0:00:02 > 0:00:06I'm in a county that played an important role in the Industrial Revolution.
0:00:06 > 0:00:10Its manufacturing heritage stretches over the centuries.
0:00:10 > 0:00:16I hope to match that hard graft in finding a house for a couple who seem to be all work and no play.
0:00:16 > 0:00:18Where am I? Find out in a moment.
0:00:48 > 0:00:54'Today, I'm helping a couple find a property which will cut down their commute and enable them
0:00:54 > 0:00:59'to spend more quality time together. He would like a renovation project.'
0:00:59 > 0:01:05- You're not having this as your workshop.- 'And for her, there's a mystery house full of surprises.'
0:01:05 > 0:01:08Wow, this is not what I expected, Jonnie.
0:01:11 > 0:01:15I'm in Yorkshire, a county renowned for its industrial heritage.
0:01:15 > 0:01:19However, having an area of around 6,000 square miles,
0:01:19 > 0:01:23it still means there's plenty of unspoilt countryside like this
0:01:23 > 0:01:27and access to this countryside is at the heart of today's search.
0:01:27 > 0:01:34Nicknamed God's Own County, Yorkshire is so big that it's split into four separate counties -
0:01:34 > 0:01:40North Yorkshire, West Yorkshire, South Yorkshire and the East Ridings of Yorkshire.
0:01:40 > 0:01:44But historically, it was once a separate kingdom altogether.
0:01:44 > 0:01:49The Danish Vikings made York their capital in the 9th century and ruled the Danelaw,
0:01:49 > 0:01:54encompassing most of what we now recognise as northern and eastern England.
0:01:54 > 0:01:58The county proves its Nordic roots in some place names still in use.
0:01:58 > 0:02:03The famous dales come from the Viking word "dalr" meaning "valleys"
0:02:03 > 0:02:07and East Riding comes from old Danish "thriding" or "third".
0:02:07 > 0:02:12Yorkshire now covers a large part of northern England and a vast range of extraordinary landscapes
0:02:12 > 0:02:17from the bleak moors to the undulating hills that roll down to the coast.
0:02:17 > 0:02:20There's climbing, hiking and biking aplenty.
0:02:20 > 0:02:25Yorkshire folk have a reputation for being strong-minded straight-talkers.
0:02:25 > 0:02:30They're passionate about their county and some would say with good reason.
0:02:30 > 0:02:34As the biggest county in England, it's certainly got plenty to offer.
0:02:35 > 0:02:41Time to meet today's buyers who are ready to make their very own escape to the country.
0:02:41 > 0:02:45Paul, a retired financial adviser, and Linda, a senior management consultant,
0:02:45 > 0:02:47have been married for five years.
0:02:47 > 0:02:52They live in a large home in Stockport. Both have adult children from previous relationships
0:02:52 > 0:02:57who have flown the nest, so they want to buy their first home together.
0:02:57 > 0:03:02We've decided now is a good time to move because I started a new job two years ago,
0:03:02 > 0:03:06so I'm settled there, but it's a two-hour commute away.
0:03:06 > 0:03:11I think it's always been at the back of my mind that the travelling that she's been making
0:03:11 > 0:03:16would become too excessive over time, but in the last 12 months,
0:03:16 > 0:03:22we've really started to think seriously that we ought to make the move.
0:03:22 > 0:03:29They're keen to downsize their property, but still want a home that gives them the feeling of space.
0:03:29 > 0:03:33What we want in the next house are three bedrooms minimum,
0:03:33 > 0:03:37so we can have an office and a guest room,
0:03:37 > 0:03:41a slightly larger kitchen for Linda's benefit.
0:03:41 > 0:03:45It's particularly important that Paul has somewhere to practise DIY,
0:03:45 > 0:03:50so he's keen to find a property which needs some renovation.
0:03:50 > 0:03:54Not a huge project. I'm not a big fan of a huge project. Paul would be.
0:03:54 > 0:04:01I wouldn't want anything like gutting out a house and starting from scratch. I'm too old for that.
0:04:01 > 0:04:05And there are some particular features they have in mind.
0:04:05 > 0:04:09We love the period older properties with the period features inside.
0:04:09 > 0:04:12We particularly like the Yorkshire stone.
0:04:12 > 0:04:17We would even look at a new build if it was made of Yorkshire stone.
0:04:17 > 0:04:22As with everything, money talks and how much they've got to spend will dictate what they can achieve.
0:04:22 > 0:04:26Our maximum budget for the move would be around £300,000.
0:04:26 > 0:04:36That would have to include any renovation work that was needed on any property we found.
0:04:36 > 0:04:41All work and no play isn't much fun for Linda, so it's crucial that we cut her commute time,
0:04:41 > 0:04:45whilst Paul seems desperate for a dedicated workshop.
0:04:45 > 0:04:49With a budget of £300,000, finding a York stone-built property
0:04:49 > 0:04:53and one within a village seems to be at the top of their shopping list.
0:04:53 > 0:04:58Whether or not this property can be a renovation project is definitely up for discussion.
0:04:58 > 0:05:04One thing is for certain. They've chosen a fantastic part of the world to look for a new home.
0:05:04 > 0:05:10West Yorkshire has a plethora of country paths and footpaths to satisfy anybody in outdoor pursuits.
0:05:10 > 0:05:14But will our properties satisfy them? Time to find out.
0:05:14 > 0:05:17As Paul and Linda want to move closer to Linda's work,
0:05:17 > 0:05:23we'll be focusing our property search on the villages within striking distance of Wakefield.
0:05:23 > 0:05:28I'll show them great properties, but won't reveal the prices until they've guessed first.
0:05:28 > 0:05:33We'll see if the mystery house challenges what they think they want from their perfect home.
0:05:33 > 0:05:38Paul and Linda, welcome to a beautiful West Yorkshire morning.
0:05:38 > 0:05:43Linda, your commute is the main driver behind this whole move.
0:05:43 > 0:05:46What would your ideal commute be then?
0:05:46 > 0:05:51If I had a job that I was 15, 20 minutes away from, no more,
0:05:51 > 0:05:54that would be absolute perfection for me. I've never had that.
0:05:54 > 0:05:58- Paul, you have a bit more time on your hands.- Yes.
0:05:58 > 0:06:02- I understand you're fairly keen at DIY.- Fairly keen, yes.
0:06:02 > 0:06:04How keen?
0:06:04 > 0:06:07Linda refers to me as the DIY freak.
0:06:07 > 0:06:10Charming! That's nice, isn't it?
0:06:10 > 0:06:13I'm here to show you a selection of properties.
0:06:13 > 0:06:19There seems to be a bit of discussion to be had between how much of a project I can show you,
0:06:19 > 0:06:23Let's gauge your reaction to the first house and we'll go from there.
0:06:23 > 0:06:25- Sounds great.- Thanks a lot.
0:06:25 > 0:06:30So for a maximum of £300,000, Linda and Paul want to downsize to a country house
0:06:30 > 0:06:35that will give them three bedrooms, including one that can be an office,
0:06:35 > 0:06:38a place for Paul to do his DIY, a large eat-in kitchen,
0:06:38 > 0:06:43a property which isn't overlooked, preferably on the outskirts of a village,
0:06:43 > 0:06:46and within easy access to open countryside.
0:06:46 > 0:06:50We kick off our property search in the hamlet of Hundhill, East Hardwick,
0:06:50 > 0:06:55around three miles from the historic town of Pontefract.
0:06:55 > 0:07:01East Hardwick is a pretty, rural community, surrounded by fields for horse and cattle grazing.
0:07:01 > 0:07:04It's got plenty of public footpaths for walkers,
0:07:04 > 0:07:07a typical English cricket club and, although it looks older,
0:07:07 > 0:07:11St Stephen's Church is just over 100 years old.
0:07:11 > 0:07:14It was consecrated by the Archbishop of York in 1874
0:07:14 > 0:07:18and there's a bell-ringing group who meet regularly.
0:07:18 > 0:07:23The hamlet of Hundhill comprises seven buildings, all of which were part of the manor house.
0:07:23 > 0:07:26The property we're looking at is the stables.
0:07:27 > 0:07:31Now, any ideas where you are?
0:07:31 > 0:07:35- No.- Cos I saw you looking around like meerkats.
0:07:35 > 0:07:38We're trying to get our bearings as to sort of...
0:07:38 > 0:07:41I know the A1(M) is over there, but that's about all.
0:07:41 > 0:07:46- You know Pontefract, don't you? - Yes.- That's a mile and a half away. - Oh, wow!
0:07:46 > 0:07:48But yet listen...
0:07:48 > 0:07:49Birds and the odd dog.
0:07:49 > 0:07:53- It's gorgeous. - It's not a huge property.- Right.
0:07:53 > 0:07:55But when you get inside...
0:07:55 > 0:08:00I was pleasantly surprised with the room dimensions, but it's up to you.
0:08:00 > 0:08:04- Let's have a look.- You're both smiling.- Yes.- Let's look inside.
0:08:04 > 0:08:09'So they like what they see outside, but what will they think of the interior?'
0:08:09 > 0:08:11OK, a small entrance hall.
0:08:11 > 0:08:18Let's start with a lot of people's most important room. What do you think of the kitchen?
0:08:18 > 0:08:20I like it. I like the feel of it.
0:08:20 > 0:08:22I like the wideness.
0:08:22 > 0:08:26- Good.- That's what we don't have. It's quite small, our kitchen at home.
0:08:26 > 0:08:30This is a good start. I thought this might be different to what you're used to
0:08:30 > 0:08:34- because it's not your period property.- No.
0:08:34 > 0:08:38- But the dimensions seem to be going down quite well. - It's done out very nicely.
0:08:38 > 0:08:43Good. Those dimensions, hopefully you'll agree, continue next door in the living room. Follow me.
0:08:46 > 0:08:50- There's a real flow to this part of the house, isn't there?- Yeah.
0:08:50 > 0:08:54- And this living room is, I would say, sizeable.- Yes, it is. Lovely.
0:08:54 > 0:08:57I like the separate dining area.
0:08:57 > 0:09:02- You can divide the room, but you're still together.- Yes.- That feels nice
0:09:02 > 0:09:04Something I want to pick up on here.
0:09:04 > 0:09:10Looking around, apart from maybe if you wanted to put your own style on here, like redecorating,
0:09:10 > 0:09:14there's not a lot of Paul DIY to be done in here so far.
0:09:14 > 0:09:18- I'll find something.- Really? Is that right?- Oh, he will.- Good.
0:09:18 > 0:09:22'Well, there won't be much work for him to do in the bedrooms either.
0:09:22 > 0:09:26'The guest bedroom is well finished with plenty of storage,
0:09:26 > 0:09:31'plus a further bedroom has been turned into a study, then there's the main bedroom.'
0:09:31 > 0:09:35- So the master bedroom...- This is a good size.- Definitely a good size.
0:09:35 > 0:09:41We have a very big bedroom at home at the moment which we love and this is probably about the same size
0:09:41 > 0:09:45- And obviously with its secret weapon which you asked for.- Oh, wow!
0:09:45 > 0:09:49- En-suite!- Secret weapon, wow!- That's really nice. I like that.- It is.
0:09:49 > 0:09:53You've also got the other bathroom at the other end of the property.
0:09:53 > 0:09:59- What do you think now? Two bedrooms with the office?- We'd have to make some adjustments.- OK.
0:09:59 > 0:10:05But obviously, moving from a bigger house, so we have to get rid of a few things.
0:10:05 > 0:10:07Is there enough DIY for you here?
0:10:07 > 0:10:11- I don't think there would be.- No.
0:10:11 > 0:10:17'Not enough of a project for Paul, but hopefully the garden will provide a useful alternative.'
0:10:20 > 0:10:24Now, a south-facing garden, I paced it out myself.
0:10:24 > 0:10:27- It's over 100 foot, believe it or not.- Wow!
0:10:27 > 0:10:31Size-wise, this is as big a garden as we've seen within your budget.
0:10:31 > 0:10:34- You're not going to be looking at land.- No.
0:10:34 > 0:10:38- This is more than big enough. - Big enough, yes.- Yeah.
0:10:38 > 0:10:44For you, I know there's no DIY to be done inside the house. There is workshop space for you.
0:10:44 > 0:10:48You've got a garage next door. You also have a summer house there.
0:10:48 > 0:10:55I'm not sure what you'd do with it. It has four double power sockets, so it could be a great workshop.
0:10:55 > 0:11:02The fact that there is nothing to do to the house may well have an influence
0:11:02 > 0:11:07- on how much this house is on the market for. I'm going to ask you how much you think it is.- OK.
0:11:07 > 0:11:11- I think it's at the top end of our budget.- Put a figure on it?- 299?
0:11:11 > 0:11:14299...
0:11:14 > 0:11:19Yeah, I think probably about 280, 285.
0:11:19 > 0:11:25Well, it's just been reduced. It was put on the market a year ago at just under £400,000.
0:11:25 > 0:11:28- They then slashed it to 325.- OK.
0:11:28 > 0:11:32And a month ago, they've reduced it again to 300.
0:11:32 > 0:11:36- Right.- OK.- Why don't you go back inside the house, then maybe have a look at the summer house?
0:11:36 > 0:11:39- Sounds great. - Fantastic.- Thanks a lot.
0:11:39 > 0:11:44So for £300,000, this house is a great opportunity for Paul and Linda
0:11:44 > 0:11:48to figure out what they can achieve with their budget.
0:11:48 > 0:11:51It's got a great garden, a good-sized kitchen and three bedrooms.
0:11:51 > 0:11:56But the compromise is there are no period features or DIY opportunities for Paul.
0:11:56 > 0:12:00I think the property lacks real character.
0:12:00 > 0:12:04We're used to major features that were there when the house was built.
0:12:04 > 0:12:08Oh, wow! This is like another room.
0:12:08 > 0:12:11- You could have a sauna in here. - You could.
0:12:11 > 0:12:15You're not having this as your workshop. You'll have the garage.
0:12:15 > 0:12:20The fixtures and fittings being new wouldn't bother me, but I think it would bother Paul.
0:12:20 > 0:12:24He's only recently retired, so he's at home all the time
0:12:24 > 0:12:28and I would be a bit concerned about him having nothing to do.
0:12:38 > 0:12:42For our second property, we're visiting the village of West Bretton.
0:12:42 > 0:12:46This area is one of the locations high on Paul and Linda's wish list
0:12:46 > 0:12:49in their search for the perfect home.
0:12:49 > 0:12:53"Bretton" means "farmstead of the Britons" and its name derives
0:12:53 > 0:12:57from the Old English "Brettas" and the Saxon word "ton" meaning "enclosure" or "town".
0:12:57 > 0:13:00Bretton Park includes the Yorkshire Sculpture Park,
0:13:00 > 0:13:07an outdoor gallery where statues and abstract works sit amongst 500 acres of rolling rural landscape
0:13:07 > 0:13:12which could provide a great environment for Linda and Paul to enjoy quality time together.
0:13:12 > 0:13:15The house I'm showing is a stone-built cottage,
0:13:15 > 0:13:19full of character and overlooking the local cricket field.
0:13:19 > 0:13:22- That's beautiful stone.- It is. - I love the stone.
0:13:23 > 0:13:30Now, also, I'm hoping that this is almost replicating the house you have now,
0:13:30 > 0:13:33- but on a smaller scale.- Right.- OK.
0:13:33 > 0:13:36- You're looking to downsize.- Yeah. - You're used to semi-detached living.
0:13:36 > 0:13:40Semi-detached/end terrace, but it's got the stone
0:13:40 > 0:13:44- and some of the character that you like.- OK.- That's great.
0:13:44 > 0:13:48'I'm hoping the fact that this property has more features than the first one we saw,
0:13:48 > 0:13:53'including the Yorkshire stone Linda has her heart set on, will get a positive response,
0:13:53 > 0:14:00'but it has something that will push Paul's buttons too. It needs some work. First, the dining room.'
0:14:00 > 0:14:05- This house isn't lived in.- Right. - I like it.- Taking it all in...
0:14:05 > 0:14:10- What do you like about it? Very different dimensions. - Very different to the first house,
0:14:10 > 0:14:17but it's got a real warmth about it as soon as you walk in, even though it's not lived in.
0:14:17 > 0:14:22We'd change, obviously, the units cos they're more modern, but the rest of it is...
0:14:22 > 0:14:24But it's not big.
0:14:24 > 0:14:27You're still smiling, Linda.
0:14:27 > 0:14:31- Why?- It just feels really nice.
0:14:31 > 0:14:37'Well, that's the kind of positive reaction I was after. They clearly see the potential
0:14:37 > 0:14:43'and there's plenty here for Paul to get stuck into. With only a kitchen, diner and lounge on the ground,
0:14:43 > 0:14:47'this house is much smaller than Paul and Linda are used to,
0:14:47 > 0:14:49'but I'm hoping the space could work for them.'
0:14:49 > 0:14:56- Now the living room is very different to the first house I showed you this morning.- Yeah.
0:14:56 > 0:15:02This is when reality bites. Now you didn't ask me for big. You asked for character,
0:15:02 > 0:15:07- stone-built, village location. - It is really quite small.
0:15:07 > 0:15:11- Yes.- I'm not even sure we would get our furniture in here.
0:15:11 > 0:15:13- No.- No.
0:15:13 > 0:15:19'Well, the ground floor seems a stretch for them, but maybe I'll have better luck upstairs.
0:15:19 > 0:15:23'One thing this house does have is the requisite three bedrooms.
0:15:23 > 0:15:29'They do need some cosmetic work, but they all have good natural light and views.'
0:15:31 > 0:15:36- On the first floor, the bathroom, we need a new one.- Yes.
0:15:36 > 0:15:41- The tiles are in surprisingly good shape, though.- Yeah.- This room...
0:15:41 > 0:15:45- Obviously, you'll want to keep it the same colour.- Oh!
0:15:45 > 0:15:46- Purple!- My goodness.
0:15:46 > 0:15:50- Apart from the colour, is this space sufficient?- Yeah, I think it is.
0:15:50 > 0:15:53- Yes.- Good.- It's not a problem.
0:15:53 > 0:15:59'Linda's remaining open-minded. There's one more room for me to show them.'
0:15:59 > 0:16:02The master bedroom.
0:16:02 > 0:16:06- Again, it's really quite small. - Yes.- It's very small.
0:16:06 > 0:16:10- It wouldn't fit our bed in here.- No.
0:16:10 > 0:16:16'Well, that's a disappointing response, so the outside space is my last throw of the dice.
0:16:16 > 0:16:20'There's a really good-size outhouse which could be a workshop
0:16:20 > 0:16:25'and a fair-sized garden with mature trees and shrubs. But is the price right?'
0:16:25 > 0:16:31- You've seen it's a character cottage and you've also seen there's some work to be done.- Yes.
0:16:31 > 0:16:35How much do you think it's on the market for, Linda?
0:16:35 > 0:16:37I would like to think
0:16:37 > 0:16:40it was somewhere around the 270, maybe.
0:16:40 > 0:16:45I think that it'll be more 290, 295. Something like that.
0:16:45 > 0:16:48Well, it's split the camp.
0:16:48 > 0:16:52It's on the market for offers of around £285,000.
0:16:53 > 0:16:57That wouldn't give us a huge amount to do the renovations we'd need.
0:16:57 > 0:17:03When you go back in to the property, I'm sure you're going to be knocking on walls
0:17:03 > 0:17:09and pricing up what you can do. Have a good walk round, but really get a feel for the dimensions.
0:17:09 > 0:17:15- That's going to help you make your mind up as to whether this place is for you or not.- Yeah.- OK.
0:17:15 > 0:17:18- I'll catch you later on. Good luck. - Thank you.
0:17:20 > 0:17:28For £285,000, Paul and Linda could have a property in one of West Yorkshire's most popular locations.
0:17:28 > 0:17:33It's made of Yorkshire stone, has three bedrooms and a shed for Paul to do his DIY.
0:17:33 > 0:17:37But what about the renovation?
0:17:37 > 0:17:41It's something Linda and I have to seriously sit down and discuss
0:17:41 > 0:17:49as to, within the finances available, not only to purchase, but also to alter to our liking,
0:17:49 > 0:17:52put our rubber stamp on it,
0:17:52 > 0:17:57I love the house. It's beautiful, it's the Yorkshire stone we wanted,
0:17:57 > 0:18:02it has all the character features that we wanted, but I think it's just too small.
0:18:10 > 0:18:14'As the day draws to a close across the fields,
0:18:14 > 0:18:17'our buyers have certainly got a lot to think about.
0:18:17 > 0:18:21'Let's hope sleeping on it will provide the inspiration they need.
0:18:22 > 0:18:29All in all, a pretty good day yesterday. Certainly a good start at the first property,
0:18:29 > 0:18:36but it wasn't until the afternoon that they both really came alive because they got two main things -
0:18:36 > 0:18:43the village location, but also the stone-built property with all that character inside.
0:18:43 > 0:18:50Today, hopefully after a good night's sleep, they'll be looking forward to the mystery property.
0:18:50 > 0:18:53I think Linda for one will certainly have something to think about.
0:18:56 > 0:19:03Our mystery house takes us to Heath, a conservation area built largely between the 15th and 19th centuries.
0:19:03 > 0:19:09It's got some great open countryside, a common jammed with wildlife and plenty of walking
0:19:09 > 0:19:12for a couple keen to get out and about.
0:19:12 > 0:19:16The mystery house is always out to challenge what they want.
0:19:16 > 0:19:22This is 500 yards from where Linda works. She said her perfect location would be 15-20 minutes away.
0:19:22 > 0:19:25So will she consider a rethink?
0:19:25 > 0:19:26Let's just pull over here.
0:19:26 > 0:19:30- Now then, have you seen properties for sale here?- Yes.
0:19:30 > 0:19:36- Have you looked at any in person? - No.- And you were put off from these properties for why?
0:19:36 > 0:19:43- Because they're walking distance to work.- Well, I found you a property that is walking distance to work
0:19:43 > 0:19:49that I think, once you get inside, you both could quite possibly fall in love with it.
0:19:49 > 0:19:53- OK.- OK.- Let's have a look. - Open mind.- Thank you, Paul!
0:19:53 > 0:19:56Open mind. I'm holding you to that.
0:19:56 > 0:20:00'So I've taken a risk. Fingers crossed.'
0:20:00 > 0:20:03This is the mystery property. It's always a risk, a gamble.
0:20:03 > 0:20:07- But I have to show you this because it looks amazing.- OK.
0:20:07 > 0:20:11- Do you want to look inside? - Let's go.- You're still smiling.
0:20:16 > 0:20:20Straight into the kitchen through the back door. Quite common.
0:20:20 > 0:20:25- What are we thinking? - It's a gorgeous country kitchen. - It is.- Really pretty.
0:20:25 > 0:20:33- The house itself dates back to 1670. - Wow.- And you do see that in some of the places, some of the windows.
0:20:33 > 0:20:37- Yes.- Size-wise, I think you just have this as it is, with a breakfast bar.
0:20:37 > 0:20:42- You have a separate dining room. - Good.- Just off there.
0:20:42 > 0:20:46This is big enough for us, bigger than what we already have.
0:20:46 > 0:20:49Looks good.
0:20:49 > 0:20:55'That's just what I was looking for. I'm hoping the spacious living room will match up.'
0:20:57 > 0:21:03With such an old building, I thought...the dimensions in this room were fairly surprising.
0:21:03 > 0:21:05This is beautiful. It is.
0:21:05 > 0:21:10- This is just what we sort of expected from a country cottage. - Right.
0:21:10 > 0:21:14'The ground floor also has the benefit of a bright bathroom.
0:21:14 > 0:21:18'Upstairs, another family bathroom services the three bedrooms,
0:21:18 > 0:21:24'the smallest of which has great period features with a wall of exposed stone.
0:21:24 > 0:21:29'There's a good-size second bedroom, but will the master impress them?'
0:21:29 > 0:21:34- This room really surprised me. It's one of three bedrooms.- Wow.
0:21:34 > 0:21:37This is much bigger than I expected.
0:21:37 > 0:21:43- These are almost Georgian proportions.- Yeah! And lovely high ceilings, even upstairs.
0:21:44 > 0:21:49- Lovely window seat.- Yeah. And views over that lovely green or heath.
0:21:49 > 0:21:56'There's one final surprise in store for Paul and Linda.' This requires a certain knack.
0:21:58 > 0:22:00- Ready?- Yes!- OK.- Follow me.
0:22:02 > 0:22:06'I think this adds something really special to the mystery house.'
0:22:06 > 0:22:11- Now then...- Wow! This is not what I expected, Jonnie.
0:22:11 > 0:22:15- This is definitely not what I expected!- A house full of surprises.
0:22:15 > 0:22:20This is a big room! It gets even bigger through here. Mind your head.
0:22:20 > 0:22:24- Look at this.- Oh, wow! - My goodness!
0:22:24 > 0:22:27- This is amazing. - Like a rabbit's warren!- Yeah.
0:22:27 > 0:22:29As it is, it's a fantastic space.
0:22:29 > 0:22:35But you've got to mangle around with that ladder. It has previously had planning consent
0:22:35 > 0:22:39to put a staircase in the third bedroom.
0:22:39 > 0:22:45Now here's the idea. Whilst you may not be enjoying the idea of living so close to work,
0:22:45 > 0:22:52the market here is very flat. We know that. But you could add value to this house over time
0:22:52 > 0:22:58and do as much of the work yourself as you can, so you're not committing to a bigger budget.
0:22:58 > 0:23:03And then at the end of it you've got potentially a four-bedroom house.
0:23:03 > 0:23:05- Overlooking the heath.- Yes.
0:23:05 > 0:23:12'So this could provide a really interesting project for Paul, if the garden fits the bill, too.'
0:23:12 > 0:23:15So...pretty garden.
0:23:15 > 0:23:17- What do we think?- My goodness.
0:23:17 > 0:23:24- It's not the biggest of gardens. - It's not massive, but you've got the heath and masses of countryside.
0:23:24 > 0:23:31- That's the difference here. You can see the countryside outside, do your garden doesn't end.- No.
0:23:31 > 0:23:36You probably know this quite well, this village certainly.
0:23:36 > 0:23:40I'll ask you to guess how much it is and then Linda.
0:23:40 > 0:23:45- So, Paul?- I'd say it's definitely at the top end of our budget.
0:23:45 > 0:23:50I'd say probably about 310, 315, something like that.
0:23:50 > 0:23:55- Do you know how much it is? - I think I was told it was on the market for 320.
0:23:55 > 0:23:59Well, near enough. It's on the market for 325.
0:23:59 > 0:24:05- Right.- It's been on the market for a long time. It initially came on the market for 415.- Goodness.
0:24:05 > 0:24:09- That doesn't surprise me. - In a buoyant market, yes.
0:24:09 > 0:24:17Coming in at £325,000, this surprising mystery cottage offers an eat-in kitchen,
0:24:17 > 0:24:21two reception rooms, three fair-sized bedrooms and views over the heath.
0:24:21 > 0:24:25It is £25,000 over budget,
0:24:25 > 0:24:31but would give them more space than expected and a project for Paul to get stuck into.
0:24:31 > 0:24:37As we arrived into the heath and drove immediately past where I work,
0:24:37 > 0:24:41my first thoughts were, "This is just too close."
0:24:41 > 0:24:43And when we came in the kitchen,
0:24:43 > 0:24:49the first impression you get is it's such an amazing place.
0:24:49 > 0:24:51It has everything we asked for.
0:24:51 > 0:24:57If this place was five miles down the road or 10 miles down the road,
0:24:57 > 0:24:59it would be like a dream.
0:25:04 > 0:25:09I think it's fair to say that Paul and Linda have enjoyed their fair share of ups and downs
0:25:09 > 0:25:13in their quest to find their very own escape to the country.
0:25:13 > 0:25:19Each of the three properties were so different, but also gave them an element of compromise,
0:25:19 > 0:25:26so it's hard to tell whether any of them will be their favourite. Time to find out.
0:25:26 > 0:25:31- Now then, how are you both? - We're fine.- Fantastic, thank you.
0:25:31 > 0:25:38Let's start at the beginning. Day One, the first property. Converted stables. Thoughts?
0:25:38 > 0:25:40I actually was really impressed.
0:25:40 > 0:25:45A really nice feel, it had the stone outside that we really wanted.
0:25:45 > 0:25:51The dimensions inside lent themselves to not even downsizing a great deal.
0:25:51 > 0:25:56- You were talking about moving all of your existing furniture into the house.- Yes.
0:25:56 > 0:25:57And downsides?
0:25:57 > 0:26:00- There was nothing for me to do!- No.
0:26:00 > 0:26:02True.
0:26:02 > 0:26:06You could think of a few things, but nothing major.
0:26:06 > 0:26:10- Upkeep, not renovation. - There was nothing to do.- OK.
0:26:10 > 0:26:18- The second property, in my opinion, you became a lot more animated there.- It was beautiful.
0:26:18 > 0:26:21I was really quite excited about what we would see.
0:26:21 > 0:26:26- You could tell you were!- It wasn't the size I had anticipated,
0:26:26 > 0:26:31The price was such that it wouldn't have left us with a huge amount of capital to do those things.
0:26:31 > 0:26:38- We'd have had to do them over a long period of time. - OK, the mystery property.
0:26:38 > 0:26:42Now... It all went very quiet there!
0:26:44 > 0:26:48One of the tasks you charged me with, if you like,
0:26:48 > 0:26:54was that you wanted to cut your commute time, and the closer we got to work, I realised
0:26:54 > 0:26:59- I've maybe cut it too much! - Just a little!- Yeah. To me,
0:26:59 > 0:27:06that was almost the only compromise. It had everything else, once you could get through the door.
0:27:06 > 0:27:12- In bucketfuls.- Yes. - Absolutely in bucketfuls. - It was an outstanding property.
0:27:12 > 0:27:15Do you have a favourite out of the three?
0:27:15 > 0:27:17- We do.- We do, yes.- We do.
0:27:17 > 0:27:23- Property number three.- The mystery property! After all of that? - After all of that.
0:27:23 > 0:27:27Well, what do you want to do? What's the next step for you guys?
0:27:27 > 0:27:31I've had a word with the owner and we're having a second viewing.
0:27:31 > 0:27:35We'll see how it goes from there.
0:27:35 > 0:27:39- Good luck with the second viewing. - Thank you very much.
0:27:39 > 0:27:41And keep in touch.
0:27:44 > 0:27:50It's funny, isn't it? If you'd asked me which property I thought they would go for,
0:27:50 > 0:27:53I don't think I'd have given you the answer of the mystery house.
0:27:53 > 0:27:59But in being open-minded they fell in love with a potential new home
0:27:59 > 0:28:06that gave them absolutely everything on their wish list - character, size, village location.
0:28:06 > 0:28:10And if they're able to cope with living so close to Linda's work,
0:28:10 > 0:28:17they're also able to cut the commute time to get two, three, four hours a day extra together
0:28:17 > 0:28:21to enjoy this wonderful county. See you next time.
0:28:21 > 0:28:26If you'd like to escape to the country in Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland or England
0:28:26 > 0:28:29and need our help, please apply online at:
0:28:47 > 0:28:51Subtitles by Subtext for Red Bee Media Ltd - 2011