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