Sussex Escape to the Country

Welcome to a very special edition,

where we'll showcase the very best of what one county has to offer

by following not one, but two sets of couples

who wish to up sticks and move there.

We've got six properties lined up for our two sets of buyers,

and for you at home, we've also got some hints

and tips about planning your own escape.

Now, this particular county is home to the newest

national park in the country.

If you'd like to find out where, join us in a couple of moments.

On today's show, I'm helping two urbanites

flee the congested streets of London

for the quiet calm of a coastal county.

The countryside has a liberating effect on our buyers.

-It'd be like being on holiday, wouldn't it?

-That's the idea!

And I'll be helping a couple who want to quit the commuter belt

to begin a new life in a county they've come to love,

and they're surprised by the amount of space on offer.

Ah! So it doesn't stop just there?

-No.

-Right over there.

-Yeah.

Today we are heading south to the sunny climes of West Sussex,

which, since 2010, is home to the South Downs National Park.

Plus, on top of that,

you've got some wonderful beaches along the south coast.

Let's take a look at what else this fantastic county has to offer.

West Sussex is bordered by Surrey to the north,

Hampshire to the west, and East Sussex.

Its 40 miles of coastline with sheltered beaches

and expansive views over the English Channel

give way to miles of lush chalk downs and ancient woodland.

The gentle rolling hills of the Sussex Downs is

a tract of outstanding natural beauty,

where a grassy blanket covers chalk and flint,

nature's building materials,

used in much of the local architecture.

So, whether you're looking for tranquil, sleepy countryside,

or the quiet seclusion of the coast,

West Sussex is a county that has it all.

So, Alistair, I know you live in East Sussex,

but you must pop over the border to the west a lot?

I have ventured over, yes. Got my passport out!

It's a beautiful county, but it is expensive.

Hands up, I have to say, it is

one of the pricier counties in the country.

I think the average figure for a detached house is 376,000,

which is 100,000 over the national figure.

I'm putting on my property hat.

When you look at other areas of the county,

it can get even more expensive.

I mean, this proximity to London really comes into play

when you look at places like Horsham,

some, what, 35% premium you'll pay just to live there.

Well, you can hop up on the train.

But it has this double polarity. You've got London, but also

the south coast and Brighton -

although it's not in West Sussex, it does drive up the prices there.

I would give a tip - if you're thinking of being by the seaside,

-which, of course, is a big draw, Shoreham-by-Sea.

-Why?

It's a little bit further along the coast from Brighton,

but still has that sort of magnetism in terms of prices,

but you've got to get in quick, because the prices are going up.

So, in order to move things on, let's talk about your buyers.

-Where are they coming from?

-My buyers are coming from London.

They're escaping Harrow for a little slice of West Sussex.

But before we do that, let's find out what's drawing my buyers

to this particular part of the country.

20 years ago, Peter and Jill bought this four-bedroom Edwardian semi

in the London commuter town of Weybridge.

With their busy consultancy careers,

it was perfectly located for transport links to London and abroad.

But having semi-retired, they're cutting those city ties

and looking for a new home in the country.

The time is right.

We're both coming up to that sort of formal retirement age,

as it were, and we'd like to do it in another location.

I think it's quite good to change occasionally.

Although they're fairly open-minded about the kind of property

they're looking for, they do still have a few essentials.

Peter actually has an allotment,

which can be accessed directly from our own property,

which is brilliant, because it's like having

your own vegetable garden outside your garden.

So I think we probably want to have at least that when we move.

And also a view. I think a view is important.

As well as a veggie plot with a view,

there's an indoor space that's also a must for Peter.

A study in the new house is very important.

Currently trying to get a Master of Arts degree in modern history,

and I need the space and quiet to study and think.

I really couldn't envisage a house without that kind of quiet space.

So, what have they got to spend on a country home in West Sussex?

Our budget for this move is £850,000.

'Peter and Jill particularly like the south-west of the county,

'and as they have friends in Chichester

'who they'd like to be close to,

'we're focusing our search within half an hour's drive of the city.

'I'm meeting up with them to find out more about their move.'

-Good morning, both of you.

-Hello.

-Good morning, Jeremy.

Rather damp start to the day, but I'm hoping it's going to brighten up.

Now, it's quite a big move. So why now? It's...retirement-based?

Yes, we're both semi-retired,

and we thought we'd better move before we get too old,

and it's a change of location more than a change of lifestyle.

Why this location?

Because it's lovely, it's nearer the sea, it's tranquil,

and three lovely cricket grounds within easy reach.

Now you're talking! THEY LAUGH

Now you are talking!

The properties themselves, what are must-haves?

I think must-haves are a good-sized kitchen, for me,

and a separate utility room, because I've never had one.

OK. And this kitchen, it's a dining kitchen?

It could be, but we would like a dining room.

We tend to entertain friends quite a lot,

and I think if we're away from London,

that would probably be even more so,

so we'd like to have somewhere separate to eat.

Are you expecting to put friends up overnight

who are coming down for dinner?

-Yes, we would be, down here.

-So let's talk about bedrooms.

-It's a minimum of three, probably four.

-OK.

Any favoured styles?

I think you could describe our requirements as characterful

but without being eccentric.

OK! Well, what about throwing in some converted churches or barns

or anything like that? I mean, that's pretty quirky, I know.

We've looked at a couple of barns

-and they seem to pinch out at the top, and you lose room.

-Yes.

So generally, barn conversions, probably not.

You sound like you know what you want to an extent,

but you're prepared to be wowed by something different.

-Definitely.

-Yeah!

-Is that a fair assumption?

-Yeah, I think that's a fair summary.

-OK.

It's going to be an exciting couple of days.

We've got a really healthy budget and a beautiful part of the world,

so let's finish these cups of tea and coffee and get started.

-Right.

-OK.

With a generous budget of £850,000, Jill and Peter would like a spacious,

characterful home, with a large kitchen and a separate dining room.

They'd like a study for history buff Peter, a utility room,

and a minimum of three bedrooms.

Outside, they're hoping for a garden with views

and a space for a veggie plot.

We've found three fantastic properties to tempt them with,

and before revealing the price, we'll get them to have a guess at it first.

One will be our mystery house, whose style and dimensions

could spark a complete rethink for our buyers.

But first, we're heading for house number one.

We are starting the house search 16 miles north of Chichester

in Bexley Hill, right in the heart of the South Downs National Park.

A mile and a half down the road

is our first property,

a detached four-bedroom house in a desirable rural location.

So...here is property number one.

It's very green!

It's very green all around, isn't it?!

Now, I think, in all fairness, this house needs taking hold of.

-It needs a bit of work.

-Yeah. OK?

-Let's take a look inside.

-Sure.

'The original part of this property dates back to the 16th century,

'and is believed to have been a woodsman's cottage,

'but around 25 years ago, it was extended

'to create a much larger home,

'which I'm hoping will suit Jill and Peter's needs.'

So, once through the hall,

-you come to the first, really good-sized reception area.

-Mm-hm.

Right. It's nice and light. I love the fireplace.

I think that's really good.

You said you didn't want necessarily fully open plan,

so this is semi open plan.

-Semi open.

-Let me show you the kitchen area.

-Right.

-What do you think?

-My first impression is, it's a bit small.

It's quite like a galley type of kitchen, with the long thin space.

-You've got a larder or pantry behind you.

-Yeah.

And then you've got a utility just the other side,

-where you first walked in.

-Mm-hm.

You've said you've not had a utility before?

So you're used to having a big kitchen with all your gubbins in it?

-Yeah.

-Now, bearing in mind all your food store is out the way,

your white goods are out of the way...

maybe you do have enough room.

-Yes, you don't need so much.

-Pure cooking area.

-Yeah.

-Yeah.

Muted opinions here in this kitchen, I would have thought.

-Not an overwhelming endorsement.

-No. OK.

Let's keep looking around, see how that changes. Follow me.

So, you've got a reception rooms.

You've got a small one there,

so bear that in mind when we talk about the main one here.

-Right. We're going on the small side.

-Yeah.

I thought you might say that.

That wall there is just a stud petition.

HE KNOCKS ON THE WALL

Knock that through, this becomes quite a large reception room.

Larger area, yes.

'This relatively simple alteration would certainly give our buyers

'the more generous living space they're after.

'Also downstairs, there's an office

'where Peter can study for his history degree.

'Upstairs, there is a family bathroom and four bedrooms.

'One's a single, and the others are doubles,

'so there's plenty of space for their London friends to stay over.

'We've earmarked the largest bedroom for Peter and Jill.'

The best views in the house are ones that you'd wake up to,

-the master bedroom.

-Ah, yes.

-Lovely.

-That is beautiful. Isn't that nice? Very nice.

-Double aspect too.

-Yes, nice and bright, isn't it?

-It is.

It's lovely, yes, from that point of view.

And there's an en suite. Have a good look.

Oh, this has obviously been done quite recently.

-It's all very modern.

-Yes. Nicely done. Yes.

So, let's head outside now.

-Start thinking about price, though.

-OK.

-OK?

All right.

'I'm not sure if this property has really won them over,

'but maybe the outside will give them a better indication.

'There's a half acre plot with gorgeous views, and a detached

'double garage where Peter could stash all of his gardening tools.'

It's lovely. I mean, I like the garden. I think it's nice.

-Plenty of room to grow your veggies.

-Yes!

-Plenty of apples to harvest.

-Yes, quite.

-I think the garden's pleasant,

because it's a nice amount of space, but it's not too much work.

On paper, you've got lots of what you asked for.

You've got this land, you've got views

and a wonderful countryside location,

but all this comes at a price.

How much do you think this house is?

I think it's about...

799.

-OK. Peter?

-No, no, I wouldn't put it as high as that.

I think more like...

750.

Right. Well, you may then be surprised to hear that this house

is on the market for offers of around £850,000.

Yes, I would be.

It's an asking price, of course it is.

Who knows what price they'll sell at

until that price comes along and they accept it?

This 16th century property is right on budget of £850,000.

It offers a characterful dining room

and two other reception rooms that could be knocked through

to create the more spacious living area our buyers are looking for.

There is a utility room, a study, and four bedrooms,

and outside, there's a double garage

and wonderful rural views.

Now, then. Seen enough inside and out?

-Yes, thank you very much.

-Excellent. Onwards and upwards. This way.

The Cowdray Estate in the heart of West Sussex

is internationally recognised as the home of British polo.

Since they first polo ground was laid down here in 1910,

a genuine passion for the sport has been passed down

through generations of the Cowdray family.

'During the Second World War, polo all but died out,

'but when John, the third Viscount Cowdray, returned from war

'having lost an arm at Dunkirk,

'his determined efforts gave the sport a whole new lease of life.

'His son, the fourth Viscount Cowdray,

'has since taken up the reins,

'and I'm here at the estate to meet him.'

Lord Cowdray, thank you very much for seeing me today.

Not at all. Pleasure.

Obviously, there were very few ponies around after the war,

particularly ponies that you could play polo on,

and my father had managed to save eight or ten ponies,

but clearly that wasn't enough to start polo again,

-so he imported 50 ponies from Argentina.

-Right!

And he lent them to his friends,

so they could actually play some tournaments together.

-He had such a passion for the game, didn't he?

-He did indeed, yeah.

And the fact that he lost his arm during the war

was not going to stop him playing polo.

So how did he manage to play after losing his arm?

Well, he got his gunmaker to fashion him a prosthetic limb,

and the prosthetic limb had a hook which went over the rein,

and he used to pull the pony up by swinging his shoulders.

Goodness me! This is a very determined man.

He was very determined. He wouldn't allow...

the loss of a limb to stop him

doing all the things he wanted to do in his life.

'The first tournament played on the estate was 100 years ago.

'Today, more than 450 matches are held here each season,

'including the British Open championship.

'Someone who is very familiar with these grounds

'is England team player Tom Morley.

'And who better to give me a few polo playing tips?'

All you need to start is a basic pendulum,

-so you just swing back and forwards.

-Right.

Because once you get that rhythm going, you swing back,

and all of a sudden, it comes up over the top.

-Oh, right.

-And then...

-That's where you get the power.

-What sort of speed are you moving?

You can be moving up to sort of 35mph, probably.

So you're going quick enough.

It's been described as playing golf during an earthquake.

HE LAUGHS I was going to say!

Because not only are you moving at speed, you're moving

-up and down, side to side...

-Exactly.

I'm not too concerned about getting on the horse,

but I am wondering how I'm going to manoeuvre this mallet

to hit the rather small ball while still staying in the saddle.

Swung too late, didn't I?

Oh!

Getting too close.

I've got to say, I have a new-found respect

for anybody playing this tough sport.

But enough of the amateurs. Let's see the pros do it.

A polo match is typically divided into periods of play

called chukkas, each lasting seven minutes.

Ponies are rotated and rested frequently during the game

in order to maintain the stamina this fast-paced sport requires.

There are four players on each team, and the aim of the game is to score

by hitting the ball into the opposition's goal.

Polo fields are 300 yards long and 160 yards wide,

making them the largest field of any organised sport.

Well, that was certainly an impressive spectacle

in such a great setting here in the appealing West Sussex countryside.

Our second property

takes us 20 miles south

to the coastal hamlet of Climping.

A couple of miles down the coast is our second property,

a Grade II listed house just a few minutes' walk from the beach.

So, pretty good vantage point

to look at property number two is here. What do we think?

-Oh, yes.

-Well, it's a pretty flint, very typically Sussex cottage.

-First impression, very positive.

-Yeah.

-Good.

-Let's see if the inside matches up, shall we?

-All right.

'This brick and flint home dates back to the 1600s,

'and over the years, it's had several guises.

'At one time, it was the village stores and tearooms.

'Entering the property takes us through the dining room

'and on into a spacious sitting room.'

-Ah, yes! Beautifully presented.

-Very nice. Lovely fireplace.

And then a lovely, cottagey feeling to it.

-But not too small in its proportions?

-No, no, no.

But it's just got a nice balance, yeah.

-Is this more like it for you, then, Peter?

-Much more like it, yes.

-Good!

-Much more like it.

-So, living room, tick. Let's go into the kitchen.

-Right.

So, stepping down into this kitchen,

it is wider than the kitchen in the first house, but it's a lot longer,

so it feels even more narrow, but you tell me, what do you think?

It feels like...I mean, it is still a galley-style kitchen.

But there's a lot... I think using the lighter surfaces

-and so on makes it feel more spacious.

-Yeah.

And as you say, the length, so you've got a lot more cupboards

and storage space involved.

You've got a utility room at the far end,

and in between that, you've got a downstairs loo.

But this brings into play the first reception room that we walked into.

-This is a dining kitchen.

-Yes.

I think this is probably just, you know, breakfast

and...you know, for you two guys.

But formal dining, maybe in the first reception room.

I would think so, yes.

It looks as though they do that occasionally,

and maybe one would make more of it.

-Let's go upstairs and have a look at what's available bedroom-wise.

-OK.

I'll just squeeze through here. Thanks.

'I think we might be getting somewhere with this property.

'It seems to suit their needs a little better than the first house.

'Let's hope upstairs gets a similar response.'

So, into the master suite this time.

Big enough?

-Much better size, yes.

-Yes.

-Nice-sized room.

-Yes, it is.

Now, I call it a suite, because obviously,

you've got the en suite there, bathroom, shower and loo,

but a really good size dressing room.

-Right.

-With fitted wardrobes.

-Good arrangement, isn't it?

-Very spacious.

-Very nice, yeah.

Now, just to give you an idea of what we've got here,

we've got three other bedrooms.

One used as a study at the moment, playing into your hands,

and another really good-sized family bathroom.

So this house is generously proportioned.

-Yes, it is.

-Meets a lot of the targets.

Yeah, good. OK. Well, let's go down to the garden, shall we?

-I know you're dying to have a look.

-OK.

-Follow me.

'They definitely seem impressed by the master suite,

'and I know they won't be disappointed by the outside.

'It's got a beautiful walled garden with a glass roof summerhouse,

'perfect for entertaining their guests,

'and there's also a large garage with a workshop.'

So, a lot more formal, the garden, then the first property.

Until you see the natural meadow next door, which is included.

-Oh!

-Ah! Super.

-And

you can't see it just from here, but there is

a formal vegetable garden just the other side there as well.

Ooh, goodie.

So, how much do you think this house is on the market for? Peter?

-I would say this is pushing the budget. Possibly 865.

-OK. Jill?

I'm going to say it's on our budget at 850.

Well, not much between you.

This house is on the market for offers around £860,000.

-Ah, split the difference, yeah.

-So, we're in between.

Just above budget at £860,000,

this beautiful period property has a characterful sitting room,

a galley-style kitchen, and that utility room Jill was hoping for.

Upstairs, there are four bedrooms, including a spacious master suite.

Its attractive garden comes complete with a summerhouse, a meadow,

and the veggie plot for Peter,

and it's all just

a stone's throw from the beach.

-Right, so, good look around?

-Yes, thank you.

-Yes, superb.

-Got any tips for the gardening?

-No, I think we can learn something

-from them.

-I wish I was that expert!

-Well, it did look wonderful, didn't it?

-It does.

-Really lovely.

And hopefully, this house has given you something to think about tonight.

-Certainly has.

-Good. Let's go back.

Well, their reactions got steadily better throughout.

It was good that they've now got something to think about,

but it does mean it's all down to the mystery house.

-It seems like it's often all down to the mystery house.

-Yes.

Let's meet my couple, who are moving down to sunny West Sussex too,

but to spice things up a little bit, we're not just looking for them.

Born and bred in London, Carl and Katie

have spent the past 20 years in Harrow, Middlesex.

Now with their three children having left the family home, they feel

it's time to relocate for a quieter life in the West Sussex countryside.

We have been here in London all our lives,

and the benefit of the transport, particularly,

and all the local amenities,

but I'm really excited about being able to walk out of your front door

and walk, and have space and air and room and not constantly hear sirens.

But they are not the only ones who are making the trip south.

My mum and dad are hopefully going to move with us.

My dad's at an age that it would be nice to move now, so that we

can enjoy the new location before he gets too much older.

There's also a family reason behind their choice of location.

Well, Kate's brother lives down in Chichester.

I don't want to be too far away from my dad, who still lives here,

so be able to get back to him to visit

and look after him if needs be.

And ideally, they'd like to be within reasonable distance

of the local Catholic church.

We've always been involved in the church, so we hope that would be

sort of our way into a new community and a new lot of friends, really.

And she is keen to exercise her green fingers.

I love pottering about in the garden.

I think it's something to do with nurturing things,

when you haven't got your children to nurture.

So, what are the financial details from the move?

Our budget for the move is about £750,000, in that region.

Katie and Carl have asked us to focus their search in the south-west

of the county, not too far from Katie's brother in Chichester,

on the edge of the South Downs National Park.

But before we begin our house hunt, I caught up with them in West Sussex

to find out more about what they're looking for in their new home.

-Morning, guys.

-Morning!

-Welcome to Sussex.

-Thank you.

Lovely, bright day.

So, what are you looking for in terms of the location?

Well, we would like to be near to at least a pub, so not too rural,

but getting away from the hustle and bustle of a big city, really.

And inside the house, what are you looking for there?

We'd like three or four bedrooms for ourselves...

-Just to turn around through the seasons?

-Yes!

-One for each season!

And then downstairs accommodation or an annexe for Carl's

mum and dad, who are coming with us.

And in terms of the accommodation, do you want that sort of

ready-made, or are you willing to do a bit of sort of DIY?

I think we were looking to potentially refurbish maybe

a kitchen or a bathroom, perhaps knock a wall down and reconfigure,

but not really do major renovation work.

Anything else about the inside of the house you're

kind of secretly hankering for?

Yeah, I would like a kitchen/breakfast room,

-because we've always had one of them, haven't we?

-Yeah, and that's

-worked very well at home.

-And I'd like a bit of a garden.

So how much money have we got to play with?

750,000 to 800,000 at a stretch.

Well, we've got three lovely properties lined up -

all sorts of different places

offering very different things, so come with me.

For a maximum budget of £800,000, Katie and Carl

are looking for three to four bedrooms,

an annexe or downstairs space for Carl's parents,

a large kitchen/breakfast room, a good-sized garden,

all within reasonable distance from Katie's family in Chichester.

We've found three first-rate properties

to tempt them with, and at each one,

I'll be testing their valuation skills as we guess the price.

The third is the mystery house, which could have them

seeking divine intervention.

'We begin our house hunt in

'the quiet hamlet of Lagness,

'around ten minutes from

'Katie's family in Chichester.

'House number one is a barn conversion, surrounded by farmland,

'in a semi-rural location.'

Come on in.

-Oh, it is lovely.

-Wow.

-It's enormous!

-Oh, a swimming pool as well!

-Oh, it's so pretty.

-See, you don't get that in Harrow!

-No!

-And then this...

-How pretty is that?

-I do like the look of that.

..is the annexe for your ma and pa.

-What are your first impressions, then?

-Great! Let's go in.

Yeah, yeah?

I really like the ambience of the garden

and that extra little property looks lovely from the outside.

I'd like to show you this first,

because I really don't quite know whether this is going to be

big enough, or the right size for your ma and pa.

-So let's have a look.

-Lovely.

'The annexe was originally an old stable block,

'converted into separate accommodation,

'and I'm hoping it's big enough for Carl's parents.'

So, step inside.

Yeah, nice.

Originally, I think it was laid out so this was the sitting room area.

You've got a bathroom and kitchen through the arch.

And then this would have been the sleeping alcove.

I think that would work better, yes. This is a lovely big area.

Yes, nice big living room, then.

-And then, you've got a lot of storage space.

-Oh, and a loft.

Tell me about your mum and dad, what are they looking for?

What do they want to have in their space?

I think something like this would be ideal.

My dad's 92, and my mum's 14 years younger.

They're both fairly active, but stairs now are becoming more

of a challenge, so the idea would be...

They'd be with us a lot.

Quite a lot of the time, they would come in with us,

so it doesn't have to be their entire...

And when they're fed up with us, they can...

-They can hide.

-Yes, come back here again.

And when they're really fed up, they can hide in the attic.

-"We're not here!"

-"Go away!"

Well, in that case,

-I should show you the place where you're going to live.

-Yes, let's.

'Off to the main property now.

'Originally a barn, it was converted in 2000,

'and it's packed with country charm.

'So far, we're getting the thumbs up with Carl's parents catered for,

'but now for our couple themselves.'

Come on through into the kitchen.

-Here we can see some of the original beams.

-Oh, wow!

-Oh, they are lovely.

-Yes, it's a nice kitchen, isn't it?

-Yeah. Good.

-Nice kitchen.

-Kitchen/diner.

-Nice island.

Quite hankering for an island.

And you've got this sort of minstrels' gallery there.

We'll explain that later on.

How do you feel about eating in here?

Because this would be the designated dining room, I think.

I think there's plenty of room.

OK, well, this is the kitchen area,

let's move through into the sitting area.

And then this is your...

BOTH: Wow!

Wood-burning stove. I like that.

-Fireplace and a half, isn't it?

-Real fire.

French windows onto the garden.

-More garden.

-More garden.

-This is also a lovely, natural eating space.

-Yeah, definitely.

Yeah, with the vine over the top as well, it's almost like

an outdoor living space as well, isn't it?

-It's as if they planned it!

-LAUGHTER

What's nice is that you've got this space up here, which you could also,

if you were feeling very grand, have this is a formal dining room.

That's what goes into the minstrels' gallery that looks over the kitchen.

-Does this feel like a house that you could move out of London to?

-Yeah.

Everything feels really good, the location, the garden,

the accommodation. Really looks good.

First property, and it looks fantastic.

And it feels very different from a house in the town.

Let's look at the master bedroom.

The property also has a utility room just off the kitchen,

and an upstairs study area.

There are four double bedrooms in all,

accessed via the spacious main entrance hall,

with bedrooms two, three and four served by the family bathroom.

First, the master.

So, there are three bedrooms on this corridor, but this fourth one is...

-This would be your master.

-It's fantastic.

And you've got doors to the pool there.

You have, and also you've got an en suite.

-You can explore that a bit later on.

-En suite, eh?

-Oh, yes.

And again, it's so double aspect, you've got gardens each side.

Really bright. And the beams again going through.

It would be permanently like being on holiday, wouldn't it?

That's the idea!

That's what it's like moving to the countryside. Holiday all the time.

And you can have your morning breakfast there on the terrace.

Well, let's step out this way and past the pool,

let's talk about the garden.

'The mainly lawned garden lies either side of the property,

'including a raised deck area covered by vines,

'and a garage with a workshop.'

-Ooh, look, stepping out to the pool.

-Wow.

-That'll be lovely on a sunny morning.

-Suntrap.

It is a suntrap as well, yeah.

So you've got a single-level dwelling.

Is that what you were thinking about?

It really works well. I think it's very practical. The accessibility...

Oh, for Mum and Dad.

If they're coming over from the annexe to visit us,

that wouldn't be any problem for them whatsoever.

-OK, so the final part of the puzzle is the price.

-Yes.

How much do you think this little parcel of West Sussex costs?

Oh, I'm really, really hoping you wouldn't be mean.

-I've been known to be mean in the past.

-I'm going to go 795.

I'm going to be very optimistic

and probably hoping more than anything else, 780.

780.

Well, in this instance, you should listen to your wife,

cos she's exactly right. It's on the market for 795.

-Right, yeah, listen to me.

-It doesn't surprise me.

House number one comes in just under their top budget at £795,000,

and it gives them four bedrooms,

a separate annexe, ideal for Carl's parents,

A large kitchen/diner,

ample gardens including a swimming pool,

all close to Katie's brother in Chichester,

and the splendid West Sussex coast.

-Wow, I had to pull you out of that house.

-It's fantastic.

-It's got the thumbs up, didn't it?

-Yeah, it really did.

-Really good.

-Yeah.

-It is only house number one.

'Many English counties can be identified

'not only by their landscape but by their buildings

'and the materials used to construct them.

'With an abundance of flint found in West Sussex,

'it's become a defining feature of the county's architecture.

'One such building made from this durable quartz

'is West Dean House in the village of West Dean.

'Originally built in 1804 for the politician James Peachey,

'this Georgian Gothic manor house eventually became the

'West Dean College in 1971 -

'a centre teaching traditional craft skills.

'I've come to meet college tutor and flint mason

'Gerry Williams to find out more about this hardy crystalline.'

Morning, Gerry.

-Hi.

-Nice to meet you.

-Welcome to West Dean.

-What an amazing building.

-You are a flint fanatic, can I call you that?

-A fanatic, yeah.

Absolutely. I'll go along with that.

I can see this is a very unusually white and very orderly flint.

What information does that give you?

Basically, when this was built, they left a cortex,

-which is the outside of the flint left on.

-Cortex?

Cortex, which is like a rind of a cheese.

What about West Sussex,

what's typical about this building, for example?

Is there anything you would spot as being typically West Sussex?

Only the fact that there's galleting.

There's a lot of areas where there isn't galleting,

-Even in East Sussex, no galleting.

-What's galleting?

Galleting is the small slivers of flint

that are knocked off of a big flint so that you get all these

little bits that you can stick in round the joints.

It is purely to show a sign of wealth,

because it costs a lot of money to sit there galleting.

-So this is a wealthy man's house.

-Absolutely, yeah.

'Found mainly in areas of chalk and limestone,

'nobody really knows how flint is formed.

'It is extremely tough, almost as hard as diamonds,

'and it takes years to learn how to read the flint

'so you can map it into the exact shape you want.

'Time for my lesson, I think.'

Here we have the flint bench.

Ah.

All the raw material.

How do you work it, cos it's extremely hard?

It's a tough material.

It's tough material, but it's not specifically hard.

You have to look at it and assume where you're going to work it,

and then tap it.

-Then you're listening and looking at the same time.

-Listening?

You listen to hear how it rings, then off you go.

-You'll find out in a minute.

-Can we have a go?

-Yes.

I think you'd better put your gloves on.

They're quite sharp, aren't they?

Very sharp. Lethal.

Knock a bit off.

RINGING

You can hear it's ringing quite well.

Are there any tips? An I listening for anything in particular?

What we want you to do,

just try and think you're going to knock that lump off.

What you want to be looking at is that nodule there.

Just give it a sharp crack.

That's it.

Yeah, it's gone.

Ooh.

-LAUGHING:

-That's a bit bigger than I had expected.

It's got a mind of its own.

You have to work it.

-So you can see here that... This is the cortex, is it?

-That's it.

This is the black, black flint.

Yeah.

Wow, it's really amazing.

I'm getting the hang of it.

This is amazing. This has been so instructive.

-I have learnt knapping, gallets. Gallets.

-Gallets.

-It's been a real joy. Thank you so much.

-Good.

Good to meet you.

'I have a long way to go before I build my own flint house,

'I think, but thankfully Gerry is here to pass on these traditional

'skills to conserve wonderful flint structures for years to come.'

For our second house,

we're travelling north-east

into the South Downs National Park,

to the hamlet of Watersfield,

about 30 minutes from Chichester.

'House number two, an ironstone-built property, can be

'found at the end of a quiet lane.'

Swing the corner.

-That's nice.

-Oh, wow.

-House number two.

-That's lovely.

-A nice little country cottage.

-Oh, that's gorgeous.

-This one has floors.

-Floors, yes, indeed.

Yeah. And a big garage, look.

If you look to the left, through the hedge.

Another little house for Mum and Dad.

A separate annexe for your mum and dad.

Is this more of what you were thinking?

I think this is what I envisaged.

Yeah, just a normal, detached house.

Well, in good country style we're not going in through the front door,

we're going to go round the side.

'Built in the 1950s, the property has undergone radical modernisation,

'mixing contemporary interior design with a traditional exterior.'

-Come on in, through the boot room.

-That's a lovely big boot room.

-Straight into this.

-Oh, gosh.

-Fantastic space.

-Wow. Goodness me!

-You weren't expecting that, were you?

-No. No.

You can really have everybody in the kitchen while you're cooking here.

It's slightly unusual, cos you've got the old kitchen,

prep-room there.

That's got all your white goods - washing machine, fridge.

This is the more kitchen, in the sense that this is the space

where you'd probably eat and have breakfast.

If you come through in here,

you can see the layout of this spectacular add-on that they put.

Wow, it's a suntrap.

It's a suntrap.

It's quite hot now, but the great thing about it is that you can

open up every single one of these...

And be outside.

..and be outside.

Bi-fold doors? I don't even know what you call them.

-Concertina doors really lets the outside in.

-That's quite something.

This really I think would be your main walkway.

You can actually see there's a sitting room there,

that's opened up to that one.

At the end there's a study as well

so you can access all of the rooms from the back and the front.

-Is it nice, though. Do you like it?

-I do like it, yeah.

It's very different.

Yes, getting the head around what you've got here

-and how you could use it.

-It is different from the last property.

Let's look upstairs so you can see the upstairs layout.

'The downstairs definitely has the wow factor in terms of space,

'but they seem a little overawed by just how much there is.

'Upstairs there are three double bedrooms in all.

'Bedrooms two and three are served by the family bathroom with

'a square plunge bath.

'Before that, the master.'

Oh, look at the stained glass.

Look at the stained glass.

This is a nice-sized room.

-Up the stairs it's a bit more like a typical 1950s...

-Yeah.

-A lot of storage in this property.

-Good.

All your storage here.

This one has a very nice modern, en suite wet room.

-Ah.

-And a bathtub.

-That's something, yeah.

How are you feeling about this house? I feel that...

I think I'm a little ambivalent towards this house because I'm

confused by the traditional outside and front part of the house

and then the back view just shocked me. But it's quite a quirky house.

I guess the clincher would be

what the annexe is like for Mum and Dad, really.

Well, let's go and look. If you'll excuse me, I'll lead the way.

'With Carl and Katie somewhat dazed and confused, I think

'the annexe is going to have to be a knockout to put this

'house into any sort of contention.'

Come on in.

What we have here is a much more substantial annexe,

in the sense it's got three separate rooms - a bedroom out this way -

and separate mains, separate electricity,

it's all completely separate.

It's all finished beautifully, isn't it?

-How does this compare to the last one?

-Different, isn't it?

-This is a larger space, isn't it?

-It's much brighter and more open.

-Obviously it's got less stuff in it.

-Totally different feel.

There is more room here. It's a bigger area, isn't it?

-It doesn't have a kitchen.

-OK.

-Yeah, that's the difference.

You would have to get planning to put a kitchen on.

We're not sure how much of a problem that would be,

-cos I'm sure they'd always be eating with us.

-Right.

But first you need to know how much it costs,

so let's go out into the garden to talk about money.

'The gardens are mainly laid to lawn,

'with a paved terrace area leading

'on from the sitting room looking out over splendid rural views.'

-The missing piece of the puzzle is the price.

-Yes, the price.

-What do you think this is on the market for?

-You go first this time.

Well, one less bedroom. Still really nice location.

I'm thinking maybe 775.

I was sort of going there as well at 780.

-780.

-Yeah.

Well, it might be the deciding factor.

This is actually on the market for £835,000.

-OK.

-I still think the issue for me is the mix of the modern

and the traditional.

Priced at £835,000, our second house has come in over budget.

It offers three bedrooms, a huge kitchen/breakfast room.

A living room with folding doors and windows on all three sides.

A two-bedroomed annexe.

A good sized garden,

all around half an hour

from family in Chichester.

-Well, that is all the houses done for today.

-Right.

-Time to digest and have a little rest.

-Indeed.

-Let's go.

-So you hit the ground running with the very first house.

-Yes, indeed.

It was a beautiful house, and yet the second one they just could not

get their head around that mix of very contemporary and traditional.

Still, there's the mystery house.

So if we go back to my couple

Peter and Jill from Weybridge in Surrey,

they had a good budget of £800,000.

They were really after a slower pace of life.

There was one property that Peter said he did not want to look at,

that was a barn conversion.

Any ideas what the mystery house might be?

-Barn conversion.

-Oh, he's good.

Our final property takes us

three-and-a-half miles west

to the hamlet of Flansham.

I'm hoping our mystery house just down the road might

have our couple waxing lyrical,

even though it's not exactly the style they asked for.

-Rather grand entrance.

-Yes.

-Opening up into the courtyard of the mystery house.

-Ah.

-Ah.

Come on, be honest, what are you thinking?

First impression's good.

I don't want to poke the hornet's nest, but this is a barn conversion.

-Yes, I know.

-I know but it looks good so far.

-We are open-minded.

Mm!

-This is great news. You said you wanted space.

-Yes.

-I think this has it.

-OK.

-Excellent.

-You like the style?

-Yes.

-You like the position?

-Yes.

Let's look inside.

'The barn was first converted in the 1980s, and it incorporates

'the adjoining brick building

'that was originally a series of cow sheds.'

-Let's start with a very impressive room.

-Goodness, that's super.

Space you said, space we've got.

-You have indeed, haven't you?

-Isn't that nice?

-That's lovely.

-That is super.

That really is.

Now the far end of the barn you've got a downstairs loo

and another reception room, which is...

I think it's as big as we've seen already anyway,

that's in comparison to the small one.

You've got options to do with this house what you want, and then some.

-Flexibility.

-So good reactions.

-Very positive.

-Very positive, yeah.

Well, I think you'll like the kitchen. I hope you do. Follow me.

-Goodness. Another lovely, large room.

-Well, didn't expect that.

THEY LAUGH

-No? You thought we'd used up all the space with the living room?

-Yes.

-This house is huge.

-It's lovely.

Through that door there you've got a lovely utility room.

You've got a pantry to the right-hand side and a downstairs loo,

then an entrance out into the back garden.

I really like that.

Look, this is twice as big

as both the previous houses' kitchens put together.

-It is. Absolutely.

-Are you going to fill it?

-Oh, easily.

-The back end of this wing,

if you like, I think it's fair to call them wings.

There's a staircase going up to one of the bedrooms.

We're going to go up the main staircase, then we'll find out

whether your fears of this being pinched at the top are just or not.

-Follow me.

-Right.

'This place really does give them the space

'they've been looking for and more.

'The property's effectively divided into two sections - the large,

'original barn part of the house contains the toilet

'and the two reception rooms we've just seen, and the more narrow

'brick wing houses the beautiful kitchen and adjoining utility room.

'Each section has its own staircase leading to the first floor

'where the same sized space is divided into five bedrooms,

'with three en suites and a family bathroom.'

So, master bedroom.

Oh, gosh.

-It doesn't pinch out, does it?

-No.

-Nice height.

You'll see throughout this property

that unlike a lot of barn conversions,

you're not cramped up in the eaves.

You have genuine roof height.

Lovely effect with the beams.

Have a quick look into the en suite, cos I rather like it.

See what you think.

-Oh, that's well done, that.

-Beautiful.

Clever.

-Not a bad size, is it?

-It's good.

-Yes, clever.

-They've been really clever with the space.

-They have.

Although it's steeply sloped, it still looks spacious.

There is another bathroom. In fact, I'll explain what we've got here.

'This well-thought out conversion gives them

'more than 4,500 square feet.

'So all of the rooms up here are a really decent size,

'and they have so much character with the wonderful exposed timber beams.'

So two bathrooms back-to-back, laid out Jack and Jill, really,

so you can go in and out of them. But we've now seen four bedrooms.

This is the fifth. There's four bathrooms.

Plus there's another floor with another bedroom on its own.

-Goodness.

-Fantastic.

I'm wondering now, with five bedrooms on the first floor, you could

probably dispense with one bedroom for a really nice

-first floor office, couldn't you?

-Yep.

-Absolutely.

Lots to come back and have a look around, but let's now go outside

and, on the way there, start thinking about price.

-OK.

-OK.

'It's pretty clear that against the odds, our buyers are rather taken

'with this barn conversion and the huge amount of space it offers them.

'Outside, there's yet more space

'with a detached double garage and an expansive garden.'

Thankfully, this house delivers on outside space

-as well as inside, doesn't it?

-It does.

-In every respect. Lovely views.

-Super views.

She's a handsome beast, isn't she, this house? This barn conversion.

Been nicely done.

I'll just say it again, barn conversion.

-All right, you've surprised us.

-Good.

How much do you think this mystery house is on the market for?

I think it's probably a bit over our budget. I'll go for 895,000.

OK.

Yeah, I'm pretty much of the same mind. Somewhere around the 900 mark.

Yeah, well, bad news on this one, cos you're way out.

This is on the market for offers around £795,000.

-My goodness.

-Really?

-Goodness.

-Well, you call that bad news?

No, I don't, actually.

THEY LAUGH

In spite of all that space,

this stylish barn conversion is under budget at £795,000.

It has two large reception rooms,

one of which would make a perfect study for Peter.

There's a spacious kitchen and separate utility room.

And with six bedrooms,

three en suites and a family bathroom,

they'll have no trouble putting up their friends.

Outside there's a double garage

and a garden

with attractive rural views.

Now then. You look like you rather enjoyed looking around that house.

-We did.

-Brilliant.

Lots of space, but hopefully that also gives you lots to consider.

-It does.

-It does.

-Let's find you somewhere to do that.

-Thank you.

So hopefully you've had a bit of a chance to think about things.

We have.

Which one's your favourite.

The mystery house, definitely.

-Definitely?

-Absolutely.

-Why is it your favourite?

-I think it's one word - space.

-Not too big?

I don't think you can have too much space,

so long as you can heat it properly and it's liveable in.

I don't think you two can have too much space.

-I think you're getting that.

-Yeah, quite.

I've certainly learnt over these past couple of days more about what

you are after.

Do you think you've learnt more?

We've found that you do have to go and have a look.

You can't just look at what's on the internet

and look at the floor plan and think,

"Oh, yes, that's right for us."

The next step is going back to have a look.

How interested in the property are you?

Extremely.

I think if the locality proves OK,

then we'd certainly be looking to make an offer on it.

Fantastic.

I wish you the best of luck.

-Whatever happens, please let us know what you decide to do.

-We will.

Keep you in touch.

-Good luck.

-Thank you.

There you go, mystery house tactic worked out,

-he loved the barn conversion.

-It was a beautiful house, wasn't it?

I think it negated any fears Peter had about it being small upstairs.

Let's face it, the house was massive.

He loved the idea of entertaining there as well.

So spinning back to Katie and Carl, they've got £750,000 and,

to be honest, I think they loved house number one with the pool.

-But...

-But?

Well, they really do have to think carefully

about what to do with Carl's parents.

Practicality then.

So for the mystery house, we are going for divine inspiration.

Can you guess what it is?

I've got faith that they'll like it. Put it that way.

'For today's mystery house,

'we're heading further east

'to the village of Warninglid

'putting them about an hour away

'from Chichester.

'In the heart of the village is our mystery house,

'a converted property that was once the hub of the community.'

Here we go.

-It's the mystery house.

-Oh, my gosh.

-Oh, wow.

-What do you think this used to be?

-A church.

-A church.

That's amazing.

-I said I liked going to church, didn't I?

-You did.

You don't even need to get out of bed, you're in church.

-Is that all one property?

-It is all one property, yes.

Good heavens.

-What are your thoughts and feelings?

-Amazing.

Amazing.

-Let's look inside.

-Let's.

'Built in 1932,

'the church has undergone a substantial refurbishment

'and bearing in mind their reaction to the mix of styles

'in our second property, I'm hoping this sympathetic modernisation

'will elicit a more favourable response.'

Oh, my gosh.

Oh, my gosh.

It's enormous! It's echoey. Listen to it, it's so huge.

What a living space.

This is beyond my wildest imaginings.

So let's walk down to the...

Well, I suppose down the aisle to the kitchen.

This would have been where the altar was, the east end of the church.

You've got the more elaborate stained glass above the...

Beautiful colours.

-Good heavens, indeed.

-It's quite a signature kitchen as well, isn't it?

Yeah.

The dark units and the contrast with the white surface.

-Really modern looking.

-Is that pleasing?

I think that looks really nice.

This is clearly the pa-zang space full of the sound of the angels.

Through the archway is the more modest living space.

I wonder what your mum and dad would think about living in a church.

'We're certainly getting more than our fair share of wows

'with this property, but as we head to the new extension,

'it's time to address the question of space for Carl's parents.'

The second half of the house is a bit more modest,

although anything would be modest after that first half.

-Has it got the same windows?

-Yeah.

-Nicely matched in.

So the challenge of this property, and I will be frank,

is that it doesn't have a ready-made annexe.

Right.

However, it doest have, on this floor,

a massive beautiful family bathroom with a massive shower,

-which is actually suitable for a wheelchair.

-Right, brilliant.

And this room. Also on this floor, another double and a single room.

-OK.

-So that is basically a living accommodation.

Let's look upstairs at your bedroom.

There is enough space for their parents,

but it remains to be seen whether the property offers

enough separate space for Carl and Katie themselves.

So a very nice modern bathroom. Fantastic. Fantastic finish.

The quality is amazing.

-This would probably be your room.

-Yeah.

Yeah, definitely, because it's got... Ta-da! ..huge storage.

-Goodness.

-You can fit all your dresses in there.

-Yeah, just.

-There's space over there for more storage.

-Yeah, dressing table.

Yeah, nice high room.

Yeah, even though it's sloping ceilings,

you wouldn't bang your head, would you?

The challenge of this property is that you only have

four bedrooms in total to play with, and one of those is quite small.

Yeah, OK.

It's just so unlike anywhere we've ever seen.

It's really got the wow factor, both from outside and from inside.

-That is why it's the mystery house.

-Absolutely.

There is a little bit of space outside,

so let's look at the back garden.

'Bearing in mind Katie wanted somewhere to potter,

'the garden is relatively modest.

'At the front is a paved terrace,

'edged by box hedging with a small lawn to the side.

'The rear is mainly gravelled with a patio seating area.

'There's also a garage for Carl to tinker in.'

-Is it working for you?

-It's beyond amazing, isn't it?

But we're quite messy. We've got quite a lot of things.

That house needs to be open and clean, doesn't it?

So I'm still trying to get my head around whether we could live there.

How much do you think it is on the market for?

I'd have said 850,000.

I'd have said near enough that as well,

maybe 845, something like that.

You must really like it,

cos actually it's on the market for 750,000.

Oh, is it?

I think they need to put their prices up.

It seems our mystery house has foxed them.

On the market for £750,000, it offers them bags of character

with four bedrooms, a massive kitchen and living space.

A huge downstairs bathroom, ideal for Carl's parents.

A garage with workshop potential,

all set in a beautiful village location.

-You all done?

-Yes, thank you.

-I'm afraid that's the last house I have to show you.

-Oh.

No more.

Well, they've all been amazing, the three you have shown us.

Ended on a real high.

Good. Well, let's go and find somewhere to gather our thoughts.

Thank you.

I would bet this cream tea here that the two houses

you like the most are the first and the last.

-Yeah.

-You're not wrong.

-Yes.

Cream tea is mine. Excellent.

Have you had any thoughts about the first and the last house

since we've got back?

I think we really could see ourselves living in the first house

as opposed to the third house, which was beyond fabulous

but probably not really practical for us all to live in.

It's interesting.

Sometimes I think you're looking for the house for your parents

rather than yourselves. Have you allowed yourself a bit of,

"Ooh, this house would be nice for me"?

I think it is very much for both, so that's why the separate annexe

and all the accommodation in the first house really did fit the bill.

So the next step is what?

Well, certainly, initially to go back

and have a look at the surrounding area for the first property.

The first property is very close to your brother.

Yes, which would be so good to be able to see them on a more regular

basis and have my niece and nephew come over and play in the pool.

With that pool you'll be seeing a lot of them, I should think.

Well, I hope it all goes well.

There's a few obstacles that you need to get through,

but your excitement will carry you through, no doubt.

Yeah, we're really looking forward to moving.

So a firm favourite. Back to property number one.

Yes, they loved property number one.

They weren't so keen on the mystery house.

-It literally put the fear of God into them.

-You could see it.

How about you, how about Pete and Jill's barn-conversion conversion?

You know what? I take my hat off to them.

They said right at the outset, "We're open-minded."

You can't get any more open-minded than opting for the type of building

they specifically said they didn't want to see - a barn conversion.

Also, hats off to Katie and Carl, because they're doing the thing

that we often have on the show -

they're moving with their parents.

They're looking for a granny annexe, and that's not always so easy.

Sometimes you're looking for two houses in one,

which always pushes the budget, doesn't it?

It's a big journey for both of our couples, really,

who will hopefully both soon be making their full-time escapes

to the beautiful West Sussex countryside.

-That's a very good choice.

-Indeed. See you next time.

-Bye.

After filming, Carl and Katie decided

country living wasn't for them

and have since bought a house in the city of Chichester.

And Peter and Jill finally found a property

in the village of Cocking, and hope to move in the next two months.

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