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00:01On today's show, I'm helping a couple find their way back to the UK.
00:07Oh, wow. That is absolutely beautiful.
00:12Trading la vie Francaise for fish and chips.
00:16There is nothing better than this.
00:19And remembering what makes home so hard to resist.
00:24Just beautiful.
00:25Beautiful is good. You've said beautiful about a hundred times, which is what we like to hear.
00:28France may have had the wine, but Yorkshire's got the heart.
00:34Oh, I love it when there's a few tears.
00:59Where the Humber Bridge stretches to the horizon, you'll find the East Riding of Yorkshire.
01:06Not the loudest county, but it quietly stands apart, understated and unmistakably itself.
01:13If you're looking for an escape with a bit of identity, then Yorkshire might just be the place.
01:19Here, for example, in the East Riding, you have wonderful market towns full of buzzy chatter.
01:25And then quieter villages where you can get your breath back.
01:29And then all these amazing open spaces full of wind and silence.
01:34But wherever you are, everything is imbued with this warmth and character that is definitely the spirit of Yorkshire.
01:44The East Riding of Yorkshire is a largely rural county in England's northeast.
01:49It's characterised by its chalk landscape, whether that's in the hills of the Walds or the cliffs of Flamborough Head,
01:57home to towering 400 feet coastal chalk cliffs and sea stacks.
02:04In Bridlington, award-winning beaches frame a historic harbour where the town's thriving fishing industry
02:11has earned it the title of lobster capital of Europe.
02:15From one capital to another, Driffield is known as the capital of the Walls,
02:20a town which developed around a picturesque 18th-century canal.
02:25It's often said that it's a magical place, the East Riding of Yorkshire.
02:28They talk about the big skies. David Hockney, the artist, painted a lot locally on the edge of the Walds
02:35where we are.
02:35And it was all down to the big skies that he was drawn to for his artwork.
02:40He loved the area and we love it too.
02:48Skipping to the country is a big step.
02:52But for our buyers today, they are very used to upping sticks and taking a giant leap.
02:58There's some great cuisine here in France.
03:01But sometimes it would be really nice to be able to head to the beach, grab some fish and chips,
03:07go and sit down on the beach and fight off the seagulls.
03:11And just relax.
03:13And relax.
03:15For the past 17 years, retirees Jane and Rich have owned a property in the sunlit region of La Vendée
03:21in Western France,
03:23relocating full-time seven years ago.
03:26Their current home is a detached property, which they've lovingly renovated from top to bottom.
03:33We've loved our time in France, but we desperately miss our friends and family.
03:37So we are ready to come home.
03:40It's also we miss the ability to just chat to people.
03:44We've learnt French, but it's difficult having to think about how the next sentence is formed,
03:49or its past, you know, future...
03:51Past participle.
03:53...tentities on the language.
03:54So the ability just to have a chat.
03:57One thing they don't want to leave behind in France is the sea.
04:01We love coming down here with Daisy.
04:04Daisy's often found taking Richard for a walk down here.
04:07Definitely not the other way round.
04:10So we would love to be within an hour's striking distance of walking down on the beach,
04:15getting sand between our toes.
04:17Now their journey leads them north to the east riding of Yorkshire,
04:21with Daisy the dog by their side.
04:24This is going to be our final escape.
04:26And we really, really need some help this time, please.
04:29Fingers crossed.
04:31With a budget of up to £280,000,
04:35Jane and Rich are seeking a two-bedroom character home,
04:38complete with a garage and secure garden.
04:41They dream of somewhere near green spaces in a welcoming community
04:45where they can put down roots once more.
04:57Oh, I love me a start a new life in a new country story on escape to the country.
05:02And these two have really done a fantastic job in France.
05:06That's an amazing piece of restoration on the property.
05:09But I'm thinking that this property in England is going to be quite different.
05:13It's going to focus much more on being part of a community.
05:16I think they're going to make lots of friends.
05:17So all we have to do is find them the perfect house.
05:25Before the search can begin, I've asked Jane and Rich to meet me
05:28on the rugged white cliffs of Flamborough Head.
05:33Thank you so much for flying over from France to this lovely part of the East Coast.
05:39Isn't it gorgeous?
05:40It is spectacular.
05:41Absolutely gorgeous.
05:42How does it compare to the landscape in La Vendée?
05:46Well, La Vendée is like the fens.
05:49And so therefore this is just unbelievably different, isn't it?
05:54Yeah, having the rolling hills.
05:55It is quite green here, yeah.
05:57And visually I think it's more spectacular here.
05:58I think so, yeah.
06:00And you mentioned one of the things we have to focus on is the garage.
06:05Why is a garage so important?
06:08Jane and I met when we worked together in the same company
06:11and I ended up leaving the company and we lost touch.
06:14And a few years later I got asked to take my car along to a car shoot for a car
06:20magazine
06:20and it happened to be near where Jane lived and it was the excuse I needed to get back in
06:24touch.
06:25So the car is the reason we're together.
06:28Yes.
06:28So she needs her own house?
06:30She does, yes.
06:31You've done an amazing renovation on your property in France.
06:34Hats off to that.
06:35Because that was quite an achievement.
06:38Are you now like never ever again or would you like to start?
06:42Possibly nothing on the same scale again, but we're more than happy to get our hands dirty.
06:49The last place had earth floors when we started.
06:51Earth?
06:51A collapsing roof.
06:52Oh, wow.
06:53Hopefully we're not going to be taking on anything on that scale again, but...
06:56Cancel the earth floor hovel.
06:59I was going to say never say never.
07:03Not for the right place I guess for us.
07:06Well, I mean the pressure's on us because you've flown in specially.
07:09Yes.
07:10So let's find you a Yorkshire home.
07:12Come with me.
07:15We're starting out in the northern part of the county,
07:18ten miles from the coast in the village of Nafferton.
07:22Home to a tranquil mere that was once a mill pond,
07:25Nafferton's amenities include three pubs, a shop, and that most English of essentials, a local chippy.
07:33And if Jane and Rich had any doubts they weren't still in sunny France,
07:37well, the climate has put them firmly in their place.
07:41Yorkshire weather, now we've got some rain.
07:43Oh, yes.
07:43Yorkshire sunshine.
07:45Yorkshire sunshine.
07:46It's perfect.
07:46So you're not used to thin France, you're spoiled.
07:48I suppose it's quite dry there, is it?
07:50Very dry, very hot.
07:51Anyway, so this is our first property.
07:53It's not on a big estate, which is great.
07:56And you're tucked away.
07:57Yes.
07:58As well.
07:58And it's quiet.
07:59Yeah.
08:00And pretty much this is a turnkey property.
08:02You can just walk straight in.
08:04Okay.
08:04And you can rest.
08:06You won't have to do any more dry walls, no more electricals.
08:10I know.
08:11What are you going to do?
08:11I'll have to find something else to do.
08:12Push the car.
08:13Yeah.
08:14Okay.
08:15Well, we've had enough of the rain.
08:16Shall we go in and get dry?
08:17Yes, please.
08:18Sounds good.
08:21This detached home forms part of a development of 34 properties.
08:26Built just five years ago, a Dua Rapa it is not.
08:31Come into the sitting room, into this immaculately maintained house.
08:35It is absolutely immaculate, isn't it?
08:37Yeah, it is beautiful.
08:37You literally would never have to get your toolbox out, Rich.
08:41No.
08:41I guess with that, you immediately can be out there,
08:46instead of getting to know the surroundings and the community,
08:48rather than spending time doing up a house.
08:50Doing up a house.
08:51What are your thoughts inside?
08:53It's lovely.
08:53It's really nice.
08:55I guess, for me, it's missing that fireplace thing that I really love.
09:01Yes, of course, modern houses don't, as a rule, have fireplaces.
09:04No.
09:04But it's a compromise.
09:06But it's a cosy lounge space, isn't it?
09:10It's a cosy space.
09:10Shall we go and look at the kitchen down now?
09:11Yes, please.
09:14Lots of storage in this house.
09:17Well, there is.
09:18And then this is the kitchen and space for dining.
09:22And these amazing views.
09:24Oh, wow.
09:26It's so weird, isn't it?
09:26That is absolutely beautiful.
09:29How fabulous is that?
09:29You wanted green fields.
09:31And there they are.
09:32Is it a church that you can see?
09:34Yeah, the church over there, yeah.
09:36It's a quintessential wing.
09:38It's got this whole view, just there.
09:39And how about the kitchen and space here?
09:42It feels a little bit small.
09:45But we're downsizing.
09:46We're downsizing.
09:47So there's that thing.
09:47It's the thing with downsizing.
09:49It's like, oh, you actually have to live in a smaller space.
09:51That's really annoying.
09:53It's not a massive French farmhouse.
09:56No.
09:57But I'm not going to get one either.
09:58And I don't want to clean it anymore.
09:59There you go.
10:00You wouldn't have to.
10:01It's very easy to clean.
10:02Or indeed heat it.
10:03Or indeed heat it, yeah.
10:04Or indeed heat it, yeah.
10:05So there's that as well.
10:08The property may be compact, but there's a downstairs cloakroom and two bathrooms upstairs.
10:14There are also three double bedrooms to choose from.
10:20There's two bedrooms at the front, but your bedroom has the view.
10:25Oh, wow.
10:26Oh, and storage as well.
10:28Lots of wardrobe space as well.
10:29Yeah.
10:30And an ensuite.
10:30Oh.
10:31Oh, fantastic.
10:32Oh, that's amazing.
10:33And a sizable one as well.
10:35Really?
10:35It is very sizable.
10:37Proper walk-in shower as well.
10:38The family bathroom is a good size too.
10:40And then you've got two guest rooms at the front where you could turn one into, I don't
10:43know, do you have a hobby or something?
10:45Oh, I sew.
10:46I love to sew.
10:48Oh.
10:49So, yeah.
10:49So I was kind of looking for somewhere that I can leave my stash of material and without
10:55having to put it away all the time.
10:58And, yeah, so that would be fantastic.
11:00You'd have to see your own sewing room.
11:02Yes.
11:03But you'd also wake up to this.
11:04Have a look.
11:05Wow.
11:06That's just beautiful.
11:08It's all the way round, isn't it?
11:11This beautiful countryside.
11:15Another standout feature is its eco-edge.
11:18With a B-rated EPC, the property benefits from an EV charger on the driveway and solar panels
11:25on the roof.
11:26Outside, the rear garden has been beautifully landscaped to include a paved patio, lush planted
11:33borders and a pergola-shaded seating spot.
11:36There's even a productive vegetable patch for good measure.
11:41Look at the lovely view.
11:43It's absolutely amazing.
11:44And it's stunning.
11:45There's apples as well.
11:46Absolutely beautiful.
11:47And is this the sort of size garden that you're looking for?
11:50This would be great.
11:50It gives us some relaxation space and space for growing, but also for daisies.
11:55We'd have to make it a little bit more dog-proof.
11:57A little bit more dog-proof.
11:57She's an escapologist.
11:58Is she?
11:59Yeah, she should have been called Houdini, I think.
12:02This would be lovely.
12:03Not really overlooked.
12:04And the fact that it's so eco as well is something that we didn't ask for, but is a real
12:10bonus.
12:11It is.
12:12What do you think the price of this one is?
12:14I think it's right at the top end of our budget.
12:16I think it's pushing 280.
12:19I'm going to go 275.
12:22275,000.
12:23I'm going to say 270.
12:26You're both not quite right.
12:29It's actually on the market for 280,000 pounds.
12:32Okay.
12:32I guess it would be right towards the top end.
12:35But it's only been on a couple of weeks, so, you know, it's probably still finding its place in the
12:39market.
12:39I can understand why.
12:40Yeah.
12:40Everything is pristine.
12:42Yeah.
12:42It's absolute turnkey.
12:43And the location is remarkable.
12:48Right at the top of budget, this superbly finished detached home feels worlds away from the earthen
12:55floor renovation project in France.
12:57With three bedrooms, two bathrooms and that all important garage, the property also has far reaching countryside views.
13:06This property is absolutely pristine.
13:09It's ready to move into.
13:10It's a smaller space than the house we live in at the moment, but we're downsizing.
13:15And it's one of the things that we need to get our head around is downsizing means reducing in size.
13:21This house is lovely.
13:24It's really beautifully maintained.
13:27And the views outside are just to die for.
13:30But I think we were looking for a property that's kind of got more beams, the open fire.
13:37That's what we've had in our heads and our heart.
13:41I feel the sun is coming out, so no more need for these brollies.
13:46All done?
13:47Yes, thank you very much.
13:48It was fantastic.
13:49So if you pull the door behind.
13:50OK.
13:51We're going to press on.
13:53OK.
13:53Follow me.
13:53Super.
13:59After years spent living in France, Jane and Rich are looking forward to re-establishing themselves in a community, Song's
14:07Language Barrier.
14:07To give them a glimpse of one such community, we're pressing pause on the property search so they can explore
14:14the historic market town of Beverley.
14:18Or should there be Minster Town?
14:20Its magnificent 12th century Minster is a Gothic masterpiece and undoubtedly one of the region's most iconic landmarks.
14:31Wow.
14:32Just an incredible structure.
14:34A beautiful building.
14:37It's a feast for the eyes, sure, but Beverley has so much more to offer beneath the surface.
14:43The community in Beverley is very welcoming.
14:45We have a lot of events and festivals, a lot of retail outlets, a nice mixture of independent and chain
14:52stores.
14:52It feels quite a busy little town, but at the same time, it's still got that sense of community, you
14:57know, location for local people.
15:00My goodness, you've got so much to do, Steve.
15:02Food-wise, the food scene's amazing.
15:03We've got everything from French bistros to authentic Greek to Turkish, Japanese, Thai, and then a plethora of cafes and
15:13pubs with proper sort of Yorkshire cuisine, which is lovely.
15:18And when you've had your fill of all that delicious food, there's the perfect spot to walk it all off.
15:24The Westwood is one of the pastures in the town, like a common land that surrounds it, where the freemen
15:29of Beverley are allowed to graze their animals.
15:31This is amazing to walk around, just to get out and about, fresh air, and five, ten minutes from my
15:37house, I'm on green countryside.
15:39So that's Daisy the dog taken care of.
15:43Patisserie.
15:44Jane and Rich are stopping by the local patisserie to meet owner Thierry Condette.
15:50Having made his own move to the area from France 25 years ago, he knows better than most how to
15:56make a new town feel like home.
15:59Good afternoon.
16:00Bonjour.
16:00Bonjour.
16:01What brings you to Beverley?
16:03It's my wife.
16:04She takes my passport, now I can't come back.
16:08She comes from Beverley, and honestly, it's brilliant.
16:11It's the most beautiful place you possibly chose to live in England.
16:16One of the reasons we want to move back is the community.
16:19So are there any great things that we can get up to that allow us to meet people?
16:23I play French pétanque.
16:26We started a club five years ago, and I just play this afternoon.
16:32Ah, okay. I mean, we love playing pétanque.
16:34It's got the enthusiasm.
16:36Oh, well, you're more than welcome.
16:37The club is on Tuesday, Thursday, from one o'clock at past one.
16:43People come, play, enjoy. It's a nice community to play.
16:48That's us sorted.
16:49Fantastic.
16:50That would be amazing.
16:52With more houses to see, and the prospect of a pétanque team to join,
16:57it's only right they fuel up with some of Thierry's pastries,
17:01baked fresh this morning.
17:04Thank you very much, Thierry.
17:06Oh, yeah, definitely.
17:08Thank you very much.
17:09See you soon.
17:09Au revoir.
17:11Beverly has given Jane and Rich a flavour of history, community,
17:15and even a little slice of France.
17:18Thank you, Thierry.
17:19Thank you, Thierry. Cheers.
17:23But before they can settle in, they'll need to find the right home,
17:27so the search goes on.
17:34We're continuing our property tour in the heart of the county,
17:37travelling to the village of Leckenfield.
17:41Despite just being three miles from the bustling town of Beverly,
17:44the village is surrounded by peaceful, open countryside.
17:48At its centre is a Grade II listed church,
17:52and just down the road, at the village hall,
17:54quiz nights and live music should provide plenty of opportunities to connect,
17:58with the local community.
18:00But a short walk away is the next property in our line-up.
18:05This is our second offering.
18:08OK.
18:08So it dates back to the 70s, but it's semi-detached.
18:11What are your thoughts about semi-detached?
18:13What are your thoughts about this sort of style of property?
18:17I don't dislike it.
18:19For semi-detached, not worried at all.
18:21I guess similar for me.
18:22From the outside, hasn't got that pull, I guess.
18:26Who knows what's inside? Who knows the garden space?
18:28This house doesn't have a garage, but that's because they've taken the garage down.
18:32OK.
18:33But there is space at the side of the property where you could reinstate it.
18:36OK.
18:37That's not a problem.
18:38Yeah.
18:38It shouldn't be a planning problem, I guess, because it used to have one.
18:40Exactly.
18:41OK.
18:41That would be amazing.
18:42Shall we have a look inside?
18:43Yes, please.
18:45Tucked away on a quiet residential street, this 70s-built semi is a practical but surprisingly
18:51spacious option.
18:54Thoughtfully redecorated and extended in recent years, it's now a home that definitely deserves
18:59a closer look.
19:01We'll go straight into the sitting room here.
19:04So it's a bigger space.
19:06It is, isn't it?
19:07Yeah.
19:07And you've got a fireplace, focal point.
19:09Yes.
19:10Which is lovely.
19:11It feels just more spacious, doesn't it?
19:13No, I really like it.
19:15So again, this one is not a period property.
19:17It's not a character property.
19:18But sort of reading between the lines, I wasn't sure whether you, I mean, you've just spent
19:23a lot of time doing up a period property, whether that's something you want or whether
19:28you quite like the idea of a turnkey property.
19:30It would be great to have a property where we could put our own stamp on it and it wasn't
19:34as done.
19:35I suppose I should ask Rich a bit, how much work would you like to do?
19:39Well, you know, I've said things like, you know, if a house needs new kitchens, new bathrooms,
19:45that kind of work, or even an additional bathroom, you know, if it's face allowed, then I'm happy
19:52to do that kind of work.
19:56I think this is the kind of property that will really give them the freedom to enjoy their
20:01surroundings.
20:02And sadly, Rich, you can put your tools away because there's definitely no need for a new
20:07kitchen here.
20:09A lot more space here.
20:11Oh, wow.
20:13Yeah, a lot more space.
20:15So space there for a big dining table.
20:17Yeah.
20:18A big island for food prep.
20:20And here we've got bifold doors.
20:21Yeah.
20:22So you can open that all up and then you basically go outside, inside.
20:26It's a really nice space.
20:27It is.
20:28You could probably do sofa and smaller table.
20:32Yeah.
20:32I like it.
20:33The colour palette is beautiful, the way they've done it.
20:36It's really nice.
20:36I'm going to let you explore upstairs in your own time.
20:40And when you're done, find me in the garden, we can talk about the price.
20:43Okay.
20:44Here you go.
20:47Rounding off the downstairs, there's a handy cloakroom and some welcome storage.
20:53Moving upstairs, a decent sized family bathroom serves a single bedroom and two doubles.
21:00Okay.
21:01So this must be the main room.
21:02Okay.
21:03Yeah.
21:03Really nice size as well, isn't it?
21:05And their beds, actually bigger than our beds.
21:08Yeah.
21:08Good sized windows, so a lot of light.
21:10Yeah.
21:10Really bright.
21:12I guess it's a smaller room, but it's still going to be a good size for a sewing room
21:18or a craft room.
21:18It's plenty big enough for a sewing room plus office, I think.
21:22Wow.
21:25Well, it's not a definite no, although I do feel that probably is lacking character.
21:31But within the budget, it does give them a lot of space.
21:34So we'll see whether that wins out over old.
21:40I really love a good sized room.
21:42Yeah.
21:42Which would work really well as a guest room.
21:45And maybe some more wardrobe space for you, huh?
21:48Possibly.
21:49Possibly.
21:49Possibly.
21:51The outside space is as easy to enjoy as it is to look after.
21:55And a wide driveway at the front means they have the potential to rebuild a garage.
22:01At the back, the kitchen's bi-fold doors open onto a simple lawn with a paved patio
22:07and a useful storage shed to keep everything in order.
22:11Come join me in the garden.
22:13This is a very, very dog-proof garden.
22:16It is, isn't it?
22:17Yeah.
22:17Absolutely.
22:18It's walled as well.
22:19Yeah.
22:19It's got a lot of grass.
22:20Yep.
22:21Ideal again.
22:22It's really low maintenance at the moment as well, which is fantastic.
22:25What do you think the price tag is on this one?
22:27I'm going 260.
22:30Mm-hmm.
22:31Great.
22:33I think it's 265.
22:38In this instance, Rich, you should have listened to your wife because Jane is correct.
22:42Oh!
22:42It's in the market for £260,000.
22:45Okay.
22:45Which gives you plenty of money to reinstate the garage.
22:48Yeah.
22:49Okay.
22:49Yeah.
22:49Which would be amazing.
22:52£20,000 under budget, this 1970s semi-detached home comes complete with an impressive open-plan
22:59kitchen and three bedrooms.
23:02It has a dog-friendly garden and garage potential for a car, so it would make the perfect home
23:08for anyone seeking space and practicality.
23:11It's a bigger footprint than the previous house, which is great.
23:16The previous house had the open views, so somehow this house feels more enclosed, I guess,
23:21because it feels more overlooked.
23:24Yeah, and I agree.
23:26I guess when I step into a property, what I'm looking for is somewhere that you know
23:30that you can settle and really feel at home in, and I just don't get that here.
23:37But I can't say why, because it's absolutely beautifully done.
23:42But for me, it just doesn't quite work.
23:53Two houses down, but the day is not yet over.
23:57With the sun finally deciding to make an appearance, we're picking up a chippy tea
24:01and heading to the sandy shores of South Beach overlooking Bridlington Bay.
24:08So let's talk about English cuisine and fish and chips.
24:12You don't get that in the La Vendée, do you?
24:14No, you don't get that in the La Vendée.
24:16And if you do, it's not like this.
24:18I love the French food, don't get me wrong.
24:20But there is nothing better than this, especially on a cold day after a walk with a dog.
24:25Cold? This is warm for Yorkshire.
24:27Oh, yeah, this is.
24:29This is tropical.
24:31And I guess I'm interested in about this whole cultural move,
24:33because you were very adventurous to go and live in France.
24:37And now, for various reasons you're coming back, you don't really have links to Yorkshire.
24:40No, to friends in York.
24:42And they're not from Yorkshire either.
24:45But as we did for France, we chose an area and we took a risk and we landed ourselves somewhere
24:52and we explored.
24:54And that's what we intend to do here.
24:56And it's just one big adventure for us, which will be amazing.
25:00People are very warm, very friendly.
25:02It feels like this could very much be home.
25:06And it's very welcoming.
25:07Yeah, absolutely.
25:08We've fallen in love with East Riding, haven't we?
25:10Yes, we have.
25:10We've got a gut feel about the place we go with it.
25:13And our gut feel is that this is the place.
25:15Yeah.
25:16Great.
25:17Well, we've got the Mystery House tomorrow.
25:19Wow.
25:20I'm amazed we haven't been attacked by gulls.
25:22Yes.
25:22So that's quite an achievement.
25:42Right now, house buyers in the UK can expect to pay around £438,000 for a detached property.
25:49But zoom in on the East Riding of Yorkshire and the figure is £331,000.
25:55That's a huge 24% saving.
26:00East Yorkshire is the part that everybody forgets.
26:03When they think of Yorkshire, they tend to think of the Dales and the urban areas of Leeds and Sheffield.
26:08But I would say at least 40% of our sales go to people from, well, out of the area.
26:14Not just from the south, quite a lot from the north as well.
26:17But yeah, sort of, we're getting discovered.
26:19Here's a small selection of other properties currently available, each offering their own unique potential.
26:26If you're looking to rent in the area, this four-bedroom semi-detached home is right in the centre of
26:32Beverly.
26:32A lovely courtyard garden and attached garage adds to the appeal and it's available for £1,400 per calendar month.
26:41This lovingly restored period cottage would make a fabulous family home and it comes with three bedrooms and a striking
26:49interior.
26:50Plus a south-facing rear garden and outbuildings, all for £350,000.
26:59If the countryside dream comes with a sea view, this three-bedroom detached bungalow could be just the ticket.
27:05With a modern open-plan lounge and kitchen diner, a wraparound terrace and panoramic views over Filey Bay, it's on
27:13the market for £595,000.
27:20Day two of our property search here in the lovely East Riding of Yorkshire and with my sixth sense, I
27:28think that Jane and Rich were being quite polite about our houses yesterday.
27:33Even though they gave them everything they wanted on paper, they are really hankering after that period property.
27:39And so with the mystery house, we might give it, but there might have to be a car-shaped compromise.
27:51Wrapping up our house tour in the East Riding, we're heading west to the village of Balmby Moor.
27:56Well-preserved architecture sets the tone here with the village hall, post office and pub giving it a welcoming community
28:04feel.
28:06Less than two miles down the road lies the town of Pocklington, where we're pausing to visit Burnaby Hall Gardens,
28:13which is home to a nationally renowned collection of more than 80 varieties of water lilies.
28:21How important is a kind of good market tower or a community hub like Pocklington going to be for you?
28:28Critical, I think, really, isn't it?
28:30We want to be part of the community.
28:32Yeah.
28:33And part of that is a feeling of belonging.
28:36And it's actually doing something useful.
28:38So if we can be part of a community and actually contribute to a community,
28:42it's like a good use of time which we'll have available to us.
28:46Well, the mystery house, which we're about to see, is not in Pocklington.
28:50It's actually in a really lovely little village.
28:53So I'm going to go and get that ready for your viewing delight.
28:56And I'm going to leave you with some fish food to feed these giant koi carp.
29:00Yes.
29:01They're apparently quite hungry, so go for it.
29:03They look very hungry.
29:04Thank you very much.
29:05See you later.
29:05Bye-bye.
29:09It hasn't always been easy to track down a home that offers both period features and the modern bonus of
29:16a garage,
29:16all within Jane and Rich's £280,000 budget.
29:20So with our final property, we've had to weigh up what matters most.
29:26Our mystery house is much more about what Jane and Rich want rather than what their little car wants,
29:32because it doesn't have a garage, but it has lots of character.
29:40I love this house, and it has a definite French feel to it with these white painted rafters,
29:46lovely focal point there with the fireplace, and also loads and loads of light.
29:52It's a bright, characterful cottage, and it has a surprise in the garden, which I will show you later.
30:02After a peaceful pause with the fish in nearby Pocklington, we can now reveal our final property to Jane and
30:09Rich.
30:10Oh, wow. That is a beauty.
30:14So, finally, we're going to view some character.
30:17This is so beautiful.
30:18Isn't it?
30:19It's got a very, very cottagey look to it. It's beautiful.
30:24So this one's more for you and less for the car, because it doesn't have a garage.
30:28Okay.
30:28But we thought here at the side you could maybe make a carport.
30:32Yeah.
30:32I don't know how big the car is.
30:34No, it's not big.
30:35It's a little two-seater.
30:36Oh.
30:36Yeah.
30:37So it would actually fit really snugly in there.
30:40So shall we have a look inside?
30:41Yes, please.
30:44This semi-detached cottage most likely dates back to the early Victorian period.
30:51Fresh renovations have added a modern feel, while its period details remain very much at the heart of the home.
30:57So this is the main living space.
31:02Wow.
31:04This is absolutely beautiful.
31:08Oh, I'm so glad.
31:09I really like this.
31:11Sorry.
31:11Are you?
31:14Oh, no.
31:15It's just...
31:15It is a lovely home.
31:16I mean, it feels very homely.
31:18And it makes you want to come in.
31:20You shut the door and you go...
31:21You've got a bit as well, but there we go.
31:22Aww.
31:24We love it when there's a few tears.
31:27I mean, it's just got everything that we've had in our hearts and minds while we've been talking about this
31:34move as well.
31:35So, yeah, it's a really special house.
31:37Oh, Rich, you seem moved.
31:39I am moved.
31:40Yeah.
31:41It's...
31:41This one's...
31:42Try to get on the heartstrings already.
31:44I'm going to let you explore.
31:45Okay.
31:46But once you're all done in the house, join me in the garden because there's a bit of a surprise
31:50in the garden.
31:51Okay.
31:52A surprise.
31:53Okay.
31:55Left into the kitchen.
31:56Oh, wow, darling.
31:57This is beautiful, isn't it?
31:58Isn't it?
31:59Isn't this lovely?
32:00Oh, yes, it's small, but it's beautifully done.
32:02Yeah.
32:03Lots of work surface.
32:05Plenty of cupboards for us.
32:07Beautiful units as well.
32:08Absolutely.
32:09I mean, it's completely bespoke to go in here, isn't it?
32:12Yeah.
32:14It's understated, yet exquisite.
32:16And at the top of the stairs...
32:18It's just so...
32:20It's just beautiful.
32:21So flooded with light.
32:22It is.
32:23It's incredible.
32:24It's just gorgeous.
32:26A bright, spacious landing leads to two well-proportioned bedrooms.
32:31Oh, isn't it cute?
32:32It's beautiful, isn't it?
32:34It's cute.
32:34I'm waking up to that.
32:36Beautiful.
32:38It's beautiful.
32:40It's one of the wonderful things doing this show, that you come to recognise that when
32:44people fall in love with a house, all their wish list goes out the window.
32:48It doesn't have a garage, it's got one less bedroom, the kitchen's quite small.
32:52It doesn't matter, because you love the house.
32:56Wow.
32:57It's cute.
32:58The floors everywhere are amazing.
33:00And you definitely get a double bed...
33:02Good.
33:03..in there for guests.
33:05Oh, it's big enough to be a sound room and not have guests.
33:08You can place yourself.
33:09Yeah, absolutely.
33:10It feels like that home we can come back to and shut the door and just be...
33:17Just be us.
33:17Yeah.
33:19Rich and Jane seem completely at home here.
33:22And with a large bathroom completing the upstairs, their attention is sure to turn to the garden.
33:29And so we have this little courtyard garden.
33:32Very nice with these raised beds.
33:34Pretty.
33:35This is gorgeous.
33:36But follow me through here.
33:38It's in two halves.
33:39And this is the exciting half.
33:42Very, very private.
33:43But look at this.
33:45This is the selling point.
33:48Oh, wow.
33:48Come on in.
33:50Look at this.
33:51You have your own...
33:53Wowie.
33:54...fully electrified, heated...
33:58Wow.
34:00...garden room.
34:01Just beautiful.
34:02Again, sorry.
34:03I'm slightly lost from words.
34:05Beautiful is good.
34:06You've said beautiful about a hundred times, which is what we like to hear.
34:08I know.
34:09I know.
34:09And it means that we don't have to have the office bits and the sewing bits and all of
34:14those things in the house.
34:16Absolutely.
34:16Isn't that amazing?
34:17Oh, it turns from beautiful to amazing.
34:20You've upgraded.
34:22This has gone better than I ever could have hoped.
34:25But there's one thing left to reveal.
34:28So, all thumbs up.
34:29What do we feel about the price of this one?
34:33I'm going to have to say, top end of the budget of £280,000.
34:37I think it's actually over our budget.
34:38So, I'm guessing it's actually probably on higher, maybe £285,000.
34:42Well, in this instance, Rich, you are right-er.
34:46OK.
34:46Because this is actually on the market for £290,000.
34:50OK.
34:51But we're not being cruel because the owner is keen to sell.
34:54It's been on for six months and he said that he would consider a lower offer.
34:58So, it is within your grasp.
34:59OK.
35:00And I understand why it is there as well.
35:03It's a beautiful house.
35:03Yeah.
35:04It's amazing.
35:05And a beautiful location.
35:06I see.
35:07It's all beautiful and amazing.
35:10£10,000 over budget, but with vendors motivated to sell, this semi-detached period cottage comes
35:18with two bedrooms and a large garden.
35:20The additional garden room is, dare I say it, beautiful.
35:24And the chance to build a carport on the front drive would be, you guessed it, amazing.
35:30It is absolutely beautiful.
35:32I love it.
35:34It's full of character.
35:35Having the garden room is just fantastic.
35:38And the garden is just a lovely, shady place to be.
35:42Quite emotional when we walked in.
35:45I think it's because it immediately felt like it could be home.
35:50It's strange because literally being in the house seconds at that point, but it's just how
35:55it felt.
35:56I'm getting emotional now just thinking about it.
36:04The UK is currently experiencing a national housing shortage.
36:08But in the East Riding of Yorkshire, villages, councils and businesses are coming together
36:14in a bid to build affordable homes.
36:17I've come to the village of Humbleton to meet Chris Brazier and find out how some rural
36:23communities are actively changing their local housing landscape.
36:27Hi, Chris.
36:28Hi, Alyssa.
36:29Pleased to meet you.
36:29Lovely to meet you.
36:31What a beautiful village.
36:32That's lovely, isn't it?
36:33So we often hear this story that villages are ambivalent about new housing projects on their
36:38outskirts.
36:38How's this different?
36:39With community-led housing, you should get what the community wants, which in our case
36:43is small starter homes for affordable rent.
36:47So we started with an old rundown school about five years ago, which we're stood in
36:52front of at the moment.
36:53This is the schoolmaster's house and the school itself is those three, what are now houses.
36:57But it was running down and it didn't have enough money to keep it going.
37:00And so it was decided to turn these into starter homes.
37:03You're talking about we.
37:04Who is we in this instance?
37:05It's a trust called the Heron Educational Foundation, which was set up in 1718, a long,
37:11long time ago, by a farmer who left some land for the good of the poor of the village,
37:15as they used to say in those times.
37:17And that trust has carried on.
37:18So any money we make from the properties, we then put that aside and use that as grants
37:23for children of the village to help them sort of achieve their full potential.
37:26Ultimately, it's a sort of circular process.
37:28And those children then grow up, need places to live, move into these places, provide rent,
37:33goes back to the children and so on and so on and so on.
37:35So it's a great example of social good in an age where perhaps these things are sometimes overlooked.
37:44Chris has offered to show me around one of the six houses on site, a two bed home that has
37:50just become available this week.
37:54So you come in. Here we are.
37:56Wow, so smart.
37:58Yeah, pretty spacious.
37:59So for these four properties and the two new, what was the whole spend? How much did it all cost?
38:05It's around about £1.2 million.
38:07Wow.
38:07So yeah, it's not a small figure.
38:09We were able to provide about half of that from the charity's funds, including a farm that we'd sold.
38:16We got a £200,000 loan from the bank and £300,000 from East Riding Council.
38:23Presumably you want to make it affordable.
38:25Can I ask how much a young family moving in here would have to pay for a two bedroom?
38:29Yes, so the three two beds vary between about £5.50 and £5.95 per month.
38:36Per month.
38:37Indeed.
38:38And then the three beds are a little bit more, they're about £6.50, £6.75, something like that per
38:45month.
38:45But for the people who live around here, that is truly an affordable home that they can afford to move
38:51into.
38:54Properties are allocated on a locals first basis, prioritising families who've lived in the village for 12 months or more,
39:01before being offered to people in the nearby villages.
39:05One such resident is Claire, an NHS nurse who grew up just down the road from Humbleton
39:11and has lived in her property for the past three years.
39:15Chris was explaining how the system works. I just wanted to ask you, on the ground, how it's worked for
39:21you.
39:21Has it been a good project?
39:23Yeah, definitely.
39:24Have you got one of the four beds?
39:25Four beds, yeah.
39:26Oh, that's great.
39:27Yeah, so it's nice and big. It's got a lot of space for us all.
39:31Because you've got, how many kids have you got?
39:32I've got four, but then one of them's moved out and he's moved next door now.
39:37Because that's kind of the ideal thing, isn't it, about keeping all the families together in the village and not
39:41having to?
39:41Yeah, so he's got a little boy of his own now, so he's two months.
39:46And Chris was saying that some of the money from that rent that you pay goes into a school fund.
39:51Do your kids benefit from that?
39:53Yeah, so they get computer software, uniforms, anything that they need.
39:58That money just goes for them.
40:01So it does really work. So you get to stay in the village, you're paying a reasonable rent
40:05and some of that money goes back into your kids' education.
40:08Yeah, yeah.
40:09Win, win, win.
40:10Yeah, definitely.
40:10Yeah.
40:11Yeah, it's definitely good.
40:15By working together, Chris and his team are improving the lives of local people.
40:20Whether that's starting school or starting a family,
40:23the Trust hopes it can continue to do good for the next 300 years.
40:33I have to say at this point my money is on the Mystery House, but I am often wrong. And
40:37here we're playing for higher stakes because it's also about whether they feel happy back in the UK. Let's go
40:43find out.
40:46Hello gorgeous people. Hello. Hello. How are you doing?
40:49Alright, thank you.
40:51Well done guys.
40:53You have ridden the East Riding.
40:55We have.
40:56Yeah, we've been all over. How does it feel being back in the UK?
40:59It's been good.
41:01We've fallen in love with East Riding, haven't we?
41:03We absolutely have. It's a beautiful place. Yeah, for sure. And just everyone's so friendly. The scenery is amazing. It's
41:11kind of everything we were hoping it would be, which is just glorious.
41:16So what happens next? What are the next steps for you guys?
41:20So we've already contacted the agent for the Mystery House. Oh, very good.
41:24Yeah, we were absolutely blown away with it. It's fantastic. It just meets all of our needs, doesn't it?
41:30Yes, it really does.
41:30And we can see us just being really happy there.
41:33And how is it, how things stand with your property in France?
41:36It's not under offer yet. There was a viewing yesterday and we just sounded as though it went very well.
41:42Maybe the stars will align and it will allow us to proceed.
41:45I think if it's meant to be, then everything kind of falls into place.
41:48Yeah. Yeah, absolutely.
41:50We're keeping our fingers crossed that that's the case, yes.
41:52Yeah. Well, it's been so lovely showing you around. Thank you.
41:55Thank you so much for everything.
41:56Well, if you buy the Mystery House, or indeed any house, then let us know, because we'll come revisit.
42:00Perfect. You're more than welcome.
42:02Thank you. Bonne chance. Merci beaucoup.
42:08Oh, I always love it when we pull off an international move, in this case from La Belle, France, to
42:13God's own country, Yorkshire.
42:15But I do also think there is a bit of magic that goes with house buying.
42:20Sometimes you do find the house that you want, and then all the bits and pieces do come together to
42:26make it happen.
42:26And I know moving from one country to another is slightly more complicated, but I really hope that Jane and
42:33Rich pull it off.
42:34And I really hope you join us next time for more Escape to the Country.
42:41Sadly, Jane and Rich were outbid on the Mystery House, much to their disappointment.
42:46However, their time with us opened their eyes to beautiful Beverley, and they've currently got their eye on a doer
42:52-upper just outside the town.
42:55If you'd like to escape to the country in England, Scotland, Northern Ireland or Wales and need our help, why
43:00not apply online at bbc.co.uk forward slash take part.
43:37Two hundred.
43:39Three hundred.
43:39Two hundred.
43:39Three hundred.
43:40Three hundred.
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