Birmingham Suburbs To Buy or Not to Buy

-Welcome to To Buy Or Not To Buy.

-A golden property nugget in the middle of your morning.

We take two property hunters and lend them our finely tuned property-hunting skills.

-We show them three of the best properties.

-Send them off for a test drive.

And then ask them that all-important question.

To buy or not to buy?

We have travelled up hills and down dales, across cities and glens,

to find the best properties for our buyers.

Today's journey finds us in southwest Birmingham.

Here you can leave the big city behind and settle in suburbia.

And today's buyers are local and know it very well,

so we've got to do our research.

So with my brains and your beauty - or the other way round -

and the fantastic property-hunting team,

this is a recipe for success.

-Well, I'm ready to meet the buyers. Are you?

-I'm so ready. Let's go.

'Steady on! Right, here they are, Sandra and her partner Neil.

'Sandra currently lives here in Kings Norton.

'Now her children have flown the nest, she's looking for a new pad.

'I know that while Neil likes to rustle up a meal in the kitchen,

'the rustle coming from the lounge is probably Sandra practising her belly-dancing.

'Steady on! So before Neil whisks her off into the sunset,

'let's catch up with Sandra and find out what she's after.'

So tell us what we're looking for.

Well, at the moment, I'm in a four-bedroomed house.

-It's a big place.

-It is quite big.

It's a large lounge, large dining kitchen, four bedrooms.

I'd like to downsize, have less space to store things,

so I can get rid of the old clutter and start afresh.

-So we're looking for you, Sandra, and, Neil, you're along to give advice.

-That's right.

So, Neil, give me some advice. When Sandra says she wants to de-clutter, does she really?

Well, it'd be nice if she did but I think she'd find it an effort.

But there are other things, such as the large front garden and the hedge to cut,

the back garden to maintain. I'd like to cut down on that.

I would like some outside space.

We've got two cats, Ozzie and Carla and they need to be able to get out,

so we need an exit for the cats.

-So if I was looking at a flat...

-A cat flap.

-A cat flap is great.

I don't mind opening the door for them. I am their servant.

But if I was looking at a flat - I don't mind if it's a flat or a small house -

it would have to be a ground floor, so the cats can get in and out.

-And I guess, keeping away from busy roads.

-Exactly.

Quiet position, preferably.

So how many bedrooms are we looking for?

We're looking for a minimum of two bedrooms.

Three would be nice as a little extra

but a minimum of two but they must be good-sized.

A largish lounge, largish kitchen, parking space is a must,

a garage would be a nice extra.

You'll only fill it full of clutter!

I'm telling you now, Sandy, it's true.

-You never see a car in a garage, do you?

-No, exactly.

The garage is just one stop before the tip for most people.

Do you want to do any work on the property? Do you want it already done?

It would be nice to have it done. I've done work on this one. I don't really want to start again.

I don't mind decorating, you have to put your mark on a place.

-Are you handy, Neil, with the brush?

-I've installed a few wardrobes

and I think those are essential. A lot of wardrobes are essential.

OK. Any other requirements that you can think of?

-Style of property?

-Something modern, clean lines,

to encourage me to keep everything clean and open.

Modern bathroom with a shower and a modern kitchen.

You mentioned large kitchen a couple of times and I saw the tapas dishes in there.

Does that relate to your lifestyle, your hobbies?

Oh, yes, well, we love tapas. We love anything Spanish.

So we know the style of property, we're looking for two bedrooms minimum, a good-sized lounge.

-Where are we looking?

-Well, this area, Kings Norton, is great.

It's a lovely old-fashioned area.

A similar area nearby is Bourneville, which I also like.

-You know where that leads us.

-It's all about the money.

-Budget.

Budget. £150,000 is my budget.

-OK. I can possibly go a little bit over.

-That's what we like to hear.

Of course, the market being how it is,

you can expect to put an offer in

-and shave a fair amount off asking price.

-Yes, hopefully.

-So it's a commanding position.

-Yeah.

-Right, then.

-OK.

-Let's do it.

-Yes. Vamos.

-Adios!

-Adios!

Hasta luego.

Jonny, Jonny, I am worried about today.

Little niggles, little niggles.

-Why?

-First of all, when people say they want to downsize,

do they really?

Look, tranquilo. Look how worried you are, my amigo.

There's one other thing. This must be the first time ever on this show

when one of the single biggest requirements is a cat flap.

Hmm. Interesting.

OK, well, look, we're experts, we're pretty good at what we do.

They know what they want, we've got a healthy budget.

I'm going to research the local area and find out why it's so special.

-OK.

-So, see you later.

-And I'm going to share my worries with the estate agents.

'Come on, Si, think positive.

'Now, this part of Birmingham is a mix of busy high streets

'and quiet residential roads and parks,

'giving convenience of access to the city and a feel of community.

'Many suburbs make up this area, including historic Kings Norton.

'Here, the green is a place where old meets new.

'With a past steeped in medieval history,

'a handful of buildings still remain among the modern-day amenities.

'Heading towards the city centre,

'there's the desirable suburb of Bourneville.

'A purpose-built village created in the 19th century,

'when George Cadbury, him of chocolate fame,

'had the village built for the workers at his factories.

'Again, centred around a green,

'Bourneville boasts impressive buildings

'and was once voted one of the nicest places to live in Britain.

'So that's the southwest suburbs of Birmingham.

'But what else could you get for 150K across the rest of the country?

'In Southmead, Bristol, you can get this mid-terrace,

'with a lounge-diner, separate kitchen and three bedrooms.

'A fantastic downsize, on for 155K.'

'But look at this character terrace in York.

'Well located and with a modern and spacious interior.

'A great buy at 149,995.'

'And finally, this three-bed semi in Bredbury, Stockport.

'In a quiet cul-de-sac, the interior is stylishly decorated

'and boasts a refurbished kitchen-diner.

'You might fancy it for £154,950.'

'Well, I might, but for now, it's back to today's search

'and time for some serious research -

'or decamping to a cafe for the local low-down.'

'And it's time for me to check out what the estate agents have on offer

'for our Sandra.'

I'm on the hunt for a house in the Kings Norton, Kings Heath area.

Yeah, exactly. £150,000.

That price is fantastic, yeah. And we can view it later on?

-Are you finding that people are now surprised about what they can get for their money?

-Very much so.

-It's more of a case of them being in a position to be in a position, if that makes sense.

-Yeah.

-Ah, cheers. Are you from round this area?

-Yes.

-Have you got a few minutes?

-Yeah, yeah.

-Grab a seat.

Do you also find

that because people know what they can get for their money,

is it making your job easier because people are serious about buying?

There is buyers out there but it's down to the affordability of the vendor, what they can sell for.

So, yes, there is people taking risks with offers,

but it's down to the vendor and what their position is.

So I'm house hunting for a couple, well, actually just a lady.

She's looking for a house, she wants to stay in this area.

What makes it such a great place to be?

It's a nice area. There's lots of history on the green behind us.

It's one of the oldest churches in Birmingham.

And people love it round here.

It's a lovely mix of people, old and young.

You'll love this. Beautiful cul-de-sac location.

Ideal for quiet living.

You've just reminded me. I'm so glad you mentioned cul-de-sac

because one of the most important requirements

is somewhere that the cats will be happy.

It's just a nice area.

Just outside Kings Norton, you're into the countryside,

there's some nice country pubs.

So you get a good balance, the country and the city feel.

A couple of minutes and you're actually into the country.

-You have been a fantastic help. Thank you very much.

-No problem.

-OK, good luck.

-Cheers. See you again.

-All right.

-I'll put this on the tab, is that OK?

-That's fine by me.

-Cheers for that.

-Thanks very much.

Ah, there you are. I'm worn out after putting in some serious legwork round the estate agents.

-What about you?

-I've been doing some rigorous research in the cafe back there.

-How did you get on?

-The...?

Anyway, I think I've done very well. Property number one.

Now, then. Sandy and Neil said they didn't want a project.

If you read the details, what does it say there?

-"No DIY to do here."

-That is right.

This mid-terrace, absolutely gorgeous, in the heart of Kings Norton, just around the corner.

-That's property number one. How have you got on?

-OK.

I've tried to raise the bar a little bit. I've gone for a semidetached.

Loads of parking with this place, great cul-de-sac location

and a special room for Sandy that I think she'll like.

-That's mine.

-OK, now the wild card.

Look, I've just got to show you this.

You will not believe where that is. I'm just telling you that right now.

That is the wild card. That's all I'm going to say about that.

-Where shall we start the hunt?

-Er...my choice, eh?

Property number one.

'OK, Jonny, now watch a master at work

'because for my choice, I have listened and I have provided.

'Listening is a fundamental skill when property hunting for others...

'And I have mastered it. My choice is perfect for Sandra.

-'But what will Neil make of it?

-He'll love it. There's no DIY.'

Right, my lovely pair. Property one today is my choice.

Now, when we finished talking before I had a couple of concerns.

First of all, are you prepared to downsize, truly?

Well, my choice will really be a litmus test of that.

But secondly, possibly more importantly,

I'm an animal lover and I was very worried about Carla and Ozzie moving.

So I've brought you to a gorgeous quiet cul-de-sac, no traffic,

and only five minutes from the amenities in Kings Norton.

-First impressions?

-Well, it looks nice and neat.

The gravel drive looks great. No gardening to do, excellent.

And it is a quiet cul-de-sac, so it's safer for the cats.

-You see?

-Neil, what do you think?

-It's ticking the boxes.

So far, so good.

-That's the perfect driveway for your swanky convertible.

-It is, yes.

-We could get two cars on there.

-We could.

You could get two on there, definitely.

And one other thing. This place even has a television for the cats.

-Really?

-Amazing.

-That's all I'm going to say.

Get in there and enjoy it. In you go.

OK.

-I've got no idea what you're talking about.

-I'll show you.

-OK?

-Yes.

-We'll have a look inside.

-Good flooring.

-Nice and bright. Ooh, the laminate floor. That's lovely.

-Television for cats.

-A pond?

This is the lounge. Oh, gosh.

-I like the decor. That's nice. Very modern.

-It's quite modern.

-Lovely big bay window.

-Plenty of light.

-Yes.

Double-glazed, as well. That's nice.

Which would you choose between a modern property and an old property that had been modernised?

I'd go for the older property.

Then you've got the character on the outside

but everything is perfect on the inside and nothing to do.

There's a fireplace, too, look, hidden behind there.

Looks like a coal fire.

We'll have to find out if that works properly. Could be just imitation.

-Why is it important to have a fireplace?

-It's a feature.

-It's a focal point.

-Ah!

OK, this must be the kitchen through here.

Oh, yes, this is quite spacious.

-That's not a bad size.

-No, not a bad size.

-I'm not sure I like the dark oak.

-Yes, the units are a bit dark.

But the lounge is lovely and bright. It's not so bright in here.

-You could have those replaced.

-You could change those.

You could have lighter doors.

-They are spending money in that kitchen.

-That's good.

They want to put their own stamp on it but the layout works.

-Mm, nice big window again.

-Yes.

-And the sink unit's nice as well.

Nice flush lines.

It's certainly spacious enough for a breakfast kitchen.

-You've got the table over here.

-The table here.

So this would be great for entertaining.

-Having our Saturday night tapas.

-Yes.

That's the size of kitchen that Neil and Sandy were talking about.

-One can be cooking while one's having a glass of wine.

-Exactly.

Excellent. What about the garden?

-There is a garden.

-We'll look out there later.

-Shall we look upstairs?

-Let's head upstairs. Right.

-I'm impressed with their reactions so far on the downsize issue.

-Yeah.

They were quite happy with the size of the lounge and the kitchen-diner.

She's embracing the concept of the downsize.

The hallway's small but that's a good point.

There's less to clean and keep tidy, so that's an improvement.

Oh, the bathroom.

Ooh, this is lovely.

-It's compact but...

-Must've been completely done out.

-Yes.

Completely modernised. I love the tiles. It's a smashing shower.

Good shower.

Mr O'Brien has provided them with a bathroom where they haven't got to lift a finger.

They didn't want a project, I don't give them a project. That's how it works.

The lighting's nice, too, isn't it?

That's something that's an extra cost, normally,

but that's already done, so that's great.

It's small but it's just what I'd need.

That's beautiful, yeah.

This must be one of the bedrooms.

Oh, yes. They've got it as a study.

Not so much a bedroom, as an extra lounge or study.

This is great. It's lovely and modern, too.

They are being incredibly positive about this place.

-Don't sound surprised!

-Well, I'm just...

The team and I put a lot of effort into getting this place.

I could use some storage like this but I really want to downsize,

so I think I would just keep the room as a study

with either a settee and a desk like that.

Possibly put the computer in here. Or even the cats.

Hang on, what? The cats are getting their own room?

-I see. There's the TV.

-Oh, yes.

-Especially for the cats.

-Lovely. Right.

-Shall we go on to the next room?

-OK, then.

Let's have a look what else there is.

This must be bedroom two.

Ah, now, this is the master bedroom. Oh, this is spacious.

-It's a lovely big room.

-It is a good size.

-Yeah, it's smashing.

Lovely big window again.

The furniture's modern, as well. I'd need to buy some modern furniture.

Yes. But that back wall, you've got space for your wardrobes,

so that'll solve any problems there.

-It'd be ideal to have fitted wardrobes in there.

-Yes.

-I think maybe...

-A little job for me.

A DIY task for you!

Look out, Neil. The work starts here.

-Lovely.

-Shall we go to the next room?

-Onto the next.

Do you know what surprised me about this place?

-It's got three bedrooms.

-Yeah.

-I was only expecting two beds.

Right. Another bedroom here.

Ooh, it's a tiny bedroom. Just enough space for a bed.

A box room, as they called them. No, but it's very useful, this is.

Certainly useful. Again, the decoration is great.

-You need to swap bedroom two and bedroom three around.

-Yeah.

-So the study's in the small room.

-I see what you're doing there.

That makes sense.

I think I'd change this. I think I'd have to swap over.

I'd swap the functions round and make this the study instead.

Exactly what I said. Great minds think alike.

Or fools seldom differ.

-I wonder how much it is?

-Right, let's go down and see the lads.

-Neil, you'd agree that this house is bigger on the inside than it appears on the outside.

-It is.

But could Sandy downsize to something with this footprint?

-I really think she could, yes.

-Mm.

-OK, fair enough.

That third bedroom, although it's only small, makes all the difference.

Now, then, just a couple of things to point out out here.

You didn't find the cat television, did you?

We did, up in the spare bedroom

that's used as a lounge at the moment.

-No.

-No?

-That's the cat television.

LAUGHTER

That's all that Carla and Ozzie need, you know.

Hours and hours of enjoyment out there.

We discussed your budget. 150,000 is what you're prepared to commit.

What do you think, then? Guess the price, Sandy.

I'd say 145.

-Neil?

-Right. I don't know the area that well, not living here,

but I will go a bit lower. I'll go for 139,950.

Well, Neil, you're 1-0 up because actually this place is on the market

for £135,000.

-Ooh.

-Oh!

-I do like a bargain.

-So do I!

-A great price.

Sandy, in your defence,

when this property came on the market, it came on for £145,000.

But the market's tough, everything's getting squeezed down, so it's been reduced.

It's come down £10,000 already, so it's competitively priced now.

So you like this place, you're gonna love Jonny Boy's. Come on.

Oh, we'll see. After you.

'So why are they gonna love Johnny Boy's?

'Because not only is mine a semidetached,

'it has all the benefits yours had plus a couple of extras that Sandra is sure to love.

'I think you'll find mine's hard to beat.

'If they liked yours, they're going to love mine.'

OK, Sandy and Neil, mi casa, su casa.

Here we are, property two, Jonny's choice. First impressions?

Wow, great.

Looks nice and modern. The location here's good, actually.

Also, clear benefit, semidetached house.

So it's going to have a lot more value because of that.

-Loads more parking...

-There is.

-..and a garage.

There's a list of reasons this place is superior to Simon's

but it's down to what you think.

-But, location, style, all good?

-Yeah. It looks great.

-Does look good.

-I can't wait to see inside.

-You will not be underwhelmed.

If you want to get in there and let Simon feel sorry for himself, three, two, one, go.

-I think I've got a sale there.

-Drive needs a bit of work.

OK, here goes.

Oh. Here we are.

-Ah, nice little hallway.

-Yes.

Window there, that's nice.

Excellent.

The driveway needs work! That's the only place that does need work.

Is it, yeah? Where shall we sit?

Oh, there isn't anywhere, is there? Never mind.

Ooh, lovely bright lounge.

Wow. Oh, I like the fireplace, too.

-Oh, yes.

-That's lovely.

Hello! Lovely bright lounge, nice big windows, plenty of natural light.

-Focal point - fireplace.

-You like a focal point.

-I do.

-Nice real stone fire surround. That's nice.

-Yes.

-Mmm. Very modern again, isn't it?

-Yes.

-Nice modern light fittings.

You'd get the three-seater settee in.

-Would your two-seater go there?

-I think we'd squeeze it in.

This is quite big furniture. Mine's a bit smaller, so that would fit in.

They're being positive, they're placing furniture.

They weren't concerned about stepping into the lounge from the porch. So far, so good.

-I like it. Excellent.

-Shall we move on into the kitchen?

Yes, the kitchen's through here, by the looks of it.

-Whoa. Oh, this is...

-This is nice.

-Yes, I like this.

-Yes.

Ooh. I nearly got a wow. It turned into a whoa halfway through

but that still technically counts.

Oh, this is super, isn't it?

-Oh! Lovely and bright and modern.

-Plenty of storage.

-Yes.

-Nice worktops.

-That's a lovely worktop. I like that.

-Yes, it's super. I like the cooker hood, too.

-Yes.

I suppose the cooker and the hood are part of the fitments?

-I would've thought so. We'd have to find out.

-Yes.

We both agree, the kitchen is awesome.

It is, absolutely. Done to a very high spec. Nothing to do in there.

And very cool extractor hood. It's all about the extractor fans.

-Ah, look at the dining area.

-That is good.

-Yes, that's really good.

-It's spacious. And plenty of room for entertaining here.

-Yes.

-Plenty of room for tapas and wine.

-Yeah.

It's a nice, bright, social room,

if they're cooking a bit of tapas, maybe with a glass of Rioja.

Hello! Sangria? No, thanks. Great room.

-Let's have a look out here in the conservatory.

-The conservatory.

-This is a good size.

-It is, isn't it?

-It runs the whole width of the house.

-Mm.

-This is superb. It's like an extra lounge.

-Yes.

It's a second reception room, which you didn't have at Simon's place, unless you spend more money on it.

The front lounge can become a formal room and you can have the conservatory for day-to-day use.

-The cats would love this.

-They'd be in cat heaven.

-Stretched out.

-Stretched out in the sunshine, watching the TV.

This is a proper TV for the cats.

Exactly. We could both watch this.

Well, the downstairs looks very promising. Shall we see upstairs?

-I'd love to. Shall we carry on?

-Yes.

OK, downstairs?

-Hello. Thumbs up. I like it.

-Mm.

-Good work.

I like the shape of the stairs. And a nice big window here, too.

-Landing window. That's good.

-Yes.

In fact, it's a nice, spacious landing, isn't it?

It's a minor detail but because it's a semidetached,

you get a landing window and that makes it nice and light.

You wouldn't look for it but if it's there, it does make a difference.

And in here we've got... Ooh, quite a nice little study here.

-It's the blue room.

-Yeah, the blue room.

It's bright enough to take a dark colour.

It doesn't make it look small at all.

It's big enough for a bedroom, anyway.

I'm sure you could get a single bed in there and some drawers

-and a small wardrobe.

-Easily.

So it is a bedroom size. It's not a box room.

-At the moment, for a study, it's ideal, isn't it?

-Mm.

OK, the blue room, bedroom three, is the smallest of the three

but bigger than the box room in property one.

-So what have we got here? We're in the red room this time.

-Wow.

-This is a good size.

-It is a good size. But the colour is quite...

-That's a nice colour.

-Quite breath-taking, isn't it?

I never would've thought of choosing this colour but it works well.

-Yeah.

-It looks fantastic.

These guys have got big, bright, bold colours upstairs,

-putting their personality onto it.

-It works for me.

-You've got the built-in wardrobes.

-Oh, fantastic!

-That is just what I need.

-Enough space for you, there.

-I'm going to downsize and de-clutter and that looks excellent.

-Right.

I can't wait to see the next one.

-That's enthusiasm. She can't wait.

-That is enthusiasm.

Right. Ah, this is a lovely calm bedroom, isn't it?

-It's a calm colour.

-It's the green room.

They're almost relieved at the colour of this room.

The others are gorgeous but it's like...

-HE SIGHS

-A bit milder.

-There's a double bed in here.

-Yes, that's right.

-Bedside tables. Room for a wardrobe and cupboard.

-Cupboards.

Cupboard space.

Smashing. Lovely big window again.

Yes, it's a nice, calm, peaceful room.

I could definitely see myself taking a nap in here if...

if the other room gets too warm.

So you've got the main bedroom, bedroom three's a study area

-and bedroom two is your napping area?

-Mm.

OK, the bathroom.

Wow.

-Wow, this is spacious.

-It is, isn't it?

-It certainly is.

-It's been recently modernised.

-I should say so.

Very modern black and white tiles.

Modern shower and the glass shower cubicle, that's lovely.

-Mm.

-Mm. It's gorgeous, isn't it?

You know, it's certainly modern all over, this house.

There's nothing really I'd want to improve.

-There's nothing to do.

-There's nothing to do.

I know personal choice comes into it a lot

but I would choose this anyway, this would be my choice.

-That's gone pretty well.

-It has but they haven't seen the garage.

-If you give Sandy a garage, what's going to happen?

-Clutter. Quick.

OK, I don't want to appear too confident but that went well.

The house is great. It's the best so far.

All right, all right. Neil, you know as well as I do,

if we give Sandy that garage, what's going to happen?

-There won't be much de-cluttering going on.

-The garage will get full.

I'm going to throw you out an idea. As an estate agent, I saw this quite a few times.

It's a way of converting a garage without sacrificing too much storage.

Get rid of the garage door. That's where your window goes.

But you only do that two-thirds of the way in.

So you've got an additional reception room,

you maintain a third of that garage for storage which you access from the garden.

You've got a side gate and access round the back.

I know you're not going to de-clutter everything you've got, you're going to need that.

And it'll improve the appearance of the property

because, although very positive you are,

it's not that beautiful from the outside.

And if I was going to add to that, I do lament the loss

of the English front lawn.

I know you want off-road parking but we could give a little bit back.

Do you agree? What do you think about this area? Too stark, perhaps?

-A bit of greenery wouldn't go amiss.

-But maybe Astroturf.

-I don't want to mow lawns any more.

-Well, that's an option.

Neil, there's very little work to do inside the house,

-so you may as well concentrate your efforts outside.

-Yes.

That would be the best of both worlds.

-But once more, we're spending money, aren't we?

-Well, you are.

It's guess the price time. Now, then, Neil, you're 1-0 up.

So, Sandy, you've got some pride to restore here.

I'm going to ask Neil to go first. The budget, £150,000.

Neil, what do you think?

I think you've gone right up to the limit. 150,000 on the button.

Well, OK.

Well, I think, considering all the improvements, erm...

-The conservatory.

-The conservatory.

I would say you've gone slightly over.

I would say 153,950.

Brilliant. I deliberately misled you there. Neil, 2-0.

I'm going to blow your minds here, guys.

This property is on the market for £142,500.

-Ooh.

-Ooh!

-Absolute bargain.

Seven and a half grand below what you're prepared to pay. There's no stamp duty at the moment.

So this place is an absolute bargain.

All going well at the moment, isn't it?

Before you tell us which one you prefer, again,

we've got one more property to see, the wild card.

Come on. That's this way.

'Yes, time for the wild card

'and we're going to test if Sandy is really ready for a downsize.

'She'll be fine because our joint choice is sleek, stylish and new.

'But before we let them in,

'let's have a bit of fun with our lovely couple.'

OK, now, Sandy and Neil. Let's just recap what we've seen so far.

Property one, Simon's choice, not too bad, quite impressive.

-Property two raised the bar a little bit, didn't it?

-It did.

We had a great time there.

So you'd think, property three, if we put these great minds together,

we'll come up with a winner.

And, oh, yes, the wild card is a supermarket.

-Look at that. First impressions?

-Well, it's certainly different.

-It's certainly wild.

-It is wild. It's a wild card for many reasons.

We have left the safety net of Kings Norton

and we're in Kings Heath.

Fantastic for local amenities. It's right on the bus route.

But why would we bring you here?

-You've heard about my love of shopping?

-That could be it.

But it's not just that, come on. We wouldn't lead you up the garden path.

Or we might do. Come with me. Come on.

So we get to the roof of the supermarket

and it starts to look a bit more attractive, we hope you'll think.

Come on through, Neil, come and join us.

The wild card is about us trying to get you to think outside the box,

to view properties that perhaps traditionally you wouldn't have viewed,

and this absolutely ticks that box, doesn't it?

It certainly does. I would never have imagined this up here.

-It's quite amazing.

-It's like a different world from the main road.

Extraordinary, isn't it? Much quieter, it's peaceful, yeah?

-Manicured gardens.

-Hello!

-Well, there you go.

Is one of those gardens yours?

Why don't you take yourself over there and find out?

Go on, enjoy.

-Yes!

-Do we need any groceries while we're here?

-Yeah. Downstairs.

-Come on.

OK. Straight into the hallway.

-This is spacious, isn't it?

-It's a good size, this.

-Very good size.

-A good doormat.

Is that a burglar alarm or...?

-That's a phone system.

-The entry system.

That's a good security point with an apartment.

I know you were thinking we'd brought them to a supermarket

but this is the wild card.

We've brought her to a great apartment.

As they will now find out.

-This is lovely. Really spacious.

-Yes.

-Super.

I like the wooden doors, they're really nice.

And the mirror gives a lot more space, doesn't it, too?

Here we go. Immediately, very spacious

and our clever builders have put mirrors in to reflect the light.

Straight into the bedroom. That's the master bedroom.

-Mm.

-Nice and bright.

-Yes, it is bright.

Very plain but bright. Makes it look more spacious.

And a lovely view out of the window, there onto the gardens.

-Just don't expect that with an apartment, do you?

-No, it's nice.

It's a nice feature.

Sandy's spotted one of the advantages straight away.

From that main road you would not believe that you'd be looking out over gorgeous greenery,

all the gardens and trees out the back there.

-It's an en suite.

-That's nice.

-Oh, an en-suite shower room.

Ooh, yes, this is lovely. I like the tiles.

-It's a wet room.

-Yes. There's no step-in shower.

Oh, that's a super shower, too.

-Nice tiles.

-I like the glass panel. Gives a feeling of more space.

-And a heated towel rail.

-Yes.

-That's great.

This is very much the most modern property we've shown them.

It's brand new. You can still smell the paint.

Oh, yeah. Be careful.

OK.

Whoa. Bedroom two.

-This is spacious again, isn't it?

-This is a good size.

Something that's overlooked with apartments

is that although the living accommodation can come up a bit smaller,

the bedrooms tend to be larger than you'd find in a house, so that's a bonus.

Whoa! I love the decor that they've chosen. That's impressive.

And plenty of space here, isn't there? Yeah.

I think there's a job for you there, Neil. Fitted wardrobes.

Fitted wardrobes.

Neil, we bring you to a brand-new apartment and you're finding work for yourself!

Neil, you are a glutton for punishment.

-And the window, again, is nice and bright.

-Yes.

-I like the mirrors by the window.

-It's a good use of mirrors.

-It makes it look larger. Right.

-Yes.

OK, well, this is the bathroom.

-Ooh, it's very modern.

-Yes.

Oh, I love this here. Mm.

That is superb. The tiles are beautiful.

I'm glad they like that bathroom. It is super-chic, very contemporary.

-Did I say trendy?

-And a very high-quality finish.

-It's nice with all the modern fittings.

-It is, yes.

We didn't want to go in anywhere and have to modernise it.

There'd be no problem here.

-And the best thing is having the separate en suite as well.

-Yes.

Especially with more than one person living here.

You've got a bathroom each, haven't you?

The en suite caters for the person in the master bedroom

and the family bathroom is available for everybody else.

OK. Wow.

Gosh. This is...

-We're spoilt for space here.

-Yes.

-Ooh, the kitchen area.

That's fantastic.

-That's nice.

-Oh!

I know I said modern but I had no idea I'd see anything like this.

This is beautiful, isn't it?

So what we've got built into that kitchen, we've got a dishwasher,

microwave, oven, hob, fridge-freezer...

-Built-in microwave, too.

-That's nice.

That's gorgeous, isn't it? Plenty of storage space in the cupboards.

These are dark. I don't know whether you could get those changed.

Maybe with it being a new place, we could get the cupboard doors changed.

-You know, I'm very pleased with Sandy.

-Yeah?

I had the question of did she really want to downsize?

And in all three properties, she's demonstrated that the smaller areas are not a problem.

-This is really impressive.

-Nice and light.

-Mm.

-Oh, and patio doors.

-Yes.

Out onto the garden area.

Love the fact you've got those patio doors in that lounge.

It brings in lashings of natural light

and on those balmy summer days, if we ever have them,

throw those open, it's so peaceful out there, it's a great feature.

It is indeed.

-Yes, it looks out onto the...

-Lawned area.

-..lawned area.

-All right for the cats to get out there.

-Yes, quite easy.

I'll just open the door for them when they want to go out. No need for a cat flap.

Carla and Ozzie have got a mention.

I've never been too keen on combined kitchen and lounge

-but I could change my mind.

-It is quite well separated.

It is, yes.

-Mm.

-And a lot of time, you'll be here by yourself.

-That's true.

It's easy to lock up and leave if we wanted to go down to Devon for the weekend.

Yes, I really like it.

So all in all, a very surprising property right above a supermarket.

Shall we go and check out what they think of it?

You're off your trolley.

So, Sandy and Neil, this place was a bit of a revelation for you.

-It's fantastic.

-It is a surprise, yes.

-Such a surprise.

I had no idea that... What was here, what was outside.

There's good and bad surprises.

-Neil, was this a good surprise?

-A good surprise.

-You wouldn't have thought that from standing on the main road.

-No.

-And it's so quiet out here, as well.

-And just to point out, as well,

this is your garden, this is not shared.

There is communal area here but this garden comes with that flat.

That's perfect for us and the cats.

-We're always thinking...

-They've got their own door.

-..of Ozzie and Carla.

Now, of course, the team have found you the nicest apartment out of this entire development.

This is the biggest and one of the best, it's got its own garden.

And bearing in mind one other thing,

this place comes with the fixtures and fittings and white goods.

-The only thing that's not included is the furniture.

-Right.

Bear that in mind. It's guess the price time.

OK, so, Sandy, you're literally playing for pride.

Neil, you're whitewashing Sandy at the moment.

We know the budget is 150,000, give or take. What do you think?

Well, so far, both the properties have been under budget.

I think you've gone to the budget or slightly over on this one.

I'm going for 152,000.

-OK. Neil?

-As we're over a supermarket, I'm looking for a special offer.

I'm going to go for 150,000.

-You've salvaged some pride, Sandy.

-At last!

It's 2-1 because this place is actually on the market

for offers in the region of £165,000.

-Ooh.

-But how does that sit with you, thinking about the size and the style?

It is over budget, certainly.

-But I wouldn't have to make any improvements.

-This is true.

-Everything's included.

With any new-build developer, they've got a lot of money locked into the properties,

so you should be able to negotiate because they've got to get their funds back out.

Everyone loves a deal. That'll be your opportunity with this place.

It's time to decide which property you're going to test-drive,

-or as we say on the show...

-Try before you buy.

So you two can go off and think about that. Bye-bye.

-See you in a minute.

-Bye-bye.

-Bye.

And while they do that, here's a quick reminder of these properties.

'Right, house one was my offering,

'a mid-terrace with the benefit of off-road parking.

'But will Sandy choose it to test-drive?

'The three bedrooms and two reception rooms

'ticked all the boxes and with cat television thrown in,

'it's on the market for £135,000.

'Or will Sandra and Neil choose this semidetached property?

'The three bedrooms and two reception rooms fit the bill,

'but my option boasts a large conservatory

'and a garage

'all for the price of 142,500.

'Or will we see a return visit to the wild card?

'This first-floor luxury apartment is brand spanking new.

'A two-bed perfect for Sandy

'but with room for her children to visit whenever they fancy.

'The wild card, on the market for offers in the region of 165,000.

'Sandra and Neil have made their decision. Which one did they choose?'

'Oh, look, it's only my choice, the lovely property two.

'Yeah, whatever.'

-Gloat, gloat, gloat.

-Hello, hello.

-Hi! How are you?

-Fine, thank you.

Well, I'm thrilled, you've chosen property two to test-drive.

What was it about this one that stood out?

Well, it just ticks all the boxes, exactly what I'm looking for.

-There you go.

-It's smaller in size but the rooms are still spacious,

so there's less rooms to clean, the garden doesn't need any maintenance.

Which is a big part of the downsizing.

And, Neil, now you've seen these smaller properties,

can Sandy downsize to a property of this size?

-I think so. There's room for a bit of clutter.

-Mm.

There is. You've got the garage, the biggest storage cupboard you could have.

-And a lovely driveway for that big shiny motor.

-Yes.

-Mm.

Now, about the driveway. I did have my misgivings.

Our surveyor has given this place a good once-over.

It is not a legally-binding survey

and we do recommend that you get a full survey and all the searches done

but he has come up with a couple of points.

First of all, that drive.

Now, he doesn't think it's the best job.

He thinks that if you have a good look at it,

there's no adequate drainage and it does butt up against the building

and it's very high and encroaches on the damp course.

So it could cause long-term problems with this property.

-So you might not be avoiding the DIY yet.

-Right.

But on the positive side, we said it looks a bit sterile out there,

so that could be the opportunity to put a bit of greenery in there

while you get that problem sorted. So he did point that out.

The other thing he mentioned, obviously, it's double-glazed,

but the upstairs windows, none of them have fire-escape facilities.

So if there's a fire downstairs, you can't get out of the windows.

So they would have to be replaced in those bedrooms,

so that if there ever was a problem you'd be safe.

And the property market is tough and that's good for buyers.

You can negotiate yourself a much better price

and any money that you take off will give you more funds for those works.

-Right.

-So a few jobs to be done but all in all, a gorgeous property.

-Beautiful.

-Get in there and enjoy it some more. Go on. Enjoy yourselves.

-Thank you.

-Adios.

-Adios.

-That's Spanish.

-Yeah.

Told you I was right about that drive. I told you.

OK. That's...

'Well, it looks like the house-hunting has given them an appetite,

'as they head straight to the kitchen to prepare a Hispanic snack.

'Now you mention it, I'm feeling a bit peckish myself.

'And here comes Sandy's daughter Suzanne

'to have a look around the place.'

We'll start with the smallest bedroom.

'I bet Sandra's showing her where she's going to keep her clutter.

'Don't forget, Jonny, with the downsize comes the de-clutter

'and anything left will end up in the garage.

'Looks like this is turning into a celebration.

'Let's find out if this is a purchase they're celebrating.'

-Cheers.

-Cheers.

So, you've spent a bit more time here. How does it feel?

-Great. We feel really at home.

-Yes.

-I certainly do.

-The kitchen's brilliant.

-The kitchen was an important room for you.

Yes. And it's more modern than the kitchen I've got at the moment.

It's exactly what I would've chosen myself.

When you're buying a house, you want to see an improvement in certain rooms,

you want to have better than you've already got, it's one benefit of moving

-and you're getting that.

-Yes, that's right.

I love the laminate floors and the total modern look.

And the big conservatory is fantastic for relaxing or entertaining.

So the property-hunting team and myself have done well choosing this place?

-You certainly have.

-Oh, all right, all right.

-And, Neil, do you feel the same?

-Yes, I do.

It's a nice-sized house, good-sized kitchen,

ideal for socialising, which is one of the key issues we were looking at.

OK. It leads us to the all-important question and the title of the show.

-To buy or not to buy?

-Well, I think I'd like to buy.

-Great.

-There wasn't even hesitation.

-That's fantastic.

-Fantastic news.

-Neil, you go along with that?

-I think so.

It's just the concerns about the drive, which we'll look into,

but otherwise, I think it's a very good property.

And, Sandy, it's been a pleasure

to meet somebody who really is ready for a fresh start and to de-clutter.

Yes, I certainly am. This is the perfect house for me to de-clutter.

-Well, we should start that de-cluttering right now.

-You and me?

-Yeah, let's go. It's been a pleasure.

-Adios.

Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd