Surrey Escape to the Country

I'm at the highest point above sea level in the southeast of England.

Higher even than the Shard. And if I look east,

the next highest point will be the Ural Mountains in Russia.

And this extraordinary elevation

is due to the obsession of an English country gentleman

who wanted to turn his hill into a mountain.

Find out more in just a moment.

'Today's couple searching for a new family home are American expats

'looking for a true slice of British country living.'

-It's cute!

-It oozes charm.

Just the kind of house we like.

'And our house-hunt leaves our home buyers lost for words.'

I'm speechless. How is that possible?

I'm definitely in trouble now.

Today, we're in the Surrey Hills and this is Leith Hill Tower.

Now, back in the Georgian period,

a mountain was defined as something over 1,000 feet.

Now, while Leith Hill is very high, it's only 965 feet,

so frustratingly short of the mark.

Now, back in 1765, the hill's owner, Richard Hull,

decided that was not good enough.

And so in order to bring it up to mountain category,

he built this impressive 65-foot-tall tower.

It still is one of the best viewing points in the southeast

and it's said, on a clear day, that you can see 13 counties

and the English Channel, but there's more to Surrey than just views.

One of the Home Counties surrounding London,

Surrey, to the capital's south, is bordered by Berkshire to the west,

Kent to the east and West Sussex to the south.

Despite its proximity to London,

84% of the county is classed as countryside,

offering a magnificent collage of fields and hills

in contrasting shades of brilliant green.

Throughout Surrey, classic English villages

display the intricate architecture the area's famous for.

In fact, after London, there is no more expensive place

to buy property in the UK.

The average price for a detached house here is - wait for it -

£575,000, which is more than twice the national average.

To put that into perspective, if you cross the border

into neighbouring West Sussex

and bought exactly the same sort of house, you could save £200,000.

So I'm hoping that today's buyers have deep, deep pockets.

Let's meet them.

American childhood sweethearts

Matt and his wife, Catherine, have lived in the UK since 2004.

We met when we were both in high school.

We reconnected in New York about eight years later.

Yep.

And the rest is history.

And then moved to London shortly after that.

They've been in this two-bedroomed flat in North London for three years

with their two sons, Harry, aged five, and Hatcher, one.

But they've decided that it's time to up sticks

and experience a more rural British life.

Peace and quiet is a big deal for us

and where our flat is now, it is right along a major road,

so we do hear the noise and the cars and the sirens.

So it would be nice to be away from all the traffic in the countryside.

Matt and Catherine are expecting their third son in four months.

The full-time mum is already looking to a greener future.

But Matt isn't quite sure he's ready to let go of city life.

I could probably do a couple more years in London.

Um...but I do see the benefits of living in the country -

more space, more space for the kids.

Just a more manageable lifestyle.

With their flat under offer and their new arrival imminent,

Matt and Catherine are ready to begin the search

for their quintessentially British country home.

What I love about the British countryside are the rolling hills.

I love the idea of walking along the paths

and just looking at the greenery and the sunsets

and just the whole idea of being outside.

We don't know too much about the area,

but we have friends who moved out there from London

and it seems like an interesting place to bring our family.

Our buyers are happy to consider anywhere in Surrey,

as long as there are good rail links nearby

to get Matt back to the city for work.

We are concentrating our search in the south of the county

which will give Catherine the more rural setting she's after.

So, before we start looking for a typically British pad

for our American buyers,

I want to find out a little more about their plans.

-Welcome to Surrey, guys!

-Thanks.

-We are all very excited about the third addition.

-Thank you.

Would you like to be in the new place before we get...?

Ideally, if it's possible. That would be perfect.

-So, the pressure's on.

-The pressure is on.

-The pressure is on, yes.

Tell us again how much you've got to spend.

Ideally, no more than a million.

I like to think we could stretch it if we had to.

I'd like to think we could go lower if we had to.

Tell me about the house and what you're actually looking for.

For the country, I think we're looking at a period property -

some nice features inside, outside space, proximity to schools,

-just a few things.

-I think the outside is more important to me

than the inside so if the outside matches

the original character of the time period,

then the inside could be updated.

I think we're looking for a minimum of four bedrooms.

We've got three lovely houses,

one of which is the Mystery House so let's go and have a look.

-Great.

-Sounds good, thank you.

There's no denying

Matt and Catherine have a very healthy budget.

They are looking for a character property with ample space

to accommodate their soon-to-be family of five

and a big garden for their energetic boys to run around in.

Matt's the chef of the family so he's hoping for a good-sized kitchen

and, with his job based in London, he is willing to consider

a commute into work of up to an hour and a half.

We're kicking off our house-hunt towards the south of Surrey

in the village of Cranleigh,

20 minutes' drive from the county town of Guildford.

-Come on in!

-It's gorgeous! I love it!

-This is your country house.

This could be it, Alistair. I'm excited! I love that view.

Now, this is a very interesting historic property.

-You wanted period.

-Absolutely.

-This is as period as they come.

You can see it's in two halves -

this half with the black and white dates back to around 1670.

-Wow!

-This part is a bit later in the 19th century and it was,

until quiet recently, until the '90s, a pub.

-Oh!

-Called The Boy And Donkey.

'We're heading straight for the kitchen -

'the most important room in the house for keen cook Matt.'

-Step in these lovely concertina doors.

-Gorgeous.

-The exposed beams over there are very nice.

-Very pretty.

It's more modern than I would have thought from the outside,

but modern is good.

Some nice appliances, I can do some pretty good work in here.

It's a good size, too.

And just on the other side of the beamed wall

is an imposing dining room.

So, here we're into the more historic part of the house.

Oh, wow!

The masterpiece of the room seems to be this inglenook fireplace.

It's also got very high ceilings,

-which is unusual for these period properties.

-Very unusual.

-Which I love.

-And double windows, also very unusual.

-Yes.

'Through another old doorway, the sitting room is revealed

'and, with it, another handsome focal point.'

You know, I think this inglenook might be better.

-I love it!

-It's incredible, yeah.

-This was the 19th-century part, so this was the pub.

-OK.

Probably the snug bit of the pub,

there'd be a public saloon next-door and a proper inglenook.

-Yes.

-A proper inglenook.

Do you know the definition of a proper inglenook?

-It has the benches.

-Indeed!

-And it's a working fireplace as well?

Yeah, this is an open hearth so you can burn wood here.

You can burn wood. It's lovely.

'On the ground floor, there's also a large master bedroom

'in what would have been the main room of the former pub.

'There's also a utility room/shower room,

'as well as a family room and a study.

'And moving upstairs

'are the rest of the bedrooms and a family bathroom.

'We're starting off in the middle-sized room

'overlooking fields opposite the house.'

-Beautiful view from this room.

-Oh, yeah.

-It's gorgeous.

-It's great.

-Now, there are four rooms up here.

There is a smaller room over there and then there is a room here

connected to another small room that has a back staircase.

It's sort of higgledy-piggledy.

There's a bathroom upstairs

-and obviously the new bathroom downstairs.

-Great.

There's plenty of space.

Plenty of room for the kids and our guests as well

so it ticks the box there.

'I think they'll be just as happy when we step outside.'

An outbuilding there and a shed. Some space for chickens.

The house itself is incredible.

I think you've nailed our style, exactly what we're looking for.

-The views are amazing.

-And it's safe.

I mean, I think the kids could safely play out here

and not worry about the road.

-How much do you think it's on the market for?

-That's a good question.

I'm not very good at this so I'm going to let Catherine go first.

I knew you would say that! I'm going to say 925.

So I was going to say a little bit higher than that

so I will go with 955.

The house has been on the market for five months

and hasn't dropped from its original price, which was...

Brace yourselves!

-£980,000.

-OK.

So, there's lots more to explore outside and also the outhouse.

-I will see you round the front.

-Perfect!

-All right.

Sounds good.

At £20,000 below their generous £1 million budget,

this converted pub goes all out to give Matt and Catherine

everything they're looking for in their new abode.

It's bursting with centuries-old charm and period features

and has more than enough rooms for their two sons

and soon-to-be new addition, as well as visiting family and friends.

And, with a journey time into work for Matt

of an hour and 20 minutes, it would make commuting

from this charming home with its stunning views a real possibility.

The spring weather is really selling this property to me.

-Is it selling it to you?

-Yes.

-Good.

Well, don't get sold too soon

because we've got another one lined up.

-Are you ready?

-All right, let's go.

For our second property, we're heading to the east of the county

to the village of Okewood Hill,

ten miles south of the market town of Dorking.

-What do you think?

-It oozes charm.

This is great, just the kind of house we like.

Interestingly, this was two cottages

-and it's now joined together as one.

-OK.

And it's a very typical sort of Surrey style with these two gables

and the lovely wooden turned work above the porch.

Actually, the owner here works in the city

and it takes him exactly an hour and a half

from door-to-door to his desk.

So, can you imagine this being your home?

-Certainly the house from the outside, yes.

-Let's go in.

-OK.

'Things have started well and long may that continue.'

-Come on in.

-Ah!

-Straight into the sitting room.

-OK.

You can see this is where the two houses were knocked together.

-Oh, right.

-So actually that side

used to be the kitchen of the one house and then this has been

knocked together as one big long sitting room.

-It's a nice space. It's very big.

-I like it.

-It feels newer than the other house.

-They have completely renovated it.

There was something more charming about the other one.

So, there's a nice sunny study at the other end of the room there,

-but it's the next room that I think you might like.

-OK.

-Oh, this is lovely.

-This is huge!

We thought this is a bit more what you had in mind

in terms of the big kitchen/dining space.

-Yes.

-Absolutely. It's much bigger. Yeah, it looks very nice.

But this is a really lovely space, a big sort of family breakfast room,

-and it's heated, which is quite nice for a conservatory.

-It is nice.

And it continues because, of course, we've got another house to explore.

In the dining room here.

So, this was the second half of the house.

-OK.

-And this is the dining room.

-It's a very elegant room.

Through there, there's what they call the snug,

which was the sitting room of the original house.

The layout is perhaps a bit more logical than the last house,

-which was topsy-turvy.

-Yeah, we don't need logical, though.

We're not very logical ourselves.

'Moving upstairs, there are two bathrooms, a single bedroom

'and four bright doubles of roughly the same size.

'We've come to one at the front of the house.'

It's a little small.

I don't really feel like a master bedroom, but it's very quaint

and it's very charming and it does have high ceilings.

It is a bit small, though, that's for sure.

I like the upstairs better.

I think maybe it's the square feel to the rooms that I like

and the higher ceilings.

It's definitely nice, but I think it lacks a bit

-of the quirkiness of the first property.

-Yeah.

It's not twanging on your heartstrings?

-It's not. It's just not there.

-I don't think so.

'It's clear Matt and Catherine are looking for something unique

'in their country home and, although they were excited

'by this house's exterior,

'the inside doesn't seem to match up for them.

'But outside, once again, I'm hoping the garden

'and the views might make them change their mind.'

It's equally pretty from the back as it is from the front.

And the garden, they hadn't done much,

but you could do all sorts here.

There's another little plot down here,

it used to be the veggie patch, but actually, right in the corner,

you get a fantastic view and you can see Leith Tower,

which is, as I know, the highest point in the southeast.

-You're a wealth of information, Alistair.

-I am, I am.

I also know how much this house is on the market for

so what do you think the figure is?

I'm going to go with 990.

OK.

I'm going to stick with 955.

-So, the same as last time?

-The same as last time.

Cos, actually, this is on the market at 995.

Five!

So, I think that's one each.

But there's still more for you to explore.

-You know the drill.

-We do.

-Look around, I'll see you round the front.

-OK.

Coming in at just £5,000 under budget, this period property

gives Matt and Catherine all the space they need

for their expanding family.

The house is conveniently located just ten minutes' drive

from a direct train link to London,

but the trade-in for the beautiful rural location

would be Matt's door-to-door commute of an hour and 40 minutes.

-BIRDSONG

-It's been a while since I've been in Surrey

and it's incredibly rich in birds. The birdsong is amazing.

Have you heard the lovely birdsong?

-Yeah.

-Wonderful!

-Very nice.

-OK, so we're all done for today. No more houses.

-OK.

Time to rest up, but I do hear there is a good pub next-door.

Oh, let's go!

On our Surrey house-hunt, we've already seen two period properties

full of the charm Matt and Catherine want in their English country home.

But in our third property, the Mystery House,

we're offering them something really quite spectacular,

but asking them to move further south.

Crossing borders into West Sussex,

not only will their pound stretch further,

but Matt would have a travel time into work

of only an hour and five minutes.

Our final visit is to the tiny hamlet of Old Holbrook,

four miles from the market town of Horsham.

Ladies and gentlemen, I introduce you to the Mystery House.

Wow!

-This is a lovely cottage.

-It's very impressive.

-"Cottage"!

-House!

But it has the charm, it has the charm, that's what I meant.

So, we've moved you even further south,

across the border into West Sussex.

Further away from London, but...

-The commute...

-Is shorter.

-Wow!

-Is it?

Because Littlehaven is a village, a three-minute drive

and the trains go every half hour straight into London Bridge

so actually this is the best commute.

Alistair, you're a genius!

Well done!

And that's just the commute.

We haven't even started on the house,

which is, I think, a bit of a masterpiece.

It was a small farmhouse cottage

and the present owner has completely transformed it.

I'm in trouble.

-I can feel it, I'm in trouble.

-Let's have a look.

-OK.

'Catherine admitted to me that exterior character is a must,

'but doesn't have to follow through inside

'so I'm sure she'll be impressed

'by this four-bedroom extended cottage,

'which has been modernised throughout

'to an immaculate standard,

'making it a perfect blend of old meets new.'

This is nice.

It's got the sitting area we were looking for,

plenty of counter space, plenty of storage space

and a really nice finish.

Very nice finish and the sliding doors

that open right out into the garden.

-Yeah.

-Amazing, amazing.

Definitely in trouble on this one.

-It is gorgeous.

-Why do you keep on saying you're in trouble?

It's gorgeous. He's scared of himself.

He doesn't want to like it because he's like...

Let it go! Release the desire!

'Off the kitchen is a utility room, leading to a carport and a garage.

'Moving into the middle of the house is a sizeable sitting room.'

Wow!

-This is a "wow" room, too.

-This is a "wow" room.

That's a very interesting wood burner.

Beautiful oak floors throughout, real oak.

Yeah, that's a good-sized room.

And it flows very nicely into the kitchen, very comfortably.

Can you imagine yourself, after a hard day in the city,

coming back...?

Yeah, it would certainly be a nice place to come back to.

Are you getting the vibe, too?

Oh, my gosh! Right away. There's no doubt.

This is... This is it.

'The house seems to be selling itself.

'Catherine is hooked and, although he may not be admitting it,

'I don't think Matt's far behind

'as we move to the dining room at the front of the house.'

-This is a lovely room, too.

-Oh, wow!

Yeah, this is nice. Great dining area.

What a lovely formal place if you had some friends round.

It's perfect.

'As we move upstairs,

'there's a clever use of space with a mezzanine study above the landing.

'There is a family bathroom, three double bedrooms,

'one with an en suite

'and one with its own mezzanine level in the eaves

'and a master with views over the garden and surrounding fields.'

Beautiful! With a balcony off of it?

With a balcony, yeah.

And the doors.

-I can woo you from the garden.

-You could do a Juliet.

-Yes!

But, again, you can concertina those doors open

so you could sit here in the evening because you get the evening sun.

Yeah, it's beautiful.

Gosh! I mean, this whole house is so immaculate.

It is just incredible.

-Is this what you were thinking about as a master?

-Yes.

This is exactly what I pictured a master to be.

'But Catherine ain't seen nothing yet.'

-I have to say, I have seen some en suites...

-There's MORE?

This is an en suite.

-Bit of a walk-in wardrobe dressing room.

-Oh, my God! Oh, my...

And welcome to the en suite world.

You are kidding me!

-I'm definitely in trouble now.

-OK, this is too much.

This is too much, we can't afford this. This is incredible.

This is just...

-This is a beautiful living space!

-You could live here.

I mean, I could. I could, Matt, I could!

OK, well, we can talk about that.

OK! It's like my dream.

No pressure here, right? No pressure!

Matt's face is like, "Oh, God!"

You can have the balcony off the master

and I can have the walk-in closet.

Isn't there a highway around here or something?

So, we're getting the thumbs up, even from you?

Yeah, thumbs up.

-Let's go into the garden and talk money.

-Money, money, money!

'The house sits in a third of an acre of land

'and, leading out from the kitchen,

'a stone patio overlooks a manicured lawn and endless country views.'

This is the garden.

You can see the boundary there with the hedge

so it's not massive massive.

It's very maintainable, which is all that I care about.

Let's get a full view of the house.

-It's quite a property.

-It is.

What do you think it's on the market for?

-Why don't you go first?

-All right, I'll go first.

I am going to say 1,035,000.

OK. So, a bit over budget.

Let's go with 1,050,000.

I'm afraid Catherine wins 2-1.

This is actually the cheapest property we're showing you.

-What?!

-It's on the market for £965,000.

-That's very surprising.

-Oh, my gosh!

-Oh, my gosh!

-I'm definitely in trouble now.

-I'm speechless.

-How is that possible?

-Well, cos we left Surrey.

-We left Surrey.

We have to discuss.

I think this is going to be a one-sided discussion.

-So, get inside, explore.

-OK.

-And I'll see you out the front.

-Great.

This beautifully renovated home gives Matt and Catherine

everything they've asked for

and comes in a surprising £35,000 under budget.

We've crossed counties to get here,

but, with an hour and five minute commute to work for Matt,

it's an easy journey into the city.

But, with an offer already on the table, they need to act quickly

if they want to get the keys to this impressive house.

What a pleasing house! Everything about it is pleasing.

Even the porch, even the wood stack is pleasing.

Did you find anything you didn't like about it?

Not a thing for me.

Not yet, nothing.

I've looked hard, too, I've looked very hard.

You did, you were looking hard.

OK, let's go and get away from the magic house

-and see if we can get some clarity.

-Perfect.

By the end of all the property viewings,

I think it was pretty clear to all of us which of the three houses

that Catherine and Matt liked the most,

but what we have to do now is pin them down

to their plan of action and find out what happens next.

I'm going to go out on a limb and say that the first two houses

have really been blown out of the water by the last. Is that correct?

-That is correct.

-I would agree.

So, what's going to happen next?

-They're keen to move, you're keen to move.

-Yeah.

-That's a good question.

We love the house, but we'd like to understand a bit more

about where we are and amenities and schools.

And, Catherine, are you feeling equally excited?

Yes, I'm very enthusiastic.

I just, like Matt, want to take a drive around the area,

figure out what the amenities are

and then, hopefully, we will put an offer in.

-Wouldn't that be exciting?

-It would be very exciting for us!

I genuinely hope that you two do buy that house and then move there

-cos I do think that you looked very happy there.

-Thank you.

-Thank you.

Well, best of luck, I hope it goes well.

-Thanks for taking part.

-Thank you.

-Thank you.

I know I should be level-headed and impartial,

but I really, really want Catherine and Matt to buy that house.

It wasn't in Surrey, it was in West Sussex,

but I think it will be a lovely place

for the three brothers to grow up

and I really hope that you join us next time

for more Escape To The Country.