Three Counties To Buy or Not to Buy

-Oh, like Groundhog Day?

-Yeah.

Hello, and welcome to To Buy Or Not To Buy.

Jonnie, do you ever have deja vu?

Normally, I have a full English. But what are YOU talking about?

You know when you get the feeling something's happened to you before?

-Oh, like Groundhog Day?

-Yeah.

Hello, and welcome to To Buy Or Not To Buy.

Jonnie, do you ever have deja vu?

Normally, I have a full English. But what are YOU talking about?

You know when you get the feeling something's happened to you before?

-Oh, like Groundhog Day?

-Yeah.

Jonnie, I'm sure I've been here before.

What, in a past life?

Oh, I bet you were Cleopatra, weren't you? Everyone is.

No, I mean here, Leicestershire.

Funny you should say that, Simon,

because I think I've been here before.

Derbyshire seems very familiar to me.

And I'm almost sure I've been here to Staffordshire before.

Staffordshire? Anything's possible on this show.

It certainly is, and today, we're straddling three counties

to find our buyers three properties,

one of which they get to try before they buy.

I wish I'd brought my comfy shoes!

Let's get going. Warwickshire's only down the road.

No, Simon, these are expensive suede loafers.

You've got to get the maps out.

This is the story of a lovely couple called John and Barbara Clinton.

Any relation to Bill and Hillary from the good old US of A?

Er, no. Anyway, they were childhood sweethearts, have been married 38 years, and have seven children.

Don't forget the 12 grandchildren, too.

They retired two years ago to Swadlincote,

but don't feel settled there and want to move back closer to the family...

Who all congregate on a regular basis at their house.

I heard Barbara has to cook for 17 at Christmas dinner.

So that's the Clinton family.

Looks like the Waltons to me.

Oh, yes, John-Boy.

-This is a family move, isn't it?

-Yes!

We did a bit of running away, or what.

Explain.

Not running away, really. We moved from a big house,

we downsized and we did the wrong thing.

We did it the week before we retired,

swanned off to America, came back, moved in here... Oh.

-Then found out they were going to build some houses at the back of us.

-These houses here?

-Yeah.

-You don't like being overlooked, do you?

-That's it.

-No.

-We prefer to have open aspects.

-I'm guessing, then, that the house is what you want?

-The house is fine.

The house is fine.

-There's a couple of things that I'd like, a bigger en suite.

-Ah!

Hear that? Have we just witnessed the bane of your life?

Am I guessing that whatever we find today...

-Won't be good enough.

-That's not nice!

I can guarantee you. It'll have to be altered.

Barbara, you want to downsize, but when you do...

You don't really want to lose anything, yeah.

What's the ideal house for you guys?

You don't want loads of bedrooms?

We want lots of living space.

What we're looking for is something that's been extended

-on the ground floor, or maybe another bungalow?

-Yes.

Let's talk about the location of your new home.

You're spanning a few counties, aren't you?

You've got the West Midlands, Staffordshire, maybe a bit of Leicestershire...

-Derbyshire.

-There's some lovely villages in Leicestershire.

I think that's it,

sort of a circle round the three.

We both saw something on the way in,

and that's a camper van, and you're into camper vans.

-Look at these, these are amazing. And yours is a biggie, isn't it?

-It is, that's what we use to escape!

-I bet it doesn't go anywhere! You go out there when they're all in here!

-We did that last Christmas!

Christmas, it'll be full!

-Obviously you need somewhere to park that, and it's not a small vehicle, is it?

-No.

So we'll need a bit of outside space in off-street car parking?

What have we got to get that?

I don't know.

About 400,000.

About?

He's saying we can't go above 400,000

because we've got so much we want to do still.

Come on, what's the boss saying?

I'll keep quiet, then!

Diplomatically done, John!

All right, that's where we're looking, our ballpark figure, £400,000.

Let's see what we can get you for that. I think we can do that, can't we?

If you drive, I'll read this motor home magazine.

-See you later.

-See you in a bit.

There's some belters in here! I can feel a purchase coming on.

Jonnie, never mind that. Come on, concentrate.

My head is swimming with figures here.

We have a budget of £400,000, we have seven children to consider,

we have 12 grandchildren in the frame, we've got three counties to cover,

not to mention a nine-metre motor home to house.

Yeah, and there's one a bit like that here, look.

Just right for me and you.

Long wheelbase, 2.5-litre diesel, 24,000 miles, and...

bike rack on the back. How's that?

Well I, at least, am going to motor on and try and find John and Barbara a home.

We could use one of these! It saves hotel bills, heating bills.

Get around everywhere.

Even though I've been to Leicestershire, Derbyshire, and Staffordshire before,

I'm quite happy to visit them all again.

Most of the border areas are blissfully rural,

with lots of little villages nestling amongst the backdrop of the National Forest,

which covers 520 square kilometres.

Get you, Mr Tourist Board! There's an industrial heritage too, with Burton-on-Trent, Derby and Leicester

all within hailing distance, and many of the smaller towns being former mining communities.

Even though the attractiveness of the area is high, the prices are not, so the likelihood of us

finding a Southfork-style property for John and Barbara's family

for their budget of £400,000 is still quite high.

What would you find around the UK for that amount of money?

Well, moored at the prestigious Chain Walk address

on the River Thames is this as-yet-unnamed houseboat.

It's 62ft long, brand-spanking new, and on the market for...

You could pick up this stunning sixth-floor apartment

with views over Liverpool city centre and the docks.

It's got a roof garden and comes fully furnished,

including the grand piano, all for...

Or you could live like a Scottish laird in this fabulous

arts-and-crafts conversion apartment outside Glasgow.

It got amazing space, a wealth of period features,

and is on the market for...

Time to find out more about our three-counties house hunt.

Derbyshire, Staffordshire, Leicestershire.

Come on, which one's the poshest?

There isn't really an answer to that.

Oh, yes, there is! You're being diplomatic.

Now, Twelfth Day, as in Twelfth Night, in Staffordshire, used to

be celebrated with a dance called The Hays. You're going to love this.

Is there a difference overall

in property value around the three counties?

Generally on the border, prices would be pretty equal, really.

However, if you went into the south of Leicestershire,

prices may be a little higher.

Traditionally, a man would enter a village

with a mock horse strapped to him.

He would then take off said horse and dance with it,

whilst making a snapping noise with a bow that he carried.

They have a budget of £400,000.

That seems like a fairly decent budget. Would I be right in guessing that?

You would, yes. You would expect to find a substantial family home.

He was attended by six fellow villagers

who each wore a deer's head.

I think we've done very well.

-I

-have certainly done very well, I'll tell you that.

-Property one today is big.

-It's massive!

-Yeah!

And, by the way, the garden is in equal proportions.

It is beautiful, the rear garden.

That's property one. It's a winner, it's in Derbyshire, beat that.

Well, I can't compete with size.

I've gone over the county border to Staffordshire.

I've gone with the theme of bungalow, yet with an upstairs.

For the wild card, we didn't know whether to show them a barn conversion or an old farmhouse.

-We couldn't decide.

-So, we're going to show them both.

This property is really unique.

It's quirky, it is truly, truly "wild card" in every respect.

It's beautiful, though. We love it, don't we?

We do, and we're sticking with the theme because it's massive.

So much for the downsize!

-I'm getting another weird feeling.

-Is it deja vu?

-It is.

-Would it freak you out if we did property number one first?

-My choice.

And it is my choice, and we're starting off in Derbyshire.

It's only 15 years old, but this place is full of character,

and was designed by the current vendor.

Pure class, Jonnie.

-Well, I'll give you the class, but does it have the room?

-It's a half-acre plot.

I rest my case.

Right, John and Barbara,

property one today is my choice, and for my choice we're Outwood-bound...

to the village of Outwood, just on the edge of Burton-on-Trent.

Well within your search area.

-Yes.

-Enough of the location for now, let's look straight at the property. What are you thinking?

-It's big.

-Looks quite good.

-It's big, isn't it?

-Yeah. It looks big from here.

You see, what I got from you two before was you had downsized, but weren't happy downsizing.

-So I'm now upsizing your downsize, so to speak.

-We can't make our minds up!

-Exactly, so I'm going to try and do that for you.

-Big can always be best, can't it?

-Oh, yeah.

-It was built by the current owners.

-Oh!

-So, it was built to their specific requirements.

-They've made the space what they needed.

-Yes.

You've got a big space to deal with here.

Get in there, and make what you need of it.

-That's what I'm going to say, all right?

-Yes.

So, without further ado, you've got a lot of rooms to see, go see them. In you go, we'll see you in a bit!

That's a nice size.

You can see straight through.

That's a nice size. Simon's done well.

Thanks, Barbara. I have done well. I normally do.

-Who's done well?

-I have.

Nothing to do with the mystery property hunting team?

Could be a little bit.

Dining room here.

Can we get 17 round here?

At a push!

You can extend into the hall, though.

We could have a table in the hall for the kids and we could have this.

They joke about it, but this does lend itself to having lots of people visiting.

It's a conservatory, look.

-Brilliant.

-You're not overlooked, Barb.

No houses! Great! And the garden's big enough.

All the grandchildren could get in there and we could shut them up the top.

That's a good point. You could have the children up top, it's big enough for a five-a-side pitch.

That's a sizable kitchen.

Yes, and it's got... I like that.

-You see this quirky lighting underneath?

-You'd see the fluff on the floor.

It's workable, this is, isn't it?

That's a nice landing.

Nice big, bright stairwell,

nice bright landing. I like that in a house.

-Is this the master, do you think?

-I don't know. It's not large enough for our bed, though.

-Uh-oh.

-It looks like an en suite through there.

There'd better be an en suite!

Else Simon could be in trouble.

Is it big enough? Is it big enough?

-Big enough, isn't it?

-It's bigger than ours.

There's enough room in there.

She's not committing.

I don't know, I'm left hanging now.

Well, that's a surprise. I thought that was going to be a little tiny room. Yes, it is nice.

-You've got a bath, haven't you? That's what you like. And the shower above it.

-Yes.

I was trying to count the rooms. Oh, my goodness.

It's a gymnasium.

Forget it!

Look, there's an en suite.

Oh, you've got another room, it's connected to another room.

Got a shower.

Yes, but you've got another doorway into another room.

Technically, both bedrooms are en suite, aren't they?

But you've saved all the cost and the space of putting in the extra en suite. I like it.

In fact, this is a lovely-sized room.

This is a good size, this one.

It might be better to do this as a master.

We could leave the one up the other end for when your mum comes.

And you could have that one bedroom there as your en suite!

THEY LAUGH

Barbara and John, I think the layout of that property has, I don't know, not challenged you,

but certainly fired up your imagination. Is it fair to say that?

That's a good assumption, I think.

-Yes, I've got a few things I could do with it.

-Right.

What would you do inside?

LAUGHTER

I think we'd probably have the opposite bedroom at the front as the master bedroom.

-And make a larger en suite?

-And make a larger en suite with two sinks.

It's "guess the price" time. Who's going first?

Go on, you can go first.

Right, then, Barbara.

I always spend all the money, you see.

I would think it's possibly close to the 400.

How close?

390, 395?

Come on.

-Well, 390, then.

-OK.

I would say it'd be a bit lower than that.

370.

Well... Barbara is closest.

But it's more or less in the middle there,

cos it's actually on the market for 385. So, under budget.

-Well done.

-1-0 to Barbara.

-That's got to be a first!

-I'm always looking for bargains!

-Of course!

-We're off to a flying start. We've done well here,

-we've got something to compare everything else to. Let's go to my choice, property number two.

-OK.

I've gone for versatile living accommodation with my choice.

Two sitting rooms, a downstairs bedroom which doesn't have to be a bedroom, a conservatory,

and all sorts of jewels in the crown.

And this particular crown is in the lovely Staffordshire village.

-OK, where are the gorgeous views, then?

-Just up the road, honest.

So, then, Barbara and John, we've moved over the border now to

perhaps more familiar territory of Staffordshire.

-This is on the grounds of Hawthornden Manor.

-Ooh.

-Ooh!

The old manor house is behind there and they built a load of these buildings, a load of these houses,

the owner reckons, maybe just before the war.

-I think this might've been built after the war.

-After the war.

But what you've got here is quite substantial detached residences

with decent-sized gardens, as we have here.

And, I'm thinking, for child safety, shut the gates, and everything within is safe.

-Yes.

-Keep 'em out, you mean!

-LAUGHTER

Yeah, keep your kids in away from the neighbours!

Enough waffling about the grounds and where it is

and the old manor and all that. What do you think of the property?

-It looks good from here.

-It's interesting, yes, it is.

Also, before you go inside, is this going to be all right for

your travelling house?

Alongside the garage, yeah.

It's cold, you go in there and we'll put some headphones on.

-OK.

-See you in a bit.

-It's warmer in here.

-Oh, that's better.

This looks quite homely, doesn't it?

This is nice, I like this.

-I do like that.

-I thought you might!

This living room is a much better space for three generations

of family to gather in.

Oh, I like this.

Garden's nice. Look at that. They've done well.

-WE have done well...

-Barbara just said, "They've done well."

Oh, another room. Oh.

It's a sitting room.

What would you do with it? Study?

Or a dining room.

When you give someone a second reception room,

people don't instantly know what to do with it. They're getting more than they bargained for.

What's this? Kitchen. Oh, that's a nice size.

It's a good size, isn't it?

It is. You can put the kids in there for mealtimes.

It is a good size, isn't it? Good family kitchen.

Oh, now, that's better.

That's a decent size, isn't it?

That would get all of ours in. It's a beautiful size.

That would be great, especially for Christmas time.

This is an older house, yet it seems to work more for the

modern open-plan style they like.

I completely accept that. When you walk into this house, the flow works.

Oh, your mother's bedroom!

Why mother's?

-It's downstairs here.

-Got an escape route as well, straight into the garden.

I thought this was about kids and grandkids?! We're going up a generation now!

We need to start thinking about buying them a hotel.

It's like a rabbit warren.

Crikey, look at this.

-Pretty, isn't it?

-Oh, look!

Very feminine. Is that the en suite?

Yes. It is nice, and I like that window there.

-Small.

-I can't get my two sinks there.

-Oh, deja-vu!

-Deja-vu again.

The en suite's not big enough. Barbara, this time it's got a bath,

a shower and a loo and it's still not big enough.

Single bedroom.

-Yes, it's a single bedroom.

-Could do as your study.

-You'd probably get a double bed in here.

-You would.

Oh, it's only done as a single, and yet this would be a double

-quite easily, wouldn't it?

-Yeah.

A bit more my sort of house, this is.

So many times with dormer bungalows,

you get quite small rooms when you go upstairs, don't you?

The roof's really cramped in on you. But here...

This is not a dormer bungalow, it's a house.

Bathroom. Oh, I like this.

And I could get two sinks in there, so Jonnie's listened to me.

Well, that seemed to go pretty well.

I think we've even found an en suite that might be big enough.

-It is! It's got to have something done to it.

-Bit of work.

-Oh, naturally.

-But the space itself is big enough. Any other thoughts, John?

It feels quite cosy in the lounge.

-Don't say "cosy", that means small. Welcoming.

-Well, it's not large.

It's obviously next door to the nice big dining kitchen

or breakfast kitchen. It works as an entertainment house.

-A family house.

-Yeah, it does.

Right, so, this time, John, I'm putting you on the spot.

How much for this place of Jonnie's?

I think it's going to be similar to the last one. I should say 375.

OK, Barbara?

About 360.

Oh.

Oh, dear, I don't like the look of that.

Well, John, you're the winner.

-Yeah, but...?

-It's one-all.

The price of this house as it stands, currently,

on the market, is 399,950. A lot more than you thought.

So nearly 400,000.

Two very different houses we've shown you so far.

-Yeah.

-And you know what we're going to show you now, don't you?

The biggest en suite in the whole world! That's all we're going to give you for the wild card!

It's this way, come on.

We are out in the wilds for the wild card, a barn conversion on top of a hill.

Its location might be wild, but the space inside

is exactly what they're looking for.

I can't wait to see their faces, Jonnie.

Right, John and Barbara, last property of the day.

Everyone's favourite, the wild card.

Now, why is this place the wild card?

Well, we look at many properties, and there are very few that we find

that have such an unconventional

layout as this place. That's why it's the wild card.

Jonnie will explain more in a moment. But, first impressions, please?

-It's a barn.

-You say that, but is it?

-Barbara?

-I hope not!

Well, then, we've delivered!

It's a hayloft.

See that, see that building there?

It's that as well. That's part of the old farmhouse.

This barn part is a mere cherry on top of the whole wild-card cake.

-Now what do we think?

-It's huge!

-Think of all those stairs.

-Who's coming to do the cleaning?

-I'll do the hoovering for you.

-You've got a family to do that.

And you've got John to do that, and all.

So, now you know that, what are we thinking

-about this property and its location and everything?

-Beautiful.

It looks good from here. Good views.

-Make sure you use your imagination in this place, because it is unfurnished.

-Right, OK.

-We will do, yes.

-Get in there and enjoy, go on.

Oh, crikey, they're right. Isn't it big?

Oh, well. This is different, isn't it?

Oh, wow!

Does that suit you?

Oh! Oh, that's fabulous.

I tell you what, this is going very well.

It is absolutely beautiful. Oh, my goodness, look at all this equipment.

-Got a new range, as well.

-Yeah, a range.

We've had more gasps and groans in

this first room than in the other two properties put together.

Oh, look at this.

That's nice.

Oh, yes. You can imagine all of them in here, can't you?

-This would be just right.

-Nice lounge, isn't it?

Yes, it is.

It'd take all our furniture in here for the lounge area.

You say it's the lounge area, Barbara.

I think there's an even better room for the lounge, don't you?

That'll do you, wouldn't it? It's a television room.

That's an idea.

-Yes, cos then we could take the children...

-Projector.

Oh, yeah.

The children could come in here and we could have the lounge

to ourselves. Oh, this is beautiful.

The inglenook fireplace is still there behind the board. You've got to open that up.

-You'd rip that out.

-You've got to.

It's huge, isn't it?

Yes, it is, it's massive.

Who picked this, Jonnie or Simon?

Barbara is overwhelmed and John sounds like the cat's got the cream

because there's nothing to do here, is there?

Oh, this is just too much. This has got to be the master, hasn't it?

We've got a Jack and Jill en suite coming up now, Jonnie. Will it be big enough?

Oh, look! Come, look!

Fingers crossed, everyone.

Oh, wow!

Sold. Go and put in the offer, whatever.

-It's beautiful!

-It's big enough! They might need another sink, obviously.

It's another bedroom, that is.

No, it can't be? Oh, I suppose it can be a bedroom.

No, no, no. I could have my sewing room and everything in here.

I can understand why Barbara and John would want the first floor,

just for ease of access, but I don't know, I like the top floor.

-Oh, look at the brickwork there.

-That's lovely, isn't it?

John, look at this.

Wow.

Right, you can have this bedroom.

I'll have the one downstairs and you can have this one.

It's a bigger shower in here, as well.

It's so well done, isn't it?

What do you think?

It's beautiful. Let's just go and

tell Jonnie and Simon to ring the estate agent.

-Excuse me, Jonnie.

-You make the call.

Call to make.

Well, that seemed to go well.

Very well, yes.

Yes, it did. Too well, really.

-Come on, Barbara, what are you thinking?

-Oh, it's...

She wants to know when she can move in!

It is, it's beautiful. It's just exactly what we want.

When you approach many barn conversions from the other side,

it's all shared areas and that kind of stuff,

-but this place...

-Yes, I was a bit dubious about that.

..does have its own garden. Do you know, you also get this

kind of extension to your garden back here as well?

You can dig that, then, can't you?

Gorgeous big property, and a gorgeous big garden.

But how much is it?

-Who went first last time?

-It was John first last time, yes.

-What's the score?

-One-all.

Your budget is £400,000.

-Is it freehold?

-It is freehold.

-Oh, I don't know.

-Any maintenance charge, at all?

There is a maintenance charge of £170 a year.

Every resident pays that for the communal areas.

-Go on.

-About 460.

OK, Barbara.

No, I wouldn't say quite that.

I'd say 435.

-435.

-Put them out of their misery, mate, go on.

OK.

Yeah, I'm sorry about this, Barbara.

You're way off.

It's two-one to John.

We wouldn't go over budget!

399,950.

Really?

Go phone the estate agent!

That's a surprise. I thought you'd be over with that one.

It's absolutely fabulous. Please!

"Please can I have this house!"

Hang on! Don't say too much more, Barbara, or you could ruin the rest of our show!

Because we've now shown you

three very different properties, and you have to decide which one you'd

like to spend a bit more time in.

-Why don't you go and put your heads together and we'll see you in a while.

-OK.

I wonder which one they'll choose, Simon(!)

It's going to be very difficult, this one, isn't it?

In that case, why don't we remind everybody at home of the three

huge properties today?

Might they be drawn back towards the

gorgeous garden and master bedroom potential of property number one?

It's today's bargain, with plenty to spare at 385 grand.

Or will the flowing downstairs space and two sinks en suite

of property number two give Barbara more cause for thought?

Just under their limit at 399,950.

Or can we string the suspense out any longer

by pretending that the wild card isn't at the top of their list?

This beautiful barn conversion is on for 399,950.

Well, would you credit it?

John's brought his motorhome to be parked at...the wild card.

That's why they're smiling.

It's a beast, isn't it?

Hang on, let me go and get my motorhome magazine out.

If you're going to do that, I'll get my home crafts magazine out.

I reckon Barbara's running up the curtains already.

John really loves that motorhome.

Didn't I see him in a 1970s advert for car wax?

Here comes the family.

Well, two of them, at least.

-I think little Josh makes up for most of them.

-What do you think?

-I like it.

-Big table here.

-Yeah, yeah.

-Huge table here?

Now, that's how you test-drive a room.

So, an action-packed test drive.

Did you manage to park that massive wagon of yours?

Yeah, no problem here at all.

-No problem?

-Plenty of space.

Barbara, you seem to be raising your eyebrows there.

It'll be a first!

Well, OK, let's leave John alone. What about this wonderful house?

-Fantastic.

-Very, yeah. I think it's just what you want, isn't it?

-Yes.

-Whoa, just what YOU want?

All he wants is what's best for you. Isn't that lovely?

-I have to please her.

-I don't know, he always blames me!

Do you want to buy, or not to buy?

I think that's a definite yes, isn't it? We would want to buy this.

-Really?!

-Absolutely brilliant. Well, we're so pleased, because

it was quite a tricky search today to find the living space

without eight bedrooms.

Yes, exactly.

Did we tick all the boxes?

I think so.

No, they went down on one.

What? What do you mean?

Conservatory.

The conservatory. Well, we'll leave you to sort that out. Shall we...?

There's big windows over there. See you later!

Jonnie, you know what's odd?

I'm starting to get that feeling of deja vu again.

I just thought it was the wild card winning again.

No, another "to buy".

We are a winning combination.

True, but I just thought it was cos we were good at our jobs.

Hey, Jonnie, I'm starting to get that odd feeling of deja vu again.

I just thought... This is just getting weird now.

If you'd like to have the pleasantly disconcerting feeling

of Jonnie and I finding you your next perfect property,

don't hesitate and get in touch again.

-Otherwise, it's... Hello, and welcome to...

-No, it's not!

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