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Location, Location, Location Season 43 Episode 3
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Transcript
00:00This time, helping hard-pressed house hunters in Oxfordshire
00:06takes us on an emotional roller coaster.
00:08This is a huge decision.
00:10I was getting a bit twitchy.
00:11One minute, there's highs.
00:12This is Phil Spencer.
00:14I don't need to see the house.
00:16Oh, look at that.
00:17Then come the lows.
00:18It's a little small.
00:20Too daunting?
00:21This is the trigger for me.
00:22Pause, freeze.
00:24But no matter how bonkers things get.
00:26Override your good manners with your gut.
00:29We somehow managed to keep everything on track.
00:32I like it.
00:33This is a good one.
00:34Exciting.
00:35Oh, that's a relief.
00:44We're in Oxfordshire.
00:45We're getting a family home takes a family-sized budget.
00:50I'm with local girl Lisa and her Kiwi husband Campbell,
00:53who are hoping to renew life here after three decades in New Zealand.
00:57And I'm with Nisha and Grant, who are torn between town and country.
01:01It's my job to sort it out.
01:04It's always your job to sort it out, Phil.
01:06Well, sometimes with a bit of help from you, with any luck.
01:11I've always got your back, Phil.
01:13And I'm a huge Oxfordshire fan.
01:15With its picturesque villages and riverside market towns,
01:18it boasts more than 12,000 listed buildings.
01:21And of course, one of the most famous universities in the world.
01:26Maybe that helps to explain why, as we search, prices continue to climb.
01:31They've leapt 4.5% in the last year alone,
01:34with the average home coming in at over £430,000.
01:38That's nearly one-and-a-half times the national figure.
01:44Far from ideal for our house hunters.
01:47Lisa, a community midwife, and her partner, Campbell,
01:50travel designer for a luxury holiday company.
01:53They met in a bar on the other side of the world nearly three decades ago,
01:57when Lisa's bar to 20-something wanderlust
02:00had brought her to Campbell's hometown of Auckland.
02:02As soon as I arrived in New Zealand, I loved it.
02:05And six months later, I met him.
02:08I just went from there, and all of a sudden we were married,
02:11and then babies came along, and here we are 27 years later.
02:15And those toddlers are now teenagers.
02:17Alice is 17, and Tessa, 50.
02:20How can we describe our daughters?
02:22Very, very colourful, very vibrant.
02:25True, yes.
02:26They're just lovely. I mean, they're everything to us.
02:28Yeah, absolutely.
02:29Life was ticking along nicely down under.
02:33But in the last 12 months, their world has been turned upside down.
02:37Campbell, unfortunately, lost his mum very unexpectedly.
02:40And my father, who lives down in Sussex,
02:44he's got lots of health problems.
02:46We needed to get him into a safe place with good care,
02:50and I was trying to do a lot of things from New Zealand,
02:53and they supported me to come back.
02:54Absolutely, darling.
02:55Which was great, cos it was a very, very tough year last year.
02:58Yeah, yeah.
03:00The whole family have been in England for six months now,
03:02renting a smart three-bedroom house in Carterton,
03:0618 miles from Oxford,
03:07and just down the road from the town of Whitney,
03:09where Lisa grew up.
03:11My family all come from West Oxfordshire.
03:13It's beautiful.
03:14Having so many of my family around...
03:16Yeah, they've been a great help. Yeah.
03:18With relocating to a different country,
03:20and dealing with schools and jobs,
03:22their house hunting has had to take a back seat.
03:25Lisa and Campbell have 450 grand to spend
03:28on a family home in the Whitney area,
03:30with at least three bedrooms and a garage
03:32to store a lifetime of belongings
03:34when they arrive from New Zealand.
03:37But, given the shortage of properties in their price bracket,
03:40that's quite an ask.
03:42Our life has been a little bit on hold
03:44since we sold the house in New Zealand,
03:46so that's why we're quite keen, you know,
03:47just to put roots down over here.
03:49And I think buying our own house
03:51is going to really make it feel like we've landed.
03:55I think what this family need
03:56is a no-nonsense, hands-on approach
03:58to get them settled quickly.
04:00I just wonder where they'll find that.
04:04In the 27 years that you've been in New Zealand,
04:07the area where you were brought up
04:09has become one of the most fashionable rural areas in the UK.
04:12Yep. Everybody lives here now,
04:15from Jeremy Clarkson downwards.
04:17Yes.
04:19We're both pretty realistic.
04:21Great.
04:22So now we come to the real tough questions.
04:25The garage.
04:27Right.
04:28I want to put the car in the garage.
04:30Yes, yes.
04:30Also, Lisa kind of has a little bit of stuff back home.
04:34It's currently in a storage unit,
04:36which you'd quite like to have over here.
04:37No, this is a trigger for me, Campbell.
04:39You've just triggered me.
04:40Have I? Sorry, Christy.
04:41Garages are not four-storage.
04:43OK.
04:44We didn't have a garage in New Zealand.
04:45Right.
04:46I'll admit to that.
04:47So maybe I'm going,
04:49ooh, I'd love a garage, like I'd love an en suite.
04:51Yes, exactly.
04:52Maximum £450,000.
04:54Correct.
04:55But what you need is girls' room one, girls' room two...
04:58Yeah.
04:59Mum and Dad's room.
05:00Yes.
05:01Campbell's office.
05:02Yeah.
05:03What kind of downstairs layout are you looking for?
05:07I really like it when you've got a separate sitting room...
05:10Yeah.
05:11..because I love being able to relax and not have to look at the kitchen.
05:14Woman after my own heart.
05:15Yeah.
05:16Yeah.
05:17We'd like a couple of bathrooms.
05:18Yes.
05:19Ah, just because we're teenagers.
05:20Yeah, oh, God, no.
05:22Yeah.
05:23Oh, you're amazing.
05:24Yeah, yeah.
05:25Mum of teenagers talking from experience.
05:28Lisa and Campbell have sold their house in New Zealand
05:30and, along with a small mortgage, have a maximum spend of £450,000.
05:37They're open to the style of property,
05:39but it must have a minimum of three bedrooms,
05:41plus a home office for Campbell.
05:43Two bathrooms are a must, whereas a garage is a nice to have.
05:47Cosmetic work isn't a problem,
05:49but it would need to be livable straight away
05:52and no more than 45 minutes bus ride from the girls' schools
05:56in Whitney and Burford.
05:58So, the focus of my search will be Whitney,
06:00but I'll also be looking at other popular spots
06:03within a five-mile radius of the town.
06:06As for my house hunters, I'll be homing in on nearby Oxford,
06:10scouring the suburbs and sought-after villages
06:13no more than five miles from the city centre.
06:18Canadian Grant is a Professor of Chemical Pharmacology
06:22at Oxford University,
06:23and Nisha, originally from India,
06:25works in the same field as a senior programme manager.
06:29They met 17 years ago and formed an immediate bond.
06:33We were just very, very good friends, and then it developed.
06:37We both realised that, actually,
06:39we enjoyed spending time with each other.
06:41We still do, I think.
06:42For most of us.
06:44Nisha's definitely an intellectual sparring partner.
06:48We spend a lot of time having fun conversations,
06:51mostly about pharmacology.
06:55But mulling over their favourite molecules
06:56doesn't take up all their spare time.
06:58Nisha and Grant have their hands full,
07:00looking after their two-year-old son, Krish.
07:02They currently live in Grant's three-bedroom terrace house
07:06in Cowley, East Oxford.
07:08It was purchased by me for a very different time in my life.
07:11I absolutely love this place. I love the location.
07:13So, essentially, I moved in to Grant's bachelor pad,
07:17and now, with Krish as a toddler,
07:19then the toys are getting bigger and bigger.
07:21And my parents live in India,
07:23so we often have them visit.
07:25We desperately need some more space.
07:27And I think I've finally accepted that.
07:29Yeah.
07:30Great that everyone is now on board with the move,
07:33but there's still some fundamentals to iron out.
07:36I'm from India, and I grew up in a really crowded, big city.
07:40Grant's from Canada, and he grew up in the middle of nowhere.
07:42It's rather ironic that Nisha wants no neighbours and privacy,
07:48and I'm happy to live in the middle of a city
07:50with everybody looking at me.
07:51So we're going to find the middle ground, I hope.
07:54Between savings, borrowing,
07:56and a little support from Nisha's family,
07:58these two have got £1.1 million to spend
08:01on a four-bed family home in the sought-after suburbs of Oxford,
08:05such as Headington and Marston.
08:08But with the average price for a detached house in the city
08:10pushing a million, it's hardly surprising
08:13that their 12-month search has so far got them nowhere.
08:17It's been, I guess, frustrating
08:19not finding exactly what we want.
08:21We need help from Phil,
08:23because we are really struggling with making a decision.
08:26So we need to find a house now
08:27before Grant changes us more again.
08:29I'd say your challenge is to take these two science brains
08:32and make them of one mind.
08:35I always get a bit twitchy about coming to Oxford
08:37to go have something, because it's extremely hard.
08:39It's so expensive.
08:41How do you think I can help?
08:42We're hoping that you have a magic wand with this.
08:44We need expert help to solidify
08:47what our contrasting goals are here.
08:51I'm very happy where we are in terms of location.
08:53So within 20 minutes of work, 20 minutes of Krisha's nursery...
08:58There are other nurseries.
09:00Not changing nurseries.
09:01But also, longer term,
09:02Herrington has good schools.
09:04So that is the other consideration
09:05for Herrington being our top choice.
09:08But if we want a four-bedroom property,
09:11we have to go farther out.
09:13I do want a nice garden,
09:14and I do want a house to be relatively private,
09:17ideally detached.
09:19It's a toughie, isn't it?
09:20Because you want the distance to nursery and to work,
09:24but you don't want to be overlooked,
09:26and you want to make a garden.
09:28It doesn't quite marry up.
09:30There is that conflict between us.
09:33So the budget's 1.1?
09:35Yes.
09:36Which is a huge amount of money.
09:38Doesn't stand out from the crowd in Oxford
09:40in terms of the four-bed family houses.
09:43They are massively in demand.
09:44They always are.
09:45Yeah.
09:45We could possibly stretch a bit more to maybe 1.25.
09:49We're not looking for a finished product,
09:51necessarily, in our budget.
09:53So what we've got to work on is fitting the jigsaw together
09:55and get as close as we can.
09:57Yes.
09:58Let's make a start.
09:59Okay.
10:00Come on.
10:01This property puzzle might have some missing pieces, Phil.
10:04Good luck.
10:06It'll be fine, Kirsty.
10:07We'll start with the corners and work our way inwards.
10:12Grant and Nisha have a comfortable spend of 1.1 million,
10:16but if they found just the right property,
10:18they could stretch to 1.25.
10:22They're looking for a detached house with a big open-plan kitchen diner
10:26and four bedrooms to accommodate them,
10:28a home office for Nisha and visiting relatives.
10:32Nisha wants a large and private garden,
10:34and they'll tack on a project if necessary.
10:37But proximity to Grant's work at the university
10:39and Krishy's nursery in Headington are essentials.
10:43But before we go herring off on our searches,
10:46it seems Phil's been experiencing a bit of turbulence.
10:50I've taken the dog for a walk and really pacing along.
10:53Yeah.
10:54Completely face-planted, straight into a puddle.
10:56You're kidding me.
10:57No, I'm not.
10:58Top to toe.
10:59Were there any witnesses?
11:00No.
11:01Did your poor dog run away in shame and embarrassment?
11:04Well, it's not the first time it's happened.
11:07Well, I hope your day does improve.
11:10I have a lovely couple from New Zealand.
11:12They moved over here with their two children.
11:14Right.
11:15Do you know which country has one of the quickest
11:17and most efficient systems for buying houses?
11:19Is it New Zealand?
11:20Yeah.
11:21Is it?
11:22Yeah.
11:23I'm going to have to make sure I hold their pants
11:24the whole way through the process.
11:25Do you think you can stay upright until the end of the day, Phil?
11:28I'll do my best, Kirstie.
11:31Lisa and Campbell are determined to make West Oxfordshire
11:34their permanent home.
11:36And I have to admit to being rather chuffed with my first offering.
11:39We've come to the historic market plan of Whitney,
11:42their number one spot, where Lisa works shifts as a midwife
11:45and younger daughter Tessa goes to school.
11:48This fabulous three-storey family home delivers almost everything
11:52on their wish list.
11:54Do you mind being that close to a school?
11:57Not at all.
11:58No.
11:59Our last house was literally that close.
12:01Really?
12:02Yeah, it was.
12:03So, here we are.
12:05Right.
12:06Contemporary townhouse good.
12:07Yeah, that's great.
12:08I like it.
12:09Fantastic.
12:10I think we should get in.
12:11OK.
12:12After you.
12:14Well, Lisa's certainly jumping for joy.
12:17And she's got every reason to, as this property is a real find.
12:21The downstairs has been extended to create a superb open plan kitchen
12:26come living area.
12:27Campbell gets his own office and there's a handy utility room with a toilet.
12:33On the first floor, there's a separate sitting room, which we know will appeal to Lisa,
12:37plus a double bedroom.
12:39Then on the third floor, there are two further bedrooms, one with an ensuite for mum and dad,
12:44and a second bathroom for Tessa and Alice to share.
12:47Outside, there's a neat garden, which may not have a garage, but it does come with parking.
12:53The guide price is £425,000, so well within their maximum 450 grand budget.
13:00And we're led to believe there's even more flexibility to be had.
13:04Oh, look at that.
13:07What I like about it is that they've taken what was the conservatory and added on a solid extension.
13:15I like it.
13:16This is a good flow and it's a good size.
13:18The asking price for this house is £425,000.
13:21Right.
13:22My feeling is you could get it for less than the asking price and £10,000 worth of carpet and paint.
13:28Yeah, there you go.
13:29Yeah.
13:30With minimal effort, Lisa and Campbell could really make this place their own,
13:34move in and get started straight away.
13:37Ah, it gets even bigger.
13:39And they've got the cupboards that you like over here as well.
13:41Yeah.
13:42This is actually a very good size.
13:45It just needs a new carpet.
13:47This is a great house.
13:48It's a nice neck of the woods.
13:50And it's a nice modern estate that's been well built.
13:53And I complain about new build houses all the time.
13:56This is a good one.
13:58Nice to have your seal of approval, Kirsty.
14:01Let's hope Lisa and Campbell share your enthusiasm.
14:04The thing I'm thinking about is there is no garage here.
14:07Yeah.
14:08But I think there's an awful lot of positives.
14:10Mm-hmm.
14:11I think the fact it doesn't have a garage, we just have to think about how we can make that space work for us.
14:16Yeah.
14:17Lisa seems pretty taken, but maybe Campbell's hoping for a little more.
14:22Ooh.
14:23I can't read your faces.
14:25I like it.
14:26I can see us in here.
14:28Definitely it's going to need a little bit of time and effort to sort of bring it up to scratch.
14:32Yep.
14:33Can we say we've set a bar?
14:34Yes.
14:35Yeah, definitely.
14:36Absolutely.
14:37That's how I like to start the day.
14:38Good.
14:39That sounds good.
14:40After you.
14:41Thank you very much.
14:42I have a positive can-do attitude to house hunting which I really like.
14:45But something tells me that we're not home and dry just yet.
14:56This time, we're in Oxfordshire.
14:58I'm with Lisa and Campbell, who need a home that justifies moving halfway across the world.
15:04My house hunters, Nisha and Grant, aren't moving quite so far,
15:07but it'll still take a special house to get them out of the bachelor pad
15:10and into the home they've been dreaming of.
15:13Community midwife Lisa and travel designer Campbell
15:16have sold up in New Zealand
15:18and returned with their two teenage daughters to Lisa's native Whitney
15:22to be closer to her father and extended family.
15:25They're keen to put down roots here
15:27and thankfully, Property One got us off to a good start.
15:31I like it.
15:32I can see us in here.
15:33As for Oxford Professor Grant and senior scientist Nisha,
15:39their year-long search for a family home in Oxford
15:42for them and their two-year-old son, Krish,
15:45hasn't produced the results they were hoping for.
15:47We're really good at our jobs, I would say, for the most part,
15:50but we're not really good at this whole property set.
15:53My job is to find the compromise between Nisha's love of rural charm
15:58and Grant's of a central location.
16:00So we're heading to Iffley,
16:03a charming village within the boundaries of Oxford
16:05and just a mile and a half down the road from Grant's bachelor pad.
16:09Enough house hunting for a man in a suit, mixing up my game.
16:13This detached 1930s family home could be a smart choice for both of them,
16:18but I know the location will really make an impression on Grant.
16:21It's walkable to work, it's cyclable to the nursery.
16:25The road is quite busy.
16:27The location makes up for the road.
16:29The noise, yeah.
16:30We do like Iffley, good location.
16:32The house itself needs a bit of updating.
16:34Yeah.
16:35But it is on the market at 840 grand, so...
16:37That's good.
16:38Comfortably.
16:39Yeah, yeah.
16:40Let me show you around.
16:41Very positive.
16:42That's a big tick for the postcode, as expected.
16:45And arranged over three floors, the house itself has masses of potential.
16:49On the ground floor, there's a large living room,
16:52an equally sizeable sitting room to the rear.
16:55The kitchen doesn't correspond to the open plan dream,
16:58but that can be fixed.
16:59Plus, there's a handy downstairs shower room and utility.
17:03On the first floor, there are three double bedrooms.
17:06Plenty for them and for overseas guests,
17:09plus a family bathroom.
17:11The loft has been converted into a big, quirky space,
17:14which could work as an office for Nisha or playroom for Krish.
17:18The garden is a good size and relatively private, given the location,
17:23so it'll be interesting to see how Nisha reacts.
17:26The guide price is over £200,000 cheaper
17:30than their ideal spend of £1.1 million,
17:33which leaves them plenty of cash spare to make it their own.
17:36This is a nice space.
17:37Oh, it's nice. It's open.
17:38It's big, isn't it?
17:39It's a nice space.
17:40The ceiling's even a decent height.
17:41So, as things stand, the kitchen's at the front of the house.
17:44If I was living here, I'd probably put the kitchen there.
17:47Yeah, absolutely.
17:48And I'd open this wall all the way up,
17:50and then you've got one fantastic big kitchen, living, dining,
17:56with access to the garden.
17:57We do like open-plan big spaces like that.
18:00Let's see some more.
18:01The beauty is they could move in right away
18:04and continue to use the current kitchen
18:06while they put their open-plan plan into action.
18:09And upstairs has got a lot going for it too.
18:12Oh, look at the view. Oh, yeah. That's nice.
18:15That's really good, yeah.
18:17You could use a bit of updating, obviously.
18:19Yeah.
18:20I'm feeling my way a little bit here
18:22because it's hard to pinpoint what their priorities
18:25in the search really are.
18:27Having said that, there was a positive reaction
18:29to the idea of reconfiguring.
18:31Am I seeing any buying signals?
18:33Not quite so sure.
18:34Give them a chance to draw a breath, Phil.
18:37They haven't explored everywhere yet.
18:39Wow.
18:40This is cool.
18:41It completely opens up.
18:42This is nice.
18:43That's amazing.
18:44This is definitely for Krish.
18:46I like this.
18:47I like this one too.
18:48The house seems to have hit the spot
18:50and the location got a big thumbs up.
18:52So I guess it's green fingers crossed for the garden.
18:55It is a nice-ish garden.
18:58Didn't hit you emotionally.
18:59No.
19:00What about the house as a package?
19:02Well, I'd be very happy here.
19:04I'm pleasantly surprised that you found this in Nifli.
19:07There's potential.
19:09I'm just going to leave that.
19:10Let's move on.
19:12We're going to go up in budget.
19:13We're going to go slightly further out of town.
19:15We're going to increase the size of the garden.
19:17All of the things that scare Grant a little.
19:20This was a Grant house.
19:22It was a Grant house, yes.
19:23We can't keep having Grant houses.
19:25That's not fair.
19:27If Nisha won't budge on the garden,
19:29Grant will have to give ground on the location.
19:32We shall see.
19:36Back with Lisa and Campbell.
19:38And after a positive first viewing,
19:40I'm keen to keep up the momentum.
19:42We're heading to the popular town of Carterton,
19:44where they're currently renting.
19:46I think this smart, detached bungalow
19:48could be a simple, stress-free solution for them.
19:51And my trusty sidekick has come along for the ride.
19:55This is Phil Spencer.
19:57Nice to meet you.
19:58Nice to meet you.
19:59Yeah.
20:00You're happy with the area?
20:01Yeah.
20:02It's on the smaller side.
20:03It's on the smaller side compared to what you've just seen.
20:05OK.
20:06But it's immaculate.
20:07Yeah.
20:08Immaculate.
20:09Am I your echo or are you my echo?
20:12Um...
20:13I couldn't answer that without getting a slap.
20:16Right.
20:19Well, despite being 30% smaller than property one,
20:22this house certainly packs a punch, Phil.
20:24It's been lovingly renovated throughout.
20:26There's a fabulous open-plan lounge with a wood burner
20:29and a classy kitchen-come dining room in tip-top condition.
20:33There are two double bedrooms for the girls, plus a bathroom.
20:39And in the extension, there's a large main suite
20:42with superb dressing room and bathroom for Lisa and Campbell.
20:45Outside, the rear garden is landscaped with a handy outbuilding,
20:49which I've got an idea for.
20:51There's off-street parking to the front, but still no garage.
20:55The asking price is £425,000,
20:59so comfortably under their £450,000 budget.
21:03Come and see what you think.
21:04It's been opened up, I think, really nicely.
21:07Oh, yeah.
21:08Through to here.
21:09Oh, OK.
21:10Look.
21:11Ah!
21:12Yeah.
21:13I love the fireplace.
21:15This feels really cosy.
21:16The kitchen is tucked away around the corner,
21:18which is rather nice.
21:19Yeah.
21:20£425,000 is the price.
21:22So far, so good.
21:23Yes, no, it's good.
21:24Right, okey-dokey.
21:25I like it.
21:26And wait till Campbell sees what I've got in store for him outside.
21:29I wanted you to have a look in here.
21:31Aha!
21:32Cos I understand you having to work New Zealand hours sometimes.
21:36Ah, sometimes, yes.
21:37So I've got a little bit of space here.
21:38You could turn it into an office.
21:40Yeah, you could do it, actually.
21:41With the asking price 25 grand below their budget,
21:44this upgrade is achievable.
21:46And it helps the other parts of the house are move-in ready.
21:50Bathroom.
21:51Oh, yeah.
21:52Dressing room.
21:53Bedroom.
21:54Yeah.
21:55Overlooking the garden.
21:56Oh, yeah.
21:57No, this is good size.
21:58I think they've done this very nicely.
21:59This is a lovely space.
22:00And what's good about having the bedroom right at the end of the house
22:03is when I'm on night shift and I'm wanting to sleep,
22:06if there is somebody here, there's that little bit of distance.
22:08Right, so is this also in the running?
22:11Yes, I would say so.
22:12Okey-dokey.
22:13Well, that's great news.
22:15Let's hope Campbell shares Lisa's enthusiasm.
22:17I mean, it's probably not as big as the girls would like,
22:20but that doesn't mean to say it's not perfectly OK for them.
22:22Yeah, but, I mean, there's still the other fit they'd be in there.
22:24Yeah, oh, definitely.
22:25And the day skin there as well.
22:26Lisa's quite inclined towards this house as well as the previous one.
22:30So do you think they're just going to be enthusiastic about everything?
22:33Quite possibly.
22:34And then they'll choose one.
22:36Great.
22:37Don't doubt yourself.
22:38Don't worry, Phil.
22:39We don't need to worry that I'm having some kind of crisis of confidence.
22:43That's never high on my list of concerns, dearest.
22:47If we compare it to number one, I love the size, but it did need a lot of work.
22:52Exactly.
22:53Then this one, definitely going to be a lot less work.
22:56I think we just need to think really, really hard.
22:58Yeah.
22:59I'm slightly favouring here.
23:00Because Phil's suggesting that I could create, like, a bit of an office out the back.
23:03Yeah.
23:04It's not an easy decision.
23:06Both houses have their charms.
23:07Hello.
23:08Hello.
23:09Now that you've conferred, what's the feeling?
23:11Good.
23:12Yeah.
23:13Nothing in there that I feel I'd want to redecorate.
23:14This is really good, how they've got the extension on.
23:16It's pretty much the same size as it has in New Zealand.
23:19Oh, really?
23:20So I don't feel like we're losing anything.
23:22So all to play for tomorrow.
23:24Yeah.
23:25Right.
23:26Sounds good.
23:27Two properties down, two in the running.
23:29I should be happier, but it all seems just a bit too easy.
23:32Sounds like the dream scenario to me, Kirsty.
23:35As for my couple, Nisha and Grant, we're heading five miles east of Oxford
23:40to the hilltop village of Garsington.
23:43It's surrounded by superb views, and we're seeing this five bed detached house,
23:48which has one of the best gardens I've seen in a long time.
23:52Even I'm impressed.
23:53I like the garden.
23:54You're not going to find a better garden than this.
23:57You're just not.
23:58Yes.
23:59I don't need to see the house.
24:00Krishna would be happy.
24:01Krishna would love it.
24:02Absolutely.
24:03What do you make of the village?
24:05Five miles out?
24:06You would prefer this.
24:07I would definitely prefer this, but it's what we would decide on together.
24:11It's a change of lifestyle, for sure.
24:12Absolutely.
24:13Yeah.
24:14The garden comes with a house, which we should have a look around.
24:18This garden may have won Nisha's heart, but I think the house would make a good match for the whole family.
24:24Beautifully decorated throughout, this place radiates charm.
24:27There's a smart, open-plan kitchen-cum dining room, a layout which we know they love.
24:32The sitting room is dual aspect, and there are two further reception rooms.
24:37So a possible playroom for Krish, an office for Nisha, plus utility room and downstairs shower.
24:44Upstairs, there are five bedrooms.
24:46One more than they asked for, so plenty of space for family visits.
24:50The main bedroom is huge with its own en-suite, and the remaining four are doubles and share a family bathroom.
24:56If that wasn't enough, there's also a double garage with storage above.
25:01No surprises, then, that this huge property, with its two-thirds of an acre plot, comes at a cost.
25:08The vendors are asking for offers in excess of 1.25 million.
25:12That's their top budget, but we think it should be enough.
25:17Yeah.
25:18It's very nice.
25:19Yeah.
25:20I love it.
25:21It's nice.
25:22A lot of space.
25:23Yes, it's really beautiful.
25:24We wouldn't need to do anything to us, really.
25:27No, we can move in and live here as it is.
25:29Yeah.
25:30I'm a little smitten by this right now and have to think realistically about it later, whether I can do that commute.
25:34Yeah.
25:35Yeah.
25:36But meanwhile, we need to see some more.
25:37Yeah, sounds good.
25:38Nisha and Grant are being seduced by the style and sheer scale of this place.
25:43And who can blame them?
25:44It's a very adult room.
25:46Yeah, a level of sophistication.
25:48That we like.
25:49So I've got to grow up and become sophisticated.
25:52It's just a shame it's not in Oxford.
25:55If it was in Oxford, it would be 4 million pounds.
25:59Well, this is going exactly as I predicted it would.
26:02I've forced them to confront their issues.
26:05Do they want a house in town, smaller garden, but same lifestyle?
26:09Or bigger house, stunning garden, but a commute?
26:13I don't know.
26:14This is going well, but I can see Grant is pretty twitchy.
26:18You're doing your job, Phil.
26:19It's what they came for.
26:21Maybe this is the house that tempts Grant away from the bright lights of the city.
26:26Wow, this is a really nice big room.
26:29This is nice, yeah.
26:30This is a pretty special room.
26:31It is.
26:32The agents are currently asking for offers over 1,250,000.
26:36So it's right at the top of the budget.
26:38Yeah.
26:39Get a lot of house, but it would make me nervous.
26:41Yeah.
26:42Big flexibility in that, I'm confident.
26:44Yeah, that would be good.
26:45I'm loving how you've both approached both of these houses,
26:48because it is a Nisha house and a Grant house.
26:52I think we're both attracted to each house for different reasons.
26:55Yes.
26:56We've got to find the middle ground, but let's leave it there.
26:58Yeah.
26:59It's been a good day to house hunting.
27:00Absolutely.
27:01It has.
27:02Well, I think that's two in the running, but house number three might just be a game changer.
27:07This time, we're house hunting in glorious Oxfordshire.
27:17My couple, Nisha and Grant, have struggled to find a family home around Oxford that strikes the right balance between town and country, even with a budget upwards of 1.1 million pounds.
27:28Having shown what was effectively a Nisha property and a Grant property, I'm now on the hunt for some middle ground.
27:37As for my couple, Lisa and Campbell are so determined to find a new home in the UK, I think they may say they like every single property we go and see.
27:47They've returned to Lisa's hometown of Whitney from New Zealand to be closer to her family after an emotionally challenging year.
27:54I'm glad our house hunting journey has been plain sailing so far.
27:58So, is this also in the running?
28:01Yes, I would say so.
28:03There's decisions to be made, but in the meantime, I'm hoping for a hat trick for my third property.
28:09We're staying in Carterton, where they're currently renting.
28:12It's a location that works for the whole family, and we're seeing this rather smart, double-fronted modern house, which nails their wish list.
28:21It's only been on the market a week.
28:22Ah.
28:23And there have been offers.
28:24Ah-ha.
28:25They're holding off so that we can see it.
28:28Oh, OK.
28:29Yeah.
28:30If it's not for you, we've got, I mean, we've got two houses that are still in the running.
28:32Yeah.
28:33Ooh, Campbell made a phase.
28:34Yes, maybe not.
28:36So, have we counted both of them out?
28:38We're sort of negotiating on that.
28:40Yes.
28:41I think if number one could be done up the same way that number two was inside.
28:45Yeah.
28:46I'd be fine with that one.
28:47Campbell is a little bit less sure.
28:49Keen on number one.
28:50Correct.
28:51The other one was just too small.
28:53Okey-doke.
28:54I'll be very interested to see what you think of this one.
28:56Yeah.
28:57OK.
28:58You were concerned that their desire to be settled was clouding their judgment.
29:01Well, it doesn't sound like that's the case any longer.
29:04I'll look forward to some straight talking as we view this place.
29:07Which I think is spot on for them.
29:10The ground floor is sleek and modern with a fabulous open plan kitchen diner and separate,
29:15spacious, dual aspect living room.
29:17There's also a utility room and convenient downstairs loo.
29:22Upstairs, we've gained an extra bedroom.
29:24There are four here.
29:25So Campbell has a ready-to-go home office.
29:29The main room has its own en-suite and there's a separate bathroom for the girls.
29:35The garden is landscaped to the rear and something that should please Campbell, a very nice to have garage to store their Kiwi clutter.
29:43The guide price is £435,000, £15,000 under their maximum spend of £450,000.
29:51But with other buyers in the mix, we'll need a quick decision with this one.
29:55Straight into the sitting room.
29:57This is a nice size, isn't it?
29:59This is a nice size.
30:00That's good.
30:01Yep.
30:02All right.
30:04So, this is a big kitchen.
30:06Yes.
30:07This is a great size.
30:08Looking out to the garden looks really good as well.
30:10Property number one, you were plight and enthusiastic about.
30:14Property number two, you were plight and enthusiastic about.
30:17This morning, we know that property number one is hanging on by the skin of its teeth.
30:22Yes.
30:23And property number two is out of the picture.
30:24Yes.
30:25What is your gut feeling about this house?
30:27Good.
30:28Good.
30:29I like it.
30:30I'm going to send you upstairs, but override your good manners with your gut.
30:35I think I'm going to get that printed on a t-shirt for you, Kirsty.
30:39Have you ever seen me wearing a t-shirt, Phil?
30:42Hopefully, this place suits them better.
30:44Nice.
30:45Yeah.
30:46Good en suite.
30:48Good size.
30:49Yes, it is a nice size.
30:50A bedroom fit there.
30:51Okay, so this is a good size room for the girls as well.
30:53Yeah.
30:54Bed in here, plus a desk.
30:56Call me an optimist, but I think everyone wins with this place.
31:00I feel the bedroom layout in this house is slightly more cramped than in house number one.
31:06But downstairs, this house is in lovely nick with two big separate rooms.
31:12It's one of those decisions which might be quite hard for them.
31:16Size-wise, there's not much to choose between here and property one.
31:20It just comes down to which layout works best for them.
31:23What did your gut tell you about upstairs?
31:27My gut likes it.
31:28Same here.
31:29Obviously, price-dependent, but yes.
31:32Went on the market at £4.35.
31:34Yes.
31:35Got an offer which was turned down.
31:36Another offer at £4.25.
31:38Yeah.
31:39This is the one house...
31:40Yeah.
31:41..of the four that we're seeing that you have to be a bit snappier with.
31:44Yes.
31:45OK.
31:46Yes.
31:47Fair enough.
31:48So, this house is now the front-runner.
31:49But I've got something which will mix things up a bit for our final viewing.
31:53Anything could happen.
31:54Sounds like it's still all to play for, Kirsty.
31:57As for Nisha and Grant, it's time I showed them what the middle ground looks like.
32:02Headington is their top spot because of its proximity to Oxford city centre.
32:07Needless to say, competition for family homes is through the roof.
32:12But I might just have landed a prize catch with this 1930s detached house.
32:17It's a probate sale that I reckon could solve all their property problems,
32:22but they'll need a lot of vision.
32:26What I've tried to do here is maintain the sense of space, countryside,
32:33but also we are geographically closer to Oxford than where we were yesterday.
32:38Yeah.
32:39You could still cycle to the nursery.
32:41You could get the bus to work.
32:43I'm very pleased with the location.
32:45I think we both are.
32:46It's a good compromise.
32:47That's a relief.
32:49The house, it's a project.
32:50Yeah.
32:51It's on the market at 8.50.
32:53OK.
32:54Sounds good.
32:56Being on the outskirts of Headington is obviously a big pull for both Nisha and Grant.
33:00They said they would be up for a project and this house is certainly that and then some.
33:05As it currently stands, the ground floor consists of two reception rooms,
33:09kitchen, cloakroom and a pantry.
33:12On the first floor, there are three bedrooms and a bathroom.
33:15But to give this family the space they need,
33:18it would require remodelling, extending and modernising throughout.
33:22It's certainly not for the faint-hearted.
33:24The plot is substantial, with big gardens to the front and back.
33:28It's set against countryside views, which I'm sure Nisha is going to love.
33:32Plus, there's a garage to boot.
33:34The guide price is 850,000.
33:37Significantly below their maximum spend of 1.25 million.
33:41But they would need a big pot of money to turn it into their dream home.
33:45The garden goes on and on and on.
33:47Wow. Yeah, that's nice.
33:49You could build onto the side, you could build onto the back, you could go up,
33:52but you certainly couldn't live in it whilst you did all of that.
33:55Work-wise, it's not a problem. We wouldn't be doing it ourselves, just so we're clear.
34:00Well, I'm smiling and seeming quite relaxed.
34:02I'm excited about making a place our own, so I'd look forward to a project.
34:08This is one of the only houses on the street that hasn't been extended,
34:12so a precedent has been set.
34:14My idea would be to build on the back to create a stunning open-plan kitchen
34:19with extra bedroom and ensuite above.
34:21In this desirable area, that should all add value too.
34:28It's a little small.
34:30It's almost good that it's a little old.
34:33You don't feel bad about knocking things down and ripping them off.
34:36Massive respect, goodness.
34:38Given that they've never tackled a project before,
34:41let alone anything as significant as this would be,
34:44they don't seem phased at all.
34:46Perhaps they've reached a point in their search
34:48where they've just accepted that something's got to give.
34:52Or it could be that one of your clever plans
34:54has actually come to fruition.
34:56That's really nice. Oh, yeah. Beautiful views.
34:59That is beautiful. Yeah, I like this.
35:01Yeah.
35:02Maybe this will be the house that Krish grows up in.
35:05Too daunting?
35:07No.
35:08Appealing.
35:09Yeah, no, it's exciting.
35:11So is it perhaps that the level of work isn't putting you off
35:14because you like the location?
35:16Absolutely.
35:17Yeah.
35:18If the house has good bones, we can make it ours.
35:21We'd have to look into the financial aspects of it,
35:24but we really like the possibilities here.
35:27Well, how about we go and sit down and have a drink
35:29and explore this a bit further together?
35:31Sounds good. Sounds great.
35:32Yeah?
35:33Yeah, sounds good.
35:34I love it when a plan comes together.
35:36My risky viewing seems suddenly to be in pole position,
35:40but it's a question of whether it'll remain so
35:42once they've had time to reflect on the scale of the project.
35:45As for Campbell and Lisa, I'm also taking a bit of a gamble
35:50with my final property.
35:52Aston is a quintessentially Oxfordshire village
35:56and a location they didn't think they could afford,
35:59but this 1970s semi gives them a way in.
36:02There's just one catch.
36:03It needs a bit of rejigging to suit their needs.
36:06How are we doing location-wise?
36:08Good, we know this location.
36:10Aston's a nice village.
36:11Right, OK.
36:12So, I've banned the phrase wildcard
36:14because I don't like the concept,
36:16I don't like the phrase,
36:18but this is a bit of a wildcard.
36:21OK.
36:22Let's talk further inside.
36:24OK.
36:25You're a bit of a wildcard yourself, Kirsty,
36:28if the phrase is temporarily unlocked.
36:31Oi, cheeky.
36:33I have a simple way to make this house just right
36:35for the four of them,
36:37but the current layout is totally liveable.
36:39The kitchen is smaller than they asked for,
36:41but there's a large separate dining area.
36:44The living room is also generous with sliding doors
36:46that lead into a rear garden.
36:48Upstairs, there are three double bedrooms,
36:51but currently only one bathroom.
36:53Not ideal with two teenagers,
36:55but I have a fix for that as well.
36:57If Campbell is willing to surrender his garage,
37:00it could be converted into an office with storage space
37:03and they can park on the two-car driveway.
37:06The asking price is offers over £400,000,
37:09so it should come in at a fair chunk
37:12under their £450,000 budget.
37:14But Lisa and Campbell would need to factor in
37:17the cost of any alterations.
37:19What we have here is a house that's having an identity crisis
37:25because it's been repainted and re-harpeted,
37:28but that's not a large family kitchen.
37:31No.
37:32That's not what most people want.
37:34My plan would be to put the new kitchen
37:36where the current dining room is,
37:38reinstate the wall so that Lisa gets her separate living room.
37:41Then the current kitchen would become
37:43a fabulous downstairs bathroom.
37:45I mean, this would be a big kitchen.
37:47It would be enormous.
37:48Oh, yeah.
37:49It would be huge.
37:50Yeah.
37:51And then going through into a sensational setting area.
37:53Yeah, yeah.
37:54Absolutely.
37:55It was on at £450,000.
37:56It's now down to offers over £400,000.
37:58OK.
37:59The renovations that we're talking about
38:02shouldn't go much beyond your available budgeting.
38:05Yeah.
38:06Right.
38:07Anyway, go and have a look upstairs.
38:08OK.
38:09You can lead a horse to water, Kirsty,
38:11but not everyone's thirsty for home improvements.
38:14This is a nice, bright room.
38:15Very bright.
38:16Isn't it?
38:17Sunny.
38:18It's a very English countryside sitting out there.
38:20Yep.
38:21Lisa's been out of the UK for 27 years,
38:24and they don't have any feeling of what things cost.
38:31They're very nervous of work.
38:33What I've got to do is reassure them,
38:36unless, of course, they come down the stairs into this garden
38:38and tell me this is their future home,
38:41because with this lot, you never know.
38:43We haven't got the en suite.
38:45I think with this property, we'd have to spend a bit of money.
38:47Yeah.
38:48And we'd have to change things around.
38:49Yeah.
38:50It really wouldn't be difficult to rejig the layout,
38:52but the work required to make this place perfect for them
38:55is more than cosmetic.
38:59What do you think?
39:00I think we would probably be put off by the amount of work we'd want to do.
39:05That's fine.
39:06Totally understandable.
39:07Property three, which we saw this morning.
39:08Yes.
39:09Is that now at the top of the pile?
39:11Yes.
39:12Do you want to go and sit down and discuss the possibilities for property three?
39:16We do.
39:17Yeah.
39:18Fantastic.
39:19So, it sounds like property three is the one they want.
39:22But, with other buyers circling, we cannot afford to drag our feet.
39:26In wonderful Oxfordshire, my pair, Grant and Nisha, have got a project house in pole position.
39:38Property three in Headington is significantly under budget at £850,000,
39:44but there's a huge amount of work to do, so some serious strategic thinking is required.
39:49As for my house hunters, Lisa and Campbell, the fabulous four-bedder in Carterton,
39:56with a guide price of £435,000, is their front-runner.
40:00But, with other interested buyers and the need to make speedy decisions,
40:04Campbell, in particular, is feeling the pressure.
40:07I don't want to put you in a position where you make an offer on something
40:11that you're not 100% about.
40:13Yeah.
40:14This process is a whirlwind.
40:15That's why I'm sort of like...
40:17Give it, yeah.
40:18Breathe.
40:19You want to be settled in your own home, Lisa.
40:21Yes, I do.
40:22Definitely can feel Campbell's reticence.
40:25Yeah.
40:26Yeah.
40:27I'm trying to be the, you know, let's see this through kind of guy.
40:30Yeah.
40:31Yeah.
40:32OK.
40:33But I want a home.
40:35So, the vendor would like as close to £430,000 as he could get.
40:41Yes.
40:42I like it.
40:43I can't see anything in the house that is a problem.
40:47Being on the market a week, he's already had an offer below the asking price.
40:50That house will sell.
40:51Yeah.
40:52This is a huge decision.
40:55I want to sleep on it.
40:56I...
40:57That's just me.
40:58I'm looking for 24 hours.
40:59Yeah.
41:00Especially with such a decision.
41:02I totally understand their hesitation.
41:03But I also don't want them to regret not having jumped quickly enough.
41:11With Nitter and Grant, there are also tough decisions to be made.
41:15They need to be 100% sure that property three in Headington is the right one for them.
41:21The house that we've just been to see, the location there...
41:24Yeah.
41:25... suits you both.
41:26But the rub is, you'd have to do the work.
41:29Yeah.
41:30I think as long as the finance is allowed, we would be up for it totally.
41:34Yeah.
41:35Well, what to do from here?
41:37It's on a quite ambitious 850,000.
41:39Mm-hmm.
41:40It would be wrong, I feel, to start talking about numbers or offers or negotiations until
41:46you were better informed than you are today.
41:49Mm-hmm.
41:50So, my recommendation is actually to get builders around for them to quote.
41:55Yeah.
41:56I think that would be wise.
41:57Even if they're approximations.
41:58Yes.
41:59If you're happy, then I'd call the agent and say, look, do you like the house, but
42:03we need to go on a finding mission before we start talking.
42:05Very happy.
42:06Yeah.
42:07Yeah.
42:08Sounds good.
42:09Grant and Nisha have gone out on a limb and put a bridging loan in place, allowing
42:13them to buy somewhere and stay in their current house until they've completed the purchase.
42:18This makes them as good as cash buyers from the vendor's point of view.
42:22Katherine, hi, it's Phil.
42:23But they'll need to be willing to give Nisha and Grant time to investigate the costs of
42:27the work.
42:28I'm pleased to say they do very much like the house, so we need to get some builders
42:32around and possibly an architect and just put some flesh on the bones before we start
42:36talking numbers.
42:37Great.
42:38Thanks for your help.
42:39We'll be in touch.
42:40I think she's delighted to have somebody doing their due diligence.
42:44Yeah.
42:45Perhaps we can have a group discussion once you've got a bit more info.
42:49Sounds great.
42:50Cheers.
42:51Here's to you.
42:53You've done all you can for now, Phil, but the investigations over the next few days
42:58could be vital.
43:00I also need to squeeze a little bit more time from our vendor just to give Campbell the
43:07breathing space he needs to fully commit.
43:10I think what I might do, with your permission, is say my clients are minded, if you are, to
43:17make an offer of 4.30, but they want 24 hours before they officially submit that offer.
43:25Yes.
43:26I would like that.
43:27OK.
43:28So I'm going to ring Richard now.
43:29Yeah.
43:30OK.
43:31Unusually, we're dealing directly with the vendor.
43:34Well, let's hope a potential offer is enough to buy them a bit of extra time.
43:39Richard, it's Kirsty.
43:40Richard, it's Kirsty.
43:41My clients are happy to pay 430,000 pounds for your house, but they would like 24 hours before
43:50they confirm that they would 100% go ahead.
43:54Great.
43:55I will give you a ring tomorrow.
43:57Bye.
43:58So he's genuinely OK with that.
44:01Genuinely OK with that.
44:02There's every possibility you've found the right home.
44:05Yeah?
44:06Yes.
44:07I think we should drink to consider decisions.
44:09Cheers to that.
44:10Cheers.
44:11Cheers.
44:12Nicely played Kirsty.
44:17As for Nisha and Grant, it's going to be a long haul, but just over a week later,
44:22they already have a bit of news on the Headington house.
44:25To extend the house at a very basic level, we've been quoted at least 250,000 pounds.
44:33But I think realistically, we're probably looking around the 400 mark.
44:38If we can survive that financially, we're making an offer.
44:41They're doing some final sums, but with a good deal on the house, their budget should
44:46be enough.
44:47And in the meantime, the vendor has let them in to show Chris what could be his new home.
44:52Does Chris like this room?
44:53Yeah.
44:54Is it a good room?
44:55Yeah.
44:56With Nisha and Grant's enthusiasm, and lots of hard graft, this place could be spectacular.
45:02Our message for Phil would just be, thank you very much for your input, but you're not
45:06off the hook quite yet.
45:07We might need more help as things progress.
45:10Well, they're managing well so far, and as long as the figures continue to stack up,
45:15it seems this is the house that's brought their year-long search to an end.
45:20As for my pair, Lisa and Campbell, the day after our search, their minds were made up on
45:26the Carterton house.
45:27So after we left Kirsty, we had a really good discussion.
45:31The big decision, we'd only sort of seen the property earlier in the day.
45:35Yeah.
45:36Next day, Lisa called Kirsty and said, let's go for it.
45:39We know we've made the right decision.
45:41And their offer was immediately accepted.
45:44It's all coming together nicely, and they hope to have the keys within the next two months.
45:48The girls are really excited.
45:50Having a home of our own is going to give us the ability to start making new memories.
45:55Just that sense of being settled, which is what we wanted to achieve.
46:00Soon, they'll be able to put the stresses of the last year behind them and focus on the
46:04future for them and their girls.
46:06Kirsty did a great job.
46:08We are absolutely eternally grateful.
46:11I'm just happy to have helped them start this new chapter in their lives.
46:19If you'd like help finding your next home, then we want to hear from you.
46:23You can apply online at channel4.com slash take part.
46:34That's a great job.
46:37Thank you so much for watching your life.
46:39See you next time, Virginia.
46:41See you next time soon.
46:41See you next time, Virginia.
46:43See you next time.
46:44We'll see you next time, Maggie.
46:45See you next time.
46:46Bye.
46:46Bye.
46:47Bye.
46:49Bye.
46:51Bye.
46:54Bye.