13 > 0:09:14Let's do it.
0:09:18 > 0:09:24Armed with £400,000, Malcolm and Meryl want a detached period or ultra-modern home
0:09:24 > 0:09:26on the edge of a village near the A12.
0:09:26 > 0:09:30Their must-haves include...
0:09:43 > 0:09:48I think the reality of downsizing here in Suffolk will have to involve that word "compromise"!
0:09:48 > 0:09:50This is the very first time Meryl and Malcolm
0:09:50 > 0:09:54have looked for properties here so I wonder how they're feeling.
0:09:59 > 0:10:04This is a long-held dream, so I'm excited but kind of apprehensive
0:10:04 > 0:10:10as well because something in me can't quite believe that you'll be able to find the dream place!
0:10:10 > 0:10:14- You're a bit scared of your dream coming true! - Well, there's always that!
0:10:17 > 0:10:21It looks like we're going down a philosophical route today
0:10:21 > 0:10:25and this voyage of discovery takes us to our first property, in Snape itself.
0:10:25 > 0:10:31Situated on the banks of the River Alde, this pretty Suffolk village is tranquillity personified.
0:10:31 > 0:10:36With just a couple of pubs serving the 600-strong population, it's an ideal escape
0:10:36 > 0:10:40and the A12 is just a few minutes' drive away, so it's well-connected to London.
0:10:40 > 0:10:44The location of our first property should be spot-on too...
0:10:44 > 0:10:48it's right on the edge of the village, situated down a quiet country lane
0:10:48 > 0:10:52and we're starting off with the most traditional of Suffolk properties, a pink cottage.
0:10:52 > 0:10:56Surely as artists, Malcolm and Meryl will appreciate the colour palette.
0:11:00 > 0:11:02So this is the cottage I wanted to show you,
0:11:02 > 0:11:05but it is a proper Suffolk cottage, so what are your thoughts about that?
0:11:05 > 0:11:07It's very pretty, isn't it?
0:11:07 > 0:11:09- It is pretty. - Classic garden, beautiful.
0:11:09 > 0:11:13If you could draw a country cottage, this is probably what it would look like. What do you think, Malcolm?
0:11:13 > 0:11:17Cottage is an interesting option.
0:11:17 > 0:11:22We've been living in a Victorian house with very tall ceilings and I don't like the feeling of being
0:11:22 > 0:11:27sort of enclosed too much, so everything depends on how it feels inside, I think.
0:11:27 > 0:11:33Originally two separate cottages dating from the 1700s, this picture-perfect house could have
0:11:33 > 0:11:38come straight out of a fairytale book, so I'm hoping it will fit Malcolm's childhood dream,
0:11:38 > 0:11:41but it will be a very different proposition
0:11:41 > 0:11:46to their London townhouse and it will definitely be a downsize in terms of room dimensions.
0:11:46 > 0:11:49- In you come.- Thank you.
0:11:49 > 0:11:51This is the dining room.
0:11:51 > 0:11:53Absolutely classic, I'd say!
0:11:53 > 0:11:57- Yes, it's cosy and it's beamy. - Beamy - is that good or bad?
0:11:57 > 0:11:59That's good for a cottage!
0:11:59 > 0:12:02- But for you?- For us, well...
0:12:02 > 0:12:05Not great for me, but you know,
0:12:05 > 0:12:09I don't want to rule these things out just because of...
0:12:09 > 0:12:11Certainly as it's the first one we've seen.
0:12:11 > 0:12:14That's right, but it's good for me to collect your preferences.
0:12:14 > 0:12:19- You're not mad on beams? - Not mad on beams and low ceilings.
0:12:19 > 0:12:24It looks like I'm gonna have my work cut out for me but at least they're keeping an open mind.
0:12:24 > 0:12:26This is the kitchen.
0:12:28 > 0:12:35We love kitchens. I mean, food's very important to us, entertaining, eating together, it's all key for us.
0:12:35 > 0:12:39So the kitchen's quite an essential part of the setup?
0:12:39 > 0:12:43Absolutely, and space to sit is important.
0:12:43 > 0:12:47As you can see, there's not really space to eat in this bit of the kitchen but if you walk through...
0:12:49 > 0:12:52- it goes into a sort of breakfast area here.- Yeah.
0:12:52 > 0:12:57That wall is pretty structural because that was the separating wall between the two cottages,
0:12:57 > 0:13:01- otherwise it would be kind of easy to...- That's pretty solid, isn't it?
0:13:01 > 0:13:06But it's not a listed building so you could always move out into the garden and make this much bigger.
0:13:06 > 0:13:09There's one more room downstairs, which is the big sitting room.
0:13:09 > 0:13:11So there's a wash room.
0:13:13 > 0:13:15This is the main sitting room.
0:13:16 > 0:13:18Struck you dumb!
0:13:18 > 0:13:20- What do you think about this? - It has, hasn't it!
0:13:20 > 0:13:26Well, again it's cosy. I like the wood-burning stove. That's good.
0:13:26 > 0:13:29You could settle here for the evening, glass of brandy, be lovely.
0:13:29 > 0:13:34I get the impression you're being terribly polite but you actually don't like it.
0:13:34 > 0:13:36It's not "not like", I think it's probably just not us.
0:13:36 > 0:13:40I mean, if this belonged to friends of ours, we'd come here and say
0:13:40 > 0:13:43"It's fantastic, what a lovely place you've got."
0:13:43 > 0:13:44You don't have to be embarrassed!
0:13:44 > 0:13:49- No.- It is lovely but it's not to everybody's taste and if it's not to yours, that's what we need to hear.
0:13:49 > 0:13:53I think we're maybe looking for something that's a bit more open
0:13:53 > 0:13:56and invites the countryside and the light in a bit more.
0:13:56 > 0:14:00- A greenhouse! - Yes, or an atrium, there you go!
0:14:00 > 0:14:03They have made an effort to kind of open those little French windows...
0:14:03 > 0:14:05- Yes, to the garden.- Into the garden.
0:14:05 > 0:14:06Yes, that's a good point, that does.
0:14:06 > 0:14:08Quite a lot of light coming in...
0:14:08 > 0:14:10and upstairs is quite light as well.
0:14:10 > 0:14:13Shall we look? Mind your head - it's quite a tight staircase.
0:14:13 > 0:14:15OK.
0:14:15 > 0:14:16Well, that's positive!
0:14:16 > 0:14:21Could this cottage be gradually growing on Malcolm? Let's find out as we head upstairs.
0:14:21 > 0:14:25Let's look at this room first. This is the master bedroom.
0:14:27 > 0:14:28Beams for miles!
0:14:28 > 0:14:31And it walks through into this enormous sort of
0:14:31 > 0:14:33dressing room/bathroom suite.
0:14:33 > 0:14:35That's nice, isn't it?
0:14:35 > 0:14:37Yes, it's quite voluminous!
0:14:37 > 0:14:40Yes, for a cottage, it's quite spacious upstairs.
0:14:40 > 0:14:42I do like attic rooms, actually.
0:14:42 > 0:14:47It's one of those areas, funnily enough, where I kind of
0:14:47 > 0:14:54contradict myself because they are... bedrooms are good like that and I like the slope of the ceilings.
0:14:54 > 0:14:57OK, well, next door there's two more bedrooms.
0:15:06 > 0:15:08Mind your head!
0:15:10 > 0:15:13So again, quite a good sized room for a cottage.
0:15:13 > 0:15:15- Lots of light.- Yes.
0:15:15 > 0:15:21And you've got another bedroom down here which is joined by a back staircase.
0:15:21 > 0:15:26- Oh, yes!- So you can lock this door and have that as a sort of separate room for guests.
0:15:26 > 0:15:28We don't need big bedrooms.
0:15:28 > 0:15:34I think bedrooms for us are where you sleep, they're not a sort of big play area,
0:15:34 > 0:15:39so the dimensions aren't necessarily an issue.
0:15:39 > 0:15:44Malcolm seems to be warming to this property, but I get the feeling it's a reality check in terms of space
0:15:44 > 0:15:51and outside, although relatively roomy with a paved entertaining area and two front gardens, it certainly
0:15:51 > 0:15:58isn't the one or two acres they've asked for but acreage on their budget is a very tall order.
0:16:01 > 0:16:06Here we've come full circle, in fact to the front of the house but you may not have noticed this
0:16:06 > 0:16:07bit of garden on the side.
0:16:07 > 0:16:10This is all kind of squashed in and enclosed, isn't it?
0:16:10 > 0:16:14And you also want some outside, some outbuildings, don't you,
0:16:14 > 0:16:17for your artists' studio, which I'm envisaging very vividly in my mind.
0:16:17 > 0:16:21- Yes.- Right, good. - And I guess that garage won't cut it?
0:16:21 > 0:16:25Well, it would need a bit of attention, wouldn't it?
0:16:25 > 0:16:27It would need something doing to it to transform it...
0:16:27 > 0:16:31Are you looking to have those buildings already there
0:16:31 > 0:16:34are studios, or would you be happy to do some work and do them up?
0:16:34 > 0:16:39Do some work, yes, as long as they were sound, not too much work to be done on structurally.
0:16:39 > 0:16:42Let's step through here and then we can talk a bit about money,
0:16:42 > 0:16:45because I get the impression that this is not
0:16:45 > 0:16:50spatially quite what you're looking for, but there is the issue of budget and yeah,
0:16:50 > 0:16:54I was just wondering what you thought this was worth, what it was on the market for?
0:16:54 > 0:17:02Well, it's tough to tell, because we're at the beginning of the journey, but I'll plump for 390.
0:17:02 > 0:17:06- I was gonna go 380.- Pretty good.
0:17:06 > 0:17:10- That's sort of high in your budget, but it's actually on at 375. - Oh, really?
0:17:10 > 0:17:15- Wander round the house, inside and out and I'll meet you out the front. - OK.
0:17:16 > 0:17:23So Meryl and Malcolm could be living in the pink for £375,000 - £25,000 under budget.
0:17:23 > 0:17:27This traditional cottage comes with bags of period features...
0:17:31 > 0:17:35With three separate garden areas, there's potential to create an art studio.
0:17:35 > 0:17:42This is a fairytale cottage but will it deliver a fairytale ending to Malcolm and Meryl's house hunt?
0:17:42 > 0:17:45I like the windows and the French doors but...
0:17:45 > 0:17:48Yeah, that would be nice, that would open out into the garden.
0:17:48 > 0:17:50The location's good,
0:17:50 > 0:17:54I like the pink traditional Suffolk exterior
0:17:54 > 0:17:59- but it's not for me because I feel a tiny bit claustrophobic in here. - Decent size.
0:17:59 > 0:18:01Yeah, I think with the table...
0:18:01 > 0:18:05Almost the nicest room in the house.
0:18:05 > 0:18:07I could see ourselves in here.
0:18:07 > 0:18:13It's been well-organised and modernised, very liveable in, cosy
0:18:13 > 0:18:16but for us, I think it's just not quite the right thing.
0:18:16 > 0:18:23We have never lived in cottage sort of spaces and I think that it's just not the right kind of place for us.
0:18:23 > 0:18:25There are bees everywhere!
0:18:25 > 0:18:27- Are you all done?- Yes.
0:18:27 > 0:18:32So if you pull the door to, we have the rest of Suffolk to discover.
0:18:32 > 0:18:33OK.
0:18:42 > 0:18:47Malcolm and Meryl aren't the only ones to take inspiration from Suffolk's beautiful countryside.
0:18:47 > 0:18:51For composer Benjamin Britten, it was his constant muse.
0:18:51 > 0:18:57Now I'm a huge fan of Britten, so I couldn't miss the opportunity of visiting his Aldeburgh home
0:18:57 > 0:19:03of 30 years, The Red House, where I'm meeting up with Dr Lucy Walker, Academic Research Officer.
0:19:05 > 0:19:11During his adult life, Britten produced over 13 operas and stage works and many orchestral pieces,
0:19:11 > 0:19:18and The Red House became a hotbed of creativity, attracting musicians and artists from all over the world.
0:19:20 > 0:19:25- What's this?- This is the composition sketch for Peter Grimes. The original material, yes.
0:19:25 > 0:19:29- I'm a bit of a Benjamin Britten geek so that's quite an honour to see that!- Oh, really!
0:19:29 > 0:19:34- "Peter Grimes" is his most famous and very important for us because we're in Suffolk...- Yes.
0:19:34 > 0:19:36And it's set in Suffolk, isn't it?
0:19:36 > 0:19:37It's set in, yes, in a village called "The Borough"
0:19:37 > 0:19:40- which is really effectively Aldeburgh.- It is Aldeburgh?
0:19:40 > 0:19:45Yes, so it's very much rooted in Suffolk.
0:19:45 > 0:19:47It was Britten's first big breakthrough?
0:19:47 > 0:19:51It really was. It kick-started our English opera again as well.
0:19:51 > 0:19:54It was a hugely important moment when it was first performed.
0:19:54 > 0:19:58Today Britten is recognised as one of the most significant contributors
0:19:58 > 0:20:01to 20th-century British classical music
0:20:01 > 0:20:04and he was a passionate promoter of young musicians -
0:20:04 > 0:20:09not surprising, considering the age he started writing.
0:20:09 > 0:20:11He started at the age of six.
0:20:11 > 0:20:14Oh! I hate those people who start when they're six... it's so depressing!
0:20:14 > 0:20:20Yes, it is quite depressing and he wrote over 730 pieces before he was 18! So...yes.
0:20:20 > 0:20:23- Have you got any that we can look at?- Yes.
0:20:23 > 0:20:30We've got a couple here and we have a piano duet here that he wrote for him and his elder sister Barbara to play.
0:20:30 > 0:20:32- Shall we have a go? - We could have a go, yes.
0:20:32 > 0:20:34- Shall we take a seat?- Certainly!
0:20:37 > 0:20:39And after two, one... two.
0:20:41 > 0:20:45THEY PLAY COMPETENTLY
0:20:56 > 0:21:01- Oh, we got through that!- Just about! - Benjamin's probably spinning in his grave!
0:21:01 > 0:21:04- How old was he when he wrote this? - About ten!- Oich!
0:21:04 > 0:21:10- Fantastic. Thank you so much, Lucy. it's been a real pleasure.- You're very welcome.- A real excitement!
0:21:15 > 0:21:18We're restricted in our house hunt to a very specific area
0:21:18 > 0:21:25and the next house we're viewing is situated just five miles north-west of Southwold, in rural Clay Common.
0:21:25 > 0:21:29For amenities, Meryl and Malcolm can head to the positively blooming village of Wangford.
0:21:29 > 0:21:33The community is serviced by one church and one pub
0:21:33 > 0:21:38and since the London to Great Yarmouth road, which used to run through the village was bypassed,
0:21:38 > 0:21:40peace and quiet is assured.
0:21:41 > 0:21:46Our next property is situated just a couple of minutes' drive away.
0:21:46 > 0:21:48This is where we're going,
0:21:48 > 0:21:55down a quiet country lane to this sprawling, spacious property.
0:21:55 > 0:21:58- Right.- It looks interesting, yes. - Yes, I like it.
0:21:58 > 0:22:00Yeah, I like the squareness of it.
0:22:00 > 0:22:04- That's good. - It's a house.- It's a house!
0:22:04 > 0:22:06Nice, simple little house.
0:22:06 > 0:22:08- This has got lots of options, this property.- Good.
0:22:08 > 0:22:10In terms of space.
0:22:12 > 0:22:13- Shall we look inside? - Yep.- Yeah.
0:22:13 > 0:22:18Built in 1850, this property has been fully renovated and extended
0:22:18 > 0:22:20by the current owners in the last five years
0:22:20 > 0:22:24so it's a Victorian house but has a modern light and spacious feel,
0:22:24 > 0:22:27which should be just right for Malcolm and Meryl.
0:22:29 > 0:22:31Step in.
0:22:31 > 0:22:33Thank you.
0:22:33 > 0:22:39So this is a little sort of atrium porch/office...
0:22:39 > 0:22:40- cum music room.- Oh, yes.
0:22:40 > 0:22:42You've given us beams again...
0:22:42 > 0:22:44- wonderful!- Beams, but high beams.
0:22:44 > 0:22:48- Slightly higher, yes. - And there's no beams through here.
0:22:50 > 0:22:52This is beamless,
0:22:52 > 0:22:54- and much more modern.- It is.
0:22:54 > 0:22:59Actually the dimensions I like, it's nice and spacious and light, isn't it.
0:22:59 > 0:23:03Yes, it's smallish but...
0:23:03 > 0:23:07I guess, yes, any house this age and style will be.
0:23:07 > 0:23:11So if you come into the dining area, you can see the sort of heritage of the building.
0:23:11 > 0:23:13- This was the outside wall. - Oh, right.
0:23:13 > 0:23:16And then this is a lean-to that they've kind of extended out.
0:23:16 > 0:23:18Right, quirky.
0:23:18 > 0:23:23This is a spacious house but Meryl and Malcolm seem slightly underwhelmed so far.
0:23:23 > 0:23:27I think they're so used to living in a sprawling Victorian townhouse
0:23:27 > 0:23:31that they can't quite get their heads around the fact that this is a downsize!
0:23:31 > 0:23:33However, I have high hopes for the kitchen.
0:23:33 > 0:23:38It's next door to the living room and has all the right ingredients to be the hub of the house.
0:23:40 > 0:23:42In you come.
0:23:46 > 0:23:49Now I think this is a good space. I'm quite surprised, really.
0:23:49 > 0:23:52I like the panoramic windows with the garden. That's nice.
0:23:52 > 0:23:56Really nice, and that's a nice kitchen with sink.
0:23:56 > 0:23:58Yes, beech work surfaces throughout.
0:23:58 > 0:24:02- Yep.- So you've got all this and then there is a big utility room there as well.- Excellent.
0:24:02 > 0:24:04Which goes out into the garden.
0:24:04 > 0:24:08Is this adequate to your kind of kitchen/dining/utility needs?
0:24:08 > 0:24:11- Yes, I would say so.- This works.
0:24:11 > 0:24:15Well, that's better! Let's hope we can keep up the good work upstairs.
0:24:15 > 0:24:17There's a bright, neutrally decorated bathroom
0:24:17 > 0:24:22with tongue and groove detail, and the bedrooms are next.
0:24:22 > 0:24:25The first is a good size for guests but we're heading into the second bedroom
0:24:25 > 0:24:28which has been cleverly reappointed.
0:24:30 > 0:24:36And then here, this would have been another bedroom but it's been turned into a walk-in wardrobe.
0:24:36 > 0:24:39Oh, yes, just a room full of wardrobe!
0:24:39 > 0:24:42An enormous wall of wardrobe!
0:24:42 > 0:24:44- Is that good for you? - To die for, I would have thought!
0:24:44 > 0:24:47- But you are down a bedroom at this point.- Yes.
0:24:47 > 0:24:51But you do have an en-suite with some serious bathroom kit.
0:24:51 > 0:24:55This is a sauna shower.
0:24:55 > 0:24:57- Wow!- Not just a shower...
0:24:57 > 0:24:59- a sauna shower.- That looks...
0:24:59 > 0:25:01Turn it on outside, half an hour later,
0:25:02 > 0:25:04roasting hot sauna.
0:25:04 > 0:25:06Let's look at your bedroom.
0:25:09 > 0:25:11What do you think of the layout?
0:25:11 > 0:25:14- Slightly unusual.- It is.
0:25:14 > 0:25:19We're up in the eaves. I quite like that. I like loft spaces.
0:25:19 > 0:25:24Well, the interior has got a reasonably positive reception, but let's turn our attention to the
0:25:24 > 0:25:29outside space, which is just as important to our creative duo.
0:25:29 > 0:25:33This property comes with nearly half an acre in all and there's an added extra out there, too.
0:25:38 > 0:25:42It's an interesting garden, I think, because when they moved in in 2004, it was all like this...
0:25:42 > 0:25:46it was all this sort of asbestos outhouses and it was all concreted
0:25:46 > 0:25:51so they've done an enormous amount of work re the structuring but I think there's lots of potential.
0:25:51 > 0:25:53Can you see potential here?
0:25:53 > 0:25:56- Definitely, yes.- Yes, there's quite a bit of space.- It's nice, yeah.
0:25:56 > 0:26:01- And this is the latest addition to their garden landscape. - It's a log cabin! There you go.
0:26:01 > 0:26:05What I was thinking is you wanted some outside space for your art and stuff.
0:26:05 > 0:26:08- Certainly.- Shall we have a look?
0:26:08 > 0:26:09Yeah.
0:26:10 > 0:26:13Oh, I thought that would get more of a reaction,
0:26:13 > 0:26:17but these two are playing their cards very close to their chest!
0:26:18 > 0:26:22It's a really substantial space they've got going on in here.
0:26:22 > 0:26:24Indeed, yes, it is.
0:26:24 > 0:26:27It's a Wendy house isn't it, but for grown-ups.
0:26:27 > 0:26:31It's really not a Wendy house, it's a WENDY house,
0:26:31 > 0:26:39because you've got a fully fitted-out kitchen and a bathroom and shower room at the back
0:26:39 > 0:26:42and a very nice space here with a pull-out bed.
0:26:42 > 0:26:44- Amazing!- It's good, isn't it!- Yeah.
0:26:44 > 0:26:47I think this is a real addition to the property because it
0:26:47 > 0:26:49really is like having another big living room/kitchen.
0:26:49 > 0:26:53Yes, it is, and if you've lost a bedroom up there, you've actually got guest...
0:26:53 > 0:26:56- You've more than made it up here. - Yes.- ..space.
0:26:56 > 0:26:59Well, let's go into the garden and see what you think about the price.
0:27:03 > 0:27:09It's an interesting proposition in terms of a package because it's lots of different things, really.
0:27:09 > 0:27:14It's got a bit of the garden, lots of extensions possibilities.
0:27:14 > 0:27:17- Yeah.- What sort of ball-park figure would you go for?
0:27:17 > 0:27:19385.
0:27:19 > 0:27:21- And I was gonna go 375.- 375.
0:27:21 > 0:27:26You're quite high, you're a little less high, but both of you are a bit too high,
0:27:26 > 0:27:29- cos it's actually on the market for 365.- Really!
0:27:29 > 0:27:36- So, have a wander around and then we'll met out front and then mull it over.- Thanks.
0:27:36 > 0:27:45On the market for £365,000, this detached modernised Victorian home is a sizeable £35,000 under budget
0:27:45 > 0:27:48and on paper it has nearly everything Malcolm and Meryl have asked for...
0:27:58 > 0:28:00I think there's lots of potential
0:28:00 > 0:28:02to put their own stamp on it,
0:28:02 > 0:28:04but will Malcolm and Meryl
0:28:04 > 0:28:06buy into the possibilities?
0:28:06 > 0:28:10I like quite a lot of aspects of the house, particularly, funnily enough, towards the back.
0:28:10 > 0:28:15I like the kitchen/diner, particularly like the garden and all
0:28:15 > 0:28:20the sort of bits and bobs that make the garden full of possibilities.
0:28:20 > 0:28:24I wouldn't discount it out of hand. Certainly something to think about.
0:28:24 > 0:28:26I quite like this.
0:28:26 > 0:28:32I like the fact that you can cook here and you can talk to people, it's all one big space.
0:28:32 > 0:28:36And good outlook onto the garden, especially the doors there.
0:28:36 > 0:28:44But this is house is quite perplexing and I can't quite get my head round it, because there are so many bits
0:28:44 > 0:28:51and some of them work and some of them don't, yet there's bags of potential
0:28:51 > 0:28:57in the garden and the outbuildings and outdoors so it needs a bit of consideration, really, I think.
0:29:05 > 0:29:10With the sun beginning to set over Suffolk, the first day of our house-hunt is at an end.
0:29:18 > 0:29:23Creative couple Meryl and Malcolm are looking for an artistic retreat in Suffolk.
0:29:23 > 0:29:27We've already shown them two properties for their £400,000 budget,
0:29:27 > 0:29:29one of which is a definite maybe.
0:29:29 > 0:29:30This works.
0:29:31 > 0:29:35But there's plenty more to come in the form of the mystery house,
0:29:35 > 0:29:37which could be a masterpiece in the making!
0:29:37 > 0:29:38It's put a smile on your face too!
0:29:38 > 0:29:41- Almost!- Almost a beam! - Almost a beam!
0:29:47 > 0:29:50Malcolm and Meryl aren't moving to Suffolk alone.
0:29:50 > 0:29:53Neville, Malcolm's horse, will be joining them, too.
0:29:53 > 0:29:56Finding out where he can saddle up and canter to his heart's content
0:29:56 > 0:29:58is a priority for Malcolm so we've sent him
0:29:58 > 0:30:05along to East Farm Park on the outskirts of Woodbridge to meet up with stable hand Steve Swann.
0:30:05 > 0:30:08- Hi, Meryl.- Malcolm. - Hello Malcolm, nice to meet you.
0:30:08 > 0:30:15In 1974, the farm opened to the public and was the second farm park in all of England.
0:30:15 > 0:30:20In the last few years, it's created 15 miles of horse tracks in the area where riders can gallop safely
0:30:20 > 0:30:27in off-road countryside, but it's also home to a unique breed of horse, particular to this county...
0:30:27 > 0:30:30the Suffolk Punch.
0:30:30 > 0:30:34This is Polly and this is Major behind her.
0:30:34 > 0:30:38Major was bred here. He's about 18 years old,
0:30:38 > 0:30:4618 hands high, weighs just under a tonne, capable of pulling twice his own body weight.
0:30:46 > 0:30:52With origins dating back to 1506, the Suffolk Punch is the oldest breed of heavy horse in Britain.
0:30:52 > 0:30:57Bred to pull farm machinery, these chestnut gentle giants have a unique shape,
0:30:57 > 0:31:03large body and stocky legs designed specifically to cope with the low-lying muddy terrain of Suffolk.
0:31:05 > 0:31:07But these are quite rare, is that right?
0:31:07 > 0:31:14Apparently, when the tractors came on the scene in the '50s, horses were disregarded slowly
0:31:14 > 0:31:19and farmers' sons and things didn't want the horses, they wanted tractors and they faded them out.
0:31:19 > 0:31:26They sort of got to the stage where they, you know, became endangered, so to speak.
0:31:26 > 0:31:31They did say at one stage there were more giant pandas in the world than there were Suffolk horses!
0:31:31 > 0:31:32- No!- Apparently so.
0:31:32 > 0:31:39Thanks to enthusiasts like Steve and the Suffolk Horse Society, the Punch is slowly making a comeback.
0:31:39 > 0:31:43Today there are 200 grazing in England
0:31:43 > 0:31:48and every one of them can be traced back to the same stallion from 1768.
0:31:50 > 0:31:51Well, thank you, Steve, that was really great.
0:31:51 > 0:31:54- Thank you, I'm glad you enjoyed it. - Fantastic!
0:31:54 > 0:31:57Yeah, thanks, loved meeting the horses, that was great!
0:32:01 > 0:32:03Suffolk does have some striking properties,
0:32:03 > 0:32:06such as the House In The Clouds in Thorpeness.
0:32:06 > 0:32:09Sadly it's not for sale, so I can't offer that to Meryl and Malcolm,
0:32:09 > 0:32:13but I do feel that we need to pull out the big guns because they haven't
0:32:13 > 0:32:18been exactly bowled over by the properties I've shown them so far, so time for the mystery house.
0:32:18 > 0:32:24Of course, the mystery house always involves a twist, and today it's all about location.
0:32:24 > 0:32:29We're breaking out of our search area and heading to Metfield, a 20-minute drive north-east
0:32:29 > 0:32:34of Malcolm and Meryl's preferred location.
0:32:34 > 0:32:36It's a lovely village with a strong community.
0:32:36 > 0:32:43There's one pub, a 13th-century church and a shop that's run entirely by volunteers.
0:32:43 > 0:32:47To save it from closure in 2006, a committee of local residents
0:32:47 > 0:32:52bought the store and today the villagers serve the villagers, seven days a week.
0:32:52 > 0:32:57The mystery house is situated on the outskirts of the village, in very rural surroundings.
0:32:57 > 0:33:02It will need some cosmetic TLC but I have high hopes for this one.
0:33:02 > 0:33:05Ta-da!
0:33:05 > 0:33:09- That is a house! - Yes!- This is a proper house.
0:33:09 > 0:33:10- Yes, it is!- No more cottages!
0:33:10 > 0:33:14Wow, a good, solid house, yes.
0:33:14 > 0:33:18- Smiles!- Definitely, yes. - I saw the smile on your face too, Malcolm!- Almost!
0:33:18 > 0:33:20- Almost a beam!- Almost a beam...
0:33:20 > 0:33:22a different kind of beam!
0:33:22 > 0:33:25- There are none of those beams in this property.- Oh, right. - Let's look.
0:33:25 > 0:33:30Well, we're off to a good start and I think this 1920s-built house
0:33:30 > 0:33:33will have the room sizes Meryl and Malcolm are more used to.
0:33:33 > 0:33:37Let's find out if lots of space will make up for the shift in location.
0:33:41 > 0:33:44What I want you to bear in mind with this property is that
0:33:44 > 0:33:46it's the bones that count.
0:33:46 > 0:33:53I like it, I like the scope of this room, the height,
0:33:53 > 0:33:56- and you can see in the beyond. - The view! Yes!
0:33:56 > 0:33:59That's the best response we've had from Meryl yet.
0:33:59 > 0:34:04Just next door is a further reception room, currently used as a study, and I'm
0:34:04 > 0:34:08quietly confident the kitchen will live up to expectations.
0:34:08 > 0:34:11So we come through this sort of strange atrium that's got
0:34:11 > 0:34:16lots and lots of storage there, there's a downstairs loo,
0:34:16 > 0:34:18into...
0:34:18 > 0:34:20- your kitchen.- Oh, yes!
0:34:20 > 0:34:23Well, it's a lovely big country kitchen, isn't it?
0:34:23 > 0:34:27- Mmm.- Lots of space, you could get everybody in here, all together.
0:34:27 > 0:34:31- Yep. - Got lots and lots of possibility.
0:34:31 > 0:34:36And you're sort of south-east facing, so you get a lot of the sun through the day.
0:34:37 > 0:34:42I'm a bit shell-shocked because it is a surprise as it should be,
0:34:42 > 0:34:52so I'm trying to envisage this, but there are lots and lots of things you could do, so I'm trying to
0:34:52 > 0:34:59get past what we've got in front of us to see how it could be, but there are definitely lots of possibilities.
0:34:59 > 0:35:04I think the fact that Malcolm is visualising what they could do here can only be a positive sign.
0:35:04 > 0:35:09Let's see if the creativity continues upstairs.
0:35:09 > 0:35:13- Lovely big wide staircase, no head-banging.- No.
0:35:13 > 0:35:19And you've got four bedrooms, a nice big bathroom,
0:35:19 > 0:35:21study room here. This is a very typical...
0:35:23 > 0:35:25it's the end bedroom. I think they're really nice
0:35:25 > 0:35:32sized rooms, so you could easily turn one of these upstairs into another office, or a study room.
0:35:32 > 0:35:37Back along the corridor is a further double bedroom and the master.
0:35:37 > 0:35:41At the other end of the upstairs this is the one...
0:35:41 > 0:35:44- The reverse of the other end. - Exactly.- In fact more light.
0:35:44 > 0:35:46More light because you've got triple aspect.
0:35:46 > 0:35:50In terms of upstairs space, is this adequate?
0:35:50 > 0:35:53- Oh, more.- Upstairs, yes, it's good. - More than enough!
0:35:53 > 0:35:55I'm getting a good feeling from the place.
0:35:55 > 0:35:58Yes, I like it, yes. I think...
0:35:58 > 0:36:02I like the way it is, I like the views particularly and
0:36:02 > 0:36:07the light and the solidness of the way it's built, yeah, I like it.
0:36:07 > 0:36:08- You've got a big smile on your face! - Yeah.
0:36:08 > 0:36:11Good, well, let's take a look outside.
0:36:11 > 0:36:14Well, the mystery house seems to be working its magic.
0:36:14 > 0:36:17Hopefully the outside space will charm them, too.
0:36:17 > 0:36:20This property is set in a very secluded half-acre plot
0:36:20 > 0:36:24and there's plenty of potential for art parties and studios.
0:36:26 > 0:36:29- Lots of lovely outside space.- Yes.
0:36:29 > 0:36:33I'm picturing full-on soiree here!
0:36:33 > 0:36:35Oh, yeah, look, places to sit!
0:36:35 > 0:36:38Yes. Are those old stables?
0:36:38 > 0:36:40They are indeed old stables, yes.
0:36:40 > 0:36:44- There's two here and there's actually another one round the corner.- For studio space possibly
0:36:44 > 0:36:46or all sorts of other workshop ideas.
0:36:46 > 0:36:47Let's look inside the stable.
0:36:54 > 0:36:57- This is a proper workshop. - Even smells like a workshop!
0:36:57 > 0:37:00- It does. Power tools...- Terrific!
0:37:00 > 0:37:04- Vice.- Bench.- Makes you just want
0:37:04 > 0:37:05to mend things, doesn't it!
0:37:05 > 0:37:07It makes Meryl want to mend things!
0:37:07 > 0:37:12- Ellie, our daughter, would like this, I think. - Is she a workwoman?
0:37:12 > 0:37:18She is indeed, yeah, yeah, she's the sculptor, so she's working in ceramics and glass and things.
0:37:18 > 0:37:21Oh, great! Wow, you could have a pottery in here! That would be cool!
0:37:21 > 0:37:25Yes, definitely, cool. Try to stop her, I think!
0:37:25 > 0:37:31Things are definitely looking up and I don't think the rest of the garden will disappoint, either.
0:37:31 > 0:37:33Lots of potential in this garden.
0:37:33 > 0:37:40They haven't really done an awful lot with it but you've got these great views, this magnificent tree.
0:37:40 > 0:37:43Any idea how much space there is in acreage?
0:37:43 > 0:37:47It's about half an acre, because it actually goes all the way down here,
0:37:47 > 0:37:53- through this gate, goes down to this woodland bit on the other side of the tree.- Right to that point?
0:37:53 > 0:37:56What do you think it's on at?
0:37:56 > 0:37:59Shall I go with 425?
0:37:59 > 0:38:05I'm gonna be more optimistic and go for 390.
0:38:05 > 0:38:07390?
0:38:07 > 0:38:11Well, this property is on the market for...
0:38:11 > 0:38:18£380,000 and it's been on for a fair amount of time,
0:38:18 > 0:38:22so you could probably put in a cheeky offer, should you wish.
0:38:22 > 0:38:25Yes, that gets the mind whirring, doesn't it!
0:38:25 > 0:38:29- Yeah, it does.- It's great that your great minds are whirring!
0:38:29 > 0:38:33Why don't you wander round the property and whirr some more?
0:38:33 > 0:38:35- OK, see you in a minute.- Yep. - See you out the front.
0:38:37 > 0:38:38That's fantastic, you see!
0:38:38 > 0:38:43There's asking lots of questions, they're imagining where their daughter can do her sculpture.
0:38:43 > 0:38:47These are the questions of somebody who's interested in buying a property.
0:38:49 > 0:38:53At £380,000, the mystery house is £20,000 under budget
0:38:53 > 0:38:59so plenty of spare change to convert the stable blocks and make any decorative alterations they want.
0:38:59 > 0:39:05It comes with two reception rooms, farmhouse kitchen and four bedrooms.
0:39:05 > 0:39:07We've taken them out of their preferred location
0:39:07 > 0:39:09to get them more for their money
0:39:09 > 0:39:10so will the gamble pay off?
0:39:10 > 0:39:16I wanted to have another look at this room because it's such an unusual space, isn't it.
0:39:16 > 0:39:18Yes. This extra bit.
0:39:18 > 0:39:21It's nice though. I mean you could read in there, couldn't you?
0:39:21 > 0:39:25Yeah, it would be a great little reading spot. Now this is a plus.
0:39:25 > 0:39:27What I really like about this place is that it's a
0:39:27 > 0:39:33proper house with proper rooms, lots of light, lots of ground and outbuildings so all that's good.
0:39:33 > 0:39:42It's a bit of a project but if we can get the asking price down a bit, then that will give us some room to move.
0:39:42 > 0:39:45I like the windows all three sides, that really works.
0:39:45 > 0:39:52Yes, light, waking up to views of the fields, trees, lovely.
0:39:52 > 0:39:55The garden is fantastic, there's lots of space, there's outbuildings
0:39:55 > 0:40:02and rough space and then the view, which is really lovely and I think against it is only the fact that
0:40:02 > 0:40:08there's a few bits that need moving around or sorting out, especially this kitchen perhaps, so I think
0:40:08 > 0:40:13this one's one that I'd like to go into further and there's a distinct possibility.
0:40:13 > 0:40:14OK, pull the door to.
0:40:14 > 0:40:16Our work here is done.
0:40:22 > 0:40:26Well, that's nearly it for our property tour of East Suffolk.
0:40:26 > 0:40:31We've had some ups and downs but will any of our houses have truly inspired Meryl and Malcolm?
0:40:33 > 0:40:37Our long Suffolk adventure has come to a close.
0:40:37 > 0:40:42The first property I showed you was that pink cottage, Suffolk pink. What are your memories of that?
0:40:42 > 0:40:46From the minute we got there, it felt enclosed.
0:40:46 > 0:40:54Lovely as an example of Suffolk rural architecture but too constricted for me.
0:40:54 > 0:40:56Certainly not enough space.
0:40:56 > 0:40:59And so the next house I showed you was slightly less cottage-y.
0:40:59 > 0:41:02They're all sort of cottage size because that's the sort of budget,
0:41:02 > 0:41:07but it had made steps towards modernity including that chalet in the garden.
0:41:07 > 0:41:13That had many more possibilities and it wasn't simply to do with it being more contemporary...
0:41:13 > 0:41:18it was actually to do with the fact that it was a bit more open
0:41:18 > 0:41:23and a bit more light and it led out into the garden area.
0:41:23 > 0:41:25And the garden was terrific.
0:41:25 > 0:41:28At the stage in the proceedings you both looked quite glum
0:41:28 > 0:41:31and then I showed you the mystery house, the 1930s vicarage.
0:41:31 > 0:41:37Well, I was much more enthusiastic about that, I have to say, and again there was a lot of options
0:41:37 > 0:41:40with the garden and outhouses and space and I think the only thing
0:41:40 > 0:41:47about that might be that you might need to do a bit of work to make the kitchen area work.
0:41:47 > 0:41:53It feels like we've been juggling throughout the whole process between your expectations of this...
0:41:53 > 0:41:58wonderful artistic colony in Suffolk and then the reality of your budget,
0:41:58 > 0:42:01so I was wondering whether you'd had any thoughts about that?
0:42:01 > 0:42:03It's a matter of...
0:42:03 > 0:42:10dealing with a dream, because it's a long-held dream, particularly of mine, to move to the country and
0:42:10 > 0:42:17I realise there are elements of fantasy with that so you've got to manage as a fantasy
0:42:17 > 0:42:24but still hold on to the vision somehow, but I think that there are two possibilities.
0:42:24 > 0:42:31I think the chalet house and the mystery house have both got possibilities which I think that
0:42:31 > 0:42:36we should pursue and actively look at and see
0:42:36 > 0:42:41whether they can turn the dream into a reality.
0:42:41 > 0:42:43Yes, I think we'll look at those.
0:42:43 > 0:42:47I think you're right to chase that dream. I'm sure the dream property is out there somewhere.
0:42:47 > 0:42:50The market's very slippery at the moment
0:42:50 > 0:42:54so you just need to plug away and you've got a place in Whitechapel to stay safe,
0:42:54 > 0:43:01so I hope you find it soon and I can't wait to be invited to your first artistic soiree!
0:43:01 > 0:43:05- We'll do it!- We will have the bottles waiting for you!
0:43:08 > 0:43:11Well, that was a turn-up for the books.
0:43:11 > 0:43:15Meryl and Malcolm really liked some of the properties that we showed them, though I think they're
0:43:15 > 0:43:21probably well-advised to keep on plugging away until they find their dream artistic home here in Suffolk.
0:43:21 > 0:43:25I hope you enjoyed the show and do tune in if you want more Escape To The Country.
0:43:25 > 0:43:31But if you want to make a break for the countryside and want our help, please apply online:
0:43:43 > 0:43:45Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd
0:43:45 > 0:43:47E-mail subtitling@bbc.co.uk