Hampshire Escape to the Country


Hampshire

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I'm in a county firmly at the helm of Great Britain's rich maritime heritage

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and this is the most celebrated battleship in British naval history,

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but which county does it call home?

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Keep watching to find out as we set sail for another Escape To The Country.

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'Today, we take to the seas as we help a couple navigate their way through the Hampshire countryside

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'and early on in our search, one house proves a real inspiration.'

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-Oh, my goodness!

-We could invite our friends round to have a swim.

-OK, enough!

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'But then another house fails to float their boat.'

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-Slightly different from this morning.

-Doesn't have the wow factor.

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I would keep my judgment until I see inside.

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I'm in the county of Hampshire and this is Admiral Lord Nelson's flagship HMS Victory,

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based here in Portsmouth's historic dockyard.

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In 1805, Nelson led the British Navy into battle

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against the Franco-Spanish fleet off the coast of Spain,

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just west of Cape Trafalgar.

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Later in the programme, I'll be discovering how HMS Victory is being given a new lease of life,

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thanks to a ten-year restoration programme,

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but maritime adventures aren't the only things happening in this county.

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Hampshire lies on the south coast of England, bordered by West Sussex and Surrey to the east

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and Dorset and Wiltshire to the west.

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It's one of the oldest counties in England with a recorded history dating back to Anglo-Saxon times

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and offers an enchanting blend of both countryside and coast.

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Its shoreline is a mix of busy ports with a strong industrial and naval heritage

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and quieter beachside towns and villages that face out towards the English Channel.

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Moving back inland, you'll find Hampshire's rural jewel, the New Forest -

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over 200 square miles of ancient woodland that were created as a rural hunting ground

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by William the Conqueror in 1079.

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Today, it has national park status

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and with cattle, ponies and donkeys all roaming freely through the heath and woodland,

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it provides a truly wonderful place to escape to the country.

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The price of a typical detached property in Hampshire

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is just over £345,000.

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That's £94,000 more than the national figure.

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Now, this high cost is partly due to the lure of the New Forest which sends prices rocketing.

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In this sought-after area, you can expect to pay up to £100,000 more than in the rest of the county.

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But wherever you choose, one thing is for certain -

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there are plenty of different architectural styles to choose from.

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Over the years, Hampshire's chalk cliffs have been regularly excavated for use

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in many of its properties

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and it was the Romans who first drew on the county's rich source of chalk

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as a material from which to construct homes.

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It's often combined with flint, brick or other building stones

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to give the county's housing stock a distinctive appearance.

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A four-bedroom period farmhouse of this type could cost you from around the £420,000 mark.

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This region also showcases many period, thatched-style homes

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that are especially common in the villages dotted throughout the New Forest.

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Prices for a typical, four-bedroom thatched cottage are upwards of £440,000.

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A fabulous choice of Hampshire properties, but will they whet the appetite of our house-hunters?

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Let's meet them and find out.

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Bob, a retired naval officer, and his wife Mary met in the United States 43 years ago

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when his ship, the HMS Eagle, docked in Virginia.

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I was just finishing university.

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I was on a NATO guest list.

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They needed young single girls to meet all of these wonderful naval officers.

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I went to the first night in port cocktail party

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and went down the receiving line and there was a very dashing young naval officer there, first person I met!

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A year later, they were married and set up home in England,

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but to say they then had a nomadic life would be an understatement.

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We were married in Washington DC, then I brought Mary back to Cornwall, then moved to Somerset.

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From Somerset, we were moved up to Scotland, to Ayr, because I was flying from Prestwick.

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We went from Prestwick to Australia, then from Australia back to Portsmouth, Southsea,

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and then after that, we went to America.

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In total, our buyers moved some 28 times

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before finally deciding to settle in Clapham, South London,

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where they've been for the last 14 years.

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When we arrived in this house, it absolutely suited us down to the ground.

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The size was good and the garden, the lack of space actually was perfect for us

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and it freed us to just enjoy London.

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After so many years living in one place, Bob and Mary finally got itchy feet

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and a year ago, decided to retire and go travelling.

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We set off last November and we spent eight months going actually literally around the world.

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It was while globetrotting that they made the decision

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to seek out a different way of life back in the UK.

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It's probably time to make a move to somewhere a bit quieter, gentler, with a bit more green space,

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all the sort of things that you really can't do in a small London garden,

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so maybe keep a few hens or keep a few bees

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or have a dog and all those country pursuits that we've put on hold.

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The call of the countryside may be strong,

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but Bob and Mary don't want to be too far away from their two children in London,

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so have decided to move to Hampshire.

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By focusing primarily on Hampshire,

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we are focusing on the motorway links, the rail links.

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We're not wedded to our car. We're quite happy to hop on the train.

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And that opens out quite a nice range of beautiful countryside.

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And in the hope of cooking up their ideal property, our buyers have a sizeable pot to dip into.

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The budget for the house we're looking for is up to £750,000.

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'Bob and Mary want us to concentrate our search in the southern area of Hampshire.

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'They also want to be close to the coast, but within easy reach of a motorway or train station,

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'so they can travel quickly back to London to visit their children.

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'I caught up with them in the Hampshire countryside

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'to find out more about the property they're after.'

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So, Bob and Mary, here we are in a very sunny Hampshire.

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-Let's hope the weather continues like this.

-Absolutely.

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Remind us what you're looking for in this property where hopefully you'll be for a long time.

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We want flexible accommodation, so we've said three bedrooms/four or a study,

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something that when we have extras come to stay, we can pull out a sofa bed or something like that.

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And a decent-sized garden. At the moment, we've got a tiny garden.

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And maybe enough space to raise a few hens or have some bees,

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-some sort of country livestock.

-Lovely.

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Bright, airy, old, new?

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Light, tall ceilings, lots of windows. We don't mind the period.

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So quite a modest house that we're looking for, but it's got to be close to perhaps a train station?

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Not too isolated. We don't want to have to get in the car for everything we need.

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-I'm keen to get started. Are you?

-Let's do it.

-Very much so.

-Come on.

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Bob and Mary have a good budget of £750,000

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and a very clear idea of what they'd like in their new home,

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including a minimum of three bedrooms for when their family invade, a study,

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a house that is light with tall ceilings and lots of windows,

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a garden big enough for chickens, a beehive

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and also to grow fruit and vegetables.

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And they don't want to be too isolated.

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We've got three wonderful, yet rather different houses to show them,

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but we won't be letting them know the price of each property until they've guessed first,

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and as ever, our final offering is the mystery house which could be heaven-sent.

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'Our first house is near Wickham, a well-known Hampshire village

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'located close to Portsmouth and ideally situated for both the A3 and M3 roads

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'to take them directly to London.

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'The attractive village centre is lined with historic buildings.

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'In the main square, there's an abundance of Georgian houses

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'with shops and plenty of places to eat and drink.

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'Property one lies on the outskirts of Wickham and provides a pretty and secluded home

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'which dates back to the 1950s.'

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So, here is our first property in Hampshire.

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-Wow!

-Oh, wow indeed!

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-It's gorgeous.

-Yes, it's outstanding.

-What catches your eye when you first look at the property?

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How well maintained it is.

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And that it's in its own setting, it's in its own grounds.

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It's not overlooked as far as I can see and it's very well laid out.

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-Great. Shall we step inside?

-Let's do that.

-Yes, please.

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'What a fabulous reaction with Bob and Mary really singing this property's praises!

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'Fingers crossed we can keep them smiling.'

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So, come through.

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Quite a large hallway.

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-Hmm!

-Mm-hm.

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-Good-sized entrance?

-Yeah, I do like a generous hallway.

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-It's excellent.

-And you've got storage in that cupboard there.

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-You've got a downstairs cloakroom.

-That's useful.

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-To the left, we have a study. Decent size.

-That's more like a library!

-Yeah.

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-You can make it whatever you like, so let's start the tour with the drawing room.

-OK.

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Which really benefits from a lovely, sunny day.

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-Yes, I love this.

-And they've divided it up into two, haven't they?

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-They've also taken a wall out here.

-Yes.

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So you've got your sitting room here, but you've also got your dining area behind us.

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-Which is perfect.

-Yeah.

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-Let's go to the kitchen.

-Thank you.

-Follow me.

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-It's set up in sort of a galley style, if you like, two half galleys.

-Oh, yeah.

-Mm-hm.

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-Nautical?

-LAUGHTER

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-So you've got the main kitchen here, complete with three ovens.

-Wow!

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-And then behind us, practically the same size again, you've got your utility room.

-Good heavens!

-Yeah.

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-Wow!

-And who's the chef in this relationship?

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-I'm going to be very boring. Both of us.

-Ah!

-We both cook.

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-So those three ovens are going to be pretty handy.

-One and a half each.

-You can watch us grow!

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What do you think? What do you make of the kitchen, Bob?

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It has the potential, but I don't like the shape.

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I don't like a long, narrow kitchen.

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So I think we would have to rethink how we would maybe change the space around. I'm sure it's possible.

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-Shall we head upstairs and see where you two might sleep?

-Yes, please.

-Let's do it.

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'So, for our two keen chefs, the kitchen isn't quite their idea of a culinary paradise,

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'but they can see the potential of the space.

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'Time to check out the room that would be theirs.'

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-So this is the master bedroom.

-Mm-hm.

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Hmm! OK, again it's the light that appeals.

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-South-facing.

-And en-suite.

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-And a huge en-suite which I'm going to show you in a second.

-OK.

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-You're surrounded by trees and woodland.

-Yes.

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-You wanted light and airy.

-Yes.

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Again we would probably change some of the decor to make it a bit lighter, but, yes, this is good.

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And I do like the very generous size of en-suite.

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I've got to show you this. Come through.

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This is a bathroom on a very grand scale.

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-My goodness!

-We could invite our friends round to have a swim.

-OK, enough!

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LAUGHTER

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-Wow!

-Yes, it might be a little bit too sociable perhaps.

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-It's fabulous.

-It's like bathing in the treetops.

-Yes.

-It is like a treehouse.

-Hmm.

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-My goodness! And there are some fitted wardrobes.

-You do have wardrobes in here.

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I didn't want to give too much away next door.

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I've been teasing you with the garden and the land.

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-The sun's shining still. Yeah, we're lucky. Shall we head outside?

-Yes, please. Super.

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'Bob and Mary are overflowing with enthusiasm for the spectacular en-suite with spa bath.

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'One of the other bedrooms also has its own en-suite, though this one isn't quite so hi-tech.

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'The other two bedrooms are doubles with views overlooking the garden which is where we're heading now.'

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So here is the back of your property.

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And from here, you really can see the grounds.

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Let's start with the back of the house.

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-You've got that creeping wisteria making it look so beautiful.

-Absolutely.

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-A large double garage to the side.

-Yes.

-Mm-hm.

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-And then just under an acre...

-Oh, really?

-Of garden.

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You've even got your own pond with goldfish.

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There we are. So who wants to go first with "guess the price"?

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-It's quite mean if I go first, but I'm going to go first.

-Ladies first.

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Because of the amount of land, I think, as well, and bearing in mind where we are,

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I'd say it's fairly close to our budget. I'm going to be optimistic though and say about £700,000.

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I will probably go even more. I'd say you're talking 715.

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The asking price...

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£695,000.

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-Goodness!

-Good guess, Mary.

-Very good guess. You're only 5,000 out.

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Gosh!

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-That's very good news. That's very heartening.

-It's a good start.

-It is.

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-Under budget.

-With potential for an extension within our budget.

-Absolutely.

-That would have to be.

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-Could you make the adjustments to make this house right for you?

-There's a lot of food for thought.

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-Off you go.

-Thank you.

-Enjoy.

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On the market for £695,000, our first house is well under budget

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and has plenty of scope to give them everything they're after.

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It offers a good-sized kitchen/diner,

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a master bedroom with a luxurious en-suite,

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another three bedrooms suitable for accommodating their family,

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plenty of ground for a potential vegetable patch and chickens

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and it's all set in a beautiful, secluded location.

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When we walked up, it looked attractive, covered in creeper, and it's in a great location.

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You really have to see it to appreciate it, set in a wonderful garden, lots of space.

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Really attractive from that point of view.

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The rooms are not terribly spacious and if we were to consider it,

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it certainly is a possibility, we would be thinking about extending.

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Well, I think first impressions were very, very positive.

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I was surprised at its size.

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I think possibly I had worried about how much our budget would stretch in Hampshire.

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With the attractive price we know this house is on the market for,

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it does give us a bit of scope to do what we'd like to do in the house.

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-Ah, there you two are!

-Hello.

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-Have you seen enough?

-Yes, we have.

-A good start here in Hampshire?

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-A very good start. Thank you.

-Right, we'll continue.

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'Leaving behind the stunning setting of our first house,

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'we're now on our way to Alresford to see property number two,

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'but first I wanted to find out a little bit more about our buyers' itinerant lifestyle.'

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So, during the 28 moves that you've done over your time together, have you ever lived in Hampshire?

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-Yes, once.

-We have.

-Just under a year. We were in Southsea.

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So, in a way, does it feel like coming home?

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-Where is home?

-Yeah, you're nomads, you two. I've decided.

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But hopefully, you'll be able to put down some roots here in Hampshire.

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'En route to our second property offering,

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'we're stopping off to give our buyers a feel for the area.

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'The town has three main streets, each lined with Georgian and Victorian buildings.

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'The layout is much the same as it was when it was drawn up by Godfrey de Lucy, the Bishop of Winchester,

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'in around 1200 AD.

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'We're meeting John Sole who has lived here for most of his life.'

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-Hello there.

-Hello, hello.

-An impressive array of meat.

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-Yes.

-Gosh!

-So how long have you been here?

-We've been here 20 years-plus.

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-Family business?

-Family business run by my son and myself.

-Excellent.

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Bob and Mary are thinking of moving to this part of the world.

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It's lovely. It's such a friendly town and lots and lots to do,

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-and lots of independent shops, no supermarket. That's what makes it unique.

-That's unusual.

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We know where you guys will be shopping around here. We just have to find you the perfect house.

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Thank you very much indeed.

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'Just four miles east of Alresford, we arrive at our second property.'

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And here it is.

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-Mm-hm.

-Gosh! Very different.

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Very different, but roughly the same era as the first property.

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-Built in the 1950s.

-Mm-hm.

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-Slightly different from this morning.

-It doesn't have the wow factor we saw in the first house.

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-I would keep my judgment until I see inside.

-Open-minded.

-Yes.

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-Shall we take a step inside the house?

-Let's do that.

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'So, a lack of enthusiasm from my usually bubbly buyers.

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'Let's see if the interior can capture their imagination.'

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-So...

-Thank you.

-Come on in.

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-So, a spacious hallway.

-Hmm.

-Let's go straight through to the dining room.

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You'll just notice we've got a study there which you wanted on the wish list.

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I like the way it flows.

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-That's quite good.

-Yeah.

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-It's certainly different and it'll be interesting to see how the layout is upstairs.

-Yes.

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'Despite Bob's positivity, I get the feeling this house isn't quite delivering

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'what they're after so far.

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'Perhaps the kitchen can lift their spirits.'

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-Now, this is a fair-sized kitchen, isn't it?

-This is a good size.

-This is nice.

-This is good.

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You've got the whole length practically of the house here, large enough to have a table and chairs.

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-They've got it as a breakfast bar.

-It's lovely and warm.

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It is, thanks to the range,

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-which is an old-fashioned range...

-It is indeed.

-..powered by coal.

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So you've got all this space.

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To the side of us, there's another room which they use as a gym-cum-reading room.

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Behind us, because the house seems to go on quite a lot,

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you've got storage space, the huge fridge-freezer and downstairs cloakroom as well.

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Let's look at the living area, the sitting room, which is through here.

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-So here is the sitting room.

-Hmm.

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It's sort of startlingly shorter, shallower.

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It might not be the size that you were hoping for, but it does have a conservatory.

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-Just the entrance there on the left, a huge conservatory which I'll let you have a look at on your own.

-OK.

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-Shall we head upstairs?

-Let's do that.

-Thanks.

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'The mood seems to be continuing in this room,

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'even with the extra light offered by the conservatory.

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'Upstairs, there are a total of four bedrooms, including two doubles and one spacious single.

0:21:290:21:35

'There's also a lovely family bathroom, but I'm taking our buyers to where they could be sleeping.'

0:21:350:21:41

Now the other three bedrooms are a really good size,

0:21:410:21:45

-but this...

-It's huge!

-Wonderful!

-This is a master.

-It truly is.

-All the way across. That's nice.

0:21:450:21:52

-How super. And an en suite?

-You spotted it as we walked past.

0:21:520:21:56

-A really good shower room.

-Downstairs works, I think.

0:21:560:22:00

-It's just getting your head on the downstairs...

-As to how one should rearrange.

0:22:000:22:06

We know you like this area, so let's head back outside and take a look at the garden.

0:22:060:22:12

'Well, I'm really relieved Bob and Mary have taken to the upstairs of this property.

0:22:120:22:19

'Time to see if the outside can match this change in fortunes.'

0:22:190:22:23

-Last, but not least, the all-important garden.

-This is a good size.

-It is.

0:22:230:22:29

-In total, it's just under half an acre.

-OK.

-Including the front.

0:22:290:22:33

-So it's pretty big.

-Yes.

0:22:330:22:35

-Possibly a more manageable size than the last one.

-Yes.

-From that point of view.

0:22:350:22:42

-There are chickens in the corner.

-There are, resident.

-Resident chickens.

-Excellent.

0:22:420:22:48

We've had a good tour. You've seen the house and know the area.

0:22:480:22:52

-Who wants to go first with Guess the Price?

-You went last time.

-I think you'd better do it.

0:22:520:22:58

It's difficult. This is a house you have to come inside to appreciate.

0:22:580:23:02

From that point of view, I would say you're probably talking...

0:23:020:23:07

-around 625. That would be my guess.

-OK.

0:23:070:23:12

I think I'm going to go below that.

0:23:120:23:16

I think probably I would say...575.

0:23:160:23:19

-You are both out by quite a lot.

-Oh, really?

-OK.

0:23:190:23:24

Yes. The budget was 750.

0:23:240:23:27

The asking price for this house - it's only recently on the market -

0:23:270:23:31

-is £785,000.

-Really?

-Yes.

0:23:310:23:34

-So we're £200,000 out.

-Yeah.

-So we're slightly out on the price, ladies and gentlemen,

0:23:340:23:40

-but do you want to have another look around?

-Yes, please.

-Good idea.

0:23:400:23:44

I'll catch up with you in a while. See you in a while.

0:23:440:23:48

Well, not a lot I can add to that, really. It is a great house, there's so much potential here.

0:23:500:23:57

And it is in a fantastic location.

0:23:570:23:59

But the price they are very surprised at.

0:23:590:24:03

Over budget at £785,000, but with room for a sensible offer,

0:24:040:24:10

our second property was a slow burner for Bob and Mary,

0:24:100:24:14

but it does offer a lot of what they're after. It has a good-sized kitchen with range cooker,

0:24:140:24:19

a lovely conservatory, four spacious bedrooms including one with an en suite

0:24:190:24:25

and a large, yet manageable garden of around half an acre.

0:24:250:24:30

The house is possibly for a different sized family.

0:24:300:24:34

There are so many rooms here, a lot of house, a lot of which we wouldn't need or use.

0:24:340:24:40

So too much house for us. Nice house.

0:24:400:24:44

House number two, it's an interesting house. It has a lot of size and space.

0:24:440:24:49

You need to come inside to see all that it has to offer.

0:24:490:24:54

I don't think it's the house for us.

0:24:540:24:57

-OK, you two?

-Yes.

-That's it for our first day here in Hampshire househunting.

-Thank you very much.

0:24:570:25:03

-Have you enjoyed yourselves?

-Certainly have.

-Very much.

0:25:030:25:07

I think we've learned the wide variation in pricing within one county in a relatively small space.

0:25:070:25:13

-It really changes, doesn't it?

-Doesn't it, though?

-Come on.

0:25:130:25:18

As the evening draws in, Bob and Mary can take a moment to reflect on their first day of househunting.

0:25:300:25:37

'Ex-naval officer Bob and his wife Mary are setting course for new horizons

0:25:460:25:51

'in the hope of swapping their hectic London life for the Hampshire countryside.

0:25:510:25:57

'So far, it's been a tale of two 1950s detached properties.

0:25:570:26:02

'One was completely inspiring, while the other left them underwhelmed.

0:26:020:26:06

'But coming up: can the mystery house put them in seventh heaven?'

0:26:060:26:11

-It's been very well done.

-This is extraordinary.

0:26:110:26:15

'And I weigh anchor for a tour of HMS Victory.'

0:26:150:26:19

After a successful career in the Navy and 28 house moves both here in the UK and abroad,

0:26:240:26:31

Bob and Mary have decided it's time to settle down for a slice of country living,

0:26:310:26:36

but in a location not too far from friends and family in London.

0:26:360:26:41

We started off well yesterday showing them a 1950s family home in a semi-rural village,

0:26:410:26:47

but our second property near the prime location of Alresford didn't quite have the kerb appeal

0:26:470:26:53

and their guesses on the price tag were way off the mark.

0:26:530:26:57

So today I think it's time to raise their spirits with our third property, our mystery house.

0:26:570:27:03

Will it be the answer to their prayers?

0:27:030:27:06

But the thing with you two where you are unique

0:27:090:27:13

-is because you've moved so many times, you're used to flexing, aren't you?

-Yeah, I suppose.

0:27:130:27:18

Yes, we can accommodate.

0:27:180:27:21

If there's a couple I've ever wanted to find the perfect house for, it's you two!

0:27:210:27:28

-We just wonder if it'll be a thatched chapel conversion!

-I'm not going to give anything away.

0:27:280:27:34

With the mystery house, we're travelling to Ashmansworth,

0:27:370:27:41

further away from the coast and some way out of our buyers' requested South Hampshire search area,

0:27:410:27:47

although it still has excellent links to the M3 and M4 motorways for journeys to visit London.

0:27:470:27:55

Ashmansworth has a delightful setting and is reputed to be the highest village in Hampshire.

0:27:550:28:01

If Bob and Mary fancy celebrating their move, they could book a table at the local gastropub.

0:28:010:28:08

Time to serve up their mystery property.

0:28:080:28:13

So keep looking at your feet. Keep looking. I'm going to take you to the driveway.

0:28:130:28:19

Now without looking up quite yet... Stop. Bob, you mentioned your idea of a mystery house nightmare

0:28:190:28:26

-would be a thatched chapel conversion.

-I did.

0:28:260:28:30

Look up now.

0:28:300:28:33

Oh, my goodness! Wow!

0:28:330:28:36

What I am going to say to you is do keep an open mind.

0:28:360:28:41

-OK.

-Mm.

-Because there are chapel conversions and there is this property.

0:28:410:28:46

My goodness. It certainly has the wow factor.

0:28:460:28:50

-So are you prepared to give it a go? Give our mystery house the benefit of the doubt.

-Always open-minded.

0:28:500:28:56

-I like that.

-I'm dying to see inside.

-Good. Come on.

0:28:560:29:01

'Well, it is a gamble, but Bob and Mary, as they keep saying, are very open-minded.

0:29:010:29:08

'I'm just hoping they are true to their word.'

0:29:080:29:12

-First impressions, do you feel like you're in a chapel?

-Not at all.

-Not at all, no.

0:29:120:29:18

-This has been very well done.

-This is extraordinary.

0:29:180:29:22

So as you walked through the front door, to the right you'll see a sitting room through there.

0:29:220:29:28

-OK.

-Or it could be a fantastic study. It's pretty big.

0:29:280:29:31

You've got a downstairs cloakroom. Let's start off with... the dining room, I think.

0:29:310:29:38

Oh, look at this! How light it is. This is splendide!

0:29:390:29:44

And this part of the property was the extension done in the 1970s.

0:29:440:29:48

And then the current owner has done extensive work throughout, restoring it, renovating it.

0:29:480:29:54

-So behind us we've got a utility room.

-Very good. Necessary.

-Always a plus.

0:29:540:29:59

Through here is...

0:29:590:30:02

-I think a rather fabulous kitchen.

-Wow, wow.

-That's really gorgeous.

-Yeah.

0:30:030:30:09

Look at the little lights. I love those.

0:30:090:30:12

-And this looks all new.

-It's literally a couple of years old.

0:30:120:30:17

-To the right of the kitchen, just through the archway, is a conservatory.

-Oh, goodness!

0:30:170:30:22

-Good.

-Good size, nicely done.

0:30:220:30:25

So, in a way, I have shown you the house-y part of the property.

0:30:250:30:31

-Shall we see the chapel side?

-Let's.

-Please.

-Follow me.

0:30:310:30:35

'So far it's a risk worth taking. It looks like our buyers have fallen for this chapel conversion.

0:30:380:30:45

'The next room, though, will be the real test.'

0:30:450:30:49

-Oh, yeah.

-And it is in this room you get to see...

-Goodness!

-You certainly do.

-..the old chapel

0:30:490:30:56

-with the double height ceiling.

-What fun!

0:30:560:30:59

-Hmm.

-Look at this!

-And a huge fireplace.

0:30:590:31:02

-Huge fireplace, multi-fuel burner in there.

-Yeah.

-Giving out loads of heat.

0:31:020:31:09

-The windows look original, but how about the blue glass?

-That is original.

-Really?

0:31:090:31:15

There was blue glass originally and they've had them all restored.

0:31:150:31:19

A lot of the glass was broken. This was how it would have been. They're huge, these arch windows.

0:31:190:31:24

-But I personally think it really benefits from it.

-It's a great way to do those windows.

0:31:240:31:30

They're a real plus in this room.

0:31:300:31:32

-Mm, so light.

-Ah, marvellous.

0:31:320:31:36

-Shall we take a look at the bedrooms?

-Let's do that.

0:31:360:31:39

'What great reactions! Bob and Mary have been truly converted to this amazing property

0:31:390:31:46

'and I think they're going to be equally impressed by the first floor as we see where they could sleep.'

0:31:460:31:52

-So...

-Oooh.

0:31:520:31:54

-Nice.

-Here is the master bedroom.

-Mm-hm.

0:31:540:31:58

With an en suite next door. But you've got four bedrooms in total, with the possibility

0:31:580:32:04

of having a fifth one done. It's a small conversion if you wanted it.

0:32:040:32:09

-Yes.

-Although this is the en suite, it's actually got two doors so it works like a Jack and Jill.

0:32:090:32:15

So if your guests wanted to use that bathroom, they could.

0:32:150:32:19

There's another bedroom next door to us with another bathroom with the same double door system.

0:32:190:32:25

-Very well thought out.

-Flexible.

-So you've got four bedrooms, two bathrooms.

0:32:250:32:31

Well, let's head outside. You two have got to start thinking how much this is on the market for.

0:32:310:32:38

I'll also explain a little bit more about the location and where we are.

0:32:380:32:42

-Bob, if you wouldn't mind leading the way, please.

-OK.

-Back down the stairs, thank you.

0:32:420:32:48

'To complete our tour of the interior, the two other bedrooms give space for visiting family,

0:32:480:32:56

'but let's see what they make of the gardens and this chapel's stunning setting.'

0:32:560:33:01

-Now you don't get that in London.

-That's lovely. Really nice.

0:33:010:33:06

-Is that worth making the journey for?

-It is. That's tremendous.

0:33:060:33:11

There is a very small compromise. It isn't the biggest of gardens,

0:33:110:33:16

but you do have that right on your doorstep.

0:33:160:33:20

-Mm, nice to wake up to.

-Yeah.

0:33:200:33:23

So you've seen the chapel that we twisted your arm to come to and hopefully we did the right thing.

0:33:230:33:29

How much do you think this third property is on the market for?

0:33:290:33:33

This is difficult. We're in commuter country. I would say we're looking at £750,000.

0:33:330:33:40

Have I got a good poker face?

0:33:410:33:43

Mary, what do you think?

0:33:430:33:46

I think I'm going to say 775.

0:33:470:33:50

Asking price...

0:33:500:33:52

£765,000.

0:33:520:33:56

So it is nudging over your budget.

0:33:560:33:59

-Food for thought. It's certainly worth thinking about.

-Have another look then give me a shout.

-We will.

0:33:590:34:05

-Thank you.

-Thank you.

0:34:050:34:07

Priced at £765,000, the mystery house has exceeded their expectations

0:34:080:34:15

and it's not too difficult to see why, with the most spectacular living room, beautifully restored,

0:34:150:34:22

with high ceilings, ornate stained glass windows and a huge fireplace.

0:34:220:34:27

There's also a stunning and very modern kitchen, four large bedrooms and two bathrooms,

0:34:270:34:33

and the most amazing views of the Hampshire countryside.

0:34:330:34:37

This mystery house, it lived up to its expectations.

0:34:370:34:42

I think it surprised both of us incredibly. I loved it.

0:34:420:34:46

I think we both loved it. It's not perfect. A house never will be, but we could move in right away.

0:34:460:34:53

The mystery house really surprised me. I had said on the way here

0:34:530:34:58

that a thatched chapel conversion wouldn't be the least favourite thing of anything I wanted,

0:34:580:35:04

but despite having no thatch this one is an amazing house.

0:35:040:35:08

Beautifully constructed and changed. And it has the feel of a house, not a chapel.

0:35:080:35:13

Well, that's it. You've seen our three properties here in Hampshire.

0:35:160:35:20

-Do you want a little bit of time to think about what you've seen and what your options are?

-Good idea.

0:35:200:35:26

-You've given us a lot of food for thought and opened our eyes.

-Good. That's the main thing.

0:35:260:35:33

Hampshire's historic maritime tradition is centred on Portsmouth on the county's south coast,

0:35:430:35:50

where the glories of its naval history are celebrated.

0:35:500:35:54

As well as its long association with the Royal Navy, Portsmouth is also home to a historic vessel -

0:35:540:36:01

HMS Victory.

0:36:010:36:03

She's most famous for being Admiral Lord Nelson's flagship at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805.

0:36:030:36:09

This triumph for the Royal Navy was instrumental in the defeat of Napoleon

0:36:090:36:15

and confirmed Britain's dominance of the high seas for over 100 years.

0:36:150:36:20

HMS Victory is the world's oldest commissioned warship and is a huge tourist attraction.

0:36:200:36:26

I've hopped aboard to meet Lieutenant Commander Rod Strathern

0:36:260:36:31

to learn more about this icon of naval history.

0:36:310:36:35

It is such an impressive ship. What type of ship is it?

0:36:350:36:39

A first rate ship of the line. That means more than 100 guns. Launched in 1765.

0:36:390:36:45

Built in Chatham in Kent and she was the flagship of Admiral Lord Nelson at Trafalgar.

0:36:450:36:51

Sadly, this is where Nelson died. We're just a few feet from the spot where he was shot by a sharpshooter

0:36:510:36:58

from the French ship Redoutable.

0:36:580:37:01

-So what happened to HMS Victory after the battle?

-She came back to Portsmouth

0:37:010:37:07

-and the ship carried on in active service until 1812.

-It looks in fantastic condition,

0:37:070:37:13

-considering how old she is.

-She is beautiful, but it's part of ongoing work to restore her.

0:37:130:37:19

It takes a lot of time and effort and money to keep a Georgian warship of this type in good order.

0:37:190:37:25

'In a groundbreaking enterprise, the Ministry of Defence decided to transfer custodianship of Victory

0:37:250:37:33

'to the Preservation Trust, a charitable group that will ensure its future for generations to come.

0:37:330:37:40

'Roy Smith is in charge of the restoration.' What's the ship's biggest enemy? All the tourists?

0:37:400:37:46

No, mainly the elements. At the moment, it's the ingress of water into the ship's structure,

0:37:460:37:51

-which causes decay.

-Do you use modern techniques?

-We've tried those in the past, but they tend to fail

0:37:510:37:57

-so we've reverted back to traditional methods.

-Really? Going back hundreds of years?

-Hundreds of years, yes.

0:37:570:38:03

So what's going on here?

0:38:030:38:06

Well, Liam's caulking the seam using oakum,

0:38:060:38:09

which is teased apart rope fibres impregnated with Stockholm tar.

0:38:090:38:15

Hence the saying money for old rope.

0:38:150:38:19

-It's not often I come on a ship that's 250 years old.

-Yeah.

0:38:190:38:23

-Is it possible for me to help restore just a little part of her?

-Liam will lend you his tools.

0:38:230:38:29

-Thank you. So pack it really tightly?

-And minding your fingers.

0:38:290:38:33

-And this is exactly the process that they would have used hundreds of years ago?

-Yeah.

0:38:330:38:39

-It's pretty labour-intensive.

-It is, yes.

0:38:390:38:43

-So that's in.

-Yeah. Now pack it down.

0:38:430:38:46

So I continue all the way down and the next process is it gets this added to it?

0:38:520:38:59

Yeah. Then we melt the tar down and pour it in nice and neatly. That will keep it waterproof.

0:38:590:39:05

-For the next 250 years, we're hoping.

-Yeah. I don't think I'll be around.

0:39:050:39:11

I've started, so I'm going to finish my job, if you don't mind.

0:39:110:39:15

'I've had a memorable time aboard this historic warship, but it's time to head for dry land

0:39:150:39:21

'and see if we've been able to alight upon a property for Bob and Mary.'

0:39:210:39:26

What amazing work there, preserving such an important piece of our seafaring history.

0:39:260:39:33

Well, on to our maritime couple. We've shown them all three properties here in Hampshire.

0:39:330:39:39

But have any of them floated their boat? Let's find out.

0:39:390:39:43

So, Bob and Mary, you two are the experts

0:39:460:39:50

on moving house, having done it so successfully over the last 40 years.

0:39:500:39:54

Have we achieved move number 29? That's my big question.

0:39:540:40:00

So let's start with the very first property, a 1950s family home in a semi-rural village.

0:40:000:40:07

Tell me what you thought when you first saw it.

0:40:070:40:10

It was a house very well situated on the edge of the village, which is what we were looking for.

0:40:100:40:16

It's an interesting house, well set in its plot. It has a lot of what we're looking for,

0:40:160:40:22

but the kitchen, I think, for us we would have to extend to make it fit in with our lifestyle.

0:40:220:40:28

But what we found, which was very good news, was because of the pricing

0:40:280:40:33

it was within our budget enough that we could make our mark on it.

0:40:330:40:37

So to be able to put our own kitchen in, which is an expensive room, but we could do it with the pricing.

0:40:370:40:43

So that's quite an exciting prospect.

0:40:430:40:46

-It was a good start.

-A fantastic start! Walking up the drive had that wow factor.

-Yes, it did.

0:40:460:40:53

Which takes us to our second property. Again, a 1950s house,

0:40:530:40:57

but when we first arrived, it didn't quite have the same appeal, did it?

0:40:570:41:02

I have to say from the road it was quite plain, when you first looked at it.

0:41:020:41:08

-You had to go inside to appreciate it.

-It was probably too much house for us.

0:41:080:41:13

It's a big, big house inside. An awful lot of house, but that didn't seem to be in evidence at all

0:41:130:41:19

from the outside, so it really merited going inside to see. It was fascinating from that point of view.

0:41:190:41:26

So our third and final property was the mystery house.

0:41:260:41:30

You did mention that you'd rather not see a thatch or a chapel conversion,

0:41:300:41:36

so we showed you a chapel conversion! But you were very good-spirited about it, Bob.

0:41:360:41:42

The conversion and the extension had been done in such a way that when you were inside

0:41:420:41:47

-you had no idea that you were in a chapel conversion.

-The windows were original and they were tall

0:41:470:41:53

and it was full of light. It was an extremely exciting house.

0:41:530:41:57

Yes, it was. And you both seemed very taken with it as soon as you walked in.

0:41:570:42:03

And the location with that field at the back was beautiful and it was a great village.

0:42:030:42:08

-But it didn't have your shop, did it?

-Shop and garden.

-Yeah.

0:42:080:42:12

So having talked through the three properties, I'm getting the feeling that the first one got the closest.

0:42:120:42:20

-Would that be right?

-It's very much a front runner.

0:42:200:42:23

Well, it's been such fun showing you this beautiful area. And let us know how you get on for your 29th move!

0:42:230:42:31

-We will.

-We certainly will. We have so enjoyed it. Thank you.

0:42:310:42:35

-You're welcome.

-Thank you.

0:42:350:42:37

Well, it seems for our well-travelled couple, Hampshire is the right county

0:42:410:42:46

for their next adventure here in the UK countryside.

0:42:460:42:50

On the property front, it's still rather open-ended.

0:42:500:42:54

They definitely liked the first home we showed them, but the mystery house got under their skin.

0:42:540:43:01

We'll just have to wait and see. Until next time, bye-bye.

0:43:010:43:05

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0:43:080:43:13

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