0:00:02 > 0:00:03Welcome to Escape to the Country.
0:00:03 > 0:00:05The airfield that stretches out behind me played
0:00:05 > 0:00:07a key role during the Battle of Britain,
0:00:07 > 0:00:09and was also once home to one of
0:00:09 > 0:00:11Britain's most famous fighter pilots,
0:00:11 > 0:00:13but who was he, and where are we?
0:00:13 > 0:00:16Well, join me in just a moment and I'll tell you.
0:00:34 > 0:00:38On today's show, we meet a couple of newlyweds after a home
0:00:38 > 0:00:43with space and quirks, but one property could be a step too far.
0:00:43 > 0:00:45Erm, it's unusual.
0:00:45 > 0:00:47Erm, it's not my favourite.
0:00:49 > 0:00:53But, luckily, we've got more that seems to be a perfect fit.
0:00:53 > 0:00:55- Wow.- This is very impressive.
0:00:55 > 0:00:58This is stylish, sophisticated, just like me.
0:00:58 > 0:00:59THEY LAUGH
0:00:59 > 0:01:00If you say so yourself!
0:01:02 > 0:01:04Well, today we are in Cambridgeshire,
0:01:04 > 0:01:06and this was once RAF Duxford.
0:01:06 > 0:01:10It is now the Imperial War Museum, Duxford, and houses
0:01:10 > 0:01:14one of the finest collections of aircraft and militaria in Europe.
0:01:14 > 0:01:17But during 1940 and the Battle of Britain,
0:01:17 > 0:01:20the pilots and aircraft that flew from here were tasked with
0:01:20 > 0:01:22the job of protecting the Midlands,
0:01:22 > 0:01:26the south-east and London from the might of the German air force.
0:01:26 > 0:01:29They were led at that time by Group Captain Douglas Bader,
0:01:29 > 0:01:33a man credited with having shot down 20 German aircraft.
0:01:33 > 0:01:37Later on in the show, I'll be back here exploring Duxford's history,
0:01:37 > 0:01:41its collections and revealing why, for me, it is my favourite museum.
0:01:43 > 0:01:46Covering some 1,300 square miles,
0:01:46 > 0:01:49Cambridgeshire lies in the heart of East Anglia,
0:01:49 > 0:01:53and shares seven county boundaries, including Norfolk and Suffolk.
0:01:55 > 0:01:57Primarily an agricultural county,
0:01:57 > 0:02:00ancient footpaths and chalk streams crisscross the fields,
0:02:00 > 0:02:05and lead to attractive settlements, the largest of which is Cambridge.
0:02:05 > 0:02:07Granted city status in 1951,
0:02:07 > 0:02:10it's world-renowned for the university,
0:02:10 > 0:02:14impressive alumni and outstanding landmarks,
0:02:14 > 0:02:18particularly the late Gothic King's College Chapel,
0:02:18 > 0:02:20founded in 1441 by Henry VI.
0:02:21 > 0:02:22Away from the city,
0:02:22 > 0:02:26Grantchester is a place which typifies village life in the county.
0:02:26 > 0:02:29With picturesque cottages and watering holes,
0:02:29 > 0:02:33it was once home to war poet Rupert Brooke, and today claims
0:02:33 > 0:02:35to have the world's highest concentration
0:02:35 > 0:02:37of Nobel Prize winners.
0:02:37 > 0:02:41Fine stately homes are also a feature in Cambridgeshire's
0:02:41 > 0:02:44rural scenery, including the 18th-century Wimpole Hall...
0:02:46 > 0:02:48..and the 16th century Madingley Hall.
0:02:49 > 0:02:52So, with this fascinating medley of architecture,
0:02:52 > 0:02:54countryside and academia,
0:02:54 > 0:02:57it's no wonder people flock to Cambridgeshire to set up home.
0:03:04 > 0:03:06Now, when it comes to property prices, the average cost
0:03:06 > 0:03:09of a detached home here in Cambridgeshire
0:03:09 > 0:03:11is currently £317,000.
0:03:11 > 0:03:16That is some 10% above the national figure. And the reason is simple.
0:03:16 > 0:03:18Cambridgeshire's close proximity to London,
0:03:18 > 0:03:21and excellent transport links into the capital,
0:03:21 > 0:03:24mean that large swathes of this county are now commuter belt.
0:03:24 > 0:03:28In the south, you will have to pay more than you will in the north,
0:03:28 > 0:03:31so my advice is to head that way, towards the Fenland.
0:03:31 > 0:03:33Your budget will go considerably further.
0:03:33 > 0:03:35But what about today's buyers?
0:03:35 > 0:03:38Well, let's meet them and find out why they think Cambridgeshire
0:03:38 > 0:03:39is for them.
0:03:40 > 0:03:44When management consultant Zubin and theatre manager Louisa first
0:03:44 > 0:03:49laid eyes on one another, they soon found they'd each met their match.
0:03:49 > 0:03:52I went to join a badminton club, cos I was trying to get fit,
0:03:52 > 0:03:55and went along and Zubin was already there,
0:03:55 > 0:04:00and we just hit it off and became friends, started dating.
0:04:00 > 0:04:02Things progressed quickly. I moved in!
0:04:02 > 0:04:04THEY LAUGH
0:04:04 > 0:04:06Next thing we know is she's been round here
0:04:06 > 0:04:08for the last two and a half years.
0:04:08 > 0:04:10Married for just six months,
0:04:10 > 0:04:13they've decided to leave their current two-bedroom flat
0:04:13 > 0:04:16in The Big Smoke, and start a new country life together.
0:04:16 > 0:04:21At the moment, we're living in London. We do have a beautiful flat.
0:04:21 > 0:04:23- It's very noisy. - SHE LAUGHS
0:04:23 > 0:04:26There's always a lot of people shouting and screaming.
0:04:26 > 0:04:27It's Waterloo station.
0:04:27 > 0:04:30We live next door to it, a stone's throw away.
0:04:30 > 0:04:33We have trains going past, buses.
0:04:33 > 0:04:35We've got a bus stop literally just outside the window,
0:04:35 > 0:04:37so it's very noisy.
0:04:37 > 0:04:40And it's constant, even at night.
0:04:40 > 0:04:44We've got the roundabout behind us, which is... It never stops.
0:04:44 > 0:04:47Louisa's no stranger to the countryside.
0:04:47 > 0:04:49She was born in Norfolk, and raised in Norwich.
0:04:49 > 0:04:51But for Zubin, this is a big move.
0:04:51 > 0:04:54He's spent his whole life in a metropolis.
0:04:54 > 0:04:59Growing up in Mumbai and living in London is very, very busy.
0:04:59 > 0:05:03It will be a big change for me, but, at the same time,
0:05:03 > 0:05:06I like, when I come home, to unwind and relax.
0:05:06 > 0:05:09I like the ability to kind of sit down and...
0:05:10 > 0:05:12And be in quiet.
0:05:12 > 0:05:15It will be nice and relaxing to move somewhere that doesn't have
0:05:15 > 0:05:18that hustle and bustle around it all the time.
0:05:19 > 0:05:23So, they've set their sights on a more peaceful pace of life
0:05:23 > 0:05:25by moving to Cambridgeshire.
0:05:25 > 0:05:29Zubin's family's in London, my family's still in Norfolk,
0:05:29 > 0:05:32so we're looking for somewhere that was in between both of them.
0:05:32 > 0:05:34It's also a very beautiful place.
0:05:34 > 0:05:38I've been a few times, and really enjoyed the lifestyle there.
0:05:38 > 0:05:42It would be lovely to be able to go see some greenery,
0:05:42 > 0:05:45go for a little walk where you don't have to be worried about
0:05:45 > 0:05:47getting run over by an angry cyclist.
0:05:47 > 0:05:49LOUISA LAUGHS
0:05:49 > 0:05:52They both enjoy hunting for antiques,
0:05:52 > 0:05:55and look forward to discovering more collectables in the country.
0:05:55 > 0:05:58Zubin and I absolutely love going to different, sort of, markets,
0:05:58 > 0:06:03finding bits of old jewellery, and different types of furniture.
0:06:03 > 0:06:06It's really, it's a great time to spend together, but also to find
0:06:06 > 0:06:09a treasure or something to bring home, and have a story behind it.
0:06:11 > 0:06:14The relocation will also involve exploring different pastimes,
0:06:14 > 0:06:18particularly Zubin's new-found passion for cooking.
0:06:18 > 0:06:23We love our food. We do eat out a lot, and I have tried to cook.
0:06:23 > 0:06:25I've started learning how to cook a lot.
0:06:25 > 0:06:28Louisa kindly got me some lovely cookbooks
0:06:28 > 0:06:30to try and follow a recipe.
0:06:30 > 0:06:31We'd love to have a larger kitchen.
0:06:31 > 0:06:35- You'd love to have a larger entertaining space.- Yes.
0:06:35 > 0:06:39Whilst this move is about more space, and a more tranquil location,
0:06:39 > 0:06:41it will also mark the beginning
0:06:41 > 0:06:43of a brand-new chapter for our newlyweds.
0:06:45 > 0:06:47We're looking to start a family.
0:06:47 > 0:06:51We want to just have that time to be able to create a home,
0:06:51 > 0:06:52and have a bit more space.
0:06:52 > 0:06:55We've done a lot in three years,
0:06:55 > 0:06:57and we're just looking to the future.
0:06:57 > 0:06:58Yeah, the next step.
0:07:02 > 0:07:04Zubin and Louisa have chosen Cambridgeshire,
0:07:04 > 0:07:07as it's midway between both sets of their parents,
0:07:07 > 0:07:09who live in Norfolk and North London.
0:07:09 > 0:07:12And they're happy to consider properties anywhere within
0:07:12 > 0:07:14a reasonable commute of the city.
0:07:14 > 0:07:17We're all meeting up to find out more about the specifics
0:07:17 > 0:07:19of their ideal country home.
0:07:19 > 0:07:22Well, Louisa, Zubin, welcome to Cambridgeshire.
0:07:22 > 0:07:24- Thank you very much. - Thank you for having us.
0:07:24 > 0:07:26Well, what's brought you to this part of the world? Why here?
0:07:26 > 0:07:28Well, we think it's a pretty part of the world.
0:07:28 > 0:07:30Growing up in the city, a big city,
0:07:30 > 0:07:32we're going to escape some of the noise,
0:07:32 > 0:07:34and our parents are...
0:07:34 > 0:07:36It's kind of equidistant from both our parents as well.
0:07:36 > 0:07:39Surely the bright lights of London are still attractive?
0:07:39 > 0:07:41I mean, you're young groovers, aren't you?
0:07:41 > 0:07:43I mean, you know, are you really sure you want to give it all up
0:07:43 > 0:07:45and move out to the countryside?
0:07:45 > 0:07:47London is fantastic, and we love living there.
0:07:47 > 0:07:51It's very enjoyable, but the space that we have isn't enough for us.
0:07:51 > 0:07:54We're looking to start a family, so we want to find a family home.
0:07:54 > 0:07:57Having said that, we are both still working in London...
0:07:57 > 0:07:59- Yeah.- ..so we do need to be able to commute
0:07:59 > 0:08:01in a reasonable amount of time.
0:08:01 > 0:08:04So hopefully a family in the future, but you've got to pay for all this,
0:08:04 > 0:08:07Zubin, so you're going to keep commuting into London?
0:08:07 > 0:08:10I don't mind commuting between 60 minutes to 90 minutes.
0:08:10 > 0:08:13Now, Louisa, give us a picture of the kind of property
0:08:13 > 0:08:15that you've been imagining.
0:08:15 > 0:08:17I think we're looking for about four bedrooms.
0:08:17 > 0:08:19We do have friends who live all over the world,
0:08:19 > 0:08:21so when they do come and stay, it's not overnight.
0:08:21 > 0:08:23It tends to be for a few weeks at a time.
0:08:23 > 0:08:28- Zubin adores cooking, I don't, so that's a great mix for us.- Hey!
0:08:28 > 0:08:31So, definitely for Zubin, he would love a big kitchen.
0:08:31 > 0:08:33I think that would be a definite must for you.
0:08:33 > 0:08:38Yeah, um, for Louisa, it would be really nice if she had a nice...
0:08:38 > 0:08:40a closet room or a walk-in closet of some sort
0:08:40 > 0:08:43that she can have handbags and shoes sprawled around,
0:08:43 > 0:08:46- and I'd get some closet space back. - JULES LAUGHS
0:08:46 > 0:08:50But that would be really nice. And, oh, something quirky.
0:08:50 > 0:08:54- We both are big fans of something quirky.- I think we both like character in the building.
0:08:54 > 0:08:57And what about outside space?
0:08:57 > 0:09:02Well, so far we haven't had the best of luck with plants. Louisa...
0:09:02 > 0:09:04I'm attempting to keep them alive, let's say.
0:09:04 > 0:09:06So minimal plants.
0:09:06 > 0:09:08A little bit of outside space would be really lovely,
0:09:08 > 0:09:11because we don't have that now, being in the heart of the city.
0:09:11 > 0:09:14So, on the face of it, a nice four-bedroom family home with
0:09:14 > 0:09:17a great big farmhouse kitchen, a manageable garden.
0:09:17 > 0:09:19Is there a catch? Am I missing something?
0:09:19 > 0:09:24We'd love a little annexe or a room downstairs with, you know,
0:09:24 > 0:09:27an en suite and maybe a little sitting area for our parents.
0:09:27 > 0:09:31- So, let's talk about the budget, then.- The top budget is 800,000.
0:09:31 > 0:09:34Erm... But if...
0:09:34 > 0:09:39That would be with no work needed at all, because we're not very handy with a hammer and nails,
0:09:39 > 0:09:40and things like that.
0:09:40 > 0:09:41We're in a really interesting county.
0:09:41 > 0:09:43There's some lovely property here to look at.
0:09:43 > 0:09:47And you've brought £800,000 for us to play with. How exciting!
0:09:47 > 0:09:50- Absolutely!- Right, then. Let's go hunting, come on.- Let's go.
0:09:55 > 0:09:57So, with a budget of £800,000,
0:09:57 > 0:10:00our buyers are looking for a characterful, quirky home
0:10:00 > 0:10:04that has four bedrooms as well as the potential for a self-contained
0:10:04 > 0:10:08annexe, and a large kitchen/diner is a must for Zubin.
0:10:08 > 0:10:11They're after a modest, manageable garden
0:10:11 > 0:10:14to suit a family in the future, and the location
0:10:14 > 0:10:17should be no more than an hour and a half's commute to London.
0:10:17 > 0:10:21We've got some fantastic houses lined up to present to them,
0:10:21 > 0:10:23but I won't be revealing the attached price tags until
0:10:23 > 0:10:26right at the end of each tour.
0:10:26 > 0:10:30Our final property is the Mystery House, which I think might
0:10:30 > 0:10:33put to the test their desire for something out of the ordinary.
0:10:38 > 0:10:41We're kicking off our house tour in the south-east of the county
0:10:41 > 0:10:42in the village of West Wratting,
0:10:42 > 0:10:46and the nearest train station to London is just four miles away.
0:10:46 > 0:10:49West Wratting is a picturesque place, perched on
0:10:49 > 0:10:53a ridge that lays claim to being the highest village in Cambridgeshire.
0:10:53 > 0:10:55In the neighbouring village of Balsham,
0:10:55 > 0:10:57there's a local shop and butcher,
0:10:57 > 0:11:00but in West Wratting itself, there's a popular pub which is just
0:11:00 > 0:11:03a short stroll away from our first house.
0:11:04 > 0:11:06- Now...- Oh, wow.- Wow.
0:11:06 > 0:11:08- What about this one?- Wow.
0:11:08 > 0:11:12- Come in.- That's quite amazing. - That's beautiful, yeah.
0:11:12 > 0:11:14- It's pretty, isn't it? - It's beautiful.- Yeah.- Yeah.
0:11:14 > 0:11:17Now that we are looking, as well, I love even the driveway,
0:11:17 > 0:11:20- and the little house on the side. - Oh, I can see that.
0:11:20 > 0:11:24Yeah, you've got a very, very luxurious workshop/double-garage
0:11:24 > 0:11:26over there, with a studio above it.
0:11:26 > 0:11:28- Oh, wow.- Oh, wow.- Yeah.
0:11:28 > 0:11:30But that's the main proposition -
0:11:30 > 0:11:32originally three little cottages,
0:11:32 > 0:11:35brought together with an extension at this end.
0:11:35 > 0:11:37What do you think, Zubin?
0:11:37 > 0:11:39It's very picturesque. It's like out of a postcard.
0:11:39 > 0:11:42- It was on a village postcard. - Oh.- No?- Yeah.- Oh, that's brilliant.
0:11:42 > 0:11:43I can't wait to go inside.
0:11:43 > 0:11:46Let's get in. We've got three doors to choose from.
0:11:46 > 0:11:48To avoid confusion, they've got a little sign here
0:11:48 > 0:11:50- that says "entrance". - It's very helpful.
0:11:50 > 0:11:53We're going to go around the back and into the kitchen.
0:11:53 > 0:11:55- Brilliant.- Brilliant.
0:11:55 > 0:11:56With roots in the 17th century,
0:11:56 > 0:12:01this impressive Grade II listed cottage is packed to the brim
0:12:01 > 0:12:02with period features.
0:12:02 > 0:12:05It was sympathetically extended in the 1980s,
0:12:05 > 0:12:09and now offers a flexible layout that could appeal to our
0:12:09 > 0:12:12couple's need to cater for family and friends.
0:12:12 > 0:12:14The garden wraps around the property,
0:12:14 > 0:12:16and takes us to the kitchen door.
0:12:19 > 0:12:21- Nice to get out of the rain. - Yes, it is.
0:12:21 > 0:12:23- And what a greeting - look at this! - Oh, wow.
0:12:23 > 0:12:25It has very much a farmhouse kitchen feel to it, doesn't it?
0:12:25 > 0:12:29It is, it is, and it's quite nice and homely.
0:12:29 > 0:12:32- What's curious is that this is the newer extension.- Oh, OK.- OK.
0:12:32 > 0:12:34Yeah, the space is great.
0:12:34 > 0:12:35It's big enough, though, I think,
0:12:35 > 0:12:37for your creative talents in the kitchen.
0:12:37 > 0:12:40Definitely enough room for pots and pans and decoration space.
0:12:40 > 0:12:41I'd need a little bit more modernising,
0:12:41 > 0:12:43with some gadgets for me to cook around with,
0:12:43 > 0:12:45- but it's a great space.- Yeah. LAUGHTER
0:12:45 > 0:12:48But, bizarrely, with this one, we've also got another kitchen
0:12:48 > 0:12:52at the far end of the property, so you've got two to choose from.
0:12:52 > 0:12:54- We've got options. - Come this way.- OK.
0:12:54 > 0:12:58The modern kitchen extension also benefits from a utility room,
0:12:58 > 0:13:01as well as a boot room, and flows straight into the original
0:13:01 > 0:13:02part of the house.
0:13:02 > 0:13:06Passing through a breakfast area that houses the main staircase,
0:13:06 > 0:13:09you come to the first of two sitting-rooms.
0:13:09 > 0:13:13- Oh, wow.- Wow.- Look at that place.
0:13:13 > 0:13:15The ceilings are low,
0:13:15 > 0:13:17which obviously you get with a cottage of this age.
0:13:17 > 0:13:20It's a lovely little old fireplace back there as well.
0:13:20 > 0:13:24This is a classic bit of East Anglian 17th-century architecture -
0:13:24 > 0:13:26this great big central chimney stack,
0:13:26 > 0:13:28which gives you an inglenook on this side,
0:13:28 > 0:13:30and on the other side as well.
0:13:30 > 0:13:32- It's very different from our flat in London.- Yes.
0:13:32 > 0:13:35- It is, slightly.- I'll bet it is. LAUGHTER
0:13:35 > 0:13:38This is what I envisaged moving to the country would be like -
0:13:38 > 0:13:42- quite picturesque and postcardy. - Yeah. It feels very homely.
0:13:42 > 0:13:44'Just off this cosy sitting-room,
0:13:44 > 0:13:47'a small study fits neatly under a second staircase.
0:13:47 > 0:13:50'Then, continuing further into the cottage,
0:13:50 > 0:13:52'we pass through a large formal dining room,
0:13:52 > 0:13:55'before we arrive at the largest of the reception rooms.
0:13:55 > 0:13:58'This adjoins a second kitchen and downstairs bathroom,
0:13:58 > 0:14:02'so could be utilised as a separate wing or annexe.'
0:14:04 > 0:14:07So, this would be the guest end.
0:14:07 > 0:14:10This feels lovely. It's a lot lighter than the other two rooms,
0:14:10 > 0:14:12- I suppose because the ceiling is higher.- Yes.
0:14:12 > 0:14:14- Oh, and I love this door.- Yeah. - It's ever so sweet.
0:14:14 > 0:14:17- It's lovely, isn't it? - That's like a little hobbit door.
0:14:17 > 0:14:19It's unusual, this, because it's got two kitchens.
0:14:19 > 0:14:22If you took this one out, you'd have living room,
0:14:22 > 0:14:26bedroom, and then downstairs bathroom, beyond.
0:14:26 > 0:14:29- And if the folks are getting, you know, a little bit...- Advanced.
0:14:29 > 0:14:30..advanced, shall we say,
0:14:30 > 0:14:32everything on one level may not be such a bad thing.
0:14:32 > 0:14:35- That does help a lot.- And they've got that door, too, if they need it.
0:14:35 > 0:14:37Yes.
0:14:37 > 0:14:40I think the only parent that could fit through that would be my mother.
0:14:41 > 0:14:45'With the potential of a separate wing for visiting parents sorted,
0:14:45 > 0:14:50'it's time to take a look at the main sleeping quarters upstairs.
0:14:50 > 0:14:52'Back along the cottage and up the central staircase,
0:14:52 > 0:14:56'we find a compact shower room and three double bedrooms,
0:14:56 > 0:14:59'all oozing with authentic vintage charm,
0:14:59 > 0:15:04'featuring exposed raw timbers and sloped ceilings.
0:15:04 > 0:15:07'One of these bedrooms has its own separate staircase,
0:15:07 > 0:15:10'accessed from the downstairs dining room,
0:15:10 > 0:15:14'but the room designated as the master lies in the newer wing.'
0:15:15 > 0:15:19- And then, finally, this is your bit.- Oh, OK.
0:15:19 > 0:15:21So, this is certainly bigger than the other rooms that we've seen.
0:15:21 > 0:15:24Well, this is above the modern kitchen extension.
0:15:24 > 0:15:26- En suite round the corner.- OK.- OK?
0:15:26 > 0:15:29It's nice. It's definitely got space and...
0:15:29 > 0:15:32It's got space. Erm, our existing bed might not fit in there.
0:15:32 > 0:15:34Really? How big is that?
0:15:34 > 0:15:37- Wow!- Well, we've got a four-poster. That's the problem.
0:15:37 > 0:15:39Ah, I see the problem, yeah. The roof may not...
0:15:39 > 0:15:42The roof coming in a bit, but that's fine, we can change the bed.
0:15:42 > 0:15:43Chainsaw it off.
0:15:43 > 0:15:48- Yeah.- I think you get the idea this is a place you could expand in...
0:15:48 > 0:15:53- Yes.- ..from your current lovely- but-confined flat in London.- Yes.
0:15:53 > 0:15:56It definitely has potential.
0:15:56 > 0:16:00'Seeing the possibilities of this property is a positive sign,
0:16:00 > 0:16:02'and I just hope the garden will also deliver
0:16:02 > 0:16:05'on suitability and size.
0:16:05 > 0:16:09'At just over half an acre, it's a lovely, unfussy space,
0:16:09 > 0:16:12'mostly laid to lawn and bordered by box hedges,
0:16:12 > 0:16:15'with some mature trees and a large pond.'
0:16:16 > 0:16:19Now, I'm not suggesting that we spend any more time out here
0:16:19 > 0:16:21than we need to...
0:16:21 > 0:16:23- No.- ..but just long enough to give you an idea of what is on offer.
0:16:23 > 0:16:25This, obviously, is the main family garden.
0:16:25 > 0:16:28- Bags of room for kids to run around in.- I think it's a great space.
0:16:28 > 0:16:32It's not too big to worry about maintaining it, erm,
0:16:32 > 0:16:35to pristine condition, but it's enough space to,
0:16:35 > 0:16:37like you say, have kids running around,
0:16:37 > 0:16:39or just enough space to be outside for a bit.
0:16:39 > 0:16:42It gives me my outside space and it's a lovely space as well.
0:16:42 > 0:16:45The other thing to point out is the current owners, not surprisingly,
0:16:45 > 0:16:49use a ride-on mower, and that's all chucked in with the price.
0:16:49 > 0:16:50Brilliant.
0:16:50 > 0:16:53Let's have your best estimates as to what this property
0:16:53 > 0:16:54is on the market for.
0:16:54 > 0:16:56I'm going to go 695.
0:16:56 > 0:16:59- Ooh.- Ooh.- Ooh!- Yeah, ooh, that's a bit low, I thought.
0:16:59 > 0:17:03- Oh.- OK.- I was actually going to go slightly lower than that.
0:17:03 > 0:17:05I'd say 685.
0:17:05 > 0:17:09685 plays 695. HE INHALES
0:17:09 > 0:17:11- Not done too well.- We've not done well - I can tell by your face!
0:17:11 > 0:17:13LAUGHTER You haven't done brilliantly,
0:17:13 > 0:17:15- but all is not lost.- OK.
0:17:15 > 0:17:20This is on the market for offers in excess of £750,000.
0:17:20 > 0:17:22- Oh, OK.- Oh, wow.
0:17:22 > 0:17:25I think because the inside, erm, potentially,
0:17:25 > 0:17:27- we'd want to look to update it slightly...- Yeah.
0:17:27 > 0:17:30..that's probably where, maybe, a bit of our budget would go.
0:17:30 > 0:17:33Well, go and have a think about what you'd get for offers over 750,
0:17:33 > 0:17:35and I will come and find you a little bit later.
0:17:35 > 0:17:37- Perfect. Thank you.- Off you go.
0:17:42 > 0:17:45£50,000 under budget, this classic,
0:17:45 > 0:17:47historic, thatched cottage
0:17:47 > 0:17:50could give our buyers all the options they're looking for.
0:17:50 > 0:17:53It has three double bedrooms upstairs, with the potential for
0:17:53 > 0:17:58a fourth in a separate self-catered wing down on the ground floor.
0:17:58 > 0:18:00There's also a generous country kitchen,
0:18:00 > 0:18:03alongside a range of reception rooms,
0:18:03 > 0:18:07and the whole lot lies in a large, easy-to-maintain garden,
0:18:07 > 0:18:10within a popular and pretty village.
0:18:10 > 0:18:13The house could fit perfectly on a postcard.
0:18:13 > 0:18:16It's beautiful to look at from outside.
0:18:16 > 0:18:19It's got so many quirky features - the stable door,
0:18:19 > 0:18:22the small little door for my mother to enter through.
0:18:22 > 0:18:27It's got a large kitchen. It's got a lot of different sitting rooms.
0:18:27 > 0:18:30The fireplace is absolutely stunning.
0:18:30 > 0:18:33What works is definitely the lawn outside,
0:18:33 > 0:18:36not too big and not too small, but it's an outside space
0:18:36 > 0:18:39that is something that we don't have at all at the moment.
0:18:40 > 0:18:42The size of the rooms are quite generous.
0:18:42 > 0:18:44The kitchen is a great size for Zubin,
0:18:44 > 0:18:46to be creative in the kitchen,
0:18:46 > 0:18:48and I think it has a lot of potential.
0:18:48 > 0:18:51Well, that's it - property number one is done.
0:18:51 > 0:18:53I think a really good start,
0:18:53 > 0:18:56and an interesting option that I wouldn't dismiss just yet.
0:18:56 > 0:18:59Not at all. It's definitely given us food for thought,
0:18:59 > 0:19:01and it definitely has potential.
0:19:01 > 0:19:02All right. Come on, let's go.
0:19:08 > 0:19:10Running through the heart of Cambridge is the stretch
0:19:10 > 0:19:15of the River Cam now commonly associated with punts,
0:19:15 > 0:19:18and with Zubin and Louisa keen to explore different activities
0:19:18 > 0:19:21when they move, we've arranged for them to learn more about
0:19:21 > 0:19:25the river's history and its punting pioneer.
0:19:25 > 0:19:29They're meeting customer experience manager Grace Williams.
0:19:29 > 0:19:31- Hello.- Hello, how are you doing? - Nice to meet you.
0:19:31 > 0:19:34- How are you?- Good. So, tell me a bit about punting.- OK.
0:19:34 > 0:19:37Leisure punting was first introduced to Cambridge
0:19:37 > 0:19:41in the very early 19th century by a gentleman called Jack Scudamore.
0:19:41 > 0:19:45To begin with, the river was predominantly used for cargo,
0:19:45 > 0:19:49because it was a very, sort of, strong merchant town,
0:19:49 > 0:19:51and the river was a big trade link.
0:19:51 > 0:19:55And around the mid 1800s, railways were introduced,
0:19:55 > 0:20:00and it meant that transport by the river was less popular,
0:20:00 > 0:20:02and this gentleman Jack Scudamore took the opportunity
0:20:02 > 0:20:04to purchase these two stations -
0:20:04 > 0:20:08so, here at Mill Lane, and at Quayside at the other end -
0:20:08 > 0:20:13and turned the river into more of a leisure facility than,
0:20:13 > 0:20:15sort of, a functional area.
0:20:15 > 0:20:18So, I've arranged for you to go on a tour with one of my colleagues
0:20:18 > 0:20:20if you'd like to, just along the Backs here.
0:20:20 > 0:20:22What are the Backs?
0:20:22 > 0:20:25OK, so the Backs is a term that describes
0:20:25 > 0:20:28the stretch of the river that the company operates on,
0:20:28 > 0:20:30and it's called the Backs because it's the backs of the colleges.
0:20:30 > 0:20:33They're not as ornate as the front, so I recommend you go
0:20:33 > 0:20:35and look at the fronts later, and if you'd like to head
0:20:35 > 0:20:38to the office there, we'll get you on a boat.
0:20:38 > 0:20:41- Brilliant. Thank you so much, Grace. - Thank you so much.
0:20:41 > 0:20:43You're welcome. Have a good day.
0:20:43 > 0:20:46Punts were originally made and used in the shallow waters of the county
0:20:46 > 0:20:49for catching fowl and fish.
0:20:49 > 0:20:50Flat-bottomed and without a keel,
0:20:50 > 0:20:54they were crafted from wood and moved using a long pole.
0:20:54 > 0:20:56Perfect for use on the river,
0:20:56 > 0:20:58they're now predominantly used for pleasure,
0:20:58 > 0:21:00and make an excellent vessel for a guided tour
0:21:00 > 0:21:03with assistant station manager Cameron Miller.
0:21:05 > 0:21:09Now, we do have eight colleges on the river here,
0:21:09 > 0:21:12and it's just past the King's Bridge
0:21:12 > 0:21:16which provides us with probably the most famous sight in Cambridge,
0:21:16 > 0:21:18which is King's College Chapel.
0:21:18 > 0:21:19King's College.
0:21:21 > 0:21:24This would be a perfect time to take out my phone and take a picture.
0:21:24 > 0:21:26Oh, it's beautiful.
0:21:26 > 0:21:28It is absolutely stunning.
0:21:28 > 0:21:33King's College was founded in 1441 by King Henry VI.
0:21:33 > 0:21:38The chapel itself was not actually completed until 1536.
0:21:38 > 0:21:40If you go inside of the chapel,
0:21:40 > 0:21:44it has one of the most impressive fan vault ceilings in the world.
0:21:44 > 0:21:46- This is the Wren Library. - Oh, this is the Wren Library.
0:21:46 > 0:21:48This is the Wren Library, designed...
0:21:48 > 0:21:51So when Sir Christopher Wren designed it in 1695,
0:21:51 > 0:21:54- the bottom windows... - Yes.- There was no glass in them.
0:21:54 > 0:21:56This is because the river did used to flood high enough
0:21:56 > 0:21:59that it would reach the building.
0:21:59 > 0:22:01All the water would go straight through without damaging
0:22:01 > 0:22:04any of the books, which were all kept on the top floor.
0:22:04 > 0:22:05That's a genius idea.
0:22:05 > 0:22:09With over 150 punts heading out on the river every day,
0:22:09 > 0:22:12this 45-minute tour continues along the Backs,
0:22:12 > 0:22:18taking in 8 of the 31 colleges, and many other historic landmarks.
0:22:18 > 0:22:20One of the most famous sights here in Cambridge
0:22:20 > 0:22:22besides King's College Chapel,
0:22:22 > 0:22:25- and that is this bridge - the Bridge of Sighs.- Oh, wow.
0:22:25 > 0:22:30The Bridge of Sighs was built in 1831 by Henry Hutchinson.
0:22:30 > 0:22:33It's not actually called the Bridge of Sighs, though.
0:22:33 > 0:22:36Its real name is the New Bridge.
0:22:36 > 0:22:38The Bridge of Sighs is a nickname given to it
0:22:38 > 0:22:41by a lady called Queen Victoria.
0:22:41 > 0:22:44She visited the city many, many times.
0:22:44 > 0:22:47She stated this was her favourite bridge,
0:22:47 > 0:22:50and it looked just like the original, which is in Venice.
0:22:50 > 0:22:53In Venice, yes - the Bridge of Sighs in Venice.
0:22:53 > 0:22:56Winding its way past further colleges of repute,
0:22:56 > 0:22:58the tour comes to an end, and Cameron leaves our couple
0:22:58 > 0:23:02to make their own way back on the return journey.
0:23:02 > 0:23:05Oh, I like this. Keep going.
0:23:05 > 0:23:07- Do you need to push off? - SHE LAUGHS
0:23:07 > 0:23:09It's all right. I've got it. I've got it.
0:23:09 > 0:23:12Mind your head...!
0:23:12 > 0:23:15All part and parcel of the fun!
0:23:15 > 0:23:17It may not be the most direct route,
0:23:17 > 0:23:20but Zubin does seem to be getting to grips with punting.
0:23:20 > 0:23:22You're doing really well.
0:23:22 > 0:23:23Really well.
0:23:25 > 0:23:27Oh, this is amazing.
0:23:27 > 0:23:29Beautiful.
0:23:29 > 0:23:31Duck.
0:23:31 > 0:23:33LOUISA LAUGHS
0:23:35 > 0:23:38But that's enough messing about on the river.
0:23:38 > 0:23:41We've still got the pressing matter of property to get back to.
0:23:45 > 0:23:49Our property search is heading south, and popping just over
0:23:49 > 0:23:53the border into Essex, to the village of Clavering.
0:23:53 > 0:23:54White wooden cladding
0:23:54 > 0:23:56and timber beam cottages are the order of the day
0:23:56 > 0:24:01in this village, once home to the chef Jamie Oliver, who grew up here.
0:24:01 > 0:24:05His parents still own the pub that remains the hub of the village,
0:24:05 > 0:24:08and residents are also served by a shop and school.
0:24:08 > 0:24:11Just an hour from London by train, the property sits
0:24:11 > 0:24:14just a few minutes' walk from the village centre.
0:24:15 > 0:24:17- Oh, wow!- Oh, gosh.
0:24:17 > 0:24:19- I love this.- Do you?
0:24:19 > 0:24:23From the outside, this is really, really lovely.
0:24:23 > 0:24:25Knowing Louisa, from the outside,
0:24:25 > 0:24:27this would be what she would have asked for.
0:24:27 > 0:24:31- It's got lovely, lovely character. - She loves the greys and whites...
0:24:31 > 0:24:33And I love greys and whites and...
0:24:33 > 0:24:37For her, just from the outside, I'd say this would be her property.
0:24:37 > 0:24:40You've got, at its core, an 18th-century building, but it's
0:24:40 > 0:24:43had an historic extension there, and then a more recent extension there.
0:24:43 > 0:24:45There are a few tweaks to be made,
0:24:45 > 0:24:48but one thing I don't think you would want to change is the kitchen.
0:24:48 > 0:24:50OK.
0:24:50 > 0:24:52- Come and have a look at this. - All right.- Come and have a look.
0:24:52 > 0:24:54What a great start to this property tour -
0:24:54 > 0:24:58a striking weatherboarded cottage built around 1750
0:24:58 > 0:25:00with instant visual appeal,
0:25:00 > 0:25:02offering them just the feel they're looking for.
0:25:04 > 0:25:05Originally two cottages,
0:25:05 > 0:25:09it was transformed into a single home 25 years ago.
0:25:09 > 0:25:14A wide hallway leads to a study, beyond which we find the kitchen.
0:25:15 > 0:25:17Oh, gosh.
0:25:17 > 0:25:20I thought we'd come through the property and start with this.
0:25:20 > 0:25:22I love it even though I don't cook, so for me,
0:25:22 > 0:25:24aesthetically, it's great.
0:25:24 > 0:25:26Practically, for cooking...?
0:25:26 > 0:25:30It's got a lot of space, a lot of functionality.
0:25:30 > 0:25:32- Yeah.- It would be great for me to be able to cook
0:25:32 > 0:25:36and not have Louisa out of the kitchen. I can yell out to her...
0:25:36 > 0:25:39- Well, you can be lounging around the...- I could be, yes.
0:25:39 > 0:25:42- ..the island there.- Absolutely. No, it feels very modern, but, um...
0:25:42 > 0:25:44But, yeah, very contemporary...
0:25:44 > 0:25:45It's very, very nice,
0:25:45 > 0:25:48- and there's a lot of space for me to create a lot of mess in.- Yeah.
0:25:48 > 0:25:50It's brilliant. Even the small details,
0:25:50 > 0:25:52- like the little knobs on the cupboards.- Yeah.
0:25:52 > 0:25:55They're all quite quirky. It's like a country... French country house.
0:25:55 > 0:25:56- Yeah.- Good early signs.
0:25:56 > 0:25:58- Yeah?- Yes.
0:25:58 > 0:25:59- Good.- Good early signs.
0:25:59 > 0:26:02Now, yeah, let's go back through this sort of central lobby area,
0:26:02 > 0:26:03and into the family living room,
0:26:03 > 0:26:06and I think this is where we might tweak things a bit.
0:26:06 > 0:26:09Retracing our steps out of the kitchen and back through
0:26:09 > 0:26:14the study, we're making our way to the first of two sitting rooms.
0:26:16 > 0:26:21- This is the main family living room...- OK.- ..which is snug.- Yes.
0:26:21 > 0:26:26- Yes.- Cosy.- Cosy.- But, yes.- I know we do need a big reception space.
0:26:26 > 0:26:29My thought was that that wall behind the TV
0:26:29 > 0:26:33is just a simple partition wall. I'd remove that,
0:26:33 > 0:26:36- so you'd see the front door through there.- Yeah.
0:26:36 > 0:26:39And then this wall, too, is just a stud partition,
0:26:39 > 0:26:43so it would combine the hallway and this central area here,
0:26:43 > 0:26:46and then the whole lot would be a huge family space.
0:26:46 > 0:26:48I think that's a very good point.
0:26:48 > 0:26:51Coming in from the main entrance, it leads its way into the living area.
0:26:51 > 0:26:56- Yeah.- Yeah.- See, I think we're whetting his DIY appetite.- We are.
0:26:56 > 0:26:58Give me a sledgehammer.
0:26:58 > 0:27:00Subject to the right approval,
0:27:00 > 0:27:03opening up the current sitting room, study and hallway
0:27:03 > 0:27:08could create one large living area, perfect for a young family,
0:27:08 > 0:27:11particularly as there's another separate reception space
0:27:11 > 0:27:13where they could get away from one another.
0:27:13 > 0:27:16And with a downstairs WC and utility,
0:27:16 > 0:27:18it could also become an annexe.
0:27:19 > 0:27:23Upstairs, there are four bedrooms and the main family bathroom.
0:27:24 > 0:27:27Two bedrooms are currently decorated for children,
0:27:27 > 0:27:30then there's a guest room with twin beds.
0:27:31 > 0:27:32And then this is your bit,
0:27:32 > 0:27:35complete with en suite shower with glittery loo seat.
0:27:35 > 0:27:37Speckled loo seat. Brilliant.
0:27:37 > 0:27:39Plenty of storage there, and then this,
0:27:39 > 0:27:43- obviously the main, sort of, bedroom area.- Wow.
0:27:43 > 0:27:46I like it. I definitely like it. There's more space in this room.
0:27:46 > 0:27:48- Yep.- But, yeah.
0:27:48 > 0:27:49- What do you think?- It's really nice.
0:27:49 > 0:27:53It continues the theme from downstairs, the colour palette,
0:27:53 > 0:27:55and it's very nicely done.
0:27:55 > 0:27:59Whether your famous four-poster bed would fit in here, I doubt somehow.
0:27:59 > 0:28:01- The height might be an issue.- Yes.
0:28:01 > 0:28:04From the house, the only criticism would be the size of the rooms,
0:28:04 > 0:28:07- but there's enough room for people to cram into.- Yeah.- It's...
0:28:07 > 0:28:10They just don't have to bring a lot of stuff with them.
0:28:10 > 0:28:13On the whole, I'd say there's been pretty positive feedback
0:28:13 > 0:28:14to this property so far.
0:28:14 > 0:28:17All that remains is to check out the garden,
0:28:17 > 0:28:21and, of course, that all-important price.
0:28:21 > 0:28:24Now this is one where, famously, what you see is what you get
0:28:24 > 0:28:26when it comes to the garden,
0:28:26 > 0:28:29with the addition of that timber studio.
0:28:29 > 0:28:32Yeah, I love the garden. This is a perfect size for me.
0:28:32 > 0:28:33Not too much to maintain.
0:28:33 > 0:28:36And I love the house, even though it's a bit like a patchwork.
0:28:36 > 0:28:38I think that's a good way of describing it.
0:28:38 > 0:28:40It really is, yeah.
0:28:40 > 0:28:43So let's have a think about the price, then, Zubin.
0:28:43 > 0:28:46Considering the transport links to London and the location,
0:28:46 > 0:28:48I would say it's 78,249.
0:28:48 > 0:28:5378,249? Where does that come from?
0:28:53 > 0:28:58- Come on.- I'm going to go 790. - 790. Thank you very much.
0:28:58 > 0:29:01Round numbers I can understand. That's great.
0:29:01 > 0:29:05- 790. OK. Um, you're both wrong.- OK.
0:29:05 > 0:29:07But in a very good way.
0:29:07 > 0:29:14This is on the market, wait for it, for 700,000.
0:29:14 > 0:29:16BOTH: Wow.
0:29:16 > 0:29:18- OK.- "They said together." Great.
0:29:18 > 0:29:20Well, I'm going to give you the chance
0:29:20 > 0:29:21to have a second viewing right now.
0:29:21 > 0:29:24- Off you go. Take it all in.- Thank you.
0:29:24 > 0:29:26Make sense of it, before someone else buys it.
0:29:30 > 0:29:33It's not often that I get to present a property which not only
0:29:33 > 0:29:38meets the criteria, but is also an incredible £100,000 below budget.
0:29:38 > 0:29:42This 18th-century timber-clad home has the type of character
0:29:42 > 0:29:45they were after, along with a large kitchen/diner.
0:29:45 > 0:29:48There's also the potential for a decent-sized open-plan
0:29:48 > 0:29:51living room as well as an annexe,
0:29:51 > 0:29:55and, outside, benefits from a modest low-maintenance garden.
0:29:55 > 0:29:58Oh, this is a great space.
0:29:58 > 0:30:00This is a nice little space.
0:30:00 > 0:30:02In fact, actually, you could maybe marry those two together.
0:30:02 > 0:30:05Make it a little annexe or a studio for the elderly.
0:30:05 > 0:30:07Yeah, and there's also a bathroom through there as well,
0:30:07 > 0:30:10so that might actually work really, really well.
0:30:10 > 0:30:12I really love this house.
0:30:12 > 0:30:15From the outside, it's very simple, very elegant.
0:30:15 > 0:30:17It's got a wonderful entrance,
0:30:17 > 0:30:21and as you walk in, it feels incredibly homely already.
0:30:21 > 0:30:24The kitchen and dining area was a wow factor.
0:30:24 > 0:30:26It's beautifully finished.
0:30:26 > 0:30:28There's potential for a bigger reception area,
0:30:28 > 0:30:31which is great, and a little sort of playroom annexe.
0:30:31 > 0:30:35We could maybe work on that for an area, to change it into a bedroom
0:30:35 > 0:30:39and a sitting area for maybe our parents to come and stay.
0:30:39 > 0:30:43Upstairs, I have to say the room sizes were a little bit cosy.
0:30:43 > 0:30:45Apart from the room sizes, I think
0:30:45 > 0:30:50the house ticked pretty much all our criteria.
0:30:50 > 0:30:51- Hello!- Hi!
0:30:51 > 0:30:53- All done?- All done.- All done.
0:30:53 > 0:30:57- Have we sold it?- Maybe.- Close. - Have we redesigned it?
0:30:57 > 0:30:59- Slighty.- Slightly.- Slightly.
0:30:59 > 0:31:03I thought so. Good. Well, I'm quite happy with what we've seen so far.
0:31:03 > 0:31:07- Yes.- Lots for you to think about. - Plenty I think, yeah.
0:31:07 > 0:31:09- But lots more to see. Come on. - OK.- OK.
0:31:19 > 0:31:22'It's the start of our second day here in Cambridgeshire,
0:31:22 > 0:31:26'with newlyweds Zubin and Louisa from central London.
0:31:26 > 0:31:28'Armed with an £800,000 budget,
0:31:28 > 0:31:31'they're looking for character, space and flexibility
0:31:31 > 0:31:33'in a calm, rural location,
0:31:33 > 0:31:36'away from the crowds and commotion of the city.
0:31:36 > 0:31:40'Still to come, our much-anticipated and unique Mystery House
0:31:40 > 0:31:43'proves that silence is golden.'
0:31:43 > 0:31:45It is so quiet.
0:31:45 > 0:31:47Just, you can't hear a thing.
0:31:47 > 0:31:50It's idyllic, and the space...
0:31:50 > 0:31:53'And I revisit a favourite old haunt,
0:31:53 > 0:31:56'where I get up close and personal with some military legends.'
0:31:56 > 0:32:00Here we are surrounded by, you know, a Spitfire and a Lancaster -
0:32:00 > 0:32:05two of the most iconic aircraft that the RAF have ever flown.
0:32:05 > 0:32:07Now, an issue common to many house searches is the need to
0:32:07 > 0:32:10try and find the space demanded by modern living,
0:32:10 > 0:32:14yet set within an old and characterful property.
0:32:14 > 0:32:16Regardless of your budget,
0:32:16 > 0:32:19it's more an architectural dilemma than it is a financial one.
0:32:19 > 0:32:23That is certainly what I think Zubin and Louisa have found this week
0:32:23 > 0:32:25so far, so what can we do today,
0:32:25 > 0:32:28our final day of house-hunting, to try and resolve it?
0:32:28 > 0:32:30Well, we have two more properties to come,
0:32:30 > 0:32:32including of course our Mystery House.
0:32:32 > 0:32:35It is a day of something old and something new,
0:32:35 > 0:32:38but space is top of the agenda.
0:32:40 > 0:32:43We are continuing our Cambridgeshire house search
0:32:43 > 0:32:47and our destination is the village of Gamlingay.
0:32:47 > 0:32:50Steeped in history, the village is full of period properties,
0:32:50 > 0:32:53many of which are listed, including the church,
0:32:53 > 0:32:55which is made from locally-quarried stone,
0:32:55 > 0:32:58and dates back to the 12th century.
0:32:58 > 0:33:01Once an ancient coaching route from London, Gamlingay was home
0:33:01 > 0:33:05to many inns, some of which still exist today.
0:33:05 > 0:33:09In addition, there are also a number of local shops and a primary school.
0:33:09 > 0:33:14The nearest train station for Zubin is about four miles away,
0:33:14 > 0:33:17with a service to London which takes just over 45 minutes.
0:33:17 > 0:33:19And right on the edge of the village,
0:33:19 > 0:33:22we come to our next property.
0:33:23 > 0:33:26Well, guys, this is perhaps the most bizarre start to a house tour I have
0:33:26 > 0:33:29ever done, because you can't really see what I'm about to describe.
0:33:29 > 0:33:33It is one of eight brand-new conversions on this
0:33:33 > 0:33:36redevelopment of an old farm complex.
0:33:36 > 0:33:38What I'm going to show you is a property which
0:33:38 > 0:33:40is completely detached from the rest.
0:33:40 > 0:33:42It's at the end of the development,
0:33:42 > 0:33:45- but on the inside, it's completely empty.- Wow.
0:33:45 > 0:33:48It's super efficient, it's got all mod cons, as you will see,
0:33:48 > 0:33:50and it's got bags of space.
0:33:50 > 0:33:52I think we're both intrigued, aren't we?
0:33:52 > 0:33:56- We're both intrigued. We love conversions.- Yeah.
0:33:56 > 0:33:58It sounds like it might be right for us.
0:33:58 > 0:34:01Well, let's see if we're right. Come on, then.
0:34:01 > 0:34:04Eight barns have been converted in total,
0:34:04 > 0:34:06and have been given Grade II listed status,
0:34:06 > 0:34:10as the buildings were originally built in the early 1700s.
0:34:10 > 0:34:14The one we're showing was completed just three months ago,
0:34:14 > 0:34:17and comes with no less than three of the dedicated parking spaces
0:34:17 > 0:34:19within the carport.
0:34:20 > 0:34:23Well, this is the obvious place to start.
0:34:23 > 0:34:26- This amazing central hallway. - Wow.- Wow.
0:34:26 > 0:34:28This is very impressive.
0:34:28 > 0:34:31It's light, it's airy,
0:34:31 > 0:34:34- it's fantastic.- This is me. - It's you, it's very you.
0:34:34 > 0:34:37This is brilliant. This is stylish, sophisticated, just like me!
0:34:37 > 0:34:40If you say so yourself!
0:34:40 > 0:34:41THEY LAUGH
0:34:41 > 0:34:45I do think it's you. I think it's you two to a T.
0:34:45 > 0:34:47Come on, let's have a look at the kitchen/diner.
0:34:49 > 0:34:50I mean, this is an enormous space.
0:34:50 > 0:34:54Very echoey, because there's nothing in it to absorb the sound.
0:34:54 > 0:34:57There's the kitchen. Brand-new.
0:34:57 > 0:34:59Everything's built in. It's even got a wine fridge.
0:34:59 > 0:35:01- THEY LAUGH - They knew I was coming.
0:35:02 > 0:35:05- There's nothing in it.- Drat.
0:35:05 > 0:35:07I love it. It's perfect.
0:35:07 > 0:35:10It's got everything that you say we need,
0:35:10 > 0:35:13and it's got a wonderful island for your creations that you make.
0:35:13 > 0:35:17- It's perfect.- And they've wired it to within an inch of its life.
0:35:17 > 0:35:20There are TV points over there, internet points,
0:35:20 > 0:35:23so you could have a telly over here with a bit of a sofa as well,
0:35:23 > 0:35:27the dining table, and of course access out to the garden
0:35:27 > 0:35:29through two double doors.
0:35:29 > 0:35:31It sells itself, this one, really.
0:35:31 > 0:35:34It's a lovely space. I can see myself hosting family.
0:35:34 > 0:35:36Well, talking about family,
0:35:36 > 0:35:38because one of the issues we have struggled with
0:35:38 > 0:35:41is living room space to accommodate these big family gatherings.
0:35:41 > 0:35:45This, I think, will work. Come and have a look at the living room.
0:35:49 > 0:35:51- There you go.- Wow.- Wow.
0:35:51 > 0:35:55Oh, gosh, that's great. What a fantastic size.
0:35:55 > 0:35:58- The old beam adds a little bit of character.- Yes.- It does.
0:35:58 > 0:36:02Open. Two doors to look out into the garden.
0:36:02 > 0:36:05- It's brilliant. You've done well. - Hurrah.
0:36:05 > 0:36:07Well, we've got four bedrooms for you to look at,
0:36:07 > 0:36:09but let's deal with the main event, the master.
0:36:09 > 0:36:11That's through here.
0:36:11 > 0:36:14So some very encouraging responses to this sleek,
0:36:14 > 0:36:17contemporary conversion so far.
0:36:17 > 0:36:19Also down here, there's a separate study,
0:36:19 > 0:36:23a handy utility room and finally a ground floor bedroom suite.
0:36:23 > 0:36:27Again, this is a great-sized room.
0:36:27 > 0:36:29So, this would be the master bedroom?
0:36:29 > 0:36:30This is the master bedroom,
0:36:30 > 0:36:33because it's the only one with the en suite. Have a look in there.
0:36:33 > 0:36:34That's what it is, over the bath.
0:36:34 > 0:36:37Again, all brand-new, which is rather nice.
0:36:37 > 0:36:40So, I'm thinking that, day to day, this is probably you,
0:36:40 > 0:36:42but when your family come over from India, say,
0:36:42 > 0:36:45you could relocate upstairs and use the family bathroom
0:36:45 > 0:36:49for as long as they're here for, and then it's all on one level.
0:36:49 > 0:36:52- And finally, a bedroom that can hold my four-poster bed.- Yes. Exactly.
0:36:52 > 0:36:57- Exactly, yeah.- I really like it. I really like it,
0:36:57 > 0:37:00and there are cupboards for all my clothes as well so, yeah.
0:37:00 > 0:37:04- You've done really, really well. - Good. Let's see if it keeps going.
0:37:04 > 0:37:06Come on.
0:37:06 > 0:37:08Upstairs, there are three further bedrooms,
0:37:08 > 0:37:11all of which are large enough to fit double beds,
0:37:11 > 0:37:14and there's also a fully-tiled high-spec bathroom.
0:37:14 > 0:37:18Heading outside, I'm keen to see what they make of the garden.
0:37:20 > 0:37:23- Well, at last you can see it. - Yes, you can.
0:37:23 > 0:37:26Because you couldn't when we arrived, of course.
0:37:26 > 0:37:27You know what's on the inside.
0:37:27 > 0:37:31- That's what it looks like from the outside.- It's lovely.
0:37:31 > 0:37:33It really, really is lovely.
0:37:33 > 0:37:36I'm finding it hard to find fault in it right now.
0:37:36 > 0:37:40Well, the garden is pretty plain. Obviously, it's brand-new.
0:37:40 > 0:37:42You've also got this paddock, which you could potentially
0:37:42 > 0:37:45introduce some apple trees or something, turn it into an orchard.
0:37:45 > 0:37:48It's lovely. The garden as well, it's the perfect size.
0:37:48 > 0:37:52So, let's think about the price, then. Louisa?
0:37:52 > 0:37:55- I'm going to go 750.- 750? Zubin?
0:37:55 > 0:37:59I think this has ticked off everything we've asked for.
0:37:59 > 0:38:01I think it would be 815.
0:38:01 > 0:38:04So, it would be worth it to you for £815,000?
0:38:04 > 0:38:05It might just be.
0:38:05 > 0:38:11It would be worth it to me if it was £725,000.
0:38:11 > 0:38:13- Wow.- Wow.
0:38:14 > 0:38:16That's... That's great.
0:38:16 > 0:38:21Often, people's estimates are a real reflection of how much they want it.
0:38:21 > 0:38:25And I think you've just given the game away, mate.
0:38:25 > 0:38:28This clearly works a treat, as I thought it would.
0:38:28 > 0:38:30Right, then, go and have a wander round and I will come
0:38:30 > 0:38:34- and find you a little bit later on. - OK.- Off you go. Brilliant.
0:38:34 > 0:38:36Well, that was an easy sell.
0:38:39 > 0:38:44Considerably below budget at £725,000, it's been a delight
0:38:44 > 0:38:48to present our buyers with this Grade II listed barn conversion.
0:38:48 > 0:38:52It has four bedrooms, one of which is a ground-floor en suite,
0:38:52 > 0:38:54with plenty of wardrobe space for Louisa.
0:38:54 > 0:38:57It also comes of course with a large kitchen/diner for Zubin,
0:38:57 > 0:39:00and an open, level garden, as well as a paddock,
0:39:00 > 0:39:03all surrounded by wonderful countryside views.
0:39:03 > 0:39:05I love this house.
0:39:05 > 0:39:08It's got everything that we've been looking for.
0:39:08 > 0:39:10It has the character of an older property,
0:39:10 > 0:39:14but it has the modern-day space that we really are looking for.
0:39:14 > 0:39:16I really love the outside of the property.
0:39:16 > 0:39:20It's got some history to it, whereas inside, it's very modern,
0:39:20 > 0:39:24very well-finished, neutral for us to be able to put our stamp on it.
0:39:24 > 0:39:29It's given us enough space for us to play around with.
0:39:29 > 0:39:34It's given us the downstairs living area for the parents.
0:39:34 > 0:39:37It's got a lovely large kitchen,
0:39:37 > 0:39:40and ticked off everything we've asked for.
0:39:40 > 0:39:42- After you.- Thank you.- Thank you.
0:39:42 > 0:39:45One thing I forgot to tell you is that the whole thing comes
0:39:45 > 0:39:48- with a two-year guarantee as well. - That's not bad.
0:39:48 > 0:39:50- That's not bad at all, is it? - It's not too bad at all.
0:39:50 > 0:39:53Well, we have one more to see, of course, our Mystery House.
0:39:53 > 0:39:55Will that change your minds, I wonder? Come on.
0:40:01 > 0:40:05A little over 70 years ago, the level landscape of Cambridgeshire
0:40:05 > 0:40:10found itself on the front line of the fight against Germany.
0:40:10 > 0:40:13One of the county's airfields, RAF Duxford,
0:40:13 > 0:40:16played a key rule in defending Britain in the Second World War,
0:40:16 > 0:40:20and the actions of its pilots were decisive in helping to win
0:40:20 > 0:40:22the Battle of Britain.
0:40:22 > 0:40:24Now a leading aviation museum,
0:40:24 > 0:40:27Duxford is one of my favourite museums of all time,
0:40:27 > 0:40:30and I've been coming here since I was seven years old.
0:40:30 > 0:40:31For today's visit,
0:40:31 > 0:40:35information manager Carl Warner is showing me around.
0:40:35 > 0:40:37For anybody not familiar with Duxford's history,
0:40:37 > 0:40:38just give as a quick run through.
0:40:38 > 0:40:41The actual historic site goes back to the First World War.
0:40:41 > 0:40:42It was used in the Second World War,
0:40:42 > 0:40:44both during the Battle of Britain
0:40:44 > 0:40:46and the great air offensive against Germany,
0:40:46 > 0:40:48and it was even used in the Cold War,
0:40:48 > 0:40:50so it's got that history running right the way
0:40:50 > 0:40:53from 1918 all the way through to the 1960s.
0:40:53 > 0:40:56Well, let's fast-forward to the Second World War and 1940,
0:40:56 > 0:40:58when Duxford really comes into its own.
0:40:58 > 0:41:02So, in 1940, what you would have seen here are squadrons of
0:41:02 > 0:41:05Hurricanes, with Spitfires just down the road at our satellite airfield.
0:41:05 > 0:41:07And what the pilots were doing was essentially,
0:41:07 > 0:41:09they were responsible for defending the Midlands
0:41:09 > 0:41:11but also helping out with defence of London,
0:41:11 > 0:41:15so in that great defensive air battle, Duxford is playing its role.
0:41:15 > 0:41:18Churchill famously describes the pilots that took part
0:41:18 > 0:41:21in the Battle of Britain as "the few", but chief amongst them
0:41:21 > 0:41:25was Group Captain Douglas Bader, who made Duxford his own.
0:41:25 > 0:41:29He did, and the story is just incredible.
0:41:29 > 0:41:31He was involved in a flying accident in the early 1930s,
0:41:31 > 0:41:34he had to have his legs amputated, left the Royal Air Force,
0:41:34 > 0:41:36but of course, with war coming along,
0:41:36 > 0:41:39fought desperately hard to get back into the Royal Air Force.
0:41:39 > 0:41:41To give a sense of what that struggle was like,
0:41:41 > 0:41:44few people thought he would survive when he had his accident,
0:41:44 > 0:41:48let alone walk again, let alone fly again, but he did,
0:41:48 > 0:41:52and he flew again, and ended up very quickly becoming
0:41:52 > 0:41:55an extraordinarily proficient fighter pilot.
0:41:55 > 0:41:58The sense of history here, Carl, is palpable.
0:41:58 > 0:42:00You can virtually touch it. You can almost taste it.
0:42:00 > 0:42:03I've always felt that, for anybody coming here for the first time,
0:42:03 > 0:42:06the best place to start is up there, in the AirSpace Hangar.
0:42:06 > 0:42:09- Shall we go and take another look? - Let's go.
0:42:10 > 0:42:14Within the hangar, over 200 aircraft are on display,
0:42:14 > 0:42:17at least 30 of which tell the story of British
0:42:17 > 0:42:19and Commonwealth aviation and aircraft development.
0:42:19 > 0:42:23It also houses some of the most memorable planes to hit the skies,
0:42:23 > 0:42:28such as Concorde, alongside earlier 20th-century examples.
0:42:30 > 0:42:34You know, Carl, I never, ever tire of coming in here.
0:42:34 > 0:42:37- There is just so much to see. - What would your favourite be?
0:42:37 > 0:42:39I don't know. The Sunderland is an old favourite, you know?
0:42:39 > 0:42:42I would have loved to have travelled the world in one of those.
0:42:42 > 0:42:46But here we are, surrounded by a Spitfire and a Lancaster,
0:42:46 > 0:42:49two of the most iconic aircraft the RAF have ever flown.
0:42:49 > 0:42:51I don't know. What's your favourite?
0:42:51 > 0:42:53Something else that's really interesting is the TSR-2.
0:42:53 > 0:42:55Absolutely, yeah, there it is.
0:42:55 > 0:42:58Sadly, an aircraft that never was a commercial success.
0:42:58 > 0:43:01It's also one of the rarest. There are only two in existence.
0:43:01 > 0:43:02Where do you get them all from?
0:43:02 > 0:43:04Well, they come from a variety of places.
0:43:04 > 0:43:08Obviously, when the armed services are looking
0:43:08 > 0:43:12to move on from a type, there is a requirement to put them in museums.
0:43:12 > 0:43:14Some of them come from private sources.
0:43:14 > 0:43:16The Sunderland, for example, was...
0:43:16 > 0:43:19Its last use, it was a bar on a French beach.
0:43:19 > 0:43:22But of course, once we get them, they need to be looked after,
0:43:22 > 0:43:26they need to be conserved, and that's also what we do here.
0:43:26 > 0:43:30The Conservation in Action hangar is where a team of expert conservators
0:43:30 > 0:43:33work on preserving the museum's most significant exhibits.
0:43:33 > 0:43:37I'm heading there next to meet conservation assistant Rob Claydon.
0:43:39 > 0:43:41- Hello, Rob.- Hello, Jules. - Nice to see you again.
0:43:41 > 0:43:44- Nice to see you again.- What have you been tinkering with here?
0:43:44 > 0:43:49Jules, this is a Pucara, which is from the Falklands War.
0:43:49 > 0:43:55It was captured back down there in 1982, and is back here.
0:43:55 > 0:43:59Now we are just in the process of doing some conservation work.
0:43:59 > 0:44:01And as you're taking these aircraft apart, though,
0:44:01 > 0:44:04are you getting into the mind of the people who built them,
0:44:04 > 0:44:08- I mean, some of them, 70, 80 years ago?- Very much so.
0:44:08 > 0:44:12You often think, especially working on equipment or objects from
0:44:12 > 0:44:14World War II, you think,
0:44:14 > 0:44:18"I may be the only person that's ever touched that
0:44:18 > 0:44:20"since that was built."
0:44:20 > 0:44:23- So, in a way, you're opening a time capsule, aren't you?- You are.
0:44:23 > 0:44:26But your work here at Duxford covers the entire range of the
0:44:26 > 0:44:30Imperial War Museum's collection, doesn't it? Not just aircraft.
0:44:30 > 0:44:35No, we cover tanks, guns, vehicles, anything.
0:44:35 > 0:44:38And what is the latest arrival, then?
0:44:38 > 0:44:42- Ah, well, would you like to come and see this, Jules?- After you.
0:44:42 > 0:44:44Well, what have we got here, then?
0:44:44 > 0:44:48This is a Husky from Afghan, 2012.
0:44:48 > 0:44:51- And what happened to it? - Well, unfortunately,
0:44:51 > 0:44:55it hit an IED and completely destroyed the front of the vehicle.
0:44:55 > 0:44:57- Do we know what happened to the crew?- The crew were safe.
0:44:57 > 0:44:59- So, it did its job?- It did its job.
0:44:59 > 0:45:03And I presume this is something you are simply going to conserve
0:45:03 > 0:45:06- and keep it as it is? - Very much so.
0:45:06 > 0:45:11Kept as it is, in conservation. This shows what war is all about.
0:45:11 > 0:45:14- It tells the story, doesn't it? - It certainly does.
0:45:14 > 0:45:17Fortunately, aviation enthusiasts like Rob,
0:45:17 > 0:45:21with the dedication and mechanical know-how,
0:45:21 > 0:45:24are passionately safeguarding these machines along with their legacy
0:45:24 > 0:45:28as a captivating and poignant reminder for future generations.
0:45:35 > 0:45:39Well, guys, from one successful house tour to, I hope, another.
0:45:39 > 0:45:42What do you think we've got for our mystery offering?
0:45:42 > 0:45:44Well, it could be anything, couldn't it?
0:45:44 > 0:45:47I think I like character in a building, so I think it might be
0:45:47 > 0:45:53something weird and wonderful, maybe, with character.
0:45:53 > 0:45:55That's what we've tried to do so far.
0:45:55 > 0:45:57Wow, the pressure to come up with something new!
0:45:57 > 0:46:01- Zubin?- I'm hoping for something completely quirky and out-there.
0:46:02 > 0:46:05Something that probably we've not even thought of.
0:46:05 > 0:46:08I'd be really intrigued to see if you can top the last one.
0:46:08 > 0:46:11Yeah. Our final property has its work cut out,
0:46:11 > 0:46:14but it's the Mystery House, so anything can happen.
0:46:14 > 0:46:17I'm looking forward to it.
0:46:22 > 0:46:25Our final property stop takes us north of Cambridge to the
0:46:25 > 0:46:29village of Holywell, six miles from the nearest train station to London.
0:46:29 > 0:46:33Taking its name from a water well in the local churchyard, the village
0:46:33 > 0:46:38is full of thick-thatch cottages, and sits beside the River Ouse.
0:46:38 > 0:46:41There's a local shop, a primary school and a pub.
0:46:41 > 0:46:44Tucked away in the centre, we find our Mystery House,
0:46:44 > 0:46:48which should deliver on Zubin and Louisa's quirky request
0:46:48 > 0:46:50but with a modern twist.
0:46:50 > 0:46:53Right, then, here it is.
0:46:54 > 0:46:57- Our Mystery House. What you think of that?- Wow.- Wow.
0:46:57 > 0:47:00- Um...- It's very different.
0:47:00 > 0:47:04It's very different to anything we've shown you so far this week.
0:47:04 > 0:47:08It's by far the youngest property we've shown you, in many respects.
0:47:08 > 0:47:10It is a house with a basement, really,
0:47:10 > 0:47:13but the basement is chock-a-block with rooms, a games room...
0:47:13 > 0:47:18There's a bit of fun to be had with it. What do you think?
0:47:18 > 0:47:20It's unusual.
0:47:20 > 0:47:22It's not my favourite.
0:47:22 > 0:47:25So I'm intrigued to see what's inside.
0:47:25 > 0:47:29This house will have to sell itself from the inside out.
0:47:29 > 0:47:35- Yeah.- And it might, because it's just enormous. Come and have a look.
0:47:37 > 0:47:41First impressions for this unusual 1970s Mystery House have
0:47:41 > 0:47:44garnered a rather lukewarm response.
0:47:44 > 0:47:48As we head inside, I'm optimistic that the layout and generous
0:47:48 > 0:47:50proportions will change their minds.
0:47:50 > 0:47:54We're starting off on the top level, where we find a key room for Zubin.
0:47:54 > 0:47:57Well, it has space!
0:47:58 > 0:48:01- Which is a good thing. - It's not what I was envisaging.
0:48:01 > 0:48:03THEY LAUGH
0:48:03 > 0:48:06Yeah, it's definitely not what I thought it would be.
0:48:06 > 0:48:09But I could find myself working in this kitchen, definitely.
0:48:09 > 0:48:10What would you change?
0:48:10 > 0:48:13I think just to make it a bit more uniform, do you think?
0:48:13 > 0:48:15I think I'd make it more uniform, yes.
0:48:15 > 0:48:17There is a bit of mix and match,
0:48:17 > 0:48:21the colour is a little bit brighter than I would like, but...
0:48:21 > 0:48:26- Cosmetic.- Yes. Absolutely.- There is nothing that's not cosmetic.
0:48:26 > 0:48:30What's nice about it, it does sort of flow through to those doors
0:48:30 > 0:48:33out there, which get you out to a little veranda arrangement.
0:48:33 > 0:48:37To be honest, even if it had nothing else, this is a great space.
0:48:37 > 0:48:41But the living area is enormous. Come and look.
0:48:46 > 0:48:49There, look at all this.
0:48:49 > 0:48:53- Yeah.- Yes, definitely a lot of space. Wow.
0:48:53 > 0:48:57- Wood-burner there. - Oh, gosh.- Oh.- That's lovely.
0:48:57 > 0:49:00This is a lovely space.
0:49:00 > 0:49:03And it is so quiet.
0:49:03 > 0:49:07You can't hear a thing. It's idyllic.
0:49:07 > 0:49:08And the space.
0:49:08 > 0:49:12It definitely has the space, but it feels very snug as well.
0:49:12 > 0:49:14Can you see yourself living here?
0:49:14 > 0:49:15Starting to.
0:49:15 > 0:49:18I wasn't sure from outside, but now you're inside,
0:49:18 > 0:49:20it definitely feels very homely.
0:49:20 > 0:49:22- So...- I'd say, "yes."
0:49:22 > 0:49:23THEY LAUGH
0:49:24 > 0:49:26It's very quirky.
0:49:27 > 0:49:29'Leaving the kitchen and living rooms behind,
0:49:29 > 0:49:31'and heading out into a corridor,
0:49:31 > 0:49:35'this top floor also has a bathroom and four of the property's
0:49:35 > 0:49:38'five bedrooms, arranged off the central hallway.
0:49:38 > 0:49:41'The first comes with its own en suite,
0:49:41 > 0:49:43'next to which is a family bathroom.
0:49:43 > 0:49:47'The second and third bedrooms are both big enough to fit double beds.
0:49:47 > 0:49:49'At the end is the master.'
0:49:51 > 0:49:56This is yours with en suite and dressing room through there.
0:49:56 > 0:50:00- Our new dressing room.- Mmm. And look at all that built-in storage.
0:50:00 > 0:50:04- And all that storage.- Somehow I think you've got her attention now.
0:50:04 > 0:50:05I like the sound of that.
0:50:05 > 0:50:10Again, it's a nice space room and feels quite light and airy, as well.
0:50:10 > 0:50:12There's a bit more to see in the basement.
0:50:12 > 0:50:14And what's in the basement?
0:50:14 > 0:50:16It's good fun, it's really good fun.
0:50:16 > 0:50:18JULES CHUCKLES Come and have a look.
0:50:21 > 0:50:23'As I hoped, the upper level of the Mystery House has made
0:50:23 > 0:50:27'a great impression on our newlyweds and there's even more to take
0:50:27 > 0:50:30'in downstairs on the lower ground floor.'
0:50:30 > 0:50:31There...
0:50:31 > 0:50:33LAUGHTER
0:50:33 > 0:50:35It's home from home.
0:50:35 > 0:50:38- Yeah?- Well, you wondered where you were going to put your pool table.
0:50:38 > 0:50:40- Now we've found a spot.- It's there.
0:50:40 > 0:50:42I might have to make room for two now, though.
0:50:42 > 0:50:45- It's great, isn't it? - It's great fun.
0:50:45 > 0:50:48To describe this as a basement is to undersell it, really,
0:50:48 > 0:50:52because you've got, not only this area, there's a room through
0:50:52 > 0:50:55here which they've currently got set up as a music studio.
0:50:55 > 0:50:57That door goes into what is currently
0:50:57 > 0:51:01a sort of book store-cum-libary. It could be a study, whatever.
0:51:01 > 0:51:05And then in the corner, another en suite bedroom.
0:51:05 > 0:51:09So I'm thinking for your guests, that would work a treat.
0:51:09 > 0:51:13- Gosh, I just didn't expect this. - It's a very deceptive property.
0:51:13 > 0:51:15It has an abundance of space.
0:51:15 > 0:51:19'This house by far the biggest footprint of our property
0:51:19 > 0:51:23'line-up at just under 3,000 square feet.
0:51:23 > 0:51:26'Back upstairs and through double doors out to a raised balcony,
0:51:26 > 0:51:29'we arrive at the perfect vantage point to take in the acre of
0:51:29 > 0:51:31'mature garden.'
0:51:31 > 0:51:34You can see where we started down there with that lovely
0:51:34 > 0:51:37weeping willow and you've got a nice mixture of apple trees here.
0:51:37 > 0:51:40I like it, I like the space outside and, again,
0:51:40 > 0:51:42we don't have to do very much to it!
0:51:42 > 0:51:47The space, up, down, everywhere you look around, there's plenty to see.
0:51:47 > 0:51:50Let's get down to the numbers, shall we? Off you go, sir.
0:51:50 > 0:51:53I would say this is top end of our budget...
0:51:53 > 0:51:56- 795.- 795, yeah.
0:51:56 > 0:52:01I think it's private, it's secluded and it has a lot of space,
0:52:01 > 0:52:05I'm going to go on the nose, 800.
0:52:05 > 0:52:07You have learnt well this week.
0:52:07 > 0:52:09- It is 795.- Oh!
0:52:09 > 0:52:12THEY LAUGH
0:52:12 > 0:52:13Sorry.
0:52:13 > 0:52:15- 795.- Wow! On the nose.
0:52:15 > 0:52:17Your instincts were absolutely spot-on.
0:52:17 > 0:52:20I think we should give you plenty of time on this one to wander around,
0:52:20 > 0:52:24immerse yourself in it and see if it would actually work.
0:52:24 > 0:52:28- Go on, off you go.- Thank you.- We'll find you a little bit later on.
0:52:31 > 0:52:35'£5,000 under budget, this Mystery House has definitely hit the spot.
0:52:35 > 0:52:38'And whilst it may not boast historic character,
0:52:38 > 0:52:42'the modern style and proportions certainly make up for it.
0:52:42 > 0:52:45'Featuring generous living areas, there's lots of storage space
0:52:45 > 0:52:48'for Louisa, plus a large kitchen/diner for Zubin.
0:52:48 > 0:52:51'And a whole separate floor could be ideal for
0:52:51 > 0:52:54'a number of visiting friends and relatives with plenty to
0:52:54 > 0:52:57'entertain them in the form of a games' room.'
0:52:57 > 0:53:01Um, the Mystery House was really interesting.
0:53:01 > 0:53:06It was a right curveball and it had abundance of space,
0:53:06 > 0:53:09nooks and crannies that you had to go digging through.
0:53:09 > 0:53:11It was a project house.
0:53:11 > 0:53:16I can see us having lots of work to do over a long, long period of time.
0:53:16 > 0:53:22I have to say when I first saw it, um, I think I wasn't very enamoured.
0:53:22 > 0:53:26Having come inside the house, I have changed my mind.
0:53:26 > 0:53:30I think it's a great space and it has a lot of potential for us
0:53:30 > 0:53:32to make into a family home.
0:53:32 > 0:53:35I can see myself living here,
0:53:35 > 0:53:40but it means that I would have to hone my DIY and handyman skills.
0:53:40 > 0:53:43Well, I think this has all gone quite well this week.
0:53:43 > 0:53:47- Thank you very much.- That's all right.- Thank you.- My pleasure.
0:53:47 > 0:53:51- Well, that's it, I'm afraid. The house tours are now over.- Gosh.
0:53:51 > 0:53:55- It flies by, doesn't it?- It does. There's a lot to think about.
0:53:55 > 0:53:59- I think there is a lot to think about. Off you go.- Thank you.
0:53:59 > 0:54:00Let's go think.
0:54:04 > 0:54:08Well, I'm satisfied that we have done our job this week, but have our
0:54:08 > 0:54:12properties done theirs in reassuring Zubin and Louisa that
0:54:12 > 0:54:14Cambridgeshire is for them?
0:54:14 > 0:54:15Well, let's go and ask them.
0:54:20 > 0:54:24- Ahh, look at this, relaxing after a busy week.- Absolutely!
0:54:24 > 0:54:27Er, well guys, it's been good fun, hasn't it?
0:54:27 > 0:54:29- It has, it's been great fun. - It's been fantastic.
0:54:29 > 0:54:32And having spent a bit more time out of London, are you still sure
0:54:32 > 0:54:35- that Cambridgeshire is where you want to be?- Yes, definitely.
0:54:35 > 0:54:38It's lovely to have fresh air, see greenery!
0:54:38 > 0:54:41And just to see the properties and the space that they have,
0:54:41 > 0:54:43it really has been an eye-opener.
0:54:43 > 0:54:46Are there any that may be contenders?
0:54:47 > 0:54:50We think we've narrowed it down to two.
0:54:50 > 0:54:53And which two would they be, Louisa? As if we didn't know!
0:54:53 > 0:54:57- The barn conversion and also the mystery property.- Yes, now then...
0:54:57 > 0:55:01You can buy only one despite your £800,000 budget!
0:55:01 > 0:55:04So which one might it be?
0:55:04 > 0:55:07Having talked about it, I think for now
0:55:07 > 0:55:11the barn conversion is definitely winning over the mystery property.
0:55:11 > 0:55:15The mystery property is probably a project and the right project,
0:55:15 > 0:55:16but probably at the wrong time.
0:55:16 > 0:55:20But I do think that barn conversion just lit you up like
0:55:20 > 0:55:23a Christmas tree. I mean, it's such an interesting building.
0:55:23 > 0:55:26You can make the move without any real stress, or hassle,
0:55:26 > 0:55:27and move straight in.
0:55:27 > 0:55:29I think that's where we are now with our lives,
0:55:29 > 0:55:31still commuting to London at the moment.
0:55:31 > 0:55:35Um, we don't want to be thinking about projects in the future.
0:55:35 > 0:55:39I think just to move straight in and start living our lives there
0:55:39 > 0:55:42is what we want and the barn conversion offers us that.
0:55:42 > 0:55:44So what are you going to do next?
0:55:44 > 0:55:48We need to view the property again with family to come and have
0:55:48 > 0:55:52a look at it and once they've seen it and we've garnered their opinion,
0:55:52 > 0:55:55then potentially we'll be putting an offer in.
0:55:55 > 0:55:57It might be as early as tomorrow.
0:55:57 > 0:55:58Wow!
0:55:58 > 0:56:01Well, I shall keep my phone on because if you are able to do it,
0:56:01 > 0:56:04guys, it would be just terrific to see you make this move.
0:56:04 > 0:56:07- We can certainly put our mark on it, I think.- Definitely.
0:56:07 > 0:56:09So that's a very exciting prospect.
0:56:09 > 0:56:12And it's the only one that could host my four-poster bed.
0:56:12 > 0:56:16There you go, there you go. Reason enough to want to buy it.
0:56:16 > 0:56:19Well, guys, it's been an absolute treat, an awful lot of fun.
0:56:19 > 0:56:22- So thank you very much, indeed, and best of luck.- Thank you.
0:56:22 > 0:56:24Thank you very much. Thank you.
0:56:29 > 0:56:31Well, Cambridgeshire is, of course,
0:56:31 > 0:56:34an ancient county with a famous seat of learning at its centre,
0:56:34 > 0:56:37but I think it's fair to say we've all learnt something this week,
0:56:37 > 0:56:39not least Zubin and Louisa.
0:56:39 > 0:56:42They still, of course, have much left to discuss and agree upon,
0:56:42 > 0:56:46but they might do well to bear in mind Cambridgeshire's county motto,
0:56:46 > 0:56:49"With one heart, let us be wise."
0:56:49 > 0:56:52Now there's some advice, I'll see you next time.
0:56:53 > 0:56:57'Louisa and Zubin revisited the modern barn conversion a few
0:56:57 > 0:56:59'more times and even put in an offer,
0:56:59 > 0:57:01'but have since decided against it.
0:57:01 > 0:57:05'So their search for their perfect home continues.
0:57:05 > 0:57:07'If you'd like to escape to the country in
0:57:07 > 0:57:10'Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales or England and need our help,
0:57:10 > 0:57:15'then please apply online at...'