0:00:02 > 0:00:07We all know the expression, "It's as different as chalk and cheese," but not where it comes from.
0:00:07 > 0:00:11But once you know which county we're in with Escape today, then you will.
0:00:40 > 0:00:45'In today's show, I'll be helping a couple take that leap to the country
0:00:45 > 0:00:51'and buy their very first property together. It all starts very positively.'
0:00:51 > 0:00:54- It's an amazing sized room. Fabulous.- Yeah, nice, like it.
0:00:54 > 0:00:58'But then our mystery house stirs things up.'
0:00:58 > 0:01:00OK, so the house is a challenge.
0:01:05 > 0:01:07Today, Escape is in Wiltshire
0:01:07 > 0:01:12whose southern chalk downs could not be more different to the northern pasture land
0:01:12 > 0:01:16that provides grass for the cows that make cheese.
0:01:16 > 0:01:20There's the difference, but the one thing that unifies the county
0:01:20 > 0:01:24is beautiful property and gorgeous countryside.
0:01:24 > 0:01:30Landlocked Wiltshire shares its borders with other southern counties including Dorset and Hampshire,
0:01:30 > 0:01:36all of which fell historically within the Anglo-Saxon kingdom of Wessex.
0:01:36 > 0:01:41Its rural landscape is also home to more ancient, Neolithic sites such as Stonehenge
0:01:41 > 0:01:46whose mysterious circle of monoliths remains a place of pilgrimage today.
0:01:46 > 0:01:54Much of Wiltshire's chalky uplands and lush pastures stand testament to its rich farming heritage
0:01:54 > 0:02:00and its swathes of open countryside remain a draw for many in search of a rural bolthole.
0:02:06 > 0:02:11Meet Ray, a company director, and Sarah, an HR manager,
0:02:11 > 0:02:15who live in Ray's four-bedroom home in Hertfordshire.
0:02:15 > 0:02:19Ray has lived here all his life, having inherited it from his father.
0:02:19 > 0:02:22They're in the throes of organising their wedding
0:02:22 > 0:02:27and are keen to buy their first home together away from this busy commuter heartland.
0:02:27 > 0:02:33This is one of the natural beauty spots of Kings Langley - railway line and the M25.
0:02:33 > 0:02:40It's not the most attractive part of the village, but quite essential, and one reason why we're moving on.
0:02:40 > 0:02:46They've opted for Wiltshire which has good M4 access for Sarah to get to Heathrow where she works.
0:02:46 > 0:02:50Ray, however, has his own pet supplies business,
0:02:50 > 0:02:53so he'll be needing space to work from home.
0:02:53 > 0:02:59The features that I'd be looking for in our new property would be a reasonable-sized study,
0:02:59 > 0:03:02potentially, a room that we can use as a gym...
0:03:03 > 0:03:09..have a nice living space, definitely still need an en-suite bathroom.
0:03:09 > 0:03:15- Four bedrooms.- Four bedrooms.- Large kitchen.- There we are. You've got more of a list...- With an island.
0:03:15 > 0:03:23Outside, they want an acre of land, so they can add sheep and chickens to their animal menagerie.
0:03:23 > 0:03:27They're also keen on having a holiday let.
0:03:27 > 0:03:30We're not that bothered about the style of property,
0:03:30 > 0:03:36as long as it's large and airy and has the things that we particularly want.
0:03:36 > 0:03:43Sarah sold her house three years ago and with Ray's property on the market for £475,000,
0:03:43 > 0:03:47they've got a healthy sum to buy their first home.
0:03:47 > 0:03:50Our budget for our next move is £600,000.
0:03:54 > 0:04:01These days, it's fairly unusual for someone to have lived their whole life in the same property
0:04:01 > 0:04:04as the day they were born right up until their 40s,
0:04:04 > 0:04:08so Ray's going to be quite sad to be leaving the old place,
0:04:08 > 0:04:11but he's leaving it to get married to Sarah
0:04:11 > 0:04:15and we are going to find them their marital home, fingers crossed.
0:04:15 > 0:04:20Let's hope Wiltshire has everything they're looking for.
0:04:21 > 0:04:27Sarah and Ray are keen to base their house search in the Marlborough area where Sarah has family,
0:04:27 > 0:04:33which gives her relatively easy access to the M4 for her commute to Heathrow twice a week.
0:04:33 > 0:04:37We've lined up three Wiltshire properties to whet their appetite,
0:04:37 > 0:04:41but I won't reveal the price of each until they've had a guess first.
0:04:41 > 0:04:48The last of these will be our mystery house, designed to challenge their property preconceptions.
0:04:52 > 0:04:54- Good morning, guys.- Good morning. - Welcome to Wiltshire.
0:04:54 > 0:05:00- Are you ready for some house-hunting?- Absolutely. - And your budget is going upwards?
0:05:00 > 0:05:06- What happened there?- We have an option, if my mum comes with us and we find a suitable annexe property,
0:05:06 > 0:05:10to use some of the proceeds of the sale of her house,
0:05:10 > 0:05:14so we have a slight increase if there's a suitable annexe for Mum.
0:05:14 > 0:05:16"Slight" being how much?
0:05:16 > 0:05:20150,000 on top of the £600,000 that we already have.
0:05:20 > 0:05:22- So we can go up to 750? - We can indeed.
0:05:22 > 0:05:30So if we get the annexe for your mum, does that mean that the holiday let idea has bitten the dust?
0:05:30 > 0:05:35Yeah. If we can find the right property that fits that spec, then yes.
0:05:35 > 0:05:39- This is a big move for you. You're getting married. - There's a lot going on.
0:05:39 > 0:05:42You haven't moved since...ever?
0:05:42 > 0:05:45No, I've never moved. I'm looking forward to it.
0:05:45 > 0:05:51- So there's lots of properties to sell with your mum's place as well.- Yes.- Only one to buy.
0:05:51 > 0:05:53- Let's go and find it.- Excellent.
0:05:57 > 0:06:03For their budget of £600,000, Ray and Sarah are looking for a country home that provides...
0:06:14 > 0:06:18They would increase the budget to £750,000
0:06:18 > 0:06:21if there was an annexe for Sarah's mum
0:06:21 > 0:06:24or the potential for a holiday let.
0:06:27 > 0:06:33As we get our house search under way, we're going all out for location
0:06:33 > 0:06:37and heading to the village of Blunsdon ten miles from Marlborough.
0:06:37 > 0:06:41Surrounded by peaceful countryside, it has a strong community spirit
0:06:41 > 0:06:45with a shop run by volunteers next to the village hall and a pub.
0:06:45 > 0:06:52Our first house lies on the edge of the village and its modern exterior is rather deceptive
0:06:52 > 0:06:57as inside does provide the airy living spaces they're after.
0:06:58 > 0:07:02- This is the property I want to show you.- OK.
0:07:02 > 0:07:04- First impressions?- Looks good.
0:07:04 > 0:07:07- It looks nice.- Nice, good?
0:07:07 > 0:07:09Interesting roof.
0:07:09 > 0:07:14The house is very low-slung. Most of the rooms are downstairs. There is an upstairs portion.
0:07:14 > 0:07:21'Despite appearances from the outside, there's no need for them to worry about ceiling heights inside.'
0:07:25 > 0:07:27In we come.
0:07:27 > 0:07:29Here we go, straight into the kitchen.
0:07:31 > 0:07:32Big kitchen.
0:07:32 > 0:07:36- It's got your island.- Nice island in the centre.- Yes, lovely.
0:07:36 > 0:07:39- High ceilings. - High, high ceilings.- Yeah.
0:07:39 > 0:07:45- This is partly because you don't like the low ceilings. - Yeah, you've got that bit ticked.
0:07:45 > 0:07:49Come on through here. This is the sort of...
0:07:49 > 0:07:54As you see, very open-plan, living, dining, relaxing space.
0:07:54 > 0:07:57Very nice, bright and airy.
0:07:57 > 0:07:59Very open-plan.
0:07:59 > 0:08:01It's very clinical,
0:08:01 > 0:08:03very straight, very smooth.
0:08:03 > 0:08:07Yeah. It's not cuddly country cottage.
0:08:07 > 0:08:10Let's take a look at the dining room.
0:08:13 > 0:08:14It's, um...
0:08:14 > 0:08:20- It's a bit small for a dining room. - Probably a very good study.
0:08:20 > 0:08:24- It would be a good study.- You're already reconfiguring the house.
0:08:24 > 0:08:28- We could put the table and chairs in the space where the grand piano is.- It's all coming together nicely.
0:08:28 > 0:08:33'We'll explore the other rooms on the ground floor later, but let's get their thoughts on upstairs.'
0:08:38 > 0:08:44This is slightly odd because we've got two bedrooms up the spiral staircase from the living space.
0:08:44 > 0:08:47And at the moment, there's no en-suite,
0:08:47 > 0:08:51so there's essentially two waterless bedrooms.
0:08:51 > 0:08:54You've got this space and then also...
0:08:55 > 0:09:01- What you've got here...- Oh, my God! - ..used to be the play room for the kids.
0:09:01 > 0:09:06- I think it would be an OK guest bedroom. It's got some ceiling height.- Yeah.
0:09:06 > 0:09:11And then the other room we could turn into a bathroom, couldn't we?
0:09:11 > 0:09:17'Next door, the second bedroom is a good size and could easily accommodate a bathroom suite.
0:09:17 > 0:09:23'The other three bedrooms are back on the ground floor and all file off the hallway.
0:09:23 > 0:09:27'One is a potential double with doors to the garden
0:09:27 > 0:09:32'and next door is a smaller, but bright single, both serviced by the family bathroom.
0:09:32 > 0:09:35'At the end of the hall is where they would sleep.'
0:09:36 > 0:09:38And finally, the master bedroom.
0:09:38 > 0:09:45- There's quite a lot of storage, assuming these are all cupboards? - Yeah, they are all cupboards.
0:09:45 > 0:09:51- Very bright again. Nice, high ceilings.- You've got an en-suite shower room and toilet.- Excellent.
0:09:51 > 0:09:52That's good.
0:09:52 > 0:09:57I was hoping for a little bit more room because where we are at the moment, we've got four bedrooms,
0:09:57 > 0:10:03we've got a nice, open-plan lounge, and it just feels a bit smaller.
0:10:03 > 0:10:06- I don't know if I'm right in saying that.- Yeah, I think you're right.
0:10:06 > 0:10:12'This property offers an array of living areas that they can adapt to suit their lifestyle with the dogs
0:10:12 > 0:10:18'who can dry off their paws in the adjacent utility room, something Sarah really wanted.
0:10:18 > 0:10:23'The double garage block outside addresses Ray's request for more space.'
0:10:26 > 0:10:27So come in here.
0:10:29 > 0:10:32- It's a good, nice, boarded space. - Yeah.
0:10:32 > 0:10:34Heating, electricity.
0:10:34 > 0:10:39I'm not sure what we'd do with it, but I'm sure I could find something to put in here.
0:10:39 > 0:10:45- You could certainly glaze the garage and make it your gym. - Yeah, that's a good idea.
0:10:48 > 0:10:51Back full circle to the hub of the garden.
0:10:51 > 0:10:54Is it a good size for you?
0:10:54 > 0:10:58The garden's a good size, yeah, and it's quite pretty. I like it.
0:10:58 > 0:11:01This is only a third of an acre. You said you wanted an acre.
0:11:01 > 0:11:05Yeah, it isn't sheep and chickens kind of garden, but it's good enough for the dogs.
0:11:05 > 0:11:08- It's a good enough size.- Yeah.
0:11:08 > 0:11:11How much do you think this little slice of Wiltshire costs?
0:11:13 > 0:11:14You go first.
0:11:14 > 0:11:17I think £525,000.
0:11:17 > 0:11:20- Mm-hm.- I'm going to go 490.
0:11:20 > 0:11:22490...
0:11:22 > 0:11:28OK, well, up until about three or four months ago, this was on at 590.
0:11:28 > 0:11:30It's now on 550.
0:11:31 > 0:11:38Even though this is not massively bigger than the property, in terms of space, that you're living in now,
0:11:38 > 0:11:42- it's the location that you're paying for in many ways.- Yeah.
0:11:42 > 0:11:44Wiltshire is an expensive county.
0:11:44 > 0:11:49- Why don't you have a look around, inside and out?- Thank you. - This way...
0:11:51 > 0:11:53Open to offers of around £550,000,
0:11:53 > 0:11:56this property is well within budget.
0:11:56 > 0:12:00It's a great opening gambit, providing them with...
0:12:10 > 0:12:13With over a third of an acre of garden,
0:12:13 > 0:12:15it's set in a very desirable village
0:12:15 > 0:12:20which also gives Sarah good access to the M4 for her drive to work.
0:12:20 > 0:12:25I like the airiness of it, the fact it's got high ceilings.
0:12:25 > 0:12:27It felt quite light and airy.
0:12:27 > 0:12:32However, the bedroom corridor actually felt a bit claustrophobic, I think.
0:12:32 > 0:12:35I like the kitchen. The lounge area was all right.
0:12:35 > 0:12:40But I did think the bedrooms are a little bit too tight for us.
0:12:46 > 0:12:53We continue our house search 18 miles from Marlborough in the village of Bromham
0:12:53 > 0:12:57which, along with an array of amenities including a post office, a butcher's and a pub,
0:12:57 > 0:13:01also boasts an impressive Grade One listed church.
0:13:01 > 0:13:05Our second property not only comes with history of its own,
0:13:05 > 0:13:08but it's hopefully the upsize they were looking for.
0:13:10 > 0:13:11Here we are, number two.
0:13:11 > 0:13:16- Much better.- Yeah.- It's a house. - It is a house.
0:13:16 > 0:13:19- Not just a house, it's a farmhouse. - Yay!- Yay!
0:13:19 > 0:13:22- Ray, what do you think? - It's very nice, lovely.
0:13:22 > 0:13:27It's a house, it's a good size. Yeah, interested.
0:13:27 > 0:13:30This is the back of the house. We'll go and see the front.
0:13:30 > 0:13:35'I hope we can build on their enthusiastic first reaction to this handsome farmhouse
0:13:35 > 0:13:38'which, along with an impressive front facade,
0:13:38 > 0:13:42'has plenty of character still intact on the inside.'
0:13:43 > 0:13:45Here we go.
0:13:46 > 0:13:48OK...
0:13:49 > 0:13:53Here we have... well, it's the sitting room.
0:13:54 > 0:13:56- Fabulous.- Yeah, nice, like it.
0:13:56 > 0:14:02- It's lovely.- You said the fire was a bit small.- It was, yes. - This is much, much bigger.
0:14:02 > 0:14:05It is. It's amazing.
0:14:05 > 0:14:11'Well, this could be the snug because across the hallway, they can really spread out.'
0:14:11 > 0:14:13Wow, this is huge!
0:14:13 > 0:14:17- Oh, yeah, that's lovely. - It's a great room.
0:14:17 > 0:14:22So if that's your snug winter sitting room, this could be your day-to-day sitting room.
0:14:22 > 0:14:27This is an amazing sized room. It would be great for our larger dog
0:14:27 > 0:14:30- Yes, it could be his kennel. - Yes.- Yeah.
0:14:30 > 0:14:35'Next door, the kitchen also provides ample space for them and their dogs.'
0:14:35 > 0:14:38Now, this is the kitchen...
0:14:41 > 0:14:46- It's...a strange shape. - Yeah, it's long and thin.
0:14:46 > 0:14:51- It is.- You've got a very fine range at the end
0:14:51 > 0:14:57and then it goes along here and then you've got the utility end and, through there,
0:14:57 > 0:15:02- a huge dog room with a separate entrance to the garden.- Excellent.
0:15:02 > 0:15:06It wasn't what I pictured in terms of, you know, a family kitchen.
0:15:06 > 0:15:10I think it would need replanning. You could make better use of it.
0:15:10 > 0:15:18'The kitchen flows through to an enormous dining room, giving a huge area for cooking and eating.
0:15:18 > 0:15:26'Also off the hall is a ready-made office for Ray and the generous proportions continue upstairs.'
0:15:28 > 0:15:34- So nice big landing.- Oh, brilliant. - Five bedrooms off here. - I've fallen in love with this house.
0:15:35 > 0:15:41- This is one of the smaller bedrooms. - Is it?- Oh, really? - Is it growing on you?
0:15:41 > 0:15:45- Yeah.- Yeah. - Good, good.- I like it.
0:15:45 > 0:15:52'The other four bedrooms are large enough to be doubles with the space they might need for the future,
0:15:52 > 0:15:55'but we'll take a peek at the largest.'
0:15:58 > 0:16:01- Here we are.- Yep.
0:16:01 > 0:16:05- Good, isn't it?- You can walk round the bed.
0:16:05 > 0:16:10And there's a lovely family bathroom which they've done up very nicely.
0:16:10 > 0:16:12With windows over the farmyard.
0:16:12 > 0:16:19'They seem pleased with the bedroom sizes so far, but now for a big surprise.
0:16:19 > 0:16:24'Upstairs on the second floor, the sixth bedroom gives them a suite of their very own.'
0:16:26 > 0:16:28Oh, my God!
0:16:30 > 0:16:33I don't know what to say.
0:16:33 > 0:16:38- What a great room. - You'd have to sleep on that side. You'd bang your head.
0:16:38 > 0:16:41Oh, wow.
0:16:41 > 0:16:43And we're not quite done yet. Come on downstairs.
0:16:45 > 0:16:51'There's also a great dressing room on this floor with an adjoining storeroom tucked into the eaves.
0:16:51 > 0:16:55'Outside offers up the possibility of a small annexe for Sarah's mum
0:16:55 > 0:17:00'with a vaulted ceiling and it comes complete with its own kitchen.
0:17:00 > 0:17:05But this is your garden. Probably about quarter of an acre.
0:17:05 > 0:17:11- Stunning view.- The garden's fine for me. I think the house is brilliant. - Yeah.- It's just the annexe.
0:17:11 > 0:17:13So how much do you think it's on the market for?
0:17:13 > 0:17:18I think it's top of our budget. Seven, seven fifty, if not more.
0:17:18 > 0:17:23OK. I'm going to go... seven thirty-five.
0:17:23 > 0:17:29Seven thirty-five. OK, well, this is a substantial listed building.
0:17:29 > 0:17:32In a very beautiful bit of Wiltshire.
0:17:32 > 0:17:35But it could be yours for 725.
0:17:35 > 0:17:37- Wow. - That's what it's on the market for.
0:17:37 > 0:17:43- Are you sold, hook, line and sinker? - I love it. The house is amazing. Absolutely.- No, I agree with you.
0:17:43 > 0:17:49- I'd forego everything else. - Including where your mum lives? - No, that would be the compromise.
0:17:49 > 0:17:56- We'd have to work something out. - This house requires a good walk around with a pen and paper
0:17:56 > 0:17:59and head scratching and moving things around. So I'll send you back in.
0:18:05 > 0:18:11'On the market for £725,000, this historic farmhouse has space in abundance
0:18:11 > 0:18:18'for family and dogs, providing them with two living rooms, six bedrooms, one with its own master suite,
0:18:18 > 0:18:24'a small annexe all wrapped up in a quarter of an acre garden with a swimming pool.
0:18:24 > 0:18:31'And it's set in open countryside with M4 access for Sarah to get to her job to the west of London.'
0:18:31 > 0:18:35The moment we walked into this property, we gave each other a look
0:18:35 > 0:18:40as if to say, "Yeah, this is very homely. We could work in this." It's very comfortable.
0:18:40 > 0:18:44We could make this place a really nice home for us.
0:18:44 > 0:18:50This house makes me feel like I want to get the chequebook out. It's everything that we wanted.
0:18:50 > 0:18:58We'd have to work round the annexe element of it, but there's scope to do that in the garage. I like it.
0:19:05 > 0:19:12As evening falls over the Wiltshire countryside, the first day of our house hunt draws to a close.
0:19:19 > 0:19:22Day two of our property search for Sarah and Ray
0:19:22 > 0:19:28and I'm a little bit perplexed about what exactly they want to get for their money.
0:19:28 > 0:19:34They loved the house yesterday, but couldn't really see where Sarah's mum was going to go.
0:19:34 > 0:19:39I'm questioning whether they could ever afford to have the separation that they want.
0:19:39 > 0:19:45But the mystery house today is going to offer them space for Mum
0:19:45 > 0:19:49and also reintroduce the long-forgotten holiday let.
0:19:49 > 0:19:55It will either conform that they want those things or sweep them off the drawing board forever.
0:19:59 > 0:20:03Our mystery property takes us to the village of Sutton Benger,
0:20:03 > 0:20:10which falls within their preferred location and gives them those cycle paths they wanted
0:20:10 > 0:20:15with a welcome pint on tap at the two local pubs.
0:20:15 > 0:20:21Among the array of attractive buildings lining its country lanes is its Grade 2-listed church.
0:20:21 > 0:20:27On the edge of the village is our mystery house, which has more to it than meets the eye.
0:20:27 > 0:20:32Come with me past the fortress of leylandii
0:20:32 > 0:20:35to see the mystery house.
0:20:35 > 0:20:39This property needs a bit of work, a bit of vision.
0:20:39 > 0:20:44But it actually offers everything you want. And some.
0:20:44 > 0:20:50This is not only a house for you and your mum. It's a house for you and your mum and a holiday let.
0:20:50 > 0:20:54- Ah!- Interesting. - In a very good location.
0:20:54 > 0:20:59It's interesting. You can already see how to make it more attractive.
0:20:59 > 0:21:06'Their confident optimism is encouraging, but now it's time to test their creative vision
0:21:06 > 0:21:08'as we explore inside.'
0:21:08 > 0:21:10Come on in.
0:21:14 > 0:21:16- Probably not your style.- No.
0:21:16 > 0:21:20It's not so bad. There's some character there. I like the beams.
0:21:22 > 0:21:26'There's additional space for the dogs beyond the sitting room in the conservatory,
0:21:26 > 0:21:28'but will the kitchen measure up?'
0:21:28 > 0:21:32Come through into the kitchen.
0:21:34 > 0:21:41- It's actually not a small kitchen diner.- You're right. It's quite a good space.
0:21:41 > 0:21:46- And it's nice kitchen units. I think it's the headroom in this section.- Yeah.
0:21:46 > 0:21:49It needs a bit of reorganising.
0:21:49 > 0:21:53'The kitchen extends into a utility area,
0:21:53 > 0:21:57'which weaves through into a completely self-contained part.'
0:21:57 > 0:22:04It's actually again a big space. Sitting room and quite a big kitchen.
0:22:04 > 0:22:08Yeah, I think it would be quite a good space for my mum.
0:22:08 > 0:22:11It would be the biggest kitchen she's ever had.
0:22:11 > 0:22:18And then actually there's a bedroom up top. So this whole unit would be self-contained for your mum.
0:22:18 > 0:22:21- OK.- Or it could be the holiday let.
0:22:21 > 0:22:27'To the rear of the utility room is another small wing with its own entrance hall and sitting room,
0:22:27 > 0:22:29'currently set up as a home office.
0:22:29 > 0:22:36'Upstairs are two potential double bedrooms, both serviced by a useful shower room.
0:22:36 > 0:22:42'Back through the main house, the staircase leads up to three further bedrooms, making six in total.
0:22:42 > 0:22:48'There's a cosy double and the other benefits from a skylight, which is also in the family bathroom.
0:22:48 > 0:22:51'But where will they sleep?'
0:22:51 > 0:22:56And here's the master bedroom in your part.
0:22:57 > 0:23:02It's just very dark again, but a lot is the paint and the wallpaper.
0:23:02 > 0:23:06Yeah. It's not that bad. Probably the best room on this floor.
0:23:06 > 0:23:12OK, so it's a challenge, the house, just to get your head round where everything is.
0:23:12 > 0:23:16- Let's go out into the garden and we can gather our thoughts.- OK.
0:23:16 > 0:23:22'Ray and Sarah have been completely thrown by the number of rooms and possible living arrangements
0:23:22 > 0:23:24'that our mystery house can accommodate.
0:23:24 > 0:23:28'Outside, the secluded garden is the largest we've shown them.'
0:23:29 > 0:23:34OK, so this is the garden. It's actually a big plot.
0:23:34 > 0:23:39It's just under an acre, I'd say, including the paddock for the sheep.
0:23:39 > 0:23:43The garden's good, yeah. It's a good size.
0:23:43 > 0:23:48- I can definitely see some chickens in here.- It's very nice. The front garden with the sheep is brilliant.
0:23:48 > 0:23:50What about guessing the price?
0:23:51 > 0:23:55I can see you've answered most of the questions that we asked.
0:23:55 > 0:24:00However, I think the price would be...530.
0:24:00 > 0:24:04I think it's higher than that. I think it's probably...
0:24:04 > 0:24:07It's probably late six, six eighty.
0:24:07 > 0:24:10It's actually on at 675.
0:24:10 > 0:24:15- Yay!- So you get the crown.- I've won! - Yes. Congratulations.
0:24:15 > 0:24:19OK, so it does offer on paper everything that you asked for.
0:24:19 > 0:24:22- Have a look around inside, then we'll meet out front.- OK.
0:24:22 > 0:24:30Under budget at £675,000, our mystery property has challenged Ray and Sarah
0:24:30 > 0:24:35to seriously evaluate their wish list. Cosmetic alterations aside,
0:24:35 > 0:24:40this house would give them two living areas and a large kitchen diner, six bedrooms,
0:24:40 > 0:24:45separate living quarters for Sarah's mother and the potential for holiday guests,
0:24:45 > 0:24:50just shy of an acre of garden and it's located in their search area.
0:24:50 > 0:24:57The mystery house is a good choice. It answered all the questions - annexe, holiday let, accommodation.
0:24:57 > 0:25:02But the rooms are a little bit too small, a little bit too dark.
0:25:02 > 0:25:06The living side of it for us isn't quite what we had in mind.
0:25:06 > 0:25:11I think for the money we've got it's possible to find what we want,
0:25:11 > 0:25:15but losing maybe one of the elements, the holiday let.
0:25:15 > 0:25:20We need to concentrate on a home for us first and foremost.
0:25:28 > 0:25:33Well, that wasn't the most life-changing mystery house,
0:25:33 > 0:25:37but it might have brought things into focus for Ray and Sarah
0:25:37 > 0:25:42and made them decide what they do and don't want in their home here. Let's go and find out.
0:25:46 > 0:25:49- Hello, guys.- Hi.- Hiya. - Time for the moment of reckoning.
0:25:49 > 0:25:53We find out which one you like best or least or both.
0:25:53 > 0:26:00- It's easiest to go through them one by one.- Yep.- Can you spin your minds back to yesterday morning
0:26:00 > 0:26:04when we looked at the house with the walled garden?
0:26:04 > 0:26:12I think the garden was beautiful. The living space was OK. The bedroom space was too small for us.
0:26:12 > 0:26:18The bedrooms were a little bit tiny. The corridor especially wouldn't be very workable.
0:26:18 > 0:26:24It's quite narrow, but we liked the layout - the living quarters, bedroom quarters. That was nice.
0:26:24 > 0:26:26But a little more space was needed.
0:26:26 > 0:26:30What about house number two? A much bigger proposition.
0:26:30 > 0:26:35That was completely different. It was a great, great house. Lovely rooms.
0:26:35 > 0:26:36Brilliant staircase.
0:26:36 > 0:26:42The house is obviously big enough for three people to live in. It had so many rooms.
0:26:42 > 0:26:47But it wasn't what we wanted or what my mum wants. She wants her independence.
0:26:47 > 0:26:53So really we were looking at a property with a separate annexe.
0:26:53 > 0:26:58As much as there was another building outside, I just think it would be a bit unfair
0:26:58 > 0:27:00to expect her to live in the shed!
0:27:00 > 0:27:04So that gave you lots to think about. Then the mystery house.
0:27:04 > 0:27:08I think the holiday let issue with the mystery house
0:27:08 > 0:27:13made us think that realistically that's not for this move. It's not going to work.
0:27:13 > 0:27:18Great location. Fabulous village. I liked the gardens.
0:27:18 > 0:27:24But I think we have to realise that we can't have the annexe and a holiday let.
0:27:24 > 0:27:30I know it's a lot to juggle with mum and holiday lets and the wedding and your jobs,
0:27:30 > 0:27:37but I really do wish you all the best and I hope you find something to live your marital life in bliss.
0:27:37 > 0:27:39- Thank you.- Thank you very much.
0:27:42 > 0:27:48I know bluebells are not unique to Wiltshire, but they do lift the soul after a challenging week,
0:27:48 > 0:27:51not because of Ray and Sarah, who were lovely,
0:27:51 > 0:27:57but because their property goalposts kept on moving. First it was a holiday let in their house
0:27:57 > 0:28:03and then a house with their mum. Even though they really liked house number two,
0:28:03 > 0:28:08sometimes on Escape we have to accept that the best thing we can do
0:28:08 > 0:28:14is help people decide what they don't want. So join us next time for more escaping.
0:28:14 > 0:28:17Meanwhile, enjoy the countryside.
0:28:19 > 0:28:24If you'd like to escape to the country in Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland or England,
0:28:24 > 0:28:27please apply online at:
0:28:43 > 0:28:47Subtitles by Subtext for Red Bee Media Ltd - 2012