Norfolk Escape to the Country

Every year, around 100,000 visitors descend on this county,

simply to mess about on boats.

Where am I? Join me in a moment to find out.

On today's show, I'll be trying to help a couple find a property

to fit three generations of the same family.

Grandma gets almost as much space as you do!

Grandma would really like this. I'm very impressed with this.

-I think the kids would love this.

-Definitely, yeah. They'd fight over this one!

And our mystery house challenges them to think really big.

You've given up on vocabulary now, haven't you? It's just, "Ooh!"

-Bit of a whistle.

-Yeah.

-Superb.

Today, I'm in Norfolk, on the world-famous Broads,

which lie about a metre below sea level.

And all the rivers that flow through here are tidal,

so they're at sea level,

all of which means this area is at constant risk of flooding.

So later on in the show, I'll be finding out

about a conservation project which aims to keep the sea at bay.

Forming the largest part of the East Anglian coastline,

Norfolk's remote beaches and low-lying hinterland

are defining features of its landscape.

The 117 square miles of protected wetland that make up the Broads

are earmarked as an area of outstanding natural beauty,

which, although a haven for wild species of birds,

has been shaped by man-made activity that spans centuries.

It was the Romans who first excavated

this area's rich peat beds for fuel.

In the Middle Ages, these peat pits flooded when sea levels rose.

Today, it's a site kept buoyant by 7 million visitors,

who bring in £414 million to Norfolk's economy.

Yet, this county has a very undeveloped feel,

which is reflected in its architecture,

with traditional materials of brick and knapped flint

giving local buildings their distinctive look.

Just under £215,000 is what you can expect to pay

for the typical detached house here in Norfolk.

Now, that's some £42,000 less than the national average.

However, we are in the Broads,

and this area has the same protected status as a national park.

So properties here are in high demand but short supply.

There are only 3,016 properties within the boundaries of the Broads,

and for any one of them, you can expect to pay up to 50% more

than for the same property elsewhere in the county.

So with that in mind,

here's a selection of what's currently on the market.

£295,000 will buy you this five-bedroom barn conversion

in South Burlingham, with character vaulted ceilings

a running theme throughout its main living areas.

If thatch is more your style,

then look no further than this Grade II listed cottage in Aldborough.

On the market for £425,000, it's been sympathetically renovated,

with roof beams an eye-catching feature

of one of its three bedrooms.

And outside offers a generous one-acre garden.

Or if you can dig deep, there's this handsome four-bedroom detached house

in Poringland, priced at £625,000.

Its living areas include an impressive conservatory,

which overlooks the one acre of grounds.

Some great houses there, and, of course, we've got three more

tucked up our sleeves to show today's buyers.

All we need to do now is meet them.

Julie and Ian have lived in their four-bedroom detached property

in Crook, County Durham, with their two children

for the past 11 years.

Although they both grew up in the area, Julie's father passed away last year,

and that, along with Ian's imminent retirement from the police force,

has propelled them to make the move down to Norfolk,

as it's an area that's close to their hearts.

We're looking at Norfolk because we have enjoyed holidays

on the Norfolk Broads, and that's something we want to do.

Get a boat, cruise on the Broads,

but somewhere that's not too far away from Suffolk,

so it's on the Suffolk side of Norfolk.

I've got a sister there, and for my mum, obviously she wants access.

She wants to be able to visit my sister on a regular basis.

In fact, Julie's mother Jean is also selling up,

and investing in their next family home.

Well, I would like to move with Julie and Ian to Norfolk

so that I would be with the grandchildren all the time,

and I would like an annexe that would be adjoining the house.

Besides finding a country home which can accommodate Grandma,

Ian and Julie also have a clear list of criteria we need to factor in.

We would be looking for a house with a rural setting,

with lots of space around it, you know, in the countryside,

ideally on the Broads.

And the house, ideally, would have four or five bedrooms,

a large kitchen-diner.

We do like character features, but we also like modern, so it's going to be

a combination of a character property with modern in there as well.

And Julie has a fixed idea of what she wants outside.

I've got a small vegetable plot, but the size is somewhat limited,

and I'm looking for something, possibly up to about an acre

of land, so I can grow the vegetable plot on a much grander scale.

Ian and Julie recently put their house on the market for £250,000,

and that, combined with the sale of Jean's property,

means they know exactly how much they have to spend.

The ideal budget for this house move would be round about £540,000,

but if it was the absolute dream home,

we could probably go to about 580,000.

How many of us have dreamt of permanently moving

to our favourite holiday destination but never done anything about it?

Most of us, I suspect, but not Ian and Julie.

What with Ian's decision to take early retirement

and the family deciding that Grandma should move with them too,

this family's dream of moving to Norfolk

is finally becoming a reality,

and it's up to us to help make that dream come true.

Ian and Julie are keen to find a property that puts them within

striking distance of the Broads,

so that they can live out their dream of a boaty lifestyle.

However, their criteria might mean we have to edge our way

over the Suffolk border.

We've lined up three fantastic houses for them to look at,

but as ever, I won't be revealing the price of each

until they've had a guess first.

Our final offering will be the mystery house,

which will give them much more than they bargained for.

-Good morning, you two.

-Hello!

-Welcome to sunny Norfolk!

-You've only just retired, a couple of weeks?

-I have, so I'm adjusting to retired life.

I suppose this feels like a holiday again, then?

-It is!

-It certainly is, yes. It's lovely.

Well, isn't that the dream for the two of you?

To turn what was or has been your holiday home, into your real home.

Definitely, yes.

It's the waterways, the sailing and the boats down here.

Our kids love it, so it's the way of life.

I think things are looking good, because you're both selling your houses, Grandma and you,

-which means you've got a pretty good budget.

-We have.

-We've got 540?

-Round about that, yeah.

-Willing to go up to...

-About 580 if we had to.

Lots to cover, but don't worry, we've got three great properties,

you've given me a great budget, so let's get house hunting!

Fantastic. Thank you.

Ian and Julie have a budget of £540,000,

although they would consider going up to £580,000 for the right house.

As well as being detached,

they would like a property which mixes old with new.

More specifically, they need a large kitchen-diner

in which the family can congregate, four bedrooms,

an annexe for Julie's mum, an acre of land,

and it needs to be located close to the Broads.

We're getting our property search underway a short drive

from the village of Loddon, with schools to cater for both children,

along with a post office and a beautiful 15th-century church.

With the Norfolk Broads on their doorstep,

a boating life is definitely theirs for the taking.

A mile and a half away in the secluded hamlet

of Heckingham Holes, we find our first house.

Formerly two farmer's cottages dating back to 1830,

now knocked into one and recently extended.

Right, here we go, property number one, and this is it!

-Wow!

-I got my first "Wow!" Fantastic!

-Yeah, that's very nice.

-Beautiful.

-It is, it's lovely.

-Fantastic setting as well.

-Very nice.

It's been added to over the years, you've got an extension that way, one here, and some conservatories.

Fantastic. Lovely!

'The character exterior seems to have gone down well,

'and as they'll see, the inside continues the theme.'

In we come!

Here we go. Well, first test passed.

-You're not bashing your head on the ceiling!

-No, that's fine.

-That looks lovely there.

-Yes!

-Wood burning stove.

-Fantastic! I saw that.

I love that it's open so it leads through to the other room.

What do you think of this as an entrance way?

-It's lovely.

-This is what you like. A good character about it.

Very rustic, lovely.

It is very rustic,

but I want to start off with this side of the house,

because obviously one of the things with this property is, you can see,

it's all one property, so there's not a separate annexe for Grandma.

However, it's a big house. There is lots of room.

-So let's start this way and talk about where Grandma might go.

-OK.

Through here you have a family living area, as you can see.

-A lovely living room. What do you think?

-It is nice.

-Lovely.

-It's very cosy, isn't it? Very nice.

-It is very nice. I like it. First impression's brilliant.

Through here, we've got another couple of rooms,

so come and have a look, because the way I see it,

this is such a big house, Grandma could either have this whole area

from that door onwards, or you could keep this as a family room

and Grandma just has that little bit at the end.

-So come and have a look.

-Somewhere to lock Grandma, is it?

So through here, what was the garage has become the study

-and a single bedroom.

-Bedroom? Oh, right.

My thoughts are, this could, therefore, be Grandma's bedroom,

but clearly there's no bathroom here, so a bit of work for you

-if you wanted to give her her own bathroom facilities.

-Yeah.

-I mean, this is just a stud wall, you could take that down.

-Yeah.

-That's quite a fair-size room, you know.

-So there is a possibility.

-You don't mind her being integrated in the house?

-No, that's ideal.

She comes in, this is her side, and let's see what the other side's like.

-You're absolutely right! Let's see what the other side's like. You lead the way, Ian.

-OK.

'Back across the hallway is the focal point

'for all three generations to congregate.'

Well, if that side of the house is for Grandma,

this would be for everybody.

Fantastic! Lovely big kitchen, which is what you wanted, wasn't it?

-It was one of your main criteria.

-Beautiful, yeah.

Wood-burning stove in the corner.

That's the other side of the stove from the wall, so you've got that lovely feature.

And behind here, you do get a separate utility space which is quite big.

And I've got to say, there are two big conservatory areas out there.

One's sort of open, one closed for dining,

so if you're entertaining friends, if your sister's coming over,

family coming down from County Durham, lots of space out there.

Spoiled for choice, actually. It's good, it's very good.

It's very good. You can explore all of that on your own a bit later.

-I want to show you the upstairs now.

-Jolly good.

'These downstairs rooms give them plenty of spacious, flexible,

'living areas, which they can configure to suit their family.

'Upstairs, among the four bedrooms,

'is a self-contained retreat for them.'

Up here, they call this an en suite, but I think it's pretty big.

This could almost be a bedroom on its own, couldn't it?

-It almost could!

-Superb.

-I'm sure it could.

-Like it?

-I do. Very nice.

Good, because this would be the en suite to your bedroom.

So this bedroom next to that bathroom

-gives you a master suite.

-Yeah, nice.

Very nice, it is. What I do love is the view out that window.

-Unbelievable.

-It's spectacular!

Just sitting or lying in bed, waking up in the morning,

-looking out at that puts you in the right frame of mind for the day.

-It does.

Now, you have got four bedrooms up here,

so there is obviously the option of Grandma being up here.

The other three bedrooms are light, spacious, doubles

and are real blank canvasses.

They all have the use of the modern family bathroom.

'This house certainly gives them ample living space to accommodate

'the needs of all the family,

'and outside, offers them a very generous proposition.'

You'll get plenty of outside space and garden with this property.

Not only do you get the acre that the house sits in

and this space here, which comes with a few little friends...

We've got our little Indian Runners quacking beside us.

-..but you also get an extra acre.

-Of land.

-Right here, there's a paddock.

-Ah, the horses!

Couple of horses which are negotiable!

So we've got sailing, you've got water.

You're surrounded by water, not that you'd sail there, but I tell you what you can do.

The current owners are keen canoeists

and they rent the following eight acres of land over there.

Only costs them £200 a year.

They grab the canoes and they trudge out to the River Chet

and off they go into Loddon, which is the local town.

-15 minutes.

-Uh-huh. Fantastic.

-Very nice lifestyle.

I can't believe it's got so much land!

There's a vegetable patch as well and all those sorts of things. They do keep chickens here as well.

Brilliant lifestyle. Lovely.

It's all there to get stuck into and develop, and it comes at a price.

-Mm.

-So you've done a lot of research on the internet.

-Some, some.

But here we are.

The land's thrown me somewhat, but I would say around 540?

-Top of the budget.

-Nah, I think maybe it's a little bit higher.

Maybe about 550, 560?

550, 560, so really pushing into your extra budget

-for the dream home.

-Possibly, yeah.

Well, let me tell you how much this property will cost you.

Think you'll find it very interesting.

It's on the market at £520,000.

-Under.

-Mm-hm.

-So you're wrong!

-Sounds good, sounds good!

-And I was even wronger!

-You're both wrong!

You were closer, but, most importantly,

-it's well within your budget.

-It is.

-It certainly is.

Tell you what, have a little wander round, I will see you

when you've had a chance for it all to sink in a little bit, OK?

-OK, thank you.

-Off you go.

Comfortably under budget at £520,000,

our first property is a great opening gambit

and addresses the many and varied demands of their wish list,

giving them a huge family dining kitchen

along with three further reception rooms.

Upstairs provides four bedrooms, including a master en suite.

What's more, there's the potential for Julie's mum

to have her own downstairs wing.

And outside delivers two acres of land

with the option of renting another eight acres.

So their dream of outdoor pursuits could certainly be a reality.

As soon as I walked in the door, I placed the Christmas tree next to the wood burner.

I liked the feel of the place.

I had in mind where my mother would be living and where I would be living

and I think this house does give us the option of letting my mother have her own independent life,

yet close enough to us for company and to help each other.

The outside space of the house is brilliant, something we hadn't actually asked for.

Far more than what I would expect for that price.

-Here we go. Good start, hey?

-It certainly was.

But we're not done yet.

There's a few more properties to see. Come on.

Sitting either side of the River Bure, the twin villages of Wroxham and Hoveton

are widely largely regarded as the capital of the Broads.

Its 125 miles of navigable inland waterways

draw in 100,000 boating visitors a year

and in the past has included Ian and Julie.

Indeed, spending more family time messing about in boats is key to their move.

So we've arranged for them to have a sailing lesson from instructor Gina Hilton,

who is a lifelong resident of the Broads.

After donning their life jackets, it's time to hop aboard

and gain first-hand experience on these beautiful waters.

Let's get under way.

This is a lovely Broad to sail on,

because you have a nice gentle area here, where there's a lot of wildlife.

You've got water lilies here,

there's always a lot of grebes here, breeding.

It's nice and peaceful. Sailing is all practical.

It's important to know what the wind is doing.

I've done wind surfing and I think, "Is it the same idea as windsurfing?"

Well, sailing is sailing, see? Using the wind and using that angle.

As well as taking lessons,

an easy way to get started as a family is to join a sailing club,

where you can often try dinghies or yachts and decide what suits best,

whether it be for just cruising or racing.

In Norfolk, the joining fee can be as little as £80,

with an annual family membership costing around £110 more.

Now it's time for Gina to test out their tacking technique.

Let's do a ready about so push the tiller way from you, Ian,

all the way across, and the boat will go around.

-Say when.

-OK, do it now.

Ready about, mind your heads, and change sides.

Straighten the tiller up, Ian. Into the middle.

That's right, lovely.

Excellent! Well done. When you're tacking, you've got your three Ts.

Tacking, tiller, towards. That's it, ease your sail out a bit.

Gina's bought them out in her 1950s half decker yacht,

which along with being a Broads classic, has a fixed keel and cannot capsize.

A great family all-rounder would be a 15-foot Wayfarer dinghy,

which can be picked up second-hand for a couple of thousand pounds

with around £1,000 in mooring fees and insurance to factor in.

With their sailing ambitions in mind,

we are staying near to the Broads.

Our house hunt continues near to the village of Claxton,

which means the school run is an achievable car drive

and the amenities of Loddon are just four miles away.

The Grade I listed church with its distinctive knapped flint facade

is a real landmark, as is our second property,

which lies to the south of the village.

Property number two, very different to the first.

I bring you a barn conversion.

This part, 300 years old, that part, 100 years old,

and the conversion was done about in the '80s.

Looks great from the outside. Looks fantastic.

Very impressive, actually. Very nice.

And with this property, what you will get is a very good space for Grandma.

Come inside and have a look.

We'll come to Grandma's living arrangements,

but first we'll get a sense of the main core of this property.

Straight through that huge entrance hallway.

It is a barn conversion, so you get that full ceiling height there, which they've made the most of.

-And into a pretty big living room.

-Fantastic.

-Fantastic lounge, isn't it?

-Very nice.

Taking it all in.

Yes, your eyes were immediately drawn out there, aren't they?

The last house was going to take some beating, but this,

from first opinion, walking through the door, is very nice again.

The main window looks out onto a central courtyard,

which is flanked on each side by two separate wings,

one for them and the children, with the other providing

an ideal retreat for Julie's mum.

Not only would she get this room,

there are three bedrooms in the back there and a bathroom already.

Do with it whatever she wants to do with it.

It's like a separate annexe, isn't it?

It is, but it is connected, so you've not got to leave the house to get here.

It's certainly a good start. Keeping Grandma happy.

Can it keep the rest of the family happy?

-Let's find out.

-Come on.

'We will retrace our steps towards the separate dining room

'before we reach the all-important kitchen.'

Now, over this side of the house,

there's a lot of space for the family.

We've got obviously a dining room, that's a lovely big area.

We've got a corridor leading to a downstairs cloakroom

and obviously, we are standing on a pretty sizable kitchen.

Lovely big kitchen, isn't it?

The layout of it is great.

This way, you've got a larder.

That will be good for cooking, but through there you've got utility space,

which is often used as a front door.

There's a door to the outside, like a boot-room.

The other side is the door to the double garage.

That doesn't house cars, they keep their boat in there. Ideal.

We're only a mile away from the River Yare.

Lots to think about. You challenged us.

I did challenge you. You're getting there.

LAUGHTER

Let me show you upstairs, and then we'll see the garden space.

'There's no doubt that the ground floor has a raft of rooms

'to accommodate all their needs.

'We'll explore the three bedrooms upstairs

'which all file off the landing.'

Up here, you get another fabulous view of that courtyard,

and this time, it's from the master bedroom.

-Fantastic view. Look at those windows. Brilliant.

-Gorgeous, isn't it?

Again, you can keep an eye on Grandma.

Very good.

It comes with an en suite, which is through there.

Have a look. It's a shower room. It's a good-sized room, though.

And I think, like a lot of this property,

probably needs a bit of updating,

but a chance for you to do as you will with it.

Up here, there are two more good-sized bedrooms,

three in total, plus another smaller room,

which is being used as a walk-in wardrobe.

So plenty of family space.

Lots of potential. Lots to think about.

I think you're absolutely right.

Lots of potential with this property.

Depends how creative you want to be, how much you want to put your stamp on something.

Ian and Julie's reactions to the interior have been encouraging.

It's time to walk round the side of the barn

and survey the property from the gardens,

which amounts to half an acre.

The view from the back of your garden.

There you go. You can take in the house in all of its glory.

Great view, as well. You see right across the fields.

-You're elevated.

-You might have your vegetable patch, here, might you not?

My vegetable plot is going the other side of the house, and this is the sun terrace.

-As ever, it comes at a price.

-Ah-ha.

-Yes!

Ah-ha, indeed. Who's going to go first and give me a number?

It hasn't got the land, but I think it has got more inside,

so I'm going to go for about 540.

OK.

-I'm going to go a little less than I did last time and go about 500.

-500.

That's a lot less than Julie's guess.

I think Julie's been doing a bit more research than you have.

She did, actually! She did. Didn't you?

Because you win again!

This is on the market at a guide price of £545,000.

There is a lot to consider in this house,

so go and think about what Jean might want

and tell me about it later on.

I'm going to put my feet up and enjoy the view.

With a guide price of £545,000,

the layout of our barn conversion

is a great option for accommodating three generations.

Along with three reception rooms boasting character features,

the family can gather in the large kitchen diner.

Furthermore, there's a whole wing which Julie's mum

could claim as her own.

And the half-acre plot is large enough

for Julie to cultivate her vegetables.

It is all set just a mile and a half away from the Broads.

This is an older house and has more potential.

I do like the annexe - that is a part of the house which would give Grandma her own defined space.

So, obviously, we'd have to think about how we would lay that out.

I certainly wouldn't rule it out.

I think from the outside, it's a fantastic-looking property.

However, once I was inside the property,

it didn't give me that homely feel as much as the previous property did.

Yes, there was great spaces for Grandma, and maybe it's just the fact

that I need to think about what I'd do with the space

and how I'd put my stamp on it, make it look how I would want it to look.

Here you are. So you've seen it all for today.

Quite a lot to think about there.

A lot of potential and a lot to think about, you're right.

It's growing on us, but whether it's growing enough, I don't know.

Well, you can sleep on it, and we've got more for tomorrow.

As evening falls over the Norfolk countryside,

it marks the end of the first day of our property search.

After a lifetime spent in County Durham,

Ian and Julie have up to £580,000 to make the move

to the Norfolk Broads with their two children and Grandma Jean.

The two properties we've shown them so far have given Grandma good annexe options,

but coming up, our mystery house takes their search to a new level.

This is better than the kitchen she's got now.

And I learn more about a project that ensures Norfolk

will keep its head above water for future generations.

What a wonderful start we had to our search yesterday.

Ian and Julie loved the first house,

they could see the potential of the second,

but they're still struggling to work out how they'll balance their needs with the wants of Grandma Jean.

Let's see if our mystery house can deliver.

Today we're off to the mystery house, as you know.

What would be the last thing you'd want to see?

A tiny cottage with a thatched roof and low ceilings.

Anything else?

Very specific. I like it.

And one of the main criteria for you has always been Grandma.

How demanding is Grandma? Would she be very exacting on what things have to be like?

-Be honest.

-Fairly exacting, yes. Yes.

Like mother like daughter, I'm sure, Julie.

For our mystery property, we have to edge over the Suffolk border

and away from their preferred location of the Broads.

The nearest amenities are a four- mile drive away in Halesworth,

an attractive market town whose array of historic buildings

house a range of shops and businesses.

It also has reminders of its brewing past.

Ian and Julie asked for a granny annexe,

but if they can accept the change in location,

our mystery property could provide them with two distinct homes.

Open your eyes and have a look at the mystery.

Oh! I've got silence! Is that good silence?

I like it. I really like it.

This house is special. We've taken you to Suffolk to bring you not just a space for Grandma,

not just an annexe for Grandma,

but Grandma's very own little Grandma cottage, right there.

-Fantastic.

-I thought I'd get a smile there!

-"Ah! This could work!"

-I think that would work.

I think that's what Grandma needs.

-Her own space.

-She definitely needs her own space.

-And we need Grandma in her own space.

-I had a feeling you might say that!

Let's have a look inside and see how much space you get,

as well as Grandma.

'This former barn is Grade II listed, and although the exterior retain its traditional pantiled roof

'and timber facade, the interior will fit with their modern tastes.'

Come on through. Let's go straight into the kitchen.

I know how important it is and I think this one won't disappoint.

-Very nice.

-Fantastic. Lovely. Absolutely gorgeous.

Very nice. Very rustic.

-Good start?

-Definitely.

-More than a good start.

Let me tell you about what's at this end of the house, then.

You've got all this space here.

Next door, you've got another room being used as a bedroom, so it's got a double bed in there.

Next door to that, you've got a wetroom.

A shower, downstairs loo and utility space, which is quite big,

leading onto the courtyard,

but that's also the connecter into Grandma's cottage.

-She's attached if she wants to be.

-Which is what she wants.

If she doesn't want to be, she can go through her own front door.

-Let's have a look at that next.

-Yeah, definitely.

-Yes, please.

'And Grandma's kitchen is equally as impressive as theirs.'

-Come through. Look at this!

-This is smart!

Grandma gets almost as much space as you do.

Grandma would really like this. I'm very impressed with this.

I was worried that, yes, that house is fantastic, this might've just been a little add-on, but it's not.

It's not just a little add-on.

This door leads onto her own back courtyard.

That leads into yours.

She's got her own front door, though, just through there.

There's a living room, a downstairs loo.

No need to go upstairs, very convenient.

Upstairs, the space has a shower room and two bedrooms,

so she can have guests if you keep it configured that way,

or you could open up the space and give her a huge master suite.

I think she'd love this.

I didn't expect to find as much as this.

It's fantastic, it really is.

-I'm quite excited. Show me more!

-Very excited!

Again, this is, I know you like to think you're quite reserved,

but I'm feeling this is the most excited you've been.

I am.

'Let's see if we can set their hearts soaring

'as we take a peek at the central core of their living space.'

Now, this is what you get with a barn conversion.

Fantastic space, isn't it?

-That's great.

-You've given up on vocabulary now, haven't you?

I don't need to say. It's absolutely superb.

-Superb?

-I love it.

You've got all of this. Let's get into this space.

There is so much of it.

You get the ceiling height, the character, the beams,

and I love the modern twists in here.

That's what we like -

the modern twist yet still retaining its original character.

The size of the room - it's open.

So big, isn't it? I like the beams.

-Light and airy as well.

-Then you get even more space here.

You've got that as a separate study

and through there, you've got another downstairs cloakroom.

And a door leading out onto the back courtyard, so bags of space.

Space all over the place.

Where would you do Christmas?

Grandma's, I suppose. Grandma can do the cooking at Christmas.

-She does Christmas dinner.

-Pile into Grandma's cottage.

-We're not going to be late, are we?

-What a fantastic room for Christmas.

The light, open-tread staircase

leads up to a galleried landing, off which are three bedrooms,

all with their own quirks.

Now, before we look at the master,

let's have a look at the children's rooms.

-Up there!

-You've spotted it!

-I think the kids would love this.

-Definitely, yeah.

-They'd fight over this one, though.

-Do you know what?

They wouldn't have to. The other one is just the same.

Never. Really? This is great.

They've it lovely. Really have done it for the family, they've designed it for themselves.

Superb, the way they've done it.

I've used too many good words today, but it's fantastic.

I'm never going to be upset with you for using good words

about a property we show you.

-That's great if you feel that way.

-I do. It's great.

'Tucked away down this end of the landing is a light,

'bright family bathroom, which makes the most of those exposed rafters.

'But now with the children and Granny taken care of,

'it only remains to get their verdict on the master.'

Watch your heads. The only time I'll have to say that to you, I think.

-Look at the drama in this room.

-Fantastic. Lovely, isn't it?

-This would suit us, wouldn't it?

-Definitely.

You get your own en suite,

and this is like your own wing of the house.

Right on this side, the children and Grandma.

-Just love the space, the big ceilings.

-Yeah.

-Excellent.

-Still like it?

-Yes.

-Still like it.

-Happy, happy, happy.

'So far, the mystery property has received nothing but praise from our couple.

'Whether they'll be as pleased by what's outside remains to be seen.'

So, half an acre, the total plot.

Ian, plenty of work for you to get on with.

We can manage that.

As well as all of the space in the house and Grandma's cottage,

you also get this fantastic garage.

You can keep all kinds in, can't you?

You can probably keep a boat for each of you in there. It's huge!

I can see you scratching your head, "How much is this going to cost?"

-I'm going to start with you.

-Don't do that! This is the bit I was dreading.

I'm going to say about 600,000, but I still think

that might not be enough. That's my guess.

-Bit of a guess, 575.

-575.

Your wife does it again! This time, she is spot on.

-You've got better and better, Julie.

-Fantastic!

Well, you're right. It's on at 575, which means...

It's within budget.

Yeah, well, I usually say there's lots to think about,

but I think there's lots to explore and have fun with.

-Definitely.

-Go and do that. Have some fun.

Have a think about it, and we'll chat later on.

Wow! In spite of moving the location goalposts away from the Broads

and into Suffolk, they seem smitten by our mystery house.

Under budget at £575,000,

this character barn conversion

is in-keeping with their own decorative tastes

and serves up a huge hi-spec home with three bedrooms,

including that spectacular master.

The highlight is that Grandma gets her own separate dwelling,

and it's all wrapped up on a half-acre plot.

My first impressions of the mystery house were that I loved it.

The house, even though it's open plan with all the rooms,

there's lots of space, and you're not going to be tripping over each other,

which will be important for people to adjust to living together.

This mystery house fulfils all that criteria.

The best thing about this house is that it's ideal for Grandma.

She is half of the equation and she's very well catered for here.

I know she'd love it here. It's ideal.

It gives me the chance to keep an eye on her, look after her,

but it gives her total independence.

Superb little cottage on the side for her

and a fantastic property for us too.

That's it. Goodbye to the mystery house.

We've seen three properties, plenty for the two of you to think about.

There is.

Let's find somewhere for you to sit, and we'll have a chat afterwards.

The Norfolk Broads are not just a water lover's paradise.

They're home to one of the most diverse ecosystems

found anywhere in the UK.

The Broads are a fragile habitat and under constant threat from the sea.

The Environment Agency is currently halfway through a 20-year scheme,

called the Broadland Flood Alleviation Project,

whose mission is to protect this magical environment

for years to come.

I've come to Acle,

to find out more from its project manager, Paul Michelmore.

-Good morning, Paul.

-Hello, Denise.

-Nice to meet you.

What's the purpose of this project?

The river system here is connected to the sea, so the rivers are tidal.

There are fairly strong tidal currents.

The water level goes up and down twice a day as a consequence of that.

There's a lot of boat use - the river is navigable,

so there's a fair amount of boat wash,

which potentially could wash the river banks away.

What we're trying to do is relocate the banks

so we can deal with the erosive effects of the river

more effectively and more sustainably.

We are reconstructing the banks 20 or 30 metres inland.

That enables us to promote vegetation growth in the area

between the new bank position and the edge of the river.

We're then able to dispense with the steel sheet piling

and timber piling that we have, that provides this hard protection.

Is it much more natural defences or organic?

It is working with nature, very much so.

This is an area of National Park status,

and there are nature conservation benefits as well.

We promote the growth of reed beds,

and that contributes to the biodiversity of the area.

Besides protecting the rich habitat

that thrives within this huge area of Broadland,

the miles of flood banks ensure that over 1,000 residential properties

stay above water.

The river banks are being made wider and taller by at least a metre,

and giving the diggers a steer on the right measurements,

is Kevin Percival, who's setting out the level of the new flood bank.

-Hello, there. You must be Kevin.

-Hello.

-Nice to meet you.

-Nice to meet you, Denise.

-I'm all kitted out now I'm on site.

What are you up to? What's this bit of kit?

This is a satellite GPS.

We use it to mark out levels and points where we do our work.

It tells us exactly where we are within 15 to 20 millimetres.

So, presumably we're not high enough here yet.

Where do we need to be on this post?

Approximately about here, so there's quite a bit to go on there.

Just over a metre.

Quite a lot to pile on here. What can I do to help?

If you could help put in one of these pegs at the right level...

Take the white one.

-Fine, OK.

-That's right.

-OK, if you just put it in somewhere around here.

-Here?

Yes, just there.

Then what? Just bash it?

Yes, if you start hitting it down into the ground.

What I'll do is check it every now and again.

That might be about right.

That's about right.

So, our friends, the diggers, come in.

The diggers will come along, start building it...

-Start building up to this level.

-Yes.

Thanks very much.

With sea levels at nearby Great Yarmouth

predicted to rise by around six millimetres a year,

this project is protecting an important swathe of countryside,

which otherwise, over time, would be lost to the sea.

There we go.

Two days, three great houses but, I suspect, one very confused couple.

Let's find out what they've decided.

It's been a great two days with the two of you.

We started with the cottage, two cottages converted.

They had a lot of space.

Looking at it, it looked very homely, lovely inside,

very well done out.

Then once we stepped into the back garden and the space outside,

we were blown away with the space there.

That was a big surprise because that wasn't on your wish list.

A decent-sized garden was what you'd asked for.

There you got two acres.

-How did that skew things for you?

-Loved it.

It was an added bonus and it was a lot extra for us to think about.

The whole house did have a wow factor.

I've got to say, I think the reaction from the two of you

was really great in that first house.

There was an emotional tug there

which I didn't find with the second property.

From the outside, it looked good, it had the kerb appeal,

and the road leading up to it and the fields looked fantastic.

Going inside the property, I didn't get that homely feel.

In its favour, it was a lovely setting.

It could've been the nicest of the three

for the setting and location and the drive into it.

I think out of the three, that was my least favourite.

The mystery house, then,

as ever, to take you out your comfort zone.

We took you out to the county, into Suffolk,

a little bit closer to your sister.

-Two houses, really. You got the cottage for Grandma.

-That was it.

You walk inside, and it had a wow factor.

The fact that my mum would have her own house within a house,

that was what pulled me on that one.

I loved the house and I loved it from the moment we saw it.

It's ready to move into. It's fantastic.

There would be nothing to do it,

other than change the decor how we like it.

Number three is a strong contender as well.

You're more passionate about number three, definite emotions from Ian.

From my point of view,

I see it that your choices are very much tied in

with how you want to live with Grandma...

That's right.

..and the rest of the family.

Where are you now with that?

I think if it was our choice, it would be number one.

The family on its own would be number one.

For you too?

For us and the kids, but with my mother involved,

that puts number three into the equation.

I think Grandma's choice would be number three.

What I think we should do, is come back with Grandma

and look at number one and three.

It's been a real pleasure. I'm so pleased.

This is a highlight for me.

Not one but two properties.

I want to know very soon which one you've gone for.

-Thank you.

-Definitely, thank you.

This move was always about so much more than a lifestyle change

for Ian and Julie.

Yes, they wanted to be closer to the water.

What they really wanted, was to be much closer to Grandma Jean.

Although she wasn't actually with us on this search,

I certainly felt her presence.

One thing is for sure, whichever property they go for,

be it the first or our mystery house,

they're just that one step closer

to making their escape to the country.

I'll see you next time.

After going home and talking to Grandma,

Ian and Julie are very interested in putting an offer in on house one,

but they're waiting to sell their property first.

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