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Escape to the Country - Season 26 Episode 47 -
Suffolk
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Suffolk
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FunTranscript
00:01It's a Suffolk homecoming for me today, property hunting with a mother-daughter double act.
00:06Oh my goodness, how gorgeous is that?
00:08This is beautiful.
00:09What a beautiful garden.
00:11They're after room to grow and rooms to let.
00:14Oh, what a great space. I'd like to come on holiday.
00:18We'll have to try each house for size.
00:21So we don't think it's too big, too small?
00:24No, I don't think either.
00:27Purely in the name of research, of course.
00:30Oh, are you all right there?
00:32Well, I'm just trying to get in the zone of what your new guests might be enjoying.
00:57Last year, Suffolk welcomed more than 36 million visitors.
01:02From its wool towns to its coastline, this is a county made for escape.
01:08Whether that's for a day or for a lifetime.
01:12Suffolk isn't just about gorgeous countryside and lovely coastlines.
01:16It's also switching on to the future, too.
01:19Right across this county, communities and businesses are investing in cleaner energy and greener infrastructure.
01:27All together, defining Suffolk now as a county that is definitely looking forward to a sustainable future.
01:35Suffolk lies to the far edge of East Anglia, the UK's most easterly county.
01:41Some 50 miles of coast is dotted with holiday resorts, including the colourful town of Southwold and the enchanting village
01:49of Thorpness.
01:50It looks on the surface quite a sleepy place, quite traditional.
01:54It's a very rural county.
01:56But it's also perhaps an interesting and more alternative place than you might expect.
02:00We have a Green Party MP.
02:01We've got, in mid-Suffolk, the country's only majority Green Party district council.
02:06A lot of artists and creative people have traditionally been attracted to this part of the world and moved here.
02:12It's just got an awful lot going for it as a place to live.
02:15In 2018, the county created the UK's first open access EV charging network for electric vehicles.
02:23And now, with 6,000 new charging points on the way, the county is powering towards its goal of net
02:29zero by 2030.
02:32So, in a county famed for its wide open skies, it's nice to know Suffolk is committed to keeping the
02:38air beneath them clear.
02:41Now, when today's couple, a mother and daughter duo, came knocking on our front door asking for help,
02:47well, I couldn't help but feel a little bit nostalgic because they've decided to house hunt in my old patch
02:54where I grew up.
02:59Our move to Suffolk is something that we've been thinking about for several years.
03:03Keep talking about it and time keeps going on and on.
03:06And if we let too much more time pass by, maybe we won't do it at all then.
03:10So, now's the time. Take the ball by the horns.
03:13Retail assistant Karen has spent her entire life in the Essex coastal city of Southend-on-Sea.
03:20Along with her husband Richard, home for the past 35 years has been a four-bed detached property where they
03:26raise their now grown-up children.
03:28So, the reason we've chosen to move to Suffolk is we've spent lots of time up there on holidays and
03:34mini-breaks.
03:35I just want to have a bit more space around us and a bit more greenery and just not feel
03:39quite so hemmed in like we do.
03:42Karen also hopes the county is where her long-held dream of running a holiday-let business will be realised.
03:49She's enlisted the help of her daughter Amy to support her on the search.
03:53My plan is to move with mum and dad initially and then I plan to move abroad hopefully in the
03:59near future.
03:59But it would be great to find a lovely house that me and my brother can come back to and
04:04still feel like it's home.
04:06That is very important to me. I do want the next place that we live in Suffolk to be, feel
04:10like home for you.
04:12With the current home already sold, the only thing standing between them and their new life in Suffolk is the
04:18right property.
04:20When I think of mum and dad making this move, I think it's just going to have such a positive
04:26impact on their lives.
04:28You don't realise how stressed you are all the time, especially when you live in a very busy place.
04:33You don't realise and I think it's such sometimes going up to Suffolk on breaks and you think,
04:39you just feel like your whole body starts to relax. It would be nice to feel like that all the
04:44time.
04:47Karen and Amy are working with a £600,000 budget to find a low-maintenance property with open-plan living
04:54and holiday-let potential.
04:55It should have a minimum of three bedrooms, including a principal en-suite and they'd like to have amenities close
05:02at hand.
05:13Well, needless to say, I am delighted to be back in Suffolk.
05:16And it's clearly worked its magic on today's buyers because it's persuaded them to move away from somewhere they've known
05:24for decades.
05:2535 years in the same house. Wow. Moving and saying goodbye to all of that is an emotional wrench.
05:33There's no two ways about it, but fingers crossed what they find here in East Anglia will more than make
05:41up for it.
05:47And where better to meet my buyers than at the historic hamlet of Pin Mill,
05:52a place long associated with Suffolk's maritime trade and industrial heritage.
05:58Wow, look at this. This is one of my favourite spots.
06:01It's beautiful, really beautiful. Very peaceful.
06:04Isn't it just? Yeah.
06:05Well, Karen, Amy, welcome to Escape to the Country and welcome to a part of the world I was lucky
06:12enough to grow up in,
06:13but where you now want to make your new home.
06:16We do. We do. It's beautiful.
06:18And you've sold, right?
06:20We have. We've accepted an offer.
06:22Wow. So it's all ready to go.
06:24I know. It's getting real now.
06:27Now, as I understand it, this is the first time, Karen, that you personally have ever gone in search of
06:33a house.
06:33It is, actually.
06:34Yourself.
06:34Yeah.
06:35How has that come to be?
06:37I moved down the road from my parents' house into my husband's house.
06:41Wow.
06:4235 years ago.
06:43So that was it. There was no choice to be had.
06:45No. We made a lot of changes and it became home. I've never thought of it as anything else.
06:49It's our home. It's where the children grew up.
06:52Now, I know that you're also interested in creating something of a holiday let.
06:58After many years selling the idea to so many other people, I decided to jump in myself.
07:03About three or four years ago, we created a holiday let, Shepherd's Hut, at home.
07:08And I have to say, it's been great fun. Really rewarding.
07:11Not without its challenges. It can be hard work. But I'd certainly recommend it.
07:15Is that the sort of thing that you're interested in doing?
07:17Yeah, I'm open actually. Either if there's an annex already there or if there isn't, if there's a bit of
07:22space,
07:22I'd definitely be open to a Shepherd's Hut or a lodge of some cabin, something like that.
07:27So we've got some money to spend. We've got some property, some people and some places to visit. Shall we?
07:34Yes.
07:34Come on then. Follow me.
07:39Our first stop is on the Shotley Peninsula, sandwiched between the rivers Orwell and Stour in the village of Chilmond
07:46Diston.
07:47It's just a mile from Pin Mill, around a 20-minute walk from its famous Button Oyster public house,
07:52first recorded as a pub in 1553 nearly five centuries ago, when the pub was also used as a court.
08:00But the property we're about to investigate is much, much greener.
08:06So, as you can see, not a million miles away from Pin Mill and the River Orwell, we've got this
08:11for you.
08:13What do you think?
08:14Beautiful.
08:14Yeah.
08:15Absolutely beautiful.
08:16It almost looks like it's been newly painted. It's not as old as our house and it looks like it's
08:22had...
08:23But it's got a lot of character.
08:24Yeah.
08:24I mean, stylistically, is this different to what you've got already?
08:28Oh, very different. Very different. It's a lovely style. I really like the windows and that lovely carport as well.
08:35Really nice.
08:35I mean, you have got the reassurance with this one in that it is quite new.
08:39Yeah.
08:39Oh, that's good.
08:40But it's borrowing some of the style that you'd expect to find in this part of the world. Shall we
08:45have a look?
08:45Yeah, please.
08:46Yeah, please.
08:48Right.
08:48This detached house was built in 1984.
08:52Inside, a very spacious hallway gives access to the reception areas, which include a dedicated dining room and the dual
09:00aspect living room.
09:01In any other property, you might think this had been knocked through, but this is how it was designed.
09:04Right.
09:05To give you that kind of dual aspect and the working fireplace.
09:09Really nice. Like the patio doors out into the garden. Lovely.
09:12Yeah.
09:13I mean, I think what this offers you is a very social space.
09:15Yes.
09:16Because it all does flow together, so hopefully, you know, it would feel that way.
09:20Yeah, I like that. All the rooms off the hallway.
09:22Yeah.
09:23Because for much of the time, it's going to be just you and Richard, right?
09:25Yeah, but I don't think, from what I've seen so far, that it will feel too big for us.
09:28Yeah.
09:28No.
09:29No.
09:29I can see it when, you know, Scott comes home and when I come home, we like to spend a
09:34lot of time together as a family and I can see that.
09:37In here.
09:37Yes, I think so.
09:38Definitely.
09:39Good.
09:39Let's have a look at the kitchen.
09:41Let's see.
09:44So here we go then.
09:46Very much a kitchen diner, as you can tell.
09:50Lovely.
09:51Really nice.
09:52This is really nice.
09:52Yes, I like that.
09:53I like the sort of semi-island there and the eating area there.
09:57It's really nice.
09:58And the oak panelling and the oak sort of banquette, as it were, over there.
10:03Yeah.
10:03That's a nice feature.
10:04Yeah, it's lovely, isn't it?
10:05Have a look.
10:05It is.
10:07Really nicely finished as well.
10:08Yeah, it's beautiful.
10:09And all the oak doors complementing the whole thing.
10:12Yeah, it's lovely.
10:14Really nicely done.
10:16Karen and Amy need a minimum of three bedrooms and here there are four doubles.
10:21All bright and well-proportioned square rooms with a smart family bathroom to top it all off.
10:28So of the four bedrooms up here, this is the only one with a dedicated en suite shower.
10:34Yeah.
10:34That's lovely.
10:35Yeah, it's really nice.
10:36It's all you need, isn't it?
10:38Flooring's nice.
10:39Yeah.
10:40I really like these doors.
10:42Aren't they nice?
10:43They're lovely, actually.
10:44They're really nice.
10:44I mean, I think there's a few things you could tweak if you wanted to, if you wanted to upgrade
10:48a few things here and there, but it's certainly one I think you could just come into and get on
10:54with it.
10:54Yeah, you could.
10:55I know Karen and Amy will be keen to see the annex, which benefits from its own entrance and separate
11:01downstairs bathroom, making it well suited for a holiday let.
11:06Wow.
11:07This is lovely.
11:08This is lovely.
11:09Cute little space.
11:10It's like being in a tree house or something.
11:12Yeah.
11:12I can picture Dad working from home from here.
11:16Yes.
11:17Possibly a little bit small for a holiday let, because I wanted it to be self-contained.
11:21So, but a lovely working space, definitely.
11:24Yeah.
11:24Yeah.
11:24It's really nice.
11:26With a little bit of imagination, I was thinking that the attractive oak carport out front could be repurposed to
11:32help extend the footprint of the annex.
11:35The back garden consists of a level lawn, plus a paved patio and some outbuildings for storage.
11:41All in all, it's a lot of house, so I'm interested to know what they reckon it might cost.
11:47So, let's have a think then about the price of this one.
11:50Okay.
11:50I think it's only fair that you go first, Garen.
11:53I'm going to go for £585,000.
11:56£585,000, yeah?
11:57I think I'm going to go a little bit lower.
12:00I'm going to say £550,000.
12:03£550,000.
12:04Well, the good news is this has just been reduced to £595,000.
12:12Yeah.
12:13So, right, it was over £600,000 to start.
12:15Yeah, it was over £600,000 to start with.
12:16But, as you can see, you get a property that you don't really need to do very much to, notwithstanding
12:21your own ambitions for a holiday let.
12:23That's lovely.
12:24Lovely start.
12:25Good start.
12:26Just five grand shy of their £600,000 budget, this detached home offers almost 2,000 square feet of accommodation.
12:34It's got four double bedrooms, including a principal en suite, plus a fifth in the attached annex, and a private
12:42rear garden.
12:44I really love the kitchen in this house.
12:47It feels like a proper countryside kitchen.
12:50It feels really cosy.
12:53I think this is a real family home, and I think that's a big part of what we're looking for.
13:00My first thoughts when I approached the property were, wow, it was an amazing looking house, really pretty.
13:07We'd have to look into the holiday let side of it, because it is quite close to our budget.
13:11But the house itself, yeah, it's a lovely house.
13:25Karen and Amy are leaving behind the buzz of Southend-on-Sea.
13:29They're ready for more space and countryside calm, but still want life's essentials close at hand.
13:35So we're taking a break from property shopping to visit the historic market town of Eye.
13:42Built around a Norman castle, it may not be Suffolk's largest town, but it more than pulls its weight.
13:48Whether that's for errands, a day out, or simply joining in with a community that locals are proud to call
13:54their own.
13:55Life in Eye is great. I've lived here all my life, in and around the area, and I've traded for
14:0021 years here.
14:01People socialise, businesses all collate and help each other.
14:05So it's a really good business environment and friendly place to live, really.
14:10So welcoming since I came in this place.
14:14Like a family, you know, they all support each other in here. Lovely people in Eye.
14:18When we opened the shop, we had local residents and local businesses all coming in to wish us well, giving
14:25us cards and gifts and generally just being really supportive.
14:28So it was absolutely fantastic.
14:31There's a strong sense of collaboration running through many of Eye's businesses as well as a respect for the town's
14:38long history.
14:39On the edge of town, Abbey Hall is an event space built on the site of Eye's 11th century priory.
14:45Whilst back in town, Bank Arts Centre is its cultural heart today.
14:51Established in 2012, it provides inclusive access to social and skills development opportunities through the arts.
14:58The centre director, John Betts, made his own move from Essex to Suffolk seven years ago.
15:04So Karen and Amy are meeting him for a chat.
15:09John, this building looks amazing. Can you tell us what sort of things you do here at the Arts Centre?
15:14So it's a non-profit arts centre. It's run by predominantly volunteers.
15:20We have lots of different types of evening events, including comedy, live music.
15:24We also do lots of workshops for different creative subjects.
15:28We've got a lovely gallery space.
15:30And we try and make sure we do as much as possible to keep the community happy.
15:35Yeah, it's really nice.
15:36And how have you found your transition to life in Suffolk?
15:40I love it. The community is fantastic. The countryside is beautiful.
15:46It's a pleasure not having to queue in traffic all the time to do short distances.
15:52Everything's just here. It's fantastic.
15:54And why did you get involved in the Arts Centre?
15:57When I first came to the place, the first room I went into after walking through the front door
16:01was the vault downstairs, which is the original bank vault.
16:04It was just a disused store room at the time, but I absolutely fell for the place.
16:09I had this idea that it could be a great place for kids to do training and gaming.
16:14And since then, we've had over a thousand kids come through for training sessions,
16:18and it's been very successful.
16:21With shops and services, plus plenty of ways to get stuck into local life,
16:26I looks like it would be a welcoming spot for Karen, Amy and the rest of the family.
16:30But now, let's get back to our search.
16:37Travelling into Mid-Suffolk, our next stop is in the village of Great Brysett.
16:42Just five miles from the historic town of Needham Market,
16:46Great Brysett is known for its thatched cottages and 12th century church.
16:52There's plenty of trails to explore in the surrounding countryside,
16:55and a welcoming pub to return to afterwards.
16:59Our second property looks out onto that landscape.
17:02So this is it.
17:04Oh, lovely.
17:06Come with me.
17:07Really pretty.
17:08But it's best viewed from the rear, where the full scale of what's on offer comes into view.
17:14Wow.
17:15Very nice.
17:16So you get that, you get that, and you get all of this.
17:20Yeah.
17:21Wow.
17:23It's really nice.
17:24Really lovely.
17:25It's lovely.
17:26I love the colour of it.
17:27Yeah, it's these sort of pastel colours Suffolk is famous for, not least the Suffolk pink.
17:33But this is lovely.
17:34This ochre, I would describe it as.
17:36Come and have a look.
17:40This substantial detached home is thought to have been built around 1900.
17:45Entering at the rear, our tour begins in the breakfast room, which adjoins the kitchen.
17:50Okay.
17:52There we go.
17:53Oh, lovely.
17:54I like this.
17:55Oh, that's really nice, isn't it?
17:57Yeah.
17:58Yeah.
17:58Well, you've mentioned open plan, you know.
18:00I wouldn't say it's a dedicated open plan sort of setup, but it's certainly got a nod to it.
18:06I always like it.
18:06The kitchen obviously in two halves, dining there, kitchen here, there's a utility room
18:11through there with loads of space.
18:13It does feel very open.
18:15I like how you've got-
18:16And with the big window out to the garden as well.
18:18Yeah, exactly.
18:18You can be cooking and looking out onto the garden.
18:21I like that.
18:21Yeah.
18:23Beautiful.
18:23Oh.
18:24So we don't think it's too big, too small?
18:27No.
18:28Don't think either.
18:30Excellent.
18:30Just right.
18:31Excellent.
18:32Well, if you want a sense of open plan, have a look at this.
18:36Here we go.
18:37Look at that.
18:38All the family.
18:39Oh, wow.
18:39Lovely.
18:40Sat around there.
18:41Really nice.
18:43I really like this.
18:44Lovely space.
18:45You can see how it's been adapted and, you know, improved over the years.
18:48And then you've got another huge reception room in here.
18:51Oh.
18:52Right, yeah.
18:52It feels cosy and you've got that sort of cottage feel, but then it's still bright and
18:57then sort of, yeah.
18:59Yeah.
19:00I like how each room kind of like flows into the next one.
19:03They all do that.
19:04Yeah.
19:04Yeah, that's the joy of this.
19:05I'm thinking our furniture will go quite well in here as well, which is obviously something
19:10to consider.
19:11Yeah.
19:12You see, I love it.
19:13Amy's moving in.
19:14I am.
19:14In my head I'm already here.
19:17The ground floor is made for family gatherings.
19:21Then upstairs five bedrooms mean there's space for everyone to stay.
19:25Karen and Amy are taking some time to explore these rooms by themselves.
19:32Oh, wow.
19:33Lovely.
19:34It's a good size, this room.
19:36Yes.
19:36And the fact that you've got all your fitted wardrobes, you don't really need to put anything
19:40else in here, do you?
19:41So there's plenty of room.
19:42I like this sort of built-in dressing table.
19:47Yeah, that's really cute.
19:47Yeah, I like it.
19:48And the en suite.
19:49Yeah.
19:49It's a good size.
19:50It's a very good size, yeah.
19:52I have a good feeling about this one.
19:53It's very nice.
19:54I like it, yeah.
19:56The property's separate annex is also set up and ready to go, with its own section of
20:01garden outside and two bedrooms inside.
20:04And because it's already established, running it couldn't be simpler.
20:11Oh, this is really nice.
20:13Yeah, this is really nice.
20:15Oh, what a great space, great size.
20:18It's a little kitchen area.
20:20That's perfect, isn't it?
20:21It is.
20:22I'd like to come on holiday.
20:24Yeah.
20:24Come and help me decorate it.
20:26I will.
20:26Definitely.
20:29The double garage offers potential should they wish to extend the annex further.
20:34And another huge bonus here are the solar panels located on the sunnier side of the annex,
20:39a renewable energy source which also helps to reduce bills.
20:46The main garden has been zoned to make the most of the sun at different times of day.
20:50So that might mean mornings in the hot tub and evenings on the terrace.
20:55This is great.
20:56I'm loving it.
20:57I'm loving the smiles because it tells me you're excited about it.
21:01I think we are.
21:02Yeah.
21:03I really like this house.
21:04Yeah?
21:04Yeah.
21:05Okay.
21:05Well, let's have a think about the price then, shall we?
21:07Because all of that's going to have an important bearing on your deliberations.
21:11Yeah.
21:11Amy, your mum went first last time.
21:13Yeah.
21:13So.
21:14I think this one is probably at the top end of our budget.
21:18So I think it is probably 600.
21:20That's my guess.
21:21600,000 pounds.
21:24625.
21:25I think it's over.
21:26Yeah.
21:27You see the wisdom.
21:29The wisdom of mum.
21:30This is on the market for 600 and, curiously, 37,000 pounds.
21:37Okay.
21:37Right.
21:37However, they are keen to sell.
21:40Okay.
21:41And I would suggest around your budget, maybe a little bit more.
21:44Who knows?
21:44But I don't think you'd need to go all the way.
21:46And if you did satisfy them on the price, they'd probably throw in the hot tub.
21:50Hopefully.
21:51Right.
21:52That's the selling point.
21:53Whether for you or your guests.
21:55Yeah.
21:5837,000 pounds over budget, but with vendors motivated to sell, this detached country home
22:04has room for the whole family, with four reception rooms and five bedrooms.
22:09There are two more bedrooms in the annex, plus further holiday-lit potential in the double garage.
22:16This house, for the first time, perhaps more than the last one, I could actually see us living here.
22:21It just feels right for our family.
22:24I can see our furniture here.
22:25It has got pretty much everything that we asked for, really.
22:28Yeah.
22:28The garden's really nice, walking around the side like that.
22:32It's really pretty.
22:33And the style of it is really nice.
22:34And the final question is, yes, can we see ourselves here?
22:37I think in this case we can.
22:38Yes, I think we can.
22:39Yeah.
22:41Well, after such a successful house tour, the ladies are taking one more look at that wonderful annex to consider
22:48exactly how they might make it work for them.
22:54I was thinking, like, there's a great outside space there just for the holiday let.
22:59Yeah.
22:59But if we could try and keep it a little bit separate from our garden.
23:02Yeah.
23:02Our garden.
23:04Put some sort of a hedge up there or something.
23:07Yeah.
23:07Make it private for them as well, which would suit them as well.
23:09Can I come in?
23:11I don't want to interrupt the floor.
23:13Can I come in?
23:14Yeah.
23:14Got some ideas then?
23:16I think so.
23:16Yeah.
23:17It's a really great space.
23:19It's quite a blank canvas at the moment.
23:20So I think there's probably a lot you could do with it.
23:22I think that's exactly how I would describe it.
23:25But all the key things are here, all the services and all of that.
23:28And it's all a really good size as well.
23:30Yeah.
23:30So it's exciting, isn't it?
23:31It is exciting.
23:32Is this sense of excitement, Amy, helping get over the hurdle of leaving Southend behind, do you think?
23:39I think so, yeah.
23:40I think when you can see somewhere new and actually see our family here.
23:44Yeah, it makes a difference.
23:45Yeah.
23:46Because I think this, if I'm honest, this is the first time I've actually been able to see it.
23:51And yeah.
23:52In this house.
23:53It's a nice feeling.
23:53Yeah.
23:54Good.
23:55Well, that would suggest we're getting somewhere.
23:57Yeah.
23:58Well, it's not over yet.
24:00One more day tomorrow.
24:01Yes.
24:01Yeah.
24:02One more property to come.
24:03Famous mystery house.
24:04Yes.
24:05But I'm delighted to think that we have at least got one good viable option.
24:10Yes, I think so.
24:11Definitely.
24:11On the table for you.
24:12Definitely.
24:13Okay.
24:13Fancy a drink?
24:14Yeah.
24:15Sounds good.
24:15Let's go.
24:43Let's go.
24:45compared to £438,000 across the UK.
24:49The best value in the county is found in East Suffolk,
24:52which includes towns like Framlingham and Lower Stoft,
24:55where the average figure falls to around £415,000.
25:01Here's a small selection of other properties currently available
25:04that might just inspire your own move to Suffolk.
25:09This two-bedroom end of terrace in a mid-Suffolk village
25:12is ideal for first-time buyers.
25:15With two reception rooms and a small, low-maintenance garden,
25:19it's offered chain-free for a guy price of £250,000.
25:26All this double-fronted Victorian home
25:28has four bedrooms plus striking period features in both reception rooms.
25:33Other bonuses include a conservatory and a walled garden.
25:37It could be yours for offers in the region of £475,000.
25:43If you fancy a unique holiday in the county,
25:46this spacious yurt is one of five,
25:48each sitting in its own wildflower meadow.
25:51With access to a rustic outdoor bar and a natural play area,
25:55the yurt sleeps six, with prices starting at £115 per night.
26:06Well, we have one more day of house hunting ahead of us
26:09with Karen and with Amy.
26:10Of course, much of this search focused upon their wish
26:13to create a holiday let.
26:15We've given them some options already,
26:17but our mystery house now, our final offering,
26:20will, I hope, give them the opportunity
26:21to build one from scratch
26:24and we can get a real sense
26:25of just what this new life they're picturing will look like.
26:30Our mystery house is taking us
26:32to the village of Little Waldingfield,
26:35which benefits from being just three miles
26:36from popular Lavenham.
26:38One of the best-preserved medieval villages in England,
26:41Lavenham's timber-framed buildings
26:43are a legacy of the wealth once brought by the wool trade.
26:46The village is still thriving today,
26:49so Karen and Amy are taking some time
26:51to explore its independent shops and cafes
26:53whilst I go on ahead to the property.
26:58So here then is our mystery house,
27:01our final property of the week
27:02and also the smallest.
27:04But at the end of the day, for much of the time,
27:06it is going to be just Richard and Karen here.
27:14Well, what our mystery house may lack in size,
27:16it more than makes up for in a crisp,
27:19recently renovated finish,
27:20but it also crucially comes with a holiday let option.
27:26Well, tucked away at the end of its very long
27:29and beautifully arranged garden
27:30is this completely separate space.
27:34I think this is crying out
27:36for a bespoke and bigger holiday let right here.
27:40What's more, it overlooks the village church.
27:43For anybody wishing to get away for a weekend
27:46and enjoy a quintessential view
27:48of the English countryside,
27:50I am confident this would work.
27:54The Lavenham walk complete,
27:56the stage is set for Karen and Amy's final property tour.
28:00Well, good morning, you two.
28:02Morning, Jules.
28:03Aren't you feeling inspired by what you've just seen in Lavenham?
28:06Yes, beautiful, beautiful town.
28:08Isn't it gorgeous?
28:08I mean, I love all of this county, to be frank,
28:10but this area, this patch, the architecture,
28:14the sense of history and community
28:16that comes with these villages, just super.
28:18But in terms of property, yeah, what do you think, Amy?
28:21I think it's gorgeous, yeah.
28:23It looks fairly new, actually.
28:25Well, you may be picking up on the fact
28:26that the windows are all new.
28:27There's a hint of the recent renovations
28:30that have made over this essentially late Victorian building
28:34into an interior design treat, OK,
28:38which I think will appeal to both of you.
28:40Yeah, definitely.
28:41Yeah, really nice.
28:42It's very different to what we've seen,
28:43but it's nice to see a variety of houses.
28:45OK, let's see what you think.
28:46Come on.
28:47This is going to be a treat.
28:49This double-fronted Victorian cottage
28:51is our only semi-detached property of the week.
28:55Come on in, grab the door, Amy.
28:56Oh, lovely.
28:57Here we are.
28:59Ooh.
28:59Really nice.
29:00Yeah.
29:02And inside, the stylish entrance hall
29:05is presently used as an office.
29:09And then it leads down into this.
29:11This is nice.
29:12Yeah.
29:13This is gorgeous.
29:14Isn't it?
29:15That settles onto the garden, which looks beautiful.
29:17Yes, you've got a utility room round there,
29:19downstairs Lou, et cetera.
29:21Yeah.
29:22Ooh.
29:23Brilliant.
29:24Yeah, that's beautiful.
29:26I'm a big fan.
29:28You're a big fan?
29:29Yeah, I thought you would be.
29:29I'm a big fan so far.
29:30Yeah.
29:30It's really nice.
29:31It's really nice.
29:32Lovely.
29:32Beautifully done.
29:33It's exquisite, really.
29:35I can't wait to see them all.
29:37Yeah, look!
29:38So, right, come and have a look at this.
29:41This is the living room.
29:44There.
29:45Again, probably the smallest of the lot this week.
29:47But, again...
29:48Lovely room, though.
29:49Really nice.
29:50Is it a fireplace?
29:51Yes.
29:51Yeah.
29:52Yeah.
29:53It's really light, but it's cosy as well.
29:55Yes, it is.
29:56And they've got shutters.
29:57Yeah.
29:57You said that you wanted shutters.
29:59I don't quite like shutters.
30:00Yeah, I really love shutters.
30:01I've seen them become more prevalent over the last decade or so, but they're so effective.
30:06It's a lovely room.
30:07Yeah.
30:07It is.
30:08It's lovely.
30:08So, you would be happy to visit.
30:09I would.
30:10Would you be happy to live here?
30:11So far, yes.
30:13Good.
30:14I thought you might say that.
30:15No, it's really nice.
30:16Excellent.
30:17Really nice.
30:18I had a feeling the smart presentation here would catch Karen and Amy's eye.
30:23And upstairs tells the same story.
30:26Three bedrooms, a smaller footprint than our previous properties, but a contemporary finish that's hard to beat.
30:34Oh, this is nice.
30:36Wow.
30:37Yeah.
30:37Oh, what a gorgeous bathroom.
30:39I love the floor.
30:40The floor is really nice, isn't it?
30:41And the doors as well.
30:43You said about in the last.
30:44Yeah, I like the doors.
30:45I like those finish.
30:47Yeah.
30:48This is really beautiful.
30:49It's one that's been done so nicely.
30:50It has, hasn't it?
30:51Jules was right about that.
30:56Oh, this is lovely.
30:59Oh, my goodness.
30:59What a gorgeous room.
31:01This feels like a hotel room.
31:02It does, doesn't it?
31:04Imagine.
31:04It's beautiful.
31:05I love the beams.
31:06And the light's gorgeous.
31:08Yeah.
31:08I was going to say, what would you change?
31:09But you wouldn't have to change anything in here.
31:12No, no.
31:13It's gorgeous.
31:14Beautiful.
31:15And there's an en suite.
31:17That's nice as well.
31:19Yeah.
31:19Lovely.
31:21Yeah, beautifully done, isn't it?
31:22I really, really like it.
31:24It really is.
31:25Full of character with modern touches that completely make the most of its rural setting.
31:32Look at this.
31:33Oh, my goodness.
31:33How gorgeous is that?
31:34This is beautiful.
31:35What a beautiful garden.
31:37You can see the church from here as well.
31:39Oh, that's beautiful, isn't it?
31:40And even though the house is a little bit smaller, I feel like you'll be spending so much time
31:46in the garden.
31:47Mm.
31:48This is stunning, wow.
31:51Well, this is lovely.
31:53Hopefully, they're loving the rest of this property.
31:56But when they get down here, I think this could be the icing on the cake.
32:00Not because I'm lying here, but because of where I am.
32:04Ah, gorgeous.
32:09Bifolds from the kitchen open onto a paved terrace, leading to a lawn that's generously
32:14filled with mature shrubs, a calm oasis in the shadow of the church.
32:18But that's only half of this garden's story, as Karen and Amy are about to discover.
32:25Oh, are you all right there?
32:29Well, I'm just trying to get in the zone of what your new guests might be enjoying.
32:34Yeah, look at this.
32:35This is amazing.
32:36I can't believe there's this much more space.
32:38Yeah.
32:38I know, I didn't expect this at all.
32:40Amazing.
32:40And it's completely separate.
32:42Yes.
32:42They've got this lovely summer house here at the moment.
32:46It's obviously not enough for a holiday let, I would suggest, but look at the thing it sits on.
32:50Yes, it's bigger, isn't it?
32:52I think you could build something bespoke here.
32:54Yeah.
32:55Dad would be more than happy to do that, I think.
32:57He loves the project.
32:58Would he?
32:59Yeah, he would.
33:01Does he know what's coming?
33:03Not yet, no.
33:04But it's charming, isn't it?
33:05It's really lovely.
33:07It really is.
33:08And they've done all this in the last couple of years, as well as the house and the garden.
33:14I mean, they've given the whole thing, top to bottom, the most inspiring making.
33:17They really have.
33:18It's beautiful.
33:19All beautiful.
33:19It's like being on holiday in your own garden.
33:22It's a nice feeling, isn't it?
33:23That's the idea, isn't it?
33:25Okay, so, Amy.
33:26Oh, you're going first.
33:27You're going to go first on this one.
33:29Final guess of the week.
33:30How much do you think our mystery house is on the market for?
33:34It's a complete guess, because I have no idea, but I'm going to say 575.
33:44Okay, Mum?
33:46I'm going to go for a hopeful £560,000.
33:51Okay, £560,000 would work.
33:53It would give you some change left over to do this.
33:56More than do it, I would think.
33:57However, this is currently on the market for £485,000.
34:08Is it?
34:09Oh, my goodness.
34:11Yes.
34:13I can't believe that.
34:15This Victorian cottage has been thoughtfully renovated, blending a modern finish with three
34:21bedrooms and extensive gardens.
34:23It has amazing holiday-let potential, and at £115,000 under budget, it's little wonder
34:30Karen and Amy are falling for it.
34:33I think my favourite part of this house was when we went upstairs into the main bedroom,
34:40and then you just see that balcony over into the garden.
34:43It was beautiful.
34:44I think that's when Mum and I kind of looked at each other and went, oh, this, we've got
34:50a good feeling in this house.
34:52I really like this house, if you can't tell.
34:55My smile says it all.
34:56I think if we were to live here, I feel like life could be quite idyllic.
35:01The village looks lovely, the house is beautiful, the garden is beautiful, the fact that it's
35:07got the separate access at the bottom, I think it would be a really nice space to offer
35:11as a holiday-let.
35:13Beautiful.
35:23The town of Woodbridge, set on the banks of the River Deben, has a proud tradition of boat
35:29building that stretches back to Tudor times.
35:32Since 1889, Woodbridge Boat Yard has been repairing, restoring and crafting bespoke vessels, from
35:39modern designs to historic classics.
35:42I've come to meet manager Matt Liss, to see how his team continues shaping boats with the
35:47same care and skills as the generations before them.
35:54Matt, nice to see you.
35:55Hi, Joes, good to see you.
35:57Yeah, just caught the tide, didn't we?
35:58Yeah, it's gone.
35:59Well, look, I am no stranger to Woodbridge, as many people know, but to have the chance
36:03to find out more about the boat yard here and the great traditions of boat building on
36:08this river. I mean, there's some lovely examples down here. Are these typical of what the Deben
36:13was all about?
36:15Yeah, so the Deben Cherubs were designed and built here in the 1920s and 30s, and they were
36:20one of the first pocket cruisers and one of the first production boats. So before then,
36:25almost every boat was a one-off.
36:26And in terms of the history of the boat yard and its future, you know, obviously not an
36:32easy thing to keep running in the modern age, I suppose, but nonetheless vital for maintaining
36:38those ancient skills.
36:39Yeah, it's absolutely a challenge. It's a challenge finding and producing new people
36:45with the skills to cater for the diversity of boats that we see. No two days are the same,
36:50which is fantastic in terms of job satisfaction.
36:53Yeah. But it means an awful lot of skill is required and a lot of training is required
36:57to get to that point. So we'll head inside now and we'll meet Talia, one of our apprentices.
37:02Fabulous. Come on then, let's have a look. These look lovely. They're so at home, aren't
37:06they? Oh, absolutely.
37:10Talia has been an apprentice at the boat yard for almost a year. But today, she's the master
37:15and I'm very much the student, as she's given me a crash course in splicing, a traditional
37:21technique that involves joining two ends of rope together without using a knot.
37:26You're going to go over the top.
37:28Like that and through.
37:31Over the top edge of it.
37:33That way?
37:33And back towards yourself.
37:34Oh, that way?
37:35That way.
37:35Okay.
37:37There's a reason I'm not very good at this. I've never done it before.
37:42Right. So Talia, what first piqued your interest in becoming a boat builder?
37:47So my dad's always been in sailing, but it was about three or four years ago, I came across
37:54this gorgeous boat and I just thought, what's stopping me from kind of being a part of that
37:58and how would I learn to be a part of that? And I can't actually remember the first time
38:03that I heard about Woodbridge, but I know that I always wanted to be a part of what they
38:07do here. And you see a shed like this and you go, oh my gosh, what did they do inside?
38:12And are you hoping to go into the industry full time now?
38:16Yeah. Yeah. So I work here five days a week anyway. And in my spare time, I work on boats
38:21as well.
38:22You've got it. You've got the bar. I love it. Brilliant.
38:25Absolutely.
38:25So do you think you'll stay here in Suffolk around the Debon or will you travel?
38:28Yeah. I moved here three, four years ago and I absolutely love it. My family's come
38:33to join me here. Perfect.
38:35Yeah. It's been great. Hopefully you will continue to do a far better job of your rope
38:39work than I am doing here. It's great. I might have to redo that one though.
38:44I would. I would. I certainly wouldn't tie anything to it.
38:49Boat building may be centuries old in Woodbridge, but so too is the timeless pleasure of casting
38:55off and enjoying the river.
38:57Well, Matt, this is what it's all about, isn't it? After all the hard work is done.
39:01Yeah, absolutely. I mean, it's so pretty and so much of it is about enjoying the bird life
39:04and the scenery. You don't need to be doing 100 miles an hour to enjoy it.
39:09In many respects, it's the ultimate green endeavour, isn't it? Because you're taking boats that
39:14have been built, timber's been felled, and in repairing them and keeping them going, in
39:20itself is a very sustainable undertaking.
39:22It is. That's another wonderful part of the sustainability, is actually we've developed
39:27a relationship with the National Trust at Sutton Hoo, so we can work with them for things
39:31like oak and sweet chestnut to fell trees that have to come down anyway. There's a wonderful
39:37romance to using timber that's been felled within sight of the boatyard, but that also has that
39:43connection with Sutton Hoo.
39:44Well, Matt, it's been such a treat for me to have a chance to finally go through the
39:48doors of the boatyard, meet yourself and the rest of the gang and see what you're doing.
39:53As ever, I've learnt something new. So, mate, thank you very much.
39:56It's been a pleasure.
40:08So, Southend to Suffolk. That has been the direction of travel that has underpinned our
40:13house search this week for Karen and her family, ably helped by daughter Amy. But have we managed
40:20to find them a home that can genuinely feel like home once they've made the move? Well,
40:26let's go and ask them.
40:31Well, here we are then. Our final conversation this week.
40:35It's been quick.
40:36Trying to make sense of it all. Yeah, it flies by, doesn't it?
40:39It does, yeah.
40:40But we gave you three to choose from. Best of three. Is there a best?
40:45I think so. Yes, there is. Yeah. No, we did really like the mystery house. Yeah. The other
40:50two properties were really nice as well. They were lovely, but just not quite right. Now,
40:56it's interesting with the mystery house, because it was the smallest of the properties that
40:58we got to show you. And when we got through the front door, it really kind of sold itself,
41:03didn't it? Yes. Yeah, it did. Everything was done so beautifully in there. All the decor.
41:08Yeah. You couldn't fault it. So, what is going to happen next then? Well, we have spoken
41:14to Richard. We FaceTimed him in the house. Ooh. Showed him around. You didn't say it, didn't you?
41:19I didn't see that happening. No. Okay. Yeah. We told him we found it. And he wants to come
41:24and see. Yeah. So, hopefully, he's going to come up at the weekend. Wow. So, you are not wasting
41:28any time. Let's not forget, you've sold already. So, everybody knows the clock is ticking. I mean,
41:34not that the money's burning a hole in your pockets, but you do need a home soon, right? Yeah.
41:38Yeah, that's right. Yeah. Well, I wish you all the very best of luck. And wherever you end up,
41:43we'd love to have the chance to come back and see how country life is treating you all as a
41:48family.
41:48Yeah, absolutely. Yeah, lovely. Thank you. Well, and I shall come and check out your holiday
41:52let and see what the competition is up to. You'll come and check yours out as well.
41:55Yeah. Well, here's to you. Best of luck. Thank you very much. Thank you very much.
42:04Well, as excited as Karen and her daughter Amy clearly are about the prospect of moving from
42:10Southend to Suffolk. There's no two ways about it. They were also quite daunted, I think,
42:15by the whole undertaking. However, at long last, our mystery house has offered them the reassurance
42:22and I think the vision that what they're about to undertake is absolutely going to work. Now,
42:28we have sold our mystery house to them. They've now got to sell it to the rest of the family.
42:34But
42:34fingers crossed, if everything aligns, sometime very soon, they'll be calling this glorious part
42:40of the world home. And I don't blame them. I'll see you next time. Karen returned to the mystery house
42:48with her husband, Richard, who also saw its potential. They're now exploring the possibility
42:53of extending the kitchen and creating additional accommodation in the garden before deciding whether
42:58to make an offer. If you would like to escape to the country in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland,
43:04or Wales and need our help, why not apply online at bbc.co.uk forward slash take part.
43:29Thank you so much for joining us.
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