Dorset Escape to the Country


Dorset

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Who would think this beautiful remote bay

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held one of the greatest secrets of World War II?

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So where am I? And what secret does this location hold?

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On today's show,

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I'm helping a business couple unwind after spending the last

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few years living and working in two of the busiest cities in the world.

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But will any of our properties seal the deal?

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I thought the kitchen was bright. This is really bright.

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I mean, it's just gorgeous, isn't it?

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So far I think it's working very nicely.

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It is picture-perfect.

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Today I'm in Dorset

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and this is the glorious tourist magnet of Studland Bay -

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renowned for its wildlife and tranquil beaches.

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Not quite so peaceful, though, back in April 1944, when Operation Smash,

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codename for the so-called dress rehearsal of the D-Day landings in

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Normandy, was in full swing.

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A bunker was built to ensure the safety of dignitaries,

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who were watching the proceedings.

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Just a few weeks later, on the sixth of June 1944,

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the Allied invasion of Europe was finally launched on the beaches of

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Normandy. And despite the great sacrifices of those men

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that lost their lives on that day,

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many more may have perished without the experience

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and training they received here on the shores of Studland Bay.

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The county of Dorset sits in the south-west of England

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and its neighbours include Devon, Somerset and Wiltshire.

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The coastline, which borders the English Channel,

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is generally formed of high cliffs, interspersed by undulating valleys.

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It boasts the highest point on the entire south coast, Golden Cap,

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just east of Charmouth and part of the world-famous Jurassic Coast.

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The low-lying coastal area includes the seaside town of Weymouth,

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which has been a draw for tourists

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since King George III holidayed there on 14 separate occasions.

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Inland, Dorset's rural scenery has provided inspiration for some of

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Britain's best loved novelists,

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including Thomas Hardy and Enid Blyton.

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With its rural charm and unspoiled beauty,

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it's no surprise visitors and house-buyers are so drawn to this

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appealing part of the country.

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Let's find out who today's buyers are and why they decided that Dorset

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is the destination they are hoping to escape to.

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David and Tracy have been married for 13 years

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and currently live in a three-bedroom cottage in Ealing,

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west London.

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Having recently sold their skincare business,

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the appeal of living in the capital is fading.

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I've always said with London, and I really believe this,

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I think everyone should experience it.

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I remember in the early years, I was actually excited.

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I have to say, I don't feel that now and I think, therefore,

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that I would say it is definitely my time to move on.

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David has a son and daughter from his previous marriage

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and two grandchildren.

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And their current property just isn't large enough

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to entertain their family and friends.

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Even though there is just the two of us, we actually want a lot more

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space, because we've got a lot of family that could join us.

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Tracy first fell in love with Dorset

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during a memorable childhood holiday.

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And for David, the county fulfils his desire to be close to the coast,

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but still within reach of London.

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We've always had this thing about going to the seaside,

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living closer to the sea.

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I think Dorset, for me, just seems to tick all the boxes.

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We've been there many, many times. Very relaxed, very chilled.

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Before London, the couple spent a number of years living and working

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in Venice Beach, Los Angeles.

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The outdoors way of life has rubbed off on them

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and it's something they are keen to replicate in Dorset.

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After three and a half years of living in California,

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I had blond hair, I had a suntan, I almost spoke the lingo.

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I was really into my cycling.

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I used to cycle to work and back, ten miles a day, and I loved it.

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After a gruelling couple of years building up the business,

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they are looking forward to relaxing.

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Change is always really frightening, so don't think this is a light,

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casual thing. You take a long time. And I think probably the last

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two years we have worried about where our business is going.

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I already feel happier. I know this sounds really strange,

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but work has been so intense

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- we are not going to be working together

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and I'm actually quite looking forward to that.

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Just having a normal life.

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David and Tracy would like to be fairly close to the coast,

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within 20 minutes by car, and not far from Dorchester.

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So we are concentrating our property search in the south of the county.

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With their London house now under offer,

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I'm meeting up with them in Bedminster

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to find out more about their prospective move.

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David and Tracy, welcome to Dorset.

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-Thank you very much.

-You are unusual,

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because you're moving to the country,

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-moving away from a big city, but you're not downsizing, are you?

-No.

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-You're upsizing.

-We are upsizing, yeah.

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I think you're the first couple I've ever had that are upsizing.

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I think the word I keep using is "breathe", you know,

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because I think London feels quite intense to me.

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I just want to have this space that we can really kind of breathe,

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light and airy and spacious. And have our friends and family as well,

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-because they are very important to us.

-One of the other things,

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we lost our dog a few months ago.

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And we are dog lovers and we want to get a couple of dogs.

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And, of course, we are waiting to get into our new house to do that.

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The house, the dream property, what are you looking for?

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Four bedrooms as a minimum.

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Spacious and light.

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This is where we probably divide,

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because David would go contemporary and very modern and minimalistic all

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the way. I'd be happy with that on the inside, but on the outside,

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an older property.

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Don't want to be on top of our neighbours.

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And definitely not thatched - even though I like the look of it,

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it's not something that we'd want take on.

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So remind me of your budget.

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-Tracy, you like talking about the numbers.

-£875,000.

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-And is there any flexibility on that?

-Less than.

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THEY LAUGH

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Well, let's see how we get on.

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We'll finish our tea and coffee and I think we should hit the road.

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-Thank you.

-OK, very good.

-Fantastic.

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For a very generous budget of £875,000,

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David and Tracy would like a detached,

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light and spacious property. As far as style goes,

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they'd prefer an older shell with a modern interior,

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but thatched roofs are a no-no.

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They're after four bedrooms,

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for when family and friends come to stay.

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

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of the sea. And hope to get a dog, so the garden should be enclosed.

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Over the next couple of days,

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David and Tracy will see three delightful Dorset homes

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that we've lined up for them. And will keep them guessing on price,

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until the end of each tour. Our final property, the Mystery House,

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could leave our buyers clutching at straws.

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We're starting our property shopping in the hamlet of Langton Long.

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It's a mile and a half away from the historic market town

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of Blandford Forum.

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The original town was destroyed by a fire in 1731

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and rebuilt shortly afterwards by renowned architects

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and surveyors - the Bastard brothers.

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The quiet hamlet of Langton Long, the location of our first property,

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is a three-minute drive out of the town and stands on the estate of a

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former mansion house.

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-Here is our first property.

-Fantastic views.

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-Amazing views.

-Of the countryside. Look at that.

-So the house was built

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in the early 1960s. And the land all around here

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is part of the Langton estate.

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It is really beginning to rain now, so should we start the tour?

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Indeed, yes.

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The house has been stylishly refurbished in the last few years

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and extended to the rear, with an emphasis

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on reducing its energy bill.

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The property's green credentials include solar and PV panels,

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an air source heat pump providing near zero running costs.

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So you've got a large hallway,

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but I wanted to start off with the kitchen first.

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It's amazing. Absolutely amazing.

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-Very stylish.

-You've got all this space.

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Cleverly, they've put in a sort of study area there,

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which is all incorporated, same units.

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But this kitchen leads us to this glass room.

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-Incredible. Isn't it amazing?

-Hugely spacious, isn't it?

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-Look at the staircase.

-Yeah.

-Oh, it's fantastic.

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Look at the view! I love it!

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In addition to the kitchen breakfast space and the glass garden room,

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there is a further reception room -

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a cosier option at the front of the house.

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Upstairs, there are four bedrooms,

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including a good-sized guest room and two singles.

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But the smallest leads onto a huge study area above the glass room.

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Then there is the master.

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-Oh, how lovely.

-Very nice.

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Lovely and light, isn't it? And airy. Nice fitted wardrobes,

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-very important.

-And an even better view from the window here.

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Not only is it quite a large room, but you also have,

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if you look just over your shoulder, you've got an en-suite as well.

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Right. So far, I think it's working very nicely.

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-Yes, it's looking very good.

-Yeah, it's good.

-I mean, it's very

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-impressive, what we've seen so far.

-Good. Well, I'm thrilled.

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And I think you are going to be just as impressed

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with the garden as well.

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The well-maintained garden is large and fully fenced,

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so ideal for a dog.

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There's also a vegetable patch. And at the front of the property,

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and old well tower, now converted into a useful outhouse.

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And a garage, which is integral to the house.

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

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I'm thinking 790,000, that sort of range.

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I actually think it's a bit less than that.

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So I think £750,000.

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The asking price, Tracy, you are practically on the money.

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£749,500.

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-TRACY GASPS

-Wow.

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-That's well under your budget.

-It's WELL under your budget.

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It is, very much so, yeah. Excellent.

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And the owners do really want to move. They are relocating to another part of the country.

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This house was recently marketed just under 800,000

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and they have just dropped the price by £50,000.

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Under budget by £125,000, our first property,

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a 1960s conversion, offers David and Tracy the light and spacious rooms

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they wanted, a contemporary interior with that stylish glass room,

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a dog-friendly garden and four bedrooms.

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-You seemed to enjoy that tour?

-It was very good, thank you very much.

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Only the first house, we've got to show you as well.

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Dorset has remained a rural county

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since the days of Thomas Hardy, in the 19th century.

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The Industrial Revolution largely bypassed the county,

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which in turn allowed rural crafts to flourish.

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I've come to Brenscombe Wood, on the Isle of Purbeck,

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to meet a woodsman who manages a 45-acre site

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and in his spare time teaches green woodworking skills -

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which involve using hand tools on freshly cut wood.

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I'm meeting Toby Hoad and his work horse, Fleur.

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Toby, what an amazing setting.

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-Yes, it is, yeah.

-So, tell me, what exactly does a woodsman do?

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I produce charcoal for barbecues, campsites and local shops.

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That is during the summer. I produce furniture. And in the winter,

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it's more getting out doing the felling.

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-I sell logs locally as well for firewood.

-I can see Fleur in the

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background there. Does she actually help you transport the logs around?

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Yes, she does. Every single log I sell, as chopped logs or furniture

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or any timber. With Fleur, I can weave in and out of the trees.

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She has minimal damage on the woodland floor

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and she' s good company, as well.

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-Are we able to see her in action today?

-Of course.

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Good girl.

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Fleur is a Comtois, a French breed of horse especially suited to

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logging, because of its broad shoulders and stocky legs.

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Toby, it's the power. I mean, she's trying to break out

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-into a trot already!

-She is, a little bit!

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Toby is taking me to his woodland workshop to get a

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lesson in greenwood furniture making.

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He is finishing off a bench made out freshly fallen softwood.

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So, can you work with it straightaway?

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I work the wood green, using hand tools to shape it.

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-It's easier, is it?

-So, it's easier. Because I've got no electricity

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here, obviously, being a woodland workshop.

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I wouldn't be able to work with any seasoned wood,

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because you would need power tools to get through that hard wood.

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The bench needs an armrest,

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so Toby cuts a piece of oak to the correct size.

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What we're going to do is, we're going to try to split it straight

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-down the middle.

-Right.

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And we're going to do that by positioning the froe,

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which is this, which is a splitting axe, through that.

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The piece of wood will spit straight down the middle.

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Yeah? And there we go.

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OK, the next thing we are going to do now...

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This is a right-handed side axe.

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You can see that it has got a bevel on the right-hand side

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and completely flat on the left-hand side.

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So again, very ancient tool. Designed specifically for this job.

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The side axe enables Toby to craft the piece of wood

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to the rough shape of the armrest,

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before moving on to the shave horse to smooth the edges.

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Would this date back hundreds of years?

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Yeah, indeed. The old bodgers in the Chiltern Hills used these.

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I'll just show you how it works. It's actually a clamping device.

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So, you push with your feet and you hold the piece of wood in place,

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like that. And then you use something called a draw knife -

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which does look really dangerous,

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because you are pulling it towards you.

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Believe it or not, your shoulders

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and your elbows stop you from pulling it into your body.

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Which you will soon see.

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I'm just don't ask you to sort of take the bark off with a draw knife.

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-That would be a great help.

-OK.

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-That's good.

-And then I bring it towards me?

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Yes, exactly that. So just...

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That's it, perfect.

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Despite Toby's reassurance, my care in using the draw knife

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means we'll probably be here all day.

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So, it's over to the expert to smooth it down.

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SHE LAUGHS

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What's taken me quite a few minutes, it takes you seconds!

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The final touches to smooth off the ends, using a rounder -

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effectively, a giant pencil sharpener.

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Now we've got ourselves an armrest which looks like it can do with

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being fitted now, I think.

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-That is a good fit.

-Excellent. Nice tight fit, brilliant.

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-Very good.

-The proof is in the seating.

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-So may I?

-There we go, Nicky.

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Let's see how we get on.

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Oh, and very nice it is, too.

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-Toby, thank you very much.

-You're more than welcome.

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For our second house, we are heading south towards the coast and the

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Hamlet of Creech Bottom.

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Nearby Wareham, a six-minute drive away,

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provides amenities for the surrounding villages.

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Sitting on the banks of the River Frome,

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the Saxon town is effectively known as the gateway to the Purbeck

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Peninsula. Our second house sits in a quiet rural location a few miles

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outside Wareham

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and was built as the foreman's cottage for the nearby railway.

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Wow! This is very nice.

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So, our second property,

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we've brought you to practically the coast.

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The cliffs are two miles up the road.

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And you said you wanted to be close to the sea.

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-Yes, absolutely.

-And here it is.

-Wow.

-Beautiful.

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So, quite a substantial property. It has been extended out the back.

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So, the original house is the part we're looking at.

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Built in the Georgian style, but it only dates back to about 1910.

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Right, well, I think we should start, don't you?

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-Absolutely.

-Sounds good.

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The coastal location of our second house should satisfy David. And the

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facade of the property should fulfil Tracy's desire for an older

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frontage. But will the interior prove modern,

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light and spacious enough for our buyers?

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Now, the way the house is set up at the moment,

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you walk straight into the dining area.

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But I'm going to call this the reception area,

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because there is a lot of space in this property

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and you might not choose to have a dining room here.

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-Yeah, definitely. Lovely.

-OK.

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This is a great welcoming area when your guests come to stay

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and, of course, where is the first place you're going to take them?

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Into the kitchen.

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Now, plenty of space here!

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-Incredible.

-I think you can see, can't you,

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where the extension comes into play?

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So, the way it has been laid out, you've got this very large...

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At the moment, because it's a family that lives here,

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it's a study area with a real fire.

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And you have got this huge open-plan kitchen, again, with dining space.

0:17:050:17:11

It's so light and airy as well, isn't it?

0:17:110:17:13

-Yeah.

-And the floor as well.

-The floor is fantastic.

0:17:130:17:16

You've also got this room next door.

0:17:160:17:19

Oh, this is lovely.

0:17:190:17:23

An additional room for you.

0:17:230:17:25

I thought the kitchen was bright, this is really bright.

0:17:250:17:28

-It's gorgeous, isn't it?

-Mm.

-Mm, I'm liking this a lot, actually.

0:17:280:17:31

Enough room for family, grandchildren?

0:17:310:17:34

I think so. Absolutely.

0:17:340:17:36

There's more to see yet, but just the space here alone.

0:17:360:17:39

-Yes.

-You can see lots of opportunity.

0:17:390:17:41

Well, it seems we have won over Tracy,

0:17:410:17:44

but David is keeping his cards close to his chest.

0:17:440:17:47

The ground floor also provides a sitting room an open fireplace.

0:17:470:17:50

Upstairs, there are four generous bedrooms

0:17:500:17:54

arranged off a central landing.

0:17:540:17:56

One would make an excellent guest room, as it comes with an en-suite.

0:17:560:18:00

And there are two smaller rooms

0:18:000:18:02

overlooking the front of the property.

0:18:020:18:04

There is also a separate family bathroom

0:18:040:18:07

and the master is at the back.

0:18:070:18:08

We've got an en-suite.

0:18:080:18:11

Nice. Beautiful size.

0:18:110:18:13

-Good size, yeah.

-Really lovely.

0:18:130:18:16

The house sits in an acre plot with a large rear garden, mainly lawned,

0:18:160:18:20

and already partially enclosed by a dog-proof fence.

0:18:200:18:23

I think it's always great when you show somebody round a house

0:18:250:18:29

and you leave a little bit up your sleeve for the end.

0:18:290:18:33

Behind us, we have quite a large chalet.

0:18:330:18:36

In there, there's electricity, there's a toilet.

0:18:360:18:39

That could make a fantastic retreat,

0:18:390:18:43

perhaps for your grandchildren when they are a bit older.

0:18:430:18:46

Television in there, everything. Games, whatever you want.

0:18:460:18:48

And, of course, we can't forget the actual space

0:18:480:18:51

that we're standing in.

0:18:510:18:53

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

0:18:530:18:55

Well, I think 755, that sort of range.

0:18:550:18:58

And I think 720.

0:18:580:19:00

You're both out, by quite a lot of money.

0:19:000:19:04

The asking price, and this is unusual, the way it's worded,

0:19:040:19:07

but it's offers in excess of £835,000.

0:19:070:19:12

-I think we're quite...

-I'm shocked by that, really.

-Shocked at that, really.

0:19:120:19:16

It's high, I would say.

0:19:160:19:18

Under budget by £40,000,

0:19:190:19:22

our second offering provides David and Tracy

0:19:220:19:25

with a characterful exterior and a contemporary feel inside.

0:19:250:19:27

They get the four bedrooms they wanted,

0:19:270:19:31

space for the family and a dog-friendly garden.

0:19:310:19:34

Have we ended on a high note?

0:19:340:19:36

Not so sure about that price for you two.

0:19:360:19:38

Not so sure about the price. I think we'll have to see.

0:19:380:19:40

There's a few things to think about.

0:19:400:19:42

-Yes.

-And the good news is, I've got another house to show you tomorrow.

0:19:420:19:46

Yesterday, I think we got off to a good start with David and Tracy.

0:19:510:19:55

Both our houses were well-received,

0:19:550:19:58

but the price was a surprising factor

0:19:580:20:01

with the home close to the sea.

0:20:010:20:03

However, we do have is one more property to show them.

0:20:030:20:06

This time, it's our Mystery House.

0:20:060:20:09

Now, they like the idea of open-plan, they want space

0:20:090:20:12

for a home to flow on the inside.

0:20:120:20:15

All well and good, but first impressions on the exterior?

0:20:150:20:19

Well, this one might prove interesting.

0:20:190:20:22

For our final house choice,

0:20:230:20:27

we're heading inland to the hamlet of Winterbourne Muston.

0:20:270:20:30

Just three miles up the road is the large village of Bere Regis,

0:20:300:20:33

which featured in several novels of Thomas Hardy.

0:20:330:20:36

At the start of our house search,

0:20:360:20:39

David and Tracy had closed the book on thatched properties.

0:20:390:20:41

But I have a feeling the Mystery House

0:20:410:20:44

may provide the twist in the tale.

0:20:440:20:47

And our final offering is...

0:20:470:20:51

The Mystery House.

0:20:520:20:55

THEY LAUGH

0:20:550:20:57

It is picture-perfect, isn't it? I mean, it is gorgeous.

0:20:580:21:02

-Very lovely.

-Look at the lovely, lovely windows.

0:21:020:21:05

You two are remarkable!

0:21:050:21:08

The one thing you said when I first met you was,

0:21:080:21:11

"We don't want thatched."

0:21:110:21:12

It doesn't mean that I don't like the style of it, because I do.

0:21:120:21:16

It's beautiful, isn't it? How could you not like thatched housing?

0:21:160:21:19

It is thatched, it is our Mystery House.

0:21:190:21:23

But what is inside is so beautiful,

0:21:230:21:25

we think it's worth the consideration.

0:21:250:21:27

You probably wouldn't have thought of looking at this yourselves, is the truth, would you?

0:21:270:21:31

-No, I don't think we would have done.

-Probably not, no.

0:21:310:21:34

-Shall we have a look?

-Yes.

-OK.

0:21:340:21:37

David and Tracy's reservations about thatched, like many,

0:21:370:21:40

centred on the replacement costs.

0:21:400:21:43

But our Mystery Property was re-thatched

0:21:430:21:45

with Chinese water weed a few years ago, which has a life-span

0:21:450:21:49

of about 50 years.

0:21:490:21:51

The cottage dates to the 16th century

0:21:510:21:53

and, unusually for a building of its age, is not listed.

0:21:530:21:56

The rear has been extended,

0:21:560:21:58

providing a side entrance to the property.

0:21:580:22:01

So, step inside your kitchen.

0:22:020:22:06

Who expects a kitchen like this in a thatched cottage?

0:22:070:22:11

-It is fantastic.

-Yes, very impressive.

0:22:120:22:14

-Absolutely beautiful.

-So, the kitchen has given us a bit of the wow factor straightaway.

0:22:140:22:19

-Oh, it has.

-Definitely.

-It's lovely. It feels amazing.

0:22:190:22:21

Let's go through.

0:22:210:22:24

Well, at the moment, it's a dining room but it would make a fantastic

0:22:240:22:28

sitting-room/office.

0:22:280:22:30

So far, could you imagine yourself living in a property like this?

0:22:300:22:33

-I think we could.

-I definitely know that we could.

0:22:330:22:37

-Could you?

-For sure.

0:22:370:22:38

Despite our buyers' initial qualms about thatched houses,

0:22:380:22:42

the Mystery Property, with its light, open-plan interior,

0:22:420:22:45

natural oak floors and original features,

0:22:450:22:48

seems to have tugged at the heartstrings.

0:22:480:22:50

Just beyond the kitchen-diner

0:22:500:22:53

is the final reception room on the ground floor.

0:22:530:22:55

-Oh!

-Here is your sitting room.

0:22:550:22:58

-Wow! This is incredible.

-It IS incredible.

-Look at that wall.

0:22:580:23:01

I didn't expect to see this.

0:23:010:23:03

That is... If there is one thing I would love, apart from this house,

0:23:030:23:07

is that fireplace with the slate.

0:23:070:23:10

This house has is already proved to be very different to everything else

0:23:100:23:15

-we have seen.

-Yeah.

-Quite spectacular.

0:23:150:23:17

And just on another level, really.

0:23:170:23:20

Upstairs, there are five bedrooms, one more than they asked for.

0:23:200:23:24

Four of those are doubles and there is one single -

0:23:240:23:27

all in the older part of the house.

0:23:270:23:29

There is also a family bath

0:23:290:23:31

and shower room with exposed beams

0:23:310:23:33

and the master is in the newer extension.

0:23:330:23:36

So, master bedroom.

0:23:370:23:40

-Underfloor heating.

-Very good.

-And also in the en-suite.

0:23:410:23:45

Nice! What a treat.

0:23:450:23:48

-I hate cold feet in the morning.

-Shall we have a look?

-Go on.

0:23:480:23:51

Have a little look inside.

0:23:510:23:53

-Go on, David, I think you should.

-All right.

0:23:530:23:55

Oh, this is lovely.

0:23:560:23:58

-Oh, look, shower as well.

-Beautiful, isn't it?

0:23:580:24:01

David, you're not meant to be in the shower!

0:24:010:24:04

-Oh, but it is so nice!

-Also, I do want to point out,

0:24:040:24:07

you have a walk-in wardrobe there. So, are you keen to have a

0:24:070:24:11

-look at outside now?

-Indeed.

-We are.

0:24:110:24:14

The cottage sits in half an acre of gardens,

0:24:140:24:18

which are low-maintenance and mainly laid to lawn.

0:24:180:24:20

Within the grounds, there's also a garage and timber summerhouse.

0:24:200:24:24

I love it. There's nothing I don't like about it.

0:24:240:24:28

I really, really do think it's picture-perfect.

0:24:280:24:31

We've got to put a price on it.

0:24:310:24:33

So, how much do you think the asking price is on the cottage?

0:24:330:24:36

£820,000.

0:24:360:24:39

And I think 790.

0:24:390:24:42

The asking price for the Mystery House, it's offers in excess of...

0:24:420:24:47

£695,000.

0:24:470:24:49

-Wow!

-I'm so shocked. Given how much work they've done.

0:24:490:24:54

And the state that it's in.

0:24:540:24:55

It's just blown us away, I can't believe it. That's...

0:24:550:24:59

-That's incredible, isn't it?

-Mm.

0:24:590:25:01

-Are you shocked and that?

-Yeah, I'm very shocked.

0:25:010:25:04

-Say again?

-THEY LAUGH

0:25:040:25:06

Just confirm that number!

0:25:060:25:07

-Offers in excess...

-£695,000.

0:25:070:25:11

695,000, wow!

0:25:110:25:13

Under-budget by £180,000,

0:25:130:25:16

the price of our Mystery House comes as a bit of a shock,

0:25:160:25:20

but in a good way.

0:25:200:25:22

It's a 450-year-old thatched cottage,

0:25:220:25:25

which has been renovated and extended

0:25:250:25:27

to give it a contemporary feel.

0:25:270:25:29

It provides David and Tracy with one more bedroom

0:25:290:25:32

than they asked for, a light and spacious interior

0:25:320:25:35

and a large garden suitable for dogs.

0:25:350:25:37

There we go, finished.

0:25:370:25:40

You've seen our Mystery House, well,

0:25:400:25:42

you've seen all our properties here in Dorset.

0:25:420:25:44

-We have.

-Yes, thank you very much.

0:25:440:25:46

-We have been very pleasantly surprised, particularly with this one.

-Good.

0:25:460:25:49

Let's go somewhere, the sun is still shining,

0:25:490:25:51

-have a cup of tea and mull over your options.

-Yeah.

0:25:510:25:54

So we've had a fabulous couple of days. We have seen, well, quite

0:25:590:26:04

different types of properties, haven't we,

0:26:040:26:06

David and Tracy? But you're quite difficult to read.

0:26:060:26:10

Now, normally, when I think that it's because people aren't giving

0:26:100:26:13

anything away, but you have actually been very encouraging about all the

0:26:130:26:17

properties we've shown you.

0:26:170:26:19

I think with both agree

0:26:190:26:20

that we liked houses one and three in particular.

0:26:200:26:24

And they are ones that we will definitely go away and

0:26:240:26:29

discuss with the possibility to coming back and viewing.

0:26:290:26:33

Is there a preference over those two properties?

0:26:330:26:36

Well, surprisingly,

0:26:360:26:37

I think the preference would probably be on the third house.

0:26:370:26:40

Who would have thought we would look at a thatched house?

0:26:400:26:43

Yeah, it's unbelievable, really.

0:26:430:26:44

What do you think you are going to take away from the last few days,

0:26:440:26:48

this experience?

0:26:480:26:49

One of the overriding things is that we know for sure is that this house

0:26:490:26:52

needs to be right.

0:26:520:26:54

Not just for now, not just for next year or the next couple of years,

0:26:540:26:58

but for the rest of our lives.

0:26:580:27:00

-Of course, yeah.

-But we do have to think about things like closeness to

0:27:000:27:04

shops and towns and whether that's a priority, etc.

0:27:040:27:08

There's no doubt about it, Dorset is...

0:27:080:27:11

-No, we've learnt a lot.

-..an amazing, amazing county.

0:27:110:27:14

We can't wait to be down here. And thank you for the experience.

0:27:140:27:17

Well, you're welcome. We've been thrilled to show you just a small taste of it.

0:27:170:27:20

-But it certainly whetted your appetite.

-Thank you, Nicky.

0:27:200:27:23

Thank you very much indeed.

0:27:230:27:24

Well, what has become evident is that David and Tracy's budget is

0:27:280:27:31

realistic for their needs.

0:27:310:27:33

Their passion for Dorset certainly hasn't diminished.

0:27:330:27:36

And this whole experience will, hopefully,

0:27:360:27:39

have broadened their minds to all architectural styles.

0:27:390:27:43

Join me again on Escape To The Country.

0:27:430:27:45

David and Tracy decided the rural of locations of our first and third

0:27:480:27:52

houses were too remote for them

0:27:520:27:54

and have since made an offer on a property

0:27:540:27:57

in the small coastal town of Highcliffe, East Dorset.

0:27:570:28:00

If you would like to expect of the country in Wales, Scotland,

0:28:000:28:03

Northern Ireland, England,

0:28:030:28:05

or perhaps even further afield to the continent,

0:28:050:28:07

and would like our help, please apply online at...

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