Powys Escape to the Country

For today's show, we're not going to start in the countryside,

but rather in the heart of a town park.

Back in 1754, this place became famous

because a German doctor, having suffered a long list of ailments,

declared himself completely cured having drunk from the mineral rich waters here.

So where have we come to for such a healthy Escape to the Country?

'In today's show, I'll be helping a couple break free from the business ties in town

'and seek out a relaxed lifestyle in the country.

'It looks like we're rising to the challenge.'

-Wow!

-Wow!

Oh, wow!

Step in that doorway. And that fits too!

Today, I'm in Wales in Powys and this is Rock Park, or part of it,

in the heart of Llandrindod Wells.

The rocks here, it's thought, were formed 435 million years ago,

but they've given rise to many natural springs here

rich in magnesium, sulphur, saline and chalybeate.

Now, it's thought that the eminent scientist, Dr D.W. Linden, an expert on spas at the time,

came here and was so enthused by the healing properties of the waters

that he said there were none to surpass those found here in Llandrindod.

It's also said that one bank holiday Monday,

over 1,000 glasses of water were sold before 9:00am in the morning.

Nice work, if you can get it!

'As the largest county in Wales,

'Powys covers a quarter of its landmass

'and is a walker's paradise with a rights of way network totalling over 5,700 miles.

'Its awe-inspiring landscape is home to some fabulous natural wonders,

'from cascading waterfalls to the Brecon Beacons National Park,

'attracting over 3.8 million people each year.

'The Victorian era saw people flooding into its spa towns,

'including Llandrindod Wells, to take advantage of the area's natural springs.

'And if all that's not enough for you,

'a recent survey found Powys to be the happiest place in the UK.'

Let's hope we can find today's buyers their own slice of rural perfection in Powys.

'Charlie and Shelly, along with their daughter and two dogs

'have lived in their four bedroom detached property in Stafford

'for the past three and a half years.

'But with Charlie running the family cleaning business, life has been all work and no play.

'So this move to the country is all about change.'

I'm looking for a real big challenge ahead.

I'm looking for a new home to work on. I'm looking for outbuildings.

I'm looking for the countryside.

I'm just looking to step up a few gears and enjoy the rest of my life.

'Although he's handed over the reins to his son,

'he and Shelly are planning to hatch a holiday let business.'

The holiday lets will consist of three or four little lodges.

Maybe a barn conversion into holiday lets that Charles will do himself.

'And location is a key factor for business and home.'

I would like semi-remote. You'd prefer more remote, wouldn't you?

I love the rural side of it,

but we've also got to bear in mind that we want to do holiday lets

and we don't want to come away too far off the beaten track.

So it's important to get a balance.

'But what are their top priorities for their perfect property?'

I must have four bedrooms. If possible, one with an en suite,

or the ability to create an en suite in one room.

A large kitchen because I love my kitchen.

And a separate lounge/dining room.

For me, big games room, big workshop minimum of five acres of land.

The space is the most important thing.

If we can get the space, we can think about it,

knock a wall down or two and create our home.

'So is there anything they wouldn't consider?'

The worst thing for me would be a modern house or low ceilings.

Six foot one, six foot five.

'With their current house on the market,

'how much have they got to spend on their dream home?'

If the property does tick all the boxes,

our maximum budget is £750,000.

With £750,000 to spend,

I'm fairly confident we've got plenty on offer to show them.

Whether our properties meet their expectations though

is going to be another thing.

'Charlie and Shelly have asked us to focus the search in the south of the county,

'as they can tap into the trade from the Brecon Beacons National Park

'and maximise their holiday let potential.

'I'll be showing them three different properties,

'but I won't be revealing the prices until they've had a guess first.

'The last of these of course is our mystery house,

'which gives generously on the one hand, while taking away with the other.'

Hi, Shelly. Nice to see you. How are you?

Hi, Charlie. Good to see you.

So you are getting away from it all, aren't you?

-We are, yes.

-It's a huge change.

We run a business and we've got 200 guys working for us.

It's a 24/7 operation and we've been doing this now for 10 years.

We just want to step out of it and let the son get on with it.

Just remind us of how much of your hard-earned cash we've got to spend.

The budget is £750,00. So we're looking for something very special.

If you say it quickly, it doesn't sound like a lot

-but actually, it's three quarters of a million quid!

-It is.

I think we've got a good chance of getting you what you're after.

Come on, let's see what we can find you.

'With their budget of £750,000,

'Charlie and Shelly are looking for a spacious property with high ceilings

'that gives them a large kitchen for her and a games room for him.

'Four bedrooms and at least five acres of land

'and an outbuilding along with the potential for holiday lets.

'And the whole thing to be set in a rural but accessible location

'that will attract prospective guests.'

'We're kicking off our property search in the village of Norton

'a couple of miles from Presteigne, the former county town of Radnorshire.

'Close to the English-Welsh border, the town has a full range of amenities

'and is on the cultural map for its thriving arts scene and festivals.

'Among the historic properties in Norton,

'this Grade II listed building built in 1876 certainly makes a statement.'

-Wow!

-Wow!

The sort of thing you had in mind?

It looks lovely.

Could you see yourselves in such an imposing grand building?

-Yes. Definitely. Why not?

-Lady of the manor!

-Why not?

-Yeah. Lord and lady.

Let's see what you think of the inside.

So, Shelly, what do you think about your small village house then?

-Very impressive.

-Yeah?

-Yes.

We've got three reception rooms for you.

The one on the left here would make a great pool room, I think.

In this room we've got another reception room for you.

-Slightly low.

-Anywhere's going to struggle with you, Charlie!

I know!

-Look at the fireplace. Great fireplace.

-Very nice.

'If they like this one, they're going to love the main living area,

'which the current owners call the hunting room.'

-Now then.

-Oh, wow!

Very cosy. Very nice.

This is the sort of thing, isn't it?

Very bold, but it sets off that Jacobean fireplace nicely.

It's a wonderful fireplace.

-It's gorgeous, isn't it?

-It is actually.

This has surprised me.

We'd definitely live in this room. This is a perfect room for us.

'So we're OK on living rooms, but what about the kitchen?'

Right.

What do you think of the kitchen?

Not enough storage.

Not enough storage? How much stuff have you got?

You'd be surprised!

-Do you use it all?

-Yes.

In terms of what the property offers you, in terms of its size...

It's a big room. Yes. There is potential.

Down the hallway, Shelly would have extra storage in the utility room.

'There's also a useful cloakroom next door.

'Upstairs on the first and second levels,

'there's certainly more than they bargained for.'

Let's start in here. One of the seven bedrooms that are on offer.

-Seven!

-Wow!

-I only wanted four!

-It's a hotel!

-This is a nice example of...

-It's a good size.

It's a very nice guest room.

It's a lovely guest room. Lovely feature fire.

-I like this room.

-Good. Let's look at a few more.

-There's plenty of them!

-OK.

'The other four bedrooms on this level are equally as spacious,

'with one currently serving as a study.

'A couple of them are good size doubles.

'What's more, there's not one but two family bathrooms

'at opposite ends of the L-shaped landing.

'But my guess is that they're going to love what's in here.'

Now then, this is the master.

-Wonderful size. Very airy and bright.

-It is. Very nice.

This one has the added bonus of this feature, Shelly, which I love.

-Oh, wow!

-Look at that.

-I like that.

-That is so cool.

-That is beautiful.

-Sitting in bed with a cup of tea in the morning.

No, she'd be sitting up here seeing what I was up to!

-In the morning.

-Yes, I can keep my eye on you, can't I?

Next door, we've got a very nice en suite for you as well.

And through that door, another staircase down to the hunting room.

-Right.

-OK.

'Up on the second floor, there's a whole suite of rooms

'with yet another spacious bedroom and a hide away used as an office,

'with a store room next door.

'With our grand tour of this enormous property covered,

'we'll take the secret stairs down from the master

'that will lead us outside to Charlie's domain.

'For starters, there's the large outbuilding housing the Victorian stable block,

'which, if they sought the appropriate planning permission,

'could make a great detached holiday let.

'But let's get a handle on the amount of land on offer.'

Now, land. Well, you don't get the pony, I'm afraid.

Or the donkeys. But you do get five and half acres.

-Wow!

-Can you see that fence down there next to the granary?

-Yes.

-It runs along there, behind those trees and up there.

-To the gate?

Yes. Through the open gate, up there.

That is the bulk of the land holding itself.

It looks nice, doesn't it?

'Along with the five and a half acres, there's a lower garden

'with a dedicated vegetable patch and space to keep chickens.

What do you think it's worth, Shelly?

I would say £710,000.

-I think £695,000.

-£695,000.

Erm... It does begin with a seven, I'm afraid.

£750,000.

-On the nose.

-On the nose.

-Bang on budget.

-Smack on, yes.

-Interesting.

'Bang on budget at £750,000,

'this expansive property has a wealth of rooms and land,

'including three generous reception rooms,

'a large kitchen/diner,

'a staggering seven bedrooms with a master en suite.

'And, along with outbuildings, there are 5.5 acres of land for Charlie.

'But does it fit the vision they have for their perfect property?'

'Powys is the least populated county in Wales.

'But its rural areas are knitted together

'by a strong sense of community and civic pride,

'of which the Victorian spa town of Llandrindod Wells is a fine example.

The town not only benefited from its healing waters,

but also from the generosity of local entrepreneur and cycling enthusiast, Tom Norton.

He was more than happy to share the profits of his success with the town.

It's a lovely story of local boy done good.

Tom Norton's passion for transport 'made him a wealthy entrepreneur.

'In 1899, he set up a bicycle shop in the market hall

'and was one of the first dealers selling Raleighs.

'Later, he moved on to motor sales,

'opening this garage showroom in the aptly named Automobile Palace,

'now a Grade II listed building and home to the National Cycle Museum.

'I'm meeting its curator, David Higman,

'to find out more about this local hero.'

David, it's a fantastic collection,

So this is one that Tom would have ridden?

Yes, indeed, he would have done at some time or another.

-They look lethal to try and ride.

-Well, they can be, yes!

'But strangely, hidden away amongst the 250 bikes on display here,

'is this Austin 7 motor car, owned by Tom's son.'

This is an extraordinary survivor, isn't it, really?

This was all pioneering work.

Tom and Herbert Austin were very friendly together.

Also with Henry Ford. These were personalities of the day.

Not to mention J.B. Dunlop.

-I suppose you want a ride on a bicycle now?

-Absolutely.

Check this out!

Riding out of the shop.

Race you!

BELL RINGS

'The fascinating story of this local man's vision

'is bound up in the town's heritage

'and his legacy lives on to this day.'

'We're continuing our property search in the hamlet of Llanafanfawr.

'It's 10 miles away from Builth Wells,

'which would be their local hub for amenities.

'With a population of just 500, and glorious countryside all around,

'we're putting land at the top of the agenda.

'After the first property, I'm wondering how they'll react when they see our second house.'

-Have a look at that!

-Brilliant!

-Wow!

-That's more like it!

-That is much more like it.

-OK.

This is in the middle of nowhere.

-This is fantastic.

-First impression, excellent.

Brilliant. That's all I can say at the minute! It's brilliant!

'Their first impressions of our Victorian farmhouse are positive,

'and, although there's more to discover outside,

'we've got to nail the interior for Shelly.

'Just beyond the entrance porch is our first test.'

Come on in, Shelly.

-This one is all about size, kitchen-wise.

-Right.

-It's a similar size to what we had before.

-Yes.

-I could do more with this, though.

-Yeah? What would you do?

I could have work surface and cupboards all around here.

-Down here, down there, up...

-Down there, across there!

-I would!

-If there was a competition to see how many fitted units anybody could get in a kitchen!

-I would win!

-She would.

The other thing you've got next door is a very generous utility room.

-Excellent.

-Right.

You can put some of your stuff in there.

'It looks like we've passed the kitchen test with flying colours.

'Let's hope we can build on that in the living areas.'

There are a couple of reception rooms to play with, here.

This being the first.

-Yes.

-Good size.

-Very good size.

-Yeah?

-I like it.

-Yes. I like this.

-OK.

It's not as grand, it's more homely. It's more what we want.

With the height of the doors, it's fantastic.

If you like the height in here, you're going to love it through there.

-Oh, wow!

-LAUGHTER

-Yeah?

-Wonderful.

What you could do with this is amazing.

What's happened is, you've had the old farmhouse. This, being a long barn,

has been converted 20 years ago to provide the extra accommodation.

That's why all these lovely windows are in this wall.

'At the top of the stairs is the main family bathroom,

'with all four bedrooms leading off the landing.

'Along with the double, there's another spacious room, currently set up as a twin,

'with a nicely decorated single as the third. But we're saving the best until last.

And this is the master.

-Nice size. Very nice size.

-And you didn't duck!

-No!

-You saw the family bathroom, down the corridor,

you have your own en suite through here, which is quite nice.

Have a look at this.

-Here you go.

-That's a good size.

Very good size. Very nice. Very bright.

-It fits.

-Yeah.

-It certainly fits.

-Good.

Just step in that doorway.

And that fits, too! LAUGHTER

'With a resounding thumbs up for the house,

'it's time to explore what the outside holds for Charlie.

'First stop is the adjoining barn, where there's a surprise venture in store.'

In you come.

Now then, what I haven't told you is that this lot

has got planning on it already to be turned into two holiday lets.

-That's just what we want.

-Nice project.

Exactly, and the hard work is done because the planning has been done

and as you know, that can be an absolute nightmare.

-Great potential, good earner.

-A lot of work to do.

Yeah, but that's great.

-Can you imagine this done?

-Yes.

-Can you hear the rain?

-It's lovely. Therapeutic.

-Let's go and get wet.

These huge, purpose built agricultural sheds

'are a great shelter from which to get to grips with just how much land comes with the property.'

-You know you wanted five acres?

-Yeah.

-How about 20?

-20 acres?

-28 acres.

I haven't got a problem with 28 acres.

-LAUGHTER

-28 acres. Six times the amount you wanted.

Right. OK.

We'll have to think about what we'll do with 28 acres.

Let's have a think about what we think it's worth.

You've got three quarters of a million pounds to spend.

-I'm going to put that on it.

-750?

-750.

-785.

The house, the barn, the planning, all these outbuildings and the 28 acres

-could be yours for £665,000.

-No!

LAUGHTER

-Right!

-My God!

-OK?

-OK!

'Under-budget at £665,000, our Victorian farmhouse

'is an amazing proposition which gives them a kitchen with the potential Shelly's looking for,

'two reception rooms which they loved,

'four bedrooms, a barn with planning consent for Charlie's holiday lets,

'and along with those huge sheds, there's a jaw-dropping 28 acres.'

-I think you are quite surprised.

-Very surprised. I didn't think you'd do this one.

-They don't come often.

-They don't!

As the sun sets over the Welsh hills, it marks the end of the first day of our property search.

Yesterday, I think we did fairly well on our property search,

but Shelly, I think, was overwhelmed by the size of our first property

and the amount of land that came with the second one, despite what Charlie wanted.

So I think today is all about scale in the mystery house.

We want a modest property and a modest amount of land

so that both Charlie and Shelly can take their foot off the accelerator and enjoy their retirement.

'For our mystery house, we're heading to Llangorse,

'set within the Brecon Beacons National Park.

'Along with a range of amenities,

'it's also home to one of the largest natural lakes in Wales.

'A perfect spot for them to enjoy more free time outdoors.

'And if Charlie really wants to take his foot off the gas,

'our mystery property is a great low-maintenance option,

'with less land and a ready-made business in tow.'

There's the mystery house.

"Why is it mysterious?" You're thinking.

-Yes, I am.

-We have talked about this holiday let idea.

This one has two already up and running.

-Fantastic.

-Right.

Which, between them, are bringing in about £700 a week.

-Right.

-And they are pretty much fully booked.

-Brilliant.

'Let's see if this much-extended period farmhouse could work its magic on Shelly.'

Er...

-Charlie's lost for words!

-You reckon?

-Oh, Shelly!

-Hmm.

-Come on.

-It's a dining room.

It's a dining room/hall. Very open plan, as you can see.

Obviously, the way it's arranged is something that is open to change.

-It is big, isn't it?

-It is, actually.

I think neutral would suit the room.

Through that door we've got something of a playroom.

-I think that would make an interesting games room.

-That would be good.

'With a neutral palate in mind, I imagine they'll be toning down

'the fireplace in our next room.'

Take it all in. It's not made of gold, the fireplace, but it is painted gold.

-I'd imagine you'd want a more traditional feel.

-Definitely.

-Huge inglenook.

-I love the fire.

-It's brilliant.

-In terms of the space it offers you?

-Not quite there.

-Not quite there?

-It's not big enough.

-Supposing you took this one out. It's only a stud wall.

-Yeah.

Because then you'd have a huge room

with some lovely features in it, and a whopping inglenook to heat it.

-Great idea.

-It's only... It's a morning's work for you, Charlie.

It is actually, yes. It is. That is!

'What's Shelly's verdict on the kitchen?'

I know what you're thinking.

-There's not a lot of storage.

-"Not a lot of storage! I don't like the kitchen!"

I mean, it's a big room.

-I like the space.

-Yeah. Space is good.

'But I hope some of Charlie's vision rubs off on her as we head upstairs.

'Off the hallway landing, there's a huge bathroom with cast iron roll top bath

'from which to soak up the views.

'The character features continue in the five potential bedrooms,

'with one used as a study and a light, bright double with a cute inset window.

'We'll head up to the next landing.'

-There we go.

-Again, good size room.

You don't have an en suite here.

-We can see that.

-That's the obvious thing to point out.

But, again, it's a property that I think has all the components.

-Definitely.

-It's a question of whether you can weld those into what you want it to be.

-Yeah.

'Up on the second floor are two further potential double rooms

set into the eves.

'They may not be giving the aesthetics of our mystery house top marks,

'but Charlie seems happy to put his mark on the decor.

'But now we're heading outside to find out if they can compromise

'on aspects of the property for a thriving holiday let business.

'The smaller house has a fresh, modern interior throughout its living areas,

'with a double room and an en suite upstairs.

'Now let's see whether the larger, detached cottage measures up.'

OK. There we are.

-I like this.

-It is pretty, isn't it?

You've got, obviously, your own garden area out here

for the lets, and, of course, the view behind.

In terms of what's on offer, it's very simple.

Some nice features you'd expect and desire if you were having a weekend away in the countryside.

Nice wood burner, nice and cosy.

Upstairs is a generous bedroom area with an en suite, as well.

-No, it's lovely. We'd stay here, wouldn't we?

-Yes.

We would stay here. It's lovely.

'It seems like we're on the right lines with the lets,

'but back outside, our mystery house offers the least amount of land of any of the houses we've seen,

'with a mere 1.5 acres of lawns with a paddock beyond.

'So notwithstanding the fantastic views,

'how much do they think our mystery package is on the market for?'

So... It's our final guess of the week.

The money.

All things considered, I think it's way under budget at under half a million.

Under half a million? OK. Yeah, Shelly?

I say even less than that, actually. I say about 460.

460! Crikey, I mean, that is pretty optimistic, I have to say.

The fact that the holiday lets are existing, making money,

means this is on the market at £595,000.

-Right.

-That is a surprise.

'Comfortably under budget at £595,000,

'our mystery farm house delivers on many fronts,

'giving them a generous period property within the national park.

'It offers them a large kitchen/diner,

'two spacious reception areas, five potential bedrooms,

'and crucially, they would be inheriting a holiday let business

'which could bring in £700 a week.

'But will the one and a half acres be a stumbling block for Charlie?

How are we feeling? More focused on what we're after?

-More confused than ever.

-OK.

-A few things to sort out and mull through, I think.

-I bet you have.

Come on.

We've certainly given Charlie and Shelly plenty to think about.

We've offered them some fantastic properties.

Tragically, this wasn't one of them.

But have we managed to find them their dream home,

if they know what that really is going to look like?

I wonder.

Let's just remind ourselves of the journey we took

and try and unravel what's really going through your minds.

That first property. Lovely gabled facade to it.

Beautiful property. No disputing that. It ticked every box really.

Didn't quite get that homely wow factor,

anywhere apart from that hunting room.

But land was a big issue with this search.

-It was, yes.

-What about the land there?

The land there was fine, I thought.

It would have been nice if the building was a bit more set back within the land,

so the land surrounded the building.

-It was a bit off to one side, wasn't it?

-Yes.

We then took you to property number two,

you got your own mountain, basically!

When we first got there, it absolutely blew me away.

I thought I'd never ever have something like that in my life.

You walked around the house. It was ideal. The spaces were ideal.

Spot on.

It was a very long lane going down there.

I know that in the winter, you could quite easily get shut off

and shut off for a long period of time.

And that concerns me.

With that in mind, we took you to our final property,

the mystery house,

which was much closer to Brecon,

with running holiday lets attached to it.

The mystery house, I'm sure it would suit many people.

But those many people don't include us.

It was on one and a half acres and I would like more than that.

One of the holiday lets was actually attached to the house, which wasn't to my liking.

-But where does this leave us now?

-There must be something out there.

What it actually is, I don't think we really know.

So if nothing else, we've redefined your focus.

Whatever happens, I wish you all the very best of luck.

-Thank you. We'll need it!

-THEY ALL LAUGH

We came out here with high hopes, looking for a glorious country house,

with holiday lets in a beautiful rural location, and with £750,000.

The truth is, I think we found them more than they really need.

And here's the rub.

You don't need to spend as much money as you think you do

to find the house of your dreams.

Sometimes, less is often more.

'If you'd like to escape to the country in Northern Ireland,

'Scotland, Wales, England, or even further afield to the Continent

'and would like our help, then please apply online.'

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