Devon Escape to the Country

Today, I'm in a county whose landscape is so rich in history,

it even has its own geological period named after it.

So if you can guess the era, then you'll get the county.

Give it some thought and I'll reveal all in just a few moments.

'Coming up, finding a couple who have moved 15 times

'a forever home could be a tough call.'

It fits the brief, but something is missing

and I can't explain to you what's missing in this house for me.

'So, will one of our properties prove to be the missing link?'

-The house you live in at the moment is how many bedrooms?

-Two.

Two bedrooms. So you're going to have to go and buy more beds.

-SARAH CHUCKLES

-That's a very good point.

Today, I'm in Devon.

And this colourful stretch of coastline

is a mere slice in the timeline of its rich history.

Parts of the county date back over 400 million years,

lending its name to a geological era known as the Devonian period,

when the county was actually under the sea.

Today, obviously, the Devon landscape is very much above water,

meaning we can fully appreciate the bedrock of this beautiful county.

The county of Devon is located in the southwest of England

and is bordered by Dorset and Somerset to the east

and Cornwall to the west.

The county is famous for its spectacular coastlines.

And down on the southern shore, it's a travel through time,

where the oldest cliffs feature red rock millions of years in the making.

Whilst erosion has caused a dramatic

and fascinating geological backdrop to the beaches.

Inland is rich in architectural and agricultural history,

with thatched stone cottages dating back to medieval times

and villages such as Broadbury,

located in the Blackdown Hills' Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Back on the coast, the ancient fishing village of Beer,

named after the old English word for woodland,

rather than the drink, now offers quintessential British seaside,

with deckchairs and beach huts looking out to the sea.

But in 1778, it was the birthplace

of the county's most notorious smuggler, Jack Rattenbury.

The eclectic mix of architecture here includes 18th- and 19th-century

flint cottages with original and period reconstruction features,

from stone-tiled roofs to leadlight windows.

So, with pastoral countryside, striking coast

and picturesque historic villages,

Devon really does deserve all the attention it receives

from holidaymakers and escapees alike.

So with all that on offer, it might not come as a surprise

to learn that Devon is not the cheapest place to buy a house.

The average price of a detached home in the county

comes in at around £310,000.

That's 10% above the national figure.

Now, obviously, coastal locations like this and, in particular,

sea views, do attract hefty premiums.

So if you want your budget to stretch that much further,

try looking inland, especially the towns of Honiton and Tiverton,

as they also have rail links.

So, what is it about this beautiful county

that's attracting today's buyers?

Let's meet them and find out.

Sarah and her brewery consultant husband Ian met as students

almost 40 years ago.

We met in 1976 and started going out together in '77.

We met the first week of university, in freshers' week

and pretty much been together ever since.

We'll have been married 34 years next month.

They might not always see eye to eye,

but they certainly have a strong relationship.

We don't agree on very much, but we look after each other

and support each other and we're a pretty good team.

-We're quite different, so I think we balance each other out.

-Yes.

It's about understanding what each other want out of life.

Sarah is very loving, thoughtful, very kind.

Loves mothering me and our two daughters.

Ian is much more adventurous than me.

He likes excitement, challenges.

Doesn't like being bored. More outgoing than I am.

This loving pair have decided they want to move to pastures green,

but upping sticks isn't new to them.

We have moved a lot. This will be our 15th move.

We've moved all over the country with Ian's work.

We started off in Birmingham, we've lived in Cheshire, Cambridge,

Nottingham, Bath twice.

So we feel it's about time that we found somewhere

that we'd probably quite like to stay.

The last house that Ian and Sarah owned was in Wales.

But when Ian secured a work contract in Sussex, they sold up

and are currently renting a two-bedroom house on the outskirts of Brighton.

Yet another urban location.

Now that Ian's contract is coming to an end and their two daughters

are grown up and living in the west of the country, they've decided

it's time for one more move to the peaceful countryside of Devon.

It's a county they know and love,

so one where they'd like to set down roots.

The countryside is lovely.

I'm desperately keen to be close to the sea and be able to

walk along the beach, whether it's raining or in the sunshine.

Ian's hoping less time working will leave more time for him

and Sarah to spend together enjoying their new home.

We're doers. We've done houses up in the past.

I'm not saying we want a huge project,

but we have done houses up and we're quite practical people.

I'd love to have some chickens and have our own eggs.

-I like pigs, as well.

-Oh, OK.

My love is gardening.

I like my sewing and my knitting.

So with their Welsh house sold and cash in the bank,

plus Ian's soon to complete his contract,

they're ready to start their house-hunt

and find what they hope to be their country home.

I am excited. I want to be somewhere that I can stay

and hopefully make friends

-and keep these friends and, um...build on that, I feel.

-Mm.

We've had so many houses in the past,

and generally, they've worked reasonably well.

And I want this one to be spot-on.

I would love for this to be the house that is our last move.

The challenge of actually making a house into a home,

um...I can't wait for that.

Sarah and Ian would love to live within striking distance of the sea

and have asked us to concentrate our search

along Devon's southeast coast, not far from the border with Dorset.

Before we begin the search for their 16th home, I'm meeting them

in the county to find out the exact credentials

that will help them make their final move.

-So welcome to Devon, then.

-Thank you very much.

-Nice to be here?

-Lovely.

-Lovely.

Now, you guys are in a funny position,

because you're now a bit more footloose and fancy-free.

-Grown-up children.

-That's correct.

-You can live anywhere.

-Yep.

Why the Southwest?

I think we like the countryside, we like the views.

It's just a more leisurely pace of life.

But it must have been tricky making your minds up.

-I mean, you've moved house how many times?

-15 times.

You should have wheels on the bottom of your houses!

We haven't unpacked all the boxes yet.

You probably never got a chance!

Has it been a difficult decision moving here?

No. I think this is the area we like the most.

Having lived in lots of places,

you sort of start to get a feel of where your favourite places are.

-Yeah, yeah. You've got more experience, haven't you?

-Yeah.

Well, let's talk about what you're after.

First of all, the environment, the location.

I've always wanted to live close to the coast.

I mean, my ideal would be walk out

of the bedroom French windows, straight on to the beach.

Ideally, walking distance or a very short drive to a beach?

-Maybe 5-10 miles.

-5-10 miles would be comfortable.

And I think also, we're looking at maybe retiring a little bit,

so we don't want to be too isolated

because that will give us problems later on.

What about the house itself? Let's talk about size first of all.

Well, I keep saying two bedrooms. So it's a minimum of two bedrooms.

I think we should have at least three.

We're not going to have an argument, but...

-JONNIE LAUGHS

-Two to three bedrooms.

-Or four at the most.

-And I have to have two toilets.

-OK. What else?

-A lovely, big, open kitchen.

-Do you like cooking?

-Ian cooks.

-I love cooking.

-You do?

-He does the cooking.

What about outside space?

-Don't really want to be overlooked, so fairly decent-sized garden.

-OK.

-What about style of house?

-I don't think it matters.

I like character.

This is going to be fun, these next couple of days,

because you've got slightly differing opinions.

-We don't agree on anything.

-Well, good.

But having bought 15 homes in the past,

you must come to a resolution fairly easily.

Well, that's partly because we alternate.

We have one I like, then one Sarah likes.

-So, whose turn is it to choose this time?

-Sarah's.

-It's mine.

Right, OK. But you want the bigger house. Oh!

Right, let's talk about budget.

Maximum, really, should be £500,000.

-OK.

-However, I like bargains.

Well, all right. How soon can you move?

-Tomorrow.

-Yeah.

-Really?

-Yep.

-We're in rented accommodation, we're cash buyers.

-Ideal. OK.

-Let's get going, then. This way.

-Thank you.

Sarah and Ian have a budget of £500,000.

And for that, they would like a character property

with a large open-plan kitchen providing a social hub in the home.

Sarah wants the house to have at least two toilets.

There should be between two and four bedrooms, a good-sized garden

and they want privacy without being too isolated.

They'd also love to be close to the coast.

We've chosen a fantastic selection of properties for our buyers to view,

but the all-important price tag will only be revealed

after they've completed a tour of each one.

And the final visit will be to the Mystery House,

which may be going out on a limb,

but if our house-hunters are prepared to do the same,

their search for house number 16 could be over.

We're kicking off our tour of southeast Devon in the village

of Uplyme, close to the border with Dorset

and just under two miles from Dorset's historic seaside town of Lyme Regis.

Here, the pretty resort sits at the foot of a hill,

surrounded by majestic cliffs

looking down on Lyme Bay and the English Channel.

There are steep, winding streets to explore

and plenty of ways to make the most of the water.

A five-minute drive takes us back into Devon

and the village of Uplyme, where there's a shop,

a village hall and a pub, all local to our first property,

a detached mid-19th-century house with modern additions.

OK, then, team, property number one. First impressions?

-It looks lovely.

-Interesting.

-Interesting. Well, that's good.

-That's a good start.

-It looks a nice size. It's a comfortable size.

-It's got character.

-I think it's quite attractive.

-Ian?

-Yes, I agree.

-It has a nice feel to it.

-Ready to go inside?

-Yes.

-Lovely.

-Let's go.

'With a large gravel driveway,

'this detached period house comes with a single garage to the side.

'The property was extended and updated around eight years ago.

'All the rooms on the ground floor lead off from the central hallway.'

You've got a small study area there.

You said you liked the idea of a decent-sized kitchen/diner.

-What do you think of this one?

-Nice size, good size.

-Ideal size.

-Yeah.

-Fantastic views out of the windows.

-Oh, beaut... Wow!

Right over the valley there. That is splendid, isn't it?

-That is stunning. Really stunning.

-Yep. That's very good.

-You do the cooking, don't you?

-I do.

-So, you tell me.

-Well, it's not ideal.

I mean, I don't like the dark surfaces,

-but there's nothing here that can't be changed.

-No.

-The size, the orientation of it is ideal.

-Yeah.

Right, let's see where you'll be sitting down waiting for your tea. Come with me.

'Next door and at the back of the house is a large rectangular

'living room with views and access to a stunning garden.

'This room is in the original part of the property

'and so over 150 years old.'

-It's a nice size.

-It is a very good size.

-It's a good size.

-I like it. Lots of light.

-Yeah.

-I didn't realise that garden was there.

-You're surrounded by your own gardens here.

-Yeah.

-You're not overlooked, which is something you said was important.

-Absolutely.

Would you be tempted to have a dining table in here,

or would you keep it just as a living room?

It doesn't matter. It's a room to live in, isn't it?

The important thing is to set it up

-so that we actually want to come into it.

-Yep.

So, you don't want to be necessarily connected into your kitchen/diner?

You like that separation, do you?

-I'd be happy for it all to be one room.

-Yeah.

I can see if we're not careful, we'll always be in the kitchen.

-The only positive is it's got a fire.

-Right.

-That might draw us in in the winter.

-Mm-hm.

But I think come summer and the spring,

I'm not sure we'd come in here much.

'It looks like the downstairs layout

'may be failing to win Sarah and Ian over.

'But the ground floor does offer one of the two essential toilets

'Sarah has asked for and upstairs, there's not one, but two more.

'Up here, there's a neutral family bathroom

'that serves two of the four bedrooms.

'The smallest is currently in use as a twin.

'And a double that has an aspect to the rear,

'then there's another bright double with its own en-suite shower room,

'which just leaves the largest of all the bedrooms,

'again, with its own en-suite,

'providing this home with its toilet number three.'

-What do you think about this for a master?

-Very good.

I like having two windows.

Nice views. Very light.

-The house you live in at the moment is how many bedrooms?

-Two.

Two bedrooms. So you're going to have to go and buy more beds.

-SARAH CHUCKLES

-That's a very good point.

-Yeah.

-So, would you like to live in a home with that sort of view?

-Yes.

I think, um...there are things we would change,

but nothing, nothing major.

-You know, repaint it, that'd be it, it'd be fine.

-OK.

Well, look, the less you do in the house, I think, the better.

-Because outside, you might be getting busy.

-OK.

-Come with me.

'The outdoors is somewhere both our buyers enjoy.

'And whilst they differ on their requirements for inside,

'neither of them should be disappointed here.

'For this is an immaculately-kept garden

'that comes with a veggie patch, a greenhouse and a potting shed.'

-This, surely, is a gardener's paradise!

-Absolutely.

-And it goes down, over that bank a little further into a pond.

-Wow!

-All in all, the plot size is around a third of an acre.

-Fantastic!

Absolutely beautiful.

So, my question to you is,

how much do you think this house is on the market for?

After you, dear.

Um...£510,000.

-OK. Ian?

-Yeah, £500,000.

-Right.

That was easy, wasn't it? Well, good guess.

This place is on the market with a guide price of £499,500.

-Yep.

-So you're both there or thereabouts.

-I think that's quite a lot of house for the money.

-I do.

-I think that's good value.

-Good.

Go back into the house, refresh yourselves of what you've seen

and I'll meet you when you're done. All right?

-Lovely. Thank you.

-Go right in.

This delightful detached house has crept in just under

Sarah and Ian's budget

and it still manages to offer them

over and above what they've asked for.

There's a large, sociable kitchen/diner for cook Ian to get busy in,

four bedrooms and no fewer than three toilets to choose from.

Outside is a gardener's paradise,

giving plenty for them to potter about in

as they head into retirement.

I was pleasantly surprised. It's a very attractive house.

Much bigger than it looks from the outside.

What I think would work really well for us is the large kitchen/diner.

The sitting room was superb.

The garden is spectacular.

It would require quite a bit of maintenance,

but not impossible to sort out.

Generally, I was very impressed.

So that's your first formal viewing of a house in the Southwest.

-How did it go?

-Very good.

-Yeah?

-Yeah.

Well, it's only one of three, so let's keep going.

Devon's stunning scenery, beautiful beaches

and temperate climate are a real draw to the county.

And, three miles inland from the world-famous Jurassic Coast

lies the Bicton Park Botanical Gardens,

which attract over 50,000 visitors a year.

These historic gardens form part of an estate that Lord John Rolle,

an MP and the largest landowner in Devon,

inherited at the end of the 18th century.

He created this botanical paradise for his wife, Lady Louisa.

Today, the house is an agricultural college

and the gardens are now owned by Valerie Lister and her partner,

who took over the grounds in 1998.

Keen gardeners Sarah and Ian have come to meet Valerie

to get some inspiration.

So, Val, which garden is this, please?

We are stood in the Italian garden at the moment.

And this was laid out in the 1730s

and hasn't changed a lot since it was laid out.

So, what types of garden have you got here and how big is it?

The gardens itself are 64 acres,

but they are divided into smaller areas.

How long does it take to cut the grass?

The gardeners cut the grass with hand mowers and it takes them

from 7:00 in the morning until 10:00.

-So they try and do it before we open to the public.

-Gosh!

Next stop for our couple is the architecturally-awesome Palm House,

home to around 15 species of palm trees from all over the world.

It's the second-largest structure of its kind in Britain

and it was renovated in 1985.

-Oh, it's amazing, isn't it?

-Yeah.

-So this is the Palm House.

This was built in the 1820s.

-And as you'll see, it's got 18,000 panes of glass.

-Amazing!

And it was built by Lord Rolle for Lady Rolle as a love token.

It's an amazing building.

It must have been quite a feat of engineering in those days.

I think it was. And you'll notice that the panes of glass are curved.

And that's so that the rain runs down the centre of the glass

as not to rot the ironwork.

And that's how the rain cleans the glass,

-so that saves us a little job.

-So, how does the building work?

The building itself has underfloor heating,

which we use in the winter.

But in the summer, as you can feel now, we're melting in here.

But we have vents which are operated by good old-fashioned string,

so we get a good airflow through the building.

The Palm House is one of four glasshouses in the gardens

and was the inspiration behind the larger glasshouse

of the same name at Kew Gardens.

There's so much to take in here

and the best way to see it all in one visit is by train.

We're going to be going off in this carriage,

but, Ian, we have a surprise for you.

-How would you feel about driving the train?

-I'd love to. Thank you.

If you'd like to go to there and, Sarah,

if you'd like to go into the carriage and I'll follow you in.

This train, called the Sir Walter Raleigh,

was hand-built especially for the gardens around 10 years ago.

TOOT-TOOT!

-He's beeping the horn!

-That's fun, isn't it?

The track is a mile and a half long

and it takes a leisurely 25 minutes to do a full circuit of the park.

How many times do you go around a day?

About four during the week, five at weekends.

You'd never get bored of this, would you?

Full of inspiration for their new country garden,

it's time for Sarah and Ian to continue the search for it.

For our second property,

we're journeying just under nine miles west

along the coast to the seaside resort of Seaton.

The pretty town sits on the 95-mile-long Jurassic Coast,

with the South West Coastal Path passing through it.

Here, the Axe Valley meets the sea and the sheer cliff face

overlooks an endless stretch of shingle beach.

The town's narrow streets are teeming with shops and eateries

and it's easy to while away the hours here

relaxing and admiring the scenery,

taking a gentle seaside stroll along the promenade,

or getting a different perspective

along the three-mile tramway first operated in the 1970s.

Just a 10-minute walk from the action,

we find our second offering with a birds'-eye view of the town.

So, first impressions, probably the best spot to get them is from here.

What do you think?

-Nice.

-Yeah, I like that.

-Pretty!

-Isn't it just!

-Very pretty!

-Nice wisteria.

-Yep.

-Now, look behind you.

-Oh!

-Oh, the sea!

-View of the sea!

-Yeah.

-Ooo! Absolutely beautiful.

Yeah. Very nice.

So the property, it was built 18 years ago.

-Now, what do you think of the style of the house?

-It's very attractive.

-Looks quite neat, tidy.

-Yeah.

-Well-presented, isn't it?

-Yeah.

-Good. Let's go inside.

'This modern two-tone house was built in 1997.

'It may be young, but its tiled facade gives it character

'and no-one can dispute its outstanding outlook.

'Hopefully, what it has to offer behind closed doors

'will be just as well received.

'The front door leads to a long, narrow hallway

'running down the middle of the house.'

All right, let's start with Ian's favourite room.

-Bit smaller this time.

-Yeah.

I'd prefer it a bit bigger, but lovely views out of the window.

-Yeah.

-Nice and light. There's things we can do with it.

There are things you can do with it.

You've got a room behind you there, that's a proper brick wall,

but my thoughts were, just put a doorway through there,

-that becomes a utility.

-Yep.

Remember when you looked at the front of the house,

-there's was a lean-to conservatory? Push that kitchen that way.

-Yep.

It would make a fantastic dining kitchen.

-It needs opening up.

-It does, yeah.

-Without a shadow of a doubt.

-Yeah.

What's the feeling you get when you walk through the door here?

It's a bit like...going to a holiday cottage.

-Yes, you feel that?

-It's a lovely, nice house.

But it's not giving me a wow feel inside at the moment.

Let's keep looking through. Let me squeeze past you there, mate.

Right then. It opens up here into the living and dining room.

-Yes. Good space.

-Isn't it?

-Nice space.

-It's nice and light.

-It is, yes. And you've got the views again.

-Yes.

It's still not wowing me at the moment,

but there is a lot I think we could do to make it feel

more in keeping with the way we like to live.

I mean, it could be a single room downstairs almost, couldn't it?

There is a lot of work to do that,

but an open plan with then bringing the garden into you.

OK. Upstairs.

'A winding stairway takes us up to the first floor where the

'family bathroom comes complete with a corner bath.

'Plus there are four bedrooms.

'There is a narrow single and two doubles with one in use as a twin.

'But I have reserved the very best for Sarah and Ian.'

-Your master bedroom, I think, could be fantastic.

-Yes.

-It could be.

-It could be.

-Waking up to a sea view.

-It is a beautiful view.

But you can't see it from where you are in bed.

-Do you understand what I say?

-Shuffle down the bed a bit.

Why don't you put your head that end and your feet that end

-and then you could see out to the sea?

-Agreed.

-You've got an en-suite behind you.

-OK.

-Right.

-And what about the bedroom?

-It's the right size.

-It fits the brief.

But something is missing and I can't explain to you what's missing,

but something is missing in this house for me.

The highlight for me is the view.

-Let's go and take a better look at it. You've got a balcony here.

-Yes.

-Come with me.

So it's not just a sea view. Look at that.

-It's beautiful.

-Stunning.

-Absolutely beautiful.

Let's go down to the garden and start thinking about price.

-After you.

-Thank you.

Outside, there is a terrace garden at the rear of the property

with a patio at the summit.

Then everything else is at the front of the house.

There is a detached garage and plenty of parking space,

leading up to a lawn and of course the stunning vista.

-The house, the views, the garden.

-Beautiful.

-Let's guess the price of this house.

-Right.

I would reckon this is on the market for 465,000.

OK. Sarah?

I am going to go below. I think it's £455,000.

The asking price for this house is £475,000.

If you could get it towards your guesses, would that interest you?

Yes. That would be fair.

This house with a view has rung in

at a generous £25,000 under Sarah and Ian's budget,

meaning they can make the most of the fabulous location and outlook

and still have cash to spend on creating the home they want.

There's already the potential to create a really good size kitchen diner,

which would complement the existing living space.

The property also features four bedrooms,

so there's plenty of room for visiting guests.

And let's not forget the wonderful views

which look out towards the nearby coast.

My initial reaction when we walked up to the house was excitement.

I loved the location. The view was stunning. The house is attractive.

So first impressions were great.

-It's a good size.

-Oh, yes. It's lovely.

-Plenty of storage.

Yes, very good.

This house is a bit of a conundrum because it seems to give us lots of what we want,

but it doesn't give me the feeling that I could make it into a home

and I still haven't quite worked out why that is.

I think we're going to have to go and have a beer and think about it a bit more.

-All done?

-Yes.

-You know what? You got through that house nice and quick.

There might be time for a dip in the sea on the way home.

-Excellent.

-Fancy that? Let's go.

It's the second day of our tour of southeast Devon,

searching out a characterful home for Sussex-based

Sarah and Ian with a budget of £500,000.

We've still got the Mystery House, which could well offer

the fresh perspective their house search needs.

-I think it's lovely.

-I like it.

And you can see the views out of the bed.

And I'll be serving the Devonshire locals

as I learn about an eco-friendly tipple.

Look how much they love that!

I'm happy that both of the houses worked well yesterday on paper, but

according to Sarah and Ian,

there was something special missing from them.

But they couldn't really put into words exactly what that was,

so I'm hoping to flush that out with the Mystery House today.

Now, in terms of location, it's the most rural out of all three properties.

Maybe too much so.

And in terms of style, well,

it's the kind of house that will have some people

running for the hills at first sight,

but others maybe falling in love with it at first glance.

Obviously, I'm hoping for the latter.

You know you're going to see the mystery property,

how do you think we are going to challenge you with this house?

I suspect it might have or could have a lot of land possibly.

I think there may be a bit of work to do to it.

-Yes, I think there might be a project.

-The P word.

-It could be a two-bed apartment overlooking the sea.

-We'll see!

For our Mystery House,

we're travelling west down the coast to the village of Branscombe.

Located just inland, the village is known

for its charming display of cottages and thatched roofs.

It's like stepping back in time here as it is still possible

to see the last surviving working thatched forge in the country,

which was originally built in the 16th century,

as well as a fully restored watermill, now owned by the National Trust.

A short walk from the village leads to the rural setting

of this semi-detached thatched cottage, our Mystery House.

Perhaps a little more out of the way than Sarah and Ian had hoped,

but I think they will agree its seclusion is worth it.

Now, if you are after a house with personality,

I think we might have just found it.

-My word!

-That is fantastic, isn't it?

Now, there are many reasons why we chose this property for you.

Obviously, the look of it, the character it gives you.

And look at that view. That's a sea view as well.

-Fantastic.

-That is a lovely view.

-It's so peaceful.

-Yes.

-Really peaceful.

This is much more in line with the peace and quiet

that I think we prefer.

Yes, absolutely. I agree.

It is more rural than ideal but...

Yes, but I think we are probably more comfortable with this.

You will be surprised to hear it was built in 1952.

-1952. Wow.

-It's beautiful.

-It is, isn't it?

-The setting is fantastic.

-Yes.

-Let's look inside.

'Because this picture perfect cottage is relatively youthful,

'it benefits from many mod cons not found in an older property.'

Let's start in the kitchen.

-This is much more our style.

-It's lovely.

-Yes, it's a beautiful size.

I can see myself being in here. It feels comfortable.

-It feels homely, doesn't it?

-Yes.

-Yes, very good.

This is actually a holiday home.

-Gosh!

-Yes, but the way you're reacting,

you're probably getting a nicer feeling here than you've seen so far with the properties.

-Yes.

-Because it's more neutral.

Yes, maybe. Next door is a full-time home.

Everything else is full-time so don't think you're going

to be living in the middle of nowhere on your own. You won't.

Around the side you've got the rest of the kitchen.

-Beyond you've got a utility and then a downstairs loo.

-Lovely layout.

-Very simple.

-Good. I'm glad you are liking it.

I think you will be impressed with these other rooms through here. Let me show you.

'Across the hallway and on the other side of the front door is

'an elegant dining room, roughly the same size as the kitchen.

'And beyond that is a characterful sitting room.'

-Lovely.

-Isn't this cosy?

-It's cosy but because you've got that middle room you've got space, haven't you?

-Yes.

-Are you surprised in how you are reacting to this house?

-No.

-No.

-Not at all.

Is this in the back of your minds what you thought you might be looking for but didn't know it?

This is more the sort of thing we would go for.

But we didn't want to admit it.

-We like this style.

-It's quirky, isn't it? It's that personality coming through.

Let's see what you make of the bedrooms. Come with me.

'I couldn't have hoped for a better response from Sarah and Ian.

'This marvellous Mystery House is certainly selling itself.

'But it remains to be seen whether it could become their home number 16.

'A central stairway leads us upstairs where there is a neat, white family bathroom

'with an adjacent toilet and three bedrooms.

'There's a single at the back and two doubles at the front.

'One in use as a twin and another, which is a similar size, has an added bonus.'

Now, master bedroom because you've got

a little walk-through closet area going into an en-suite at the end.

-And you can see the views out of the bed.

-Out of the Juliet balcony.

-This isn't a huge room, but...

-It's big enough.

-It's comfortable.

-I think it's lovely.

-I like it.

You have seen reactions from each other in 15 successful purchases.

How do you gauge each other's reaction at the moment?

I think Sarah is falling in love with the house.

-How do you think Ian is reacting? What is going through his mind?

-I think he really likes it.

Let's talk through the whole package when we get outside,

but also start getting your head around how much this property might be.

It seems this home-hopping pair

are both keen on the accommodation on offer here.

I just hope the garden matches up to the house.

It's raised above the property and makes the most of its remote location

with fantastic views towards the sea.

On a clearer day!

Up here we get a vantage point for a couple of things.

The amazing view obviously,

but also we are right on top of a double bay garage

that comes with the property and on top there is a little summerhouse.

Guests have been known to sleep in there of an evening.

-Pretty cool, isn't it?

-That's fantastic.

-That would be really useful.

You also get to see all of your garden. What do you think?

How on earth do you cut the grass?

Well, as you can see, it is cut on levels.

-I think you could do more with this.

-Yes, agreed.

It's pretty low-maintenance at the moment.

-Could you see yourselves living here?

-Definitely. I think so, yes.

-Yes.

-Can you afford it? Guess the price.

So I am going to say 525,000.

I think it's above budget.

-I'll go for 515.

-OK.

The asking price of this Mystery House

is offers around £465,000.

Gosh.

-I think you were swayed by the fact you liked it.

-Yes.

And I was swayed by you!

So, go inside the property and I will see you in a bit.

This chocolate-box mystery cottage is on the market

for £35,000 under our buyers' budget.

It may be remote, but being semi-detached, it has neighbours,

so it's not too isolated.

The large farmhouse kitchen gives plenty of room for entertaining,

plus there are three bedrooms on offer upstairs.

Outside, the elevated garden gives incredible views as well

as a place to rest and enjoy them in a pretty thatched summerhouse.

I was pleasantly surprised

when we turned up at this delightful thatched cottage.

It is so pretty.

It's lovely. I can see Sarah and I living here.

-That's big as well.

-That's bigger than I expected.

-It is. Lovely.

My only concern about the Mystery House,

it is really in the middle of nowhere.

I need to sit down and have a look at a map just to get my bearings

as to exactly where its location is, I think.

So, have you enjoyed looking round this Mystery House?

-Yes, very much.

-Yes. Very good.

That's the last thing we are seeing, so soak it all up,

get it in your head and we will sit down later on and go through it all.

-OK.

-Great.

Devon's rich landscape of rolling hills tumble down to deep valleys

which have some of the finest rivers in the country running through them.

And the fantastically fresh water that flows here

has one rather appetising use.

It's perfect to turn into local Devon beer.

I've come to the Otter Valley in the Blackdown Hills

Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty to meet Patrick McCaig,

a fifth-generation brewer whose father established

an eco-brewery here 25 years ago.

It's won multiple awards, not only for its beer,

but also its eco-friendly credentials.

I was very excited to hear I was going to be looking around a brewery,

yet you have asked me to meet you by a pond.

It's no ordinary pond, really.

This is a place where we manage to recycle

a third of the water that we use to brew with.

We actually use this wonderful system called willow beds

to actually deal with it and clean it up.

How much water are we talking about?

For every pint, you probably get about three pints waste.

So there is a phenomenal amount of water to deal with.

Solid matter is removed from the waste from the brewery

and the water then flows around 30 metres via an underground pipe

to a series of ponds which act as water filters.

The roots of the surrounding trees provide oxygen to the water,

which helps bacteria and bugs flourish.

They in turn purify the water by eating the impurities in it

before it flows back into the River Otter,

where it was sourced from originally.

Now, this is probably not a new method.

-No, this goes back to medieval times.

-How much would you be saving?

We would be saving about £60,000 worth of haulage a year.

Do you recycle anything else?

We recycle our hops, which go for leaf mulching.

We have yeast which goes to the pigs

and then we have our brewers' grains.

That is our biggest lump of stuff that needs to be got rid of and that gets taken to cattle.

-I can show you some of those in a minute.

-Lead the way.

-Brilliant. This way.

Just a couple of fields away is the brewery where Patrick produces

over seven million pints of beer a year,

sold mainly in the southwest of England.

I must say, I wasn't expecting to see this.

I've been to a few breweries in my time.

This looks like a space station. It's pretty impressive.

-So what have we got going on here, then?

-This is brewers' grains.

They are the grains that have come out of the back end of the brewing process

and we have taken a load of sugar out to make the wort which is turned into beer.

-So you have taken sugar out of this?

-Yes, exactly.

Basically, when the grains come in from our maltsters,

it's full of a lovely malted sugar.

We extract the simple sugars and we leave the complex sugars behind

and we don't want those in the beer.

-So they're great for cows.

-You can eat this?

-Yes.

It's almost like porridge. Not quite as nutritious, I don't think.

But the cows love it.

Patrick sells his unwanted brewer's grain to local farmers and today

we are taking it to a dairy farm a couple of miles down the valley.

So here are our lovely ladies.

How much of this do you give to this farm here?

I should imagine about 20 tonnes a week comes here.

Look how much they love that!

So if you didn't provide this foodstuff to this farm, where would they be getting it from?

They would get a similar product but from up country and that involves trucks and moving stuff around.

-It's the environmental impact again, isn't it?

-Yes. It also ties in with working with the community.

Let's get rid of this foodstuff because all this talk about beer is making me rather thirsty.

Patrick's lovingly brewed Devonshire beer is back in the brewery waiting for us in his cellar

with its grass-topped roof, continuing the eco-friendly theme.

It attracts local wildlife to the brewery, as well as providing insulation for the cellar.

Not only that, two-thirds of the cellar has been built underground,

providing a perfect cool climate for the beer,

meaning no need for electrical chilling machines.

Now, what we've got here, talk me through it.

-This one is the Otter Amber which is actually... There we go.

-Thank you.

The Otter Amber is actually one of the newest beers we have done

and it's got a lovely fruity hopness to it.

First of all you can smell the hops in this.

-It's almost got the touch of a summer ale to it.

-Exactly.

I could see you quaffing this in a beer garden.

I think that's actually why it goes really well during the summer.

How many of these do you produce, then, a week?

During the summer time, over 2,000 of these go out every week.

I'm sure you're going to go far and wide with this beer,

-so we wish you the very best of luck for the future.

-Cheers.

'The cows have been fed and I've been watered.

'Now it's time to see if Ian and Sarah have fallen

'for any of our Devonshire properties.'

From where I was standing, we saw the best reactions overall in the Mystery House.

But I'm not sure whether it's a case of Ian and Sarah keeping their cards close to their chest,

or after having bought 15 houses previously,

they're not getting wildly excited about buying house number 16.

Let's find out their thoughts.

So.

You've had a bit of time to chat things through.

I think it's fair to say the Mystery House was your favourite.

I certainly saw the best reactions there. Is that the case?

But it did have challenges to it, so what are your thoughts?

I was a bit worried

when we started going deeper and deeper into the countryside

and then we arrived and I was pleasantly surprised

at the very, very picturesque setting of the thatched cottage.

Do you think the fact that you saw other homes nearby

maybe sort of allayed any fears of isolation?

-Yes, certainly.

-Yes.

And there was nothing wrong at all with the first two houses.

They gave us what we had asked for, but there was just something

which didn't make us go, "Oooh! We really love it."

So what's next for you?

We're certainly going to put an offer in on it.

-Just like that. We've seen it and we'll put an offer in on it.

-Yes.

If we like somewhere, we never do second viewings.

We just... That's it.

Because if that is your initial reaction and you like somewhere

and you think, "I can live there", then you just put an offer in.

That's brilliant news.

OK, I'm surprised. 15 houses in, this is your next house? Who knows?

And actually, it is a different house.

It's another one to add to the list, isn't it?

We have never lived in a thatched house before.

So it's another one to add to the list.

It's great news.

I have certainly enjoyed showing you these three very different houses.

-Good luck at the estate agents.

-Thank you very much.

-Let us know how you get on.

-Thank you.

We see it so many times that in looking at houses

sometimes all it takes is the X-factor, something special,

call it what you will, but sometimes a house has to give our buyers

a special feeling in order to tip them over the edge.

And today it looks like our Mystery House has done just that.

So much so that I think we could well be looking

at Ian and Sarah's house number 16.

I certainly hope so. I'm keeping my fingers crossed. See you next time.

Ian and Sarah put in an offer on the Mystery House,

but unfortunately it wasn't accepted.

So their hunt for a Devonshire home continues.

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