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00:03Today I'm house hunting along the glorious western coast of the Italian Riviera, a holiday
00:09favourite for the rich and famous and European royalty. I'm Ben Hillman, an interior designer
00:15and property expert. For the past few years I've been helping house hunters find their
00:20dream properties whilst giving them a little design inspiration too. Today I'll be using
00:24all my skills to find the perfect place for Veronica and Tim, setting myself a high bar
00:30from the start. What this house is all about. My gosh, that's amazing. While these two say
00:37it as they see it. Can you imagine yourself being in here? Not really. I take a dip into
00:46the lap of luxury. Hands down the best private infinity pool I've ever seen. Absolutely. But
00:54at the end of the day do I find my house hunters, their perfect place in the sun.
00:58Oh nice. Very nice. Lots of light. It's been done very nicely.
01:07Veronica and Tim have always dreamt of buying a holiday home in Italy, where Veronica has
01:13lots of family. With their daughter grown up and money in the bank, they're finally in
01:18a position to make that happen. And they can't think of a better place to be than on the Italian
01:24Riviera. Veronica, a retired personal trainer and Tim, who works in publishing, have been
01:31together for some 29 years, having first met at a wedding.
01:34He dressed nice. He looked quite cool. We were into the same things.
01:43Yeah, we were into the same things. That's a good one. Yeah. We were into the same things.
01:47And we still are. We still are into the same things.
01:50Along with their 25-year-old daughter, Raffaella, the family have a strong connection to the
01:54Battle Paese, or beautiful country. As while Veronica was born in the UK, both of her parents
02:00are from Italy. In search of a holiday bolt hole that they plan to use for a few months
02:05at a time, they have a budget of £200,000.
02:10The Italian Riviera extends along Italy's northwest coast from close to the French border down to
02:15Tuscany. We'll be focusing on its western end around the city of San Arimo. The closest
02:22international airport is actually Nice, over in France. But you can also fly to Genoa, which
02:27is roughly an hour and a half drive away. It's a rather glorious destination with a
02:32similar feel to the famous French Riviera, but perhaps with a few less casinos and luxury
02:38yachts. The coastline is a little more rugged, with striking cliffs, but also home to some
02:42picturesque bays and sandy beaches. San Arimo itself is the perfect place to enjoy the laid-back
02:49Riviera lifestyle, with some beautiful architecture, wonderful restaurants, and of course, a palm-lined
02:55promenade. With Monaco less than an hour's drive away, and other wealthy cities like
03:00Milan and Nice within easy reach, the Italian Riviera has for a long time been the playground
03:07for those with very deep pockets. In fact, an apartment on this coastline can cost up to
03:14£6 million. However, head to more westerly towns and prices do become a little more affordable,
03:21which is great news for those of us who are yet to win the lottery. But before we can find
03:27that
03:27one-in-a-million perfect property, I need to gather a little more info. So we're meeting a
03:32short drive up the coast from San Arimo for a chat.
03:35Hello, Veronica. Welcome back to the Italian Riviera. How do you feel to be here?
03:39It's great to be here. We love this area.
03:41Very excited. Yeah. Do you know this area pretty well then?
03:45Pretty well, yeah. Yeah, pretty well. Italy is the obvious destination.
03:47And just because it's blooming gorgeous. And the food is great.
03:51Yeah. Beautiful food, beautiful sunshine, beautiful scenery. Beautiful people.
03:55Beautiful people. We love all of that. So what are you looking forward to getting up to?
04:00What is the dream? Bars and restaurants and beach,
04:03really? I mean, that's pretty straightforward. Exactly. Walking, watching people. I love
04:07watching people. Yeah. So I need to be around people. Talk to me about the actual property.
04:12The location is more important than the property. Is it?
04:14We like bigger places with a lot going on. We love San Ramo City. And there's a few bigger
04:20towns along the coast. We need to be close to a lot of bars and restaurants, not one bar or
04:27one
04:27restaurant. OK. I like to vary my food and drink intake. It is. And I need to also be walking
04:35distance to the sea. OK. It could be 20, 30 minutes, but a walk-walk distance. All right,
04:41that's acceptable, isn't it? Yeah. So you're not looking to get lost in the hills then?
04:45Definitely not. Not at all. Definitely not. I want to be amongst it.
04:48Part of the action. Definitely want part of the action. Definitely at least part of the action,
04:51if not all of the action. It's about where it is. But I would like it to be modern and
04:57clean.
04:57Outside space is important. We want to have somewhere where we can sit and eat.
05:01You know, sit with another couple and have something to eat.
05:04OK, so a terrace, a balcony, that kind of vibe. Really, you would like two double bedrooms,
05:09because we always want another couple to come or my daughter and her partner to come.
05:14Yeah. Your budget is £200,000. That's right. Which is healthy, but at the same time,
05:19we are in a very expensive... Exactly. ..of the world. We are.
05:23Do you have any sort of movement in that budget at all?
05:25Yeah, about £20,000. Potentially up to £20,000 extra.
05:30So we could take it right up to £220,000. Yeah, but it would have to be completely done.
05:34Yeah. Right. OK. In all honesty, we're probably going to be looking at apartments.
05:39Perfect. Yeah, realistically, that's what we tend to look at ourselves when we're doing our research.
05:44Yeah. Well, that's good. Then I think we should hit the road and go and see some fantastic people.
05:49Excellent. You up for that? Definitely.
05:51Come with me. Let's do it. While the countryside is great,
05:54it's going to be fun searching around the centre of San Arimo and its surrounding towns.
05:58I can't wait to get started. But first, I think a little overview of San Arimo itself is in order,
06:04so I can better understand what it is these two admire so much about the city.
06:12Well, guys, I'm starting us off in the beautiful Giardini Regina Elena. That's as well as I can say it,
06:19I'm afraid.
06:20That's pretty good. It means the gardens of Queen Elena. It looks right out over San Arimo.
06:26Very romantic. We've got a waterfall. We've got a grotto. And beautifully, they trickle down at the hillside here.
06:31Is this your heartland? Your Italian heartland?
06:35This is my heartland. Pretty much, is it? Yes.
06:37What makes it so? Oh.
06:39Well, look at it. Yeah. Look at it. Look at where we are. Yeah.
06:42Look at the views and the sunshine and the city and the marina and the beach. What more do you
06:48want?
06:48Have you been up here before? Never been. We've not, actually. We've never been up here.
06:52No, we've been to the area below this and on both sides, but we've never been up here.
06:57Oh, well, that's nice. It's nice to show you something new.
07:00Yeah. We're going to be looking at our property just down these steps. Four minutes over there.
07:04Wow. Brilliant. Fantastic. That's exciting.
07:07Shall we go and see it? Yeah. Yeah, let's do that.
07:10Property in San Arimo is currently in high demand, with prices rising nearly 10% in the last year.
07:16Two-bedroom apartments typically start at around 200 grand. And as Veronica and Tim want a modern finish
07:23in a prime location, we've had to make a compromise or two to line up a place in a wonderfully
07:28historic
07:29part of town. Now, here we go then. Moments from the park. And we're straight into these beautiful
07:37streets. We've been to before. We know this area quite well, actually. So we wondered whether or not
07:41there might be one in this area. Do you see that lovely stone doorway there with the gate?
07:46Yes. Yes. That is where we're going to be going into. So that is your front door. However,
07:52it is not the front of your house, right? Okay, so it's all on the other side. Okay. And on
07:58the
07:58other side, there's some pretty incredible views. Excellent. Really? Exciting.
08:02Yeah, absolutely. Over San Arimo. The caveat with this one is that it is a one-bedroom property.
08:09Okay. But my goodness, it's a one-bedroom with a lot of character. Now, this property has been on the
08:14market for a year. It was renovated a couple of years ago on for just over £211,000. Okay.
08:20Want to get inside? Yes, please. Yes, definitely. I'm this way. Thank you.
08:25This apartment has a good-sized terrace with some magnificent city and sea views. Inside,
08:32the kitchen and dining space has some character touches. There's a separate living room that
08:37could house a sofa bed for guests, while the main bedroom is a fair-sized double and there's a shower
08:43room. Well, you can go left or right. And left brings you into the living space. Okay. In what
08:52is a duplex apartment over two floors. It's good. Yes, it's a good size. Yeah, good space. Nice and
08:58bright. Quite bright. It benefits, you know, these properties are four, five, six stories high. So
09:04actually, because we're right at the top, we're probably looking at one of the brightest ones
09:08you could look at if you were three floors down, then you were in one of the alleyways. Yeah. Kind
09:12of
09:12thing. Do you need to do much for this? No, not at all. Nothing at all. But there is space
09:17to put a
09:17sofa bed. Yeah, for sure. Let's go and see the bedroom. Let's go. Welcome to your bedroom with
09:25views to the sea. Oh, wow. I know. Just seeing the sea. No need for an alarm clock because you've
09:30got the
09:30church bell there. I think it's perfectly formed, isn't it? What are your thoughts? Yeah. I don't need a
09:37huge bedroom. It's got storage. Yeah. That's great. Perfect. Let's go upstairs. We're going to
09:43check out the views. Tim, lead the way. Great.
09:50This is what I've been dying to show you. Wow. And what this house is all about. Oh, wow. My
09:56gosh. Yeah. That is spectacular. That's amazing. That is really amazing. That is spectacular. I would just
10:03stand here all day. You can see the whole spread of the city right across. Fantastic. That is
10:08spectacular. Does this sort of like put into perspective the issue of it being a one bed at all? I
10:13think there's
10:14enough flexibility downstairs to make a sleeping area for another couple and that's the key thing.
10:19Yeah. Potentially a bit of an issue. It's not easy to get stuff in and out of this property. Yeah.
10:25Just in terms of, you know, furniture and so on, it's not easy access. But, I mean,
10:30the view and the property itself is spectacular. I know. What are we thinking about this space?
10:35Were you expecting this kind of thing? No. Definitely not. No. This is far beyond the kind
10:39of view I thought we'd get for that sort of money. And the space. Bigger. In the centre. Yeah,
10:44it's great. Oh, my gosh. It's very usable. Well, there you go. That's the terrace for you. You,
10:48of course, have to see the rest of the property. Yeah. So, I'll let you head back downstairs.
10:52I'll catch you when you're down. Okay. Okay, thanks. All right.
10:57Well, suffice to say, I think this may just have won them over. Okay. Tim had a couple of concerns,
11:04but, my goodness, quite the start. Oh, that's quite a good kitchen. Modern. Plenty of space.
11:13No need to do anything. No. Got a table here. Could put a bigger one in, potentially. Maybe
11:17put a sofa over there. Yep. So, here we go. Bathroom. Yep. That's good. Modern. That's good.
11:25All done. Two sinks. That's always good. Yep. Look, great view there. Another nice window.
11:29Lots of light. That's really good. It doesn't need anything, do you? No. Perfect. Perfectly fine.
11:34Very good. This apartment in historic San Arimo with great views from the terrace has one bedroom and
11:40a price tag within Veronica and Tim's wiggle room of just over £211,000. Well, I tell you what,
11:47it has been a joy waiting here for you both. How was that? How was it looking around the rest
11:51of it,
11:51looking around your first property in Italy? Really good. Really good. Really good. Very interesting.
11:56Surprising. It's all been done. Kitchen's modern. Bathroom's modern. So, very little work to do.
12:01Exactly. Love it. Spectacular. So, no buts. Nothing wrong. Nothing to...
12:08Maybe a but. OK. So, it's the fact that it's difficult to get a car anywhere near to it, so
12:14if you wanted to bring any kind of furniture or equipment or anything here, it would be...
12:18You pay someone to do that. Yeah. I guess so. Is it in or out? It's not completely out. I
12:23agree. How can
12:26it be? It's definitely in at this point. Yeah. Yeah. It's hard to say no to that,
12:30is it? To rule that out. Let's go and see a second bedroom. Yeah. OK. And maybe retain
12:35some element of outdoor space. That would be great. Let's see what that means. Come on. Cool.
12:40What a start. I just need to throw another bedroom into the mix and we're away. If I knew it
12:46was that easy.
12:46However, I found a place on the edge of town in a more contemporary area that I think could work
12:51well.
12:53But before that, when we first met, Veronica told me being close to the beach is important,
12:58so we're going to check that out first.
13:01So, back down at the beach. Beautiful. I'm wondering if you've hit these Lido's before,
13:09all these private beach clubs. Somewhere you've been? Very regularly, very regularly. Yeah,
13:13a bit further down, but yes, we have. Not in this spot. Not in this spot. Not in this spot.
13:22We
13:22can imagine all the Hollywood A-listers. Definitely. Bygone eras just meandering up and
13:27down here. Definitely. Yeah. Are you following in their footsteps? Yes. In our dreams. Obviously,
13:34you have to pay to use these Lido's. You do, yeah. Is it worth it? I think so. Because you
13:39generally get
13:39very good facilities and then there'll be a restaurant there as well. Yeah. And a bit of
13:43beach. So, yeah, they're generally worth it. Anyway, look, we're going to go see the next property.
13:47It's a 23-minute stroll from here back into town. Okay. Perfect. Very good. Yes.
13:52Okay, muscle in.
13:57With Tim and Veronica still wanting to be in the centre of town, but with easy access,
14:01could my next property be just that? A 1970s two-bedroom apartment.
14:13Today, I'm house hunting with Veronica and Tim helping them to find their dream holiday home close
14:19to the spectacular beaches of the Italian Riviera. And in spite impressing them with a lovely property
14:27in the old town, it turned out it was a step too far. As being located amongst the winding streets
14:34and
14:34alleyways, access is a little tricky, but it's still a contender and a fairly strong one at that.
14:40It was on the market over Veronica and Tim's ideal £200,000 budget, but within their maximum of £220,000.
14:49The other slight concern was that it's just got that one bedroom rather than the requested two.
14:54So we're heading to the northern edge of town to find just that. It's in a 1970s development
15:00designed to resemble the hull of a ship. Let's hope it shapes up.
15:06Right then, back in the heart of town. We're just above the market. It is market day. It's pretty busy.
15:14How do you feel to be in this spot?
15:16Feels quite hectic. Yeah.
15:18Nice that we're in the middle of town. Yeah. You sound very reserved.
15:23Yeah, well, reserving judgement, reserving judgement. Okay, that's a good thing.
15:26We're going to be looking at a fourth floor apartment, wrap around balcony, views over to the sea.
15:32Two bed, two bathroom apartment, great living space. It needs a little bit of style or refreshment added to it.
15:41It's on the market for just over £202,500. Okay. Okay.
15:46All right. Okay. Anyway, we'll get inside and have a look around. Come on.
15:49Excellent. I'm giving Veronica and Tim great sea vistas once again,
15:54from the narrow but long balcony that wraps around the front and side of this apartment.
15:59Inside, after a refresh, the living and dining room could be a great space.
16:04There's a separate kitchen with room for a table and chairs,
16:07and both bedrooms are a fair size, with access to the balcony. Plus, there are two shower rooms.
16:15These doors are amazing. Loads of height. Wow.
16:20Good-sized living dining room. Yeah, it's excellent. I like it.
16:24It's very cool, isn't it? Yeah. I think the dimensions and just the way it's organised,
16:28the two big doors there. Very usable space. Yeah.
16:33It just, I think, for, you know, living here with the family, more people coming out,
16:37makes a lot of sense. Nice, logical layout. Yeah.
16:41You can have big furniture in here and it doesn't dominate, which is great.
16:44It doesn't feel claustrophobic at all, like a lot of apartments do.
16:48We're going to go and see some more. Shall we head to the kitchen? Yeah.
16:50I'll follow you. Just to the left.
16:59Good-sized kitchen, isn't it? Not bad. Not bad at all. Not bad. Not much workspace.
17:04Yeah, not a lot of worktop space. So, you could do something with this area,
17:06potentially, to put more worktop in there. I do have a little suggestion.
17:11OK. OK. It is semi-structural, all right?
17:15Not through it. Yeah. I already thought about it. It would be great.
17:18This is non-structural, this wall. You could open it up into the space beyond,
17:24which is naturally a dining space, and then this is all just kitchen.
17:28Yeah. Yeah.
17:29This is a kitchen diner across the other one.
17:31That's exactly what I would want to do.
17:34It could be a really, really, really nice set-up. Yeah.
17:37What about these ones on the wall? Are they staying,
17:38or are you spending a whole weekend hacking them off?
17:41I quite like these. I think I'd want to hack them off.
17:44Ah! OK. That's going to need a little bit of discussion. Yeah.
17:48OK. Let's go and see one of the bedrooms. Great.
17:53Good-sized bedroom, nice high doors again. High ceilings.
17:57Really good-sized room. It is good, yeah. Lots of light again.
18:01I know. The fact that the bedrooms have French doors as well.
18:04That's nice. Really good again.
18:06Look down. What are we thinking about this?
18:08Loving those. I like them. Yeah, they're really good, aren't they?
18:11I'm so glad you do. I do. I really like them.
18:14They're lovely, aren't they? Yeah.
18:15They need to be celebrated. Anyway, go and see more, and I'll see in a bit.
18:21See you in a bit.
18:23Wow, what a great apartment this is. It has such a modern layout.
18:27It just needs someone that can bring it back to life,
18:31and I think it could be these two, and they might even get it for a song.
18:37OK. Another good-sized room.
18:41Yeah. Same tiles. Yeah.
18:44Looks good. Plenty of space for a double bed. Loads of storage as well.
18:49Here we go. Spectacular view again, isn't it?
18:53Oh, yeah. All the way round. Just love looking at the sea.
18:56Yeah, that's brilliant.
18:56My only worry is it's not wide enough.
19:01We'd all be sitting in a row if you had people here.
19:03Yeah, I agree.
19:05This 70s apartment with two bedrooms is on the market,
19:08just a touch into Veronica and Tim's wiggle room.
19:11That's a little over £200 and £2,500.
19:15Ciao. Hello, ciao.
19:17Well, welcome to the breezy, very comfortable, I might add, balcony.
19:24What are your thoughts on our super spacious 70s pad?
19:27There's lots of good things about it. I really like the 70s style,
19:32but there's also some negatives, I think.
19:35OK. Great balcony, goes all the way round, but very narrow.
19:40We'd all be sitting in a row. Are you on the same page with that?
19:42Well, the terrace that we were at, we were on on property one,
19:46it was smaller in square footage, but it was much more practical and usable.
19:50It was, wasn't it? Yeah.
19:51We've all got a front row seat to San Remo,
19:52but obviously you're not enjoying it together, are you?
19:54So, I get where you're coming from.
19:58What are your thoughts on this one as a contender?
20:01Not for me. OK.
20:03I love the style of it, but probably not.
20:07Just on a practical basis? Yes.
20:09OK, so this one's out. Yeah. Right, sir.
20:11Let's work on that terrace, get that right. Yes.
20:13Maybe a slightly quieter spot. Yeah.
20:16That sounds good to me. Got it in a nutshell.
20:18Yeah. Let's see what's out there. Come on.
20:20OK, let's.
20:21Well, they can't all be contenders, but still lots of positives there.
20:26Next, I'm going to take a risk with an option out of Veronica and Tim's much-loved San Remo.
20:31But before we leave, I thought it would be worth these two hooking up with a local
20:35for a little motivational talk.
20:38I want you to meet lovely Connie. Hello.
20:41Hello. Hi.
20:42Good to meet you. Hi. Nice to meet you.
20:43Um, you've lived here for how many years now?
20:46I've been here for about eight years, and there's lots of people, there's a nice buzz,
20:50there's a nice feel for the area, and you really appreciate the feel that it brings,
20:54because it's family-oriented.
20:56So, what's the expat community like?
20:58The expat community is great. We have a number of clubs and associations that we have. We have
21:05lunch events that happen once a month, and I think once you go to one event, you'll meet people,
21:10and that connection starts. So, yeah, it's a really...
21:13Sounds like a good excuse to eat beautiful food again.
21:16Yeah, yeah.
21:17What time is aperitivo?
21:18Uh, aperitivo starts at seven o'clock, and...
21:21Should we wait around?
21:22Yeah, we could.
21:23Sounds good to me.
21:25It's, uh, it's beautiful. Sometimes there's live music.
21:28Yeah.
21:28Meet people, and just really relax and enjoy.
21:31Oh my gosh. Anyway, thank you so much, Connie, for taking time out of your day.
21:35You're welcome.
21:36We're going to hit the road.
21:36Very nice to meet you.
21:37Good luck.
21:38Take care.
21:38Good luck.
21:39See you later.
21:39Come on then, guys.
21:40Bye.
21:40Bye.
21:40Bye.
21:45Coming up, if Tim and Veronica are after more space, both inside and out,
21:50then I do think my next property, a duplex apartment,
21:53with some rather wonderful mountain views, and they just hit the mark.
22:04Today, I'm on the stunning Italian Riviera, helping Tim and Veronica to find their dream holiday
22:10home here. And having come tantalizingly close with my first two properties,
22:15I'm hoping my third will be just the ticket.
22:19However, between those first two, I do already have a contender. This San Remo apartment got the
22:24nod from both Veronica and Tim, although they had concerns about access, as it's located up a
22:30winding old town street. They have a budget of £200,000, with a further £20,000 for perfection.
22:38For my next offering, we've left San Remo, the centre point for our search, and headed to Poggio,
22:44a relaxed little town, a 15-minute drive away.
22:48I think this spot could work really well, as it's not as busy as our last, which was a key
22:52stumbling block.
22:54But San Remo is still very much within reach. I can also offer Veronica and Tim more bang for their
23:00buck here.
23:01You've got all the character of San Remo, but this time, we're going to look at a converted house.
23:08OK. Interesting.
23:10Interesting.
23:10What are your thoughts on being up here?
23:13Apprehensive.
23:14Are you?
23:14Yeah.
23:15Right, so, the house here has been divided into two apartments, and the one I'm going to show you is
23:19ground floor and lower ground.
23:22OK.
23:22It's got the potential for four bedrooms, so it's a duplex, essentially.
23:26You've got your garden to the front, so your terrace, your outdoor area is at the front of the property
23:31here.
23:31It's on the market for just over £214,500.
23:34Are you getting any sort of particular feeling from the outside?
23:38It's pretty. It's a pretty building. I'm not convinced.
23:42You're not convinced?
23:43No, I'm not either. I think for that sort of price bracket, we'd probably want to be a bit closer
23:48to
23:49the city itself.
23:50We can totally find you that property. We've looked at you.
23:52Yeah, very much so.
23:53This is the space option, I would say, OK?
23:56Let's see how much space you really need. Come on.
23:58OK, great.
23:59I think it's important we look at all the options on this search to help them and me work out
24:05what's
24:05most important. The front terrace here could be a lovely space after a little tidy up.
24:10Inside, there's a living room. That could be a fourth bedroom. Modern kitchen, open to a dining
24:16room. The three bedrooms it currently has are split across two floors and vary in size.
24:22There's a family bathroom, plus two more toilets.
24:26Now, to the left is your living room with a staircase taken down to the lower ground.
24:32Number one, I suppose.
24:33Can you imagine yourself being in here?
24:36Not really.
24:37OK.
24:39It's quite boxy.
24:40Maybe it's better you're honest.
24:42Yeah.
24:42But why is that?
24:43It feels quite soulless.
24:46And the staircase, the wall, directly outside the window.
24:50You know, if you're going to be in a beautiful part of the world like this,
24:52you don't really want to be looking at a better wall.
24:54I understand that.
24:55I like the shutters, though.
24:57Maybe you swap these rooms over.
24:59It's possible, yeah.
24:59It's dropping down to three bedrooms.
25:02The better view is out of that room, so maybe that would be the case.
25:06But the best views are on the other side of the property, where the kitchen is,
25:11which is the heart of the home.
25:12We shouldn't miss that, should we?
25:13No.
25:14Go on, then.
25:14Let's go and have a look.
25:18Very modern, relatively new kitchen, but I think one of the nicest spaces is this
25:24sun-drenched, now-covered terrace slash dining room.
25:29I'm not a fan of a covered terrace.
25:31Why not just have a terrace?
25:33Yeah.
25:33We can uncover it.
25:35What it does give you is more space in the winter, because you can close out the windows
25:38or slide them right back.
25:39But there's quite a lot of space in here anyway.
25:41Yeah, it's not a house that lacks space, is it?
25:44Mm-hmm.
25:46No, not a fan.
25:47I haven't, I'm struggling to find something you're convinced on yet.
25:50Sorry.
25:51No, no, no, it's absolutely fine, because, you know, we're trying to find you the right place,
25:54but...
25:55It's a great view, but I, I don't get it.
26:00Oh, really?
26:01Yes.
26:02Okay, you are all about the sea view.
26:04I'm all about the sea, really.
26:06What are we saying about this house, then?
26:07Do you want to see more, or you, pretty much?
26:08I think it's not for me.
26:10Ruling it out.
26:10Yeah, I'm afraid I feel the same.
26:12It just, it feels kind of disjointed, like there's a lot of rooms that have been created
26:17for the sake of creating a lot of rooms.
26:19No.
26:20Can you try again?
26:20Something completely different.
26:21I think so.
26:22I think so, yeah.
26:22Let's hit the road.
26:23All right.
26:24Great.
26:25Okay, I'll follow you out.
26:27To be honest, I wasn't expecting this to fall quite so flat.
26:31It does give them a lot of space, but their hearts are definitely back in San Remo.
26:35I have given them two great options there, and I'm struggling at the moment
26:40to work out what the compromise is going to be.
26:43This Poggio apartment with three bedrooms, but potentially four,
26:47is on the market for just over £214,500.
26:51But it's clear Veronica and Tim won't be making an offer on this one.
26:57I'm planning to take these two closer to San Remo once again, but first,
27:01I want to try just one more location in an attempt to lure them away from its bright lights,
27:06and the option I have in mind is just a short stroll from this stunning beach.
27:12This is Santa Stefano al Mare.
27:15Beautiful beach, lovely little town, but we have, of course, come back outside of San Remo,
27:23which is just down the road, 30 minutes on a bicycle on the bike path.
27:27Yep, straight up.
27:28I might add.
27:29What do you think of this beach?
27:31Wouldn't be my go-to beach.
27:33Ah, hey, why not?
27:36I'm a sandy beach type of person, not a shingly beach type of person.
27:41It's so interesting how everyone's got a preference, isn't it?
27:43And I've noticed with these beaches as you come along the coast,
27:46they're constantly changing.
27:48They are.
27:48You've got big rocks, you've got boulders, you've got the shingle, you've got the sand.
27:51I'm less strict about it.
27:53I'd be more relaxed about a beach like this because it has a bar and because there's a sandy beach
27:58half a mile that way.
28:00So it may not be sandy, but it is nevertheless a beach, which is nice.
28:03Yeah.
28:04The beach and particularly the sea nearby, of course.
28:06Now, the reason I've brought you here in particular is because the house I've got to show you is really
28:10well connected to San Remo because you've got that wonderful bike path.
28:14I think it's 15 miles of this converted train line.
28:18Yeah.
28:18Nice and easy.
28:19You've got a beach, four minutes walk from the house.
28:22Sounds good.
28:23Yeah, definitely.
28:23Four minutes sounds all right.
28:24Yeah, sounds pretty good.
28:25Should we walk it?
28:26Let's.
28:27Let's walk it.
28:28Here in Santo Stefano del Mare, property prices are around 15% lower than in San Remo.
28:35So again, I can offer Veronica and Tim more for their money here.
28:39And despite its size, a fair few shops, bars and restaurants to keep them entertained.
28:45Not a bad stroll from the beach, huh?
28:47No.
28:47Very easy.
28:48A little underpass, very handy little underpass taking to the beach and the marina.
28:52Certainly the closest property we've had to the coast.
28:54Mm-hmm.
28:55So you're going to be looking at a first floor apartment.
28:58All right.
28:58Yeah.
28:59Okay, two bedrooms, one of which is a proper bedroom suite.
29:03Wow.
29:04With ensuite and dressing area.
29:06Very nice.
29:08Renovated around about five years ago.
29:10You are giving the morning sun on this side.
29:11You can chase it around as the day goes on and enjoy those cocktails in the evening on
29:16that side of the balcony, which runs all the way around.
29:18Very good.
29:18Let's see.
29:19Sounds good.
29:19Yeah.
29:20It looks good so far.
29:21It is just under £207,000.
29:23Mm, that's good.
29:24I like it.
29:25Yeah, pretty well.
29:25It looks clean, well-kept, my kind of style, easy to maintain.
29:30I quite like all that.
29:31Anyway, you go and have a look at it, okay?
29:34And I'll probably just bask out here somewhere.
29:37Okay, very good.
29:38It's good.
29:40Oh, I feel like we might be getting somewhere with this one.
29:44It's in budget.
29:45It's got everything they've asked for, and it's striking distance from San Remo.
29:51The terrace, which wraps around this apartment, is lovely.
29:54And I'm so hoping it'll work for Veronica and Tim.
29:58Inside, there's a great living and dining room that feels cosy and warm, and is open to the kitchen.
30:04The main bedroom has that dressing room and ensuite shower, while the second is also a good-sized double.
30:11Finally, another shower room.
30:13Ah.
30:16That's good.
30:17Good space.
30:18Loads of space.
30:19Interesting layout.
30:20Yeah.
30:21Nice and open.
30:22I like it.
30:23Yeah, me too.
30:23Needs a bit of decorating.
30:25Does a little bit, yeah.
30:26A lot of wood around that need to come down.
30:29A bit of paint.
30:30Yeah.
30:30Nothing that can't be done quite easily.
30:32But the layout is really good.
30:34Loads of space.
30:36Okay, bathroom.
30:37Decent size.
30:38Oh, that's a good bathroom.
30:39Nice and tidy, clean.
30:40Wouldn't have to do anything, would it?
30:42Like en suite, almost, isn't it?
30:44Yeah.
30:47That's big enough, it's perfectly good.
30:49Plenty of light as well.
30:50Interesting headboard choice, but apart from that, no, that's perfectly good.
30:56No, definitely.
30:56Nice floor, actually.
31:00Ah.
31:01Okay, good.
31:02That's good.
31:02Look, nice little dressing area type thing.
31:05Yeah, and an en suite just in as well.
31:07Yeah, en suite, and it's quite newly done as well.
31:09Yeah.
31:09Oh, that's good.
31:10A little bit smaller than the other one, but perfectly adequate.
31:13Bright too.
31:14Yeah, really good.
31:16Oh, wow, look at that view.
31:17That is amazing, and I wasn't expecting a sea view like that.
31:21And the balcony goes all the way around.
31:23Yeah.
31:24Definitely got the corner bits where you can put a table and stuff.
31:27No, it's very nice.
31:28Yeah, I agree.
31:29This apartment close to the beach with two bedrooms is on the market for just under £207,000.
31:38Right then, how did you find this happy, sunshiny, yellow building?
31:42Yeah, loved it.
31:43Excellent, really liked it a lot.
31:45Really liked it.
31:45Oh, did you?
31:46Yeah.
31:46Very nice.
31:47Best one so far.
31:48Oh, brilliant.
31:50Two beds, two bars.
31:51Yeah.
31:52Very usable space and livable now, but there are changes you could make.
31:57Hands down, contender.
31:58Definitely.
31:59Is this ruling everything else out?
32:01Yes.
32:02Yeah.
32:02This is the only one up there, I think now.
32:03This is it.
32:04This is the one to beat.
32:05Yeah.
32:06Let's go and do it.
32:07Okay.
32:09Coming up, my final place causes a bit of a conundrum.
32:12Let's hope it's a good one.
32:14What do you think of it?
32:16Very confused.
32:17Yeah.
32:17Definitely.
32:17Really confused.
32:26Today I'm on the beautiful Italian Riviera house hunting with Tim and Veronica in search
32:31of the perfect holiday home for them to share with their daughter, Raffaella.
32:35And that dream has just taken a massive leap forward.
32:39As my last offering, this apartment near the beach in Santo Stefano del Mare out trumped
32:45everything we've seen so far because of its space, potential and location.
32:50However, I know working with their £200,000 budget with a further £20,000 wiggle room,
32:56Veronica and Tim really want to be in the city of San Remo.
32:59So that's exactly where my final option is located.
33:02I'm keen to finish with a pair of contenders and give my house hunters a decision to make.
33:08But before heading there, I'm going to check out one of the most impressive properties on the
33:12market in this area at the moment with an air of an exclusive health and fitness retreat.
33:17This luxury pad has loads of great facilities and the perfect combination
33:21of character features and a modern finish.
33:24I can't wait to get inside and have a look around with Agent Simone.
33:30Oh yeah, this is good.
33:32You like it?
33:33I like it a lot.
33:34I think this would be my dream Italian living room.
33:38I love this.
33:39Yeah.
33:40Fresco.
33:40It's a fresco and you must think it's absolutely original.
33:44Isn't it?
33:45They didn't touch it absolutely.
33:47They wanted to keep it like it was and like it is now.
33:52It works so well with the colours would have been in the sofa, on the wall.
33:56Absolutely.
33:56And I love this kind of mix.
33:58It's just such a good balance.
34:00It's a good balance and it's what I like of this part of the property.
34:04What other surprises has this house got?
34:06It's neat.
34:07I have one surprise more.
34:08Okay.
34:09Let me show you.
34:09All right.
34:10Yeah.
34:12Oh, I like this.
34:14Look at it.
34:15Fantastic.
34:15I do love a pool room and this table.
34:19Yeah.
34:20It's amazing.
34:20Made by glass.
34:22Is it actually glass?
34:23Absolutely.
34:24Absolutely.
34:24I've never seen something similar before.
34:27Yeah.
34:27And it's just off the living space as well.
34:30Yeah.
34:30You know, you've got your friends around.
34:31When you have friends, you can have a drink, you can play.
34:34Super cool.
34:35Shall we head outside?
34:37I hear there might be a swimming pool.
34:38Yeah, absolutely.
34:42Wow.
34:43I have got to say, Simone, hands down,
34:45this is probably the best private infinity pool I've ever seen.
34:51It's a very great pool.
34:53It's incredible.
34:53With 180 degrees, sea views.
34:56Absolutely.
34:57It really is.
34:58What a beautiful place to come and spend a bit of time
35:02when you're lucky enough to live in a house like this.
35:05Thank you so much for showing me around.
35:08It's a real pleasure.
35:10Let me show you out.
35:11Cheers.
35:12But back to the search with Veronica and Tim,
35:14and we're returning to their much-loved San Remo.
35:17Here's a little bonus fact for you.
35:19Its name refers to the saint of the city, Saint Romulus,
35:22a legendary character who lived in Roman times.
35:25You feeling good to be back in town?
35:27Definitely.
35:27Yeah.
35:28Yeah.
35:28Are you preferring being back in town?
35:31Oh, it's still good.
35:32Yeah.
35:32Still good.
35:33Yeah, still good.
35:33But it has given us food for thought.
35:35Has it really?
35:36Yeah, definitely.
35:36Yeah.
35:37We are on one of the main streets.
35:38It's a bit lively at the moment, a bit busy, a bit of work going on.
35:41I do wonder if you've been to the Ariston Theatre.
35:43We haven't, actually.
35:44No.
35:44Have you not?
35:44I'm sure we will do at some point.
35:46It's more a part of the modern history.
35:49Yes.
35:49Of San Remo.
35:50Opened in 1963.
35:52Yeah.
35:52But in 1977 is when it came into its own,
35:56when it started hosting the San Remo Festival.
35:59Cinema-wise, it's really affordable.
36:01It's like £5 a ticket.
36:03The theatre's only about £16, £17.
36:05Yeah.
36:05That's great.
36:06Quite good.
36:07Yeah, we love going to theatres.
36:08Good venue.
36:08Do you?
36:09Yeah.
36:09What did you go and see?
36:10Well, I live in Stratford-upon-Avon, so, you know, not theatre going on there.
36:14Say no more.
36:15Yeah, absolutely.
36:16We are going to go and see our fifth and final property.
36:18It's a 20-minute stroll from the centre of town.
36:20Perfect.
36:20Okay.
36:21That sounds great.
36:21So we really are immersing back in central.
36:23Yeah.
36:24Very good.
36:24Great.
36:24All right.
36:26It's at the eastern end of the city, just past the marina, in an area I'm confident has
36:31the perfect mix of access to everything the city has to offer and the coast, without being
36:36too busy and built up.
36:37Fingers crossed, Veronica and Tim love it.
36:41So, firmly in town still, east of the centre, what do you think of this area?
36:47We know it a little bit, actually, but we've walked up to just where the road starts.
36:51Right.
36:52And then cut back down to the marina and walked back into the city.
36:55So, we have done that.
36:56We do know this area a little bit.
36:57You've pre-wrecked this spot.
36:58Yeah, we have.
36:59Our final property, this time second floor, double width, balcony, two bedrooms.
37:06Yeah, nice.
37:06Built in the mid-50s, renovated in 2017.
37:11Okay.
37:11Okay.
37:12It's on the market, has been for six months, just over £215,500.
37:16It has had an offer, rejected at £210, but they did want all the furniture for that price.
37:22Okay.
37:23Because the furniture is negotiable.
37:24Right.
37:25Fine.
37:26Let's go and have a look inside.
37:28That double width balcony is a great space and you can even see down to the sea.
37:34Inside, like the luxury property I just viewed, it's had a modern renovation,
37:39but with some nice character features shining through with a living room,
37:43dining room open to the kitchen, two great double bedrooms and a bathroom.
37:52Step on in.
37:54Oh, nice.
37:55See you living room.
37:55Very nice.
37:56It's worth the two flights of stairs, no lift.
38:00Yeah, I can handle that.
38:01Great.
38:01That's okay.
38:02And what a good size.
38:03Yeah.
38:03Good IC.
38:05It's big.
38:05It's big.
38:06Lots of space, lots of light.
38:08Kind of minimalist.
38:09Minimalist, yeah.
38:10It's been done very nicely.
38:12I'm liking the sofa.
38:13Super cool, Italian style sofa as well.
38:15Yeah, and that is the thing you can negotiate in the furniture.
38:18Let me sort of tempt you with a bit more.
38:21Look at this barn door of the kitchen.
38:26Oh.
38:26That's your lot in the kitchen.
38:28Okay.
38:28That's good.
38:29Yeah, that's nice.
38:29Similar to the one we've got at home.
38:30Oh, is it?
38:31Yeah.
38:32Ah.
38:33Yeah, very nice.
38:33Speaking your language.
38:34Very nice.
38:36Certainly is.
38:37A lovely breakfast room.
38:39Yeah.
38:39Big open window and a bit of greenery in the centre of town.
38:43Unexpected.
38:44Yeah.
38:44Really nice, actually.
38:45Perfect.
38:46Let's go and see a bedroom.
38:48Okay.
38:48They're big.
38:49Brace yourself.
38:53Big bedroom.
38:54Very nice.
38:54Very big bedroom.
38:56Very nice indeed.
38:57Nicely done as well.
38:58Isn't it?
39:00Shared bathroom in between the two bedrooms.
39:02Okay.
39:03Two French doors.
39:04Little space round there.
39:07A what?
39:08Dressing room.
39:09Blimey.
39:10Isn't it?
39:10That's cool.
39:11This is working out, is it?
39:12Yeah, so far.
39:13Yeah.
39:13I would encourage you to go and look at the rest of it, though.
39:15I'll see you on the terrace when you're done.
39:17Great.
39:17See you in a bit.
39:17Right.
39:17See you in a bit.
39:18Thanks.
39:21Well, that is going great, Guns, isn't it?
39:23In fact, I would say that this one gets the Royal Seal of Approval.
39:30Got another big-sized room.
39:33Loads of storage again.
39:35Yeah.
39:36Plenty of light.
39:37Yeah.
39:37The window's quite high.
39:38It's a shame you can't look out of a window.
39:41It is natural light, though, isn't it?
39:42Yeah, it is natural light.
39:43There's plenty of space.
39:44Oh, very nice.
39:47Slick.
39:48Yeah, black and white.
39:49Really nicely done.
39:50It's good.
39:50I like it a lot.
39:51Everything new and more.
39:53This apartment close to the marina in San Ruma has two bedrooms and a price tag nicely
39:58inside Veronica and Tim's wiggle room of just over £215,500.
40:06Welcome to the terrace to the balcony.
40:08Of course, this time of day, with the sunshine down there, that is your aperitivo area.
40:12What do you think of it?
40:14Very confused.
40:15Definitely.
40:15Really confused.
40:16Definitely.
40:17Is it confusing?
40:18It is confusing.
40:18It's so good.
40:19But the last property had such a lot going for it as well, and it wasn't as well-spec'd
40:25as this one, but it wouldn't have taken that much work to get it to look a little like this.
40:31It's about knowing where we want to be in reality.
40:34Is it are we going to be city living or...
40:38And how much work do you want to do?
40:39Yeah.
40:40May I suggest, then, maybe spend a bit more time here, then heading straight back over to
40:44Santa Stefano, have a good old conversation, and we'll meet up tomorrow when you know what to do.
40:49Sounds like a plan.
40:51It's a good plan.
40:56If you'd like more information on any of the properties featured on today's show,
41:00you know what to do.
41:01Go to a placeinthesun.com forward slash program.
41:05What a search this has been with Veronica and Tim looking for their perfect place on the Italian
41:10Riviera, working with a budget of up to £220,000.
41:15I think I've fallen in love with this area nearly as much as they have, and with one city
41:19and one beach option in the running, I think it's going to be a tough one for them to make
41:24a decision.
41:25But after a night of thinking the options through, it's now time for them to do just that.
41:30I have my fingers and toes crossed. They've seen enough to make an offer.
41:36Hey guys, how are you?
41:38Good, thank you.
41:39Really good.
41:39This coastline never fails to impress, does it?
41:43No, it's beautiful.
41:44Absolutely stunning.
41:45I feel like we've learned a lot along the way.
41:48Definitely.
41:48Yeah, we've learned a lot.
41:49I know your hearts have always been in the centre of San Remo, but we have seen very varied properties,
41:55some in, some out.
41:57But when I left you yesterday, two contenders, one in, one out.
42:03Yes.
42:04Yeah.
42:04Yeah.
42:05And a lot of confusion.
42:05Yeah, we spent two hours convincing ourselves that the one in Santa Stefano was right.
42:13And then we spent the next two hours convincing ourselves that the one in San Remo was right.
42:18So much going for both properties, but I think in the end it's come down to not the properties
42:25as such, but the lifestyle. It's a very tricky one.
42:29We could have either of those properties.
42:30But I think in terms of the lifestyle, too big a decision to make without spending a little bit
42:36more time thinking about it and maybe a bit more time in those areas and doing that, that.
42:42Living it.
42:43I don't think I've been in this position before.
42:45Two great properties, two great locations, both offering great lifestyles.
42:49And yet you're saying no to them both.
42:51We're not saying no to them both.
42:53We're saying we haven't decided.
42:56That's what we're saying.
42:57So how will you ever get there?
43:00You've done your job so well.
43:02Hey, don't you flatter me.
43:04By offering us an alternative that we didn't really think we wanted.
43:09I'm worried today that I would be bored in the beachside location.
43:14But then I also think in five years' time I might yearn for that more than the city.
43:20We definitely need life around us.
43:22And I think, I mean, the Santa Stefano place was so seductive in terms of it was the perfect holiday
43:29hope.
43:30We didn't think we'd have this dilemma.
43:31No.
43:32What I would take away from this, which I think is really positive, is the fact that
43:36maybe if you'd done this on your own, you would have focused just in San Remo,
43:39you would have ended up with a city pad that maybe down the road you wish you had have moved.
43:43Yes.
43:44Further afield.
43:45It's really important to get that decision right.
43:48Yeah.
43:48I think so.
43:49I know that's not going to happen right here, right now.
43:51I know.
43:52As much as I'd love it to.
43:54As much as I'd love it to as well.
43:56So the plan for you both is to come back?
43:58Yes.
43:58Yeah, pretty soon, I'd say.
44:00I was going to say, how soon will that be?
44:01Maybe in a couple of months.
44:03And you're going to come back for a little while?
44:04Yes, we think so.
44:05That's great.
44:05And rent somewhere either in one of those locations or equidistant and spend time in both.
44:11Well, look, I wish you all the best with that and your return out here.
44:16Here's to you guys.
44:17Here's to San Remo and here's to the good life.
44:20Thanks very much.
44:21Thank you so much.
44:25What a wonderfully unique search we have had in and around San Remo and what interesting
44:31possibilities it has thrown up, leaving Tim and Veronica in the curious position of not
44:37necessarily having to choose the right property, but having to decide on the right lifestyle for them.
44:44All I know is whichever path they decide on, in the end, they are destined for a fantastic future
44:51out here on the gorgeous Italian Riviera and I wish them all the best.
44:56If you'd like help with your property search and want to be on a place in the sun,
45:00then go to channel4.com forward slash take part.
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