0:00:02 > 0:00:04This rather big chap here - or, rather, his cousins -
0:00:04 > 0:00:08have been eaten in Britain for literally thousands of years.
0:00:08 > 0:00:12But it was the Romans who first declared oysters from these particular waters a delicacy.
0:00:12 > 0:00:16Where am I? Well, stick around and I'll tell you.
0:00:28 > 0:00:32'On today's show, we help a couple find the perfect family home in the country,
0:00:32 > 0:00:35'and they like what they see.'
0:00:35 > 0:00:37This is incredible.
0:00:37 > 0:00:41'And it just gets better and better.'
0:00:41 > 0:00:46- This is just amazing! - Yeah. Grand enough for you?- It is.
0:00:46 > 0:00:48'But am I spoiling them for choice?'
0:00:48 > 0:00:51You ask, I deliver.
0:00:54 > 0:00:57Today, I'm in Essex, on the banks of the Blackwater River,
0:00:57 > 0:01:00where conditions for farming oysters are perfect.
0:01:00 > 0:01:02And whether you love them or loathe them,
0:01:02 > 0:01:06they've been part of our British diet since prehistoric times.
0:01:06 > 0:01:09Now, right here in Essex, you will find two kinds of oysters -
0:01:09 > 0:01:13the native oyster, which, as you might gather from its name, is indigenous to these waters,
0:01:13 > 0:01:16and this fella here, the rock oyster,
0:01:16 > 0:01:18which was introduced here in the 1980s.
0:01:18 > 0:01:20As for me - well, I love them.
0:01:24 > 0:01:27'Positioned on the coast north-east of London,
0:01:27 > 0:01:30'Essex is a county famed for its natural beauty.
0:01:30 > 0:01:32'Inspired by the landscape,
0:01:32 > 0:01:34'19th-century British painter John Constable
0:01:34 > 0:01:36'depicted one Essex riverbank
0:01:36 > 0:01:40'in arguably his greatest work, The Hay Wain, in 1821.
0:01:40 > 0:01:43'But Essex isn't just about beauty.
0:01:43 > 0:01:46'This is a land with a long, rich history,
0:01:46 > 0:01:49'from Bronze Age travellers drawn to the salty marshlands
0:01:49 > 0:01:52'to the Romans, who first discovered the now famous oysters in the mudflats.
0:01:52 > 0:01:57'In fact, when the Romans built a fort on the site of Colchester in 44 AD,
0:01:57 > 0:02:02'they inadvertently created the original capital of Roman Britain.
0:02:02 > 0:02:06'By the 17th and 18th centuries, Essex had become a centre of trade,
0:02:06 > 0:02:10'due to both readily available seafood from its 350-mile coastline
0:02:10 > 0:02:13'and its rich agricultural land.
0:02:13 > 0:02:15'Because of this rich and diverse past,
0:02:15 > 0:02:18'today Essex is awash with period properties,
0:02:18 > 0:02:22'set in charming villages which all have one thing in common -
0:02:22 > 0:02:23'an easy commute to London.
0:02:23 > 0:02:25'Which means that those that live here
0:02:25 > 0:02:30'can have the benefits of both rural life and access to the city.'
0:02:34 > 0:02:39Despite its proximity to London, Essex is in fact mostly rural,
0:02:39 > 0:02:42with 70% of its land given up to agriculture.
0:02:42 > 0:02:45And period housing stock isn't in short supply either,
0:02:45 > 0:02:48with over 14,000 listed buildings county-wide.
0:02:48 > 0:02:51Of course, all of this has an impact on price.
0:02:51 > 0:02:55Essex comes at a cost - around £44,000,
0:02:55 > 0:02:58which is how much more you'd pay for a detached house here
0:02:58 > 0:03:00when compared with the UK average.
0:03:00 > 0:03:04So, let's take a look at a selection of houses currently available.
0:03:06 > 0:03:08'Dating back to the early 19th century,
0:03:08 > 0:03:12'this £975,000 five-bedroom Grade II-listed farmhouse
0:03:12 > 0:03:14'is set in three acres.
0:03:14 > 0:03:17'The country kitchen suits the rural location
0:03:17 > 0:03:20'and the drawing room is elegantly appointed.
0:03:20 > 0:03:23'The property has plenty of original features,
0:03:23 > 0:03:25'like the exposed beams and the feature fireplace
0:03:25 > 0:03:27'in the living area.
0:03:28 > 0:03:31'If a 400-year-old thatched property is more your style,
0:03:31 > 0:03:36'then for £595,000, this three-bedroom home could be yours.
0:03:36 > 0:03:40'The property has been extended over the years to add space,
0:03:40 > 0:03:43'which means the bedrooms are large and the kitchen is modern.
0:03:43 > 0:03:48'From the conservatory, you can take in the views of the garden and the horses in the paddock beyond.
0:03:48 > 0:03:53'For £430,000, this 17th-century thatched property
0:03:53 > 0:03:57'is set in half an acre and has period features aplenty.
0:03:57 > 0:03:58'Timber is certainly the name of the game,
0:03:58 > 0:04:02'with character oozing from the exposed beams and the solid oak flooring.
0:04:02 > 0:04:05'And the kitchen/diner offers the best of both worlds,
0:04:05 > 0:04:09'combining character features with a contemporary, bright feel.'
0:04:11 > 0:04:15Some great Essex properties there, with three more coming up,
0:04:15 > 0:04:17including, of course, our mystery house.
0:04:17 > 0:04:21So, will any of them tempt today's buyers? Only time will tell.
0:04:21 > 0:04:23Let's meet them.
0:04:24 > 0:04:28'Radiologist Bal and his wife, Kinder, a business improvement leader,
0:04:28 > 0:04:29'were married six years ago.
0:04:29 > 0:04:32'Along with their two children, Amrit and Arjun,
0:04:32 > 0:04:34'they live with Bal's parents and close family
0:04:34 > 0:04:36'in a six-bed house in Epping.'
0:04:36 > 0:04:40The house is fairly large, with a large lounge.
0:04:40 > 0:04:44And the kitchen's a very good size. It's the hub of our family.
0:04:44 > 0:04:46Upstairs, we've got five bedrooms.
0:04:46 > 0:04:50- We've also got a decent garden for the kids.- Absolutely.
0:04:50 > 0:04:52'Although they enjoy living with all the family,
0:04:52 > 0:04:55'Bal has just taken a new job at a Chelmsford hospital,
0:04:55 > 0:04:58'which means he needs to move closer to work.'
0:04:58 > 0:05:03The area I'm working for has to be 30 minutes from the hospital.
0:05:03 > 0:05:06And also, because both of us work,
0:05:06 > 0:05:10we need to organise child care for the kids as well.
0:05:10 > 0:05:13So, we need to be within, also, commuting distance back to Epping
0:05:13 > 0:05:16for when the grandparents look after the children.
0:05:16 > 0:05:20- So, again, 20 to 30 minutes... - Max.- ..maximum.
0:05:20 > 0:05:24'However, the move is also about a change of lifestyle.'
0:05:24 > 0:05:27For me, I'm a fitness fanatic, so I'd love the great outdoors
0:05:27 > 0:05:32for going for a jog any time that I wanted to.
0:05:32 > 0:05:35Also, I'd ideally like to, sort of, really get into gardening
0:05:35 > 0:05:38and have my own veg patch.
0:05:38 > 0:05:42And hopefully, there'll be room for a pool table to fit in the house somewhere.
0:05:42 > 0:05:44- SHE LAUGHS - You wish!
0:05:44 > 0:05:47'Bal may well be snookered on the pool table,
0:05:47 > 0:05:51'but what other boxes need to be ticked on the list of must-haves?'
0:05:51 > 0:05:54We're going for a detached house, four bedrooms,
0:05:54 > 0:05:57of which at least three should be good-sized rooms,
0:05:57 > 0:06:02for a decent lounge, a nice, large kitchen.
0:06:02 > 0:06:04- Garden. - Garden. For...for the kids.
0:06:04 > 0:06:07Those are the absolute musts and essentials.
0:06:07 > 0:06:11- And three large reception rooms. - Three large reception rooms.
0:06:11 > 0:06:14'A comprehensive list.
0:06:14 > 0:06:17'But is there a style of home that really appeals?'
0:06:17 > 0:06:20It could be a barn conversion. It could be a new build.
0:06:20 > 0:06:23It could be an old house, as long as it was fairly modern in side.
0:06:25 > 0:06:26'Flexibility is helpful,
0:06:26 > 0:06:29'and because Bal and Kinder have been living with his parents,
0:06:29 > 0:06:32'they've managed to save a large deposit.'
0:06:32 > 0:06:37And if we did find the right property, we would be in a position to go for it straightaway.
0:06:37 > 0:06:40'So, how much do we have to work with?'
0:06:40 > 0:06:44Our maximum budget for the move is £750,000.
0:06:46 > 0:06:49On the face of it, this all sounds fairly straightforward.
0:06:49 > 0:06:53Four bedrooms, good-sized garden, good-sized kitchen,
0:06:53 > 0:06:57and we've got a good-sized budget, £750,000,
0:06:57 > 0:07:02in a massive county - 1,417 square miles.
0:07:02 > 0:07:05But there's a but, and let's face it, there usually is.
0:07:05 > 0:07:09We're not looking at the whole county. We're looking at a fraction of it.
0:07:09 > 0:07:12Because Bal has to be within 30 minutes' drive to work.
0:07:12 > 0:07:16So we need to find a big house in a very small space.
0:07:16 > 0:07:19'So we'll be focusing our search north-west of Chelmsford
0:07:19 > 0:07:20'in an area with good road links
0:07:20 > 0:07:24'and within easy reach of his parents, in Epping.
0:07:24 > 0:07:28'We've found some excellent properties that will hopefully impress Bal and Kinder,
0:07:28 > 0:07:31'but I won't be telling them the price until the end of the tour.
0:07:31 > 0:07:36'And then there's the mystery house, which promises to challenge their idea of country life.'
0:07:37 > 0:07:41- Good morning. How are we doing? - Morning. Not so bad. Yourself?
0:07:41 > 0:07:44Normally I'd welcome you to Essex, or the county where we are,
0:07:44 > 0:07:47- but you already live here, so you should be welcoming me. - Absolutely.
0:07:47 > 0:07:52I mean, at the moment, you live in...a large house
0:07:52 > 0:07:54with a lot of people, a lot of family.
0:07:54 > 0:07:57- Seven adults and three children. - Wow.
0:07:57 > 0:08:01- So, this is gonna be a huge change for you guys, isn't it?- Indeed.
0:08:01 > 0:08:06Probably more so for me, cos I've experienced the house since I was a young kid.
0:08:06 > 0:08:09What's a big no-no in the house itself?
0:08:09 > 0:08:11A small kitchen.
0:08:11 > 0:08:14- The kitchen's gonna be the hub of the home...- OK.
0:08:14 > 0:08:17..and it needs to be spacious and luxurious.
0:08:17 > 0:08:20Let's talk about the budget, then. How much have we got to spend?
0:08:20 > 0:08:23I would say £700,000.
0:08:23 > 0:08:26You would say £700,000? Would Bal say something different?
0:08:26 > 0:08:28- He would. - Oh, right. OK.
0:08:28 > 0:08:29THEY LAUGH
0:08:29 > 0:08:33You're saying 700, Kinder. What says Bal?
0:08:33 > 0:08:36- I think we can push up to about 750. - Don't look at me like that!
0:08:36 > 0:08:38THEY LAUGH
0:08:38 > 0:08:42- OK, so, maybe up to 750. - Maybe.
0:08:42 > 0:08:45- I'll see if I can get anything cheaper, Kinder.- That'd be great.
0:08:45 > 0:08:49All right, well, we've got some fantastic properties lined up today.
0:08:49 > 0:08:51- Let's go have a look, shall we? - Yeah.- Brilliant.
0:08:54 > 0:08:57'With a maximum budget of £750,000,
0:08:57 > 0:09:00'Bal and Kinder would like a detached four-bedroom house
0:09:00 > 0:09:02'with a large kitchen.
0:09:02 > 0:09:05'Bal likes the idea of space for a pool table
0:09:05 > 0:09:08'and Kinder wants a vegetable patch so she can grow her own produce.
0:09:16 > 0:09:19'Our first property is on the rural outskirts of Great Dunmow.
0:09:19 > 0:09:21'It's perfectly situated
0:09:21 > 0:09:23'just 20 minutes from Bal's work in Chelmsford
0:09:23 > 0:09:27'and 30 minutes from his parents for when they need the child care.
0:09:27 > 0:09:29'Home to around 9,000 people,
0:09:29 > 0:09:33'this idyllic location on the River Chelmer has an inviting high street
0:09:33 > 0:09:38'littered with bric-a-brac shops and local speciality stores.
0:09:38 > 0:09:42'However, if it's a countryside location that Kinder is after,
0:09:42 > 0:09:44'she'll find it with our first house.'
0:09:44 > 0:09:46So, property number one...
0:09:49 > 0:09:52..is, obviously, a barn conversion, with an extension on it.
0:09:54 > 0:09:56- It looks good. - Looks very nice.
0:09:56 > 0:09:59Local intelligence suggests it's about 1750s.
0:09:59 > 0:10:03And these are your outbuildings. A garage. Triple garage, really.
0:10:03 > 0:10:06- What are your thoughts? - It looks very nice, I think.
0:10:06 > 0:10:10- What do you think of that lovely, long drive? - Absolutely fantastic.- Fantastic.
0:10:10 > 0:10:12- Very impressive, isn't it? - Very impressive.
0:10:12 > 0:10:14- Happy? - Give me a moment.
0:10:14 > 0:10:18- You look almost speechless. - I am. Indeed.
0:10:18 > 0:10:21Well, hopefully we'll have something to talk about inside. Follow me.
0:10:22 > 0:10:26'Bal's holding back and Kinder's giving very little away.
0:10:26 > 0:10:30'But I think this 2002 conversion will eventually win them over.'
0:10:30 > 0:10:32Right, then.
0:10:32 > 0:10:35Your entrance hall.
0:10:35 > 0:10:39These flagstones - local Essex flagstones, they are.
0:10:39 > 0:10:41And - just peek your head.
0:10:41 > 0:10:43- You've got an office there. - Fantastic.
0:10:43 > 0:10:49I'm thinking you'll always be dying to get into this main room, cos it's quite special. Follow me.
0:10:54 > 0:10:57Do you know what I mean when I say you'll look forward to coming in here?
0:10:57 > 0:11:00Wow. That is a grand entrance.
0:11:00 > 0:11:02That's lovely. It's really nice.
0:11:03 > 0:11:06I mean, this is what I always have in mind.
0:11:06 > 0:11:08When someone says "barn conversion",
0:11:08 > 0:11:10I always hope to see a room like this,
0:11:10 > 0:11:14where they haven't had to use all this wonderful space and these big, lofted ceilings.
0:11:14 > 0:11:19They make the use of all the timber as well. It's such a big, impressive room, isn't it?
0:11:19 > 0:11:20Very impressive.
0:11:20 > 0:11:22Ever had an open fire before?
0:11:22 > 0:11:25- Nope. - No, but it was a desire.
0:11:25 > 0:11:26- Was it? - Yeah.
0:11:26 > 0:11:32I like the windows too. They're really nice, even with the decor.
0:11:32 > 0:11:35- You won't find another barn like this.- No.
0:11:35 > 0:11:37Every barn conversion is different,
0:11:37 > 0:11:41especially when they keep so much of the old timbers and the original features.
0:11:41 > 0:11:43It's quirky.
0:11:43 > 0:11:45- You look really taken with this, Kinder.- I am.
0:11:45 > 0:11:47They've used the space really well.
0:11:47 > 0:11:53- Now, both of your eyes seem to be going up to that dining area.- Yes.
0:11:53 > 0:11:56So, let's have a look at that, but first, the kitchen on the way.
0:11:56 > 0:11:59'This room has certainly hit the mark for Kinder,
0:11:59 > 0:12:03'but it's in the kitchen that I think she'll be really impressed.'
0:12:03 > 0:12:07Now, I know that this is the most important room to you guys.
0:12:07 > 0:12:11It is. It's gonna be the hub of the home, the heart,
0:12:11 > 0:12:13the functioning part of the family.
0:12:13 > 0:12:15And this is incredible.
0:12:15 > 0:12:18It's really nice. I'm liking it.
0:12:18 > 0:12:20I'm liking the hardtops.
0:12:20 > 0:12:23I'm liking the informal dining area
0:12:23 > 0:12:26for them to have their messy breakfasts.
0:12:26 > 0:12:27This is brilliant.
0:12:27 > 0:12:30That looks like a utility room over there, separated.
0:12:31 > 0:12:33You've done well.
0:12:33 > 0:12:36- It IS lovely, isn't it? - It is beautiful.
0:12:36 > 0:12:38You know, the French doors
0:12:38 > 0:12:42and the light that it's drawing in - it's brilliant.
0:12:42 > 0:12:45It makes the room really spacious and bright.
0:12:45 > 0:12:48Which is what you need when you're gonna spend a lot of time in here.
0:12:48 > 0:12:49Yes. Good.
0:12:49 > 0:12:52- Now, upstairs, remember that dining area?- Indeed.
0:12:52 > 0:12:54- Let's take a peek? - Yeah.- All right.
0:12:55 > 0:12:58Now, it might mean you've got to carry some food up the stairs,
0:12:58 > 0:13:02but I thought this was a great place to have formal dining.
0:13:02 > 0:13:04You're not wrong there.
0:13:04 > 0:13:07This is really nice.
0:13:07 > 0:13:10They've used the space so well!
0:13:10 > 0:13:13- Absolutely. - I'm just thinking a Christmas party.
0:13:13 > 0:13:16- Yeah.- It could be hosted here! - SHE LAUGHS
0:13:16 > 0:13:19- It's a real entertaining house, I think.- It is. It's really nice.
0:13:19 > 0:13:22'So far, so good.
0:13:22 > 0:13:26'Back through the kitchen/diner, on the other side of the gallery drawing room,
0:13:26 > 0:13:28'still on the ground floor, are two bedrooms.
0:13:28 > 0:13:32'One is currently being used as a playroom and both are en suite.
0:13:32 > 0:13:36'Now for upstairs, where we find the two other bedrooms -
0:13:36 > 0:13:38'again, both en suite.'
0:13:38 > 0:13:41Now, mind your heads.
0:13:41 > 0:13:45Now, it's pretty obvious what I'm gonna suggest this is.
0:13:45 > 0:13:47- Amrit's bedroom. - Yeah.
0:13:47 > 0:13:49It's very nice.
0:13:49 > 0:13:53Now, you mentioned your daughter as having a bedroom to herself,
0:13:53 > 0:13:58but the one potential compromise of this house
0:13:58 > 0:14:02is there's a staircase that separates two bedrooms from two other bedrooms.
0:14:02 > 0:14:07You've got two bedrooms on this level here, and right below are the other two bedrooms.
0:14:07 > 0:14:08OK.
0:14:08 > 0:14:11So...would you be happy with that
0:14:11 > 0:14:14or would you initially maybe have them sharing?
0:14:14 > 0:14:18If we're moving into such a spacious property, I don't think it's gonna be a big deal.
0:14:18 > 0:14:21I'd rather they had their separate bedrooms.
0:14:21 > 0:14:24OK. Children's bedrooms all done.
0:14:24 > 0:14:26Your master bedroom, I think, is just over there.
0:14:26 > 0:14:29So you can lead the way if you like, Bal.
0:14:35 > 0:14:37- It's all gone quiet. - It's a very nice room.
0:14:37 > 0:14:40- Oh, good! Whew! - Very nice room. Lovely windows.
0:14:40 > 0:14:42A lot of space.
0:14:42 > 0:14:43I'm taken.
0:14:43 > 0:14:49Because I've always thought, "I want a really big, spacious, 20ft room."
0:14:49 > 0:14:53But, do you know, because of the light, the windows, the character,
0:14:53 > 0:14:56you know, I can compromise.
0:14:56 > 0:14:59Let's go and look at the garden and start thinking about price. OK?
0:15:03 > 0:15:06'We're heading out through the informal dining area
0:15:06 > 0:15:08'into the garden to the rear of the property.
0:15:08 > 0:15:13'Hopefully a quarter of an acre will be plenty of space for their growing children.'
0:15:14 > 0:15:19- Now, you said it's important for Amrit and Arjun to have a usable garden.- Yes.
0:15:19 > 0:15:21What's this like for size?
0:15:21 > 0:15:23- It's very nice. - Yeah?- Yeah, definitely.
0:15:23 > 0:15:26- It's great. You can ride a bike up and down.- Absolutely.
0:15:26 > 0:15:29Now, the owners of this place have got a young toddler,
0:15:29 > 0:15:32and you can see there's plenty of playthings for them around.
0:15:32 > 0:15:35But behind that wall, there's a secure garden,
0:15:35 > 0:15:38which I think would make a fantastic vegetable garden.
0:15:38 > 0:15:39A kitchen garden, if you like.
0:15:39 > 0:15:43Totally protected from the elements, except sun, and it's south-facing.
0:15:43 > 0:15:46So you can see some tommies growing up the walls there, couldn't you?
0:15:46 > 0:15:49- Absolutely. What a great idea. - Mmm.
0:15:49 > 0:15:51So, all in all, how much do you think it is?
0:15:53 > 0:15:55745?
0:15:55 > 0:15:57745.
0:15:57 > 0:16:00I think it's probably a bit more than that.
0:16:00 > 0:16:02Cos it is quite a big size.
0:16:02 > 0:16:06Big, impressive room downstairs and quite a large garden.
0:16:06 > 0:16:09Maybe about 785.
0:16:09 > 0:16:13Kinder, have you been sneaking at my sale particulars in the car?
0:16:13 > 0:16:17- No. - It's spot-on 745! Well done!
0:16:17 > 0:16:20- Fantastic.- I'm a bit taken aback with that, really.
0:16:20 > 0:16:23Well, look, there's two bedrooms you haven't had a look at.
0:16:23 > 0:16:27Go and look around those rooms now. Start adding up which ones you'd use for what.
0:16:27 > 0:16:29- I'll catch you in 10 minutes or so. - OK.
0:16:32 > 0:16:35'For £745,000, this barn conversion
0:16:35 > 0:16:37'is just under budget
0:16:37 > 0:16:38'and delivers the four bedrooms
0:16:38 > 0:16:40'Bal and Kinder are after.
0:16:40 > 0:16:42'The high-spec kitchen/diner has
0:16:42 > 0:16:44'met with a very positive response,
0:16:44 > 0:16:46'as did the formal dining area.
0:16:46 > 0:16:47'And it even has space
0:16:47 > 0:16:48'for Kinder's veggie patch
0:16:48 > 0:16:50'and a garden for the children.
0:16:50 > 0:16:52'All in all, a very good result.
0:16:52 > 0:16:54'But will the layout of the bedrooms
0:16:54 > 0:16:55'cause Bal and Kinder
0:16:55 > 0:16:57'to have a rethink?'
0:16:57 > 0:17:01Being on two split levels. We want the kids to be on the same level as us.
0:17:01 > 0:17:04When you really like something, you start compromising,
0:17:04 > 0:17:07but then you have to...reflect
0:17:07 > 0:17:11and think, "How practical, how realistic is it going to be?"
0:17:11 > 0:17:15And I'm not sure whether the bedrooms would work for my children and me.
0:17:15 > 0:17:18So, that's the first one done. Much to think about?
0:17:18 > 0:17:21- Yeah. A few bits and bobs. - Yeah. Nice house, though.
0:17:21 > 0:17:23Good. Off to the next one.
0:17:29 > 0:17:32'Since the 17th century, Essex has been the trade link
0:17:32 > 0:17:35'between London and the east coast of England,
0:17:35 > 0:17:39'transporting everything from textiles to agricultural goods via the Thames.
0:17:39 > 0:17:41'And crucial to this trade was Maldon,
0:17:41 > 0:17:46'one of the county's oldest towns, with 5th-century Saxon origins.
0:17:46 > 0:17:50'In a prime location on both the coast and Blackwater Estuary,
0:17:50 > 0:17:54'Maldon has historically made the most of its ready-made natural transport links.
0:17:54 > 0:17:56'And to find out more,
0:17:56 > 0:17:59'earlier in the week, we suggested Bal and Kinder drop anchor
0:17:59 > 0:18:03'and meet up with local historian Stephen Nunn at Maldon's Hythe Quay.'
0:18:04 > 0:18:07- Hi.- Hiya. - Welcome to Maldon's Hythe Quay.
0:18:07 > 0:18:11Nice to see you both. Let me show you round one of the barges.
0:18:11 > 0:18:14'So important was Maldon as a commercial port,
0:18:14 > 0:18:17'it evolved a unique variety of flat-bottomed barge
0:18:17 > 0:18:18'for transporting cargo.
0:18:18 > 0:18:22'Known as "stackies", as they often carried haystacks on deck,
0:18:22 > 0:18:24'these barges were built at Hythe Quay,
0:18:24 > 0:18:27'and many, such as the Thistle, are still moored here today.'
0:18:27 > 0:18:31So, how many barges operated in its heyday from here?
0:18:31 > 0:18:32Well, along the east coast,
0:18:32 > 0:18:36there were probably around 2,000 barges at one point.
0:18:36 > 0:18:38But the numbers sort of dropped off,
0:18:38 > 0:18:43and now you'd be lucky if there were 200 survivors anywhere.
0:18:43 > 0:18:46'And many of them can be found right here in Maldon.
0:18:46 > 0:18:49'But they're not the only historic relics in the town.
0:18:51 > 0:18:54'With 364 Grade I- and II-listed buildings,
0:18:54 > 0:18:58'Maldon's architecture spans six centuries.
0:18:58 > 0:19:01'One of the finest examples is the Grade I-listed Moot Hall.
0:19:01 > 0:19:04'This 15th-century structure has pride of place
0:19:04 > 0:19:07'being the oldest brick building in the county,
0:19:07 > 0:19:09'and inside, it has many unique features.'
0:19:10 > 0:19:14So, do you notice anything unusual about this staircase?
0:19:14 > 0:19:17- Is it the wrong way round? - It IS the wrong way round.
0:19:17 > 0:19:22It's an opposite spiral, which is one of the many mysteries of this place.
0:19:22 > 0:19:25But it's a wonderful building,
0:19:25 > 0:19:28and I want to show you a really wonderful view now.
0:19:29 > 0:19:32So, although it's really windy, I wanted to bring you up here,
0:19:32 > 0:19:33because, as you can see,
0:19:33 > 0:19:37we've got some wonderful views from the top of the Moot Hall.
0:19:37 > 0:19:40This building started off as D'Arcy's Tower,
0:19:40 > 0:19:44and it was built sometime between 1420 and 1440.
0:19:44 > 0:19:47Was it unusual for a building in that time to be built from brick?
0:19:47 > 0:19:51Very unusual, yes. All around would have been timber-framed.
0:19:51 > 0:19:53But D'Arcy was a powerful man.
0:19:53 > 0:19:56He was MP for the borough, well in with the royal family,
0:19:56 > 0:19:58and he wanted a defended town house.
0:19:58 > 0:20:01And you can see lots of other historic sites from the roof.
0:20:01 > 0:20:06You can see All Saints Church, with its unique triangular tower.
0:20:06 > 0:20:08You can also see the slope of the high street
0:20:08 > 0:20:12and you suddenly realise that Maldon is built on a hill,
0:20:12 > 0:20:14and that's why it's called "Maeldune" -
0:20:14 > 0:20:17the Saxon word for "hill marked by a cross" or "hill of assembly".
0:20:17 > 0:20:21'Another important brick building for Bal and Kinder is coming up,
0:20:21 > 0:20:23'so it's time for the next house tour.'
0:20:28 > 0:20:30The house you're in now is very different.
0:20:30 > 0:20:32- There's, what, seven adults there? - Yep.
0:20:32 > 0:20:34All your family around you.
0:20:34 > 0:20:37Are you gonna miss living in that kind of environment?
0:20:37 > 0:20:40I think I will. Um...but...needs must.
0:20:40 > 0:20:45And for me, I'll be dropping off the kids to the grandparents' house.
0:20:45 > 0:20:47- I'll be going there Monday to Friday!- Every day.
0:20:47 > 0:20:50Every day. So, you know, it's not a huge thing.
0:20:52 > 0:20:56'And that means the location for our next property is perfect.
0:20:56 > 0:20:59'Situated in the countryside surrounding Stansted Mountfitchet,
0:20:59 > 0:21:02'our second house is within easy reach of the grandparents,
0:21:02 > 0:21:05'and Bal is half an hour from work for when he's on call.
0:21:05 > 0:21:08'"Stansted" is Saxon for "stony place",
0:21:08 > 0:21:13'while "Mountfitchet" is derived from the Norman baron who settled here in the 11th century.
0:21:13 > 0:21:16'Today there are 6,000 residents making the most
0:21:16 > 0:21:19'of some beautiful thatched cottages, Tudor coach-houses
0:21:19 > 0:21:21'and a variety of period homes,
0:21:21 > 0:21:23'all benefiting from good transport links
0:21:23 > 0:21:26'which help to make it such a desirable location
0:21:26 > 0:21:27'to bring up a family.
0:21:27 > 0:21:31'And just over a mile away, off a pristine gravelled courtyard,
0:21:31 > 0:21:32'our next property is one of five
0:21:32 > 0:21:35'within this barn conversion complex.'
0:21:35 > 0:21:37And whilst you've already seen a barn conversion,
0:21:37 > 0:21:40I think it's important for you to see this one,
0:21:40 > 0:21:42not only to compare and contrast,
0:21:42 > 0:21:45but you should see the best property available at any one moment of time.
0:21:45 > 0:21:47I believe this to be one of them.
0:21:47 > 0:21:50This is Victorian.
0:21:50 > 0:21:52Now, we are looking at - see that black downpipe? -
0:21:52 > 0:21:56the right half of that entire building.
0:21:56 > 0:21:58- OK. - What are your first impressions?
0:22:00 > 0:22:02It's a nice cul-de-sac.
0:22:02 > 0:22:04- HE LAUGHS - "Nice cul-de-sac"!
0:22:04 > 0:22:07Well, these are very different first impressions from the last place.
0:22:07 > 0:22:11Already, you're not animated. What's going through your mind, Bal?
0:22:11 > 0:22:14It's not as striking as the other one.
0:22:14 > 0:22:17But you can never judge a book by its cover.
0:22:17 > 0:22:20I feel like I'm playing a bit of catch-up here. Am I?
0:22:21 > 0:22:24Like you said, let's not judge the book by its cover.
0:22:24 > 0:22:25OK.
0:22:25 > 0:22:27All right. Follow me.
0:22:28 > 0:22:30'Well, I knew they wanted a detached house,
0:22:30 > 0:22:34'but we couldn't resist showing them this, because it's a real show-stopper,
0:22:34 > 0:22:38'with a modern interior finished to a high standard.'
0:22:38 > 0:22:40In you come. Mind that swinging door, Bal.
0:22:42 > 0:22:44Now, then.
0:22:46 > 0:22:49What do we think now? We're inside the cover of the book.
0:22:50 > 0:22:51It's looking good.
0:22:51 > 0:22:54- Whew! - Got a smile on my face.
0:22:54 > 0:22:58It feels very spacious. Draws in a lot of light.
0:22:58 > 0:23:01I like the brickwork. I like the wood.
0:23:01 > 0:23:03Absolutely lovely.
0:23:03 > 0:23:05Good.
0:23:05 > 0:23:08For you, Bal, a really nice office tucked away there -
0:23:08 > 0:23:10if you wanted to keep it as an office.
0:23:10 > 0:23:13If you look just round there, there's another raised area,
0:23:13 > 0:23:17which is a snug, or could be a dining room,
0:23:17 > 0:23:19- or it could be a little play area as well.- Fantastic.
0:23:19 > 0:23:22'Other than the snug, there's a large formal dining room
0:23:22 > 0:23:24'branching off the living space.
0:23:24 > 0:23:27'But it's the kitchen Kinder is most interested in.'
0:23:28 > 0:23:31And into the kitchen.
0:23:32 > 0:23:33What say you?
0:23:36 > 0:23:38Immediately, the size hits you.
0:23:38 > 0:23:44Um...however, I do like the interior. It's very high-spec.
0:23:44 > 0:23:46Could you live with it this size?
0:23:47 > 0:23:52- I think I'd have to balance it with the rest of the property.- OK.
0:23:52 > 0:23:55'The kitchen may not have impressed,
0:23:55 > 0:23:58'but upstairs should receive a more positive response.
0:23:58 > 0:24:00'All in all, there are four bedrooms.
0:24:00 > 0:24:04'Two are en suite, which was certainly on Kinder's list of must-haves.
0:24:04 > 0:24:07'The big benefit here is that they're all on one floor,
0:24:07 > 0:24:10'which was a real stumbling block in the last property.'
0:24:11 > 0:24:16Now, then, a master bedroom normally needs an ensuite, of which you have.
0:24:16 > 0:24:18Ensuite bathroom with separate shower -
0:24:18 > 0:24:21- so, it's a good-sized bathroom there.- Fantastic.
0:24:21 > 0:24:23What about this, then?
0:24:23 > 0:24:25It's a good size.
0:24:25 > 0:24:28There's plenty of cupboard space for all my clothes.
0:24:29 > 0:24:31I think it's a very good size.
0:24:31 > 0:24:33- Good. - I like the space.
0:24:33 > 0:24:37But what you couldn't see when we first walked up - cos you couldn't see any windows -
0:24:37 > 0:24:40there's a whole other level to this property.
0:24:40 > 0:24:42- Wow. - So let's go up there now.
0:24:42 > 0:24:45'Time for this property's secret weapon.'
0:24:46 > 0:24:47Up you come.
0:24:52 > 0:24:55- KINDER LAUGHS - Oh, my God!
0:24:55 > 0:24:56There you are - look. Pool table.
0:24:56 > 0:25:00- Fantastic. - You ask, I deliver.
0:25:00 > 0:25:01Fantastic.
0:25:01 > 0:25:03So, it's obviously huge.
0:25:03 > 0:25:05One thing to bear in mind, though,
0:25:05 > 0:25:08is it's not just this that's the opportunity.
0:25:08 > 0:25:11Behind that door, you've got a fifth bedroom,
0:25:11 > 0:25:15with a loo and a wash-hand basin, OK?
0:25:15 > 0:25:17You do have so many options here.
0:25:17 > 0:25:18Is there any more floors?
0:25:18 > 0:25:21- THEY LAUGH - No. At the moment, no.
0:25:21 > 0:25:24I mean, this is over 3,000 square feet, this home.
0:25:24 > 0:25:26- It's a lot. - It's big.- It is.
0:25:26 > 0:25:29- All right? - Mm-hm.
0:25:29 > 0:25:31'Heading out through the glass doors,
0:25:31 > 0:25:33'the garden is separated into two parts.'
0:25:33 > 0:25:35So, you've got this formal space here
0:25:35 > 0:25:38and so much more back here.
0:25:42 > 0:25:44This is quite different, isn't it?
0:25:44 > 0:25:46It certainly is.
0:25:46 > 0:25:48It is. It's lovely.
0:25:48 > 0:25:50So, how much do you think this is, then?
0:25:53 > 0:25:54Who wants to go first?
0:25:54 > 0:25:57OK. I'll say about 720.
0:25:57 > 0:25:59720 from Kinder.
0:25:59 > 0:26:03I was thinking more... pushing our upper limit - 750.
0:26:03 > 0:26:05Because of the floor space.
0:26:06 > 0:26:10Now, I'm gonna make sure that seatbelt is tight in my car.
0:26:10 > 0:26:13- Sure you've not been looking through the sales details?- No.
0:26:13 > 0:26:15It's on the market for £725,000.
0:26:15 > 0:26:16- I was about to say that. - Were you?!
0:26:16 > 0:26:18Well, you were pretty close.
0:26:18 > 0:26:20OK, go back into the house now, then,
0:26:20 > 0:26:23have a look at those other bedrooms you haven't yet seen, OK?
0:26:23 > 0:26:25- I'll catch you in a minute. - OK.
0:26:25 > 0:26:29'For £725,000, you get a lot of barn
0:26:29 > 0:26:30'for your money -
0:26:30 > 0:26:31'four bedrooms,
0:26:31 > 0:26:33'two of which are en suite,
0:26:33 > 0:26:34'and all on the same level,
0:26:34 > 0:26:36'a high-spec kitchen,
0:26:36 > 0:26:38'a large open-plan living area,
0:26:38 > 0:26:39'and a sizeable
0:26:39 > 0:26:41'formal landscaped garden.
0:26:41 > 0:26:43'Bal even has his pool table.
0:26:43 > 0:26:44'There's bags of space,
0:26:44 > 0:26:46'but will that be enough for them
0:26:46 > 0:26:48'to consider what essentially is
0:26:48 > 0:26:49'a semidetached property?'
0:26:49 > 0:26:51So, do I get to keep the pool table, then?
0:26:51 > 0:26:54I think the house is really accommodating.
0:26:54 > 0:26:58Um...where it's gonna go, I'm not sure.
0:26:58 > 0:27:01- But I can't see why not. - Fantastic!
0:27:01 > 0:27:05It just got better... and better...and better.
0:27:05 > 0:27:09And the garden - again, I was blown away.
0:27:09 > 0:27:12- How did you get on? OK? - Yeah. It's been a great experience.
0:27:12 > 0:27:15Good. Well, hopefully, two potential homes to consider.
0:27:15 > 0:27:17Let me drive you back.
0:27:19 > 0:27:21'I feel like we've achieved a lot today.
0:27:21 > 0:27:24'And as the sun sets over Essex,
0:27:24 > 0:27:27'I'm sure our househunters will have plenty to talk about.
0:27:29 > 0:27:32'Living in Epping with Bal's parents,
0:27:32 > 0:27:34'Bal and Kinder want to escape to the country.
0:27:34 > 0:27:38'They've already seen two fantastic barn conversions.'
0:27:38 > 0:27:40This is incredible.
0:27:40 > 0:27:43'But coming up next is our mystery house -
0:27:43 > 0:27:46'a property aimed at challenging our buyers' wish list.
0:27:46 > 0:27:48'And Kinder has already decided
0:27:48 > 0:27:50'how she's going to spend her afternoons.'
0:27:50 > 0:27:52Ain't it great to have a cuppa?
0:27:52 > 0:27:54- Yeah! - Afternoon tea and scones.
0:27:54 > 0:27:56See? You're getting into this now, aren't you?
0:28:01 > 0:28:03I'm putting yesterday down as a success.
0:28:03 > 0:28:06Two barn conversions and great reactions in both of them.
0:28:06 > 0:28:11But, as with a lot of barn conversions, especially when you bear in mind their layout,
0:28:11 > 0:28:13there was an element of compromise in both of them.
0:28:13 > 0:28:16So, today, of course, we've got our mystery house.
0:28:16 > 0:28:18It's certainly no barn conversion
0:28:18 > 0:28:20and it's not exactly what they asked for,
0:28:20 > 0:28:23but you never know - they may just go for it.
0:28:24 > 0:28:27'Our next property is conveniently positioned in Braintree,
0:28:27 > 0:28:30'20 minutes from Bal's work in Chelmsford.
0:28:30 > 0:28:32'Once a Roman settlement,
0:28:32 > 0:28:36'Braintree has been a centre for trade for hundreds of years.
0:28:36 > 0:28:39'St Michael's Church dates back to 1199
0:28:39 > 0:28:41'and the period housing stands testament
0:28:41 > 0:28:44'to a once thriving agriculture and textile trade.
0:28:45 > 0:28:49'Our mystery house is not quite the rural idyll they're expecting,
0:28:49 > 0:28:51'as it's just on the edge of town,
0:28:51 > 0:28:54'but it definitely has something of the country manor about it.'
0:28:55 > 0:29:00So, for the mystery house, we've gone all Georgian on ourselves.
0:29:00 > 0:29:02- Wow. - SHE LAUGHS
0:29:02 > 0:29:04Very impressive.
0:29:04 > 0:29:06Very impressive. Very nice.
0:29:06 > 0:29:08Very grand.
0:29:08 > 0:29:11In a lot of ways, this is the sort of house
0:29:11 > 0:29:14that those barns might have belonged to, that we've looked around.
0:29:14 > 0:29:18This is...quite something, isn't it?
0:29:18 > 0:29:19It is amazing.
0:29:20 > 0:29:23Can't wait to get in, to be honest.
0:29:23 > 0:29:27- Ready?- Yep.- Yep. - You look happy.- I am indeed.
0:29:28 > 0:29:30'I think Bal and Kinder are a little overwhelmed
0:29:30 > 0:29:33'with the regal, 300-year-old frontage,
0:29:33 > 0:29:36'and the inside should continue to impress.'
0:29:36 > 0:29:38Nice, big doorway, isn't it?
0:29:38 > 0:29:41So, you like an entrance hall, don't you?
0:29:41 > 0:29:44Wow! I do indeed! This is just amazing!
0:29:44 > 0:29:46Grand enough for you?
0:29:46 > 0:29:47It is.
0:29:47 > 0:29:51- What do you reckon, Bal? - It's a lot of space. It's fantastic.
0:29:51 > 0:29:54Now, you're buying a piece of history here.
0:29:54 > 0:29:57This is a Grade II* property.
0:29:57 > 0:30:00The "star" refers to that staircase there, OK?
0:30:00 > 0:30:04As the children get older, there'll be some sliding down that banister.
0:30:04 > 0:30:06I don't think it will be just the children.
0:30:06 > 0:30:08- THEY LAUGH - You two as well?
0:30:08 > 0:30:11Now, you've got reception rooms galore here.
0:30:11 > 0:30:13Front - just there - great-sized room.
0:30:13 > 0:30:16I think that's perhaps your drawing room, OK?
0:30:16 > 0:30:19Your main living room - more likely through here.
0:30:21 > 0:30:22So.
0:30:22 > 0:30:25You like a nice, big living area.
0:30:25 > 0:30:27This is a very good size, isn't it?
0:30:27 > 0:30:30- It's very nice. - A very, very big size.
0:30:31 > 0:30:33It's lovely.
0:30:33 > 0:30:35Do you like this style of room?
0:30:35 > 0:30:39I mean, this is very period, isn't it? It's totally Georgian.
0:30:39 > 0:30:42- It's very nice. - Love the fireplace.
0:30:42 > 0:30:46Warm. Cosy. Winter. I love the floorboards.
0:30:46 > 0:30:49- You wouldn't carpet over these? - No!- No.
0:30:49 > 0:30:50Good. Correct answer.
0:30:50 > 0:30:53'Heading further down the hall,
0:30:53 > 0:30:55'on the right is their third reception room.'
0:30:55 > 0:30:59Now, for a formal dining area, I thought this was rather grand.
0:31:00 > 0:31:04I think "grand" underlined. Very nice.
0:31:04 > 0:31:06Now, you've got access going around this room.
0:31:06 > 0:31:09You don't have to walk through it to get through to the kitchen.
0:31:09 > 0:31:13Now...kitchens make or break a house for you, don't they?
0:31:13 > 0:31:16- They do indeed. - Shall we look at this one?- Yeah.
0:31:18 > 0:31:19Mind your step.
0:31:23 > 0:31:28So, island, dining table. Open fire if you wanted it.
0:31:28 > 0:31:30- And a range. - A range. Wow.
0:31:30 > 0:31:35It is incredible. It's massive.
0:31:35 > 0:31:38You've got a little conservatory just around on the right as well.
0:31:38 > 0:31:40'Leading off the other side of the kitchen
0:31:40 > 0:31:43'is a space that may need reconfiguring.
0:31:43 > 0:31:46'In the 1960s, a self-contained flat was added,
0:31:46 > 0:31:48'and although it is in need of an update,
0:31:48 > 0:31:50'it could easily be used as a guest wing.
0:31:50 > 0:31:55'But it's up on the first floor that this house continues to deliver.'
0:31:55 > 0:31:57It's huge!
0:31:57 > 0:32:00You can see why there's a star against the listing for this staircase.
0:32:00 > 0:32:03- Wonderful, isn't it? - It is. Absolutely lovely.
0:32:04 > 0:32:06Lots of light.
0:32:06 > 0:32:10It's a very lovely...landing.
0:32:10 > 0:32:11It's really nice. It's so bright.
0:32:11 > 0:32:15And I still can't get over the window.
0:32:15 > 0:32:18'On the left at the top of the stairs is a modern family bathroom.
0:32:18 > 0:32:21'But we're heading to the master suite.'
0:32:21 > 0:32:23This, I think, would be your master bedroom.
0:32:23 > 0:32:25Hear the echo?
0:32:26 > 0:32:29- It's a big room. Very nice. - It's a good size.
0:32:29 > 0:32:32It's en suite. Through there is a lovely freestanding bath.
0:32:32 > 0:32:34- Wow! - Really cool.
0:32:34 > 0:32:37This is a six-bedroom building that we're in at the moment.
0:32:37 > 0:32:39- Goodness me. - OK?
0:32:39 > 0:32:43Three double bedrooms on this floor.
0:32:43 > 0:32:47- So, your children sleep on the same floor as you.- Mm-hm.- Fantastic.
0:32:47 > 0:32:50You might be thinking, "Where are the other three bedrooms?"
0:32:50 > 0:32:54They're very well disguised. Rather quite natty, actually. Follow me.
0:32:54 > 0:32:57'This house really is full of surprises.'
0:32:57 > 0:33:00Did you spot the secret door?
0:33:00 > 0:33:02Quite cool, isn't it?
0:33:02 > 0:33:04Three more bedrooms up here.
0:33:04 > 0:33:05Oh, wow.
0:33:07 > 0:33:08'On the "secret" second floor,
0:33:08 > 0:33:11'I've a feeling Bal may have something in mind
0:33:11 > 0:33:14'for at least one of the rooms - Kinder permitting, of course.'
0:33:14 > 0:33:15OK?
0:33:16 > 0:33:20Right. We're now on the top floor.
0:33:20 > 0:33:23Probably would have been staff quarters.
0:33:23 > 0:33:25They're rather quite nice, aren't they?
0:33:25 > 0:33:26They ARE rather nice.
0:33:26 > 0:33:31You've got three bedrooms up here - or is it two bedrooms and a...?
0:33:31 > 0:33:33- Pool room. - Huh?
0:33:33 > 0:33:34Mmm.
0:33:34 > 0:33:37- Is that the cherry on top of the cake?- I think so indeed.
0:33:37 > 0:33:41If you could get a pool table up here. I'm not giving you a hand carrying it.
0:33:41 > 0:33:43'All three rooms are large doubles
0:33:43 > 0:33:48'and the exposed beams give a less formal atmosphere than the rest of the house.
0:33:48 > 0:33:50'This floor also benefits from a shower room.
0:33:50 > 0:33:53'It's downstairs and out into the garden
0:33:53 > 0:33:55'that finishes this property off.'
0:33:56 > 0:33:59I just want us to have a quick pause in this courtyard garden,
0:33:59 > 0:34:02cos it's... well, it's worth it, isn't it?
0:34:02 > 0:34:05- Isn't it great to have a cuppa? - Yeah!
0:34:05 > 0:34:06Afternoon tea and scones.
0:34:06 > 0:34:10- See? You're getting into this now, aren't you?- I am indeed.
0:34:10 > 0:34:12This is where you would "take tea", yes.
0:34:12 > 0:34:15But the main event of the garden is through this door.
0:34:19 > 0:34:22'Just like the house, the gardens keep on giving -
0:34:22 > 0:34:25'a separate lawned area, perfect for the children to play in,
0:34:25 > 0:34:28'and plenty of space for Kinder's vegetable patch.'
0:34:29 > 0:34:30Now, I'm told by the agent
0:34:30 > 0:34:34this house sits in around half an acre plot.
0:34:34 > 0:34:37That's a great size for the kids to roam around in.
0:34:37 > 0:34:41It's as grand as the house. It's lovely.
0:34:41 > 0:34:43So, do we have a grand price?
0:34:43 > 0:34:45And I was just about to lead on to saying
0:34:45 > 0:34:49the price tag is probably gonna be very grand.
0:34:49 > 0:34:53I'm thinking it's 7...750.
0:34:53 > 0:34:56- You've been on good form with your pricing.- She has.
0:34:56 > 0:35:00I thought...probably around 785.
0:35:00 > 0:35:03This has just been reduced by £100,000
0:35:03 > 0:35:08and it's now on for £699,995.
0:35:08 > 0:35:11- Oh, my God! Ka-ching! - Wow!
0:35:11 > 0:35:14- Ka-ching!- Wow.
0:35:14 > 0:35:18Look, we've had a whistlestop tour of this beautiful period house.
0:35:18 > 0:35:21Go and have a look. I'll give you a bit of extra time.
0:35:21 > 0:35:23Go and look in every room, OK?
0:35:23 > 0:35:27Cos after you have a look at this, we'll sit down and have a chat, OK?
0:35:27 > 0:35:29- Mm-hm. - I'll catch you in a bit.- Thanks.
0:35:29 > 0:35:31'What a result.
0:35:31 > 0:35:33'£50,000 under budget
0:35:33 > 0:35:35'at a shade under £700,000,
0:35:35 > 0:35:36'this property has it all.
0:35:36 > 0:35:38'Six bedrooms,
0:35:38 > 0:35:40'three reception rooms,
0:35:40 > 0:35:42'a huge kitchen and breakfast room,
0:35:42 > 0:35:44'a study for Bal,
0:35:44 > 0:35:46'and a large garden so the children
0:35:46 > 0:35:48'can play to their hearts' content.
0:35:48 > 0:35:50'I have a sneaking suspicion
0:35:50 > 0:35:52'this could be their dream home.
0:35:52 > 0:35:55'Will there be any second thoughts?'
0:35:55 > 0:35:56What do you think?
0:35:56 > 0:35:59I'm just blown over.
0:35:59 > 0:36:02Oh, it's just...amazing.
0:36:02 > 0:36:07Doesn't really fit the description accurately. Do you know what I mean?
0:36:07 > 0:36:10It's a really lovely house. It ticks boxes.
0:36:10 > 0:36:12And I couldn't believe the price.
0:36:12 > 0:36:14If I didn't have to think at all...
0:36:16 > 0:36:18..I would take the house right now.
0:36:20 > 0:36:23- Ah.- Hiya! - You found the front door, then?
0:36:23 > 0:36:24We did. Just about.
0:36:24 > 0:36:27So, lots to think about now, isn't there?
0:36:27 > 0:36:28- Absolutely. - There is.
0:36:28 > 0:36:32Let's find somewhere to have a chat amongst yourselves, catch up,
0:36:32 > 0:36:36- and then we'll have a talk about it all later.- Great.- Mmm.
0:36:42 > 0:36:46'I may have found Bal and Kinder some property pearls in Essex,
0:36:46 > 0:36:48'but it's in the waters of Mersea, off the coast,
0:36:48 > 0:36:50'that oysters grow naturally.
0:36:50 > 0:36:53'Not the sort you'd find expensive pearls in, though -
0:36:53 > 0:36:56'these are the oysters you'd find on a plate at a good restaurant.
0:36:56 > 0:36:59'I'm a bit of an oyster fan,
0:36:59 > 0:37:01'so I visited Richard Haward, a local hero here,
0:37:01 > 0:37:06'because his family have been farming the oysters in these waters for over 200 years.'
0:37:06 > 0:37:10What makes these waters in Essex so great for oysters, then?
0:37:10 > 0:37:13Well, these creeks here, which run to the marshland,
0:37:13 > 0:37:15are, if you like, a unique environment.
0:37:15 > 0:37:18We move the oysters from the deep water in the river
0:37:18 > 0:37:21into the creeks, where it's shallower and warmer, in the summer
0:37:21 > 0:37:23and the food comes out of the marsh.
0:37:23 > 0:37:27They get a special kind of plankton - oysters feed on plankton -
0:37:27 > 0:37:30and that's what makes them the plump product that they are.
0:37:30 > 0:37:33- It's a beautiful day to go out on a boat. Let's do just that.- OK.
0:37:33 > 0:37:36'With 350 miles of coastline,
0:37:36 > 0:37:41'Essex has relied on its maritime trade routes since the Romans founded Colchester,
0:37:41 > 0:37:46'and one of the major exports were the oysters native to the estuaries in Essex,
0:37:46 > 0:37:48'such as those here at Mersea.
0:37:48 > 0:37:52'In fact, it was the Romans that first tasted oysters in the mud near Colchester
0:37:52 > 0:37:54'and declared them a delicacy.
0:37:54 > 0:37:58'By the 17th century, large beds of oysters had been identified around Mersea,
0:37:58 > 0:38:00'and by the 19th century,
0:38:00 > 0:38:05'there were 150 boats and 200 men working the oyster beds.
0:38:05 > 0:38:10'Although they're a delicacy now, in the 19th century, oysters were actually a food for the masses.
0:38:10 > 0:38:12'The further up the society ladder you climbed,
0:38:12 > 0:38:15'the less likely you'd be to eat oysters.
0:38:15 > 0:38:18'It wasn't until disease and water pollution limited the supply
0:38:18 > 0:38:21'that they became the food of the well-to-do.
0:38:21 > 0:38:25'And although his family have been dredging oysters since the reign of George III,
0:38:25 > 0:38:29'the limited supply has meant there are now just 10 men left fishing these waters,
0:38:29 > 0:38:31'and Richard is one of them.
0:38:31 > 0:38:33'We're heading to Salcott Creek,
0:38:33 > 0:38:38'where the Haward family's seven acres of seabeds are marked by withies - basically tree branches.
0:38:38 > 0:38:42'To get the oysters into the boat, Richard uses a dredge,
0:38:42 > 0:38:44'dragging it, then hauling it onto the boat.
0:38:44 > 0:38:47'Then he simply picks off the oysters one by one.
0:38:47 > 0:38:50'I thought I'd give him a hand.'
0:38:50 > 0:38:52- Pull the handle. - This one? Up or down?- Just there.
0:38:54 > 0:38:57'After sifting through the haul, John was able to show me
0:38:57 > 0:39:02'the difference between the two varieties of oysters that live in these waters.'
0:39:02 > 0:39:03What's what here, then?
0:39:03 > 0:39:06This is the native oyster here - the flatter, rounder one.
0:39:06 > 0:39:09The deeper, normally a bit longer one,
0:39:09 > 0:39:13which looks a bit craggy, like a rock, is the rock oyster.
0:39:13 > 0:39:16OK. So, the native one, is that the one the Romans discovered here?
0:39:16 > 0:39:19That's the one a Roman found here 2,000 years ago.
0:39:19 > 0:39:21Now, we've just pulled these in -
0:39:21 > 0:39:23we've caught them, if you like - with that device.
0:39:23 > 0:39:25Do people farm them as well?
0:39:25 > 0:39:28Well, yeah, and we are in fact farming them.
0:39:28 > 0:39:31These oysters were brought from the deeper river out there
0:39:31 > 0:39:33and then we bring them in here.
0:39:33 > 0:39:37Out in the river, they don't seem to get the right food to make a nice, plump oyster.
0:39:37 > 0:39:42So we are farming them - moving them to a better place and also taking all the pests away.
0:39:42 > 0:39:45- So, kind of like a free-range farming, then?- Yeah, very similar.
0:39:45 > 0:39:50'But we'll be throwing these ones back in, because it's currently breeding season,
0:39:50 > 0:39:52'when they don't taste their best.
0:39:52 > 0:39:54'And by keeping stocks high at this time,
0:39:54 > 0:39:58'it helps ensure that future populations continue to flourish.'
0:40:00 > 0:40:04'Inland, Bal and Kinder have had plenty of time to weigh up our three properties,
0:40:04 > 0:40:08'so let's find out how they've got on.'
0:40:08 > 0:40:11Well, you've found somewhere nice to have a chat.
0:40:11 > 0:40:12- Yes.- Yep.
0:40:12 > 0:40:15Cast your minds back to yesterday morning.
0:40:15 > 0:40:17The first property I showed you was a barn conversion.
0:40:17 > 0:40:21- We had pretty good reactions there, didn't we?- It was amazing.
0:40:21 > 0:40:24It was a barn conversion that really bowled me over
0:40:24 > 0:40:26the moment I walked in,
0:40:26 > 0:40:30to the extent that I was even thinking,
0:40:30 > 0:40:31"Can I make that compromise
0:40:31 > 0:40:34"of having my kids on a different floor?"
0:40:34 > 0:40:35It was that good.
0:40:35 > 0:40:38I still look at it and I think, "I want something like that."
0:40:38 > 0:40:42You've obviously since discussed why perhaps it doesn't work for you.
0:40:42 > 0:40:44- It's the bedrooms, isn't it? - It's the bedrooms.
0:40:44 > 0:40:47We prefer the kids on the same level as us.
0:40:47 > 0:40:52OK. Well, I thought sticking with barn conversions would be wise, cos we had some great reactions there.
0:40:52 > 0:40:55We went to another in the afternoon.
0:40:55 > 0:40:59That second barn got better and better as we went through it.
0:40:59 > 0:41:04It was...large, it was airy, it was bright.
0:41:04 > 0:41:08Downstairs was nice and an area was cordoned off.
0:41:08 > 0:41:11Bedrooms - the same level, nice size.
0:41:11 > 0:41:15Upstairs - fantastic room upstairs.
0:41:15 > 0:41:17- Cos it had a pool table? - Cos it had a pool table.
0:41:17 > 0:41:19- And a cinema system to boot. - Yeah.
0:41:19 > 0:41:22- But there were compromises, weren't there?- Yeah, there were.
0:41:22 > 0:41:25- There was the kitchen.- Kitchen. - It was small.
0:41:25 > 0:41:26A little bit dark as well.
0:41:26 > 0:41:31And then, even though the garden was absolutely fantastic, laid out,
0:41:31 > 0:41:35I just thought kids growing up probably need a little more space.
0:41:35 > 0:41:41- And it's not just yourselves. This property search, it's all about the family, isn't it?- That's right.
0:41:41 > 0:41:45So, a new day, and thank goodness for the mystery property,
0:41:45 > 0:41:48because that was something quite different, wasn't it?
0:41:48 > 0:41:52Beautiful. It was amazing. It's grand and...
0:41:52 > 0:41:55And I just can't believe the price tag.
0:41:55 > 0:41:59It's a family home that pleases our children and us.
0:41:59 > 0:42:05Plenty of space for them to roam and feel their way out in the open.
0:42:05 > 0:42:08Mmm. OK. Well...it's a clear favourite.
0:42:08 > 0:42:10What do you want to do about it now?
0:42:10 > 0:42:14The next step for us is, one, chat to our parents,
0:42:14 > 0:42:20secondly, do the timings from the house to where we need to be,
0:42:20 > 0:42:23make sure that the timing's right for us in travelling.
0:42:23 > 0:42:27And then...second viewing...and...
0:42:27 > 0:42:29- With the parents? - With the parents.
0:42:29 > 0:42:31- Yeah.- And make a decision.
0:42:31 > 0:42:35This is rather exciting. We could have found you your new family home.
0:42:35 > 0:42:38- Absolutely.- Absolutely. - And thank you for that.
0:42:38 > 0:42:41- The very best of luck, and please let us know how you get on.- Will do.
0:42:44 > 0:42:48Sounds like we came pretty close with those first two properties,
0:42:48 > 0:42:51but then we hit the nail right on the head with that mystery house.
0:42:51 > 0:42:54Today's been all about the family -
0:42:54 > 0:42:56not just Bal, Kinder and their children,
0:42:56 > 0:42:58but the grandparents as well.
0:42:58 > 0:42:59So it seems pretty prudent
0:42:59 > 0:43:02they bring them along for a second viewing.
0:43:02 > 0:43:05I really hope the grandparents like it as much as Bal and Kinder.
0:43:05 > 0:43:07Fingers crossed.
0:43:07 > 0:43:09See you next time.
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0:43:11 > 0:43:14in Northern Island, Wales, Scotland or England
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