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Short filmTranscript
00:00There are many theories about what makes a house hunter choose their dream country home.
00:08Some say it's all about the curb appeal.
00:10There you are. Let's have a look. What do you think?
00:12Absolutely amazing.
00:14Others put it down to kitchens and bathrooms.
00:17Well, this is a kitchen and a half, isn't it?
00:21That's a huge ensuite.
00:23And some swear by location.
00:26You get all of that?
00:27Look at that!
00:29But here on Escape to the Country, we like to deliver all of that within budget.
00:34I'm speechless.
00:36He's genuinely speechless.
00:59If you like your counties big on square miles but small on population, join us as we head for the largest and most sparsely inhabited county in Wales, named after an ancient kingdom.
01:14Now, here's a little geography lesson for you.
01:17If I were to head 30 miles straight down that valley, I would find myself in the Banai Brikeniog, a.k.a. the Brecon Beacons.
01:25A similar distance over that hill would land me on top of the Black Mountains.
01:29And behind me, here, I am surrounded by just part of the brooding mass of the Cambrian Mountains.
01:36Which means only one thing.
01:37Today, I'm in Powys.
01:41Located in mid Wales and bordering England, the vast Welsh county of Powys has just 70 inhabitants per square mile.
01:50But those who live here enjoy seclusion without compromising connectivity or culture offered by border towns like Welshpool, Montgomery and Newtown.
02:00My Powys is a vast landscape with amazing greenery where we've got the River Seven right on our doorstep.
02:24Being a musician, it's important for me to be connected to the cities while at the same time having the escape to the countryside.
02:32There is a lot of connected facilities that we do have here, even though it is so wild and free.
02:39Well, for today's couple, their move isn't just about finding bricks and mortar.
02:51They're after peace and serenity.
02:54A new life and a new start here in Wales.
02:58Hi, I'm Debbie and this is my husband Neil.
03:01We've been together 17 years and for 15 of those years we've been serial renters.
03:06Married couple Debbie, who works in intellectual property development, and Neil, who works for a multinational communications company,
03:16along with their fur family of two dogs and three cats, were finally helped onto the property ladder two years ago
03:23with a new build scheme on the edge of the large and growing Oxfordshire village of Benson.
03:28For us, we were really happy to be able to get on the ladder, but we always knew that this wasn't our forever home.
03:33We really do want to go and retreat into the country. Apologies for Duke, he will always try and steal the show.
03:41Debbie needs to be able to commute to work in London one day a week, but they can work from home the rest of the time,
03:47meaning peace and space for some life-enhancing hobbies is the priority.
03:52I'd love to live somewhere where the roads are a little bit quieter, great scenery to go and explore on the roads
04:00and that's because of what you see in the background here. This is my bike, it's my pride and joy.
04:06I've thrown my helmet on, everything else goes away and I can just focus on enjoying myself out on the bike.
04:12I discovered a few years ago that I was neurodivergent and as I've gotten older,
04:17I really can't cope with things like lots of noise, lots of people.
04:21I also absolutely love vegetables, so I really want to grow my own.
04:25I'd love a greenhouse and some raised beds, which I think we'll have when we move to Wales.
04:29I'd also really love chickens.
04:31I would really love a lawn, something with a bit more space, maybe a ride-on mower, that'd be lovely.
04:38Debbie and Neil are after a detached 3-4 bedroom home with a large dog-friendly garden, garage and peaceful surroundings.
04:47Neil prefers modern whilst Debbie doesn't mind a project and their ideal budget is £550,000
04:54but they could stretch to £600,000 for the right property.
04:59Do you know, I never tire of driving through the Welsh landscape wherever I happen to be.
05:12But here in Paris, well, I've got the biggest county Wales has to offer to explore.
05:19Now clearly, access to a rail line to get Debbie back to London is going to, in some ways, define where we can search.
05:28And I'm also a little bit concerned as to whether or not they both really want the same thing.
05:34However, I am sure that the magic of Wales, the romance of this country, may just iron out any wrinkles there may be.
05:48Powys landscapes don't get much more magical than the Elan Valley.
05:52So that's where I'm meeting Debbie and Neil before the first of our viewings.
05:56Well, Neil Demps, welcome to Escape to the Country and welcome to Powys.
06:01How does it feel to finally be here, getting your search underway?
06:04Wonderful and very exciting.
06:06But how well do you know this part of the world?
06:08Not very well. We literally just kind of woke up one morning, didn't want to go take the dogs for a normal walk.
06:13So we said, let's just have a little jaunt to Wales. So we just did a day trip there and back.
06:17Been here, what, six times since January?
06:19Since January, yes.
06:20Made a few trips and it's been, it's overwhelmed us with its beauty and we feel that sadness as we're leaving the area and we know that it's going to be a while before we come back.
06:31I always think one of the most important elements to any house search is for buyers to have an emotional relationship with the region.
06:39But when it comes to the property choices that we are going to make to try and satisfy both of you, that is quite challenging.
06:46Because I think there is this kind of split down the middle as to what you both want.
06:50For me, I'm looking for more of a contemporary place, something that's finished, complete, we can move into, settle, we don't have to move any time soon.
07:01And for you, Debs?
07:02I'm after a lambing shed, acres of land, not so bothered about a house, just a place to have lots of, you know, animals.
07:10I want bees, I want chickens, I'd like some Dexter cows.
07:13I mean, just to be absolutely clear, I'm a property finder, not a marriage counsellor.
07:17All right, rest assured, I will try and, you know, bridge this gap between you in terms of what we find you.
07:23Brilliant. Fantastic. Let's go.
07:26The first spot for our house tour is the small village of Llandrinio.
07:31Located close to the border of England, it's just a mile to the village of Four Crosses.
07:36The vet serves both pet owners and the farming community, whilst human ailments are catered for by a GP's and medical centre.
07:45Five bus routes take in the towns of Welshpool and Osworth Street.
07:49And national rail links can be accessed at Shoesbury, 19 miles away.
07:56Our first property is located down a quiet country lane, around a 20-minute walk from the main village facilities.
08:03There are little noises there. Is that a good squeal?
08:10It is a good squeal. A very happy squeal.
08:12Good. There you are then. Let's have a look. What do you think?
08:14Absolutely amazing. Yeah? Massive.
08:17Views everywhere.
08:19Got your garage? Garage. I'm thinking bungalow, so we're very open to a bungalow.
08:24Yeah. I think Neil could probably get away with a ride-on mower here as well.
08:27If I was being super technical, I'd say you probably don't need bungalow. Why not?
08:30Why not if you can, yeah. Well, yeah. Why wouldn't you? No.
08:33Let's check out inside. Yes. Perfect. Yes. Yes.
08:38This detached, late 20th century brick and tile bungalow has been refurbished and updated by the current owners.
08:45And first impressions are, it has my buyers written all over it.
08:49Oh, Neil, look. I've got a sign here for us already.
08:51Perfect for us. A lovely lady and a grumpy old man.
08:55There we are.
08:57Wow. Look at this space. Oh, my Lord.
09:01I love the contrast in chimney colour to the rest of the world.
09:04Oh, Christmas trees. I can see at least two in here.
09:07Probably one in the hallway. We judge a place by how many Christmas trees we can get in there.
09:11Well, many people do. You can imagine our sofa's in that corner there, can't you?
09:14Yeah. The excitement is palpable. And there is agreement, I think.
09:18Yeah, there is. Absolutely. There is. Yes. Yes. Yes. It is possible.
09:21Yeah.
09:22Your marriage counselling skills are definitely coming out, Jules, now.
09:25Come on, let's continue through here. You'll like this.
09:27Returning to the L-shaped hall, we head to the back of the home where a dining room is divided from the kitchen by a half wall.
09:36So here you go, then. Kitchen diner. Wowzers.
09:42Amazing space. Yeah?
09:43It is absolutely huge. Look at this. The view through the doors is pretty spectacular.
09:49That is amazing.
09:50Look, it's not an old property, this, but when it was originally built, this was two rooms.
09:54And they realised that they were missing out on the kind of social aspects of cooking and preparing.
09:58So they took the wall out, left this dwarf wall, giving you this separate sort of kitchen zone.
10:02Through there, you've got utility area boot room.
10:05That's perfect for the dogs. Yeah, really perfect.
10:08And of course, the joy is all of it is on one level. So I imagine for your dogs, actually, they probably prefer that.
10:13It's much better for them health-wise, because we've got Great Dane. They can't go up and down the stairs a lot.
10:17So, you know, it's actually much better for him as he ages. Aren't we all? And you.
10:22Come on.
10:24The hallway leads to the other side of the home, where there are four bedrooms to check out.
10:29To the front are two good-sized guest doubles with generous windows and built-in storage.
10:35Sitting between these is the family bathroom, which offers a bath and separate shower cubicle.
10:42Then, to the back of the home, a third bedroom is in use as a study.
10:46And finally, bedroom four could be for Debbie and Neil, and possibly some of their fur family too.
10:55So, this, we're thinking, would be yours, because it's got the shower en suite through there.
11:00Lovely space.
11:01Wow.
11:02This is great.
11:03Yeah, it's massive.
11:04Massive wardrobe.
11:05Yeah, not built in.
11:06There's a big void in there.
11:07Dog bed.
11:08Cat tree.
11:09Cat tree.
11:10Dog bed.
11:11Dog bed.
11:12Cat tree.
11:13Everyone's in here.
11:14We've got to have a home for the cats as well in our bedroom.
11:15Yeah, we've got three cats.
11:16In the winter.
11:17Yeah.
11:18Ooh, like a big sleep pile.
11:19Yeah.
11:20Yeah.
11:21Fine.
11:22Anyway, so maybe you could squeeze into this bed space here.
11:27Proportionally though, I'm guessing, is this bigger than what you've got now?
11:30Much bigger.
11:31Much bigger.
11:32Much bigger.
11:33Basically, I have a dog bed wedged in by the bedside table and I can't use my bottom drawer
11:37because there's a dog in the dog bed.
11:38Yeah.
11:39And I shuffle.
11:40These are concerns of the past from now on, my friend.
11:43We have nailed it.
11:46All species catered for on the accommodation front, I'm sending them to check out where
11:51Neil's mechanical baby, his beloved motorbike, might find its home.
11:58Oh, yes.
11:59Oh, wow.
12:00Look at that.
12:01There's a secret room back there.
12:02Large storage space.
12:04An integral garage leading to a workshop.
12:07Oh, my Lord.
12:09Big chest freezer for the dog food.
12:11Yeah, chest freezer for the dog food.
12:12Yeah, for the dog food.
12:13Perfect.
12:14Yeah.
12:15The house sits on a plot of around half an acre, which has been fully dog-proved by the
12:19current owners.
12:20There are raised beds for growing produce, as well as a separate orchard and several mature
12:25trees providing shade.
12:28Do you know, I'm just thinking for the cats and dogs out here, I feel how cool that is.
12:33Yeah.
12:34And you've also got a little tool shed there and the greenhouse too.
12:37So, you know, it sort of works, doesn't it?
12:39Yeah.
12:40I love the fact that you've got that area there.
12:43Yeah.
12:44It's like an outdoor living space.
12:45Beehives.
12:46Beehives.
12:47I'm spotting some beehives over there, maybe.
12:48Yes.
12:49And this would be a lovely little bank for them.
12:51So, let's think about how much this is currently on the market for, then.
12:55585,000.
12:56585,000 pounds.
12:57Yeah.
12:58Yeah.
12:59I'm going to go slightly lower at 570.
13:02Both of those doable within the framework of your budget.
13:06Here's the rub, though.
13:09This is currently on the market for.
13:12550,000 pounds.
13:18Okay.
13:20You're a bit stunned, I think.
13:21Yeah.
13:22Maybe you need to go and consider this further.
13:24Would you like to see more?
13:25Yes.
13:26Absolutely.
13:27I thought you might.
13:28Go and explore.
13:29Go where you like.
13:31Coming in at their ideal budget, and comfortably below their maximum of 600,000 pounds, this
13:38detached, late 20th century bungalow offers large reception rooms and four bedrooms.
13:43There's an integral garage and workshop for the motorbike, and a half-acre plot all in
13:48a rural location, but not far from a choice of towns and a rail link to London.
13:53Oh, yeah.
13:54Look at all these fruit trees.
13:55You've got cherries, plums, apples, and then I think having the chickens over here somewhere.
14:02In terms of space, outdoor space especially, for our dogs, we could be working from home,
14:06throw the doors open, and the boys can just be out.
14:09So that's absolutely fantastic.
14:11I would like to update some of the internals, whether they'll be a liquor, paint, or a bathroom
14:17suite, but when you consider the price, it makes it all the more achievable.
14:22The property itself is huge, really big rooms. The garden is better than I could have dreamed
14:29of. I think it's just absolutely excellent. For me, it's a really big contender.
14:33To say Debbie and Neil's dogs are key players in the move is something of an understatement.
14:48These buyers are very much after dog-friendly destinations with good walking options.
14:53We're sending them to explore Newtown with Great Dane Duke and Red Foxlab Copper to see
14:59if it gets the paws up.
15:00Oh, look, there's some nice cycling and walking routes up there. Here's the station.
15:04So that's where I'll be going into London.
15:07As well as rail and bus links, the population of 11,500 is served by a good choice of places
15:14to eat and drink, many run by other escapees.
15:18We actually came from Saudi Arabia. It's a completely changing lifestyle for us.
15:24We've had a lovely time here and plan to stay.
15:29Everyone's warm, friendly, welcoming, beautiful river. It's a nice town to come and visit.
15:35Lovely pub. That does look like a lovely pub, doesn't it?
15:38Nice. Yeah.
15:39I think if there's a beer garden in the back of that, Deb, we could...
15:41Take them in there?
15:42Yeah.
15:43Every Tuesday, there's a street market where, among the variety of food vans,
15:47you can find lifelong resident and self-confessed food fairy, Heidi.
15:52Hiya. Can we order a couple of burgers just for our dogs?
15:55Where's the best places to take dogs for walks?
15:57Well, there's the Haveron boardwalks, which are absolutely fantastic.
16:00You've got to take the dogs up there.
16:02We will? Yeah, definitely.
16:03You've got to take them up there.
16:04Good boys.
16:05Well done. That's it.
16:07On the bank of the River Seven, which runs through the town,
16:10is a cultural and community hub with a cafe,
16:13where owners of Canine Companions can treat them to doggy ice cream.
16:17What better way to follow a burger?
16:20What's this one? What flavour is this one?
16:22I think that one's just vanilla and this one's peanut butter.
16:24Newtown certainly seems a perfect choice for Debbie, Neil, Duke and Copper.
16:30Now to see if we can track down the home that will really get the tails wagging.
16:37The next property option is taking us further into the heart of the village of our previous viewing, Llandrinio.
16:44The community hall has a playing field which, like much of the area, enjoys views towards the Brydon Hills,
16:50located between Powys and Shropshire.
16:54Funds are raised for the facilities by a charity shop and other community-minded events include a weekly soup club.
17:01There's a dog-friendly pub with beer garden that serves food, including Sunday lunch.
17:07And it's just a five-minute walk from that to my next house, which is shielded from the main village road by tall, dense hedging.
17:15Well, you may have noticed that we are not a million miles away from our first property.
17:19No.
17:20But this is option number two.
17:22That's fairly magnificent.
17:24Wow.
17:25It's packed, and I mean packed, full of all mod cons.
17:30Yes!
17:31If you like your gadgets, this is the place for you.
17:38The only drawback is the noise in the road.
17:41Yeah.
17:42Which we have to acknowledge.
17:43Yeah.
17:44It is what it is.
17:45But I think what you'll find when you get inside, it's a gadget man's dream.
17:49Oh.
17:50Nice dance, Neil.
17:52Stop the dancing.
17:53Stop dancing.
17:54Come on.
17:55That's your gadget man dance.
17:58Built in 2011, but with nods to Georgian architecture, this brick home has an L-shaped layout on the ground floor and a smaller central second floor.
18:08Our tour starts through the porticoed entrance, which leads into the kitchen diner immediately to our right.
18:14OK, then.
18:16Well, this is a kitchen and a half, isn't it?
18:19Wow.
18:20Wow, indeed.
18:21This is a beautiful kitchen.
18:22Yeah, I'm blown away.
18:23Absolutely beautiful.
18:24I'm blown away by this interior.
18:26Just this one room.
18:27Yeah.
18:28Finished.
18:29Look at the floor.
18:30Look at the floor.
18:31That's gorgeous.
18:32The sort of travertine that flows through the entrance hall, which is again wide, generous, great for a Christmas tree.
18:36Yeah, Christmas tree.
18:37Every corner of this building is wired to allow you to effectively use your smart speaker to control the lights, the music, the whole thing.
18:45It is gadget-tastic.
18:47Come have a look through here.
18:49This is a gorgeous kitchen.
18:52And right off the kitchen, you've got this purpose-built vaulted garden room.
18:56How about that?
18:57Oh, my goodness.
18:58Sewing room.
18:59Bagseed.
19:00Yeah, exactly.
19:01If you're doing your sewing or anything, you need all that light, natural light coming in.
19:04Yeah.
19:05And you've got it.
19:06Ceilings.
19:07Yeah.
19:08On three sides.
19:09It's lovely, isn't it?
19:10Yeah.
19:11It flows through this great big doorway into here.
19:14It's an impressive room.
19:15You don't know what to be more impressed by.
19:17The TV.
19:18The fireplace.
19:19The fireplace.
19:20The finishings in the room.
19:21It is lovely.
19:22It is perfect, isn't it?
19:23Yes.
19:24There's literally nothing.
19:25Nothing would have to do.
19:26I'd be really proud to invite our family over, for instance.
19:29Yes.
19:30It is perhaps one of the biggest I've ever seen.
19:35You're going to get one of those just to watch yourself now on super high def.
19:40I actually wouldn't get one of those.
19:43I'd get the one that's next door.
19:45Come and look at this.
19:46Oh, no.
19:47No way.
19:48No way.
19:49Across the hall in the other wing is something they didn't ask for, but I think they're going
19:55to love.
19:56So, how about this then?
19:58Your own home movie theatre.
20:00Wow!
20:01This is Leo's dream room.
20:04This is, yes.
20:05Isn't it?
20:06Yes.
20:07This is a room I could quite happily spend many, many hours in.
20:12It was built originally as an annex for an elderly relative.
20:16That circumstance has changed and hence now it's become this movie room.
20:21But it does mean that upstairs you've really got two main bedrooms.
20:24Yeah.
20:25I'm going to let you two explore it on your own.
20:26You are loving this and I'm not going to interrupt you.
20:29Open the door, go up the stairs and I will find you a little bit later.
20:35Next to the cinema room is a ground floor shower room.
20:38Whilst upstairs, a roomy guest double provides countryside views and comes with its own en-suite
20:44shower.
20:45A smaller room is in use as a study.
20:48And then the largest of the bedrooms for Debbie and Neil to see is the principal en-suite.
20:54Wow, that's a lovely en-suite.
20:55Look at that.
20:56That's gorgeous.
20:57That's a huge en-suite.
20:58Neil, this is massive.
20:59I don't think we'd have a problem with the super king in here, would we?
21:00Enough room for dog beds.
21:01And look at these views, Neil.
21:02Look.
21:03That's lovely isn't it?
21:04Gorgeous.
21:05But of course, we couldn't forget the motorbike.
21:06So back on the ground floor, accessed internally from the kitchen is some rather luxurious
21:12vehicular accommodation.
21:14Whoa-ho-ho-ho!
21:15Wow!
21:16That is unbelievable.
21:21Oh Debbie, you're never going to see me.
21:23Tea-making facilities.
21:24You're so interesting.
21:26It's been very interesting.
21:29A-and-a-and-a-and-a-and-a-and-a-and-a-and-a-and-a-and-a-and-a-and-a-and-a-and-a-and-a-and-a.
21:31Wow!
21:32Wow!
21:33Wow!
21:37Oh Debbie, you're never going to see me.
21:39Teah-making facilities.
21:41You're so good.
21:43easier sorted yeah it's also got a toilet what do we think then the only thing that's disappointed
21:51me is i know that all the lighting isn't on yet ah here we go ready turn on hex lighting
22:05it's like daylight in here that is amazing
22:08outside the private driveway and hard standing offers lots of room for vehicles and there's an
22:16electric charging point as well as exterior lighting further power points and taps throughout
22:21the garden which includes paved and graveled seating spots as well as law not huge as you can
22:28see but it does go all the way around the property but it is nicely dog-proof so all of that's very
22:34secured i just think the house is stunning i'm not sure about the garden yeah being big enough
22:40yeah the garden is less important to me personally but there's two of us moving in we do have to think
22:46about the road noise for you yeah as well well let's think about the price then of this one this is right
22:54at the top of our budget of 600 000 pounds because it's a smaller plot i think i'd probably say it's
23:01590. okay here's the thing this is currently on the market for 500 and 35 000 pounds
23:14i'm i'm speechless he's genuinely this this 21st century detached house is turnkey ready
23:23with smart technology throughout and offers a contemporary kitchen diner vaulted garden room
23:29home cinema and two ensuite double bedrooms there's a luxurious integral garage a dog-proof garden
23:37and countryside views the whole of the inside of the house is perfect it's really spacious and also
23:44the garage for neil wonderful seeing neil's face when he walked in there was perfection it's very
23:50important for debbie to get some space grow around vegetables have chickens in general it's a much
23:57smaller plot but the biggest elephant in the room is the road noise that noise will be intrusive for
24:06her we have to try to see if we can find common ground interior finish versus outdoor and tranquility
24:15well what a day we've had what a day indeed that is a pickle
24:26a pickle but hopefully a sweet pickle come on
24:32to round off our first day i've brought my buyers to a tranquil spot on the ellen river to see if their
24:39infatuation with this part of wales is turning into a full-blown love affair yeah have a seat
24:45oh it's made for the job isn't it oh i really want to sort of tap into the fact that you've only
24:53recently discovered wales but now you've had a chance to see a bit more of it how does it feel
24:58now if anything it's sealed the bill it's just so peaceful here i i love it i think i think i've
25:05fallen in love with it even more i know i have i think the people are connected to the land here
25:09in a different way as well i mean one one trip we had in um a tractor stopped dead in front of us
25:15he hopped out picked up some litter and went on his way one thing that really stands out is the
25:21the pride you see in people a lot of people mention things like national pride and being
25:26very proud of where they come from and the difference here is people seem to live it and
25:31breathe it it seems to be less of a slogan more of an act so we have one more property to come
25:39yep we're looking forward to it yeah good but before then supper and a beer why not let's go
25:46definitely feeling quite thirsty now me too me too
26:01the average sold price of a detached house in wales currently sits at 330 000 pounds with the
26:09figure for powers just slightly below this at 326 000. but for those looking for a home in such a
26:18sparsely populated area it's worth widening the net to include options a few miles over the border into
26:24shropshire too for example this two bedroom detached cottage located in the shropshire hills offers
26:33seclusion in an area of outstanding natural beauty just four miles from the powis border it's on the
26:39market for offers over 240 000 pounds on the welsh side of the border this detached four bedroom
26:49two bathroom home offers a modern finish and an energy efficiency rating of b in a rural community
26:55setting this one is priced that offers over 400 000 pounds and renters have the option of this very
27:05rurally located stone farmhouse which has been recently renovated to offer internal insulation
27:11and an air source heat pump coming with four bedrooms it's unfurnished and costs 1500 pounds per calendar
27:19month
27:23well with one more day of house hunting left on this search it can mean of course only one thing
27:28it's mystery house time but what do we offer a couple who are so keen to find something which needs
27:34no work at all the answer is very simple a mystery house which is brand new my mystery pic is in the
27:44village of middletown close to the border of england and to demonstrate just how close i'm taking my
27:50buyers on a short stroll well today is all about the mystery house uh but before we get there i thought
27:57i would show you a bit of the landscape around it because you are making this transition from a life in
28:03england to wales and this little wall illustrates it rather nicely i think because this is england
28:10this is the border no and now we are in wales
28:19did not expect that yeah so this lovely landscape is absolutely on your doorstep
28:24if you like a mystery house which is but a stone's throw that way we stipulated it had to be in wales
28:30yes it is in wales and we are just yeah just that does look like wales doesn't it that does look
28:37like english it really does so i'm going to go ahead and open up the mystery house get it ready for
28:43you okay and i will see you there lovely on this side of the stream i would yeah
28:50located on the other side of the bryden hills from yesterday's viewings the village of the final
28:56house middletown lies on the main route between the towns of welshpool and shoesbury and there's
29:02several buses a day running to those destinations the village hall is available for private hire
29:09and there's an inn serving food so as debbie and neil get a feel for all that
29:16i'm at the mystery house to give you a sneak preview
29:19so here then is our mystery house brand spanking new it's also super efficient it has an epc rating
29:28of a very hard to find in rural property plus it also has a very generous double garage with an
29:35electric door that i hope will satisfy neil's ambitions when it comes to looking after his
29:41beloved motorbike new properties have so far proved popular with my buyers
29:47but will showing them a total new build complete the winning streak
29:51that is it brand new oh golly gumdrops debbie
30:00we're in a brand new build at the moment not like this though a bulk buy one yeah
30:06we do love a new build yes i think it looks amazing brick wood yeah it's a nice mix want to see yes
30:13come on one of a development of two houses and built with today's climate sensibilities in mind
30:21using low carbon construction materials there are solar panels an air source heat pump plus it all
30:29comes with a 10-year builder's guarantee smell the newness our tour begins through the bifold doors
30:37of the first reception room oh yes it's so warm very warm really tasty well you're getting all the
30:44solar gain from this being south facing through these double glazed bifold doors but it's all under
30:50floor heating and it's ready for a floor covering of your choice coming up a wonder though because
30:55the space here is what's so lovely i mean we've come in through effectively the sort of living room
30:58door yeah i suppose technically your main front door yeah great big lovely area there for boots and things
31:03yeah you've got a little study in there yeah generous boot room utility room and then here you
31:09go kitchen diner that is lovely isn't it look at this i like the fact that you can cook in the
31:14center we've always said that's really nice yes but also just look at the views yeah lovely i think
31:19you can make it really lovely in here you could dress it beautifully it's an amazing space yeah it's
31:24actually just buying things you like that's fun shopping's fun yeah come on let's go upstairs
31:29completing this floor is a handy cloakroom and on the floor above my mystery pick provides four
31:37well-proportioned bedrooms i'm leaving debbie and neil to decide what they might do with the guest rooms
31:43on their own starting with the smallest partly set into the eaves at the rear of the property these
31:49rooms are all really good size huge rooms but this would be a perfect office yeah really nice office and
31:54again views we'll be walking up there every morning yeah next to this is a family bathroom
32:01with a shower cubicle and a tub wherever we move we have to have this bathtub that is absolutely love
32:09that gorgeous oh it's sinking to there right now at the front of the home is a guest double with an
32:16ensuite shower room and a further double bedroom with a dormer window
32:20that just leaves bedroom four the principal suite with bifold doors set into the cross gable where
32:29we're catching up shower ensuite that's huge isn't it and then next door to it you've got
32:38walking wardrobe lovely yeah yeah and then you've got the views out that way that's lovely that's an
32:45amazing view yeah well let's have a look let's open it up yeah there you go five folds again
32:52there oh that's amazing that's great isn't it you get all of that look at that this view holy moly
33:00staring out over england from your castle in wales castle in wales yeah lovely
33:06the mystery compromise is that the outside space is rather more modest than majestic it includes a gravel
33:13drive with shared access for the other home in the development as well as a front garden laid to
33:18lawn but whilst there may be no room for livestock there is stabling for neil's prized steed
33:25in the form of a double width garage here is your lair that is the garage i need more than one bike
33:33no you don't to fill that i need more than one your bike your bike and your personality will fill that
33:39alone thanks oh lordy the price the price the price the price okay notwithstanding the garden
33:50issue then let's think about how much our mystery house is going to be on the market for five eight
33:55five five five five five hundred and eighty five thousand pounds yep i would go that high so i'm gonna
34:02go 570. this has been priced to sell at
34:11four hundred and ninety five thousand pounds you are introducing
34:17the pickle again where you're introducing lots of pickles go on debate
34:28this brand new detached house with builder's guarantee offers incredible energy efficiency
34:34including solar panels and a heat pump there's an open plan kitchen diner four bedrooms two of which
34:41are ensuite and a large garage there are glorious views of both the welsh and english countryside
34:47as well as good road links to nearby towns when i first approached the property i whispered in
34:54neil's ear no because i saw the garden and i was like no the prices yet again scuppered us when we
35:03were walking through it and walking around it we thought we need the answer debbie greenhouse chickens
35:09vegetable patches we were struggling to see where it was all going to fit in here
35:14but for under 500 000 i could squeeze a lot on this land a lot
35:22right well that's it house tours are now over
35:26i could show you no more but hopefully i don't need to
35:29no i don't think you do no you can't confuse me any more than you already have we'd like to help
35:40you've probably heard of the magic five a day fruit and veg we need to eat to stay healthy
35:46but did you know that the uk only grows a fifth of the fruit and half of the vegetables we consume as
35:52a nation well an initiative in 35 acres of fertile land a few miles from the town of newtown is trying
36:00to change that i'm meeting gary mitchell from the future farm partnership to hear all about it
36:07gary it's notoriously difficult to get in to farming from any first-time entrance now i know you've got
36:13just about 30 odd acres here in this lovely valley what have you put in and how is this plot evolving
36:21there's lots of issues in trying to get more fresh food produced in mid-wales and wales in general we've
36:26only got 0.2 percent of our land under horticulture in wales so we're a massive net importer for fresh
36:33produce and that doesn't have to be the way and what we've done is managed to access a bare land plot
36:37here in partnership with the local authority and obtain a 95 year lease on it and this initiative is
36:44specifically putting new younger growers onto smaller plots that are affordable for them
36:51in return for fresh food production so we worked with the local authority and we have changed planning
36:56guidance for the whole of powis county council and what it basically says is if you're willing
37:02to work on the land to produce sustainably produced fresh fruit and vegetables you should afford the
37:09right to live on it the new planning guidance means a home has been built for each of the small farms
37:17removing the economic and practical barriers growers face when it comes to running a business
37:23so how many new young farmers have you got on this site so we've got three new growers in terms of
37:31lead growers and each of them have got between seven and 12 acres well i'm looking forward to
37:37meeting them i can see some of them out here busy on their plots growers from powis and bordering areas
37:46have been chosen for their horticultural experience and include lydia with her partner charlie
37:53so lydia as i understand it you've got seven acres here yeah just over seven acres of beautiful ex-sheet
37:59pasture and you've not been here that long have you yeah three not even three months yeah i've been
38:04running a market garden for the last three years down in south powis which was great and gave me an
38:09incredible amount of experience of doing this sort of thing but i would never have been able to even
38:15think about getting seven acres of my own if i had to sort of fund it all myself if you want to live on
38:20site as we are it's unbelievably expensive so yeah having this opportunity is yeah i feel very blessed
38:29as well as providing land with a home the scheme shares resources such as a processing and storage barn
38:36and also helps growers navigate agricultural form filling and accessing markets
38:41plants
38:45tilly is another grower who has taken on just over 12 acres
38:51were you a farmer grower before i didn't grow up on farms but i've been a grower on different
38:55farms for the last five years or so and learned from a few different people but this is a whole
39:01new venture learning to do it for myself and it's great to be able to share skills with the
39:05the other growers here so everything within the these boundaries is is yours is it and beyond yeah
39:11on the other side of the field there wow i mean do you picture all of this under cultivation um most
39:18of it there's areas that i want to leave for wildlife so i'm going to create orchard and meadow
39:23and um create stronger like hedge rows and barriers around the river like buffer zones and yeah have
39:31a seven-year rotation across it so some of it will just be in fertility building um look after the
39:37soil the ambition's obvious really i mean do you pinch yourself a bit when you come out here and think
39:42oh i'm doing it yeah it does feel unreal still a lot of hard work and a lot of risk but i'm willing
39:49to take it i'm passionate enough well i for one wish these budding growers all the best and i'm sure
39:56the people of powis will be enjoying the fruits of their labors too in the very near future
40:04well this has been quite a week for both debbie and for neil they are absolutely committed to
40:11making this move because they have already fallen in love with this wonderful part of the world but
40:15have we managed to find them a property to go with it
40:18well guys what could i say it has been a lot of fun but the million dollar question is have we
40:28managed to find you a home for your future all three were absolutely lovely we loved them in three
40:34very different ways but we felt like one kind of um one over all of them because it was just a
40:39better space for us to occupy i think wasn't it it is genuinely hard for me to tell which one is your
40:46favorite put me out of my misery which one might it be on our journey back after mystery house
40:55we had a conversation we made a decision and we rang the estate agents for house number two
41:04and put in an offer done it already yeah yeah
41:07that's that's incredible have you heard back they're speaking to the vendors to see if the
41:14offer was accepted and uh we'll plan from there both of us instantly could imagine ourselves living
41:20there and to your credit you did say as much at the time and the look on your faces when we walked
41:25into that kitchen diner for the first time it was priceless actually and that's before you'd seen all the
41:32all the gizmos you know the cinema room the garage and all the rest of it but there was the issue of
41:37the road yes also there was an issue over the outside garden space but you've overcome that
41:43clearly with great agreement i'm going to knock down the shed and we're also looking at um
41:49like sound blocking fencing to just go along that and just deaden that sound a little bit but you've
41:53offered and we're waiting to hear i mean look it was on the market for 535 000 pounds what did you dare offer
42:01the asking price that also speaks to how much you like the property yeah yeah yes we thought it was
42:06worth it yes definitely well guys i'm really really excited and i'll be honest with you in my nearly 20
42:12years of hosting on escapes of the country i could count probably on one hand the times when an offer
42:17has been put in so quickly during a search i can't wait for that phone to ring here's to you cheers
42:30wow in my experience house searches do not get any better than the one we have just enjoyed we came
42:39we sought we found and now i can tell you the good news that neil and debbie have bought their offer
42:46has been accepted and they are about to embark on their very own welsh adventure
42:52in this glorious countryside i wish them all the very best of luck i'll see you next time
43:00if you would like to escape to the country in wales northern ireland scotland or england and need our
43:05help why not apply online at bbc.co.uk forward slash take part
43:20so
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