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00:13This season, as we celebrate our 200th episode, the house has literally soiled itself.
00:21It's really very rude.
00:23It takes years of practice then.
00:24Even the agent has given up.
00:26Look, these homeowners really need our help.
00:30We're a bit lost.
00:33Can we just stop this?
00:35This is pretty exciting.
00:37We will tackle our toughest challenges yet.
00:39It is crazy.
00:42I need more.
00:43You always want more.
00:44And with them.
00:45This is amazing.
00:47Will come our greatest rewards.
00:49Oh, my.
00:52Stunning.
00:53Just incredible.
00:54This is insane.
00:57To see all this kindness and generosity, we're just really grateful.
01:16Every now and then, you walk into a place that feels more like a riddle than a room.
01:22Some homes are like this, eclectic, deeply personal, and layered in meaning.
01:28But when that meaning is lost in translation, buyers are left scratching their heads.
01:35The more confusing the layout, the more personal the style, the harder it is for buyers to connect.
01:42If people feel they've got a puzzle to solve just to understand a house, they give up.
01:56Meet our homeowner, Lynn, and her devoted son, Tom.
02:01She met Tom's dad, Don, the love of her life, when she was a teenager during the heady days of
02:07disco.
02:08There was a place called Fiesta Villa that was the place to be.
02:13So, Lynn, dressed in her fake leather red hot pants, sidled in and attracted the attention of my husband.
02:23I didn't need to know that.
02:25I need a water.
02:29Soon after, the deliriously happy couple started building a wonderful life together with their three much-adored children,
02:37moving into their dream home in Adelaide's eastern suburb of Ross Trevor,
02:41where they set about carving joyful memories and making every inch their own.
02:47I don't think there's a single corner of this house that hasn't been changed.
02:51It's very much a reflection, I think, of your marriage, of your dad.
02:55The swimming pool was there when we came.
02:57My husband thought pools were OK, but they were too wet.
03:01So we decided to build the veranda.
03:05And it was a good decision.
03:07It gave the space for all my many parties.
03:11I don't have to mow pavers, so that to me is a bonus.
03:15It was their forever home.
03:18We would happily have stayed here until we are carted out in a pine box.
03:23Oh, probably a cardboard one, being environmentalists.
03:29But their dream lives were shattered when just two years ago Don unexpectedly died,
03:35following a fall while on a family holiday.
03:39It was totally unexpected, heartbreaking, kept expecting to see him come wandering down the stairs.
03:49I think I was so focused on mum, and it wasn't until probably six months later
03:54before it really sunk in that he wasn't coming back.
03:59Sadly, the home, which was a haven, is now a source of painful reminders of a life that once was.
04:06The upstairs area is upsetting.
04:09It highlights the absence of my husband, and I avoid going there.
04:16So, a year ago, Lynne took the huge step to sell up and start afresh.
04:22Problem is, no-one loved it as much as she did.
04:26It was hard watching her not able to sell the house.
04:29It was very demoralising.
04:32I was really gutted.
04:35Not wanting to see his mum go through that again, Tom's now on board to help, but doesn't know where
04:41to start.
04:42We know we have to change it, but none of us have any interior design skills.
04:47So, we need help.
04:49At the moment, we're a bit lost.
04:56Ross Trevor seems to comprise of primarily big, freestanding homes.
05:02Various ages, most of them very established.
05:04You've got a Tudor one there.
05:06Beautiful.
05:08One with many arches.
05:11According to the maps, this is Lynne Street, and I can see the hills right in front of me.
05:16That's pretty impressive.
05:20Oh.
05:21It does look like there is a house hiding in there.
05:25I don't see much from here.
05:27Let's go and find out.
05:32You think you've got all the leaves that there are and more drop.
05:37Hello.
05:38Hi.
05:39Put your broom down and come and join me in the drive.
05:41Oh, you don't want me to be a witch anymore.
05:44I wanted to have a proper look at this house.
05:48All you can see from the street is this little bit.
05:52You can't see any of that that is hidden behind the jungle there.
05:55It's a surprise package.
05:56You're not a gardener.
05:58No.
05:59No.
06:02So here's the entrance.
06:03It's actually, gosh, it's quite a...
06:05It is nice.
06:06...grand entrance.
06:07And we've got leaded lights going on, a little bit of mould there on the...
06:10Oh, don't look too closely.
06:12No, I'm not.
06:12Well, I do.
06:13That's what I do, Lynne.
06:14Just warning you, I look very closely.
06:19Oh.
06:22Oh.
06:24It's pitch black.
06:25Yeah.
06:26Not a lot of natural light.
06:27No.
06:27Those leaded light nod to Victorian design.
06:35They're not original.
06:36No, they were designed by me.
06:39It was a good idea to let some light in, but then she covered it up with lead lights.
06:43I think it looked good in a Victorian home.
06:47Oh, yes.
06:48In the 1970s?
06:49No.
06:51So, what's down there?
06:52Yes.
06:52This is traditionally known as the kids' wing.
06:55Oh, how many bedrooms?
06:56Three.
06:56Three here.
07:00Jeez, it is dark.
07:02Right, down to this world's biggest dining room.
07:05Yes.
07:06Yes.
07:06OK.
07:08I've filled it with people many times.
07:10I bet you have.
07:11This is an incredible space.
07:13And then we've got a sunken living room.
07:15Oh, this is the atrium.
07:17Yes.
07:19And there is light coming in there.
07:21It's a good 45 minutes in the day where you do get a decent amount of room.
07:2445 minutes.
07:25Oh, don't be rude.
07:26Yeah, yeah, I like him.
07:28So, in other words, the agent's going to only do viewings for those 45 minutes when the sun's
07:32streaming in and we need a sunny day.
07:33Other than that, it should be an easy sell.
07:36Well, the house is gargantuan and confused.
07:41There are three bedrooms, a family bathroom, kitchen with meals area, laundry, a dining
07:47room and sunken lounge on the ground floor.
07:50Then there's not just one but two flights of stairs leading to the master bedroom with
07:55en suite and walk-in robe, additional lounge with mezzanine office space above and another
08:01room that's altogether very, well, foreign.
08:09Oh, my God.
08:11I've just gone on holiday to Morocco.
08:14Exactly.
08:16Lynn, wow.
08:17Not expecting this in suburban Adelaide.
08:20It's a lot.
08:21There's a long story to go with this.
08:24Back in the 70s or the Stone Age.
08:26I'm limited on time now.
08:28My husband and I ended up in Morocco.
08:31And you loved it, didn't you?
08:32Don always wanted to reproduce the look of it, the feel of it, the culture, and this
08:38is the result.
08:39Okay.
08:40Well, I have never seen such hideous vertical blinds.
08:47Oh.
08:48Absolutely shocking.
08:50Andrew, we've been telling you this for years.
08:51Oh, yeah.
08:52Are you enjoying this?
08:53Yeah, you are.
08:54Very much.
08:55So, what else do we have on this level?
08:57The main bedroom.
08:58Right.
08:59Well, we've got camels in there.
09:00No.
09:04It's her main bed.
09:06Yes.
09:06It's a reasonable size.
09:08It has an en suite and a walk-in wardrobe.
09:11I guess the en suite's original.
09:13No.
09:14Oh.
09:14We have renovated everything in this house.
09:17Oh, okay.
09:19I'm just trying to see which bit you renovated.
09:22All right.
09:23You're really very rude.
09:24I am.
09:25Well, it takes years of practice, Lynn.
09:26Yeah.
09:27I'm just going to let you say what we can say.
09:29Okay.
09:31Oh, it's like a tunnel.
09:33Through the rumpus, complete with its own mezzanine office, and down the second staircase, we arrive
09:41at the underwhelming kitchen.
09:43What I can't get over is you have a ginormous house, and then the kitchen is this cramped little
09:52galley up here, and, oh, I need to get something from the fridge.
10:00I'm the way back.
10:02What's this?
10:04Well, it's the remnant of the 70s from the toilet window when we replaced that.
10:12Yes, it's a hanging toilet window, Andrew.
10:15But in the hatch.
10:17And that was to fill up the space.
10:19That is a first.
10:21Shall we go and look at the garden urgently?
10:27Well, this is all brish.
10:31I look and I think, who's going to buy this house?
10:34Young family, right?
10:36It's nowhere to play.
10:38Where have they put the trampolines, the swings?
10:40It was never a garden.
10:41No, no, it's never had any grass.
10:43Hmm.
10:46So, when did it come on the market?
10:48What's been happening?
10:48So, it was on the market about a year ago, for a couple of months.
10:51What are you hoping to get for it, Lyn?
10:541.2 would be wonderful.
10:56I feel like 1.1 is probably more reasonable.
10:59Rarely do I say this.
11:01This is not all about price.
11:04From my perspective, it's too much for buyers.
11:06There's nothing that they're connecting with.
11:08Yes.
11:09They can't really work out how to use the spaces.
11:11It's very dark.
11:12It's just so overwhelming.
11:14There's potential here, but there's a lot of work to do.
11:20Blessed with the best of both worlds, Ross Trevor's only 20 minutes to the Adelaide CBD,
11:26yet on the doorstep of the charming Adelaide Hills.
11:30A magnet for families, it boasts highly sought-after schools and handy shopping centres nearby.
11:38Looking at recent sales, the last three months has been nearly 40 house sales in this suburb alone, which is
11:44really, really good.
11:45One actually hit 2.8, and there was another one in the two.
11:48So, the market is pretty strong at the moment.
11:51Interestingly, though, when you look at what's actually for sale, family house-wise, for under about one and a half,
11:57there's only about three or four houses for sale.
12:00So, Lynn could do all right on this, if Dennis and Wendy get it right, of course.
12:07So, what's holding Lynn's place back from selling?
12:11Well, there's a home I want her to see just three minutes away from hers that has the answer.
12:17Well, this is the one I want us to have a little look at.
12:20What do you think of this one?
12:22Well, that brick is looking very familiar.
12:25Yes, isn't it just?
12:26Yes, same era.
12:27The difference is that sign.
12:30Come on through.
12:31Okay.
12:33While it has a slightly smaller footprint, it certainly has the same 70s aesthetic as Lynn's.
12:40After you, if you'd like to go in there on your left.
12:43But unlike her confusing rabbit warren, it does have a clear and easy-to-navigate floor plan.
12:50Now, downstairs is the lounge, dining room, kitchen and a large rumpus.
12:57The open brick's a bit overpowering and very heavy.
13:01Yeah.
13:03Upstairs is equally straightforward with four light-filled bedrooms, all leading off a central corridor.
13:12Your place may not be renovated to everyone's taste, but at least it was renovated.
13:16This is true.
13:17As well as a, shall we say, vintage bathroom.
13:22Mine might be green, but I think it's a little bit more pleasant.
13:28Outside the untidy but conventional backyard offers far more in the way of greenery than Lynn's.
13:35Quite a nice usable space.
13:39Welcome to this beautiful original kitchen.
13:43So, now you've looked around, why do you think this one sold?
13:48Mm-hmm.
13:49Perhaps they weren't asking very much for it.
13:52Okay, so you think it was price?
13:54What do you think it sold for, though?
13:56I like to think it hit a million, but it may have bounced to the other side.
13:59I'm not sure.
14:00Went for a million and 21.
14:03Okay.
14:03Now, I actually don't think this is bad news for you.
14:07Yes.
14:07This is evidence that a million-plus is a renovator's value.
14:13This has natural light, yours doesn't.
14:15Everything's where you want it to be.
14:17There's even front and back lawn.
14:19So it clearly gave a young family, which is our target audience, a renovator, that they could get their head
14:26around.
14:27They weren't confused.
14:27It isn't dark and gloomy, and it doesn't have hints of Morocco.
14:31But other than that, you're nearly there.
14:33Yeah.
14:33It's hardly anything to do to yours.
14:37So somehow we need to make Lynn's confusing home feel like a far simpler proposition to buyers.
14:43Wendy, Dennis, where are you?
14:59We are in Adelaide, helping Lynn sell her 1970s home, bedevilled by an eclectic mix of overly personal touches.
15:08So can Wendy and Dennis make this confusing home appeal to the modern family market?
15:15I do love Adelaide.
15:17So many trees.
15:20Look, we are up in the hills.
15:22Yeah, well, you know what the hills are alive with.
15:26Andrew, hysterically laughing.
15:27Yes.
15:28Waiting for us to see what he's got in store.
15:30Like a kookaburra sitting in the tree.
15:33Looking down at us.
15:36Is this it?
15:39Oh, yes it is.
15:48Doesn't get much more suburban than this.
15:51About time!
15:52Your Majesty.
15:54You going to do the Royal Wave?
15:56You've been on a wine tour, haven't you?
15:58Yeah, I knew it.
16:00I'm coming down to join you via Morocco.
16:03What is Morocco?
16:06Oh, finally.
16:08Come to join us.
16:09It's a big house, as you will discover.
16:13You're going to love it.
16:14Look at the joy on his face.
16:16Oh.
16:19I have to say, those vertical blinds are not filling me with hope.
16:22There's things hidden behind it.
16:24Oh, so many things hidden.
16:26I'd love to show you around this house.
16:28In fact, with great glee and delight, I'm going to show you this house.
16:31Oh, you're so mean.
16:33Don't relax, Dennis.
16:34I'll see you at the back.
16:35I know.
16:35And you'll have your coronary.
16:36After you.
16:44What is this?
16:47What is doing there?
16:51Wow.
16:53Possibly not your expectations of a 70s classic.
16:56No, it's like a whole different era in here.
16:59You have that balustrade, which looks like it's faux 1910.
17:03It's such a weird mix of eras.
17:07And it's really dark.
17:09Yes.
17:09And here we are, missing all the good bits, which is it's got space, it's got volume,
17:14but every bar will be doing exactly what you've just done.
17:17It's gloomy, it's dark.
17:19The era inside doesn't match the facade.
17:23Down here, you really get that sense of volume, but there is no light.
17:28Yep.
17:29The furniture is dark and heavy, and the colour scheme doesn't help.
17:35But the room itself has got really good bones.
17:39We've got to look at the kitchen now.
17:42Don't know why there's two doors.
17:45Boo.
17:46Oh, I was hoping I'd lose you then.
17:48No, no, it's such a light.
17:50Now, are you ready for this?
17:51Look, look, look, look.
17:53Tiny little cramped-in kitchen.
17:55Really?
17:55All that space there.
17:58Wow, you do really feel boxed in here, don't you?
18:01The fridge, look.
18:03Wow, that fridge needs its own passcode.
18:07It's really not a good design.
18:08No.
18:10Wendy Moore, I'd like to whisk you away to Morocco.
18:15Ready for this?
18:21I am quite literally lost for words.
18:25So, Lynne's late husband loved Morocco.
18:29Right.
18:30And so, we've got real sentimental attachment.
18:33This is a house of great family memories, 35 years being living here.
18:37This sort of sums it up.
18:39You cannot imagine yourself using this room because it doesn't feel like anyone's room,
18:46but hers.
18:47Yeah.
18:48In real estate mode, I just look at this room and go, wow, vaulted ceilings, balcony.
18:52It could be the best second living area.
18:55I know.
18:56It's just so hyper-personal.
18:59Mm.
19:02Meanwhile, it's time to face up to Dennis.
19:06What have you done to me?
19:08I know.
19:09Where do the kids play?
19:11Like, there's no lawn area.
19:12It is just concrete, hard surfaces everywhere.
19:15It's like a prison yard.
19:18What is this?
19:20This is, like, so dominating out here.
19:23It just makes it feel like a dungeon.
19:26It just feels all so heavy.
19:27Not to say that it's obviously zapping the light we desperately need inside the house.
19:32It's just the gift that keeps on giving.
19:36So, as you can see, it should really be an easy moment on a low budget.
19:39Yeah.
19:39Yeah.
19:40Oh, here she is.
19:41Yes, here I am.
19:42Yeah.
19:43Now, okay, before you two start whinging, I'll tell you a little bit of the backstory about
19:47that lovely lit.
19:49This was the family home for the last 35 years.
19:52Sadly, she lost her husband a couple of years ago, which is what has motivated this sale.
19:58It's been on the market, really sensible sale price, and no offers, no interest at all.
20:04It is a lifetime of memories for her, and it's really hard to be objective in that situation.
20:12It's really hard to take a step back and see it as anything other than your home.
20:17From the moment you walk in, you're just crowded by so many personalities.
20:22The outside doesn't match the inside.
20:25There's all these federation finishes, and then, you know, we've got the Moroccan room.
20:29And it feels too personal.
20:31And then the floor plan.
20:33Yeah.
20:33The kitchen just doesn't talk to the rest of the house.
20:36And no natural light for me on the inside.
20:39And that's definitely the situation at the front.
20:41Those trees are just blocking all that natural light.
20:45And then you come out the back.
20:46There's no family-friendly area.
20:47It's sitting here now.
20:48You can feel the heat coming through that roof.
20:52And nowhere for breeze to come through.
20:53Correct.
20:55Come on.
20:56Let's go.
20:56Let's go and meet them.
20:59This is undoubtedly going to be tough for Lynne, and it certainly sounds like this large house
21:05will need an equally large budget if we're to help her achieve the $1.2 million she so
21:11desperately needs to move on.
21:14So, time to find out how much cash is on the table.
21:19Right, now we can do the introductions then.
21:22So, Dennis and Wendy meet Tom and Lynette.
21:25Hello.
21:26Hello, guys.
21:26It's Lynne.
21:27Sorry, Lynne.
21:28Sorry, Lynne.
21:29We normally have an agent with us.
21:31Yeah.
21:31At this moment, we're between agents.
21:33I'm just thinking maybe we start with what the great Australian buying public think first.
21:38I have ramped up my emotional resilience.
21:42Oh, good.
21:42Ready for all the cruel comments that are about to be made.
21:46One hour with Andrew will get you ready to go.
21:48Yeah.
21:48Yeah, she didn't think I was a bit rude.
21:50Are you ready?
21:53God, the gardens need a bit of work.
21:55Yeah, gardens need a lot of work, actually.
21:58There's a lot of overgrown trees.
22:00You really can't see it from the front.
22:03Shall we go in?
22:05Shall we go in?
22:05Shall we go in?
22:06Shall we go in?
22:06Yeah.
22:07It's a bit dark.
22:08I think it's a bit surprising how dark it is.
22:11But that, yuck.
22:13Come on, emotional resilience.
22:15Build up.
22:17Oh, is this a kitchen?
22:20For quite a large house, it's a tiny kitchen.
22:23Oh.
22:25What's this meant to be?
22:28Do you remember I Dream of Janie?
22:30I feel like I'm in the bottle.
22:34Don't think it suits my needs.
22:37It's too much.
22:38It's just too much.
22:41So, no grass, which is something that we really want for the baby.
22:46Everything's in your face.
22:48And nothing's glowing.
22:49And dark.
22:50I wouldn't pay more than $8 to $8.50.
22:56I think probably $900,000.
22:59I'd say eights, low eights.
23:02Yeah.
23:02Definitely.
23:03Yeah.
23:06Wow.
23:08Actually, you did very well there, Lynne.
23:11And what did you think of the feedback?
23:13Well, hurtful, but very fair.
23:16Yeah.
23:16Okay.
23:16Okay.
23:17So, sum up.
23:19Your key points would be what?
23:22Look, it's pretty simple.
23:23It is a very personal house.
23:25It's a family house.
23:26You've made it completely and utterly yours.
23:29Yes.
23:29And that's great when you want to live in it.
23:32Yeah.
23:32But you need to remove some of that in order to let somebody else see themselves in it.
23:36Yeah.
23:37We need to address the amount of natural light that's coming in and just the sense of light
23:42and space and the heavy furniture and the heavy colours.
23:45And I think we need just one cohesive, calm scheme.
23:49Yes.
23:50And then probably for me, which Dennis is not going to like hearing, I think that we do
23:55have a floor plan problem.
23:57The kitchen isn't fit for the kind of family that's looking to buy a house here.
24:02A 20-20's kitchen.
24:03It's just not.
24:04It's not connected to the living spaces.
24:07It's really not big enough.
24:09I think I can do it, but it does depend on the engineering.
24:13The front yard doesn't particularly worry me.
24:15I've got to remove some of the foliage because it's just so high and it's going to allow some
24:19more lighting.
24:19Then you go into the back, which really is the back because there's no yard to it whatsoever.
24:25It's just hard surface on hard surface.
24:27So I would love to be able to remove that paving and sort out an area that families are going
24:34to be able to enjoy because at the moment, those buyers are being alienated.
24:39That's going to cost some money.
24:41So on that basis, maybe we should start talking about money.
24:44Yes.
24:46So how much?
24:49I'm easily available.
24:51I could only manage $15,000.
25:00What time is my flight again?
25:07Yeah, look, I know we need to spend money.
25:13So I'm happy to chip in and get us to $100,000.
25:17Oh, if that's enough.
25:19Wow.
25:20That's it, yeah.
25:25You have lovely children.
25:27I do.
25:27Yeah.
25:28I'm keeping him.
25:29Yeah.
25:29I think there's three children, is that right?
25:31Yes.
25:31Guess who's gone to number one now, eh?
25:33Who's family favourite?
25:35The other two.
25:35Woo-hoo.
25:37Okay, so whilst we've got a fairly healthy budget, we've got lots of work ahead for us
25:43all.
25:43You're going to have to walk through at least one more time.
25:46Exactly.
26:02Lynne's Adelaide Home needs some serious help to make it appeal to the family market.
26:09So it's time to roll up our sleeves and get stuck in.
26:19This is a house that's deeply loved by Lynne, but to new buyers, it is a confused mix of personalities.
26:26So my job is to simplify this.
26:29I'm going to create a single personality that makes sense with this home that's currently
26:35in crisis.
26:37The kitchen works for Lynne and her family, but won't meet buyers' expectations, so I'm
26:43going to open it up to the dining area.
26:47Then I'll introduce a cohesive colour scheme that will shed light into even the darkest
26:52corners.
26:54Plus, I'll use consistent styling to eradicate the current confusion of very personal taste.
27:02But that's the part that'll be the hardest for Lynne.
27:06This is a bit sad.
27:11Hello.
27:12Hi.
27:13How are you going?
27:14Well, it's a bit gut-wrenching, really.
27:17I know.
27:17I was thinking that.
27:18That's why I sort of come up and give you a hand.
27:20You know, this was my husband's dream.
27:22I'm really amazed at your bravery to do this.
27:26It must be hard packing it up now.
27:28It is.
27:29And initially, it was really hard to even come into the room.
27:34Yeah.
27:34I'm really sorry.
27:36And so what are you going to do next, do you think?
27:38I'm looking at one of those retirement villages now.
27:41I know I'm not old enough to be in one of those.
27:45I know.
27:45But I understand that there are some wild people in those places as well.
27:51And if there wasn't before, there's a super big.
27:59This house has great bones, but you cannot see it because there's patios, gazebos and
28:04pergolas everywhere, not to mention the vines and overgrowth out the front.
28:08So I'm going to open it all up, helping Wendy by getting rid of this light-blocking foliage
28:14and useless additions to the home.
28:17First up, pergola has to go.
28:20The rear will also get some breathing space by removing the suffocating hard surfaces,
28:25making it a backyard once again.
28:28There is nothing soft and friendly about this area whatsoever.
28:32With the on and gone, my transformation can get underway in earnest.
28:38I'm lifting all the brick pavers, bringing in some soil and laying some awesome turf,
28:43just perfect for our target family buyers.
28:46I'll rid the beds of their out-of-control plants and instead introduce a more consistent
28:52border planting scheme.
28:53The gazebo will stay for a shady spot to watch the kids play from, but I'll replace the lattice
28:58with more stylish vertical slats.
29:01Next to that will be the mother-of-all barbecue areas.
29:09This is absolutely crazy.
29:11We've got a pavers coming up.
29:12We've got a stream office getting the foliage down.
29:14I've got chippies working on this patio area.
29:18Honestly, it is crazy.
29:34Have a look at this.
29:36Look how much light we've got now.
29:38This is amazing.
29:40With the wall gone, I can build a generous new breakfast bar that will push out into the
29:45dining room, increasing the floor area of the kitchen significantly.
29:50I'll reposition the fridge in a much more functional spot.
29:54And I'll use quartz benchtops along with pendant lighting to enhance the newfound light in this
30:00space.
30:03Hi.
30:04Wendy, what have you done to my house?
30:09So much.
30:10We've done so much.
30:11Look, there's enough people for a party.
30:18It's not just inside that Lynn's home is coming out from the shadows.
30:24These conifers were planted in the wrong space and they'd outgrown their situation.
30:29Now, by removing them, they have allowed so much more light in this place.
30:33It feels so much more welcoming.
30:36Let there be light.
30:42My other nemesis to get the heave-ho out the front is this pergola that's also stealing
30:47light from inside.
30:49It's a goner.
30:51You owe me, Wendy.
30:58I'm bringing consistency to the style of this home.
31:02Architecturally, it's a 1970s classic and I want to let that shine.
31:07So, I'm removing anything that doesn't fit in with that cool and calm mid-century vibe.
31:13And this Federation-style balustrade is a great example of that.
31:18So, it's going.
31:20Couldn't have happened to a nicer balustrade.
31:23This batten screen is far more in keeping with the 70s feel and it sets the scene for
31:29the rest of the house.
31:31Looks good.
31:31Well done.
31:33The consistent cool and calm vibe will also come from using paint in warm grey and white
31:39hues, creating a cosy backdrop for my finishing touches.
31:52Plants are already arriving, so it's just as well then.
31:55I've got a couple of extra helpers.
32:01Unbelievable.
32:03It's not my house.
32:05How do you feel?
32:06It lets in so much more light.
32:07It suddenly just looks different.
32:09Yeah.
32:10I mean, I forgot about this whole view, to be honest.
32:12Yeah.
32:13The satellite dish, it's a good place for birds to poop on.
32:28Buyers were confused and scared by the hodgepodge of very personal styles in this house.
32:34Nowhere more so than in Lynn's Moroccan room.
32:37But with the artefacts and sentimental items gone, we can exploit this room's true potential.
32:45Light's already pouring in thanks to Dennis' work outside and painting the brick work will enhance that further.
32:53And here's a couple of pointers that will help you create bright but warm spaces.
32:58If you've got a big wall like this, you don't want to use a pure white because it ends up
33:03making a room feel cold and clinical rather than light and bright and airy.
33:07Another trick is that I've gone with a low sheen.
33:10When you've got imperfect surfaces like this, having a low sheen just reduces the obviousness of those imperfections.
33:18So two good tricks and it's made a huge difference.
33:25Overgrown vegetation in the front yard meant this house lacked curb appeal for buyers.
33:31So my new planting scheme will allow people to fall in love with the place from the street but also
33:37thrive in Adelaide's famously dry climate.
33:40That's where xeriscaping comes in.
33:43Xeriscaping is the use of water-wise plants and the minimisation of evaporation and water loss.
33:50The reason I've chosen all these is because they're not necessarily flowering but they are water savers.
33:57The helichrysynums, these will go great.
33:59They'll grow down over the rock.
34:01Then you've got the beautiful grey-green foliage of the dianella and you've got the variegation of this lamandra which
34:07will actually give you some movement in the breeze.
34:11My number one hack to minimise water loss is to make sure you use a generous layer of mulch.
34:17It retains moisture and also breaks down to provide a source of food for your plants.
34:24Not only will this garden be stylish but it will be sustainable.
34:36A great irony of Lynne's dark house was that there were actually skylights in place but they'd been glazed with
34:44coloured glass.
34:45That added to the confusion of styles and didn't let much lighting.
34:49So we're actually replacing it with a really simple perspex and we're just putting a film on it so it
34:55has a frosted effect to it so you can't really see through the skylight but all that natural light can
35:00come through.
35:01It's a really cheap option.
35:02It's much cheaper and much faster than getting glass panes cut to put in there.
35:14Time to start planting up the backyard to entice our target family market.
35:19I'm planting a run of drought tolerant lily pillies and here's some advice if you're planting up a whole run
35:25like I am.
35:27Plants don't usually grow uniformly so take a good look at them and work out which is the front and
35:32back.
35:34The reason there is a front and back is because they're grown in a cluster and what happens is the
35:38plant actually searches for the sun and it's going to be the fuller side.
35:42That's the side you want to see.
35:43So look at your plant.
35:48And make sure you've got the full side to the front.
36:01I know it's hard to believe but in this house it looks like absolute chaos.
36:05By the end of today it's going to be pristine and beautiful.
36:10Look at hours, literally hours left.
36:12It'll be fine.
36:16Amid all the chaos I haven't lost sight of my plan to bring this home together under one unified style.
36:23To help buyers fall in love with it.
36:26And pulling together the flooring is a major part of that plan.
36:32Although the original flooring in this house was quite beautiful.
36:36All the parquetry and the really orange colours just didn't work with the architecture of this house.
36:42So what I've done is I've gone for a new laminate floating floor just to go straight over the top.
36:48I've gone for a Mooloola Bar spotted gum and that's a good choice because it's going to work really well
36:53with the spotted gum I've got in the kitchen.
36:55The brown tones will just work with the new colour scheme.
36:59Everything will just feel calmer and just like one cohesive space.
37:09My love of turf knows no bounds.
37:14This is my happy place when you arrive.
37:16And for this reno it's fundamental to making this house family friendly.
37:22I love it.
37:24So I want to give it the best start in life and a sprinkling of balanced fertiliser before we lay
37:30the turf will do just that.
37:37But there's another hack that will give your turf a flying start.
37:42It's all about butting up each section nice and tight.
37:46When you get your joins if you just take a little bit of time make sure they knit in nicely.
37:53Instant lawn.
37:54It looks like it hasn't been freshly laid.
37:59Often turf will shrink and if you do this you can avoid ugly gaps in your precious new lawn.
38:11Now to turn this house into a home.
38:17Oh that looks so beautiful.
38:29I'm using rugs and carefully selected items of rented furniture to round off the harmonious and tranquil feel.
38:38And I'm bringing in some really beautiful 70s inspired products like this amber glass and some green colours and some
38:46matte finishes.
38:47I don't want this home to feel like everything's clashing and clambering for your attention.
38:52I want to walk in and feel instantly calm.
39:03There's been a long hard slog but we're getting there.
39:08One, two, three.
39:40Hello.
39:41Please tell me you're finished.
39:43No, of course I'm not finished.
39:44Well, perfect. It's now the perfect time then to sit down.
39:46If I sit down, I'm not going to get up.
39:48Oh, you've just got to.
39:51I feel like I'm outside and not under the cover of...
39:54Darkness?
39:55Darkness, yeah.
39:56When we first walked into this house,
39:58it just felt like personality, character everywhere,
40:02and none of it matched.
40:04But now, I feel like we've got a house
40:07that really celebrates the architecture.
40:10And then you get to the backyard.
40:12It is now an awesome space.
40:16It feels like a whole new house.
40:18It does. I'm very happy.
40:32Lynn's home was a mishmash of deeply personal styles
40:36from across the decades and the globe,
40:39with a floor plan that sent buyers running.
40:42So, have Wendy and Dennis managed to make
40:45this confused suburban 70s house
40:48appeal to the modern family market?
40:51Oh, there you go.
40:54Look at that.
40:56That's incredible.
40:58Before, Lynn's home was hidden behind
41:00a jungle of light-sapping vegetation.
41:05But Dennis has opened up the whole of the front,
41:08and it's utterly transformative.
41:13Hello, you two.
41:14Hi, Andrew.
41:15You keep on coming back.
41:17I can't stay away, can I?
41:19You're trying to give me retina burn?
41:21Yeah, you might want some sunglasses.
41:22Yeah.
41:24This looks unbelievable.
41:26If I'm a buyer,
41:27now I'm seeing a really big house.
41:30It's not hidden in the greenery.
41:32It's true.
41:33What struck me is the trees really stand out.
41:36They're actually more of a feature.
41:38They're not lost in the chaos now.
41:40Completely agree.
41:41And I have to also say,
41:43have you been buying extra bits of land?
41:46It does look like it, doesn't it?
41:47This is amazing.
41:49It's like double the house.
41:50Yeah.
41:51Let's have a look inside.
41:52You lead the way.
41:53All right.
41:54Can't wait to see this.
41:57Come on in.
41:58Thank you, Lynn.
42:01Oh, my goodness.
42:04Wow.
42:07Inside the house is barely recognisable.
42:11But once gingy foyer is now a light, welcoming space.
42:17This is wonderful.
42:20It is exceptional.
42:20It's a different entrance, isn't it?
42:22Yeah, this is inspired.
42:23I love this.
42:24It gives you a scream,
42:26but you can still feel the depth behind it
42:28so the light can come through.
42:29Does it feel like your home?
42:31No.
42:32I'm suspecting that aliens have swapped it.
42:37Those aliens have certainly been busy.
42:41Oh, Lynn.
42:43Someone's stolen the wall.
42:45It is.
42:47Wow.
42:47Yeah.
42:49Huge.
42:51The former galley kitchen was narrow, dark,
42:54and its layout was far from user-friendly.
42:57But now, any budding master chef
43:00won't want to tear themselves away
43:02from the light-filled open-plan oasis.
43:06This has been pushed into that oversized dining area.
43:12Removal of that dog-leg wall,
43:15that one action has solved so many negatives.
43:19I never envisaged this as a solution.
43:24Let's meander into your expansive dining space.
43:28I love the fact Wendy's used a big dining table here
43:32because it is a big, tiny area.
43:34Yes.
43:35Yes, and the colour scheme used
43:37brings a warmth to the space.
43:40I'm overwhelmed at the transformation.
43:43Oh, it's just... It's beautiful.
43:45Oh!
43:47I've always loved this sunken living area,
43:50but that's bathed in light too.
43:52No longer dungeon-like,
43:55Wendy has completely pulled it out of the bag.
43:59The new flooring and a coat of paint
44:01has taken this room to another level.
44:04Swapping out the heavy mismatched furniture
44:06for brighter options
44:08and binning the heavy curtains and helmet
44:10for less obtrusive blinds,
44:12all of a sudden, the sunken lounge
44:14is now a room where buyers will want to linger.
44:18This is just beautiful.
44:21And of course,
44:22Dennis's work removing the bergola
44:24fills the room with sunlight.
44:27The outside is now connected with the inside
44:30in a way that it wasn't beforehand.
44:33It's very inviting.
44:35But it's upstairs
44:37where some of the most profound changes
44:39have taken place.
44:40Is it still an ode to Morocco up here?
44:44Oh, Lynn,
44:46Morocco has definitely moved on.
44:50Previously,
44:51a highly personalised recreation
44:52of the Casbah,
44:55Wendy stripped out
44:56the sentimental knick-knacks,
44:58busy fabrics,
44:59and vertical blinds,
45:00and instead,
45:01used neutral paint
45:02on the brickwork,
45:03warm-toned carpets,
45:05and simplified styling
45:07for the not-to-mid-century,
45:08meaning this room
45:10is now fresh,
45:11bright,
45:11and welcoming,
45:12just perfect for the family market.
45:14You're very cool about all this.
45:17I know,
45:18it was tough,
45:19but I've been preparing myself
45:21emotionally for this.
45:23And it seems to me
45:24that I can take my memories with me.
45:27You can,
45:28absolutely.
45:28And this is a house
45:29for a new family
45:30to make their own memories.
45:34Safe to say,
45:35the backyard really
45:36is the icing on the cake.
45:42Hey!
45:44Look at this!
45:47You've got garden
45:49and light!
45:51Before hard surfaces dominated
45:53and due to the
45:55oppressive roof structure,
45:57it was hard to tell
45:58if you were outside at all.
46:01But now,
46:02sunlight and fresh air
46:03is in abundance.
46:05Plus,
46:06there's some of the,
46:06dare I say it,
46:07green stuff.
46:09Dennis really has
46:10worked wonders.
46:12Look at all this grass!
46:14And you're going to have
46:15to sell the house
46:16before you have to mow it.
46:17Good point.
46:18Get it on the market,
46:19quick!
46:21Look,
46:22the modernisation
46:23that's taken place
46:24in this section.
46:25Ah,
46:26look,
46:26what am I doing now?
46:27Walking into the sun!
46:30What do you think, Tom?
46:32I love it, yeah.
46:32I think,
46:33just having all pavers
46:34before I think
46:34would have turned
46:35a lot of people away.
46:36But grass has really
46:37softened the whole space.
46:38You can see,
46:39you can have a trampoline here
46:40and still have room
46:41for a dog or anything else.
46:43Yeah.
46:43And,
46:44back to real,
46:45real estate basics,
46:46you can see what you're buying.
46:47I can see the house now.
46:50The budget has gone a long way.
46:54Did it include your top?
46:56I'm sending you the bill.
46:57Yeah.
46:58I'm a living disco ball.
47:01Shall we go in
47:02and start talking money
47:03and all things selling?
47:08The median house price
47:09at the moment
47:10in Ross Trevor
47:10is
47:11$1,085,000.
47:13Well,
47:13you can be pretty sure
47:14that the typical house
47:16is probably slightly
47:16smaller than this.
47:17If you had your dream,
47:19what would the dream price be?
47:20It would be great
47:21to get to 1.2,
47:22but really anything
47:23over 1.1
47:24I'd be happy with.
47:24Lynn?
47:25Yeah,
47:261.2 would be ideal.
47:28Okay.
47:29Then there's the tarot cards,
47:30remember?
47:31Oh,
47:32yes.
47:32What did they say?
47:331.3.
47:341.3.
47:35Good old tarot cards.
47:36Who needs evaluation
47:37when you've got tarot cards?
47:39I think your 1.1
47:41anticipation
47:41is actually
47:43extremely realistic.
47:44He is hoping.
47:45I would be
47:45really disappointed
47:46if you don't get into
47:47the 1.1s.
47:48You may even get
47:49towards 1.2.
47:51And I think now
47:52you've got a garden,
47:53you've got street appeal,
47:55and the main area
47:57is done.
47:57I think it'll go
47:59very well.
47:59I'm really excited
48:00for you, Lynn.
48:01You do deserve it.
48:02How are you feeling now?
48:03I've delivered that
48:04for the bit of it.
48:04Optimistic.
48:05Yeah,
48:06I think you should be.
48:07But also comfortable
48:09that I'm doing
48:10the right thing
48:11and that it is
48:12time to move on.
48:15Not long ago,
48:17Lynn's house
48:17was like a riddle
48:19wrapped up
48:19in her own memories.
48:21Then along comes
48:23Wendy and Dennis
48:23with their magic
48:24and simplify
48:25the whole property.
48:27Look,
48:28this is still
48:28a very quirky house.
48:31But I think
48:32it's good quirky.
48:34Buyers are going
48:35to love it.
48:42Now,
48:43Wendy and Dennis
48:43have worked
48:44their magic.
48:45It's over to Lynn's
48:46new agent,
48:47Rhys,
48:47to get that sale.
48:50What a dick price.
48:51It's amazing,
48:52doesn't it?
48:53Oh,
48:54this is nice.
48:55It's a bit
48:55of a modern touch.
48:59If we melt
49:00walls down this place.
49:02Is this the same case?
49:04The whole space
49:06just works
49:06so much better.
49:10Oh my gosh,
49:11what a difference.
49:12It's now bright.
49:14It's not a dark cave
49:15anymore,
49:15is it?
49:16No,
49:16it's not.
49:18This is so good.
49:19Look at how open
49:20it is now.
49:21That's some grass.
49:23Makes it a lot better
49:24for having a little family.
49:25Yeah.
49:26I'm
49:26up-spec to me.
49:28I think it could be worth
49:29up to
49:301.2 million plus.
49:32Could tip over
49:331.2.
49:34Yeah.
49:34Probably
49:341.1,
49:351.3.
49:40Last time I met Lynn,
49:42she was chasing
49:43around 1.1 million
49:45and dreaming
49:45of a retirement villa.
49:47Well,
49:48I've heard
49:49she's got a new address.
49:50This is looking promising.
49:52That's why I brought this.
49:56Can I come in?
49:58Certainly.
49:59Oh.
50:00Welcome to the new abode.
50:01Amazing.
50:03So is this the villa
50:04you wanted?
50:05It's better
50:06than what I wanted.
50:07My two four-letter words
50:08are flat pack.
50:12Thanks to
50:13Selling Houses Australia,
50:15I can afford it.
50:15A little bit of a chat.
50:17So,
50:18what happened
50:18with the campaign?
50:20After
50:20two open
50:21inspections,
50:22we had
50:2210
50:23firm offers.
50:2510 offers?
50:26Yeah.
50:26Wow.
50:27So,
50:28what did you end up
50:29selling for?
50:291.26.
50:321.26.
50:33Yeah,
50:34amazing.
50:35Wow,
50:35that's awesome.
50:36My commission,
50:37I didn't receive anything.
50:38Bad luck.
50:40I've had to buy
50:41new furniture,
50:42didn't I?
50:43Well,
50:43come on,
50:44Tom,
50:44crack that open.
50:45Oh,
50:46that beautiful sound.
50:48There we go.
50:49Well,
50:49let's have a toast
50:50to Lynn's
50:51new beginnings.
50:52Congratulations.
50:53The poor estate
50:54hasn't got a clue
50:55what's going to hit him.
50:56Yes,
50:57don't tell them.
50:58I won't.
50:58Don't tell them.
50:59Yeah.
51:01Yeah.
51:03Hey,
51:06Yay!
51:10the poor estate
51:11sure not.
51:16We'll see you now.
51:17Bye.
51:18And then you can go
51:18Bye.
51:19Bye.
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