Episode 69 Homes Under the Hammer


Episode 69

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Hello and welcome. Now, when it comes to buying property,

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a lot of people don't even think

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about the auctions as a place to look.

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Yes, do your research,

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and the auction house can offer lots of options.

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So why don't you head down to your local auction house

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and see if you can find something to suit you?

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Bidding at auction can be such a surreal experience.

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There you can be putting your hand up, bidding,

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it can be over in a flash, but then you've bought a house!

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You have. When the hammer goes down, you are committed, so bid wisely.

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Yes, did the buyers on today's show do just that?

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Let's find out.

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I'm in a tight spot at this two-bed terrace in North York.

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And this is it.

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Well, as you can see, it's not exactly massive, is it?

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It looks like Lucy's lost the plot at this land in Kent.

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One thing I don't much like is that.

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And I'm making some interesting discoveries in Carlisle.

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And here we've got an airing cupboard with a shower door on.

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No.

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All these properties have been sold at auction.

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And we'll find out who bought them and what they paid

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when they went under the hammer.

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Well done.

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York is one of England's 12 Heritage cities,

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but it's not just about history.

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Since the Millennium, its population has grown by nearly 10%,

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and I'm heading for the lovely city suburb of Clifton.

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So, a very desirable location,

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so it's really exciting to hear of a property that sounds like

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it could be, potentially, very good value.

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Two bedroomed mid-terrace.

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£70,000 was the guide price.

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Let's have a look.

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OK, stairs up to the bedroom there.

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And then into your front sitting room.

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Well, you know, nice, you've got an open fire.

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Obviously boarded up at the moment, but it's a focal point.

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It's not huge, but then what do you expect?

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It is just a mid-terrace,

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and a fairly small mid-terrace at that.

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But it's kind of quaint.

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The moment you walk in, yeah, you get that feeling.

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What was probably a two-up, two-down at some point,

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and in its day would have definitely been heated by just coals -

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a coal fire there. A nice range which is still in existence there,

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which is good to see. Probably replaced by a kitchen, oh, yes.

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And this is it.

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Well, as you can see, it's not exactly massive, is it?

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And I don't really know what you could do

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to make better use of the space.

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You're going to be very, very limited.

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I guess it is what it is.

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And just with some really, really clever design, perhaps...

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perhaps you - and a dishcloth -

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you could make it, you know, a usable space.

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Yes, it is small,

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but with some ingenious planning, it could be perfectly formed.

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# All the small things

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# True care, truth brings. #

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Well, I guess time will tell, but let's see how the rest shapes up.

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So, upstairs, two bedrooms.

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One really good bit of news is the bathroom is up here.

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You might not have expected that. That is definitely a bonus.

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I have got to show you this, though.

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You know, talk about stud partition walls, or partition walls,

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this is how they used to do it.

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Literally just bits of tongue and groove,

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board and then cover it with a bit of paper.

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Marvellous. Actually,

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strip it back and it can actually make a really nice feature.

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Although, in terms of soundproofing,

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it's not that brilliant. There are some lovely features here, though.

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This is the bigger of the two bedrooms.

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Look at that fireplace.

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Really make the most of that, and maybe if it works,

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it's a lovely thing to have in the bedroom. Yeah.

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It is what it is. I like it.

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# Groove is in the heart

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# Groove is in the heart. #

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Some things are not so groovy.

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For a start, those storage heaters need to go.

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Then there is a second, much smaller, bedroom.

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Very purple.

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Very avocado.

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Very '70s.

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It goes without saying that everything needs a refresh.

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So, at the back of the property,

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and you can see the little extension here,

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which the kitchen has been built into.

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And then a really nice surprise.

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We've got a garden, a pretty decent size.

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Obviously needs a bit of work to sort it out.

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Bramble heaven, this is.

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But you've got a little door, gateway there.

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Is that access to a road?

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That would be good, cos you could then build some kind of a garage.

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If it's just a pedestrian, it's still a really nice thing to have.

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I mean, and it just sort of rounds off that whole feeling that,

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you know, from what at first glance

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was a relatively small, little terrace actually

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has a lot more to offer.

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And possibly all that for a £70,000 guide price.

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This York terrace seems like a real bargain,

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but what do the experts think?

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We invited a local estate agent to get her opinion on this property.

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The property requires quite a lot of work doing to it.

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It is a traditional terrace property

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that were built far before the

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council houses arrived here.

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But they're still highly sought-after

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as good and well-constructed homes.

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It needs updating, but it sounds like there is a demand.

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So what are the selling points of this kind of property?

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The advantages are they are very good for first-time buyers.

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They tend to look out for these type of properties a lot,

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cos they still retain many of the original features, fireplaces, etc.

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The garden at the back is a good size garden,

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so it's ripe for extension to go out the back there, or even to have

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a terrace property with your own garden space at the back.

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That's quite rare in itself.

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It sounds like this could be a popular lot at auction,

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especially with that low guide price of 70,000,

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but what could it achieve once renovated?

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Once renovated, I would expect this property to achieve

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in the region of £160,000.

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And what about the rental market?

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If the property was to be rented out, I would expect it to achieve

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a rental in the region of £600 to £650 per calendar month.

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Well, it's a great location and a property that you could

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definitely add value to.

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Let's see who it attracted when it went under the hammer.

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30. Thank you, sir.

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32 and a half, anyone?

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The house sold for 117,000,

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but unfortunately we didn't manage to catch the bidding.

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However, it turns out the successful bidders, Wim and fiancee Lisa,

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weren't there either.

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I caught up with Wim to find out more.

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-Wim, good to meet you.

-Hello.

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-Congratulations.

-Thank you.

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Tell me why you wanted to buy this place.

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Renting is so expensive these days.

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My fiancee and I both need a place in the city centre,

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and this just fell into our laps.

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It popped up at the right time.

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At the right price. And I think it's the last cheap house in England.

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Oh, really? The auction, you weren't actually at the auction, were you?

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No, a friend of ours went down to London for us.

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You must have been a bit nervous then, sort of, as it was happening?

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That's right. We had absolute confidence in him.

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-Really?

-With our money. I think, perhaps,

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because the auction was so far away, down in London,

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a lot of the landlords around here who would have developed it didn't

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quite have enough profit in it to go down and nab it,

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-so it's just fell through the net, really.

-Right. But to your benefit.

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-Yes, absolutely.

-That's all good news.

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So you are from York, then?

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Yes. We've been renting in York city centre for about eight, nine years.

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-So what do you do?

-I am a freelance artist at the moment.

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-OK.

-Lisa is a displays manager in a tourist attraction.

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-OK.

-So they are both very creative jobs.

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Brilliant. What kind of art do you do?

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At the moment I'm doing re-creations of classical ceilings.

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-Wow.

-And anything else that comes my way.

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I like to...

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I like new things. Because every job that comes along,

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I say, "Yes!" and then quickly go away and learn how to do it.

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So, can we expect to find elaborate Sistine Chapel-esque type ceilings

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-when we come back?

-If I think it will put the value

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of the property up, yes!

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Not sure. So, the stuff that's in here, then, is this all yours?

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Yes. We collect, kind of, almost antiques.

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-You've moved in?

-We hastily moved in yesterday.

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-Yesterday?

-Yeah.

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-OK.

-The old place was empty and cold.

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-Right.

-We thought we'd jump in here.

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In an ideal world, of course, I guess you would have not moved in

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until you'd actually done the work, because it's a lot easier to do.

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It would've been nice to sit in a hotel for a week

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while we did the work or something, but the work's all my duty.

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Right. What was it about this particular house,

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other than the price, that you liked?

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Some of the unique features, some of the period features.

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And the size of the garden, I suppose, as well.

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-Yeah.

-The bramble thicket was bigger than the house itself.

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We've slashed through it.

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And at auction, had you been looking in, sort of, other routes?

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Estate agents and stuff?

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Yeah, we hadn't been looking at the auctions specifically.

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It's just this one was on auction,

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so we had to go for it because of the price.

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-A very low guide price.

-Were you happy with what you paid for it?

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Yes.

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I think it'll increase in value rapidly

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and it is just on the edge of

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-what we could afford.

-So, what are you planning to do to sort it out?

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Well, obviously decorate, a new carpet.

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A new bathroom. A new kitchen.

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Everything, actually. She wants everything.

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Are you the man who's got to deliver on that?

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That's right. I've been given a bit of a reprieve from work while I get

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-the house done.

-Now,

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you would not expect a straightforward magnolia renovation

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from a guy who channels his inner Michelangelo, would you?

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So what is the vision?

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We're going to try and restore this room into something Victorian.

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-OK.

-Well, partly because of, well,

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the features and some of the furniture we have would lend itself

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very well to having a very nice Victorian dining room.

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-Oh, nice.

-The front room,

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I'm going to make as modern as we can,

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cos we've got some very modern furniture too,

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and we have some very modern habits, you know.

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Media and this kind of thing, you know.

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Watching movies on a projector screen.

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We like having USB sockets within an arm's reach.

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-Right.

-So a very modern room, then.

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And out the back, of course, we're going to be decking,

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having a vegetable garden,

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a bit of lawn, and I need to build a workshop for the both of us.

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-OK.

-So, an enormous shed at the bottom of the garden

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for messy stuff - painting and prop-making, that kind of thing.

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That's all good. So, no internal modifications in terms of structure

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-or anything like that?

-No.

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We like the shape of the house, and it's standard for around here.

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The bathroom upstairs is a bonus.

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-Yeah.

-People don't like tramping all the way through the house in their

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-slippers.

-And is the plan, then, obviously for you to live in it?

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Yes. Us and our friends.

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-Hmm?

-Well, there's always people popping in for tea.

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All day long.

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So it's nice to be a, kind of, hub for that.

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-Oh, great.

-And of course they can help paint the place.

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Yeah. Right, OK, so kind of an extended painting party?

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-Yes.

-What's the budget for the work?

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Altogether, over six months, about £4,000.

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-OK.

-Which is why we're doing a lot of the work ourselves.

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-Right. But are you relatively handy?

-I've been trained well.

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The actual practical application of that is yet to be seen.

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Fitting kitchens and things like that?

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Yeah, I can do all the labouring work.

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It's all the complicated bits, of course, well, safety certificates,

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things like that that we'll have someone in.

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So you'll get people in as and when?

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-Yeah, a lot of our friends are tradesmen.

-Oh, right.

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So it's all very friendly.

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Great stuff. And if this inspires,

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do you think you might do it again, or is this it?

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I think you're right. It would lead onto something else.

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We joke that once we've had our Victorian terrace,

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then we're going to get a Georgian townhouse,

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and move on from there. To a Tudor mansion perhaps.

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And your partner, is she going to get involved in, sort of,

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-the work as well?

-Yeah, she's very handy.

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She goes to work with a tool belt on and steel toe caps.

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-Oh, really?

-Well, she does that at work.

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At home, she can't plug the stereo in.

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And in terms of timescale, six months you mentioned?

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Yeah, yeah. About six months, we'd like to get a revalue

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-and see what we've done.

-Well, listen, congratulations.

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Good luck with it. I can't wait to see how you get on,

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-and maybe doing the ceiling.

-Thank you very much.

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My pleasure.

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Well, Wim certainly seems delighted with his purchase,

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and quite rightly too. I... I just can't wait to see if...

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..the ceiling is indeed elaborately decorated when we return.

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How will he get on with everything else?

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You can find out later in the show.

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Lucy's in Kent, and the lot she came to see is in Rainham.

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A great place for commuters with its fast train link to London and its

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close proximity to Gillingham and Chatham.

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The lot I'm here to see is in fact a plot of land right in the middle of

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this well-established housing estate.

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And it's got planning permission for three three-bedroomed houses,

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which is fantastic.

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And all for a guide price of 140 to 150,000.

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Now, if there is one thing I love,

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it's land with planning in an area already popular with the locals.

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-One thing I don't much like is that.

-CARS IN THE DISTANCE

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No, not the sky.

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That constant hum of the M2 motorway.

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# Get your motor running Head out on the highway! #

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Well, there had to be some kind of catch.

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And the motorway noise coupled with the other busy road right next door,

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well, that's a catch and a half.

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It'll bother some people more than others, but it's ever present.

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So, enough with the noise for now.

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Plenty of people live with it.

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And back to the land.

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What have we got?

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Well, it's 0.09 hectares, if you want to know.

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You're surrounded by all these trees, which is nice.

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Look, it's flat. There is easy access and it's a decent size.

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Now, the plans that have been passed are for a sort of mini-terrace.

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All three houses the same size, all the same layout, with a kitchen,

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diner, living room and loo on the ground floor,

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and three bedrooms and a bathroom on the first.

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Now, they won't be massive,

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but they'll be plenty big enough for a growing family.

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But what do I like most?

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The fact that somebody has done all the hard work for you,

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and you can just get building.

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Buy the land, hire the builders and boom -

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you could have houses to rent or sell in a very short space of time.

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But it does look like an extremely large plot for just three houses.

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Is there anything else you could do here to make more of the site?

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This area has a real mix of houses,

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maisonettes and, perhaps surprisingly, flats.

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And you could probably get maybe six two-beds in a block on this

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site. Now, that sounds appealing.

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You'd substantially hike up your profit when you came to sell,

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but it's selling that could be the issue.

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Now, I know you'd rent them in a flash,

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but mortgages for first-time buyers are so hard to come by,

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and even harder on leasehold new-builds.

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Of course, there's the issue

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of getting the permission in the first place.

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In fact, a couple of years ago,

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plans were submitted for five two-bedroom flats,

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and the application, well,

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it sort of trailed off into nowhere.

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I think, in this market, I would go with what sold with the site -

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think safe, think easy and in this case, think houses.

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# And make it easy on yourself

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# Make it easy on yourself. #

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So going with the flow seems like the best option.

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However, regardless of the plan,

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it was the traffic flow behind the copse

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that was the really big negative.

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This is a real problem.

0:16:340:16:36

If you had the house nearest the motorway,

0:16:360:16:39

on a lovely sunny day like today,

0:16:390:16:41

you'd be reluctant to open the windows,

0:16:410:16:43

and your evening barbecue with your family,

0:16:430:16:45

well, it would be so loud!

0:16:450:16:47

This will put people off and it will lower the value

0:16:470:16:50

of anything that's built here.

0:16:500:16:53

With the traffic whizzing by on both sides of this plot,

0:16:570:17:00

it's not going to be for everyone.

0:17:000:17:02

So we invited a local estate agent to give us

0:17:020:17:05

his assessment of the situation.

0:17:050:17:08

My first impression of the plot of land is that it's a very

0:17:080:17:11

good size. However,

0:17:110:17:13

my concern is it's sandwiched between two quite big roads and,

0:17:130:17:17

therefore, the noise level is going to be very high.

0:17:170:17:20

At this part of Rainham is a mixture.

0:17:220:17:24

There are properties, apartments

0:17:240:17:28

and there are houses.

0:17:280:17:29

They're not very big houses,

0:17:290:17:32

so they would probably be an ideal first-time buyer area, really.

0:17:320:17:36

So maybe flats would be a better option after all.

0:17:370:17:40

The traffic noise might not be such an issue if the only outside space

0:17:400:17:44

you're interested in is for parking.

0:17:440:17:46

I think the idea of building more,

0:17:470:17:50

maybe going for apartments on the site, is appealing,

0:17:500:17:53

especially when you consider that you're very close to some

0:17:530:17:57

blocks of apartments.

0:17:570:17:59

But I just don't think it would work

0:17:590:18:01

in this current economic environment.

0:18:010:18:04

The agent thinks that a two-bed flat

0:18:040:18:07

would sell for up to 110,000 and rent for £600 per month.

0:18:070:18:11

So if you had five of them, as suggested by the previous plans,

0:18:110:18:15

that would be a total of £550,000, minus building costs.

0:18:150:18:20

So how about the houses

0:18:200:18:21

as the current planning permission suggests?

0:18:210:18:24

Once built, I think the value of each property

0:18:250:18:28

would be in the region of £175,000 to maybe £195,000.

0:18:280:18:34

As much as a building plot can be, I think this is a reasonably safe bet.

0:18:340:18:39

It's not an easy market and the road and noise, well,

0:18:390:18:43

they will always be an issue, but nice family homes should sell well.

0:18:430:18:47

Let's see who went for it at the auction.

0:18:470:18:50

It's a good-looking quarter acre site with planning permission for

0:18:500:18:53

development with the three houses.

0:18:530:18:54

140 to start me. Start at 130. I don't want to go less than that.

0:18:540:18:58

130,000. 130 I've got, standing at the back.

0:18:580:19:01

£130,000. 135. 135 sitting.

0:19:010:19:04

Although the bids were slow to start,

0:19:040:19:06

there turned out to be some very hot competition in the room.

0:19:060:19:10

We rejoin at 190,000.

0:19:100:19:13

190. Get there first.

0:19:130:19:15

190. 190. 195.

0:19:150:19:18

195. And 200.

0:19:180:19:21

200,000.

0:19:210:19:23

At 195, I've got, standing on my right.

0:19:230:19:26

200?

0:19:260:19:28

It's a long think. 197,050.

0:19:280:19:33

Make it 200. Straight away.

0:19:330:19:36

202? It might have been his limit.

0:19:360:19:38

At £200,000 and standing over on the right-hand side I've got.

0:19:380:19:41

It's obviously in the room. To sell it for first time at 200...

0:19:410:19:44

You've got a bit of time, if you want it.

0:19:440:19:45

Second time at £200,000.

0:19:450:19:48

Everybody else is out.

0:19:480:19:49

Are you sure you're done? Third and final time at £200,000.

0:19:490:19:53

Well done, sir.

0:19:530:19:54

Getting the plot for 200,000 was Ricky -

0:19:540:19:57

wearing the orange jumper and aided by his brother-in-law and business

0:19:570:20:00

partner Paul. So why were these two prepared to pay so much over that

0:20:000:20:05

original £140,000 to £150,000 guide price for this noisy lot?

0:20:050:20:10

Lucy met up with them to find out.

0:20:100:20:13

Paul and Ricky, congratulations!

0:20:130:20:16

You got the plot of land

0:20:160:20:17

and you paid a fair bit over the guide price on auction day.

0:20:170:20:21

Now, Ricky, what was your plan?

0:20:210:20:23

Our plan was we we'd join on a fee that would go to at the auction...

0:20:230:20:28

But we had...

0:20:290:20:30

Although it was planned for three terraced houses,

0:20:300:20:33

we thought the potential of the land, there was more in it.

0:20:330:20:36

So you paid £200,000,

0:20:360:20:37

did you walk away feeling like you might have paid a little too much,

0:20:370:20:40

-Paul?

-For the basis of the planning that was in place,

0:20:400:20:44

but for our future plans, no.

0:20:440:20:46

If we got the planning through, then it works out quite a good buy.

0:20:460:20:49

-Yeah. It's a gamble.

-A little bit. A little bit of a gamble.

0:20:490:20:52

A little bit of a gamble, yeah.

0:20:520:20:53

So you obviously did your research.

0:20:530:20:55

You looked at this, you saw this plot comes with planning

0:20:550:20:57

for three houses.

0:20:570:20:59

-Yes.

-You obviously don't want to do that.

0:20:590:21:01

-No.

-What do you want to do here?

0:21:010:21:04

We've put in plans for eight two-bed flats.

0:21:040:21:08

We've got a preplanning consultation going on.

0:21:080:21:12

So hopefully we'll get the eight flats past.

0:21:120:21:14

So why do you think eight flats will work, Paul?

0:21:140:21:17

Well, it's more beneficial for the land.

0:21:170:21:19

I think the land, as you can see, it's a nice size of land.

0:21:190:21:22

It will take eight flats comfortably.

0:21:220:21:24

In my opinion, a few more.

0:21:240:21:25

But obviously parking restrictions and amenity space...

0:21:250:21:29

I just think eight flats will work better, financially as well.

0:21:290:21:31

So what experience have you two got of building and developing?

0:21:310:21:34

Tell me a bit about yourself.

0:21:340:21:36

I'm a carpenter by trade.

0:21:360:21:38

I've a dry lining company, which is plasterboard and plastering.

0:21:380:21:41

I've done a lot of flats acoustically,

0:21:410:21:43

a lot of acoustics in them.

0:21:430:21:45

So from that field, I can put that in.

0:21:450:21:48

Ricky's a plumber by trade.

0:21:480:21:49

He's got his own building company, and we have done a new build before,

0:21:490:21:52

which we've currently finished.

0:21:520:21:54

It's up for sale, so a little bit of experience between us.

0:21:540:21:56

# People try to put us down

0:21:560:22:00

# Talkin' 'bout my generation. #

0:22:000:22:03

Age is meant to bring wisdom,

0:22:030:22:04

so why are these two prepared to have all the hassle

0:22:040:22:07

in changing the plans?

0:22:070:22:09

We want to sort of maximise our profit, really, end of the day.

0:22:090:22:12

We know we can do the three terraced houses,

0:22:120:22:15

we know we can do that, but we think there's more in it, you know?

0:22:150:22:19

And...

0:22:190:22:20

It would give us more work

0:22:200:22:22

and obviously we'd get more money out of it.

0:22:220:22:24

I suppose that is the reason.

0:22:240:22:26

Well, the end return is better.

0:22:260:22:27

Yeah. The value of the land works better with eight flats.

0:22:270:22:30

My only concern with that is

0:22:300:22:32

that then you're going to have eight units to sell on.

0:22:320:22:35

First-time buyers at the moment are really struggling getting mortgages

0:22:350:22:39

with lease-hold properties.

0:22:390:22:40

I would be worried that you would just have a bit of delay in selling

0:22:400:22:44

-those units.

-Well, we don't really have to sell them.

0:22:440:22:47

The idea thinking forward is, if we couldn't sell them...

0:22:470:22:50

We sell one or two to cover building costs, then we'd rent the rest.

0:22:500:22:53

It's not a financial thing we have to get out of them.

0:22:530:22:55

So you're looking at building a portfolio?

0:22:550:22:57

Possibly, yeah. If they sell, they sell.

0:22:570:23:00

We're not in it for the short term.

0:23:000:23:02

This is probably into our retirement,

0:23:020:23:04

hopefully, or pay for our retirement, you know?

0:23:040:23:07

We've got family on board helping us,

0:23:070:23:09

so we're keep family members employed as well.

0:23:090:23:12

It ain't a quick thing.

0:23:120:23:13

We know that, we're not going into it with our eyes shut.

0:23:130:23:16

We know we're going to be a year doing it, basically.

0:23:160:23:19

So if you do build the eight flats here,

0:23:190:23:21

what sort of profit are you looking at?

0:23:210:23:23

About 350. We believe it's 200 for the land, about a 450 build,

0:23:230:23:27

leave it at about 350.

0:23:270:23:28

And if you have to fall back on the plans that you have?

0:23:280:23:31

These three houses, we believe, would retail about 172-180 each,

0:23:310:23:34

so 510-540, with a 200 build cost on that.

0:23:340:23:38

So around about 110-140 profit there.

0:23:380:23:41

OK, so you're literally looking at doubling your profit

0:23:410:23:43

-if you can build the flats.

-If, yeah.

0:23:430:23:45

This is something you really want to do,

0:23:450:23:47

you want to tick this off, don't you?

0:23:470:23:49

Yeah, I do. Yeah. I've done...

0:23:490:23:51

I've done masses of extensions, which I really enjoy.

0:23:510:23:54

I like going to work, believe it or not.

0:23:540:23:56

People think I'm probably a bit of a freak but I enjoy it, really.

0:23:560:23:59

I like the camaraderie,

0:23:590:24:00

the mucking about and putting

0:24:000:24:02

buckets of water on tops of doors, you know?

0:24:020:24:04

-You've put what?!

-I put buckets

0:24:040:24:05

of water on tops of doors and things like that.

0:24:050:24:07

So when people walk in, the water falls on them?

0:24:070:24:09

-Yeah.

-So you're a bit slapstick?

0:24:090:24:11

Yeah, yeah. I do all silly little things, you know?

0:24:110:24:13

Fill the cups up with unknown substances and make them drink it.

0:24:130:24:17

-Paul...

-I'm not like that, no.

0:24:170:24:18

Watch out! Guys, it's been fantastic meeting you today.

0:24:180:24:22

I hope you enjoy your development.

0:24:220:24:23

I'm sure you're going to have a good old laugh along the way.

0:24:230:24:26

-We will.

-Good luck, and it's going to be really interesting

0:24:260:24:28

-to see the outcome of this site.

-Thanks very much.

0:24:280:24:30

-Paul, lovely to meet you.

-All right.

-Thank you so much.

0:24:300:24:32

Take care. Thanks very much.

0:24:320:24:34

So I would love to think that Ricky and Paul will get the planning they

0:24:340:24:37

want here, but they're playing the long game with this one, and I hope

0:24:370:24:42

they're prepared to be very patient.

0:24:420:24:44

Join us later in the show to find out what has been built and if Ricky

0:24:440:24:48

still enjoys going to work.

0:24:480:24:49

Coming up...

0:24:520:24:53

Things are deceptively spacious in this terrace in Carlisle.

0:24:530:24:57

I just had to show you how long this house is.

0:24:570:25:01

And we'll find out if success is in Ricky and Paul's nature.

0:25:030:25:07

What with things like lizards and reptiles and birds...

0:25:070:25:10

Back now to the historic walled city of York and the area of Clifton,

0:25:150:25:19

where I looked around this charming two-bed terrace.

0:25:190:25:22

Inside needed updating, but it was chock-full of period features,

0:25:240:25:28

not to mention some very traditional building techniques.

0:25:280:25:31

This is how they used to do it -

0:25:330:25:35

literally just bits of tongue and groove,

0:25:350:25:38

board, and then cover it with a bit of paper.

0:25:380:25:41

Marvellous. Actually,

0:25:410:25:42

strip it back and it can actually make a really nice feature.

0:25:420:25:46

This character-full property also featured a garden

0:25:490:25:52

bursting with potential.

0:25:520:25:54

It was snapped up by artistic couple Wim and Lisa for 117,000,

0:25:550:26:00

and I definitely got the impression

0:26:000:26:02

that we weren't going to see any magnolia here.

0:26:020:26:05

What kind of art do you do?

0:26:070:26:09

At the moment, I'm doing re-creations of classical ceilings.

0:26:090:26:11

So can we expect to find elaborate Sistine Chapel-esque type ceilings

0:26:110:26:16

when we come back?

0:26:160:26:17

If I think it will put the value of the property up, yes!

0:26:170:26:21

The couple had hoped that, with four grand and six months,

0:26:210:26:24

they could create a home and a studio.

0:26:240:26:27

Well, we came back 19 months later

0:26:320:26:34

to see if Wim is our Renaissance man.

0:26:340:26:36

Come on, you knew it would be different, didn't you?!

0:26:420:26:45

That front reception room has had a psychedelic makeover and is now

0:26:450:26:49

functioning as a lounge and a music room.

0:26:490:26:53

# Cos I like you

0:26:530:26:54

# Yeah, I like you

0:26:540:26:56

# And I'm feelin' so Bohemian like you

0:26:560:27:00

# Yeah, I like you

0:27:000:27:02

# Yeah, I like you

0:27:020:27:03

# And I feel Whoa, whoo! #

0:27:030:27:07

As promised, the rear room is a cosy Victorian-style dining room, and I'm

0:27:070:27:11

delighted to announce that the range has not been taken out and,

0:27:110:27:14

even better, it's being used!

0:27:140:27:17

I love it!

0:27:170:27:18

And we're moving through time and space into the futuristic kitchen.

0:27:220:27:27

# Spaceman

0:27:360:27:37

# I always wanted you to go into space, man

0:27:370:27:42

# Spaceman

0:27:440:27:46

# I always wanted you to go into space, man. #

0:27:460:27:50

What we've done is a full central heating system,

0:27:500:27:54

radiators in all the rooms,

0:27:540:27:56

thorough rewiring of all the electrics throughout,

0:27:560:28:00

double glazing all throughout the house and all new doors,

0:28:000:28:04

this gorgeous kitchen.

0:28:040:28:06

We've put a lawn in where before there was just a wilderness.

0:28:060:28:09

Lisa, my fiancee, turfed a little lawn for us

0:28:090:28:13

and dug a vegetable patch,

0:28:130:28:15

which is providing us with potatoes and strawberries.

0:28:150:28:18

And I've built a shed.

0:28:180:28:20

The room with the range in it, we've styled a bit like

0:28:200:28:24

the era it was built - the Victorian era.

0:28:240:28:27

The range still works, we still use it.

0:28:270:28:29

In our first winter, last year,

0:28:290:28:31

we were actually burning the floorboards in it to keep warm

0:28:310:28:34

while I was building the central heating system.

0:28:340:28:36

Now, that's one creative way of keeping warm -

0:28:360:28:38

though I'm not sure I'd recommend it!

0:28:380:28:41

But upstairs, Wim and Lisa have used their artistic licence

0:28:410:28:44

to great effect.

0:28:440:28:46

Above the stairs, when we moved in, there was an enormous space,

0:28:500:28:54

so I put in a ceiling just above the stairs so that there's access up to

0:28:540:28:59

the attic through a cupboard in the bedroom, behind the bed,

0:28:590:29:03

like a kind of Narnia up to the attic.

0:29:030:29:06

It's eventually going to be some kind of a calm, quiet place

0:29:060:29:10

beyond the bedroom,

0:29:100:29:12

but at the moment it is a painting workshop.

0:29:120:29:15

Well, in the meantime, they can wash the paint off in their brand-new

0:29:160:29:20

bathroom, complete with roll-top bath.

0:29:200:29:22

The former back bedroom is now a bright and airy studio

0:29:250:29:28

for Wim to paint in.

0:29:280:29:31

Wim and Lisa have done most of the work themselves,

0:29:310:29:34

with the more complicated tasks being overseen by friends

0:29:340:29:37

who are qualified tradespeople.

0:29:370:29:39

So why has it taken so much longer than they thought?

0:29:400:29:43

Mainly because I didn't really give up working.

0:29:440:29:49

It was very hard to back away from keeping taking work on.

0:29:490:29:55

Well, it's important to keep that money coming in,

0:29:550:29:58

but how much went out?

0:29:580:29:59

Have they spent their £4,000 or more?

0:29:590:30:03

We've spent about £12,000 or so.

0:30:040:30:06

Because with the remortgage of the house from a private

0:30:070:30:13

to a bank mortgage, it was valued

0:30:130:30:17

a little higher than we bought it for,

0:30:170:30:19

so we were able to release more funds than we expected

0:30:190:30:22

and get a little more stuck into some of the rooms.

0:30:220:30:25

I love this couple's take on this house,

0:30:250:30:28

but I have to confess a little disappointment

0:30:280:30:30

that I don't even see the genesis of a painted ceiling.

0:30:300:30:33

I was hoping to be able to paint some of the ceilings

0:30:350:30:38

because that's what I kind of do as a day job,

0:30:380:30:41

but having learnt to build them and plaster them,

0:30:410:30:45

it's going to be a while before I paint one.

0:30:450:30:48

So there are no masterpieces as of yet.

0:30:500:30:53

But will the professionals think

0:30:530:30:54

this house is a work of art?

0:30:540:30:56

We invited two local estate agents to give us their opinion on Wim and

0:30:570:31:01

Lisa's £129,000 investment.

0:31:010:31:04

First impressions are that it's just a nice little two-bedroom terrace.

0:31:050:31:10

The benefit of having a garden.

0:31:100:31:11

But all the remedial work, etc, has been done.

0:31:110:31:15

So new boiler, new electrics, new fitted kitchen, bathroom.

0:31:150:31:19

So all the basics are there.

0:31:190:31:21

Well, my first impressions of being in the property, it's fantastic.

0:31:210:31:25

I mean, there's a really good use

0:31:250:31:26

of original features in here and a mix of modern appliances

0:31:260:31:30

and fittings as well.

0:31:300:31:31

-So it's very nice.

-So it sounds like this house could be hot property.

0:31:310:31:36

But what do they think it's worth?

0:31:360:31:37

I think this property would achieve between £170,000 and £175,000.

0:31:390:31:44

I think this property could probably achieve about £175,000 in the sales

0:31:440:31:49

-market.

-I'm quite surprised.

0:31:490:31:50

We've moved in line with the other houses on the street

0:31:500:31:54

but also at the top.

0:31:540:31:56

That's a lot more than what we paid for it.

0:31:570:31:59

That's a nice surprise.

0:31:590:32:01

So he's happy with that, but what's next for Wim and Lisa?

0:32:010:32:05

Well, Lisa's just got her dream job

0:32:050:32:08

and,

0:32:080:32:10

after several successful promotions,

0:32:100:32:12

I've got opportunity to work just on my doorstep with people who know me

0:32:120:32:19

and they now know where I live,

0:32:190:32:21

so we're getting on with things in a lovely house.

0:32:210:32:24

Off to the northwest of England now, to the city of Carlisle.

0:32:280:32:33

Mary Queen of Scots was imprisoned in this impressive castle in 1568.

0:32:330:32:38

She was permitted to walk,

0:32:380:32:40

ride and watch her retinue play football on the green.

0:32:400:32:44

Small concessions for a queen who was undoubtedly accustomed

0:32:440:32:48

to greater comforts.

0:32:480:32:49

I'm feeling quite comfortable today because Carlisle Rugby Club

0:32:490:32:53

is three miles away, Carlisle United Football Club,

0:32:530:32:56

a ground I have played at many, many times before,

0:32:560:32:58

is only a five-minute walk away from today's property.

0:32:580:33:01

And here it is, it's a two-bed,

0:33:010:33:04

terraced house with a guide price of in between £50,000 to £60,000.

0:33:040:33:09

If you listen as well, there's works going on all over this area.

0:33:090:33:12

The reason being, this is one of the houses that was hit by the recent

0:33:120:33:16

floods here in Carlisle.

0:33:160:33:17

Let's find out how bad.

0:33:170:33:19

Right, OK,

0:33:240:33:26

it's kind of what I expected to see, but a lot of people will come into

0:33:260:33:31

this house and think... HE GASPS

0:33:310:33:33

And panic. There's no need to panic.

0:33:330:33:35

Firstly, I've seen a lot worse than this.

0:33:350:33:38

You have got floorboards down, so you have got something to walk on.

0:33:380:33:41

Get the professionals in, they'll get this sorted straightaway.

0:33:410:33:46

That aside, you've got a really nice front room here.

0:33:460:33:50

High ceilings, and look at the size of that window.

0:33:500:33:52

And it is relatively new as well.

0:33:520:33:56

So a really good start in this front, sort of, living lounge area.

0:33:560:34:02

What else is there on offer?

0:34:020:34:03

Into the second reception room,

0:34:050:34:08

and flood damage is evident throughout the whole of downstairs.

0:34:080:34:14

OK, lack of stairs as well, but I'll get back to that.

0:34:140:34:18

A good size second reception room, nice high ceilings.

0:34:180:34:21

Getting into the kitchen area,

0:34:210:34:23

and you can see that the damage is here as well.

0:34:230:34:26

We're now down to the bare breeze block in the kitchen.

0:34:260:34:29

This would have been an extension, and even further,

0:34:290:34:32

right to the end of the downstairs property,

0:34:320:34:35

you have got this small extension.

0:34:350:34:37

What it was used for,

0:34:370:34:39

I'm not quite sure, but it could be a wet room,

0:34:390:34:43

it could be a downstairs bathroom.

0:34:430:34:45

But I just have to show you how long this house is.

0:34:450:34:49

It's a real, good sized terraced house,

0:34:490:34:51

and you get a lot more for your money down here

0:34:510:34:54

than I was expecting.

0:34:540:34:56

It's such a shame to see first-hand the devastation here.

0:34:570:35:01

This was until recently a much-loved home, and the emotional and physical

0:35:010:35:06

damage the Cumbrian floods have caused shouldn't be forgotten.

0:35:060:35:09

There are, of course,

0:35:100:35:11

practical issues when it comes

0:35:110:35:13

to dealing with flood damaged properties,

0:35:130:35:15

such as potential problems getting insurance and obtaining a drying out

0:35:150:35:20

certificate before you can do any work at all.

0:35:200:35:23

It can also be an idea to raise the sockets above the possible water

0:35:230:35:27

levels to protect the electrics against it happening again.

0:35:270:35:30

Right, upstairs.

0:35:320:35:34

HE SIGHS

0:35:360:35:38

OK, this is not going to be pretty.

0:35:450:35:48

So look away now and I'll meet you upstairs.

0:35:480:35:51

Goodbye.

0:35:510:35:52

# Just out of reach

0:35:540:35:56

# Time has changed you

0:35:560:35:58

# I can see

0:35:580:36:00

# Try to remember how we used to be. #

0:36:000:36:03

Yes, the flooding has even destroyed those steps,

0:36:030:36:06

but I could do with the exercise.

0:36:060:36:09

Right.

0:36:090:36:11

That was a chore, but I made it.

0:36:110:36:13

Now, upstairs hasn't been affected by the floods.

0:36:130:36:17

It's in much better condition.

0:36:170:36:19

This is the front bedroom looking out onto the front of the house.

0:36:190:36:23

A double bedroom, not a problem at all.

0:36:230:36:25

It looks a bit dated and could do with a bit of a freshen up.

0:36:250:36:28

Down the hallway, we've got the family bathroom just there

0:36:280:36:32

and the second bedroom looking at the back of the property.

0:36:320:36:35

Both, good-sized bedrooms.

0:36:350:36:38

The family bathroom, for me,

0:36:380:36:39

I'd want to change and put something nice and white and bright in there,

0:36:390:36:43

just to liven that up, and here we've got an airing cupboard

0:36:430:36:46

with a shower door on.

0:36:460:36:47

No... We've actually got...

0:36:480:36:51

HE LAUGHS

0:36:510:36:52

A shower where the airing cupboard should be.

0:36:520:36:55

They've tiled it from top to bottom as well.

0:36:560:36:59

That is bizarre!

0:36:590:37:01

Each to their own.

0:37:030:37:04

It's strange, but it's not a deal-breaker.

0:37:060:37:09

More importantly, will that flood damage put buyers off?

0:37:090:37:12

Time to hear from a professional.

0:37:130:37:15

We invited an expert from the auction house

0:37:160:37:18

that sold the property to tell us

0:37:180:37:20

about how the floods have affected the housing market in Carlisle.

0:37:200:37:24

The floods have affected the housing market quite a bit because we're in

0:37:250:37:29

unknown territory.

0:37:290:37:31

It remains to be seen how the market will recover in the future because

0:37:310:37:37

Carlisle has been flooded in this area twice now

0:37:370:37:40

in the last ten years.

0:37:400:37:42

Until the flooding issue has been resolved more widely in the city,

0:37:430:37:46

the market here is going to be uncertain.

0:37:460:37:49

But once renovated,

0:37:490:37:51

what does the agent think the property could achieve?

0:37:510:37:54

On the rental market,

0:37:540:37:56

I would expect this property to achieve

0:37:560:37:58

between £475 to £500 per calendar month.

0:37:580:38:03

The flood hasn't affected the rental value of the property,

0:38:030:38:06

but the pre-flood sale value of this house was around 110,000 to 115,000.

0:38:060:38:13

So what could it be worth once renovated?

0:38:130:38:15

After the flood, done up,

0:38:150:38:17

I would expect this property to achieve around £90,000 to £95,000.

0:38:170:38:22

Yes, it's an odd shaped house

0:38:240:38:26

with a very odd shower upstairs,

0:38:260:38:28

but I've got to be honest, when I walked through this door,

0:38:280:38:31

I wasn't expecting that much space.

0:38:310:38:34

First things first, get that flood damage sorted

0:38:340:38:37

and then start to create a home for someone.

0:38:370:38:40

Let's see who the last person was standing

0:38:400:38:41

when it went under the hammer.

0:38:410:38:43

Two-bedroom terraced house.

0:38:480:38:51

Start me where? 55?

0:38:510:38:53

50 then.

0:38:530:38:55

Need a bid.

0:38:550:38:57

45? At £45,000.

0:38:570:38:59

45 bid.

0:38:590:39:01

After a very hesitant start,

0:39:010:39:02

the bidding does slowly climb with the hammer almost falling several

0:39:020:39:07

times. We rejoin the bidding at 49.5 grand.

0:39:070:39:11

At £49,500 then, for the first time...

0:39:110:39:15

Back in at 50. Half.

0:39:150:39:17

Shake of the head. Back with you at the back wall with 50.

0:39:170:39:20

Here to sell. Don't lose it.

0:39:200:39:22

At £50,000 then.

0:39:220:39:24

Take a half, if not, I'm selling.

0:39:240:39:27

All done. All out.

0:39:270:39:29

Well done, sir. Can I have your paddle number, please? Cheers.

0:39:300:39:33

Can't believe it, can you?

0:39:330:39:34

And that cheerful looking bidder,

0:39:360:39:38

who paid bang on the guide price of 50 grand, was Mick, on the right,

0:39:380:39:42

who was at the auction with his friend and co-worker Chris.

0:39:420:39:46

Mick owns a property maintenance business but has been buying

0:39:460:39:49

and selling properties in the last couple of years.

0:39:490:39:51

-Chris, nice to meet you.

-Nice to meet you, Dion.

0:39:510:39:54

Mick, nice to meet you too, pal.

0:39:540:39:55

-Nice to meet you, Dion.

-Congratulations, chaps.

0:39:550:39:57

-Thank you very much.

-Congratulations.

0:39:570:39:59

Were you looking for one of these properties?

0:39:590:40:01

We were looking for a flooded one.

0:40:010:40:02

We were actually after another one, we weren't after this one.

0:40:020:40:05

We never really looked at this one before we bought it.

0:40:050:40:08

But Chris assured me the picture was nice.

0:40:080:40:10

Did he?! It was down to you, then, was it?

0:40:100:40:12

I said, "You can't go wrong, can you?"

0:40:120:40:14

Since I've had a look, I'm not sure he was right about the picture,

0:40:140:40:17

-but there you are.

-So, Chris, did you spot this?

0:40:170:40:19

Yes... The house we originally looked out, you know,

0:40:190:40:22

it was sold at a higher price than we thought, and I looked in the

0:40:220:40:25

catalogue and the auction was going so...

0:40:250:40:27

You know, this caught our eye, so...

0:40:270:40:30

-Two bedroom terrace.

-Your eye!

0:40:300:40:32

Says to me, "Just get it," and we got it.

0:40:320:40:34

He's passing the buck now. It's all your fault, you know,

0:40:340:40:36

if this doesn't go right.

0:40:360:40:38

Now you've seen it, Mick, did he do a good job for you?

0:40:380:40:41

He's done a very good job.

0:40:410:40:43

It'll be even better when he's finished it.

0:40:430:40:45

So what do you have to do then when you come into a property like this?

0:40:460:40:49

First of all, make sure you've got all your drying certificates,

0:40:490:40:52

so it's all dry, ready to work on,

0:40:520:40:53

and then we'll look at the walls -

0:40:530:40:55

cement render all the walls, waterproof retardant on them,

0:40:550:40:57

skim them all back in, new doors, floors if necessary.

0:40:570:41:01

New kitchen downstairs, new utility downstairs,

0:41:010:41:04

the radiators will probably want changed,

0:41:040:41:06

the sparks will all want done.

0:41:060:41:07

We may have this wall out here. I've not quite decided.

0:41:070:41:10

-OK.

-To open it up a little bit more down here.

0:41:100:41:14

Maybe a staircase there.

0:41:140:41:16

Yes, I was going to come to the lack of...the lack of...

0:41:160:41:18

There's lack of plaster, obviously, that's your water damage.

0:41:180:41:20

You know, you've lost four stairs as well.

0:41:200:41:23

Yeah, that'll have to get made and put back in.

0:41:230:41:25

Where are you going to start?

0:41:250:41:27

Hopefully, we're going to start within the next three weeks,

0:41:270:41:30

and we're hoping it will take about two months to sort it.

0:41:300:41:33

OK, when you've got it to where you want it to be,

0:41:330:41:36

are you renting it, or are you going to sell it?

0:41:360:41:39

No, it will be rented.

0:41:390:41:41

I've got a potential...

0:41:410:41:43

Someone who wants it already.

0:41:430:41:44

Have you really?

0:41:440:41:45

They have a budget of 12 grand, but as Mick and Chris are both joiners,

0:41:470:41:51

they'll be doing most of the work themselves.

0:41:510:41:53

Where's the majority of that 12 grand going to be spent?

0:41:550:41:57

-On what?

-Kitchen, plastering.

0:41:570:41:59

-And that's...?

-The decorating, you know, is quite simple, isn't it?

0:41:590:42:02

New carpets right the way through.

0:42:020:42:03

Obviously, upstairs will get decorated.

0:42:030:42:05

A new bathroom going in upstairs as well.

0:42:050:42:07

Upstairs... Now, I've had a little look upstairs and possibly seen the

0:42:070:42:11

strangest shower I've ever seen.

0:42:110:42:14

I...

0:42:160:42:17

It's a very good shower.

0:42:190:42:20

-Yes!

-But it's not if you're small.

0:42:200:42:22

I don't quite know how that's come about in there.

0:42:240:42:27

What will you do with that area?

0:42:270:42:28

-It won't be a shower. That's coming out.

-Take it out

0:42:280:42:31

-and make it into a cupboard again, will you?

-Yes, that'll be back

0:42:310:42:33

-into an airing cupboard.

-Who's going to do the work?

0:42:330:42:36

HE CHUCKLES That will be done to you, then.

0:42:360:42:38

You found it, you deal with it!

0:42:380:42:41

No, we'll both sort of put it together.

0:42:410:42:43

We'll both put it together ourselves.

0:42:430:42:45

All the work we do ourselves, apart from the electrics.

0:42:450:42:47

-Get the pros in for that.

-Yeah, we have a fella in for that.

0:42:470:42:49

He signs it all off and that's it.

0:42:490:42:52

-Everything else you two do?

-Aye.

0:42:520:42:54

-It's a one-stop shop, then.

-Basically.

0:42:540:42:56

It's a one-stop shop.

0:42:560:42:57

-Chris, good luck.

-Lovely.

0:42:590:43:00

Good spot, by the way, good spot.

0:43:000:43:02

-Mick, good luck.

-Thank you very much.

0:43:020:43:03

If ever there was a two-man dream team, Mick and Chris are it.

0:43:060:43:11

There's a lot of work that needs to be done in there

0:43:110:43:13

and the two of them will be doing the majority of it

0:43:130:43:16

with a 12 grand budget,

0:43:160:43:18

which I think is more than enough,

0:43:180:43:19

but they've put themselves under a little bit of pressure

0:43:190:43:23

with that three-month timescale

0:43:230:43:25

cos they potentially have a tenant waiting.

0:43:250:43:28

Let's see how they get on.

0:43:280:43:29

You can find out later in the programme.

0:43:290:43:31

Earlier we saw how one property got on, but what about the other two?

0:43:350:43:38

Did our buyers end up sticking to their plans?

0:43:380:43:41

Let's go back and find out.

0:43:410:43:42

Back to Rainham in Kent,

0:43:430:43:45

where Lucy saw a plot of land sandwiched between a

0:43:450:43:48

busy road and the M2 motorway.

0:43:480:43:50

But that wouldn't put the brakes on the interest for this lot because it

0:43:500:43:54

also came with planning permission,

0:43:540:43:55

which means you could be in the fast lane to the building stage.

0:43:550:43:59

Now, the plans that have been passed are for a sort of mini-terrace,

0:44:000:44:04

all three houses the same size,

0:44:040:44:06

all the same layout with a kitchen, diner,

0:44:060:44:08

living room and loo on the ground floor

0:44:080:44:10

and three bedrooms and a bathroom on the first. Now,

0:44:100:44:14

they won't be massive, but they'll be plenty big enough for a growing

0:44:140:44:17

family. And what do I like most?

0:44:170:44:19

The fact that somebody has done all the hard work for you

0:44:190:44:22

and you can just get building.

0:44:220:44:24

Good thing then that the brother-in-laws who paid £200,000

0:44:240:44:27

for this at auction have plenty of experience in the building trade.

0:44:270:44:31

Ricky, in the lilac jumper,

0:44:310:44:33

runs a building company and Paul is a carpenter by trade.

0:44:330:44:37

So you'd think ready-made plans for new builds would be ideal,

0:44:370:44:40

but they had other ideas.

0:44:400:44:42

So you paid £200,000.

0:44:430:44:45

Did you walk away feeling like

0:44:450:44:46

-you might have paid a little bit too much, Paul?

-For the basis

0:44:460:44:50

of the planning that was in place, but for our future plans, no.

0:44:500:44:53

What do you want to do here?

0:44:530:44:54

We've put in plans for eight two bed flats.

0:44:540:44:59

If we got the planning through, then it works out quite a good buy.

0:44:590:45:02

-Yeah, it was a gamble.

-A little bit of a gamble.

0:45:020:45:04

A little bit of a gamble, yes.

0:45:040:45:06

Ricky and Paul were rolling the dice by going for eight flats

0:45:060:45:09

rather than the planned houses that came with the plot.

0:45:090:45:12

So time to see if their number came up over four and a half years later.

0:45:120:45:17

# Roll the dice for me

0:45:170:45:21

# Roll the dice for me. #

0:45:210:45:26

Sadly for them, it hasn't,

0:45:260:45:28

and after two years of various rejected planning applications,

0:45:280:45:31

they were finally given the all clear to build a terrace of

0:45:310:45:35

four three-bedroom houses.

0:45:350:45:37

Although not quite complete, there is certainly a big change here.

0:45:370:45:41

What do we have inside?

0:45:410:45:42

Well, in all the houses, the downstairs is similar

0:45:450:45:48

with the living rooms, the front downstairs toilet

0:45:480:45:51

off the hall and a kitchen dining off the back,

0:45:510:45:54

which has French doors which lead out to the garden.

0:45:540:45:56

Upstairs, there are three bedrooms and a family bathroom.

0:45:580:46:01

In the bigger two middle houses, you get a bonus.

0:46:010:46:03

Paul's on holiday, so it's up to Ricky to fill us in.

0:46:040:46:08

Here we have the master bedroom.

0:46:080:46:12

It's plaster finished.

0:46:120:46:13

We've got the electrics first fix,

0:46:130:46:16

shortly to be second fix completed.

0:46:160:46:19

Here we have the en-suite with a shower tray, shower,

0:46:190:46:25

toilet and basin.

0:46:250:46:28

Yeah, I think it will make a nice young family's ideal major bedroom.

0:46:280:46:32

It may take a bit of imagination just now,

0:46:330:46:35

but I'm sure that this family team

0:46:350:46:37

will do a bang-up job of finishing these houses.

0:46:370:46:40

It's a family business, we've all chipped in, in one way.

0:46:410:46:44

We've got Chris, who's a site agent.

0:46:440:46:46

He looks after the general day-to-day run of the operation.

0:46:460:46:50

My son, he comes down to help us out with the manual work.

0:46:500:46:54

We've got Grandad Ron, he comes down.

0:46:540:46:57

He's more of a sort of overseer.

0:46:570:46:59

He sorts of keeps them shipshape.

0:46:590:47:01

Paul's down once a week, moreso than I am.

0:47:010:47:05

You know, we knew at the beginning it was going to be like this,

0:47:050:47:08

so if it takes another six months, then I'm not that worried, really,

0:47:080:47:11

personally.

0:47:110:47:12

What was a worry was the lengthy back and forth with the council's

0:47:140:47:17

planning department.

0:47:170:47:19

The biggest issue for us was, once we got the planning approval,

0:47:190:47:24

it was the conditions.

0:47:240:47:25

There were so many conditions that we had to do and also we had to get

0:47:250:47:29

professional people in to do this.

0:47:290:47:30

What with things like lizards and reptiles and birds, etc, you know?

0:47:300:47:36

As we put the conditions in,

0:47:360:47:37

and it was costing us time to put them in each time,

0:47:370:47:40

it was like a month process before you got back, you know,

0:47:400:47:43

so it was a little bit of a hard troop for us, really.

0:47:430:47:46

You're probably aware that bats and toads are protected by law,

0:47:460:47:50

but so are some plants, wild birds and reptiles like the adder,

0:47:500:47:55

common lizards and the slowworm.

0:47:550:47:57

At the end of the day,

0:47:570:47:58

it's really important to protect the environment,

0:47:580:48:01

but it might feel a bit frustrating for a developer.

0:48:010:48:03

Sometimes you think, if you knew all this,

0:48:030:48:05

you might not have started in the first place,

0:48:050:48:07

but you've got to put your toe in the water

0:48:070:48:09

to get a slice of the pie, so...

0:48:090:48:10

Now it's time to see just how much that slice could be worth.

0:48:100:48:14

We've asked along two local estate agents

0:48:140:48:17

to see what they think of the houses.

0:48:170:48:19

I first saw the property about four, four and a half years ago,

0:48:190:48:23

and I believe at the time they were hoping for flats.

0:48:230:48:26

What they've achieved, I've seen,

0:48:260:48:28

is a fair compromise,

0:48:280:48:29

and perhaps they might have got

0:48:290:48:31

one extra property,

0:48:310:48:32

but the properties they've got are very nice.

0:48:320:48:35

In terms of the layout,

0:48:350:48:37

the two bigger properties have both got en suites,

0:48:370:48:40

so that will make them more appealing.

0:48:400:48:43

It's the kind of feature that people demand in a property,

0:48:430:48:47

so I was pleased to see that they've included that in them.

0:48:470:48:51

I think the layouts are fine.

0:48:510:48:53

Possibly the bedrooms upstairs could be slightly bigger.

0:48:530:48:56

Basically, we've got the two inner terraces and the two end terraces.

0:48:560:48:59

And they all work.

0:48:590:49:01

The houses are yet to be finished off, but to what standard

0:49:010:49:04

should Ricky aim for in this market?

0:49:040:49:07

Given where it is, they don't have to be high-end,

0:49:070:49:11

top-spec property, but it would still need to be a nice finish.

0:49:110:49:15

I always think any property does have to be finished well anyway,

0:49:150:49:19

but we wouldn't have to see perhaps granite worktops,

0:49:190:49:23

that kind of feature in this property.

0:49:230:49:25

I think the more they spend on the property, the greater the return.

0:49:250:49:28

I personally would put granite tops in the kitchens and just go for a

0:49:280:49:31

slightly higher specification.

0:49:310:49:33

So some differing opinions there.

0:49:340:49:36

The sales values vary as well.

0:49:360:49:38

Ricky and Paul will have spent £650,000 in total

0:49:380:49:43

when this development is complete.

0:49:430:49:44

I would value the slightly larger properties at £250,000 to £290,000.

0:49:460:49:53

The smaller ones, I would value at £240,000 to £280,000.

0:49:530:49:59

I think the ends are worth slightly more.

0:49:590:50:02

Having said that, the middle have got the en-suite showers,

0:50:020:50:05

so I think one plays off the other.

0:50:050:50:07

I think all the units you would sell for approximately £300,000,

0:50:070:50:11

depending on the finish.

0:50:110:50:13

I'm a little bit surprised.

0:50:130:50:15

It's much more than I thought personally.

0:50:150:50:17

I was thinking along the line of 250-255 for the end two,

0:50:170:50:21

the smaller ones, and 260-265 for the middle two,

0:50:210:50:27

which are bigger, larger.

0:50:270:50:28

Well, if it goes to that, I'll be over the moon.

0:50:290:50:32

Thank you very much!

0:50:320:50:34

With the total ranging between 1 and 1.2 million

0:50:340:50:37

for all four houses,

0:50:370:50:39

it's easy to see why.

0:50:390:50:41

Once they're sold, what's next for Ricky?

0:50:410:50:43

Next for me is retirement!

0:50:450:50:47

Well, he's clearly looking forward to that by the sound of it.

0:50:490:50:52

-I'll live on the proceeds!

-Best of luck, Ricky.

0:50:520:50:54

Back now to the historic city of Carlisle,

0:50:590:51:02

where I looked around this two-bed terrace guided

0:51:020:51:05

at £50,000 to £60,000.

0:51:050:51:07

Unfortunately, like many properties in Carlisle,

0:51:070:51:10

it was badly damaged by the 2015 floods.

0:51:100:51:13

Downstairs, the plaster had mostly been stripped back

0:51:150:51:18

and the kitchen had completely gone.

0:51:180:51:21

But the consolation was that upstairs was untouched by water.

0:51:210:51:25

Well, floodwater anyway.

0:51:250:51:27

Here, we've got an airing cupboard with a shower door on.

0:51:280:51:31

No... We've actually got...

0:51:320:51:35

HE LAUGHS

0:51:350:51:36

A shower where the airing cupboard should be.

0:51:360:51:39

And they've tiled it from top to bottom as well.

0:51:390:51:42

That is bizarre.

0:51:420:51:44

It was a bit odd, but this house had lots to offer.

0:51:450:51:50

And come auction day, it didn't put off Mick

0:51:500:51:53

who, accompanied by his colleague Chris,

0:51:530:51:55

got this property for bang on the guide price of £50,000.

0:51:550:51:59

And they already had plans in mind for upstairs.

0:52:000:52:03

Upstairs... I'VE had a look upstairs

0:52:070:52:09

and possibly seen the strangest shower.

0:52:090:52:12

-Bizarre, isn't it?

-I don't quite know how that's come about.

0:52:140:52:16

What are you going to do in that area, then?

0:52:160:52:18

-It won't be a shower.

-Take it out and make it back into a cupboard,

0:52:180:52:21

-then?

-Yeah, that will be back into an airing cupboard.

0:52:210:52:24

It's all in a day's work for Mick and Chris,

0:52:240:52:27

who are professional joiners, and after the work is complete,

0:52:270:52:31

plan to rent it out.

0:52:310:52:32

They had a budget of 12 grand and a total timescale of three months.

0:52:330:52:37

We return three months later to see how the professionals do it.

0:52:430:52:46

What a difference!

0:52:500:52:52

The destruction caused by the flood is a distant memory

0:52:520:52:55

and the house has been restored to its former glory, and then some.

0:52:550:52:59

Mick and Chris have pulled down the dividing wall between the two

0:53:070:53:10

reception rooms to open up the downstairs area,

0:53:100:53:13

and it lets loads of light in.

0:53:130:53:15

And in the kitchen...

0:53:230:53:25

Well, there's a kitchen.

0:53:250:53:27

They've opted for a striking monochrome look

0:53:270:53:30

with LED low lighting to add a touch of luxury.

0:53:300:53:34

But it's not just about looking good.

0:53:340:53:36

The guys have taken some preventative measures

0:53:360:53:39

in case of any future flooding,

0:53:390:53:41

such as adding waterproof render to the walls and opting for

0:53:410:53:45

easily replaceable wooden floors and tiles throughout.

0:53:450:53:48

So let's see how they've got on upstairs.

0:53:500:53:52

And, yes, there's stairs.

0:53:520:53:55

One of the bedrooms upstairs - it was quite a narrow door,

0:53:580:54:01

so we've changed that and made it a little bit wider because that was no

0:54:010:54:04

good. Unfortunately,

0:54:040:54:05

we had to get rid of the shower

0:54:050:54:06

and put that back into an airing cupboard.

0:54:060:54:09

We just basically put a bit of lino in the bottom of it,

0:54:090:54:11

done away with the pipes,

0:54:110:54:13

so that everything was disconnected and tidied it up a bit from what it

0:54:130:54:15

was, cos the way it was, was...

0:54:150:54:17

-HE SIGHS

-Ridiculous, you know?

0:54:170:54:19

-You said you liked it!

-No.

0:54:190:54:20

It's no great loss,

0:54:230:54:25

particularly as they've refurbished that old family bathroom

0:54:250:54:28

in a stylish black and white,

0:54:280:54:30

complete with wet wall and colourful light feature.

0:54:300:54:34

They've really pulled this one out of the bag.

0:54:340:54:37

But was it all straightforward?

0:54:370:54:39

I broke my collarbone, this one, in three pieces

0:54:400:54:43

due to jacking my van up at home.

0:54:430:54:45

It skidded off the jack and it repelled the jack

0:54:460:54:48

off the back of the vehicle

0:54:480:54:49

and the handle on the jack hit me in the collarbone,

0:54:490:54:53

so I was unconscious and had a broken collarbone in three bits.

0:54:530:54:57

The hospital said it's about a month, you'll have to be off

0:54:570:55:00

a month, six weeks. It was about a week, wasn't it?

0:55:000:55:02

-It was only a week.

-I took one week off and got back into it, like.

0:55:020:55:06

I can manage. The left-hand seemed to do more.

0:55:070:55:10

At that point, we'd had the plastering done, hadn't we?

0:55:100:55:12

Yes, the plastering was done, thank God. The hard bit was done.

0:55:120:55:15

But just basically moving the radiator when we

0:55:150:55:17

first got set off,

0:55:170:55:18

-I overstretched and...

-HE SNAPS

0:55:180:55:21

..out went my back. That wasn't much fun, but there you go.

0:55:210:55:24

We struggled through and got it done in the end.

0:55:240:55:27

Remind me not go to work with you two!

0:55:270:55:30

I've already suffered more than enough injuries

0:55:300:55:32

on the football pitch,

0:55:320:55:34

thank you. Despite their ailments,

0:55:340:55:36

the duo came right on budget at 12 grand

0:55:360:55:38

and completed in their predicted timescale of three months,

0:55:380:55:43

while fitting it in around their regular work.

0:55:430:55:45

So, how did the guys do it?

0:55:450:55:47

-With a lot of difficulty, weren't it?

-We just kept going.

0:55:500:55:52

Kept driving. You do one task

0:55:520:55:53

and you see a little bit of light at the tunnel, you do another task

0:55:530:55:57

and the light's getting bigger and bigger.

0:55:570:55:59

We wanted to push it, like.

0:55:590:56:00

-You really wanted to get it done.

-Yeah,

0:56:000:56:02

there were quite a few late nights involved and every weekend,

0:56:020:56:05

-more or less, wasn't it?

-Yeah.

-Yeah, we got through it in the end.

0:56:050:56:09

Well, time to see if their hard work has paid off.

0:56:110:56:14

We invited along two local estate agents to get their opinions on this

0:56:140:56:17

property, starting with the agent who saw it first.

0:56:170:56:20

I think the boys have done a good job in renovating the property.

0:56:240:56:29

They've used good quality materials in the kitchen and they've decorated

0:56:290:56:34

it to a nice high standard.

0:56:340:56:36

First impressions of the property are good.

0:56:360:56:38

The finish is to a good standard.

0:56:380:56:41

The opening up of the reception rooms into one large room

0:56:410:56:44

really enhances the property

0:56:440:56:46

as it makes what could potentially be a rather small property

0:56:460:56:49

feel much more spacious.

0:56:490:56:50

All the evidence of flood damage has gone.

0:56:500:56:53

But it's had a lasting effect on the property market

0:56:530:56:56

and the agents agreed it's difficult to value properties in this area

0:56:560:57:01

as there hasn't been many on the market since the flooding.

0:57:010:57:04

Bearing that in mind, the agents valued the property

0:57:040:57:07

at between 90,000 to 100,000 grand.

0:57:070:57:10

That top value could mean a potential profit of 38 grand.

0:57:100:57:14

But as Mick plans to rent it out,

0:57:140:57:17

what kind of income could he be getting?

0:57:170:57:19

If this property were to go on the rental market currently,

0:57:190:57:22

we'd be looking at a rent somewhere in the region of £495 per month.

0:57:220:57:25

On the rental market,

0:57:250:57:27

I would expect this property to achieve around about

0:57:270:57:30

£475 to £495 per calendar month.

0:57:300:57:34

That's a potential yield of just over 9.5%.

0:57:340:57:39

What do Mick and Chris think about those valuations?

0:57:390:57:43

Yeah, it's good.

0:57:440:57:46

-Good.

-Pleased with that.

0:57:460:57:47

I've got people ready to move in.

0:57:470:57:49

They'll be moving in within the next fortnight, I should think.

0:57:490:57:52

The first people that viewed it, wanted it, didn't they?

0:57:520:57:54

Yeah. They wanted it before it was finished, really.

0:57:540:57:57

It's all come together nicely.

0:57:570:58:00

But have they enjoyed working together?

0:58:000:58:02

-Brilliant.

-Aye, we have a good laugh, don't we?

0:58:020:58:05

Yes, we do have a good crack on the jobs.

0:58:050:58:06

You've got to have a bit of fun, otherwise it's a long day.

0:58:060:58:08

Yeah, we do have a good working relationship, don't we?

0:58:080:58:11

Yeah, yeah, very good, aye.

0:58:110:58:12

-Happy.

-But I'm better.

-A little bit.

0:58:120:58:15

Well, sadly that's all the time we've got for auction action today.

0:58:180:58:22

Yes, but don't worry, we've got loads more stories where they came from.

0:58:220:58:25

We look forward to seeing you next time

0:58:250:58:26

-for more Homes Under The Hammer.

-ALL: Goodbye.

0:58:260:58:28

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