Devon Escape to the Country

There is nothing quite like a busy milking parlour early in the morning.

These little beauties behind me offer a clue as to where we are today.

They produce this region's most famous by-product - clotted cream.

'In today's show, we help a couple exchange a flat in the south-east

'for a dream house in the country.

'And their cash goes a lot further than they think.'

A bargain!

'They'll check out a selection of top-notch rural hidey-holes, but can't put a value on it.'

-That is a view too far.

-Priceless.

'And there's the mystery house, a little twist we add, but will any of our choices blow them away?'

Today I'm in Devon. It's famous, of course, for this -

your classic Devonshire cream teas.

It's thanks to these guys, all 164,000 of them.

There's a lot more to this place than jam and scones,

there's some wonderful coastline, some wonderful landscape,

and some fantastic properties.

'Devon is the third-largest county in the UK

'with just over 200 miles of spectacular coastline.

'Rocky in the north and sandy in the south, the scenery is dramatic and a favourite for walkers.

'Further inland, dairy farms pepper the landscape and the rich clotted cream is sold in abundance

'in the market towns and villages that rest in the beautiful countryside.

'Tourism is a major contributor to the economy,

'but the fine coves that attract holidaymakers in their thousands still harbour a dark past

'as the perfect hideout for the infamous smugglers.'

Now perhaps, not surprisingly, Devon's popularity comes at a price.

The average detached property will set you back around £317,000.

That's a cool 43 grand above the national average.

The question is - is it worth it? Well, today's buyers think so.

'Today's property hunters are Trevor and Helen, who live in a two-bedroom flat in Buckinghamshire.

'They sold their previous house and bought the flat two years ago,

'before embarking on a year-long round the world trip.

'Now they've returned, retired police officer Trevor and hotel receptionist Helen

'long to leave the small flat and put down roots in South Devon,

'which they know from childhood holidays.'

We'd like to be away from where we are at the moment, which is close to two major towns.

We're totally dependent on the car just to go to the local shop for a newspaper

and we'd like a dog and we can't have a dog here.

We just want to get out into the countryside and be near the coast.

-That's it. Some riverside and our own garden.

-Yeah.

'The flat was bought to keep a foothold on the property ladder,

'but now they're seeing the pitfalls of its bijou accommodation.'

Even though this is a lovely kitchen, it's modern and compact,

I'd really like to have something bigger, that we can put in

like a farmhouse-style table that we can all gather round and entertain.

The master bedroom here is a really nice size,

but what we'd really like in the new property is an en-suite.

'It's not just the indoors they have issues with.'

Even though it's a lovely, big garden, it's a communal garden.

What we'd really like, and we miss, is not having a private garden,

and also the opportunity to have a dog.

'Trevor and Helen are keen sailors and store their dinghy in the garage with the car and motorbike.

'A garage of the same size or larger is a must.

'With all that in mind, what type of house should we be scouring Devon for?'

Our ideal dream property would be the double-fronted cottage style,

small garden, en-suite...

-farmhouse kitchen.

-And a garage.

-And a double garage!

'Location-wise, they've worked it all out too.'

The sort of life we dream of in the country is to be

in a rural area, but close to a community,

so that we can go into the local pub,

into the local shop,

but also by a river or by the sea, so we can make use of that as well.

'Let's hope our search is plain sailing. In the meantime, a local agent has been invited round

'to value the flat they bought for £320,000.'

This is a fabulous apartment. The property is in great shape.

I'd suggest we put it on the market at around £350,000.

We're quite happy with that.

We've only had it for two years and we've made a little bit on it.

For our dream property in the country, our budget would be about £470,000.

You know, I'm pretty optimistic about Helen and Trevor's house search. Their budget is realistic

and it's well-matched to their expectations. They want two, maybe three bedrooms,

a nice, big farmhouse kitchen, but importantly a nice, big garage

to store all of their toys.

So, fingers crossed, we should be all right.

Trevor and Helen are pretty flexible on their exact location in Devon,

as long as they are within reach of the coast,

so we've chosen the area between Axminster and Exeter

as the prime area for our search.

'I'll be taking them on a tour of three fantastic properties,

'but I won't be revealing the prices until we've completed the viewings.

'And the final stop will be our mystery house,

'an interesting option hand-picked to stir things up.'

Now if you fancy escaping to the country and Devon is for you,

and why not as it really is a stunning county,

don't be put off by the cost of housing down here.

Whatever your taste and budget, you will find something to suit you.

To get an idea of what I'm talking about, have a look at some of these.

If you have the cash to live the high life, then check out this five-bedroom mansion,

in Poole, on the market for just under £5 million.

There's a kitchen straight out of a glossy magazine,

more swanky bathrooms than you'll know what to do with,

and you'll definitely want to invite your friends round for a pool party.

A slightly less pricey option,

but still with a million-pound price tag, is this modern home in Broadstone.

The spacious living area and enormous kitchen-diner make entertaining spaces,

but the best view is from the bedroom.

Or if your budget is more modest and you fancy something with character,

this three-bedroom cottage in Sturminster Newton,

on the market for 345 could be just for you.

It's cosy period living, yet still feels light and bright.

And the secluded cottage-style garden makes the perfect retreat.

Welcome to Devon. What a fantastic place to start - Exeter Cathedral.

-Fabulous. Really beautiful.

-Yeah.

-Really nice.

-Your budget is 470 or so.

-Yes.

-It isn't going to buy that... unfortunately, or anything like it!

But we've got some fantastic properties, which your budget will achieve, I assure you.

-The whole sailing thing is quite a key ingredient, isn't it?

-That's for me.

I'm a novice at the moment, but I've got an interest there and I want to develop it.

-We need the right location, so I can gain confidence and...

-Right.

And I like my boats with more power and a bit more of an engine!

-Right, OK. Sail versus power.

-Absolutely.

-It's just how they're motored.

-Right, OK.

I can't find you acres of ocean, but we can find you some fantastic properties,

-so if you're ready...

-Definitely.

-Looking forward to it.

So Trevor and Helen have a budget of £470,000 and are looking for a cottage-style property.

Ideally, they want three bedrooms and, preferably, an en-suite.

Helen is keen to have a kitchen large enough to take a table,

and Trevor definitely needs a garage.

Now for a retired London policeman,

this is quite an extreme change in your pattern of life, isn't it?

It is, and I've always classed myself as a city boy, if you like.

I was born in West London,

and I worked in Central London,

but we've gradually grown to like the countryside and country pursuits, really.

-It's the walking and the hiking, cycling...

-Yeah.

And everything, really, I suppose as we're getting older and wiser,

we're coming to like the country more and more and appreciate it.

So, how wiser are you now?

Are you likely to agree on the right property, do you think?

-Oh, yes.

-I think so.

-We know.

-We've been married 30 years

and so we tend to know one another pretty well, and I do as I'm told.

THEY LAUGH

Yes, anything for a quiet and easy life.

Well, the first house is in Whimple ten miles north of Exmouth.

It's a traditional rural village with the church, post office and pub

being the main meeting points. The house we've lined up sits on the outskirts,

just a stone's throw from open fields, but just a short stroll from village activity.

If it's a cosy cottage they're after, we may just have hit the nail on the head.

-Now, tell me that is not cute.

-That is cute, isn't it?

-That's very sweet.

-That's wonderful.

Now, it is thatched, that's the most obvious thing to point out.

-How do you feel about that?

-It adds so much character to a place, doesn't it?

-That's fabulous.

-Good. OK.

Well, if you like the outside, wait till you see the inside.

Come on.

-Now then.

-Watch your head!

THEY LAUGH

-Wow!

-Yeah?

-Yeah.

-This your kind of thing?

Yes. It's lovely. It's nice and modern, but it's got lots of character still.

It's been nicely done. Nice stone tiles and that.

-I'd say that's the only problem.

-Yeah, head room.

-That is the rub with cute, old cottages.

-Yeah.

I mean, how tall are you?

6'4", so that's only about 6'6" that ceiling.

But it's very, very cute. It's very...cosy, I think.

-It's beautifully presented.

-It is very nice.

Especially in here, there's nothing you need to do.

-Perfect, really.

-It's a nice size.

-And if you do get a dog,

-which I gather might be...an issue

-We'd like to, yeah.

-This sort of flooring's ideal.

-It's easy to clean.

-But there is more. Come with me through here.

-OK.

-OK.

-This is really cosy!

-Yeah?

-Yeah. Oh, look at that fire.

-Look at that fireplace.

-Multifuel. Really, really nice.

That's something we really want in our next house.

-That is a fabulous multifuel burner.

-In terms of space,

is this big enough as a living room for what you'd use it for?

It's cosy. The whole feature of this place is a small cottage,

and so everything is going to be nice and cosy, and that's what we want.

-We have got you a dining room as well, through here.

-Even better!

-That's lovely.

-Oh, yeah.

-What a lovely room.

-Oh, it's lovely. It's very light.

-The views out there...

You can have a nice-sized table in,

-so you can have plenty of friends round, can't you?

-Yeah.

Of course, the view, you've got duel aspect. It's really lovely.

-Good. So, so far...

-So far it's very, very promising.

-It's all right?

-Yeah, it's very good.

-Let's have a look upstairs and see if that's got the space you're after.

-OK.

'Good. I was hoping all that would impress.

'Now for the upstairs, but I'm a tad worried about Trevor's height.'

-In you go. Have a look at the bathroom.

-OK.

-Oh! This is small.

-And very, very...

-low!

-Oh, dear!

-Just how do you feel at the moment?

-Big!

-Like I was driving...

a friend had a Jaguar once and I drove that like this.

-So, yeah. I know what... A little bit more difficult.

-OK.

-OK. Oh, that's a shame. Actually, otherwise, it's quite sweet.

-Yes.

-It's a deep bath.

-Yes, it is a deep bath. I'll be all right there!

-Your knees won't be on the ceiling, which is OK, so it might all work.

-Oh, dear!

-Again, beautifully finished. It's a lovely old...

-Actually, it's really nicely decorated.

-As you get older, you get smaller.

-That's all right, then(!)

-You'll grow into it!

THEY ALL LAUGH

-Oh, bless him!

-Right, come on, then!

-OK.

Now, let's get into the bedroom area.

-Ooh! Oh, gosh! This is different.

-Oh, that's really unusual, isn't it?

I've never seen anything like that.

-That's really...

-Technically, it's the landing.

-Yes, exactly. Yeah.

-They've got a sofa in, they've set it up with another screen, you know, for games...

-Games room.

-I suppose, making use of it, otherwise it's just a big corridor.

-Yeah, yeah. Big space.

Basically, we've got your two bedrooms up here.

-Right.

-That's what you asked for.

-Indeed, yes.

-Ha-ha-ha!

-Two good doubles. Come and have a look at this one.

-OK.

OK.

Oh.

Now, ceiling height - actually not too bad.

It's actually all right, yeah.

It's not much different than downstairs. No different.

-That's really nice.

-It's small, though, isn't it?

I know you want an en-suite. That's what this house doesn't offer you.

-Right.

-OK.

-To be upfront about it.

You've got the family bathroom and not that it's far away if it's just you guys here most of the time.

-Yeah.

-It's not an issue.

-Maybe it's something to think about, but, erm...

-Different when we've got guests.

-That's the difference.

But, er, yeah, it's sweet, cosy, cottagey...

-That's right. It's what it is.

-Well, there is a choice of two.

-Come through here.

-His and Hers, then(!)

-Exactly!

Right.

The last of two.

-OK.

-OK.

-Now, I suspect size...

I was just wondering how they get to the other side of the bed.

THEY LAUGH

Er...

Hop, skip and a jump, maybe?

Yeah. And there's no space for a wardrobe.

We've noticed in both bedrooms there's not really any space.

There's no storage space, really.

It's one the, kind of, drawbacks of cottages like this one.

There is a bit more to see.

-Let's see what the garden has to offer.

-OK.

'Oh, dear. Just when things were looking good downstairs,

'I think we've hit a few snags up here.

'But, undeterred, we're heading outside.'

Right.

Now, then...

..let's start exploring what you've got out here.

-Cos one of the key ingredients, Trevor, is a garage.

-A garage.

-Yeah.

-Definitely.

OK. Now, not a double, in fairness,

but in terms of the garden area, we've got this lawn here.

There's another piece over a little brook, further down. That is pretty much it for this property.

All right. We've got a nice, little, "chocolate box" thatched cottage, in the heart of East Devon

-and you've got a maximum budget of £470,000.

-Yep.

-Yes.

-OK.

-Well, I...we both think probably a lot less than that,

but, eh, I think, probably, four.

-About four...

-Four?

-..hundred thousand.

Yeah, I'm guessing, you know, but just to keep it under... 380?

-It's on the market for just under £360,000.

-Good God!

All right? Now, the reason we've shown it to you

-is because it is comfortably under budget.

-Yes, very much.

-It really does take the pressure off...

-Yeah, that's a good price.

-..your budget.

-Yes.

I appreciate there are things which are a little bit small.

-Mmm.

-But again, just to get a sense of what you're into, it's such a lovely place.

And for that sort of money, it will be a great yardstick as we go through the rest of our properties.

-Right.

-I think so, yes.

-Definitely.

You get a sense of what you're up against.

-You want to explore the brook?

-OK.

-It might persuade you! I'll catch up with you later.

-OK.

Off you go.

Well, there we are - comfortably under budget.

From a maximum of 470, this place is on the market for just under £360,000.

What do you get for it?

Well, frankly, a house that would fit the cover of any countryside magazine

and an interior finished to a fantastically high degree.

I think it's really cosy.

So, this house is a whopping

£110,000 under budget at £359,950.

It is, however, a good starting point

to learn more about Trevor and Helen's needs

and to give them an idea of what they can get for their money.

There's a fantastic kitchen, a separate dining room,

two bedrooms and a garage.

-Oh, that's lovely, isn't it?

-It's a nice feature, isn't it?

-It's nicely hidden from the garden.

-Oh, that's nice.

-Vegetable plot down there?

-It's a nice summer house, isn't it?

-Yeah. I like it.

It's a beautiful little cottage.

Downstairs, there's loads of character,

but the ceilings are a little low and, really, the lack of garage space is a big problem for us.

The house is really, really lovely. It oozes so much character,

it really does, and that's the appeal to me.

Upstairs was disappointing.

The bathroom's far too small for Trev, with the low ceiling,

and the bedrooms are too small, because there's no wardrobe space.

If only Trevor was five foot six!

-All done?

-Yes, thank you, yes.

Now, look, the sun's come out... and I've got the car ready.

-It's like being a chauffeur.

-Ha-ha!

-In you get.

-Thanks very much.

-Plenty more to see.

Trevor and Helen have fond memories of Devon,

but this particular area is uncharted waters for them,

so they're taking a bike ride to explore it.

The recently-opened Exe trail cycle route runs around the estuary

and is a fantastic way to take in the shoreline.

At the end of the trail lies Exmouth.

The attractive town was once a small fishing village,

but it was the introduction of the railway line

in 1861 that brought the tourists flooding in and the area boomed.

Today, Exmouth is known for its two-mile stretch of sandy beach

and the palm tree-fringed promenade which hugs the shore.

Wouldn't it be lovely to find a house down here?

Oh, so I can go sailing?

You can sail out there.

I'd be really happy, cos this is quite shallow and,

you know, it looks ever so safe. It's not too wavy.

I can see us being really, really happy.

How can you not like it, really? Ha-ha!

It certainly does look idyllic,

but back on their bikes, there's just a few more moments to take in the coastline.

Just not spoilt at all,

-it's really natural and...

-And the little villages, the little hamlets, dotted along.

-Yeah.

-And the hills go back.

-It's really nice.

It's just wonderful.

Our next property is in Hawley Bottom,

only 11 miles from the coast.

It's a mere scattering of houses,

but just a short hop down the road to Dalwood,

which would provide the village community they're looking for.

It's a great hideaway from urban life and,

with scenery like this on their doorstep, I'm sure they'll want to get their bikes out every day.

-Now then...

-Wow!

-What have we got for you here?

-Oh, it's very, very nice.

-That's a lovely setting, a lovely house.

-And its size...

-It's big!

-Let's go and have a look.

-It looks lovely, actually.

Right. Shall we?

Now step down into the hallway and we'll come into here... to start.

Ho-ho-ho! I love it!

-Oh, now that...

-Yeah. Look at the cooker.

-Yeah. It's all there.

-Ah, it's lovely.

-There's a walk-in pantry.

-Gorgeous.

-Size-wise, that is spot-on.

-It's exactly, isn't it?

-You've got the table and everything.

-As a kitchen-diner, is it big enough?

If you took this out, you could have a much bigger table,

-much more like a farmhouse kitchen.

-You could lose that quite easily.

-Perhaps have cupboard space up there.

-And have a bigger table.

-If you wanted your farmhouse-type table.

-I'm sure we'll adapt!

THEY ALL LAUGH

You're moving in! You haven't seen the rest of it yet!

-It's a good start.

-It's an excellent start.

-Right. Let's see the rest. Lead on.

-I'll go first.

-OK.

-Oh, yes.

-Ah.

-That's a lovely lounge.

-Yeah.

-It's cosy.

-Yeah.

Again, plenty of space for everything. A big fireplace as well.

-You could actually sit next to it.

-It's huge, isn't it?

-That will certainly keep you both cosy and warm.

-Oh, yes!

-No, it's nice. Very nice.

-Let's continue.

The thing I need you to understand, the geography of this house

-is what you need to try and get your head around.

-Right.

-Come through here and you'll see what I mean.

-OK.

-OK.

'As well as that kitchen-diner, this house also has a separate dining room,

'but next is something a little bit different.'

-Now this is...

-Look at that!

-What do we say about this room?

-Kind of a study at the moment.

-Yeah.

To be honest, what else would you do with this space, really?

But the key thing, obviously...

How do you feel about spirals? Some love 'em, some hate 'em.

-That's not the only access to the upstairs, is it?

-Not the only access.

Right, OK, cos I can't imagine putting a bed up there!

-But as far as the stairs are concerned, they're really nice.

-Yeah, it's a nice feature.

-It's not the only staircase, but it goes to one of the three bedrooms.

-Oh, right, OK.

Let's have a look.

I'm getting dizzy!

That's spiral staircases for you. Right, what we've got here is one of three bedrooms.

-OK, that's a guest bedroom?

-I think this is the master.

-Right.

-The spiral staircase suggests this is you on your own. You can't get to the rest from here.

You're very much on your own with all those views.

-Beautiful.

-Fantastic, isn't it?

-Plenty of storage, big double bed, but I think the thing that gives it away for you...

-Oh, en-suite!

-..is that.

-Oh, that's nice.

-That's a nice size.

-Good size.

-Nice, big shower.

-In fairness, it might want some updating.

-But it's big enough for you.

-Oh, yeah. I'd fit in there.

-Good.

-This could be you, then. Let's have a look at where your guests might go. Find another staircase.

-OK.

'I don't think the spiral arrangement really frightened them and it could be perfectly cosy.

'Next, we head to the second staircase and the main part of the house.

'The family bathroom is light and modern, and next door is a reasonable-sized double bedroom.

'There's just time for a quick look at the last room.'

Oh, it's a nice size.

-It is.

-It may be the biggest bedroom here.

-What do you think?

-It's quite a good size,

but because of the inglenook chimney there, it looks a bit smaller.

-But it's a good size.

-But we think inside we're not doing badly?

-No.

-Very much so. It hits a lot of things that were on our list that we're looking for.

-There's many, many of them in here.

-There's one or two outside.

-You're going to like this.

-It's good!

-Right. So one bit of lawn for you.

-Yeah.

-To keep you busy.

Right, now come through here. Trevor, this is all about you, mate.

-Oh, right.

-See what I'm thinking?

-Yes, I do. That is a big garage.

-This is a huge garage!

-Oh, yes!

-Will that do?

-That will do.

-That will do very nicely.

-You've also got that as well, that grassy area through there.

-Really? No way!

-Yeah. Possibly a kennel out there?

-Oh, you're joking!

-She's off! Right, come on, let's have a look.

Right, how about that?

-Wow!

-Like that?

-That's a real surprise, I tell you.

What a lovely spot. That's a real bonus, that is.

-It's a bonus. But there is a bit more.

-No!

Come on.

Let's finish our little tour of the garden down here on this kind of gravel garden.

-It's low maintenance, isn't it?

-All you've got are raised beds and a view to look after.

-That is a view too far.

-Priceless.

-That is absolutely wonderful. You can see for miles.

-It's very secluded and very quiet.

-You can't get any more rural!

-This is countryside, this is. Really nice.

-Amazing.

-You've got 470.

-Yeah.

-It's going to be over.

-Yes. But how much over, do you reckon?

I don't know. I'd like to say...485.

-485? That's not a bad guess.

-Yeah, 480 I would go. It's definitely over our budget.

If it was around about 480, would you be interested?

-You'd get a job!

-Yeah, I'd have to!

Obviously, yes. It is really nice.

-I wouldn't say that would really put us off.

-You could rob a bank!

I'd know how to catch myself!

But, yeah, it would take a lot of working out to go over our budget, really.

-We'd have to rethink it.

-Well, you may not have to rethink that much.

-It IS over budget, but it's on the market for a mere £475,000.

-Seriously?

-Wow.

-Offers in the region of.

-Yes, offers in the region of.

-I'm surprised. Very surprised.

-It's a hell of a house for that.

-Go have a good look around.

-Thanks very much.

-Bye.

There we are. £475,000.

Traditionally, when I present a house that is over budget, it causes sadness, but not here.

It's only five grand over and it's an extraordinary house.

So, £475,000 is the price tag,

but I'm sure a little negotiation could be done.

It has...

I think it delivers everything.

-This room's really cosy. This big fireplace really makes the room.

-It's a feature.

-A feature we've always wanted.

-It is.

-It adds the character to the rest of the house.

-That's one of the things we've got on our list.

-Definitely.

This house is quite impressive. Good condition, looks really nice.

And the view out the back is quite stunning.

And it's got a huge garage and a nice work room.

Plenty of room for everything I want to do.

There's lots of good features. The price is the top end of our budget

and that's got to be negotiated, but there's potential there.

-What a lot of excited chatter!

-Yes, well, it's a wonderful house.

-It really is.

-The question is, can we beat it?

-Take a lot of doing.

-You never know. Come on.

Helen and Trevor's move to Devon will give them more opportunity to get out on the water,

but while Helen is happy in a dinghy, Trevor wants more power,

so we meet up with Sue Spring, a local powerboat instructor.

Nice to meet you. Hello.

'It doesn't look that choppy, but I've a funny feeling there's potential to get wet,

'so we get kitted out and don the buoyancy aid.'

-Shall we go down to the boat?

-Right.

-OK.

'Trevor quite fancies buying a RIB, but one like this would make a £6,000 hole in his bank account.'

How about it, Trevor? Come on! Spend some money.

'So it's slowly off the mooring and away from other vessels and Trevor jumps into the hot seat.

'OK, so he's dabbled a bit before and he's looking pretty confident

'but it's time for him to move over and let me have a go.'

Big boys' toys! And girls, of course.

'I do quite fancy opening up the throttle,

'but with no experience and being right under Sue's nose, that's probably not a good idea.

'Sadly, I'll have to leave that to our professional.'

-Show us what this thing can do.

-OK, go round to the water-ski area and I'll take over.

High-speed burn on the water! Oh, yes!

'This is more like it. Shame there aren't more waves, but we're all hanging on!

'And judging by the squeals, Helen is having a great time!

'I think we'll persuade Sue to take us for a few more spins.'

With the day drawing to a close,

Helen and Trevor head to the hotel

to mull over their options so far.

What did you think of the thatched cottage?

Oh, at first, it was really, really sweet.

It had loads of characteristics and lots of surprises there,

but unfortunately, it's not really

good for you, with the headroom.

Especially that bathroom. I mean, I couldn't even stand up straight

and the bedrooms were the same, really. They were so small.

-There was no storage or anything.

-Yes, that's true.

-Nowhere.

And then, of course, you come to the garage

-and, unfortunately, that was...

-A disappointment, really, yeah.

What about the double-fronted?

It was so wonderful I don't what to say, really.

First impression, I was so, so excited, I must admit.

It is absolutely gorgeous.

-And the bedroom upstairs is lovely.

-The bedroom upstairs...

-And, obviously, if you used that bedroom for our own...

-It's got an en-suite.

-..which is everything.

-Yeah.

And the study is something we want, as well.

-Good day, good day.

-Yeah.

-And we'll look forward to tomorrow.

-Yeah.

-Yeah.

-Let's hope we have a good one.

-Yeah. Cheers!

Cheers!

'Trevor and Helen can't wait to leave their stop-gap flat and find a new house in Devon.

'They have a budget of £470,000 and are looking for a new life by the sea.

'They've viewed two houses which have been hit and miss.

'But, coming up, Helen gets the room of her dreams.'

-Oh, now, this is a serious kitchen.

-Oh, this is fantastic.

'We find the perfect parking place for their dinghy, but Helen wants to keep up with the neighbours.'

-We'll have to buy a bigger one now!

-Yeah!

THEY ALL LAUGH

Well, it's the start of day two down here in Devon.

Now, at the close of play yesterday, Helen and Trevor seemed very excited

by what we had shown them and we were left wondering whether or not

we could better the selection of houses.

With two more to go, including what I think is an exceptional mystery house,

there's a very good chance that we can.

'Our first house this morning

'is in Marsh Green, 10 miles north of Exmouth.

'It's a small hamlet

'sitting in glorious countryside and amongst farmland.

'I can't pretend there are many local amenities,

'but the location of this house

'would provide them with the community they're looking for.'

Now then...

-You currently live in something of a courtyard development...

-Yes.

-..sort of thing.

-Yes.

-So we thought this wouldn't be completely unacceptable.

-No.

-What we have here is a development built around 1990...

-OK.

-..on the footprint of an old farmyard.

-Right.

They knocked down the old barns and rebuilt five brand-new homes.

-Right.

-Now, what you do get is an awful lot of space.

-Yeah.

-How do you feel about this kind of development?

-It's obviously communal.

-A community.

-What we're used to. Yes, as long as you get on well with them!

I'm sure you two will have no problem! This is the property and it ends at the far stone pillar.

-That's quite big.

-That's a big, big property!

-And a double garage.

-Lots of storage, lots of property. So far, so good?

-Yes, very much.

-Yes.

Right.

-OK.

-OK?

-That's a nice entranceway, isn't it?

-It is.

It's very bright and airy. Plenty of room in here. Lovely and bright.

Now, you want a nice, big kitchen. I think you're going to like this.

-Oh, now this is a serious kitchen.

-Fantastic. Look at the size!

-Big enough?

-It's huge!

-It is.

-Huge.

-Get the big table in.

-Just what you wanted.

-Yeah.

-Just as you pictured it.

-It's lovely. Really nicely done.

-It is.

-And the big range.

-You've got a range over there.

-See that big beam?

-Yes.

-That is part of the original barn.

-All of the properties incorporate some of the old timber.

-Lovely.

It's quite a nice little feature. You could accommodate your family and friends around this table.

-And the neighbours!

-Exactly.

'But if there is any doubt about fitting them all in, there is also a large dining room next door.

'There's also a study and that much-needed garage for all of their stuff.'

French oak on the floor. Downstairs WC and then this, the living room.

-This is a lovely-sized lounge.

-Yeah?

-It is, isn't it?

-Yeah. Oh, it's nice.

-And the French doors...

-And a wood-burner there.

When I first saw it, I thought it was fake gas, but it is the real thing.

-Lovely. Ah, that's nice.

-Let's go upstairs and explore.

OK.

'Up here there are bedrooms galore. Four, in fact, and all of them will take king-sized beds.

'Some have built-in wardrobes and I'd be happy to wake up to views like this.

'Before the master, we look at the other important room.'

-Now, this is the family bathroom.

-Very nice.

-I like this.

-It's a good size.

Again, this has been recently upgraded.

That's a nice finish. Neutral colours.

And it's got a proper shower as well as the bath.

-The ceiling allows it.

-Right then, last but not least, the bedroom for you guys.

-The master bedroom. Come with me.

-Lead on.

-Now this is you two.

-Oh!

-It's a huge room again!

-It is enormous. Loads of built-in storage, which even you, I'm sure, could get all your clobber in.

-Yes.

As you would probably expect, because it is so well-appointed, this room comes with an en-suite,

which is exactly what you're after.

Right. Have a look in there.

-Gosh. It's quite big for an en-suite, really.

-Having a full bath in it as well. Good for an en-suite.

All right. So far, so good, I think, with this property. Let's go outside and have a look at the garden.

-Then see if you can afford it.

-Oh, yes!

-Right.

-OK, yeah.

'Space certainly isn't going to be a problem in this place and as a new conversion

'it needs little attention and that goes for the garden too.'

Right. Follow me through here.

Past the pond.

-Now, up here is where you get probably the best view of the garden.

-It's really pretty.

-It's not acres, not loads of lawn, you don't need a lawnmower.

-No.

Very manageable. A lovely garden.

-There's plenty to keep you occupied if you just want to have a little bit of a potter.

-Yes.

-And loads of entertaining space.

-Yeah, it's a good-sized patio.

-Lovely.

-Relatively low maintenance...

-Yeah.

-Yeah.

-..I would suggest to you.

So that's it. That's what you get. That's the house with its kitchen, dining room, four bedrooms

-and all the rest of the stuff. And you've got your garden.

-And a lovely view.

-Lovely outlook.

-Gorgeous.

So now, it begs the question, how much will you have to part with?

I think this is very much over budget, a long way over budget.

I think this is a £500,000 house. It's the sheer size of it, the rooms, four bedrooms,

-double garage, where it is - got to be £500,000.

-Your husband says half a million.

-Yeah. I'm... Again, a guess. 490?

-490?

-But still over budget.

-Still over budget. And if it were over budget,

cos it is an exceptional property, would it radically put you off?

It would, yeah. I just think it will be so much over budget that I think it would, yeah.

-OK, shall I put you out of your misery?

-Please, yeah.

This is on the market for 455.

-You're kidding me?!

-Good grief.

-All that space!

-That is...

-That's a bargain!

-Yes!

It is a bargain! For what you're after.

-Go and have a look.

-Thanks, yeah.

'So at £455,000, the price tag is a welcome surprise.

'Helen gets the large kitchen/diner she's desperate for,

'and there's a dining room too.

'The four bedrooms include an en-suite

'and there's a large garage

'which I'm sure Trevor will have no problem in filling up.'

-This kitchen is huge, isn't it?

-Yeah.

-There is enough cupboard space in here for everything.

-It's gorgeous.

-Really well done.

-It's everything we wanted in the kitchen.

-We want a bit smaller!

It is very large! What I really liked was the price.

But it is a family home, really, and just for the two of us it is just a bit too large.

It's really taken me by surprise. It's so spacious! It's a truly fabulous house for a large family,

but not the sort of place that is going to be ideal for Trevor and I, unfortunately.

Another one done, but it's not over just yet.

We still may yet find a property to change your minds.

-Good.

-OK.

'Trevor and Helen are looking forward to retirement in Devon but never ones to sit still,

'they're eager to find new ways of filling their time.

'With a shared interest in conservation issues picked up from their round-the-world trip,

'they're keen to find out more about voluntary work

'at the Bowling Green Marsh Nature Reserve

'run by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds.'

OK, I've got a rake for you two guys, one each.

'Richard Brown is one of the reserve assistants for this 35-acre site,

'and is keen for Trevor and Helen to get stuck in.'

So what we have here is one of the scrapes created in the fields.

These are low points that gather water,

and they create excellent feeding opportunities for birds.

What we're going to do now is cut some of the rush that grows up around this site

due to the wet conditions,

and by cutting all the vegetation down around it,

we make it very open, very accessible for the birds,

so let's get to it.

Yeah, get going.

'It's hard physical work, but it keeps you fit, out in the open,

'and best of all, it's helping the wildlife, and that's no bad thing.

'And after all that exertion,

'there's just time to have a quick peek at the residents from the hide.'

'This vantage point is a fabulous place for observing the birds.

'Over 150 species have been seen here and, with something different to look at on every occasion,

'I'm sure Trevor and Helen will want to make a return visit.'

It's absolutely fabulous. Thanks very much.

-Thanks for your time. It's been really good.

-Thanks.

-I'm glad you enjoyed it.

-Yeah, we had a really fabulous time, thanks very much.

-Excellent.

-You're welcome to come back any time.

-Bye-bye.

-Bye.

Well, at long last, it's mystery house time.

Traditionally, mystery houses are something completely different

to what our buyers have looked at before, and this one is no exception.

Let's just hope it floats their boat.

I love mystery houses because I'm always fascinated to see what people think we've found for them.

It's always different. What do you think is coming up?

It's been such a variety so far, it's sort of like...who knows?

Well, yeah, I was going to say,

about the only thing we haven't had is a cowshed, I think!

It could be anything, really!

They have been good properties and I'm looking forward to this mystery house.

-Can't wait.

-It'll be different.

'Well, I can reveal that the mystery house is in the port town of Topsham on the Exe Estuary.

'First stop for us is the quay.'

Right, guys. This is it. We're almost at the mystery house.

Before we go and see it, I want to show you the River Exe.

OK? You can't come to East Devon and be interested in the water without visiting this place, Topsham.

It's one of the most desirable places to live on this coast.

Property here doesn't come up for sale very often. The great news is...we've got you one!

-Wa-hey! That's the mystery house.

-Right.

-In the heart of Topsham.

A wonderful, historic building. Is it for you, I wonder? Come on.

'Topsham might attract the sailing fraternity today,

'but in the 16th century, it was a thriving port with substantial trading links

'with Holland and Belgium.

'Many of the buildings were built from Dutch bricks brought back as ballast on the boats.

'The house we're about to view is a stone's throw from the quay

'and was built in the 1680s as a warehouse to house supplies.

Sadly, there's no garden for a dog, but hopefully,

'the terrific views will make up for it.'

That is lovely, isn't it?

-How sweet.

-It's really, really sweet.

-It's not the biggest property, but its location and character...

-Really nice.

-..are what it's about.

-OK.

-Let's go.

Right. Come on in.

-Ah, yes.

-Oh, yes. OK...

-Now, very kind of cute.

-Yes.

It's like living in a lighthouse.

-It's arranged slightly differently, over several floors.

-Right.

-We're sort of in the middle. There's another floor below us.

-Right.

-And a couple above us.

-Well...

-That's really interesting.

-Architecturally, it's quite a thing.

-Bizarrely, we'll start with the bedroom...

-OK.

..because it's what's through there. Lead on into there.

-Oh, a bedroom!

-Oh, that's nice.

Not just any bedroom. This is currently the master bedroom.

-Yeah.

-With a view.

-Look at that. That is fabulous. Right across.

-Waking up in the morning to that.

-Yeah?

-Just what a lovely room.

It's sweet, isn't it? Nice, big fireplace. No longer working, but a great feature.

-Loads of built-in storage.

-It's quite quirky.

It's really is quirky.

Stripped floorboards painted white. Lots of blue and white fabrics.

It's really, really sweet.

-Very nautical.

-Nautical, but nice.

-Yes!

-Ah, rubbish, rubbish!

-Very good.

THEY LAUGH

Now, come and squeeze in here.

Oh, wow. Look at the shower.

That's a real surprise. You wouldn't expect a really modern,

big shower room like this, would you?

-Roll-top bath.

-Yeah, lovely.

-An original. Maybe not original to the house, but an antique.

Let's go upstairs. After you.

'If you think it looks shipshape on this floor, it's because the basement is for hiding things away.

'There's a utility room and a garage and an extra space which could be a spare bedroom.

'Our next port of call is the living room.'

Oh, this is nice, too.

-Yeah?

-Yeah.

-Oh, yeah.

Yeah. Again the view. It's a continuation, isn't it?

-That's very nice.

-The window seat.

-Special, isn't it?

-I like it. And you've got...

-The fireplace.

-A wood burner in there.

-Brilliant.

This is interesting. See this? This hatch, what was a hatch,

was part of it when it was a warehouse. Everything was hauled up.

It's a house that really grows on you as you get higher in it. It just gets better and better.

I wouldn't have expected a room this size. Cos it's a good size.

Good. And it gets bigger.

Come and look at the kitchen. Come and look at this.

This is not the biggest in the world.

-No, but it's compact.

-Quite small, but...

It feels like a yacht's galley. A ship's galley, isn't it?

Absolutely, yeah.

-In keeping with everything else.

-Modern just wouldn't be right.

There's one more floor to see. Let's go up and see some sky.

'So the galley has gone down a treat, but if they're worried about fitting their dinghy in the garage,

'I might have the perfect solution, which can be spotted from up here.'

-Ooh-ah, Captain.

-What about it?

Captain or lighthouse keeper. I don't know.

Aw, look at that, that is fantastic!

-There's so much character here, really.

-Yeah?

-Mm.

Now in terms of this boat,

how about you keeping it out there permanently?

We'll have to buy a bigger one, though!

That depends on whether you have any change left over.

-Would you consider that?

-Oh, yes.

If you've got a fair-sized boat anyway, it's better out there.

-It's easier for you.

-Yes, easy access, isn't it?

-It's there whenever you want it.

-No lugging it in and out. Shall we think about how much this might cost?

-That's difficult.

-Let's do it out there with some fresh air.

-OK.

'Although this house has no garden,

'I can't wait to see their reaction to the view.' Now then...

-You get that for free!

-Yes, that's true.

-It's absolutely fabulous.

-Now we are in a very unique spot here.

-Yes.

-Quite a difficult one to judge, I suspect.

But I'm going to ask you to put a value on it.

385, I think.

385.

I think it'll be a bit more because it's such a sought-after area.

Erm, 425?

-425, 385...

-Yeah.

Not bad. Not bad, as indeed it should be, coming to the end of the house tours.

-You've straddled the truth. It's bang on the market for £400,000.

-OK.

-OK.

-You've got change.

-70 grand's worth of change.

That's the boat!

I knew that money wouldn't last long! It's burning a hole already.

-That's what this house is about. It's about fun.

-It is.

-Yes.

-It's a fun house.

-Yeah.

-And having fun.

-Lots of entertaining, yeah.

-Go have another look around.

-OK.

-Keep the fun up.

-All right.

-I'll catch up with you later.

Well, there we are. £400,000-worth of fun.

What do you get for it? Views to die for, a fantastic community location, and plenty to do on your doorstep.

Would I buy this place? Yes. Yes, I would.

It's a real mindbender, this one, but, boy, it's a cracking property,

and it's up for grabs for £400,000.

There's a living room with spectacular views over the estuary,

a traditional style kitchen,

two to three bedrooms and a garage.

It will surely appeal to those of a nautical nature but what will their comments be for the logbook?

It's a fun house. We're out to have fun from now on. If you look at it like that, it's good.

But there's not enough room probably for everything we've got.

-The views are beautiful.

-Yeah, they are.

-The village is lovely.

This house is a fun, fun house.

It's very quirky. It's a nice place to wander around.

My only concern is its age and how much work might need doing.

It oozes a tremendous amount of character.

I can imagine it could be turned into something quite striking.

Personally, I really do long for a dog and I'm not sure whether this is an ideal spot.

Lots to consider, though.

Very interesting property. And a fantastic way to top off our tour of these properties in Devon.

-It is, yeah.

-Lots to think about.

-Yes.

-Lots to talk about.

-Wheels still turning, Helen?

Absolutely!

-More so now, I think.

-Brilliant. That's what I like.

-Let's have a nice little sit down and a good old think about it.

-All right.

-OK.

Now, Trevor and Helen plan to keep this next property for a very long time,

so there's plenty to think about.

At long last, my favourite part of the show has arrived. It is decision time.

Now, we have explored, we have toured,

but finally, Helen and Trevor have to make their minds up

as to whether any of the properties we have shown them

will be their ideal escape to the country. Let's go and ask them.

-Guys, this is the end of our tour. How have you found our little journey?

-Fascinating.

It has been absolutely fantastic.

It all started with that lovely little thatch cottage. What happened there?

It was just so pretty.

-It had a lovely garden as well.

-Yeah.

The grounds were really nice and that type of thing.

-And downstairs was good.

-But?

-Just the upstairs, really,

for us, was just not practical.

I think I had to tilt my head to one side to get in the bathroom.

-THEY LAUGH

-The biggest problem with that one,

it was probably just a little bit too small as a house in itself.

Then we took you to the much bigger

-white double-fronted cottage.

-Oh, yeah. I got very excited when I saw it.

That was the one that ticked so many of the things that we wanted -

it had the kitchen, it had the wood-burning stove, good-sized rooms.

It was a good, good house.

Then of course it was another day and we took you to something very different,

-a new-build in an old farmyard. What did you make of that one? It was huge.

-Yes.

-It was just too big.

-Too big?

-Yeah.

It's the sort of house that needs a family. It needs to be filled

with a lot more than just us two.

As far as the courtyard was concerned, and the setting,

we thought that was really nice because you've got a community there.

We then moved from the enormous to...back in a way, I suppose, to the not so enormous.

-The mystery house.

-Yeah.

-That house, it was fun, wasn't it?

-It was very quirky.

-It's a fun place to live, I should think. A fun place to occupy.

I liked it. I was really taken by it. The only thing I'd say is I'm a bit worried about the age,

and whether it needs a lot of work done.

But it was a wonderful house. A lot could be done in it. And look where it's situated.

This is stunning, with the views of the river and the countryside. Perfect, yeah.

So, they were the properties. What are you going to do next?

The double-fronted and the mystery house are going to cause us some problems, I think.

-We like both for different reasons.

-There's a huge price difference. 75 grand.

-Yes.

-That's true.

-And that is one of the factors.

But I don't think it's a big factor.

Between them, they've got so many things going for them,

but there are one or two things we'd have to compromise on

and maybe we'd have to talk about those.

I have a hunch...

..as to which one may win out. I'll wager it's probably Topsham.

That's all I'm going to say. But, guys, it's been great having you on the show.

Do let us know how you get on. Either one would suit you down to the ground,

but you have to go with your heart, I suspect.

-I wish you the best of luck.

-Thank you very much.

The thing I've really enjoyed about Helen and Trevor's house search

isn't just that we've been looking for a property.

We've been looking for a whole new lifestyle, but what kind of lifestyle are they going to go for?

We found a pretty remarkable choice between rural country living and life by the coast.

It's a debate that will rumble on for some time to come. Either way, they have two fantastic choices.

I'll see you next time.

If you would like to escape to the country, and fancy our help,

contact us through our website - bbc.co.uk/beonashow.

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