Location Location Location Season 44 Episode 06

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Transcript

00:00This time we're catching up with two families who were looking for future-proof homes with

00:10room to grow. For one, a move to Leeds was on the cards to upgrade from a small London rental to

00:16their own property. For the other, first-time buyers returning to Essex to be closer to parents

00:22before starting a family. Home is where the heart is, it's just that Kirsty and I had to find the

00:27homes first. In June 2021, we were helping Kinga, Dave and daughter Lily navigate the fast-paced

00:36Leeds market. And back in June 2019, first-time buyers Adam and Becky wanted to move closer to

00:43family in Essex. Adam and Becky started as flatmates at university before falling in love and going on

00:53to travel the world. Becky's lovely. We've always gotten really well ever since we've known each

00:58other. We just get on, don't we? It just works. Here we are buying a house together, which seems a bit

01:03bizarre, to be honest. Civil servant Adam and commercial media producer Becky live in a rental

01:10in Hadley in Suffolk, but both commute for work to Colchester in Essex. We're looking to move

01:16closer to her parents back in Essex and somewhere that's a bit bigger with more space so that we

01:22can start a family in the future. We're looking between Morden and Colchester and all the little

01:26places in between. They've had 25 viewings, two offers and no success. And like many first-time

01:35buyers, they're having a tough time in a tricky market. The first offer, we were outbid. The second

01:41property we offered on was accepted, but then there was problems along the way with the sellers.

01:47I feel like we're doing everything we can, but we still can't find the right house.

01:51Despite the disappointment, they are focused on what they want. We're looking for a small town,

01:57definitely has to have a pub. We like the quiet life. We want a good-sized garden.

02:02It catches the sun. Yeah, it's nice that we can have enough space to socialise and there's enough

02:07space to grow things. As I used to be a tree surgeon, I've got a few chainsaws and power

02:12tools and things like that. And they think of petrol, so they need to go like locks away in a

02:16garage. You would like a big project, weren't you? My dad's got a hardware store and I've seen him

02:21do up his house and helped him along the way so I can see the potential it's got rather than what

02:27it's currently there. And just the house that we can stay in, hopefully forever really. Yeah.

02:31But we're ready to go straight away. We've just got to find the house. Well, we'd better get this

02:36right. Now, tell me about your search so far. What's been going wrong? The first house we ever

02:42saw, we put an offer in. Okay. And I think in hindsight, now we know that was not the right

02:48house. It didn't have any further potential. They'd done everything that they could to it.

02:52Whereas we want something that in the future we could maybe grow into a bit more and have

02:57more potential. So you're actively looking to do work? Yeah, I would like to.

03:01I think it's nice to put your own mark on something. So the maximum budget's 300. I mean,

03:06the budget is tight. So are we expecting to find, if it's 300, that you walk in, turn

03:12the key and unpack? I would say so. It doesn't have to be completely to our tastes. It has

03:17to be livable. Yeah. I would disagree. Would you? Because I don't think we will find a house

03:21that will be ready to move in. So if we could get a top budget and then spend money along the

03:27way, then I'd be happy to do that. You're both right, because it does have to be livable.

03:31I suspect you'll want to put your stamp on anywhere that you live. Let's not make this

03:35any harder than it has to be. Okay. So we're focused, realistic, sensible, prepared, decisive.

03:44Yeah. We'll see. We'll see. We'll see in part of that.

03:47Well, can't decide if they're decisive? Maybe a clue in there, Phil. Adam and Becky's maximum

03:53budget is £300,000, aided by a whopping £45,000 saved deposit.

04:00They need three beds for future family, the potential for a project, and a garden to grow

04:05some veg. And close to Colchester, for both their jobs.

04:10Focusing their search on Essex, I'll be creating an almost equilateral triangle between Tiptree,

04:18Toulsbury and Malden. And 230 miles north, we're searching the highly desirable areas of Chapel

04:24Allerton and Moortown, to the north of Leeds city centre.

04:27Dave is a social researcher, and his Polish-born wife, Kinga, a civil servant. They fell in love

04:35after meeting at work, and now married with a two-year-old daughter named Lily, they rent

04:40a flat in South London. Having Lily changed everything for us, really, because there's

04:44a lot of things about London that we love. Yeah.

04:47But we want a home for our family, and we want to have enough space.

04:52And, like, slower life, and being outdoors a little bit more.

04:55And with Dave's brother living in Leeds, getting back to his northern roots seemed the obvious

05:00choice for their lifestyle overhaul. But searching for their dream family home from the other end

05:06of the M1 has been driving them mad.

05:09The market is really fast. We sent my brother to look at a couple of places, and by the time

05:14that we actually would have been able to get up and see them, they were gone.

05:17After ten months of searching, they thought they'd found their dream three-bed family home

05:21in the smart suburbs north of Leeds.

05:24Once we had the offer accepted, we really started to envisage living in that house.

05:29When it fell through, it was quite dispiriting.

05:32Yeah.

05:33The sellers had a change of heart, but Kinga and Dave have picked themselves up, transferred

05:38their jobs up here, and with their £375,000 budget, are more determined than ever to make

05:44this life-changing move a reality.

05:47That's good news, Phil, because your only trump card in a market like this is flexibility.

05:52Never a truer word, Kirsty, but first I want to know what they know.

05:57I understand that you both work in research, so what do you need me for?

06:01I think the logistics is just the biggest challenge.

06:06We had one property, we called up the same afternoon, it went on the market, they said

06:10they had 60 viewings booked in, and we could be 31st on the waiting list.

06:14So, I can get you further up the list.

06:17Exactly.

06:18Let's talk about what you're looking for.

06:19Well, we're after a three-bed property, four if we can squeeze it somehow.

06:25If possible, an open plan downstairs, in the garden, obviously.

06:29With Lily, we really want to have a bit of space for her to be able to go out and play.

06:34We need to get it done.

06:34But it is very fluid and fast-moving, and we'll just have to roll with the punches and

06:38adapt as we go.

06:40We're ready for it.

06:41Yeah.

06:42They're lucky to have you in their corner, Phil.

06:45Kinga and Dave have saved hard for a deposit of 81 grand, and, along with a mortgage, have

06:50a maximum spend of £375,000.

06:53They want a character property in moving condition, with three to four good-sized bedrooms and

07:00an open-plan kitchen.

07:02Outside space is a must, as is a good primary school for Lily.

07:10We're starting off in their number one spot of Chapel Allerton.

07:14As we search, good houses around their budget are going for £50,000 over asking price and

07:20selling fast.

07:21We are starting right in the very heart of Chapel Allerton to see a Victorian townhouse.

07:29Wow, that's amazing.

07:31It does have a compromise.

07:34The garden is at the front.

07:35That's a yard in the rub.

07:36A yard in the rub.

07:38Yeah.

07:39That's all you think.

07:40Call her me.

07:41I don't imagine Kinga and Dave are going to give up on a garden that easily, Phil.

07:46You never know, Kirsty.

07:47This double-fronted Victorian end terrace is quite the find.

07:51On the ground floor, there's the must-have open-plan kitchen diner with feature fireplace.

07:57And the lounge is charming.

07:59On the first floor, there are two lovely bedrooms, one for Lily and an office for Dave, plus a

08:05family shower room.

08:06The second floor has the main bedroom and a fabulous en suite with bath.

08:11Plus, there's a huge basement for storage.

08:13It has the character they asked for.

08:16Although the lack of rear garden isn't ideal, this is what makes it so affordable.

08:20At £300,000, it's £75,000 under their top spend.

08:26But it's expected to go for around £3.30.

08:30Straight into the kitchen.

08:33It's perhaps a little basic and it's finished.

08:36So the potential is good.

08:37Prop your heads into the living room for a minute.

08:40Wow.

08:40What do you think?

08:41I quite like the kind of quirky shape of it.

08:44The bay window was amazing.

08:46I really like that.

08:47They've actually said interested parties need to let them know today.

08:50I think this area for us would probably need a little bit of work.

08:54But the location's amazing, isn't it?

08:56Yeah.

08:56And the house itself is gorgeous.

08:58Yeah, yeah.

08:59This pair seemed game for a bit of DIY, which is great.

09:02They could transform this kitchen for minimal costs, and the rest of the house wouldn't need

09:07to be touched.

09:08The main bedroom, with its bathroom, the main bedroom here, lovely and light and bright

09:14and big.

09:15This is a great room, isn't it?

09:16Yeah, it's gorgeous.

09:18Something to bear in mind, given Lily's age, is the stairs are steep, and there's lots of

09:22them.

09:23Things to think about.

09:24Yeah, for sure.

09:25I think you've piqued their interest, Phil, but they'll need to be willing to compromise

09:29on the things they can't change.

09:31It's a beautiful house.

09:32It's got a lot of potential to be something that we'd really enjoy living in, I think.

09:36Yeah.

09:37There's just one or two question marks for us.

09:39Yeah.

09:40Garden.

09:41Yeah, the garden, the stairs.

09:43It's got its challenges, but it's also got its opportunities.

09:46Mm.

09:47So, yeah.

09:48Let's move on from here.

09:49Perfect.

09:51Kinga and Dave love most of this house, but they don't seem ready to commit to it today,

09:56and by tomorrow, it'll be gone.

10:06This time, we're catching up with two sets of house hunters who needed room to grow.

10:12In 2021, Kinga and Dave were relocating from London to Leeds, but the first house I showed

10:19them fell short.

10:20That is a yard and rub.

10:21A yard and rub.

10:23Yeah.

10:23And in 2019, Becky and Adam were desperate to get on the property ladder in Essex.

10:33My first property for them is in Tiptree, a lovely village close to Becky's family.

10:40This is the house.

10:41Yeah.

10:41Before we go in, we'll tackle the garden, and I know the garden's important.

10:46You want to grow vegetables and all of that.

10:47Yeah.

10:48How does that strike?

10:50I think...

10:51I think you can make it look really lovely.

10:52Yeah.

10:52I think it's a good space to work with.

10:54Yeah.

10:55And you're not overlooked, so even though there's a house right there, it doesn't have a window.

10:58Hmm.

10:59Located in a quiet cul-de-sac, this four-bed semi is a roomy family home and a blank canvas

11:04inside and out.

11:06A wraparound garden on three sides of the property means space aplenty.

11:11Downstairs, the bright lounge is south-facing.

11:14Adam's desire for a project could be satisfied by extending the kitchen into the garage, but

11:20keeping some space for his tool storage.

11:24Upstairs, there are four bedrooms, one more than they'd ask for.

11:27And again, with a little vision, they could make this place their own.

11:32Perfectly livable for now.

11:34Work would have to be done over time, especially as this is top of budget, and offers in excess

11:39of 300 grand.

11:40Come on in out of the rain.

11:44There we go.

11:45How does it strike you?

11:47It's nice going straight out into the garden and having all the light come in.

11:50Yeah.

11:51The kitchen, I think, is a good size.

11:53It's just a bit drab.

11:55You know, it's brown, it's brown, it's brown.

11:57But the size is okay.

11:59There's not really enough space to fit, like, a good-sized table that we've got now.

12:02Maybe there's a dining room.

12:04Is there a dining room?

12:05There's a garage.

12:06So, knocking through would give them a bigger dining kitchen and the project they want.

12:13Oh, look, this is the big one.

12:14A master, yes.

12:15This is a really good size, isn't it?

12:17Yeah.

12:18I think it's, well, it's much bigger than I expected.

12:20Yeah.

12:21So, this is good.

12:22Yeah, definitely.

12:23Nice view.

12:24And onto the street.

12:25That's nice.

12:26Nice little park.

12:27Yeah.

12:28Seems positive.

12:30That's more than enough space, isn't it?

12:32Well, then it's your area.

12:32If we brought the kitchen out, like, how much would you need less?

12:36It's about it.

12:37Hi.

12:38Hey.

12:39Enough room for your chainsaws and wrapping?

12:41Definitely, yeah.

12:42More than enough space.

12:43Good.

12:44Until we could knock through as well to there and extend the kitchen tiles.

12:48You want all the spare putters that you can.

12:49Definitely.

12:50What did you think of the house as a whole?

12:53I really liked it.

12:54Yeah, I think having the fourth bedroom is, like, an added bonus.

12:56Yeah.

12:57Well, we're starting off on a good foot.

12:58Yeah.

12:59Let's see if we can beat it.

13:00Okay.

13:00Come on, then.

13:02That's one in the running.

13:04Clearly, they've got a bit of vision, and that bodes well for the rest of the search.

13:10As for Kinga and Dave, living in London and looking in Leeds, with a toddler in tow, has

13:16left them tired and ticked off.

13:18They're ready to put this search to bed and get on with their lives.

13:22So, I'm hoping my next property is going to give them something to smile about.

13:26We've come to Moortown, a smart suburb to the north of the city, which they know and like.

13:32In fact, it's just down the road from the property they loved and lost.

13:37Fancy seeing you here.

13:39Hello, I.

13:40Right in the epicenter.

13:42Yeah.

13:42And we've got a really big semi.

13:45Yeah.

13:46With four bedrooms.

13:47What's up?

13:48Garage and a garden.

13:49Brilliant.

13:50That looks great from the outside.

13:52Yeah.

13:52Very similar to the one we almost got.

13:54Yeah, very, very similar.

13:56The shelter is literally the same from the outside.

13:58Okay.

13:58Yeah, there was a three bed.

14:00Let's get in.

14:01Another good reaction.

14:03Let's hope this house has the magic formula.

14:06Move-in condition is important to them, and here they get a stunningly refurbished 1950s semi.

14:12On the ground floor, there's a fabulous open-plan kitchen diner, plus lovely spacious living room.

14:19There's three delightful double bedrooms on the first floor, and a family bathroom.

14:23But unlike the last property and their loved and lost house, there's a fourth bedroom.

14:29The loft has been converted into this wonderful main suite with its own shower room, perfect for Kingo and Dave.

14:36And the joy continues outside.

14:37There's a good-sized rear garden that they could really make their own, plus a garage or potential home office for Dave.

14:44All of this comes at a price, though.

14:47At £370,000, it's just £5,000 under their maximum spend of £375,000, and it's already had 18 viewings.

14:57The current owners have done it themselves.

15:01Wow.

15:02So it is walk-in ready.

15:04I love the kitchen.

15:05Yes, that's really loud.

15:05It's really spaced out.

15:07It's actually really similar to the one we offered on.

15:09Yes.

15:10Good.

15:10In taste and style and everything.

15:13Yeah.

15:14Good feelings to staff.

15:15Definitely.

15:16Good, good, good.

15:17Let's see some more.

15:18Smiles inside, and I doubt the garden will put them off.

15:22Little patio, and out onto a southeast-facing garden, which could be absolutely lovely.

15:27Yeah.

15:28It's perfect for Lily to run around in.

15:30We could get a swing and a slide.

15:32Yeah.

15:32It's really good.

15:33Exciting.

15:34Yeah.

15:34Definitely, yeah.

15:35Everything appears rosy in the garden, and with plenty of space inside as well, this house

15:41could see this family through the next 20 years or more.

15:45It's good.

15:46Yeah.

15:47Same size as the one we almost bought.

15:49Yeah, it's like the same layout, but it's a big bedroom, isn't it?

15:52It's good.

15:54I'm feeling super grateful and fortunate that this is so similar to the one that they offered

16:00on before.

16:03I've struck it lucky here.

16:05You're a jammy devil, Phil, but you wouldn't have got here without the legwork.

16:09I don't often get compliments on my legs, but thanks all the same, Kirsty.

16:14Oh, that's great.

16:15I like that.

16:16Perfect shower and bath.

16:17Yeah, yeah.

16:18The bath's great, isn't it?

16:19Definitely fit Lily in there.

16:21Yeah.

16:23Kinga and Dave are starting to imagine themselves here, which is a great sign.

16:28I think we have a new front-runner.

16:30Now, this could be the house that changes everything for this family.

16:35And back in Essex, my Project Positive pair had the vision at Property 1, so with a change

16:43of location.

16:44I'm hoping that makeover mood continues.

16:47Historic Talsbury is famous for its oysters.

16:50No wonder Adam and Becky have acquired a taste for the tranquility of this area.

16:54It's one of their top spots.

16:55Nice and near the water.

16:58Yeah.

16:58It's a really lovely bit.

16:59It is lovely.

16:59Yeah, we love it.

17:00This is the curb appeal that we're after.

17:03This is what we want.

17:04How about that?

17:06Okay.

17:07I wasn't expecting it to do that one.

17:10I thought that was like the village hall one.

17:11Well, exactly.

17:12I mean, it's full of character and interest and history.

17:15I think it's an absolute crack-up.

17:17Yeah, certainly.

17:18But come on in.

17:19Let's have a look.

17:21This late Victorian three-bed semi is a project which Adam and Becky aren't scared of, but

17:27it's also a real find that offers incredible value for money.

17:32Downstairs, the room sizes are huge.

17:34The 19-foot lounge is bright and light.

17:37And while both the kitchen and dining area are dated, if opened up, they'd create a fab space.

17:43The all-important garden is north-facing, but it's so long that it'll still get sun at

17:49the far end.

17:51There are also outbuildings for Adam's tools.

17:55Upstairs are three large bedrooms.

17:57Ample room for the couple who want to start a family.

18:00And with this kind of space, bath times could be fun too.

18:04If they're willing to take on the work, they could create a standout family home here.

18:08And although at £315,000, it's £15,000 over budget, we do know the vendor would take

18:15£300,000 for a quick sale.

18:17Pretty amazing room.

18:19Fireplace.

18:19Love that.

18:20I like the ceiling.

18:21Yeah, it's got space.

18:23Yeah.

18:23It's got something to it.

18:24Yeah.

18:25It's not just a box.

18:26I love it so far.

18:27Good.

18:27I really do.

18:28Good.

18:28Let's see some more.

18:30Bet you weren't expecting to see a proper dining room.

18:32No.

18:32Not at all.

18:33Kitchen at the back is, I mean, it's dated, you would redo it.

18:38And if you were, one day, to open it up through to the dining room, it would be the most sensational

18:43room.

18:44Yeah.

18:44That's what we'd like to do.

18:46Definitely.

18:46Yeah.

18:47Lots of positivity here, Phil.

18:50Yes, and outside, I think it'll only get better.

18:53Wow.

18:55That's a fantastic space, isn't it?

18:57That's so nice.

18:59You've got a greenhouse.

19:00Perfect.

19:01You've got a greenhouse.

19:03I spotted that.

19:05Everything's really nice.

19:06What's going to have to go wrong upstairs?

19:07Two bedrooms.

19:08Yeah.

19:11Just two bedrooms, isn't it?

19:13Stop teasing them, Phil.

19:15Would I do that?

19:17The bedrooms are all present and correct.

19:20The only surprise up there is the super-sized bathroom.

19:23Oh, my God.

19:24It's huge, isn't it?

19:25Yeah.

19:25You could fit a ping-pong table in there.

19:28It'd have a nice, light roll-top bath.

19:31Let me just, like, splash in the cash that we don't have.

19:33But it's good.

19:34It's top of budget and needs work, but it's a project they could get their teeth into.

19:39Best go and see if they're in a biting mood.

19:41How'd you get on up there?

19:43I think the house has all the space that we need.

19:45Yeah.

19:45It is a forever home contender.

19:47It is.

19:48And it doesn't all have to happen at the same time, which is what we need to remember.

19:51You're in danger of talking yourselves into it.

19:53I know.

19:53We don't know what to say, do we?

19:56Because it's great.

19:58Well, look, let's carry on.

20:00Got another house.

20:01Kirsty's coming.

20:02Yeah.

20:03We'll see what happens.

20:04It'll probably all go to pot now.

20:05The surest way to make sure they're sure is to show them another property for comparison.

20:14Back with Kinga and Dave.

20:16They love property too, but it was close to their maximum spend.

20:19So, for my final offering, we're back in their top spot of Chapel Allerton to see a significantly cheaper, but also smaller property.

20:28Kirsty's joining us.

20:29Good morning.

20:31I'm Phil Setterhart.

20:34First impression of standing here.

20:36Yeah.

20:36I think first impressions are good.

20:39It's had 11 viewings.

20:41There's seven more at the weekend, and there is an asking price offer.

20:44Looks nice.

20:44I think we really like the area.

20:46Keen to get it.

20:48Get inside.

20:48Okay.

20:48Look.

20:49Come on.

20:50You tell him.

20:50He speaks slow.

20:52It's what we like.

20:53A bit of...

20:54Otherwise, this place will be sold before we get inside.

20:57That would be a shame, because this smart 1960s semi has got a high degree of polish.

21:04On the ground floor, the open-pan kitchen diner hits the wish list, and there's a cosy lounge.

21:10Upstairs are three bright bedrooms.

21:13Two doubles and a single, or potential home office for Dave.

21:16Plus, there's a family bathroom.

21:19Outside, there are gardens to the front and rear, so plenty of space for a swing and slide for Lily.

21:24But the real selling point about this property is price.

21:28It's being marketed at £290,000, a staggering £85,000 under budget.

21:34But with the amount of interest, it's set to fly.

21:38So we've got a very similar layout to other things that we've been looking at.

21:42It's just on a slightly smaller scale.

21:44Yep.

21:45It's a lot cheaper.

21:46But it's lovely.

21:47Oh, it's really lovely.

21:47Yeah, it's really nice.

21:48Very nice.

21:49Very well done.

21:50I like it.

21:51You could be onto something here, Phil.

21:54The cheaper price tag is bound to be appealing, and this place comes with opportunities of its own.

21:59So you can see what that house has done.

22:01Yeah.

22:01You can see what that house has done.

22:02They've got a huge extension.

22:04Yeah, wow.

22:04There's got to be potential here for a double storey extension, or to come out the back.

22:09I mean, there is lots that you could do.

22:10I mean, otherwise it's great, because it is the right size.

22:13Like, it can still fit the slide.

22:15Every time you say a slide and you smile, it's lovely.

22:19That's obviously really key.

22:21Which we've been promising Lily that all her sacrifices will result in a little garden and slide.

22:27It's looking like this might be the one for Kinga.

22:30Let's hope Dave is down with that as well.

22:32There's no furniture in this room apart from this cupboard.

22:35It's a small room, and you wouldn't necessarily notice that on first viewing.

22:38It's a nice room.

22:40Mm-hmm.

22:40Lovely.

22:41Seems the cheaper price tag isn't winning Dave over.

22:45Maybe size does matter.

22:47I feel a little bit tired, and obviously, you know, we're being out of bed, and the house purchase falling through.

22:52I think we're just ready to finally get it done.

22:54Yeah. I guess whenever you're buying houses, it's a trade-off between different things.

22:59It's a head-scratcher.

23:02With another bar interested in this place, Kinga and Dave will need to make a swift decision.

23:07But they'll have to agree first.

23:09How'd you get on with Dave?

23:10I think they'll go for the bigger one.

23:12Mm-hmm.

23:12But I think he's looking at this in an interested fashion.

23:16It's a simple, straightforward option.

23:19Yeah.

23:19But you can find the houses, but keeping them and keeping everybody else out of them, it's tough.

23:24I'd say they both like this house.

23:26It's just a question of whether there's enough of it.

23:30So, folks, how does it stack up on the spreadsheet?

23:33Well, I think it would actually tick lots of boxes, but it's so much smaller.

23:37Yeah.

23:38On the house of yesterday.

23:39These are big decisions.

23:40But let's move on from here.

23:42Okay, darling.

23:43Okay.

23:43Yeah, thank you.

23:44Both property two and property three are in the running.

23:47But if Kinga and Dave want to actually buy either of them, they'll have to move fast to beat the competition.

23:53We're back catching up with two sets of house hunters, who are each looking for a future-proof home to grow into.

24:07In Essex, Adam and Becky have seen two houses, with property two leading the pack.

24:15Wow.

24:16That's a fantastic space, isn't it?

24:18And in Leeds, Kinga and Dave have a big decision to make.

24:22Wow.

24:23I love the kitchen.

24:24It's actually really similar to the one we offered on.

24:26Yeah.

24:32For my final throw the dice in Essex, I've unearthed a property in another of their top areas, picturesque Maldon.

24:39But Maldon's beauty does come at a price.

24:42With their budget, to live here, they'll have to compromise on character and space.

24:48Nonetheless, it's still delivering on garden, bedrooms, project and commute.

24:52This hinges on how much they love Maldon, which they do love it, but Maldon's more expensive.

24:59Well, Maldon should be more expensive. It's pretty as a picture.

25:02Come and join us. It's happy, smiling, fancy.

25:05Well, we are in Maldon.

25:08Hello.

25:09It is a very pretty place.

25:11Admittedly, here, you could be anywhere.

25:13Initial thoughts?

25:15I prefer the other place, to be honest.

25:19From the outside.

25:20Yeah.

25:20And the area.

25:21You prefer the other area?

25:23Yeah.

25:23It's nothing like as characterful or as big as where we've just come from.

25:27They're asking between 300 and 315.

25:30Standing here right now, knowing this is smaller, and it needs a bit of work, and it's where it is, and you can't get it for less than 300.

25:37Yeah, it's a no, though.

25:38It's a no.

25:39I still feel like we need to see it, to say that.

25:41Becky is looking for the feeling, and you're Mr Practical.

25:44Yeah.

25:45So he straight away, no, but we've not got it in there to be.

25:46Why don't you take Becky and have a quick squeeze in?

25:48Okay, I'll take Becky in.

25:51Not a great start.

25:53I think Becky needs some of that all-stop vision.

25:56This place could be the perfect lesson in not judging a book by its cover.

26:00It's got real project potential.

26:01Inside the kitchen is big enough for a dining table, and the lounge is roomy and opens onto the garden.

26:08French or bifold doors here would help join the house to the outdoor space.

26:13Which is fab for my pair.

26:15A great social space for barbecues, and plenty of room for veg growing.

26:20Upstairs, updating and modernising are required.

26:23The master bedroom is large, and the two other bedrooms perfect for when Adam and Becky start their family.

26:28Located in Malden, it has a guide price between £3,000 and £315,000.

26:34We think Adam and Becky's £300,000 should do it, but whether we'll get that far is up to you, Kirsty.

26:41A little office, and then you've got a kitchen diner-ish, which you could knock down that warm-cut an island.

26:49Yeah.

26:50If you wanted to have this as one room.

26:54I quite like having a separate lounge.

26:56I'm trying, Phil, but I don't know if I'm helping.

26:59And you've got a big garden.

27:01The garden's fine.

27:03How does it strike you?

27:07Okay, okay, that's fine.

27:08That's fine.

27:10Yeah.

27:12What are you chuckling at?

27:14I don't know what Becky thinks of the house, because...

27:17She didn't tell me.

27:19She asked me if I liked it, and I just didn't really have any words.

27:23It's not awful, but like you said earlier, we could be anywhere here.

27:28I said that earlier, to be honest.

27:29Phil didn't say that earlier.

27:30Come on, I like looking round houses.

27:34Fuck!

27:35You slash Phil Spencer likes looking round houses.

27:38What do I spend my time doing?

27:40I'll do it at the weekends.

27:43Adam and Becky only have eyes for property, too.

27:46As it's top of budget and needs modernising, we're going back for another look, and we've

27:51lined up a local builder to advise.

27:53Good morning, Lee.

27:54Good morning.

27:55In the short term, they'd like to remove the wall between the kitchen and the dining

27:59room to create a huge family space.

28:01Just taking the wall up to the chimney, and then you're not losing your wall for your kitchen

28:06units, but you've still got a much wider walkthrough.

28:09And in the longer term, they want to make sure there's scope to create a fourth bedroom

28:13in the attic space, should they ever need it.

28:16It's potential.

28:17It's fantastic.

28:18I mean, for me, it's more, can we do it in the future if we need to?

28:21Let's go and sit down somewhere and see if we can knot it through.

28:24Yeah.

28:24Okay.

28:25The house was originally on the market at 325,000 and was reduced to 315,000, but we

28:32know the vendor is keen to move and would now take 300,000.

28:35But anything more we could save them would certainly help with the work.

28:38It's just put us in a bit of a dilemma, hasn't it?

28:41Yeah.

28:42What work we can afford.

28:44We do want to stay there for a long time, so perhaps we do that big work in the future.

28:48Do you have a plan?

28:50We want to put in an offer.

28:52Yeah.

28:52I think initially we'd be looking at offering 295,000.

28:56It was on the market at 325,000.

28:58Yeah.

28:58We're going to need quite a case.

29:00Yes.

29:00Yeah.

29:01To persuade him to sell it for less than 300,000.

29:05Let's do it.

29:08That's ringing.

29:09With serious chain-free buyers, he might just stand a chance.

29:12Hi, Matt.

29:14I do have an offer for you.

29:15To put it into some context, I can absolutely guarantee if the paperwork came through nice

29:21and quick, then we could have that deal done in a month.

29:24Yeah.

29:24The offer that they are able to make is at 295.

29:31Sure.

29:33Cheers.

29:33Bye.

29:34He didn't have much comment.

29:37Okay.

29:38I think the vendor will have a bit of a choke.

29:40And then hopefully he digest the offer positively.

29:46And back with Kinga and Dave, there are two houses in the running, but their favourite is

29:50property two, the four-bed semi in Moortown.

29:53Having previously loved and lost a similar property nearby, I don't want to see Kinga

29:58and Dave miss out again.

30:00It's on the market at 370.

30:02I know there were two more viewings today.

30:05One of those is a second viewing.

30:07We think that we would like to make an opening offer of 350.

30:13Yeah.

30:14Wow, that's a great starting point.

30:16That's still 20 grand below the asking price, Phil.

30:18But let's hope.

30:21Charlotte, hi, it's Phil Spencer.

30:24We've just been having a good council of war.

30:26There is another one that's in consideration that is in beautiful condition.

30:30However, yours has a longer term house.

30:33But we've struggled to get comfortable with the 370 asking price.

30:38And the offer they've asked me to put forward is for 350,000.

30:43If we can't get this, we need to switch horses and get something else before we lose it.

30:49Thank you so much.

30:50Good luck.

30:50Thanks, Charlotte.

30:51Bye.

30:52Bye.

30:52It's just the wait now for them to call us back, isn't it?

30:55It's an anxious wait.

30:57Thankfully, whilst Kinga and Dave still have fingernails to nibble, the agent calls back.

31:03Here we go.

31:04Hi, Charlotte.

31:06Hi, Charlotte.

31:09That's a big ask.

31:11Leave it with me.

31:12I'll let you know.

31:13Thanks, Charlotte.

31:15The vendors come back and said no.

31:18They would do a deal around 365.

31:22I think coming up to 365.

31:23I think coming up to 365 is too far from the starting position of 350.

31:29360?

31:29I think, yeah, 360.

31:31And they take it off, I think, is a fair ask.

31:35Yeah.

31:36Let's do it.

31:40Charlotte, it's Phil.

31:41They would put 360 on the table on the condition that that was accepted today and the property

31:48were removed from the market.

31:50Okay.

31:52Bye.

31:54Dave and Kinga are so close to owning a wonderful first family home of their own.

31:59I just hope we've done enough to secure it.

32:05In Essex, we've been waiting for an answer on Adam and Becky's offer of 295k.

32:11Oh, God.

32:11What's the wish?

32:1220 grand under the asking price.

32:14Hi, Matt.

32:19Okay.

32:21That's kind of the answer that I was anticipating.

32:25They would put another two in the pot to try and get it done today.

32:29It's 297.

32:31Okay.

32:32Thanks a lot.

32:33Bye.

32:34He's not going to budge.

32:35I would doubt it.

32:37It's not going to change his mind.

32:38It's going to be 300 or nothing.

32:40All we can do is hold our nerve.

32:44Over with Kinga and Dave, I'm keen to bring their grueling 10-month search to an end.

32:49I'm hoping our cheeky offer, 10 grand below the 370,000 pound asking price, will be enough

32:55to win them the Moortown house.

32:58Here we go.

32:59We're getting very nervous at this end.

33:03Okay.

33:04I will pass that news on.

33:08Thank you, Charlotte.

33:11You just bought a house.

33:15360.

33:17Congratulations.

33:18Oh, that's amazing.

33:24Wow.

33:25Yeah, honestly, thank you.

33:26Thank you so much.

33:27No, it's all.

33:28Pleasure.

33:28It's a life-changing thing for us.

33:30Yeah.

33:30Amazing.

33:31Well, well, thank you.

33:33With the coffee cup and everything.

33:35Brilliant.

33:37Nice deal, Phil.

33:38You smashed it.

33:39I'm overjoyed for Kinga and Dave.

33:42It's a fabulous family home and a top result.

33:45In Essex, with the work they want to do, 297k is Adam and Becky's top offer.

33:55But that's still 18 grand below asking.

34:04Hi, Matt.

34:06What news?

34:08It must be 300.

34:09It's got to be 300, yeah.

34:11But I'm afraid our couple can't get to that, which is a real shame.

34:17All right.

34:17Thanks a lot.

34:18Thanks for your help.

34:19We should leave it.

34:21Yeah.

34:22Okay.

34:23It's not the ending we'd hoped for.

34:27In fact, it may not be the ending at all.

34:30Well, I wasn't expecting another call, Matt.

34:33What's happening?

34:36Yeah.

34:38If you put another ground in, he'll do it.

34:41Okay.

34:42Yeah.

34:42Let's do it.

34:43We have a deal at 298.

34:46Fantastic news.

34:47Thank you so much.

34:49Bye.

34:49Amazing.

34:50Amazing, amazing, amazing.

34:52But that is a sensational deal.

34:53We have finally brought your shirts to an end.

34:56Thank you so much.

34:59They are tears of joy, I hope.

35:03A fantastic deal and a fab new home.

35:11In Leeds, it's been two years since Kinga and Dave secured the keys to their four-bed semi in Moortown.

35:20And big changes have been afoot.

35:23So since moving to Leeds, we've had a new little boy, Teddy.

35:26He's eight months old.

35:28And yeah, we're delighted to have him.

35:30Having found the right house, they've spent £20,000 on building work to make their home perfect for family life.

35:37We've made quite a few changes downstairs.

35:39We've opened the floor so it's more free-flowing and bright.

35:44Changed the floors and the colour schemes to kind of match what we like a little bit more.

35:48Within sort of three or four months, the work was beginning to start.

35:52So that was really good because it meant that we could move on with getting things in place before Teddy arrived.

36:00And we finished just before he got here.

36:03It's kind of all come together nicely and I think we're pretty pleased with the final fact.

36:09Leaving their London rental behind, they wanted to put down roots in a home closer to family.

36:14I think we've settled in really nicely and Lily loves the new preschool.

36:20I'm fishing for fish in the sea.

36:23She loves playing in her bedroom and it's a really nice-sized bedroom for her.

36:28And providing Lily with the all-important garden was essential to their search.

36:32Lily got her slide and she loves playing pirates on it as well.

36:36Yeah.

36:37Yeah, she's chuffed.

36:38What do you want, Daddy?

36:40There is a lot that we kind of feel really grateful and proud of on a daily basis.

36:45You know, when we look out to the garden and you can see the kids playing there, it's just a really nice feeling.

36:49A perfect family home for the kids.

36:52Kinga and Dave have also worked hard to create a relaxing space for themselves to unwind in.

36:58I think we really enjoy having our own space upstairs.

37:02That means that we can really enjoy the time when the kids are asleep and just, you know, like, relax.

37:07And there are plans for the future.

37:09Kinga definitely has plans to do further things to the house.

37:13I have no idea what they are.

37:14I think I'd love to, you know, work on the insulation in our bedroom and maybe get solar panels.

37:21It's definitely has become, like, a long-term house for us.

37:25You know, we have the space that we need for now and for later.

37:29You can see there's a lot of potential for us to, you know, father make it our own, especially when the kids grow up.

37:35You know, change it into whatever suits them.

37:39I'd just like to say, like, a big thank you to Phil for looking after us through our search and helping us find a place that we can call home.

37:47And I think also helping us make the right choice because there was a moment when we were a little bit swayed, maybe to something smaller but closer to the hip area.

37:56But actually, this is the right house for us.

38:00Very happy to have helped.

38:03And I'm so glad to hear it's all worked out for the whole family.

38:06In Essex, it's been four years since we helped Adam and Becky secure their first home.

38:17And there's been big changes there, too.

38:28When we last saw Adam and Becky, we'd done the deal on the do-rupper, exactly what they were after.

38:33And now I'm really looking forward to seeing what they've actually done.

38:36It's been four years since Adam and Becky moved to the charming village of Toulsbury.

38:43The three-bed Victorian semi we found them had huge potential to become a perfect forever family home.

38:49And I can already see they've been making their mark.

38:53Very smart new door.

38:56Looking forward to this.

38:59Hello, hello, hello.

39:01Oh, my word, there's somebody new.

39:03Hello.

39:04Can I come in?

39:05Of course.

39:06Oh, this is all a bit different.

39:09And who's this?

39:11This is Amara.

39:12Hello, Amara.

39:15They moved here with the view to starting a family.

39:18And that's exactly what they've done.

39:21Amara was born four months ago.

39:23Look at the beautiful eyes.

39:25And that's not the only change.

39:26And how about this?

39:27You did take the wall out.

39:28Yeah.

39:29And it's made such a difference.

39:31Where once stood a dated 70s kitchen and dining room now stands a stunning new kitchen diner.

39:37It has transformed the space, just as we imagined back when we first saw it.

39:42Yeah.

39:43That it would.

39:43Because you guys knew straight away when you arrived at this house.

39:47As soon as I walked in this house, I knew that this was the house I wanted to live in.

39:52Adam and Becky have done 90% of the house renovations themselves.

39:56Having spent top of their budget to secure the property, they saved for three years to do the major works downstairs.

40:03They've taken down the wall between the previous rooms, adding strong steel supports, which they've incorporated as a design feature.

40:10Adding this stylish contemporary kitchen has created a generous family space.

40:14And it's not just the house that's seen major changes.

40:18And tell me how else life has been in the Gap.

40:22What have you been up to apart from becoming a girl?

40:23Quite a lot.

40:24Quite a lot. We got married.

40:26Congratulations. So, renovation project, baby, marriage.

40:31Cat, dog.

40:32Cat, dog.

40:33You have been busy. It's really nice to see you.

40:35Kirsty and I both have very fond memories of our time up here. It was a good week, so...

40:40Yeah, it was.

40:41Yeah, we really enjoyed it. We feel really lucky to have this house, so...

40:45Well, you've worked hard for it.

40:46Removing panelling and plaster, Becky and Adam revealed a stunning brick wall, tying in with featured brickwork found in the hallway.

40:54Full of good ideas, they even transformed the understairs cupboard into a useful WC. It's clear just how busy they've been.

41:03Another bright and fun room. Another big generous room as well.

41:06Yeah, definitely.

41:07I don't remember those.

41:09No, so we found the parquet floor under the lino that was in here.

41:14It's beautiful.

41:14You know, we were tearing the house apart anyway, so we thought, let's rip it all up and see.

41:17What a result.

41:18The house certainly suits them, as does the gorgeous village of Tollesbury.

41:25What's the pub like? Because that was important.

41:27Yeah, it's a little local pub, isn't it?

41:29And fairly close to the water as well.

41:31Yeah, the water's lovely. We've bought some paddle boards.

41:35Upstairs, they've stripped all the old wallpaper and plastered, painted and decorated throughout.

41:40There's been no need to go up into the loft, because the space they have is working perfectly for them.

41:46All the rooms are so generous.

41:48Yeah, so this was such a huge space.

41:51Yeah.

41:51That we could take a corner off it and create an en-suite the other side.

41:55Oh, I see.

41:56So I built this wall, and the bath moved over here, and then we could put a shower either side, so one in the en-suite and one in the bathroom.

42:03I love the way you just casually say, I built that wall.

42:06What were you like at the start? What were your skills like?

42:09More carpentry and woodwork, from my experience.

42:12Yeah.

42:12But a lot of the tiling and other projects I've sort of picked up along the way, which is slower, but then by the end of it, you're quite good at it.

42:19And you've also saved yourself a lot of money.

42:22Definitely.

42:23And it's nice at the end of a project where you can look back and you've done it yourself.

42:26Yes, it's taken you longer than a trade, but it feels like a real achievement.

42:31This has been a big project, and initially there was some debate over how much work they wanted to do.

42:37In your certs before Kirsty and I came along, would you have looked at this house, do you think?

42:42This house was completely out of our budget, so I think initially we wouldn't have looked at it.

42:47So, without you and Kirsty, we wouldn't have.

42:50It was a brave call of you, because I knew it was a top of budget, and I obviously knew you were going to want to do quite a lot of work to it, but it felt like the right thing to do.

42:58Definitely.

42:59And we moved in knowing that not everything had to be done straight away.

43:03And we have stopped and saved for things, and it's been a slow progress.

43:09A level of luck.

43:10Yeah.

43:10It's great, though.

43:11You've done a terrific job.

43:14Outside, they've added decking to the garden and have plans to add a new garden path by reusing the bricks from the old kitchen wall.

43:22There aren't enough hours in the day to do all of the things that you've been doing.

43:27You can't have had any sleep for about two years.

43:28I think lockdown helped us, because there was nothing else to do.

43:33So, every hour, we weren't at work, and we worked full-time throughout.

43:38We were just renovating the house, so it sort of helped us, yeah.

43:41You really have put your heart and soul into this.

43:44You've worked so hard.

43:45When we set out on the search, you said to me you wanted to buy a forever home.

43:49You didn't mind doing a project, but you wanted it to be forever.

43:52Is it?

43:53It feels like it could be.

43:55Yeah, definitely.

43:57We'd only move if we outgrew it, which, you know, we're not close to at the moment.

44:02And it'd have to be a pretty special house to go anywhere else.

44:04Yeah.

44:05We absolutely love it here.

44:06Obviously, you did the vast majority of the work yourselves, but any idea what you actually ended up spending?

44:12We spent in the region of around £50,000 to do all the work, which has been, obviously, over the past few years.

44:19I wonder if you'd actually had to pay somebody else to do it rather than do it yourselves.

44:22You know, that would have been the wrong side of £75, wouldn't it?

44:25We were able to do things ourselves, and we managed to save a lot of money that way, so we've tried to save money where we can.

44:32Having bought for £298,000, Adam and Becky's labour of love is now worth around £400,000.

44:39But I don't think it'll be on the market any time soon.

44:42With renovations complete, now it's all about this exciting next chapter.

44:46We're really enjoying where we're at in this stage of life and enjoying Amara, so it's nice just to stop and slow things down and enjoy it.

44:55Got married, got the house, done the house, got a family, happy days, happy times, well done.

45:02Enjoy it, enjoy it.

45:04Thank you for having me, good to see you.

45:05Thanks for coming.

45:06It's nice to see you.

45:07Adam and Becky have put in the hard graft to create their fabulous family home, and it's very well deserved.

45:13It's been a real pleasure catching up with Adam and Becky, and also meeting Amara.

45:20The house looks spectacular.

45:22They have worked so hard to get it right, and I know that they are going to have many, many happy years here.

45:28And having left London behind, also great to see Kinga and Dave, happy and settled in the house that they've made into such a beautiful home.

45:38I'm just happy that Kirsty and I could help bring these families and their gorgeous forever homes together.

45:43If you'd like help finding your next home, then we want to hear from you.

45:53You can apply online at channel4.com slash take part.

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