Carmarthenshire Escape to the Country


Carmarthenshire

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These great walls are the remains of one of the most historic and forgotten gardens in Britain.

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Where are we? Stick around and I'll show you.

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'On today's show, we'll be helping a very athletic couple

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'in their bid for the country dream.

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'On your marks and get set for some gold medal properties.

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'But who will be the ultimate champion?'

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I win!

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Today, we're in a damp Carmarthenshire in southwest Wales.

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These are the glorious gardens of Aberglasney.

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The house is shrouded in mystery, but we know there's been a garden since the 15th century.

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This is in the process of being restored - and it is unique.

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Southwest Wales is dominated by the counties of Carmarthenshire

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and Pembrokeshire.

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With stunning scenery that covers 240 square miles,

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Pembrokeshire has the only national park in the UK

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that is virtually all coastal.

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Carmarthenshire is known as the "garden of Wales".

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It's said that Dylan Thomas found inspiration in the rural splendour,

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which he referred to as "the fields of praise".

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Here in southwest Wales, house prices can vary dramatically.

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For value for money, try Carmarthenshire.

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Prices are 15% lower than neighbouring counties.

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If you want gorgeous coastlines

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and stunning countryside, check out Pembrokeshire and Ceredigion.

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The average detached will set you back a cool £206,000.

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As you can see, there is plenty on offer.

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'If money is no object,

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'the former lighthouse at St Anne's Head

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'could be yours for £1,250,000.

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'It's awash with all the maritime quirks you'd expect,

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'with six bedrooms, an indoor pool

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'and spectacular views of the Pembrokeshire coastline and beyond.

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'Tucked behind these double gates in Cosheston

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'is this detached four-bed property with three reception rooms

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'and a handcrafted kitchen centred around a grand atrium hallway.

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'All this for £720,000.

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'Finally, pop in to Carmarthenshire

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'and this villa is on the market

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'for just shy of £350,000.

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'It has open-plan kitchen and living areas,

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'enough space for a game of snooker,

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'and a sun terrace to take in the views.'

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Some fantastic properties on offer.

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Are you tempted, I wonder?

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Today's buyers are, so let's meet them.

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'Conrad and Sueanne tied the knot last year and are looking for their first home in southwest Wales.

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'They're renting a six-bedroom house 15 minutes' drive from Swansea.

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'They yearn to return to their rural roots.'

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We want to set down our roots and start our own family.

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We want to give them the best start and the same upbringing that we had.

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'As a true daughter of the land, Sueanne was brought up on a farm

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'and has hopes of raising chickens.

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'There also has to be space for three dogs and perhaps a donkey.

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'Aside from room for the animals, Conrad has particular ideas

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'about what he wants from the property.'

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It's important to have room to build a gym.

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I'm trying to get into the British team.

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If I had a gym I could train harder and get to the Olympics.

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'Conrad is an athlete and competes in discus and shotput to a professional level.

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'Building the gym of his dreams should help medal chances, but what type of house would get the gold?'

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I would never consider a little cottage because I'm 6 foot five,

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and I'd be whacking my head all the time and I don't fancy that.

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Somewhere where we can put our own stamp on it.

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We've both got quite big personalities.

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Our home needs to reflect that.

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'So it's big ambition and a big house to match.

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'But what are the specifics?'

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Five or six bedrooms, a nice big kitchen.

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-Tall ceilings.

-Yeah.

-Wide doors.

-Yeah.

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Plenty of land for the dogs. A downstairs toilet would be a bonus.

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-I'd like a den somewhere in the house.

-A boy's play pen, yeah!

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'With Conrad's hideaway sorted, what about Sueanne?'

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The kitchen's really important.

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My day starts and ends there. I make eight meals a day for Conrad as part of his training.

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'They don't have a property to sell so how much money do they have

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'for their perfect family home in the Welsh countryside?'

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Our budget is a maximum of £500,000.

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So with the exception of a cosy cottage,

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Sueanne and Conrad are pretty open to the kinds of property they're prepared to view.

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They do have some specific needs -

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outside space for the dogs, inside space for themselves and lots of room for Conrad's gym.

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He's training for the Games in London in 2010.

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He's not training for the Olympics. He's training for the Paralympics.

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Seven years ago, an accident on a training exercise

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ended his promising career in the army and left him virtually blind.

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Those pleas for wide doorways and high ceilings really mean something

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in this house search with a difference.

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'The extra dimension is that Conrad's vision impairment

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'makes the internal layout much more significant than usual.

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'Location is also key, as Sueanne wants to be near her father.

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'So our search will take us through Carmarthenshire, Pembrokeshire

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'and Ceredigion.

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'We've got a variety of spacious family homes.

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'I won't be revealing the prices straight away.

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'And there's the mystery house, but which will finish in first place?'

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-Good morning, guys. How's things?

-Bore da.

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Indeed. Normally, I say, "Welcome to Wales," but I can't do that.

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-This is your patch.

-Yeah.

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-Let's remind ourselves of your budget.

-500,000.

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Any movement in that?

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If you find me a big enough kitchen, maybe, or a big enough garden!

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A little bit over five, if need be!

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Give me a sense, Conrad, of what you can see.

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Your face, the only bit that's clear is around your right eyeball.

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-This bit?

-Yeah. Everything else is gone.

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-Like looking through a pinhole?

-Yeah. Just got to scan all over the place.

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-Conrad, you're training for 2010.

-Yeah. It's really important.

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Let's just talk about the whole gym issue.

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It's what gets us out of bed in the morning.

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-How big a space are we after?

-Minimum is about triple garage size.

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-At least.

-A triple garage size?

-Yeah.

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It's quite big bulky equipment, you see.

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Half a million pounds goes quite a long way. Let's see what we can find you - and keep dry!

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'For £500,000, give or take, Conrad and Sueanne have set their target

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'on a large house in southwest Wales

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'with high ceilings, a few reception rooms

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'and not far from Sueanne's father.

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'The kitchen needs to be big enough for Sueanne to spend time

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'preparing Conrad's eight meal daily menu...

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'Let's start, and hope the weather doesn't dampen their spirits.'

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-If you love Wales today you will love it any time.

-Who can't love Wales?

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There is this sort of sense within the Welsh speaking community

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of "hiraeth", this sense of home.

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-Longing, yeah.

-Do you feel that very acutely?

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Oh, yeah. Massively, yeah.

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I think it was the way we were brought up as a family.

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The first language - Welsh.

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-Yeah.

-So, bless Conrad when he comes home to my dad's!

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'Well, let's see if we're all talking the same language.

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'Starting in Pembrokeshire, we're heading to the centre,

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'eight miles north of Haverfordwest, to the village of Ambleston.

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'A small community of less than 500, Ambleston is surrounded by farmland,

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'farm buildings and stone walling.

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'In the heart of the village is St Mary's church.

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'Our first house is right opposite.'

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-What do you think of that, Sueanne?

-Fantastic.

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-Lovely.

-What do you like about it?

-It looks like a stately home!

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What we've got is a great big Edwardian...

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Well, this is the old vicarage.

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-It's got really generous rooms.

-High ceilings.

-Shall we go look?

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-Yeah.

-Definitely.

-Come on.

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'Dating from 1907, this is a handsome property,

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'stuffed with period charm and approached by a long gravel drive.'

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Right, in you come. Go on, Sueanne.

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-Come in, Conrad. Little step there.

-Wow!

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What do you think?

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Stunning! The staircase is fantastic.

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This lovely oak staircase dominates the hallway.

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Just off to our right, we've got what I'm going to call a snug/study,

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which may be for you, mate.

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I'll let you explore later, but I want to start with your kitchen.

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You wanted a big kitchen? Look at this!

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Right. Sueanne, come on.

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-What do you think of this, then?

-Oh, this is a kitchen! Wow!

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It's a fantastic kitchen-diner.

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-I like them.

-Like the sink?

-Yeah.

-Very classic, very farmhousy.

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This has the proportions of a classic farmhouse kitchen.

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Quite a big dining table, actually.

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-I didn't see that.

-Massive.

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-Yeah?

-Yeah.

-Are you able to build a picture of this?

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That's what I'm doing, trying to put it all together.

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-And what do you think?

-Yeah. It's nice.

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Look, kitchen-diner. Plenty of room for you in here.

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-If this were the only dining area, it wouldn't be a major problem?

-No.

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But we have got you a separate dining room. Follow me through.

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-There we go. In you come, Conrad.

-Oh, my God!

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SUEANNE LAUGHS

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-This is a dining room. This is us.

-Oh, my God!

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-It would also make a very generous living room.

-Yeah.

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We have got other reception rooms. Let's go somewhere cosier next door.

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After you, sir. I'll follow you out.

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Now, what we've got here for you, Conrad,

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this is the main living room, as it's currently designated.

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-I like it.

-It's lovely.

-Looking at the garden is nice.

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-You can make out the big bay window.

-Is that the church?

-Yeah.

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The church served by the vicarage.

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-So, points out of ten?

-I'd say a nine.

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-Nine?

-Real?

-Yeah. Eight and a half, nine.

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I like the feel of it.

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-It's got a family feel.

-You could grow into this place.

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Won't outgrow it, either.

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I don't know. You're talking about siring a rugby team!

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If she lets me!

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-It depends if you buy me the right house!

-Right, OK!

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-We've got nine out of ten.

-Come on, Jules.

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'As a family home, this place fits the bill.

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'Let's see if we can hit top marks upstairs.'

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-How about that?

-Wow. Lovely. Keeps it light.

-Really light.

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'Off the landing, there are five bedrooms.

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'Two are bright single rooms, tastefully furnished for children.

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'One of the three double bedrooms is a playroom.

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'Another has been elegantly decorated with dual aspect windows.

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'We're going to look at the bedroom they could call their own.'

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-OK, Sueanne. This is currently the master bedroom.

-Lovely.

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You can take your pick. They're all generously sized.

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-None of them are en suite, though.

-OK.

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Next door is the family bathroom. You could, in theory, go that way.

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Right. OK.

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Plumbing does exist in another room

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to turn that into a big family bathroom.

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You've got the choice but you'd lose a bedroom.

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How's our nine out of ten?

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-So far, so good.

-Still nine out of ten?

-Yeah. So far.

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-Look! A brief bit of sunlight!

-I know.

-Make the most of that!

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-LAUGHING:

-Let's get outside!

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'With some tweaks to the layout upstairs,

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'I think they can imagine this house as their home.

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'Will the garden provide space for their pets and for a gym?'

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Let's just stop here and take in the rest of the grounds.

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We've got another bit of garden in front of me here.

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Probably about a quarter of an acre, perhaps a bit less.

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This wraps around the back.

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-So, all in all, just under an acre.

-No donkeys.

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No, but plenty of room for the dogs. What are your thoughts?

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-Where's the gym going to go?

-That's the rub.

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There are no outbuildings or garages which we can offer to convert.

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You'd have to go for something purpose-built.

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I'm thinking a timber-framed structure here.

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-Would that be something you'd consider?

-Yeah. It would.

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Let's consider the whole thing out of this gale, in the kitchen.

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'They're keeping an open mind as to how to tailor the outside space

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'to suit their needs.

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'Now that the tour is complete, time to talk cash.'

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You've got 500 grand, plus, to spend.

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It's going to be close to the budget. I'm going 485.

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485. OK, yeah.

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I'm going a bit less. I think 475.

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475. Ten grand between you.

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It is pretty much on the budget. 50 quid short of budget. 499,950.

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-I win!

-That's all right. There's more to see.

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-How do you feel about that?

-It shows you what we can get.

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But it's so close to the budget, I'd have to spend more to do the gym.

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-But you did say you had a bit of leeway.

-A BIT of leeway, yeah.

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Have a good look at what this house has to offer. I'll catch you later.

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-I love it.

-GIGGLES

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'A fraction under budget...

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'..Without an outhouse for a gym,

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'will they be up for the challenge of building one?'

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The house is a definite possibility for Conrad and myself.

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It's a real family home.

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This is my room, then?

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-I think we'd have to fight over it!

-I might win that one.

-I doubt it.

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There's a few things to work out.

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If I could build the gym outside, that's important for me.

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Out you go, Sueanne.

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-After you, sir.

-Cheers.

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-Watch the step.

-Thank you.

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-I think that was a pretty good start.

-It is.

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-Have we relieved you of half a million pounds?

-Wait and see!

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'With Sueanne's passion for her Welsh heritage,

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'a visit to Aberaeron should be of particular interest.

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'One of Wales' first planned towns,

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'it was built to establish a shipbuilding centre.

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'They've come to meet Mya Harrison to get an insight into the history.'

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You see those three houses? It's known as Vulcan Place.

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The people who lived there forged the fittings for the ships.

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'Reverend Alban Jones Gwynne developed the harbour in 1807.

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'The layout of the town was planned by his son, Colonel Gwynne,

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'with the architect Edward Haycock.

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'Gradually, Aberaeron turned from a fishing village

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'into a successful port.'

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-What importance is the harbour to the town?

-Enormous.

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Without the harbour, there would be no town.

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The town was planned and built because of the harbour.

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'The introduction of the railway in 1911 brought a decline in seafaring.

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'Today, the main industry is tourism.

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'Visitors come to browse the boutiques and to enjoy the elegant Georgian architecture.

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'The kaleidoscope of buildings is delightful, even on a wet day.

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'Sueanne will be relieved to know that the next stop takes us east,

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'closer to her father, and into Carmarthenshire,

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'two miles north of Saint Clears,

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'dating back to the 12th century, a small town on the river Taff.

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'Famous for the Rebecca riots, the town features a wooden sculpture

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'in memory of the 1842 uprising against high tolls set by landowners.

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'Our second property presents a slice of rural Wales

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'at the end of a daffodil-lined track,

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'which may make our farmer's daughter feel at home.'

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What do you think of that?

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Quaint. It's a nice, typical farmhouse.

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It is. The whole lot comes with some land.

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It also has this range of stables behind me, too.

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I'm thinking donkeys. And that barn there.

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-In fact, you get three barns.

-Donkeys AND a gym.

-Plenty of space!

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Plenty of space for all the things you want to entertain.

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Come on.

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'This is a cracking start.

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'We've got quite a few things ticked

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'and we haven't crossed the threshold.

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'How will the house fare inside, I wonder?'

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-LAUGHS

-Is it windy, or what?

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-Come in, Conrad.

-It's got more windy!

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-There we are, the hallway.

-Doesn't look like a farmhouse.

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It's been made over in the last three years,

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renovated from top to bottom.

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Conrad, what kind of sense are you getting?

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I get a sense of space and light.

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Quite airy. Nice clean lines, which is good.

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-I promised you a kitchen.

-Yeah.

-Come and look at this.

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JULES CHUCKLES

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There.

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-SUEANNE LAUGHS

-Yeah?

-Yeah.

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Conrad, we've got a brand new kitchen,

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underfloor heating under these very light tiles.

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And a great big sun room, really, added on.

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-SUEANNE LAUGHS

-Your wife is smiling a lot!

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I think she likes it!

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-Is this the point where you just give up?

-I know when I'm beaten!

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'The huge grin on Sueanne's face means the kitchen works for her.

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'The large dimensions clearly suit Conrad.

0:21:260:21:29

'Let's see what else downstairs has to offer.'

0:21:290:21:32

Now, come on in here.

0:21:320:21:35

-Oh, that's nice.

-Yeah?

0:21:350:21:38

This is one of two reception rooms we've got.

0:21:380:21:41

-There's a door there out to the garden.

-The dogs. I like this room.

0:21:410:21:47

Nice and straight and square for me. Nice simple layout.

0:21:470:21:51

That's obviously important to you now, so you can, I suppose, create your own map in your mind.

0:21:510:21:58

Yeah. You can still get around.

0:21:580:22:01

'Rooms with clean lines are vital to help navigate when you can't see.

0:22:010:22:06

'Not only is the layout simple, but the rooms, ceilings and doorways

0:22:060:22:10

'are generously sized.'

0:22:100:22:12

This is where you can choose who gets what.

0:22:120:22:16

-He can have that room.

-I prefer the other room.

-Do you?

-I do. Yeah.

0:22:160:22:21

-Marks out of ten?

-Eight.

0:22:210:22:23

Eight. Hm. Conrad?

0:22:230:22:26

-Ten for being closer to my dad.

-LAUGHING:

-I'll take that ten!

0:22:260:22:31

'With full marks for the ground floor, let's head upstairs.'

0:22:310:22:37

The family bathroom in there.

0:22:370:22:40

We're going to wind our way up to the landing.

0:22:410:22:45

'The farmhouse has five bedrooms.

0:22:450:22:49

'There are four good sized doubles, one with a large en suite

0:22:490:22:54

'and another that's perfect for curling up and getting away from it.

0:22:540:22:58

'I want to show Sueanne and Conrad the biggest bedroom.'

0:22:580:23:02

-Yeah?

-Yeah.

0:23:020:23:05

This is your master.

0:23:050:23:07

Very nice.

0:23:070:23:09

-Plenty of space for you.

-Brilliant.

0:23:090:23:11

-We also have a well appointed en suite.

-As well as the...?

-Yeah.

0:23:110:23:17

There. Have a look at that.

0:23:170:23:19

A bath!

0:23:190:23:21

-How is this place grabbing you?

-It's lovely. It's really light.

0:23:210:23:26

Really light.

0:23:260:23:28

-It doesn't feel like a farmhouse.

-Yeah. Like it.

0:23:280:23:33

'We're onto a winner with this place.

0:23:330:23:37

'Time to check out the grounds outside.

0:23:370:23:40

'They both wanted a lot of outdoor space but let's see just how much land they can handle.'

0:23:400:23:48

Land. You have said an acre.

0:23:480:23:52

-That paddock there is about an acre.

-OK.

0:23:520:23:56

-Which would do you a treat.

-Yeah.

0:23:560:23:59

But if it came with a bit more land, that would be a bonus.

0:23:590:24:03

Can you make out, Conrad, there's another field beyond?

0:24:030:24:07

-Up to those trees.

-Yeah.

0:24:070:24:10

There's another field beyond that. All that comes with it, too.

0:24:100:24:15

-The field behind?

-Yeah.

-SUEANNE LAUGHS

0:24:150:24:17

-All in all, eight acres.

-Eight acres?

0:24:170:24:21

There's another paddock included in the eight acres.

0:24:210:24:25

That wraps itself around all those outbuildings.

0:24:250:24:29

-Fab.

-Sounding good.

-I think it's really good.

0:24:290:24:33

Being a farmer's daughter, he'd be proud of you with this lot!

0:24:330:24:38

-Let's finish off with a barn.

-Sounds good.

-Find you a gym.

-Yes.

0:24:380:24:44

'The eight acres is a surprise and is fuelling their imagination.

0:24:440:24:49

'It's divided into four fields, giving plenty of space

0:24:490:24:53

'for Conrad to practise his shotput and discus and why not the javelin?

0:24:530:24:58

'But we've got more in store for our sportsman.'

0:24:580:25:02

Now then, Conrad. Come on in.

0:25:050:25:07

What can you make out?

0:25:070:25:10

Now you're talking!

0:25:100:25:12

-A gym.

-A gym.

0:25:120:25:15

-You said a three-bay garage. This is a four-bay.

-It's good.

0:25:150:25:19

It's not a garage, it's an old barn.

0:25:190:25:22

-Fantastic.

-60 feet long by 20 foot wide.

0:25:220:25:26

-This is superb.

-This would do it?

-Yeah.

0:25:260:25:30

-Let's have a think about the price.

-Hm!

0:25:300:25:34

You'll need some money to turn this around for your gym.

0:25:340:25:39

How much will you give me for this?

0:25:390:25:41

Conrad.

0:25:410:25:43

I think it's a bit more. Minimum 550. More, I think.

0:25:430:25:48

Maybe 575.

0:25:480:25:49

-550, 575.

-I think 550.

0:25:490:25:52

I'm going to take the pressure off.

0:25:520:25:55

-It's on the market for 495.

-No way?

-I win again!

0:25:550:25:59

Not that close!

0:25:590:26:01

You nicked my first choice.

0:26:010:26:04

-You said 575.

-This is 495, guys.

0:26:040:26:09

-This is £50,000 to £75,000 under your estimates.

-Wow.

0:26:090:26:13

-Go and explore some more.

-Can't wait.

0:26:130:26:17

'On the market for £495,000,

0:26:170:26:21

'this smallholding is £5,000 under budget...

0:26:210:26:25

'The property seems to meet all of Conrad and Sueanne's requirements,

0:26:430:26:48

'and more.'

0:26:480:26:51

The house would suit the way that Conrad and I live.

0:26:510:26:56

The living space downstairs might be a little small.

0:26:560:27:00

We can look at maybe extending.

0:27:000:27:02

Other than it's a bit small, I love it. I really do like it.

0:27:020:27:07

Right, out you go.

0:27:070:27:09

-LAUGHS

-Look at this crazy weather!

0:27:090:27:14

The good news it's sunny, but no less windy.

0:27:140:27:18

-I think that was well worth seeing.

-Yeah.

-Hm.

0:27:180:27:22

-You think so?

-Yeah.

-Look at your face!

0:27:220:27:25

'As the sun sets on a very wet and windy time in southwest Wales,

0:27:250:27:30

'the first day of our house hunting comes to an end.

0:27:300:27:34

'With a budget of half a million pounds, Conrad and Sueanne

0:27:370:27:42

'are looking for Paralympic glory and a family home

0:27:420:27:46

'in the southwest Wales countryside.

0:27:460:27:48

'We've shown them two great properties

0:27:480:27:50

'with more land than they bargained for.'

0:27:500:27:54

-Eight acres.

-Eight acres?

0:27:540:27:56

'Coming up, there's the mystery house.

0:27:560:27:59

'Will Sueanne be willing to share?'

0:27:590:28:02

It's mine!

0:28:020:28:03

Finally, the sun has come out and, at last, it's mystery house time for Conrad and Sueanne.

0:28:060:28:13

To describe these two as a bit sporty is a massive understatement.

0:28:130:28:17

We've learned a lot about what Conrad likes, but I also know that Sueanne is a really keen swimmer.

0:28:170:28:24

If she doesn't want to use west Wales' gorgeous beaches,

0:28:240:28:28

the mystery house might offer the perfect solution.

0:28:280:28:31

'We're venturing up north, into the county of Ceredigion.

0:28:340:28:39

'We're headed for Ferwig, three miles from Cardigan.

0:28:390:28:43

'It's a small village in the beautiful Welsh countryside.

0:28:430:28:48

'The mystery house was designed to create a splash.'

0:28:480:28:53

There you go. There's the mystery house.

0:28:550:28:58

-SUEANNE LAUGHS

-What can you see?

0:28:580:29:01

-A pool.

-A pool! Yeah!

0:29:010:29:04

Half the house is a pool!

0:29:040:29:06

Can you see that, Conrad? There are blue glazed window frames.

0:29:060:29:12

Behind them is a pool.

0:29:120:29:15

To my right here, Conrad, there's a great big double garage.

0:29:150:29:19

-We're thinking gym in there.

-Yeah.

0:29:190:29:23

I want to go inside!

0:29:230:29:24

'That's the enthusiasm we're after.

0:29:240:29:28

'The pool is a real pull but it's not the only mystery.

0:29:280:29:32

'That will be revealed later.

0:29:320:29:35

'Built 15 years ago, this is the newest house we're showing them.

0:29:350:29:39

'I'm sure the high ceilings inside won't disappoint.'

0:29:390:29:43

-JULES LAUGHS

-Squeeze in, Conrad.

0:29:430:29:46

I didn't think that.

0:29:460:29:48

Can you get a sense of the height of it?

0:29:480:29:53

-I think so.

-You're smiling.

0:29:530:29:55

-Yeah. I love it.

-Really? Good.

0:29:550:29:58

You should. It's the mystery house.

0:29:580:30:00

'After the pleasing reaction to the bright galleried hallway,

0:30:000:30:04

'we're heading to the lounge.'

0:30:040:30:07

-JULES LAUGHS

-Come on in, mate.

0:30:090:30:12

Plenty of room.

0:30:120:30:14

Quite a big room this, and it's pretty square, too.

0:30:140:30:18

Big arched windows look out across quite a small front garden.

0:30:180:30:24

-Two of them?

-Yeah. Two big windows like that.

0:30:240:30:27

Silence! I'm not sure whether it's good or bad.

0:30:270:30:31

-This is great.

-This is good silence.

0:30:310:30:34

'While they're quietly confident about the potential in the lounge,

0:30:340:30:38

'let's see if they say something about the master bedroom,

0:30:380:30:42

'rather unusually, on the ground floor.'

0:30:420:30:46

The master.

0:30:460:30:48

-Come on in. Silence again! I'm still hoping it's good silence.

-Yeah.

0:30:480:30:54

-Fitted wardrobes.

-It also comes with an en suite.

0:30:540:30:59

After you, Conrad. Corner tub with shower.

0:30:590:31:03

-All the other bits and pieces you would need.

-A bidet.

0:31:050:31:10

-All mod cons!

-LAUGHTER

0:31:100:31:13

'The different layout is the final piece in the mystery puzzle.

0:31:130:31:17

'The majority of living spaces - another bedroom and a shower room,

0:31:170:31:22

'are downstairs, which should help Conrad negotiate the property.

0:31:220:31:26

'On the first floor, there's a family bathroom

0:31:260:31:31

'which serves the three remaining bedrooms.

0:31:310:31:34

'We continue downstairs, where Sueanne may have compromises to make.'

0:31:340:31:40

Sueanne, come in.

0:31:400:31:42

-Come here.

-SUEANNE CHUCKLES

0:31:420:31:45

-I think I know what you're going to say.

-It's small.

0:31:450:31:49

Yeah. It is. Not tiny, but perhaps we have spoilt you a little.

0:31:490:31:55

You are going to make your own mark on whichever property you move into.

0:31:550:32:01

-You may want to do that here.

-Yeah.

-Going that way a bit.

0:32:010:32:05

-It's the only bit you've really got to compromise on.

-OK.

0:32:050:32:10

Yeah? Ooh, dear. Looking very stern there.

0:32:100:32:14

-JULES LAUGHS

-We might not be friends any more.

0:32:140:32:17

Oh, my God!

0:32:170:32:19

We've been through so much together. Now you're telling me.

0:32:190:32:23

Right. Come here. Follow me through here.

0:32:230:32:27

Back off the kitchen,

0:32:270:32:29

we've got this enormous dining room.

0:32:290:32:32

Which, of course, leads on to the pool.

0:32:320:32:36

-Shall we?

-Yeah.

-You can go first.

0:32:360:32:39

Go on.

0:32:390:32:40

Show us the pool.

0:32:400:32:42

-Watch your step.

-Yeah.

0:32:460:32:49

-What do you think?

-Impressive.

0:32:490:32:52

How long's this, about?

0:32:520:32:54

About 40 foot. And about 15 foot wide.

0:32:540:32:58

-We've also got a changing room and a shower room.

-That's good.

0:32:580:33:03

-It's like being in your own gym.

-Yeah.

0:33:030:33:06

In terms of making it manageable,

0:33:060:33:09

it doesn't have any handrails.

0:33:090:33:12

-That can soon be fixed, though.

-Exactly.

0:33:120:33:17

You'd want to use this route.

0:33:170:33:19

In an ideal world, through that door would be your gym.

0:33:190:33:24

-Follow me - very carefully.

-I will.

0:33:240:33:27

-Are you OK there?

-Yeah.

0:33:290:33:31

There's quite a step down here.

0:33:340:33:38

Over and down.

0:33:380:33:40

This is inside the double garage we saw from the outside.

0:33:400:33:44

It's not the biggest space we've seen for a gym, but what you do think?

0:33:440:33:50

It could just about work.

0:33:500:33:52

-It's the easiest fix of all the potential gym areas.

-Yeah.

0:33:520:33:59

Course it is.

0:33:590:34:01

It could just about work, I think.

0:34:010:34:04

'The garage may not be the triple length Conrad hoped for,

0:34:040:34:08

'but it seems it's a sacrifice he's willing to make.

0:34:080:34:12

'There's one more outside.'

0:34:120:34:14

Last, we've got the garden.

0:34:140:34:17

In fairness, it doesn't have acres and acres.

0:34:170:34:21

The whole lot sits within an acre. You did say at the outset an acre.

0:34:210:34:25

I get the feeling that, as we've gone through,

0:34:250:34:29

because we've tempted you with more, it's opened your eyes to the idea of more land.

0:34:290:34:36

But, you know, up to you.

0:34:360:34:38

-The key thing is going to be the price.

-Yeah.

-Over budget, I think.

0:34:380:34:43

-550.

-You're saying 50,000 over budget?

-Yeah.

0:34:430:34:48

-I'm going to say 525.

-525.

0:34:500:34:53

-Be better if it was that.

-It would be fantastic, wouldn't it?

-Yeah.

0:34:530:34:57

You'd buy it tomorrow.

0:34:570:34:59

-Well, you could buy it today for 465,000.

-No way?

-No way?

0:34:590:35:04

How about that?

0:35:040:35:07

It's mine!

0:35:070:35:09

-Yeah. 465.

-I'm amazed.

0:35:090:35:11

-Handsomely under budget.

-I'm amazed.

0:35:110:35:14

That's it. Removal van.

0:35:140:35:17

-Enough to sort the gym out.

-Sort out your extension on the kitchen.

0:35:170:35:21

Go and explore your new home.

0:35:210:35:24

Brilliant. The mystery house seems to have done it once again.

0:35:240:35:29

I'm absolutely delighted. We picked it for a bit of fun with the pool for Sueanne.

0:35:290:35:35

Also for practical reasons, and that's why it's stolen their hearts.

0:35:350:35:39

'At £465,000, our mystery house comes at a very attractive price,

0:35:390:35:45

'which is yet again under budget, this time by a huge £35,000.

0:35:450:35:51

'That's plenty of spare cash left to really kit out Conrad's gym...

0:35:510:35:55

'With a taste of eight acres, have we raised the bar too high?'

0:36:190:36:24

When Jules told us the price of the house

0:36:240:36:27

and the fact that I was so way off,

0:36:270:36:30

I was so stunned.

0:36:300:36:32

And so happy.

0:36:320:36:34

It was fantastic. Can't believe it.

0:36:340:36:37

-This is the only downfall.

-Cos of the size?

-Yeah. You can't be with me when I'm cooking.

0:36:370:36:44

Final time we're leaving a property on this series of house tours.

0:36:440:36:49

-How does it feel?

-Quite sad.

-It is quite sad.

0:36:490:36:53

-You want to go look at more?

-Yeah. No.

0:36:530:36:56

-I think we've confused you.

-Yeah. Big time.

0:36:560:37:01

Let's get you somewhere to sit down, take it all in, talk it over.

0:37:010:37:06

-Make a few calls, I suspect.

-Yeah. To my dad.

-Come on, then.

0:37:060:37:11

'During our house hunting week, I couldn't pass up the chance

0:37:210:37:25

'to visit Aberglasney estate in Towy Valley.

0:37:250:37:29

'Aberglasney was once the garden that time forgot.

0:37:290:37:32

'15 years ago, a restoration project began

0:37:320:37:36

'to bring the 11-acre estate back to life.

0:37:360:37:39

'It's unearthed some unique finds.

0:37:390:37:42

'I'm meeting director of operations Graham Rankin, to find out more.'

0:37:420:37:47

This is the perfect place to get out of the rain on a filthy day.

0:37:470:37:53

This is the cryptoporticus, which was built for days like today.

0:37:530:37:57

You can wander up and down and, on fine days,

0:37:570:38:00

you can walk up onto the parapet.

0:38:000:38:02

'This is the only UK garden with a limestone structure of this type.

0:38:020:38:08

'It dates back to 1600.

0:38:080:38:10

'With no records to speak of,

0:38:100:38:12

'it's taken extensive research to recreate the style of garden.'

0:38:120:38:18

When were these gardens built?

0:38:180:38:20

The first evidence we have of these was around the 15th century. We don't know what they looked like.

0:38:200:38:27

It does look a little bit "plain", you might say,

0:38:270:38:31

compared to gardens today.

0:38:310:38:34

A gentleman called Hans Vredeman de Vries, a Dutchman, around 1600

0:38:340:38:39

produced drawings of gardens in the 1600s.

0:38:390:38:42

His was the ultimate fashion.

0:38:420:38:45

This is a pastiche of the style that would have been typical.

0:38:450:38:49

'Another arboreal feature is the ancient interwoven branches

0:38:490:38:54

'of this 300-year-old yew tunnel.

0:38:540:38:57

'It was created by just one row of yew trees

0:38:570:39:01

'intentionally bent over so that the branches met the ground.

0:39:010:39:07

'The gardens are mirrored by the novel greenery inside the house.

0:39:070:39:11

'The courtyard and some of the central rooms

0:39:110:39:14

'were deemed beyond restoration and were filled with exotic plants

0:39:140:39:18

'such as gingers, magnolias and orchids,

0:39:180:39:22

'making an unconventional indoor garden.'

0:39:220:39:25

What did people say when you suggested putting a garden in the building?

0:39:250:39:30

They took a bit of persuading.

0:39:300:39:32

I had a botanical artist do pictures of how it would look and it did the trick.

0:39:320:39:38

-Now you get to enjoy it all year round.

-364 days a year!

0:39:380:39:43

In just a few minutes' time, we're going to find out what the future holds for Conrad and Sueanne.

0:39:460:39:53

They say they're confused.

0:39:530:39:55

I'm delighted we gave them such fantastic properties.

0:39:550:39:59

Which one, if any of them, is going to be for them?

0:39:590:40:02

They're on the beach. Let's ask them.

0:40:020:40:06

Right, guys. This is it. Our final conversation of the week.

0:40:080:40:14

It started with the old vicarage, which you thought was stately home.

0:40:140:40:19

-It's fantastic. It had a family feel.

-You felt at home there.

0:40:190:40:23

I did. I thought it was somewhere we could grow into.

0:40:230:40:28

I did like it a lot.

0:40:280:40:30

Let's think about the farmhouse with eight acres!

0:40:300:40:34

Three barns. Stables.

0:40:340:40:37

The farmer's daughter is smiling. Go on, Sueanne.

0:40:370:40:41

It's somewhere for me to set up my donkey sanctuary.

0:40:410:40:45

-Sanctuary? We started with one or two donkeys.

-That's your fault!

0:40:450:40:51

OK, and what about the idea of the gym.

0:40:510:40:55

-We had a barn you could convert.

-That was brilliant.

0:40:550:40:59

That was perfect.

0:40:590:41:02

I thought it was a promising start.

0:41:020:41:05

We headed out for our final day's house hunting.

0:41:050:41:08

-The mystery house.

-That blew me away.

0:41:080:41:11

There's no doubt about it.

0:41:110:41:14

The newest property we were able to show you.

0:41:140:41:17

Very clean lines plus, of course, the heated pool.

0:41:170:41:21

And space to give you your gym.

0:41:210:41:24

-I spoke to my coach, told him the dimensions...

-Already?

-Yeah.

0:41:240:41:29

-I can see where this is going.

-He said that's just about do-able.

0:41:290:41:34

Well, we've seen them all. We've talked about them endlessly.

0:41:340:41:38

Question is, what happens next?

0:41:380:41:41

We need to find out whether we can get planning to extend one of the properties we've seen.

0:41:410:41:48

-Mystery house, maybe?

-That's a possibility. That's a fall-back.

0:41:480:41:53

-The fall-back option? What's the first option?

-The old farmhouse.

0:41:530:41:58

-I thought that would be the one.

-It's all down to the planners.

0:41:580:42:03

If you don't get that one, the mystery house is on the back burner.

0:42:030:42:08

-We're torn between the two.

-I'm delighted we've given you a choice.

0:42:080:42:13

Let's see you on your way and wish you well.

0:42:130:42:16

-Thank you very much indeed. Been a real pleasure.

-Cheers.

0:42:160:42:20

-Best of luck, Sueanne.

-Thank you.

0:42:200:42:23

We take looking at properties very much for granted.

0:42:250:42:29

For Conrad, this has been an extraordinary challenge.

0:42:290:42:33

He has to look at the world effectively through a keyhole.

0:42:330:42:37

As you would expect from a man who has overcome unimaginable adversity

0:42:370:42:42

and is now heading for the Paralympic Games in 2012,

0:42:420:42:46

he's overcome it and has been an inspiration to me and all the crew.

0:42:460:42:51

As for Sueanne, they came out as a genuine double act, looking for their dream home in the country.

0:42:510:42:57

I am delighted to say I'm pretty sure we found it. See you next time.

0:42:570:43:03

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