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 > 0:00:10But where is it, and why was it built? Find out in just a moment.
0:00:27 > 0:00:30Today's buyers are longing to leave suburban living
0:00:30 > 0:00:32for the slice of country life they've always dreamt of.
0:00:32 > 0:00:36- We may have struck lucky with our properties.- Wow!
0:00:36 > 0:00:38- That is a wall, isn't it?- Yeah!
0:00:38 > 0:00:41It's actually made out of real Suffolk gold.
0:00:41 > 0:00:44And their vision might be closer than they imagined.
0:00:44 > 0:00:47I'm looking around and I'm thinking, where I would fit my furniture?
0:00:47 > 0:00:49And it's the first house that I've seen, that I've done that.
0:00:51 > 0:00:53Today, I'm in east Suffolk,
0:00:53 > 0:00:55and behind me is the village of Thorpeness.
0:00:55 > 0:00:58Built in the early part of the 20th century, it was
0:00:58 > 0:01:03the brainchild of eccentric Scottish barrister Glencairn Stuart Ogilvie.
0:01:03 > 0:01:06He was passionate about Tudor and Jacobean architecture.
0:01:06 > 0:01:09And he wanted to create a holiday village that, in his view,
0:01:09 > 0:01:12harked back to the days of quintessential England.
0:01:12 > 0:01:15but there was a problem. A ginormous water tower
0:01:15 > 0:01:17that overlooked the entire village.
0:01:17 > 0:01:19In Ogilvie's view, it wasn't
0:01:19 > 0:01:22in keeping with the rest of the houses, so he wanted to make it so,
0:01:22 > 0:01:26and what you see today is the result of his modifications.
0:01:26 > 0:01:29The tower has been ingeniously disguised as a clapperboard house,
0:01:29 > 0:01:31complete with windows and a pitched roof.
0:01:31 > 0:01:33It's even got a chimney stack.
0:01:33 > 0:01:36Today, though, the village no longer requires the water tower, but,
0:01:36 > 0:01:39you will be pleased to hear, it's been converted into a luxury home.
0:01:39 > 0:01:44And stands tall testament to the unique vision of Ogilvie himself.
0:01:45 > 0:01:48The East Anglian county of Suffolk is bordered by Norfolk
0:01:48 > 0:01:52to the north, Essex to the south and Cambridgeshire to the west.
0:01:53 > 0:01:57Looking out over the North Sea, the Suffolk Heritage Coast stretches
0:01:57 > 0:02:0150 miles from Felixstowe in the South to Lowestoft in the North.
0:02:01 > 0:02:02Along the way,
0:02:02 > 0:02:05the ever-popular seaside town of Southwold is recognised for
0:02:05 > 0:02:10its stunning Georgian architecture and multicoloured beach huts.
0:02:10 > 0:02:14The pier, originally built in 1900, was completely refurbished in 2001
0:02:14 > 0:02:20and offers some wonderful views back towards the town.
0:02:20 > 0:02:22Moving inland towards the heart of the county,
0:02:22 > 0:02:26the cluster of historic Suffolk Wold towns and villages date back
0:02:26 > 0:02:31as far as the 15th century, when the textile trade was big business here.
0:02:31 > 0:02:33To the south of the county, Dedham Vale has some of
0:02:33 > 0:02:36the country's most serene and stunning landscapes
0:02:36 > 0:02:41which were immortalised by 19th century artist John Constable.
0:02:41 > 0:02:44Some of his most celebrated works such as The Hay Wain
0:02:44 > 0:02:46and Flatford Mill were painted in the countryside
0:02:46 > 0:02:50around the nearby village of East Bergholt, where he lived.
0:02:52 > 0:02:54With a wealth of period properties
0:02:54 > 0:02:55and beautiful surrounding countryside,
0:02:55 > 0:02:59you'd think that would be reflected in Suffolk's property values.
0:02:59 > 0:03:02Yet the average cost of a detached house here at the moment
0:03:02 > 0:03:04is just under £278,000.
0:03:04 > 0:03:08Which is around £16,000 below the national figure, which,
0:03:08 > 0:03:10I think, represents pretty good value.
0:03:10 > 0:03:13But be warned - towards the south of the county,
0:03:13 > 0:03:17where properties are closer to road and rail links back into London,
0:03:17 > 0:03:18prices do begin to climb.
0:03:18 > 0:03:22So whereabouts in the county are today's buyers looking?
0:03:22 > 0:03:24Let's meet them and find out.
0:03:24 > 0:03:28Laura met New Zealander Matt seven years ago at a bar in London
0:03:28 > 0:03:30whilst he was backpacking around the UK.
0:03:30 > 0:03:32She convinced him to settle with her here,
0:03:32 > 0:03:36and they bought a home in Stevenage, Hertfordshire.
0:03:36 > 0:03:41I would describe Matt as a typical Kiwi. He's very outdoorsy.
0:03:41 > 0:03:46Lots of fun. Really easy-going and friendly and easy to get along with.
0:03:46 > 0:03:49Things have changed substantially since I arrived in the UK.
0:03:49 > 0:03:54I've now got a wonderful wife and two fantastic children.
0:03:54 > 0:03:56And I couldn't ask for anything more, really.
0:03:56 > 0:03:59Aww!
0:03:59 > 0:04:01Having lived in Stevenage now for two years,
0:04:01 > 0:04:04Laura and Matt are finding that as their daughters - Sophie, three,
0:04:04 > 0:04:07and Elizabeth, two - get bigger, the house is beginning
0:04:07 > 0:04:13to feel smaller, and the location also no longer suits their needs.
0:04:13 > 0:04:15Currently, we live quite close to the town,
0:04:15 > 0:04:19and it can be quite busy and quite crowded.
0:04:19 > 0:04:22We'd like to give the kids some space, some freedom,
0:04:22 > 0:04:27some ability to be curious and just explore things by themselves
0:04:27 > 0:04:29without having to be too controlled by us.
0:04:29 > 0:04:35It would be nice to be able to look out of the window and see fields.
0:04:35 > 0:04:39And to have that feeling of space.
0:04:39 > 0:04:41And you were quite happy living here
0:04:41 > 0:04:44until you found out that you weren't the only Kiwi in the village!
0:04:44 > 0:04:45MATT LAUGHS
0:04:45 > 0:04:46And that!
0:04:48 > 0:04:51Whilst police officer Laura is currently on a career break,
0:04:51 > 0:04:54staying at home to bring up the children, now is the right time
0:04:54 > 0:04:58for them to make a move before the girls start school.
0:04:58 > 0:04:59We're hoping to escape to Suffolk.
0:04:59 > 0:05:03We've been over there a couple of times. Some beautiful countryside
0:05:03 > 0:05:05and beautiful houses and beautiful little villages that we could
0:05:05 > 0:05:09really see ourselves settling into, and becoming part of the community.
0:05:09 > 0:05:12Nice little cosy pubs in the winter.
0:05:12 > 0:05:15And lots of sheep, primarily!
0:05:15 > 0:05:17THEY LAUGH
0:05:17 > 0:05:20Which is not why I'm attracted to Suffolk at all, but, yeah,
0:05:20 > 0:05:23we would like to get some land that we could potentially keep
0:05:23 > 0:05:25some sheep on in the longer term.
0:05:25 > 0:05:30Just to give our girls a sort of a rural upbringing.
0:05:30 > 0:05:33Matt grew up in the New Zealand countryside close to the sea,
0:05:33 > 0:05:36and they're keen for the girls to experience the same kind
0:05:36 > 0:05:37of childhood he enjoyed.
0:05:37 > 0:05:40Suffolk's got a long coastline, and I'd really like to teach
0:05:40 > 0:05:43the girls how to sail, like I was taught when I was younger.
0:05:43 > 0:05:45And I'd like to learn how to sail, as well.
0:05:45 > 0:05:49But it would be nice to be able to go to the coast for the day.
0:05:49 > 0:05:52Yeah, absolutely, just get on the boat at the coast in the morning,
0:05:52 > 0:05:54or for the afternoon, for fish and chips.
0:05:54 > 0:05:57- It would be amazing, wouldn't it?- Yeah.
0:05:57 > 0:05:59Committed to making the move to Suffolk work,
0:05:59 > 0:06:02Matt would like the property to be no more than a 15-minute drive
0:06:02 > 0:06:03from the nearest railway station,
0:06:03 > 0:06:07so he can still commute to his risk-management job in London.
0:06:07 > 0:06:10I'm fully prepared for the commute to take a bit longer.
0:06:10 > 0:06:12It's a trade-off with lifestyle.
0:06:14 > 0:06:17And with rolling fields and sea air on the horizon,
0:06:17 > 0:06:20Laura and Matt can't wait to immerse themselves in country life
0:06:20 > 0:06:23and begin their search for their dream home.
0:06:23 > 0:06:27I'm primarily looking forward to the peace and quiet,
0:06:27 > 0:06:30the kids being able to make as much noise as they want to
0:06:30 > 0:06:32without annoying any neighbours,
0:06:32 > 0:06:36and just having the freedom to do what we want, whenever we want to.
0:06:39 > 0:06:42Having visited Suffolk only a handful of times,
0:06:42 > 0:06:45Laura and Matt are open to living anywhere in the county,
0:06:45 > 0:06:48so this gives us great scope for our property search.
0:06:48 > 0:06:51I'm meeting up with them to pinpoint exactly what they're after
0:06:51 > 0:06:56in terms of their new home and new life in the countryside.
0:06:56 > 0:06:59Welcome back, you two, to a bright but blustery Suffolk.
0:06:59 > 0:07:01- Good to be out in the countryside? - Absolutely.
0:07:01 > 0:07:03So, how well do you know Suffolk?
0:07:03 > 0:07:05We don't know Suffolk very well.
0:07:05 > 0:07:07A voyage of discovery for you both.
0:07:07 > 0:07:09- Yes.- Why have you chosen Suffolk, then?
0:07:09 > 0:07:12We were looking to move back to New Zealand at some stage, and...
0:07:12 > 0:07:15- That's called Escape THE Country! - Escape THE Country! Absolutely.
0:07:15 > 0:07:16Ha-ha!
0:07:16 > 0:07:19And Suffolk is quite similar to New Zealand in terms of countryside.
0:07:19 > 0:07:22This is sort of a compromise between the two.
0:07:22 > 0:07:26Well, you're still working, so it needs to be commutable.
0:07:26 > 0:07:29I've spoken to a few people in my work that do commute from Suffolk.
0:07:29 > 0:07:31I've had a look at the Sudbury commute,
0:07:31 > 0:07:33and that seems quite reasonable.
0:07:33 > 0:07:35Now, schools have got to be a factor coming up, haven't they?
0:07:35 > 0:07:38That's a key aspect of the property search for us -
0:07:38 > 0:07:40the schools available for the children.
0:07:40 > 0:07:42So let's talk about the house itself. And its environment.
0:07:42 > 0:07:46You're from New Zealand, so I imagine you want to be in the middle of nowhere.
0:07:46 > 0:07:48This is where we compromise again.
0:07:48 > 0:07:50I would rather be in the middle of a village.
0:07:50 > 0:07:52Matt would rather be in the middle of nowhere.
0:07:52 > 0:07:56So I think somewhere in between that would be ideal.
0:07:56 > 0:08:00What does it look like, then, this dream countryside property, then, Laura?
0:08:00 > 0:08:04Ideally four bedrooms at least.
0:08:04 > 0:08:06An annexe would be nice.
0:08:06 > 0:08:08If people are coming to stay,
0:08:08 > 0:08:10- I think it's nice for them to have their own space.- OK.
0:08:10 > 0:08:12Especially for people staying from New Zealand,
0:08:12 > 0:08:14that are over here for extended periods of time.
0:08:14 > 0:08:17That makes perfect sense, so, like your folks, of course.
0:08:17 > 0:08:20- Absolutely, yeah.- OK, style-wise, have you got anything you both like?
0:08:20 > 0:08:22We've looked at barn conversions,
0:08:22 > 0:08:24we've looked at Victorian properties.
0:08:24 > 0:08:27We'd prefer something with a bit of character.
0:08:27 > 0:08:33- Yes. Now, outside. Big garden?- Yes.- How big?- Huge!
0:08:33 > 0:08:35Why did I even ask that question?!
0:08:35 > 0:08:38- Matt would like five acres. I'm a bit more realistic.- Good.
0:08:38 > 0:08:41I'll go with your answer, then, Laura. Any particular no-noes?
0:08:41 > 0:08:44- We don't want it right on a main road.- Let's talk about budget.
0:08:44 > 0:08:46I understand you've got two options, haven't you?
0:08:46 > 0:08:49We have. We have a property in Stevenage at the moment
0:08:49 > 0:08:51and we'd quite like to keep that and rent it out,
0:08:51 > 0:08:55or selling it would increase the budget somewhat over here.
0:08:55 > 0:08:57So, if you keep your property in Stevenage,
0:08:57 > 0:08:59how much would you be able to spend here?
0:08:59 > 0:09:04- I think 450 is realistic.- OK, and if you sell your property in Stevenage?
0:09:04 > 0:09:08- 550-650.- OK.
0:09:08 > 0:09:13So, how about, then, we look around 450-ish, option one, and 550-ish,
0:09:13 > 0:09:17maybe squeezing a bit more out of it, for option number two?
0:09:17 > 0:09:21- Sounds a good plan.- Great. - Let's get going.- Lovely, thanks.
0:09:25 > 0:09:30Having a budget in the region of 450,000 and £550,000, Laura and Matt
0:09:30 > 0:09:33are looking for a four-bed detached property with
0:09:33 > 0:09:37lots of space for their growing girls to explore and enough land
0:09:37 > 0:09:41to appreciate rural living, but also not too far from a local village.
0:09:43 > 0:09:46We've got some gorgeous properties lined up which reflect
0:09:46 > 0:09:49the bountiful architectural heritage of Suffolk that Laura
0:09:49 > 0:09:53and Matt love, combined with the space they're longing for.
0:09:53 > 0:09:55At the end of the house tours, I'll be asking them
0:09:55 > 0:09:57to estimate the price of each.
0:09:57 > 0:10:01Our final stop will be the mystery house, which provides an alternative
0:10:01 > 0:10:05option and may make them reconsider elements of their wish list.
0:10:10 > 0:10:12So, have you lived in the countryside before, Laura?
0:10:12 > 0:10:15I haven't, no. I'm what you would describe as a townie.
0:10:15 > 0:10:17Is it daunting?
0:10:17 > 0:10:21A little bit, yeah, because I'd be leaving my family,
0:10:21 > 0:10:25but then Matt wants to live in the countryside.
0:10:25 > 0:10:27I'd still be lucky enough for my parents
0:10:27 > 0:10:29and friends and family
0:10:29 > 0:10:31to come and stay with us at weekends.
0:10:31 > 0:10:32We're not a million miles away.
0:10:32 > 0:10:35That sounds like a mother-in-law staying at your house a lot.
0:10:35 > 0:10:39Absolutely. Hence the requirement for an annexe!
0:10:39 > 0:10:41What do your folks think about you moving away?
0:10:41 > 0:10:45I think Mum would prefer us to move to Suffolk than New Zealand.
0:10:45 > 0:10:48They just want me to do whatever makes me happy.
0:10:48 > 0:10:52So what sort of things do you want to do in your new life in the country?
0:10:52 > 0:10:55Have you any ideas of things you want to do as a family?
0:10:55 > 0:10:56New things?
0:10:56 > 0:11:00We'd like to be more involved in the community, basically,
0:11:00 > 0:11:03and have some close relationships with people that live around us
0:11:03 > 0:11:06and just get involved in the country lifestyle.
0:11:06 > 0:11:10We've got a couple of really active young girls
0:11:10 > 0:11:13and we want them to grow up with the ability
0:11:13 > 0:11:18to do some... Get outdoors and see a bit of the country.
0:11:18 > 0:11:21Your children will be growing up as country bumpkins.
0:11:21 > 0:11:24Won't they? Not townies!
0:11:24 > 0:11:26All we need to do now is find you the right house.
0:11:26 > 0:11:29- In the right community. - Yes. Definitely.
0:11:33 > 0:11:36We're beginning our search in the village of Bacton.
0:11:36 > 0:11:39This popular and attractive village is set around a pond
0:11:39 > 0:11:42and offers a local store and post office,
0:11:42 > 0:11:45pub and garden centre with cafe.
0:11:45 > 0:11:48There's also a highly regarded school, which could be
0:11:48 > 0:11:51a good option for Matt and Laura's girls.
0:11:51 > 0:11:53On the edge of the village and just a gentle saunter
0:11:53 > 0:11:57from the centre of the community is the property we're going to view.
0:12:00 > 0:12:02Now, you told me you like a variety of styles,
0:12:02 > 0:12:04so what do you think of this one?
0:12:04 > 0:12:06Wow, it's very pretty.
0:12:06 > 0:12:07It's beautiful.
0:12:07 > 0:12:11- Yeah, I really like it. - Do you?- Yes.- Good!
0:12:11 > 0:12:12I like the windows.
0:12:12 > 0:12:16It's lovely. It's set back from the road. Nice and quiet. Yeah.
0:12:16 > 0:12:19But with a few neighbours.
0:12:19 > 0:12:22To bake cakes for. I'm building a picture of your life. I want in!
0:12:22 > 0:12:25- I do bake.- Good. Let's go inside.
0:12:25 > 0:12:27This substantial, Grade II-listed,
0:12:27 > 0:12:31picture-postcard cottage has origins dating back to
0:12:31 > 0:12:34the late 17th century and, although modernised throughout,
0:12:34 > 0:12:37retains many original and characterful features.
0:12:37 > 0:12:40OK, let's start in the kitchen because, by the sounds of it,
0:12:40 > 0:12:45- you are going to be spending quite a bit of time in here.- Yes.
0:12:45 > 0:12:47It's lovely. Nice, open-plan.
0:12:47 > 0:12:51I love the fact that the conservatory area comes off of the kitchen,
0:12:51 > 0:12:55- because it makes the kitchen look a lot bigger.- Yeah.
0:12:55 > 0:12:58- It's a good family space. - Somewhere to cook, eat, entertain. That's right.
0:12:58 > 0:13:01And that would really suit our lifestyle, wouldn't it?
0:13:01 > 0:13:04I love cooking. I love being in the kitchen.
0:13:04 > 0:13:09- We could certainly live in here very happily.- Happy families!
0:13:09 > 0:13:12Also on the ground floor is a study and a shower room,
0:13:12 > 0:13:14which would be useful for visiting family.
0:13:15 > 0:13:17Your main living room.
0:13:17 > 0:13:19OK, this is cosy.
0:13:21 > 0:13:23Yeah, nice. Very cosy.
0:13:23 > 0:13:26But, what you get with all this wonderful timber
0:13:26 > 0:13:29is the character just oozing from the walls, don't you?
0:13:29 > 0:13:33- It's beautiful. The timber is beautiful.- Yeah, the wood is a really lovely colour.
0:13:33 > 0:13:35There is planning consent to go through there -
0:13:35 > 0:13:39see where that window is? And keep those big timber uprights.
0:13:39 > 0:13:43You've got a really nice opportunity for another ground-floor room.
0:13:43 > 0:13:46- So this could lead into a much bigger living room.- Yeah.
0:13:46 > 0:13:49Formal dining room, whatever you want to use it for.
0:13:49 > 0:13:52- It's a really pretty room. Yeah. Lots of potential.- Yeah?
0:13:52 > 0:13:55Now, before we go upstairs, I want to show you one room down here,
0:13:55 > 0:13:58because I think it lends itself to what you're after.
0:13:58 > 0:13:59So follow me.
0:14:01 > 0:14:05OK, so this, officially, is the other reception room.
0:14:05 > 0:14:09But, as the current owners have elderly parents,
0:14:09 > 0:14:13- they use this when they come to stay.- OK.
0:14:13 > 0:14:14So this is a nice guest room.
0:14:14 > 0:14:17And it's a nice place to have a guest room.
0:14:17 > 0:14:18So, would you keep it just as this?
0:14:18 > 0:14:21Well, it could be a good children's playroom, as well,
0:14:21 > 0:14:23when it's not being occupied by friends and family.
0:14:23 > 0:14:26I'm looking around and I'm thinking, where I would fit my furniture?
0:14:26 > 0:14:29And it's the first house that I've seen, that I've done that.
0:14:29 > 0:14:32Let's go upstairs and look at the bedrooms.
0:14:32 > 0:14:33Matt asked for four,
0:14:33 > 0:14:37and with the option of the fourth being downstairs, upstairs
0:14:37 > 0:14:41there are two double bedrooms, one single, and a family bathroom.
0:14:42 > 0:14:46Now, this is your master bedroom.
0:14:46 > 0:14:49- Wow!- OK.
0:14:49 > 0:14:51That is a wall, isn't it?
0:14:51 > 0:14:53Yeah! It's a gold wall!
0:14:53 > 0:14:57It's actually made out of real Suffolk gold.
0:14:57 > 0:14:59LAURA LAUGHS
0:14:59 > 0:15:01- It's quite a statement, isn't it?- Yeah.
0:15:01 > 0:15:06A bit more light might open it up a bit. It is a reasonable-sized room.
0:15:06 > 0:15:08That's for sure.
0:15:08 > 0:15:11It's not that I don't like it, it's just that it's just a room.
0:15:11 > 0:15:14It's not wowing you.
0:15:14 > 0:15:15But, does a bedroom need to wow you?
0:15:15 > 0:15:19- The most important rooms in the house are downstairs.- Yeah, exactly.
0:15:19 > 0:15:21Let's go outside and talk about outside space.
0:15:21 > 0:15:23We'll also have a think about how much
0:15:23 > 0:15:26this place might be on the market for.
0:15:26 > 0:15:29Deceptively small-looking from the front of the property,
0:15:29 > 0:15:32the garden actually stretches out and round the cottage,
0:15:32 > 0:15:34which sits within a third-of-an-acre plot.
0:15:36 > 0:15:41- Now, all-important outside space. - Nice. Absolutely.
0:15:41 > 0:15:45I really like it. I think it's a lovely size. It's manageable.
0:15:45 > 0:15:48And of course, this isn't the smallholding that
0:15:48 > 0:15:49I know you dream of, Matt.
0:15:49 > 0:15:56- We're not going to be running 50 sheep on it, but...- Just two girls!
0:15:56 > 0:15:59- Yeah, the two girls. - Maybe a couple of chickens.
0:15:59 > 0:16:02So, how much do you think it is?
0:16:02 > 0:16:04I'm thinking 435,000.
0:16:05 > 0:16:11- OK, I was going to say the lower end of our budget at 450.- Well...
0:16:11 > 0:16:12Not great news for you.
0:16:12 > 0:16:15This place is on the market for offers around £485,000.
0:16:15 > 0:16:18I think that reflects its position.
0:16:18 > 0:16:22It's in one of those rare old villages that has the pub,
0:16:22 > 0:16:25the post office, the shop, Stowmarket,
0:16:25 > 0:16:29one hour and 26 minutes on the train, so it's commutable.
0:16:29 > 0:16:33- You've got the village community. - Yes.- And you got outside space.
0:16:33 > 0:16:36- Mm-hm.- Now, I think you should go back into the house
0:16:36 > 0:16:38and have a look around all the other rooms
0:16:38 > 0:16:40and then I'll meet you back out here, and we'll move on.
0:16:40 > 0:16:41- OK, thank you.- Enjoy.
0:16:44 > 0:16:47That was the first house. I've seen some great reactions from them both.
0:16:47 > 0:16:50And I think, as Laura said, they could see themselves living here.
0:16:50 > 0:16:53So, good start.
0:16:53 > 0:16:56£65,000 under the top end of their budget,
0:16:56 > 0:16:59this cottage offers up four bedrooms,
0:16:59 > 0:17:01a large, sociable kitchen
0:17:01 > 0:17:04and a garden big enough for the girls to explore.
0:17:04 > 0:17:06With a convenient layout for when family come to stay
0:17:06 > 0:17:09and being a stone's throw from a village community,
0:17:09 > 0:17:12it's pretty much what Laura and Matt were after.
0:17:12 > 0:17:15I thought the house was absolutely beautiful. Really impressive.
0:17:15 > 0:17:17Lovely. Nice bit of land behind it.
0:17:17 > 0:17:21- I think the girls would like playing here.- Yes.- Plenty of room for them.
0:17:21 > 0:17:24- Yeah. And it's interesting, as well. - It is.
0:17:24 > 0:17:26Interesting garden, and it's mature. I love all these trees.
0:17:26 > 0:17:28Yeah, they're beautiful.
0:17:28 > 0:17:32I absolutely fell in love with the kitchen, conservatory area.
0:17:32 > 0:17:37And downstairs had an extra room which would be ideal as a playroom or
0:17:37 > 0:17:42a guest room, and I think that would really work well for us as a family.
0:17:44 > 0:17:46- Cosy little room, isn't it?- It is.
0:17:46 > 0:17:48I think Elizabeth would like this room.
0:17:48 > 0:17:51Yeah. At the moment. She'd soon outgrow it, though.
0:17:51 > 0:17:54I'm aware that the property does have planning permission to add an
0:17:54 > 0:17:59extension on, but, as it is at the moment, probably quite tight for us.
0:17:59 > 0:18:02I really like this house and, if it meant that we could
0:18:02 > 0:18:05keep our current house, then I would happily live here.
0:18:07 > 0:18:09- So, all done inside? - Yes, we're done.
0:18:09 > 0:18:11Didn't bang your head on any beams?
0:18:11 > 0:18:13- No.- I must have missed them all.
0:18:13 > 0:18:16- So, you could get used to it, then, maybe?- Yeah, possibly, yeah.
0:18:16 > 0:18:21- Truth be told, that's all I want to hear. Let's get going.- Fantastic.
0:18:29 > 0:18:32The Suffolk countryside is home to extensive views
0:18:32 > 0:18:36and an undulating terrain, and below this surface lies land rich in clay.
0:18:36 > 0:18:39In Bulmer, on the Suffolk-Essex border,
0:18:39 > 0:18:42there's a site dating back to the Middle Ages, where clay
0:18:42 > 0:18:45is still being used today to make decorative terracotta
0:18:45 > 0:18:48plaques in the style of the past.
0:18:48 > 0:18:51We sent Laura and Matt, who are keen to find out about the local area
0:18:51 > 0:18:55and traditions, to meet tile- and brick-maker Peter Minter,
0:18:55 > 0:18:58whose family have been running this brickyard since 1936.
0:18:58 > 0:19:02Good morning. Nice to meet you, nice to meet you. Jolly good.
0:19:02 > 0:19:05So, Peter, is the clay local clay?
0:19:05 > 0:19:06We are sitting on a clay seam.
0:19:06 > 0:19:09This is the north edge of the Thames Estuary, would you believe?
0:19:09 > 0:19:12And this was all the silt in that estuary.
0:19:12 > 0:19:14And it's a very clean, fine clay.
0:19:14 > 0:19:17And that's perfect for making a whole range of things.
0:19:17 > 0:19:20- What are you going to do today?- Well, I think we'll make some plaques.
0:19:20 > 0:19:21These are plaques.
0:19:21 > 0:19:24This is a carving of a traditional Tudor rose from the time of
0:19:24 > 0:19:27the Wars of the Roses, and this is a little stylised rose.
0:19:27 > 0:19:30And they are carved in wood in reverse and then moulded
0:19:30 > 0:19:31and we shall see that process.
0:19:33 > 0:19:36Peter makes all the plaques using traditional moulds made
0:19:36 > 0:19:39out of mahogany, which enable them to retain their shape.
0:19:39 > 0:19:43Rescued by Peter's father after the Second World War,
0:19:43 > 0:19:46the mould they are using today was one of many set to be burned
0:19:46 > 0:19:48before he brought them back into use.
0:19:48 > 0:19:52We have come to the making shop to try to make a decorative
0:19:52 > 0:19:55plaque for you. So this has been sanded, ready to throw the clay in.
0:19:55 > 0:19:58And we're going to roll the clay in sand, rather as you would use
0:19:58 > 0:20:01flour with dough, so that the two will come apart.
0:20:01 > 0:20:04And if you have a look here, here's the start of rolling what is
0:20:04 > 0:20:07called a warp, which is the shape that's going to go in there.
0:20:07 > 0:20:10So it just needs a little bit of sand, just literally to roll it in,
0:20:10 > 0:20:13and you can roll back like that, you just get each corner
0:20:13 > 0:20:18just slightly rolled, and then it will go into that box, we hope.
0:20:18 > 0:20:22As one piece. That's it.
0:20:24 > 0:20:27That's lovely. And then, if you punch from the centre,
0:20:27 > 0:20:31push it in, we're going to push it into each corner with your fist.
0:20:33 > 0:20:34That's it.
0:20:35 > 0:20:36It's really good fun.
0:20:37 > 0:20:41And then just fold it in slightly from the edges. That's perfect.
0:20:43 > 0:20:46Then we bow off the surplus clay.
0:20:46 > 0:20:48- Like that?- That's it.
0:20:48 > 0:20:53Press down and draw along. Lovely! And then roll that back.
0:20:56 > 0:20:58That's it.
0:21:00 > 0:21:03- I'll take that. - That's the start of the next brick.
0:21:03 > 0:21:06And then we take a metal, we call it a strike.
0:21:06 > 0:21:08Just put a little bit of water on there, as well,
0:21:08 > 0:21:11and then you can just smooth that off with that rod.
0:21:11 > 0:21:14Right along the top, there. That's perfect.
0:21:14 > 0:21:17This has got to go onto a board, when you turn it out,
0:21:17 > 0:21:20so we put a little sand on there, just like a flour again,
0:21:20 > 0:21:23so the next thing is to pick it up.
0:21:23 > 0:21:26That's it. That's lovely, perfect.
0:21:26 > 0:21:28You've got a job!
0:21:28 > 0:21:29THEY LAUGH
0:21:29 > 0:21:33That's lovely. Pick up a board, lay it on top.
0:21:36 > 0:21:38Turn it over.
0:21:41 > 0:21:45And with a bit of luck, it should, hopefully, come out.
0:21:45 > 0:21:47- And...- Just give it a little wiggle.
0:21:47 > 0:21:51- Slowly. Not too much. Just straight up.- You're so bossy!
0:21:54 > 0:21:58- Oh, wow!- How about that?- Fantastic.
0:21:58 > 0:22:00So, now, you're going to put this to dry,
0:22:00 > 0:22:02and during the drying process, it will shrink.
0:22:02 > 0:22:04Once the plaques are out of the moulds,
0:22:04 > 0:22:07they need to dry out for around three to four weeks
0:22:07 > 0:22:10before they can be fired in a coal-burning downdraught kiln.
0:22:12 > 0:22:14This is the kiln.
0:22:14 > 0:22:17Why do you dry the plaques out before you put them in the kiln?
0:22:17 > 0:22:19Because if you've got moisture present when it heats up,
0:22:19 > 0:22:22it will turn to steam, and the whole thing will disintegrate.
0:22:22 > 0:22:24Your plaque, once it's dry, will be dry enough to go in here,
0:22:24 > 0:22:26and we shall pack it in with other bricks.
0:22:26 > 0:22:28And put it at the height that we want to get the colour,
0:22:28 > 0:22:31because the colour is affected by the height it is in the kiln.
0:22:31 > 0:22:33What sort of temperatures do you get in the kiln?
0:22:33 > 0:22:36At the top of the kiln, about 1,100 centigrade. So it's quite hot.
0:22:36 > 0:22:39Is there much variation between the top and the bottom?
0:22:39 > 0:22:40About 200 degrees.
0:22:40 > 0:22:43- So the hotter they are, the paler in colour?- No, darker.
0:22:43 > 0:22:45Your plaque will be put in the middle to protect it,
0:22:45 > 0:22:47so that it comes out a perfect red.
0:22:47 > 0:22:49And you leave it that way for...?
0:22:49 > 0:22:52Three days. Three days to fire it, and three days cooling.
0:22:52 > 0:22:56- So in a couple of months' time, your plaque should be ready.- Fantastic.
0:22:56 > 0:22:57Lovely, thank you.
0:22:57 > 0:23:00It's very nice to have met you, and thanks very much for coming.
0:23:00 > 0:23:03- Thank you for a fantastic day out. - Jolly good. Very good. Thank you.
0:23:03 > 0:23:05- Lovely.- Bye-bye.
0:23:12 > 0:23:16Our house-hunt continues in the hamlet of Creeting St Peter.
0:23:16 > 0:23:19Nearby is the town of Needham Market,
0:23:19 > 0:23:22which originally grew up around the wool-combing industry,
0:23:22 > 0:23:27and where there's a butcher, a baker, a post office and two pubs.
0:23:27 > 0:23:30The property we're going to visit is 2.5 miles
0:23:30 > 0:23:33from this thriving community and a five-minute drive
0:23:33 > 0:23:36to a local primary school for Laura and Matt's girls.
0:23:36 > 0:23:40Now, someone here mentioned they liked the idea of a barn conversion.
0:23:40 > 0:23:42Mmm.
0:23:42 > 0:23:45- There you go.- OK.
0:23:45 > 0:23:47- Fantastic.- Interesting.
0:23:47 > 0:23:50All this timber-clad building is yours,
0:23:50 > 0:23:53from the two-storey building, all the way along here.
0:23:53 > 0:23:56And the living accommodation ends right there at the carport.
0:23:56 > 0:23:58- It's quite extensive, isn't it?- Mmm.
0:23:58 > 0:24:01I think it looks quite small from the outside,
0:24:01 > 0:24:03but I think it's going to actually be quite big.
0:24:03 > 0:24:05Now, can you hear that?
0:24:05 > 0:24:09That's the train that takes you into London in one hour and 26 minutes.
0:24:09 > 0:24:12The station is less than a couple of miles away. At Stowmarket.
0:24:12 > 0:24:14What do you really think about this area?
0:24:14 > 0:24:18It seems a bit more in the middle of nowhere for me.
0:24:18 > 0:24:21The convenience of the train is quite appealing.
0:24:21 > 0:24:25Inside, this could be the house that you fall in love with.
0:24:25 > 0:24:29It really, really could be. Let's go and find out.
0:24:29 > 0:24:31Stylishly converted 12 years ago,
0:24:31 > 0:24:34this Grade II-listed barn has foundations which date back
0:24:34 > 0:24:38to 1753, and sits within a development of eight dwellings.
0:24:41 > 0:24:43Right, first off, I want to point out
0:24:43 > 0:24:45you've got a utility room just there.
0:24:45 > 0:24:47- Brilliant.- Big tick for you, isn't it?
0:24:47 > 0:24:50- Yes.- Absolutely!- Now, kitchen.- Ah!
0:24:52 > 0:24:56- Well, that's nice.- I like the kitchen, lovely island in the middle.
0:24:56 > 0:25:01Now, they've spent some money on this house, especially in the kitchen. You can see it.
0:25:01 > 0:25:05Shot-blasted granite worktops, state-of-the-art cookers.
0:25:05 > 0:25:09Yeah, very contemporary, yet still quite country at the same time.
0:25:09 > 0:25:12Yeah, and if you look through those double doorways,
0:25:12 > 0:25:16- you've got a really good-sized dining room.- Yes.- I'm liking it.
0:25:16 > 0:25:20Through that door that way, you got a living room
0:25:20 > 0:25:23and an en-suite double bedroom.
0:25:23 > 0:25:25- OK.- Right.
0:25:26 > 0:25:29- That's almost like an axe.- Oh, wow!
0:25:29 > 0:25:31So you can go and discover that later on,
0:25:31 > 0:25:35- but I just want you to know that is there while we walk through the rest of the house.- OK.
0:25:35 > 0:25:36Come with me.
0:25:39 > 0:25:42- Now, I really like this room. - Oh, yeah.- I think you will, too.
0:25:42 > 0:25:43Fantastic, yeah.
0:25:45 > 0:25:48- It's a good size, isn't it? - It's a really nice room.
0:25:48 > 0:25:53It's got a lot of what you liked in the previous house, but then, look!
0:25:53 > 0:25:58- Just more space.- Yeah, beautifully decorated.- It certainly is.
0:25:58 > 0:26:02- Nice flooring. Very impressive. - I like this room.
0:26:02 > 0:26:05- You like the inside of this house, don't you?- I do. I really do.
0:26:05 > 0:26:09- And because of that, the outside is growing on me, too.- Good.
0:26:09 > 0:26:11It's all about the package. Of course it is.
0:26:11 > 0:26:14Let's keep looking around. Let me take you to one of the bedrooms -
0:26:14 > 0:26:16- I think you'll like those, as well.- Yep.
0:26:18 > 0:26:21Due to the unique layout of this barn conversion,
0:26:21 > 0:26:24on the ground floor there are two double bedrooms
0:26:24 > 0:26:27and two bathrooms located at either end of the property.
0:26:27 > 0:26:30On the first floor, there are a further three double bedrooms -
0:26:30 > 0:26:37one currently used as a library, one as a study - and two more bathrooms.
0:26:39 > 0:26:42Obviously, this is your master, en suite.
0:26:42 > 0:26:47- I think you can get all your family at this end of the house.- Yeah.- Yes!
0:26:47 > 0:26:50- It's lovely.- Definitely! - I love the timber.
0:26:50 > 0:26:52And what we love about it
0:26:52 > 0:26:55is that it's so separated from the kitchen/dining room,
0:26:55 > 0:26:59so if you've got friends over and you're having a party
0:26:59 > 0:27:02and it's a little bit noisy, it's not going to disturb...
0:27:02 > 0:27:03The little ones, yeah, good idea.
0:27:03 > 0:27:07Don't forget downstairs, there's a double bedroom,
0:27:07 > 0:27:10great for visiting relatives.
0:27:11 > 0:27:16- I really feel at home here. Do you? - Yeah, I could see myself living here.
0:27:16 > 0:27:19- I think the layout would suit us really well.- Yeah.
0:27:19 > 0:27:22You spied that other bit of garden from the living room.
0:27:22 > 0:27:26Let's go out there and also maybe start thinking about the price.
0:27:26 > 0:27:28'Since viewing the inside of the barn,
0:27:28 > 0:27:31'the property seems to have grown on Laura especially.
0:27:31 > 0:27:35'But let's see if the landscape garden here of half an acre
0:27:35 > 0:27:36'lives up to expectation, too.'
0:27:36 > 0:27:39This is a really handy bit of garden space here, isn't it?
0:27:39 > 0:27:42- Yes.- Absolutely, yeah. - I really like this.
0:27:42 > 0:27:43A little bit overgrown at the moment,
0:27:43 > 0:27:46- but you can really do something with this space.- Definitely.
0:27:46 > 0:27:48Nice views of the countryside here.
0:27:48 > 0:27:52Compare your thoughts or reactions now to your first reactions
0:27:52 > 0:27:54when you were stood on the other side of that building.
0:27:54 > 0:27:57Yeah, well, I was a bit disappointed when we first saw the garden.
0:27:57 > 0:28:02But, actually, I've walked around the house and I've come out here
0:28:02 > 0:28:06and there's a lot more garden out here and it's beautiful.
0:28:06 > 0:28:09You just keep finding more and more house, don't you,
0:28:09 > 0:28:12and more and more garden? So, yeah, it's quite surprising.
0:28:12 > 0:28:16OK, then, your next problem is to guess the price of this house.
0:28:16 > 0:28:20- Well, I definitely think it's the top end of our top budget.- OK.
0:28:20 > 0:28:24But I don't think you'd be so mean as to show us somewhere
0:28:24 > 0:28:27that I would fall in love with that we couldn't afford.
0:28:27 > 0:28:30- So I would say £600,000.- OK.
0:28:31 > 0:28:33I'm going to go slightly lower.
0:28:33 > 0:28:36- I think £580,000.- Good guess.
0:28:36 > 0:28:38You'll be pleased to hear that this place is on the market
0:28:38 > 0:28:43- for offers around £575,000.- Wow! - Wow!- That's good, isn't it?
0:28:43 > 0:28:47That's surprising! Yeah, I was being optimistic with my 580.
0:28:47 > 0:28:53- That's really doable.- Yeah.- I like that.- Something to think about?- Yes.
0:28:53 > 0:28:55Good package, isn't it, really?
0:28:55 > 0:28:59- Yeah.- I'm impressed. - I love this house! I love it!
0:28:59 > 0:29:01Well, I love hearing that.
0:29:01 > 0:29:03Now, look, I think you should go back into the house,
0:29:03 > 0:29:05have a look at all the rooms you haven't yet seen.
0:29:05 > 0:29:08Maybe the guest suite - the guest wing, should we call it? -
0:29:08 > 0:29:09at the other side of the kitchen
0:29:09 > 0:29:11and I'll meet you outside whenever you're done.
0:29:11 > 0:29:13- All right?- OK, brilliant. See you in a mo.- Thank you.
0:29:14 > 0:29:19Well, this house has really grown on both Laura and Matt
0:29:19 > 0:29:22and I think a lot of that is, of course, the size of the accommodation.
0:29:22 > 0:29:24It's been really well done
0:29:24 > 0:29:27and I do actually think this is a contender this time.
0:29:30 > 0:29:33At the very top end of their budget, this stunning barn conversion
0:29:33 > 0:29:36with four bedrooms and contemporary kitchen
0:29:36 > 0:29:39offers the perfect solution for separate guest accommodation.
0:29:39 > 0:29:42So there's plenty of room for Laura and Matt to play with.
0:29:46 > 0:29:48- Oh, this is a nice space.- Yeah.
0:29:48 > 0:29:51Like a fantastic playroom for the girls
0:29:51 > 0:29:55and just somewhere they can mess up and you can shut the door on it!
0:29:55 > 0:30:00- Yeah!- Space is what we were after and this place definitely delivers that.
0:30:00 > 0:30:04Walking round the house, the rooms are all lovely.
0:30:04 > 0:30:05It's beautifully decorated.
0:30:07 > 0:30:10- This would make a fantastic guest room, wouldn't it?- Yeah.
0:30:10 > 0:30:12Yeah, very impressive.
0:30:12 > 0:30:15I love the style, this place has been done very tastefully.
0:30:15 > 0:30:17- Another bathroom.- Oh, wow!
0:30:20 > 0:30:21Brilliant.
0:30:21 > 0:30:25- Your mum and dad would be pretty happy with this, wouldn't they? - Mmm.- As would mine.
0:30:25 > 0:30:30Possibly where this house falls short is on the outside space.
0:30:30 > 0:30:33If we were to buy this house, because it is at the top
0:30:33 > 0:30:36end of our budget, we would have to sell our house in Stevenage.
0:30:36 > 0:30:37But I think, for a house like this,
0:30:37 > 0:30:40that would be something I'd be willing to do.
0:30:41 > 0:30:44Tell me, guys - what was it like spending some time
0:30:44 > 0:30:48- in this house on your own? Did it grow on you even more?- Yes.
0:30:48 > 0:30:52- Yeah.- Yep. I really like this house.
0:30:52 > 0:30:54It's surprising how you've almost turned a corner.
0:30:54 > 0:30:57You said it looked quite nice, but you weren't certain about the area.
0:30:57 > 0:31:00- But you really seem to have warmed to it.- I have.
0:31:00 > 0:31:03The inside is just fabulous.
0:31:03 > 0:31:05Mmm. I have, too.
0:31:05 > 0:31:06I liked it to start with,
0:31:06 > 0:31:09but seeing the inside just makes it even more...
0:31:09 > 0:31:12- Hopefully, something to sleep on now, isn't it?- Yes.- Let's go.
0:31:20 > 0:31:23It's the second day of our property search in Suffolk,
0:31:23 > 0:31:26with Laura and Matt from Stevenage in Hertfordshire,
0:31:26 > 0:31:32who have a budget of between £450-550,000.
0:31:32 > 0:31:35They're ready to leave busy suburbia behind and enjoy the space
0:31:35 > 0:31:39and freedom country living can provide for their growing family.
0:31:39 > 0:31:42Coming up, they're blown away by what's on offer.
0:31:42 > 0:31:44Every time you turn a corner in this place,
0:31:44 > 0:31:46it just gets better, doesn't it? Just space.
0:31:46 > 0:31:51And I take to the water in search of one Suffolk's finest delicacies.
0:31:51 > 0:31:54- Wow!- That must be 20 years old. - What are you going to do with that?
0:31:54 > 0:31:56- We'll use it for oyster soup. - Ooh, lovely!
0:31:59 > 0:32:01I think it's fair to say that Matt and Laura
0:32:01 > 0:32:04rather like barn conversions, so I'm going to stick with that theme
0:32:04 > 0:32:05for the first house today.
0:32:05 > 0:32:07Then, we're off to the mystery house.
0:32:07 > 0:32:10Now, often, this is a bit of a gamble.
0:32:10 > 0:32:12But I was quite pleased with how Laura reacted to the rural
0:32:12 > 0:32:15location of house number two.
0:32:15 > 0:32:17And although the mystery house is the most rural of all
0:32:17 > 0:32:20the locations that Matt and Laura are looking at, I think it's
0:32:20 > 0:32:24worth this gamble, because Matt, in particular, should be laughing here.
0:32:24 > 0:32:28It comes with three acres of land, so plenty for all of his sheep.
0:32:30 > 0:32:32But before the mystery property,
0:32:32 > 0:32:35our search is taking us to the village of Old Newton.
0:32:35 > 0:32:37Close by is the ancient village of Haughley,
0:32:37 > 0:32:40the market for which was once an important
0:32:40 > 0:32:42and historical hub for the area,
0:32:42 > 0:32:45until a great fire in the 1500s destroyed much of the village,
0:32:45 > 0:32:48and brought about the end of the market, which was then moved
0:32:48 > 0:32:50to nearby Stowmarket.
0:32:51 > 0:32:54Today, there are still a range of amenities.
0:32:54 > 0:32:57And, 1.5 miles away, just around the corner from the nearest
0:32:57 > 0:33:02primary school, our offering can be found in the heart of the community.
0:33:03 > 0:33:05You might not guess it quite yet,
0:33:05 > 0:33:09- but this is actually a barn conversion.- Right.
0:33:11 > 0:33:12What do we think?
0:33:12 > 0:33:15- I really like it.- I really like it, too.- You like the position?- I do.
0:33:15 > 0:33:17You're only a ten-minute drive from Stowmarket,
0:33:17 > 0:33:19so good train access back into London.
0:33:20 > 0:33:24It's a strange shape, isn't it? Interesting shape.
0:33:24 > 0:33:26When you think barn conversion, you think lots of beams,
0:33:26 > 0:33:29but I don't think there's going to be lots of beams.
0:33:29 > 0:33:32- I think it could be quite modern inside.- Yeah.
0:33:32 > 0:33:34- I think you're going to like this place.- OK.- Great.
0:33:34 > 0:33:36Let's go inside.
0:33:36 > 0:33:40Formerly a Victorian threshing barn built in 1847,
0:33:40 > 0:33:42this property has phenomenal proportions
0:33:42 > 0:33:45and certainly isn't shy of space.
0:33:45 > 0:33:48Sympathetically converted in 2003,
0:33:48 > 0:33:51it's also been refurbished since by the current owners.
0:33:53 > 0:33:56This could be a really nice, light reception hall there,
0:33:56 > 0:33:58with those blinds taken up.
0:33:58 > 0:34:00But take a look at this.
0:34:00 > 0:34:03Oh, yes!
0:34:03 > 0:34:04I like that!
0:34:05 > 0:34:08- THAT is a fireplace. - That IS a fireplace.
0:34:08 > 0:34:12- That's fantastic. - That's pretty special.- What a room.
0:34:12 > 0:34:16Christmas, can you imagine it in this house? Look at this room!
0:34:16 > 0:34:18I'm already decorating the room.
0:34:18 > 0:34:21We could have the whole extended family for Christmas, yeah.
0:34:21 > 0:34:23We've got stockings over the fireplace...
0:34:25 > 0:34:29- So - big enough, isn't it? - It certainly is.
0:34:29 > 0:34:32I really like the style of the house inside so far.
0:34:32 > 0:34:34- Favourite living room so far? - Absolutely.- Definitely.
0:34:34 > 0:34:38- It beats the previous one.- And you liked that one, didn't you?
0:34:38 > 0:34:41- I did like that one. - OK, let's keep looking around.
0:34:44 > 0:34:46Just wanted to have a quick peek into here,
0:34:46 > 0:34:49because I thought, Christmas dinner.
0:34:49 > 0:34:50Oh, yeah.
0:34:50 > 0:34:52- It's cosy in here, isn't it? - It's lovely.
0:34:52 > 0:34:55- Imagine the whole family in here, gathered round the table.- Yeah.
0:34:55 > 0:34:59- It makes a great, great formal dining room.- Doesn't it just?
0:34:59 > 0:35:02But you've got space in the kitchen, as well - let me show you.
0:35:03 > 0:35:06Also on the ground floor, there's a study which could provide either
0:35:06 > 0:35:10a playroom for the girls or a further guest room for family.
0:35:10 > 0:35:13- Mind your step on the way down here. - OK.- Now...
0:35:13 > 0:35:15Wow.
0:35:15 > 0:35:18This is nice.
0:35:18 > 0:35:21Every time you turn a corner in this place, it just gets better.
0:35:21 > 0:35:22Good. I'm glad you said that. And bigger!
0:35:22 > 0:35:25Just space. Lots and lots of space.
0:35:25 > 0:35:28Beyond there, you've got a utility room and a downstairs loo.
0:35:28 > 0:35:31- Yeah.- Sorted.- Sorted!
0:35:31 > 0:35:34They've done a fantastic job of it, too.
0:35:34 > 0:35:36- Well, I'm glad you like it. - Very nice.
0:35:36 > 0:35:40Nice mixture of wood, brick and... plastered surfaces. Yeah, that's...
0:35:40 > 0:35:44- It's got a great feel to it. - It has. It's beautiful.
0:35:44 > 0:35:47- Great news. Let's go upstairs. - Thank you.- Come with me.
0:35:48 > 0:35:52'Up past this vast, vaulted hallway on the first floor,'
0:35:52 > 0:35:54there are four double bedrooms -
0:35:54 > 0:35:56two of which benefit from en suites -
0:35:56 > 0:35:58plus, there's a family bathroom.
0:36:01 > 0:36:02The master bedroom.
0:36:05 > 0:36:08- Just keeps delivering, this place, doesn't it?- It does. Wow.
0:36:08 > 0:36:12And I'm guessing through that door there, there's en suite?
0:36:12 > 0:36:14Yeah, I like this bedroom a lot.
0:36:14 > 0:36:21- Just the sense of space and light and...- Mm. The high ceilings.- Yeah.
0:36:21 > 0:36:23We really like high ceilings, don't we?
0:36:23 > 0:36:27- It's exactly what we're looking for. - Mm-hm.- Good.
0:36:27 > 0:36:29Well, you've reacted really, really well.
0:36:29 > 0:36:34I wonder if your prices are going to reflect your reactions.
0:36:34 > 0:36:35Let's go outside and have a chat.
0:36:37 > 0:36:39So far, so good.
0:36:39 > 0:36:43However, whilst the well-manicured garden here completely envelopes
0:36:43 > 0:36:46the property, there's only 0.4 of an acre of land,
0:36:46 > 0:36:48so I'm hoping that won't dampen their spirits.
0:36:50 > 0:36:54Now then, you can see you've got these different segments of the garden again.
0:36:54 > 0:36:57- A bit like yesterday afternoon.- Yes.
0:36:57 > 0:37:00- Do you like it?- It's really nicely done.- I really like it.
0:37:01 > 0:37:04You've got the play area for the girls
0:37:04 > 0:37:08- and then the party/entertainment area for us.- Exactly.
0:37:08 > 0:37:11So...come on, then, tell me -
0:37:11 > 0:37:15how much do think this house is on the market for?
0:37:15 > 0:37:17I think you've been a bit mean to us, Jonnie, and I think you've
0:37:17 > 0:37:21gone right to the top, if not a little bit over our budget.
0:37:21 > 0:37:25- So, I'm thinking around the £610,000 mark.- All right.
0:37:25 > 0:37:29I'd say 600, definitely top-end.
0:37:29 > 0:37:31Well...
0:37:31 > 0:37:35this place is on the market for offers around £550,000.
0:37:35 > 0:37:36- Wow!- Wow!
0:37:36 > 0:37:38No way!
0:37:39 > 0:37:42- No way!- Yeah.- I'm shocked.
0:37:42 > 0:37:43It's a good shocked - it's in budget!
0:37:43 > 0:37:46- That's a lot of house for the money.- Yeah.- Yeah.
0:37:46 > 0:37:49I think the house has absolutely blown us away,
0:37:49 > 0:37:52and I think with the quality of the house and the space that the
0:37:52 > 0:37:58house offers, the compromise on the land is one I could easily make.
0:37:58 > 0:38:02But also, I think because there's a field next door,
0:38:02 > 0:38:04it gives you that sense of space.
0:38:04 > 0:38:07Yeah, throws the eye, certainly. Good.
0:38:07 > 0:38:10Well, look, go back into the house, have a good look around it.
0:38:10 > 0:38:13You know what I'm going to ask you to do - start comparing this place
0:38:13 > 0:38:16with what you've seen before now, and I will meet you outside. OK?
0:38:16 > 0:38:19- OK.- Great.- See you in a mo. - Thank you.
0:38:20 > 0:38:23A fantastic house tour, make no mistake about it.
0:38:23 > 0:38:26And the fact that Matt's now prepared to maybe consider
0:38:26 > 0:38:30buying a place without any land, well, it's great news.
0:38:30 > 0:38:32But we've got one more property to see.
0:38:32 > 0:38:36Just under the top of their budget, this modern barn conversion
0:38:36 > 0:38:40beautifully retains a sense of its heritage.
0:38:40 > 0:38:42There are four bedrooms, plus more than enough living space
0:38:42 > 0:38:46for their growing girls to enjoy, and to accommodate visiting family.
0:38:46 > 0:38:50It sits on the edge of a village and is blessed with countryside views.
0:38:50 > 0:38:53Walking into the first reception room, erm...
0:38:53 > 0:38:56I don't think I've ever been in a room so big in a house in the UK.
0:38:56 > 0:38:58It's... It's just amazing.
0:38:58 > 0:39:01It's exceeded any expectations.
0:39:01 > 0:39:04- I'd be tempted to have this bedroom...- Really?
0:39:04 > 0:39:06..as our bedroom, for the view.
0:39:06 > 0:39:11- Oh, wow!- That's what they're after, isn't it?- Absolutely stunning.
0:39:11 > 0:39:12Very nice.
0:39:12 > 0:39:17The living space in this house would so suit our needs as a family.
0:39:17 > 0:39:22There's big spaces and plenty of room for us to grow.
0:39:22 > 0:39:27- Aww! This is a perfect little-girl bedroom, isn't it?- Isn't it?
0:39:27 > 0:39:30When I think about a country property that we would move to,
0:39:30 > 0:39:33you know, this pretty much is it.
0:39:33 > 0:39:35It delivers on everything we're asking for -
0:39:35 > 0:39:37space, bit of character with the beams...
0:39:37 > 0:39:40It's just everything we were looking for.
0:39:40 > 0:39:42The house itself is beautiful.
0:39:42 > 0:39:47It's got beautiful features, it's beautifully decorated...
0:39:47 > 0:39:48It's my dream home.
0:39:50 > 0:39:55- Now then, I think it's fair to say we all enjoyed looking round that house, didn't we?- Yes.- Yes.
0:39:55 > 0:39:58- Did we potentially look around your new home?- Yes!
0:39:58 > 0:40:01Oh-ho-ho-ho! Straight in!
0:40:01 > 0:40:06- But...yourself?- I think we're both quite keen on the property.- We are.
0:40:06 > 0:40:08Well, we've got one more property to have a look at...
0:40:08 > 0:40:10Let's get on the way.
0:40:17 > 0:40:21- So for the mystery property, you know we mix things up a bit?- Yes.
0:40:21 > 0:40:23What do you think it could be today?
0:40:23 > 0:40:28I think the mystery property could be a thatched cottage
0:40:28 > 0:40:31on a fair bit of land that needs a bit of work done to it.
0:40:31 > 0:40:33So you think you'd be getting the land
0:40:33 > 0:40:36but the compromise would be the cottage in proportion...?
0:40:36 > 0:40:38- Exactly, yeah.- Yes.
0:40:38 > 0:40:42- Would a thatched be really bad? - Erm, not for me.
0:40:44 > 0:40:46What do you think it might be, Laura?
0:40:46 > 0:40:49Yeah, I think Matt's probably right there.
0:40:49 > 0:40:51What would you personally love it to be?
0:40:53 > 0:41:00I would love it to be something like the second house we saw yesterday,
0:41:00 > 0:41:02but with the land that Matt wants.
0:41:02 > 0:41:06You've really reacted well to character, to beams,
0:41:06 > 0:41:09- to history, haven't you? - Yeah. I love all that.
0:41:09 > 0:41:12- And I like a little bit of quirkiness.- Mm.
0:41:12 > 0:41:15- But, erm...- It's just got to have the space, as well.
0:41:15 > 0:41:19That's the key element for us, with the rapidly growing family.
0:41:19 > 0:41:21- So...- Well...
0:41:21 > 0:41:25..we're hoping for big things today.
0:41:25 > 0:41:28You might get them. Careful what you wish for, mate!
0:41:32 > 0:41:36For our mystery property, we're visiting the village of Offton.
0:41:36 > 0:41:39Close by is the village of Somersham, which,
0:41:39 > 0:41:41with a good sprinkling of old, traditional buildings,
0:41:41 > 0:41:44has a tightknit community who run the village shop.
0:41:45 > 0:41:50There's also a local primary school which would be handy for Laura and Matt's girls.
0:41:50 > 0:41:53From here, it's just 2.5 miles to our next property,
0:41:53 > 0:41:55which has a stunning rural setting.
0:41:57 > 0:42:00- Now, the mystery house is this.- OK.
0:42:00 > 0:42:02What's going through your mind?
0:42:02 > 0:42:07- That my daughter, Sophie, would absolutely love it.- Ohh! Why so?
0:42:07 > 0:42:11- It's pink.- OK, well... All right! Suffolk pink it is.
0:42:11 > 0:42:13- Pink.- Yes.- Very traditional.
0:42:13 > 0:42:16- With lots of pargetting on the facade and the rear, as well.- Mm.
0:42:16 > 0:42:18I think it's very pretty.
0:42:18 > 0:42:22- The house looks quite small from the outside.- Mm...
0:42:22 > 0:42:24Hoping it will be bigger inside.
0:42:24 > 0:42:27So I'm imagining it's probably got something large that comes with it.
0:42:27 > 0:42:29It has indeed. Come with me.
0:42:29 > 0:42:33Steeped in history dating back to the 17th century,
0:42:33 > 0:42:36this Grade II-listed cottage spent its former years as a pub
0:42:36 > 0:42:39which closed in 1907.
0:42:39 > 0:42:41Lovingly restored by the current owners,
0:42:41 > 0:42:44it includes a host of period features.
0:42:44 > 0:42:46There's a small pantry through that door there.
0:42:46 > 0:42:50- Straight into the kitchen.- Mm-hm.
0:42:50 > 0:42:51- Mind your head.- Yeah!
0:42:53 > 0:42:58- It's cosy, isn't it?- Yeah. - Cosy.- Cosy...- And small.
0:42:58 > 0:43:00Oh! Really? Come through with me...
0:43:00 > 0:43:01SHE LAUGHS
0:43:01 > 0:43:05Give it a chance! OK...
0:43:05 > 0:43:07- A lot of history in here, isn't there?- Yeah.
0:43:07 > 0:43:09I love it, it's very pretty...
0:43:09 > 0:43:14but, for our family living, this is too small.
0:43:14 > 0:43:16I think I would have to agree with Laura on that one.
0:43:16 > 0:43:21It is exceptionally lovely, but I think it's just a little bit...
0:43:21 > 0:43:25- Not combining both these spaces, though?- Yeah...- You've got a separate dining room next door.
0:43:25 > 0:43:30- OK, well, let's keep an open mind and see the rest of it and see how that pans out.- All right, do that.
0:43:33 > 0:43:37Now this dining room... If you like open fires, you'll be impressed.
0:43:37 > 0:43:39- Awww!- Look at that.
0:43:39 > 0:43:42Wow! That's lovely. You can picture family dinners in here -
0:43:42 > 0:43:45nice and cosy in the winter by the fire - can't you?
0:43:45 > 0:43:48I think the reception room you would use is just this way.
0:43:49 > 0:43:53OK, so the dedicated adults' room, I think.
0:43:54 > 0:43:56- Nice and cosy in here, isn't it?- Yeah!
0:43:56 > 0:44:00Whoever's renovated it has done an absolutely fantastic job
0:44:00 > 0:44:03of stripping all the wood back and making it look really pretty.
0:44:03 > 0:44:05Yeah, beautifully done.
0:44:05 > 0:44:08But we're not really talking about it being a home, are we?
0:44:08 > 0:44:11- That says everything.- I don't think it would suit us as a family.
0:44:11 > 0:44:14- And a growing family at that.- Mm.
0:44:14 > 0:44:17Well, as you know, the mystery house is all about a gamble
0:44:17 > 0:44:22and compromise, sometimes, so...we thought you may be pushed
0:44:22 > 0:44:29- a little bit internally as regards to family size, of course.- Yes.
0:44:29 > 0:44:31But we chose it because it gives you something that you haven't
0:44:31 > 0:44:35- yet seen, and that's lots of outside space.- Mm.
0:44:35 > 0:44:40- But before we go out there and have a look around the land...- Sure.
0:44:40 > 0:44:43- ..let's have a quick peek at the bedroom.- OK.- Great.
0:44:43 > 0:44:46On the ground floor, there's a further reception room -
0:44:46 > 0:44:50which could be a fourth bedroom - and a family bathroom.
0:44:50 > 0:44:52Upstairs, there are three double bedrooms and a shower room.
0:44:52 > 0:44:54We're heading for the master.
0:44:57 > 0:44:58- And... - FLOOR CREAKS
0:44:58 > 0:45:01..a creaky bedroom!
0:45:01 > 0:45:05- I love that! Beautiful floorboards. - They are, aren't they?- They are.
0:45:05 > 0:45:07- There'd be no sneaking in at night, though, would there?- No!
0:45:07 > 0:45:10- Not really, no.- It's lovely.
0:45:10 > 0:45:12I think it's a beautiful house.
0:45:12 > 0:45:14Absolutely stunning. I think we both do.
0:45:14 > 0:45:18But, in terms of the space aspect that we're really craving -
0:45:18 > 0:45:23hence our move out of the city - erm, it's not got it.
0:45:23 > 0:45:27Maybe this house can give you the space outside as opposed to inside.
0:45:27 > 0:45:29- Yes.- Come with me.
0:45:31 > 0:45:34The land is the real selling point of this country cottage,
0:45:34 > 0:45:37with veggie plot and stunning views.
0:45:37 > 0:45:39There's over 3.5 acres here,
0:45:39 > 0:45:42and I'm hoping this time Matt will be happy with his lot.
0:45:42 > 0:45:47Now, the man wanted land. Satisfied?
0:45:47 > 0:45:50- It's a good lump of land, isn't it? - Isn't it?- Yeah!
0:45:50 > 0:45:52Cracking view from up here, isn't it?
0:45:52 > 0:45:54I think, coming here and seeing, you know,
0:45:54 > 0:45:58the land and what you get in terms of a house for the price,
0:45:58 > 0:46:02and the compromise you have to make between the two, I'm swayed
0:46:02 > 0:46:05more towards the house being the focal point, rather than the land.
0:46:05 > 0:46:09So, how much do you think it's on the market for?
0:46:09 > 0:46:12I'm thinking around the 450,000 mark.
0:46:12 > 0:46:14- OK.- I'd say 500.
0:46:14 > 0:46:17- Ooh! Quite a spread.- Yeah.
0:46:17 > 0:46:19And it's split the camp,
0:46:19 > 0:46:23because this place is on the market for offers around £475,000.
0:46:23 > 0:46:26- OK.- I feel like the mystery house on this occasion has been
0:46:26 > 0:46:28an exercise in flushing things out.
0:46:28 > 0:46:30Maybe you've already seen a property you like more
0:46:30 > 0:46:32and it helps make your mind up.
0:46:32 > 0:46:36So, have a quick scoot around on your way out and I'll meet you whenever you're ready, OK?
0:46:36 > 0:46:38- OK.- See you in a mo.
0:46:42 > 0:46:48£75,000 under the top end of Laura and Matt's budget, this pretty pink
0:46:48 > 0:46:52cottage offers the character they're after, a substantial amount of land
0:46:52 > 0:46:56that Matt has always dreamt of, and the village location they hoped for.
0:46:56 > 0:47:00However, the property itself just wasn't big enough to accommodate
0:47:00 > 0:47:03the needs of their family.
0:47:03 > 0:47:05The mystery house is a beautiful little cottage,
0:47:05 > 0:47:08but probably just not right for us.
0:47:08 > 0:47:13The house was very lovingly restored, but the rooms felt very small
0:47:13 > 0:47:15and the ceilings were low.
0:47:15 > 0:47:20We have two young, very energetic children who need space to grow
0:47:20 > 0:47:24and to run. And I just feel that this cottage would be
0:47:24 > 0:47:27too small for them to be able to do that.
0:47:27 > 0:47:30It's helped me realise that the land that
0:47:30 > 0:47:34I was longing for is possibly not as necessary as what I thought it was.
0:47:34 > 0:47:37The best move for us would be to spend the extra money
0:47:37 > 0:47:40and sell our house in Stevenage so that we could perhaps buy
0:47:40 > 0:47:45a bigger place over here and get exactly what we want.
0:47:45 > 0:47:46So, that's it.
0:47:46 > 0:47:48- No more houses.- Nope.
0:47:48 > 0:47:52Maybe we've found you something that you really like. Hopefully so.
0:47:52 > 0:47:54Let me take you somewhere you can have a chat
0:47:54 > 0:47:56- and I'll catch up with you after that.- OK, yeah.- Fantastic.
0:48:03 > 0:48:06Just outside this Suffolk coastal village of Orford sits
0:48:06 > 0:48:08the three-mile-long Butley Creek,
0:48:08 > 0:48:12a small tributary to the River Ore and a breeding ground for oysters,
0:48:12 > 0:48:16which have been farmed here since Roman times.
0:48:16 > 0:48:19By the early 20th century, the trade had almost completely died away.
0:48:19 > 0:48:22That is until the 1950s, when Richard Pinney,
0:48:22 > 0:48:26a Londoner keen to make his own escape to the country, heard of this
0:48:26 > 0:48:30rich oyster heritage and reintroduced oysters to the creek.
0:48:30 > 0:48:32Three generations later,
0:48:32 > 0:48:35and Bill Pinney is still working the oyster beds.
0:48:35 > 0:48:38So I've come to meet him to find out a little more about this
0:48:38 > 0:48:42age-old tradition, and, of course, the delicious Butley oyster itself.
0:48:43 > 0:48:46Bill, thanks very much for seeing me this morning.
0:48:46 > 0:48:48Firstly, how would you describe what you do here?
0:48:48 > 0:48:49- Well, we are oyster farming.- Right.
0:48:49 > 0:48:53We buy the oysters as very small seed
0:48:53 > 0:48:54and grow them all the way through.
0:48:54 > 0:48:57So on the river - on the surface to start with, in small mesh bags.
0:48:57 > 0:48:59And when they get big enough, we put them on the bottom,
0:48:59 > 0:49:03where they grow much more slowly. But they grow into a better oyster.
0:49:03 > 0:49:06- So have you been out yet today? - Not yet, no. Now is the time.
0:49:06 > 0:49:07- Shall we go?- Yeah.- Good man.
0:49:09 > 0:49:12Having been introduced to Europe's shores around 40 years ago,
0:49:12 > 0:49:15the deep-shell oysters here are originally native to Japan,
0:49:15 > 0:49:19and with Butley Creek being tidal, the mixture of fresh water,
0:49:19 > 0:49:23salinity and natural plankton provides optimum conditions
0:49:23 > 0:49:27for the growth of around 50,000 of these oysters each year.
0:49:27 > 0:49:29So, what's going on in these ones, then?
0:49:29 > 0:49:31We've got the small ones growing under us...
0:49:35 > 0:49:38So these are ones you're growing, Bill?
0:49:38 > 0:49:41Yeah, these are the baby oysters that are getting big enough
0:49:41 > 0:49:44to go onto the ground. I'll show you.
0:49:46 > 0:49:50These are very, very small, these ones.
0:49:50 > 0:49:53- So, how long have these been in here? - Yeah, we've had them six months.
0:49:53 > 0:49:56And when you put them in here, how big would they have been?
0:49:56 > 0:49:58Well, they were absolutely tiny.
0:49:58 > 0:50:01I mean, they were just like the tip of the oyster there.
0:50:01 > 0:50:03They were that small. These ones are getting near the end.
0:50:03 > 0:50:07Probably in another three or four weeks they'll be big enough to go on the bottom.
0:50:07 > 0:50:08Quite close to it, yeah.
0:50:08 > 0:50:10Can we have a go of dredging some that have been there?
0:50:10 > 0:50:13Yes, I'll take you on to a bed where they've been down
0:50:13 > 0:50:16for about six or eight months and you'll see the difference in growth.
0:50:16 > 0:50:18Great.
0:50:18 > 0:50:20The oysters in these beds can be harvested all year round
0:50:20 > 0:50:23using traditional methods which have barely changed
0:50:23 > 0:50:26over the last 2,000 years.
0:50:26 > 0:50:27Tugged behind the boat,
0:50:27 > 0:50:31the heavy-framed dredge scrapes the oysters off the riverbed
0:50:31 > 0:50:33and catches them in a net-like bag before it's
0:50:33 > 0:50:35then pulled in by hand.
0:50:37 > 0:50:39- Do you want to have a go?- Yes! - It's all yours, then.
0:50:41 > 0:50:46- It's this way up? Just throw it in? - Yep. Good.
0:50:48 > 0:50:51I've got a good feeling about this one, Bill.
0:50:51 > 0:50:53- It's all in the throw, I think. - Yeah, we'll get a bag full.
0:50:53 > 0:50:56Haul it in, then. See what you got.
0:50:56 > 0:50:58- Pull it in.- This side?- That's right.
0:51:00 > 0:51:03Feels heavier. Here we go. Moment of truth.
0:51:06 > 0:51:11Got it? Oh, yeah, that's good. You've got half a dredge full.
0:51:11 > 0:51:12Pull them in.
0:51:14 > 0:51:16Look at the size of that!
0:51:22 > 0:51:26Goodness me! Wow!
0:51:27 > 0:51:30Well, this is more than six months old, isn't it?
0:51:30 > 0:51:32Yeah, that's probably about 20 years old, I should think.
0:51:32 > 0:51:34That's the size you would normally eat.
0:51:34 > 0:51:36- What are you going to do with that? - We'll use it for oyster soup.
0:51:36 > 0:51:38- Oh, really?- Yeah.- Nice.
0:51:38 > 0:51:40Or we might use it for angel on horseback, where we
0:51:40 > 0:51:43- wrap it in bacon.- Oh, lovely!
0:51:47 > 0:51:49After being dredged, the oysters are washed
0:51:49 > 0:51:51and purified before they are ready to eat.
0:51:51 > 0:51:55And, having worked up an appetite on the water, I'm itching to try one.
0:51:55 > 0:52:00But first, I've got to get past that shell. So, how do you open one?
0:52:00 > 0:52:03- Because it looks difficult.- There is a knack. In at that end, yeah?
0:52:03 > 0:52:05Under the hinge, give it a little wiggle.
0:52:05 > 0:52:08A little pressure, keep wriggling until you feel it pop in.
0:52:08 > 0:52:11Keep going. That's it, you've got it, you've got it.
0:52:11 > 0:52:13And then you just pop the top shell out.
0:52:13 > 0:52:15You can just lift it up a bit and get your finger in.
0:52:15 > 0:52:20And then just slide along the top shell. Cut the muscle.
0:52:20 > 0:52:23Go in that way and you'll feel that top muscle give.
0:52:23 > 0:52:26That's it, you've got it. Plump little oyster.
0:52:26 > 0:52:28You're now going to cut underneath that muscle.
0:52:28 > 0:52:32You slide the knife underneath the muscle there
0:52:32 > 0:52:35and it's free from the shell. That's ready to go.
0:52:35 > 0:52:39- How do you prefer to eat them?- Most of our oysters are just eaten raw,
0:52:39 > 0:52:41so we're going to put a little bit of lemon on them.
0:52:41 > 0:52:43Sprinkle of red pepper, perhaps.
0:52:45 > 0:52:49- Like most fresh things, the simpler the better, isn't it?- Exactly.
0:52:49 > 0:52:51- Your fork.- Thank you, sir.
0:52:55 > 0:52:56Mm!
0:52:57 > 0:52:59That is gorgeous. That is absolutely gorgeous.
0:52:59 > 0:53:02Well, I must say, Bill, it's not the quickest form of farming,
0:53:02 > 0:53:05but it's certainly one of the tastiest. Thank you very, very much.
0:53:05 > 0:53:07- It's been fascinating today. - My pleasure.
0:53:07 > 0:53:08- Best of luck for the future. - Thank you.
0:53:13 > 0:53:16Well, it's pretty clear that the barn conversion in the village
0:53:16 > 0:53:18is Matt and Laura's favourite property.
0:53:18 > 0:53:20But after a bit of time to think and consider things,
0:53:20 > 0:53:24has it done enough to quash Matt's dream of a property with land,
0:53:24 > 0:53:29and, indeed, tempt Laura away from her family and friends in Stevenage?
0:53:29 > 0:53:31Let's catch up with them and find out.
0:53:35 > 0:53:37So, your favourite house?
0:53:37 > 0:53:42- It's got to be the barn conversion in the village.- Definitely.- Now...
0:53:42 > 0:53:46Why is the barn conversion in the village your favourite property?
0:53:46 > 0:53:50- What set it apart?- The lounge was just fantastic, with the fireplace.
0:53:50 > 0:53:54You couldn't fail to be impressed when you walked into that space.
0:53:54 > 0:53:56And the fact that you walked through the house
0:53:56 > 0:54:01- and it just gets better and better. - Yeah, quite. As did your reactions.
0:54:01 > 0:54:04- Yeah.- Now, from my perspective, this looked like a two-horse race between
0:54:04 > 0:54:08the semi-timber-clad barn conversion and the one we saw in the village.
0:54:08 > 0:54:11The outside space in the village barn conversion worked much better.
0:54:11 > 0:54:13It wrapped around the house a bit better
0:54:13 > 0:54:15and the fact that it was right next to fields
0:54:15 > 0:54:17and it had a beautiful vista over the fields, as well.
0:54:17 > 0:54:19- Even if we didn't own them. - Now, Matt, for you,
0:54:19 > 0:54:21one of the big factors was land.
0:54:21 > 0:54:23This barn conversion doesn't have a lot of it.
0:54:23 > 0:54:26Has the house done enough for you?
0:54:26 > 0:54:28I think so.
0:54:28 > 0:54:31The house blew us away and that more than makes up for the...
0:54:31 > 0:54:33Well, it's still got a reasonable amount of land.
0:54:33 > 0:54:37It's 0.4 of an acre, which is not to be sneezed at.
0:54:37 > 0:54:41To sacrifice the wide open fields that I'd envisaged,
0:54:41 > 0:54:45- which are admittedly right next door to the property also...- Yeah, quite.
0:54:45 > 0:54:49- Yeah, so it's a perfect compromise for us.- Because in that village...
0:54:49 > 0:54:53You started to sound quite interested in that community
0:54:53 > 0:54:57aspect, which, beforehand, in New Zealand, I think
0:54:57 > 0:54:59you were after something very, very rural.
0:54:59 > 0:55:01Possibly. Possibly.
0:55:01 > 0:55:03Yeah, but with Laura home during the week,
0:55:03 > 0:55:07it's going to be important to have a community aspect to our lives.
0:55:07 > 0:55:11I'm moving from a town. I've always lived in a town or a city.
0:55:11 > 0:55:14So to move into the countryside is quite a big deal for me,
0:55:14 > 0:55:17but I think this would be a fantastic compromise.
0:55:17 > 0:55:22- And the house was just absolutely fantastic.- So, what's the next step?
0:55:22 > 0:55:26I think we need to take a bigger look at the area...
0:55:26 > 0:55:28Just find out what the schools are like.
0:55:28 > 0:55:31Visit a school, maybe look at the house again.
0:55:31 > 0:55:35Just sort of...another day with a fresh set of eyes.
0:55:35 > 0:55:37Is Suffolk the place for your family, long-term?
0:55:37 > 0:55:40- Driving round, Suffolk is a beautiful county.- Beautiful.
0:55:40 > 0:55:42It's got so much variation in the landscape,
0:55:42 > 0:55:45and every time you come around a corner, it's a new vista.
0:55:45 > 0:55:47Which, you know, is just amazing.
0:55:47 > 0:55:50How soon do you think you'll come back here and have a look around the area?
0:55:50 > 0:55:52I think a house like that's not going to be on the market
0:55:52 > 0:55:55for a huge amount of time, so it's going to have to be quite soon.
0:55:55 > 0:55:57- Yeah?- I think so.
0:55:57 > 0:56:01No matter what you decide, do let me know what happens next, won't you?
0:56:01 > 0:56:04- We will.- Good. Well, good luck. - Thank you.- Thank you.
0:56:08 > 0:56:11Well, it's been great showing Matt and Laura around those fantastic properties.
0:56:11 > 0:56:14But what I've really enjoyed is seeing them both compromise
0:56:14 > 0:56:16on what they individually want in order to
0:56:16 > 0:56:19get what's best for their entire family in the long term.
0:56:19 > 0:56:21And I think with that barn conversion,
0:56:21 > 0:56:23they're achieving just that.
0:56:23 > 0:56:24Now, of course, by their own admission,
0:56:24 > 0:56:27they don't know this part of Suffolk particularly well.
0:56:27 > 0:56:29So I totally understand why they want to come back up here,
0:56:29 > 0:56:32and, in particular, look around that primary school
0:56:32 > 0:56:33for their two young daughters.
0:56:33 > 0:56:36And, if all that goes well, then maybe the entire family will be
0:56:36 > 0:56:40making a more permanent move up here to Suffolk very soon.
0:56:40 > 0:56:41See you next time.
0:56:43 > 0:56:45If you'd like to escape to the country
0:56:45 > 0:56:48in England, Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland
0:56:48 > 0:56:50and would like our help, you can apply online at: