Calderdale To Buy or Not to Buy

Welcome to To Buy Or Not To Buy.

We'll take some hassles out of house hunting.

-By assisting the buying process, giving our buyers...

-A unique chance to try...

-..before they buy.

Today, we are searching around the metropolitan borough of Halifax.

Wandering the wuthering heights of West Yorkshire.

We're out on the wild and windy moors of Bronte country.

The Bronte sisters, eh? One family, three fantastic writers,

responsible for some of Britain's finest literary works.

Yes, and we, have one genius programme with three properties,

one of which we hope will be a best seller for today's buyers.

-So we'd best get on with introducing them.

-Indeed.

Our couple with the housing dilemma today are Daniel and Jenny Bentley.

They, and their two dogs, Seb and Tony, have been left rattling around

this beautiful four-bedroom house since their sons, Jack and Joss,

have upped sticks and left the family fold.

With a mini-renovation project on the other side of the Channel,

they've less reason to need a large house in the UK.

-Jenny and Daniel, we are downsizing, then?

-We are indeed.

-Yep.

-Why?

-Well, when we first bought this place we needed a large house, cos we had both boys at home.

Well, they were teenagers at the time. The boys have grown up, they've gone to university,

-they've got jobs.

-What's the situation with this place?

-Due to the current market situation,

we're a bit nervous about the sort of prices we can get.

So we hope you can help find something for the budget we've got,

then we know that we can confidentially reduce the price of this to buy the house that we want.

A lot of people are doing that. They're saying, "OK, depending on what we can purchase on at,

"that will dictate what price we'll ask for ours."

-Everybody wants their house to be as saleable as possible.

-That's right.

What are we downsizing from? What have we got at the moment?

We've got this large living/dining area, kitchen on this floor.

Double garage. Four bedrooms on the floor below.

Two bathrooms on the floor below.

Then below that there's a self-contained flat.

OK, so what are we looking to downsize to?

-What's on your wish-list?

-Two or three bedrooms.

Decent-sized garden for the dogs to roam around in, so I don't have to

-go out in the middle of the night.

-What style? Minimum two or three bedrooms.

Yeah. Nothing with plastic windows or plastic doors.

-You're a man after my own heart.

-Are you anti-PVC, then?

-Yeah, yeah.

-OK.

-Bad for the environment, I think.

Do you want an older-style property though?

-Or modern?

-We've always had old properties in the past

and we wouldn't have given this one a second glance.

Daniel spotted the size of the rooms and the potential and that's why

we went for this modern, south-facing building.

-But I think in our hearts we do prefer older fashioned.

-Yeah, yeah.

What dictates this move, apart from the fact that the kids are gone?

I mean, from a lifestyle point of view?

Is that dictating the change as well?

It's time to slow down a bit and appreciate life,

-and we've also just bought a property out in France.

-Oh!

So we've got this ten-year plan, which would nice if we could reduce it to a five-year plan,

keeping a place in the UK for the boys, so they've got something,

-for Jack and Joss, and also so that we've got somewhere to come back to.

-Yep.

But we'd like to be able to go out to France more often to our new property

and eventually out there almost full-time.

-Are you ready to downsize?

-Absolutely.

-Yeah. We've got too much stuff.

I spent all weekend cleaning this house.

It's the same with most families, you have these big houses, but you only use a fraction of the space.

It's so beautiful. I mean, it really needs a nice, big family in here or a family with teenage kids

-to really enjoy it.

-We do see it quite a lot. People say, "We want to downsize."

And then we show them smaller properties and they go, "It's a bit pokey!"

I think we're really focused on this place in France.

Well, let's say a "project" in France. It's not really a home yet.

Would you be prepared to take on a project here as well?

-Yeah, I don't mind.

-He does it in his sleep.

-I don't mind it at all.

That can be quite dangerous though, to be fair.

-THEY LAUGH

-Power tools and things.

Yeah, I don't mind. I'll take something on.

I've got a lot of experience doing this sort of thing.

Clearly. You've done a wicked job here.

-It doesn't faze me at all.

-So where are we looking?

Cos I'm guessing where you work is going to dictate that.

If we can stay near the railway, cos Daniel takes the train into work.

It's Bradford, yeah, so...

And I work up Blackburn way, but I can drive,

so we're looking sort of Calderdale, along the valley somewhere.

-Is it villages that we're looking for?

-Er, yeah.

-Well...

-Or the sort of towny villages?

Yeah, Rishworth, Ripponden.

-Yeah, Hebden.

-Hebden.

-Hebden Bridge.

-Mytholmroyd.

-Are you remembering these?

-Triangle.

-I've got them.

-There's a place called Triangle?

-Yeah.

-Yeah. It's just in that sort of direction, over there.

-Yeah, sort of that direction.

-Thank you, Jonny.

-Thank you.

OK, so we know what style we want. We know the location,

and we know the general requirements you're after. The big question is, of course, budget.

Well, the cheaper you can get it for us, the more we can spend on France.

-Yeah.

-Realistically, I think 250.

-OK. The stamp duty threshold.

-Yeah.

-I think that's enough information.

-Yeah.

-Shall we go over hill and down dale?

-Take it easy, see you in a bit.

Okey-dokey. Good luck.

Right, so, Jenny and Daniel have got a big plan to downsize.

It's a ten-year plan and we've got one day to achieve it.

And they genuinely seem like they're prepared to downsize, which is surprising.

-Right, what are you going to do?

-Hot-foot it to the estate agents.

While he's doing that, I'll see what's so desirable about living around here.

Calderdale is a busy, prosperous and very attractive part of West Yorkshire,

made up of several valleys all linked together by breathtaking countryside.

Hebden Bridge and Sowerby Bridge are two of the jewels in the Calderdale crown,

both offering residents and visitors alike a vast array of shops, bars, cafes and attractions.

Character isn't something this area is short on.

There are over 4,000 listed buildings.

I can completely see why Jenny and Daniel don't want to leave

this beautiful part of the country altogether.

But before we start looking at properties for them, what's on offer in other parts of the UK?

Well, this bay-fronted property in Whitley Bay, Tyne and Wear.

Four bedrooms and huge entrance hall. Bang on 250,000.

Or then how about this duplex loft apartment in Norwich, with a large,

light living room and contemporary kitchen, it's available for 249,950.

And in Somerset, what about this detached cottage in Wincanton?

There's two bedrooms, and delightful courtyard garden

for £250,000 on the nose.

Time now to get our noses back into character properties in Calderdale.

-Hi, John.

-Hello, Simon.

-Thanks ever so much for taking time out to see me.

OK, bit of a tricky one today for us, because we've got a couple downsizing.

-Now we both know that can be a bit of a headache.

-Yes.

I hear a lot of interesting things about Hebden Bridge.

You're a resident, what could you tell me about it?

Well, it's very beautiful around here, as you can see, especially on a day like today. It's great.

It's got really fantastic links with Leeds and Manchester.

Two or three bedrooms. Not fussy on that, but they love period properties

and they have dogs, and they're looking for a place with a nice, big garden.

I've got to find a period property for about a quarter of a million with a decent-sized garden.

SHE LAUGHS In Hebden Bridge, you'd be lucky to find a place with a garden.

-This is a very popular area, isn't it?

-Mm. It's extremely popular.

What is it? What is it about Calderdale, Hebden Bridge, Sowerby Bridge that makes it so popular?

You've got the historic buildings obviously, all the mill buildings.

-And do you know much about property prices in the area at all?

-Yeah, they've...

Well, since I've moved here, they've definitely skyrocketed.

I think now they're probably more on an even keel with probably what's gone on with the rest of the country.

We have some stunning properties for you to look at.

I need your help. Let's have a look.

-Right, first one...

-So what is it that makes it so desirable to be around here?

It's a beautiful-looking place, isn't it? And it's just... I don't know.

It's just got a lot of character.

-Part of it's 17th century.

-It just oozes history, doesn't it?

-It's fantastic.

-Beautiful.

-The character is unbelievable.

-Do you ever see yourselves leaving?

-Well, once people are here, they never seem to leave.

-People come and go, but always end up coming back.

-Yeah.

Here's another rural one.

Once again, full of character inside.

-Stunning views.

-Gorgeous property.

-Absolutely.

I've got to try and find a period property with a decent-sized garden. How realistic is that?

-Erm... Just.

-Just? We might just scrape a buy?

-You could do, yeah.

I'd better go. John, thanks for your time.

Thank you very much.

Now, I don't know about you, Jonny, but I have found this particularly troublesome.

To tick all the boxes, particularly the garden with the period property, it's been difficult.

-Would you agree?

-I agree.

But I think I have done it with property one.

Location? Yes.

Views? Stunning. Garden? Gorgeous.

Period property? What can I say?

Property one is to die for. That's property one.

-What are you doing?

-OK, so Simon's set the bar pretty high.

On this show, we take people's requirements to the extreme,

and with that in mind, Daniel and Jenny suggested they wanted to do a little project.

This place is a gorgeous, 18th-century, former wool store.

It does need a bit of TLC, but it's going to be well worth it, I think, in my humble opinion.

Oh, well, our humble opinions agree on the wildcard.

Now, we often say we love the wildcard, and today is no exception.

We both have fallen in love with this place. It is gorgeous, is it not, Mr Benarr?

It is one of the finest properties I've seen for a while, Mr O'Brien.

There it is. That's the wildcard. Shall we commence the viewings?

-Yes.

-My choice, property one.

We start today's property challenge on the outskirts of Hebden Bridge with my offering,

a superb period cottage in an amazing setting

with, for the style of property, a generous, landscaped garden.

Jenny and Daniel, property one today is my choice.

Now, I think we're going to find out as this day progresses

how much you'll miss the space you've got now.

But there's one thing I didn't want you to miss, and that is the view.

-That's lovely.

-Stunning, even on a day like today.

Isn't it? You also said you'd kind of like a period property.

Well, how about millstone grit, keystones, sills, lintels, mullions and a solid stone slab roof?

-What do you think?

-Can't beat it, can you?

-Yeah, it's...

That looks lovely. First impression is stunning.

-Well, that's the outside.

-Uh-oh!

-How about...?

-THEY LAUGH

-Never mind.

-You said you didn't mind doing some work.

-I don't mind any amount of work.

-Good man.

-Good lad. Get in there and tell us what you think. Off you go.

-OK. Thank you.

-He better mean it when he says that.

-Stop it!

-It just needs modernisation.

-Exactly, that's all.

-Oh, nice little place here, Jonny. This is what I call downsizing.

-Oh!

-Interesting little room.

-Oh, wow! Gosh, it's like going back in time.

-Isn't it?

-Goodness me. Oh, I love these big, deep windows.

-They're quite attractive, aren't they?

-Yeah.

-The windows are of debatable nature, but...

-Why?

-They're plastic.

Daniel's not impressed with the plastic windows, sadly.

What do you think about that?

-It's a minor detail.

-He said he didn't want plastic windows.

-The fireplace is rather...

-Well, we can put something new in there. We need to see if there's a chimney.

Yeah, there's a gas fire, so they'll be a flue.

I'm not sure there is, Daniel. You've got a gas outlet at the back

for the flue from the fire, but I don't think there is a stack.

-Not a bad size, actually.

-No.

-There's a lot of furniture and if you think about it...

-Yeah, there is.

-One, two, three, four big, old chairs.

-Get rid of the furniture.

-Take the big furniture to France.

-Buy more for here.

-That's it.

Now you're talking, Jenny.

You don't actually downsize, you just split everything between two properties.

-Right, through to the kitchen.

-How do you know it's the kitchen?

-Well, there's a sink in here.

-Oh.

-Good skills, Danny.

-Daniel, you could be a detective.

-Utilise the space a bit better, I think.

-Where? I like the sink to look out over the view.

Just do something a bit better with it.

-I like the sink to look over the view.

-Yeah.

The dogs would love it in here. They could sleep here at night.

-They'd get under your feet.

-Oh, look, it goes right round.

-Oh, it's all right. Block that door up.

-Why?

-Because, why do you want two doors?

-You have to live in it first...

-OK.

-..to decide what to do.

I'm liking Jenny's thinking there. What you should do is just live in it

for six months, then you'll feel what you want to change.

-I see what you're thinking. You're thinking for dining.

-Make more use of the space,

rather than have another door there that's not doing much.

It's amazing how much space a door takes up.

-OK. Explain.

-Because it's not just a gap in the wall, it's the whole corner taken out

and the space it has to open into, and the same on the other side.

So you lose, effectively, about six foot of wall and the space either side.

But they're handy for getting between rooms.

You do need the odd one here and there, I do accept that, but perhaps not so many.

The little summer bit. Oh, look at that gorgeous view again.

-Oh, yeah. It's stunning, in't it?

-I wonder if this is our garden bit.

-I would have thought so.

-Daniel!

Vegetables. You can make that an allotment. There you go!

A bit of excitement from Jenny. The prospect of having her own allotment,

the country life really appeals to her.

-Watch your... Too late.

-Watch my head?

-Well, I nearly bumped my head.

-Did you?

Slightly taller than you. Not a lot, just a little bit.

This way into what I suppose is the big bedroom of the house.

-This is going to be the master bedroom.

-Yeah.

-OK.

-Remember that it's never going to be as big as what we're in now, but it's, er...

-It's fine.

-You could hear the disappointment though, couldn't you?

-Daniel, kind of tries to overcome any objection to it.

-He went, "Yeah(!)".

Oh, see? Another aspect.

That's super. I like that big piece of slate in the garden.

-Somebody has really cared for that.

-They've put a lot of thought into it.

What do you think of the dogs in that little pond?!

Jenny, Daniel, that is not an artificial water feature.

That is your very own beck running through your garden.

A little study-cum-office. This is great. This will be for my office.

I'll have to learn how to be tidy.

-Yeah, you will.

-Yeah. I can do that.

-How old do you think this property is?

-300 years perhaps, something like that.

-I'd be with you there, Daniel.

-What you saying?

-250, 300 years old.

-What, this place?

-Mm.

Early '80s, this.

-HE LAUGHS

-What, 1780s?

-Yes!

I don't mind those windows, Daniel. Cos it looks like wood.

-You can live with it.

-Are they double-glazed?

-Yeah.

-Peaceful up here as well.

-Yeah, it is. No noise.

-Yeah, I think we could live with that, Daniel.

-It's tranquil.

-OK, so the upstairs...

Ssh!

Yeah, it is lovely and tranquil and peaceful, isn't it?

Oh, bathroom. I quite like this. Is there a shower?

-Yeah, there's a shower attachment on the...

-Shower attachment.

-It's serviceable as it is, isn't it?

-Yeah. It's OK.

"It's OK." Er, what do you think that means in real words?

It means, like the rest of this property, it could do with getting a bit of refreshing.

So that's one bedroom, two, well, office...

-You can't do much else with that.

-Second bedroom.

OK. So this is where Joss...

Joss would have to cramp himself in.

What kind of guy needs to cramp himself in a good, double bedroom like that?

-But Joss is a big fella, isn't he?

-Oh, is he over six foot?

-Yeah.

OK. Yeah, he can cramp himself in then.

Lovely different views from every window. It's just gorgeous.

-Dual aspect windows.

-Old Daniel dropping in the estate agent terminology.

-Dual aspect bedroom.

-And what would you tag on to that to explain the views from the dual aspect?

"Dual aspect bedroom affording unparalleled views of the gorgeous West Yorkshire countryside".

-You've still got it.

-Yes!

-Not bad at all.

-So far, so good.

-Yeah.

-Well, that all seemed to go rather well.

-It did.

-I'm not convinced though that they're being as honest with us

-as they could be.

-Shall we find out?

-Yeah.

-Daniel, you're a practical fella.

-Yeah.

-You've had a look at this place.

I can instinctively sense that you were putting your own stamp on it, mentally.

-Talk me through.

-I had a feeling of how you could utilise the space a bit better.

Maybe block that doorway up over there, which is just a waste of space.

-They take an enormous amount of room.

-Yeah.

It's no practical use, cos they've got an entrance there.

All in all, refreshing this place didn't worry you at all?

No, there's no great structural work at all. The windows are fine and everything is OK.

Maybe a wood burner in the lounge, make it homely and a bit cosy in there.

-I am liking your thinking.

-Yeah.

-But, of course, that would all cost a few pennies.

-Not too many, hopefully.

-It won't be too bad, I don't think.

-Yeah.

-On top of the price, but...

Exactly. The price. On top of the price. Shall we go and find the others for guess the price?

Yeah, let's do that.

OK. Before you went in, we were a little concerned that you weren't quite

up for downsizing, but that tour seemed to go OK for you.

-Absolutely.

-Yeah.

We're ready for it now. Bring it on.

-OK! Let's bring on the price, shall we?

-OK.

-Who's first?

-You probably know better than...

-Do you want me to go first?

-Yeah.

Erm...

265.

-OK.

-OK. I'll go for the 250. I think he's got it on the nail.

-So you're going bang on budget.

Er, Daniel, you should be in the business. This place is on the market for £265,000.

-Did you tell him?!

-No.

-Did you cheat?

-No. Not at all.

-Calculated guess, you see.

Not at all. So it's one-nil, and a very good one-nil as well.

-Not a bad start then. Shall we go and check out my house, number two?

-Yes.

-Come on, let's go.

-It's this way.

Right, I've brought Daniel and Jenny slightly further east to Sowerby Bridge

to show them a Georgian former weaver's cottage.

Here we are at my choice, property number two.

Now you did say that you weren't adverse to doing a little bit of work on a property.

-Yeah.

-You wanted something that was a period property, preferably.

-Also, the kids are going to want somewhere as base for them when you're in France.

-Yep.

-Yeah.

And also not necessarily out in the middle of the sticks in a village, you said.

Oh, OK. I see where you're coming from.

That's why I've brought you to what I think is a delightful 18th-century former wool store.

-Give me your first impressions. What do you think?

-Like it.

Like it from the outside, yeah. And a lot of character.

It is a busy main road, though. I'm sure it's got redeeming features inside.

It's got loads of them. You said you've got this really large master bedroom at your current property.

You didn't think you could find that somewhere else.

Wait till you get to that attic floor

-If you don't go, "Wow!" and your imaginations start running away with you with you...

-OK.

-Get inside, wander round and we'll see you in a bit.

-Bye!

Shall we go round the back to find some peace and tranquillity? Cos we won't find it here.

OK. Daniel seemed more prepared to take on the project than Jenny did, so let battle commence inside.

-Oh, it's cold.

-It's freezing in here.

-Mm.

Is this the...entrance or the...

-Kitchen?

-This is the kitchen.

Oh!

Stove, of sorts, Daniel.

Yeah. If it works.

-It's certainly different.

-Certainly a challenge, in't it?

Make something of this and put it right.

What was it in the past did they say?

-A wool mill?

-A wool store.

-A wool store.

-Yeah.

There's the boys out in the garden.

-Hiya!

-Hello! All right?

-Gosh, it is chilly.

-Yeah, it's cold.

-Hasn't been lived in for years.

-No.

It is quite cold inside there to be fair, isn't it?

Not as cold as it is out here.

So that's kitchen.

This'll be living room, whatever.

I think Jonny's taken me to me word about doing things, in't he?

I think he has!

Yes, basically, Daniel. You said it. It's on camera.

In fairness, even I heard you say, Daniel, you didn't mind a project. Jonny has given you a project.

OK.

-Not quite sure what to make of this, to be honest.

-No?

I keep really wanting to like it, Jonny, to be honest.

-But, er...

-Quirky feel about it!

-..I'm digging deep, I'm digging deep.

I think Daniel has opened up his mind but I think we've also got a spinning Jenny.

Yeah. I can't pull the wool over her eyes, can I?

Right, this is the front of the house. So we came in the back door into the kitchen.

Whereas, normally, presumably, we'd come in that way.

I don't know. It'd be better coming in the back door. The busy main road.

-You know what I'm thinking though?

-What?

-I'd make this a really grand entrance hall.

-You could make a feature of the woodwork.

-And just have it as my little office-y bit

in the corner or something and distance ourselves from that very busy, noisy road.

-OK, the ground floor got a mixed report.

-Yeah.

-Let's see what goes on upstairs.

-Literally, the only way is up.

Oh, this is quite nice.

Nice little landing area.

Yeah, I like that.

-I think I'm going to like the upstairs a bit more than the downstairs.

-Yeah?

-Yeah.

Let's go through and see. Come on.

Oh, it's not a bedroom.

-It's a bathroom.

-Wow! Very basic. It's a minimalist bathroom.

Oh, it's quite a cool size actually, Daniel.

How would you describe the bathroom?

I mean, OK, it has got the simple white suite, which always ticks the box.

Yeah. Requires modernisation.

So, quite narrow little doorway.

-Yeah.

-I think you can knock that wall down, you know, Daniel.

Yeah, it's just a partition. If you want to.

-Hang on! I think Daniel's got enough to do.

-Yes!

Knock some walls down! That means they like it.

Jenny's starting to warm to this place.

And what do we see through the square window?

-Ooh! What's going on through the square window?

-Don't know.

-Oh, that takes me back.

-To what?

The round window, the arch window and the square window, no? OK.

Next door's garden. It's OK.

That's all right then.

How old do you think this place is?

Late 1700s, I would say, something like that.

Let's go through to the next bedroom and then we can try and work it out.

-Bit of a wonky jam.

-Tis, in't it?

You see, somebody's done some weird stuff here, haven't they?

All this pretend...

Knock all that down, cos this isn't big enough for anything really, is it?

No.

This place is quirky. The upstairs needs rethinking, cos the rooms aren't that defined.

-Don't forget, this was a place of work. This is not designed as a house.

-Exactly.

I still wonder if the bathroom should be on this side and then we're away from the road for the bedrooms.

I like that point! Take the bathroom to the front, to the main road,

-and then put your bedroom at the back where it's nice and peaceful.

-OK.

-Good thinking, Jenny.

Oh, another tiny, weeny, weeny room.

Not much space in this, is there?

I see what you've done here, Jonny.

-You've kind of got them a massive property with lots of downsized rooms in it.

-Yeah.

I take it literally.

This all wants taking down, opening up into one decent-sized room.

-Open all that up.

-You get a decent-sized room.

-You can get a lovely sized room then, couldn't you?

-Yeah.

Thing is, the first floor has more than enough space for what they need.

They need two bedrooms, a study area, a bathroom.

They just need to redefine how the rooms are worked.

It needs a lot of TLC.

My concern is, it needs a lot of work on this when we've got a lot to do in France.

Hang on. In Jonny's defence, you said you didn't mind a project here and in France.

It smells a bit musty, dampy.

-Yeah, it does, don't it?

-Blimey! A bit of rot gone on up here.

OK.

-This is a good space, in't it?

-Nice big space.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Quite like the structure of these ceiling and timbers.

Oh, feel kind of deflated now.

It's got a really awesome kind of loft feel to it.

The exposed A-frames, the beams, the wooden floor, the two skylights.

I'm actually starting to feel sorry for you.

Oh, don't go near the edge, Daniel.

There you are, in the summer.

-Oh, can you do me a balcony?

-I would have thought so, yeah.

Mm, yes, we could just overlook the pub beer garden.

-Well, that went well(!)

-Did it?

Inside, it's fair to say there's a little bit of TLC required?

-Just a little bit.

-Just a hint. Outside though,

pretty much everything's done.

About 15 years ago, the place was given Grade II listed status, which meant that the owner

got a grant from the Government and they've done loads.

Wooden-framed double-glazing, none of that plastic.

They've repointed all the walls. The chimney stack's been done,

the roofing, the central heating's in there. Water systems.

They've gone to town on the place, structurally.

So it comes down to you putting your imagination into it.

-It'll want gutting from top to bottom.

-Yeah.

-Serious job, in't it?

-Totally. So let's go play guess the price.

-Find out how much you've got to work with.

-OK.

-Jenny, I think you particularly found this place confusing.

-I did.

-It's odd, isn't it? The layout.

-It's really strange.

I don't know if it's been a house, a home, offices. I don't know what.

You have to use your imagination,

cos I know for a fact, that, even though it's listed,

-the current owners have applied to put an internal wall up to create a corridor through here.

-That's good.

Yeah, that shows that the council wouldn't be adverse to suggestions,

-as long as they were sensible, with this place.

-OK.

So you could, kind of, if you think about it,

we've got one big bedroom here. Take out those partition walls there. You've got another bedroom.

You need to put your heart and soul into it to make it right

and we could do that, but really we want to put that into our property in France.

Although you did say that you weren't scared of two projects.

Not scared of two projects. Money could be a limit.

It could be a limit.

Ah... Well, maybe Jonny could help with guess the price?

-Let's hope.

-Come on. Let's go.

The old wool store.

Has Jonny tried to fleece yer on the price?

-Oh, dear, oh, dear!

-I have to put up with this all the time.

It is guess the price time. Now at the moment, it's one-nil to Daniel.

-Mm.

-You went first last time.

-OK.

-So come along, Jenny.

I reckon it will be about £140,000.

I'd go 130,000 is all it's worth.

-OK, this property's on the market for offers in the region of £210,000.

-Oh!

-Wow!

Bear in mind, this is a detached, Grade II listed, former wool store.

It does need a lot of money spending on it.

I think £100,000 would be slightly excessive, cos structurally...

-No, I don't think so.

-It's only the internal works.

Don't look at me! All I'm thinking is, well done, Jenny, cos you've equalised.

Cos you were slightly closer, even if you were very conservative.

-Oops.

-So, it is 1-1 now. This wasn't even the wildcard.

-Oh, dear.

-What's that gonna be like?

It's that way. Come on, let's go.

We're just up the hill in Sowerby Village for today's wild-card property.

-And we've brought Jenny and Daniel to view a property that, put simply, we both love.

-Indeed.

Right, Daniel and Jenny... the wildcard.

For my property, we tested whether you were really up for downsizing.

-For Jonny's, we tested out whether you were willing to take on a big project.

-You certainly did.

And for the wildcard, we're gonna test

whether you're happy living in just a bit of an old mid-terraced house, really.

That's a bit of an understatement though, isn't it?

-Absolutely fantastic.

-Lovely looking.

It's very rare for a property to take my breath away and this is one that does it.

It is absolutely gorgeous.

If you're a fan of exposed brickwork and exposed wood, this is well and truly for you.

It was originally a 14th-century, timber-framed house. In the 1660s, they gave it a stone surround.

The views to the rear are absolutely gorgeous and the inside well and truly complements the outside.

-Make sure to make the most of it inside.

-OK.

-Will do.

-In you go. Enjoy.

-Thank you.

After you, my liege.

-Thanks.

-Verily.

It's my favourite part of the show, the wildcard. Come on!

-And by the way, that's a lovely view.

-That's all right, isn't it?

-Gosh, look at that fireplace.

-That's brilliant.

-Isn't it wonderful?

-Yeah. That stonework's super.

-It is better than wonderful.

-Yeah, it is beyond words almost. Almost.

-The fireplace is just GORGEOUS.

Wouldn't have to worry with carpets and hoovering. Oh, they'd love that.

You can just see Tony and Seb just laying there in front of the fire.

-D'you think it's a flagstone flooring?

-I think it's gritstone. That's the local stone.

Wow!

-A super room, in't it?

-In't it fab?

-Yeah.

We got a "wow!" in stereo in that dining room.

Makes you almost want to whisper, doesn't it? It's that sort of a feel to it. Like, sshh!

Jenny's right. You do almost wanna whisper when you're looking round,

cos you can feel the history coming out of the walls.

This must be the kitchen through here. Oh, cool! Look at the floor.

-That's nice, in't it?

-Oh, love the floor!

-It's not a bad little kitchen, is it?

-Can you see yourself here?

-Yeah, I don't mind it at all.

Yeah, cos I was a little bit worried because I know you don't normally like over-the-top cottagey.

-But this is more...

-It's got a bit of space about it.

-It's more lord of the manor type, isn't it?

Yeah. On a miniature scale really.

-Jenny's loving the place. Are we getting the same vibe from Daniel?

-Daniel's being a bit more reserved.

But I tell you what, what a view from the kitchen window.

-Views stunning, isn't it?

-Oh, yeah.

Oh, cool.

-Really like that.

-Yeah.

-Oh, look. Belfast sink.

Yeah. Marble work-top. It's nice is that, in't it?

-Wouldn't have to do much here.

-No, you could virtually move in and that'd be...

-I think this would accommodate quite nicely.

-Yeah.

It's not bad at all, is it?

Fantastic, open Inglenook fireplace with all the original features in the living room.

The dining room has the stove, but again with the beautiful Inglenook fireplace.

The kitchen is completely up to date. Nothing needs doing.

And Daniel says, "Yeah, not bad, is it?"

-Nice thick carpet.

-Yeah, it is.

-Look at these old beams.

-You'd have to watch your 'ead on those!

Let's have a look in here. Oh, this'll be the master bedroom.

-Gosh, it's quite a size, Daniel.

-Deceptively big, isn't it?

Look at the size of that bed! It's enormous!

This bedroom is absolutely huge.

-That's the biggest bed I've ever seen!

-This is like downsizing without having to downsize.

Oh, look!

-Oh, we've got the views. I think we can see our old house from here.

-Oh, did I mention the views?

Oh, watch the step.

-Gosh, that's unusual. It's on a different level.

-Yeah, it drops down.

-I don't understand that.

-It's cool.

You step down into it. You've got exposed stonework behind the bed.

The character just continues right throughout this house.

Oh, I love all the stonework though.

Small room this, isn't it?

Well, all they do is sleep in it. Look at the size of the rooms downstairs.

We want to encourage them to get out of bed, don't we?

-We don't want them to stay in bed all day.

-No.

-It's a great guest room.

Again, look at those views.

-Imagine waking up. You sit up in bed and what's the first thing you see?

-Daniel.

-Out the window.

-Oh, right.

-Did I mention the views?

-Fantastic.

-Yeah, it's a lovely view, isn't it?

-Yeah. Stunning. Love it.

-I do like that view.

Love it. Nah, I think it's great.

One thing we agree on is this house is absolutely gorgeous throughout.

The concern I think we'll have with Jenny and Daniel is going to be in this garden.

It's not particularly big and with those two dogs, we may have a bit of a challenge.

Excuse me. How big a garden do you need?

-It's called Yorkshire.

-Ah, OK!

Ah, this is a bigger room. If Joss behaves himself,

he can have this room.

-It's a nice room, in't it?

-And we can keep the smaller room for Jack when he's home from uni.

Again, all we have to do is just put a lick of paint on or something.

-Make it our own.

-That's it. It's all it needs, in't it?

-Yeah, brilliant.

-Lick of paint here or there.

-Yeah.

-Quite like this, Daniel.

-Jenny seems to be showing a lot of love for it, but Daniel's holding back.

-I wonder why that is?

OK, small bathroom.

Compact and bijou, I think they call it.

Again, it's cosy. Just get your candles out round there and, er...

Might have to change the colour again. That's lovely though. It's got everything you need.

-White.

-There you go, Jenny, It's got everything you need,

everything you want. Roll-top baths are gorgeous

and it's in keeping with the style and period of the property.

It is, kind of. I don't think they had roll-top baths in...

No, it's very much Victorian!

-To be fair.

-It's old, you mean, Jonny?

-That's not a bad little bathroom at all, that.

-Not bad at all.

-It'll do the job.

-Yeah, course it will.

The thing that bathroom does lack...

-Yeah.

-Is...

-A shower.

Exactly, but there's a little cubbyhole...

it's a walk-in wardrobe now... next to the master bedroom that's already plumbed to be a shower room.

-Where the boiler is?

-Yeah. It's just the current vendor chose to use for storage instead.

-For her shoes!

-Yes.

-Hundreds of shoes in there.

-Oh, walk-in wardrobe!

-That'll do for your collection, won't it?

-Oh, I think this lady's got more shoes than me.

-No! I doubt it.

-Oh, you could make that really cool.

-You could use the space better.

Yeah, and then we get all the wardrobe stuff out of our room, so we just leave it here.

-Yeah.

-Great bit of space.

-Not bad at all, that. That'll do.

-Lovely.

-Dunno where I'll put my stuff, but I haven't got...

-You don't have much, do you?

-No, that's right.

Now, Jenny, the house seemed to get a kind of mixed review there, but I

think there's one thing which is just undeniable about this place...

-the views are just amazing.

-They are stunning, aren't they?

Well, the problem is, it's very hard to guarantee a view. Because if you look just along here,

there are developers taking advantage of what we love about this place. But you know what?

-You're gonna guarantee a view for me, aren't you?

-You have a look at this map.

-See that little circle there...

-Yeah.

-On this old map from way back in 1894?

-Yeah.

If you just look over the hedge here. Can you see this little mound

-on the other side of the hedge?

-Yeah.

That is what's believed to be an old Roman beacon tower.

-This is the "castle, site of" as it says there.

-Right.

-Right?

That's a protected site.

-This is one of the few properties with a view that is more or less guaranteed.

-Brilliant.

-You can't build on that site.

-Fantastic. Can we purchase that bit of land?

No. It's even protected from you, I'm afraid!

You mightn't want to purchase it when you find out how much this is.

-OK.

-Shall we find the others?

-Let's.

-Come on.

One of the things that's contentious with this property is parking.

The vendor's reduced it quite significantly.

-It seems to be a little bit of an issue.

-Is there any space?

-Well, you've got the potential to park a car in front of the house.

-Yeah.

-I don't know if you'd really want to.

-You'd spoil your views.

Yeah. We've got this area. There's enough space here for two or three cars.

So this goes with it?

It doesn't, this is the thing. It's actually a separate deed, this bit of land.

-It's available through negotiation.

-OK.

The way to look at it is, this is going to have to be an extra cost.

-Yeah.

-But that's dependent on what the actual value of the house is.

-Yeah.

-So let's play guess the price.

-Let's go.

How was it overall? What did you think?

-I think it's a lovely place.

-Yeah, its internal space is lovely.

It is. It's gorgeous. Full of character.

I was concerned when I saw how close the road is, but the double-glazing's superb.

Daniel, you seem quite reserved about this place.

The outside space isn't big enough, really.

The issue with the parking.

-Right.

-Yeah, there's a little bit of an issue there.

But, hopefully, the guess the price thing could possibly swing it back in your favour.

-Let's see. It is one-all. Your budget's £250,000.

-Yup.

For this piece of history how much do you think the price is?

Your turn to go first, Daniel.

Present climate,

225.

-OK. Jenny?

-I think it'll be more, even with the present climate,

because of the age of it and where it is.

I'd say...239.

239? OK, well...

-The lady has it.

-Yeah?

-Yes.

-Ya! Bring it on.

-2-1 to Jenny.

This place, because of what we talked about, the beautiful views

and, you've just mentioned yourself, the history of this place...

it's actually bang on your budget of £250,000.

But you did just allude to the fact there, Daniel, it's a buyer's market at the moment.

So there could be room for manoeuvre.

Right, we've now shown you three absolutely diverse, but all lovely, properties.

You've now got to decide which one you'd like to test drive, or as we say...

-Try before you buy.

-So, why don't you go and have a confab about that

-and make a decision. See you in a bit.

-Thank you.

And while they're off making that decision, here's a recap for you at home.

Will Jenny and Daniel go for my offering,

a lovely gritstone cottage set in stunning surroundings, with a fabulous landscaped garden?

£15,000 over budget though at £265,000.

We'll see, Simon. They might still go for my former wool store.

A huge project, granted, but nothing that Daniel couldn't whip into shape

and I think a real bargain for offers in the region of...

But our wild card went well, didn't it, Jonny? Bags of original features and those

amazing fireplaces, right on budget at...

Well, Jenny and Daniel, despite the obvious temptations of my property and the wild card,

you've plumped for Simon's house, property number one.

-Now the sun's come out, it's clear to see why, isn't it?

-Yeah, it is.

-It's absolutely stunning.

-It ticks all the boxes. We love it.

-Yeah.

-Yeah, thanks. It wasn't just me though.

The To Buy Or Not To Buy team also had a big hand in this.

Also our secretive sleuth of a surveyor has had his terrier-like nose

in all the nooks and crannies. But I do just have to say, it's not a legally binding survey.

Obviously, if you proceed with this or any other property, go through a solicitor

-and get all the right searches and surveys done.

-Yeah.

First thing I have to tell you, that this place is as solid as the millstone grit

from which it is hewn. It is absolutely gorgeous and all there.

Nothing wrong with this place. Brilliant.

One of the things he mentioned as a possible limitation, that quintessential open fireplace

that one would expect to find. There's no chimney stack or flue.

-No.

-He did mention that trying to find a place to position that is going to be a little bit difficult,

so you'd have to investigate that.

But apart from that, as Simon said, this place is absolutely bang on.

-We could put a wood stove in and take the pipe outside.

-Up the side, yeah.

-But his point was, you might be a little bit restricted on how you do that.

-OK.

Anything is possible, just might cost a few bob.

-Apart from that, as we've just said, what a beautiful place.

-Stunning.

Why don't you get on and enjoy the place a bit more

-and we'll just enjoy the view, shall we?

-Yeah.

-See you later.

-Cuppa tea?

-I'm just enjoying that.

-You're drinking in the view.

Crikey, it looks like Jenny's already got some ideas on the decorating front.

What's that she's holding?

Just prepared this little mood board, to give you a feel.

I'm thinking of bringing the outside in and lighten this room up a bit,

cos it's on the darker side of the house.

Put a stove in as well, I would have thought.

Wow, that'd be cool.

No. It wouldn't be cool, Jenny, it'd be hot.

She's a woman on a mission, isn't she?

-Where's she going with all those samples?

-I've been looking through a couple of magazines,

taken some sheets out, cos it's a smaller bathroom than we're used to.

And I'm not sure whether to actually add gold and then a splash of colour with this lovely leaf trail.

I think this means Daniel's had enough of the interior design.

They're off to test out the local dog walking routes and enjoy those fantastic views.

Come on then.

Jenny and Daniel, you've now had a bit more time in this gorgeous, tranquil spot,

up here on the Dales, overlooking Calderdale. What do you think of this house?

I think it's fantastic. I really have fallen in love with it.

-I can see myself here.

-Yeah. There was an "I" there, Daniel. It wasn't "we".

Yeah. It's maybe a tad small for me.

Well, you know, this is the issue you're gonna have to face. You do wanna downsize.

It is a lovely spot.

-Could I live with that amount of space? I don't know.

-As we searched, as the property team

and ourselves searched, we did find, that to find a traditional period property

with the outside space, as well, and interior space for this budget was a bit of challenge.

Not forgetting that the dream is about being in France.

-Oh, yes.

-The focus of this is the downsizing...

Why would you wanna go to France?!

-Look at it!

-Get your point!

-Let's see if we can do it. Shall we ask the question?

The big question - to buy or not to buy?

Well, I think you need to give me 24 hours to work on him, but as far as I'm concerned...

As long as we can get the price for our house that we need to buy

-this house, then I think yeah, I'd go after it.

-Go on, Daniel.

Yeah, maybe knock a few thousand off the asking price and it would be realistic.

-Ah, that would make it more appealing, wouldn't it?

-Yeah.

-That's the Yorkshire in him...

-We'll call it a Reserve To Buy, shall we?

-That'll be fine.

-Good luck with it. Let us know how it works out.

-We will do.

-And take care.

-You'll have to come back.

-Au revoir.

-Salut.

-A bientot. What do you think, lovey?

-Yeah, it's super, yeah.

-It is.

It's gorgeous. Look at all this.

-You know what I'm thinking, don't you, Jonny?

-Yellow.

No, underneath that gruff, tough, Yorkshire exterior, Daniel is a big, old softie.

-I think Jenny's going to get her way with this.

-You're probably right about that.

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