0:00:03 > 0:00:07- Welcome to a very special To Buy Or Not To Buy.- We're heading to Finchley in North London.
0:00:07 > 0:00:11We've got a property match ahead of us that will test all of our stamina and skill.
0:00:11 > 0:00:14- Just one thing, Ed.- Yeah? - Can you only head the ball?
0:00:14 > 0:00:17- You can't see Tim in this, can you? - Oh, no, no.
0:00:17 > 0:00:21- You're going to look really good. - I can do loads of football stuff.
0:00:30 > 0:00:33Ladies and gentlemen, you may have guessed
0:00:33 > 0:00:35- from the amazing display... - Thank you.
0:00:35 > 0:00:37..of Ed's almost professional soccer skills
0:00:37 > 0:00:40that one today's house-hunters is a football fan.
0:00:40 > 0:00:44They need us to help them score a metaphorical property goal
0:00:44 > 0:00:45before extra time.
0:00:45 > 0:00:49- I don't get the extra time bit. - She's pregnant.- She's pregnant?
0:00:49 > 0:00:53- And they desperately need us. - What, hot towels and that stuff?
0:00:53 > 0:00:56No, they don't want you at the birth. Don't be offended.
0:00:56 > 0:00:58I'm sure they'll like you
0:00:58 > 0:01:00but they need you to help them find a house.
0:01:00 > 0:01:02- They still need us then?- Yes.- OK.
0:01:02 > 0:01:05Do you want to show the viewers your heading skills?
0:01:05 > 0:01:08- I'm more of a kicking man. - Go on, then.- Observe.
0:01:10 > 0:01:12GLASS SMASHING
0:01:12 > 0:01:14Oi!
0:01:14 > 0:01:16Coming up on today's To Buy Or Not To Buy.
0:01:16 > 0:01:19Jonnie confronts a serious issue.
0:01:19 > 0:01:22- Size, I think, is a problem. - Size is a problem.- Yeah.
0:01:23 > 0:01:26If I was down here like you, because he's on a box,
0:01:26 > 0:01:28everything looks massive.
0:01:28 > 0:01:31Ed imparts some property wisdom.
0:01:31 > 0:01:36- That shower head's like my old place. - You like those old shower heads.
0:01:36 > 0:01:39I'm saying there's many reasons to buy this property.
0:01:39 > 0:01:43- A shower head and the dishwasher. - It's a reason to buy a property. - You've lost it.
0:01:43 > 0:01:46'And there's confusion at the wild card.'
0:01:46 > 0:01:50Is that a shed, is it a summer house, is it another home?
0:01:50 > 0:01:52Is it a chalet? Is it a ski lodge?
0:01:54 > 0:01:56Our buyers today are Maria and Kiri.
0:01:56 > 0:01:58They live in rented accommodation
0:01:58 > 0:02:01but are desperate to get on the property ladder.
0:02:01 > 0:02:03The reason? Maria is pregnant with their first child
0:02:03 > 0:02:07and they want to be settled in before the baby arrives in a few months' time.
0:02:07 > 0:02:10But both with day jobs for the civil service...
0:02:10 > 0:02:13..and Kiri's studying for a law degree in his spare time...
0:02:13 > 0:02:17..and Maria's after-hours work as a fitness instructor...
0:02:17 > 0:02:20..and Kiri's life-long love of Manchester United...
0:02:20 > 0:02:24..means there has been precious little time for house-hunting.
0:02:24 > 0:02:26Until, that is, now.
0:02:27 > 0:02:29So we're looking for a home for you guys.
0:02:29 > 0:02:32What's wrong with this one? Are you not happy here?
0:02:32 > 0:02:36Well, we are, it's just that we've got some great news.
0:02:36 > 0:02:37Maria's pregnant.
0:02:37 > 0:02:41- Congratulations.- Congratulations. How far along are you?
0:02:41 > 0:02:43- About five months. - Oh, right, so we've not...
0:02:43 > 0:02:47And are you looking to be moved in by the time...?
0:02:47 > 0:02:51- Hopefully, yes.- Hopefully. Well, you're clearly focused
0:02:51 > 0:02:53and it gives us a challenge.
0:02:53 > 0:02:55I would say we've not got much leeway.
0:02:55 > 0:02:58- We do need to do it in this programme or we're in trouble.- Yeah.
0:02:58 > 0:03:01- Do you know if it's a boy or a girl? - We don't know.
0:03:01 > 0:03:02We decided not to find out.
0:03:02 > 0:03:06I would be guessing from some of the things I know about you, Kiri,
0:03:06 > 0:03:10that you'd be hoping for a boy, with your footballing obsession?
0:03:10 > 0:03:13I would love it whatever it is, as you know,
0:03:13 > 0:03:17but it would be lovely to have a little boy to take to the football
0:03:17 > 0:03:19and to wrap in a red and white scarf from an early age,
0:03:19 > 0:03:21just like I was by my dad.
0:03:21 > 0:03:26Do you have the name Wayne, maybe...?
0:03:26 > 0:03:29Wayne. It would have been Cristiano if he didn't leave.
0:03:29 > 0:03:32- Dimitar would be different. - Dimitar's a nice name.
0:03:32 > 0:03:37- So you're renting here? - So we're chain free, ready to move immediately, really.
0:03:37 > 0:03:41- You're a hot ticket, then.- Yeah. Mortgage in place, everything.
0:03:41 > 0:03:46- Wow. So, OK. You're committed cash buyers, almost, an estate agent would say.- Yes.
0:03:46 > 0:03:48So what do you want in terms of a property?
0:03:48 > 0:03:50We're quite open about it,
0:03:50 > 0:03:53just as long as we've got some sort of outside space.
0:03:53 > 0:03:55- It's got to have outside space.- OK.
0:03:55 > 0:04:00But obviously, the further into London you get, the more expensive the properties are,
0:04:00 > 0:04:03so that's part of the reason why we're moving out.
0:04:03 > 0:04:06Are you commuting by car
0:04:06 > 0:04:09or are you doing the traditional London route of tubes, trains, etc?
0:04:09 > 0:04:14- Tubes and trains.- Public transport. Fairly close walking distance.
0:04:14 > 0:04:19- Give me a time?- Maximum 15 minutes walk to a station would be great,
0:04:19 > 0:04:20- if that's possible.- OK.
0:04:20 > 0:04:27So it's outdoor space. You're not too fussed about the layout.
0:04:27 > 0:04:31You're not too fussed about the age, style of the property?
0:04:31 > 0:04:35I prefer old properties but I know that we're limited,
0:04:35 > 0:04:39so I have to be open-minded about it
0:04:39 > 0:04:44- but I am a fan of old-style coving and original features.- Ooh.- I know.
0:04:44 > 0:04:51In order to get the old-style coving, we might be looking at a Victorian conversion.
0:04:51 > 0:04:53- Yeah.- Yeah.- A ground-floor flat with a garden.
0:04:53 > 0:04:57That's ideal. You've narrowed it down. That would be ideal.
0:04:57 > 0:04:59It sounds simple enough, depending on the budget.
0:04:59 > 0:05:02- Yeah, big question.- Come on, then.
0:05:02 > 0:05:05- Yeah, I guess we're kind of limited to about 250.- Yeah.
0:05:05 > 0:05:08At a real push, 255.
0:05:08 > 0:05:10255 at a real push.
0:05:10 > 0:05:14With stamp-duty threshold, you're not paying any stamp as well.
0:05:14 > 0:05:20I mean, this extra money you've got to maybe spend on the house.
0:05:20 > 0:05:22- That's right. - OK, well, wish us luck.
0:05:22 > 0:05:24We're doing this for Baby Wayne.
0:05:24 > 0:05:27- Dimitar, Ed, Dimitar! - We'll see you later on.
0:05:27 > 0:05:29- Thanks.- Bye.
0:05:29 > 0:05:32Now, viewers, don't be fooled by these calm facades.
0:05:32 > 0:05:35Ed and I are like swans. Underneath, we're panicking. Why?
0:05:35 > 0:05:37Because there's a baby on the way.
0:05:37 > 0:05:39Normally, we...
0:05:39 > 0:05:41- What are you doing? - I'm working out gestation periods.
0:05:41 > 0:05:47- Obviously, Maria isn't an animal, she's a human being, and we've got four months.- Four months, yeah.
0:05:47 > 0:05:51If she was an elephant looking for a house, we'd be laughing. 645 days, we'd have.
0:05:51 > 0:05:55If she was a sperm whale looking for a house - I know it sounds weird...
0:05:55 > 0:05:58- This is loads of time.- 590 days. We could relax.
0:05:58 > 0:06:01Let's make ourselves feel better. What about a short gestation period?
0:06:01 > 0:06:05If she was a mouse, a normal mouse, 19 days. We would be up against it.
0:06:05 > 0:06:08But she's not and now I'm worried
0:06:08 > 0:06:12because we've got four months maximum and it might come sooner.
0:06:12 > 0:06:16- This is costing us time. I'm off to some estate agents. - I'll go and meet the people.
0:06:16 > 0:06:22Today's search brings us to the ever-popular North London suburb of Finchley.
0:06:22 > 0:06:25Situated around seven miles north of the City of London
0:06:25 > 0:06:28in the Borough of Barnet, the area will always be associated
0:06:28 > 0:06:31with someone who never actually lived there.
0:06:31 > 0:06:35The Iron Lady, Margaret Thatcher, who was the local MP for 33 years,
0:06:35 > 0:06:38from 1959 to 1992.
0:06:38 > 0:06:40It seems Mrs T favoured
0:06:40 > 0:06:43living in Dulwich, south of the river, instead.
0:06:43 > 0:06:45And number 10 Downing Street, of course.
0:06:45 > 0:06:48However, many famous people have called these leafy streets home.
0:06:48 > 0:06:50The list includes David Jason,
0:06:50 > 0:06:53Del Boy out of Only Fools And Horses, who grew up here
0:06:53 > 0:06:55and American chat-show host Jerry Springer,
0:06:55 > 0:06:59who was born in East Finchley tube station during the Blitz.
0:06:59 > 0:07:04But with house prices in Barnet averaging just under 400 grand,
0:07:04 > 0:07:06you're certainly paying a premium to live around here.
0:07:06 > 0:07:13But what will Kiri and Maria's top budget of £255,000 get you
0:07:13 > 0:07:15in other suburbs around the United Kingdom?
0:07:16 > 0:07:19Our first fixture today is this semi-detached Victorian house
0:07:19 > 0:07:22in the Acocks Green suburb of Birmingham.
0:07:22 > 0:07:25There's plenty of living space, four bedrooms,
0:07:25 > 0:07:28large rear garden and off-road parking out front.
0:07:28 > 0:07:30Yours for 249,950.
0:07:30 > 0:07:34Located only a 15-minute drive from Kiri's beloved Man United,
0:07:34 > 0:07:38how about this two-bed period apartment in Didsbury, Manchester?
0:07:38 > 0:07:40The ground floor property has ample parking
0:07:40 > 0:07:43and the use of the communal gardens. The price - 255 grand.
0:07:43 > 0:07:48And finally, this two bedroom apartment in Lee Woods, Bristol.
0:07:48 > 0:07:51This Victorian conversion has a spacious reception room,
0:07:51 > 0:07:54modern kitchen and dining area, set in beautiful landscaped gardens.
0:07:54 > 0:07:56A snip at 255 grand.
0:07:57 > 0:08:01Here in London, there seems to be a bit of a north-south divide,
0:08:01 > 0:08:04so I'd like to find out from the locals what makes north London
0:08:04 > 0:08:06so much better than south London.
0:08:07 > 0:08:10- Hello, how are you? Pleased to meet you.- I'm David.
0:08:10 > 0:08:14David, I'm hoping that you'll be giving me some good news.
0:08:14 > 0:08:17- Definitely north. - Why definitely north?
0:08:17 > 0:08:20A different feel about it. The infrastructure's better.
0:08:20 > 0:08:23When I cross the river, I feel like a foreigner.
0:08:23 > 0:08:27He's a Manchester United fan who's considering calling his child Wayne.
0:08:27 > 0:08:32- OK.- Schools for Wayne, primary schools around here. Are they good?
0:08:32 > 0:08:34Schools around here are excellent
0:08:34 > 0:08:39- but I wouldn't suggest they support Man United.- Why not go for Arsenal? - No, this is not going well.
0:08:39 > 0:08:42When was the last time you even went south of the river?
0:08:43 > 0:08:45- A long time ago.- Not a year?
0:08:45 > 0:08:47- No. About five years.- What?!
0:08:47 > 0:08:52- But anyway, schools.- Schools, schools, for a boy that could be...
0:08:52 > 0:08:54- It's a very family-orientated area. - OK.
0:08:54 > 0:08:57- It's quieter, you know. - It's quieter here?- It's quiet, nice.
0:08:57 > 0:08:59Yeah, it's not so...
0:08:59 > 0:09:02I've got to say, it doesn't seem that quiet.
0:09:02 > 0:09:04It's not the middle of a village.
0:09:04 > 0:09:07They're ready to go, everything's in place.
0:09:07 > 0:09:11- How quick do they need to act? - They need to make their mind up the same day.
0:09:11 > 0:09:13- As quick as that?- Yeah.- OK.
0:09:13 > 0:09:14So, Ed, estate agents for you.
0:09:14 > 0:09:18I was, for the first time in my life, rather jealous of you.
0:09:18 > 0:09:21I don't know why. Obviously, it's the hard part of the programme.
0:09:21 > 0:09:25As the senior member of the team, I've taken that bullet for you.
0:09:25 > 0:09:28David, a lovely man. I notice it's raining.
0:09:28 > 0:09:30That was my jealousy, Ed, the fact that you were dry.
0:09:30 > 0:09:32Oh, right. Ah.
0:09:32 > 0:09:34- Anyway. How did you get on? - Brilliantly.
0:09:34 > 0:09:37Properties round here are selling like hot cakes.
0:09:37 > 0:09:39Really. Recession, schm-cession.
0:09:40 > 0:09:42OK. Well, we've got good news there.
0:09:42 > 0:09:45Also, according to North Londoners,
0:09:45 > 0:09:48North London is the place to be, much better than South London.
0:09:48 > 0:09:52- Funny that.- Though if we did go to South London, they'd say South London was the best.
0:09:52 > 0:09:55They probably would. That is the mystery of life.
0:09:55 > 0:09:58- What have you got for property number one?- No mystery there.
0:09:58 > 0:10:02She's a beauty. It's a block flats. It's got a bit of character.
0:10:02 > 0:10:06It's got the two bedrooms, it's in a quiet street, access to the tube
0:10:06 > 0:10:10- and it's got some outside space. - "Some outside space"?
0:10:10 > 0:10:13- What's their garden like?- I don't want to ruin it for the viewers.
0:10:13 > 0:10:17- Let's get to the property first. - So it's not their garden.
0:10:17 > 0:10:20Now, I have gone for everything they wanted.
0:10:20 > 0:10:26I've even laminated it just in case it rained during this part of the programme.
0:10:26 > 0:10:29They wanted a Victorian conversion. I've given them it.
0:10:29 > 0:10:33They wanted two bedrooms and a back garden - I've given them that.
0:10:33 > 0:10:36They wanted to be near a primary school. Have I given them that?
0:10:36 > 0:10:40I have. They wanted to be near a tube and I've given them that.
0:10:40 > 0:10:44Will the bank manager need to give them any more money?
0:10:44 > 0:10:47- Shall we go to the wild card? - He's full of it, today.
0:10:47 > 0:10:50Now look at the wild card. Look at that.
0:10:50 > 0:10:54She ain't pretty but what she's got is a family home for the future.
0:10:54 > 0:10:57It's got all the bedrooms, it's got a garden.
0:10:57 > 0:11:00This, my friends, is a wild card to never be beaten.
0:11:00 > 0:11:02It's the Jonnie Irwin of wild cards.
0:11:02 > 0:11:05They've sacrificed on the looks but delivers inside.
0:11:05 > 0:11:08- Where shall we go to first? - Property number one,
0:11:08 > 0:11:10before I take you somewhere for a hiding.
0:11:14 > 0:11:17Let's kick off with this lovely apartment in North Finchley.
0:11:17 > 0:11:22On the ground floor with direct access to the communal gardens, it's beautifully finished.
0:11:22 > 0:11:26The perfect place to start a new family, it's the winner already.
0:11:26 > 0:11:28Not so fast. This is a game of two halves, remember?
0:11:29 > 0:11:33Now, then, Kiri and Maria, we have come to the first property.
0:11:33 > 0:11:35My choice. Here we are.
0:11:35 > 0:11:39Now, before we start talking about the beauty that is this property,
0:11:39 > 0:11:41let me tell you what's around here.
0:11:41 > 0:11:45Now, at the top of your search is access to transport links.
0:11:45 > 0:11:49Woodside Park, which is a 10 to 15-minute walk, is on the Northern Line.
0:11:49 > 0:11:51It is. Perfect for us.
0:11:51 > 0:11:53There are shops at the end of the road.
0:11:53 > 0:11:58So with that in mind, let us all praise property number one.
0:11:58 > 0:12:03- What do you think?- Yeah, it's nice. - Yeah.- It's a nice area round here.
0:12:03 > 0:12:06- It's got a bit of character. - It's a good street.- Nice street.
0:12:06 > 0:12:09- It's quiet, isn't it? - Yeah.- And away from the road.
0:12:09 > 0:12:14Now, these are your gardens. These are communal gardens.
0:12:14 > 0:12:17As you walk around the house, you'll see your access to it
0:12:17 > 0:12:22but all in all, the package, the style - like it? Not like it? Not bothered? Love it?
0:12:22 > 0:12:24Choose one of the four.
0:12:24 > 0:12:27- All of the above. - Hopefully the last one.
0:12:27 > 0:12:32Let's wait till we get inside but certainly a nice bit of character from the outside.
0:12:32 > 0:12:37- Er, gardens...- Mm.- Yeah. - They're communal gardens,
0:12:37 > 0:12:40so you've all got them, that's the compromise, I'm guessing, yeah?
0:12:40 > 0:12:44It would be a compromise. We'd prefer our own garden.
0:12:44 > 0:12:46Barbecue, summer time, that kind of thing.
0:12:46 > 0:12:50It's important, as a Greek man, to have a barbecue at all times.
0:12:50 > 0:12:55- That's not been ruled out yet, so let's keep that in mind. - We'll file that, yeah.
0:12:55 > 0:12:58- So be very vocal when you go inside. - We'll try.
0:12:58 > 0:13:01Keep it positive because he's going to be very negative.
0:13:01 > 0:13:03I genuinely will be.
0:13:03 > 0:13:07OK, in three, two, one, enter that house. Go on. Good luck.
0:13:10 > 0:13:12- Right, here we are.- Hmm.
0:13:12 > 0:13:15- Front door's nice.- It is.- Yeah.
0:13:15 > 0:13:18- So this is the kitchen. - It's quite nice, isn't it?
0:13:18 > 0:13:20- I like the tiled floor.- Yeah.
0:13:20 > 0:13:22- Quite a nice size, as well. - It's quite cool.
0:13:22 > 0:13:25- You've got everything you need. - Wouldn't need doing up.
0:13:25 > 0:13:28You've got a nice view out there.
0:13:28 > 0:13:30- I wonder where that door goes?- Mm.
0:13:34 > 0:13:38- Oh, it's like a utility room. - Ah, OK.
0:13:39 > 0:13:42- Straight out into... - Into a garden bit.- Into a garden.
0:13:43 > 0:13:45- It's quite nice.- Mm.
0:13:45 > 0:13:50- As far as communal gardens go... - It could be all right.
0:13:50 > 0:13:54And because it's quite quiet, the main street and stuff.
0:13:54 > 0:13:56I always think, right, in a communal area,
0:13:56 > 0:14:01if you've got a door onto it, it's a bit more yours than a person that doesn't have a door onto it.
0:14:01 > 0:14:04I know that sounds strange but if they've got access onto it,
0:14:04 > 0:14:05it's a bit more theirs.
0:14:05 > 0:14:09- They could make that area their own. - It isn't their own
0:14:09 > 0:14:11but it could feel like their own.
0:14:13 > 0:14:15So what's this?
0:14:15 > 0:14:18- OK, so this is the spare bedroom. - The spare room, yeah.
0:14:18 > 0:14:22- That's OK.- You'd have to look beyond this, obviously.- Yeah.
0:14:22 > 0:14:25- We'd have a little cot in here, wouldn't we?- Yeah.
0:14:25 > 0:14:27You've got the storage, there.
0:14:27 > 0:14:31- Oh, those little... - Underneath there.- Yeah.
0:14:31 > 0:14:35It's quite small. It's quite small but it's all right.
0:14:35 > 0:14:38- A baby doesn't need that much space. - No.
0:14:38 > 0:14:39No.
0:14:39 > 0:14:43I'd normally say don't base your house around a baby being tiny
0:14:43 > 0:14:48but I don't think they'll be in this property for more than three or four years,
0:14:48 > 0:14:50so I think that will be perfectly adequate.
0:14:50 > 0:14:55And it's not a box room, is it? It's a good-sized single bedroom.
0:14:55 > 0:14:57It's a good room for little Wayne.
0:14:58 > 0:15:00- Right, we've got the bathroom, here. - OK.
0:15:01 > 0:15:04It's a bit small, so have a look round.
0:15:04 > 0:15:08- It's quite nicely done up, though. Really nice.- Yeah, it is.
0:15:08 > 0:15:13- And if we did decide to go with this one, we wouldn't have to do any work.- No, no.
0:15:13 > 0:15:17"If we did go for this one." It doesn't sound overly positive.
0:15:17 > 0:15:21- It's a bit quick to make a decision. - It sounds like a possibility.
0:15:21 > 0:15:25They are going to buy something today. They're going to buy one of the three.
0:15:25 > 0:15:29- "One of these three, that's fine." - "Shall we just do it now?
0:15:29 > 0:15:31"Let's get it out the way because you're nearly..."
0:15:31 > 0:15:35- Someone's going to buy a house today and it ain't me or Ed.- No.
0:15:37 > 0:15:40- This is nice.- Lounge.- Yes.
0:15:41 > 0:15:43- Yeah, it's nice.- It is nice.
0:15:43 > 0:15:47- It's a bit small, though. - That's the general thing about this place.
0:15:47 > 0:15:49Little bit small rooms.
0:15:49 > 0:15:55This tends to happen to you. To you it seems quite a normal size,
0:15:55 > 0:15:59- obviously, with your height. - Since when was this Height Hour?
0:15:59 > 0:16:01- He's standing on a box, now.- I'm not.
0:16:01 > 0:16:05No, you walk into somewhere and it seems the perfect size,
0:16:05 > 0:16:08whereas I'd find it a little bit cramped.
0:16:08 > 0:16:10There doesn't appear to be anywhere to eat.
0:16:10 > 0:16:12Yeah, that's a good point, actually.
0:16:12 > 0:16:15Because if you think about it, you can't really eat in here.
0:16:15 > 0:16:18It would be all right for the two of us watching TV
0:16:18 > 0:16:22- but if you're having people round... - No, you couldn't, really.
0:16:22 > 0:16:24- We'll have to think about that. - Yeah.
0:16:24 > 0:16:27- Size.- Yeah, size is a problem.
0:16:28 > 0:16:32If I was down here like you, because he's on a box, everything looks massive.
0:16:33 > 0:16:37- And as you say, there's no space for a dining table.- No.
0:16:37 > 0:16:41And there's not even space in the hall to put a computer desk.
0:16:41 > 0:16:43I see what you mean, yeah.
0:16:44 > 0:16:47All right. We've got the main bedroom here, I think.
0:16:47 > 0:16:50- OK.- Again, it's quite nice.
0:16:50 > 0:16:52It is quite nice.
0:16:52 > 0:16:56- Again, you've got a nice view. - Yeah, lots of light.
0:16:56 > 0:16:57Lovely.
0:16:57 > 0:17:00- Space isn't too bad. - No. It's all right in this room.
0:17:00 > 0:17:03- It's bigger than our bedroom at the moment.- Yeah!
0:17:03 > 0:17:06- You could live in this space. - Yeah, it's all right, actually.
0:17:06 > 0:17:09"It's all right." I was hoping for more than all right.
0:17:09 > 0:17:13Having said that, I'll be honest with you, two beds, North London,
0:17:13 > 0:17:16maybe all they'll get is all right.
0:17:17 > 0:17:20- I feel so depressed.- Mm. I know but you know. Reality bites.
0:17:21 > 0:17:25- I can't complain about anything. - No, it's just the size.
0:17:25 > 0:17:29- Yeah.- Yeah.- For us.- It's lovely. It's really well decorated.
0:17:29 > 0:17:33There's a lot of care been taken. The floors, the kitchen's lovely
0:17:33 > 0:17:35but it's just too small.
0:17:38 > 0:17:44So, Kiri and Maria, inside, it sounded all very average, didn't it?
0:17:44 > 0:17:47- Size is an issue, isn't it? - Yes, definitely.
0:17:47 > 0:17:51It was lovely, it was really nice but it was just too small.
0:17:51 > 0:17:53Yeah, we're a bit gutted.
0:17:53 > 0:17:56It ticks pretty much every box.
0:17:56 > 0:18:00The area's really nice, it's quiet, it's set away from the street,
0:18:00 > 0:18:03it's not far from the tube, it's a nice high street as well.
0:18:03 > 0:18:07And the garden, as well. You can hear the birds cheeping away.
0:18:07 > 0:18:09BIRD SINGS On cue, thank you.
0:18:09 > 0:18:13Could you cope, first of all, with the communal garden?
0:18:13 > 0:18:15Well, normally, we would say no
0:18:15 > 0:18:19but this seems almost like it's your back garden, doesn't it?
0:18:19 > 0:18:21- Yeah.- There's a bench.
0:18:21 > 0:18:26If you didn't own this flat, you'd feel uncomfortable standing here,
0:18:26 > 0:18:28because it does feel like it would be your own.
0:18:28 > 0:18:33I asked one of your potential neighbours to ask if it's OK to have barbecues and he said it's fine.
0:18:33 > 0:18:36That's great. So that would be fine.
0:18:36 > 0:18:40It's just a shame. It's so nice, it really is lovely inside
0:18:40 > 0:18:42but it's just too tiny.
0:18:42 > 0:18:46- Too tiny.- Could the price make a difference?
0:18:46 > 0:18:50- So we're playing with a maximum budget of 255, weren't we?- Maximum.
0:18:50 > 0:18:53Maximum, maximum, maximum. Who'd like to guess first?
0:18:53 > 0:18:57- Go on, Maria.- 240.- 240.- Mm. - OK. Kiri?
0:18:57 > 0:19:02I think it's a little bit more. I'd say 250. 249,999.
0:19:02 > 0:19:03That's a real estate agent price.
0:19:03 > 0:19:07Yeah, well, you were guessing for two, let's not forget,
0:19:07 > 0:19:11erm, and whether it's help from the little one or not,
0:19:11 > 0:19:14- you're spot on.- Oh! - Well, 50 quid out.- OK.
0:19:14 > 0:19:18- 239,950.- Wow. Well done.- Get me.
0:19:18 > 0:19:23So does knowing that you're freeing up 15 grand-ish make any difference?
0:19:25 > 0:19:26- Hm...- I don't know.
0:19:26 > 0:19:30Listen, we have two more properties to go to. My one's next.
0:19:30 > 0:19:33- Are you excited?- Yes, very. - I cannot wait.
0:19:33 > 0:19:35- Let's go this way. - After you, please.- Cheers.
0:19:39 > 0:19:43Well, my choice today is certainly in the Premier League.
0:19:43 > 0:19:46It's a lovely first-floor maisonette with plenty of space
0:19:46 > 0:19:49and the period details Maria will love.
0:19:49 > 0:19:52I'll give you that, Ed. It's a hard but fair challenge.
0:19:52 > 0:19:55Kiri and Maria, Maria and Kiri, I would like you to stop and gaze
0:19:55 > 0:19:58at what I believe should be your North Finchley residence.
0:19:58 > 0:20:06Now, Maria, you said your ideal type of property was a Victorian-style house,
0:20:06 > 0:20:09- maybe a flat within it.- Yeah.
0:20:09 > 0:20:12You haven't got the ground floor but you have got the above floor,
0:20:12 > 0:20:15so you get loft storage, as well.
0:20:15 > 0:20:18If you're cunning, you might be able to go up there but who knows?
0:20:18 > 0:20:21What do you think about the outside?
0:20:21 > 0:20:24Look at those beautiful window boxes.
0:20:24 > 0:20:28Street first, then the area, and say about how brilliant it is.
0:20:30 > 0:20:32Enough of these instructions. What do you think?
0:20:32 > 0:20:37- I like it, yeah. The windows are really nice.- They are lovely.
0:20:37 > 0:20:43- It's exactly the kind of thing you said.- It's almost like I understood more what you said.
0:20:43 > 0:20:46- We wouldn't say that.- No. - It's almost like that.
0:20:46 > 0:20:51- And what about the environment? - Yeah, it's a nice area.
0:20:51 > 0:20:53It looks quite nice from the outside.
0:20:53 > 0:20:59- Would you imagine you'd get a back garden as well? - That would only be a bonus, really.
0:20:59 > 0:21:02- OK, are you ready to go in there? - Yeah.- You'll love it.
0:21:02 > 0:21:03Three, two, one, enter!
0:21:06 > 0:21:07Right. Up these stairs.
0:21:07 > 0:21:09Yeah.
0:21:09 > 0:21:10Wow.
0:21:10 > 0:21:15- Oh!- Wow, this is a very big space, isn't it?
0:21:16 > 0:21:19- Yeah. Straight away, as well.- Yeah.
0:21:19 > 0:21:22Hello, I'm Dannii Minogue. Welcome to the Wow Factor.
0:21:22 > 0:21:26I'll be judging Kiri and Maria on their tour round here and aren't they doing well?
0:21:26 > 0:21:28- Wow.- Look at that fireplace, as well.
0:21:28 > 0:21:29That's lovely.
0:21:30 > 0:21:33- That's really nice. - It's really spacious.
0:21:33 > 0:21:37Is that a working fireplace, do you think?
0:21:37 > 0:21:38Those look like logs.
0:21:40 > 0:21:44I think it is, you know. I think it might be.
0:21:44 > 0:21:48It is a working fireplace. There's even some wood stored by the back door.
0:21:48 > 0:21:50I saw it, oh, yeah.
0:21:50 > 0:21:53Right, now, of course, Jonnie has looked at the evidence
0:21:53 > 0:21:58- but you would want to get that fireplace checked out, wouldn't you? - Indeed. Any maybe swept.
0:21:58 > 0:22:02- Mm. A little boy or something like that.- Or a dog.- Not a dog.
0:22:02 > 0:22:05- That's really unusual.- Yeah, it is. I was surprised at that.
0:22:05 > 0:22:10- You walk up and you're in the lounge. I like it.- It's good.
0:22:10 > 0:22:14- Yeah.- So far. - So far, yeah, exactly.
0:22:15 > 0:22:17- Keep going.- Let's see.
0:22:18 > 0:22:22- So this'll be...- One of the bedrooms.- One of the bedrooms.
0:22:23 > 0:22:24OK.
0:22:24 > 0:22:28- Again, it's... - Again, really nice coving.
0:22:28 > 0:22:29- You like that, don't you?- Yeah.
0:22:29 > 0:22:32And it's not a bad space,
0:22:32 > 0:22:35- considering you've got the... - The cupboards.
0:22:35 > 0:22:37- Yeah, the wardrobes there.- Yeah.
0:22:37 > 0:22:41It's difficult to know... This is probably the main bedroom.
0:22:41 > 0:22:45- Do you think so?- Yeah, I think so. - OK, yeah, probably.
0:22:45 > 0:22:48I can't imagine there's going to be a bigger room.
0:22:48 > 0:22:50- Nice thing here.- What?
0:22:50 > 0:22:52The bedrooms are at the back of the property,
0:22:52 > 0:22:55affording the sleepers a nice snooze,
0:22:55 > 0:22:59because you don't want to be at the front with the cars going back and forth.
0:22:59 > 0:23:04- It's a dead-end road.- Sh! I'm trying to make it seem more of a positive.
0:23:04 > 0:23:06- Nice.- Got that there as well.
0:23:06 > 0:23:10- And that's going to be a loft, isn't it?- Yeah.
0:23:10 > 0:23:13- OK, so this is the second room. - Yeah.
0:23:13 > 0:23:14Erm...
0:23:15 > 0:23:19- OK, yeah, so this is small. - But it's for a baby, so...
0:23:19 > 0:23:21Yeah.
0:23:21 > 0:23:23- Or a small child here, it's fine. - Yeah, yeah.
0:23:23 > 0:23:28No, it's all right because you'd have the cot or bed sort of...
0:23:28 > 0:23:31- Cupboards there.- Cupboards there.
0:23:31 > 0:23:34My spare bedroom, ladies and gentlemen, is a little bit small
0:23:34 > 0:23:38but little Wayne Rooney that's in the tum-tum of Maria
0:23:38 > 0:23:39is only going to be small
0:23:39 > 0:23:45- and they're not going to be in here for too long.- So they can only live here for three years?- Four or five.
0:23:45 > 0:23:47We've got like a storage cupboard here, as well.
0:23:50 > 0:23:53- There you go.- OK. - It's got a washing machine in there.
0:23:53 > 0:23:58It's quite handy really because it's out of the way of the kitchen.
0:24:02 > 0:24:04- This is a nice size.- Yeah?
0:24:04 > 0:24:07- Yeah.- It's quite big. - This is a really nice size.
0:24:07 > 0:24:11- Because they haven't got the washing machine, there's more space.- Yeah.
0:24:11 > 0:24:15- It's all right.- I really like the size.- Yeah?- I like the ceiling, too.
0:24:15 > 0:24:19- You could have a table there to eat your breakfast. - You could, mm.
0:24:19 > 0:24:21Mm.
0:24:21 > 0:24:23- They've got a small dishwasher there, as well.- Yeah.
0:24:23 > 0:24:26- I know you'd prefer a dishwasher. - Yeah!
0:24:26 > 0:24:29Rather than making you do the dishes.
0:24:29 > 0:24:32Everyone prefers a dishwasher and I'll tell you why.
0:24:32 > 0:24:35Because it means these don't have to go in there.
0:24:36 > 0:24:39- Yeah, it's good.- And then there's a little bathroom here.
0:24:41 > 0:24:42OK, yeah.
0:24:46 > 0:24:49- Ooh!- What?- Look at that shower head.
0:24:49 > 0:24:51- Oh, you like that, do you?- Yes.
0:24:53 > 0:24:57Very much. Yeah. That shower head's like my old place.
0:24:57 > 0:25:00It's like your old place. You like those old shower heads.
0:25:00 > 0:25:02There's many reasons to buy this property.
0:25:02 > 0:25:04The shower head and the dishwasher.
0:25:04 > 0:25:07- It's a good reason to buy a property.- You've lost it.
0:25:07 > 0:25:11- Did you have those in yours? - Yeah, I did, actually,
0:25:11 > 0:25:13but I chose not to use them as features, you madman.
0:25:13 > 0:25:16So this must be the toilet.
0:25:18 > 0:25:20Yeah, and that's the toilet.
0:25:20 > 0:25:23- Yeah, cool.- You could sit in there with the paper all day, couldn't you?- I could.
0:25:25 > 0:25:30- Right, this is the stairs out to the garden.- OK.
0:25:30 > 0:25:33I guess you just go down there. They've split the garden.
0:25:33 > 0:25:37- We might have to do something about those stairs.- Yeah, we would.
0:25:37 > 0:25:41- It's not an insurmountable obstacle, is it?- As they say.- As they say. No.
0:25:41 > 0:25:42The garden's all right.
0:25:42 > 0:25:46- You could stick patio furniture out there.- Yeah.
0:25:46 > 0:25:49- Nice in the summer.- Enjoy the sunshine if we ever get any.
0:25:52 > 0:25:57Kiri and Maria, now, this, don't you think, is more like it?
0:25:57 > 0:26:01- I think we're closer to it.- Yeah. - I think we are closer, yeah.
0:26:01 > 0:26:05It's very, very good. I feel there was a good sense of you enjoying it,
0:26:05 > 0:26:06liking every room.
0:26:06 > 0:26:12- Compromise, I guess, the bedroom's slightly smaller.- A bit, a bit.
0:26:12 > 0:26:15- Not too small, though. - Not too small. It's workable.
0:26:15 > 0:26:18Surely it's not the bedroom that's the compromise, it's the garden.
0:26:18 > 0:26:22You have to go up and down, basically, a ladder to get to the garden
0:26:22 > 0:26:25and with a baby, that's not ideal, is it?
0:26:25 > 0:26:29Yeah, I mean, you're spot on in terms of the garden.
0:26:29 > 0:26:32It's a bit small and it's a bit dangerous down the stairs.
0:26:32 > 0:26:34It's almost like a ladder, as you say.
0:26:34 > 0:26:38Stairs can be fixed, though, can't they? They can be moved.
0:26:38 > 0:26:42I think half the thing is, obviously it's been raining out there,
0:26:42 > 0:26:45- and the stairs are wood.- A bit slippy.- They are very slippery.
0:26:45 > 0:26:49If you change the tread on it, it will be 100% easier to go down them.
0:26:49 > 0:26:51- It will still be steep.- Yeah.
0:26:51 > 0:26:55Something you may have noticed, over there is a primary school.
0:26:55 > 0:26:56- Yeah, we saw that.- Very nice school.
0:26:56 > 0:27:01- You won't struggle to get in in terms of catchment area. - Yeah. You couldn't be any closer.
0:27:01 > 0:27:06- So that's something that makes this property really good.- Yeah.
0:27:06 > 0:27:08Shall we do it?
0:27:08 > 0:27:11You've got the school. It all comes down to the price.
0:27:11 > 0:27:12- Yes, it does.- OK.
0:27:12 > 0:27:15- Now, you went first last time, Maria, didn't you?- Mm.
0:27:15 > 0:27:18So you're not going to go first this time.
0:27:18 > 0:27:20- So, Kiri? - I've been thinking about this.
0:27:20 > 0:27:23Erm... 260.
0:27:23 > 0:27:27- So you think it's five grand over your maximum?- I do, yeah.
0:27:27 > 0:27:31- OK.- I was going to say that. I'll go slightly lower,
0:27:31 > 0:27:35in complete optimistic mode.
0:27:35 > 0:27:38255. Bang on budget.
0:27:38 > 0:27:42Right, well, Manchester United have just scored.
0:27:42 > 0:27:43- We are one all.- Right.
0:27:43 > 0:27:46- But I've gone slightly over the top. - OK.
0:27:46 > 0:27:49- £270,000.- Right, OK.
0:27:49 > 0:27:52But you are in the best position you're ever going to be
0:27:52 > 0:27:56and you are in a housing market where people want to sell.
0:27:56 > 0:27:59This house is empty, you are ready to go,
0:27:59 > 0:28:02so in terms of negotiation, you're in a great position.
0:28:02 > 0:28:05It's true. You have got lots of room to negotiate down
0:28:05 > 0:28:09and a lot of people will be on the edge of the stamp duty threshold, anyway.
0:28:09 > 0:28:14But that aside, that is a pretty good argument for being that much over budget, Ed,
0:28:14 > 0:28:15- so well done with that.- Thank you.
0:28:15 > 0:28:18But we don't have to worry about a buffer zone yet
0:28:18 > 0:28:22because we've still got the wild card and hopefully, you can afford that.
0:28:22 > 0:28:24You could afford this.
0:28:28 > 0:28:32Here we are again at the nation's favourite, the wild card.
0:28:32 > 0:28:37But will this first-floor maisonette with a pretty private garden take today's winning trophy?
0:28:37 > 0:28:40The stats do look good but will it deliver on the park?
0:28:40 > 0:28:44Now, the wild card, the wild card, everyone loves the wild card.
0:28:44 > 0:28:45This is the wild card.
0:28:45 > 0:28:49Can you explain to us why this is, indeed, the card that is wild?
0:28:49 > 0:28:51LAUGHTER
0:28:51 > 0:28:57- Well, you're kind of more looking for something with a bit of older kind of character.- Yeah.
0:28:57 > 0:29:00- OK.- It's more of a modern property, isn't it?
0:29:00 > 0:29:04- Do you think?!- Yes, yes. It is more modern that the last one.
0:29:04 > 0:29:07But on a positive note, think about it this way.
0:29:07 > 0:29:10You come into the house, you see it for about five, six seconds,
0:29:10 > 0:29:12you're in the door, you're in your home
0:29:12 > 0:29:15but you're looking out on a beautiful park.
0:29:15 > 0:29:17- Yeah, that's pretty cool.- Yeah.
0:29:17 > 0:29:23Take young Wayne in the pushchair or the pram round that lovely park.
0:29:23 > 0:29:26This is your own front garden. It's beautiful, isn't it?
0:29:26 > 0:29:29Yeah, it's unusual to get that in London.
0:29:29 > 0:29:31And you've got ducks to feed.
0:29:31 > 0:29:34That is life when you're growing up, feeding ducks.
0:29:34 > 0:29:38You might not be able to hear it now, but earlier, you could hear children playing.
0:29:38 > 0:29:40The primary school is just up the road.
0:29:40 > 0:29:44There's a tube station on the Northern Line ten minutes' walk that way.
0:29:44 > 0:29:46It's got all the facilities you need
0:29:46 > 0:29:51and, hopefully, if you can bear the 1960s facade,
0:29:51 > 0:29:55you get the plus points of the 1960s style of the layout.
0:29:55 > 0:29:58All right. Are you prepared to enter into the wild card?
0:29:58 > 0:30:02- Let's do it.- Yeah.- Three, two, one, all three of you go in there.
0:30:02 > 0:30:03Good luck.
0:30:05 > 0:30:07Right, here we are.
0:30:07 > 0:30:08Mm.
0:30:10 > 0:30:13Lots of artwork on the walls.
0:30:15 > 0:30:17Right, shall we look through here?
0:30:20 > 0:30:22- Oh, this is quite big, isn't it? - Yeah, it is.
0:30:22 > 0:30:24It's really big.
0:30:24 > 0:30:26- And they've got a big sofa there. - Yeah.
0:30:26 > 0:30:30- You could have a few people in here quite comfortably.- Yeah.
0:30:30 > 0:30:33- There's no problem with the size. - Yeah.
0:30:33 > 0:30:37- I like those lights. They're quite funky.- They are.
0:30:37 > 0:30:40- Nice big windows, too. Lots of light.- Mm.
0:30:41 > 0:30:43- Yeah, that is a big window.- Yeah.
0:30:44 > 0:30:48- Nice view of the park, as well, which is just opposite...- Yeah.
0:30:48 > 0:30:50..which is a good feature.
0:30:50 > 0:30:53It's true. If you look at that park over there,
0:30:53 > 0:30:57the kids' area, the area that they're going to be focusing on,
0:30:57 > 0:31:01the little kind of rocky ones and the whoo and the pushy ones
0:31:01 > 0:31:04and the doingy-doingy ones and the wobbly-wobbly ones,
0:31:04 > 0:31:05they're all there
0:31:05 > 0:31:09and that, you'll spend an awful lot of time doing.
0:31:09 > 0:31:10Oh, wow.
0:31:10 > 0:31:13SHE GASPS
0:31:14 > 0:31:17- Yeah, here we go. A bedroom.- Yeah.
0:31:17 > 0:31:21Hang about. This is the second time we've had a wow today.
0:31:21 > 0:31:24We didn't have one at your property. No wows there.
0:31:24 > 0:31:27We had one in my property. We've got it here in the bedroom.
0:31:27 > 0:31:32There should have been one at yours at the price. "Wow! How are we going to afford that?"
0:31:32 > 0:31:36- But anyway, we've got a wow here. - And it's a good wow.- It is.
0:31:36 > 0:31:41- Yeah, there's space for a cot and whatever.- Yeah.
0:31:41 > 0:31:44Yeah, it's a good-size room, this.
0:31:44 > 0:31:47You wouldn't need to do anything, really, would you?
0:31:47 > 0:31:50- No, absolutely.- Although you don't like pink, do you?
0:31:51 > 0:31:54This is definitely a girl's domain.
0:31:54 > 0:31:55Yeah, yeah.
0:31:55 > 0:31:58Real men like pink. Real men eat quiche.
0:31:58 > 0:31:59It's true. It is true.
0:32:01 > 0:32:05- This is obviously the second bedroom.- Yeah.
0:32:05 > 0:32:08- It's quite a nice size.- It's bigger than the others we've seen.
0:32:08 > 0:32:10Definitely, yeah.
0:32:10 > 0:32:13And there's a lot of cupboard space. It's quite spacious.
0:32:13 > 0:32:17A chest of drawers. With the kid, we're going to need all this space.
0:32:17 > 0:32:21- Yeah.- At least it shows you that it's doable.- Definitely.
0:32:21 > 0:32:25I think they're coming round to the idea of living somewhere modern
0:32:25 > 0:32:27because it's more convenient.
0:32:27 > 0:32:29It's true. That's why modern properties exist.
0:32:30 > 0:32:34- Yeah, bathroom.- Yeah. - It's obviously quite small.
0:32:34 > 0:32:37It is small but it's got everything.
0:32:37 > 0:32:39It's got a shower.
0:32:40 > 0:32:46- That bath's quite deep, isn't it? It's quite big, that bath.- Yeah.
0:32:46 > 0:32:47It's quite small, isn't it,
0:32:47 > 0:32:51but you know, the other rooms are bigger, so that makes up for it.
0:32:51 > 0:32:55- Definitely.- You can't have every room to be big.
0:32:55 > 0:32:59Now, that is the Achilles heel of the property.
0:32:59 > 0:33:00The bathroom is quite small.
0:33:00 > 0:33:03For some reason, everything else is large but the bathroom...
0:33:05 > 0:33:06..a bit small.
0:33:06 > 0:33:10And this'll be the kitchen, I'm guessing.
0:33:10 > 0:33:12- This is a nice size. - Yeah, not too bad.
0:33:12 > 0:33:15Yeah, it's really good.
0:33:15 > 0:33:20- They've got enough space for a... - A table to have your breakfast.
0:33:20 > 0:33:24- They've got two tables in this flat. - You could have two separate dinner parties.
0:33:24 > 0:33:28- One for you and one for me. - Mine would better, though, I think.
0:33:28 > 0:33:32Yeah, it's large. It's got everything you would need, as well.
0:33:32 > 0:33:35Room for manoeuvre. It's liveable straightaway
0:33:35 > 0:33:39- but we'd probably do it up.- You need a little bit of paint and stuff.
0:33:39 > 0:33:44But it's got a good enough space to fit everything in here
0:33:44 > 0:33:47and you can look out onto the garden and stuff.
0:33:47 > 0:33:50- It's a very light flat, isn't it? - It is.
0:33:50 > 0:33:53- I think that's the best thing of it, as you said.- Yeah.
0:33:53 > 0:33:55In every room, there's loads of light.
0:33:55 > 0:33:59And loads of light, quite a boring bit, this,
0:33:59 > 0:34:02through pretty new UPVC windows, much nicer than the...
0:34:02 > 0:34:05ED SNORES I do that to him all the time.
0:34:05 > 0:34:07Sorry, you mentioned UPVC windows.
0:34:07 > 0:34:09It was sensible but it was slightly bore...
0:34:11 > 0:34:14It's quite green, as well. There's loads of trees and everything.
0:34:14 > 0:34:18You've got that out the back and then the park at the front.
0:34:18 > 0:34:22Yeah, it's a good point, so when you're looking out,
0:34:22 > 0:34:26rather than someone's house or some buildings,
0:34:26 > 0:34:30- you got a bit of greenery to look at, which is nice.- It's good.
0:34:30 > 0:34:34- When you're washing... When I'm washing the dishes. - When you're washing the dishes.
0:34:37 > 0:34:39I wonder what that is?
0:34:39 > 0:34:43- It's a shed-type thing isn't it, really?- It's a nice garden.
0:34:43 > 0:34:45- That is nice. - Really good garden, yeah.
0:34:45 > 0:34:49- Hello.- It's a real garden, isn't it? - It is.- Definitely.
0:34:49 > 0:34:53Just one of those brick sheds is yours but you've got something else.
0:34:53 > 0:34:56Is that a shed? Is it a summer house? Is it another home?
0:34:56 > 0:34:58Is it a chalet? Is it a ski lodge?
0:34:58 > 0:35:02So you've got a lot with this. What are your thoughts?
0:35:02 > 0:35:05A little bit tentative because of the outside of the property
0:35:05 > 0:35:09- but inside, could you understand why we showed it you?- Yeah, yeah.
0:35:09 > 0:35:15- Yeah, it's big rooms, lots of light coming in.- Loads of natural light.
0:35:15 > 0:35:18- Lovely.- So...- And nice outlook, as well, over that park.- A lot green.
0:35:18 > 0:35:22Out the front, you've got the park, out the back, there's the gardens,
0:35:22 > 0:35:24so that's a positive.
0:35:24 > 0:35:29- I think the mystery property-hunting team were thinking family. - There's some children living here.
0:35:29 > 0:35:32You can see a family's living here.
0:35:32 > 0:35:36Their parents live here with them, so there's room for a whole family.
0:35:36 > 0:35:38- Two children live here.- Yeah.
0:35:38 > 0:35:41Right, we're neck and neck. Maria, you're a Sunderland fan.
0:35:41 > 0:35:43- Kiri, you are a Manchester United fan.- I am.
0:35:43 > 0:35:46- This is it. This is for the Premiership.- OK.
0:35:46 > 0:35:50Erm, how much is that beauty on the market for?
0:35:50 > 0:35:52Who would like to go first?
0:35:52 > 0:35:58- Kiri?- I'll go first. I reckon it's 255.
0:35:58 > 0:36:00All right, Maria? What do you think?
0:36:00 > 0:36:04I'm not going to go much lower. I'm going to say 250.
0:36:04 > 0:36:09250. Sunderland is scoring at 250, Manchester United at 255.
0:36:09 > 0:36:10Oh, it's end to end, it's end to end,
0:36:10 > 0:36:13it's a winner from Sunderland!
0:36:13 > 0:36:14- Oh!- Finally.
0:36:14 > 0:36:17For the first time ever, Sunderland have beaten Manchester United.
0:36:17 > 0:36:22- So what do you think about that? - It's 50 quid off 250 grand.
0:36:22 > 0:36:25- You're very good.- Mm.- Well done.
0:36:25 > 0:36:28- So what do you think? My one was a little bit over.- It was, yeah.
0:36:28 > 0:36:33Jonnie's one, small. What do you think of this one in terms of price?
0:36:34 > 0:36:39It's quite fair, bearing in mind how far away it is from the tube station
0:36:39 > 0:36:43and this garden's lovely and the space that you've got inside is really good, as well.
0:36:43 > 0:36:46All right, well, you're at the point now
0:36:46 > 0:36:50where you've got to make the biggest decision of your adult lives about which one to test drive.
0:36:50 > 0:36:53- Head off over there and we will see you later.- OK.
0:36:53 > 0:36:56- And good luck with it.- Cheers. - See you in a bit.
0:36:56 > 0:37:00- Oh, my goodness.- I don't know what they're going to go for. - It won't be yours.
0:37:00 > 0:37:04It could be yours but I'd be surprised if it was yours.
0:37:04 > 0:37:10If this was a football match, the first two properties would be a game of two halves
0:37:10 > 0:37:13- and this one would be, perhaps, extra time.- I like it.
0:37:13 > 0:37:14Let's look at all three.
0:37:15 > 0:37:19We kicked off with my beautifully formed ground-floor flat.
0:37:19 > 0:37:23Kiri and Maria seemed put off by the communal gardens
0:37:23 > 0:37:25but I'm pretty sure I swung them around.
0:37:25 > 0:37:26Size was an issue, though.
0:37:26 > 0:37:29- Not for the shorter man like you, Jonnie.- Shut it, fatty.
0:37:29 > 0:37:32On the market at 239,950.
0:37:32 > 0:37:35I'm pretty confident I've got the win today, Jonnie.
0:37:35 > 0:37:39Maria loved the period details and the room sizes.
0:37:39 > 0:37:42Even the steep stairs down to the garden didn't seem to faze them.
0:37:42 > 0:37:43How much was it again, Ed?
0:37:43 > 0:37:47All right, it was a little over budget at £270,000.
0:37:47 > 0:37:48Unbelievable.
0:37:48 > 0:37:50Or will the wild card prove victorious
0:37:50 > 0:37:52as the final whistle blows?
0:37:52 > 0:37:55Kiri and Maria were lukewarm from the outside
0:37:55 > 0:37:58but once they got inside, they couldn't fault the layout
0:37:58 > 0:38:01- and the room sizes.- Not to mention the good-sized private garden.
0:38:01 > 0:38:05On the market at £249,950.
0:38:08 > 0:38:11Well, lookee here, you've chosen the wild card.
0:38:11 > 0:38:14You've chosen not to financially overburden your family
0:38:14 > 0:38:17by choosing Ed's property, which is wildly over budget.
0:38:17 > 0:38:21We're here and we've chosen practicality over style, maybe?
0:38:21 > 0:38:25Yeah, I think that's right. It's within budget, nice big rooms,
0:38:25 > 0:38:26loads of green space.
0:38:26 > 0:38:29- Yeah, I think...- Good garden. - Good garden.
0:38:29 > 0:38:31- A garden.- An actual garden.
0:38:31 > 0:38:33Well, it has been a property lesson today.
0:38:33 > 0:38:37We've found out what houses cost at the moment in the Finchley area
0:38:37 > 0:38:40and it's more expensive than we all thought, I would say.
0:38:40 > 0:38:42I think you're right, yeah.
0:38:42 > 0:38:45But we have had our mysterious To Buy Or Not To Buy surveyor come round
0:38:45 > 0:38:50and do a non-legally binding survey on the property.
0:38:50 > 0:38:53You'd have to get your own one if you were to purchase it
0:38:53 > 0:38:56but it's a heads-up as to what you're getting into
0:38:56 > 0:39:00and they could be negotiation points if you do put an offer in.
0:39:00 > 0:39:03- Jonnie.- First one, quite obvious.
0:39:03 > 0:39:05If you look at the gable end of the property,
0:39:05 > 0:39:07where there's no windows, if you like,
0:39:07 > 0:39:13- you'll notice a few loose tiles. They need a bit of attention.- Sure.
0:39:13 > 0:39:16OK. Not a big job but you need to get a man and a scaffold up there
0:39:16 > 0:39:18- or a set of ladders.- OK.
0:39:18 > 0:39:25OK. I don't think the insulation's been changed since the house was built, your loft insulation.
0:39:25 > 0:39:28It's about that much and it should be about that much.
0:39:28 > 0:39:29You can get that at the DIY store.
0:39:29 > 0:39:32- Your dad could do that for you. - Sounds good.
0:39:32 > 0:39:37So it's the cost of buying it, rather than the cost of laying it.
0:39:37 > 0:39:40And it would save you money in the long term.
0:39:40 > 0:39:41You've already got new windows.
0:39:41 > 0:39:44More insulation, lower bills and you're greener.
0:39:44 > 0:39:47- Would you like to test drive the wild card?- Let's go.
0:39:47 > 0:39:49Three, two, one, enjoy!
0:39:52 > 0:39:56Well, Kiri's got all his family over to take a look round.
0:39:56 > 0:39:58This is always the big test.
0:39:58 > 0:40:00And if they like it, I think we've got a buy, here.
0:40:00 > 0:40:04Kiri's headed straight to the garden for some fancy footwork.
0:40:04 > 0:40:06They're leaving no stone unturned.
0:40:06 > 0:40:09It's not a bad size. You can get quite a lot of units in here.
0:40:09 > 0:40:10Yeah, definitely.
0:40:14 > 0:40:17I personally like a shower cubicle
0:40:17 > 0:40:20but there's not enough space, is there?
0:40:20 > 0:40:22Do you know what I'm thinking? Storage.
0:40:22 > 0:40:27'Ah, the old storage issue. They seem to be having a good chat about it.
0:40:27 > 0:40:30'I'm more of a go-in-hard kind of player, myself. Check this out.'
0:40:30 > 0:40:33'Unbelievable.
0:40:34 > 0:40:37'Well, we've heard from Kiri's mum. What about his dad?
0:40:37 > 0:40:41'Here's the verdict.'
0:40:41 > 0:40:45- Do you think we could live with it? - Oh, yeah, for a family, yeah.
0:40:45 > 0:40:47It's not too small.
0:40:48 > 0:40:52Now, then, the test drive, we've seen members of the family in this very apartment.
0:40:52 > 0:40:54What were their thoughts?
0:40:54 > 0:40:57Erm, yeah, they're quite positive about it.
0:40:57 > 0:41:02They like the room sizes, they like the garden.
0:41:02 > 0:41:06Erm... It wouldn't need too much work, maybe a bit of decoration.
0:41:06 > 0:41:08- Because your dad is the expert, here.- He is.
0:41:08 > 0:41:13- He had a spirit level on him. - He just carries that with him, so it's lucky he had it with him.
0:41:13 > 0:41:16So was he sucking the pencil and saying, "Oh, well..."
0:41:16 > 0:41:18"It's going to cost you."
0:41:18 > 0:41:19Yeah, no.
0:41:19 > 0:41:22Does he think it's doable? Does he like it?
0:41:22 > 0:41:25Yeah, definitely doable, yeah. He does quite like it.
0:41:25 > 0:41:30It's not going to take a lot of work, so that's quite good.
0:41:30 > 0:41:34We could move in as it is and not have to do anything to it.
0:41:34 > 0:41:36- We could do things gradually. - Yeah, exactly.
0:41:36 > 0:41:38The question is, would you want to move in?
0:41:38 > 0:41:41To buy or not to buy?
0:41:41 > 0:41:45- We'll have to have a chat.- Yeah. - Walk around the area a bit more.
0:41:45 > 0:41:48There's nothing wrong at all with the property itself.
0:41:48 > 0:41:49That's not an issue.
0:41:49 > 0:41:53I just think we need to get a feel for the area, for the street.
0:41:53 > 0:41:57- But do you know what, I'm sensing amid all this...- Yeah.
0:41:57 > 0:41:59..that maybe the emotion is not...
0:41:59 > 0:42:02- This is a sensible decision.- Yes.
0:42:02 > 0:42:05- It's not an emotional decision to buy the house.- You're right.
0:42:05 > 0:42:08They say that you walk into a place and you're like, "This is it."
0:42:08 > 0:42:13- Yeah, you know.- This isn't that. - It would be a very smart choice.
0:42:13 > 0:42:18- Yeah. But not a, you know... - With your heart. It's your head rather than your heart.
0:42:18 > 0:42:22You had that emotional feeling in Ed's choice, really.
0:42:22 > 0:42:24It was the price, wasn't it?
0:42:24 > 0:42:27We started out with the gestation period and all of that.
0:42:27 > 0:42:28We've got four months left,
0:42:28 > 0:42:32so you've only got a couple of weeks, if you want to get in before the child is born,
0:42:32 > 0:42:36- in which to find this.- It's a race against time.- Goodness me.
0:42:36 > 0:42:38Well, if you do buy this, let us know.
0:42:38 > 0:42:39It is a sensible choice
0:42:39 > 0:42:43and if there is nothing out there that wins your heart, this is a good idea.
0:42:43 > 0:42:45- We could do a lot worse. - You could do a lot worse.
0:42:45 > 0:42:50- Although that's not necessarily a reason to buy a property. - Quite right.
0:42:50 > 0:42:53Good luck for the one with the heart. And on that bombshell...
0:42:53 > 0:42:58- We're going to go and buy some presents for the baby shower. - See you later.- See you.- Bye.
0:43:14 > 0:43:18Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd