Suffolk Escape to the Country


Suffolk

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This house behind me was built to show off its owner's possessions,

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rather for than the comfort of the people living in it.

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So which county is home to this unusual building?

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I'll reveal all in just a few moments' time.

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On today's show we're helping a couple

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buy their first shared home together.

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We get warm with one of our properties.

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It's lovely.

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But then things heat up.

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-I was going to say, "Put the electric blanket on..."

-Oh, Tony!

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Today I'm in Suffolk and this is Ickworth House.

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Built in the Italianate style, its two sprawling wings

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and central rotunda were the vision of one Frederick Harvey,

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who was the Bishop of Derry and the Earl of Bristol

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during the 18th century.

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Now, Harvey had a lust for travel and was an avid collector

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of paintings by the likes world of Titian and Gainsborough.

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Of course, he needed a home for all his treasures,

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and this spectacular neoclassical masterpiece was the result.

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And it's just one of the many historic gems you will find

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within Suffolk's borders.

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As one of the three counties that make up the renowned

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hump of East Anglia,

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low-lying Suffolk holds on to much of its distinct character,

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and is home to varied landscapes.

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The Suffolk coast, 45 miles of fine, golden sand and pebble beaches,

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is dotted with beautiful seaside towns, including Aldeburgh,

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famous for its pastel-painted Victorian villas.

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Inland, Suffolk wears its history on its sleeve.

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The town of Clare, for example,

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is one of a cluster of small settlements which rose to prominence

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in the medieval era, thanks to prosperous cloth trade.

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The wealth of the town is reflected in the enormity

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of the 14th century parish church of St Peter and St Paul.

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From coastal heath lands to historic hall towns,

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the county of Suffolk entertains sights

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that will enchant any escapee.

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You would expect all this natural beauty to come at a hefty price

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but the good news is, that's not the case here in Suffolk.

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The average price for a detached property is £242,000.

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That's 12,000 less than the national figure.

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So this county represents real value for money.

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Of course, like anywhere, there are hot spots.

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Desirable seaside locations such as Southwold

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or the beautiful town of Lavenham, they do command a premium.

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However, if you travel north-west towards the Norfolk border,

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you'll find you get just that little bit more for your money.

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So will our line-up of Suffolk properties please today's buyers?

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It's time to meet them.

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Tony and Nicole have been together in Nottingham for five years,

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both coming from previous relationships.

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And a chance to buy their first property together

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is the driving force behind this move to Suffolk.

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It's quite late on in life and we're just looking for somewhere to live

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together, you know, as a combined home, instead of living separately.

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I think it's the right time. It would be lovely to spend...

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the rest of our lives together

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somewhere nice and in the country.

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The couple met each other at the local tennis club.

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I've been playing tennis for about 25 years now, properly.

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-I think you've been playing for...

-About 12 years now. Bit more.

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And now we just get the chance to play together all the time.

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For recent retiree Tony, the move is a chance to relive his youth.

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Although I spent my childhood in the countryside,

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the majority of my life's been in the city

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-and I really do like the idea of living somewhere...

-Peaceful.

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Peaceful and quiet. Waking up and not seeing houses.

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Tony and Nicole have chosen Suffolk

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because it's midway between their respective families.

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For Nicole, it's an opportunity to settle down at last.

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When I was 21 I moved to Bermuda, so I lived there for six, seven years.

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And then got married and we lived in Stockholm in Sweden.

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And then recently Hong Kong.

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I felt I've never put my roots down anywhere since I was a teenager.

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So it would be absolutely wonderful to be able to move with Tony

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to a corner of England and be together.

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Whilst Tony is keen to have a workshop,

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Nicole wants to put her gardening skills into practice.

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Where I live at the moment, I've got a north-facing garden on tiers,

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which is not only a bit dangerous but it has no sun, really.

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At the moment I'm in the garage,

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and I have to take the car out the garage to do anything at all.

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I would just love an outbuilding

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just away from the house, where I can do whatever I want.

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All that's left is to find out how much they've got to spend

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on the new home.

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The budget for the move would be £375,000 to £425,000.

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Tony and Nicole want to avoid the more remote coastal areas

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of Suffolk, so we're concentrating our search area inland,

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around Bury St Edmunds.

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And that's where I've come to meet our buyers,

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to find out what they want from their new home.

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Tony and Nicole, here we are in Suffolk.

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Quite an interesting journey the way you decided this is

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the county that you want to live in.

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I've got visions of you both with a map and a pin,

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just deciding where it's going to be.

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It wasn't quite like that. Tony's from Nottingham. I'm from London.

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We decided it was going to be compromise

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and halfway between his neck of the woods and mine.

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As you haven't bought a house before,

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what are you both looking for together in this property?

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I tend to want older types.

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You know, Georgian, Victorian-type of house.

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But I'm more contemporary.

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I don't mind the old-looking outside but a new inside's nice.

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Minimum three bedrooms. A nice big kitchen with kitchen/diner.

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Definitely a south-facing garden.

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What about location? Near a village, outside a village?

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-Outside a village.

-Yeah.

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But, you know, not sort of breaking contact with people,

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-not too isolated.

-A bit of privacy.

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So remind us of your budget for this search.

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375 to 425.

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OK, we've got three properties lined up,

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-so shall we start with the first one?

-Yeah.

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For a maximum budget of £425,000,

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Tony and Nicole want a house with character.

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But they aren't in agreement on how old it should be.

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It should have a minimum of three bedrooms,

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a large kitchen or kitchen/diner,

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and, for Nicole, a garden that gets the sun.

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Tony would like a large garage or separate outbuilding for a workshop,

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and they'd like to be close to a village

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but still have some degree of privacy.

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We found three fantastic properties to show them,

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and at each one I'll be revealing the price at the end of the tour.

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The last one will be our mystery house,

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which marries something old with something new.

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Are you excited about moving to a fresh county?

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Oh, yeah. It's nice to have a change.

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Now all your sort of parental duties are finished,

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it's nice just to get on with your own life, really.

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For our first property we're heading to the village of Hinderclay,

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which is around 14 miles from Bury St Edmunds.

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The closest amenities are found in the larger village of Botesdale,

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about two and a half miles away.

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In earlier times it was a stop-off for horse-drawn carriages

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travelling between Norwich and London.

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And today much of the village is a conservation area.

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The old marketplace is surrounded by a range of shops and pubs.

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There's also a post office painted in the familiar Suffolk Pink,

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and it's just down the road from our first offering.

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So here is your first property in Suffolk.

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-Nice.

-Lovely. Very pretty cottage.

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Can you date it?

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I'd say...

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-Victorian? Or is it new? With new bits in it.

-1890?

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I'm impressed with both of you.

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Very good. 1973.

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And that is exactly the reaction I wanted to hear,

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because I would never have guessed it.

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Certainly got character and charm, but let's see if you think the same.

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Let's go.

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'Clearly looks can be deceiving.

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'But the inside of the property is definitely modern.'

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Here is your sitting room.

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-Lovely.

-Nice size.

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-Very nice, light.

-Nice fireplace.

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-Oh, yeah. Working fireplace?

-Working fireplace.

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What about the ceiling height? Cos you're both quite tall.

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-Yeah, no, it's adequate.

-That looks fine. Seven foot six.

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Is that what it is? Can you work it out?

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That's impressive, Tony, I like that.

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-Good first room to see?

-Very good.

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-Positive reactions?

-Yeah, lovely.

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-OK, well, we'll continue through.

-OK.

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Through the double doors.

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At the moment it's being used as a music room.

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This could be a study as well, couldn't it?

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Could easily be a study, couldn't it? Dining room. But then...

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-you have this.

-Aw, it's lovely.

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-So...

-That's nice.

-Yeah?

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-Very, very nice.

-Really lovely.

-And a wood burner there.

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Yeah, multi-fuel, so that works all year round.

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Coal, wood. You wanted a period property.

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You ideally would have liked a brand-new property.

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-But this is quite...

-Good compromise.

-This is quite new-ish.

-Yeah, it is.

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Right, OK. Well, follow me. We're going to head upstairs now.

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'I was hoping the high-spec interior of our first house would appeal

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'to Tony but I'm really happy that Nicole appears taken by it, too.

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'The ground floor also includes this garden room off the kitchen,

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'with doors out onto a patio,

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'a utility room and a downstairs toilet,

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'and at the front of the house a good-sized study.

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'Upstairs there are four bedrooms,

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'one more than they asked for, and a four-piece family bathroom.

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'All of the bedrooms are doubles.

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'Three of them overlook the front of the property

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'and are south-facing, taking full advantage of the sun.

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'But I want to show them the largest of the doubles.'

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So, here is the master bedroom.

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-Oh, nice ceiling. Very nice.

-Nice and tall.

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As this is the master,

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-got an en suite.

-Ah, how wonderful.

-Do you want to have a look?

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Poke your head round.

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Nice.

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Aw, it's lovely. Like the tongue-and-groove.

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Is there anywhere to put your clothes, though, in here?

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You have a little walk-in wardrobe there.

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Fantastic.

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Really, really nice. And it overlooks the garden.

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-It's pretty.

-It is very pretty.

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I know the outside space is really important,

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-especially the garden, the amount of sunlight it gets.

-Mm-hm.

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I'm hoping you're not going to be disappointed with what

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I'm about to show you.

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The garden surrounds the entire house

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and there are numerous seating areas for entertaining,

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log storage for that wood burner and open fire, as well

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as a vegetable patch and extensive lawns at either end of the house.

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-So you've got two gardens here.

-Fabulous, fabulous.

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-You've also got a double garage.

-Yeah, I just notice that.

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A greenhouse - if that doesn't satisfy your gardening needs...

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That's gorgeous.

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-This part of the garden will get sun nearly all day.

-Delightful.

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It's a great first house, isn't it?

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-Yeah.

-Very strong house. But what's the price?

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-Who wants to go first for me?

-Me.

-OK. Go on, Tony.

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-420.

-OK.

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I was going to say round about the same. I'll say 425.

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OK. You're both very close.

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It's actually on the market for £435,000.

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-So 10,000 over your budget.

-OK.

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Has come down quite considerably in price, actually.

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It was a lot more than that and the owners are desperate to move.

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They've found somewhere else,

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so they are happy to have a conversation with you.

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They're aware of your top budget.

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And the one thing I will say with this property is,

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-it doesn't need any money spending on it.

-No, it doesn't.

-Exactly.

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So, it is only the first one.

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I know you're holding back slightly. But I can tell you like it.

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Would you like another wander around?

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-There's still some more rooms you can explore.

-Yeah, I'd love to.

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On the market for £435,000,

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our first property is slightly over Tony and Nicole's maximum budget.

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Built in the 1970s, it's a modern family home

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that's been designed to a high standard.

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It has four double bedrooms, a spacious kitchen/diner,

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and a double garage that could be Tony's workshop.

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The garden gets sun all year round

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and the house is close to a vibrant village.

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Wow.

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My workshop.

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-Yes, a fair size, isn't it?

-Yeah.

-Bigger than the one you got at home.

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Twice the size, yeah.

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I was pleasantly surprised when I found out it was modern,

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because it's Nicole that likes the older stuff

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and I like more modern stuff, so it's a very, very good start.

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The upstairs is fine. It's got an en suite, which is a bonus,

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and an extra bedroom as well, you know, plus the workshop.

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And fair size gardens. It's a nice house.

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Very, very nice house and very hard to find any fault with it.

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I love the kitchen, it's very light and spacious.

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It's got a wood burner in it, which is excellent.

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It's got a nice room off it, it's just very light

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and I can just feel myself in the kitchen all the time.

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So far I can't see any negatives about the house.

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It just seems exquisite in every way.

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-Happy, you two?

-Yes.

-Yeah, very.

-Seen enough?

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-Uh-huh.

-Good. How did you feel about our first property?

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-It's a great first house.

-Good. More to show you. Right, let's go.

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Nicole couldn't have chosen a better county to indulge

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in her passion for gardening.

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Its low-lying geography and sunny climate make Suffolk

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an excellent spot for those with green fingers.

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One of the county's most impressive formal gardens is here,

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at Kentwell Hall, a Tudor mansion and family home.

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We sent Nicole and Tony to find out what grows well in Suffolk soil

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from the owner responsible for its extensive grounds, Judith Philips.

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-Hi.

-Hello.

-Nice to see you.

-Nice to meet you.

-Welcome, welcome.

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One feature has immediately caught the eye of Nicole - an unusual

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topiary representing the legend of the Pied Piper of Hamelin.

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What is the hedge? Is it yew?

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It's yew, it's a yew hedge, and yew grows very, very well here.

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Because it's organic, because it's growing all the time, it changes.

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And some years some figures turn their tops that way or that way.

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And we've had one or two who've actually...skirts got so wide

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that they've actually become children around the skirts.

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And then beyond there we've got the wall garden.

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The wall garden is probably an original cattle pound,

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so that when the house was first built, it would have been

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an area where the cattle and sheep would have been brought in.

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It was then redesigned as a pleasure garden

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so that probably was in the late 16th century/early 17th century.

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As one of the property's highlights, the walled garden has been

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extensively restored by Judith and her team at Kentwell.

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And Nicole and Tony are keen to see more.

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We have a variety of different things here.

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It's all based around the ancient espalier trees,

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which were planted in the 16th/17th century.

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And then we have our potager and our herb garden over there.

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And all the lovely wild flowers which we cherish in the springtime.

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So when we move to Suffolk,

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what kind of natural plants would grow in the Suffolk soil?

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We've got a lime soil here. It's basically heavy clay.

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It maintains the moisture, it retains moisture, which is great,

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which is why this green lawn will remain green virtually

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the whole of the summer.

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Roses grow very well, again because you don't have to do all

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the mulching and the watering and so on. The clay will hold them there.

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And things like fuchsias do very well as well.

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On the wilder side, things like the cowslips and the forget-me-nots

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and primroses, pulmonaria.

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So it's always nice to have a part of your garden where you're

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encouraging those naturally-growing flowers.

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With this local insight under their belts, we just need to find Tony

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and Nicole some fertile Suffolk soil of their own.

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With that in mind, it's back to our house search.

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For our second property we're venturing 20 miles south

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to the hamlet of Barking.

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The closest amenities are to be found in the nearby town

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of Needham Market, whose many buildings are Grade II listed.

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It rose to prominence in the early 17th century as a centre

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for wool combing, where they prepared the yarn

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for the local weavers.

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But in the 1660s the town was struck down by the plague

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and its industry was all but abandoned.

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Today it's a thriving market town once again,

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and our second house is a five-minute drive away.

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It couldn't be any more different to our first in age at least,

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and I fear I might have my work cut out with Tony.

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Gorgeous.

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Suffolk Pink.

0:18:480:18:49

Yeah, Suffolk Pink.

0:18:490:18:51

Suffolk Pink, you're absolutely right.

0:18:510:18:53

And you're muttering "Gorgeous, gorgeous," as we're walking up

0:18:530:18:56

-the gravel drive.

-Beautiful.

0:18:560:18:58

-Absolutely stunning.

-It's very nice. I'll wait till I see inside.

0:18:580:19:04

I like the outside, it's beautiful.

0:19:040:19:06

Great reactions from you.

0:19:060:19:08

You've loved it straight away, as we walked through the gates.

0:19:080:19:11

Tony, on the other hand,

0:19:110:19:12

I think I've got some convincing to do, haven't I?

0:19:120:19:14

Looking at that, there might be light at the end of the tunnel.

0:19:140:19:18

The garage, a workshop.

0:19:180:19:19

I mean, you have always said that you wanted a more modern property

0:19:190:19:22

and, Nicole, you've said you want an old property.

0:19:220:19:25

So I think you can gather which one we're catering for with this house.

0:19:250:19:28

-Yes.

-OK, you ready for this?

0:19:280:19:31

Parts of the house... date back to 1450.

0:19:310:19:35

The rest of it is 1600. Look at the smile.

0:19:350:19:37

Right, and on that note, we're going to step inside. Come on.

0:19:370:19:41

Well, the double garage has kept Tony with us for now, at least.

0:19:420:19:46

And I'm sure the historic charms of this Suffolk Pink

0:19:460:19:48

former farmhouse will eventually rub off on him.

0:19:480:19:51

Come into our sitting room.

0:19:540:19:56

There's actually two with this property.

0:19:560:19:58

-Two sitting rooms.

-Two sitting rooms.

0:19:580:20:00

-This is lovely. Quite light, considering there's lots of beams.

-High beams as well.

0:20:000:20:06

They are high, aren't they? How do you feel about beams?

0:20:060:20:09

-Was that on the wish list...?

-I've got no problem with beams.

0:20:090:20:12

It's just ones I actually bang my head on I don't like!

0:20:120:20:15

The house sort of does a circle around the fireplace, which they often used to.

0:20:150:20:19

-So if you follow me through this door...

-OK.

0:20:190:20:23

-So your second sitting room cum dining area...as you can see...

-Lovely.

-..goes around.

0:20:250:20:31

-Oh, yeah.

-Oh, yeah.

0:20:310:20:33

Two huge fireplaces.

0:20:330:20:36

So is it a building being old that puts you off

0:20:360:20:39

or is it the prospect of having to do some more work on it?

0:20:390:20:42

Possibly doing some more work, the maintaining of it.

0:20:420:20:46

-So it's the practicalities?

-Yeah.

-Oh, I can work on that one, Tony.

0:20:460:20:49

-I can definitely work on that. Let's go through to the kitchen.

-OK.

0:20:490:20:53

-Now, this...this is the oldest part of the property.

-Gosh.

0:20:530:20:58

This is the part that dates back to 1450.

0:20:580:21:00

-Originally, this was a hall house.

-OK.

0:21:000:21:03

It's quite small for a kitchen, but, obviously, it's got a lot of character.

0:21:030:21:08

The owners have had planning permission to extend it.

0:21:080:21:12

-Now, that permission has lapsed...

-Out there?

-Yeah. To make it bigger.

0:21:120:21:16

What you've got to bear in mind is this house is Grade II listed.

0:21:160:21:20

But the fact that permission was granted already shows that

0:21:200:21:24

with the right paperwork and working with the local council,

0:21:240:21:27

you know, permission can be granted. Have I won you over yet, Tony?

0:21:270:21:30

-I keep looking at you.

-I need to go upstairs, I think.

-Oh...

0:21:300:21:33

-Got to check out the en suite.

-He's postponing any comments, isn't it?

0:21:330:21:37

'The ground floor also features a small study area to the side

0:21:370:21:41

'of the second sitting room, and a utility room with a toilet.

0:21:410:21:45

'Upstairs, there are five bedrooms in total, across two floors,

0:21:450:21:49

'all serviced by a family bathroom.

0:21:490:21:52

'Three of those bedrooms are found on the first floor,

0:21:520:21:55

'all with exposed timbers.

0:21:550:21:56

'But there's also an attic where you'll find another double bedroom

0:21:560:22:00

'and a large study that could easily be turned into a sleeping area.

0:22:000:22:05

'But by far the largest bedroom in the house

0:22:050:22:07

'is back down on the first floor.'

0:22:070:22:09

-So...

-Lovely light room.

-It is.

-Really nice.

0:22:130:22:16

-And a little storage area there as well.

-Oh.

0:22:160:22:19

And as you walk in, I find this room really impactful, you know,

0:22:190:22:23

-it sort of took my breath away.

-Yeah, it is really nice.

0:22:230:22:26

I like the position of the bed there. And the open views.

0:22:260:22:30

-Really lovely.

-Yeah, love the views.

0:22:300:22:32

So this has got you both thinking, hasn't it?

0:22:320:22:35

Let's go outside, take a look at the garden, and the garage/workshops

0:22:350:22:39

-for Tony, and then of course I'm going to ask you about the price, aren't I?

-OK.

0:22:390:22:44

There are lawned gardens at both the front

0:22:460:22:48

and rear of the property, as well as a vegetable patch,

0:22:480:22:51

a greenhouse and a timber-framed former stable,

0:22:510:22:54

which is useful for storage.

0:22:540:22:57

And of course the spacious double garage,

0:22:570:22:59

which should keep Tony happy.

0:22:590:23:02

-So, Nicole, I know you love your gardens...

-It's a beautiful garden.

0:23:030:23:07

How much is it on the market for?

0:23:070:23:09

I would say little bit more, probably 440.

0:23:110:23:16

Yeah, because it's listed and it's got a lot of history attached...

0:23:160:23:21

I would say...

0:23:210:23:23

I'm not very good at this. ..430.

0:23:230:23:26

You both not bad at this. I've got to be honest - you're not bad.

0:23:260:23:30

And the owners are asking for offers over £400,000.

0:23:300:23:34

-Oh, well.

-Wow.

-OK.

0:23:340:23:36

-Does that give you something to think about?

-Definitely.

-Yeah.

0:23:360:23:39

-You're very excited...

-Reserved.

0:23:390:23:41

Yeah, Tony's quite reserved, but I'm not going to push you, because you'd be very good.

0:23:410:23:45

-Why don't you take another look around?

-OK.

0:23:450:23:47

I'll see you two in a minute. Off you go, have some fun.

0:23:470:23:50

At offers above £400,000, our second property is a timber-framed

0:23:540:23:58

Grade II listed former farmhouse, parts of which date back the 1450s.

0:23:580:24:03

The accommodation includes two sitting rooms

0:24:030:24:06

and a large kitchen in the oldest part of the house.

0:24:060:24:09

Upstairs, there are five bedrooms spread across two floors.

0:24:090:24:13

The gardens include substantial lawn areas

0:24:130:24:16

and a spacious double garage.

0:24:160:24:18

And the house is within striking distance of a bustling market town.

0:24:180:24:22

Oh, gosh! What a lovely... room in the eaves.

0:24:240:24:29

-Oh, yeah!

-It's amazing.

0:24:290:24:32

It is.

0:24:320:24:33

Well, I didn't expect this up here.

0:24:330:24:37

'It just feels incredible.

0:24:370:24:39

'The history. It was a real pleasure to walk around.

0:24:390:24:42

'They kitchen, which was the hall house originally,

0:24:420:24:46

'that's fascinating in itself.'

0:24:460:24:48

I just thought it was amazing.

0:24:480:24:50

It's a fascinating house.

0:24:500:24:52

This house has got so much character, and it's amazing just to be in it.

0:24:520:24:56

Whether or not I could actually live in it is totally different.

0:24:560:25:00

-All right, you two?

-Fine.

-How are you feeling?

0:25:010:25:03

-That's two of our three houses you've now seen.

-Amazing.

0:25:030:25:06

Two totally different houses.

0:25:060:25:09

They're both amazing houses but in different ways.

0:25:090:25:12

-Got you thinking, haven't we?

-Yeah, just a little bit!

-Fascinating house.

0:25:120:25:15

Let's hit the road.

0:25:150:25:16

It's day two of our property search,

0:25:300:25:32

and on a maximum budget of £425,000, we're helping Nottingham

0:25:320:25:37

tennis partners Tony and Nicole hit their stride in Suffolk.

0:25:370:25:42

Coming up, we get consensus at the mystery house.

0:25:420:25:45

-You're taken with this, aren't you?

-It's very, very nice.

-We are.

0:25:450:25:49

And I weave my way around one of Suffolk's textile industries.

0:25:490:25:53

OK, one, two, three...

0:25:530:25:55

Whoa!

0:25:550:25:56

Yesterday got off to a great start for our sporty couple,

0:25:580:26:01

Tony and Nicole.

0:26:010:26:03

Two fantastic houses, although I do think it will take some convincing

0:26:030:26:07

for Tony to get over his reservations about period homes.

0:26:070:26:11

Today, it's time for our mystery house, and I'm hoping to accommodate

0:26:110:26:15

both Nicole's love of history with Tony's desire for modern living.

0:26:150:26:19

I've got a feeling that the mystery house will really make a splash.

0:26:190:26:24

What are you hoping to see?

0:26:270:26:29

Something really old-looking outside and fantastically new inside, perhaps.

0:26:290:26:35

-Anything you're dreading we're taking you to see?

-A bungalow.

0:26:350:26:39

Good answer. Tony?

0:26:390:26:41

An even older house!

0:26:410:26:44

THEY LAUGH

0:26:440:26:46

'For our mystery house, we're heading 20 miles north-east,

0:26:510:26:55

'deeper into rural Suffolk, to the hamlet of Wilby.

0:26:550:26:59

'The closest village, Stradbroke, is a mile and a half away,

0:26:590:27:02

'and we're making a quick stop there,

0:27:020:27:04

'as it has facilities more fitting for a small town,

0:27:040:27:07

'including something I think our sporty couple will enjoy.'

0:27:070:27:10

Now, I know you're both itching to see the mystery house,

0:27:120:27:16

but I've stopped off in this village, because it would be the closest village

0:27:160:27:19

to the next house that has amenities.

0:27:190:27:22

-And I know that's important for you both.

-Yeah.

-Yeah.

0:27:220:27:24

As you can probably see, it's beautiful, full of old buildings,

0:27:240:27:27

but most importantly, it has a post office, a local shop,

0:27:270:27:31

it's got some pubs.

0:27:310:27:33

But even though we're in a rural location,

0:27:330:27:35

-this village has got a fitness centre.

-Wow!

-That's good.

0:27:350:27:39

-And what is it you're both obsessed with?

-Tennis!

0:27:390:27:42

It's got tennis courts, swimming pool, it's got a gym.

0:27:420:27:46

And, literally, the mystery house is a mile and a half up the road.

0:27:460:27:48

-That's brilliant.

-So, have I whetted your appetite enough?

-You have.

0:27:480:27:52

-You have indeed.

-Yeah? Looking forward to this next house?

-We are.

0:27:520:27:55

I'm going to be keeping my fingers crossed it can do its magic.

0:27:550:27:58

Right, we'll go.

0:27:580:27:59

'Merging Nicole's old with Tony's new was always going to be tricky

0:28:010:28:05

'here in Suffolk. I hope we've done it with our mystery house.

0:28:050:28:09

'And what's more, it may give our tennis-loving couple something

0:28:090:28:12

'they'd never considered having in their own home.'

0:28:120:28:16

The house was built in the sort of mid to late 1980s.

0:28:160:28:19

However, the original cottage that was here dates back

0:28:190:28:22

to the 1700s, so when they demolished it,

0:28:220:28:25

they tried to use as much of the original material as they could.

0:28:250:28:28

So you've got the luxury of a new build,

0:28:280:28:31

but you've still got that character and charm of an old cottage.

0:28:310:28:34

-Sounds good.

-Fabulous.

-So we want to keep you both happy.

0:28:340:28:36

This is the first house you've bought together. Different demands.

0:28:360:28:40

We're hoping that the mystery house is going to marry both of those up.

0:28:400:28:43

'So our mystery house has the best of both worlds -

0:28:430:28:47

'period features within a modern shell.

0:28:470:28:50

'And now I've set the scene,

0:28:500:28:52

'I'm keen to see if our homely hybrid will hit the mark with our buyers.'

0:28:520:28:56

-Aw...

-Straight into our kitchen.

0:28:570:29:00

-Very pretty.

-Very nice, very countrified.

0:29:000:29:04

So next door, you've got a downstairs cloakroom.

0:29:040:29:07

You've also got a utility room.

0:29:070:29:08

But yesterday, one of the kitchens, you thought was a little bit small.

0:29:080:29:12

-How does this compare?

-Yeah, this is perfect for us.

-It's fine.

0:29:120:29:15

-Good start?

-Aha.

-Yeah? OK. Right, let's continue through.

-OK.

0:29:150:29:19

-Leads straight into your dining room.

-Mm-hm.

0:29:210:29:23

-Again, you can see the original beams have been used.

-Nice fire.

-Yeah. Wood burner.

0:29:230:29:29

-Nice-sized dining room.

-It's great, isn't it?

0:29:290:29:32

-Yesterday's property...

-Yeah.

0:29:320:29:34

..the very old house, you were completely taken by, weren't you?

0:29:340:29:37

-There's elements of it with this one.

-Absolutely, yes.

0:29:370:29:40

But, Tony, looking at it again through practical eyes...

0:29:400:29:44

-But without the maintenance.

-Yeah.

0:29:440:29:46

-Keen to see more?

-Absolutely.

0:29:460:29:48

Listen, I'm happy Tony's happy.

0:29:480:29:49

With contentment in the air,

0:29:520:29:54

let's see what our buyers think of the largest room in the house.

0:29:540:29:57

So come through into your sitting room,

0:29:570:30:00

which is dominated by this magnificent fireplace.

0:30:000:30:03

-That's beautiful.

-Incredible.

0:30:030:30:05

And have you seen how it's wonky, the bricks on the top

0:30:050:30:07

on the bresma beam?

0:30:070:30:09

-Yeah, why's that?

-Well, it's believed that

0:30:090:30:11

when the original cottage was demolished,

0:30:110:30:13

they kept the two fireplaces,

0:30:130:30:15

cos there's another one on the other side with the breast going up.

0:30:150:30:18

-And they built the new house around it.

-Ah, OK.

0:30:180:30:21

That's what you call a focal point.

0:30:210:30:23

Beautiful, isn't it?

0:30:230:30:24

Yeah, it's very pretty. Very pretty.

0:30:240:30:27

-You're united, I think, with this property?

-Mm.

-Yeah.

0:30:270:30:30

It's drawing you in, isn't it?

0:30:300:30:32

-You couldn't not like it, really, could you?

-That's true.

0:30:320:30:34

That's so lovely to hear.

0:30:340:30:37

Our buyers may also be cheered by this charming conservatory,

0:30:370:30:40

with views out onto the patio area,

0:30:400:30:43

and just a little hint of what the garden has in store.

0:30:430:30:46

And there's also that all-important garage,

0:30:460:30:49

which is attached to the side of the house.

0:30:490:30:52

There are four bedrooms upstairs.

0:30:520:30:54

One of those is a single, another is currently being used as a study,

0:30:540:30:58

and there's a spacious guest room.

0:30:580:31:00

They're all serviced by a large family bathroom.

0:31:000:31:04

But we're heading to the master,

0:31:040:31:06

which overlooks the back of the house.

0:31:060:31:08

This part of the property has been extended in the last few

0:31:080:31:11

years by the owners.

0:31:110:31:13

So you've got the master bedroom here.

0:31:130:31:16

With an en-suite just behind me.

0:31:160:31:19

Could you see yourselves living here? I'm pushing you now, aren't I?

0:31:190:31:22

I was going to say, "Put the electric blanket on."

0:31:220:31:26

Oh, Tony! Music to my ears.

0:31:260:31:28

-You're taken with this, aren't you?

-Yeah, I am.

-It's very, very nice.

0:31:280:31:32

-We are.

-You've summed it up, "We are."

0:31:320:31:35

Absolutely, Nicole, it's got to be that joint decision, hasn't it?

0:31:350:31:39

-Yeah, definitely.

-Good.

0:31:390:31:41

Well, let's hope, fingers crossed, that the garden doesn't let us down.

0:31:410:31:45

And I don't think it will disappoint,

0:31:460:31:48

as the garden is the highlight of our mystery house.

0:31:480:31:52

The home occupies around one acre of land

0:31:520:31:54

and this includes an extensive lawn area to the rear, a large pond with

0:31:540:31:58

wooden bridge and paved patio area, with the star of the show -

0:31:580:32:03

a heated open-air swimming pool.

0:32:030:32:05

But what will Nicole think of it?

0:32:050:32:07

I think we need a separate tour, just for the garden - gorgeous.

0:32:080:32:12

You didn't ask for a swimming pool, but being the mystery house...

0:32:120:32:15

Just goes to prove how sunny it is in Suffolk.

0:32:150:32:19

-You like the look of it as well, don't you, Tony?

-Fantastic.

-It goes on and on.

0:32:190:32:22

It goes on and on and on.

0:32:220:32:25

But guess what?

0:32:250:32:26

Right at the end - beautiful bit of lawn,

0:32:260:32:30

which could be perfect for having your own tennis court.

0:32:300:32:34

It's that big!

0:32:340:32:35

So, do you like what you see?

0:32:350:32:37

-I absolutely love it.

-Good.

0:32:370:32:40

What's the catch?

0:32:400:32:41

Well, perhaps this is the catch - we need to talk money.

0:32:410:32:45

-Oh.

-Ooh.

-Who wants to go first, cos it is that time?

0:32:450:32:48

How much is this property on the market for?

0:32:480:32:51

I think it's over budget.

0:32:510:32:53

I reckon it's about...

0:32:530:32:55

450.

0:32:550:32:56

OK. Tony.

0:32:570:32:59

Took the words completely out...

0:32:590:33:01

My figure as well, so I'd have to go higher - 455.

0:33:010:33:04

It's right on your budget - £425,000.

0:33:040:33:10

That's good.

0:33:110:33:13

-That is good.

-How good is good?

0:33:130:33:15

-Fantastically good.

-Yeah.

0:33:150:33:17

How much would you need to spend on this house, if you moved in?

0:33:170:33:20

-Absolutely nothing.

-Oh, I love your smiles, both of you.

0:33:200:33:24

You look very happy.

0:33:240:33:25

Do you want to have a wander around the grounds first, take a second look?

0:33:250:33:28

-Yes, please.

-Enjoy.

-Thank you very much.

0:33:280:33:31

Bang on their maximum budget of £425,000,

0:33:350:33:38

our mystery house is a modern rebuild,

0:33:380:33:41

retaining many of the original features from the older property.

0:33:410:33:45

The accommodation includes a large kitchen and four bedrooms.

0:33:450:33:48

There's a garage for Tony, and for Nicole,

0:33:480:33:51

an extensive garden with a spacious

0:33:510:33:53

lawn and heated swimming pool.

0:33:530:33:55

-Swimming pool.

-It's got everything, it's perfect.

0:34:000:34:03

Yeah, lovely sunny spot.

0:34:030:34:06

I could see myself here.

0:34:060:34:07

Mm, definitely.

0:34:070:34:09

The house is incredible. It's done to such a high standard.

0:34:090:34:14

Loads of space, bags of bedrooms,

0:34:160:34:18

and the most amazing thing is the garden outside.

0:34:180:34:22

There's a huge, huge garden which just goes on and on and on and on.

0:34:220:34:26

There is potential to build a tennis court, which would be amazing

0:34:260:34:30

to have a tennis court in the back of your garden.

0:34:300:34:33

Tony and I could knock up every morning.

0:34:330:34:35

Absolutely amazing. I don't think I've been in a house like it.

0:34:350:34:39

It needs absolutely nothing doing

0:34:390:34:42

and the refurbishment's just been done to a very high standard.

0:34:420:34:46

It's got a little bit of old for Nicole, a few bricks and bits

0:34:460:34:50

and bobs and beams, yet the rest of it's totally modern.

0:34:500:34:54

The gardens are absolutely splendid.

0:34:540:34:56

Oh, you two look very comfortable sitting there in the sun.

0:34:590:35:03

-Oh, it's perfect here.

-Yeah, it's lovely.

0:35:030:35:05

I don't want you to leave, but I'm afraid I'm going to have to drag you away.

0:35:050:35:08

Oh, what a shame. I could stay here for ever, actually.

0:35:080:35:11

Well, that's a good sign, so let's go somewhere else for a chat

0:35:110:35:14

and you can give me all your thoughts then. How about that?

0:35:140:35:17

-OK.

-Okey-dokey.

0:35:170:35:20

It's the end of our property search for Tony and Nicole, but if you've

0:35:200:35:24

got your sights set on Suffolk,

0:35:240:35:25

there are many other homes to choose from, across a range of prices.

0:35:250:35:30

If thatch takes your fancy, then how about this detached

0:35:300:35:32

two-bedroom cottage in the village of Forward Green?

0:35:320:35:35

On the market for offers in excess of £250,000.

0:35:350:35:40

The rooms inside retain many of the original features,

0:35:400:35:43

and include this kitchen and dining room

0:35:430:35:45

and a cosy sitting room with wood burner.

0:35:450:35:49

Further up the price scale at offers around £375,000,

0:35:490:35:54

is this detached red brick Victorian

0:35:540:35:56

cottage in the village of Wattisham, which comes with five bedrooms.

0:35:560:36:01

The accommodation includes a large and light living room

0:36:010:36:04

and a family bathroom with free standing roll top bath.

0:36:040:36:08

Finally, on the market for £600,000, there's this grade two-listed

0:36:090:36:14

five bedroom farmhouse in the village of Earl Stonham.

0:36:140:36:17

Set in grounds of three quarters of an acre,

0:36:170:36:20

parts of the house date back to the 16th century and include this

0:36:200:36:24

spacious sitting room with exposed beams

0:36:240:36:26

and a guest bedroom with an en-suite bathroom to the rear.

0:36:260:36:29

Today, Suffolk is best-known as an important agricultural region.

0:36:350:36:40

But for 600 years, the county was a hive of rural industry,

0:36:400:36:43

specialising in textiles.

0:36:430:36:45

During its heyday in the 13th century,

0:36:450:36:48

wool towns such as Lavenham and Clare prospered.

0:36:480:36:52

When demand for wool from Suffolk declined in the 16th century,

0:36:520:36:54

the local weavers turned to

0:36:540:36:56

producing lighter fabrics, including silk.

0:36:560:36:59

The Suffolk silk industry still thrives today

0:36:590:37:02

and is centred on the market town of Sudbury, which is where I've

0:37:020:37:05

come, to the factory headquarters

0:37:050:37:07

of one of its silk weaving companies.

0:37:070:37:09

I'm meeting director, Neil Thomas.

0:37:110:37:14

-Hi, Neil.

-Hello, Nicki.

0:37:140:37:15

Great to meet you.

0:37:150:37:16

What a showroom.

0:37:160:37:18

Surrounded by colour. How long has the business been here?

0:37:180:37:22

Gainsborough has been here for about 110 years,

0:37:220:37:25

doing both a mixture of classical and contemporary fabrics.

0:37:250:37:29

So do you have an average client and customer, or is it really varied?

0:37:290:37:33

It varies enormously,

0:37:330:37:34

from the normal house right through to the royal family, which we've

0:37:340:37:39

been working with for many years from Queen Mary's doll's house to...

0:37:390:37:43

-Her doll's house?

-Yeah. Yeah.

0:37:430:37:45

-Buckingham Palace. Balmoral.

-My goodness.

0:37:450:37:47

I've got to ask about the doll's house. What was it for?

0:37:470:37:50

-The curtains inside or something?

-It was for curtains and carpets.

0:37:500:37:53

-And for Buckingham Palace?

-For Buckingham Palace...

0:37:530:37:56

This piece of fabric is an example of something that we've

0:37:560:37:58

-done for the Queen's bed chamber.

-This is beautiful.

0:37:580:38:01

-A design like this, would this have changed over the years?

-No, no.

0:38:010:38:04

This deign is probably an 18th century French design.

0:38:040:38:08

It may have been stylised slightly to suit English tastes over the years.

0:38:080:38:12

-Have the weaving methods changed much over the centuries?

-No.

0:38:120:38:15

A weaver from 500 years ago would know exactly where we were

0:38:150:38:18

doing today. We just do it slightly quicker now.

0:38:180:38:22

Every stage of design

0:38:220:38:23

and production is carried out in the Sudbury factory.

0:38:230:38:26

From preparing and dying the yarn, to warping and weaving the silk.

0:38:260:38:30

So this is beautiful coloured yarn,

0:38:300:38:32

but what does silk look like right at the very beginning?

0:38:320:38:35

This is the very earliest stage.

0:38:350:38:37

This is a silk cocoon, all the way from China.

0:38:370:38:40

The cocoon is then steeped in hot water, which loosens the threads.

0:38:400:38:45

They can then all be individually drawn off,

0:38:450:38:47

making hanks of raw silk, which we then process here, dye it,

0:38:470:38:52

and it turns into the yarn that you can see winding in front of you.

0:38:520:38:55

So how many cocoons would be in there?

0:38:550:38:58

Probably, in here, I would think close to 100.

0:38:580:39:01

Although the company produces contemporary designs using

0:39:040:39:07

the latest machinery,

0:39:070:39:09

some clients prefer their fabrics to be made using original methods.

0:39:090:39:13

So this is an impressive loom. How old is this piece of machinery?

0:39:130:39:18

The is 90-year-old Jacquard loom,

0:39:180:39:20

still weaving our finest quality fabrics.

0:39:200:39:22

My goodness.

0:39:220:39:24

Just by converting the design from the punch cards,

0:39:240:39:26

punch cards run through the Jacquard itself,

0:39:260:39:29

so that we can create the actual design on the fabric.

0:39:290:39:32

And a machine that is 90 years old

0:39:320:39:34

is as good as anything that can be produced today?

0:39:340:39:37

Absolutely. It weaves our finest quality fabrics.

0:39:370:39:40

It's basically a hand loom that's had a motor put on the side of it.

0:39:400:39:43

A lot of the historical reproductions that we work with

0:39:430:39:46

insist on using the older Jacquard looms.

0:39:460:39:48

How important is it for you, Sudbury is known as the capital of the

0:39:480:39:52

silk business, but why have you decided to keep your business here?

0:39:520:39:55

It's essential really, cos there are generations of skills

0:39:550:39:58

in Sudbury which are just not available elsewhere.

0:39:580:40:01

-So it really is the skill of the locals?

-Completely.

0:40:010:40:04

-Is it possible to see the loom in action?

-Absolutely. I'll turn the power on...

0:40:040:40:07

-Yup.

-All you need to do is pull the bar across it quickly

0:40:070:40:11

-and the loom will start weaving.

-Tell me... Straight away.

0:40:110:40:13

-Hard as you can.

-OK. One, two, three...

0:40:130:40:16

Wow!

0:40:160:40:18

And that's impressive.

0:40:180:40:21

It's great to see a 200-year-old industry still going

0:40:240:40:27

strong in Suffolk.

0:40:270:40:29

But let's find out if I've weaved my magic and found Tony

0:40:290:40:32

and Nicole a new home in the country.

0:40:320:40:35

So we've shown Tony and Nicole our three properties here in Suffolk,

0:40:370:40:42

and the last - the mystery house -

0:40:420:40:44

that went very well indeed, didn't it?

0:40:440:40:47

But are they convinced enough to put in an offer?

0:40:470:40:49

Let's go and ask them.

0:40:490:40:51

So there we go, we've seen our three properties here in Suffolk,

0:40:550:40:58

we're all still talking so that's a good sign

0:40:580:41:00

and we haven't put you off moving in together, which is even better.

0:41:000:41:05

Were you surprised at the ones we picked for you?

0:41:050:41:07

Yeah, you gave us a good selection.

0:41:070:41:09

You gave us a modern house which looked old.

0:41:090:41:11

Then you gave us an extremely ancient house...

0:41:110:41:15

Which also looked old.

0:41:150:41:17

And then, of course, we showed you our mystery house.

0:41:170:41:20

Yeah. That was a gem.

0:41:200:41:21

It just had everything that we both liked and, of course,

0:41:210:41:25

the garden was fantastic.

0:41:250:41:26

The swimming pool...

0:41:260:41:28

-It was all very well done.

-Yeah, and it was...

-A good standard.

0:41:280:41:31

And as you walked into that property, did it feel like home?

0:41:310:41:36

It did. It had a lovely feel.

0:41:360:41:37

It had a lovely warm welcoming feel to it.

0:41:370:41:41

I could just imagine us there.

0:41:410:41:42

Yeah. You could tell that somebody had gone to a lot of effort to

0:41:420:41:46

make it how it was. It was good.

0:41:460:41:49

So what happens next?

0:41:490:41:51

I think we've definitely got to go back and see house number three.

0:41:530:41:56

-Yes.

-How quickly? I've got the diary ready for you.

0:41:560:41:59

Very quickly.

0:41:590:42:00

Yeah, I would say within a week,

0:42:000:42:02

cos we're going on holiday the week after that, so...

0:42:020:42:05

-I think we need to move pretty quickly.

-It's going to get snapped up.

0:42:050:42:08

I think you could both be very happy in that property.

0:42:080:42:11

Yeah, I'm sure we would.

0:42:110:42:13

-Yeah.

-Thanks very much.

-Thanks for a lovely experience.

0:42:130:42:15

I'm glad you enjoyed it, we certainly have.

0:42:150:42:17

And we love Suffolk, don't we?

0:42:170:42:19

We do!

0:42:190:42:20

Well, what a wonderful week here in Suffolk.

0:42:250:42:28

We showed tennis-loving Tony and Nicole a fantastic

0:42:280:42:31

mix of properties, all with their own advantages.

0:42:310:42:34

But in the end, it was game, set and match for our mystery house.

0:42:340:42:39

Until next time, bye-bye.

0:42:390:42:42

Tony and Nicole went back to our mystery property, but

0:42:420:42:45

although the house was perfect, they felt the location was too remote.

0:42:450:42:49

The search for their first house together continues...

0:42:490:42:53

If you'd like to escape to the country in England, Wales,

0:42:530:42:56

Northern Ireland, Scotland or even further afield to the continent

0:42:560:42:59

and need our help,

0:42:590:43:01

please visit bbc.co.uk/beonashow

0:43:010:43:05

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