0:00:28 > 0:00:30Welcome to a special edition of Escape To The Country, where Jonnie
0:00:30 > 0:00:33and I are hunting for properties for two couples in one county.
0:00:33 > 0:00:36We've lined up six viewings that will highlight the very best
0:00:36 > 0:00:39that the county has to offer, but will also hopefully tempt
0:00:39 > 0:00:41our buyers to part with their hard-earned cash.
0:00:41 > 0:00:44And our destination today is full of "eastern" promise.
0:00:44 > 0:00:46Can you guess where it is?
0:01:04 > 0:01:06'On today's show I help a jet-set couple
0:01:06 > 0:01:08'put down roots in the country.'
0:01:08 > 0:01:12It's just like something out of a magazine. It's beautiful.
0:01:12 > 0:01:14'And I'll be helping a retired couple
0:01:14 > 0:01:18'who want to experience a new life in the countryside.
0:01:18 > 0:01:20'And we'll be giving them houses that really touch their hearts.'
0:01:20 > 0:01:26- That stirs me, that does. - Love it. Absolutely love it.
0:01:28 > 0:01:30Today we are setting our sights on
0:01:30 > 0:01:33the delightful county of Suffolk in East Anglia,
0:01:33 > 0:01:35home to some stunning medieval properties
0:01:35 > 0:01:38and plenty of architectural gems to please the eye.
0:01:38 > 0:01:41And as you travel around, you see these incredible churches,
0:01:41 > 0:01:44particularly inland, built on the wealth of the wool trade.
0:01:44 > 0:01:47But they are not the only highlights of this timeless county.
0:01:49 > 0:01:52Tucked into the far eastern corner of the country
0:01:52 > 0:01:55and bordered by the three counties of Norfolk, Cambridgeshire and Essex,
0:01:55 > 0:01:59Suffolk is also fringed by over 40 miles of heritage coastline
0:01:59 > 0:02:02looking out across the North Sea.
0:02:02 > 0:02:05During the Middle Ages the county enriched its fortunes
0:02:05 > 0:02:09on the back of a thriving wool and textile industry.
0:02:09 > 0:02:12Evidence of that prosperity lives on today through the immaculate
0:02:12 > 0:02:16Tudor and medieval architecture of its wool towns.
0:02:16 > 0:02:19The low-lying terrain is home to huge far-reaching vistas.
0:02:19 > 0:02:23And with parts of the county less than 100ft above sea level,
0:02:23 > 0:02:27Suffolk's coastline constantly fights from falling victim to the sea.
0:02:27 > 0:02:31Forming the border between Suffolk and Essex is the Stour Valley,
0:02:31 > 0:02:35birthplace of famed British artist John Constable.
0:02:35 > 0:02:39In his paintings, he loved to depict this special pastoral landscape,
0:02:39 > 0:02:42whose appeal continues to enchant many to this day.
0:02:46 > 0:02:49Of course we are very busy looking at lots of rural counties
0:02:49 > 0:02:51but I think Suffolk has a special place,
0:02:51 > 0:02:53because in lots of people's imagination
0:02:53 > 0:02:56they think of it as being perhaps more remote than it actually is.
0:02:56 > 0:03:00Yes, but you can still get into London within 90 minutes.
0:03:00 > 0:03:04But that's sometimes just a bit too far away for some commuters,
0:03:04 > 0:03:07which plays into the hands of the property market -
0:03:07 > 0:03:08it keeps prices down.
0:03:08 > 0:03:11The average price of a detached house there is 5% cheaper
0:03:11 > 0:03:14than the national figure, which in real money is a 12 grand saving.
0:03:14 > 0:03:17Yet, it's funny. Historically you've got places like Southwold
0:03:17 > 0:03:20and Aldeburgh which are quite difficult to get to, quite remote,
0:03:20 > 0:03:21and they are really expensive.
0:03:21 > 0:03:23Yes, but pretty as well.
0:03:23 > 0:03:25We centred a search around Lavenham
0:03:25 > 0:03:28and it was a wool town stuck in a time warp.
0:03:28 > 0:03:30The most beautiful medieval property.
0:03:30 > 0:03:33What people have to bear in mind, it's also popular with tourists,
0:03:33 > 0:03:36so get ready for people taking photos through your windows.
0:03:36 > 0:03:38- A bit like living in a museum perhaps?- Yes, it can be.
0:03:38 > 0:03:40And if you've got a young family
0:03:40 > 0:03:42and you're having to commute back into London,
0:03:42 > 0:03:43you're probably safer looking at
0:03:43 > 0:03:46- those towns like Stowmarket. - Yes, but also Sudbury.
0:03:46 > 0:03:47It's still a pretty town,
0:03:47 > 0:03:50but a good direct train link into London as well.
0:03:50 > 0:03:53Luckily my couple were not looking to work,
0:03:53 > 0:03:54they were doing exactly the opposite.
0:03:54 > 0:03:56They were retiring into the countryside.
0:03:56 > 0:03:58But before we do that, let's meet my couple
0:03:58 > 0:04:02and find out why they want to move to this remarkably beautiful county.
0:04:05 > 0:04:08For nearly 40 years, the large coastal town of South Shields
0:04:08 > 0:04:12has been home to retired deputy head Marion and her husband David,
0:04:12 > 0:04:16who spent a long and adventurous career as a master mariner.
0:04:16 > 0:04:19But now their grown-up sons have left home, they too have decided
0:04:19 > 0:04:23it's anchors aweigh from urban life in Tyne and Wear.
0:04:23 > 0:04:26What I dream of is to live in the country,
0:04:26 > 0:04:30where the next neighbours are quite a distance away from me
0:04:30 > 0:04:34and the only sounds we hear are natural sounds.
0:04:34 > 0:04:38One only has to have a look at a map to see why I've chosen Suffolk,
0:04:38 > 0:04:40or why WE'VE chosen Suffolk.
0:04:40 > 0:04:41Because if you look at a map,
0:04:41 > 0:04:44you'll see there's so few main roads passing through there.
0:04:44 > 0:04:46It's so very rural.
0:04:46 > 0:04:50And that sort of environment really appeals to us.
0:04:50 > 0:04:52After four decades in their current house,
0:04:52 > 0:04:56are there any must-haves for their new home in the country?
0:04:56 > 0:04:59Marion definitely wants a utility room,
0:04:59 > 0:05:03which is one thing we are lacking in this present house.
0:05:03 > 0:05:11I'm quite a keen gardener and I would like quite a large garden.
0:05:11 > 0:05:15And all that's left is to find out their finances.
0:05:15 > 0:05:21The budget for our move is between £400,000 and £500,000,
0:05:24 > 0:05:27David and Marion are hoping this move will help them
0:05:27 > 0:05:30to stay better connected to their son in London,
0:05:30 > 0:05:33so we'll concentrate our house search closest to the capital
0:05:33 > 0:05:36in the beautiful villages surrounding Bury St Edmunds
0:05:36 > 0:05:38in the western portion of the county.
0:05:38 > 0:05:42We are all meeting up in Suffolk to finalise the specifics of this move.
0:05:45 > 0:05:48Welcome, both of you, to Suffolk.
0:05:48 > 0:05:50Tell me, why the big move down here from the Northeast?
0:05:50 > 0:05:54Well, it's very rural and we've been brought up
0:05:54 > 0:05:59and lived most of our lives in a suburban conurbation and we thought
0:05:59 > 0:06:04it's time for a change and this is a beautiful part of the world.
0:06:04 > 0:06:06I'm a bit of a local historian.
0:06:06 > 0:06:10I've written several books about Tyneside and whatever,
0:06:10 > 0:06:12and have more or less exhausted
0:06:12 > 0:06:14the subject matter from my point of view,
0:06:14 > 0:06:19so maybe when I move here it will give me a new impetus in that way,
0:06:19 > 0:06:22discovering what Suffolk is all about.
0:06:22 > 0:06:25- There is plenty to find out about. - Absolutely. Yes.
0:06:25 > 0:06:29Does your love of history transfer into maybe your desires
0:06:29 > 0:06:32for a new house here? Does it need to be an old house?
0:06:32 > 0:06:36- We really would like a traditional house.- It's got to be detached.
0:06:36 > 0:06:41- I would like to have land all around the house.- OK.
0:06:41 > 0:06:44- We didn't really want a thatch. - Why is that?
0:06:44 > 0:06:47Well, we just think it's like having another child.
0:06:47 > 0:06:48That's what we've heard...
0:06:48 > 0:06:50- THEY LAUGH - ..you know?
0:06:50 > 0:06:53Do you have any differences of opinions as regards to location?
0:06:53 > 0:06:56- Can I show you something in the middle of nowhere?- No.- No.
0:06:56 > 0:06:59No. We don't want to be in the middle of nowhere.
0:06:59 > 0:07:01- My idea is the outskirts of a village.- Right.
0:07:01 > 0:07:03The village must have a pub, by the way.
0:07:03 > 0:07:06It's not a village otherwise, is it? Not in my opinion.
0:07:06 > 0:07:09Let's start with property number one. Then we'll go from there. All right.
0:07:09 > 0:07:12- That's great.- This way.- Right.
0:07:14 > 0:07:18For a maximum budget of £500,000 our buyers are looking
0:07:18 > 0:07:21for a detached character property that can accommodate
0:07:21 > 0:07:23visiting family as well as their varied hobbies.
0:07:23 > 0:07:27Marion particularly desires a utility room.
0:07:27 > 0:07:29And for David it's a large study.
0:07:29 > 0:07:33But they both want a big wraparound garden in a location
0:07:33 > 0:07:34on the edge of a village,
0:07:34 > 0:07:36but within easy reach of a local pub.
0:07:37 > 0:07:41And we have a superb variety of Suffolk homes to serve up,
0:07:41 > 0:07:43but I'll be keeping the price a guessing game
0:07:43 > 0:07:45until we've had a good look around first.
0:07:45 > 0:07:49Then to finish up our property tour, we've got one foot on the pulse
0:07:49 > 0:07:52and the other in the past with our mystery house.
0:07:59 > 0:08:03We are starting our search in Hundon, southwest of Bury St Edmunds.
0:08:03 > 0:08:06And on the outskirts of the village we find property number one.
0:08:10 > 0:08:16- It's very nice.- Very different. - To anything we imagined, yes.
0:08:16 > 0:08:18- Is it?- Very, very different to anything we imagined.
0:08:18 > 0:08:22I think we were thinking in terms of stone, brick.
0:08:22 > 0:08:25- That's called clapboard, is it, I believe?- Is it?
0:08:25 > 0:08:27- Clapboard, weatherboarding.- Yes.
0:08:27 > 0:08:31And this is lovely, this garden here and it's private.
0:08:31 > 0:08:34- You said you wanted a mature garden.- Yes...
0:08:34 > 0:08:37- I think that's it, isn't it? - ..which is important, yes.
0:08:37 > 0:08:40So, all in all, first impressions?
0:08:40 > 0:08:42- Yes, it's possible, possible.- Good.
0:08:42 > 0:08:45- But we haven't seen the inside yet. - You want to look inside, do you(?)
0:08:45 > 0:08:49- I think so, yes(!)- That's awkward! OK, let's give it a go.
0:08:50 > 0:08:53With a pedigree spanning two centuries this old barn
0:08:53 > 0:08:56was converted into a family home about 25 years ago.
0:08:56 > 0:08:59So I'm hoping it will give Marion and David
0:08:59 > 0:09:01the very best of vintage and modern.
0:09:03 > 0:09:05Mind your step on the way down.
0:09:06 > 0:09:12- So?- Love it. Absolutely love it. Fabulous. Absolutely love it.
0:09:12 > 0:09:16- Very light, isn't it?- I think we could spend a lot of time in here.
0:09:16 > 0:09:22I love this eating area here, and sitting area. Absolutely lovely.
0:09:22 > 0:09:24- We do have a separate living room. - Yes.
0:09:24 > 0:09:28- Let's go and have a look at that. Come on.- Right.- Mind your step.
0:09:32 > 0:09:35- I'm predicting that you'll like this room as well.- Certainly.
0:09:35 > 0:09:39It flows, it's the same style throughout.
0:09:39 > 0:09:41- It's square.- It's square.
0:09:41 > 0:09:44- Now that was one of the things we hadn't said to you.- Oh.
0:09:44 > 0:09:46That was another demand,
0:09:46 > 0:09:50that we really wanted a square sitting area, and this is it.
0:09:50 > 0:09:54That window looks out onto the garden, is that correct?
0:09:54 > 0:09:57- Next-door neighbour's garden. - Next door.- Right. OK.
0:09:57 > 0:10:00That's a bit of a negative, I'm afraid, especially
0:10:00 > 0:10:03from the next-door neighbour's point of view, too.
0:10:03 > 0:10:05Yeah. That's fair enough.
0:10:05 > 0:10:08These are the compromises that we're going to have to field,
0:10:08 > 0:10:11then decide whether or not you can overcome them or not.
0:10:11 > 0:10:12- Think about it.- Yes.- Yes.
0:10:14 > 0:10:16'It was all going so well,
0:10:16 > 0:10:19'but we've hit a potential hurdle with the living room outlook.
0:10:19 > 0:10:23'So let's go onwards, and definitely upwards, to the first floor,'
0:10:23 > 0:10:26where a mezzanine landing leads to four bedrooms served by
0:10:26 > 0:10:31two family bathrooms - ideal for when family or friends come to stay.
0:10:31 > 0:10:34Two of the bedrooms are good-sized doubles with exposed timbers,
0:10:34 > 0:10:36and the smallest one is being used as a study,
0:10:36 > 0:10:39but we're going to check out the master bedroom.
0:10:40 > 0:10:44Right. It's a good-sized room.
0:10:44 > 0:10:49So you've got four bedrooms, which means we've got hobby rooms,
0:10:49 > 0:10:54- we've got offices.- Mm-hm. - You've got options.- Right. Yes.
0:10:54 > 0:10:56I like the size of this room actually.
0:10:56 > 0:11:00It is definitely, very definitely a double bedroom.
0:11:00 > 0:11:03Let's go outside now, have another look at the garden,
0:11:03 > 0:11:04but also start to think about
0:11:04 > 0:11:08- how much this house might be on the market for.- Right.- All right?
0:11:12 > 0:11:15Outside there's a matching black weatherboarded
0:11:15 > 0:11:17double carport adjoining a workshop,
0:11:17 > 0:11:19and the garden has been beautifully maintained,
0:11:19 > 0:11:22which lies to the front of the property,
0:11:22 > 0:11:24with the added benefit of facing south.
0:11:24 > 0:11:27Well, you had a first glimpse of the garden when we arrived, didn't you?
0:11:27 > 0:11:29- Yes.- Yes, we did.
0:11:29 > 0:11:32Now you know that this is... This is all that you get.
0:11:32 > 0:11:35All in all, apparently the plot size is about a quarter of an acre.
0:11:35 > 0:11:36I like this garden very much.
0:11:36 > 0:11:40- Well... You've seen it isn't wrapped around with its own land.- Yes.
0:11:40 > 0:11:43But you've seen that it's in a lovely little village with a pub
0:11:43 > 0:11:45- just down the road.- Mm-hm.- Yeah.
0:11:45 > 0:11:48How much do you think this place is on the market for?
0:11:48 > 0:11:52- I'm guessing about £450,000.- OK.
0:11:52 > 0:11:57Well, I think I might go a little bit lower than that.
0:11:57 > 0:11:59How about £440,000?
0:11:59 > 0:12:03Well, this place has just recently come on the market.
0:12:03 > 0:12:06- Offers around £499,950.- Uh-huh.
0:12:06 > 0:12:10- So that's top end of our budget. - It is a very nice house.
0:12:10 > 0:12:12We really did like the house.
0:12:13 > 0:12:18Just £50 under the top budget at £499,950,
0:12:18 > 0:12:22our first home is a detached barn conversion
0:12:22 > 0:12:24with spacious accommodation that lends itself
0:12:24 > 0:12:26to a kitchen-breakfast room,
0:12:26 > 0:12:30a large square drawing room, four bedrooms and a mature private garden.
0:12:30 > 0:12:36- Now then, enjoy that?- Very much. Yes. - Very interesting.- OK.
0:12:36 > 0:12:40- That's one down.- Right.- Let's go and have a look at another one.- OK.
0:12:46 > 0:12:51Suffolk's relatively level terrain and easterly coastal location
0:12:51 > 0:12:55has ensured a long and distinguished role in Britain's aviation history.
0:12:55 > 0:12:58And in a rural spot to the south of the county,
0:12:58 > 0:13:01a small team of expert aeronautical enthusiasts are keeping
0:13:01 > 0:13:04an important part of that legacy alive.
0:13:04 > 0:13:07The Hawker Hurricane is a British single-seater fighter aircraft
0:13:07 > 0:13:10that played a vital role in the 1940 Battle of Britain,
0:13:10 > 0:13:12and I've come to meet Tony Ditheridge,
0:13:12 > 0:13:14who's spent the last 20 years
0:13:14 > 0:13:18restoring these iconic aircraft to their former glory.
0:13:19 > 0:13:21- Tony, good morning.- Hi.
0:13:21 > 0:13:25Here we are in the middle of... Well, beautiful Suffolk.
0:13:25 > 0:13:29And we're looking at aviation history right here.
0:13:29 > 0:13:30My grandfather was in the RAF.
0:13:30 > 0:13:32He always used to say that they were
0:13:32 > 0:13:34the most important plane in the Battle of Britain.
0:13:34 > 0:13:36Why so?
0:13:36 > 0:13:38Well, the reason being that the Spitfire, obviously,
0:13:38 > 0:13:40was the slightly superior aeroplane.
0:13:40 > 0:13:44But at the particular time in the Battle of Britain
0:13:44 > 0:13:45when it was required,
0:13:45 > 0:13:50the Hurricane shot down 65, 66% of all of the enemy aircraft.
0:13:50 > 0:13:54So, how many Hurricanes were used, were flown throughout the war?
0:13:54 > 0:13:57There was about 13,000 Hurricanes made.
0:13:57 > 0:13:59So, there must be quite a few still around, right?
0:13:59 > 0:14:02There are three Hurricanes in this hangar.
0:14:02 > 0:14:05- When they're finished, there will be 14 flying.- Goodness me.
0:14:05 > 0:14:07Why so few then?
0:14:07 > 0:14:08They're quite complex aeroplanes.
0:14:08 > 0:14:10There's approximately twice as much work
0:14:10 > 0:14:12in doing a Hurricane as there is a Spitfire.
0:14:12 > 0:14:17Designed by Sir Sydney Camm using a Rolls-Royce Merlin engine,
0:14:17 > 0:14:20the Hawker Hurricane was introduced in 1937
0:14:20 > 0:14:22and became the first RAF fighter monoplane
0:14:22 > 0:14:27capable of exceeding 300mph in level flight.
0:14:27 > 0:14:32Tony's team use a reverse engineering approach to restoring the aircraft.
0:14:32 > 0:14:35An assortment of parts from a variety of Hurricanes are collected
0:14:35 > 0:14:36in various states of repair,
0:14:36 > 0:14:38'and they work backwards to figure out
0:14:38 > 0:14:41'how they were constructed before building them again.
0:14:41 > 0:14:42'It's a real labour of love,
0:14:42 > 0:14:45'with each one taking a couple of years to complete.
0:14:45 > 0:14:48'I feel extremely privileged to sit in the same seat
0:14:48 > 0:14:51'from where our forefathers bravely battled for our freedom.'
0:14:53 > 0:14:57- If you would like to pull that all the way back...- Right.
0:14:57 > 0:14:59And the pilot would be doing this
0:14:59 > 0:15:01- to make the aircraft climb? - Yes, he would.
0:15:01 > 0:15:04So if you want to bank to the left, you would do that. If you
0:15:04 > 0:15:07want to bank to the left and climb, you would do that.
0:15:07 > 0:15:08So now you'd be going...
0:15:08 > 0:15:10It's very intuitive, this way of flying, isn't it?
0:15:10 > 0:15:12Mm, yeah.
0:15:12 > 0:15:15Well, Tony, it's been absolutely fascinating to not only meet you
0:15:15 > 0:15:17and talk through these planes,
0:15:17 > 0:15:21but also to get a real sense and feel of these beautiful aircraft.
0:15:21 > 0:15:24- Thank you very, very much. - You're more than welcome.
0:15:24 > 0:15:27That's certainly one of my boyhood dreams come true,
0:15:27 > 0:15:30but now I'd better leave this flight of fancy behind
0:15:30 > 0:15:33and return to Marion and David's search for a new home.
0:15:36 > 0:15:39For our next stop, we're heading further north into the county,
0:15:39 > 0:15:42where we're destined for the village of Redgrave.
0:15:42 > 0:15:45We've chosen our delightful-looking second property
0:15:45 > 0:15:48for its generous proportions, both inside and out.
0:15:48 > 0:15:51But we're taking a bit of a gamble with the roof.
0:15:52 > 0:15:57- This is what we're going to have a look round.- Right.- Right.
0:15:57 > 0:16:01- A thatch, eh? We knew you would show us a thatch.- Did you?- Yes.
0:16:01 > 0:16:03I'm not being mean to you.
0:16:03 > 0:16:06I know you said you might have a question mark
0:16:06 > 0:16:09- over looking at a thatch. A lot of it is fear of the unknown.- It is.
0:16:09 > 0:16:12- It looks a beautiful house, actually.- Very nice.
0:16:12 > 0:16:14It's quite substantial.
0:16:14 > 0:16:17- I like the colour of it. - So, shall we go inside?
0:16:17 > 0:16:18Yes, please. Let's go.
0:16:20 > 0:16:22This second option presents
0:16:22 > 0:16:25a Grade II listed, part-thatched Suffolk pink property.
0:16:25 > 0:16:28Originally believed to have started life as a 16th-century cottage,
0:16:28 > 0:16:31it has been considerably extended over the years
0:16:31 > 0:16:34and now covers some 3,000 square feet.
0:16:34 > 0:16:38We are starting in the modern wing, through a substantial hallway
0:16:38 > 0:16:41and into an impressive kitchen/dining and family room.
0:16:42 > 0:16:46- Now then.- This is big. This is big. Yes.
0:16:46 > 0:16:49- Wow.- It's very different, yes. - Do you not think it's...
0:16:49 > 0:16:52It's not really the sort of space and light you would
0:16:52 > 0:16:55expect from looking at a thatched cottage from the outside, is it?
0:16:55 > 0:16:57No, it isn't. You're right.
0:16:57 > 0:17:00It's got a lot more light coming in here than
0:17:00 > 0:17:03I would ever have expected, looking at the exterior.
0:17:03 > 0:17:07Yes. Well, look, this is 1986. Let's go back a couple of centuries.
0:17:09 > 0:17:11Just off the kitchen, there is a pantry
0:17:11 > 0:17:14and separate utility room with a downstairs loo.
0:17:14 > 0:17:18Then the reception areas all lie in the original part of the property.
0:17:22 > 0:17:25- Now.- Right.
0:17:25 > 0:17:29Well, now, this is very much to my taste, this huge fireplace.
0:17:29 > 0:17:34- That stirs me, that does.- Does it? - Yes, it does. It does indeed.
0:17:34 > 0:17:36It's got light both sides as well.
0:17:36 > 0:17:39Well, the one right at the end is even brighter,
0:17:39 > 0:17:41so this could be your...
0:17:41 > 0:17:45I don't know. You could have one as a snug or one maybe as a hobby room.
0:17:45 > 0:17:47You've got options here. Of course you have.
0:17:47 > 0:17:52- You might have noticed a couple of sets of stairs here.- Right. Yes.
0:17:52 > 0:17:55- We did.- Now those stairs go up to the first floor, obviously,
0:17:55 > 0:18:00and there you have two bedrooms and a bathroom.
0:18:00 > 0:18:03You, however, get the master suite this way.
0:18:03 > 0:18:05Let's go and take a look, shall we?
0:18:05 > 0:18:07At the top of these stairs, above the hallway,
0:18:07 > 0:18:10there's the fourth bedroom, that's being used as a study.
0:18:10 > 0:18:13And then above the kitchen, there's the master suite.
0:18:13 > 0:18:17Now, we're back in the 1980s part of the house...
0:18:17 > 0:18:20Yes. Dear me. It's so big!
0:18:20 > 0:18:23What a wonderful view out of the bedroom window, isn't it?
0:18:23 > 0:18:25- That's magnificent.- Very big room.
0:18:25 > 0:18:28And it's really nice size, isn't it?
0:18:28 > 0:18:31You've got a couple of almost walk-in wardrobes.
0:18:31 > 0:18:34You've got your very own beautifully fitted bathroom
0:18:34 > 0:18:36and another room which could be a bedroom, but the owners
0:18:36 > 0:18:40are currently using it as a walk-in wardrobe/dressing room.
0:18:40 > 0:18:44You've got a lovely little balcony out there.
0:18:44 > 0:18:46That's a real added bonus, that.
0:18:46 > 0:18:49I could see me sitting out on the balcony in the evening air.
0:18:49 > 0:18:55- Well, up to now we're blown away with this property.- Are you?- Yes.
0:18:55 > 0:19:00- It's so big as well.- It's so big. - It's just goes on and on and on.
0:19:00 > 0:19:03Well, I have got two more cards up my sleeve with this house.
0:19:03 > 0:19:06- Have you?- I think you're going to love both of them.
0:19:06 > 0:19:08- Right.- Let's go and have a look.
0:19:09 > 0:19:13There's no doubt this space here is winning over our couple
0:19:13 > 0:19:15but that's not the lot for this property,
0:19:15 > 0:19:17as we're about to discover outside
0:19:17 > 0:19:20in the back garden behind the double garage.
0:19:22 > 0:19:24- So...- Wow.
0:19:24 > 0:19:26THEY LAUGH
0:19:26 > 0:19:29And this comes with the house, too? This studio?
0:19:29 > 0:19:30Yep.
0:19:30 > 0:19:34Well, now, this would be a great asset to either of us, wouldn't it?
0:19:34 > 0:19:38Now, look, there's plenty of space inside the house for libraries,
0:19:38 > 0:19:41for hobby rooms. We've seen a lot of property.
0:19:41 > 0:19:43There's more for you to see later.
0:19:43 > 0:19:44Marion, I'm dying to show you
0:19:44 > 0:19:46- the garden so come with me now. - Right, OK.
0:19:46 > 0:19:48I'm dying to see it.
0:19:52 > 0:19:55So you've got the main garden just at the back of the house
0:19:55 > 0:19:58- and then it is split into three rooms, if you like.- I can see.
0:19:58 > 0:20:00What a good idea.
0:20:00 > 0:20:04- So this is the soft fruit for the jam making...- Yes.
0:20:04 > 0:20:09- ..the vegetable plot...- Mm-hm. - ..the ornamental fountain.- Uh-huh.
0:20:09 > 0:20:13And through here, a very special sculpture
0:20:13 > 0:20:16and a summer seat through there. I've noticed.
0:20:16 > 0:20:18Are you selling this to me or to you?
0:20:18 > 0:20:21I'm falling in love with this place, the way you describe it.
0:20:21 > 0:20:24You see, the biggest worry is can this possibly be within our budget?
0:20:24 > 0:20:28Well, let's find out. You've got to try and price this now.
0:20:28 > 0:20:35- I think it must be beyond our budget. £550,000?- All right. David.
0:20:35 > 0:20:41I would guess £520,000 - £515,000. That's my estimate.
0:20:41 > 0:20:44Well, this house has been on the market
0:20:44 > 0:20:46for approaching four weeks now.
0:20:46 > 0:20:51- It's up for sale for offers around £495,000.- Right.
0:20:51 > 0:20:53So it's exactly on our budget.
0:20:54 > 0:20:58Right, well, I'll have to give a lot of thought to that.
0:20:58 > 0:21:02Because for me, this works.
0:21:34 > 0:21:37- Now then, all done inside?- Yes.- Yes. Thank you very much.- Did you enjoy?
0:21:37 > 0:21:40- Yes, we did.- Oh, it's wonderful. Wonderful, yes.
0:21:40 > 0:21:42It's a great house. It is.
0:21:42 > 0:21:45- Well, that's all we are going to do today so let's go back.- OK.
0:21:52 > 0:21:55So it looked like your risky thatch paid off.
0:21:55 > 0:21:56Well, it was a bit of a gamble
0:21:56 > 0:21:59- and I've still got the mystery house up my sleeve.- Indeed.
0:21:59 > 0:22:02Well, let's meet my couple, who I'm also taking to Suffolk
0:22:02 > 0:22:05and actually, I am also centring my search around Bury St Edmunds.
0:22:05 > 0:22:08- Really? Not copied me at all? - Great minds, Jonnie, great minds.
0:22:08 > 0:22:10I'll go with that.
0:22:10 > 0:22:12Now they've stopped jetting around the world,
0:22:12 > 0:22:16music teacher Jenny and her husband Mike find themselves
0:22:16 > 0:22:20permanently living in Theydon Bois, Essex.
0:22:20 > 0:22:23Conveniently close to London airports, their house has served as
0:22:23 > 0:22:26a great base during Mike's 30-year career
0:22:26 > 0:22:28in international health development.
0:22:28 > 0:22:31But it's not somewhere they want to be tied to now.
0:22:31 > 0:22:35We want to move now because I've had a very long career as a teacher
0:22:35 > 0:22:39and we've worked abroad and had a wonderful life
0:22:39 > 0:22:41but now we're retired,
0:22:41 > 0:22:44we feel that we would like to get more into the countryside
0:22:44 > 0:22:49where we can pursue our interests of cycling and bird watching.
0:22:49 > 0:22:52And they want to reduce the size of their current family home,
0:22:52 > 0:22:55which is a substantial 1950s' property.
0:22:55 > 0:22:57We're not getting any younger.
0:22:57 > 0:23:01We feel that this house is just uneconomical to run for us.
0:23:01 > 0:23:03It's much too large.
0:23:03 > 0:23:07We have five bedrooms and we don't need them any more
0:23:07 > 0:23:10because all our family have flown the nest.
0:23:10 > 0:23:13The plan may be to downsize their home, but they are taking
0:23:13 > 0:23:17with them a super-sized, 7m-long motorhome.
0:23:17 > 0:23:19The house would be our home and our base,
0:23:19 > 0:23:23but it has got to have space to accommodate the vehicle
0:23:23 > 0:23:26in a way that doesn't offend the neighbours.
0:23:26 > 0:23:30We like our motorhome and we've had it for the last five years
0:23:30 > 0:23:32and we've travelled all over Europe.
0:23:32 > 0:23:35This is because we lived in Africa for so many years
0:23:35 > 0:23:38and we hardly visited Europe.
0:23:38 > 0:23:40With their children settled and the chapter closed
0:23:40 > 0:23:43on their rather nomadic international lives,
0:23:43 > 0:23:45the new plan takes on a more rural focus
0:23:45 > 0:23:48in the East Anglian countryside.
0:23:48 > 0:23:50I think the countryside there is beautiful.
0:23:50 > 0:23:53We would like to have views.
0:23:53 > 0:23:57That's our major, major concern that we don't have here.
0:23:57 > 0:24:01We would like to be able to look out of our windows and see countryside
0:24:01 > 0:24:06and possibly have a dawn chorus to wake us up in the mornings.
0:24:06 > 0:24:09Binoculars at the ready, but when it comes to birds,
0:24:09 > 0:24:13both Jenny and Mike have their ears pinned back and their eyes peeled.
0:24:13 > 0:24:16Birds just fascinate me. One - they're beautiful.
0:24:16 > 0:24:20Two - they're incredible creatures.
0:24:20 > 0:24:22A thing that you can put in your hand
0:24:22 > 0:24:24and that you wouldn't feel the weight of
0:24:24 > 0:24:27can navigate from Cape Town to a barn in Epping.
0:24:27 > 0:24:30I'm looking forward to having more opportunities
0:24:30 > 0:24:35and more close opportunities to indulge in this activity.
0:24:35 > 0:24:38But before we can take flight with the property search,
0:24:38 > 0:24:41we need to find out about the finances for the move.
0:24:41 > 0:24:45Our budget for this move is £400,000.
0:24:48 > 0:24:50Our buyers are keen to keep connected to
0:24:50 > 0:24:52their children and grandchildren,
0:24:52 > 0:24:54so we are concentrating our property search
0:24:54 > 0:24:57on the attractive countryside surrounding Bury St Edmunds,
0:24:57 > 0:25:00which has good road links out of the county.
0:25:00 > 0:25:02Time for us all to step into Suffolk
0:25:02 > 0:25:05to find out more about this planned move.
0:25:05 > 0:25:07Welcome to Suffolk.
0:25:07 > 0:25:09It is a slightly overcast day
0:25:09 > 0:25:10but that's not going to hinder us, is it?
0:25:10 > 0:25:13- Of course not.- Not at all. - Now, why Suffolk?
0:25:13 > 0:25:16Because you've travelled all round the world - Africa, Caribbean.
0:25:16 > 0:25:18What drew you to Suffolk?
0:25:18 > 0:25:22I think it is near enough for our family to be able to visit us
0:25:22 > 0:25:28and we like the idea of being in the countryside.
0:25:28 > 0:25:32It is much more of a county for beautiful, agricultural
0:25:32 > 0:25:34and natural scenery,
0:25:34 > 0:25:37so we would prefer that to where we're living at the moment.
0:25:37 > 0:25:40Tell me a little bit more about the actual specifications of the house.
0:25:40 > 0:25:42What does the house need to be like?
0:25:42 > 0:25:47For me, I want to have it nice and light and airy,
0:25:47 > 0:25:52possibly two bedrooms, three bedrooms, no more.
0:25:52 > 0:25:56I think we would like to still have a study and in the study,
0:25:56 > 0:26:00I'll have my electric piano and I think we...
0:26:00 > 0:26:03I would like to keep that as my music room as well,
0:26:03 > 0:26:06so a room big enough for that would be fine.
0:26:06 > 0:26:08I don't have a problem with quirkiness.
0:26:08 > 0:26:11I quite like houses with a bit of quirkiness about them.
0:26:11 > 0:26:14Something that is a bit different and unusual.
0:26:14 > 0:26:17We would like a fairly moderate-sized garden,
0:26:17 > 0:26:19not too big we don't want.
0:26:19 > 0:26:22We're not very keen gardeners and not very good gardeners either.
0:26:22 > 0:26:24We've got some lovely houses lined up.
0:26:24 > 0:26:28I think they're really interesting. Tell me again your budget.
0:26:28 > 0:26:30£400,000.
0:26:30 > 0:26:33And is that sort of absolute top limit
0:26:33 > 0:26:35or does it have any flexibility?
0:26:35 > 0:26:37I think it could have flexibility.
0:26:37 > 0:26:39- I think there could be some wriggle room, yes.- Yeah.
0:26:39 > 0:26:40Well, no time like the present.
0:26:40 > 0:26:43Let's go and look at some of these wonderful houses we've lined up.
0:26:43 > 0:26:45- Follow me.- Thank you.- Come with me.
0:26:46 > 0:26:49With a budget of £400,000 or thereabouts,
0:26:49 > 0:26:51Mike and Jenny plan to downsize
0:26:51 > 0:26:54and are seeking a quirky, characterful property
0:26:54 > 0:26:58with two to three bedrooms, a study-cum-music room
0:26:58 > 0:27:01and a low-maintenance garden.
0:27:01 > 0:27:03A key requirement on their wish list
0:27:03 > 0:27:05is space to park their 7m motorhome.
0:27:05 > 0:27:09We found some lovely Suffolk homes that will take our buyers
0:27:09 > 0:27:13on a tour through a variety of property styles and ages,
0:27:13 > 0:27:16but I won't be revealing the prices straightaway.
0:27:16 > 0:27:18And finally, we present our mystery house,
0:27:18 > 0:27:21which comes with a cashback guarantee.
0:27:22 > 0:27:25So without further ado, we're hitting the road.
0:27:30 > 0:27:31We're kicking off proceedings
0:27:31 > 0:27:33in the village of Stansfield,
0:27:33 > 0:27:3512 miles from Bury St Edmunds.
0:27:35 > 0:27:38And in this village lies a charming, newly-thatched cottage,
0:27:38 > 0:27:42which we have chosen as our first home.
0:27:42 > 0:27:46I'm excited to show you this one. This is house number one.
0:27:46 > 0:27:49- Wow, this is amazing.- Good gracious.
0:27:49 > 0:27:52- It's impressive, isn't it? - Isn't it incredible?
0:27:52 > 0:27:56- It is picture postcard, isn't it? - It is certainly striking.
0:27:56 > 0:27:57It is a 17th-century property,
0:27:57 > 0:27:59but at the back there's a modern extension
0:27:59 > 0:28:00which we can explore later on.
0:28:00 > 0:28:02Wow. And the double garage.
0:28:02 > 0:28:04The current owner is a musician,
0:28:04 > 0:28:08so it is actually a totally rigged-out music studio.
0:28:08 > 0:28:10- SHE CHUCKLES - So, it is your music room.- Designer.
0:28:10 > 0:28:12Let's take a look inside.
0:28:13 > 0:28:16The gravel driveway that fronts the property
0:28:16 > 0:28:18has plenty of room to park a motorhome.
0:28:18 > 0:28:22We are starting the tour in the extension of the main house.
0:28:24 > 0:28:28Come on in. Straight into the kitchen here.
0:28:28 > 0:28:32And this is the new extension, so this was put on in 2008,
0:28:32 > 0:28:35completely new-build at the back of the cottage.
0:28:35 > 0:28:36As you can see, very contemporary.
0:28:36 > 0:28:41Oh, it is just like something out of a magazine. It's beautiful.
0:28:41 > 0:28:44I think it is a really nice space, nice liveable space.
0:28:44 > 0:28:46- So, a good vibe so far? - Very good vibe.
0:28:46 > 0:28:49- Yeah. Can you imagine having breakfast here?- Oh!
0:28:49 > 0:28:52- Yes, certainly can.- Absolutely.
0:28:52 > 0:28:54It'll certainly be big enough
0:28:54 > 0:28:56for when we're looking after the grandchildren.
0:28:56 > 0:28:57- Exactly.- Perfect.
0:28:57 > 0:28:59The next part of the house is much older,
0:28:59 > 0:29:02so it's a bit fairy tale for the grandchildren.
0:29:02 > 0:29:04With no main hallway to speak of,
0:29:04 > 0:29:07the property flows from one room to another
0:29:07 > 0:29:10and we're making our way past a shower room and utility
0:29:10 > 0:29:14to the main sitting room, which is a step back in time.
0:29:14 > 0:29:16So, you come through a little corridor into this,
0:29:16 > 0:29:19like through a time machine, time tunnel.
0:29:19 > 0:29:20SHE CHUCKLES
0:29:20 > 0:29:24To this bit of 17th-century cottagery.
0:29:24 > 0:29:26My word.
0:29:26 > 0:29:29- Aha. This is just...- Just graze your... You're on tip-toes there.
0:29:29 > 0:29:31No, I'm not, no.
0:29:31 > 0:29:33Is that a wood-burning stove?
0:29:33 > 0:29:35This is a wood-burning stove in a proper inglenook
0:29:35 > 0:29:37with a bread oven in the corner.
0:29:37 > 0:29:39- So you really do have the... - That works?
0:29:39 > 0:29:40I don't know if it works
0:29:40 > 0:29:42but certainly that's what it was used for originally.
0:29:42 > 0:29:46You've got Suffolk clay tiles throughout this part of the house
0:29:46 > 0:29:48and these are the original beams.
0:29:48 > 0:29:51What are your thoughts about this sort of period property?
0:29:51 > 0:29:54I can see Mike bumping his head a bit.
0:29:54 > 0:29:57I can see crash helmet wearing becoming a...
0:29:57 > 0:30:02- But I do think it is very, very beautiful.- Yes, I do too.
0:30:02 > 0:30:04Yeah, it's lovely.
0:30:04 > 0:30:07I think it really is the kind of room, once you've been...
0:30:07 > 0:30:09- You're going to remember this.- Yeah.
0:30:11 > 0:30:14A large, formal dining room lies behind the fireplace,
0:30:14 > 0:30:16which in turn leads to a good-sized study.
0:30:18 > 0:30:20Then upstairs, the main family bathroom
0:30:20 > 0:30:24sits alongside two double bedrooms in the older part of the property,
0:30:24 > 0:30:27which all feature exposed timbers.
0:30:27 > 0:30:29The largest bedroom is the master,
0:30:29 > 0:30:31which is in the extended part above the kitchen,
0:30:31 > 0:30:34with access via a spiral staircase.
0:30:37 > 0:30:39So after all those low beams,
0:30:39 > 0:30:41you come into this room with a big high ceiling.
0:30:41 > 0:30:44Wow! This is a very light room, isn't it?
0:30:44 > 0:30:47You were talking about waking up to the sound of birds,
0:30:47 > 0:30:50but here you could wake up and actually see the birds.
0:30:50 > 0:30:51And the sun shining in.
0:30:51 > 0:30:54It worries me getting a tray of tea up to this room.
0:30:54 > 0:30:57- Not getting any younger.- I'm certainly not getting any younger.
0:30:57 > 0:30:59At the moment, I'm pretty nimble
0:30:59 > 0:31:02and could cope with everything this house could throw at me,
0:31:02 > 0:31:04but I'm thinking ten years on.
0:31:04 > 0:31:05So it's throwing up
0:31:05 > 0:31:07- lots of thoughts, which is good. - SHE LAUGHS
0:31:07 > 0:31:10Let's step outside because I know that the views and the outside space
0:31:10 > 0:31:13is important, and then we can also talk about the price.
0:31:13 > 0:31:15- Ah. Aha.- Follow me.
0:31:17 > 0:31:19Both Jenny and Mike are clearly enjoying
0:31:19 > 0:31:22the historic character of this property,
0:31:22 > 0:31:24but they raise a good point about the navigation.
0:31:24 > 0:31:28So perhaps a simpler layout might be more practical.
0:31:28 > 0:31:31However, the south-facing gardens are a more straightforward option,
0:31:31 > 0:31:35with a paved terrace, level lawns, as well as a summer house,
0:31:35 > 0:31:40which could be ideal for bird watching out over open farmland.
0:31:40 > 0:31:44Look at these beautiful fields. Very well-manicured farmer's fields.
0:31:44 > 0:31:48Well done. This is beautiful.
0:31:48 > 0:31:51- This is the garden you don't need to maintain.- Yes.- Yes.
0:31:51 > 0:31:52- Someone else does it for you. - SHE CHUCKLES
0:31:52 > 0:31:55This is the garden that you do. Is this about the right size?
0:31:55 > 0:31:57I think this is well within our competence.
0:31:57 > 0:32:01Yes, we can cope with this. Mostly grass. Wonderful.
0:32:01 > 0:32:04This gives you everything that you want
0:32:04 > 0:32:07in terms of views and birds and a quirky property.
0:32:07 > 0:32:11- Very quirky.- So, how much do you think it is on the market for?
0:32:11 > 0:32:15I don't know. About £395,000 possibly?
0:32:15 > 0:32:17I think maybe a bit lower. Maybe £375,000.
0:32:17 > 0:32:19ALISTAIR INTAKES BREATH SHARPLY
0:32:19 > 0:32:21Split the difference and you'll be spot-on,
0:32:21 > 0:32:23because it is on the market for £385,000.
0:32:23 > 0:32:25So the two of you sort of hovered around the price.
0:32:25 > 0:32:27- Not too bad.- Very good.
0:32:28 > 0:32:30Kicking off with a property under budget
0:32:30 > 0:32:33with a guide price of £385,000,
0:32:33 > 0:32:36the first house is a characterful thatched cottage
0:32:36 > 0:32:41featuring a kitchen/breakfast room, three receptions and three bedrooms.
0:32:41 > 0:32:45What's more, it already has a detached music room
0:32:45 > 0:32:48and space to park their motorhome.
0:32:48 > 0:32:49It is a beautiful spot.
0:32:49 > 0:32:51All I can hear is skylarks in that field opposite.
0:32:51 > 0:32:54- Hello.- Hello.- Are you all done with your exploration?
0:32:54 > 0:32:56- Yes, thank you very much.- Yes. - Very good.
0:32:56 > 0:33:00Well, that is house one finished. Time for house two. Follow me.
0:33:00 > 0:33:01- Excellent.- OK.
0:33:07 > 0:33:09With its vast areas of low-lying arable land,
0:33:09 > 0:33:13farming is a major part of rural life in Suffolk.
0:33:13 > 0:33:16A county speciality is the growing of root vegetables,
0:33:16 > 0:33:18thanks to the light, sandy soil
0:33:18 > 0:33:22which is perfect for producing smooth, straight tap roots.
0:33:22 > 0:33:24I'm visiting the Elveden Estate,
0:33:24 > 0:33:27which has a long history of large-scale root vegetable farming.
0:33:27 > 0:33:30However, in recent years they have been cultivating
0:33:30 > 0:33:34a more localised artisan approach with their Kitchen Garden project
0:33:34 > 0:33:37that focuses on more unusual heirloom varieties.
0:33:37 > 0:33:40Farm manager Andrew Francis is going to tell me more.
0:33:40 > 0:33:42What's the idea behind the Kitchen Garden?
0:33:42 > 0:33:45We have a passion here for local, seasonal food,
0:33:45 > 0:33:47so we looked at how we could bring
0:33:47 > 0:33:49different colours of vegetables and salads,
0:33:49 > 0:33:52different shapes of vegetables and salads.
0:33:52 > 0:33:55What sort of thing are we growing here? Is this fancy carrots, or...?
0:33:55 > 0:33:57Yeah, we'll have different coloured carrots in here.
0:33:57 > 0:34:00So we have purple,
0:34:00 > 0:34:03a Purple Haze one as well as a deep purple, different shapes.
0:34:03 > 0:34:08It's like a rock'n'roll pantheon of carrots - Purple Haze, Deep Purple.
0:34:08 > 0:34:11- Yeah.- Can we pull any? Any of them ready to pull?
0:34:11 > 0:34:14Yeah, we can go into that section over there and pull some out.
0:34:14 > 0:34:16OK.
0:34:17 > 0:34:21Just pull them down... Hand down as close as you can to the soil.
0:34:21 > 0:34:26- Whoa! Look at the colour. Yeah. - So these are the Purple Haze carrots.
0:34:26 > 0:34:29The colour gradually bleeds away as you go down the root.
0:34:29 > 0:34:31And perfectly straight!
0:34:32 > 0:34:34Purple may seem an unusual colour for a carrot,
0:34:34 > 0:34:37but for centuries it was the norm.
0:34:37 > 0:34:40The orange carrot, as we know it today,
0:34:40 > 0:34:42only appeared in the 17th century,
0:34:42 > 0:34:47when Dutch growers cultivated it as a tribute to William of Orange,
0:34:47 > 0:34:49who led the struggle for Dutch independence.
0:34:49 > 0:34:52I'm off to meet chef Peter McBurnie,
0:34:52 > 0:34:56who's going to show me what can be done with these heritage vegetables.
0:34:56 > 0:34:58- Hey, Peter.- Hi.- Very nice to meet you.- Nice to meet you.
0:34:58 > 0:35:00Ah, I see. You have some of those.
0:35:00 > 0:35:02Andrew was plucking some out of the ground.
0:35:02 > 0:35:03Some of Andrew's vegetables.
0:35:03 > 0:35:05There's a fantastic array of vegetables, really.
0:35:05 > 0:35:09Everything from the three-coloured carrots to the different beetroots.
0:35:09 > 0:35:12I mean, amazing what you can do with them for the colours.
0:35:12 > 0:35:14- That's beetroot, is it? - Yeah, globe beetroot.
0:35:14 > 0:35:16Coloured like a carrot.
0:35:16 > 0:35:20- Wow!- It's like a kid in a playground when you've got produce like this.
0:35:20 > 0:35:24So basically, you've got this lovely set-up where you have all these
0:35:24 > 0:35:27extraordinary heritage vegetables growing in a field next door.
0:35:27 > 0:35:29What is it, less than half a mile travelling?
0:35:29 > 0:35:31Exactly, so there's no carbon footprint.
0:35:31 > 0:35:34It's all local, all comes straight to us.
0:35:34 > 0:35:35I think one of the reasons we're so popular
0:35:35 > 0:35:38is because people know that a lot of the food has come locally.
0:35:38 > 0:35:41And what do you do with it? I know you're famous for making chutneys.
0:35:41 > 0:35:44One of the ones that we do do is a thing called "Elvedenilli"
0:35:44 > 0:35:46using our main crop vegetables,
0:35:46 > 0:35:49which are parsnips, carrots and onions are our main crops.
0:35:49 > 0:35:52- Elvedenilli, that's a take on piccalilli, is it?- Exactly.
0:35:52 > 0:35:54Have you got some I can taste?
0:35:54 > 0:35:56It just happens that I've got a nice little platter.
0:35:56 > 0:35:58We actually call this the "mmm" chutney
0:35:58 > 0:36:00because people taste it and just go, "Mmm".
0:36:00 > 0:36:02It's a beautiful colour as well.
0:36:03 > 0:36:06- Mmm.- Mmm. - BOTH LAUGH
0:36:06 > 0:36:10It's great that you're kind of championing this fresh use of food.
0:36:10 > 0:36:11Tempted as I am to stay and sample
0:36:11 > 0:36:14more of these tasty local heritage vegetables,
0:36:14 > 0:36:18it is time to get back to our buyers and continue their house hunt.
0:36:22 > 0:36:24For our next property, we're travelling northeast,
0:36:24 > 0:36:28making for the village of Finningham.
0:36:28 > 0:36:31And just a two-minute walk from the centre is our second house.
0:36:31 > 0:36:34A very different offering for house number two,
0:36:34 > 0:36:35but I'm quite excited to show you.
0:36:35 > 0:36:37This is a barn conversion.
0:36:37 > 0:36:40Ah! Nice big drive too.
0:36:40 > 0:36:44- Big drive, plenty of space for the...- Motorhome.- ..motorhome.
0:36:44 > 0:36:48It doesn't look like a lot of barn conversions I've seen.
0:36:48 > 0:36:49Well, actually this was the barn
0:36:49 > 0:36:52and it was extended to have a cattle shed at the back,
0:36:52 > 0:36:54which was actually then extended again.
0:36:54 > 0:36:57You can see the sort of history of the structure of the barn
0:36:57 > 0:36:59from the inside, so shall we go inside?
0:36:59 > 0:37:01Oh, yes. Lovely.
0:37:01 > 0:37:06Converted in 1999, at first glance this sprawling barn conversion
0:37:06 > 0:37:09may not seem like a downsize.
0:37:09 > 0:37:12But this property will give Jenny and Mike options,
0:37:12 > 0:37:14which I'll reveal later on.
0:37:18 > 0:37:20So into the kitchen at the back of the house.
0:37:20 > 0:37:23Oh. This is very different.
0:37:23 > 0:37:25- Yeah.- Isn't it? Very spacious.
0:37:25 > 0:37:27- Very high.- Yes.
0:37:27 > 0:37:30You're not going to bang your head on these beams.
0:37:30 > 0:37:31JENNY AND MIKE LAUGH
0:37:31 > 0:37:36This is not traditional but it is unusual.
0:37:36 > 0:37:39- There is still a quaintness about it.- Yes.
0:37:39 > 0:37:40That's the kitchen.
0:37:40 > 0:37:42But next door is the main sitting room
0:37:42 > 0:37:45and there you can see the bones of the house very clearly.
0:37:45 > 0:37:47Right.
0:37:53 > 0:37:55Step inside here.
0:37:56 > 0:37:59- Oh, wow!- And take a spin upstairs.
0:38:00 > 0:38:04Oh, my word! This is amazing.
0:38:04 > 0:38:08- It's a big space, isn't it? - I like this. Good for singing.
0:38:08 > 0:38:10Yes? Want to give it a spin?
0:38:10 > 0:38:12SHE TAKES A DEEP BREATH
0:38:12 > 0:38:15- No. - Aw, I was getting excited there.
0:38:15 > 0:38:16Mike, what do you think?
0:38:16 > 0:38:20Well, I just think it's a lovely room. And very different.
0:38:20 > 0:38:22Quirky?
0:38:22 > 0:38:26A bit of the quirkiness again, yes. You know I'm up for that.
0:38:26 > 0:38:31- Less of the concussion. - Less need for a crash helmet.
0:38:31 > 0:38:33The upstairs is like a mezzanine.
0:38:33 > 0:38:35It is a floor with three bedrooms
0:38:35 > 0:38:38and a family bathroom and not much else.
0:38:38 > 0:38:39Mm-hm.
0:38:39 > 0:38:41Downstairs, as we're about to see,
0:38:41 > 0:38:43there is all your living quarters that you need.
0:38:43 > 0:38:46- So you could effectively just live downstairs.- I see.
0:38:46 > 0:38:49So no stairs up and down, which is something you were considering.
0:38:49 > 0:38:51Put the relatives upstairs.
0:38:51 > 0:38:53And then upstairs you could just leave as a sort of guest suite
0:38:53 > 0:38:55which you use when you need it.
0:38:55 > 0:38:57Wonderful.
0:38:57 > 0:39:00Well, I think the layout of the house will make more sense
0:39:00 > 0:39:04- when you've seen the master bedroom, so let's have a peek.- Thank you.
0:39:04 > 0:39:07Back of the main hallway, there's also a downstairs shower room,
0:39:07 > 0:39:10as well as two more reception rooms.
0:39:10 > 0:39:12So with either the dining room or the study,
0:39:12 > 0:39:16there are possibilities for Jenny's music room.
0:39:16 > 0:39:20And up a small flight of steps, we come to the last room downstairs.
0:39:20 > 0:39:24This is the master bedroom because it is on the ground floor,
0:39:24 > 0:39:26so it's all on one level.
0:39:26 > 0:39:29You've got an en-suite bathroom through there
0:39:29 > 0:39:31and loads of hanging space.
0:39:31 > 0:39:35Wonderful. Actually, this is a very nice room, isn't it?
0:39:35 > 0:39:38The stairs in the last property would never be, you know,
0:39:38 > 0:39:40- an easy thing to surmount.- No.
0:39:40 > 0:39:44So, I was wondering whether the idea of living all on one floor
0:39:44 > 0:39:45would be appealing to you?
0:39:45 > 0:39:48It does make sense. It does make sense to us.
0:39:48 > 0:39:53But with all those bedrooms upstairs and three bathrooms,
0:39:53 > 0:39:58- it is difficult to imagine this is downsizing for us.- Hmm.
0:39:58 > 0:40:01Well, I take that point, but let's have a look in the garden
0:40:01 > 0:40:04and see whether that piece of the puzzle adds up
0:40:04 > 0:40:06and then we can make some decisions.
0:40:06 > 0:40:07Fine, thank you.
0:40:08 > 0:40:10Despite the choices here,
0:40:10 > 0:40:12I fear they may not be fully on board
0:40:12 > 0:40:14with the space this barn provides.
0:40:14 > 0:40:17But outside, the low-maintenance garden
0:40:17 > 0:40:19would suit the not-so-green fingered
0:40:19 > 0:40:21and is framed by a lovely vine-covered walkway
0:40:21 > 0:40:23backing onto the river.
0:40:25 > 0:40:28At the bottom of the garden...
0:40:28 > 0:40:30- is a river.- Wow.
0:40:30 > 0:40:32Not any old river either.
0:40:32 > 0:40:35The River Dove, which flows into a town called Eye.
0:40:35 > 0:40:37And then this lovely sort of wooden pergola walkway
0:40:37 > 0:40:40with wisteria this end, grapevine at that end,
0:40:40 > 0:40:42clematis over the front and roses.
0:40:42 > 0:40:46Yes. Beautiful. That is lovely.
0:40:46 > 0:40:47But a very manageable garden.
0:40:47 > 0:40:49- Absolutely, yeah. - The right size for us.
0:40:49 > 0:40:51- This is the right size? - Yes, definitely.
0:40:51 > 0:40:55Very easy. Bit of lawn to mow, few beds to water.
0:40:55 > 0:40:56- Places to sit out.- Yeah.
0:40:56 > 0:40:59Looking at the garden itself, if this is about the right size,
0:40:59 > 0:41:02the house you are thinking might be a bit big.
0:41:02 > 0:41:03You haven't explored all of it.
0:41:03 > 0:41:06But before I let you inside to have a look around,
0:41:06 > 0:41:09how much do you think this big Suffolk barn conversion costs?
0:41:11 > 0:41:14Well, I think it is a very large property,
0:41:14 > 0:41:19so I think it will be over £400,000 I would think, possibly £440,000.
0:41:19 > 0:41:23I would agree with over £400,000 but not quite so much.
0:41:23 > 0:41:26- I would go for £420,000.- £420,000.
0:41:26 > 0:41:29So this is on the market for £400,000.
0:41:29 > 0:41:33- Ah.- It's been on the market for a while so they might accept an offer.
0:41:36 > 0:41:39Right on budget with a guide price of £400,000,
0:41:39 > 0:41:42this fascinating converted barn is a generous offering
0:41:42 > 0:41:44chock-full of character.
0:41:44 > 0:41:47The versatile accommodation lends itself to two separate living zones,
0:41:47 > 0:41:50but as a whole offers three reception areas,
0:41:50 > 0:41:54an impressive kitchen/breakfast room, four bedrooms
0:41:54 > 0:41:56and comes with the all-important
0:41:56 > 0:41:58off-road parking for the motorhome.
0:42:01 > 0:42:03- All done?- All done.
0:42:03 > 0:42:06- Not left anything behind?- Nope. - Nope.
0:42:06 > 0:42:08So let's have a little rest.
0:42:12 > 0:42:15So at this stage in the proceedings, I am slightly worried that
0:42:15 > 0:42:17I have overestimated how much space they want.
0:42:17 > 0:42:19- It's normally the other way around, isn't it?- I know.
0:42:19 > 0:42:22So if we return to David and Marion from South Shields,
0:42:22 > 0:42:25they had a budget of £450,000 and so far,
0:42:25 > 0:42:28they had shown that they were genuinely open-minded.
0:42:28 > 0:42:30So I am hoping that the mystery house,
0:42:30 > 0:42:32or should we call it the history house,
0:42:32 > 0:42:34will appeal to David in particular.
0:42:34 > 0:42:36We're travelling back down south to Clare,
0:42:36 > 0:42:39about 14 miles from Bury St Edmunds.
0:42:39 > 0:42:41Our mystery house
0:42:41 > 0:42:44can be found right in the heart of this historic town, and I'm hoping
0:42:44 > 0:42:47that its rich heritage will prove to be a real winner.
0:42:50 > 0:42:51Now then...
0:42:51 > 0:42:54I think the best view is right from this spot here,
0:42:54 > 0:42:55so if you come back...
0:42:57 > 0:43:00Take a look at the mystery house from here.
0:43:00 > 0:43:01SHE LAUGHS
0:43:01 > 0:43:04That's a really ancient timbered house, isn't it?
0:43:04 > 0:43:09Dates back, apparently, to around 1450, maybe even earlier.
0:43:09 > 0:43:11I can believe it, yes.
0:43:11 > 0:43:14- So, let's see how we get on inside, shall we?- Right.
0:43:16 > 0:43:19Set over three floors, the walls of this Grade II listed property
0:43:19 > 0:43:22conceal over five centuries of stories,
0:43:22 > 0:43:25and the earliest accounts of the house suggest it was once
0:43:25 > 0:43:27used as a brewery.
0:43:27 > 0:43:31But now it's an enchanting family home with a few characterful quirks,
0:43:31 > 0:43:33and set off by a roomy entrance hall.
0:43:37 > 0:43:40So a nice little vestibule area, if you like,
0:43:40 > 0:43:42and then into this amazing room.
0:43:42 > 0:43:45Amazing is the word. It is really lovely.
0:43:45 > 0:43:48- I really like this, yes. - Nice square room.
0:43:50 > 0:43:52Plenty of space here.
0:43:52 > 0:43:56- Lovely fireplace.- That's a real open fire as well, isn't it?
0:43:56 > 0:43:59- Working as well.- It's lovely.
0:43:59 > 0:44:00Yes, I'm impressed.
0:44:00 > 0:44:03I thought you'd like this. I mean, what's not to...?
0:44:03 > 0:44:05What's not to like about this?
0:44:05 > 0:44:07- Knowing us as you do now.- Quite.
0:44:07 > 0:44:08But...
0:44:08 > 0:44:11with this come maybe potential compromises in other areas.
0:44:11 > 0:44:14You're about to see the smallest kitchen out of the three properties,
0:44:14 > 0:44:16- so mind this step here.- Right.
0:44:18 > 0:44:20Yes.
0:44:20 > 0:44:22Small kitchen.
0:44:22 > 0:44:23Very small kitchen.
0:44:23 > 0:44:26Mm-hm. But I like it.
0:44:26 > 0:44:31I like the kitchen. I like the units, I like the tiles...
0:44:31 > 0:44:33I like the feel of it.
0:44:33 > 0:44:37- David? - It's a...very nice compact kitchen.
0:44:37 > 0:44:39Let's keep looking round the rest of the house.
0:44:39 > 0:44:42- Upwards to the master bedroom. - Right.
0:44:44 > 0:44:47Up on the first floor, there's a bathroom as well as a compact
0:44:47 > 0:44:50second bedroom that could be ideal as a hobby room or study,
0:44:50 > 0:44:52right opposite the largest bedroom.
0:44:53 > 0:44:58- Now then, this is your master bedroom.- Oh, right.
0:44:58 > 0:45:01This is a fine room, isn't it?
0:45:01 > 0:45:04Very much in keeping with downstairs.
0:45:04 > 0:45:09There's some intriguing little features here of...
0:45:09 > 0:45:11Where that might have been a door.
0:45:11 > 0:45:14- It might have been a window, in fact.- A window. Oh, right.- Hmm.
0:45:14 > 0:45:17You could imagine this house
0:45:17 > 0:45:21being a very important part of the town actually.
0:45:21 > 0:45:23Yeah. Well, let's look at it.
0:45:23 > 0:45:26Over the years, it's been maltings, it's been...
0:45:26 > 0:45:28Parish council used to meet here.
0:45:28 > 0:45:35It's been a library. It's had a big role in the local area, hasn't it?
0:45:35 > 0:45:39This is... This is a really good-sized bedroom.
0:45:39 > 0:45:43- Good.- And very atmospheric and...
0:45:43 > 0:45:46I think I could sleep well here.
0:45:46 > 0:45:50There is a third bedroom in the eaves that they could use as a hobby room.
0:45:50 > 0:45:54Though as it has its own en suite, it would be perfect for guests.
0:45:54 > 0:45:57The mystery house is the surviving wing of a former larger property
0:45:57 > 0:46:00and it attached across the back,
0:46:00 > 0:46:03so the grounds all lie to the front and are enclosed by hedges
0:46:03 > 0:46:06that gives the garden a very private feel
0:46:06 > 0:46:09despite the property's central location.
0:46:09 > 0:46:14So...the front garden is the only garden with the mystery house.
0:46:14 > 0:46:17Right. Rather small, isn't it? And...
0:46:17 > 0:46:20I'm afraid it hasn't got a great deal of character,
0:46:20 > 0:46:23but I suppose that's up to you to introduce some.
0:46:23 > 0:46:24I mean, what I would do...
0:46:24 > 0:46:29I'm not one for cutting trees down, but that tree would go,
0:46:29 > 0:46:31and I think it could be enhanced.
0:46:31 > 0:46:35So, how much do you think the mystery house is on the market for?
0:46:35 > 0:46:37£475,000.
0:46:37 > 0:46:39OK. David?
0:46:39 > 0:46:43I think it might be 520, something of that nature.
0:46:43 > 0:46:45You might be surprised to hear that this house
0:46:45 > 0:46:49- is on the market for offers in the region of £395,000.- Hmm.
0:46:49 > 0:46:51That is surprising.
0:46:55 > 0:46:59For offers in the region of £395,000,
0:46:59 > 0:47:03the mystery house is a real vintage gem that date back to 1450
0:47:03 > 0:47:06and is awash with period features.
0:47:06 > 0:47:10Laid out over three floors, it has a large drawing room, three bedrooms
0:47:10 > 0:47:14and a private enclosed garden in the heart of a very desirable town.
0:47:18 > 0:47:21- Now then, that was fun, wasn't it? - Yes.
0:47:21 > 0:47:23Well, that's the end of the property search for you guys,
0:47:23 > 0:47:26so why don't you go off somewhere and have a bit of a think,
0:47:26 > 0:47:30- and I'll catch up with you later on? All right?- OK.- Good luck.- Bye-bye.
0:47:35 > 0:47:40So I've got a fair idea what your favourite property might be...
0:47:41 > 0:47:43..but I can never be 100% sure.
0:47:43 > 0:47:46So...what is the favourite?
0:47:46 > 0:47:51Well, our favourite property definitely was property number two.
0:47:51 > 0:47:55How close a second, I take it, was property number one?
0:47:55 > 0:48:00Well, that would have been the second choice, but pretty far behind
0:48:00 > 0:48:03because there wasn't enough of a garden there at all.
0:48:03 > 0:48:06Why was property number two your favourite?
0:48:06 > 0:48:08The garden was absolutely perfect.
0:48:08 > 0:48:12It had a wonderful studio there,
0:48:12 > 0:48:15which could be used by either of us for our hobbies.
0:48:15 > 0:48:18The house was very historical.
0:48:20 > 0:48:22And, at the same time, quite modern.
0:48:22 > 0:48:25It sounds like it's... It's quite an interesting option to you.
0:48:25 > 0:48:27What's the next step?
0:48:27 > 0:48:31Well, the next step is that we'll probably have another look at it..
0:48:31 > 0:48:34and then we'll go away and give it very serious consideration.
0:48:34 > 0:48:36And then who knows?
0:48:36 > 0:48:41You may well be living in Suffolk in a partly thatched house.
0:48:41 > 0:48:44- How does that sound? - It sounds great.- Marvellous.
0:48:44 > 0:48:46Thank you very much, Jonnie.
0:48:48 > 0:48:51So the mystery with the history didn't work out.
0:48:51 > 0:48:54I'm afraid not. But property two is still in the running.
0:48:54 > 0:48:56Very good. So coming back to Mike and Jenny,
0:48:56 > 0:48:59they've got £400,000 in Suffolk and I think we have been showing them
0:48:59 > 0:49:02houses that are too big, being in mind they want to downsize.
0:49:02 > 0:49:04It's not always about size, is it?
0:49:04 > 0:49:07Now, but the mystery house is not a small house either.
0:49:07 > 0:49:11- But it is a green house.- You mean...?- It's not a greenhouse.
0:49:11 > 0:49:15- It's a GREEN house.- All, right. I know what you mean. I think.
0:49:15 > 0:49:19Our mystery property takes us to the village of Elmsett.
0:49:19 > 0:49:21And our colourful final offering
0:49:21 > 0:49:24is a modern and mysterious one-of-a-kind build
0:49:24 > 0:49:26that lies right in the heart of the village.
0:49:28 > 0:49:32- This is the mystery house.- Wow.
0:49:32 > 0:49:35- It is a beautiful construction, isn't it?- Do you like it?
0:49:35 > 0:49:37Yes. It is new, isn't it?
0:49:37 > 0:49:41- It is 15 years old.- And it's lovely.
0:49:41 > 0:49:44- It looks fairly sort of low-key from the outside.- Yes?
0:49:44 > 0:49:48Nothing shouts out, because the mystery about this house
0:49:48 > 0:49:50will be revealed when we go round the back.
0:49:51 > 0:49:53- OK.- So I'm not going to say anything more
0:49:53 > 0:49:55but I'm going to ask you to come with me.
0:49:59 > 0:50:01Come round the back.
0:50:01 > 0:50:04I'm going to do a brief detour into the garden. Lovely garden.
0:50:04 > 0:50:07- Wow.- Beautiful planting. Lovely garden.
0:50:07 > 0:50:09Come onto this little terrace here.
0:50:10 > 0:50:14- Ha!- And take a look. What's on top of the house?
0:50:14 > 0:50:16Oh, my word.
0:50:17 > 0:50:20This house is a green house.
0:50:20 > 0:50:23One of the things you were worried about about your big house
0:50:23 > 0:50:26and the big house that we saw yesterday it is the running costs.
0:50:26 > 0:50:27- Absolutely.- Mm-hm.
0:50:27 > 0:50:30This house makes you money.
0:50:30 > 0:50:35Last year, the owners spent £800 on their electricity bills
0:50:35 > 0:50:39but they made £1,800 selling back electricity to the grid.
0:50:39 > 0:50:42Aha. SHE CHUCKLES
0:50:42 > 0:50:44So they made almost £1,000.
0:50:44 > 0:50:46And then if you take out the water bills.
0:50:46 > 0:50:48Now, they only get the water in
0:50:48 > 0:50:50because they have a reed drainage system in the garden,
0:50:50 > 0:50:54so they don't pay for any water flowing out.
0:50:54 > 0:50:58That is truly a big surprise, those numbers.
0:50:59 > 0:51:00No question.
0:51:00 > 0:51:02- Let's take a tour of the house. - Right.
0:51:02 > 0:51:07Dating back to 1998, the aim of the architect who designed this property
0:51:07 > 0:51:11was to save energy and, as a consequence, save money too.
0:51:11 > 0:51:13Inside, the unconventional layout
0:51:13 > 0:51:16should appeal to Mike's wish for quirky
0:51:16 > 0:51:19and wraps itself around a generous hallway.
0:51:20 > 0:51:23Come into the main room.
0:51:23 > 0:51:26- Oh, wow.- Talk about light.
0:51:26 > 0:51:30So you can see now some of the features of the house.
0:51:30 > 0:51:34From the inside you can see how thick the walls are.
0:51:34 > 0:51:38- Ah, yes.- Amazing concrete build.
0:51:38 > 0:51:40So the walls are all concrete,
0:51:40 > 0:51:44the floor is almost 0.5m of concrete with insulation.
0:51:45 > 0:51:49So what happens is that the sun comes from these giant windows,
0:51:49 > 0:51:51heats up the concrete and then the concrete,
0:51:51 > 0:51:55the heat in the concrete is retained pretty much all through the day
0:51:55 > 0:51:56and through the night.
0:51:56 > 0:51:58You've also got triple glazing.
0:51:58 > 0:52:02The secret of the house really is that no heat leaves.
0:52:02 > 0:52:04- It's clever, huh?- Very clever.
0:52:04 > 0:52:08I mean, it is a bit of a shock and you're right to call it a mystery
0:52:08 > 0:52:14because compared to the other houses we've seen, this is...
0:52:15 > 0:52:17..you know, very, very, very different.
0:52:17 > 0:52:19So this is the heart of the home.
0:52:19 > 0:52:22It is also the heating generator because of these big windows.
0:52:22 > 0:52:25But obviously, there are other rooms, including the kitchen.
0:52:25 > 0:52:27Ah-ha-ha, the kitchen.
0:52:32 > 0:52:35- Come in here.- Oh, wow!
0:52:35 > 0:52:38I'm loving all these "wows". That's great.
0:52:38 > 0:52:43- This is the sort of size kitchen that I love!- Really?
0:52:43 > 0:52:45Oh, it's beautiful.
0:52:45 > 0:52:48OK, so this is downstairs. It's pretty much a simple layout.
0:52:48 > 0:52:52You've got an amazing washroom with all the white goods.
0:52:52 > 0:52:55Let's look upstairs because that is interesting too.
0:52:55 > 0:52:58The combination of light and space in this unique home
0:52:58 > 0:53:01appears to be winning over both our buyers.
0:53:01 > 0:53:04And the brilliance continues upstairs,
0:53:04 > 0:53:07where a four-piece family bathroom serves four bedrooms.
0:53:07 > 0:53:09Two are spacious double rooms,
0:53:09 > 0:53:13and a single is being used as a study.
0:53:13 > 0:53:16That just leaves the one earmarked for Jenny and Mike,
0:53:16 > 0:53:19which also benefits from both the views and daylight
0:53:19 > 0:53:22coming in from the huge, double-height glazing
0:53:22 > 0:53:23in the sitting room.
0:53:24 > 0:53:26This is an interesting room.
0:53:26 > 0:53:28- Yes.- Wow.
0:53:28 > 0:53:30It is the mezzanine above the living space.
0:53:30 > 0:53:35It is very, very good for a bedroom. It's got plenty of space.
0:53:35 > 0:53:39Have you ever seen a bedroom like this before?
0:53:39 > 0:53:43Nope. But I could definitely do something with it, I feel.
0:53:43 > 0:53:44I'm confident about that.
0:53:44 > 0:53:46Or the alternative is that you use this as the study
0:53:46 > 0:53:48and don't have it as a bedroom.
0:53:48 > 0:53:50- Oh, that's a possibility. That would be lovely.- Yeah.
0:53:50 > 0:53:51- Good idea.- And music room.
0:53:51 > 0:53:54- It's true. This would be a lovely music room.- Yes, it would too.
0:53:54 > 0:53:57- Echoing round the house.- Yes.
0:53:57 > 0:53:59I'll let you explore the other rooms upstairs,
0:53:59 > 0:54:02but I want to show you the rest of the garden.
0:54:02 > 0:54:04- Oh, right.- Come with me.
0:54:04 > 0:54:05That concludes the internal tour
0:54:05 > 0:54:08of our super-efficient mystery house,
0:54:08 > 0:54:10so we're heading back down to the kitchen/diner,
0:54:10 > 0:54:15past a sunny paved patio and into the south-facing rear garden.
0:54:15 > 0:54:18So, as you can see, it is a garden of paths.
0:54:18 > 0:54:20There's decking pathway throughout,
0:54:20 > 0:54:23the raised decking so you don't get your feet dirty,
0:54:23 > 0:54:26in the midst of all these bushes and shrubs and trees,
0:54:26 > 0:54:28which, of course, are bird paradise.
0:54:28 > 0:54:30I can imagine.
0:54:30 > 0:54:33It's the sort of garden I've never even thought about
0:54:33 > 0:54:35that I might have.
0:54:35 > 0:54:38It is very, very unusual.
0:54:38 > 0:54:41So, how much do you think this house is on the market for?
0:54:41 > 0:54:43I'd go for £440,000.
0:54:44 > 0:54:48And I think about the same - £440,000.
0:54:48 > 0:54:50- You're both wrong.- Oh.
0:54:50 > 0:54:53This house is on the market for £425,000.
0:54:53 > 0:54:55Wow.
0:54:55 > 0:54:58And with the bit of give-and-take that the market allows,
0:54:58 > 0:55:00you might even get it in your budget.
0:55:00 > 0:55:03- Wow.- So...
0:55:03 > 0:55:07- Well, that is a real surprise. - Strike me down.
0:55:07 > 0:55:08And indeed, a mystery.
0:55:08 > 0:55:11Ah, that's why it's called the mystery house, Mike.
0:55:11 > 0:55:12I suspected as much.
0:55:12 > 0:55:16Surprisingly closer to budget than expected,
0:55:16 > 0:55:19on the market for £425,000,
0:55:19 > 0:55:22the mystery property is a modern, one-off, detached eco house
0:55:22 > 0:55:25with a range of energy-efficient features
0:55:25 > 0:55:27that make it cost-effective to run.
0:55:27 > 0:55:29The accommodation features a double-height sitting room,
0:55:29 > 0:55:32kitchen/diner and four bedrooms with
0:55:32 > 0:55:35an enchanting landscaped garden.
0:55:37 > 0:55:40Ooh, did you notice how snugly fitted that door is?
0:55:40 > 0:55:43- Absolutely.- No draughts.
0:55:43 > 0:55:44- Oh, and no letter box.- No.
0:55:44 > 0:55:46Indeed, the letter box is in the garage
0:55:46 > 0:55:49for exactly the same reason - no draughts.
0:55:50 > 0:55:52Good house, huh? Follow me.
0:55:59 > 0:56:01OK, I don't have to be a mind-reader to know that
0:56:01 > 0:56:04you didn't really like the second house yesterday.
0:56:04 > 0:56:09So I am still not sure in my mind which of the houses you prefer.
0:56:09 > 0:56:13The mystery house on the one hand or that lovely romantic first house?
0:56:14 > 0:56:16I think the romantic first house
0:56:16 > 0:56:20was just something anybody would dream of
0:56:20 > 0:56:25and the views were what we really, really like.
0:56:25 > 0:56:28It did have a little problem with the height of the ceiling.
0:56:28 > 0:56:30Yes, Mike, your poor head.
0:56:30 > 0:56:31Have you got bruises?
0:56:31 > 0:56:33Yeah, I had a little bit of difficulty
0:56:33 > 0:56:36- combing my scalp this morning. - ALL CHUCKLE
0:56:36 > 0:56:39The mystery house was probably sensible.
0:56:39 > 0:56:43And perhaps right in the sense that, you know,
0:56:43 > 0:56:47we would be doing the kind of things that people should be trying to do,
0:56:47 > 0:56:50which is live a more green life.
0:56:50 > 0:56:52Sensible, however, does come with the sort of...
0:56:52 > 0:56:54- HE TUTS - .."Well, it's sensible."
0:56:54 > 0:56:59Does your heart really kind of warm to the mystery house?
0:56:59 > 0:57:04I thought that it was so well built but it didn't have the view.
0:57:04 > 0:57:06OK, so what happens next?
0:57:06 > 0:57:10I mean, are you thinking of revisiting any of the properties?
0:57:10 > 0:57:13I think we should investigate that mystery house more
0:57:13 > 0:57:17to see how economical it really is.
0:57:17 > 0:57:18So, yes, we would probably go back
0:57:18 > 0:57:21and discover a bit more about that area,
0:57:21 > 0:57:23which we know absolutely nothing about.
0:57:23 > 0:57:27Well, I really hope that you do proceed on one of our houses.
0:57:27 > 0:57:30That would be wonderful. But that you get to Suffolk very soon
0:57:30 > 0:57:32cos it's been a great pleasure showing you around.
0:57:32 > 0:57:34- Thank you.- Thank you very much.
0:57:36 > 0:57:40So, apart from probably quite a lot of cleaning windows with that
0:57:40 > 0:57:44mystery house, it actually earns you money? What's not to love?
0:57:44 > 0:57:45Well, it is interesting,
0:57:45 > 0:57:47the whole thing about love and houses, isn't it,
0:57:47 > 0:57:49because I think Mike said it?
0:57:49 > 0:57:52He said that would be the sensible choice because on paper
0:57:52 > 0:57:55it all makes perfect sense but I don't think his heart was taken.
0:57:55 > 0:57:57And you know what, when people go down the sensible road,
0:57:57 > 0:58:00they are often haunted by the one that got away.
0:58:00 > 0:58:04The house that really captured the heart and imagination so, I suppose
0:58:04 > 0:58:07really, it comes down to balancing the head versus heart, doesn't it?
0:58:07 > 0:58:10But Suffolk is a good place to do that because it's good value,
0:58:10 > 0:58:11which pleases the head,
0:58:11 > 0:58:14and there is such an amazing array of architectural styles,
0:58:14 > 0:58:15that beautiful rural countryside,
0:58:15 > 0:58:17big houses, small houses, old houses.
0:58:17 > 0:58:19There's got to be something for your heart there.
0:58:19 > 0:58:22You can see why people want to want to go and live there.
0:58:22 > 0:58:23So that brings us to a close.
0:58:23 > 0:58:26And hopefully you'll join us next time on Escape To The Country.
0:58:28 > 0:58:31Marion and David continued looking for their dream home,
0:58:31 > 0:58:35which they eventually found very near to our second property
0:58:35 > 0:58:37and they've already settled in.
0:58:37 > 0:58:41And Jenny and Mike are now looking for a house not far from Essex
0:58:41 > 0:58:43to be close to their family.
0:58:43 > 0:58:45If you would like to escape to the country
0:58:45 > 0:58:47in Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales, England
0:58:47 > 0:58:51or even further afield to the continent and need our help,
0:58:51 > 0:58:53please apply online: