Peak District To Buy or Not to Buy

Morning. Welcome to our premier property hunting programme.

-Jonny, can you give us a clue to where we are today?

-Yeah, sure.

-Poole in Dorset. I really hope we're there.

-No. Lovely, though.

Here's another for you.

Ibiza? Stripping? Is there a place called Stripping? Can you put that away, please?

Let's have the titles now, shall we?

OK, let's start again.

Jonny was alluding to the fact that we're in Sheffield,

which is just over there behind us.

Home of the World Snooker Championships and the setting

for a movie with rather a lot of Monty.

-Shall we not do that again?

-Sorry about that.

-I feel a little bit...

We're more interested in over there than over there,

because we'll be looking for properties on the very edge of the delightful districts of peak.

-Or Peak District, as most people call it.

-That's right.

-Today's buyers are one of those very rare things in the modern market.

-What's that?

-A cash buyer.

Unbelievable. A symphony to a seller's ears.

-Shall we go and meet her?

-Go on, then.

Today's cash buyer is Jean Darbyshire, who's looked

at almost as many properties as we have over the past few months.

Luckily for us, son Will has jetted in from Oz to be the voice of reason to this very choosy To Buyer.

In that case, it looks like we'll need all the help

we can get, otherwise this search might never end.

Too true, Jonny. Jean's currently living in rented accommodation as she hunts for her dream home.

The plan has always been to take her time and not rush into anything.

But that's all changed now, as Jean's landlord has told her

she needs to be out of her rented home in just a matter of months.

So, Jean, how long have you been looking for?

For a year. I've been looking for a year.

I've got some details here that you typed up for us very nicely.

The houses you looked at, and the reasons why you didn't like them.

This is just a period of, how many months?

-That's three months since I got back from Australia.

-So that's three months.

One, two...

There's almost 100 houses on this thing!

Let's have a look. Jonny, former estate agent, this is probably

your worst nightmare as an estate agent, having this many reasons...

-Pretty much.

-No garden, too big, poor location, steep hill,

location to shops, poor bedroom layout, noisy road, too large.

Terrible! Simply "terrible".

Succinct and to the point.

This one, small garden, under water?

-Yes, it was.

-You looked at a house under water?

-No, the garden was under water.

-I was thinking of Stingray.

-What else have we got?

Very small en suite shower room.

En suite, I'm guessing, is important?

-Yes, yes it is.

-What this also indicates is that you've got

a very clear picture in your mind of the kind of property you want.

I want three bedrooms, or I'd like three bedrooms.

And I'd like a cottagey sort of property.

Are we talking stone-built, traditional property?

Yes, detached if possible.

-This doesn't sound too hard at all.

-No, that's what I thought.

That's what I thought, exactly.

What else have we got on the list?

There's a balance between something that's not too small, and something that's too large.

So you can get three bedrooms, but they're all really small bedrooms,

or you get three bedrooms and then the living space is huge and mum finds that daunting.

So, why three bedrooms? Let's start there.

I have four grandchildren, and so I'd like, when they come to stay,

a room for the girls and a room for the boys, and a room for myself.

That seems reasonable - you should be allowed that.

So a grandchildren-friendly property? I take it that will involve a decent-sized garden?

Yes, I like the garden. I feel I need to have a garden.

That's acceptable as well. These are all reasonable requests.

What are the areas that we're looking at and considering?

You've probably covered most of the suburbs of around Sheffield. Where are the hot spots?

Dore, and from Dore towards Baslow.

Dore's recognised as quite an affluent area in Sheffield?

It's very nice, and it's got lots of...

activities, it's got the Horticultural Society, the choir, the church.

Because you're very active, and that's important, making sure you're still involved...

Yes, I want to be part of a community.

I think we've got all the information, apart from the big one,

the amount of money.

-Um...

-A big intake of breath.

Tops, including renovation, 500.

That's my tops.

That's quite a good amount of money, so it's not the money that's holding you back...

-No, it's the property.

-It's taste and everything else.

We're going to show you three houses.

You've seen 100, so we've got to bear in mind that there's a chance...

A very high chance.

You may have already seen the properties we show you.

You'll see them with a new perspective, a fresh set of eyes, Will's input,

mine and Ed's professional commentary.

I think we have difficulty remembering the properties we've seen, so you're probably quite safe.

Do you promise, outside each one, and hold your hands up and swear,

-you'll be on your best behaviour?

-I will.

-Will, I want it from you as well.

-I'll promise.

-OK.

We'll see you later. This is on camera. If you go back on that promise, you're both in trouble.

-I won't go back.

-We'll see you later.

Good luck, guys.

So, Jean, dream buyer for estate agents.

Also, nightmare buyer for estate agents.

Cash buyer, nothing to sell, so she's ready to go.

-100 houses viewed, not wanted to buy one of them.

-A very fair point.

I'm going to the estate agents because I think we've got our work cut out.

I'm going to talk to the locals, find out what's wrong.

Why can't she find a nice house here?

Actually, I think most people would agree there's nothing wrong with this area.

Very true, Ed. The Peak District lies predominantly in northern Derbyshire,

but it does stretch into several other counties, too.

Today, we're on the border with South Yorkshire, but whichever side

of the county line you stand, one thing can't fail to catch the eye, and that's the stunning scenery.

I'll not argue - in fact, the Peak District is of such importance that it was

actually designated the UK's first national park in 1951.

Very nice. It's so popular, it's believed to be the second most visited

national park in the world after Japan's Mount Fuji.

Pretty impressive. But is there any literary heritage, Ed?

There certainly is. Chatsworth House has major links to Jane Austen's Pride And Prejudice,

and has featured in many film versions as well as the original text.

And ladies, sadly, we're not going to show you Colin Firth in his wet shirt.

But enough of that. Let's see what 500k can get you elsewhere around the country.

In Carmarthenshire, Jean could be the proud owner of this charming

three-bedroom cottage, complete with 17 acre smallholding and stables.

-The price, 480,000.

-How about Wiltshire?

This Grade 2 listed thatched cottage might be just what she's after.

Shame it's 150 miles away from where she's looking, though.

Nevertheless, it comes in under budget at 495k.

Ever fancied lake views? This could be perfect.

This three-bedroomed property backs onto Rudyard Lake near Leek on the Staffordshire-Cheshire border.

It just sneaks in at £499,950.

If Jean is serious about looking for a property,

then she couldn't do any better than moving to Dore, one of the poshest suburbs of Sheffield.

Notable residents include Dave Bassett

and Gary Megson, football managers, Chris Waddle, and Michael Vaughan.

She'd be rubbing shoulders with the poshest folk in town.

James, thank you for agreeing to speak to us.

An applicant that I believe is on your books, Jean Darbyshire.

Yes, we know her well.

Where do you think? Is Dore nice?

-Michael Vaughan lives here, doesn't he?

-He used to.

-He's moved out now.

-Has he moved out? Oh!

I think he's moved into Hope Valley.

Well, Bryan Robson apparently lived here in a penthouse.

I've picked up a few new listings here which she might be interested in.

There's a bungalow very close to the village there, detached bungalow, three double bedrooms.

Superficially, that does tick the boxes, doesn't it?

And it's well underneath her budget as well, which is fantastic.

She's got £500,000 to spend, which is quite a lot of money.

Yeah, she should be able to get a nice house for £500,000.

She's been looking at over 100.

This property, also, a little bit on the other side of the village, but super views over the moors.

-A little bit more spacious.

-Spectacular, isn't it?

Gorgeous garden.

-What's a good spot?

-500,000? Probably here.

In Dore?

Possibly Eccleshall, or Abbeydale.

I really like the look of this stone cottage,

I'm possibly going to be interested in arranging a viewing on that.

-Just give me a call, I'll sort it out as soon as I can.

-Great stuff, cheers.

I'm very surprised she can't buy something for 500,000 round here.

-I think she must be picky, do you think that's it?

-Yes.

It turns out Jean is well known amongst the local estate agents, unsurprisingly.

And she's also pretty much seen every house within her price range,

which makes today's house hunt particularly challenging.

It would seem this is an exercise in futility, but we'll try.

The mysterious property hunting team and I have gone for this.

It's a bungalow with a self-supporting roof in Dore.

Dore being the place where the first king of England was crowned, King Egbert.

So there's a lot of heritage there, it's lovely.

That's a great fact. Property two is a traditional stone-built cottage on the very edge of the Peak District.

It's lovely inside. There are a few compromises outside,

but as far as presentation and rooms required, it's absolutely spot-on.

We've gone to a place called Calver, which is just

a little bit outside Jean's search requirement area, for the wild card.

It's one that's not particularly wild on the outside, it's a bungalow, it needs some

work doing to it inside, and it also has scope to be extended externally.

She said she was happy to do that.

-So, there we go. It's a spread of properties, where shall we start it?

-Your one.

Start with the best, I always say, Jonny.

My choice is this well-maintained bungalow in Dore, and Jean could

move in tomorrow without needing to make any major changes.

That's fair enough, it does look good on paper, and offers

easy access to local amenities and Sheffield, as requested.

True. It's also fantastically private, with one of the longest drives in the world.

OK, after that incredibly, incredibly long walk,

it doesn't need to be pointed out

that this property here, is set back from the road.

In Dore, your chosen location, it's a bungalow-style property.

One interesting fact, it's a self-supporting roof.

So if you wanted to knock down all the walls internally, the roof would still be fine.

It was individually designed and built

by the people who live here at the moment back in 1983, and it sits in a quarter of an acre plot.

And beautifully located at the end of a private driveway here,

which is going to be perfect for the grandkids, I'd have thought.

-First question, have you seen it before?

-No.

Good! Second question, and this is the important one, you've seen 100 houses, this is probably the 101st.

-What do you reckon?

-It's a very nice-looking place.

-Yes, it is.

-OK, all right.

Will, what do you think?

Are we barking up the right tree, the wrong tree?

I think it looks a lovely place.

-A nice little garden, plenty of parking.

-Are you ready to go in?

Remember your promise, that you said you'd be positive.

3, 2, 1, get into that house.

-That's all very positive.

-Is she going to be positive when she walks through the door?

-It's all well and good outside, but will she be positive?

-Shall we do the whole... Check it out?

OK, here we go, property 101 for Jean.

Fingers crossed, this will be the one.

-It won't be, will it?

-No.

Kitchen.

Not a bad size, lots of cupboards.

Gas cooker, as well.

A cupboard here, I assume this is like a pantry.

-Oh, God!

-She's broken something? Something's broken in there!

She's going to have to buy this now, thank goodness!

When I was an estate agent, the rules always were, if you break it, you buy it.

That's the job done, ladies and gentlemen.

The house has been sold, even if she doesn't like it.

Breakfast room, I guess.

She could have her cornflakes in there, or her Ready Brek, or maybe Weetabix.

-I imagine she's a porridge woman.

-I think she's a toast lady.

-No!

So I guess this is the lounge.

It's a fair size, you could fit the suite in here.

I don't think I would. It would be a bit overpowering, I think.

She's fallen into that trap of imagining her furniture, her furniture dictating the move.

Do not, unless your house costs the same amount as your furniture,

let your furniture influence the move.

It's a pity that's not a door out into the garden. But that would easily be done.

It would be nice to be able to walk out, but you could change that.

Free-standing roof, remember.

We can knock the walls out. But they did say internal walls, though!

You might have to watch out for the outdoor ones.

Good old Will, though, he's thrown in a few design features there.

The concept of maybe putting in some French doors, or a door into the garden to open it up.

-That would be a great idea, make the most of those...

-I'm pleased he's turned up.

The bathroom.

A decent-sized bath.

-A shower head.

-They've obviously redone this, it's quite modern.

That's the bedroom.

A single bedroom.

I guess you'd have this as kind of a study/bedroom, have a fold-out bed in here.

Well, we've not looked at the other ones, yet.

Potential of four bedrooms in here.

She can have a stowaway bed if she wants, but no need to worry about it.

It's not necessary, she's got the three bedrooms that she was after.

This is the master bedroom.

It's a nice size.

Wardrobes...

Plenty of storage. You can get all of your clothes out of the suitcases at last.

What Will did there, he just mentally moved his mother further into the house.

Talked about unpacking your bags, "Let's unpack your bags and move in."

Will is sick to death of looking for houses, so he's just putting those little bits in.

It's the first time he's done it, but that didn't go unnoticed to me.

Third bedroom.

You could fit a double bed in here as well, I guess.

Yes, you could. Although, again, the two single rooms, single beds, with the stowaway bed.

So the kids can just fold it out when they need them.

Kids, the age they're at, grandchildren coming along, they want bunk beds.

-They really want bunk beds.

-Everyone likes the climbing up and down.

Gosh, it's hot in here. Knocks you out, doesn't it?

Like a sauna, we should put some wooden planking up on the wall. It would be great.

So they use this as a study and I suppose that's a bed-settee.

OK, so she's gone into what's potentially the 4th bedroom -

currently used as a study that leads into the conservatory.

-Which is there. Yes. There.

-Yes.

-The conservatory is nice.

-It is.

-It's a shame it doesn't really go into the garden garden, isn't it?

-Yes, there are no doors into the garden.

-No.

I'm inclined to agree with Jean, that conservatory has got no doors out onto the garden.

However, flip that on its head, it means the front of the property is entirely secure.

-OK, I like it, I like it.

-It works.

This must be the downstairs loo. Well, it's all downstairs, we're in a bungalow.

With Will, he's only just realised it's a bungalow.

It's strange, isn't it? This is the only door out to the garden.

Yes, bit of a shame, really.

It's quite a nice size as well.

Garden was something that was really important to Jean, wasn't it?

She likes her outdoor space, spending her time in the garden.

And that's absolutely beautiful, completely private, enclosed.

A gate leads up to a bridle path, which also leads

-into Dore village, connects with that one...

-Perfect.

-Down towards the bus stop.

Plenty of space for you to create something in.

I suppose we ought to go and find the boys, really.

Jean and Will... We only get the headphones, so we only get the audio,

and there didn't seem the kind of sounds of jumping for joy or whoops of, "Yes, this is it!"

No, I'm afraid not.

All right. Well, I suppose, from a sense of what we got, its doors are an issue.

Oh, there's no doors out into the garden.

-Right.

-You have to go through the back of the garage.

That's kind of bizarre, but that could be remedied fairly easily.

-Oh, yes.

-It's on a really good plot of land, but out the front

just seems wasted with gravel and at the back,

you just can't really get into it. It seems very shut off.

You're trying to sell Jean as the fussy one...!

You're supposed to be on our side!

-I know!

-I was hoping that you'd be the solution here, but...

You can see the solution, my problem with it, I thought the rooms just

all felt a little bit small, and I know you could knock them through,

but there's still a limited amount of space, unless you start building out the back.

I'm probably just as picky as my mum, actually, yeah.

I'm regretting you turning up now!

I know!

Probably part of the problem more than the solution!

-Something in your genes!

-Absolutely.

-Tell you what,

I'm not convinced you really want to buy it, but we might as well play guess the price.

For fun, if nothing else.

-Who wants to go first?

-Ladies first.

I should think 350.

I'd have gone, yes, about 420, I think, because of the area and the size of land.

Well, let's just... The maximum budget was £500,000.

You said £350,000? Jean!

You're out by £100,000, pretty much.

-Well, I wouldn't pay 450,000.

-Clearly!

Will, you obviously have won.

The actual price is 449,950 quid.

In these credit crunch times, you can make deals, but you can't get 100 grand off!

-Worth a go!

-Even if you could, you probably wouldn't want to move into it anyway.

-No.

-Which is a shame, because it's a great plot, it's got potential.

-Oh, it has!

-The location is excellent. But just not quite right.

Right, on to property 102. This way. Follow me.

Right then, Ed, for my property today, I've chosen somewhere that really excites me.

The owner has spent a lot of time and money accentuating the character

and has really made the most of the natural quirks of the property.

I bet it doesn't have a self-supporting roof like mine though?

You don't need one when you've got original timber beams in place!

-So, no self-supporting roof then?

-No.

OK, Jean, Will, here we are at my choice, property number two,

or in the grand scheme of things, property 100 and something!

We're here to look at this gorgeous stone-built cottage that dates back to the early 19th century.

Now, we're on the very edge of the Peak District, literally, because it's 400 yards up the road.

Up until the '30s, this property actually probably sat within the borders of it.

The area is known as Totley Bents, and this property was actually built to accommodate the railway workers

that built the Totley tunnel, which is the main rail-link between Sheffield and Manchester.

So, it does have a great deal of history that comes with the place.

But your first impressions? What do you think?

You said you wanted to a traditional cottage. Are we close?

Yes. Very cottagey, very nice, stone-built.

-Will?

-Very pretty. Very pretty.

Lovely area. In the middle of countryside, it's nice.

I sense, maybe, Jean, there's a whiff of doubt

-or reluctance here?

-Yes, it's just the location of the place.

In winter, to be... I'd be cut off.

OK, there's this potential it snowed, you could be cut off, or just...?

Well, even ice, because it's off the beaten track and the roads...

I'm annoyed you've taken us here!

I didn't factor that in.

Let's get away from all these negative bits, OK?

I want to go back to the cutesy stuff.

You might not need a 4x4 because if you wander down the lane

there's a little pathway that the locals very nicely refer to as the Yellow Brick Road.

It's a cobblestone pathway. And the bus, I think, is about 20,

25 minutes to get yourself into Sheffield city centre,

so from the public transport point of view, it's fairly convenient.

-Walking down an icy, cobbly road!

-Don't listen to him!

-It's fine! Seriously!

-I don't think it's safe for us to stand here!

If you went out there with your own salt pot,

you'd be absolutely fine.

When your home is going to be as pretty as that...

It's worth breaking your legs a couple of times!

So get in there, have a look around,

-All right. Good luck.

-Cheers.

-They weren't joking about banging my head, where they!

-No.

This is going to be all right for the kids?

Yes, it's nice.

It's nice. Just low ceilings.

Very low ceiling.

Very cottagey.

Cottagey is the phrase, isn't it?

-It is very cottagey.

-Yes.

I'm hoping they're going to comment on that lovely wooden floor,

because the parquet flooring is actually reclaimed from the Royal Hospital in Sheffield.

-What are they walking on now then?

-A proper beam.

-At least it's original.

It really is a traditional cottage, loads of exposed beams, really deep

window sills, because you've got thick, stone walls.

Hide your Hoover in there, I guess?

I don't think it's tall enough for the Hoover.

-This is why it's been taking so long to find a property.

-That's ridiculous.

She sees a cupboard that her vacuum cleaner wouldn't fit in to, and that's an issue! Jean!

This is nice too.

It's lovely, isn't it? Proper open fire.

Yes, it's a great fireplace.

-That's quite a nice size as well. You could get your sofas and things in here.

-Yes.

-It would be cosy on a winter's night.

-OK, Will's not helped you.

And he's not helped either of us. By using the word cosy.

And I think he means small.

-Walls for your pictures.

-Walls for my pictures, yes.

She's liking this house. It's got walls for her pictures.

I'm going to take any positive I can get!

Nice stairs.

-It's unusual.

-Trying to get the bed up...

The corner cupboards they have got here, they're nice.

She wants quirk, she wants character, this has got it coming at ya like Cleopatra,

the short-lived pop band from Manchester.

Bedroom, just a double bedroom.

It doesn't feel so small because it's got the height though.

So the height does work for it. Quite a lot of built-in cupboards.

Lots of storage. It's mentioned a lot on this programme,

not a minute goes by when a housing programme doesn't mention storage.

That has lots of lovely storage.

That's a nice bathroom.

-It's a good size.

-Good shower.

-That's quite good.

-Looks like a nice powerful shower as well.

Earlier on, I was not very pleased that Will had turned up, because he

did nothing to help sell my property. Here though, he's working.

Feels very modern in here compared to the rest of the house - a little bit incongruous.

-It's a nice bathroom.

-It is. Good size.

I think that's a huge bathroom.

It's bigger than most bedrooms.

It's got lovely wood-panelled bath, a big double shower,

beautiful tiled flooring, and all I get is, that's quite nice.

-It's nice. That's a good-sized room.

-This must be the master bedroom.

-Yes. It is.

-It is a nice sized room.

In my property, by this point, we've pretty much given up.

And I was kind of feeling this was going that way,

-but Jean suddenly perked up.

-It's fighting back, this property.

It's quite nice, this room.

Obviously, only the two bedrooms.

That bedroom upstairs is very, very big, it's a large double bedroom.

And there's still more to see,

so I think we could be on to a winner here.

Right. Find the kitchen, now.

-Yes, we've done the bedrooms. Done the bathroom.

-And the sitting room.

Right. Big kitchen.

Cooker.

-Built-in microwave.

-Electric hobs.

Now, I'm disappointed.

They look at a microwave built into a wall in a railway worker's cottage.

-Nothing.

-Built-in microwave, I like it. And then move on. As though...

It's in a wall, it's in a stone wall!

It's like walking around the Louvre and saying, "Oh, enigmatic smile,

"her eyes follow you around the room."

There's room here for a little table as well. You could have this as a little breakfasting kitchen.

I'm intrigued to know what's up the stairs now.

It really is like an annexe, that bedroom upstairs on its own.

It's a double bedroom, it's got a shower en suite,

which is something that Jean was keen to have.

This is nice too.

An elusive third bedroom.

-En suite.

-En suite.

-Yes.

Master suite.

Once you've finished your work in the kitchen, you can escape to the bedroom.

-A servants' quarters!

-She never mentioned the servant in the buyer chat, did she?

-No.

-Never!

This is a nice room.

Wouldn't have guessed this was up here, really.

-Right.

-OK.

-Right, it's time for the old guess the price bit.

She undervalued my house by £100,000, which I'm still smarting from.

Do you think she'll be kind with you?

-I don't think so.

-Jean, please help us. Shall we go to meet her?

-May as well.

I sensed that went a little bit better than property one. Is that fair to say?

Yes. It had a little more character.

And atmosphere. And yes, it was...

-Because we sensed that was lacking a bit.

-It was. I think property one was a bit soulless...

-Soulless?!

A self-supporting roof!

-What more could one want!

-There we go!

He's pushy! Really pushing it.

-It's got a lovely feel to it, this place, hasn't it?

-Yes.

I can't stand up straight in it!

You live on the other side of the planet!

Jean, I sense you were wondering where the back garden is? Have you asked Jonny where that is?

No, the land at the back, does that belong to the cottage?

No, the land to the rear doesn't belong to this property.

It doesn't have any back garden but look at this lovely frontage. A traditional cottage garden.

I think you've warmed to it slightly.

Oh, yes.

I do like it. It's just...

It's in the wrong place.

OK. Guess the price time. Now, at my property, you were out by £100,000, Jean.

-Just £100,000.

-Pocket change.

-In the wrong way, as well!

With a maximum budget of £500,000 to play with, Will, you're currently in the lead on guess the price.

This, to win, how much do you think this property is?

I'd go probably about 340,000 for this property.

-OK, you think we've saved some money.

-I think, yes.

-Jean...

-375, think.

-375.

OK. Well, this time, Will has tried to get about 100 grand out so well done you.

Try to make your mum feel better, I like that.

Jean, you were closest, you are still short by about £50,000.

This property is on the market for 425 grand.

OK? So still a good chunk beneath what your maximum budget is.

But obviously...

-We're way off the mark.

-Shall we go to property 103?

Why not?! Got nothing to lose at this stage, have we?

OK, so it's time for the wild card.

What are your thoughts, Jonny?

Well, it's in Calver, admittedly somewhere Jean didn't specify,

but it's still pretty close to Sheffield, so worth considering.

And hopefully she won't have viewed it already.

Exactly! Which would give us 100% success rate of showing her properties she's not seen before.

Never, in my wildest dreams, did I think that it would be possible, so, fingers crossed for the wild card.

Right then. We're in a different area, Jean and Will. We're in the area of Calver.

Come towards what could be your new home. The end of the search.

Fingers crossed. Hopefully. Although, by the way it has been going so far, I'm not sure.

Number 103. Well, it's number 103.

-Let's hopefully end here. Do you know Calver well?

-Yes.

-What you think about the area?

-Well, it's a nice area.

Yes. It is. It's a nice village.

-Friendly village.

-A lot closer to your daughter as well here.

-Yes. She just lives down the road, up above Baslow.

-Which is good.

-The grandkids, that was part of the focus of the search.

-Yes.

-So, we're ticking boxes?

Ticking boxes. Bus is a little bit longer from here into Sheffield.

We've had a little bit of research, it's around 40 minutes.

Which isn't so bad.

But it's a little bit further out. But you do get lovely countryside.

-Yes. Absolutely.

-Will, what do you reckon?

It's a lovely area. Mum grew up just down the road

in Grindleford, and obviously, close to Liz around the corner, so, it's a good location.

-Don't view it as just as being the finished article.

-Oh, no.

-I don't want to lead you down that path.

-It has got potential.

-Buzz words, we like them.

-Maybe later on, we'll show what the actual full potential of it is.

Think of it as a caterpillar that's yet to become a butterfly.

That's a lovely way of describing the property!

It's not quite the finished article, but you can certainly see the potential within the property,

how to change it and tailor it to your needs,

because you've been struggling and we've been struggling

so maybe finding you a property that you can then come in

and put your own stamp on is maybe the best way to go. Hence, this is the wild card.

-Fingers crossed. OK, are you ready to go in?

-Yes.

-Promise to be good again?

-I will.

I'm losing the will here. 3, 2, 1, go into that house!

Thank you.

OK? You don't know, do you?

How would I know?! No one knows! 103 houses, no one knows!

It may have been a rented property. Smells like it!

It's a strange comment - smells like a rented property.

Yeah, I don't really know what a rented property smells like.

Lovely, is what I'm hoping.

-Interesting wallpaper.

-Yeah.

The thing I will say is that out of all three properties, this one feels the most homely.

I think you've got that there.

Also, I don't want to blow Guess The Price, but this is the cheapest of all the properties.

And the way Jean has valued all the properties, she's valued them around this price.

I'll be interested to see what she does in Guess The Price.

Nice bedroom.

Didn't expect the bedroom to be here.

-It's quite a good size, though.

-Yeah.

Got the window, natural light.

Lovely views in this property. We're in the Peak District, we're in Derbyshire now, are we?

-Another bedroom.

-It's not a bad size though, is it?

-No, it's a good size.

There's more garden as well.

Plenty of hedge for you to cut.

Didn't realise that was a skill of Jean's, the hedge manipulation, topiary...

Study stroke third bedroom, I guess.

-Good natural light.

-Yeah.

Room for your computer. And you can have a pull-out bed.

-Yeah.

-It's not bad at all.

She's romped through three bedrooms, with her son.

Ticking them off, she's not particularly focused on any areas.

-She knows she likes them, I think. Not getting that warmth, though.

-No, no.

This is the bathroom.

Bit small, isn't it? You don't have an individual shower, but it's got the shower there, though.

Yes. There's potential.

It probably could do with a little bit of modernisation.

It's kind of old-fashioned tiles.

Factored in within the budget, though. We thought Jean would be re-doing everything.

The only problem with this house, it doesn't have a self-supporting roof.

There's no self-supporting roof.

That's one of the major problems with the place.

And once you've been to a property with a self-supporting roof,

everything else seems kind of rubbish.

It just needs...

It's just tired, isn't it? I quite like the fish up there, actually.

I didn't see the fish.

-Quite a nice room.

-It's a good size, isn't it? Nice and light as well.

Patio doors that open out onto the garden.

They've got big double-glazed windows, lovely patio doors

wandering out on to this very private courtyard.

It's the one thing that buyers want more than anything, natural light oozing in.

That must be the kitchen. We haven't seen it yet.

Oh, it's the dining room. Oh gosh! This is a surprise.

Now, this is the first level of genuine excitement I think we've had across the whole day.

I begin is because she's seen a kitchen/diner/breakfast kind of area.

And they've got the boiler in here.

Odd position for it.

Kitchen...

It's a really good sized kitchen.

Yeah.

It's a galley sort of kitchen but it's wide enough, isn't it?

I think I'd be tempted just to knock the archway out and open up that entire kitchen diner.

It would be easier to do that if the ceiling was self-supporting.

It's not, so really, you know, you're playing with fire there.

I wonder if this belongs to up here or...

Maybe he doesn't know what the land boundary is.

-You'd want to trim that hedge down a bit.

-There's a wall here, so maybe that's the...

Probably is on your land.

You could almost put, off that dining area, a conservatory area out into this area.

-And then extend that into a bigger dining space.

-Yeah.

And open it out, let more light into it.

-Yeah.

-OK, Will has finally done it.

He's put on the metaphorical hard hat and he's saying, let's add, let's expand this building,

let's make it into what we want it to become.

It's just tired, isn't it?

It just needs a bit of work.

Shall we go back and find the boys?

-We've had our best tour of the day.

-I think so.

-Guess the price?

Oh, I'm nervous!

So, we find ourselves stood in front of what's essentially a little bit of a shell.

It's called the west wing of the property.

Indeed, that's exactly what it is.

Just beyond this window here, you've got the master bedroom,

the large room with all the fitted wardrobes that you saw.

Now, there are plans afoot to develop this whole area.

Obviously this is going to be a single garage, as we can see.

They're going to put an apex roof on top, so it continues the whole roof line here.

How that's going to benefit the property is the front part is going to become a workshop,

and the rear half of this room would become an en suite.

That was something you're keen on - you'd have the separate bathroom,

ensuite, off the master, and a workshop.

To make the most of the reasonably decent pitch on the roof,

they're going to have a staircase going up and a study room above the garage as well.

-Oh right.

-So, when this is all done, and it wouldn't strike me as been massively expensive, you'll end up

with a lovely single garage, study, en suite, and a workshop.

That would be really beneficial to the property.

So, it's guess the price time. Let's go and figure out what other jobs need doing in this place.

If you two can get within 100 grand, let's say, let's give that a go, shall we?

Here you've got Ed, modelling the garden.

What a suntrap this place is.

-It's lovely.

-It's another feature, isn't it?

It certainly is. I don't come with the house, though. Sadly.

-Just making use of it.

-And it's nice.

Now, how was the whole extension deal, and all that stuff?

Was it good news?

Yes, it was very good. Very positive.

It's all fairly straightforward stuff to do as well, isn't it?

You also mentioned on the tour that you like the bathroom,

you like the fishes on the tiles, that's interesting.

It does want a bit of modernising, and I did feel this, refreshing the kitchen and bathroom.

Giving the whole place a general facelift would really benefit the property.

It would cost a bit of money but we've reflected that in the asking price, haven't we?

-Don't give them too much!

-I think we need all the help we can get!

Considering you've looked at over 100 houses, you should be almost a qualified valuer of properties.

-But it's not borne out that way.

-I think we are!

-You value with your heart, don't you?

You think, what would you pay for it rather than what people want for it.

Let's ask the question properly then. It's one-all at the moment, there's all to play for.

Your maximum budget is £500,000.

How much do you think it's being marketed for?

Not how much you'll pay for it! Let's try that instead, shall we?

It's all getting very tense.

-395.

-OK.

I was going to say the same thing.

I'd say then 375.

Do you know what's happened? As you say, you price with your heart.

I think you might have priced with your heart, because the actual price of this is less than what you said.

The first time this has happened!

329,950 quid. Which means you've won Guess The Price, Will.

It was worth coming over from Australia for that alone.

Wait until the guys back in Sydney hear about that.

So, it's good news. You've both kind of over-valued it.

Which hasn't happened, so you obviously must like it.

Hopefully!

You've seen all three properties now.

You have to go away and perform the biggest decision of your adult life,

and choose which one you wish to test drive.

-Good luck with that.

-There's the plans.

Maybe have an ice-cream, a lollipop or a sangria

during that decision. We'll see you later.

-See you later.

-Bye. And while they're off doing that, here is a recap of all three properties for you.

Property one, my choice, was his well-maintained bungalow

in Dore, complete with front and rear gardens for green-fingered Jean to while away the hours.

-And don't forget the self-supporting roof.

-Good point, Jonny. It also has a self-supporting roof.

The price...

My choice was this charming former railway worker's cottage

in Totley Bents, right on the border of the Peak District National Park.

Full to the brim with quirks and character as requested, it weighs in at...

Finally, the wild card, situated in Calver, picture this bungalow as a work in progress.

Good enough to move into straightaway, but lots of options for renovations,

refurbishments and extensions, all under Jean's original budget

at a mere...

Excellent news. You've decided to test drive the wild card.

That kind of rewards both Ed and myself, because it's a joint choice.

It's one of our favourites.

Now, we've had the surveyor come and have a look at the property.

It's not a legally binding one, so if you go with the purchase, get a full survey done.

He's come up with a few interesting points that are worth noting.

There's a bit of evidence there has been some movement of this property towards the rear.

He's said if you did go ahead with it, get a full structural survey

to see whether that's just historical movement or whether there's an ongoing concern.

You can find that of a lot of properties of this age, so don't be too worried about that.

The other one, normally you'd expect to find

an extension or a conservatory on the back of these properties.

Because there's a road behind the hedge, you actually have to apply for planning permission for that.

Also, because you're in the Peak District, if you did want to do that,

they have to have a say on what you're going to build it from.

Apart from that, the place is what it is.

It's a nice house, it's got some work to be done to it, but that's why you're here for, isn't it?

-Put a bit of imagination into it.

-It's actually got a nice space to it as well.

It's got lots of good light, it's got good-sized rooms.

You feel that you can actually do something with it.

Are you ready to go in there and start a test drive?

We are.

Get in!

-It's a hot day...

-Go on.

-We can't drink...

-Right?

But how about a sangria-flavoured ice lolly while we wander through the Peak District?

Ludicrous, but I like it.

Well, it's a fantastic day here on the borders of the Peak District

as Jean and Will test drive what could be her new home.

Here comes the cavalry - niece Abby, daughter Lizzie, and grandson Henry.

And you can see the little fellow has taken to the garden straight away, a promising start.

Meanwhile, Jean and will set about playing host.

Earlier on they were positive about the kitchen.

Will they have the same feeling now they've had more time to enjoy the property?

I'm interested as to what Henry is making in the garden.

I think we've found a new surveyor. He's checking out the damp-proofing for Gran.

And here come the refreshments, just in time. Thirsty work, this.

-Snacks.

-Do you want a biscuit?

What do you think of this place then, Henry? Would it do for Granny? Can you see Granny living here?

Well, he's tired after all that work.

I'll have a glass of water.

Thank you very much! Cheers, guys.

So, all looks very jolly. Will the sun continue to shine on the wonderful wild card?

Or has Jean's judgment been clouded by the experience? Time to find out.

There was a very high chance, I felt today, that you might not test-drive any of the properties -

that you may have just walked away.

But you didn't, you've chosen this one. Why did you go for this one?

Was it just the potential of this one?

Yes, I think so.

And it's got views, and countryside.

It's competitively priced.

What sort of ideas have you discussed?

What kind of things would you do to the property to improve it?

I think we'd do the extension, but I'd have to have all the decoration done, of course.

Get the roof looked at. I think the roof sags.

I'm really hanging on to the old fish tiles thing in the bathroom!

God, no! I think we could frame them and you could have them in your bedroom, how about that?

It sounds like it's gone quite well, sounds like you enjoyed yourself?

It's felt like something possibly, you could...

The rooms are all good sizes and there's something you can do with it.

It's quite light and you've got good living space here.

And plenty of garden for Mum to work wonders on as well. It needs a bit of love.

-It does.

-The estate agents of the area will be watching this,

crossing their fingers, hoping, hoping, hoping

that your answer to the next question is positive.

To buy or not to buy the wild card, the 103rd house you saw?

Please, please...

It's a possibility.

But I'd like to get a builder to have a look first.

Which is very sensible, very sensible.

The surveyor did mention, it did need to be checked out.

Also, you may want to get a quote for the kind of work you want to do to it.

Assuming they're all fairly positive and the asking price

is well, well beneath your budget, it could be fairly close?

It's a positive...

-I'm going to kind of claim that.

-It's definitely in the running. It's a good project.

At the start of the day, just to get to this point where we've got one as a contender is good enough for me.

-In fact, I never thought this was possible.

-It's real progress.

I thought we'd have a test-drive-less episode.

Well, it's taken two months of my life... You're one up!

We've tried our best.

Please let us know if you buy this, or if you do find another one.

-I will.

-And good luck.

-Thank you very much.

-See you later.

Bye.

OK, so we didn't get a full commitment from Jean to buy, but it's progress.

When you've seen as many houses as she has, I think it's as difficult for a buyer as it is

-for an estate agent to try and find something that's right.

-Wise words.

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