0:00:02 > 0:00:08- Welcome to To Buy Or Not To Buy. - Behind us lies Kenilworth.- Ahead? 45 minutes of property mayhem.
0:00:08 > 0:00:13So let's lower our drawbridges, Jonny, and let battle commence.
0:00:24 > 0:00:29Yes, we are at Kenilworth Castle, scene of a very famous seduction.
0:00:29 > 0:00:35- That's right. On this very spot, the Earl of Leicester tried to seduce Queen Elizabeth.- Stop it!
0:00:35 > 0:00:41The tabloids will be here. What about Philip?! You can't say that. That is my knighthood gone!
0:00:41 > 0:00:48"Arise, Sir Ed." That's not going to happen. Thanks(!) Think about feelings.
0:00:48 > 0:00:52It's fine. It was Queen Elizabeth I in 1575, not the current Queen.
0:00:52 > 0:00:56That's a relief. The Hall legacy is still intact.
0:00:56 > 0:01:03'Coming up on today's programme: will a rude interruption wreck the chances of Jonny's property?'
0:01:03 > 0:01:06The concern looking from here is those industrial units.
0:01:06 > 0:01:10- You can hear them. - The gentle sound of men at work.
0:01:10 > 0:01:17- 'Will our house hunters get too carried away?'- Would you want to knock through?- You could.
0:01:17 > 0:01:20Take those out and we have no walls.
0:01:20 > 0:01:24There is a limit to how many walls you can knock down.
0:01:24 > 0:01:27'And will we ever find a wildcard?'
0:01:27 > 0:01:32This is normally where I show you the wildcard. But it's been sold!
0:01:32 > 0:01:37Today we're on a property search for the Dugall family.
0:01:37 > 0:01:44- I'm Leanne.- And I'm Raj. And these are our two children, Leo, 4, and Grace, who is 2.
0:01:44 > 0:01:48We sold our house two years ago and are renting in Kenilworth.
0:01:48 > 0:01:52We love it - the parks, the castle, all the shops on our doorstep.
0:01:52 > 0:01:58We really want to put down roots and find a house of our own, but it's not easy with toddlers in tow,
0:01:58 > 0:02:05looking through High Street windows and keeping an eye on the children, making sure they're safe.
0:02:05 > 0:02:07Will we go and see the next shop?
0:02:07 > 0:02:14We want our forever house, for the children to grow up in. We just need some help finding it.
0:02:19 > 0:02:25Leanne, Raj, this is very exciting. We're sat in your garden, but it isn't your garden.
0:02:25 > 0:02:29That makes it so exciting. You're in rented accommodation.
0:02:29 > 0:02:33- If we do our job properly, you could buy one of these.- We hope so.
0:02:33 > 0:02:38But you have been looking for a property for two years nearly.
0:02:38 > 0:02:44- We have. On and off over two years. - Have you been thinking... Is it because the market's not right?
0:02:44 > 0:02:48You're waiting for it to go down further? Or is it you're so picky?
0:02:48 > 0:02:55- I think we've just been unlucky. - We have, yeah.- We did find a house and lost it part-way through.
0:02:55 > 0:02:59It came up with quite bad damp and other issues.
0:02:59 > 0:03:04Since then we've been searching, finding, being pipped at the post.
0:03:04 > 0:03:08Has that acted as the benchmark for every other house you look at?
0:03:08 > 0:03:14- I still mourn that house.- We do. - Four bed, by a park - perfect. And very cheap.
0:03:14 > 0:03:21The dream house - let's try not to mention it, but it had four bedrooms. Would you accept three?
0:03:21 > 0:03:27- I think we would if you could go into the loft.- Room to expand into the roof or over a garage...
0:03:27 > 0:03:35- So you're good to that whole idea? - Yeah, most houses have three bedrooms and one is a box room,
0:03:35 > 0:03:41so long-term the children could have a double each and the box room could be a study.
0:03:41 > 0:03:46If you're considering extending into a loft, you mean an older property?
0:03:46 > 0:03:50- Yes.- Modern properties don't have the depth in roof space.
0:03:50 > 0:03:54So something older? They do lend themselves to those conversions.
0:03:54 > 0:03:59- What about from the social point of view? Living areas, reception rooms. - Nice living space.
0:03:59 > 0:04:04- We'd like more open space in the kitchen.- A kitchen/diner.
0:04:04 > 0:04:09Everyone wants a kitchen/diner these days, especially with children. So that's a must-have.
0:04:09 > 0:04:16- Will you throw it away without that? - No.- Would you like to create a kitchen/diner?
0:04:16 > 0:04:22- We could.- Would you do DIY? - We would get somebody else to do DIY.- I like it.
0:04:22 > 0:04:28- What definitely don't you want? Location-wise...- Not centre. - Not the town centre.- No.
0:04:28 > 0:04:34- Just the hustle and bustle of it. - A very busy road isn't ideal. - A main artery...
0:04:34 > 0:04:39- Family-friendly.- As you can hear, no noise. We like it relatively quiet.
0:04:39 > 0:04:44- We're not too picky.- No. You've been looking for two years. Fine.
0:04:44 > 0:04:47- No-one's reading that into it.- No.
0:04:47 > 0:04:51Areas. There's lots of areas here, but Kenilworth is where we are.
0:04:51 > 0:04:57- Is that your favourite place? - It's our kind of ideal place. - Why is Kenilworth so nice?
0:04:57 > 0:05:02We lived here before we got married. We looked over the castle.
0:05:02 > 0:05:08- It was the honeymoon period and it's a bit romantic for us. We like the town.- It's lovely.
0:05:08 > 0:05:12It's got everything we need. There's a lovely park.
0:05:12 > 0:05:16We're on the outskirts, but you can walk into town.
0:05:16 > 0:05:21Are there any other things we need to know about before we head off?
0:05:21 > 0:05:28- We want it to be our forever house. We've moved four times in...six years?- Six years.- That's a lot!
0:05:28 > 0:05:34- So you want to get a forever house. And you'll know it when you see it? - I think so.- We will.
0:05:34 > 0:05:38Let's talk about your budget. How realistic are your expectations?
0:05:38 > 0:05:42Right. Our budget is a maximum of 250.
0:05:42 > 0:05:46We both work part-time, so it's important to keep our lifestyle.
0:05:46 > 0:05:53- Wish us luck. We clearly need it. - I hope we're not too fussy. - No, not at all(!) Two years.
0:05:53 > 0:05:55Right. See you in a bit.
0:05:55 > 0:06:01OK, we've got a momentous task. We've got to find a "forever" house.
0:06:01 > 0:06:06- And finding that with their budget is... Yeah.- A bit like that, isn't it, really?
0:06:06 > 0:06:13- And because the budget's a bit... We might have to make Raj work full-time.- He's prepared to do it,
0:06:13 > 0:06:19so we shouldn't feel too bad. This is a sought-after area. Properties here do sell very well.
0:06:19 > 0:06:23I'm going to the estate agent to see if this £250,000 is plausible.
0:06:23 > 0:06:28Good luck. I am off to Kenilworth to do something.
0:06:29 > 0:06:33With Coventry six miles to the north and Leamington Spa six miles south,
0:06:33 > 0:06:39- Kenilworth is small and perfectly positioned.- The castle has stood since the 1120s
0:06:39 > 0:06:46and is considered England's most important lake fortress - and the scene for Robert Dudley's wooing.
0:06:47 > 0:06:54Kenilworth's other claim to fame is that the first potato grown in England was planted in its pastures.
0:06:54 > 0:06:59Its mixture of accessibility and great facilities mean it's a Mecca for young families
0:06:59 > 0:07:05and, despite the dip in the economy, the house market here is still rampant.
0:07:05 > 0:07:09With prices in the area having risen by nearly 4% in the past year,
0:07:09 > 0:07:15we're not sure if the Dugalls' time out of the property market will be a boon or make them go bust.
0:07:15 > 0:07:21Here's what their budget would buy in other historic towns throughout the country.
0:07:21 > 0:07:27This attractive Grade II-listed family home near Carlisle boasts three bedrooms
0:07:27 > 0:07:30and borders the open countryside.
0:07:30 > 0:07:33If you feel the call of Cumbria, it'll cost...
0:07:37 > 0:07:44This bungalow in Leighton Buzzard has a modern feel inside and a sun deck out the back
0:07:44 > 0:07:49to put your feet up and wait for summer. Three bedrooms, one floor.
0:07:54 > 0:08:00Or you could invest in this luxury holiday lodge on the Cornish Roseland peninsula,
0:08:00 > 0:08:06- a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.- It's set in 26 acres of communal ground,
0:08:06 > 0:08:10with a swimming pool and private quay.
0:08:14 > 0:08:21In 1575, Robert Dudley famously attempted to woo Queen Elizabeth I. He failed.
0:08:21 > 0:08:28I have come to modern-day Kenilworth to find out what Robert Dudley could do if he was alive now
0:08:28 > 0:08:33and Queen Elizabeth was alive now and he wanted another go.
0:08:33 > 0:08:39- Here's the situation. Potential nightmare clients.- Right. - They've been looking for two years.
0:08:39 > 0:08:45What is the fashion the men of Kenilworth need to rock to make you attracted to them, Joy?
0:08:45 > 0:08:50- I don't know. A nice pair of shoes, nice jeans.- What colour shoes?- Pumps.
0:08:50 > 0:08:52- What kind of jeans?- Skinny jeans.
0:08:52 > 0:08:57- Nice funky little hairdo. - Is mine looking pretty good or not?
0:08:57 > 0:09:00- It's all right.- Joy!
0:09:00 > 0:09:04Ideally, a kitchen/diner, nice garden for the kiddies,
0:09:04 > 0:09:09- and reasonable catchment areas and commuting to Coventry for 250 grand.- OK.
0:09:09 > 0:09:12- How realistic? - They'll get the basics.
0:09:12 > 0:09:18- Would they drive a car with a stereo and their windows down?- Possibly. - No! Joy!
0:09:18 > 0:09:22- I'm 19!- I know, but you're describing the third circle of hell!
0:09:22 > 0:09:27We're finding most properties go in excess of the asking price.
0:09:27 > 0:09:29- Just because there's competition? - Yeah.
0:09:29 > 0:09:34Give me a girth of bicep. Stop me when I get there. That big?
0:09:34 > 0:09:38- About there.- That's ridiculous! That's a leg size!
0:09:38 > 0:09:45There we go. If Robert Dudley was wearing skinny jeans, and had biceps the size of his thighs, he'd be in.
0:09:45 > 0:09:52- Did you have fun with people? - I did. I found out about the men of Kenilworth
0:09:52 > 0:09:58via the ladies of Kenilworth in a hairdressers, linking it with Robert Dudley's failed wooing
0:09:58 > 0:10:02- of Elizabeth I. We've learnt a lot, but not that much.- OK!
0:10:02 > 0:10:07But the houses, I think, are the important thing. That's a cracker.
0:10:07 > 0:10:13This potentially could be Raj and Leanne's very own castle. It looks absolutely fantastic.
0:10:13 > 0:10:18It's only been on the market a week and there's so much interest in it.
0:10:18 > 0:10:21Property really is shifting in this area.
0:10:21 > 0:10:26It looks gorgeous. I see why there is interest. It's a high standard.
0:10:26 > 0:10:30- It's got every box ticked. - OK, very confident.
0:10:30 > 0:10:34For £250,000, you'll struggle here.
0:10:34 > 0:10:38I am in Leamington Spa with the mysterious property team.
0:10:38 > 0:10:43It's so nice, it has two offers on it. That is what happens here.
0:10:43 > 0:10:49Have a quick flash of it there. Modern, very nice back garden.
0:10:49 > 0:10:51Needs a couple of tweaks.
0:10:51 > 0:10:57The big gamble is whether Raj needs to go back to work. He will to do the things he needs to do here.
0:10:57 > 0:11:01- It's a cruel world. - That's fantastic.
0:11:01 > 0:11:07This is when I'd show you the wildcard, but, unfortunately, it's been sold this morning.
0:11:07 > 0:11:11So the wildcard will be as much of a surprise for us as for you.
0:11:11 > 0:11:16- I'm sure it'll be fantastic. - It'll win. Everyone loves it.
0:11:16 > 0:11:23The property hunting team are out there looking, so if they succeed, the programme will be 45 minutes.
0:11:23 > 0:11:29- If they don't, 20 minutes-ish? - At best, really.- A good 20 minutes, though. A cracking show.
0:11:29 > 0:11:35- But it will be short. Where will we start? - May as well be with number one.
0:11:37 > 0:11:43Leanne and Raj wanted an older house and my choice is a period gem.
0:11:43 > 0:11:50Unfortunately for you, Jonny, that period is the 1930s, made famous by the Great Depression.
0:11:50 > 0:11:56- Let's hope that's not how they feel about your third bedroom.- On the contrary, I think you'll find
0:11:56 > 0:12:00it's very much to their liking.
0:12:00 > 0:12:05OK, here's property number one. This could be your new home.
0:12:05 > 0:12:09- I really like it.- It's nice. - I like that it has a new roof.
0:12:09 > 0:12:14- It's posh looking.- Clean. - It's got kerb appeal.
0:12:14 > 0:12:20- Yeah, it has.- Now I'm going to throw a couple of negatives in. It is on a busier road.
0:12:20 > 0:12:28But because of the lovely frontage, we are set nicely back and it dampens the sound.
0:12:28 > 0:12:33But there's loads of good things. There's a little bridle path that runs down the side.
0:12:33 > 0:12:38You've got plenty of walking and outdoor pursuits to enjoy.
0:12:38 > 0:12:45Now, Leanne, you said earlier on that a forever house would give you a certain sensation or feeling.
0:12:45 > 0:12:51- Looking at it from the outside, forever house or not? - I think so.
0:12:51 > 0:12:55- I'm not sure until I get inside. - OK. Raj?- Got to get inside first.
0:12:55 > 0:13:00- But if it was only the outside, forever house?- Yes.- Yes.
0:13:00 > 0:13:07- Raj, you've been quite quiet. You're concerned you may have to go back to work.- Possibly, yes.
0:13:07 > 0:13:12- Possibly? Only one way to find out. Go inside and have a look.- Enjoy!
0:13:12 > 0:13:16- Just out of interest, does he have to go to work?- Wait and find out.
0:13:20 > 0:13:26Reasonable-sized hall. Could you put a porch on and maybe extend that?
0:13:26 > 0:13:28A bit more space for coats and shoes.
0:13:28 > 0:13:36The house is very big downstairs. The porch is not where they need to worry. They need to worry about...
0:13:36 > 0:13:37Right.
0:13:37 > 0:13:42- Oh, gosh. Wow. It's really big and open-plan.- Yeah.
0:13:42 > 0:13:44- Gosh.- I like it.
0:13:44 > 0:13:46It's bright.
0:13:46 > 0:13:52Yeah, it's really good. You've got the doors here, so you could have this closed in the evening.
0:13:52 > 0:13:54OK, so the lounge...
0:13:56 > 0:14:01- A feature radiator.- A very nice touch.- There isn't a fireplace,
0:14:01 > 0:14:05- but you need a feature. - We could put one in.
0:14:05 > 0:14:08- And a nice big bay window.- It is.
0:14:08 > 0:14:12Is it double-glazed? Yeah, I think it is.
0:14:12 > 0:14:16I'm no expert, but the usual way to check if it is double-glazed is
0:14:16 > 0:14:20if you can hear no noise and if you count the layers of glazing.
0:14:20 > 0:14:25- One is just normal glazing.- Yeah. - Two is double glazing.
0:14:25 > 0:14:32- I do like it. And having the dining area as well in the open plan, you've got another lounge.- Yeah.
0:14:32 > 0:14:37Three distinct areas. It's nice and modern.
0:14:37 > 0:14:41Lovely. You can look out to the garden when you're washing up.
0:14:41 > 0:14:44It's a nice view as well.
0:14:44 > 0:14:49- Not a very big garden, though.- Not brilliant.- But you've got the front.
0:14:51 > 0:14:55- This is really big. - It is. It's a really good space.
0:14:55 > 0:15:00This could be exactly how they've got it.
0:15:00 > 0:15:04- That as your grown-up room.- Yeah. - Lounge and...- Family dining area.
0:15:04 > 0:15:12- And then you'd have your play room...- Play area.- I quite like washing up and seeing the children.
0:15:12 > 0:15:15You can monitor them on a rainy day.
0:15:15 > 0:15:19And it's huge. It's the biggest downstairs room.
0:15:19 > 0:15:24You've got light to the side. Good. Ah! A good loft hatch.
0:15:24 > 0:15:27- That'll have a ladder. - I like that.
0:15:27 > 0:15:30OK, shall we look in the bathroom?
0:15:30 > 0:15:32- Oh, this is really big.- It is.
0:15:32 > 0:15:38- Good size, family.- Shower. A modern top. Oh, I love that sink.
0:15:38 > 0:15:44- It is very nice. I like the bath. - Yeah, it's lovely, isn't it? - A great feature.
0:15:44 > 0:15:49For a two-year-old, that is like a swimming pool. £4 to go swimming, so they've saved...
0:15:49 > 0:15:54two grand, four grand, six grand a year. Something like that.
0:15:57 > 0:16:04Oh, OK. So that's why the bathroom is bigger. They've taken a big chunk of this bedroom,
0:16:04 > 0:16:10- but it's still a really good size. - It is a good size.- What's at the back?- What's out that window?
0:16:10 > 0:16:18- OK, so that looks...- Industrial. - Industrial. And there's... - There's some access there as well.
0:16:18 > 0:16:23- I'll need to ask about that.- Yeah. - It is only open five days a week.
0:16:23 > 0:16:30- So peace and quiet after work and at weekends.- But if you have the day off school for being sick...grrr!
0:16:30 > 0:16:35Oh, right, so this is the master. It's slightly smaller.
0:16:35 > 0:16:37It is slightly smaller.
0:16:37 > 0:16:42But then what else do you need in a bedroom than a bed, I suppose?
0:16:42 > 0:16:49She's disappointed about the size of that bedroom. Imagine her disappointment with the third one!
0:16:49 > 0:16:54- It will be awful.- I think they'd expect it to be smaller.- I'd leave.
0:16:54 > 0:17:00- Again, you've got the lovely light. - Nice front view with the sunshine coming in.
0:17:00 > 0:17:02It'll be light in winter as well.
0:17:05 > 0:17:08Right. Nice little study.
0:17:08 > 0:17:12- This is the box room. - This would have to be Grace's room.
0:17:13 > 0:17:17- It's a small third bedroom, yeah. - Is it a bedroom?- Grace is little.
0:17:17 > 0:17:23- They can overcome their own objections.- What they could do, because they claimed they'd do DIY,
0:17:23 > 0:17:28is be thinking now. "We might have to go into the loft."
0:17:30 > 0:17:32It's got a good space.
0:17:32 > 0:17:38And obviously with the pitch end on it, does that mean there's enough standing space?
0:17:38 > 0:17:45- It has. And I think there's a window at the back of it. There's some natural light coming in.- Brilliant.
0:17:45 > 0:17:50- It's partially boarded.- OK.- And partitioned off. You'd get a bed in.
0:17:53 > 0:17:59There were some really positive sounds, but also some concerns. Let's clear those up straight away.
0:17:59 > 0:18:03The concern from here is those industrial units.
0:18:03 > 0:18:08- You can hear them.- The gentle sound of men at work.- Indeed.
0:18:08 > 0:18:12- It's mainly printworks... - Some kind of sawmill!
0:18:12 > 0:18:18- And possibly a car mechanic. - And a sawmill next to that. Just a couple of sawmills...
0:18:18 > 0:18:22- It's not too intrusive. - In the grand scale, it isn't bad.
0:18:22 > 0:18:27- And on the weekend, you're not overlooked by anyone.- No.
0:18:27 > 0:18:33- And after half past five at night, your neighbours disappear.- True. - So the sound of sawing no more.
0:18:33 > 0:18:38- What about the positives? There were a lot.- Definitely.
0:18:38 > 0:18:44Loved the downstairs space. Liked the fact that you've got a lounge, a playroom, conservatory
0:18:44 > 0:18:50- and the kitchen/diner. It's pretty much everything.- A social space. Nice and inclusive.
0:18:50 > 0:18:56- You mentioned the loft and had a good look. It has conversion potential.- It has.- If you look,
0:18:56 > 0:19:02there are other skylights, which suggests others have done it, but nobody else has dormered yet.
0:19:02 > 0:19:08Whether you can or you can't we're not entirely sure.
0:19:08 > 0:19:11Do we wish to play Guess the Price?
0:19:11 > 0:19:15- OK.- Right, then. You can't say no because it's part of the programme.
0:19:15 > 0:19:22- OK, you have a maximum budget of... - 250.- And you don't want to spend more.- No.- Or you go back to work.
0:19:22 > 0:19:28- So who wants to go first?- Leanne. - Oh!- Leanne, you've been forced into it.
0:19:28 > 0:19:33- What's it on the market for?- 239? - Straight in. No messing around.
0:19:33 > 0:19:35- 249.- 249!- 249.
0:19:35 > 0:19:41Raj, very good. You are just £1,000 off. This is bang on the nose at £250,000.
0:19:41 > 0:19:45At the moment, there is no Stamp Duty, which is great.
0:19:45 > 0:19:52We mentioned forever house. I am going to bring out my forever house thumbometer.
0:19:52 > 0:19:58That is good, and that is bad. Stop me where you feel this is on the thumbometer.
0:19:58 > 0:20:01- There's a sound effect as well. - HE WHISTLES
0:20:01 > 0:20:06- I'll stop there. - You're stopping there. Raj?- Stop.
0:20:06 > 0:20:12So we're about there. That's the average. That's not bad on the thumbometer scale,
0:20:12 > 0:20:18- but we're aiming for vertical. - My main concern is the industrial units.- Has the sawing
0:20:18 > 0:20:22- allayed your fears?- Not particularly!- It's just timing.
0:20:22 > 0:20:28- On any other day, they'd be embroidering.- Think about the sound of sawing as we go to my one.
0:20:28 > 0:20:32- Hopefully, you won't hear it there. Do you want to come?- We do.
0:20:35 > 0:20:42I'm taking Leanne and Raj out of their comfort zone to the suburbs of Leamington Spa.
0:20:42 > 0:20:48Quite a looker from the front, Ed. Clearly the words "period charm" passed you by.
0:20:48 > 0:20:53It may be a Plain Jane from outside, but it boasts a spacious interior
0:20:53 > 0:20:58and when they see the length of my back lawn, they'll be in heaven.
0:20:58 > 0:21:06Leanne and Raj, walk toward property 2. Now this is the beauty that we are plumping for today.
0:21:06 > 0:21:10- Have you been to Leamington Spa before to look at houses?- Never.- No.
0:21:10 > 0:21:17- And why is that?- Possibly because, especially this part, we didn't think we could afford.
0:21:17 > 0:21:21Well, you've got not a little house. You've got a very big house here.
0:21:21 > 0:21:24Do you like the look of it, Leanne?
0:21:24 > 0:21:28I do. I like that it has the bay. I like the size.
0:21:28 > 0:21:34- And I like the drive.- No main road, no light industrial unit here. - Exactly.
0:21:34 > 0:21:40So the idea of living here, do we think this could be a contender for the forever house?
0:21:40 > 0:21:44- Could be.- Yeah. I think it could be.- OK.
0:21:44 > 0:21:48- Are you ready?- We are. - Three, two, one, enjoy.
0:21:51 > 0:21:55- Mm.- Nice, big hallway. - This is nice, yeah.
0:21:55 > 0:22:00- Parquet flooring. Really lovely. - Very nice feature.
0:22:00 > 0:22:02Good-sized front room.
0:22:02 > 0:22:06- There is a fire. Not exactly my taste.- Not exactly.
0:22:06 > 0:22:10- But again it's a fire you could always replace.- Replace it.
0:22:10 > 0:22:14But it is an open, working fireplace.
0:22:14 > 0:22:18What do you think to the size? Could we get our green sofa there?
0:22:18 > 0:22:22- I think it would be a squeeze. - We'd have to buy one.
0:22:22 > 0:22:28- Cue new sofa. - And recycling these other sofas. No, it's nice. It's good.
0:22:28 > 0:22:31Round here we go...
0:22:31 > 0:22:34- Dining room.- Dining room. Nice size. - Or playroom.
0:22:34 > 0:22:40- Shame they haven't got French doors. - It is. It would be a nice feature. - We could put those in.
0:22:40 > 0:22:45- Double glazing.- Let's look at the garden.- Wow.- Oh, my goodness!
0:22:45 > 0:22:51- That is really big.- Yeah. - And there's a playhouse for the children.- They'd love that.
0:22:51 > 0:22:55I can see him climbing that tree. I won't let him!
0:22:55 > 0:23:00You could build a treehouse in that. A lovely project for father and son.
0:23:01 > 0:23:07- The furniture at the back. Any idea what the current owner bought that for?- No, how much?
0:23:07 > 0:23:14- £200.- No way!- And he's giving it away for free.- Included in the price?- That's £200 they've made.
0:23:14 > 0:23:16Right, this is the kitchen.
0:23:16 > 0:23:22What do you think there? Do you think you'd want to knock through?
0:23:22 > 0:23:28I think you could. It would make it a more liveable space between the kitchen and the dining room.
0:23:28 > 0:23:31OK. It's a bit small. A lot small.
0:23:31 > 0:23:37- Smaller than the other one.- OK. - But then if you knocked through that would make a better space.
0:23:37 > 0:23:44- If you take this wall out and that wall, we have no walls.- You've got to be careful about that, viewers.
0:23:44 > 0:23:50There is a limit to how many walls you can knock down. After a while, you will lose a level.
0:23:50 > 0:23:56- But you might not take the whole wall out.- Right. So you'd have this as a kitchen/diner?- Yeah.- Right.
0:23:56 > 0:24:03- And a partition to the front room. - And then you'd work and have French doors...- In the dining room.
0:24:03 > 0:24:07- It depends on the budget, though. - It depends what the price is.
0:24:07 > 0:24:13- It's nice and bright at the top. - It is, but property one was a lot brighter.- It was, yeah.
0:24:13 > 0:24:19- But maybe it's later in the day. Bathroom in here?- Yep. Good size.
0:24:19 > 0:24:25- First impression's positive. - This is lovely.- It is.- I didn't expect this after downstairs.
0:24:25 > 0:24:31- It's a real surprise. We've again been spoiled by the first house. - Yes, we have.- But this is gorgeous.
0:24:31 > 0:24:36- A gorgeous bathroom. Very practical. - They're always big bathrooms.
0:24:36 > 0:24:39- Does this mean smaller bedrooms? - Possibly.
0:24:42 > 0:24:44OK.
0:24:44 > 0:24:47Someone's been doing DIY. So this is...
0:24:47 > 0:24:53- Bedroom.- The smallest room?- Possibly. - It's really quite big. - Yeah, it's a good size.
0:24:53 > 0:24:57- A room that a child can grow into. - They're loving bedroom three.
0:24:57 > 0:25:03- Mine was a proper box room. - But that is in my top ten favourite bedrooms of all time.
0:25:04 > 0:25:09- OK. Gosh, this is really big again. - It's deceptive.- Definitely.
0:25:09 > 0:25:14- And again, nice space around the bed. Doesn't feel too claustrophobic.- No.
0:25:14 > 0:25:21- Really good.- Good-sized windows and a nice view.- Yeah, that's really lovely, isn't it?- It is.
0:25:21 > 0:25:24- I like this location.- Yeah.
0:25:24 > 0:25:29She loves it! There is no light industrial unit out the back.
0:25:29 > 0:25:33- There is nothing, no major road. - It's the worse for it.
0:25:33 > 0:25:39No, it's not. It's a lovely area to live in. She can afford it. She didn't think she could.
0:25:39 > 0:25:46That's the magic of what I do daily, along with Jonny and the mysterious property team. Less to do with them.
0:25:47 > 0:25:51- Gosh.- That's a good size. - This house seems bigger upstairs.
0:25:51 > 0:25:58- It does.- Why is that? - It's deceptive.- This room and next door are almost identical.
0:25:58 > 0:26:05- Yeah.- I'm not sure about the pitch of the roof, but if you did go up you'd have masses of space.- Lots.
0:26:08 > 0:26:12Leanne and Raj, probably a tale of two halves.
0:26:12 > 0:26:17- You liked the upstairs.- Yes. - Impressed with the upstairs space.
0:26:17 > 0:26:23- Is this what we're after? That's the kind of size you want? - Yes.- Oh, go on.
0:26:23 > 0:26:29Property one had the perfect downstairs space. This is perfect upstairs.
0:26:29 > 0:26:34- So if we could merge those two floors, we've found your dream home. - Absolutely.- Great.
0:26:34 > 0:26:38So it's more the ground floor that you're thinking.
0:26:38 > 0:26:44Very much. Knocking through into the dining room and kitchen to make a much more social space.
0:26:44 > 0:26:52It's just adding to that downstairs floorspace. That's all that's needed to make this pretty much bang-on.
0:26:52 > 0:26:57- Absolutely. But it does depend on how much it costs.- Always does.
0:26:57 > 0:27:03One thing you must remember, this garden is huge and that's something a builder can't add on.
0:27:03 > 0:27:07- It's guess the price time. 1-0 to you, Raj?- It is.
0:27:07 > 0:27:13Maximum budget of 250K. We're in Leamington Spa. Very affluent area.
0:27:13 > 0:27:17- Raj?- 275. - 275! Sailed over the top.
0:27:17 > 0:27:22I think that's probably too high. I'll probably say...262.
0:27:22 > 0:27:27262. Leanne, you are closest, which means it's neck and neck.
0:27:27 > 0:27:32The actual price is £250,000. Now £250,000 is your maximum budget.
0:27:32 > 0:27:40But there are two offers on this house at the moment that have been made.
0:27:40 > 0:27:45Our man let us in, but the offers are of the maximum budget.
0:27:45 > 0:27:50Should we get the thumbometer out now you know the price and those factors?
0:27:50 > 0:27:54Where are your thoughts on the forever house-ness?
0:27:57 > 0:28:00- Stop.- Oh. Raj?- I agree with that.- Really?
0:28:00 > 0:28:05- OK, so I would say maybe then... - Can I say why?- Go on.
0:28:05 > 0:28:11More because if it is at the top of our bracket, we couldn't do those things...
0:28:11 > 0:28:16- The work to the house.- I was possibly sending you out to work, Raj.
0:28:16 > 0:28:18That's how the conversation's been.
0:28:18 > 0:28:23Do you know what's coming next? The wildcard. Everyone's favourite.
0:28:23 > 0:28:27- Are you nervous? Excited? - Apprehensive, but excited.
0:28:27 > 0:28:33- Your favourite first floor and favourite ground floor. Put them together.- You found it?- Who knows?
0:28:36 > 0:28:39Surprise, surprise. The wildcard.
0:28:39 > 0:28:45That's right. With our original wildcard having flown off the estate agent's shelf,
0:28:45 > 0:28:52- this is just as much of a mystery to Jonny and me as it is to you.- OK. Looks like it has period features.
0:28:52 > 0:28:56But does it have family forever home potential, Jonny?
0:28:56 > 0:29:00Let's furnish ourselves with the facts and rendezvous.
0:29:00 > 0:29:06Raj, Leanne, here is the final property. It's today's wildcard. It's an unusual prospect.
0:29:06 > 0:29:12It's interesting, quirky, characterful and a wildcard because it was a school for wild girls.
0:29:12 > 0:29:17This beauty has only just come onto the market.
0:29:17 > 0:29:22You are the first to sniff around it and the way the market is going
0:29:22 > 0:29:28that's quite useful. If you like it, you can buy it before anyone else sees it.
0:29:28 > 0:29:31- First impressions? - Very quirky. Individual.
0:29:31 > 0:29:37- I like it. - It's not the whole building. - It's not. That would be ludicrous.
0:29:37 > 0:29:41We've seen it's very hard to get something for £250,000.
0:29:41 > 0:29:46It was a reformation school for wild girls. They came in wild and left tamed.
0:29:46 > 0:29:51So hopefully this will have a similar power on you!
0:29:51 > 0:29:56- Not that I am saying you're wild. - That's how it works.
0:29:56 > 0:30:01So the property is split up into town houses, essentially.
0:30:01 > 0:30:06It's not like living in a flat. It's like a proper house.
0:30:06 > 0:30:10Down at the end there was where the matron used to reside.
0:30:10 > 0:30:15This was the drive to the school. The back was hockey pitches. They've built there.
0:30:15 > 0:30:22So what do you think of the idea of living within such a strange, but period property?
0:30:22 > 0:30:28- You said you like character. - I do like the character.- Definitely. I love the sash windows.
0:30:28 > 0:30:33- Is there a garden? - You'll probably be disappointed,
0:30:33 > 0:30:40but you did say if there were other options around that wouldn't be too much of a concern.
0:30:40 > 0:30:45- Beyond that, it's a really lovely development.- It is.- Child-friendly.
0:30:45 > 0:30:50- Are you excited?- Very. - OK, good luck. It's the wildcard!
0:30:52 > 0:30:54- Oh, this is nice.- It is nice.
0:30:54 > 0:30:59- Look at the quality.- Gorgeous. - That's beautiful.- Period features.
0:30:59 > 0:31:04- They've got this fantastic entrance hallway.- Vestibule-esque.- It is!
0:31:04 > 0:31:07They've kept the charm in here.
0:31:07 > 0:31:11- Brilliant. - Downstairs toilet. Brilliant.
0:31:11 > 0:31:15- OK, so it's a lounge/diner. - That's good.
0:31:15 > 0:31:22- Nice space.- And it's double aspect, so you've got windows at front and back.- Bright and airy.- Gorgeous.
0:31:22 > 0:31:29- Gorgeous high ceilings.- Oh, wow. I really like this one, by the way. - Yeah.- Worry now.
0:31:29 > 0:31:33In my house, they were just talking about things. And in yours.
0:31:33 > 0:31:37Here, "Wow! Gorgeous! Beautiful!" Mwah! Mwah!
0:31:37 > 0:31:42- In my mind, they've got down and kissed parts of it.- Which parts? - I don't know.
0:31:42 > 0:31:48- The fire isn't really in fitting, but you could replace it. - Change it.- Not a big issue.
0:31:48 > 0:31:54- I just love the windows. Absolutely gorgeous.- Beautiful.- OK.
0:31:54 > 0:31:58- There's a lovely feel to it. - It is. It's really nice.
0:31:59 > 0:32:02OK. Good hallway.
0:32:03 > 0:32:05Good-sized kitchen.
0:32:05 > 0:32:11Yeah, it's not huge, but big enough. The units look like they need updating.
0:32:11 > 0:32:18- That could possibly just be putting on new doors.- Superficial. New fronts, new doors.
0:32:18 > 0:32:23Could you get dining in here? I'm not sure that'd work for us.
0:32:23 > 0:32:27- This is the first challenging room. - It is challenging.
0:32:27 > 0:32:34- Let's face it, they can't make it any bigger.- Despite the joy they take from knocking down walls.
0:32:34 > 0:32:37- In this place, no options.- No.
0:32:37 > 0:32:40That must be the garden, then.
0:32:40 > 0:32:46- A little courtyard.- But... - It's sufficient with being so close to the countryside.
0:32:46 > 0:32:52- Lovely and airy.- I really like the stairs. They're a real feature. - They are, yeah.
0:32:52 > 0:32:54Sets off the whole upstairs.
0:32:54 > 0:33:00- They're good stairs.- Yeah. - A cracking set of stairs! Love 'em. Top ten of any stairs I've seen.
0:33:00 > 0:33:03Certainly the best today.
0:33:03 > 0:33:06- Great little bedroom. - Right. It's not that little.
0:33:06 > 0:33:13- It's got plenty of space. It's deceptive.- It's long and thin, but you could possibly get...
0:33:13 > 0:33:19- Well, they've got one there. - A sofa bed.- And this could be... - A play area?
0:33:19 > 0:33:22It depends if all the rooms are small. We need to look.
0:33:22 > 0:33:28- What a beautiful view. - Great countryside. - Yeah, that's really beautiful.
0:33:28 > 0:33:30Here we go. Wow.
0:33:30 > 0:33:34- Great bedroom. - Oh, wow. This is beautiful.
0:33:34 > 0:33:39- It's so lovely. They've even got a window seat.- Very quaint.
0:33:39 > 0:33:41I might even try it.
0:33:41 > 0:33:43- Give it a go.- It's so beautiful.
0:33:43 > 0:33:48With an older property, you don't get conventional square rooms.
0:33:48 > 0:33:51- You get shape, character. - And height.- Indeed.
0:33:51 > 0:33:55- Wow. Really big again. - Another brilliantly sized room.
0:33:56 > 0:34:03- With an en-suite.- Excellent. - This is lovely. I don't think we can afford this house!
0:34:03 > 0:34:08- It's getting bigger and bigger. - And then a bathroom. It's not modern decorated,
0:34:08 > 0:34:14- but it's the space. - It just needs updating. - There's another door there.
0:34:14 > 0:34:18Is it Juliet when you have two? No, that's windows.
0:34:18 > 0:34:25- It's a Jack and Jill bathroom. You're thinking of a Juliet balcony. - That's the concern, isn't it?
0:34:28 > 0:34:32OK, you are exiting the reform school, former reform school.
0:34:32 > 0:34:40Are you now reformed on the kitchen/diner? All the things we thought you would say no,
0:34:40 > 0:34:46didn't seem to bother you. And the bits we didn't think you'd like, you liked. Explain yourselves.
0:34:46 > 0:34:51It's a really beautiful house. It has gorgeous traditional features downstairs.
0:34:51 > 0:34:55Really what we've liked in previous properties.
0:34:55 > 0:35:00And it makes up for not having features that ideally we'd like.
0:35:00 > 0:35:07OK, there was one major theme when you got upstairs and that was fear of the price.
0:35:07 > 0:35:13- Very much so.- Shall we get that out of the...?- Full-time work, I'm in a cold sweat!
0:35:13 > 0:35:17- You're embracing that? - Yeah, the challenge.
0:35:17 > 0:35:23Let's find out how much work you'd have to do. We'll play guess the price. It's neck and neck.
0:35:23 > 0:35:28£250,000 is what you wanted to spend. How much do you think this is on the market for?
0:35:28 > 0:35:34I'd say...275, maybe a little bit more. I don't know.
0:35:34 > 0:35:39- Sticking at 275? - I'd say 275 as my final...- 275.
0:35:39 > 0:35:43- I'm thinking 285.- OK. - Wily, he's very wily indeed.
0:35:44 > 0:35:46Raj, congratulations.
0:35:46 > 0:35:51- But the actual asking price is £310,000.- Gosh.
0:35:51 > 0:35:56Significantly over what you want to spend, but it's new on the market,
0:35:56 > 0:36:03and the agent has indicated that a substantial offer may be considered against that as well.
0:36:03 > 0:36:09- OK. That's food for thought. - And the offer was in the regions of where you were with your guess.
0:36:09 > 0:36:13But...I mean, it's something to think about.
0:36:13 > 0:36:20- What do you think? Having looked, is that a fair price?- Let's define it by the thumbometer, shall we?
0:36:20 > 0:36:26We're talking about a forever house and at the moment we've kind of got to about there on the thumbometer
0:36:26 > 0:36:31out of the two houses. Let's start again.
0:36:32 > 0:36:37- Stop.- Oh! I thought it might have got... Raj?
0:36:37 > 0:36:43- Stop.- Oh, hello! - Ladies and gentlemen, we have a clear winner for Raj.
0:36:43 > 0:36:49OK. I never thought the thumbometer would be so vital, but it does say a lot.
0:36:49 > 0:36:55You've got to away and make a big decision about which one to pick. Any ideas at the moment?
0:36:55 > 0:36:57- I don't know.- Save it.
0:36:57 > 0:37:01- All right, we'll see you later on. Good luck.- See you in a bit.
0:37:01 > 0:37:04It's that, that or...that.
0:37:04 > 0:37:10Three very different houses for them to consider. While they do, here's a recap for you at home.
0:37:10 > 0:37:17Will it be my property in Kenilworth? Inside and out it was a feast for their eyes.
0:37:17 > 0:37:24- But the sound of the sawmill was a noise to behold!- I'd call that a minor inconvenience, Ed.
0:37:24 > 0:37:28This could be a winner and it was bang on budget.
0:37:30 > 0:37:37Hold onto your horses! You're forgetting the ample assets of my property - three double bedrooms,
0:37:37 > 0:37:44a massive garden and it was in leafy Leamington Spa, which they thought was beyond them,
0:37:44 > 0:37:46but came in on the money.
0:37:46 > 0:37:54- Let's not forget the late arrival - the wildcard.- This former reform school for wild girls won them over.
0:37:54 > 0:37:59They fell in love with its period charm and forgave its kitchen.
0:37:59 > 0:38:02Even if an offer is considered,
0:38:02 > 0:38:05will its price tag prove too much?
0:38:10 > 0:38:14Well, this is excellent. A rare victory for me today.
0:38:14 > 0:38:20What is it about property one that swung you? Because the wildcard had got you.
0:38:20 > 0:38:25- It did. A lovely property. - And property two, Leamington Spa,
0:38:25 > 0:38:28- the area really appealed to you. - The area I liked,
0:38:28 > 0:38:31but it was the budget again.
0:38:31 > 0:38:36- But this property is really lovely. - It is.- It's a family home.
0:38:36 > 0:38:43- It needs a jiggle, but you can do that over time. At the moment, you have very small people.- Yes.
0:38:43 > 0:38:47They will expand, but they're going to give you a few years.
0:38:47 > 0:38:54Now you've got the luxury of having a non-legally-binding survey performed upon your property.
0:38:54 > 0:39:01If you wish to buy, get your own surveyor. This is just a heads-up as to what you're getting into.
0:39:01 > 0:39:03Jonny, deliver the hammer blow.
0:39:03 > 0:39:11What he's said is this property is in fantastic condition and you can see it's been totally refurbished.
0:39:11 > 0:39:15That includes outside rendering, new roof, new windows.
0:39:15 > 0:39:22Just ensure all the guarantees are in place. There are one or two suspect wires lingering outside,
0:39:22 > 0:39:28but all those guarantees should be in place, from the builder himself or under builders' guarantees.
0:39:28 > 0:39:33- What do you think?- It sounds very good.- Are you ready?- Yes.- We are.
0:39:33 > 0:39:39- The house is waiting to be test driven. Let it wait no longer. Erupt. Go on.- Thank you.
0:39:42 > 0:39:50- Jonny, we've shrunk the house hunters!- No, that's Leo and Grace, come to give a tiny tots test drive.
0:39:50 > 0:39:54Thank goodness for that! They snuck in from nowhere.
0:39:56 > 0:40:00- Here's another one. He's a big boy. - He's not one of theirs, Ed.
0:40:00 > 0:40:08- Hi, I'm Dave Smith.- Hi, Dave! He's a builder, come to cast an eye over a full loft conversion.
0:40:08 > 0:40:15It can be easily converted into a bedroom, perhaps a bedroom and an en-suite.
0:40:15 > 0:40:20It depends on what you want to spend as to how you approach it.
0:40:20 > 0:40:23You could have a flat-roof dormer.
0:40:23 > 0:40:29- It's be about £20,000.- They don't have to worry about that immediately
0:40:29 > 0:40:33because Leo and Grace are loving it just as it is.
0:40:33 > 0:40:39Leanne's making full use of that family-friendly layout to keep an eye on them.
0:40:39 > 0:40:42Cheeky Raj is having a snooze! But not for long.
0:40:42 > 0:40:49And they wouldn't let a test drive go by without road testing that bridle way next door.
0:40:49 > 0:40:54In the absence of a horse, Grace is taking Raj for a ride.
0:40:54 > 0:40:59- Let's go and pop the big question. - I never knew you cared, Jonny.
0:41:01 > 0:41:07So Leo and Grace are not with us. I'm presuming they are going to be looked after by the property team.
0:41:07 > 0:41:11- They're not building the extension. - Not yet!
0:41:11 > 0:41:15How has the test drive gone? What do you think of the property now?
0:41:15 > 0:41:22- Is it viable, do you think? What? - It's been really useful to have some time and walk up the greenway.
0:41:22 > 0:41:28- And relax with the family, see what the children think. - They've taken to it.
0:41:28 > 0:41:35- That was all positive.- It was. - We looked over the industrial estate and it's bigger than we thought.
0:41:35 > 0:41:38That's a positive(!) Oh.
0:41:38 > 0:41:44- And how was the greenway for you? That's something you'd make the most of?- We will do, definitely.
0:41:44 > 0:41:51Yeah, it's a lovely walk. Beautiful countryside. Clearly well used with dog walkers.
0:41:51 > 0:41:57You've been looking for a house for two years. You couldn't be at a better point to buy a house.
0:41:57 > 0:42:02- You've test driven it. Jonny, do it. - To buy or not to buy?
0:42:03 > 0:42:08- Not to buy at the moment, but it's possible.- Explain yourselves!
0:42:08 > 0:42:12Explain this possible, maybe business!
0:42:12 > 0:42:15We're going to do some research.
0:42:15 > 0:42:21We're going to move quickly, but there's a high-speed rail link from London coming nearby here.
0:42:21 > 0:42:27- We want to make sure it's not too nearby.- Let's pull the thumbometer out for the forever house thing.
0:42:27 > 0:42:33If you find out that's all right, and that's all all right, and if you can get that up there...
0:42:35 > 0:42:39Here we go. Are you ready? Stop when it's good.
0:42:42 > 0:42:46- Stop.- Stop.- There you go! That's the to buy I was looking for.
0:42:46 > 0:42:52- Fantastic. So really it is somewhere you could see yourselves living? - It is.- Definitely.
0:42:52 > 0:42:57- Do your research and buy it. - We will do.- We will.
0:42:57 > 0:43:02Right, you should get back in there and rescue your children
0:43:02 > 0:43:08- before they do do those renovations. We'll see you soon. Thank you. - Thank you.- Thank you.
0:43:22 > 0:43:25Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd