0:00:02 > 0:00:04Built in 1923, this striking folly stands some 70 feet tall
0:00:04 > 0:00:07and is known as the House In The Clouds.
0:00:07 > 0:00:09But where is it and why was it built?
0:00:09 > 0:00:11Find out in just a moment.
0:00:28 > 0:00:30Today's buyers are longing to leave suburban living
0:00:30 > 0:00:33for a slice of country life they've always dreamt of.
0:00:33 > 0:00:35We may have struck lucky with our properties.
0:00:35 > 0:00:37I love this house.
0:00:37 > 0:00:38I love it.
0:00:38 > 0:00:42And their vision might be closer than they imagined.
0:00:42 > 0:00:43It's lovely.
0:00:43 > 0:00:47- Imagine the whole family in here, gathered around the table.- Yeah.
0:00:47 > 0:00:51Today I'm in Suffolk and behind me is the village of Thorpeness.
0:00:51 > 0:00:53Built in the early part of the 20th century,
0:00:53 > 0:00:56it was the brainchild of eccentric Scottish barrister
0:00:56 > 0:00:58Glencairn Stuart Ogilvie.
0:00:58 > 0:01:02He was passionate about Tudor and Jacobean architecture and he wanted
0:01:02 > 0:01:04to create a holiday village that, in his view,
0:01:04 > 0:01:08harked back to the days of quintessential England.
0:01:08 > 0:01:09But there was a problem -
0:01:09 > 0:01:13a ginormous water tower that overlooked the entire village.
0:01:13 > 0:01:16In Ogilvie's view, it wasn't in keeping with the rest of the houses,
0:01:16 > 0:01:18so he wanted to make it so
0:01:18 > 0:01:21and what you see today is the result of his modifications.
0:01:21 > 0:01:25The tower has been ingeniously disguised as a clapper board house
0:01:25 > 0:01:27complete with windows, a pitched roof,
0:01:27 > 0:01:28it's even get a chimney stack.
0:01:28 > 0:01:31Today though the village no longer requires the water tower,
0:01:31 > 0:01:35but you'll be pleased to hear it's been converted into a luxury home
0:01:35 > 0:01:41and stands tall testament to the unique vision of Ogilvie himself.
0:01:41 > 0:01:43The East Anglian County of Suffolk
0:01:43 > 0:01:45is bordered by Norfolk to the north,
0:01:45 > 0:01:46Essex to the south
0:01:46 > 0:01:48and Cambridgeshire to the west.
0:01:49 > 0:01:51Looking out over the North Sea,
0:01:51 > 0:01:52the Suffolk Heritage Coast
0:01:52 > 0:01:55stretches 50 miles from Felixstowe in the south
0:01:55 > 0:01:57to Lowestoft in the north.
0:01:57 > 0:02:00Along the way, the ever popular seaside town of Southwold
0:02:00 > 0:02:03is recognised for its stunning Georgian architecture
0:02:03 > 0:02:05and multi-coloured beach huts.
0:02:06 > 0:02:09The pier, originally built in 1900,
0:02:09 > 0:02:11was completely refurbished in 2001
0:02:11 > 0:02:14and offers some wonderful views back towards the town.
0:02:15 > 0:02:18Moving inland towards the heart of the county,
0:02:18 > 0:02:22the cluster of historic Suffolk wool towns and villages date back as far
0:02:22 > 0:02:26as the 15th century, when the textile trade was big business here.
0:02:26 > 0:02:29To the south of the county, Dedham Vale has some of
0:02:29 > 0:02:32the county's most serene and stunning landscapes,
0:02:32 > 0:02:36which were immortalised by 19th-century artist John Constable.
0:02:37 > 0:02:38Some of his most celebrated works,
0:02:38 > 0:02:40such as the Hay Wain and Flatford Mill,
0:02:40 > 0:02:42were painted in the countryside
0:02:42 > 0:02:45around the nearby village of East Bergholt, where he lived.
0:02:48 > 0:02:49With a wealth of period properties
0:02:49 > 0:02:51in beautiful surrounding countryside,
0:02:51 > 0:02:54you'd think that would be reflected in Suffolk's property values,
0:02:54 > 0:02:57yet the average cost of a detached house here at the moment
0:02:57 > 0:03:00is just under £278,000,
0:03:00 > 0:03:03which is around £16,000 below the national figure,
0:03:03 > 0:03:06which I think represents pretty good value.
0:03:06 > 0:03:08But be warned - towards the south of the county,
0:03:08 > 0:03:12where properties are closer to road and rail links back into London,
0:03:12 > 0:03:14prices do begin to climb.
0:03:14 > 0:03:17So whereabouts in the county are today's buyers looking?
0:03:17 > 0:03:19Let's meet them and find out.
0:03:20 > 0:03:23Laura met New Zealander Matt seven years ago at a bar in London
0:03:23 > 0:03:26whilst he was backpacking around the UK.
0:03:26 > 0:03:29She convinced him to settle with her here and they bought a home
0:03:29 > 0:03:31in Stevenage, Hertfordshire.
0:03:32 > 0:03:35I would describe Matt as a typical Kiwi.
0:03:35 > 0:03:39He is very outdoorsy and friendly and easy to get along with.
0:03:39 > 0:03:42Things have changed substantially since I arrived in the UK.
0:03:42 > 0:03:46Now I've got a wonderful wife and two fantastic children,
0:03:46 > 0:03:49and I couldn't ask for anything more really.
0:03:49 > 0:03:50Aw!
0:03:51 > 0:03:53Having lived in Stevenage now for two years,
0:03:53 > 0:03:55Laura and Matt are finding that, as their daughters
0:03:55 > 0:03:58Sophie, three, and Elizabeth, two, get bigger,
0:03:58 > 0:04:01the house is beginning to feel smaller
0:04:01 > 0:04:04and the location also no longer suits their needs.
0:04:05 > 0:04:08Currently we live quite close to a town
0:04:08 > 0:04:12and it can be quite busy and quite crowded.
0:04:12 > 0:04:15We'd like to give the kids some space, some freedom,
0:04:15 > 0:04:19the ability to be curious and just explore things by themselves without
0:04:19 > 0:04:22having to be too controlled by us.
0:04:22 > 0:04:26It would be nice to be able to look out of the window and see fields...
0:04:27 > 0:04:30..and to have that feeling of space.
0:04:31 > 0:04:34And you were quite happy living here until you found out you weren't
0:04:34 > 0:04:35the only Kiwi in the village.
0:04:35 > 0:04:37HE LAUGHS
0:04:37 > 0:04:39And that.
0:04:41 > 0:04:43Whilst police officer Laura is currently on a career break,
0:04:43 > 0:04:46staying at home to bring up the children,
0:04:46 > 0:04:48now is the right time for them to make a move
0:04:48 > 0:04:50before the girls start school.
0:04:50 > 0:04:52We're happy to escape to Suffolk.
0:04:52 > 0:04:54We've been over there a couple of times.
0:04:54 > 0:04:55Some beautiful countryside,
0:04:55 > 0:04:58beautiful houses and beautiful little villages that we could really
0:04:58 > 0:05:02see ourselves settling into and becoming part of the community.
0:05:02 > 0:05:08Nice little cosy pubs in the winter and lots of sheep, primarily!
0:05:08 > 0:05:09THEY LAUGH
0:05:09 > 0:05:12Which is not why I'm attracted to Suffolk at all but, yeah,
0:05:12 > 0:05:15we would like to get some land that we potentially could
0:05:15 > 0:05:18keep some sheep on in the longer term,
0:05:18 > 0:05:21just to give our girls sort of a rural upbringing.
0:05:22 > 0:05:26Matt grew up in the New Zealand countryside, close to the sea,
0:05:26 > 0:05:27and they're keen for the girls
0:05:27 > 0:05:30to experience the same kind of childhood he enjoyed.
0:05:30 > 0:05:31Suffolk's got a long coastline
0:05:31 > 0:05:34and I'd really like to teach the girls how to sail,
0:05:34 > 0:05:36like I was taught when I was younger.
0:05:36 > 0:05:38And I'd like to learn how to sail, as well.
0:05:38 > 0:05:40Committed to making the move towards Suffolk work,
0:05:40 > 0:05:43Matt would like the property to be no more than a 15-minute-drive
0:05:43 > 0:05:45from the nearest railway station
0:05:45 > 0:05:48so he can still commute to his risk management job in London.
0:05:48 > 0:05:51I'm fully prepared for the commute to take a bit longer.
0:05:51 > 0:05:53It's a trade-off with lifestyle.
0:05:55 > 0:05:58And with rolling fields and sea air on the horizon,
0:05:58 > 0:06:02Laura and Matt can't wait to immerse themselves in country life and begin
0:06:02 > 0:06:04their search for their dream home.
0:06:05 > 0:06:08I'm primarily looking forward to the peace and quiet,
0:06:08 > 0:06:11the kids being able to make as much noise as they want to
0:06:11 > 0:06:13without annoying any neighbours,
0:06:13 > 0:06:16and just having the freedom to do what we want
0:06:16 > 0:06:17whenever we want to.
0:06:21 > 0:06:23Having visited Suffolk only a handful of times,
0:06:23 > 0:06:26Laura and Matt are open to living anywhere in the county,
0:06:26 > 0:06:28so this gives us great scope for our property search.
0:06:30 > 0:06:32I'm meeting up with them to pinpoint exactly what they're after
0:06:32 > 0:06:37in terms of their new home and new life in the countryside.
0:06:37 > 0:06:40So welcome, both of you, to a bright but blustery Suffolk.
0:06:40 > 0:06:43- Good to be out in the countryside? - Absolutely.- Yes.- Yep.
0:06:43 > 0:06:44Why have you chosen Suffolk, then?
0:06:44 > 0:06:47We were looking to move back to New Zealand at some stage and...
0:06:47 > 0:06:49That's called Escape THE Country.
0:06:49 > 0:06:51Escape THE Country, absolutely!
0:06:51 > 0:06:53And Suffolk is quite similar to New Zealand,
0:06:53 > 0:06:55in terms of countryside,
0:06:55 > 0:06:57and this is sort of a compromise between the two.
0:06:57 > 0:07:01Well, you're still working, so it needs to be commutable.
0:07:01 > 0:07:03Well, I've spoken to a few people at my work
0:07:03 > 0:07:04that do commute from Suffolk.
0:07:04 > 0:07:07- Yep.- I've had a look at the Sudbury commute as well
0:07:07 > 0:07:08and that seems quite reasonable.
0:07:08 > 0:07:11Now, schools, they've got to be a factor coming up, haven't they?
0:07:11 > 0:07:13That's a key aspect of the property search for us,
0:07:13 > 0:07:15is the schools available for the children.
0:07:15 > 0:07:18So, let's talk about the house itself, and its environment.
0:07:18 > 0:07:20You're from New Zealand, so I imagine you want to be
0:07:20 > 0:07:21in the middle of nowhere.
0:07:21 > 0:07:23This is where we compromise again.
0:07:23 > 0:07:26- Yes.- I would rather be in the middle of a village.
0:07:26 > 0:07:28- Yeah.- Matt would rather be in the middle of nowhere,
0:07:28 > 0:07:31so I think somewhere in-between that would be ideal.
0:07:31 > 0:07:33What does it look like, then,
0:07:33 > 0:07:36this dream, countryside property, then, Laura?
0:07:36 > 0:07:39Ideally four bedrooms, at least.
0:07:40 > 0:07:41An annexe would be nice.
0:07:41 > 0:07:44Especially if we have people stay from New Zealand that are over here
0:07:44 > 0:07:47- for extended periods of time.- No, that makes perfect sense, yeah,
0:07:47 > 0:07:49- like your folks, of course. - Absolutely, yeah.
0:07:49 > 0:07:52OK, style-wise, have you got anything you both like?
0:07:52 > 0:07:53We've looked at barn conversions,
0:07:53 > 0:07:55we've looked at Victorian properties,
0:07:55 > 0:07:57- we'd prefer something with a bit of character.- Yes.
0:07:57 > 0:07:58Now, outside...
0:07:58 > 0:08:01- Do you want a big garden?- Yes.
0:08:01 > 0:08:04- How big?- Well...- Huge, huge!
0:08:04 > 0:08:06Why did I even ask that question?!
0:08:06 > 0:08:09Matt would like five acres and I'm a bit more realistic.
0:08:09 > 0:08:11Good. I'll go with your answer then, Laura.
0:08:11 > 0:08:12Let's talk about budget
0:08:12 > 0:08:14- cos I understand you've got two options, haven't you?- We have.
0:08:14 > 0:08:17We have a property in Stevenage at the moment
0:08:17 > 0:08:20- and we'd quite like to keep that... - Right.- ..and rent it out,
0:08:20 > 0:08:22or selling it would increase the budget somewhat over here.
0:08:22 > 0:08:24So if you keep your property in Stevenage,
0:08:24 > 0:08:27how much would you be able to spend her?
0:08:27 > 0:08:30- I think 450 is realistic. - 450-500.
0:08:30 > 0:08:32OK, and if you sell your property in Stevenage?
0:08:32 > 0:08:34550-650.
0:08:34 > 0:08:41OK. So how about, then, we look around 450-ish, option one,
0:08:41 > 0:08:44and 550-ish, maybe squeezing a bit more out of it,
0:08:44 > 0:08:46- for option number two? - Yes.- Sounds like a plan.
0:08:46 > 0:08:49- Great.- Let's get going.- Lovely. - Fantastic.- Thanks.
0:08:53 > 0:08:58Having a budget in the region of £450,000 and £550,000,
0:08:58 > 0:09:01Laura and Matt are looking for a four-bed detached property
0:09:01 > 0:09:03with lots of space for their growing girls to explore,
0:09:03 > 0:09:06and enough land to appreciate rural living,
0:09:06 > 0:09:09but also not too far from a local village.
0:09:11 > 0:09:13We've got some gorgeous properties lined up,
0:09:13 > 0:09:16which reflect the bountiful architectural heritage
0:09:16 > 0:09:18of Suffolk that Laura and Matt love
0:09:18 > 0:09:20combined with the space they're longing for.
0:09:20 > 0:09:22At the end of the house tours,
0:09:22 > 0:09:24I'll be asking them to estimate the price of each.
0:09:25 > 0:09:27Our final stop will be the Mystery House,
0:09:27 > 0:09:29which provides an alternative option
0:09:29 > 0:09:33and may make them reconsider elements of their wish list.
0:09:40 > 0:09:43Our house-hunt begins in the hamlet of Creeting St Peter.
0:09:44 > 0:09:46Nearby is the town of Needham Market,
0:09:46 > 0:09:49which initially grew up around the wool combing industry,
0:09:49 > 0:09:54and where there's a butcher, a baker, a post office and two pubs.
0:09:55 > 0:09:57The property we're going to visit
0:09:57 > 0:09:59is 2.5 miles from this thriving community
0:09:59 > 0:10:02and a five-minute drive to a local primary school
0:10:02 > 0:10:04for Laura and Matt's girls.
0:10:05 > 0:10:09Now someone here mentioned they like the idea of a barn conversion.
0:10:09 > 0:10:11Mm.
0:10:11 > 0:10:13- There you go. There we are.- OK.
0:10:13 > 0:10:16- Fantastic.- Interesting.
0:10:16 > 0:10:18All this timber-clad building is yours,
0:10:18 > 0:10:21from the two-storey building, all the way along here.
0:10:21 > 0:10:25- Yes.- And living accommodation ends right there at the carport.
0:10:25 > 0:10:26It's quite extensive, isn't it?
0:10:26 > 0:10:29I think it looks quite small from the outside, but I think it's
0:10:29 > 0:10:30going to be actually quite big.
0:10:30 > 0:10:32DISTANT TRAIN
0:10:32 > 0:10:33Now, can you hear that?
0:10:33 > 0:10:37That's the train that takes you into London in one hour 26 minutes.
0:10:37 > 0:10:39- Oh, OK.- The station's less than a couple of miles away.
0:10:39 > 0:10:41- Oh, really?- That's Stowmarket.
0:10:41 > 0:10:44Yeah. The convenience of the train is quite appealing.
0:10:44 > 0:10:47Inside, this could be the house that you fall in love with.
0:10:47 > 0:10:50- Yes.- Really, really could be.
0:10:50 > 0:10:51Let's go and find out.
0:10:51 > 0:10:54Stylishly converted 12 years ago,
0:10:54 > 0:10:58this Grade II listed barn has foundations which date back to 1753
0:10:58 > 0:11:01and sits within a development of eight dwellings.
0:11:03 > 0:11:05Righto, first off,
0:11:05 > 0:11:07I want to point out you've got a utility room just there.
0:11:07 > 0:11:09- Brilliant. - Big tick for you, isn't it?
0:11:09 > 0:11:12- Absolutely.- Now, kitchen.
0:11:12 > 0:11:15Ah...
0:11:15 > 0:11:17- Well, that's nice. - I like the kitchen.
0:11:17 > 0:11:19- Yeah.- Island in the middle.
0:11:19 > 0:11:21Now they've spent some money on this house,
0:11:21 > 0:11:23especially in the kitchen, you can see it.
0:11:23 > 0:11:27Shot-blasted granite worktops, state-of-the-art cookers.
0:11:27 > 0:11:29Yeah, it's very contemporary,
0:11:29 > 0:11:31yet still quite country at the same time.
0:11:31 > 0:11:34Yeah. And if you look through those double doorways,
0:11:34 > 0:11:36you've got a really good-sized dining room.
0:11:36 > 0:11:38- Yes.- Yeah, liking it.
0:11:38 > 0:11:42Through that door, that way, you've got
0:11:42 > 0:11:44a living room
0:11:44 > 0:11:46and an en suite double bedroom.
0:11:46 > 0:11:48- OK.- Right?- Right.
0:11:48 > 0:11:50HE WHISTLES That's almost like an annexe.
0:11:50 > 0:11:53- Yeah.- Oh, wow.- So you can go and discover that later on,
0:11:53 > 0:11:55but I just want you to know that is there
0:11:55 > 0:11:58- whilst we walk through the rest of the house.- OK.- Come with me.
0:12:01 > 0:12:03Now, I really like this room.
0:12:03 > 0:12:06- Oh, yeah.- I think you will, too. - Fantastic, yeah.
0:12:07 > 0:12:10- It's a good size, isn't it? - Mm, really nice room.
0:12:10 > 0:12:11You like the inside of this house.
0:12:11 > 0:12:14I do, I really do.
0:12:14 > 0:12:16And, because of that, the outside is growing on me, too.
0:12:16 > 0:12:19Good, good, good. Well, it's all about the package, isn't it?
0:12:19 > 0:12:21Of course it is. Let's keep looking around.
0:12:21 > 0:12:22Let me take you to one of the bedrooms
0:12:22 > 0:12:25- cos I think you'll like those as well.- Yep.
0:12:27 > 0:12:29Due to the unique layout of this barn conversion,
0:12:29 > 0:12:32on the ground floor there are two double bedrooms and two bathrooms
0:12:32 > 0:12:34located at either end of the property.
0:12:35 > 0:12:38On the first floor, there are a further three double bedrooms,
0:12:38 > 0:12:42one currently used as a library,
0:12:42 > 0:12:43one as a study,
0:12:43 > 0:12:44and two more bathrooms.
0:12:47 > 0:12:50Obviously, this is your master, en suite.
0:12:50 > 0:12:53I think you can get all your family this end of the house.
0:12:53 > 0:12:55- Yeah.- Yes.
0:12:55 > 0:12:58- It's lovely.- Definitely. - I love the timber.
0:12:59 > 0:13:00And what we love about it is
0:13:00 > 0:13:03that it's so separated from the kitchen-dining room,
0:13:03 > 0:13:05so if you've got friends over and you're having a party
0:13:05 > 0:13:09and it's a little bit noisy, it's not going to disturb...
0:13:09 > 0:13:11The little ones sleeping. No, good idea.
0:13:11 > 0:13:15- Yeah.- Don't forget, downstairs there's a double bedroom.
0:13:15 > 0:13:18- Yes.- Great for visiting relatives.
0:13:19 > 0:13:21I really, really feel at home here. Do you?
0:13:21 > 0:13:24Yeah, I could see myself living here.
0:13:24 > 0:13:26I think the layout would suit us really well.
0:13:26 > 0:13:27- Yeah.- Tell you what,
0:13:27 > 0:13:30you spied that other bit of garden from the living room.
0:13:30 > 0:13:34Let's go out there and also maybe start thinking about price.
0:13:35 > 0:13:36Since viewing the inside of the barn,
0:13:36 > 0:13:39the property seems to have grown on Laura especially,
0:13:39 > 0:13:42but let's see if the landscaped garden here of half an acre
0:13:42 > 0:13:44lives up to expectation, too.
0:13:45 > 0:13:47This is a really handy bit of garden space here, isn't it?
0:13:47 > 0:13:49- Absolutely, yeah. - Yes. I really like this.
0:13:49 > 0:13:52A little bit overgrown at the moment, but you could really
0:13:52 > 0:13:54- do something with this space. - Definitely.
0:13:54 > 0:13:56Yeah, nice views of the countryside here.
0:13:56 > 0:14:00Compare your thoughts and reactions now to your first reactions
0:14:00 > 0:14:02when you stood the other side of that building.
0:14:02 > 0:14:05Yeah, well, I was a bit disappointed when we first saw the garden,
0:14:05 > 0:14:10but actually I've walked round the house and I've come out here
0:14:10 > 0:14:14and there's a lot more garden out here and it's beautiful.
0:14:14 > 0:14:16You just keep finding more and more house, don't you,
0:14:16 > 0:14:17and more and more garden?
0:14:17 > 0:14:19So it's, yeah, it's quite surprising.
0:14:19 > 0:14:23OK, then, well, your next problem is to guess the price of this house.
0:14:23 > 0:14:27Well, I definitely think it's the top end of our top budget.
0:14:27 > 0:14:31- OK.- But I don't think you'd be so mean as to show us somewhere
0:14:31 > 0:14:35that I would fall in love with that we couldn't afford,
0:14:35 > 0:14:38so I would say 600,000.
0:14:38 > 0:14:39OK.
0:14:39 > 0:14:41I'm going to go slightly lower.
0:14:41 > 0:14:43I think 580,000.
0:14:43 > 0:14:46Good guess. You'll be pleased to hear this place is on the market
0:14:46 > 0:14:49for offers around £575,000.
0:14:49 > 0:14:51- Wow.- Wow.- It's good, isn't it?
0:14:51 > 0:14:55That's surprising. Yeah. I was being optimistic with my 580.
0:14:55 > 0:14:58- That's really doable. - Yeah.- I like that.
0:14:58 > 0:15:00- Something to think about?- Yes.
0:15:00 > 0:15:04- Good package, then, isn't it, really?- Yeah.- Impressed.
0:15:04 > 0:15:06I love this house!
0:15:06 > 0:15:08- I love it! - Well, I love hearing that.
0:15:08 > 0:15:10Now, look, I think you should go back into the house,
0:15:10 > 0:15:13have a look at all the rooms you haven't yet seen.
0:15:13 > 0:15:16Maybe the guest suite, the guest wing, shall we call it?
0:15:16 > 0:15:17The other side of the kitchen.
0:15:17 > 0:15:19And I'll meet you outside whenever you're done. All right?
0:15:19 > 0:15:22- Brilliant.- See you in a mo. - Thank you.- Thank you.
0:15:22 > 0:15:26Well, this house has really grown on both Laura and Matt,
0:15:26 > 0:15:28and I think a lot of that is
0:15:28 > 0:15:30of course the size of the accommodation,
0:15:30 > 0:15:31but it's been really well done.
0:15:34 > 0:15:37At the very top end of their budget, this stunning barn conversion
0:15:37 > 0:15:39with four bedrooms and contemporary kitchen
0:15:39 > 0:15:43offers the perfect solution for separate guest accommodation,
0:15:43 > 0:15:46so there's plenty of room for Laura and Matt to play with.
0:15:46 > 0:15:50Space is what we were after and this place definitely delivers that.
0:15:50 > 0:15:53Walking round the house, the rooms are all lovely,
0:15:53 > 0:15:55it's beautifully decorated.
0:15:55 > 0:15:59Wow. This would make a fantastic guest room, wouldn't it?
0:15:59 > 0:16:01- Yeah.- Yeah, very impressive.
0:16:01 > 0:16:04I love the style. This place has been done very tastefully.
0:16:05 > 0:16:07- Another bathroom.- Oh, wow.
0:16:08 > 0:16:10Brilliant.
0:16:10 > 0:16:12Possibly where this house falls short
0:16:12 > 0:16:14is on the outside space, for me.
0:16:14 > 0:16:16If we were to buy this house,
0:16:16 > 0:16:18because it is at the top end of our budget,
0:16:18 > 0:16:20we would have to sell our house in Stevenage
0:16:20 > 0:16:22but I think, for a house like this,
0:16:22 > 0:16:25that would be something I'd be willing to do.
0:16:26 > 0:16:29So tell me, guys, what was it like spending some time in this house
0:16:29 > 0:16:31on your own? Did it grow on you even more?
0:16:31 > 0:16:34- Yes.- Yeah?- Yep.
0:16:34 > 0:16:36I really like this house.
0:16:36 > 0:16:38It's surprising how you've almost turned a corner.
0:16:38 > 0:16:40I know you said it looked quite nice,
0:16:40 > 0:16:41but you were uncertain about the area,
0:16:41 > 0:16:43but you really seem to have warmed to it.
0:16:43 > 0:16:47I have. Yeah, the inside is just fabulous.
0:16:48 > 0:16:50I have, too. I liked it to start with,
0:16:50 > 0:16:54but seeing the inside just makes it even more...
0:16:54 > 0:16:56Well, hopefully, something to sleep now, isn't it?
0:16:56 > 0:16:58- Yes.- Let's go. - Something to think about.
0:17:07 > 0:17:10The Suffolk countryside is home to extensive views
0:17:10 > 0:17:12and an undulating terrain,
0:17:12 > 0:17:15and below this surface lies land rich in clay.
0:17:15 > 0:17:17In Bulmer, on the Suffolk-Essex border,
0:17:17 > 0:17:19there's a site dating back to the Middle Ages,
0:17:19 > 0:17:22where clay is still being used today
0:17:22 > 0:17:24to make decorative terracotta plaques
0:17:24 > 0:17:25in the style of the past.
0:17:26 > 0:17:27We've sent Laura and Matt,
0:17:27 > 0:17:30who are keen to find out about the local area and traditions,
0:17:30 > 0:17:33to meet tile and brick-maker Peter Minter,
0:17:33 > 0:17:37whose family have been running this brickyard since 1936.
0:17:37 > 0:17:39- Good morning.- Hello. - Nice to meet you.
0:17:39 > 0:17:40- Hi, nice to meet you.- Jolly good.
0:17:40 > 0:17:43Yeah. So, Peter, is the clay local clay?
0:17:43 > 0:17:44We're sitting on a clay seam.
0:17:44 > 0:17:47- This is the north edge of the Thames Estuary, would you believe?- OK.
0:17:47 > 0:17:49And this was all the silts in that estuary.
0:17:49 > 0:17:52- It's very, very clean, fine clay. - Right.
0:17:52 > 0:17:55- And that's perfect for making a whole range of things.- Sure.
0:17:55 > 0:17:57What are we going to do today?
0:17:57 > 0:17:59Well, I think we'll make some plaques. These are plaques.
0:17:59 > 0:18:01This is a carving with a traditional Tudor rose
0:18:01 > 0:18:03from the time of the Wars of Roses.
0:18:03 > 0:18:05And this is a little stylised rose
0:18:05 > 0:18:07and they're carved in wood in reverse, and then moulded,
0:18:07 > 0:18:09and we shall see that process.
0:18:11 > 0:18:13Peter makes all the plaques
0:18:13 > 0:18:15using traditional moulds made out of mahogany,
0:18:15 > 0:18:18which enable them to retain their shape.
0:18:18 > 0:18:21Rescued by Peter's father after the Second World War,
0:18:21 > 0:18:24the mould we're using today is one of many set to be burnt
0:18:24 > 0:18:26before he brought them back into use.
0:18:27 > 0:18:29We've now coming to the making shop
0:18:29 > 0:18:30to try to make a decorative plaque for you.
0:18:30 > 0:18:33So, this has been sanded, ready to throw the clay in.
0:18:33 > 0:18:35And we're going to roll the clay in sand,
0:18:35 > 0:18:37rather as you would use flour with dough,
0:18:37 > 0:18:39so that the two will come apart.
0:18:39 > 0:18:40And if you have a look here,
0:18:40 > 0:18:43here's the start of rolling what is called a warp,
0:18:43 > 0:18:45which is the shape that's going to go in there.
0:18:45 > 0:18:48So we use a little bit of sand, just literally to roll it in,
0:18:48 > 0:18:50and you can roll that like that
0:18:50 > 0:18:53and you get each corner just slightly rolled.
0:18:53 > 0:18:57And then it will go into that box, we hope, as one piece.
0:18:57 > 0:18:59So if you'd like to...have a go.
0:18:59 > 0:19:00That's it.
0:19:03 > 0:19:04That's lovely.
0:19:04 > 0:19:06- And then if you punch from the centre.- Push it in.
0:19:06 > 0:19:09You're going to push it in to each corner with your fist.
0:19:11 > 0:19:12That's it.
0:19:13 > 0:19:14Really good fun.
0:19:15 > 0:19:18And then just fold it in slightly from the edges.
0:19:18 > 0:19:19That's perfect.
0:19:21 > 0:19:23Then we bow off the surplus clay.
0:19:23 > 0:19:27- So, just like that?- That's it. Just press down and draw along.
0:19:28 > 0:19:29- Oh!- Lovely.
0:19:29 > 0:19:31And then roll that back.
0:19:34 > 0:19:36That's it.
0:19:38 > 0:19:40- Take that.- That's the start of the next brick,
0:19:40 > 0:19:42and then we take a metal...
0:19:42 > 0:19:44We call it a strike.
0:19:44 > 0:19:46We can just put a little bit of water on there, as well,
0:19:46 > 0:19:49and then you can smooth that off with that rod.
0:19:49 > 0:19:52Draw it right along the top there. That's perfect.
0:19:52 > 0:19:55This has got to go onto a board when you turn it out,
0:19:55 > 0:19:58so we put a little sand on there, just like a flour again.
0:19:58 > 0:20:00So the next thing is to pick it up.
0:20:01 > 0:20:03That's it. That's lovely. Perfect.
0:20:03 > 0:20:05You've got a job.
0:20:05 > 0:20:07LAUGHTER
0:20:07 > 0:20:09That's lovely.
0:20:09 > 0:20:11Pick up a board. Lay it on top.
0:20:14 > 0:20:16Turn it over.
0:20:18 > 0:20:20With a bit of luck, it should...
0:20:20 > 0:20:23- Yeah.- ..hopefully, come out.
0:20:23 > 0:20:26- Grand.- Just give a little wiggle.
0:20:26 > 0:20:28Slowly, don't... Not too much. Just straight up.
0:20:28 > 0:20:29You're so bossy!
0:20:32 > 0:20:34Oh, wow.
0:20:34 > 0:20:35- How about that?- Fantastic.
0:20:35 > 0:20:37So now we're going to put this to dry
0:20:37 > 0:20:39and, during the drying process, it will shrink.
0:20:40 > 0:20:42Once the plaques are out of the moulds,
0:20:42 > 0:20:44they need to dry out for around three to four weeks
0:20:44 > 0:20:48before they can be fired in a coal-burning downdraught kiln.
0:20:50 > 0:20:52This is the kiln.
0:20:52 > 0:20:55Why do you dry the plaques out before you put them in the kiln?
0:20:55 > 0:20:57If you've got moisture present when it heats up,
0:20:57 > 0:21:00it will turn to steam and the whole thing will disintegrate.
0:21:00 > 0:21:01And you leave it that way for...?
0:21:01 > 0:21:03- Three days.- Three days.- Yeah.
0:21:03 > 0:21:05- The firing and three days cooling. - OK.
0:21:05 > 0:21:07In about a couple of months' time, your plaque should be ready.
0:21:07 > 0:21:09- Fantastic.- Lovely, thank you.
0:21:09 > 0:21:11Very nice to have met you and thank you very much for coming.
0:21:11 > 0:21:13- No, thank you. - Thank you for a fantastic day.
0:21:13 > 0:21:16- Jolly good.- Very interesting. - Thank you, it's been lovely.
0:21:16 > 0:21:17Bye-bye.
0:21:23 > 0:21:26It's the second day of our property search in Suffolk
0:21:26 > 0:21:29with Laura and Matt from Stevenage in Hertfordshire,
0:21:29 > 0:21:34who have a budget of between £450,000-£550,000.
0:21:34 > 0:21:37They're ready to leave busy suburbia behind
0:21:37 > 0:21:40and enjoy the space and freedom country living can provide
0:21:40 > 0:21:41for their growing family.
0:21:41 > 0:21:45Coming up, they're blown away by what's on offer.
0:21:45 > 0:21:47Every time we turn a corner, it just gets better, doesn't it?
0:21:47 > 0:21:49Just...space.
0:21:49 > 0:21:50'And I take to the water
0:21:50 > 0:21:53'in search of one of Suffolk's finest delicacies.'
0:21:53 > 0:21:55- Wow!- That must be 20 years old.
0:21:55 > 0:21:58- What are you going to do with that? - Well, we'll use it for oyster soup.
0:21:58 > 0:21:59Oh, lovely.
0:22:01 > 0:22:03I think it's fair to say
0:22:03 > 0:22:05that Matt and Laura rather like barn conversions,
0:22:05 > 0:22:06so we're going to stick with that theme
0:22:06 > 0:22:08with the first house we're looking at today.
0:22:08 > 0:22:10Then we're off to the Mystery House.
0:22:10 > 0:22:12And although the Mystery House is the most rural
0:22:12 > 0:22:15of all the locations that Matt and Laura are looking at,
0:22:15 > 0:22:17I think it's worth this gamble
0:22:17 > 0:22:20because Matt in particular should be laughing here.
0:22:20 > 0:22:21It comes with three acres of land,
0:22:21 > 0:22:23so plenty for all of his sheep.
0:22:26 > 0:22:27But before the mystery property,
0:22:27 > 0:22:30our search is taking us to the village of Old Newton.
0:22:30 > 0:22:33Close by is the ancient village of Haughley,
0:22:33 > 0:22:34the market for which was once
0:22:34 > 0:22:37an important and historical hub for the area
0:22:37 > 0:22:41until a great fire in the 1500s destroyed much of the village
0:22:41 > 0:22:43and brought about the end of the market,
0:22:43 > 0:22:46which was then moved to nearby Stowmarket.
0:22:46 > 0:22:49Today, there are still a range of amenities
0:22:49 > 0:22:51and, one-and-a-half miles away,
0:22:51 > 0:22:54just around the corner from the nearest primary school,
0:22:54 > 0:22:58our offering can be found in the heart of the community.
0:22:58 > 0:23:01Now, you might not guess it quite yet,
0:23:01 > 0:23:04but this is actually a barn conversion.
0:23:04 > 0:23:06Right.
0:23:06 > 0:23:07What do we think?
0:23:07 > 0:23:08I really like it.
0:23:08 > 0:23:10- I really like it, too. - You like the position?
0:23:10 > 0:23:12- I do.- Only a ten-minute-drive from Stowmarket,
0:23:12 > 0:23:15so good train access back into London.
0:23:15 > 0:23:18- I think you're going to like this place.- OK.- Great.
0:23:18 > 0:23:19Let's go inside.
0:23:19 > 0:23:23Formerly a Victorian threshing barn built in 1847,
0:23:23 > 0:23:25this property has phenomenal proportions
0:23:25 > 0:23:28and certainly isn't shy of space.
0:23:28 > 0:23:31Sympathetically converted in 2003,
0:23:31 > 0:23:34it's also been refurbished since by the current owners.
0:23:36 > 0:23:39So this can be a really nice light reception hall there,
0:23:39 > 0:23:41get those blinds taken up,
0:23:41 > 0:23:42but take a look at this.
0:23:44 > 0:23:48- Oh! Yes, I like that.- Wow!
0:23:48 > 0:23:50THAT is a fireplace.
0:23:50 > 0:23:51That is a fireplace.
0:23:51 > 0:23:53- That's fantastic. - That's pretty special.
0:23:53 > 0:23:55- Uh-huh.- What a room.
0:23:55 > 0:23:57- Christmas, can you imagine it in this house?- Yes.
0:23:57 > 0:23:59- Look at this, over here... - Oh, yeah.
0:23:59 > 0:24:01Yeah, I'm already decorating the room.
0:24:01 > 0:24:04We could have the whole extended family for Christmas here.
0:24:04 > 0:24:06We've got stockings over the fireplace.
0:24:06 > 0:24:08LAUGHTER
0:24:08 > 0:24:12- So...big enough, isn't it? - Certainly is, yeah.
0:24:12 > 0:24:15- OK, let's keep looking around. - Fantastic.
0:24:16 > 0:24:18Just wanted to have a quick peek into here
0:24:18 > 0:24:21cos I thought...Christmas dinner.
0:24:21 > 0:24:23- Yes.- Oh, yeah.
0:24:23 > 0:24:25- It's cosy in here, isn't it?- Lovely.
0:24:25 > 0:24:28- Imagine the whole family in here, gathered round the table.- Yeah.
0:24:28 > 0:24:30Makes a great, great formal dining room.
0:24:30 > 0:24:31- Doesn't it just?- Yeah.
0:24:31 > 0:24:33But you've got space in the kitchen, as well.
0:24:33 > 0:24:34Let me show you.
0:24:36 > 0:24:37Also on the ground floor, there's a study
0:24:37 > 0:24:40which could provide either a playroom for the girls
0:24:40 > 0:24:41or a further guest room for family.
0:24:43 > 0:24:45Mind your step on the way down here.
0:24:45 > 0:24:46Now...
0:24:47 > 0:24:48Wow.
0:24:48 > 0:24:50This is nice.
0:24:50 > 0:24:53Every time you turn a corner, this place just gets better, doesn't it?
0:24:53 > 0:24:54Good. I'm glad you said that.
0:24:54 > 0:24:56- And bigger.- Just...space.
0:24:56 > 0:24:58Lots and lots of space.
0:24:58 > 0:25:01And beyond there you've got a utility room and a downstairs loo.
0:25:01 > 0:25:02- Yes.- Sorted.
0:25:02 > 0:25:04SHE LAUGHS Sorted.
0:25:04 > 0:25:06- Let's go upstairs.- OK.- Come with me.
0:25:08 > 0:25:11Up past this vast vaulted hallway on the first floor,
0:25:11 > 0:25:13there are four double bedrooms,
0:25:13 > 0:25:17two of which benefit from en suites, plus there's a family bathroom.
0:25:21 > 0:25:22The master bedroom.
0:25:24 > 0:25:26Just keeps delivering, this place, doesn't it?
0:25:26 > 0:25:28It does. Wow.
0:25:28 > 0:25:32And I'm guessing through that door there there's en suite.
0:25:32 > 0:25:34Yeah, I like this bedroom a lot.
0:25:34 > 0:25:37- Just the sense of space and light, and...- Mm.
0:25:37 > 0:25:40- It's just...- The high ceilings.
0:25:40 > 0:25:43- Yeah.- We really like high ceilings, don't we?
0:25:43 > 0:25:46- It's exactly what we're looking for. - Mm-hm.- Good.
0:25:46 > 0:25:49Well, you've reacted really, really well.
0:25:49 > 0:25:53I wonder if your prices are going to reflect your reactions.
0:25:53 > 0:25:55MATT CHUCKLES Let's go outside and have a chat.
0:25:57 > 0:25:59So far, so good.
0:25:59 > 0:26:01However, whilst the well-manicured garden here
0:26:01 > 0:26:05completely envelops the property, there's only 0.4 of an acre of land,
0:26:05 > 0:26:08so I'm hoping that won't dampen their spirits.
0:26:10 > 0:26:13Now, then, you can see you've got these different segments
0:26:13 > 0:26:15of the garden again, a bit like yesterday afternoon.
0:26:15 > 0:26:17- Yes.- You like it?
0:26:17 > 0:26:19- It's really nicely done. - I really like it.
0:26:20 > 0:26:23You've got, like, the play area for the girls
0:26:23 > 0:26:28- and then the party, entertainment area for us.- Exactly.
0:26:28 > 0:26:30So... Come on, then.
0:26:30 > 0:26:33Tell me how much you think this houses on the market for.
0:26:35 > 0:26:36I think you've been a bit mean to us, Jonnie.
0:26:36 > 0:26:39I think you've gone right to the top,
0:26:39 > 0:26:41if not a little bit over, our budget.
0:26:41 > 0:26:44So, I'm thinking around the £610,000 mark.
0:26:44 > 0:26:45All right.
0:26:45 > 0:26:47I'd say 600.
0:26:47 > 0:26:49Definitely top end.
0:26:49 > 0:26:52Well, this place is on the market
0:26:52 > 0:26:54for offers around £550,000.
0:26:54 > 0:26:56- Wow.- Wow.
0:26:56 > 0:26:57No way.
0:26:59 > 0:27:01- No way.- I'm shocked.
0:27:01 > 0:27:03It's a good shock. It's on budget.
0:27:03 > 0:27:05- That's a lot of house for the money. - Yeah.- Yeah.
0:27:05 > 0:27:08I think the house has absolutely blown us away
0:27:08 > 0:27:10and I think, with the quality of the house
0:27:10 > 0:27:12and the space that the house offers...
0:27:14 > 0:27:17..the compromise on the land is one I could easily make.
0:27:17 > 0:27:21But also, I think, because there is a field next-door,
0:27:21 > 0:27:23it gives you that sense of space.
0:27:23 > 0:27:26Yes, throws the eye, certainly. Good.
0:27:26 > 0:27:29Well, look, go back into the house, have a good look around it.
0:27:29 > 0:27:31You know what I'm going to ask you to do.
0:27:31 > 0:27:34Start comparing this place with what you've seen before now
0:27:34 > 0:27:36and I will meet you outside.
0:27:36 > 0:27:37- OK?- OK.- Great.
0:27:37 > 0:27:39- See you in a mo.- Thank you.
0:27:39 > 0:27:42Look, a fantastic house tour, make no mistake about it.
0:27:42 > 0:27:45And the fact that Matt's now prepared to maybe consider
0:27:45 > 0:27:48buying a place without any land, well, it's great news.
0:27:50 > 0:27:52But we've got one more property to see.
0:27:52 > 0:27:55Just under the top of their budget, this modern barn conversion
0:27:55 > 0:27:59beautifully retains a sense of its heritage.
0:27:59 > 0:28:02There are four bedrooms plus more than enough living space
0:28:02 > 0:28:06for their growing girls to enjoy, and to accommodate visiting family.
0:28:06 > 0:28:10It sits on the edge of a village and is blessed with countryside views.
0:28:10 > 0:28:12Walking into the first reception room,
0:28:12 > 0:28:16I don't think I've ever been in a room so big in a house in the UK.
0:28:16 > 0:28:18It's just amazing.
0:28:18 > 0:28:23The living space in this house would so suit our needs as a family.
0:28:23 > 0:28:27There's big spaces and plenty of room for us to grow.
0:28:29 > 0:28:31This is a perfect little girl bedroom, isn't it?
0:28:31 > 0:28:33Isn't it?
0:28:33 > 0:28:36When I think about a country property that we would move to,
0:28:36 > 0:28:40this pretty much is it. It delivers on everything we're asking for.
0:28:40 > 0:28:43Space, a bit of character with the beams.
0:28:43 > 0:28:45It's just everything we were looking for.
0:28:45 > 0:28:48The house itself is beautiful.
0:28:48 > 0:28:53It's got beautiful features, it's beautifully decorated.
0:28:53 > 0:28:54It's my dream home.
0:28:56 > 0:28:59Now, then, I think it's fair to say we all enjoyed looking round that
0:28:59 > 0:29:00- house, didn't we?- Yes.
0:29:00 > 0:29:04- Yes.- Did we potentially look around your new home?
0:29:04 > 0:29:06- Yes.- Whoa! Straight in.
0:29:06 > 0:29:08But...yourself?
0:29:08 > 0:29:11I think we're both quite keen on the property.
0:29:11 > 0:29:14- We are.- Well, we've got one more property to have a look at,
0:29:14 > 0:29:15so let's get on our way.
0:29:22 > 0:29:24For our mystery property,
0:29:24 > 0:29:27we're visiting the village of Offton.
0:29:27 > 0:29:29Close by is the village of Somersham which,
0:29:29 > 0:29:32with a good sprinkling of old traditional buildings,
0:29:32 > 0:29:34has a tight-knit community who run the village shop.
0:29:36 > 0:29:38There's also a local primary school,
0:29:38 > 0:29:40which would be handy for Laura and Matt's girls.
0:29:40 > 0:29:43From here it's just two-and-a-half miles to our next property,
0:29:43 > 0:29:46which has a stunning rural setting.
0:29:47 > 0:29:49Now, the Mystery House is this.
0:29:49 > 0:29:51OK.
0:29:51 > 0:29:52What's going through your mind?
0:29:52 > 0:29:57- That my daughter Sophie would absolutely love it.- Why so?
0:29:57 > 0:29:59- It's pink.- Right, OK, all right.
0:29:59 > 0:30:03- Suffolk pink, it is. - Pink.- Yes.- Very traditional.
0:30:03 > 0:30:07With lots of pargeting on the facade and the rear as well.
0:30:07 > 0:30:12- I think it's very pretty.- The house looks quite small from the outside.
0:30:12 > 0:30:14- Mm.- Hoping it will be bigger inside.
0:30:14 > 0:30:17I'm imagining it's probably got something large that comes with it.
0:30:17 > 0:30:19It has indeed. Come with me.
0:30:20 > 0:30:23'Steeped in history dating back to the 17th century,'
0:30:23 > 0:30:27this Grade II listed cottage spent its former years as a pub,
0:30:27 > 0:30:29which closed in 1907.
0:30:29 > 0:30:31Lovingly restored by the current owners,
0:30:31 > 0:30:34it includes a host of period features.
0:30:34 > 0:30:37There's a small pantry through that door there.
0:30:37 > 0:30:39- OK.- Straight into the kitchen.
0:30:40 > 0:30:42- Mind your head.- Yeah!
0:30:43 > 0:30:45- It's cosy, isn't it?- Yeah.
0:30:45 > 0:30:46- Cosy.- Cosy...
0:30:46 > 0:30:49- And small.- Oh, really?
0:30:49 > 0:30:51Come through with me.
0:30:51 > 0:30:54Give it a chance.
0:30:54 > 0:30:57- OK.- A lot of history in here, isn't there?
0:30:57 > 0:31:02- Yeah.- I love it, it's very pretty, but...for our family living,
0:31:02 > 0:31:05this is too small.
0:31:05 > 0:31:07I think I'm going to have to agree with Laura on that one.
0:31:07 > 0:31:11It is exceptionally lovely, but I think it's just a little bit...
0:31:11 > 0:31:13Not combining both these spaces, no?
0:31:13 > 0:31:16- Yeah...- You've got a separate dining room door.
0:31:16 > 0:31:18OK, let's keep an open mind and see the rest of it,
0:31:18 > 0:31:20- and see how that pans out. - Right, do that.
0:31:23 > 0:31:27Now this dining room, if you like open fires, you'll be impressed.
0:31:27 > 0:31:29- Ahh.- Look at that.
0:31:29 > 0:31:32Wow. That's lovely, you can picture family dinners in here,
0:31:32 > 0:31:35nice and cosy in the winter by the fire, can't you?
0:31:35 > 0:31:37I think the reception room you'd use is just this way.
0:31:40 > 0:31:43OK, so the dedicated adults' room, I think.
0:31:44 > 0:31:46Nice and cosy in here, isn't it?
0:31:46 > 0:31:50- Yeah.- Whoever's renovated it has done an absolutely fantastic job
0:31:50 > 0:31:53of stripping all the wood back and making it look really pretty.
0:31:53 > 0:31:55Yeah, beautifully done.
0:31:55 > 0:31:58But we're not really talking about it being a home, are we?
0:31:58 > 0:32:02- That says everything.- I don't think it would suit us, as a family,
0:32:02 > 0:32:04and a growing family at that.
0:32:04 > 0:32:08Well, as you know, the Mystery House is all about a gamble
0:32:08 > 0:32:09and compromise sometimes,
0:32:09 > 0:32:15so we thought you may be pushed a little bit internally,
0:32:15 > 0:32:18as regards to family size, of course.
0:32:18 > 0:32:22- Yes.- But we chose it because it gives you something you haven't yet seen,
0:32:22 > 0:32:24and that is lots of outside space.
0:32:26 > 0:32:30But before we go out there and have a look around the land...
0:32:30 > 0:32:33- Sure.- ..let's have a quick peek at the bedrooms.
0:32:34 > 0:32:36On the ground floor there's a further reception room,
0:32:36 > 0:32:40which could be a fourth bedroom and a family bathroom.
0:32:40 > 0:32:43Upstairs there are three double bedrooms and a shower room.
0:32:43 > 0:32:45We're heading for the master.
0:32:47 > 0:32:48And...
0:32:48 > 0:32:51FLOORBOARD CREAKS A creaky bedroom.
0:32:51 > 0:32:55- I love that. Beautiful floorboards. - They are, aren't they?- They are.
0:32:55 > 0:32:58There'd be no sneaking in at night though, would there?
0:32:58 > 0:32:59No, not really, no.
0:33:00 > 0:33:03- It is lovely.- I think it's a beautiful house, absolutely stunning,
0:33:03 > 0:33:08I think we both do, but in terms of the space aspect that we're really
0:33:08 > 0:33:12craving, hence our move out of the city,
0:33:12 > 0:33:13it's not got it.
0:33:13 > 0:33:17Maybe this house can give you the space outside, as opposed to inside.
0:33:17 > 0:33:18- Yes.- Come with me.
0:33:21 > 0:33:24The land is the real selling point of this country cottage,
0:33:24 > 0:33:27with veggie plot and stunning views.
0:33:27 > 0:33:29There's over three-and-a-half acres here
0:33:29 > 0:33:31and I'm hoping this time
0:33:31 > 0:33:33Matt will be happy with his lot.
0:33:33 > 0:33:36Now, the man wanted land, satisfied?
0:33:38 > 0:33:40- It's a good lump of land, isn't it? - Isn't it?- Yeah.
0:33:40 > 0:33:42Cracking view from up here, isn't it?
0:33:42 > 0:33:45I think coming here and seeing
0:33:45 > 0:33:48the land and what you get in terms of the house for the price,
0:33:48 > 0:33:52and the compromise you have to make between the two,
0:33:52 > 0:33:55I'm swayed more towards the house being the focal point
0:33:55 > 0:33:57- rather than the land.- So...
0:33:57 > 0:34:00how much do you think it's on the market for?
0:34:00 > 0:34:03I'm thinking around the 450,000 mark.
0:34:03 > 0:34:05- OK.- I'd say 500.
0:34:05 > 0:34:07Ooh, quite a spread.
0:34:07 > 0:34:09- Yeah.- And it's split the camp
0:34:09 > 0:34:13because this place is on the market for offers around £475,000.
0:34:13 > 0:34:17- OK.- I feel like the Mystery House on this occasion has been an exercise
0:34:17 > 0:34:21in flushing things out. Maybe you've already a property you like more
0:34:21 > 0:34:22and it helps make your mind up.
0:34:22 > 0:34:25So, have a quick scoot around on your way out
0:34:25 > 0:34:27- and I'll meet you whenever you're ready, OK?- OK.
0:34:27 > 0:34:29See you in a mo.
0:34:33 > 0:34:37£75,000 under the top end of Laura and Matt's budget,
0:34:37 > 0:34:41this pretty pink cottage offers the character they were after.
0:34:41 > 0:34:44A substantial amount of land, that Matt has always dreamt of,
0:34:44 > 0:34:47and the village location they hoped for.
0:34:47 > 0:34:50However, the property itself just wasn't big enough to accommodate
0:34:50 > 0:34:53the needs of their family.
0:34:53 > 0:34:56The Mystery House is a beautiful little cottage,
0:34:56 > 0:34:59but probably just not right for us.
0:34:59 > 0:35:01The house was very lovingly restored,
0:35:01 > 0:35:05but the rooms felt very small and the ceilings were low.
0:35:05 > 0:35:08We have two young, very energetic children,
0:35:08 > 0:35:11who need space to grow and to run,
0:35:11 > 0:35:16and I just feel that this cottage would be too small for them
0:35:16 > 0:35:17to be able to do that.
0:35:17 > 0:35:22It's helped me realise that the land that I was longing for is
0:35:22 > 0:35:25possibly not as necessary as what I thought it was.
0:35:25 > 0:35:28The best move for us would be to spend the extra money and sell our
0:35:28 > 0:35:31house in Stevenage, so that we could perhaps buy a bigger place over here
0:35:31 > 0:35:33and get exactly what we want.
0:35:36 > 0:35:38So, that's it, no more houses.
0:35:38 > 0:35:42- No.- Maybe we found you something that you already like, hopefully so.
0:35:42 > 0:35:44Let me take you somewhere you can have a bit of a chat
0:35:44 > 0:35:47- and I'll catch up with you after that, how's that?- Yeah.- Fantastic.
0:35:53 > 0:35:56Just outside the Suffolk Coastal village of Orford
0:35:56 > 0:35:58sits the three-mile long Butley Creek,
0:35:58 > 0:36:01a small tributary to the River Ore
0:36:01 > 0:36:03and a breeding ground for oysters,
0:36:03 > 0:36:06which have been farmed here since Roman times.
0:36:06 > 0:36:10By the early 20th century, the trade had almost completely died away,
0:36:10 > 0:36:13that is until the 1950s, when Richard Pinney,
0:36:13 > 0:36:16a Londoner keen to make his own escape to the country,
0:36:16 > 0:36:18heard of this rich oyster heritage
0:36:18 > 0:36:20and reintroduced oysters to the creek.
0:36:20 > 0:36:22Three generations later
0:36:22 > 0:36:25and Bill Pinney is still working the oyster beds.
0:36:25 > 0:36:26So I've come to meet him,
0:36:26 > 0:36:30to find out a little more about this age-old tradition, and, of course,
0:36:30 > 0:36:32the delicious Butley oyster itself.
0:36:34 > 0:36:36Bill, thanks very much for seeing me this morning.
0:36:36 > 0:36:38First of all, how would you describe what you do here?
0:36:38 > 0:36:39Well, we're oyster farming.
0:36:39 > 0:36:42- Right.- We buy the oysters as very small seed
0:36:42 > 0:36:44and grow them all the way through.
0:36:44 > 0:36:46On the river, on the surface to start with,
0:36:46 > 0:36:48in small mesh bags. And then when they get big enough,
0:36:48 > 0:36:50we put them on the bottom,
0:36:50 > 0:36:53where they grow much more slowly but they grow into a better oyster.
0:36:53 > 0:36:56- So have you been out yet today? - Not yet, no. No, now's the time.
0:36:56 > 0:36:58- Shall we go?- Yeah.- Good man.
0:36:59 > 0:37:02Having been introduced to Europe's shores around 40 years ago,
0:37:02 > 0:37:06the deep shell oysters here are originally native to Japan.
0:37:06 > 0:37:09And with Buckley Creek being tidal, the mixture of freshwater,
0:37:09 > 0:37:11salinity and natural plankton
0:37:11 > 0:37:14provides optimum conditions for the growth
0:37:14 > 0:37:17of around 50,000 of these oysters each year.
0:37:18 > 0:37:20So these are ones you're growing, Bill?
0:37:20 > 0:37:23Yeah. These are the baby oysters that are getting big enough to go
0:37:23 > 0:37:25onto the ground.
0:37:25 > 0:37:26I'll show you.
0:37:29 > 0:37:31These are very small, these ones.
0:37:32 > 0:37:35- So how long have these been in here? - We've had them for six months.
0:37:35 > 0:37:38And when you put them in here, how big would they have been?
0:37:38 > 0:37:40Well, they were absolutely tiny, I mean,
0:37:40 > 0:37:43they were just like the tip of the oyster there.
0:37:43 > 0:37:46They were that small. These ones are getting near the end,
0:37:46 > 0:37:48probably in another three or four weeks they'll be big enough to go on
0:37:48 > 0:37:50the bottom. Quite close, yeah.
0:37:50 > 0:37:52Can we have a go at dredging some that have been there?
0:37:52 > 0:37:55Yes, I'll take you onto a bed, where they have been down now for about
0:37:55 > 0:37:59- six or eight months, and you'll see the difference in growth.- Great.
0:37:59 > 0:38:03'The oysters in these beds can be harvested all year round
0:38:03 > 0:38:04'using traditional methods
0:38:04 > 0:38:07'which have barely changed over the last 2,000 years.
0:38:08 > 0:38:10'Tied behind the boat,
0:38:10 > 0:38:13'the heavy-framed dredge scrapes the oysters of the riverbed
0:38:13 > 0:38:15'and catches them in a net-like bag
0:38:15 > 0:38:19'before it is then pulled in by hand.'
0:38:19 > 0:38:22- I've got a good feeling about this one, Bill.- Yeah, we'll get a bagful.
0:38:22 > 0:38:24Haul it in, then. See what you got.
0:38:24 > 0:38:26- Pull it in.- This side?- That's right.
0:38:28 > 0:38:30Feels heavier.
0:38:30 > 0:38:32Here we go, moment of truth.
0:38:35 > 0:38:39Here. Wow, yeah, that looks good, you got half a dredge full.
0:38:39 > 0:38:40Pull them in.
0:38:43 > 0:38:48Look at the size of that. Wow!
0:38:50 > 0:38:52This is more than six months old, isn't it?
0:38:52 > 0:38:53Yeah, that's probably...
0:38:53 > 0:38:55That must be 20 years old, I should think.
0:38:55 > 0:38:56That's the size you would normally eat.
0:38:56 > 0:38:59- What you going to do with that? - Well, we'll use it for oyster soup.
0:38:59 > 0:39:02- Oh, really?- Yeah.- Nice.
0:39:03 > 0:39:05After being dredged,
0:39:05 > 0:39:08the oysters are washed and purified before they're ready to eat.
0:39:08 > 0:39:12And, having worked up an appetite on the water, I'm itching to try one.
0:39:12 > 0:39:16But first, I've got to get past that shell.
0:39:16 > 0:39:18So how do you open one? Because it looks difficult.
0:39:18 > 0:39:20There is a knack. In at that end, yeah?
0:39:20 > 0:39:22Under the hinge, have a little wiggle.
0:39:22 > 0:39:25A little pressure, keep wriggling till you feel it popping.
0:39:25 > 0:39:28Keep going. That's it, you've got it. You've got it.
0:39:28 > 0:39:33Right? And then just slide along the top shell and cut the muscle.
0:39:33 > 0:39:36Go in that way and you'll feel that top muscle give.
0:39:36 > 0:39:38That's it, you've got it.
0:39:38 > 0:39:39Plump little oyster in there.
0:39:39 > 0:39:42You're now going to cut underneath that muscle.
0:39:42 > 0:39:45You slide the knife underneath the muscle there,
0:39:45 > 0:39:47and then it's free from the shell.
0:39:47 > 0:39:50- That's ready to go. - How do you prefer to eat them?
0:39:50 > 0:39:52Well, most of our oysters are just eaten raw.
0:39:52 > 0:39:55So we're going to put little bit of lemon and a sprinkle of red pepper.
0:39:55 > 0:39:56So...
0:39:58 > 0:40:01Like most fresh things, the simpler the better, isn't it?
0:40:01 > 0:40:02Exactly.
0:40:02 > 0:40:04- Your fork.- Thank you, sir.
0:40:08 > 0:40:10Mmm!
0:40:10 > 0:40:12- That is gorgeous.- Yeah. - That is absolutely gorgeous.
0:40:12 > 0:40:15Well, I must say, Bill, it's not the quickest form of farming
0:40:15 > 0:40:18but it's certainly one of the tastiest. Thank you very, very much.
0:40:18 > 0:40:20- It's been fascinating today. - That's a pleasure.
0:40:20 > 0:40:22- Best of luck for the future. - Thank you.
0:40:26 > 0:40:29Well, it's pretty clear that the barn conversion in the village
0:40:29 > 0:40:31is Matt and Laura's favourite property.
0:40:31 > 0:40:34But after a bit of time to think and consider things,
0:40:34 > 0:40:38has it done enough to quash Matt's dream of a property with land and,
0:40:38 > 0:40:42indeed, tempt Laura away from her family and friends in Stevenage?
0:40:42 > 0:40:44Let's catch up with them and find out.
0:40:49 > 0:40:50So, your favourite house?
0:40:50 > 0:40:52It's got to be the barn conversion in the village.
0:40:52 > 0:40:54- Definitely.- Yeah.
0:40:54 > 0:40:56What set it apart?
0:40:56 > 0:40:59The lounge was just fantastic with the fireplace.
0:40:59 > 0:41:01You couldn't fail to be, sort of, impressed...
0:41:01 > 0:41:03- God.- ..when you walked into that space.
0:41:03 > 0:41:05And the fact that you walked through the house
0:41:05 > 0:41:08- and it just gets better and better.- Yeah, quite.
0:41:08 > 0:41:11- As did your reactions. - Yeah.- Now, from my perspective,
0:41:11 > 0:41:14this looked like a two-horse race between the semi-timber-clad barn
0:41:14 > 0:41:17conversion and the one we saw in the village.
0:41:17 > 0:41:20The outside space at the village barn conversion worked much better.
0:41:20 > 0:41:21- Yeah.- Wrapped round the house a bit better.
0:41:21 > 0:41:24And the fact that it was right next to fields and had a beautiful vista
0:41:24 > 0:41:27over the fields as well, even if we didn't own them.
0:41:27 > 0:41:30Now, Matt, for you, one of the big factors was land.
0:41:30 > 0:41:32Now, this barn conversion doesn't have a lot of it.
0:41:32 > 0:41:35Has the house done enough for you?
0:41:35 > 0:41:37I think so. The house blew us away
0:41:37 > 0:41:39and that more than makes up for the...
0:41:39 > 0:41:42Well, it's still got a reasonable amount of land,
0:41:42 > 0:41:45it's still 3.4 of an acre, which is not to be sneezed at.
0:41:45 > 0:41:49To sacrifice the wide-open fields that I'd envisaged,
0:41:49 > 0:41:52which are admittedly right next-door to the property also...
0:41:52 > 0:41:54- Yeah, quite.- So, yeah, no, it's...
0:41:54 > 0:41:56It's a perfect compromise for us.
0:41:56 > 0:41:59So, what's the next step for you?
0:41:59 > 0:42:02I think we need to take a bigger look at the area.
0:42:02 > 0:42:04Just find out what the schools are like.
0:42:04 > 0:42:06Maybe look at the house again,
0:42:06 > 0:42:09just on another day with a fresh set of eyes.
0:42:09 > 0:42:12Yeah, why not? Do let me know what happens next, won't you?
0:42:12 > 0:42:14- We will.- Absolutely.
0:42:14 > 0:42:16- Well, good luck. BOTH:- Thank you.
0:42:20 > 0:42:22Well, it's been great showing Matt and Laura round those fantastic
0:42:22 > 0:42:25properties, but what I've really enjoyed is seeing them both
0:42:25 > 0:42:28compromise on what they individually want in order to get what's best
0:42:28 > 0:42:30for their entire family in the long-term
0:42:30 > 0:42:32and I think, with that barn conversion,
0:42:32 > 0:42:34they are achieving just that.
0:42:34 > 0:42:37Now, of course, by their own admission they don't know this part
0:42:37 > 0:42:38of Suffolk particularly well,
0:42:38 > 0:42:41so I totally understand why they want to come back up here and,
0:42:41 > 0:42:43in particular, look around that primary school
0:42:43 > 0:42:46for their two young daughters. And, if all that goes well,
0:42:46 > 0:42:49then maybe the entire family will be making a more permanent move up here
0:42:49 > 0:42:51to Suffolk very soon.
0:42:51 > 0:42:52See you next time.
0:42:54 > 0:42:58If you'd like to escape to the country in England, Scotland,
0:42:58 > 0:43:00Wales or Northern Ireland and would like our help,
0:43:00 > 0:43:05you can apply online at...