Dorchester To Buy or Not to Buy

Good morning, house hunters. This morning we are in Dorset. One of my top three counties of all time.

It has got fantastic countryside, beautiful beaches

and oh, so tempting but, as the French would say, incroyable-y calorific tea rooms.

It has also got very, very tasty chocolates

that match the lovely chocolate box cottages here,

and they've got a factory here as well.

-Have they?

-They make chocolates. Ed, try one.

-Which one is the coffee cream?

-That one.

-I will have that one.

I know the camera adds a few pounds to the face, but if I have another one, that won't matter, will it?

It probably will - AND we've got a job to do.

Very true. We have to, Rani, wander the QUALITY STREETS

of Dorset to find three houses NESTLED within,

-some of which may have ROSES above the doors.

-Sorry.

We have got chocolates here, this is the daytime,

-I think that is just about enough of punnage for the moment.

-I think so.

Once we have done that, we will provide today's buyers with a unique opportunity.

-A chance to...

-Try before they buy.

I think I will, actually.

I always love a soft centre.

Meet Stuart and Trish Wilmshurst, who live in this large four-bedroomed detached home

with countryside views in a village just outside Coventry.

Both enjoy the great outdoors and Trish also likes a brain teaser or two

to keep the old grey matter ticking over.

One of the biggest puzzles of all

is why they would want to give up this property and move elsewhere.

Well, having recently got married,

this delightful duo have decided that Dorset is the perfect place for their new life.

I see. Well, hopefully we can provide the answers to today's house hunting headache

without a CROSS WORD between us. You see what I did there? Cross word...crossword!

Now, I believe you are relocating from Coventry to the Dorset area.

Is there someone forcing you to do this?

Coventry is beautiful, a lovely place.

-Are you doing it of your own accord?

-Yes, I have asked the company if I can relocate down to the office.

They have a small satellite office between Weymouth and Dorchester. What it does for us is

it means we can actually take the opportunity to move south before I retire,

and actually work ourselves into the local community, which would be really nice and interesting.

Then you can get used to the area and know everything around you.

-That's what we are planning to do.

-Have you been to these parts before?

-Have you spent any time here?

-Yes, I have lived down this area for about 30 years, bar a few.

I worked in Dorset for several years at a private school there.

So this is like coming home for you?

-Yes, it is.

-What are you looking for them, describe the perfect house?

Being realistic... We would prefer a bungalow but we are open to houses as well.

We would like a nice airy sort of property...bright and cheerful.

We're not looking for a house that is on the road. Not really noisy,

-just a little bit away from a main road if possible. Close to work would be good.

-How many bedrooms?

Three would be nice, and a dining room if possible,

but we could always use a spare bedroom as a dining room.

-We would like a nice garden.

-OK.

-You see, I have heard...

I was expecting Keanu Reeves to turn up today because I heard, Stuart, you are quite the surfing fanatic.

-I am.

-Right, OK. You are keeping quiet about that!

Yeah, I thought you would at least have done that by now.

But, you know, that's my disappointment. So surfing really?

I like surfing, yes.

I have tended in the past to go to Woolacombe in north Devon.

I know the beach there, I know the surf, therefore it is very nice to surf.

-Have you got a big board that you need to store or do you hire one out?

-No, I've got two boards.

-They've quite big, aren't they?

-Two boards, does that mean, Trish, you like to ride the waves as well?

No, I can't swim!

OK, so three bedrooms, nice garden, maybe somewhere near the water?

-Yes, that would be nice.

-And somewhere to walk.

-Maybe you could learn to swim as well.

-Well, hopefully.

If there's anyone out there that could teach me to swim.

I am currently trying to teach my daughter to swim.

If you come along on Saturday mornings, you could learn with me.

-Brilliant.

-There we go. We've achieved something already.

Yes, we might not have a house but I'll learn to swim!

So, do you have any hobbies that we need to consider for when you move down here?

The one that we most probably do together would be fishing.

-Really?

-So, er... Trish is a keen sea fisher.

-Right.

-What is the biggest thing you have caught?

-Stop me.

-About there.

-Ooh! That's good.

-What kind of fish might that be?

-A cod.

-Really?!

-That was in Bridlington though, not round here.

So we're looking for a bungalow style property, maybe,

detached, three bedrooms, a bit of a garden.

Modern or old?

We don't mind as long as it is reasonably up together.

Right. A garage? Do you need a parking space or on-road parking?

-A garage would be brilliant.

-Are you ready for this?

It is a very uncomfortable question, but there are cakes in front of us.

How much money have you got to spend?

We would like to spend £300,000, but for the right place we are prepared to go to £335,000.

Really, OK. Wish us luck.

All right then, see you later.

I hope it didn't seem rude, stealing the cake tray from the table, but because it's such a posh area

I think we will need a meringue or carrot cake bribe to help us today.

What are you going to do? Give people at Sandbanks a meringue and

say, "Please, lower you price cos Trish and Stuart want to live here?"

I'm probably going to try that because on average

it is an expensive place to live... incredibly expensive.

The fourth most expensive place to live in the whole wide world. More expensive than Monte Carlo, even.

And Monte Carlo is a principality. So, I'm going to try anything I can.

This big pink meringue should really seal the deal.

That's not going to help, but we can look for a house LIKE a meringue...

clean and crisp outside and gooey, warm and friendly on the inside.

-A house just like that?

-Yes.

Dorset is 50 miles east to west and 40 miles north to south,

and borders Devon, Somerset, Wiltshire and Hampshire.

The county has the highest proportion of conservation areas in England

and is famous for its Jurassic Coast - the first Natural World Heritage site in England,

covering miles of stunning coastline.

As well as breathtaking scenery,

Dorset has a huge helping of vibrant villages

with gloriously original names.

It also has thriving towns with innovative individuals.

When 200 Woolworths stores closed in 2009,

the pioneering store manager of the Dorchester branch, Claire Robertson,

reopened it under the name of Wellworths, employing 22 of the original 25 staff.

Power to the people!

Just three months after the store was officially opened by Chris Evans,

Wellworths celebrated the visit of its 100,000th customer.

Make that 100,001, please.

Now Dorset is also the main setting for the work of Thomas Hardy

and the fictional town of his tragic novel The Mayor of Casterbridge

is based on the town of Dorchester.

Other authors who have called this area home include

Ian Fleming, creator of James Bond, and Douglas Adams, writer of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.

With its warm summers and mild winters,

Dorset has higher temperatures than Devon and Cornwall.

No wonder the Olympic sailing event will be held here in 2012.

Hopefully we will find homes to float Trish and Stuart's boat then,

but how about other quintessentially English houses elsewhere in the United Kingdom?

This beauty is ten miles from beautiful Bath

on the outskirts of Trowbridge.

It has got five, yes, five, bedrooms,

a dressing room and a lovely circle thing in the garden.

What about this terrific terrace in Bantam,

one of the oldest and prettiest villages in the Cotswolds.

It has four bedrooms, wooden flooring and fantastic fireplaces.

Or, if beautiful bungalows are your cup of tea,

then you will love this detached dwelling in Essendine, Lincolnshire.

It has got three bedrooms, three reception rooms

and half an acre of gorgeous garden.

But now back to delectable Dorset.

On To Buy Or Not To Buy we pride ourselves on getting the finest estate agents that money can buy.

I'm not saying I bribed Colin, but he is the finest that money can buy.

Colin, a pleasure to meet you.

-And you.

-Different parts of the country been affected by the credit crunch and house prices as well.

-What is it like round these parts?

-Today, as I speak,

I'd say we are seeing a fairly buoyant market,

partially because I think there is not the number of properties coming to the market at the moment,

and we have certainly seen an increase in price because of that.

Are there areas then where money could go further?

There are villages where your money will go further.

Maiden Newton as an example of a village that is a little bit cheaper,

although Maiden Newton itself has got a wonderful amount of amenities.

-The properties are all beautiful and actually we'll get an awful lot more than we thought.

-Yeah!

They're coming from Coventry and I thought they would have to scale down, but actually they can get more.

-What have you got for us?

-Look at that in Maiden Newton.

This is a beauty.

This is a village where the Queen stopped in the 1950s in a train and stayed overnight.

The house is lovely. I don't say too much, but it's lovely.

-I don't have a Royal connection, so am I letting you down here?

-Yes.

Sorry. I want to take them to Charlton Down.

Now, I'm liking this property.

They only wanted three bedrooms, I am giving them four.

It's a detached house, loads of space, and a great community feel

because that's what I think they really need.

The clever ones among you, when I say the word Poundbury, will think, "Is that that posh place?

"I've heard about that." I hadn't heard about Poundbury.

When I open this up, it'll give you another clue. Who's this fellow? Prince Charles.

Anyway, he co-designed it, oversees a lot of it.

It is a very interesting development there which, if you have not heard about it,

stay till the end and we will go there and we'll all learn something.

-I don't want to spoil it.

-No, let's not do that.

-I was just about to, but I'm not going to do it. Zip it.

We've got a right mixed bag today. It's almost like a box of chocolates.

Yes, it is like a box of chocolates. If you described Property 1 as a chocolate, what would it be?

Strawberry cream.

Property number one is in Maiden Newton, a village seven miles north of Dorchester.

With its fine medieval parish church, bakery, post office and pub,

Trish and Stuart have everything on their doorstep.

-Even including the River Frome, Ed. They could even do a spot of fishing.

-They could,

and I can tell you that this massive four-bedroomed detached property could be the catch of the day.

In fact, I think it is enough to make me a fisherman's friend.

Walk towards your new future. I think you said your future, hopefully, was going to be a bungalow.

It isn't, because this is two bungalows.

Now we're in a place called Maiden Newton.

The Queen in the 1950s stayed in her train in Maiden Newton,

so I think that is reason enough to live here.

-What do you think from the outside, Trish?

-I think it's very nice so far.

It's unusual, having a rounded corner.

-It is nice and bright.

-Almost like a lighthouse from that side.

-Yes, I could have a lookout tower.

-That sounds nice.

-Stuart?

-I like the location, it's got great views,

nice countryside down the street,

and at the top of the street as well.

Get in there and feel the charming exterior of the house inside.

Here we go then, darling, into our place. There we go.

Thank you.

-Ah.

-It is nice and light, isn't it?

-Nice and broad and big to walk into.

Not too narrow.

Quite a bright and cheerful area.

That's nice.

So it's a square lounge.

They have got blocked boarded flooring, so that is different.

It's nice because it's a blank canvas, isn't it? You can choose your own carpets,

-start from scratch rather than having to fit in with somebody else's colours.

-That's right.

Plenty of wall space for our pictures as well.

I wonder what sort of pictures they've got.

Little artistic things, pictures of them fishing.

-Or it could be Stuart surfing, catching a wave.

-Yeah.

Quite a nice open outlook.

There's a patio area out there that we could put the table and chairs on.

There are some weeds to get rid of.

-That's your job.

-Thank you!

HE CHUCKLES

-I see.

-I'm coming home from work.

-Don't expect your dinner ready, then.

-Ooh!

-That's the first domestic we have had here.

-Yes, it is.

-Interesting shaped room.

-This could be the dining room.

-It could be, yes.

-Or we could make it the study.

-Could do, yes.

So that wasn't the dining room.

-This would be the dining room.

-It's a much better size, isn't it?

I could see our table and chairs in here.

The most important room, the kitchen.

-The hub of the household.

-Yes.

It's difficult to visualise with nothing in here,

but then again you can have it exactly how you want it, can't you?

The light, airy feel...what they wanted.

It's quite a skill to see beyond that. These are good house hunters.

There's a little utility as well.

-Utility space.

-It's not little, actually, it's quite large.

OK.

The utility is almost like a boot room.

Gosh, it's a lot bigger than it first looks from the outside.

Oh, Ed.

Yes. It is described as a boot room, or it could be a tackle room.

This is a big space up here, the landing.

-It is, isn't it? It makes it nice and open, doesn't it?

-Yeah.

We've got another interesting shaped room with that curve.

-Plenty of room for a double bed in here.

-Yes. That could look good.

Yeah, that would be cool.

Yes, that is the Keanu Reeves surfer in Stu there... "This is cool, Trish.

"We could put our bed near the curve because this is cool. "

That's not really how in Point Break, how Keanu Reeves would have arranged his house.

This is the bathroom.

Still working on that, putting the fittings in.

But you can choose your own tiles and your own colour scheme again.

Yes. Look where the taps are, so you can sit at both ends, darling.

Oh, yeah! We can have a bath together.

-Another good size, isn't it?

-Yes.

-Plenty of room.

-That long run of units we've got

-would fit in there, which not many rooms will take, will they?

-That's right.

They're loving the size of the house.

I didn't think I'd be able to get a property this big in these here parts of Dorset.

I figured, coming from Coventry, where they are at the moment,

everything would be bigger, more for your money, but not true.

-Ah, this is obviously the master bedroom.

-This is a good size.

-It's huge.

-Certainly is.

-You could fit two double beds in here.

That's where your wardrobes would be going by the looks of it.

No, two double beds then I wouldn't have to put up with you wriggling all night.

People do forget when they come on this program that we can hear everything on the old headphones.

I think they may have let us into a bit too much of their private life.

Would need quite a big carpet.

Yeah. I suppose that's one of the things we will have to find out...

does it include carpets, or are they an extra?

Yes. A good sized shower.

Not one of those elbow bangers like you usually get.

Obviously Trish has been cursed by the small ensuite facility, or an "elbow banger".

-I think I might call them that.

-Yeah, I quite like it.

The trouble is, it's so nice, it would probably be a bit beyond our budget. We shall have to see.

-But I think Ed's done a good job here.

-He certainly has, yes.

This is the show home, which is very lovely, very nice. And this...

have a tap. That is the quality of kitchen you'll get... granite worktops.

It has got these decadent handles, which I think, you know,

the soft close on a kitchen units requires a certain amount of...

Look at that... Devil may care.

You can't slam that. Everything is finished to a phenomenal standard.

You have also got this beauty...

a buffet of handles from which to choose from.

I'm sure if there was a handle you fancied having from somewhere else, you could go for that.

And again, a buffet of further...

work tops, doors, surfaces.

-This is high end.

-Yes, I like the green, that is lovely.

National Trust green.

It is very nice, very lovely.

-Different.

-You are buying... They would describe this probably during the '80 as "executive homes".

Very, very nice. Look out there in your back garden.

The back garden is in the same state as the house you saw, but if you look over there at the neighbours',

they've finished theirs immaculately.

-Just to give you an idea. Even though at the moment they are unwieldy...

-Difficult to imagine, yes.

But there you go, there's an idea of what you could be getting.

-It's cracking, isn't it?

-Yeah, it's really good, isn't it?

Yes, it's really pretty.

Very nice and perfect, but do you think you can afford it?

-Your maximum as you've said, at a real push is £335,000, isn't it?

-That's correct, yes.

-How much do you think this property is on the market for? Who wants to go first?

-Trish can go first.

-Thanks.

-All right, Trish, it's up to you.

I would have thought it would be a bit over our budget at £340,000.

I'm going to be ambitious because I think there is a market to be had here,

-so I'm going to go for £325,000.

-325 and 340. Ed, who is the closest?

-Well...

Closest is you, Trish.

The actual price is £359,950.

Now, the softening is this.

Obviously it's empty, you are ready to go.

We know that a deal will be done, and a deal could be done pretty much to

your maximum budget if you put that offer in.

What did you think about it? We felt you really liked it?

Yes, we did, we were surprised at the amount of space in there.

And the kitchen, having seen the spec of another house, it is really impressive.

Come with me to property number two. I am going to give you something a little bit better than this.

Property 2 can be found in Charlton Down, a village set in the heart of the Dorset countryside.

Standing on the grounds of a former hospital,

the village is home to around 1,600 residents who have their own gym, health spa,

village hall and cricket club.

With four bedrooms, two bathrooms and a spacious garage,

I'm certain that this will bowl a maiden over -

and our Stuart, of course.

Welcome to property number two.

This is my choice.

We are here in Charlton Down, which is about nine miles outside of Weymouth.

What I was thinking about with the property,

the kind of thing you said about retiring and getting the whole community feel.

This place has a great sense of that. It has got a village hall, with events going on there.

They have a local cricket club, a tennis club, all for the residents.

They also have allotments. I may not have given you a big garden,

but there is somewhere to grow your veggies, if that's something for the future. What do you think of it?

It's quite pretty from the outside.

-Just "quite"?

-Different to the last one we looked at.

-Is the word you're searching for "disappointing"?

-Don't say that, Ed!

-No, not yet.

-It's a detached property,

-it's still got quite a few bedrooms, more than you asked for.

-It's a modern property, it's all together.

-Got potential.

-You said you liked modern.

-Yes, that's fine.

Well, enter the Charlton Down house.

It's a generous sized hall.

It is. It's a slightly different shape to the other one, but still plenty of room.

Not that I want to sound competitive or anything, but my house is lovely,

the Queen stayed in the village, any interesting facts about this area?

The local village hall has got the best sprung dance floor in the whole of Dorset.

That's a nice idea... I like that. Good.

It's easy to tell which room is which, now that we've got the table and chairs in.

Plenty of space, isn't there?

Yes. The colour's not bad. We could brighten the lights up in here.

-It's a bit dull.

-Yes, brighter lighting in here, I think.

Make the room a bit lighter.

You see obviously you'd have to do that here in this house,

whereas in my one, because it is so futuristic, you just turn the dimmer switch up a little bit.

Nice, dual aspect room again.

Yes. We don't have a focal point like a fireplace, do we?

That would be something we'd have to think about doing.

How about our furniture? Do you think the two settees would go in here?

-Yes, I think they would, actually.

-OK.

Ed, you can't just get one sofa in, you can get two sofas in there.

-That's true.

-A lot of space there.

-Their sofas. They've mentally moved their sofas in.

Ah, the hub of the house...

the kitchen.

-Plenty of units in here, aren't they?

-Yes, it's nicely fitted out.

-I'm sure that would be quite big enough for our needs, wouldn't it?

-It would.

-Outlook over the garden.

-Not much to look at, is there?

-No.

This must be the smallest bedroom.

-Yes.

-This is ideal as a study, isn't it?

-Yes.

-Bring the computer desk up.

That's right.

This is a nice, bright room in yellow, isn't it?

Lots of pictures... it's obviously a kiddy's room.

-Ah, so it is four bedrooms.

-Yes.

This is another reasonable size. Obviously takes a double bed.

Not much room though, is there?

You would just about get some side tables in, that's all.

The bathroom.

There's no shower in here. I presume there is an ensuite with one.

Yes. Perhaps a few more tiles around it wouldn't go amiss, would it?

If you have a shower over there, yes, you would need a few more.

It's not something that can't be solved.

There you go, nothing that can't be solved in the bathroom.

-True.

-Nothing that can't be solved anywhere in this house.

-True, by not moving here, but moving into my one.

This must be the master bedroom with the ensuite.

Much better size, isn't it? Room for your wardrobes there, darling.

Yes. The walls are a bit dark, but we can soon brighten that up a bit.

It makes it look smaller than it actually is, I think.

-Yes.

-Let's have a look in the ensuite.

Yes.

That needs a bit of a clean-up, but not too bad, is it?

No, it's not a bad size.

It is a bit dark again.

You don't get quite the same view from this room, do you?

It is quiet though, being a cul-de-sac.

It is quiet. No passing traffic.

-No. We would get a good night's sleep.

-That's right.

-If you don't wriggle.

-He loves his wriggling, doesn't he?

-If he was a baddie in Batman, do you know who he'd be?

-No.

-The Wriggler!

-I suppose we'd better go and talk to Rani about what we've observed.

-Yes.

OK, so me and Ed were listening to you in the garden

-and we thought that you absolutely loved the property. Is that fair to say?

-Er, not quite.

No, I didn't think so. But we're trying to do is give you the feeling of community,

because you're looking for that when you retire.

Charlton Down, there are loads of things going on and they are all geared toward the residents.

Here we have got the village hall.

There are lots of activities in there. Behind that is the cricket ground where everyone gets involved.

You have got allotments, the tennis courts, so what I thought was

-you've had a look around the house, how about having a look around the area?

-That sounds good.

-Good idea.

Have a wander off, have a potter and hopefully you'll be convinced.

Fingers crossed.

-There are certainly plenty of organized activities.

-There is a barn dance.

-I quite like barn dancing.

-Gosh, they've even got Weight Watchers. Maybe I ought to enrol.

Yup, that's excellent. There's quite a good choice, plenty going on.

Rani has been convincing you about the area.

It's all about the price because this property could come in at a fantastic price. You're in the lead, Trish.

Maximum budget of £335,000 to play with today.

I am going to bully you to go first, Stuart,

-cos you forced Trish to go last time.

-I've got a big decision here.

-Yes.

£250,000.

-250?

-250.

Trish?

I might be onto a winner here!

I love her confidence.

325.

-325.

-325.

-Wow, what a split in price!

I know, I'm trying to think who it is. Actually, just slightly closer is Trish.

The actual price is £295,000 for this property.

So not as low as you said, Stuart, but 2-0.

Congratulations. You've ruined "guess the price" for the viewers because it's all over as a competition,

but we can still play for pride.

As prices go, it is a good price, it's cheaper than the other one,

and also the position you're in... negotiation.

-Possibly.

-I don't think it is really...

-As you say, you were looking for a feeling, weren't you?

That's fair enough, but you don't have to make a decision just yet anyway.

There's lots of things to think about.

Ed's place, it might just wear off. Forget that one.

Because, because because the potent force that is the wild card is just around that corner. Shall we go?

Yes.

Our wild card today is on the southern edge of Dorchester in Poundbury,

an internationally acclaimed development co-designed by Prince Charles.

This unusual eco-friendly village is built on land owned by the Duchy of Cornwall

and uses traditional architectural methods

to show off this attractive community of houses.

And I'm sure Trish and Stuart won't pass the Duchy

as our three-storey townhouse comes with a fully fitted luxury kitchen,

a study, a balcony and, right at the end of the garden, a double garage

with an added extra.

-Sounds wonderful, but will it cost a King's ransom?

-Don't worry, Prince Charles is not on the throne yet.

Trish and Stuart, we are at the wildcard,

and obviously this shouldn't surprise you because it is a wild card

and we are not in your common or garden building site here,

we are in your Royal building site.

Have you ever heard of where we are, Poundbury, before?

-Yes, I have heard of it.

-It's a fascinating place.

What do you think about it? Because it draws opinion, this place.

A superb development, nicely laid out. Prince Charles has had a hand in it.

-He certainly has.

-He has and he pops down to visit now and then so he could come knocking,

-if you buy this property, and ask for a cup of tea or to use the bathroom.

-Bacon butties.

-Exactly!

And this could all happen here. What do you think? We've got a three-storey townhouse here,

and I'm not going to say what this means, but you have also got a FOG out the back.

What do you think about that?

-It's very tall.

-It is quite tall, isn't it?

-It's a superb, substantial building. And a balcony as well by the looks of it.

-A balcony as well.

-Yes, a balcony.

-And a FOG. Are you excited to go in?

-Yes, it's a very attractive building.

Now, remember, walking around, you are addressing Royalty. Prince Charles will be watching this.

-Hello.

-Should I curtsy?

Yes! If you don't like it, just keep it yourself because if Prince Charles is watching,

you could be sent to the Tower.

On your best behaviour, enter Prince Charles's house.

Thank you very much.

-Gosh, this is a spacious hall.

-That was a big door.

-Spacious hall, isn't it?

-A lovely size.

Nice and light as well.

Wouldn't it be great if Prince Charles turned up?

-It would be fantastic.

-He would say, "Ed, Rani! How are you going? Am I on? The wildcard?"

"The wildcard! Do they like it?"

"What are those builders doing nothing for? Hold on a minute..."

-I presume this is the dining room.

-This must be the dining room, yes.

I just love rooms that are light.

-Yes, yes.

-A nice wide room, so it would take our table and chairs quite easily.

Yes, a good generous size.

If you've just tuned into the programme, we're not building a house before they then walk round it.

They are building a house there. They're in that one.

That's nice.

-A nice colour, isn't it?

-Yes, it is, lovely and light.

-It's the sort of kitchen I've always dreamed of.

-Wow, look at that!

Plenty of units here!

I can even reach them as well, which makes a change.

It's a reasonable sized garden actually, for a new estate.

-Yes. I assume that's the garage at the bottom of the garden.

-Yes, it could well be.

This is looking really good, I like this.

-They've spotted the garage.

-I've thought about this and I know why they call it a FOG.

I thought initially it was a silly name because it is a "flat on a garage".

I thought they could have called it a GUF... A "garage under a flat", but of course that would be silly.

And another room!

I suppose this could be a study.

Or your dining room and have that as a kitchen breakfast room?

It is so versatile, you could do what you like with it really.

-I think we'd struggle to get our table in here.

-No, it is nice.

-And again it's such a light room because you've got really wide windows.

-Bright and cheerful.

-I like the raised arch effect over the top of the windows, a really nice touch.

-It is lovely.

We have got some floorboards upstairs.

Gosh, this is a nice room, isn't it? This is obviously the lounge.

Wow, this is fantastic.

Look at the size of that.

It is a fantastic room, this.

I'm going to be nosey and peep behind the cardboard.

-You'll like that.

-Will I?

Yes.

Oh, yes, a cracking fireplace, that.

-It is, it's lovely.

-Really nice. Well, in keeping with the building.

I'm starting to fall in love all over again.

-Oh, my goodness!

-What did she just say? Did she just say it?

She said it! Prince Charles, we've got a deal on our hands!

-She is falling in love all over again with a house.

-I feel quite emotional.

-I do as well. This is great!

Would there be another bedroom on this floor, do you think? Or is this like a...

-I suppose you can do what you like, really.

-You can do, it gives you lots of versatility.

A spare bedroom or an extra sitting room.

-Yes. A nice window there onto a little patio.

-Yes, that's nice.

-A couple of deck chairs and a bit of a barbecue, maybe.

-Yes.

Do you know what they will be able to look over? I forgot to say this.

They are building a New Orleans style add-on to this development which will be over in that area.

-Is that true?

-They can look on to that. With its own French quarter.

Saxophone players...

I mean, that could happen.

-The bathroom, yes.

-Wow.

It will be nice when it's finished.

It might need some frosted glass over the window.

Oh, yes, that's a thought.

-I don't like the thought of clear glass.

-Should be good.

-Not to worry, we can get around that problem.

So, it has got a lot louder.

-What was that, Ed?

-It has got a lot louder out here.

-This is nice.

-This is a nice sized bedroom.

Nice and square. I can imagine a bed in here and our side units.

-Look at the view out here.

-Oh, yeah.

That's lovely, isn't it?

You can see the neighbours' gardens as well.

Dorchester, OK, if you want to get out of the rest of the country, two railway stations...

Bristol, Yeovil, Bath and London

easily accessible from Dorchester West or Dorchester South,

and again they are going to be like a mile and a half away from here. Perfect.

So this must be the master bedroom.

OK, the special room.

-It is a good size.

-It is, isn't it?

-Ah, this is the special room.

-Where the magic happens, as they say.

-Where the wriggling happens.

He can wriggle in there but he doesn't need to wriggle in his ensuite because it's so big.

Let's have a look in the ensuite.

That's a good size.

-Yes, it's the sort of shower where you don't bang your elbows.

-I think you could get two people into that.

-Shouldn't I say that?

-No, not on air.

-Oh, dear.

-It's not an elbow banger.

-No, it's not an elbow banger.

-Don't get in the shower, Stuart, please!

That's excellent.

-Yes, it is.

-Really nice.

Well, considering this is Ed and Rani's choice,

-it shows that two heads are better than one, doesn't it?

-It does.

They have come up trumps here.

Just to clarify things, this isn't Rani at all. She's having a look round the show home.

But this is Lord David of Poundbury.

He's not really Lord David, but you pretty much know everything.

I like to think so. We've now been working here for 12 years from its inception, building, planning,

developing and hopefully innovating.

Have you met the main man, Prince Charles?

Yes, Prince Charles comes down occasionally.

He takes a great interest in the site and in everything we do here.

I alluded to something called a FOG earlier to Trish and Stuart and they are probably confused.

Could you explain to them what a FOG is?

A FOG is an F-O-G...a self-contained residential flat over the top of a garage.

And this comes with the house that we have looked around?

Yes, it's self-contained, and has its own planning permission

so the buyers can rent it out if they want to.

Is there a ball park figure of what you can get for this?

-Round about £400 a month.

-Money in the bank there.

-Yes, a very good source of income.

-There you go, you see. And you wanted to know whether it has a little...

-Electronic up-and-over garage door.

This would be the selling deal.

-It doesn't have an electric door.

-We're off, that's it. Unbelievable.

But I'm sure something could be arranged if you were that interested.

-Prince Charles, if you are watching, we will have one of those.

-On our wish-list.

-But you guys like this, don't you?

-Love it.

-We like the finish on the outside, brilliant. Nice brickwork.

-And the windows, very nicely shaped window up there...excellent design.

-Two houses for the price of one.

-Almost, yes.

-Well, shall we have a wander round and then play guess the price with Rani?

-Yes.

Well, hello. I've been looking around the show home.

I have to say, it is absolutely gorgeous with furniture in it.

We've just been looking round the GUF or the FOG as they like to call it in these parts. We had a lovely time.

From listening to you guys earlier it sounded like you love this place.

-Yes.

-We do.

-A cracking property.

A cracking property! But can you afford it?

Well...

It's time for guess the price. I hope so too as well.

Trish, 2-0, so you have lost already, Stuart.

-I can get it on the nail.

-You can? He seems confident.

-I am.

-Go for it.

-All right, that means you're going to go first.

-Yup.

-All right.

You said your maximum budget was £335,000 for the perfect property.

On the nail, how much is this one?

I think this is worth £395,000.

£395,000, that's it, he's got it right.

-Would you like to have a go anyway, Trish?

-I was going to say that, but I will go for 390.

390 and 395.

Ed, do we need to ask you?

Stuart's got it right... No, you haven't...you've got it completely wrong. You've blown it.

You are very consistent though,

and in a human being that is an admirable quality.

So the actual price of this, brace yourselves...

£349,950 - which means you've won every single one.

And also means it's considerably lower than you guessed.

And also, having spoken to the estate agents, we have had a nibble,

and they are saying there is a deal to be done here. Considering the position you're in...

ie, you've sold your house, you've got the money in the bank and are ready to go...

you couldn't get any better than you as a buyer for this property.

And as they're empty, they need to sell them.

-So that's pretty good, isn't it?

-A cracking property, yeah.

This is it, you've now got to go away

and make the biggest decision of your adult lives and choose which one you want to test drive.

-Are you ready?

-Yes, we'd better get on.

Right, so we'll see you outside Rani's house, shall we?

You never know, it could happen!

-It could do!

-There's still the joint choice.

-They'll pick this, or my one.

-Well, they could do,

but here is a quick recap for you at home.

First today was the Beyonce of properties

in the quaint village of Maiden Newton.

It had curves a-go-go

with three reception rooms, four bedrooms and a double carport.

They would be Crazy In Love with the price -

Property number two is more like your Christina Aguilera

because I have definitely pulled a genie out of the bottle.

This one has got an on-site gym, tennis courts and a cricket pitch.

All that for a beautiful price.

Finally, the wild card in Poundbury, the perfect house for Girls Aloud.

here is also an above-garage flat for Cheryl Cole.

They can't speak French, but they'd ooh la la at the price.

So, we picked the wild card then, to test drive?

I have got to ask, Trish, why?

We just thought it had more potential. It was just different.

We liked the quirkiness of it.

And the possibility of being able to rent out the FOG.

-The FOG or the GUF.

-Or the GUF.

-Is that what you liked as well, Stuart?

-Money in my back pocket.

-There you go!

-Again with confidence.

But when Stuart says anything with confidence, it's not to be trusted.

We have had the mysterious To Buy Or Not To Buy surveyor come and have

a look at this property, and as you can expect with a brand-new house...

it's not even brand-new yet, it's not been built!

He struggled to find pretty much anything wrong with it.

It's not a legally binding survey, but it is a good heads up if you wish to proceed with the property.

It lets you know what you're getting into.

If perchance you'd like anything else in the house, like maybe extra sockets, it's a really good time

to get those requests in now, and the chances are they will do that for you.

He also said with these buildings they are actually a really good finish, so that is excellent news.

Get your requests in now.

Otherwise you are buying into a great property, if you buy it. Do you want to try before you buy?

-We certainly do, Ed.

-That would be a very good idea. Get in there and try it.

-We can't wait.

-Get your hard hats on, or metaphorical ones at least.

Trish and Stuart are wasting no time getting to grips with the development.

-BUILDER:

-So we thought we could put a room in the top,

-and actually sell it as a flat over the garage.

-Yeah, yeah.

-RANI:

-What a good idea! Always worth keeping an eye on the piles in Poundbury.

Stuart is taking some vital statistics.

No, Katie Price hasn't just come in. He's checking out where the furniture would go. He's very organised.

Table lamp. I'll put that up there.

Yes, he's not just a pretty face.

Coffee table.

OK, OK, Stuart. We get the message.

Where is Trish?

Here she is, keeping clean in the show home, and taking time out to relax and enjoy her surroundings.

Upstairs downstairs, where will she end up next?

We're never going to get her out of there!

Ah, finally! I don't think Prince Charles would be happy with a sitting tenant.

This smells nice, doesn't it?

Yes, my idea of heaven.

You know what, it is my idea of heaven, too. Would you like a Ferrero Rocher, Ed?

Rani, I think you are spoiling me.

Maybe I am but a diet of chocolate and property always works for me.

OK, let's get some Lottery tickets then, see if we can afford this house.

-What do you think about the whole idea? Does it work for you?

-I think it's an interesting development.

It's got some niche ideas, it's brilliant.

-I can see a little sparkle in Stuart's eye.

-There is a sparkle.

Now, the furniture. You've been tinkering around. Do you think what you've got will fit in this property?

-Can you live in a town house style, because you are not currently, are you?

-No, but we are willing to try.

Oh!

Well, it leads us neatly on to the point...

Prince Charles, if you are watching, cross your fingers... more money in the bank if it goes well.

OK. To buy or not to buy?

Well, we are going to talk to the agents further and see if we can strike a deal,

and then talk to our building society, and if we can all agree, we will go for it.

So, so, so...

-It is positive.

-It's positive. So, let's have a final "to buy or not to buy?".

-To buy.

-To buy.

-Yes!

-We love one of those!

-Because you need to move house, don't you? You're buyers, you know,

you're not that far away. You've got to get out and get somewhere.

-We have.

-And this is it.

-Yes, hopefully.

This is perfect. There's a few bits and bobs need finishing.

-We recommend you get them done before you move in.

-Yes, it's a building site!

And to Prince Charles, good news, you've sold a house. Thank you.

-Well, done, congratulations, we are so glad we could help.

-Have you had a lovely time?

-An excellent time.

-Thank you for your help.

-It's been lovely spending time with you guys.

-Take care and good luck.

-See you later.

Bye bye. Oh, it's great news.

So, as we walk away to a symphony of cement mixers, this is not just about Trish and Stuart's happiness.

No, a mother and a son have also been involved.

The son being Prince Charles who designed this place. The mum?

The mum's face will be on the notes that pay for it!

So, if you're out there, and you're a mother or a son, or even Royalty...

Yes, and if you want to find your dream home,

don't hesitate, get in touch with us.

-See you soon, bye bye.

-Bye bye.

Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd

[email protected]