Powys Escape to the Country


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

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but rather in the heart of a town park.

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Back in 1754, this place became famous

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

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

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

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

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'and seek out a relaxed lifestyle in the country.

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

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-Wow!

-Wow!

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Oh, wow!

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Step in that doorway. And that fits too!

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

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in the heart of Llandrindod Wells.

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

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but they've given rise to many natural springs here

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rich in magnesium, sulphur, saline and chalybeate.

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

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

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

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It's also said that one bank holiday Monday,

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

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Nice work, if you can get it!

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'As the largest county in Wales,

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'Powys covers a quarter of its landmass

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

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

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'from cascading waterfalls to the Brecon Beacons National Park,

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'attracting over 3.8 million people each year.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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'have lived in their four bedroom detached property in Stafford

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'for the past three and a half years.

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

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

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I'm looking for a real big challenge ahead.

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

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I'm looking for the countryside.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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I love the rural side of it,

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

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

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So it's important to get a balance.

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

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

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

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A large kitchen because I love my kitchen.

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And a separate lounge/dining room.

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

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The space is the most important thing.

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

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knock a wall down or two and create our home.

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

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

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Six foot one, six foot five.

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'With their current house on the market,

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

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If the property does tick all the boxes,

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our maximum budget is £750,000.

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With £750,000 to spend,

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

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Whether our properties meet their expectations though

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is going to be another thing.

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

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

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'and maximise their holiday let potential.

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'I'll be showing them three different properties,

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

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

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

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

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Hi, Charlie. Good to see you.

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

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-We are, yes.

-It's a huge change.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

-It is.

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

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

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'With their budget of £750,000,

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

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

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'Four bedrooms and at least five acres of land

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

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

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'that will attract prospective guests.'

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

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

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

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

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'Among the historic properties in Norton,

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

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-Wow!

-Wow!

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The sort of thing you had in mind?

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It looks lovely.

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Could you see yourselves in such an imposing grand building?

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-Yes. Definitely. Why not?

-Lady of the manor!

-Why not?

-Yeah. Lord and lady.

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Let's see what you think of the inside.

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

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-Very impressive.

-Yeah?

-Yes.

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We've got three reception rooms for you.

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

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

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-Slightly low.

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

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I know!

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-Look at the fireplace. Great fireplace.

-Very nice.

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

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'which the current owners call the hunting room.'

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-Now then.

-Oh, wow!

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Very cosy. Very nice.

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

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

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It's a wonderful fireplace.

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-It's gorgeous, isn't it?

-It is actually.

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This has surprised me.

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

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

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Right.

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What do you think of the kitchen?

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Not enough storage.

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Not enough storage? How much stuff have you got?

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You'd be surprised!

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-Do you use it all?

-Yes.

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

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

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

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'There's also a useful cloakroom next door.

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'Upstairs on the first and second levels,

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

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

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-Seven!

-Wow!

-I only wanted four!

-It's a hotel!

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-This is a nice example of...

-It's a good size.

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It's a very nice guest room.

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

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-I like this room.

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

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-There's plenty of them!

-OK.

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

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'with one currently serving as a study.

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'A couple of them are good size doubles.

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

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'at opposite ends of the L-shaped landing.

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

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Now then, this is the master.

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-Wonderful size. Very airy and bright.

-It is. Very nice.

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

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-Oh, wow!

-Look at that.

-I like that.

-That is so cool.

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-That is beautiful.

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

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

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-In the morning.

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

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

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

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-Right.

-OK.

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

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

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'with a store room next door.

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'With our grand tour of this enormous property covered,

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

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

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

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'which, if they sought the appropriate planning permission,

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'could make a great detached holiday let.

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

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

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

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-Wow!

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

-Yes.

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

-To the gate?

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Yes. Through the open gate, up there.

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That is the bulk of the land holding itself.

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It looks nice, doesn't it?

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

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

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What do you think it's worth, Shelly?

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I would say £710,000.

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-I think £695,000.

-£695,000.

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

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£750,000.

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-On the nose.

-On the nose.

-Bang on budget.

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-Smack on, yes.

-Interesting.

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'Bang on budget at £750,000,

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

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'including three generous reception rooms,

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'a large kitchen/diner,

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'a staggering seven bedrooms with a master en suite.

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

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

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'Powys is the least populated county in Wales.

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'But its rural areas are knitted together

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'by a strong sense of community and civic pride,

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

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The town not only benefited from its healing waters,

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

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

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

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

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

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'and was one of the first dealers selling Raleighs.

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'Later, he moved on to motor sales,

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

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

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'I'm meeting its curator, David Higman,

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'to find out more about this local hero.'

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David, it's a fantastic collection,

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So this is one that Tom would have ridden?

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

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-They look lethal to try and ride.

-Well, they can be, yes!

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

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

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

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This was all pioneering work.

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Tom and Herbert Austin were very friendly together.

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

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Not to mention J.B. Dunlop.

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

-Absolutely.

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Check this out!

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Riding out of the shop.

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Race you!

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BELL RINGS

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'The fascinating story of this local man's vision

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'is bound up in the town's heritage

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'and his legacy lives on to this day.'

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

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'It's 10 miles away from Builth Wells,

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'which would be their local hub for amenities.

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

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

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

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-Have a look at that!

-Brilliant!

-Wow!

-That's more like it!

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-That is much more like it.

-OK.

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This is in the middle of nowhere.

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-This is fantastic.

-First impression, excellent.

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

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'Their first impressions of our Victorian farmhouse are positive,

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

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

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

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Come on in, Shelly.

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

-Right.

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

-Yes.

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-I could do more with this, though.

-Yeah? What would you do?

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I could have work surface and cupboards all around here.

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-Down here, down there, up...

-Down there, across there!

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-I would!

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

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-I would win!

-She would.

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

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-Excellent.

-Right.

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You can put some of your stuff in there.

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

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

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

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This being the first.

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-Yes.

-Good size.

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-Very good size.

-Yeah?

-I like it.

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-Yes. I like this.

-OK.

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

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

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

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-Oh, wow!

-LAUGHTER

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-Yeah?

-Wonderful.

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What you could do with this is amazing.

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

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

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

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

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'with all four bedrooms leading off the landing.

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

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

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And this is the master.

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-Nice size. Very nice size.

-And you didn't duck!

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-No!

-You saw the family bathroom, down the corridor,

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

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Have a look at this.

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-Here you go.

-That's a good size.

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Very good size. Very nice. Very bright.

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-It fits.

-Yeah.

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-It certainly fits.

-Good.

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Just step in that doorway.

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And that fits, too! LAUGHTER

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'With a resounding thumbs up for the house,

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

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

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In you come.

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

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

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-That's just what we want.

-Nice project.

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

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

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-Great potential, good earner.

-A lot of work to do.

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Yeah, but that's great.

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-Can you imagine this done?

-Yes.

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-Can you hear the rain?

-It's lovely. Therapeutic.

-Let's go and get wet.

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These huge, purpose built agricultural sheds

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

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-You know you wanted five acres?

-Yeah.

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-How about 20?

-20 acres?

-28 acres.

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I haven't got a problem with 28 acres.

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-LAUGHTER

-28 acres. Six times the amount you wanted.

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Right. OK.

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

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

0:18:310:18:34

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

0:18:340:18:37

-I'm going to put that on it.

-750?

-750.

-785.

0:18:370:18:42

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

0:18:420:18:49

-could be yours for £665,000.

-No!

0:18:490:18:55

LAUGHTER

0:18:550:18:57

-Right!

-My God!

-OK?

-OK!

0:18:570:18:59

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

0:19:040:19:08

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

0:19:080:19:14

'two reception rooms which they loved,

0:19:140:19:16

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

0:19:160:19:20

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

0:19:200:19:25

-I think you are quite surprised.

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

0:19:250:19:29

-They don't come often.

-They don't!

0:19:290:19:31

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

0:19:410:19:49

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

0:19:520:19:55

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

0:19:550:19:59

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

0:19:590:20:03

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

0:20:030:20:06

We want a modest property and a modest amount of land

0:20:060:20:09

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

0:20:090:20:15

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

0:20:170:20:20

'set within the Brecon Beacons National Park.

0:20:200:20:23

'Along with a range of amenities,

0:20:230:20:25

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

0:20:250:20:28

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

0:20:280:20:31

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

0:20:310:20:35

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

0:20:350:20:38

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

0:20:380:20:41

There's the mystery house.

0:20:410:20:43

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

0:20:430:20:46

-Yes, I am.

-We have talked about this holiday let idea.

0:20:460:20:49

This one has two already up and running.

0:20:490:20:53

-Fantastic.

-Right.

0:20:530:20:55

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

0:20:550:20:59

-Right.

-And they are pretty much fully booked.

-Brilliant.

0:20:590:21:04

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

0:21:040:21:08

Er...

0:21:100:21:11

-Charlie's lost for words!

-You reckon?

0:21:110:21:14

-Oh, Shelly!

-Hmm.

-Come on.

-It's a dining room.

0:21:140:21:17

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

0:21:170:21:21

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

0:21:210:21:27

-It is big, isn't it?

-It is, actually.

0:21:270:21:29

I think neutral would suit the room.

0:21:290:21:31

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

0:21:310:21:34

-I think that would make an interesting games room.

-That would be good.

0:21:340:21:38

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

0:21:380:21:42

'the fireplace in our next room.'

0:21:420:21:44

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

0:21:440:21:49

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

-Definitely.

0:21:490:21:53

-Huge inglenook.

-I love the fire.

-It's brilliant.

0:21:530:21:56

-In terms of the space it offers you?

-Not quite there.

-Not quite there?

-It's not big enough.

0:21:560:21:59

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

-Yeah.

0:21:590:22:04

Because then you'd have a huge room

0:22:040:22:06

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

0:22:060:22:11

-Great idea.

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

0:22:120:22:16

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

0:22:160:22:19

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

0:22:190:22:22

I know what you're thinking.

0:22:220:22:24

-There's not a lot of storage.

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

0:22:240:22:28

I mean, it's a big room.

0:22:280:22:30

-I like the space.

-Yeah. Space is good.

0:22:300:22:33

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

0:22:350:22:39

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

0:22:390:22:44

'from which to soak up the views.

0:22:440:22:46

'The character features continue in the five potential bedrooms,

0:22:460:22:50

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

0:22:500:22:54

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

0:22:540:22:57

-There we go.

-Again, good size room.

0:22:570:23:00

You don't have an en suite here.

0:23:000:23:02

-We can see that.

-That's the obvious thing to point out.

0:23:020:23:05

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

0:23:050:23:11

-Definitely.

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

-Yeah.

0:23:110:23:16

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

0:23:160:23:19

set into the eves.

0:23:190:23:22

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

0:23:220:23:25

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

0:23:250:23:28

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

0:23:280:23:31

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

0:23:310:23:35

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

0:23:350:23:40

'with a double room and an en suite upstairs.

0:23:400:23:42

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

0:23:420:23:47

OK. There we are.

0:23:470:23:50

-I like this.

-It is pretty, isn't it?

0:23:510:23:53

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

0:23:530:23:56

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

0:23:560:23:59

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

0:23:590:24:02

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

0:24:020:24:07

Nice wood burner, nice and cosy.

0:24:070:24:10

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

0:24:100:24:13

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

-Yes.

0:24:130:24:16

We would stay here. It's lovely.

0:24:160:24:18

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

0:24:180:24:22

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

0:24:220:24:27

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

0:24:270:24:30

'So notwithstanding the fantastic views,

0:24:300:24:33

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

0:24:330:24:36

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

0:24:360:24:41

The money.

0:24:410:24:42

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

0:24:420:24:48

Under half a million? OK. Yeah, Shelly?

0:24:480:24:51

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

0:24:510:24:55

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

0:24:550:25:00

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

0:25:000:25:04

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

0:25:040:25:08

-Right.

-That is a surprise.

0:25:080:25:11

'Comfortably under budget at £595,000,

0:25:150:25:18

'our mystery farm house delivers on many fronts,

0:25:180:25:21

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

0:25:210:25:24

'It offers them a large kitchen/diner,

0:25:240:25:27

'two spacious reception areas, five potential bedrooms,

0:25:270:25:31

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

0:25:310:25:35

'which could bring in £700 a week.

0:25:350:25:37

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

0:25:370:25:43

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

0:25:430:25:46

-More confused than ever.

-OK.

0:25:460:25:47

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

-I bet you have.

0:25:470:25:51

Come on.

0:25:510:25:53

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

0:25:570:26:01

We've offered them some fantastic properties.

0:26:010:26:03

Tragically, this wasn't one of them.

0:26:030:26:05

But have we managed to find them their dream home,

0:26:050:26:08

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

0:26:080:26:11

I wonder.

0:26:110:26:13

Let's just remind ourselves of the journey we took

0:26:150:26:17

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

0:26:170:26:20

That first property. Lovely gabled facade to it.

0:26:200:26:25

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

0:26:250:26:29

Didn't quite get that homely wow factor,

0:26:290:26:31

anywhere apart from that hunting room.

0:26:310:26:34

But land was a big issue with this search.

0:26:340:26:37

-It was, yes.

-What about the land there?

0:26:370:26:39

The land there was fine, I thought.

0:26:390:26:41

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

0:26:410:26:45

so the land surrounded the building.

0:26:450:26:47

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

-Yes.

0:26:470:26:49

We then took you to property number two,

0:26:490:26:52

you got your own mountain, basically!

0:26:520:26:54

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

0:26:540:26:56

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

0:26:560:27:00

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

0:27:000:27:03

Spot on.

0:27:030:27:05

It was a very long lane going down there.

0:27:050:27:06

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

0:27:060:27:11

and shut off for a long period of time.

0:27:110:27:13

And that concerns me.

0:27:130:27:15

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

0:27:150:27:18

the mystery house,

0:27:180:27:19

which was much closer to Brecon,

0:27:190:27:22

with running holiday lets attached to it.

0:27:220:27:25

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

0:27:250:27:29

But those many people don't include us.

0:27:290:27:31

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

0:27:310:27:35

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

0:27:350:27:40

-But where does this leave us now?

-There must be something out there.

0:27:400:27:43

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

0:27:430:27:47

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

0:27:470:27:49

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

0:27:490:27:52

-Thank you. We'll need it!

-THEY ALL LAUGH

0:27:520:27:56

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

0:27:580:28:01

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

0:28:010:28:07

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

0:28:070:28:10

And here's the rub.

0:28:100:28:11

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

0:28:110:28:14

to find the house of your dreams.

0:28:140:28:16

Sometimes, less is often more.

0:28:160:28:18

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

0:28:190:28:22

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

0:28:220:28:26

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

0:28:260:28:29

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