Browse content similar to Hampshire. Check below for episodes and series from the same categories and more!
Line | From | To | |
---|---|---|---|
Today, we're in a county with two national parks, | 0:00:02 | 0:00:05 | |
one famous for its chalky hills, the other for its gorsy forest. | 0:00:05 | 0:00:08 | |
Find out where we are in just a moment. | 0:00:08 | 0:00:10 | |
In today's show, I'll be helping a couple desperate to flee | 0:00:28 | 0:00:30 | |
the urban jungle of London for a peaceful retreat in the countryside. | 0:00:30 | 0:00:35 | |
Nicely done. Nice. | 0:00:35 | 0:00:37 | |
Ta-da! | 0:00:37 | 0:00:39 | |
Oh, my word! A sunken bath! Nice. | 0:00:39 | 0:00:42 | |
But they want their rural dream to come with a bit of luxury. | 0:00:43 | 0:00:46 | |
Will our mystery house fit the bill? | 0:00:46 | 0:00:49 | |
Nicely done, but you can't entertain in here. | 0:00:49 | 0:00:51 | |
Here we are in Hampshire, with the South Downs National Park | 0:00:56 | 0:01:00 | |
in the east, and this, the New Forest National Park, in the west. | 0:01:00 | 0:01:04 | |
The New Forest was created in 1079, | 0:01:04 | 0:01:07 | |
by William the Conqueror, no less, as a royal hunting ground. | 0:01:07 | 0:01:11 | |
Luckily, they didn't hunt everything, | 0:01:11 | 0:01:13 | |
because these New Forest ponies survive to this day, | 0:01:13 | 0:01:15 | |
and they're a protected species. | 0:01:15 | 0:01:17 | |
They're even allowed right of way on the roads. | 0:01:17 | 0:01:20 | |
With the likes of Dorset and Wiltshire amongst its neighbours, | 0:01:20 | 0:01:24 | |
Hampshire is a solid bet for seeking out unspoilt countryside, | 0:01:24 | 0:01:28 | |
as around a third of the county is encompassed | 0:01:28 | 0:01:31 | |
within those two national parks. | 0:01:31 | 0:01:33 | |
There's history too, with the county town of Winchester | 0:01:33 | 0:01:36 | |
being the ancient capital | 0:01:36 | 0:01:38 | |
of King Alfred the Great's kingdom of Wessex. | 0:01:38 | 0:01:41 | |
But one of the defining glories of the county is its coastline. | 0:01:41 | 0:01:44 | |
The protected waters of the Solent | 0:01:44 | 0:01:47 | |
have always attracted yachtsmen and sailors throughout history. | 0:01:47 | 0:01:51 | |
Indeed, the Roman fort of Portchester Castle | 0:01:51 | 0:01:53 | |
is testament to Hampshire's enduring strategic importance. | 0:01:53 | 0:01:57 | |
It's this potent mix of heritage and geography | 0:01:57 | 0:01:59 | |
that makes the county such an interesting prospect | 0:01:59 | 0:02:02 | |
for aspiring escapees. | 0:02:02 | 0:02:05 | |
Today's couple really are the most city of city-dwellers. | 0:02:06 | 0:02:09 | |
They live right slap bang in the middle of London, | 0:02:09 | 0:02:12 | |
so let's find out what it is about Hampshire | 0:02:12 | 0:02:14 | |
that makes them think this could be a perfect escape. | 0:02:14 | 0:02:17 | |
Luke and Rachel are high-flying lawyers who have spent | 0:02:17 | 0:02:20 | |
the last 15 years living and working in central London. | 0:02:20 | 0:02:24 | |
Home is in a modern apartment block overlooking St Paul's Cathedral. | 0:02:24 | 0:02:28 | |
Many city dwellers would give their eye teeth | 0:02:28 | 0:02:31 | |
to live in the heart of London, | 0:02:31 | 0:02:33 | |
but the charms of urban living have faded for them, | 0:02:33 | 0:02:37 | |
and they want to change their city life for a country one. | 0:02:37 | 0:02:40 | |
My dream for moving to the country | 0:02:41 | 0:02:43 | |
is to wake up in the morning and hear the birds singing, | 0:02:43 | 0:02:46 | |
and to look out over green fields, | 0:02:46 | 0:02:47 | |
rather than having been surrounded by a construction site | 0:02:47 | 0:02:51 | |
and with planes overhead. | 0:02:51 | 0:02:52 | |
Yes, and for me it's about getting up in the morning, | 0:02:52 | 0:02:55 | |
walking to the village shop to buy a newspaper, | 0:02:55 | 0:02:57 | |
maybe a nice Sunday roast in the village pub. | 0:02:57 | 0:03:01 | |
And a walk back over country fields. | 0:03:01 | 0:03:04 | |
That all sounds idyllic. | 0:03:04 | 0:03:06 | |
Location is all-important for Luke and Rachel, | 0:03:06 | 0:03:09 | |
as they're keen to be close to their relatives. | 0:03:09 | 0:03:12 | |
The area we've been focusing on is Hampshire, | 0:03:12 | 0:03:15 | |
because that's where Luke's mother is, and my mother lives quite close. | 0:03:15 | 0:03:19 | |
My mother's not getting any younger, so it would be nice if, | 0:03:19 | 0:03:22 | |
at some stage, she could come and move in with us. | 0:03:22 | 0:03:24 | |
So, we're looking for a granny flat. | 0:03:24 | 0:03:26 | |
And there are also a few other things on their list. | 0:03:26 | 0:03:29 | |
When we move, my absolute must for our dream house | 0:03:29 | 0:03:32 | |
is a big downstairs entertaining space. | 0:03:32 | 0:03:35 | |
Big open-plan kitchen, plenty of room for friends, family | 0:03:35 | 0:03:38 | |
to come round and have drinks and dinner. | 0:03:38 | 0:03:40 | |
Maybe somewhere to put a little vegetable patch in, | 0:03:40 | 0:03:43 | |
growing potatoes and tomatoes. | 0:03:43 | 0:03:45 | |
Somewhere for chickens. | 0:03:45 | 0:03:46 | |
I'm quite a keen golfer, so I'd like to explore that | 0:03:46 | 0:03:49 | |
a little bit more in the countryside. | 0:03:49 | 0:03:51 | |
There's plenty of evidence in support of a country life. | 0:03:51 | 0:03:54 | |
But it's not quite case closed. | 0:03:54 | 0:03:57 | |
So far as the style of property is concerned, | 0:03:57 | 0:03:59 | |
I think we are not wedded to a particular, you know, | 0:03:59 | 0:04:02 | |
modern or period property. | 0:04:02 | 0:04:05 | |
Our big no-no is low ceilings and beams. | 0:04:05 | 0:04:08 | |
When it comes to deciding on our dream home, | 0:04:08 | 0:04:11 | |
I think we'll probably agree, | 0:04:11 | 0:04:14 | |
provided Luke can have a bit of a reality check. | 0:04:14 | 0:04:18 | |
Yes. I have no doubt we will agree, because I will just say, | 0:04:18 | 0:04:21 | |
"Yes, Rachel, that's lovely." | 0:04:21 | 0:04:23 | |
I'm not sure it's going to be quite that easy, | 0:04:24 | 0:04:26 | |
but one thing that is for certain is their handsome finances. | 0:04:26 | 0:04:30 | |
Our budget for this move is ?1.5 million. | 0:04:30 | 0:04:34 | |
Usually at this point, I'd be saying, | 0:04:37 | 0:04:39 | |
"They haven't really got enough money, | 0:04:39 | 0:04:41 | |
"and there's not that many properties. | 0:04:41 | 0:04:43 | |
"There's going to have to be a compromise." | 0:04:43 | 0:04:45 | |
But actually, they've got a really good budget. | 0:04:45 | 0:04:48 | |
This part of Hampshire is full of million-pound properties. | 0:04:48 | 0:04:51 | |
So the challenge for us is, actually, | 0:04:51 | 0:04:53 | |
can we find a property that really sets them up? | 0:04:53 | 0:04:57 | |
That gives them those big, modern interiors for entertaining | 0:04:57 | 0:05:00 | |
and the country allure? | 0:05:00 | 0:05:02 | |
Something that is going to express | 0:05:02 | 0:05:04 | |
what Rachel and Luke want to be for the rest of their life? | 0:05:04 | 0:05:08 | |
Luke and Rachel covet the rural charms of Hampshire, | 0:05:12 | 0:05:15 | |
so we'll be focusing today's search around the New Forest, | 0:05:15 | 0:05:18 | |
in the south-west of the county, | 0:05:18 | 0:05:19 | |
which has lots of pretty villages and good transport links to London. | 0:05:19 | 0:05:24 | |
We'll be showing them some fantastic properties, | 0:05:24 | 0:05:27 | |
but I won't be revealing the prices until they've had a guess first. | 0:05:27 | 0:05:30 | |
And there's our mystery house, which is their chance to expect the unexpected. | 0:05:30 | 0:05:35 | |
I'm interested in this big move of yours | 0:05:36 | 0:05:39 | |
because it really is a big move. | 0:05:39 | 0:05:41 | |
Is it going to be the one and final move? | 0:05:41 | 0:05:43 | |
We don't want to do this again. | 0:05:43 | 0:05:45 | |
We want our forever home, our dream home, | 0:05:45 | 0:05:47 | |
so that we can spend the rest of our lives down here. | 0:05:47 | 0:05:49 | |
We've both been city dwellers for many years, | 0:05:49 | 0:05:52 | |
and coming down to the country is absolutely what we want. | 0:05:52 | 0:05:55 | |
Is this going to be... Are you going to entertain, | 0:05:55 | 0:05:57 | |
is this the place where all your friends come down? | 0:05:57 | 0:06:00 | |
It's certainly my dream. | 0:06:00 | 0:06:01 | |
One of the things I'm very much looking for is a big kitchen with entertaining space | 0:06:01 | 0:06:06 | |
so we can have all our friends around, family Christmases, that kind of thing. | 0:06:06 | 0:06:10 | |
Basically, we want to be the hosts. | 0:06:10 | 0:06:12 | |
What's your dream scenario? | 0:06:12 | 0:06:14 | |
Probably a village, or edge of village location. | 0:06:14 | 0:06:17 | |
Something we can still walk to, to a pub, to a village shop. | 0:06:17 | 0:06:21 | |
Having a nice garden, maybe growing vegetables. | 0:06:21 | 0:06:23 | |
But you've got a lovely budget, it's a real joy to show you around. | 0:06:23 | 0:06:26 | |
Let's get in the car and find something. Fantastic. Thank you. | 0:06:26 | 0:06:29 | |
For a maximum budget of ?1.5 million, Luke and Rachel | 0:06:32 | 0:06:37 | |
would like a large house with a minimum of five bedrooms. | 0:06:37 | 0:06:41 | |
Keen for great entertainment space, an absolute essential | 0:06:41 | 0:06:44 | |
is a large reception room and good-sized kitchen. | 0:06:44 | 0:06:48 | |
They'd like at least half an acre of land, | 0:06:48 | 0:06:51 | |
so Luke can potter in the garden and try his hand at growing vegetables. | 0:06:51 | 0:06:55 | |
And an annexe or downstairs bedroom for Luke's mother. | 0:06:55 | 0:06:58 | |
With their desire for rural beauty in mind, | 0:07:07 | 0:07:10 | |
I'm taking our buyers to the hamlet of Shobley, near Ringwood. | 0:07:10 | 0:07:13 | |
With the New Forest on their doorstep, Luke and Rachel will have | 0:07:13 | 0:07:16 | |
all the country walks they could ever wish for. | 0:07:16 | 0:07:19 | |
I think our first house will give them all the entertaining space they want too. | 0:07:19 | 0:07:24 | |
Good grief! | 0:07:24 | 0:07:26 | |
Here we have it. Wow! | 0:07:26 | 0:07:28 | |
1930s building, you can see the style. | 0:07:28 | 0:07:32 | |
You've got six garages. We need more cars. For your many, many cars. | 0:07:32 | 0:07:36 | |
What are your first impressions? It's amazing. | 0:07:36 | 0:07:40 | |
It's very, very impressive. It's a lovely driveway. | 0:07:40 | 0:07:43 | |
It looks a huge house. We have only got one car, so five garages.... | 0:07:43 | 0:07:48 | |
Better start saving. Absolutely, yes. | 0:07:48 | 0:07:50 | |
I love the fact that it looks symmetrical. Stunning. | 0:07:50 | 0:07:53 | |
You've got the A31, which is a pretty noisy road. I can hear that. | 0:07:53 | 0:07:58 | |
But once you get into the house, that's not a factor any more. | 0:07:58 | 0:08:02 | |
There's garden at the front, as well. | 0:08:02 | 0:08:05 | |
That's the least of your garden. Oh. Oh, my word. | 0:08:05 | 0:08:08 | |
Good first impressions, | 0:08:09 | 0:08:11 | |
so let's hope the inside can live up to their expectations. | 0:08:11 | 0:08:14 | |
Come on in. | 0:08:14 | 0:08:16 | |
Wow. Wow. | 0:08:16 | 0:08:18 | |
Talk about party space. It's big, huh? | 0:08:18 | 0:08:21 | |
Have you seen the disco floor? Yeah! | 0:08:21 | 0:08:23 | |
Come in here, you'll get the full extent. | 0:08:23 | 0:08:26 | |
When you said you wanted a modern interior... Yes. That will do it. | 0:08:28 | 0:08:33 | |
Thumbs up for this bit? Definitely. Super. | 0:08:33 | 0:08:36 | |
Good, let's go and look at the reception room. Great. | 0:08:36 | 0:08:40 | |
So that was a hit, and hopefully, | 0:08:40 | 0:08:42 | |
the open-plan drawing room won't disappoint either. | 0:08:42 | 0:08:45 | |
Wow! Very different. | 0:08:46 | 0:08:48 | |
Do you like it, or are you not so keen? | 0:08:48 | 0:08:51 | |
It's not to my taste at all, this room. | 0:08:51 | 0:08:54 | |
I think it feels a bit long and thin. It doesn't feel very cosy. | 0:08:54 | 0:08:57 | |
That's what I'm struggling with. I don't know what I would do with this space. | 0:08:57 | 0:09:01 | |
I'm not sure I'd want the dining room. I'd rather entertain in the kitchen. | 0:09:01 | 0:09:05 | |
It is a simple downstairs. There's a family room at the other end, | 0:09:05 | 0:09:08 | |
but it's essentially these three massive rooms. | 0:09:08 | 0:09:11 | |
Let's take a look upstairs. Great. | 0:09:11 | 0:09:14 | |
'Before we explore the rest of the downstairs, | 0:09:14 | 0:09:16 | |
'let's take a look at where they would sleep.' | 0:09:16 | 0:09:19 | |
Here is the master. Oh. | 0:09:21 | 0:09:25 | |
That is enormous. It's big, huh? Yeah. | 0:09:25 | 0:09:29 | |
Lots and lots of space. Where's the cupboard space? | 0:09:30 | 0:09:35 | |
Well, behind you, you have a walk-in wardrobe. | 0:09:35 | 0:09:38 | |
My dream of a dressing room. Yeah, yeah. | 0:09:38 | 0:09:41 | |
And in this cupboard, are you ready? | 0:09:41 | 0:09:44 | |
Oh. Ta-da! Oh, my word! | 0:09:45 | 0:09:49 | |
A sunken bath! Gosh! | 0:09:49 | 0:09:51 | |
This is enormous, the en suite. | 0:09:51 | 0:09:53 | |
It's lovely, isn't it? Beautiful room. | 0:09:53 | 0:09:55 | |
This house just keeps on growing. There's three more large double bedrooms on this floor, | 0:09:58 | 0:10:05 | |
two of which are en suite, and a further family bathroom. | 0:10:05 | 0:10:09 | |
Back downstairs, there's still more to show them. There's a separate ground floor annexe | 0:10:09 | 0:10:13 | |
which, I think, would work well for Luke's mother. | 0:10:13 | 0:10:16 | |
This is a little bit more scaled down. This is very cosy. | 0:10:17 | 0:10:21 | |
Perfect, actually. This is the annexe that is perfect for your mum. | 0:10:21 | 0:10:26 | |
It's got a kitchen, bedroom and bathroom all on one level. Great. | 0:10:26 | 0:10:30 | |
It's a good idea. It's perfect for her, actually. This is the annexe, | 0:10:30 | 0:10:34 | |
but there are more surprises in the garden. | 0:10:34 | 0:10:37 | |
The property comes with a spa block | 0:10:39 | 0:10:41 | |
which has a large indoor swimming pool, a gymnasium, | 0:10:41 | 0:10:45 | |
and there's also an outdoor tennis court. | 0:10:45 | 0:10:49 | |
Here we get a view of the garden, although it spreads everywhere. | 0:10:50 | 0:10:54 | |
It's two acres of garden. Shame about the road noise. | 0:10:54 | 0:10:58 | |
The road is an inescapable fact of the house. I think that's right. | 0:10:58 | 0:11:03 | |
In terms of what you've got, there's a lot on offer here. | 0:11:03 | 0:11:06 | |
What do you think the price of this property would be? | 0:11:06 | 0:11:09 | |
I think I'd probably say about ?1.3 million. | 0:11:09 | 0:11:13 | |
OK, I think that's optimistic. | 0:11:14 | 0:11:17 | |
I would say given the amount of grounds, ?1.6 million? | 0:11:17 | 0:11:20 | |
Well, a little in between, but much closer to yours. | 0:11:22 | 0:11:26 | |
It's on at ?1,395,000. | 0:11:26 | 0:11:28 | |
Wow, that's a lot of house. A lot of ground. | 0:11:28 | 0:11:33 | |
So, priced at ?1,395,000, | 0:11:35 | 0:11:39 | |
this fantastic 1930s house certainly has ample entertaining space, | 0:11:39 | 0:11:44 | |
with its two reception rooms and huge kitchen. | 0:11:44 | 0:11:47 | |
There's plenty of room for friends and family to stay, with four bedrooms and a granny annexe. | 0:11:47 | 0:11:52 | |
And there's a huge two-acre garden. | 0:11:52 | 0:11:55 | |
Will this be too much space for them? | 0:11:55 | 0:11:57 | |
Hello. All done? Yes, thank you. | 0:11:57 | 0:12:00 | |
Pull the door. Let's mosey on. | 0:12:00 | 0:12:03 | |
Fantastic. | 0:12:03 | 0:12:04 | |
So it's back to the business of finding a home for Luke and Rachel. | 0:12:14 | 0:12:18 | |
As they're after a quiet spot, we're heading to the tiny village of East Dean. | 0:12:18 | 0:12:23 | |
As they still need to commute to London for work, | 0:12:23 | 0:12:26 | |
it's a great choice, as it's only 12 miles to Salisbury, | 0:12:26 | 0:12:30 | |
which has excellent rail links to London. | 0:12:30 | 0:12:32 | |
Our buyers want to escape the noise and pressure of city living | 0:12:32 | 0:12:35 | |
and it doesn't get more peaceful than East Dean, | 0:12:35 | 0:12:38 | |
where there are no shops, just the ancient church of St Winfrith's | 0:12:38 | 0:12:42 | |
and one pub, should they need a watering hole. | 0:12:42 | 0:12:45 | |
OK. | 0:12:48 | 0:12:50 | |
Different kettle of fish here. Very different. | 0:12:50 | 0:12:53 | |
Much quieter. Much quieter. Beautiful, yeah. | 0:12:53 | 0:12:57 | |
Lovely entrance as you came through. I love it. | 0:12:57 | 0:13:00 | |
This is an 18th-century cottage. | 0:13:00 | 0:13:02 | |
You can see where the chimney was, would've been the end of the original cottage. | 0:13:02 | 0:13:05 | |
Then from the chimney, left, would have been a barn. | 0:13:05 | 0:13:10 | |
This is a cottage and barn conversion. | 0:13:10 | 0:13:13 | |
I know that's not what you put top of your list, | 0:13:13 | 0:13:15 | |
but, nonetheless, we brought you here because we think this is a super property. | 0:13:15 | 0:13:20 | |
It looks beautiful from the outside. | 0:13:20 | 0:13:22 | |
I'll let you be the judge of that as you walk around. Lovely. | 0:13:22 | 0:13:24 | |
So far so good on the outside. | 0:13:27 | 0:13:28 | |
But they might be in for a bit of a shock on the inside. | 0:13:28 | 0:13:31 | |
Come on in... | 0:13:35 | 0:13:37 | |
to another kitchen/diner. | 0:13:37 | 0:13:39 | |
Nice. Nicely done. | 0:13:39 | 0:13:43 | |
Interesting...beams. Beams? | 0:13:43 | 0:13:47 | |
Not our favourite. | 0:13:47 | 0:13:48 | |
I think I said definite no-no. Mm-hm. | 0:13:49 | 0:13:53 | |
If you painted these all a nice bleached-out chalky white, | 0:13:53 | 0:13:58 | |
you would immediately feel they were about a foot high. And lighter. | 0:13:58 | 0:14:02 | |
Well, it's absolutely what we didn't want, but I'm kind of liking it. | 0:14:02 | 0:14:07 | |
You know, I need to see more of the house. This feels OK. Yes, it does. | 0:14:07 | 0:14:10 | |
For hearty Christmases. It'll keep us cosy. | 0:14:10 | 0:14:14 | |
Well, if you want hearty Christmases... | 0:14:14 | 0:14:16 | |
Downstairs, there's a handy utility area and a cosy family room. | 0:14:18 | 0:14:23 | |
No low ceilings here! No low ceilings, but still some beams. Still some beams. | 0:14:29 | 0:14:36 | |
This is where I was thinking you could have a good family Christmas. | 0:14:37 | 0:14:40 | |
Oh, yes, yes. | 0:14:40 | 0:14:42 | |
It's beautiful on a summer's day like this but it would really work in the winter as well. | 0:14:42 | 0:14:47 | |
I'm picturing a big Christmas party with children, | 0:14:47 | 0:14:52 | |
and imagine the games of sardines you could play. | 0:14:52 | 0:14:55 | |
That's definitely right. Before we look upstairs, one more room. | 0:14:55 | 0:15:00 | |
Off this grand reception, I think there's a room that might be ideal for Luke's mum. | 0:15:00 | 0:15:04 | |
Tiny little room here at the end. Oh, yes, right! | 0:15:05 | 0:15:10 | |
Fabulous room. That's a big room too. It's a big room, isn't it? | 0:15:10 | 0:15:14 | |
That's super, actually. | 0:15:14 | 0:15:15 | |
There are options in this house for Mama, this might be one of them. | 0:15:15 | 0:15:21 | |
Yes, this would work very well if we could get | 0:15:21 | 0:15:24 | |
a little sitting, bed sitting room and en suite somewhere. | 0:15:24 | 0:15:29 | |
They're certainly warming to this place. I'm hoping the first floor will deliver, | 0:15:29 | 0:15:33 | |
providing they don't mind the odd beam or two. | 0:15:33 | 0:15:37 | |
Here is the master bedroom. | 0:15:39 | 0:15:43 | |
Lovely, very nice. | 0:15:43 | 0:15:46 | |
Beam. | 0:15:46 | 0:15:47 | |
There's a beam right above my bed. Just a single beam. | 0:15:47 | 0:15:51 | |
I think that one would definitely have to be painted white. Yes. | 0:15:51 | 0:15:55 | |
I think that would be doable. | 0:15:55 | 0:15:57 | |
You've got a lot of storage, you've got a walk-in dressing room there and a big en suite. | 0:15:57 | 0:16:02 | |
Oh, fabulous. Views over the garden as well. | 0:16:02 | 0:16:04 | |
Oh, that is absolutely gorgeous. Isn't that great? On all sides. | 0:16:04 | 0:16:07 | |
I can't remember the last time I saw a bathroom with double aspect. | 0:16:07 | 0:16:10 | |
No, exactly. You can look out both sides and it makes it so lovely and light. | 0:16:10 | 0:16:14 | |
I would definitely spend many hours soaking in that. | 0:16:14 | 0:16:17 | |
Lovely. Definitely. Very nice. | 0:16:17 | 0:16:19 | |
On the far side of the gallery landing, | 0:16:22 | 0:16:25 | |
there is a country house-style guest bedroom with its own en suite, | 0:16:25 | 0:16:28 | |
and a further three bedrooms with bright interiors. | 0:16:28 | 0:16:32 | |
There is also a family bathroom with whitewashed floorboards. | 0:16:32 | 0:16:37 | |
Outside, there's an expansive garden which runs down to the river, | 0:16:37 | 0:16:42 | |
and a further two acres of private woodland beyond. | 0:16:42 | 0:16:45 | |
I can see some fabulous garden parties. Yeah. Oh, yeah. | 0:16:46 | 0:16:50 | |
You'd lose a few people, I suspect. Into the stream. | 0:16:50 | 0:16:52 | |
And into the woods. Yes. Oh, it is fabulous. | 0:16:52 | 0:16:56 | |
All the best garden parties end in the woods. | 0:16:56 | 0:16:59 | |
If you live here. If you buy it. | 0:16:59 | 0:17:01 | |
Which, of course, is dependent on the price. | 0:17:02 | 0:17:04 | |
I'm going to go for 1.45, I think. | 0:17:04 | 0:17:08 | |
I think it's less than that. | 0:17:10 | 0:17:12 | |
Um... | 0:17:12 | 0:17:13 | |
I think I am going to go 1.15. | 0:17:13 | 0:17:16 | |
Well, yet again, it's somewhere in between. | 0:17:16 | 0:17:19 | |
And once again, it's closer to you. It's on the market for 1.2. Wow. | 0:17:19 | 0:17:23 | |
That's a great price. | 0:17:23 | 0:17:25 | |
At ?1.2 million, this house is comfortably under their budget. | 0:17:25 | 0:17:30 | |
It's a barn conversion, set in a small rural village. | 0:17:30 | 0:17:34 | |
It's got a double-height reception room, perfect for entertaining. | 0:17:34 | 0:17:38 | |
And with five bedrooms, there should be enough space for their family | 0:17:38 | 0:17:41 | |
and friends to stay over. | 0:17:41 | 0:17:43 | |
But will the beams leave Rachel feeling exposed? | 0:17:43 | 0:17:47 | |
Lovely. But let's go and collect ourselves at the end of the day. | 0:17:47 | 0:17:50 | |
Great. | 0:17:50 | 0:17:52 | |
As the day closes over Hampshire, our buyers have time to consider the properties they've already seen | 0:18:03 | 0:18:08 | |
and anticipate what the mystery house might have in store. | 0:18:08 | 0:18:12 | |
For the mystery house, we've reigned things in. | 0:18:17 | 0:18:20 | |
We have gone a bit smaller | 0:18:20 | 0:18:22 | |
and retreated from the wilds of the countryside. | 0:18:22 | 0:18:26 | |
So, let's see how they like that. | 0:18:26 | 0:18:28 | |
Now for the mystery house | 0:18:31 | 0:18:32 | |
and we've hopped across the border to Ferndown in Dorset. | 0:18:32 | 0:18:36 | |
It's further away than the other houses I have shown them | 0:18:36 | 0:18:39 | |
but it is still just commutable to London from Bournemouth | 0:18:39 | 0:18:42 | |
which is seven miles away. | 0:18:42 | 0:18:44 | |
Ferndown itself is a town | 0:18:44 | 0:18:46 | |
but it's still surrounded by countryside and open fields. | 0:18:46 | 0:18:50 | |
And, for golfer Luke, there's a championship course which could | 0:18:50 | 0:18:55 | |
seriously help swing our mystery property right into their thinking. | 0:18:55 | 0:18:59 | |
Ooh! Another exhausting walk up one of your drives. It is a long way up. | 0:18:59 | 0:19:04 | |
So, what do you think of this? Wow, fabulous. | 0:19:04 | 0:19:08 | |
That is not what I was expecting. No, not at all. At all. | 0:19:08 | 0:19:12 | |
That is really stunning. | 0:19:12 | 0:19:14 | |
And big! It is quite large. Again. Yes. | 0:19:14 | 0:19:17 | |
This is actually 14 years old. Is that all? | 0:19:17 | 0:19:20 | |
So, it's absolutely top spec. | 0:19:20 | 0:19:22 | |
You have a championship golf course literally across the road | 0:19:22 | 0:19:26 | |
because I know you like... I spotted that on the way. | 0:19:26 | 0:19:29 | |
You are really in the middle of a community | 0:19:29 | 0:19:31 | |
and not way out in the countryside. | 0:19:31 | 0:19:33 | |
Shall we have a look inside? Yes, please. Yes, please. | 0:19:33 | 0:19:36 | |
Ah, maybe we have hit the jackpot with this house. | 0:19:38 | 0:19:40 | |
The inside will reveal all. | 0:19:40 | 0:19:43 | |
Ah. | 0:19:43 | 0:19:44 | |
What a fireplace. | 0:19:44 | 0:19:47 | |
That's the biggest fireplace we have shown you. | 0:19:47 | 0:19:50 | |
Almost a proper inglenook. | 0:19:50 | 0:19:51 | |
Yes. That is nice. | 0:19:51 | 0:19:53 | |
It is a real feature of this room. And the only beam in the property... | 0:19:54 | 0:20:00 | |
..is above the fireplace. I can live with that. That is fine. | 0:20:00 | 0:20:03 | |
I think it would be cosy in here. | 0:20:03 | 0:20:05 | |
This is the cosy sitting room which is cooler because... | 0:20:05 | 0:20:09 | |
..here, you've got a sunroom. Yes, this is lovely. | 0:20:11 | 0:20:14 | |
Very light, yeah. | 0:20:14 | 0:20:17 | |
Oh, yeah. And a pool. | 0:20:17 | 0:20:19 | |
Beautiful. And what a lovely setting for it. | 0:20:19 | 0:20:22 | |
Outdoors. You don't have to worry about that. Absolutely. | 0:20:22 | 0:20:25 | |
There is lots more to see. Yes. Lead the way. | 0:20:25 | 0:20:28 | |
'This is going very well. | 0:20:28 | 0:20:30 | |
'We might have actually found Luke and Rachel their ideal home.' | 0:20:30 | 0:20:33 | |
So, we go in here. | 0:20:33 | 0:20:35 | |
One of the things about the house is that there are lots of rooms. Yes. | 0:20:37 | 0:20:41 | |
Another sitting room. This is essentially the morning sitting room. | 0:20:41 | 0:20:46 | |
All the light comes in here in the morning. | 0:20:46 | 0:20:48 | |
And what a beautiful aspect, actually. | 0:20:48 | 0:20:50 | |
This is where you can have your morning coffee. | 0:20:50 | 0:20:53 | |
Read the papers. Yes. Lovely. Lovely. | 0:20:53 | 0:20:56 | |
There is a formal dining room. And then, a kitchen as well. | 0:20:56 | 0:20:59 | |
Let's go and look at that. I know it's very important for you. It is. | 0:20:59 | 0:21:03 | |
The all-important kitchen. | 0:21:03 | 0:21:06 | |
Yeah, lovely. | 0:21:08 | 0:21:10 | |
A bit small. It is smaller than the ones we have seen. You've been spoilt. | 0:21:10 | 0:21:14 | |
Yes, I think we have. Very nicely done. | 0:21:14 | 0:21:17 | |
But you can't entertain in here, I think. | 0:21:17 | 0:21:19 | |
That is the thing, you have a separate dining room. | 0:21:19 | 0:21:23 | |
It is more of a formal house. Yes, that's definitely right. | 0:21:23 | 0:21:28 | |
This is a very expensive kitchen. | 0:21:28 | 0:21:30 | |
It is a very nice kitchen. Have you noticed the beams? | 0:21:30 | 0:21:33 | |
That's what happens when you paint beams white. I hadn't. Quite. | 0:21:33 | 0:21:37 | |
A little bit high on the ceiling, though. | 0:21:37 | 0:21:40 | |
Well, there is more. Super. | 0:21:40 | 0:21:42 | |
Sounds like we haven't quite sealed the deal on this one yet. | 0:21:42 | 0:21:45 | |
But I'm going to show them a study and another conservatory | 0:21:45 | 0:21:49 | |
that could make a perfect bedroom and sitting room for Luke's mum. | 0:21:49 | 0:21:53 | |
Oh, fantastic, yeah. So, this is the extension. | 0:21:53 | 0:21:57 | |
This could be a room for Mum. This is what we were thinking. | 0:21:57 | 0:22:01 | |
She would love this because she loves the outside garden. | 0:22:01 | 0:22:04 | |
She could sit there in the morning and there in the afternoon. | 0:22:04 | 0:22:08 | |
She would love this. Yeah. | 0:22:08 | 0:22:10 | |
Ideal. Very well done. Very good. | 0:22:10 | 0:22:13 | |
Upstairs is much more conventional. | 0:22:13 | 0:22:15 | |
You've got four bedrooms and a big master bedroom. | 0:22:15 | 0:22:18 | |
Let's have a look at that. | 0:22:18 | 0:22:20 | |
'I get the feeling it's six of one | 0:22:20 | 0:22:22 | |
'and half a dozen of the other with this house. | 0:22:22 | 0:22:24 | |
'Let's see if the upstairs can tip the balance.' | 0:22:24 | 0:22:27 | |
This is the master. Ooh. | 0:22:31 | 0:22:34 | |
Just spotting...other bits. | 0:22:34 | 0:22:37 | |
Yeah. So, you've got a big dressing room area here. Oh, my word, that's huge. | 0:22:37 | 0:22:41 | |
Now, that is your dream, isn't it? | 0:22:41 | 0:22:44 | |
That certainly is. You've managed to find three dressing rooms in three properties. | 0:22:44 | 0:22:49 | |
Oh, yes. And a big en suite, there. | 0:22:49 | 0:22:51 | |
This is a great size, actually. Wow, this is huge. | 0:22:52 | 0:22:54 | |
It's huge. It's the size of a bedroom! Yes. Do you think? Yes, lovely. | 0:22:54 | 0:23:00 | |
There are three more bedrooms on this floor, all of them generous doubles. | 0:23:02 | 0:23:06 | |
Two of them are en suite. There is also a family bathroom. | 0:23:06 | 0:23:11 | |
Of all the properties I've shown you, this is the smallest in terms of footprint of land. | 0:23:12 | 0:23:17 | |
It's just under an acre. | 0:23:17 | 0:23:19 | |
What do you think this property is on the market for? | 0:23:19 | 0:23:22 | |
I'm going to go in at 975,000. | 0:23:22 | 0:23:28 | |
I was going to plumb for a figure of around 999,950. | 0:23:28 | 0:23:32 | |
Sadly, you're both wrong. | 0:23:32 | 0:23:34 | |
Because this is actually the most expensive house. | 0:23:34 | 0:23:37 | |
This is ?1.4 million. OK. | 0:23:37 | 0:23:41 | |
We don't know the area, I suppose. | 0:23:41 | 0:23:43 | |
Because we are edging closer to Sandbanks, | 0:23:43 | 0:23:46 | |
a very exclusive belt of property. Right. | 0:23:46 | 0:23:50 | |
That does surprise me, actually, that it is that much more | 0:23:50 | 0:23:54 | |
than at least the second property that we saw. | 0:23:54 | 0:23:57 | |
With a guide price of ?1.4 million, | 0:23:57 | 0:24:00 | |
this new-build house is the most expensive we have shown them. | 0:24:00 | 0:24:05 | |
It does give them plenty of space with two reception rooms, | 0:24:05 | 0:24:08 | |
a formal dining room, a large study, two fantastic conservatories | 0:24:08 | 0:24:14 | |
and four bedrooms. | 0:24:14 | 0:24:16 | |
All done? All done, thank you. All done. Good. Come with me. | 0:24:16 | 0:24:22 | |
Thank you very much. | 0:24:22 | 0:24:23 | |
I'm fairly sure I saw Rachel's eyes light up as we went around the mystery house. | 0:24:32 | 0:24:36 | |
It seemed to be the right proportions, lots of things she liked | 0:24:36 | 0:24:39 | |
and then it was killed dead by the price. | 0:24:39 | 0:24:43 | |
But I am very interested to see how the whole series of three properties | 0:24:43 | 0:24:47 | |
have changed Luke and Rachel's ideas about this | 0:24:47 | 0:24:50 | |
dream country house that is going to express so much about them. | 0:24:50 | 0:24:54 | |
So, let's go and find out. | 0:24:54 | 0:24:57 | |
Well, I hope it has been a thought-provoking few days. | 0:25:01 | 0:25:06 | |
We've seen quite a lot of different properties. | 0:25:06 | 0:25:09 | |
So, the first one we showed you was the big 1930s property, | 0:25:09 | 0:25:13 | |
lots of outbuildings, lots of space. Big, light kitchen. | 0:25:13 | 0:25:18 | |
Inside, that kitchen was absolutely spectacular. | 0:25:18 | 0:25:22 | |
My dream entertaining space. | 0:25:22 | 0:25:24 | |
I can certainly imagine having a number of parties there. | 0:25:24 | 0:25:27 | |
But the big killer for me was actually the road noise. | 0:25:27 | 0:25:30 | |
And, Luke, what about you? | 0:25:30 | 0:25:31 | |
Yeah, it was a very grand, very theatrical sort of house. | 0:25:31 | 0:25:36 | |
Perhaps it was a bit too grand for us. | 0:25:36 | 0:25:38 | |
It was the location, not so much the noise, that I wasn't convinced by. | 0:25:38 | 0:25:43 | |
The second house really gave you all the things you didn't want | 0:25:43 | 0:25:48 | |
and yet, it seemed to grow on you? | 0:25:48 | 0:25:50 | |
I loved the second house. A bit beamy inside. | 0:25:50 | 0:25:53 | |
The ceilings, in the main, | 0:25:53 | 0:25:55 | |
were high enough and I just loved the outside of that house | 0:25:55 | 0:25:58 | |
with the little tinkling stream running by. | 0:25:58 | 0:26:01 | |
I did find myself growing to love the property. | 0:26:01 | 0:26:04 | |
I thought the downstairs living room was just spectacular. | 0:26:04 | 0:26:08 | |
But I think I would need to go back and take another look on a gloomy day, for example, | 0:26:08 | 0:26:13 | |
and see if those beams really do do it for me. | 0:26:13 | 0:26:17 | |
And the mystery house, this was a shock, in terms of price. | 0:26:17 | 0:26:20 | |
But what did you think of the house? | 0:26:20 | 0:26:22 | |
I think the house, as a whole, was my favourite. | 0:26:22 | 0:26:27 | |
Certainly, I thought the outside was just delightful. | 0:26:27 | 0:26:30 | |
The killer, for me, was the kitchen and the entertaining space. | 0:26:30 | 0:26:34 | |
Yeah. I think, for me, location again. | 0:26:34 | 0:26:37 | |
it didn't feel particularly rural or semi-rural. | 0:26:37 | 0:26:41 | |
So, I still think a village or edge of village location would be my ideal. | 0:26:41 | 0:26:46 | |
So, are there any that you would revisit? | 0:26:46 | 0:26:49 | |
Any that you would take another look at? | 0:26:49 | 0:26:52 | |
I think we'd like to explore the area around the second house, | 0:26:52 | 0:26:57 | |
I think, before going back there, | 0:26:57 | 0:26:59 | |
just to check out the local village, some of the local pubs. | 0:26:59 | 0:27:04 | |
I don't think any of the three were our dream house. | 0:27:04 | 0:27:08 | |
No dream house for you, Luke, but I'm duty bound to check - Rachel? | 0:27:08 | 0:27:12 | |
I would actually disagree with Luke. | 0:27:12 | 0:27:14 | |
I don't think we found our dream home, | 0:27:14 | 0:27:17 | |
but I would like to take another look at the second property, in spite of the beams. | 0:27:17 | 0:27:21 | |
Great. That's wonderful. That's great news. | 0:27:21 | 0:27:24 | |
And we want to be top of the guest list at your first big country bash. | 0:27:24 | 0:27:28 | |
Have no fear. It's been fabulous. Thank you. Thank you. We've thoroughly enjoyed it. | 0:27:28 | 0:27:32 | |
As Luke and Rachel were summing up, Rachel said something that really jumped out at me. | 0:27:39 | 0:27:43 | |
She said, "Yes, I've got it, this is going to be my entertaining house." | 0:27:43 | 0:27:48 | |
And for all the reasons we buy houses, | 0:27:48 | 0:27:50 | |
especially a big house in the country, that's got to be a good one. | 0:27:50 | 0:27:53 | |
You want all your friends to come happily | 0:27:53 | 0:27:55 | |
and gather at your home and really enjoy themselves. | 0:27:55 | 0:27:59 | |
So, even though we didn't really find their dream property, | 0:27:59 | 0:28:02 | |
I think we can be proud that we helped them focus on what it was that they wanted. | 0:28:02 | 0:28:07 | |
So, that's all we have time for today on the show | 0:28:07 | 0:28:10 | |
but do join us next time for more property adventures in beautiful rural Britain. | 0:28:10 | 0:28:15 | |
If you'd like to escape to the country in Wales, Northern Ireland, | 0:28:15 | 0:28:18 | |
England, Scotland or even further afield to the Continent | 0:28:18 | 0:28:22 | |
and need our help, please apply online: | 0:28:22 | 0:28:25 | |
Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd | 0:28:33 | 0:28:36 | |
METALLIC THRUMMING | 0:28:58 | 0:29:01 |