0:00:02 > 0:00:03Welcome to Escape To The Country.
0:00:03 > 0:00:05Now, today we're in a county that was home to one of
0:00:05 > 0:00:08the 20th century's most famous playwrights
0:00:08 > 0:00:11who came up with a fairly novel idea
0:00:11 > 0:00:14for allowing the sun to shine on his work all day long.
0:00:14 > 0:00:16So who was he and where are we?
0:00:16 > 0:00:18Well, join me in just a moment and I'll tell you.
0:00:35 > 0:00:38Today's couple are newlyweds hoping to kick off their married life
0:00:38 > 0:00:40together in the countryside.
0:00:40 > 0:00:43One of our properties leaves them stumbling for words...
0:00:43 > 0:00:45Look at your face.
0:00:45 > 0:00:48- You're speechless. - Yeah, speechless.- Yeah.
0:00:48 > 0:00:50..and another manages to amaze.
0:00:50 > 0:00:52Wow, wow, wow.
0:00:52 > 0:00:55- Wow, wow. Oh, my wow. - "Oh, my wow."
0:00:55 > 0:00:57JULES LAUGHS
0:00:59 > 0:01:02Well, today we are in Hertfordshire and the building behind me is
0:01:02 > 0:01:06known as Shaw's Corner, just outside Welwyn, and it was home to none
0:01:06 > 0:01:11other than Irish playwright George Bernard Shaw and his wife Charlotte.
0:01:11 > 0:01:14Now, they lived here from 1906 up until his death in 1950
0:01:14 > 0:01:17and you might have assumed that the old man would have done
0:01:17 > 0:01:19most of his work at home.
0:01:19 > 0:01:21But, no, not Shaw.
0:01:21 > 0:01:24For the last 20 years of his life he preferred to work in the garden.
0:01:29 > 0:01:32Or, more specifically, his garden shed.
0:01:32 > 0:01:36This was Shaw's creative escape,
0:01:36 > 0:01:37his writer's retreat.
0:01:37 > 0:01:42And if I just open the door, you can see it's pretty simply furnished.
0:01:42 > 0:01:46A bunk for an afternoon nap, a desk, a typewriter, of course,
0:01:46 > 0:01:49it even had a telephone so he could call up the housekeeper
0:01:49 > 0:01:51and order lunch.
0:01:51 > 0:01:54Now, back in Shaw's day these trees hadn't grown up
0:01:54 > 0:01:57and this tiny cabin enjoyed far-reaching views
0:01:57 > 0:02:00but in order to ensure that the sunshine kept on him all day
0:02:00 > 0:02:05long, he had the whole thing set on a turntable...
0:02:05 > 0:02:07and it still works.
0:02:07 > 0:02:10How about that for a creative idea?
0:02:17 > 0:02:21Hertfordshire is one of England's Home Counties and is bordered
0:02:21 > 0:02:24by Buckinghamshire to its west, Bedfordshire to the north
0:02:24 > 0:02:26and Essex to the east.
0:02:27 > 0:02:30A countryside of rolling chalk hills and river valleys,
0:02:30 > 0:02:33much of Hertfordshire's terrain is given over to agriculture
0:02:33 > 0:02:36with pretty villages dotting the landscape.
0:02:36 > 0:02:39Places like Much Hadham served as a useful stopping point
0:02:39 > 0:02:43for horse-drawn coaches on the route from London to Cambridge.
0:02:44 > 0:02:47The county is home to many historic houses and was a popular
0:02:47 > 0:02:51rural escape for London's nobility during the 19th century.
0:02:52 > 0:02:55Grand estates, such as Brocket Hall near Welwyn, inspired Jane Austen
0:02:55 > 0:02:59to set her classic novel, Pride And Prejudice, in the region.
0:02:59 > 0:03:02Indeed the work's famous television adaptation starring Colin Firth
0:03:02 > 0:03:06used the neoclassical stately home as a filming location.
0:03:07 > 0:03:11Hertfordshire is home to a number of parklands of note.
0:03:11 > 0:03:15Verulamium Park, set in 100 acres of beautiful green space
0:03:15 > 0:03:16just outside St Albans,
0:03:16 > 0:03:19is named after the Roman city buried underneath.
0:03:20 > 0:03:23With the county's southern border only 20 miles
0:03:23 > 0:03:26from the centre of the capital, Hertfordshire is a popular
0:03:26 > 0:03:31choice for those seeking a rural haven within easy reach of the city.
0:03:34 > 0:03:37Now, at the moment the cost of an average detached house
0:03:37 > 0:03:43here in Hertfordshire is an eye-watering £538,000.
0:03:43 > 0:03:46That's double the national average.
0:03:46 > 0:03:49Now, that figure is inflated by some very expensive commuter hot spots
0:03:49 > 0:03:54where you could end up paying three times the national figure.
0:03:54 > 0:03:56So, as a general rule of thumb,
0:03:56 > 0:04:00the further north you go away from London, the cheaper it gets.
0:04:00 > 0:04:02So, let's now meet today's buyers, find out
0:04:02 > 0:04:07where in Hertfordshire they want to be and why they want to be here.
0:04:07 > 0:04:10Newlyweds Anthony and Marie, who's from Japan,
0:04:10 > 0:04:14live in a two-bedroom apartment in the heart of London's trendy Hoxton.
0:04:14 > 0:04:18They met six years ago on a language exchange and married
0:04:18 > 0:04:20in Marie's country of birth.
0:04:20 > 0:04:25It was like a proper Japanese-style wedding. Kimono...
0:04:25 > 0:04:29And our families did a swap, so my dad wore traditional Japanese attire
0:04:29 > 0:04:32- for the wedding ceremony and Marie's dad wore English.- Yeah.
0:04:34 > 0:04:38Anthony, who's a banker, and Marie, who works in clinical research,
0:04:38 > 0:04:41have lived in the London flat for five years and during that time
0:04:41 > 0:04:44they've made the most of city life but now, as they approach
0:04:44 > 0:04:47their mid-30s, their priorities have changed.
0:04:47 > 0:04:50Living here when we were first living together, it was great.
0:04:50 > 0:04:52We were going out a bit more
0:04:52 > 0:04:55but perhaps now we're getting a little older and now that we're
0:04:55 > 0:04:59married, we kind of use what Hoxton has to offer less and less.
0:04:59 > 0:05:04We spend more time at home, so... Yeah.
0:05:04 > 0:05:07London is really such a busy city
0:05:07 > 0:05:10and I'm ready to have more quiet life.
0:05:12 > 0:05:15Marie grew up in rural Japan and has always loved the countryside
0:05:15 > 0:05:18but London-born Anthony is a recent convert.
0:05:18 > 0:05:22Having spent time with my wife's family, home in Japan, it's just
0:05:22 > 0:05:25so peaceful and tranquil where she lives, which is, like,
0:05:25 > 0:05:28pretty much on the doorsteps of mountains and we've been away
0:05:28 > 0:05:31for weekends in the countryside in London - it's so peaceful and nice
0:05:31 > 0:05:33to wake up to greenery
0:05:33 > 0:05:36as opposed to your concrete jungles of Central London,
0:05:36 > 0:05:39so I think it would be very healthy and a nice way to live.
0:05:41 > 0:05:44They've chosen Hertfordshire due to its proximity to the capital
0:05:44 > 0:05:48and their jobs but they see this move as a much larger life plan.
0:05:48 > 0:05:55We think it may be good for kids to grow up in a quiet area.
0:05:55 > 0:05:58With a garden to play and run around in - we don't have at the moment...
0:05:58 > 0:06:03Plenty of space, you know, let them play in the garden.
0:06:03 > 0:06:07And outside space is top of their wish list as gardening is one
0:06:07 > 0:06:08of the couple's many hobbies.
0:06:08 > 0:06:11I enjoy looking after my orchids and flowers.
0:06:11 > 0:06:15At the moment, we have a balcony and communal garden downstairs.
0:06:15 > 0:06:18That's the only space that I can use for now,
0:06:18 > 0:06:24so, yeah, hopefully I can get a real garden in the countryside.
0:06:24 > 0:06:28We both enjoy cooking together.
0:06:28 > 0:06:31We both enjoy cooking, both play tennis.
0:06:31 > 0:06:34Marie is deceptively good at tennis. MARIE GIGGLES
0:06:34 > 0:06:38Yeah, er, socialising with friends. Just, I guess, the standard.
0:06:38 > 0:06:41Nothing out of the ordinary but, yeah, a good quality of life.
0:06:41 > 0:06:44A nice life is important.
0:06:44 > 0:06:47With the London property market booming and the option to
0:06:47 > 0:06:50either rent or sell the Hoxton flat to finance the move,
0:06:50 > 0:06:53Anthony and Marie are looking forward to starting
0:06:53 > 0:06:56their married life together in the Hertfordshire countryside.
0:06:56 > 0:06:59When we met, I already had this flat, so my wife moved in...
0:06:59 > 0:07:02Well, at the time we got married, moved in with me.
0:07:02 > 0:07:04This will be the first property that we're buying together
0:07:04 > 0:07:08and, you know, hopefully the home that we'll have a family in,
0:07:08 > 0:07:11so it's very exciting to be doing the next step in our lives together.
0:07:11 > 0:07:13Yeah, very exciting.
0:07:17 > 0:07:20In terms of location, Anthony would like to be within an hour's commute
0:07:20 > 0:07:23from his office in Liverpool Street and Marie
0:07:23 > 0:07:26an hour and a half from her job in West London.
0:07:26 > 0:07:29But Hertfordshire has good transport links into the capital, so that
0:07:29 > 0:07:33allows us to spread our property net across much of the county.
0:07:33 > 0:07:36I'm meeting up with our buyers in the stately surroundings of
0:07:36 > 0:07:41Ashridge House, near Berkhamsted, to go over their property wish list.
0:07:41 > 0:07:44Well, Anthony and Marie, welcome to Hertfordshire
0:07:44 > 0:07:47and we are spoiling you at the start of your escape to the country
0:07:47 > 0:07:49with this place, Ashridge House. What do you think of that?
0:07:49 > 0:07:51- Beautiful.- Absolutely stunning.
0:07:51 > 0:07:53Really the sort of thing I suppose you'd like to buy.
0:07:53 > 0:07:54THEY LAUGH
0:07:54 > 0:07:57We may talk about what we might achieve with your budget
0:07:57 > 0:07:58a little later on.
0:07:58 > 0:08:01So what are you looking for in your country life?
0:08:01 > 0:08:04We look for... To have a nice, quiet life
0:08:04 > 0:08:08and possibly to have a garden
0:08:08 > 0:08:10and enjoy some green.
0:08:10 > 0:08:11To enjoy some green and have a garden.
0:08:11 > 0:08:13Well, this sort of thing would
0:08:13 > 0:08:15- definitely do, Anthony. - Yup, very much so.
0:08:15 > 0:08:17We're looking for a nice period-style house.
0:08:17 > 0:08:20We currently live in a new-build property, so kind of go flipping
0:08:20 > 0:08:22to another style, to a period property
0:08:22 > 0:08:24with enough rooms, hopefully, for
0:08:24 > 0:08:27some of Marie's family if they want to come and visit us from Japan...
0:08:27 > 0:08:32To be able to stay with us and, yeah, to give us a nice, rural lifestyle.
0:08:32 > 0:08:34Now, give us an idea of how much money you're prepared to
0:08:34 > 0:08:36spend on this new move?
0:08:36 > 0:08:37In an ideal world,
0:08:37 > 0:08:41if we can get... Our wish list would be... Around the £700,000 mark
0:08:41 > 0:08:45would be the ideal that we'd like to get to and to get everything.
0:08:45 > 0:08:48700,000 but could that go up a bit?
0:08:48 > 0:08:50If push comes to shove, probably.
0:08:50 > 0:08:52So potentially three quarters of a million?
0:08:53 > 0:08:55A huge number but potentially.
0:08:55 > 0:08:57Now, you've talked about having something with
0:08:57 > 0:08:59a bit of character about it,
0:08:59 > 0:09:01something with a bit of history,
0:09:01 > 0:09:05do you have an image in your mind, Marie, of what your new house
0:09:05 > 0:09:06should have?
0:09:07 > 0:09:12Ideally three bedrooms and comes with garden and big kitchen.
0:09:12 > 0:09:15And, Anthony, what about you? What's in your mind?
0:09:15 > 0:09:18Two reception rooms ideally and, if possible, with a nice area
0:09:18 > 0:09:21for Marie to look after her orchids - she's a keen grower.
0:09:21 > 0:09:23Now, I was going to get onto the orchids
0:09:23 > 0:09:26- cos I gather you've got over 100 of them...- Yeah.
0:09:26 > 0:09:30..in your flat, in the middle of the city, at the moment.
0:09:30 > 0:09:32How many more orchids are you planning on getting
0:09:32 > 0:09:34- in your new house? - Probably too many.
0:09:34 > 0:09:37Yeah, we'll have to worry about the budget for the orchids after
0:09:37 > 0:09:40the budget for the house but we'll definitely have more
0:09:40 > 0:09:42room for a few more orchids, I think, after the move, yes.
0:09:42 > 0:09:44OK, all right. Well, we've got three, I think,
0:09:44 > 0:09:48very interesting properties to show you, including the mystery house.
0:09:48 > 0:09:50- OK.- So we've got to get on with it.
0:09:50 > 0:09:52- Let's go and house hunt. Come on. - Sounds good.
0:09:54 > 0:09:59For a very generous top budget of £750,000, our buyers would
0:09:59 > 0:10:02like a period property with enough space to accommodate Marie's
0:10:02 > 0:10:06visiting family and her growing collection of orchids.
0:10:06 > 0:10:08The house should have at least three bedrooms
0:10:08 > 0:10:12and a large country-style kitchen, as well as two reception rooms.
0:10:12 > 0:10:15And they're keen to have a good-sized garden so Marie can begin
0:10:15 > 0:10:17growing her own produce.
0:10:17 > 0:10:21We've lined up a hearty selection of wonderful Hertfordshire homes
0:10:21 > 0:10:24for Anthony and Marie to feast upon but they won't know the price
0:10:24 > 0:10:27of each until the end of our visit.
0:10:27 > 0:10:30And, with our mystery house, we'll see just how period
0:10:30 > 0:10:32they're willing to go.
0:10:35 > 0:10:38- So, can you teach me some Japanese this week?- Yeah.
0:10:38 > 0:10:42OK. Does my name have an equivalent in Japanese?
0:10:42 > 0:10:44- Jules.- Yeah.
0:10:44 > 0:10:47Er...no.
0:10:47 > 0:10:49It's just Jules, is it?
0:10:49 > 0:10:51And what about the word for beautiful?
0:10:51 > 0:10:54Beautiful is utsukushii.
0:10:54 > 0:10:56- Utsukushii?- Yeah, yeah, yeah.
0:10:56 > 0:10:57- Utsukushii.- Utsukushii, yeah.
0:10:57 > 0:11:00- Good pronunciation.- Very good! - Now, that's a word I hope we're
0:11:00 > 0:11:03going to hear more of as we go
0:11:03 > 0:11:04round our houses.
0:11:04 > 0:11:06- Ah, OK.- Ut-gushii.- Utsukushii.
0:11:06 > 0:11:08I'm going to look out for that one.
0:11:12 > 0:11:15Our first property choice is in the village of Long Marston,
0:11:15 > 0:11:18three and a half miles from Tring
0:11:18 > 0:11:21and its 40-minute rail connection to London's Euston station.
0:11:21 > 0:11:25Tring is a small market town which, in the late 19th century,
0:11:25 > 0:11:28was home to the famous banker Lord Rothschild.
0:11:28 > 0:11:31The town flourished after the construction of the nearby
0:11:31 > 0:11:35Grand Junction Canal and later, the London and Birmingham Railway
0:11:35 > 0:11:38and today, it's a popular commuter town.
0:11:38 > 0:11:42Our first house is in the village of Long Marston on the outskirts
0:11:42 > 0:11:45of Tring on a quiet country lane surrounded by farmland.
0:11:47 > 0:11:51- OK, guys. Well, this is it, property number one.- Wow.
0:11:51 > 0:11:53The opposite of what we have currently
0:11:53 > 0:11:55and exactly the kind of setting that we're looking for.
0:11:55 > 0:11:57- It's not Central London, is it? - Definitely not.
0:11:57 > 0:11:59And you can probably smell it in the air as well.
0:11:59 > 0:12:02- That is true as well. - Somebody's muckspreading somewhere.
0:12:02 > 0:12:04Beautiful, peaceful, perfect.
0:12:04 > 0:12:07Now, what we've got for you here is a chunk of this
0:12:07 > 0:12:10old converted-farm complex.
0:12:10 > 0:12:13And you get that bit, the middle.
0:12:13 > 0:12:17How does this compare to what we might find in Japan?
0:12:17 > 0:12:21It's really different. Yeah. I look forward to have a look.
0:12:21 > 0:12:24Well, let's see what you think of our barn then.
0:12:24 > 0:12:27In its previous life, the house was an old cart-and-hay barn
0:12:27 > 0:12:31and today, the carts have been replaced by car ports at either end.
0:12:31 > 0:12:35Dating back to 1890, the Victorian barn has been renovated by
0:12:35 > 0:12:40the current owners who have created a modern and versatile family home.
0:12:40 > 0:12:42Let's start in here. There we are,
0:12:42 > 0:12:44your first taste of a converted barn.
0:12:44 > 0:12:47- Wow, very nicely done.- Yeah?
0:12:47 > 0:12:49- What's Marie thinking?- Yeah, nice.
0:12:49 > 0:12:52Opens up, of course, into the diner there
0:12:52 > 0:12:53and the kitchen that's next to it,
0:12:53 > 0:12:55- we'll have a look at that in a moment.- OK.
0:12:55 > 0:12:58But in terms of living rooms I suppose, really, you'd use
0:12:58 > 0:13:00these two rooms together.
0:13:00 > 0:13:03Yeah, very much so. It feels very lovely and warm.
0:13:03 > 0:13:05Homely. It's very well done.
0:13:05 > 0:13:07Yeah, nice ceiling as well.
0:13:07 > 0:13:09Yeah.
0:13:09 > 0:13:12As well as this main entertaining space, at the other end of
0:13:12 > 0:13:15the barn there's a snug and a further room that's currently used
0:13:15 > 0:13:19as a gym-cum-study but we're taking a closer peek at the dining room.
0:13:19 > 0:13:21There we go.
0:13:21 > 0:13:22This is really clever,
0:13:22 > 0:13:26they've put this huge range of bifold doors in, which I think kind
0:13:26 > 0:13:29of double the size or the feeling of space that you get in here.
0:13:29 > 0:13:32I think the light you get in from the outside just makes
0:13:32 > 0:13:33the room really great.
0:13:33 > 0:13:36I think, in our heart of hearts, we were hoping for kind of like
0:13:36 > 0:13:38a bigger kind of kitchen/dining area
0:13:38 > 0:13:41all in one but, as a room, this is definitely a lovely room.
0:13:41 > 0:13:43They've done a very nice renovation.
0:13:43 > 0:13:46Well, here's the thing - because the kitchen is just next door
0:13:46 > 0:13:49but this wall that separates it is just a stud wall,
0:13:49 > 0:13:51- it's not load-bearing.- Ah.
0:13:51 > 0:13:53So you could remove that
0:13:53 > 0:13:57and open this right up to have an enormous kitchen-diner.
0:13:57 > 0:14:00Well, that's a completely different proposition.
0:14:00 > 0:14:02I mean, it's very nice as it is.
0:14:02 > 0:14:05As you can see, you've got the granite tops, you've got the cooker
0:14:05 > 0:14:07and all the rest of it... Loads of storage.
0:14:07 > 0:14:10There's also a very generous utility room just down the corridor,
0:14:10 > 0:14:14so all the washing machines and all that stuff is out the way anyway.
0:14:14 > 0:14:16So far, Marie, how are we doing?
0:14:16 > 0:14:20What would you give house number one out of ten, say?
0:14:20 > 0:14:22Out of ten, probably eight.
0:14:22 > 0:14:25- Eight?- Yeah.- That's pretty good. Anthony?
0:14:25 > 0:14:28Yeah, I think an eight, as well, with the potential of that to come down.
0:14:28 > 0:14:31I think maybe, ideally, the lounge we would have liked a bit bigger
0:14:31 > 0:14:33but with this space opening up and with that wall down, it could
0:14:33 > 0:14:37- really just be something that could be workable.- Yeah.- Yeah.
0:14:37 > 0:14:40Both Anthony and Marie seem keen on doing a bit of work to open up
0:14:40 > 0:14:43the ground floor of this property, which will give them
0:14:43 > 0:14:45the space they're after.
0:14:45 > 0:14:48Upstairs, in the eaves of the barn, there are five double bedrooms -
0:14:48 > 0:14:50plenty of room for a future family.
0:14:50 > 0:14:53Two of the bedrooms are separated by a dressing room
0:14:53 > 0:14:55and run off each other,
0:14:55 > 0:14:59creating a guest suite of rooms for when Marie's family come to stay.
0:14:59 > 0:15:01At the other end of the house, another bedroom -
0:15:01 > 0:15:04currently a study - is accessed by an independent staircase
0:15:04 > 0:15:07from the dining room below.
0:15:07 > 0:15:10And then there's the master.
0:15:10 > 0:15:12And then this is your bit.
0:15:12 > 0:15:16- Wow, that's lovely. - Yeah? Very private.
0:15:16 > 0:15:19- You've still got the light.- Yeah. - There's no view as such
0:15:19 > 0:15:21but you've also got the en-suite through there, which is great.
0:15:21 > 0:15:24Bath and shower as well.
0:15:24 > 0:15:25How does this compare sizewise
0:15:25 > 0:15:28to what you've got in London at the moment?
0:15:28 > 0:15:30- More than... - THEY ALL LAUGH
0:15:30 > 0:15:32Incomparable.
0:15:32 > 0:15:34OK, good. Well, at least we've ringed that change
0:15:34 > 0:15:37from the city to the countryside.
0:15:37 > 0:15:39How about the garden? You said you wanted green space,
0:15:39 > 0:15:43somewhere for all those plant plans.
0:15:43 > 0:15:45- A few more orchids maybe?- Yeah. - Yeah?
0:15:46 > 0:15:49The garden to the rear of the barn is mainly lawn bordered by
0:15:49 > 0:15:53shrubs and fruit trees and benefits from a summerhouse.
0:15:53 > 0:15:56The quarter-of-an-acre plot backs directly onto a paddock with
0:15:56 > 0:15:58views over open countryside.
0:15:59 > 0:16:02You're the gardener, I think. Is this big enough?
0:16:02 > 0:16:03Yes. Yes, definitely.
0:16:03 > 0:16:05- Are you sure?- Yeah.
0:16:05 > 0:16:08I mean, we'd all love, you know, tens of acres, wouldn't we?
0:16:08 > 0:16:11But the truth is if you're at work all week long you need
0:16:11 > 0:16:15something that is going to be manageable and that you can keep.
0:16:15 > 0:16:16Yeah, that's the key thing.
0:16:16 > 0:16:19Something this size would be... I can do lawnmower duties
0:16:19 > 0:16:21and then Marie can make it look beautiful.
0:16:21 > 0:16:25There you go. Well, let's think about the price, then.
0:16:25 > 0:16:28What do you think it's worth? Who's going to go first?
0:16:28 > 0:16:32- Ladies first on this one, I think. - Well, madam?
0:16:32 > 0:16:37- Er, 730. - £730,000 says your wife, sir?
0:16:37 > 0:16:41I will try to be optimistic and go with... 715.
0:16:41 > 0:16:47715, well... You're both right instinctively to go over seven
0:16:47 > 0:16:49because this was on the market...
0:16:49 > 0:16:53at £775,000.
0:16:53 > 0:16:55However, that was a few months ago.
0:16:55 > 0:17:01- It is now on the market for offers in excess of 700.- OK.
0:17:02 > 0:17:06Now, it could be £1 over, it could be £10,000 over
0:17:06 > 0:17:10but you're certainly in a position to entertain this
0:17:10 > 0:17:14if it's what you want and it's where you want it.
0:17:14 > 0:17:17- It's certainly food for thought.- Mm.
0:17:17 > 0:17:20Well, there are a few other bits that you haven't fully explored yet,
0:17:20 > 0:17:23so why don't you take a bit of time, have a good look around
0:17:23 > 0:17:25and I will catch up with you a little bit later.
0:17:25 > 0:17:27- Sounds good. Thank you.- Off you go.
0:17:30 > 0:17:34£50,000 below their maximum budget, our first property,
0:17:34 > 0:17:38a characterful barn conversion, gives Anthony and Marie two more
0:17:38 > 0:17:40bedrooms than they asked for,
0:17:40 > 0:17:42the potential for a large kitchen-diner
0:17:42 > 0:17:44and a manageable garden.
0:17:44 > 0:17:47In terms of the commute, the village is an hour to
0:17:47 > 0:17:50the City of London and an hour and 25 minutes to West London.
0:17:50 > 0:17:52The size of the garden is good.
0:17:52 > 0:17:55Also I like the kitchen as well.
0:17:55 > 0:17:59And if we could take that centre wall off,
0:17:59 > 0:18:03then we can have a bigger kitchen, so it's going to be good.
0:18:03 > 0:18:06The things I like about property number one would be the nice
0:18:06 > 0:18:07presence from the front of the house,
0:18:07 > 0:18:09the nice garden at the back,
0:18:09 > 0:18:13the lounge as you come into the property and the kitchen
0:18:13 > 0:18:15and the diner.
0:18:15 > 0:18:18Nothing that is a real no-no but I think, in our heads, or in my
0:18:18 > 0:18:21head, still trying to run through how the layout of the upstairs
0:18:21 > 0:18:24rooms - where the three bedrooms on the left-hand side of
0:18:24 > 0:18:26the property seem to run into each other -
0:18:26 > 0:18:28could be a little awkward for use
0:18:28 > 0:18:31but... Not a no-no but it's something that needs to be thought over.
0:18:33 > 0:18:35Well, one down, one more this afternoon
0:18:35 > 0:18:38and then our mystery house tomorrow but we have got to get better
0:18:38 > 0:18:41- than an eight out of ten, Marie, haven't we?- Yes.
0:18:45 > 0:18:48Like much of the UK, the health of Hertfordshire's countryside
0:18:48 > 0:18:51can be determined by the number of butterflies fluttering around
0:18:51 > 0:18:56its gardens and meadows but the British butterfly is in trouble.
0:18:56 > 0:19:01The UK population is in decline, with numbers down some 25%.
0:19:01 > 0:19:05Hertfordshire itself has been particularly hard hit, with 17
0:19:05 > 0:19:08species lost in the last century.
0:19:08 > 0:19:11To find out why but also how we can help the population,
0:19:11 > 0:19:13I've come to Butterfly World -
0:19:13 > 0:19:17a pioneering conservation project based near St Albans.
0:19:17 > 0:19:19Since it started in 2008,
0:19:19 > 0:19:23it has helped stem the decline in the county's butterfly numbers.
0:19:23 > 0:19:27I'm meeting the project's lepidopterist, Louise Hawkins.
0:19:27 > 0:19:30Well, Louise, it's not every day that I get to meet a lepidopterist.
0:19:30 > 0:19:33- You have made the study of butterflies your life.- Mh-hmm.
0:19:33 > 0:19:35What got you into it in the first place?
0:19:35 > 0:19:39To be honest, probably boredom on holiday at my grandparents'
0:19:39 > 0:19:41in Cornwall.
0:19:41 > 0:19:43Nothing else to do other than going out into fields
0:19:43 > 0:19:46and wandering around in the woodland looking for butterflies.
0:19:46 > 0:19:51How important are butterflies to our environment, to the ecosystem?
0:19:51 > 0:19:55They're hugely important. They're a vital part of the food chain.
0:19:55 > 0:19:57There's lots of birds and bats
0:19:57 > 0:20:00that are very dependent on butterflies and moths.
0:20:00 > 0:20:03We're not doing a great job of looking after them, are we?
0:20:03 > 0:20:06We're not, unfortunately, not at the moment.
0:20:06 > 0:20:10I think cos of huge demands on our land, changes in how we use our land,
0:20:10 > 0:20:13the habitat's become very fragmented.
0:20:13 > 0:20:18It's been changed into development, carved up by motorways
0:20:18 > 0:20:20and populations have become isolated.
0:20:20 > 0:20:23Now, those of us lucky enough to have a garden
0:20:23 > 0:20:25can all do our bit to help, and I gather you've got some top tips
0:20:25 > 0:20:27- as to how we can all get involved... - We have.
0:20:27 > 0:20:29..in helping to create the perfect environment...
0:20:29 > 0:20:30- Yes.- ..for butterflies.
0:20:30 > 0:20:33Yes, we have. I can show you some perfect examples.
0:20:33 > 0:20:35Brilliant. After you.
0:20:35 > 0:20:39'To help reverse the decline, the conservation project
0:20:39 > 0:20:43'has created the ideal habitat in which the butterflies can thrive -
0:20:43 > 0:20:46'a unique wild flower meadow, which provides a plentiful supply
0:20:46 > 0:20:49'of nectar for both butterflies and insects.'
0:20:49 > 0:20:51This is lovely, it's full of colour, isn't it?
0:20:51 > 0:20:55Yes, there's lots of flowers here that butterflies really like.
0:20:55 > 0:20:58We've got scabious, we've got knapweed,
0:20:58 > 0:21:02we've got marjoram, and, of course, we've got the butterfly bush as well.
0:21:02 > 0:21:04That, I suppose, is one of the most prolific plants
0:21:04 > 0:21:07- that we see across the UK...- Yeah.
0:21:07 > 0:21:09..but a lot of people will cut that down as a weed.
0:21:09 > 0:21:10They do indeed, yeah.
0:21:10 > 0:21:13It's very important to leave some of these - what we consider -
0:21:13 > 0:21:15weed plants in your garden
0:21:15 > 0:21:18so that there's lots of nectar for butterflies.
0:21:18 > 0:21:21But as you can see, a wild garden can still be just as beautiful.
0:21:21 > 0:21:25'While adult butterflies depend on nectar to survive,
0:21:25 > 0:21:28'caterpillars on the other hand need food plants
0:21:28 > 0:21:29'such as nettles and grasses,
0:21:29 > 0:21:32'so it's good to leave at least a portion of the garden untended.'
0:21:34 > 0:21:36Now, for all the colour and all the beauty of it,
0:21:36 > 0:21:40one thing seems to me to be missing.
0:21:40 > 0:21:41Where are the butterflies?
0:21:41 > 0:21:43Well, it is rather cold and damp today,
0:21:43 > 0:21:46so they will be in there roosting somewhere nice and warm.
0:21:46 > 0:21:49We've got a lovely, warm, tropical butterfly house,
0:21:49 > 0:21:51so we can go and see some lovely, spectacular butterflies.
0:21:51 > 0:21:52- And it won't be raining?- No.
0:21:52 > 0:21:54- Great. Right. - HE LAUGHS
0:21:54 > 0:21:56'It's not just native species
0:21:56 > 0:21:59'that the project has taken under its wing.
0:21:59 > 0:22:01'The Tropical Butterfly House
0:22:01 > 0:22:04'is home to hundreds of foreign butterflies
0:22:04 > 0:22:07'as well as a number of quail, who act as a pest deterrent -
0:22:07 > 0:22:09'a kind of butterfly bodyguard.'
0:22:09 > 0:22:11What's that?!
0:22:11 > 0:22:12That is an owl butterfly.
0:22:12 > 0:22:15That's one of the largest ones you'll find in the Butterfly House
0:22:15 > 0:22:17and they're called owl butterflies
0:22:17 > 0:22:19because they've got eye spots on each wing
0:22:19 > 0:22:22that when they open them up, they look like an owl's face.
0:22:22 > 0:22:26That is without a doubt the biggest butterfly I have ever seen.
0:22:26 > 0:22:29I mean, I love the noise of the quail in here.
0:22:29 > 0:22:33They control the number of spiders, and spiders are the number one enemy
0:22:33 > 0:22:36of a butterfly when they get caught up in the cobwebs.
0:22:36 > 0:22:37Ah, of course. Yeah.
0:22:37 > 0:22:40And how many butterflies then are living in here at the moment?
0:22:40 > 0:22:44There's probably between 400 and 500 in here at the moment.
0:22:44 > 0:22:47- And how many different species? - Around 30 or 40 different species.
0:22:47 > 0:22:49But this is a wonderful environment
0:22:49 > 0:22:52to introduce people to the butterfly.
0:22:52 > 0:22:54Are we looking at a brighter future?
0:22:54 > 0:22:56I think so, yes.
0:22:56 > 0:22:58If we continue to educate our children
0:22:58 > 0:23:00about the importance of butterflies
0:23:00 > 0:23:03and if we concentrate our conservation efforts
0:23:03 > 0:23:06in getting a balance between development and habitat,
0:23:06 > 0:23:07then I don't see why not.
0:23:07 > 0:23:12It seems we can all do our bit to try and help the British butterfly
0:23:12 > 0:23:15by creating conditions for them to thrive in our own back gardens.
0:23:15 > 0:23:19But, for now, we need to find a rural haven for Anthony and Marie,
0:23:19 > 0:23:21so it's back to the house hunt.
0:23:26 > 0:23:28For our second offering, we're heading northeast.
0:23:28 > 0:23:31We're actually crossing over the border into Bedfordshire
0:23:31 > 0:23:33to the hamlet of How End,
0:23:33 > 0:23:36just outside the small market town of Ampthill.
0:23:36 > 0:23:37With an hour's journey
0:23:37 > 0:23:39to London's Moorgate,
0:23:39 > 0:23:40which is close to Anthony's office,
0:23:40 > 0:23:42and just under an hour and a half for Marie,
0:23:42 > 0:23:46Ampthill is a well-connected, vibrant Georgian market town.
0:23:46 > 0:23:49Our second house is a few miles north of it,
0:23:49 > 0:23:51but situated in a quiet rural setting
0:23:51 > 0:23:54surrounded by fields and hedgerows.
0:23:54 > 0:23:56OK, Marie, what do you think of that one?
0:23:56 > 0:23:59- Wow. Nice. Big. - SHE CHUCKLES
0:23:59 > 0:24:01It is big, actually.
0:24:01 > 0:24:04The bit we're looking at here is a modern extension...
0:24:04 > 0:24:05ANTHONY AND MARIE: Mm.
0:24:05 > 0:24:09..to an original house, which was built in 1888,
0:24:09 > 0:24:11so it's late Victorian...
0:24:11 > 0:24:14Similar age, really, to property number one,
0:24:14 > 0:24:17but this one has been doubled in size over the last few years.
0:24:17 > 0:24:19Anthony, what are your first thoughts?
0:24:19 > 0:24:22Yeah, very cute and quaint and doesn't look modern at all.
0:24:22 > 0:24:24So, yeah, very promising from the outside.
0:24:24 > 0:24:27- I'm very conscious of this character that you're looking for.- Yeah.
0:24:27 > 0:24:30All right? But with this one, we've certainly gone for size.
0:24:30 > 0:24:31To be honest with you,
0:24:31 > 0:24:33it's very difficult to judge this from the outside.
0:24:33 > 0:24:36The only way to really understand it, I think, is to get inside.
0:24:36 > 0:24:37- Mm.- Yeah?- OK. Sounds good.
0:24:37 > 0:24:39Come on.
0:24:39 > 0:24:41'Well, that's a more upbeat reaction to our second house.
0:24:41 > 0:24:44'It's an interesting fusion between old and new,
0:24:44 > 0:24:47'retaining fine original features throughout.'
0:24:47 > 0:24:49We'll start in here.
0:24:50 > 0:24:52Wow.
0:24:52 > 0:24:54"Wow"! That's good! Look at your face!
0:24:54 > 0:24:56ALL LAUGH Wow.
0:24:56 > 0:24:58Do you remember when we were speaking in the car earlier
0:24:58 > 0:25:01and I asked you what the Japanese for beautiful was?
0:25:01 > 0:25:03- Ah, "utsukushii".- Utsukushii?
0:25:03 > 0:25:06- Yeah.- Utsukushii. - OK, so, maybe it's that.
0:25:06 > 0:25:08- Mmm.- Very much so. Wow, that is stunning.
0:25:08 > 0:25:10- Yeah?- Speechless.- Yeah.
0:25:10 > 0:25:12- You're speechless? This is the biggest smile...- Yeah.
0:25:12 > 0:25:13- ..we've seen.- Mmm.
0:25:13 > 0:25:16The flooring is nice, I like that beam. Just everything.
0:25:16 > 0:25:19- Yeah.- It's really, really lovely. - Well, the beam is interesting.
0:25:19 > 0:25:21I said to you earlier that the house was extended.
0:25:21 > 0:25:24That beam represents the old external wall of the property,
0:25:24 > 0:25:26so that was as far as it came
0:25:26 > 0:25:29and everything we're standing in now is the new addition.
0:25:29 > 0:25:32The most recent addition is that fabulous garden room there,
0:25:32 > 0:25:34which projects out into the garden.
0:25:34 > 0:25:36- Ten out of ten for a first impression.- Mm, mm.
0:25:36 > 0:25:39Great. I mean, you've got a fantastic family
0:25:39 > 0:25:40and entertaining area here too.
0:25:40 > 0:25:43Across the corridor, there is a living room
0:25:43 > 0:25:45with a huge open, working fireplace in it.
0:25:45 > 0:25:46Oh, wow.
0:25:46 > 0:25:48- Behind me, here, you've also got a wood burner.- Oh.
0:25:48 > 0:25:50Which will keep you nice and warm.
0:25:50 > 0:25:53So you've got lots of entertaining space and this wonderful kitchen,
0:25:53 > 0:25:56and beyond it...is the dining room.
0:25:56 > 0:25:58- Mm!- Wow.- Come and have a look.
0:25:59 > 0:26:02'As well as our top-scoring entertaining space,
0:26:02 > 0:26:03'the ground floor also features
0:26:03 > 0:26:06'a huge walk-in larder and a utility room,
0:26:06 > 0:26:08'both of which are just off the dining room.'
0:26:08 > 0:26:10- Wow.- Wow, lovely space as well.
0:26:10 > 0:26:12- Lovely, yeah.- Wow.
0:26:12 > 0:26:15The thing I like about this house is that it has different zones -
0:26:15 > 0:26:17the garden room, the kitchen and the dining room,
0:26:17 > 0:26:20- but it all flows together, it's all linked...- Mm.
0:26:20 > 0:26:24..which, again, just has this nice sort of feel to it.
0:26:24 > 0:26:28Our last house, you said it was eight out of ten.
0:26:28 > 0:26:32- Is this one a bit higher?- Yeah. - ALL LAUGH
0:26:32 > 0:26:36- Anthony?- Unquestionably. Yeah, for me, it's a ten as we stand now.
0:26:36 > 0:26:39- It's ten out of ten.- Brilliant. OK. Well, let's hope that continues.
0:26:39 > 0:26:41'And I'm confident it will
0:26:41 > 0:26:44'as upstairs there are four good-size bedrooms,
0:26:44 > 0:26:47'but with all the rooms arranged off a central landing,
0:26:47 > 0:26:49'it's a more conventional layout than our first property.
0:26:49 > 0:26:53'Two of the bedrooms are en suite, including a lovely guest suite
0:26:53 > 0:26:55'for visiting family.
0:26:55 > 0:26:58'There's also a fantastic family bathroom with roll-top bath,
0:26:58 > 0:27:02'which just leaves Anthony and Marie's bedroom.'
0:27:02 > 0:27:05- Wow. Amazing. - Yeah, another beautiful room.
0:27:05 > 0:27:08- I mean, it is beautifully... - Nonstop surprises.
0:27:08 > 0:27:10..furnished, to be fair.
0:27:10 > 0:27:12- That is a super king-size bed, so... - Yeah.
0:27:12 > 0:27:16But it is beautifully done, has a fantastic en suite as well,
0:27:16 > 0:27:18and in terms of accommodation up here,
0:27:18 > 0:27:21do you think there's enough space for people to come and stay here?
0:27:21 > 0:27:23- Mm.- Yeah, I think without question.
0:27:23 > 0:27:27- Ideally we wanted a minimum of three, and four would be plenty.- Mm.
0:27:27 > 0:27:30- Good. Still ten out of ten?- Yeah. - SHE LAUGHS
0:27:30 > 0:27:34- Good. Right. Shall we go to the garden?- Sounds good.
0:27:34 > 0:27:36- Talk about the price? - JULES CHUCKLES
0:27:39 > 0:27:40Extending to the side of the property,
0:27:40 > 0:27:43the gardens are enclosed and private
0:27:43 > 0:27:45thanks to the mature borders and trees surrounding the lawn.
0:27:45 > 0:27:48There's also a large decked area suitable for entertaining.
0:27:48 > 0:27:52Come over here because this really is where you get a sense
0:27:52 > 0:27:54of the old and the new.
0:27:57 > 0:27:59There's the 1888 bit...
0:28:00 > 0:28:02And there's the modern part...
0:28:02 > 0:28:03with that extension.
0:28:03 > 0:28:07In terms of garden... the green bit, this is it.
0:28:07 > 0:28:09There is a little courtyard garden
0:28:09 > 0:28:12that separates the house from the double garage,
0:28:12 > 0:28:15but in terms of your gardening ambitions,
0:28:15 > 0:28:16would this area be big enough?
0:28:16 > 0:28:18- Mm, yeah. - MARIE LAUGHS
0:28:18 > 0:28:20- You sure?- Yeah, yeah.
0:28:20 > 0:28:23If I could give you the keys, would you like me to do that?
0:28:24 > 0:28:26If we could have the keys, yeah, without question.
0:28:26 > 0:28:28ALL LAUGH
0:28:28 > 0:28:31Well, how much would the keys to this place cost you?
0:28:31 > 0:28:34- You went first last time...- Mm-hm.
0:28:34 > 0:28:35..Marie, so, Anthony?
0:28:36 > 0:28:40- I'm going to go for an optimistic 740.- 740.
0:28:41 > 0:28:44Um... 750.
0:28:44 > 0:28:46- 750.- Mm-hm.
0:28:47 > 0:28:49Now, if it were 740 or indeed 750,
0:28:49 > 0:28:53- it would absolutely push your budget to the limit, wouldn't it?- Mm.
0:28:53 > 0:28:57- It's on the market at 665.- Wow.
0:28:59 > 0:29:01JULES AND MARIE LAUGH
0:29:01 > 0:29:04Wow, that was a properly speechless open-mouthed "wow"!
0:29:04 > 0:29:06- Yeah, now I'm speechless.- Wow.
0:29:06 > 0:29:08Really?
0:29:08 > 0:29:09- Yeah.- Ah...
0:29:09 > 0:29:12That is very pleasantly surprising. JULES LAUGHS
0:29:12 > 0:29:13Well, given that you love it so much,
0:29:13 > 0:29:15I think it's the icing on the cake, isn't it?
0:29:15 > 0:29:19- Yeah! I think speechless again, yeah. Stunning.- Wow.
0:29:19 > 0:29:21Well, look, although you have seen most of it,
0:29:21 > 0:29:24I think we should give you a bit more time to indulge it,
0:29:24 > 0:29:26to soak up the atmosphere of property number two
0:29:26 > 0:29:29and maybe start planning.
0:29:29 > 0:29:31- Maybe a move is afoot. Who knows? - MARIE LAUGHS
0:29:31 > 0:29:35- Right then, off you go. I will catch you later on.- Thank you.
0:29:36 > 0:29:40Well under their maximum budget by nearly £100,000,
0:29:40 > 0:29:43our second house is original Victorian,
0:29:43 > 0:29:46but has been recently extended and modernised.
0:29:46 > 0:29:48It gives our buyers the large kitchen and reception space
0:29:48 > 0:29:50they were after,
0:29:50 > 0:29:53one more bedroom than they asked for and a manageable garden.
0:29:53 > 0:29:57Well, I can't find anything I don't like...
0:29:57 > 0:29:59- SHE LAUGHS - ..so that's a good sign!
0:29:59 > 0:30:03I could imagine to live in this house
0:30:03 > 0:30:07and I hope Anthony is thinking the same.
0:30:07 > 0:30:09Wow, what not to like?
0:30:09 > 0:30:13Stunning lounge area, kitchen area, dining area, sunroom,
0:30:13 > 0:30:14four big bedrooms...
0:30:14 > 0:30:16I mean, just perfect, absolutely perfect.
0:30:16 > 0:30:19Yeah, I think unquestionably, this is a place that I could see
0:30:19 > 0:30:22myself living with my wife and if one day we have a family,
0:30:22 > 0:30:24it'd be a lovely place to have a family
0:30:24 > 0:30:26and plenty of room for Marie's family to come and visit,
0:30:26 > 0:30:28or friends to come over and spend the night
0:30:28 > 0:30:30if they were to come for a day, whatever.
0:30:30 > 0:30:34So, yeah, absolutely, it's a place we could see as our home.
0:30:34 > 0:30:36You know, house-hunting can be quite a tiring business
0:30:36 > 0:30:39despite what you might think...
0:30:39 > 0:30:41- Whay! How are we doing? - Very good, thank you.
0:30:41 > 0:30:44Good to be outside potentially what'd be our new front door.
0:30:44 > 0:30:47Well, is it going to be your new front door, I wonder?
0:30:47 > 0:30:49We have got one more to see tomorrow, our mystery house,
0:30:49 > 0:30:53so don't jump the gun just yet, but I think it's looking good.
0:30:53 > 0:30:55- Yeah.- Brilliant.
0:30:55 > 0:30:57Come on, then, let's have a celebratory evening drink.
0:30:57 > 0:30:59Sounds good.
0:31:06 > 0:31:09It's the start of our second day of property shopping
0:31:09 > 0:31:10here in Hertfordshire,
0:31:10 > 0:31:14and with a very healthy budget of £750,000,
0:31:14 > 0:31:16we're helping newlywed professionals -
0:31:16 > 0:31:18Anthony and Marie from London -
0:31:18 > 0:31:20find a family house in the Home Counties.
0:31:20 > 0:31:23Still to come - our mystery option raises the game.
0:31:24 > 0:31:26- Never been in a room as beautiful as this.- Mm!
0:31:26 > 0:31:28Just stunning. MARIE CHUCKLES
0:31:28 > 0:31:30'But the price comes as a shock.'
0:31:30 > 0:31:33- Mmm!- Wow. Wow, wow, wow.
0:31:35 > 0:31:39Well, unfortunately, it does look as if our second day of house-hunting
0:31:39 > 0:31:41could be somewhat wetter than the first,
0:31:41 > 0:31:45but there is no better feeling than ending day one on a high,
0:31:45 > 0:31:47which we certainly managed to do.
0:31:47 > 0:31:50But I always get very excited when I'm about to show our buyers
0:31:50 > 0:31:53a mystery house that could thrill them even more
0:31:53 > 0:31:55and if they like what they've seen so far,
0:31:55 > 0:31:58just you wait till they see this one.
0:31:59 > 0:32:01Our mystery house is back
0:32:01 > 0:32:02over the border in Hertfordshire
0:32:02 > 0:32:05and we're on the way to the village of Brent Pelham.
0:32:05 > 0:32:08The closest station for trains to London is Bishop's Stortford -
0:32:08 > 0:32:10a half hour drive away -
0:32:10 > 0:32:13and then it's an average 45-minute train ride into Liverpool Street,
0:32:13 > 0:32:16so we're pushing our buyers on the commuting time.
0:32:16 > 0:32:19The village itself is made up of a scattering of pretty thatched
0:32:19 > 0:32:21and characterful houses
0:32:21 > 0:32:23and Brent Pelham is a quiet, sought-after location.
0:32:24 > 0:32:27But it wasn't always so peaceful.
0:32:27 > 0:32:30Just outside the local church are the medieval stocks,
0:32:30 > 0:32:33which could accommodate up to three people at once.
0:32:33 > 0:32:36Despite adding around 20 minutes to their journey into London,
0:32:36 > 0:32:40our final property certainly delivers on age and history.
0:32:40 > 0:32:41Now, look at this!
0:32:43 > 0:32:45Wow, wow, wow. JULES CHUCKLES
0:32:45 > 0:32:46Come over here.
0:32:48 > 0:32:50- What?!- Wow. MARIE LAUGHS
0:32:50 > 0:32:54- Oh!- That is as traditional as traditional gets.
0:32:54 > 0:32:55- That is fantastic.- Lovely.
0:32:55 > 0:32:57- What's the magic word?- Utsukushii.
0:32:57 > 0:32:59Utsukushii, yeah, it's beautiful, isn't it?
0:32:59 > 0:33:02Now, on this one, we are stepping back in time.
0:33:02 > 0:33:06- Our first two properties were Victorian.- Mm-hm.
0:33:06 > 0:33:11- This one was built around about 1500 or so.- Mm...- Wow.
0:33:11 > 0:33:14- MARIE LAUGHS - So, it's 400 to 500 years old
0:33:14 > 0:33:17and packed full of history and character
0:33:17 > 0:33:19in a very genuine way.
0:33:19 > 0:33:23- Mm.- I know when we started out you were really hoping for that.
0:33:23 > 0:33:26We certainly got there, I think, with our second property,
0:33:26 > 0:33:28albeit in a modern way,
0:33:28 > 0:33:31but this absolutely is the real thing, Anthony.
0:33:31 > 0:33:33- Mm.- Wow, it's stunning. Absolutely magical.
0:33:33 > 0:33:36Yeah? Let's see what you think of the inside. Come on.
0:33:36 > 0:33:40'So our mystery house is a 16th-century thatched property -
0:33:40 > 0:33:43'originally three workers' cottages that have been knocked into one
0:33:43 > 0:33:46'to create a beautiful family home.'
0:33:46 > 0:33:49Right, you two, let's start in here then.
0:33:50 > 0:33:51- Oh, wow.- Mmm.
0:33:51 > 0:33:54- That is very cute.- Cute, yes.
0:33:55 > 0:33:57- Yeah?- That is splendid.- Yeah.
0:33:57 > 0:33:58There's a pantry through there
0:33:58 > 0:34:01and also the main family bathroom is down there.
0:34:01 > 0:34:04- OK.- So it's got a slightly unconventional layout in that sense,
0:34:04 > 0:34:07- but bath and shower - beautifully done.- Mm.
0:34:07 > 0:34:11But, yeah, your classic cottage kitchen.
0:34:11 > 0:34:14Oil-fired range over there.
0:34:14 > 0:34:16This isn't the only dining area,
0:34:16 > 0:34:19but in terms of the kitchen - would it be big enough for you?
0:34:19 > 0:34:21- Yeah, yeah. I think so. - Yeah, I think definitely workable.
0:34:21 > 0:34:23I mean, yeah, just a lovely room...
0:34:23 > 0:34:25- Mm.- Yeah.- ..steeped in history.
0:34:25 > 0:34:26- Mm.- Just fantastic.
0:34:26 > 0:34:29Well, if you like old style, this place is full of it.
0:34:29 > 0:34:30Have a look at the dining end.
0:34:30 > 0:34:32This is the dining room itself.
0:34:32 > 0:34:36- Wow! Oh, my... Wow!- Wow! - MARIE LAUGHS
0:34:36 > 0:34:39- Oh!- "Oh, my wow"! - JULES LAUGHS
0:34:39 > 0:34:42- Wow. - That is just absolutely stunning.
0:34:42 > 0:34:45- Wow.- This room is full of character. Just unbelievable.
0:34:45 > 0:34:48- Mm, yeah.- The beams, the ceilings, the fireplace...
0:34:49 > 0:34:51- Wow.- But this is lovely too.
0:34:51 > 0:34:53Can you see on this piece of wood, these little marks?
0:34:53 > 0:34:55- These are the carpenter's marks... - Mm.
0:34:55 > 0:34:57..from when it was built.
0:34:57 > 0:35:00So they would assemble the frame of the building on the ground,
0:35:00 > 0:35:03get all the joints to fit and then they had to label them
0:35:03 > 0:35:04to know which one went where.
0:35:04 > 0:35:06So X-X goes there.
0:35:06 > 0:35:08Just beautiful. JULES LAUGHS
0:35:08 > 0:35:09Beautiful, yeah.
0:35:09 > 0:35:11I've never been in a room as beautiful as this in a home.
0:35:11 > 0:35:13- Mm.- This is just stunning.
0:35:13 > 0:35:15Well, let's see what you think of the living room
0:35:15 > 0:35:16cos that's through here.
0:35:17 > 0:35:19We step down these...two steps.
0:35:19 > 0:35:22- Look how wide that wall is next to the chimneybreast.- Wow.
0:35:22 > 0:35:24And then you get into here.
0:35:26 > 0:35:27- Oh, wow.- Oh!
0:35:27 > 0:35:30- Just so cosy, just so homely, just so...- Mm.
0:35:30 > 0:35:32..just fantastic.
0:35:32 > 0:35:36Another wood burner for you. Uh, again, more beams, more history.
0:35:37 > 0:35:40It's so tastefully done and so beautifully done.
0:35:40 > 0:35:43It's everywhere, so although there's lots of dark wood,
0:35:43 > 0:35:46- it just doesn't feel dark at all, it's just lovely.- Mm.
0:35:46 > 0:35:49- I think you would be happy here. - Mm, definitely, yeah.
0:35:49 > 0:35:52Right then, let's go upstairs. Follow me.
0:35:53 > 0:35:56'Our buyers are clearly captivated by the charms
0:35:56 > 0:35:58'of this characterful cottage.
0:35:58 > 0:36:02'Upstairs there are three bedrooms with exposed timbers throughout.
0:36:02 > 0:36:06'One, currently set up as a twin, would make a cosy guest room.
0:36:06 > 0:36:08'Another of the bedrooms has been converted into a study
0:36:08 > 0:36:11'and is accessed by its own staircase from the kitchen below,
0:36:11 > 0:36:16'which just leaves the largest room for Anthony and Marie to inspect.'
0:36:16 > 0:36:18And then this is the master. Come on in.
0:36:18 > 0:36:22Wow. Again, wow. MARIE AND JULES LAUGH
0:36:22 > 0:36:24- I love that dormer window. - Yeah.- Yeah.
0:36:24 > 0:36:27- Actually, the way it projects out with all the beams.- Mm.
0:36:27 > 0:36:29- I mean, I know you asked for three bedrooms...- Yeah.
0:36:29 > 0:36:33Our first two properties had more than three, this one has just three.
0:36:33 > 0:36:35The other thing is that it doesn't have
0:36:35 > 0:36:37the family bathroom on this floor.
0:36:37 > 0:36:38It's downstairs next to the kitchen.
0:36:38 > 0:36:40But you do have a loo next door.
0:36:40 > 0:36:42- Yeah, that's perfectly fine. - That's fine.
0:36:42 > 0:36:44Just through there. That's the only compromise.
0:36:44 > 0:36:48It's the only fault, if it is a fault, that I can find with this.
0:36:48 > 0:36:50I mean, I'll call it a quirk rather than a fault.
0:36:50 > 0:36:53Excellent. I like quirks. Quirks are easier to deal with.
0:36:53 > 0:36:56They're much more forgivable than faults.
0:36:56 > 0:36:58I think the thing to do now is to go back out
0:36:58 > 0:37:00- into that gorgeous garden...- Mm.
0:37:00 > 0:37:04..and I would suggest that you start thinking about how much this one is.
0:37:04 > 0:37:05ANTHONY AND MARIE LAUGH
0:37:05 > 0:37:09- Yes!- We can try. JULES LAUGHS
0:37:09 > 0:37:10Come with me.
0:37:10 > 0:37:14'The secluded landscaped garden provides several different areas,
0:37:14 > 0:37:17'including the main lawn - which features a summerhouse -
0:37:17 > 0:37:20'lots of mature hedging, and a separate paved area,
0:37:20 > 0:37:23'which could make an excellent spot for summer socialising.'
0:37:24 > 0:37:27So, that's it. That's what our mystery house has to offer.
0:37:27 > 0:37:28MARIE LAUGHS
0:37:28 > 0:37:31You know what's coming now, don't you? Yeah!
0:37:31 > 0:37:34- How much, Marie...- Mmm...
0:37:34 > 0:37:37..do you think our mystery house... is on the market for?
0:37:38 > 0:37:39I think...
0:37:42 > 0:37:44- ..680?- 680, yeah?
0:37:45 > 0:37:46No idea.
0:37:46 > 0:37:49I mean, absolutely stunning, but just by virtue of the fact
0:37:49 > 0:37:51that it's a bit of a journey from the station,
0:37:51 > 0:37:54I'm going to keep it under 700 as well and go for 690.
0:37:54 > 0:37:56- But I've absolutely no idea.- 690.
0:37:56 > 0:37:59- It has kind of flummoxed you a bit, hasn't it, this one?- Yeah.
0:37:59 > 0:38:03It's on the market for £595,000.
0:38:03 > 0:38:05- Wow!- Really? - JULES LAUGHS
0:38:05 > 0:38:07Wow, wow, wow.
0:38:07 > 0:38:11Yeah? That's quite a saving from your projected £700,000 spend.
0:38:11 > 0:38:12- That's really good, yeah.- Yeah.
0:38:12 > 0:38:15Right then, come on, let's go. You're in charge of the brolly.
0:38:15 > 0:38:16- Thank you.- After you.
0:38:21 > 0:38:25Well under their top budget by £155,000,
0:38:25 > 0:38:28our mystery house goes to show you don't need to blow all your money
0:38:28 > 0:38:30to get what you want.
0:38:30 > 0:38:32It's a 16th-century thatched cottage
0:38:32 > 0:38:34with oodles of character and history.
0:38:34 > 0:38:37It comes with three bedrooms and a country-style kitchen.
0:38:37 > 0:38:40The only downside is the lack of an upstairs bathroom
0:38:40 > 0:38:43and it's a 20 minute longer commute into London
0:38:43 > 0:38:45than they originally wanted.
0:38:45 > 0:38:47For us, this is kind of the real country deal
0:38:47 > 0:38:49that we were looking for.
0:38:49 > 0:38:52It's just the absolute dream picturesque home.
0:38:52 > 0:38:54We were looking for the complete country lifestyle
0:38:54 > 0:38:56and I can't imagine a place
0:38:56 > 0:38:59that would give us that opportunity more than a place like this.
0:38:59 > 0:39:00It's just fantastic.
0:39:00 > 0:39:06Well, I wasn't expecting to see this nice character old house,
0:39:06 > 0:39:09and I think I really like this.
0:39:09 > 0:39:15I can see myself living in this place and enjoying gardening
0:39:15 > 0:39:19and maybe having fun with Anthony if we're cooking.
0:39:20 > 0:39:23Have a look at this - a chair grown from box.
0:39:23 > 0:39:26I just absolutely love it. Look at this. Have you spotted it yet?
0:39:26 > 0:39:28Oh, gosh. Wow!
0:39:28 > 0:39:32I haven't tried sitting on it, but I think it's so quirky
0:39:32 > 0:39:34- and so imaginative.- Mm.
0:39:34 > 0:39:36So, that's it. House tours are over.
0:39:36 > 0:39:39- You've got lots to think about, I think.- Indeed, indeed.- Yeah.
0:39:39 > 0:39:42- But it's been a good week.- It's been a fantastic week.- Yeah, yeah.
0:39:42 > 0:39:44Have we found you a home yet, I wonder?
0:39:44 > 0:39:46- Don't tell me yet! - ALL LAUGH
0:39:46 > 0:39:47- Off you go, Anthony.- Thank you.
0:39:47 > 0:39:48Let's get in the car.
0:39:51 > 0:39:55'So, after leaving Anthony and Marie a while to mull over their options,
0:39:55 > 0:39:56'it's time to catch up with them
0:39:56 > 0:39:59'to find out whether any of the properties we've shown our couple
0:39:59 > 0:40:02'have inspired them enough to make the next move.'
0:40:03 > 0:40:06Well, guys, here we are at the end of your escape to the country.
0:40:06 > 0:40:08It does race by, doesn't it?
0:40:08 > 0:40:12- It really, really does. - Have we managed to do it, Anthony?
0:40:12 > 0:40:13Yeah, I think we're pretty close.
0:40:13 > 0:40:16I think we know which one is definitely our favourite.
0:40:16 > 0:40:18Now, let me take a guess, Marie.
0:40:18 > 0:40:20Is your favourite by any chance...
0:40:20 > 0:40:22the mystery house?
0:40:22 > 0:40:24- Yes.- Yes. - ALL LAUGH
0:40:24 > 0:40:26Now, it's interesting that
0:40:26 > 0:40:30because at the end of yesterday, property two was top of your list.
0:40:30 > 0:40:32A much more modern renovation.
0:40:32 > 0:40:34What did you like about property two?
0:40:34 > 0:40:36- As we walked through the door...- Mm.
0:40:36 > 0:40:40..and that lounge area to the kitchen area to a dining area
0:40:40 > 0:40:43is nothing short of magical and we are completely smitten by that.
0:40:43 > 0:40:47And then we got to the mystery house and the setting is surreal,
0:40:47 > 0:40:49it's idyllic, it's picture postcard.
0:40:49 > 0:40:53- Mm.- From the outside, the inside, the kitchen, the two lounges,
0:40:53 > 0:40:56- the bedrooms, it's just the dream that we were looking for...- Yeah.
0:40:56 > 0:40:58..for a country retreat.
0:40:58 > 0:41:01What happens next? Because you're ready to move, more or less,
0:41:01 > 0:41:02aren't you?
0:41:02 > 0:41:04Yeah, we think we're pretty much ready to move,
0:41:04 > 0:41:07so now we just need to research the specific area that the house is in a bit more.
0:41:07 > 0:41:10Definitely come back for a second and possible further viewings,
0:41:10 > 0:41:11and as we see things today,
0:41:11 > 0:41:14it's something that we could definitely see as a home
0:41:14 > 0:41:17- that we could live in ourselves and raise a family.- Mm.
0:41:17 > 0:41:19So, for the city boy from London,
0:41:19 > 0:41:21this is going to be quite a big change for you.
0:41:21 > 0:41:25Yeah, I mean, it's such a wonderful place to live a life outside of work,
0:41:25 > 0:41:27in the evenings and on the weekends,
0:41:27 > 0:41:29and although maybe a bit of a journey to a station,
0:41:29 > 0:41:31it's a quick train ride in,
0:41:31 > 0:41:35so within the kind of target we had of an hour or so to Liverpool Street.
0:41:35 > 0:41:37So, yeah, not daunted by that by any means.
0:41:37 > 0:41:41And for the country girl who grew up in the mountains of Japan,
0:41:41 > 0:41:43now you're potentially moving
0:41:43 > 0:41:45to the English countryside in Hertfordshire,
0:41:45 > 0:41:48how do you feel about that prospect?
0:41:48 > 0:41:50I'm feeling so excited to start a new life,
0:41:50 > 0:41:53and, yeah, hopefully it will go OK.
0:41:53 > 0:41:57And it's been a busy few weeks for you both.
0:41:57 > 0:41:59You've gotten married. You've come on Escape To The Country
0:41:59 > 0:42:02and now hopefully you've got a new home to look forward to.
0:42:02 > 0:42:05You probably need to go home and catch your breath.
0:42:05 > 0:42:07- Yeah.- Definitely. ALL LAUGH
0:42:07 > 0:42:09But it's been a lot of fun.
0:42:09 > 0:42:11A real pleasure to meet you both, and go back,
0:42:11 > 0:42:13have another look at our mystery house,
0:42:13 > 0:42:16and as ever, do let us know how you get on.
0:42:16 > 0:42:18Best of luck.
0:42:18 > 0:42:19- Thank you very much.- Thank you.
0:42:23 > 0:42:26Well, hopefully now Anthony and Marie are well on their way
0:42:26 > 0:42:30to realising their dream of a rural life here in Hertfordshire,
0:42:30 > 0:42:33a county which not everybody would automatically associate
0:42:33 > 0:42:36with being classic Escape To The Country territory,
0:42:36 > 0:42:37but let's face it -
0:42:37 > 0:42:40if Jane Austen was prepared to set Pride And Prejudice here,
0:42:40 > 0:42:43and it was good enough for the likes of Mr Darcy and the Bennets,
0:42:43 > 0:42:45well then, quite frankly, it's good enough for me.
0:42:45 > 0:42:47I'll see you next time.
0:42:48 > 0:42:49Anthony and Marie returned
0:42:49 > 0:42:52for a second viewing of the mystery property,
0:42:52 > 0:42:53and although they loved the house,
0:42:53 > 0:42:56they concluded that the drive to the station was too far.
0:42:56 > 0:42:59Their Hertfordshire property search continues.
0:42:59 > 0:43:01If you'd like to escape to the country
0:43:01 > 0:43:03in Scotland, Northern Ireland, Wales, England,
0:43:03 > 0:43:06or perhaps even further afield to the Continent
0:43:06 > 0:43:07and would like our help,
0:43:07 > 0:43:09you can apply online at...