0:00:02 > 0:00:05As well as hosting Henry III's coronation and housing Edward II's tomb,
0:00:05 > 0:00:09this 1,000-year-old cathedral also contains one of the earliest
0:00:09 > 0:00:12known depictions of one of Britain's most popular sports.
0:00:12 > 0:00:15Find out which sport and which cathedral in just a moment.
0:00:27 > 0:00:30'Today, our couple both have very different views
0:00:30 > 0:00:33'of what they want from their move to the country.'
0:00:33 > 0:00:35One seems to prefer modern.
0:00:35 > 0:00:38You don't like the beams? No?
0:00:38 > 0:00:40- No.- Too much beamage?- Oh, yeah.
0:00:40 > 0:00:45- The other favours period properties. - This is a great house, but it's not because of the look.
0:00:45 > 0:00:47But who will win the battle?
0:00:47 > 0:00:50I'm holding myself. I like it. I really like.
0:00:50 > 0:00:52Don't hold yourself. Let go.
0:00:52 > 0:00:55Mark is already cutting my head off.
0:00:56 > 0:01:01Welcome to the glories of Gloucester Cathedral, here in the heart of the Cotswolds.
0:01:01 > 0:01:04You won't be surprised to see a stained-glass window in the cathedral,
0:01:04 > 0:01:09but you might be surprised to see a golfer in a stained-glass window.
0:01:09 > 0:01:12There he is in that little red circle and he's not a modern golfer.
0:01:12 > 0:01:14He's been there since 1350.
0:01:14 > 0:01:18But it's not necessarily sport that's made the Cotswolds famous.
0:01:18 > 0:01:22Situated within six counties in the upper part of south-west England,
0:01:22 > 0:01:25the region has attracted artists, writers and composers,
0:01:25 > 0:01:29all falling for the fluid landscape and beautiful stone homes.
0:01:29 > 0:01:32In fact, novelist and playwright J B Priestly wrote
0:01:32 > 0:01:39about this local limestone, saying, "Even when the sun is obscured and the light is cold, these walls are
0:01:39 > 0:01:45"still faintly warm and luminous, as if they knew the trick of keeping the lost sunlight of centuries."
0:01:45 > 0:01:51Covering 790 square miles, this is Britain's largest Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
0:01:51 > 0:01:54Manor houses overlook vistas of lush, green pastures,
0:01:54 > 0:01:58dotted with grazing sheep, wandering in and out of medieval stone enclosures.
0:01:58 > 0:02:02In fact, that's where the name Cotswolds comes from.
0:02:02 > 0:02:07A "cot" was a stone pen for sheep and the "wolds" are rolling hills.
0:02:07 > 0:02:11In fact, the landscape is scattered with medieval wool churches and
0:02:11 > 0:02:16handsome market towns built on the profits of those sheep's fleeces.
0:02:16 > 0:02:21And cathedral choirboys have been singing the Cotswolds' praises for centuries.
0:02:23 > 0:02:29Of course, in the idyllic English countryside stakes, the Cotswolds does score pretty highly.
0:02:29 > 0:02:32I mean, it has beautiful architecture,
0:02:32 > 0:02:35lush, verdant countryside and great train links into London.
0:02:35 > 0:02:40But, oh, boy, is it expensive! Up to 45% above the national average.
0:02:40 > 0:02:43Yes, that's right, 45%.
0:02:43 > 0:02:45But take a look at what that can buy you.
0:02:45 > 0:02:52For £1.25 million, you're not just paying for the overwhelming views across the lush countryside.
0:02:52 > 0:02:56This five-bedroom, beautifully appointed, Victorian farmhouse
0:02:56 > 0:03:00has a modern kitchen that keeps the spirit of the house intact,
0:03:00 > 0:03:04a dining room anyone would be proud of, and after the meal,
0:03:04 > 0:03:06why not relax with a drink in the grand drawing room?
0:03:06 > 0:03:13If you're looking for a cottage, then this £695,000 property is literally a barnstormer,
0:03:13 > 0:03:18making use of the attached barn and converting it into a lovely reception with a vaulted ceiling.
0:03:18 > 0:03:21The kitchen opens out into the dining room
0:03:21 > 0:03:25for a great entertaining space with character beams and a log burner.
0:03:25 > 0:03:31With four bedrooms, this cottage can certainly handle a few city folk dropping in for the weekend.
0:03:31 > 0:03:39For £345,000, this two-bedroom, Grade II listed cottage is like taking a stroll into another time.
0:03:39 > 0:03:41Overlooking a beautifully manicured garden,
0:03:41 > 0:03:44this living room is the perfect place to sit by the fire
0:03:44 > 0:03:48after a meal whipped up in the pretty little kitchen.
0:03:48 > 0:03:54Surely, even the most hardened city dweller could be lured out of their urban ways
0:03:54 > 0:03:57by those beautiful properties, which is a good job,
0:03:57 > 0:04:01because at least one half of our couple today is a hardened urbanite.
0:04:01 > 0:04:03Only one half, though. Let's meet them.
0:04:05 > 0:04:11Mark and Luciano own a small listed apartment within the City of London's square mile.
0:04:11 > 0:04:15Mark works in finance and Luciano is a trained chemical engineer.
0:04:15 > 0:04:20But Mark, in particular, is starting to outgrow their cosy urban bolt-hole.
0:04:20 > 0:04:26It's a relatively small one-bedroom flat, where I really want at least, I think, at maximum, three -
0:04:26 > 0:04:30Luciano wants four - bedrooms. The kitchen is incredibly small.
0:04:30 > 0:04:33- Very tiny kitchen.- Out of date.
0:04:33 > 0:04:37Bathroom, don't even go there. It has no outdoor space.
0:04:37 > 0:04:42We can't do anything with the house because it's listed.
0:04:42 > 0:04:47Even with its limitations, being just five minutes from Mark's work has been very convenient
0:04:47 > 0:04:51and they are in the fortunate position of being able to hang on
0:04:51 > 0:04:57to the flat and upsize to a spacious country home, although Luciano does have reservations.
0:04:57 > 0:05:04Most of the time Mark is working, so I have only my friends to go and talk and have a coffee or something.
0:05:04 > 0:05:09And if I live too far away, how am I going to do it? I don't drive.
0:05:09 > 0:05:14Even though Luciano doesn't drive, they do agree that the best region for them to move to
0:05:14 > 0:05:18is the Cotswolds, so he's not too remote from his friends in the city.
0:05:18 > 0:05:20It's got great communications to London.
0:05:20 > 0:05:26It's incredibly beautiful. You're also near South Wales and some natural beauty there.
0:05:26 > 0:05:31It's countryside, but there's a degree of sophistication in the Cotswolds
0:05:31 > 0:05:36which may not be there in some more remote areas of the countryside.
0:05:36 > 0:05:40Mark's right about the connections to London, especially if Luciano
0:05:40 > 0:05:43needs some time in the city with his friends.
0:05:43 > 0:05:47But is there anything that might persuade Luciano to stay in the country?
0:05:47 > 0:05:51When you buy a house, it's not like buying clothes.
0:05:51 > 0:05:53You buy a house, you want to keep a house for a long time.
0:05:53 > 0:05:56And for a long time, I want to have kids.
0:05:56 > 0:06:01And because I want to have kids, I want a bigger house because I want them to have their own rooms.
0:06:01 > 0:06:05OK. So what are the other must-haves?
0:06:05 > 0:06:07For me, it must have a big kitchen.
0:06:07 > 0:06:14I don't mind an open-plan kitchen which connects with the sitting room,
0:06:14 > 0:06:18where I can cook and my friends can be there and sit and we can talk.
0:06:18 > 0:06:22I don't need to stop and go and see what they're doing. Just go one side or another.
0:06:22 > 0:06:24And if it's possible,
0:06:24 > 0:06:30have a lake... a river, nearby.
0:06:30 > 0:06:33- A pond, you mean?- I like to live by the water. No, not a pond.
0:06:33 > 0:06:35I love to live by the water.
0:06:35 > 0:06:38One of the things I've always wanted to do
0:06:38 > 0:06:42is have a garden. I mean, I kill plants in two seconds flat, mind you.
0:06:42 > 0:06:47What I'm hoping to do is find someone who knows how to garden who could teach me.
0:06:47 > 0:06:53But it's more actually about being in the country, as much in the country as I can persuade Luciano to be.
0:06:53 > 0:06:55- As far as possible.- Exactly.
0:06:55 > 0:06:59So without selling their flat, how much do they have to spend?
0:06:59 > 0:07:04Maximum budget I think, for the actual house itself, is about £600,000, cos that means we've got
0:07:04 > 0:07:10another 100,000 or so which we could then spend on the house and make it a little bit more perfect for us.
0:07:13 > 0:07:19I have an impression this could be one of our most interesting escapes, because not only do we have to find
0:07:19 > 0:07:24the two of them a beautiful house, and Mark and Luciano both have quite exacting tastes,
0:07:24 > 0:07:29but we have to convince Luciano that moving to the countryside is not the end of the world.
0:07:29 > 0:07:33What we don't want to end up with is an escape from the countryside!
0:07:35 > 0:07:38Today, we're casting our property net across two counties,
0:07:38 > 0:07:42Oxfordshire and Gloucestershire, prime Cotswolds territory.
0:07:42 > 0:07:45Prices in this area are at a premium, so on reflection,
0:07:45 > 0:07:50Mark and Luciano have decided to up their budget from 600 to £700,000.
0:07:50 > 0:07:55We'll show them some properties that'll whet their appetite for country life,
0:07:55 > 0:07:58but I'm not going to tell them the price until the end of the tour,
0:07:58 > 0:08:00and who knows, maybe the mystery house
0:08:00 > 0:08:03will bring this pair of personalities into alignment.
0:08:03 > 0:08:07- Morning, gentlemen.- Good morning. - How are you?- Very well.
0:08:07 > 0:08:12Welcome to, well, Oxfordshire, bit of the Cotswolds. We're on the edge of the countryside, Luciano.
0:08:12 > 0:08:15- I know.- How are you feeling? Getting jittery?- No, no. I really like.
0:08:15 > 0:08:18So that's the plan, convince Luciano to...
0:08:18 > 0:08:22We've got to try to sort of integrate Luciano into the countryside, little bit by little bit.
0:08:22 > 0:08:28We'll find you a beautiful house, of course, that makes all the difference. Before anything else,
0:08:28 > 0:08:33- I just want to be clear about the budget.- Yes. The budget's 700,000. - Ah.- Maybe more, maybe a bit less.
0:08:33 > 0:08:39- It all depends, really.- But also, nicely for us, you're not really interested in period properties,
0:08:39 > 0:08:44- or not old, old period...- No. I think we're quite broad spread in what we think we might like.
0:08:44 > 0:08:46- That's perfect.- Perfect.
0:08:46 > 0:08:50Well, the only way we're going to find out is by looking and
0:08:50 > 0:08:55you've obviously got to take a deep breath of this lovely country air. Brace yourself.
0:08:55 > 0:08:58What is the thing you fear most about the countryside?
0:08:58 > 0:09:03- Oh, get stuck in the kitchen, chained to the oven, and never see my friends again.- Ah.
0:09:03 > 0:09:09Which is ridiculous, because one of the reasons we want to come here is it's a couple of hours from London.
0:09:09 > 0:09:12I feel like I'm refereeing a kind of argument!
0:09:12 > 0:09:16- I feel that might happen all day long. Let's start looking at houses.- Thank you.
0:09:16 > 0:09:20So let's do a quick recap. With a top budget of £700,000,
0:09:20 > 0:09:25Mark and Luciano are after a detached property with at least three bedrooms
0:09:25 > 0:09:27to cater for the future pitter-patter of tiny feet.
0:09:27 > 0:09:34An open-plan kitchen/diner is on the menu for entertaining and a garden for Mark to develop his green thumb.
0:09:34 > 0:09:38Luciano is also very keen on a home near a river or a lake.
0:09:41 > 0:09:46Our first property is situated in Great Rollright in north-west Oxfordshire.
0:09:46 > 0:09:49It's 11 miles by bus from the mainline station at Banbury,
0:09:49 > 0:09:52should Luciano need a quick escape to the city.
0:09:52 > 0:09:55It's a small village, where limestone-built houses hide
0:09:55 > 0:09:58behind the stone walls that line the pretty lane.
0:09:58 > 0:10:04Manor houses and well-kept larger estates congregate around the partly Norman St Andrew's Church
0:10:04 > 0:10:06and the local primary school.
0:10:06 > 0:10:11'And just outside the village, Mark can even pick up some supplies for his gardening hobby.'
0:10:11 > 0:10:14This is the first house I want to show you guys.
0:10:14 > 0:10:17- What do you think? - I think it looks lovely.
0:10:17 > 0:10:19It's gorgeous. I love it.
0:10:19 > 0:10:22This was built in the 1970s.
0:10:22 > 0:10:25- Oh, OK.- So it's actually quite a new build,
0:10:25 > 0:10:29but obviously built using original materials and it has been extended.
0:10:29 > 0:10:35This sort of garage wing, if you like, was put on 15 years ago. So there has been some work done.
0:10:35 > 0:10:40- But it's actually quite a modern property.- Great. - It looks very nice.
0:10:40 > 0:10:42'Not a bad start, really.
0:10:42 > 0:10:46'Outside, the tiled roof complements the reclaimed stone, which I think is a lovely touch.
0:10:46 > 0:10:52'And inside, the hallway connects all six rooms on the ground floor.'
0:10:52 > 0:10:56Straight into the sitting room.
0:10:56 > 0:10:59Yes, this is lovely. It's a nice size.
0:10:59 > 0:11:02- A nice fireplace, too.- Nice.
0:11:02 > 0:11:04I don't like the wood, though.
0:11:04 > 0:11:07You don't like the beams? No?
0:11:07 > 0:11:11- No.- Too much beamage?- Yeah.- I think you could possibly get used to this.
0:11:11 > 0:11:16And then you go through these double doors into a formal dining room, but it could be anything.
0:11:16 > 0:11:19Do you use a formal dining room?
0:11:19 > 0:11:20No, not on a regular basis.
0:11:20 > 0:11:23Cos you could just extend the sitting room into here.
0:11:23 > 0:11:27Also I think because it's more connected to the sitting room,
0:11:27 > 0:11:31- you're probably going to use more than we use where we are now. - Or I could use it as my office.
0:11:31 > 0:11:34Not in the middle of my sitting room!
0:11:34 > 0:11:36"Not in my sitting room!"
0:11:36 > 0:11:39- Sorry about that. - Quite territorial. I like that.
0:11:39 > 0:11:41Yeah. I apologise for suggesting it.
0:11:42 > 0:11:45'Next stop, Luciano's domain, the kitchen.'
0:11:47 > 0:11:51This is actually the part of the house that was finished most recently.
0:11:51 > 0:11:55They renovated it completely, put in this range,
0:11:55 > 0:11:57which gives off a lot of heat.
0:11:57 > 0:12:00- Which is very country.- Very country.
0:12:00 > 0:12:03Yeah, exactly. But I was worried about the size of this room.
0:12:03 > 0:12:06Yeah. It's not really big enough.
0:12:06 > 0:12:10It's bigger than we've got at the moment, I have to say, but it is a bit small.
0:12:10 > 0:12:13I gather it's not difficult to be bigger than the one you've got.
0:12:13 > 0:12:16- Anything is bigger than that. - A postage stamp!
0:12:16 > 0:12:19What's your ideal in terms of a kitchen?
0:12:19 > 0:12:21I want an open-plan kitchen.
0:12:21 > 0:12:25I want to have a kitchen that has straight access to the sitting room.
0:12:25 > 0:12:30It might be difficult to make it open-plan to that sitting room, cos these are quite thick walls.
0:12:30 > 0:12:33But this extension could work.
0:12:33 > 0:12:38This, if you remember, is the extension they put on 15 years ago.
0:12:38 > 0:12:41But I think this would actually make a lovely kitchen.
0:12:41 > 0:12:44I think so. It's very, very bright in here as well.
0:12:44 > 0:12:45I like it. I really like it.
0:12:45 > 0:12:47Good. Cos that's not all.
0:12:47 > 0:12:49There's more on the ground floor.
0:12:49 > 0:12:53'Back down the hall is a shower room and at the other end of the house
0:12:53 > 0:12:57'is a spot I think Mark will find rather interesting.'
0:12:57 > 0:13:00Cos you've also got this.
0:13:02 > 0:13:04This is lovely. Nice and bright.
0:13:04 > 0:13:09- This is my room.- You can use your books to keep you warm.
0:13:10 > 0:13:11Book burning?!
0:13:11 > 0:13:14- He doesn't like my books. - Really? Have you got too many?
0:13:14 > 0:13:19- I don't think I've got too many. - You can never have too many books. - Exactly. I agree.
0:13:19 > 0:13:22And then you've also got this delightful little conservatory at
0:13:22 > 0:13:26the end, so when you're done with working, you can go and chill out.
0:13:26 > 0:13:29Luciano, you'll be there watering the plants.
0:13:29 > 0:13:33'And I thought Mark was the keen gardener! The plot thickens.
0:13:33 > 0:13:37'Heading upstairs, there are some lovely details created with
0:13:37 > 0:13:41'the reclaimed materials, like this slit window on the spiral stairs.
0:13:41 > 0:13:47'Upstairs, there are two good-size doubles built into the eaves, a cosy single and a family bathroom,
0:13:47 > 0:13:50'which means any children will be well catered for.
0:13:50 > 0:13:54'But we're heading to the main bedroom.'
0:13:54 > 0:13:57- This is a nice size. This is big enough.- It's perfect.
0:13:57 > 0:14:01You've got an en suite with a shower. You've got a lot of built-in storage.
0:14:01 > 0:14:05But, extraordinarily, attached to this...
0:14:07 > 0:14:11..is this magical little place.
0:14:11 > 0:14:17- Wow!- So this is above the extension and they use it as a sort of nursery, the little girl's room.
0:14:17 > 0:14:20It would be great to have the baby in here.
0:14:20 > 0:14:23No, this will be good for your dressing room, I think.
0:14:23 > 0:14:27'I do like a dressing room with a view.
0:14:27 > 0:14:29'Most of the rooms in the house look out onto the manicured,
0:14:29 > 0:14:32'wrap around gardens, which is where we're heading next.
0:14:32 > 0:14:37'Although not massive, what the gardens lack in space, they make up for in manageability.
0:14:37 > 0:14:42'After all, Mark freely admits he's a novice when it comes to keeping plants alive.'
0:14:42 > 0:14:46So that's your garden. It's not a massive country garden.
0:14:46 > 0:14:49- No.- Mark won't be working in the garden anyway.
0:14:49 > 0:14:52Well, I'd have a gardener, but I would like a vegetable garden.
0:14:52 > 0:14:56I like the idea of having a few chickens and that kind of thing.
0:14:56 > 0:15:01I mean, you know, it's compromising, isn't it? So it's kind of... There's enough space to have some of that.
0:15:01 > 0:15:05The crucial question is price, this is the first property we've looked at.
0:15:05 > 0:15:10We need to get a gauge of what you get for your money. How much do you think this costs?
0:15:10 > 0:15:14If I was going to guess, I would say 695.
0:15:14 > 0:15:17- How about you?- 650.- 650?- 650, yeah.
0:15:17 > 0:15:19- It's actually in the market for 700. - OK. Right.
0:15:19 > 0:15:25It's been on the market a while and there's flexibility in the market, so you could put in an offer.
0:15:25 > 0:15:30Have a look around inside, then I'll meet you out the front and then we can go on to the next house.
0:15:30 > 0:15:36At the top of their budget at £700,000, this modern build offers the space they're looking for.
0:15:36 > 0:15:42With potential for an open-plan kitchen/diner and five bedrooms, Luciano seems very pleased about
0:15:42 > 0:15:44the space for any future additions to their family.
0:15:44 > 0:15:48But will the wrap around gardens measure up for Mark?
0:15:48 > 0:15:52Ideally, I'd like a bigger garden. But frankly, I haven't been a gardener before,
0:15:52 > 0:15:58- so it's a starting place. - There is a lot of place for you to kill the plants.- Exactly.
0:15:58 > 0:15:59I like the fact there's lots
0:15:59 > 0:16:04of little tiny rooms. They're all kind of a very human size, quite comfortable.
0:16:04 > 0:16:07I'm quite surprised of my reaction, actually.
0:16:07 > 0:16:11I didn't realise I would like it as much as I like it.
0:16:13 > 0:16:18I'm going to have to tear you away, I'm afraid, gents, cos we've got other properties to look at,
0:16:18 > 0:16:23the rest of the Cotswolds to explore. But generally, good vibes?
0:16:23 > 0:16:25Yes, not too bad.
0:16:25 > 0:16:27Keeping your cards close to your chest. I like it.
0:16:38 > 0:16:41If Mark wants Luciano to fall in love with country life,
0:16:41 > 0:16:47then the majesty of the landscape, the architectural sophistication and the wonderfully rich history of
0:16:47 > 0:16:52Chipping Campden is a very good place to start convincing him.
0:16:52 > 0:16:57And this small town is a shining example of village life in this part of the country.
0:16:57 > 0:17:02Typical of the Cotswolds, with its 17th century limestone architecture,
0:17:02 > 0:17:07historian G M Trevelyan said, "Chipping Campden has the most beautiful village street
0:17:07 > 0:17:12"now left on the island." So we organised for Mark and Luciano to rendezvous
0:17:12 > 0:17:17with local guide Tim Sexton at this 300-year-old market hall in the town centre.
0:17:17 > 0:17:20- Good morning. - Good morning. Lovely to meet you.
0:17:20 > 0:17:23- Nice to meet you, too. Right, let's go and see Chipping Campden.- Great.
0:17:23 > 0:17:27In its early days, this pretty town thrived due to the wool trade.
0:17:27 > 0:17:32In fact, the term "chipping" actually comes from an old English word meaning "market".
0:17:32 > 0:17:37William Greville, one of the most influential wool merchants of his time, built this wonderful house
0:17:37 > 0:17:45in 1380, when it would have been the first property to have chimneys instead of holes in the roof.
0:17:45 > 0:17:49It's a pretty big house. Was he a very wealthy man?
0:17:49 > 0:17:52Yeah. He was a very wealthy man.
0:17:52 > 0:17:57As a wool merchant, he was probably one of the wealthiest men in England.
0:17:57 > 0:18:02He was so wealthy, he used to lend money to the crown, which was King Richard II at the time.
0:18:02 > 0:18:03So why did he build a house here?
0:18:03 > 0:18:07The reason he built here was because Campden was one of the foremost
0:18:07 > 0:18:10centres for the wool trade in that period.
0:18:10 > 0:18:14We'd get wool in from as far away as the Welsh Marches and it was brought
0:18:14 > 0:18:19here to be graded and packed, ready for transport to the continent.
0:18:19 > 0:18:22The wool was of such a fine quality.
0:18:22 > 0:18:28The local breed, the Cotswold Lion, produced such good quality wool
0:18:28 > 0:18:31and it just flourished on the local hills.
0:18:31 > 0:18:34Another thread woven into the fabric of this 600-year-old town
0:18:34 > 0:18:38is that of the Cotswolds Arts and Crafts movement.
0:18:38 > 0:18:45In 1880, architect Charles Robert Ashbee created the Guild of Handicraft in London,
0:18:45 > 0:18:48an eclectic mix of blacksmiths, silversmiths,
0:18:48 > 0:18:52jewellers, wood carvers, printers and cabinet makers.
0:18:52 > 0:18:58In 1902, in search of inspiration, Ashbee relocated the entire guild to Chipping Campden.
0:18:58 > 0:19:03Today, Julian Hart, the great-grandson of one of the original guild members,
0:19:03 > 0:19:09runs his silversmith workshop in the original building where the guild was housed over 100 years ago.
0:19:09 > 0:19:13One of the main reasons they moved here was, this was an old silk mill,
0:19:13 > 0:19:17that was lying empty, so it was ideal for the workshops.
0:19:17 > 0:19:22There were lots of houses that were quite run down at the time, ripe for renovation and there was a station in
0:19:22 > 0:19:28Campden with a direct line straight to London, with easy access back to London, where they had a front shop.
0:19:28 > 0:19:31- Has the workshop changed much? - It hasn't changed much.
0:19:31 > 0:19:35I mean, pretty much everything in here is as it was back then.
0:19:35 > 0:19:41We've moved things round a bit, but the tools, the benches, were what they brought with them in 1900
0:19:41 > 0:19:45and we've been using them in here ever since.
0:19:45 > 0:19:48And today, unless you have a sharp eye and ignore the cars,
0:19:48 > 0:19:55you might be convinced not much has changed here in the last 100 years, except property prices, of course.
0:20:02 > 0:20:05Our second property is equidistant by bus from Oxford
0:20:05 > 0:20:09and Didcot Parkway for those all important rail links into London.
0:20:09 > 0:20:13Standlake is a typical Oxfordshire village with more local shops than
0:20:13 > 0:20:17our first property and this should certainly appeal to Luciano.
0:20:17 > 0:20:21And for Mark, there are some prize examples of chocolate-box kept properties.
0:20:21 > 0:20:24I fear the budget they have won't necessarily offer
0:20:24 > 0:20:29the location and period build they're after, which brings us to our next property.
0:20:29 > 0:20:30House number two.
0:20:30 > 0:20:34A very different confection.
0:20:34 > 0:20:39- Yeah, it's very different.- I quite like it again, actually.- I like it.
0:20:39 > 0:20:42Obviously, this is not disguised as an old property.
0:20:42 > 0:20:45This is a fairly modern property, built in the 1980s.
0:20:45 > 0:20:47- Is that wisteria? - It's not wisteria, actually.
0:20:47 > 0:20:52- It's Russian vine.- I like it because it ages the house a bit, gives it a bit more character.
0:20:52 > 0:20:57- I can't wait to get inside and have a look.- And you're happy to have neighbours?- Yes, very happy.
0:20:57 > 0:21:01- Very happy.- I thought you might be. - Completely opposite of Mark.
0:21:01 > 0:21:04Well, compromise is the name of the game.
0:21:04 > 0:21:05Let's look inside.
0:21:07 > 0:21:11'Mark may be hesitant about having neighbours close by, but if he can get over that,
0:21:11 > 0:21:16'he should be impressed by the space, including an extension above the garage.
0:21:16 > 0:21:19'Heading into the main hall is easy on the eye, too,
0:21:19 > 0:21:23'as the interior has been rather tastefully remodelled throughout.'
0:21:23 > 0:21:26Here is the formal sitting room.
0:21:28 > 0:21:32This is quite a size. And again, the fireplace.
0:21:32 > 0:21:39Lovely fireplace and then also, this really nice vaulted music part.
0:21:39 > 0:21:43- Wow!- You always wanted to have a piano, didn't you?
0:21:43 > 0:21:46Yes, if I ever learn how to play.
0:21:46 > 0:21:48What do you think?
0:21:48 > 0:21:50Ah, it's a good-size room.
0:21:50 > 0:21:53I'm holding myself. I like it. I really like.
0:21:53 > 0:21:55Don't hold yourself. Let go.
0:21:55 > 0:21:58Mark is already cutting my head off.
0:21:58 > 0:22:02- Ah! Don't listen to him. - Don't listen to me, exactly.
0:22:02 > 0:22:06- I like this place. A lot of space. There's no... - Beams.- There are no beams.
0:22:06 > 0:22:10The layout here is much, much simpler than it was in the last house.
0:22:10 > 0:22:13Spacious rooms. French doors out into the garden.
0:22:13 > 0:22:16- Lots and lots of light. - I really like it.
0:22:16 > 0:22:21So far, so good, but the kitchen was a slight stumbling block in the last property, so fingers crossed.
0:22:21 > 0:22:24Here's the kitchen.
0:22:24 > 0:22:26There's my kitchen.
0:22:26 > 0:22:28There's your kitchen.
0:22:28 > 0:22:30This is quite a kitchen.
0:22:30 > 0:22:33It's beautifully laid out. A huge T-shaped kitchen.
0:22:33 > 0:22:36Chinese slate on the floor, great big range, masses of storage.
0:22:36 > 0:22:42These are all reclaimed wooden units from a Victorian conservatory
0:22:42 > 0:22:46- that was going to be pulled down, so they've been reinstated. - I really like it.
0:22:46 > 0:22:50- Taken it all in?- Yes, thank you. - Can you imagine cooking and entertaining here?
0:22:50 > 0:22:57- Yeah. I can imagine myself chained to that oven there. - It's got a bar there for that.
0:22:57 > 0:23:00But in terms of entertaining, would this work?
0:23:00 > 0:23:03Because this is the dining space. There isn't another room.
0:23:03 > 0:23:06No, I think so. Can do something about it.
0:23:06 > 0:23:08Doesn't really need to be a dining room here.
0:23:08 > 0:23:14As I said, the layout of this house is much simpler. There's the formal sitting room and music room,
0:23:14 > 0:23:18there's this dining room/kitchen and then there's one more room down here.
0:23:18 > 0:23:24With the utility room off the kitchen and a study next to that, it's a very functional ground floor,
0:23:24 > 0:23:27but there is another option for Mark's workspace.
0:23:27 > 0:23:30This is the space above the garage that they built up into
0:23:30 > 0:23:34a couple of years ago and turned it into a sort of family, TV, snug room.
0:23:34 > 0:23:38- This could be my office.- It's a bit different from the other ones.
0:23:38 > 0:23:44But there's only really two major rooms on the ground floor and this little tiny room up here.
0:23:44 > 0:23:49- Does that work for you or do you prefer more rooms? - It works for me.
0:23:49 > 0:23:52You're sold. I won't even talk to you. What about you, Mark?
0:23:52 > 0:23:55- Er...- I love the house.
0:23:55 > 0:23:58Again, a little bit agnostic at the moment.
0:23:58 > 0:24:02"Agnostic", that's the first time I've heard that word in a house tour.
0:24:02 > 0:24:07Even if he is non-committal about the space above the garage, this house does deliver,
0:24:07 > 0:24:12with no less than five double bedrooms, so Luciano will have plenty of space for children.
0:24:12 > 0:24:19Three have a dual aspect, one comes complete with en suite and there's also a good-sized family bathroom.
0:24:19 > 0:24:23But we're heading to the master suite.
0:24:23 > 0:24:26- This is the master bedroom.- Mm.
0:24:27 > 0:24:29What do you think?
0:24:29 > 0:24:31I don't like the windows. Too small windows.
0:24:31 > 0:24:34But that's not a problem. There's enough light.
0:24:34 > 0:24:40- Yes. I mean, it's...- Simple.- Simple. That's the word for it, exactly.
0:24:40 > 0:24:41You do have an en suite.
0:24:41 > 0:24:43Poke your head in there.
0:24:43 > 0:24:46It's a good size. Got a bath, not a shower.
0:24:46 > 0:24:48- That's quite nice.- Yes, nice.
0:24:48 > 0:24:52"Nice"? That's not exactly the response I was hoping for.
0:24:52 > 0:24:55On the whole, this is a spacious property and as we make our way
0:24:55 > 0:24:59into the garden, I'm hoping Mark will finally be impressed.
0:25:00 > 0:25:04It's much more substantial than the last one and beautifully maintained.
0:25:04 > 0:25:07And over the back there there's a fenced off area...
0:25:07 > 0:25:13- They've got a dog. You could easily make that a veggie patch.- Plenty of space for Mark's chickens.
0:25:13 > 0:25:16- A much nicer garden.- I love the trees. I really like them.
0:25:16 > 0:25:21- Still not winning you over is it, Mark?- Well, no, no. I'm sorry, I do like the garden.
0:25:21 > 0:25:23I want us to go to the country.
0:25:23 > 0:25:29I do love the Cotswold look and this is a great house, but it's certainly not a Cotswold look.
0:25:29 > 0:25:34You mentioned the budget of the first house, which had the right look.
0:25:34 > 0:25:37- How much do you think this costs? - I would say that it's probably 670.
0:25:37 > 0:25:39I think I go back to 650, I think.
0:25:39 > 0:25:43It might be a surprise to you to know that this on the market for 725.
0:25:43 > 0:25:50This sort of chunk of house in this location, even though it's not your favourite location,
0:25:50 > 0:25:53- does fetch way up the top of your budget.- Yeah.
0:25:53 > 0:25:58Why don't you have a look around the house and I'll see you out the front?
0:25:58 > 0:26:00- Sure.- No scrapping though.
0:26:02 > 0:26:07Although it's just over-budget at £725,000, this modern-built house
0:26:07 > 0:26:10comes with lots of space, five or six bedrooms,
0:26:10 > 0:26:14depending on what you do with the room above the garage,
0:26:14 > 0:26:15four bathrooms,
0:26:15 > 0:26:20a large formal reception and the kitchen with dining room attached.
0:26:20 > 0:26:23The large garden also seemed to impress Mark.
0:26:23 > 0:26:26So what do they think after a second look around?
0:26:26 > 0:26:29I love the kitchen. The kitchen is perfect for me.
0:26:29 > 0:26:31There are a lot of aspects of this house I like.
0:26:31 > 0:26:34The garden's a great size. It's a mature garden.
0:26:34 > 0:26:38So there are lots of things I do like about this house.
0:26:38 > 0:26:42But it's simply not how I envisaged a house in the country.
0:26:42 > 0:26:46I can see myself living here, but not Mark.
0:26:46 > 0:26:48He won't live here.
0:26:48 > 0:26:51See, this is wisteria. A bit wet.
0:26:51 > 0:26:56- Hello.- Are you still talking? - Just about.- Just about, yeah.
0:26:56 > 0:26:59- Peace is maintained. Very good. - It's a good sign.
0:26:59 > 0:27:01On you go.
0:27:10 > 0:27:17Well, that was quite a day, and as it turned into night, Mark and Luciano have plenty to discuss.
0:27:17 > 0:27:19It may be a tricky one tomorrow.
0:27:23 > 0:27:28The plot thickens on our controversial mystery house, but will it divide or unit?
0:27:28 > 0:27:31I really like it. Really, really modern.
0:27:31 > 0:27:33I'm kind of lost for words.
0:27:33 > 0:27:34Lost for words!
0:27:36 > 0:27:42This was never going to be an easy assignment and it became apparent yesterday that Mark has
0:27:42 > 0:27:47the controlling vote, but he would like a two- to three-bedroom,
0:27:47 > 0:27:51little, historic cottage in the Cotswolds made of Cotswold stone.
0:27:51 > 0:27:54But we were going on the brief that Luciano also had a say
0:27:54 > 0:27:59and he wanted four to five bedrooms for his children and something quite modern.
0:27:59 > 0:28:04So we're not going to show them a country cottage for the mystery house. That would be far too easy.
0:28:04 > 0:28:07We're going to show them something completely different.
0:28:09 > 0:28:11Our mystery house is in South Cerney,
0:28:11 > 0:28:14over the border into Gloucestershire,
0:28:14 > 0:28:19just a bus ride from a mainline rail link to London via Swindon,
0:28:19 > 0:28:22for when our buyers want a taste of the city.
0:28:22 > 0:28:25South Cerney is thriving and comes with plenty of amenities...
0:28:25 > 0:28:31post office, local shops, church, three local pubs and a river.
0:28:31 > 0:28:36Mark's going to love the typical stone cottages, which are perfect period properties,
0:28:36 > 0:28:40but our mystery house is meant to challenge their buying criteria.
0:28:40 > 0:28:44So we're about to see something they are definitely not expecting.
0:28:44 > 0:28:47Ah, I love the mystery house.
0:28:47 > 0:28:49Particularly this week!
0:28:49 > 0:28:54Cos it's basically a big, fat cat among your property pigeons.
0:28:54 > 0:28:59- We are in the heart of the Cotswolds and this is obviously a modern complex.- Yes.
0:28:59 > 0:29:02And as the story's progressed, clearly I've been aware
0:29:02 > 0:29:05that this is going to please you less and less and...
0:29:05 > 0:29:10I almost bought a house like this when I lived in America, so...
0:29:10 > 0:29:12The house itself, I quite like.
0:29:12 > 0:29:16I suppose the reason we picked it, apart from the fact that it's very different,
0:29:16 > 0:29:21is that it is officially a second home. All of these properties here have to be second homes.
0:29:21 > 0:29:27- Oh, is that right?- In fact, they're so much a second home that you can't live here all year round.
0:29:27 > 0:29:29There's one month, January,
0:29:29 > 0:29:35when you can't be resident here. Cos this is an area of outstanding natural beauty and the only way
0:29:35 > 0:29:41that the developers could develop here is by making sure that they were not permanently occupied.
0:29:41 > 0:29:45So you have at least a month where you don't have to be in the countryside.
0:29:45 > 0:29:49For sure I won't be here at least a month. For sure I won't be here.
0:29:49 > 0:29:55- Luciano, what do you think from outside? Because we are on water. - Yeah, I love the water.
0:29:55 > 0:29:57I don't know about the house.
0:29:57 > 0:30:01That's a bit of a surprise. I think the exterior is rather handsome.
0:30:01 > 0:30:05But inside, Luciano can't complain about the layout.
0:30:08 > 0:30:10Come on.
0:30:10 > 0:30:16And we come into this very big, open-plan space.
0:30:16 > 0:30:18- It's nice. - It is really lovely, isn't it?
0:30:18 > 0:30:21- It is nice. Beautiful. - I thought you'd like this, Luciano.
0:30:21 > 0:30:24I like it. I really it. It's really, really modern, isn't it?
0:30:24 > 0:30:30- There's not much period about this. - Not at all.- Not in the two years that it's been built.
0:30:30 > 0:30:35But you have a lot of space. We can have everyone here and cook at the same time there.
0:30:35 > 0:30:40Following your line of argument, in the sense of having everything on one space.
0:30:40 > 0:30:45You've got oak flooring, under-floor heating throughout and light coming in everywhere.
0:30:45 > 0:30:48It's beautiful. It is beautiful.
0:30:48 > 0:30:50What do you think, Mark?
0:30:50 > 0:30:54Er, er... Well, Luciano likes it.
0:30:54 > 0:30:57So diplomatic. So diplomatic!
0:30:57 > 0:31:04Well, at least Luciano has his truly open-plan dining experience.
0:31:04 > 0:31:06What do you reckon to the kitchen?
0:31:06 > 0:31:08I like it, but it's a bit too modern for me.
0:31:08 > 0:31:13- Too modern?- Yes.- Ah! We've touched the edge of modernity.
0:31:13 > 0:31:16Well, I mean, of course, this is the show home.
0:31:16 > 0:31:19You can talk to the architects and put what you like in.
0:31:19 > 0:31:23There's a big utility room there with all your washing machines.
0:31:23 > 0:31:26I like country-style kitchens and this is not.
0:31:26 > 0:31:31I was intrigued when we were talking yesterday about the dining room.
0:31:31 > 0:31:36- Is that kind of what you were thinking of, a space in-between the sitting room and the kitchen?- Yes.
0:31:36 > 0:31:39The house does sort of centre round the outside space.
0:31:39 > 0:31:42Let's have a little peek of that out on the decking.
0:31:42 > 0:31:48Well, I can see that although he wants period, Mark can appreciate the space, light and finish.
0:31:48 > 0:31:52More interestingly, I have a suspicion that Luciano has started
0:31:52 > 0:31:56to think that modern may not be for him, at least in the country.
0:31:56 > 0:31:57So here's your garden, Mark.
0:31:57 > 0:32:00I mean, it's a water garden, essentially.
0:32:00 > 0:32:05The lake is in two parts at the moment, but they're going to get rid of that wake-boarding park
0:32:05 > 0:32:12and knock through as it were, so join the two lakes together so it becomes one private boating pond.
0:32:12 > 0:32:14- I'm kind of lost for words. - Lost for words!
0:32:14 > 0:32:21- I'm feeling this kind of blankness coming from you.- I think I've started to change my mind
0:32:21 > 0:32:25- about the style of the house in the countryside.- In what way?
0:32:25 > 0:32:30I'm going more in favour of Mark's opinion.
0:32:30 > 0:32:35Maybe Luciano and Mark are finally starting to agree on what they want from a country house.
0:32:35 > 0:32:40Heading upstairs, there are two spacious double bedrooms, one with an en suite,
0:32:40 > 0:32:46a family bathroom and a single room, which could easily be used as Mark's study.
0:32:46 > 0:32:52We're heading up to the second floor, to the main bedroom, complete with a swish wet-room.
0:32:54 > 0:32:57This is the master bedroom.
0:32:57 > 0:32:59You can't say you don't like it, Mark.
0:32:59 > 0:33:03No, I don't say I don't like it. I do like the render of it.
0:33:03 > 0:33:07It's lovely to have balconies and the elevation as well.
0:33:07 > 0:33:10To get to see the life of the whole building site.
0:33:10 > 0:33:15But I must show Mark and Luciano where their plot will be.
0:33:15 > 0:33:21- The property you could buy is over there.- OK.- The gap. Ah, OK. What do you think about that?
0:33:21 > 0:33:25- It isn't there yet? - And you can visualise it. - You don't have to visualise it.
0:33:25 > 0:33:27You can go over and feel it.
0:33:29 > 0:33:34The plot does have a very different aspect to the show room,
0:33:34 > 0:33:40so, hopefully, when we get there, it will help them visualise their very own piece of the project.
0:33:40 > 0:33:45Interestingly, Luciano is changing his tune about wanting a modern house in the country after all.
0:33:45 > 0:33:51Quite a surprise, considering this property is right on the water, which was on his wish list.
0:33:51 > 0:33:52Here it is.
0:33:52 > 0:33:54All this rubble could be yours.
0:33:54 > 0:34:00- A house with just a little bit of conversion to do.- A little !bit of work, yes- Yes.
0:34:00 > 0:34:04Yes, not exactly what we were looking for.
0:34:04 > 0:34:09But it will be interesting to know what you think this plot costs or how much this sort of project costs.
0:34:09 > 0:34:13- Well, what do you think?- I think it will be quite expensive.
0:34:13 > 0:34:15750.
0:34:15 > 0:34:18- 675. - Actually, you're almost spot on.
0:34:18 > 0:34:21It's actually on the market at 670.
0:34:21 > 0:34:26And then you have to factor in quite hefty service charges, cos you'd be a leaseholder.
0:34:26 > 0:34:32Because of this sort of quirky... So it's about £4,000 a year service charge.
0:34:32 > 0:34:37That looks after the lake and grounds, and gives you membership to the local golf club and spa.
0:34:37 > 0:34:44It's a very desirable area. Probably not quite made for you, but I mean, in terms of property,
0:34:44 > 0:34:47- it's a very viable concept. - I think it's a specific taste.
0:34:47 > 0:34:51We're going to go back and you can wander round.
0:34:51 > 0:34:53Great. Thank you very much indeed.
0:34:53 > 0:34:58At £670,000 this home does have the open-plan living room,
0:34:58 > 0:35:01which was a must-have for Luciano.
0:35:01 > 0:35:03There are three light and spacious bedrooms.
0:35:03 > 0:35:06The balcony provides views, which Mark asked for.
0:35:06 > 0:35:08And it is right by a lake.
0:35:08 > 0:35:11In theory, this property ticks plenty of boxes, but in practice,
0:35:11 > 0:35:13we'll have to find out.
0:35:13 > 0:35:17My first impression of the mystery house was quite a thing,
0:35:17 > 0:35:22because I could see the water nearby, so I got excited
0:35:22 > 0:35:27and I thought it would be something I would like.
0:35:27 > 0:35:30I can see why you would say this is the mystery house for us.
0:35:30 > 0:35:33Luciano loves water. He wanted to be by water.
0:35:33 > 0:35:37So, you know, here you've got a great big lake outside the kitchen windows.
0:35:37 > 0:35:44Deep inside what I'm trying to do is have a house what I want in London,
0:35:44 > 0:35:50a busy house where we going to raise kids and everything, in the countryside.
0:35:50 > 0:35:55This thing just doesn't really fit it.
0:35:57 > 0:35:59Last-minute conversion?
0:35:59 > 0:36:03- Scales fallen from eyes. - I don't think so, Alistair. - Damascus road?
0:36:03 > 0:36:07- Nothing like that? - Nothing like that, no, no.
0:36:07 > 0:36:10No blinding moment of wanting to take the house.
0:36:10 > 0:36:12- Do you want me to take you away from here?- Yes, please.
0:36:24 > 0:36:29Just a few years ago, when I was a child, I sang every week in my local church choir.
0:36:29 > 0:36:31And if you live in the Cotswolds,
0:36:31 > 0:36:36the chances are that your local church might have a very fine choir indeed.
0:36:36 > 0:36:41Gloucester Cathedral, used as a filming location in the Harry Potter series,
0:36:41 > 0:36:48is also a stunning example of 11th-century architecture and a lot more than just a film set.
0:36:48 > 0:36:51I thought I'd reacquaint myself with the life of a chorister
0:36:51 > 0:36:57and met up with the cathedral's musical director Adrian Partington.
0:36:57 > 0:37:00- Adrian, morning.- Morning. - Thanks for taking the time.
0:37:00 > 0:37:05- This is amazing. It's an astonishing piece of architecture. This is the cloisters?- Yeah.
0:37:05 > 0:37:09It's just a very fancy corridor that connected the different parts
0:37:09 > 0:37:15- of the monastery to other parts so that the monks didn't get wet. - It's like a forest of stone.
0:37:15 > 0:37:17It is. It's just beautiful.
0:37:17 > 0:37:19And the first of its kind in Europe.
0:37:19 > 0:37:25- And tell me about the choir. - Well, the choir in its current form dates from 1541.
0:37:25 > 0:37:29Henry VIII and his ministers abolished the monastic system,
0:37:29 > 0:37:33but he had to replace it with something,
0:37:33 > 0:37:38so the most important abbeys he turned into cathedrals and appointed bishops.
0:37:38 > 0:37:44And he was a great musician and not the Philistine that legend has him,
0:37:44 > 0:37:48and he organised choir schools at all these cathedrals.
0:37:48 > 0:37:51I sang at my little parish church and I sang when I was at university
0:37:51 > 0:37:57and, for me, it's given me a lifelong love of church music and singing together.
0:37:57 > 0:38:02You see boys go through the system in a four- or five-year cycle I presume.
0:38:02 > 0:38:07- What are the things that it instils in the boys? - They spend so much time together.
0:38:07 > 0:38:10They must be like an army unit or something like that.
0:38:10 > 0:38:17It's wanting to do well for the team and I think that's a fantastic thing to take through your life.
0:38:17 > 0:38:21BOYS SING CHORAL PIECE
0:38:40 > 0:38:43It's something that England leads the world at.
0:38:43 > 0:38:46Cos across Europe, with the various religious wars
0:38:46 > 0:38:50and things, all this has been destroyed, everywhere except here.
0:38:50 > 0:38:58It is a unique tradition and this building, which has one of the best acoustics in the entire world,
0:38:58 > 0:39:00it just sounds like you're in heaven.
0:39:08 > 0:39:13The boys sing every day, so if you live locally, you can pop in and enjoy a free concert.
0:39:13 > 0:39:19And speaking of concerts, combining their forces with two cathedrals in Worcester and Hereford,
0:39:19 > 0:39:24this choir takes part in a major choral gathering called the Three Choirs Festival every August,
0:39:24 > 0:39:32a 250-year-old tradition that makes it the oldest continuing music festival in the world.
0:39:46 > 0:39:51And now it's time to find out what properties hit the right note for Mark and Luciano.
0:39:51 > 0:39:53- Hello, guys.- Hello.
0:39:53 > 0:39:59Let's talk about the houses one by one and then perhaps we can talk more generally
0:39:59 > 0:40:05about the whole experience of property shopping together. The first house that I showed you.
0:40:05 > 0:40:09Looked very old. In fact, wasn't so old. What are your thoughts about that now?
0:40:09 > 0:40:11I really liked the house.
0:40:11 > 0:40:16It was just the kitchen wasn't exactly what I want.
0:40:16 > 0:40:19But, generally, it was a nice house.
0:40:19 > 0:40:23I think it's grown on me, the more I've been thinking about it.
0:40:23 > 0:40:26The location, you can't beat it.
0:40:26 > 0:40:28And the garden? Cos the garden was a bit...
0:40:28 > 0:40:32A bit small, but actually, you know, the garden, in retrospect...
0:40:32 > 0:40:36- Compromise.- Yeah, exactly. It seems to me perfectly adequate.
0:40:36 > 0:40:41Let's talk about the second house, cos this was a much bigger garden, certainly in a bigger house.
0:40:41 > 0:40:43I like it from outside.
0:40:43 > 0:40:45I like from inside.
0:40:45 > 0:40:47I like the back garden.
0:40:47 > 0:40:48I just loved the house.
0:40:48 > 0:40:51Mark doesn't have exactly the same opinion.
0:40:51 > 0:40:56If that house had been in a different location, if that house had been
0:40:56 > 0:41:01in the location of the first house, would I compromise? Yeah.
0:41:01 > 0:41:06I think I probably would. I am open to listening to what Luciano wants and compromising on that.
0:41:06 > 0:41:09But it's not necessarily what I would choose myself.
0:41:09 > 0:41:13That sounds like a diplomatic way of saying, "No, I won't negotiate on location."
0:41:13 > 0:41:17Let's move on to the mystery house. Just to change the subject.
0:41:17 > 0:41:23This seemed to crystallise a lot of things. Did it help bring some things into focus?
0:41:23 > 0:41:25For me, it did a lot.
0:41:25 > 0:41:29Because now I know exactly what we're looking for.
0:41:29 > 0:41:32It's not a big house.
0:41:32 > 0:41:35Cos we need to compromise. It cannot be modern.
0:41:35 > 0:41:40Mark's not going to be 100% happy with a modern house at all.
0:41:40 > 0:41:42For you, Mark, did it bring anything into focus?
0:41:42 > 0:41:48It focused the fact that coming to the Cotswolds,
0:41:48 > 0:41:52I would like, a Cotswold house.
0:41:52 > 0:41:57And, you know, it's all part of a cunning plan I had that perhaps Luciano would come here,
0:41:57 > 0:42:03see the Cotswolds and actually, you know, sense that he could be happy here
0:42:03 > 0:42:05and could be happy living in a country house.
0:42:05 > 0:42:09- Is that true? Have you had a... - Yeah, I think it helps. It did help.
0:42:09 > 0:42:13What about any of the properties? Would you pursue any of them?
0:42:13 > 0:42:16- Would you go back and look at any of them?- The first house.
0:42:16 > 0:42:19- So, it hasn't all been...- No.
0:42:19 > 0:42:23It's been challenging. Oh, it's been wonderfully entertaining to see you work through
0:42:23 > 0:42:29the kind of challenges that happen when two people want to buy a house with different templates.
0:42:29 > 0:42:32And I really hope it works out. But all the best.
0:42:32 > 0:42:34- Thank you very much indeed. - Thank you very much.
0:42:35 > 0:42:38This is the house we should have shown Mark.
0:42:38 > 0:42:44Although, of course, Luciano wouldn't have stood for it, being too old and too small.
0:42:44 > 0:42:49And that's been our problem all along, trying to balance these two very different wish-lists.
0:42:49 > 0:42:54But we've contributed to a compromise that could make this couple's country idyll come true.
0:42:54 > 0:42:58Make sure you join us next time for more Escape To The Country,
0:42:58 > 0:43:02where we will be exploring other corners of rural Britain.
0:43:03 > 0:43:07If you'd like to Escape To The Country in Northern Ireland,
0:43:07 > 0:43:11Wales, Scotland or England and need our help, please apply online at...
0:43:30 > 0:43:32Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd
0:43:32 > 0:43:35E-mail: subtitling@bbc.co.uk