Surrey Escape to the Country


Surrey

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

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

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

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And this extraordinary elevation is due to the obsession of an

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English country gentleman who wanted to turn his hill into a mountain.

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Find out more in just a moment.

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

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looking for a true slice of British country living.

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-It's cute!

-It oozes charm.

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Just the kind of house we like.

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

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I'm speechless. How is that possible?

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I'm definitely in trouble now.

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

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Now, back in the Georgian period,

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

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

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so frustratingly short of the mark.

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

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decided that was not good enough.

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

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he built this impressive 65-foot tall tower.

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It still is one of the best viewing points in the South East

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

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

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One of the Home Counties surrounding London,

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

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Kent to the east and West Sussex to the south.

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Despite its proximity to London,

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84% of the county is classed as countryside,

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offering a magnificent collage of fields and hills

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in contrasting shades of brilliant green.

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Traversing the region from east to west,

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the Surrey Hills are home to over 150 miles of walking paths which are

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a welcome attraction for visitors, who are greeted by

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spectacular views at every turn.

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Throughout Surrey, classic English villages

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display the intricate architecture the area's famous for.

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Tudor beams stand proud on whitewashed buildings,

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tall chimneys peer out of steep, pitched roofs

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and you can see beautiful examples of tile hanging,

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where the decorative clay tiles are laid vertically.

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So with its superb scenery

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and excellent train links to the capital,

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there's no denying this diverse county

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makes for a very desirable address.

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There's no getting away from it, Surrey is extremely expensive.

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In fact, after London, there is

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a no more expensive place to buy property in the UK.

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The average price for a detached house here is, wait for it, £575,00,

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which is more than twice the national average.

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To put that into perspective,

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if you crossed the border into neighbouring West Sussex

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

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

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Let's meet them.

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American childhood sweethearts

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

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We met when we were both in high school.

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We reconnected in New York about eight years later.

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Yep.

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And the rest is history.

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And then moved to London shortly after that.

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

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

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

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and experience a more rural British life.

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Peace and quiet is a big deal for us

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

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

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So it would be nice to be away from all the traffic

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in the countryside.

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

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

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as their family grows.

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I just think it's time. We've done the city.

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We've enjoyed it, we've taken advantage of it

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and now we're ready to be adults

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and move on to the next stage of our lives.

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

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I could probably do a couple more years in London.

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

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More space, more space for the kids.

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Just a more manageable lifestyle.

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But a move is on the cards and it's Surrey they've got their eye on.

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It'll give them country living within arm's reach of the city,

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as lawyer Matt wants to be less than an hour

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from his job in central London.

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Ideally, I would like my commute to be

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between 40 and 50 minutes door-to-door.

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We need the house to be somewhat close to rail links

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because I don't drive.

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I don't have my UK driver's licence.

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I can drive, but not in the UK legally.

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With their flat under offer and their new arrival imminent,

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Matt and Catherine are ready to begin the search

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for the quintessentially British country home.

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What I love about British countryside are the rolling hills.

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I love the idea of walking along the paths and just looking

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at the greenery, and the sunsets and the whole idea of being outside.

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We don't know too much about the area

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but we have friends who have moved out there from London

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

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Our buyers are happy to consider anywhere in Surrey,

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as long as there are good rail links nearby

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to get Matt back to the city for work.

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We are concentrating our search in the south of the county

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which will give Catherine the more rural setting she is after.

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So, before we start looking for a typically British pad

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for our American buyers,

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

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-Welcome to Surrey, guys!

-Thanks.

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-We are all very excited about the third addition.

-Thank you.

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

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

-So, the pressure's on?

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-The pressure is on, yes.

-Tell us again how much you have to spend?

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Ideally, no more than £1 million.

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

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I would like to think we could go lower if we had to!

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£1 million? We like having £1 million to spend,

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although Surrey is one of the most expensive counties in the UK.

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That's what we've heard.

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

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

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Some nice features inside.

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Outside space, proximity to schools, just a few things.

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I think the outside is more important to me

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than the inside, so if the outside matches the original character

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of the time period, then the inside could be updated.

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Are you looking for something different?

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You could say I am hesitantly enthusiastic

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about moving to the country.

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I like the country, I like visiting the country,

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but we live in central London.

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My commute is very simple right now.

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All our friends are in London and we have the conveniences

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of living in the city, so I'm a bit more torn than Catherine,

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who is ready to get on her riding pants and move out to the country.

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

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I would like to keep my commute to around 45 or 50 minutes

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door-to-door.

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That might be quite a squeeze,

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so are you willing to be a little flexible on that?

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-I'm always a little flexible.

-Very good.

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We've got three lovely houses, one of which is the mystery house,

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so let's go and have a look.

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Sounds good, thank you.

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There's no denying Matt and Catherine

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have a very healthy budget.

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They are looking for a character property with ample space

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to accommodate their soon-to-be family of five.

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

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Matt is the chef of the family

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so he is hoping for a good-sized kitchen,

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and with his job based in London,

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he is willing to consider a commute into work of up to 90 minutes.

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We've chosen some really stunning properties

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which all have the centuries-old facade they love,

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but each exterior hides a variety of characteristics inside

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and they'll only discover the price tag once they've toured the house.

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The final trip will be to the mystery house, which might not be

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quite what they have asked for but will offer them

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qualities above and beyond their wish list.

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-What do you think of Surrey so far?

-I love it.

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I love the open fields and the houses along the road, they are very pretty.

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I'm very impressed.

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Matt, it feels like I'm going to have to work on you,

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on your country skills and your country enthusiasm?

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Maybe a bit, we'll see. I'm trying to keep an open mind.

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

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in the village of Cranleigh, 20 minutes' drive

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from the county town of Guildford.

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Cranleigh is the self-proclaimed largest village in England.

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Its name is said to be derived from the crane breeding grounds

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which were historically found in the area.

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The elegant bird is celebrated around the village.

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The locality offers residents a good selection of shops

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and eateries, as well as an attractive cricket green.

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Just a mile south of the village,

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our first property is an interesting mix of eras

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with a colourful story to tell.

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Come on in.

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-Yes, that's gorgeous. I love it.

-This is your country house.

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

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This is a very interesting, historic property you wanted.

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This is as period as they come.

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You can see it's in two halves.

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

-Wow!

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This part is a bit later in the 19th century.

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-It was, until quite recently, the '90s, a pub.

-Oh!

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Called The Boy and Donkey. Actually, lots of locals remember coming here.

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So where exactly are we right now?

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We're quite south into Surrey, so to get this countryside,

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you need to head to the south of the county.

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It's a 45-minute train journey from Farnham back into London.

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OK, and how far is the house from the train station?

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We're 13 miles from Farnham.

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Realistically, it's not going to be 45 minutes door-to-door.

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This magnificent property couldn't be further removed from city life

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and although the commute is longer than Matt would like ideally,

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at one hour, 20 minutes from door to door,

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it is less than the maximum journey time

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of 90 minutes he is willing to travel.

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We're heading straight for the kitchen,

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

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-Step in these lovely concertina doors.

-Gorgeous!

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Exposed beams over there are very nice.

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It is more modern than I would have thought from the outside.

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But modern is good, some nice appliances,

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-I could do some pretty good work in here.

-It's a good size, too.

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This is a later addition but you can see here, this would have been

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the outside wall of the original 17th-century building.

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This house is a veritable warren of rooms, both big and small,

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and on the other side of the beamed wall is an imposing dining room.

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-So here we are into the more historic part of the house.

-Oh!

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

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It's also got very high ceilings,

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which is unusual for these period properties,

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-which I love.

-And double windows.

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Through another old doorway, the sitting room is revealed

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and with it, another handsome focal point.

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-I think this inglenook might be better.

-I love it!

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That is incredible.

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

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We're in the snug bit, there would be a public sitting room next door.

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And a proper inglenook.

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A proper inglenook.

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Do you know the definition of a proper inglenook?

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It has the benches.

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-Indeed.

-And it's a working fireplace as well?

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

-That's lovely.

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

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

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There is also a utility-room-cum-shower-room,

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as well as a family room and study. You seem to be very positive?

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I think this is the style that we like.

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Certainly the exterior and interior,

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this is what we are looking for as far as a period property.

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So far, so good.

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So, a pleasing start.

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Moving upstairs are the rest of the bedrooms and the family bathroom.

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We're starting off in the middle sized room, overlooking fields

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opposite the house.

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A beautiful view from this room.

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Oh, yeah, this is gorgeous.

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There are four rooms up here.

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A smaller room over there and then there's a room

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connected to another small room that has a back staircase.

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Again, higgledy-piggledy.

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There's a bathroom upstairs and the new bathroom downstairs.

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Great, it's plenty of space.

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Plenty of room for the kids and guests as well,

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so that ticks the box there.

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So, the inside of this property,

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which has grown over the centuries, gives Matt and Catherine

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and their growing brood more than the four bedrooms they've asked for.

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

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You have an outbuilding there and a shed.

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Some space for chickens.

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The house itself is incredible.

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I think you have nailed our style exactly, what we are looking for.

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-Views are amazing.

-And it's safe.

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I think the kids could safely play out here

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and not worry about the road.

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So there's a quirk in the freehold that I need to tell you about

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that actually this line of trees here is actually your boundary.

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Historically, this area is rented off a farmer for a peppercorn rent.

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-OK.

-It's a weird thing that sometimes happens in the countryside.

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So basically, you pay £1 a year to the farmer

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to rent this space, but it's not uncommon.

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OK. That's good to know.

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

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That a good question. I'm not very good at this,

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-I'll let Catherine go first.

-I knew you would say that!

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I'm going to say 925.

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

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so I will go with 955.

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The house has been on the market for five months

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and it hasn't dropped from its original price,

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which was, brace yourselves...

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£980,000.

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So there's lots more to explore inside and also in the outhouse

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and I will see you around the front.

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Perfect.

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

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this converted pub goes all out

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to give Matt and Catherine everything they're looking for

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in their new abode.

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

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and has more than enough rooms for their two sons

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and soon-to-be new addition,

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as well as visiting family and friends.

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With a journey time into work for Matt of one hour, 20 minutes,

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it would make commuting from this charming home

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with its stunning views a real possibility.

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I love the character.

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I love the beam work on the outside.

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I love the old and new, even though the new is 19th-century.

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My two main concerns about the house

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is the proximity to the train station and the overall commute.

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I think the second bit is the road right here in the garden.

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It does tend to be a bit noisy and that is very noticeable.

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-Wow!

-Nice little extra space.

-Yeah.

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A playroom for the kids or for me!

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Overall, top marks for the house, top marks for the views

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and the outdoor space.

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It's really just those two issues that give me a bit of concern.

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This spring weather is really selling this property to me,

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-is it selling it to you?

-Yes.

-Good.

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Don't get sold too soon because we have another one lined up.

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-Are you ready?

-Let's go.

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In the far west of Surrey lies the market town of Farnham,

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known for its fine examples of Georgian architecture.

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The area is also historically recognised

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for its pottery production, due to its rich supply of clay,

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a fine grain soil and the raw ingredients of ceramics.

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When Catherine was a student, she studied pottery

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and it's something she's planning to take up again

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in her new country life.

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So, she and Matt have come to meet Guy Haynes at Farnham Pottery,

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a local landmark he took over three years ago to learn

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a little about the art form being produced here in Surrey.

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Let me tell you a little bit about the pottery.

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It's from the late 19th century

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and it was what is called a country pottery.

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Five generations were based here, just one family, the Harris family.

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-Why is the pottery in this location?

-Just the clay.

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If you dig down here, it is like cutting chocolate,

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it is literally very wet clay and it is superb for making pots.

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At their peak, the potteries would have employed up to 30 people,

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each producing around 1000 items a week.

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Up until 14 years ago,

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these old red brick buildings were in a state of disrepair.

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Slowly, Guy is renovating them

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to be used as a centre for crafts for the local community.

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It's been a labour of love

0:17:320:17:33

to restore the pottery to its former glory

0:17:330:17:35

and in just three months, the work will be complete.

0:17:350:17:38

We are now in the glaze room where they applied glazes

0:17:380:17:41

to the more decorative pieces that they made.

0:17:410:17:44

Do these represent the spectrum of colours that they would use?

0:17:440:17:47

Yes, I think if you were coming here

0:17:470:17:50

and wanting to tile maybe some of your kitchen area,

0:17:500:17:54

you would literally be able to walk up to this wall

0:17:540:17:56

and this represented the samples

0:17:560:17:58

of the colours they could produce for you.

0:17:580:18:00

That was then but today professional ceramicist Ashley Howard

0:18:000:18:04

rents the studio from Guy and he's going to show Matt and Catherine

0:18:040:18:08

the ancient art of printing on clay tiles.

0:18:080:18:11

The tiles are made from red terracotta and the slips,

0:18:110:18:14

the coloured paints they'll be using,

0:18:140:18:16

are made from stained liquid clay.

0:18:160:18:19

They don't always reflect the colour that you are working with.

0:18:190:18:22

For example, this actually turns blue when it comes out of the kiln.

0:18:220:18:26

The designs are painted onto strips of cloth and are applied in layers,

0:18:260:18:30

allowing each colour to dry slightly before the next pattern is added.

0:18:300:18:34

I love how, when you put it in the kiln,

0:18:340:18:35

you don't know what's coming out.

0:18:350:18:37

I haven't done it in a very long time, this is a big treat for me.

0:18:370:18:40

How are you getting on down there, Matt?

0:18:400:18:42

I think I have a masterpiece here!

0:18:420:18:44

The finished designs are left to dry for 10 to 15 minutes

0:18:440:18:47

before Ashley applies white slip, which will become

0:18:470:18:50

the background colour when they are transferred to the tiles.

0:18:500:18:53

This, we shall lay in position and apply a little bit of pressure.

0:18:530:18:58

Then, as we peel the cloth back, all will be revealed.

0:18:580:19:02

There is your finished tile. Now, Matt, the masterpiece!

0:19:030:19:09

Fantastic!

0:19:090:19:10

The tiles will take a week to dry before being fired in the kiln

0:19:100:19:13

to set and then again to glaze.

0:19:130:19:16

It's not an instant process, but it has beautiful results.

0:19:160:19:20

It will be worth it because when your work is fired and finished,

0:19:200:19:24

it will last for ever.

0:19:240:19:25

Thank you so much.

0:19:250:19:26

It has been an absolute pleasure, good luck with your house hunt.

0:19:260:19:30

Thank you, Ashley, so nice to meet you.

0:19:300:19:32

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

0:19:340:19:37

to the village of Okewood Hill,

0:19:370:19:39

10 miles south of the market town of Dorking.

0:19:390:19:42

Just two miles away from Okewood Hill is the larger village of Ockley

0:19:420:19:46

offering Matt all the conveniences he likes at his fingertips,

0:19:460:19:50

but in a beautiful English countryside setting.

0:19:500:19:53

There are welcoming pubs,

0:19:530:19:55

a farm shop selling freshly picked local produce,

0:19:550:19:58

and that all-important train link straight back into the city.

0:19:580:20:02

A five-minute drive takes us back to Okewood Hill for a bite to eat.

0:20:020:20:06

-There you go, your first Surrey pub lunch. Is it good?

-Delicious.

0:20:060:20:12

Is this the sort of community feeling you're looking for,

0:20:120:20:14

-in terms of the area?

-A nice pub nearby is definitely important.

0:20:140:20:18

-Would you like to live near this pub?

-Where are you going with this?

0:20:180:20:21

-Would you like to live next door?

-That would be very convenient!

0:20:210:20:25

-Then, let's go and look at it.

-What! Wow!

0:20:250:20:29

Our second property is a five bedroom, double fronted period house

0:20:310:20:35

dating back to the late 18th century.

0:20:350:20:37

-What do you think?

-It oozes charm.

0:20:370:20:39

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

-Is it?

-It is.

0:20:390:20:42

You said that about the last one, is this any different?

0:20:420:20:45

-I think it is very similar.

-Nice character, period house.

0:20:450:20:49

Interestingly, this was two cottages and it's now joined together as one.

0:20:490:20:54

-OK.

-It's a very typical Surrey style with these two gables

0:20:540:20:58

and the lovely wooden turned work above the porch.

0:20:580:21:01

Actually, the owner here works in the city and it takes him

0:21:010:21:05

exactly 90 minutes door-to-door to his desk.

0:21:050:21:08

Can you imagine this being your home?

0:21:080:21:11

-Certainly, the house from the outside, yes.

-Let's go in.

0:21:110:21:14

If they lived in this delightful character property,

0:21:150:21:18

Matt would have a slightly longer commute than he would like

0:21:180:21:21

to his office of one hour, 40 minutes,

0:21:210:21:23

but their dream setting is found in the south of the county,

0:21:230:21:27

which is further from the city.

0:21:270:21:29

Nevertheless, things have started well and long may that continue.

0:21:290:21:32

Come on in! Straight into the sitting room.

0:21:340:21:37

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

0:21:370:21:42

That side used to be the kitchen of one house

0:21:420:21:44

and this has been knocked together as one big, long sitting room.

0:21:440:21:48

It's a nice space, very big.

0:21:480:21:50

I like it, it feels newer than the other house.

0:21:500:21:53

They have completely renovated it.

0:21:530:21:56

There was something more charming about the other one.

0:21:560:21:59

So there is a nice, sunny study at the end of the room, there.

0:21:590:22:02

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

-OK.

0:22:020:22:06

-Oh, this is lovely.

-This is huge.

0:22:100:22:12

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

0:22:120:22:14

in terms of the big kitchen, dining space.

0:22:140:22:16

Absolutely, and it's much bigger. It's very nice.

0:22:160:22:20

I like the wood countertops and the old-school feel.

0:22:200:22:23

I like the butler sink, that is where I spend a lot of my time!

0:22:230:22:28

OK, very good.

0:22:280:22:29

This is, I think, a really lovely space, a big family breakfast room,

0:22:290:22:33

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

0:22:330:22:35

-That is nice.

-I'm getting a slightly dampened vibe.

0:22:350:22:39

I don't know if it's too narrow.

0:22:390:22:41

I don't know if it is because the rooms are very rectangular,

0:22:410:22:43

that that feeling is turning me off.

0:22:430:22:46

But I think this room is very appealing.

0:22:460:22:49

I like the way it connects to the old house.

0:22:490:22:51

-I've always wanted a conservatory.

-It's quite a property.

0:22:510:22:55

It continues, because we have another house to explore

0:22:550:22:58

in the dining room here.

0:22:580:23:00

This was the second half of the house. This is the dining room.

0:23:040:23:10

It's a very elegant room.

0:23:100:23:11

Through there is what they call the snug,

0:23:110:23:13

which was the sitting room of the original house.

0:23:130:23:16

The layout is perhaps more logical than the last house,

0:23:160:23:19

which was topsy-turvy.

0:23:190:23:20

We don't need logical, though, we're not very logical ourselves.

0:23:200:23:24

The kitchen may be a playground for cook Matt,

0:23:240:23:27

but Catherine has admitted there is something missing from this house,

0:23:270:23:30

but she's keeping an open mind.

0:23:300:23:32

Moving upstairs, there are two bathrooms, a single bedroom

0:23:320:23:35

and four bright doubles of roughly the same size.

0:23:350:23:39

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

0:23:390:23:42

It's a little small, I don't really feel like a master bedroom,

0:23:430:23:48

but it's very quaint and very charming

0:23:480:23:52

and it does have high ceilings.

0:23:520:23:55

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

-Is the upstairs growing on you?

0:23:550:23:58

I like the upstairs better.

0:23:580:24:00

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

0:24:000:24:02

that I like and the higher ceilings.

0:24:020:24:05

It's definitely nice

0:24:050:24:06

but I think it lacks a bit of the quirkiness of the first property.

0:24:060:24:11

I can see why you would have chosen it for us, certainly,

0:24:110:24:15

-but it doesn't pull me in.

-It's not twanging on your heartstrings?

0:24:150:24:19

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

-I don't think so.

0:24:190:24:23

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

0:24:240:24:27

in their country home

0:24:270:24:29

and although they were excited by this house's exterior,

0:24:290:24:32

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

0:24:320:24:34

Outside once again, I am hoping the garden

0:24:340:24:36

and the views might make them change their mind.

0:24:360:24:39

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

0:24:390:24:42

The garden, they haven't done much and you could do all sorts here.

0:24:420:24:46

There's another little plot here which used to be the veggie patch

0:24:460:24:49

but right in the corner, you get a fantastic view and you can see

0:24:490:24:52

Leith Tower which is, as I know, the highest point in the South East.

0:24:520:24:56

-You are a wealth of information, Alistair.

-I am.

0:24:560:25:00

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

0:25:000:25:03

so, what do you think the figure is?

0:25:030:25:06

-I'm going to go with 990.

-OK.

0:25:060:25:11

I'm going to stick with 955.

0:25:110:25:15

-So the same as last time?

-Same as last time.

0:25:150:25:18

-Actually, this is on the market at 995.

-Five!

0:25:180:25:22

So I think that's one each.

0:25:220:25:24

-But there's still more for you to explore. You know the drill.

-We do.

0:25:240:25:28

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

-OK.

0:25:280:25:31

'Coming in at just £5,000 under budget,

0:25:340:25:36

'this period property gives Matt and Catherine all the space

0:25:360:25:40

'they need for their expanding family.

0:25:400:25:42

'The house is conveniently located just ten minutes' drive from

0:25:420:25:45

'a direct train link to London,

0:25:450:25:47

'but the trade-in for the beautiful rural location would be

0:25:470:25:50

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

0:25:500:25:54

I think it's a very pretty house.

0:25:540:25:55

I think it has a lot of charm and character, but I think for me,

0:25:550:26:00

when I go inside, it just feels a little, erm, maybe too modernised.

0:26:000:26:05

It was surprising to see the inside after seeing the outside.

0:26:050:26:09

I'm not sure it's the type of house on the inside

0:26:090:26:12

that would get me out to the country.

0:26:120:26:14

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

0:26:140:26:16

and it's incredibly rich in birds.

0:26:160:26:18

The birdsong is amazing. Have you heard the lovely...

0:26:180:26:20

BIRDS SING

0:26:200:26:22

-It's hard not to.

-..birdsong?

-Yeah.

-Very nice.

0:26:220:26:24

-So we're all done for today, no more houses.

-OK.

-OK.

0:26:240:26:27

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

0:26:270:26:30

Oh, let's go.

0:26:300:26:31

'It's the second day of our property search in Surrey with US expats

0:26:390:26:43

'Matt and Catherine from London,

0:26:430:26:45

'who have a very healthy budget of £1 million

0:26:450:26:47

'and are ready to trade in the buzz of city life for a real taste

0:26:470:26:51

'of this green and pleasant land they now call home.

0:26:510:26:55

'They've still got the surprise of the mystery house to come...'

0:26:550:26:58

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

0:26:580:27:02

This is incredible.

0:27:020:27:03

'..and I'll be buckling up with Surrey's splendid motoring history.'

0:27:030:27:08

Ya-hey!

0:27:080:27:09

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

0:27:120:27:15

'full of the charm Matt and Catherine want

0:27:150:27:18

'in their English country home.

0:27:180:27:20

'But in our third property, the mystery house,

0:27:200:27:22

'we're offering them something really quite spectacular,

0:27:220:27:26

'but asking them to move further south.

0:27:260:27:28

'Crossing borders into West Sussex,

0:27:280:27:29

'not only will their pounds stretch further, but Matt would have

0:27:290:27:33

'a travel time into work of only an hour and five minutes.

0:27:330:27:37

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

0:27:370:27:40

'four miles from the market town of Horsham.

0:27:400:27:43

'Horsham is a handsome town with smart stone buildings steeped

0:27:430:27:47

'in history, and it'll give Matt and Catherine all the facilities

0:27:470:27:51

'they're used to, including plenty of shops and restaurants.

0:27:510:27:54

'A ten-minute drive takes us to our last house,

0:27:560:27:58

'and I'm convinced the property's attractive features

0:27:580:28:01

'will more than make up for its southerly location.'

0:28:010:28:04

-Look at that.

-It's exciting.

-Very exciting.

0:28:080:28:11

Ladies and gentlemen, I introduce you to the mystery house.

0:28:110:28:15

Wow!

0:28:150:28:16

-This is a lovely cottage.

-Very impressive.

0:28:160:28:18

-Cottage?

-House. House.

0:28:180:28:21

But it has the charm, it has the charm is what I meant.

0:28:210:28:23

So we've moved you even further south,

0:28:230:28:25

across the border into West Sussex.

0:28:250:28:27

Further away from London, but...

0:28:270:28:30

-The commute.

-It's shorter.

-Wow.

-Is it?

0:28:300:28:33

Because Littlehaven is a village, it's a three-minute drive,

0:28:330:28:37

and the trains go every half-hour straight into London Bridge.

0:28:370:28:40

So actually this is the best commute.

0:28:400:28:43

-Alistair, you're a genius!

-Thanks, Alistair.

0:28:430:28:46

And that's just the commute, we haven't even started on the house,

0:28:460:28:49

which is I think a bit of a masterpiece.

0:28:490:28:51

It was a small farmhouse cottage,

0:28:510:28:53

and the present owner has completely transformed it.

0:28:530:28:57

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

0:28:570:29:00

-I'm excited to go inside.

-Let's have a look.

-OK.

0:29:000:29:03

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

0:29:030:29:07

'but doesn't have to follow through inside.

0:29:070:29:09

'So I'm sure she'll be impressed by this four-bedroom extended cottage,

0:29:090:29:13

'which has been modernised throughout

0:29:130:29:15

'to an immaculate standard,

0:29:150:29:17

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

0:29:170:29:19

Actually, rather unusually,

0:29:190:29:21

-I'm going to ask you to stop in the hall.

-OK.

0:29:210:29:24

Because this is quite an architectural feature.

0:29:240:29:28

-Yeah, this is a surprising contrast to the outside of the house.

-Yeah.

0:29:280:29:31

But you can see this is a taste of what's to come

0:29:310:29:33

-because the owner has...

-It's grand.

0:29:330:29:35

..yeah, exactly, made something grand from what was quite a modest

0:29:350:29:39

farmhouse by going right up to the very top of the attic in one space.

0:29:390:29:43

But it's open and airy and well done.

0:29:430:29:46

It looks very high quality.

0:29:460:29:48

'It seems Catherine's falling for the striking detail

0:29:490:29:52

'in this 20th-century house.

0:29:520:29:53

'But I think Matt is still quietly struggling with

0:29:530:29:56

'the thought of leaving the big smoke behind him.

0:29:560:29:59

'Maybe the kitchen will help him say goodbye to city life.'

0:29:590:30:02

This is nice. It's got the sitting area we were looking for,

0:30:020:30:05

plenty of counter space, plenty of storage space,

0:30:050:30:09

and, er, a really nice finish.

0:30:090:30:12

Very nice finish,

0:30:120:30:13

-and the sliding doors that open right out into the garden.

-Yeah.

0:30:130:30:16

-Amazing, amazing.

-I'm definitely in trouble on this one.

-It's gorgeous.

0:30:160:30:20

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

-It's gorgeous.

-It's...

0:30:200:30:23

He's scared of himself. He doesn't want to like it.

0:30:230:30:25

Scared of your own desire. Let it go, release the desire!

0:30:250:30:28

'Off the kitchen is a utility room leading to a car port and a garage.

0:30:280:30:33

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

0:30:330:30:36

-Oh, wow.

-Yeah, this is a wild room too.

0:30:360:30:38

This is a wild room.

0:30:380:30:40

That's a very interesting wood burner.

0:30:400:30:42

Beautiful oak floors throughout, real oak.

0:30:420:30:45

Yeah, that's a good sized room.

0:30:450:30:46

-And it flows very nicely into the kitchen...

-Mm-hm.

-..very comfortably.

0:30:460:30:50

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

0:30:500:30:55

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

0:30:550:30:57

Are you getting the vibe, too?

0:30:570:30:59

Oh, my gosh. Right away.

0:30:590:31:01

There's no doubt. This is... This is it.

0:31:010:31:03

'The house seems to be selling itself.

0:31:050:31:07

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

0:31:070:31:10

'I don't think Matt's far behind

0:31:100:31:11

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

0:31:110:31:15

This is a lovely room, too. Mm!

0:31:150:31:17

-Wow.

-Yeah, this is nice. A great dining area.

0:31:170:31:20

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

0:31:200:31:23

It's perfect.

0:31:230:31:25

'As we move upstairs, there's

0:31:250:31:27

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

0:31:270:31:30

'There's a family bathroom, three double bedrooms, one with

0:31:300:31:34

'an en-suite and one with its own mezzanine level in the eaves,

0:31:340:31:37

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

0:31:370:31:42

-Beautiful. With a balcony off of it!

-With a balcony, yeah.

-And the doors.

0:31:430:31:49

-I can woo you from the garden.

-You can serenade me, yes.

0:31:490:31:53

But, again, you can concertina those doors open so you could sit

0:31:530:31:56

-here in the evenings, because you get the evening sun.

-Yes.

0:31:560:31:59

It's beautiful. Gosh, I mean, this whole house is so immaculate.

0:31:590:32:04

-It is just incredible.

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

0:32:040:32:07

Yes. This is exactly what I pictured the master to be.

0:32:070:32:11

'But Catherine ain't seen nothing yet.'

0:32:110:32:13

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

-There's more?

0:32:130:32:16

This is an en-suite.

0:32:160:32:17

-A bit of a walk-in wardrobe, dressing room.

-Oh, my gosh.

0:32:200:32:23

Oh, my gosh.

0:32:230:32:25

-And welcome to the en-suite.

-You are kidding me.

0:32:250:32:31

-I'm definitely in trouble now.

-This is too much. This is too much.

0:32:310:32:35

We can't afford this. This is incredible.

0:32:350:32:37

This is just... This is a beautiful living space.

0:32:370:32:41

-You could live here.

-I mean, I could. I could, Matt. I could.

0:32:410:32:46

-OK, well, we can talk about that.

-OK. It's, like, my dream.

0:32:460:32:51

No pressure here, right? No pressure.

0:32:530:32:55

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

0:32:550:32:57

You can have the balcony off the master

0:32:570:32:59

and I can have the walk-in closet.

0:32:590:33:01

Isn't there a highway around here or something? Something to help me out?

0:33:010:33:04

-So we are getting the thumbs-up even from you?

-Yeah, thumbs up.

0:33:040:33:08

-Let's go into the garden...

-OK.

-..and talk money.

0:33:090:33:12

Money, money, money.

0:33:120:33:13

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

0:33:170:33:20

'and, leading out from the kitchen, a stone patio overlooks

0:33:200:33:23

'a manicured lawn and endless country views.'

0:33:230:33:26

This is the garden.

0:33:260:33:27

You can see the boundary there with the hedge. So it's not...

0:33:270:33:31

not "massive" massive.

0:33:310:33:33

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

0:33:330:33:35

Let's get a full view of the house.

0:33:350:33:38

-It's quite a property.

-It is.

0:33:380:33:40

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

-Why don't you go first?

0:33:400:33:43

I'll go first. I am going to say...

0:33:430:33:45

I'm going to say 1,035,000.

0:33:450:33:48

OK, that's a bit of over-budget.

0:33:480:33:52

Let's go with 1,050,000.

0:33:520:33:55

I'm afraid Catherine wins. 2-1.

0:33:550:33:58

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

-Oh.

0:33:580:34:02

-What?

-It's on the market for £965,000.

0:34:020:34:07

-That's very surprising.

-Oh, my gosh. Oh, my gosh.

0:34:070:34:11

-I'm definitely in trouble now.

-I'm speechless. How is that possible?

0:34:110:34:15

-Well, because we left Surrey.

-We left Surrey.

0:34:150:34:18

-That's amazing.

-The only thing is that he has an offer on the table.

0:34:180:34:22

-Oh.

-So there's pressure.

-OK, well,

0:34:220:34:26

we have to discuss.

0:34:260:34:29

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

0:34:290:34:32

-So, get inside, explore...

-OK.

-..and I'll see you out the front.

0:34:320:34:35

Great.

0:34:350:34:36

'This beautifully renovated home gives Matt and Catherine everything

0:34:390:34:42

'they've asked for and comes in a surprising £35,000 under budget.

0:34:420:34:48

'We've crossed counties to get here but,

0:34:480:34:50

'with an hour-and-five-minute commute for Matt,

0:34:500:34:53

'it's an easy journey into the city.

0:34:530:34:55

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

0:34:550:34:59

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

0:34:590:35:02

I think it is a very well put together home and I put

0:35:020:35:05

emphasis on "home" because I think it's very liveable, very comfortable.

0:35:050:35:10

And the only thing I'm imagining is my three boys destroying it.

0:35:100:35:14

It will never look this good.

0:35:140:35:16

It's great, you know. Outside it's, again, what we're looking for.

0:35:160:35:21

On the inside, not necessarily what we were expecting.

0:35:210:35:25

It's a bit of a modern twist but it still has the character

0:35:250:35:28

and the quirkiness we're looking for.

0:35:280:35:31

I could not have asked to see anything better.

0:35:310:35:34

So it's exciting.

0:35:340:35:36

What a pleasing house. Everything about it is pleasing.

0:35:370:35:41

Even the porch. Even the wood stack is pleasing.

0:35:410:35:44

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

0:35:440:35:47

Not a thing for me.

0:35:470:35:49

-Not yet. Nothing.

-Nothing.

-I looked hard, too. I looked very hard.

0:35:490:35:53

You did. You were looking hard.

0:35:530:35:55

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

0:35:550:35:57

if we can get some clarity.

0:35:570:35:59

Perfect.

0:35:590:36:00

Surrey isn't just home to rolling hills and winding paths.

0:36:050:36:09

At the turn of last century, 360 acres of farm

0:36:090:36:13

and woodland in Weybridge, a town to the north of the county,

0:36:130:36:16

became Brooklands, the birthplace of British motor sport.

0:36:160:36:21

I've come to meet Allan Winn,

0:36:210:36:22

director of the Brooklands Museum on the very site it all started.

0:36:220:36:26

I have to 'fess up that I'm not a big petrol head, Allan,

0:36:290:36:32

but actually the smell of oil in here is very evocative.

0:36:320:36:35

This is where it really happened

0:36:350:36:37

and you can still get the real spirit of what Brooklands was like.

0:36:370:36:41

Brooklands stands in the estate that, in the early 1900s,

0:36:410:36:45

belonged to local landowner Hugh Locke King.

0:36:450:36:47

He had a passion for motor racing,

0:36:470:36:50

something that was all the rage in Europe.

0:36:500:36:52

But, with our strict rules of the road,

0:36:520:36:54

it was struggling to make its mark in Britain.

0:36:540:36:56

Motoring was still really at its infancy in this country.

0:36:560:36:59

We'd really moved forward from a 4mph speed limit

0:36:590:37:03

to a 20mph speed limit.

0:37:030:37:04

-20mph?

-I know.

0:37:040:37:06

And no opportunity to go racing on public roads in this country.

0:37:060:37:10

That was really the impetus behind Hugh Locke King

0:37:100:37:14

building this amazing track.

0:37:140:37:16

'It was on a visit to a motor racing event in Italy in 1906

0:37:160:37:20

'that Hugh Locke King was shocked to discover

0:37:200:37:22

'there were no British competitors.'

0:37:220:37:24

There was nowhere in this country where you could legally drive

0:37:240:37:28

and, therefore, develop a fast racing car.

0:37:280:37:30

'The very same year it took 2,000 men nine months to build

0:37:300:37:33

'Locke King's vision,

0:37:330:37:35

'the world's first purpose-built motor racing circuit.'

0:37:350:37:38

-This is the track?

-This is the track.

0:37:380:37:40

It was two-and-three-quarter miles round,

0:37:400:37:42

100-foot wide concrete all the way.

0:37:420:37:45

This was the biggest concrete structure in the world at the time it was built

0:37:450:37:49

and it was laid out

0:37:490:37:51

very much on the lines of a horse racing circuit.

0:37:510:37:55

'Between 1907 and 1939, over 1,200 races were held at Brooklands,

0:37:550:38:01

'including the first British Grand Prix, staged here in 1926.'

0:38:010:38:05

When did it close down as a track?

0:38:050:38:07

It closed with the outbreak of war in 1939,

0:38:070:38:10

so the last race was on the 6th August 1939.

0:38:100:38:14

I can see all the cars, are you going to give me a tour of them?

0:38:140:38:17

Yeah, yeah, by all means.

0:38:170:38:19

'The track never reopened and the aircraft industry,

0:38:190:38:22

'which was already on site during the war, took over the land.

0:38:220:38:26

'All was not lost and a remaining 32 acres now form the museum,

0:38:260:38:30

'which preserves the memory of Brooklands

0:38:300:38:32

'and its stretch of surviving track.

0:38:320:38:35

'Today around 40 magnificent motor specimens

0:38:350:38:38

'are proudly displayed in the museum.

0:38:380:38:41

'The majority from the heady days when Brooklands was alive

0:38:410:38:44

'with the sound of revving engines.'

0:38:440:38:46

This is the fastest car, ever, around the Brooklands track,

0:38:460:38:49

the Napier-Railton Special, built in 1933.

0:38:490:38:52

Eventually lapped here at an average of 143.4mph.

0:38:520:38:57

An average? What was its top speed?

0:38:570:38:59

The fastest it would have gone on the track here,

0:38:590:39:01

down the main straight, about 160/165.

0:39:010:39:04

Can we see the track? Can we see what's left of the track?

0:39:040:39:06

Yeah, we should take you up there and let you see it.

0:39:060:39:10

This is Edwardian concrete.

0:39:100:39:12

The bulk of this concrete is the stuff that was laid in 1906/1907.

0:39:120:39:17

-Is this your car?

-Yeah, this is my car, a 1929 Bentley,

0:39:170:39:20

absolutely ideal for driving on the Brooklands track.

0:39:200:39:22

Why don't you step aboard and come for a ride?

0:39:220:39:25

It's amazing how ambitious they were,

0:39:300:39:32

because they could have just done a flat circuit.

0:39:320:39:34

And it would have been a lot slower and it wouldn't have had

0:39:340:39:38

the enormous, iconic impact on the world of motor racing.

0:39:380:39:42

We'll just nip up here a bit so you can get a feel for what it's like.

0:39:420:39:46

My God! We're going really high!

0:39:460:39:49

So, in period, they'd be racing along here at

0:39:500:39:54

120-odd mile an hour at this bend.

0:39:540:39:57

I could do that all day, what a very pleasant experience.

0:40:050:40:09

Thank you so much, it's been a real joy.

0:40:090:40:12

'Driving around this track I can just imagine how exhilarating

0:40:120:40:15

'racing here must have been 100 years ago.

0:40:150:40:18

'In the coming months, Allan has plans to clear and restore

0:40:180:40:21

'even more of the surviving track,

0:40:210:40:23

'freeing up another quarter of a mile

0:40:230:40:25

'to hold motoring events, bringing life back here

0:40:250:40:28

'to the Brooklands circuit.'

0:40:280:40:29

By the end of all the property viewings, I think it was pretty clear to all of us

0:40:320:40:36

which of the three houses that Catherine and Matt liked the most.

0:40:360:40:39

What we have to do now is pin them down to their plan of action

0:40:390:40:42

and find out what happens next.

0:40:420:40:44

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

0:40:510:40:53

are really being blown out of the water by the last.

0:40:530:40:56

-Is that correct?

-That is correct.

0:40:560:40:58

I would agree.

0:40:580:41:00

What's going to happen next?

0:41:000:41:02

-I mean, they're keen to move, you're keen to move.

-Yeah.

0:41:020:41:05

That's a good question, we love the house

0:41:050:41:07

but we'd like to understand a bit more about where we are

0:41:070:41:10

and amenities and schools.

0:41:100:41:12

And, Catherine, are you feeling equally excited?

0:41:120:41:14

Yes, I am very enthusiastic.

0:41:140:41:17

I just, yeah...

0:41:170:41:18

Just like Matt, want to take a drive around the area,

0:41:180:41:21

figure out what the amenities are

0:41:210:41:23

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

-Oh...

0:41:230:41:28

-Wouldn't that be exciting?

-It would be very exciting for us.

0:41:280:41:31

Matt, you had doubts about this move. Are you convinced?

0:41:310:41:34

I think we could be there. I don't want to say anything definitely,

0:41:360:41:39

-but...

-You don't want to jinx it.

-Yeah, exactly.

0:41:390:41:41

It was a good property.

0:41:410:41:43

Finally, we did go out of your search area.

0:41:430:41:46

We are actually in West Sussex now.

0:41:460:41:48

I think it's positive that the commute is shorter

0:41:480:41:50

than the other two commutes.

0:41:500:41:52

That, for me, was my main concern, the commute

0:41:520:41:55

and, erm, if it's shorter in West Sussex,

0:41:550:41:58

that's even better.

0:41:580:41:59

-And cheaper.

-And cheaper.

0:41:590:42:01

I genuinely hope that you two do buy that house and move here

0:42:010:42:04

-because I do think you looked very happy there.

-Thank you.

-Thank you.

0:42:040:42:08

-Well, best of luck, I hope it goes well. Thanks for taking part.

-Thank you.

-Thank you.

0:42:080:42:12

I know I should be level-headed and impartial,

0:42:150:42:17

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

0:42:170:42:21

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

0:42:210:42:24

but I think it will be a lovely place for the three brothers to grow up.

0:42:240:42:28

I really hope that you join us next time for more Escape To The Country.

0:42:280:42:32

'Matt and Catherine were ready to make their offer on our final house

0:42:330:42:37

'but, after researching the area, they decided

0:42:370:42:39

'that a proposed nearby development was something

0:42:390:42:42

'they didn't want to live close to.

0:42:420:42:44

'And, after continuing their house search around Horsham,

0:42:440:42:46

'they found nothing that matched up to the mystery house

0:42:460:42:49

'and, with their baby on the way,

0:42:490:42:51

'they've decided to put an offer on a house in London

0:42:510:42:54

'and will enjoy city life for a few more years.'

0:42:540:42:58

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0:42:580:43:00

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0:43:000:43:02

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0:43:020:43:04

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