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A Place In The Sun
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00:00Today's house hunter is adventurous and sun-seeking Alma Scholes.
00:05Accompanied by her younger sister Judy, Alma is looking for a fantastic holiday home here
00:10along South Africa's beautiful garden route.
00:40Single-minded Alma's brought sensible sister Judy to help her find a peaceful retreat.
00:46Loving all things homely, but in search of the sunshine, will Alma's worldly and wise
00:52mind rule over matters of the heart?
00:54If you lose your heart to a place, nothing else will do.
01:00Or will Judy's sisterly advice be the final judgement?
01:04Without the stress.
01:10Today's house hunter is Alma Scholes.
01:12At a sprightly 73 years young, she certainly doesn't do things by halves.
01:17Coming from Cornwall and not averse to a property challenge, worldly wise Alma has decided she
01:23wants to top up on the sunshine of her formative years and broaden her retired horizons.
01:29Having had many a year of sisterly escapades together, younger sister Judy has come along
01:35to make sure Alma's often impulsive property feet are kept firmly on the ground.
01:40So where do these horizons stretch to?
01:42South Africa's garden route.
01:47Spanning nearly 500 miles along the southern coast of South Africa, the tropical paradise
01:53that's otherwise known as the garden route is one of South Africa's greatest tourist attractions.
01:59For outdoors lovers, this stretch of coast has everything.
02:03Bountiful beaches, warm Indian Ocean waters, evergreen forests, huge conservation areas
02:10and safari in its finest splendour.
02:13It's greenness comes from the mild year round climate and gentle rains.
02:17And the fact it's well connected to Cape Town and Johannesburg by road and air means it's long been a
02:23favourite
02:24for holiday makers and wealthy South Africans who own second, third or even fourth holiday homes here.
02:31Like the rest of South Africa, you still get a lot of house for your money.
02:34Buying with pounds is a big bonus.
02:36And although the South African rand has stabilised over the last few years,
02:41if the rand does become volatile, it can make a difference of tens of thousands of pounds to the value
02:46of your house.
02:47Alma's chosen a sunny South African location so she can relax and be inspired to write.
02:53And in the months she's not here, she's hoping to rent her holiday home out.
02:59So Alma, what made you choose South Africa and in particular the garden route where we are now?
03:04Well, I came to South Africa off a cruise a couple of years ago
03:09and I immediately fell in love with the place.
03:12And I read about the garden route and all the flowers and the trees and the birds
03:18and that's just the sort of thing I love.
03:20And so accompanying you on this house hunting trip is Sister Judy.
03:24What do you think you can bring to this journey?
03:26Well, I'm hoping to bring a bit of balance, try and keep her feet on the floor.
03:33Do you think she's going to listen to you or is she quite single-minded?
03:36Single-minded and determined.
03:40So it's a good house hunting partner to have.
03:42I hope so. She's a good pal anyway.
03:44Excellent. We're going to have some fun.
03:46Oh yes. Fantastic.
03:48And so this isn't a permanent move though, is it?
03:50Oh no.
03:51How much of the year would you like to spend over here?
03:53I shall only be able to spend a month at a time, probably twice a year.
03:58Because I've got a dog at home and she relies on me and I rely on her too.
04:04So I can't leave her more than a month.
04:06But with Julia and the rest of my family, they'd like to take advantage of a house in the South.
04:11Yes. So let's talk about this house and all the requirements.
04:15Yes.
04:15What is it that you're after?
04:17Well, a two, three bedroom apartment, a little garden.
04:21But I don't want high maintenance.
04:24Now I've got four interesting houses for you to look at.
04:28So, you ready? You ready to help out, Judy?
04:30Oh yes, can't wait.
04:31Let's get started.
04:32Well, with an ample budget of £175,000, Alma's chosen her location wisely.
04:39I'm feeling pretty confident she'll be won over.
04:42And in a hot holiday place like this, Alma will benefit from a lucrative rental market.
04:49Determined to find these fine ladies what they're looking for, our first stop was Plettenberg Bay.
04:55Plettenberg Bay is the very heart of the garden route.
04:58Sheltered by Roberg or the Mountain of Seals Peninsula, the nearly 250 acre bay is a declared nature reserve.
05:07As a result, its hip, its flash and its three perfectly formed beaches are considered by over 40,000 holiday
05:15makers from Johannesburg as the place to be during the Christmas months.
05:20Historically trading in timber, this bay was originally put on the map by the Portuguese,
05:25but it was a Dutch governor in 1778, Joachim van Plettenberg, who the bay was named after.
05:33Even though prices have levelled off along the rest of the garden route, Plettenberg has a market all of its
05:39own.
05:39There's never a shortfall of potential buyers.
05:42It's a prime spot and popular holiday-let location, so prices have consistently been rising by 25% a year.
05:50So this here is the first house we're going to look at.
05:54It's so pretty. It's beautiful.
05:57It's a chocolate box.
05:58It is for the outside, isn't it?
06:00Well, let's hope you like the inside. Follow me.
06:02OK.
06:03This thatched cottage has three bedrooms, two bathrooms and a pool.
06:08It's authentically priced at £169,500.
06:13So you enter the house from round the back, but before we go inside...
06:19Oh, what a wonderful garden.
06:21I want to show you this one.
06:22Fantastic.
06:23Oh, a pool!
06:26Oh!
06:27A pool as well.
06:29Isn't it pretty?
06:30It's just heaven.
06:31It's just so pretty.
06:33OK, come and have a look at the inside of the cottage.
06:38Gosh.
06:40I'm speechless so much.
06:41Are you?
06:43It's amazing.
06:46It's all very open plan, isn't it?
06:47It's so English from the outside and so African on the inside.
06:51Incredible.
06:52Brilliant.
06:53Well, follow me and I'll show you the rest of it.
06:56If you come through here, it's your dining room.
06:58And it's all very open plan, all of this.
07:00Oh, I love open plan.
07:02Fantastic.
07:04And just off your dining room is your kitchen.
07:08You've got sort of a utility through there.
07:10Oh, wonderful.
07:11It's so old and comfortable, doesn't it?
07:14That's just like me.
07:16Yeah, surprising because it's only 16 years old.
07:19Just like yourself.
07:20Yeah.
07:22I wish.
07:23OK, so upstairs, you find your master bedroom.
07:28What a pretty room.
07:29And look at that view.
07:31Fantastic view, complete with balconies.
07:33Come and have a look out on the balcony.
07:35So you get lovely views from here.
07:38It's a beautiful view.
07:40I know you said to me that views aren't that high up on your priority list.
07:44But this is a bonus, isn't it?
07:46It is a bonus, yeah.
07:49The thatched roof is made from a strong local reed that won't rot in wet weather, but will need maintaining
07:55every ten years.
07:59But all these little nooks and crannies here, which just so much character in the house, it's been obviously so
08:08well designed.
08:09It's you.
08:10So I think this one's going to be tough to beat, isn't it?
08:13Oh, what a wonderful house.
08:15It's just perfect in every way.
08:16As far as I'm concerned, the story was over the minute we walked through the door.
08:22And I heard your reaction.
08:23You just had the feeling, didn't you, on this one?
08:25Absolutely.
08:25I can tell from both of you.
08:27Yes.
08:27Which is fantastic, but it is only the first house.
08:30I've got three others to look at, so let's go and have a look at what we've got.
08:33Well, I love a lady who knows what she wants, and not to be deterred by Alma's passionate property start,
08:40I wanted to take her further west, to a town that could throw open a great holiday-let opportunity, and
08:47best of all, a retiree holiday lifestyle.
08:50Distinctive for its historical architecture and buzzy atmosphere, the town of Nisner stands on the northern shores of a large
08:57warm water lagoon, and is protected by the steep, rocky promontories called the Heads.
09:03Before South Africa's tourist boom in the 1990s, it was a hippie colony, craft work capital, and quiet retirement village.
09:11Today, though, it's much more boutique than rusty, with shops, art galleries, and street traders lining the main high street.
09:19There's a huge variety of houses in Nisner, but I wanted to show Alma a waterfront apartment on a gated
09:25community.
09:26A complete contrast to the thatched cottage, but still a good rental investment.
09:31Well, gated communities are really popular over here, it gives you that sort of extra peace of mind, doesn't it,
09:36when you're back home.
09:38Well, in this apartment block, you've got 48 apartments, okay, 70% of which are holiday homes.
09:44Lots of people around, then?
09:45Lots of different people around, and the one we're going to look at is a ground floor one over there.
09:49So, what are your first thoughts?
09:51Very different.
09:52It's different, isn't it?
09:53Very exciting, by the looks of it.
09:56This apartment lies on the edge of the Nisner Lagoon.
09:59It has three bedrooms, two bathrooms, kitchen and living area.
10:02At £164,000, it's ideal for renting, but will it be inspirational enough for Alma?
10:11Okay, in we come to the apartments.
10:15Wow.
10:17Different?
10:17It is different, isn't it?
10:18It is, I still stay different.
10:20Very different for your first reactions from the thatched cottage, anyway.
10:24Anything initial from you, Alma?
10:26I don't believe you've got the waterfront apartment.
10:30Your eyes are always drawn to the views, aren't they?
10:33Well, to the water.
10:34To the water?
10:36Fantastic.
10:37Well, let me point out the rooms.
10:38You've got a bedroom just here.
10:39This is one of your double bedrooms.
10:41Mmm, that's really bright.
10:43Nice and bright.
10:45Judy's not so sure.
10:46Another bedroom just there.
10:49Your bathroom is just to the side there.
10:53And then let me lead you round.
10:54Quite large.
10:56Into the kitchen.
10:58Nice and bright.
10:59You do like open plan, don't you, Alma?
11:00Oh, very, yes.
11:02I love the space, yes.
11:04It's got everything you need.
11:06But I can't see that spark in your eyes that I did at the cottage here.
11:10Well, not as far as the apartment itself is concerned.
11:15This is such a different option for you, isn't it?
11:18Yes.
11:19Well, let's come and have a look at the rest of it before you make a final decision, okay?
11:23So, it comes out here into your living room and your dining room.
11:28Now, all of this furniture is included in the asking price,
11:31which is really fantastic for a holiday home,
11:34because once you've bought it, it's totally ready to holiday in and rent out as well.
11:38Right, if I was coming for a holiday, I'd be quite happy.
11:42Yes.
11:43To say I'm here for two weeks.
11:45The furniture's not important.
11:45And I'm away.
11:47But for Alma, you're looking really for something that is for me, for you...
11:52And then the bonus is as an investment.
11:55Okay.
11:57So, shall we knock this one on the head?
11:59I think so.
12:00Yes?
12:01I think so.
12:01So, let's see what else I've got for you.
12:03Let's try and look.
12:06Well, for Alma, when I get it right, it's spot on.
12:09But when it's wrong, it's clearly a no-goer.
12:13After the break, will what I've got lined up top the thatched cottage?
12:17This has got a lot going for it.
12:20Or will the sister's South African property package be a stylish property too far?
12:25I think it is going to be too big.
12:37With the help of her sister Judy, Alma Scholes is looking for her perfect holiday home here
12:43in one of South Africa's most beautiful regions, the Garden Route.
12:47She has a budget of around £175,000.
12:52Well, so far, so spot only good.
12:55Having seen a thatched cottage that appealed to her chocolate box tastes
12:59and a waterfront apartment that was clearly a no-goer,
13:03Alma's certainly known exactly what gets her cultured property juices flowing.
13:08But will she be as easily enamoured with more golden property opportunities I've got lined up?
13:14With the area of Nisner offering up so many holiday property solutions,
13:19I thought it was worth her staying in the area.
13:22With a popular marina and still within Nisner's catchment area is Brenton-on-Sea.
13:28Not to be fooled by its British-sounding name,
13:31its four miles of beaches are some of the best on South Africa's Cape
13:35and its waters are a haven for swelling surfing enthusiasts.
13:40Knowing the ladies fancied the finer things in life,
13:44I'd found a home on an upmarket gated community.
13:47Established in 1830 around a manor house,
13:51Belvedere operates rather like a hotel,
13:53but instead of a hotel room, you get a cottage for the night.
13:57The manor house is the central place with a restaurant and letting agency.
14:02What makes this village really popular with foreign buyers is the tranquility, safety and holiday-let potential.
14:09Although Alma had said that rental wasn't crucial,
14:12I thought the sophisticated services offered here would appeal to how well-cultured tastes.
14:17So there are 30 individual cottages that surround the manor house,
14:22but the one we're going to look at is the only one that's currently for sale.
14:25Now even though they are all individually owned, you own the freehold,
14:29there is the option of taking part in a rental pool.
14:32Does that mean you could rent that out individually or you would have to go in a pool?
14:36You kind of hand it over to the manor house and they look after everything for you, so it's all
14:40hassle-free.
14:40This is so idyllic.
14:43This cottage has three bedrooms, two bathrooms and it's on the market for £170,000.
14:50So you've got your own private little terrace.
14:55This is a very exciting proposition, isn't it?
14:58And you can arrange for the restaurant at the manor house to provide you with breakfast on your own terrace.
15:04Aww.
15:05Don't need to cook for yourselves in this one.
15:07Come and have a look round here.
15:09Because surrounding all of the manor house and the grounds is this really beautiful nature trail,
15:14which you can go and explore.
15:16And what a nature.
15:17Come and have a look on the inside.
15:20So, you've got a nice big living room here, which all the rooms go off.
15:25So it's nice and sociable, I think.
15:27Oh, quite spacious, lovely.
15:28Yes, very tasteful.
15:30Good, I'm glad you said that because all of this furniture is included in the asking price.
15:35This is very functional.
15:36So this is the master bedroom.
15:39It's the biggest.
15:40It's beautifully light and airy, isn't it?
15:42And it seems this is your master bedroom.
15:44You get an ensuite complete with bath and everything there.
15:48That's lovely.
15:49I think that this has got a lot going for it.
15:53I won't ask you to make a decision yet.
15:55Let me show you around the rest of it.
15:57And your kitchen is very small.
15:59I know you don't mind compact, do you?
16:01Well, I know.
16:02I like a kitchen to be contained, you know.
16:04You've got, it's handy.
16:06Well, Judy, I'm going to leave you to talk through the pros and cons of this one with Alma.
16:11I think she's getting a bit confused.
16:13I think I'm going to be twisting her arm.
16:16You want to live here, don't you?
16:18If this cottage were to go into the rental pool, the Manor House Letting Agency would take a 40%
16:23commission.
16:24But, in return, the cottage would be managed and maintained.
16:28Here, it's a little bit uniform.
16:32It's very English.
16:34Very English.
16:35And done very tastefully.
16:36Yes.
16:37And, erm...
16:38And you could enjoy the relaxation here.
16:41Absolutely.
16:42Without the stress, is what I'd say to you.
16:45Worryfully, completely.
16:45Yes.
16:48So, have you cleared up the dilemma for her, Judy?
16:51No.
16:51Well, I would like to see my sister in a place where she can relax, where she hasn't got the
16:57amount of responsibility and stress that she will have with the thatched cottage.
17:03You like the idea of coming on holidays here, I know you're going.
17:06Ah!
17:08You've got ulterior motive there.
17:10Would I?
17:12OK, so, we've got no conclusions, we've still got two very much in the running, and no clear favourites.
17:17Another one to see?
17:18Exactly.
17:19How do you feel about a fourth property?
17:20Too much to take in.
17:22Well, let's hope this one will be easier.
17:25So, staying well out of the difference in sisterly opinions, I wanted to throw another property into the mix.
17:31Our final destination was Sedgefield.
17:34More rural, but by no means less beautiful, Sedgefield marks the spot where the Indian Ocean meets an inland lake.
17:42The Swatve lake at 20 miles wide is the largest saltwater lake in South Africa.
17:49More individual, more exclusive, and most of all more expensive, the property market in Sedgefield really caters to the foreign
17:56investor, with million pound price tags to match.
18:00And ever the discerning property finder, I managed to find Alma a stylish beach house.
18:07Off to you ladies, if you want to go in, have a look.
18:09Hey!
18:11This is really something, isn't it?
18:14Oh!
18:15Now, before we go in, I do need to tell you that this is over your budget.
18:20Okay, this is on the market.
18:21Thank goodness for that!
18:22At £182,000, but it has been on the market a while and I think...
18:27Not that much over.
18:29Not that much over.
18:29Not that much over. How do you feel about that?
18:32It's absolutely amazing.
18:34This French-style property has three bedrooms, two bathrooms, and is on the market at £182,000.
18:44So, you've got a very large veranda with this house.
18:49This looks very cosy, doesn't it?
18:51Well, it's a pretty good indication of what the weather's like over here.
18:54Absolutely.
18:54Lovely basket chairs.
18:55It's inside, outside.
18:56It is, isn't it?
18:57You've got an outside lounge and an outside dining table.
19:00Oh, yes.
19:02So, very large open plan room that you've got here.
19:06Oh, it is.
19:08Very stylish.
19:08Oh, so cosy, isn't it?
19:10Cosy.
19:10Yeah, cosy.
19:11You've still got the fireplace and I think the kind of furniture that they've got in here makes it feel
19:16like a proper home, doesn't it?
19:18It does.
19:19A family home.
19:20Well, come and have a look at the kitchen, cos this, especially in comparison to the last house, probably about
19:24double the size.
19:25You could spend all day baking in here.
19:27Well, this is a very well-designed kitchen, isn't it?
19:31In very good taste.
19:32Shall we go and have a look at the rest of it?
19:34Lead on.
19:35Let's go and have a look up the stairs.
19:37Follow me.
19:39So, up on this mezzanine level, they've got it kitted out as a sort of additional lounge area, TV room.
19:46Oh.
19:46What do you think you'd do this for?
19:48I was expecting to find a bedroom up here.
19:51It would be a great master bedroom up here, wouldn't it?
19:53In the loft.
19:54So, back on the ground floor, and this leads onto your master bedroom.
20:00This is wonderful.
20:01It's very French, isn't it?
20:03It's very French, isn't it?
20:03It's such good style, and look at these wardrobes.
20:06Plenty of room.
20:08A stylish beach home like this would rent for £130 a day in the peak season.
20:18It's a very stylish and beautifully organised house.
20:22It is, but too much, too big for you, I think.
20:26Too much upkeep.
20:27Yes.
20:27Which I don't want.
20:30So, do you think overall it is going to be a bit big for you?
20:34I think it is going to be too big.
20:36So, we can forget this one.
20:38Less of a dilemma for you.
20:40I think so.
20:40That still means you've just got the two.
20:42I think so.
20:42And am I right in thinking you've got a favourite each here?
20:45I think we have, yes.
20:46At the moment.
20:47At the moment.
20:49Well, if I may, I think let's head off from here.
20:51I'll give you a bit of time to think things through.
20:53Let's head off now.
20:55Well, I'm pleased Alma's being sensible about this last house,
20:59but will she be following her heart or her head
21:02when it comes to choosing which of the other two houses is right for her?
21:06I'd love them to take a stroll on what could be her local beach.
21:10What I like about Alma's attitude is her dedication and determination
21:14to make this property search work.
21:16So, you've both had a bit of time to reflect on the two properties that are in the running,
21:20the thatched cottage and the manor house cottage.
21:23So, are things any clearer for you now?
21:26I think so.
21:27But I have always liked the thatched cottage.
21:31That manor house cottage had a lot going for it.
21:33There were a lot of pros there, weren't there?
21:34I mean, Judy, you found it was going to be a nice easy option, didn't you?
21:37The manor house would be a better option for Alma because of it being easier.
21:44But at the end of the day...
21:45It's one of those things.
21:47If you lose your heart to a place, nothing else will do.
21:50So, where do we go from here? What do you want me to do next?
21:53Well, I'd like to make an offer, if I may.
21:55Fantastic.
21:56And have you thought about what price you want to go in at?
21:58Yeah.
21:58Because it's on the market for £169,500.
22:02Right.
22:03Well, I'd be delighted to start at £165,000.
22:06Okay.
22:07That sounds a very good place to start.
22:09So, why don't I put a call in to the estate agent for you and see where we go from
22:13there?
22:15Excellent.
22:17Andrea, hello?
22:18Hello, Andrea.
22:19It's Victoria.
22:19Now, I'm with Alma and Judy.
22:22That's wonderful.
22:23And they'd very much like to put an offer in of £165,000.
22:27Right.
22:28Now, I'll come back to you.
22:29Excellent.
22:30Fingers crossed.
22:31We'll just wait and see.
22:31In a slow-moving holiday home property market, Alma's made a very safe offer.
22:39Well, I have good news.
22:41Okay.
22:41The sellers will accept the offer of £165,000.
22:46Okay, then.
22:47Well, I'm going to have a quick chat with the ladies about that and I'll get straight back
22:52to you.
22:53Thank you so much.
22:54Thank you very much for that.
22:55I'll speak to you soon.
22:56Bye.
22:57Bye-bye.
22:59Bye-bye.
23:00Well, the good news is they've accepted your offer of £165,000.
23:04Hello!
23:06Isn't it great?
23:07Oh, well, that's wonderful.
23:09That's wonderful.
23:11Two sisters very happy.
23:14Absolutely.
23:15Over the moon.
23:16Absolutely over the moon.
23:18So.
23:18So six weeks' time.
23:19Champagne tonight?
23:21Absolutely.
23:22I'll say.
23:23Can I have a glass?
23:24Of course, of course.
23:26Of course.
23:27So thrilled for you, so please let me know what happens over the next six weeks.
23:30I hope it all goes very, very smoothly.
24:02Transcription by CastingWords
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