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Watch Escape To The Country, Season 27 Episode 29 on Dailymotion (2026).
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00:02Sous-titrage Société Radio-Canada
00:30Sous-titrage Société Radio-Canada
01:00Devon's verdant countryside alone would make it one of the most picturesque regions in the world.
01:06But when it's also blessed with breathtaking coastal scenery, the whole county spells beauty.
01:14If Devon were to have an acrostic, it could go something like this.
01:19D. Dramatic cliffs.
01:22E. Emerald moors.
01:24V. Vast sandy beaches.
01:27O. Old cobbled villages.
01:29N. Nature at its best.
01:32D-E-V-O-N.
01:34Devon.
01:37Situated on England's southwest coast, Devon is a premier destination for anyone who loves the great outdoors.
01:45It's just stunning, it's peaceful, the outdoor lifestyle.
01:49So I love living by the sea, love being able to go sea swimming and just really enjoying the countryside.
01:54I think I love the variety of landscape that we've got, we're super blessed with our coastline, but then also
02:00we've got the moors a little bit further towards Dartmoor and beautiful towns, coastal towns, coastal villages.
02:06You can swap the car for more enjoyable transport, like a sailing boat or pony trekking.
02:13Taking in the vistas however fast or slow you want to travel.
02:17There's some amazing walks up across the moors, but we've also got all our coastal walks here, so you've got
02:22first of both worlds.
02:24And for those moments when the weather lets you down, Devon's got you covered.
02:29With an abundance of farmland and the fishing industry, there's a smorgasbord of local cuisine.
02:35And once you've had your fill, you can explore its rich history through a vast offering of stately homes and
02:42castles.
02:44Today's couple have long dreamed of living by the sea, and Devon is where they've decided to be.
02:54Hi, I'm Susie, and this is my husband Sam, and this is Rupert.
03:00Data analyst Sam and teacher Susie met at university by the sea.
03:05And the water is drawing them back.
03:07I've always wanted to be by water, ideally by the coast.
03:12We've decided that now it's right to take the plunge.
03:15Of all the different criteria and things that we're hoping that we can get from our move, I think South
03:21Devon is perfect to achieve that.
03:24They're temporarily staying with Sam's parents in coastal Sussex, having recently vacated their home of seven years in a landlocked
03:32Bedfordshire town.
03:34Really nice town, really liked it, but the house is a bit too big for us.
03:38I've definitely always wanted to be more out in the sticks.
03:42As you can see, we're all packed up, ready for our new home, but nowhere to go.
03:49They're expecting their new location of South Devon to be popular with friends and family.
03:53One of our criteria is to have an annex, and that is so people can come and stay, and also
04:00that my mum could come and stay if she wanted to for longer periods of time or indefinitely as well.
04:10Sam and Susie want to downsize and find a characterful home, with two bedrooms and an office, that will allow
04:16them to be mortgage-free.
04:18So, they have an optimistic budget of £500,000, but realise that big ticket items, like a guest annex and
04:26waterside location, may require them to borrow a little in order to fulfil the dream.
04:41Sam and Susie, this move is about a real shift in priorities.
04:45They want to downsize a little, be closer to the water, and get out here to gorgeous South Devon, but
04:52so do so many others.
04:54It's a very popular area.
04:56Let's see how we get on, delivering everything on that wish list.
05:04We're starting our search near the county's southernmost coastal point, in the village of Bee Sands, where I'm meeting our
05:11house hunters on the Pebble Beach.
05:14Sam and Susie, so lovely to meet you.
05:17Thank you for bringing me to gorgeous Devon.
05:20Even on a day like this, it's stunning, isn't it, to be out here by the beach?
05:24Beautiful, yeah.
05:25And what are you hoping life will be like when you move here?
05:28I think, yeah, just more time to spend doing the things we really enjoy together, hopefully get a better balance
05:34of work and life.
05:35Being outdoors.
05:36Taking the dog for lovely walks on windswept mornings.
05:39Rupert's a big part, Rupert's the dog, right?
05:41Rupert's the dog, yeah, he is a big part of the move, yeah.
05:45Yeah, he loves being by the sea, loves getting himself in the water, getting nice and wet.
05:50So, yeah, we're just looking forward to doing more of those things, spending more time together, and, yeah, just chilling
05:55out a bit more.
05:56And I understand you've already sold your house.
06:00Yeah, absolutely.
06:01So, we're homeless, so we're definitely ready to go home.
06:05Yeah, in with my mum and dad.
06:06Like, they live on the coast, so it's given us a bit of a taster of what life could be.
06:10Well, yeah, we're trying our own slice of it now.
06:12Well, it's funny you should say you'd like to be by the coast.
06:14I have brought you here by the beach, not just so we can enjoy the sea, but because the first
06:20house is just over there.
06:23Oh, wow.
06:23So, let's not wait any longer, because you've got to find a new house pretty quickly.
06:27Let's go.
06:27All right.
06:33Now, you can't always rely on the British weather, but this region gets around 25% more sunshine hours than
06:41the UK average.
06:42So, imagine the light glistening off the waves as you tuck into the catch of the day, or quench your
06:48thirst to the Victorian pub, just a few doors along from which is our first offering.
06:56And how about living here?
07:00Oh, wow.
07:02Right by the sea.
07:03Yep.
07:04As requested.
07:06Gorgeous little village.
07:08Lovely.
07:08And, listen to that, just the sound of the waves.
07:12Yeah.
07:13Exactly what I had in my mind.
07:15Lovely.
07:16Yeah, a very good start, definitely.
07:19And what do you think of the house itself?
07:21Yeah, it's very nice.
07:22Very nice looking.
07:22And Susie loved a symmetrical house, so...
07:24Yeah, very well proportioned, very even, very nice.
07:28Yeah, very nice.
07:28I think it's a really handsome house.
07:30I think it's lovely looking.
07:31And it looks slightly nautical as well, which is, well, on theme, so definitely.
07:35Well, I cannot wait to show you this first option.
07:38Come on.
07:39This rendered stone cottage was built around 1890.
07:43It's used as a holiday let, so it's chain-free, with a few surprises up its sleeve.
07:48The quirky layout includes three bedrooms, all down on the ground floor, and served by a large, stylish bathroom.
07:56A principal bedroom sits at the back, the smallest could provide the office, and shares a front aspect with the
08:04third bedroom.
08:05Now, this might be a bit unusual to walk into a bedroom, but this property has three bedrooms, and you
08:12do not have to use this as a bedroom.
08:14OK.
08:15So, think about what this could be.
08:17But not right now, because what I have to show you is upstairs.
08:23Oh, look at the stairs.
08:25I love this.
08:27Oh, wow.
08:29Upside down.
08:30Oh.
08:31Ooh.
08:32Wow.
08:33Yeah.
08:34That's a wow.
08:35Gosh.
08:37Amazing.
08:38Yeah, I was not expecting that.
08:39No.
08:39Very unexpected, in a really good way.
08:42Yeah, lovely.
08:42It's really.
08:43Beams are lovely.
08:44Mm.
08:45Everything in this property, I think, they have done so well.
08:49Amazing view, hence why it's upside down.
08:52Right.
08:53Wow.
08:54Beautiful living space.
08:55This is making my heart sing.
08:57And this is only this room.
08:59True.
09:00Very true.
09:05Tucked through here.
09:07Oh, gosh.
09:09This fabulous kitchen.
09:10Absolutely.
09:11Very nice.
09:12Very unexpected.
09:14Yeah.
09:15Level range.
09:16Oh, wow.
09:16Yes.
09:17You've got a range.
09:18A nice dining table.
09:19You can sit.
09:20A tiny bit.
09:20Yeah.
09:21And it's nice that it's separate, but flows through as well.
09:24Mm-hmm.
09:24The ceiling height everywhere is beautiful.
09:26Yeah.
09:27Very good for Sam.
09:28Yeah.
09:28Yeah, absolutely.
09:29Because you're not sure when you look at a cottage from the outside what you're going
09:32to get, but to come in here, you've got all of this elevation.
09:35Yeah.
09:36And from outside, you wouldn't have guessed this was here, especially with the height.
09:40Because there's one thing you did ask for, and we do like to deliver.
09:44Perfect.
09:44Shall I go show you the annex?
09:45Yes, please.
09:48On route to the annex, I'm keen to know what they make of the principal bedroom back on
09:53the ground floor.
09:54I think it's great.
09:55A lot of space because it's a huge bed here, built in storage, and they've kept it quite
10:00bright, even though the ceilings are a bit lower down here.
10:03So, yeah, very nice.
10:04You've still got plenty of space, though.
10:06Yeah, I'm still fine.
10:07Yeah.
10:08Yeah, very nice.
10:09Yeah?
10:09Yeah.
10:10Well, let me show you what I brought you down here to show you, though.
10:12We got slightly distracted.
10:13Yeah, bed, gyms, whatever.
10:14Where's the annex?
10:18Patio doors open to a newly paved courtyard, and the annex, which was added last year, can
10:24be accessed independently.
10:26This is the hidden gem of this property.
10:30Oh.
10:30Yes.
10:34Fantastic.
10:36You've got a bathroom all ready to go that's built-in storage, and obviously they've made
10:41this up as a good bedroom.
10:44It doesn't have a kitchenette, but you could create that here.
10:48Definitely, you could.
10:50For a guest, probably fine.
10:51If it was more of a more permanent thing, I'd be a bit worried.
10:53It might be a bit small for someone to have independent living.
10:57You could put a stud wall and make that a separate bedroom, and then this would be a
11:02more dedicated living space to kind of then make it a little bit more of a contained home.
11:08Yeah, you've definitely got the space to...
11:09There's options.
11:11But how much will the location right by the seawall affect the price?
11:15So you've got a three-bedroom house, an annex, and this seaview.
11:21How much do you think it's on the market for?
11:28£575,000.
11:29Let's go.
11:29£575,000.
11:31OK.
11:32I'm going to go a hopeful £500,000.
11:37£500,000.
11:38Just because that was our budget, but I fully appreciate that it's a house that gives you
11:42so much more.
11:43I love that.
11:44A very hopeful £500,000.
11:46Yes.
11:47Well, you've got this one.
11:49In fact, you're spot on.
11:50This is on the market for £575,000.
11:54So, Susie, as you say, your wish budget, your mortgage-free budget is £500,000.
12:01Your wish list, however, requires proximity to the sea.
12:05Yes.
12:05An annex, you get three bedrooms, you've got outdoor space, you've got a lovely village.
12:10And in this part of the world, that will push the price up.
12:14Yep.
12:14Fully, fully appreciate that.
12:16And it is an amazing house, definitely.
12:19And, yeah, it's safe.
12:20That is a very big reason to think about giving the bank a call.
12:26It is.
12:27Priced at £575,000, this nautically-themed upside-down cottage offers three bedrooms plus
12:36another in the new annex.
12:38It's all been stylishly renovated throughout and really maximises its prime position by
12:44the sea.
12:46This room is kind of exactly what I've envisaged.
12:52Beautiful view out there to the sea.
12:55I could definitely see myself sitting here.
12:57Sitting in this property, it makes me think that actually it is the right time to do this
13:03move, it has put aside most of my fears.
13:07And I think seeing it in reality and all that it could provide is actually really exciting.
13:24Part of this move is about a change of lifestyle and a better work-life balance.
13:29But Sam and Susie are a young couple, so they'll want places with things going on.
13:34And Sulkham's got it going on.
13:37The town attracts thousands of visitors every year to its golden sands, clear waters and stunning scenery.
13:46It is so incredible in the summer and buzzing with energy, but in the winter and the shoulder
13:52seasons, like, to get this place to yourself just feels like a magical moment.
13:57It's this little piece of paradise in the southwest we call home.
14:02There's a wide range of independent shops and eateries to discover along narrow alleys and winding streets.
14:09But of course, much of the town's focus is the estuary.
14:13I could definitely cope with this on a Tuesday afternoon.
14:16Lovely weather.
14:17Nice cup of tea.
14:17It'd be nice to try something more local, maybe try the crab.
14:21Sounds good.
14:22There's an award-winning Quayside seafood restaurant owned by Nicky Horne and her husband.
14:29Hello there.
14:30Hi.
14:31Welcome to the Crab Shed and to Sulkham.
14:33Thank you for having us.
14:34One of the goals that we have from moving closer to the sea is being more sustainable and having fresh
14:40produce available.
14:41So where do you get your produce from?
14:44Literally, out there.
14:46It makes sense.
14:47So predominantly, we get crab from Sulkham.
14:51We get them from the local day boat.
14:53So they go out very early in the morning and then they come back in.
14:57And that's really where we get our crab and also lobster.
15:01So we're very, very lucky.
15:03Would you like to try some?
15:04Yes, please.
15:05Yeah?
15:06OK.
15:06Take a seat and I'll come and get something.
15:10The crab is served in a variety of ways, including whole and dressed.
15:15Have you picked a whole crab before?
15:18I have.
15:19Yes.
15:19Perfect.
15:20So you've got your cracker and your tools there.
15:23All right.
15:24Thank you very much.
15:24Enjoy.
15:25Thank you.
15:28This looks delicious.
15:29It looks wonderful.
15:31This is a big crab.
15:32This is huge.
15:34Not a bad view either.
15:36No.
15:38Once they've finished their crab, we'll scuttle back onto the house hunting trail.
15:46Our next property is in the village of Ipplepen, about five miles from the coast.
15:51There's a family-run pub offering lunch and dinner five days a week, plus a coffee shop
15:57serving sandwiches and jacket potatoes.
15:59The village hall hosts music nights, as well as art and fitness classes and more.
16:04Around a quarter of a mile from it is the house in question, where the sun has started to break
16:11through.
16:15Welcome.
16:17We have a completely different vibe for you now.
16:21Yes, welcome.
16:22The bell's ringing.
16:23The sun is out.
16:25Our second property, very different to what we showed you this morning because we've come further inland.
16:32I didn't see any water coming in, but I will reserve judgment.
16:37It looks like a nice-looking house.
16:39This is a nice little garden.
16:41Very different from the last one in terms of style.
16:43Yeah, yeah.
16:44Yeah.
16:45Yeah, interested to see how it shapes up inside.
16:48Let's go in and have a look.
16:52Arranged over three floors, this property is a more modern proposal, built in 2012.
16:59We come straight into the living room.
17:03Oh, wow.
17:03So, very different from the last one.
17:05Yes.
17:05Not into a bedroom.
17:06Not into a bedroom.
17:08And quite a lot of space and big windows.
17:10Yeah, lots of light in here, definitely.
17:12Yeah.
17:13The space being more open, that, I definitely like more.
17:18I think maybe that's just, you don't have that image you have in your head of the sea or the
17:23water.
17:24But, yes, it's a nice-sized room.
17:27You could definitely do a lot with it.
17:28Let me show you some more.
17:33Here's the kitchen.
17:36And it comes with a pantry.
17:38Oh, fantastic.
17:39Yeah.
17:39I always get such a good reaction.
17:40I love saying, and there's a pantry.
17:43It must have things hidden away.
17:44Yeah.
17:44It is, isn't it?
17:45It's nice to have a kind of massive cupboard for it, rather than lots of little spaces.
17:50You do have a little downstairs WC there.
17:53Oh, fantastic.
17:54That's good.
17:55And another door leading in from the back, so you can make that the way that you come in and
17:58out of the house.
17:59Very country-style, coming in the back door, yes.
18:03Sam, you're taking it all in.
18:05Tell me what you're thinking.
18:07I don't know if it's just still comparing it to the first place, or, yeah, it doesn't really shout out
18:14at me straight away.
18:15And that's fair, because that is this process.
18:18We're looking at different places.
18:19It's interesting how much you're comparing it to what you saw earlier, which tells us a lot about what you
18:25felt before.
18:26The distance to the sea is clearly a factor for Sam, but this is a substantial property to consider, as
18:33they'll discover upstairs.
18:34I don't know where to go.
18:36Oh, gosh, isn't it?
18:37Lots of options.
18:37Lots of different ways.
18:38Stairs up there.
18:41Wow, a really good-sized bedroom.
18:43Yes, nice.
18:44Lots of light.
18:46Some storage.
18:46Nice, quirky storage going on, definitely.
18:49Next to that bedroom is the smallest one, which could be the office.
18:53At the rear is the family bathroom and another double.
18:57Then the top-floor bedroom has an en-suite.
19:01This is much brighter.
19:05Oh, this is unexpected.
19:08Yeah.
19:09You've got the en-suite there, so maybe this is a good option as a guest room.
19:13Very true.
19:14And then you steal one of those bedrooms downstairs for the office.
19:16Or dressing room, or maybe even a nice en-suite for us.
19:20Definitely.
19:22Lawn wraps around the house, and there's graveled parking with a double garage,
19:27above which they'll find a self-contained studio annex with a kitchenette.
19:31It's not quite what I expected.
19:33No, I mean either.
19:33But yeah, you can make this into a lovely master bedroom en-suite,
19:40maybe convert half the garage downstairs to a living kitchen.
19:45It'd be very good.
19:47I guess it depends on how much.
19:48Yeah, I think price is definitely.
19:50How much that would cost.
19:51But yeah, this is...
19:53Energy features like wall and loft insulation give this property low running costs,
19:59and they could be even lower by adding solar panels.
20:02Well, you've seen everything here, and including out here, I mean, you've got that annex.
20:06Yeah, I mean, that is a huge bonus.
20:08I can see the potential of that place.
20:10Yeah.
20:10I struggle more so with the main house.
20:12Struggling a bit more with this one.
20:13Almost make that my house.
20:14Oh, I love it.
20:16I don't know if I've agreed to this.
20:18You're now living separately.
20:19Okay, Jesus.
20:20That's really why we wanted the two houses.
20:22That's what it's all about.
20:23It's not about your mind.
20:24Yeah, I've heard it now.
20:25Okay, so this is the house of potential.
20:28Yes.
20:28Final question.
20:29Oh, gosh.
20:31House of all this potential in this setting, what's the price?
20:37Let's go with £500,000.
20:39£500,000.
20:39Just stick with it.
20:40Just say that for everything.
20:42I'm hedging my bets now, frankly.
20:44Yeah, I think because we've come in land a bit, it's a bit more built up.
20:47I'm going to stick with my £7,500, so I'll say £4,75.
20:51This house with the annex and all this space.
20:55Could be yours for £389,950.
21:01Wow.
21:02Wow.
21:03It definitely makes me consider it more.
21:08The price tag of this 21st century cottage, just below £390,000,
21:14plus relatively low running costs, thanks to its energy features,
21:18make this an attractive proposition.
21:20It has four bedrooms in the main house, plus an extra one in the annex,
21:24and it's situated in a village location.
21:30I think coming in land, we now, and knowing armed with the price,
21:35we know that you can get so much more for your money.
21:39And I think that's definitely something we have to take into consideration.
21:44For me, at least, I think it's probably, at the moment,
21:47making me think that the mortgage is worth it to get the C.
21:51But early... That's my early thoughts.
21:55No, I agree with you.
21:56I think it's definitely something to kind of mull over
21:58what actually the priority is here.
22:09Knowing how much of a draw the sea is for this move,
22:13we're ending the day on the water
22:15by taking the South Sands Ferry to Solcombe.
22:18But as the boat can't navigate the shallows,
22:20we're being ferried by a sea tractor.
22:23There's the boat coming in.
22:25I'm interested to see how we get onto that boat a little bit.
22:27This is not just a holiday adventure.
22:30This is how life could be, like, take little day trips out.
22:34Exactly. My nephews would love this.
22:36Their nieces and nephews would adore this.
22:38Yeah, absolutely.
22:39I do want this to be like Transformers or something.
22:44No, exactly.
22:46And we just sail off.
22:48All right, we're here.
22:52The service runs every 30 minutes
22:54from late March to the end of October
22:57and costs around £5 per adult.
23:03This is something you could take up, sailing.
23:06Oh, yeah.
23:07I've not been sailing since I was, like,
23:09maybe 10 on a school trip, so...
23:11Yeah.
23:11But it was really good fun, so it'd be nice.
23:13It'd be something to try.
23:14Having all these things on our doorstep
23:16are just going to give us so many more options of things to try.
23:19It's quite exciting to actually think about
23:21all the things we could get into.
23:23The wildlife, we've got seals out here and everything.
23:27Yeah.
23:27Giving a real taste of everything.
23:29Yeah.
23:29The dog running on the beach,
23:30that'll be Rupert.
23:31Oh.
23:32Enjoying the sand.
23:33Lovely little cove over there as well.
23:36So many.
23:36Proper little, like, smuggler's cove.
23:38Yeah.
23:39This part of the country is beautiful
23:41to get to be out here and see this.
23:44Definitely.
23:45I could definitely spend a few days here.
23:49Or a lifetime.
23:50I was about to say, the rest of the lifetime, hopefully.
23:53I don't suppose one of these is the missing out of here.
23:55Yeah.
23:55Come back and I'll give you one of them.
23:57If you have, yeah, maybe not.
23:59You never know.
24:02Those might require a longer phone call with the bank.
24:15As this region boasts some of the most desirable scenery in the country,
24:20it's not surprising that houses here cost more than the national average,
24:24with a price of a detached property about £478,000 compared to the UK figure of £429,000.
24:33But to be in one of the coastal regions like South Hams,
24:36you'll need to dig deeper still,
24:38as the average price there is just over £560,000.
24:47But dig deep enough,
24:48and there are gems to be sought out well below those figures,
24:52including this detached cottage that feels both traditional and modern,
24:57with two bedrooms, vaulted ceilings,
25:00and just a five-minute drive from the sea.
25:02It's on the market for £345,000.
25:07But just a stone's throw from the water,
25:09this beautifully presented barn conversion,
25:12both stylish accommodation,
25:14and an impressive five bedrooms for £825,000.
25:22And if you want to be even closer to the sea,
25:25you can't beat this off-the-grid,
25:27but literally on-the-water boat.
25:30It has a kitchen and bedroom on board,
25:33with shower facilities nearby.
25:35Available from £240 for a two-night stay.
25:43It's Mystery House Day and the sun's out.
25:46I can't think of a better way
25:48to wrap up our final day of house hunting
25:50in this beautiful place.
25:53We're heading back to the South Devon coast
25:56for our Mystery House near the Water's Edge
25:58in the village of Torcross.
26:01Parts of the thatched pub date back to the 14th century
26:04and it's popular for its fish and chips.
26:07During the Second World War,
26:09the villagers were evacuated
26:11and the area was used to practice for D-Day.
26:13But tragically, hundreds of troops
26:15lost their lives in the exercise.
26:18Separated from the sea by a shingle bar
26:21is the south-west's largest natural freshwater lake
26:24that many species have made their home.
26:29I thought we'd start today somewhere
26:31nice and calm and serene.
26:33Yeah, beautiful.
26:34Looks like a lovely place to go for a walk.
26:36Lovely wagtail there, just chirping away.
26:39Now, I'm no twitcher or bird watcher, I'll say that.
26:42You sound like you know a bit more.
26:43Is this a hurry of yours?
26:44That was my one bird.
26:46Our sister-in-law has really tried to help us out.
26:49She's really good with birds.
26:50So slowly, slowly we're getting there.
26:53And after yesterday,
26:54what have you come away with
26:55in terms of your thoughts on what's right for you?
26:58If nothing else, it clarified to us
27:00being by the sea is definitely a big driver of this.
27:03So that has gone up in the priority list.
27:07Even if we do have to end up spending a bit more money,
27:09then that is worth doing to get the right place
27:12and to be able to enjoy all of this.
27:15It's funny you should say that
27:16because mystery house time.
27:18I haven't just brought you hair
27:19so we can enjoy the beauty.
27:21This is also the spot
27:22where our mystery house lies.
27:24So binoculars up.
27:26Have a look over here.
27:28and you should be able to spot three houses just there
27:32and the one in the middle,
27:34that's the one we're going to see.
27:36Lovely.
27:37It looks very nice.
27:38It does, doesn't it?
27:39It looks like it's got great views.
27:40And it's so serene.
27:42It's so peaceful.
27:44It almost feels like a shame we're talking.
27:46I know.
27:46It's so peaceful.
27:47I'll stop the guide to tour in a moment.
27:49Well, I'll leave them in peace
27:51while I go prepare the mystery house
27:53which is going to challenge their desire for a smaller property.
27:57I know they said they wanted to downsize
27:59but I couldn't help but show them this.
28:02We're on the water's edge,
28:04freshwater lake,
28:05the sea's just there
28:06and this is Victorian splendour at its best.
28:11This stone cottage built in 1894
28:14has potential for an A-rated energy performance certificate
28:18and already has an air source heat pump.
28:21Look at that.
28:22You can even hear the birdsong as well.
28:24This is the most spectacular garden
28:27and you've even got the Devonshire Hills as your backdrop.
28:31What could be any better?
28:32But for Sam, it's probably the view from the front.
28:36Hello.
28:37Welcome to the mystery house.
28:39Look at this.
28:40It's huge.
28:41I know.
28:42I know you said you wanted to downsize.
28:44Really nice looking property, nice and symmetrical.
28:46The view is, yeah, again, exactly what we're after.
28:49It's an amazing spot
28:51and I think you're going to love the interior.
28:55Have a look.
28:57Once home to the local tailor,
28:59will this extra large property measure up?
29:03What a delight.
29:06Yeah.
29:08Ooh, indeed.
29:10Now, I know character is something that you were quite keen on.
29:14Definitely.
29:14A Victorian house like this,
29:17where they've managed to keep so many lovely, beautiful period features.
29:20Tons of character.
29:22That lovely big window looking out over to the lay.
29:25Yeah.
29:26And that window seat as well is very nice.
29:27I know.
29:29Tell you a secret, this house is full of window seats, all with great views.
29:33First impressions.
29:34Really good.
29:34Yeah, really nice.
29:35Really spacious from the outside.
29:37You can see it's a lot of house, but the light and the way they've modernized it,
29:42but like you said, kept some of the features is really nice.
29:44Yeah.
29:44Yeah.
29:45It definitely feels very homely.
29:46It does, doesn't it?
29:47And I know that's important to you.
29:49This feels homely.
29:50This is wow.
29:51That is special.
29:52Come on.
29:54I'm giddy about this kitchen.
29:56I can see why, absolutely.
29:59Yeah, that is very nice.
30:01Isn't it just?
30:02Yeah.
30:02I mean, it's beautiful.
30:03It's open plan, but you've got that lovely connection.
30:06Look at this window, connecting you through.
30:09And look at that for a garden.
30:11I think the one thing we haven't shown you so far is a really amazing garden.
30:17Rupert will be very pleased.
30:20This was once a B&B, but the owner lived along the other side of the house,
30:25where there's a bedroom with a reception room in front that could provide the annex.
30:30This is a great space.
30:31Beautiful fireplace once again.
30:32And another lovely aspect.
30:34Mum would really enjoy watching the comers and goings.
30:37Yeah, that is a lovely view.
30:38It's almost a nicer view than that size.
30:40I almost want it for myself.
30:42Yeah.
30:43Yeah, this would be a really good second in room.
30:45Yeah, you've got the door through to the other bedroom.
30:47Oh, so it all connects through?
30:49Yeah.
30:49Yeah, that could work.
30:50Yeah, that's really...
30:52It could work quite well.
30:53Really good.
30:55Off the stairs at the rear are two shower rooms.
30:58Then in each corner of the original part of the house is a large bedroom.
31:04Very bright room.
31:06Really good-sized double.
31:08That is...
31:09Oh, wow.
31:11...absolutely the view that you want.
31:12That is a great view to wake up to in the morning.
31:15Yep, that is exactly what we're after.
31:18And...
31:18A window seat.
31:19Another brilliant window seat.
31:21Can see the pub.
31:22Yeah, always a bonus.
31:23I can wave.
31:26Wow.
31:28Very exciting.
31:29Another double bedroom.
31:31Some jazzy wallpaper.
31:33And that view is another contender.
31:38Completely opposite way, but beautiful view once again.
31:42Yeah.
31:43In the rear garden, mature shrubs and hedges create a private oasis.
31:49Well, the missing piece for you right now is, to get a property like this, in this location, how much
31:56do you think it's on the market for?
31:58At least £600, maybe more, given the location.
32:01So, I'd say £625,000.
32:05£625,000.
32:07Yeah.
32:07OK.
32:08Susie?
32:08Though I appreciate there's so much house here, I will just go for another extremely optimistic £600,000.
32:16You're right.
32:17But, this is above your mortgage-free budget, but it is our mystery house, and we are pushing you a
32:23bit.
32:23This is on the market for, offers in excess of £650,000.
32:29OK.
32:30Completely understandable.
32:31Yeah, that makes a lot of sense.
32:33It is.
32:33It's a lot of house in a beautiful location.
32:36It's all been done really well.
32:39So, yeah.
32:39Yeah, that makes perfect sense.
32:41A little mortgage to get the life and the lifestyle that you want.
32:47And when all's said and done, how much will that affect you over being in the right place,
32:52feeling joy every time you come home?
32:55That's very true.
32:56Yeah.
32:56This Victorian cottage packs in five bedrooms, with stacks of charm and character.
33:02The extension provides a modern kitchen diner with the established garden beyond, while at the front is the lake and
33:09sea, all for offers in excess of £650,000.
33:16It's perhaps a bit bigger than we were looking for, because we were looking to downsize, but then it gives
33:22us all that we wanted in terms of the annex, family coming to stay.
33:26So, it's done exactly as it should.
33:28It's really got us thinking about what we want to achieve.
33:31I think the mystery house has definitely made us question the importance of the mortgage-free versus the lifestyle.
33:39But, yeah, this house definitely offers pretty much everything we've asked for with beautiful views.
33:44So, yeah, it's a conversation to be had.
33:47There you are.
33:48Hi.
33:49Didn't think I'd be able to drag you away.
33:51There's a lot to see.
33:52A lot to see.
33:53A lot to enjoy, wasn't there?
33:54A lot to enjoy, definitely.
33:56Well, if we're going to make one of these yours, you're going to have to make some decisions.
33:59Let's go.
34:11A move to the countryside can come in all shapes and sizes, but Amrit and Jenny's definitely turned up the
34:18heat, swapping city life for a 10-acre chilli farm.
34:22Four years ago, Amrit and Jenny left careers in finance and geoscience to run one of Britain's largest chilli farms
34:29in the Southam's district, just north of Kingsbridge.
34:33And they've invited me along to see it for myself.
34:36And I brought the sunshine.
34:39Thank you very much.
34:40I don't think I can claim credit for that in Devon, can I?
34:42Well, the chillies appreciate it anyway, so thank you.
34:45Is this what drew you to Devon?
34:47It is, yes, definitely.
34:49Completely different to Scotland.
34:50Oh, is it Scotland you moved from?
34:52And were you Londoners as well?
34:54We were London, then Scotland, now Devon.
34:56I've got family in Devon, so we knew that in the long term Devon was kind of in our plans,
35:02but we didn't think it would happen this soon.
35:04My parents told me that this business was for sale, and we knew the chilli farm because we used to
35:11come here as tourists ourselves when we were on holiday in Devon.
35:15And Amrit has a very green thumb.
35:18Yeah.
35:18So, my mum actually said, the chilli farm's for sale, but don't tell Amrit.
35:22Yeah.
35:23I remember it really well.
35:25Yeah.
35:25I remember just genuinely mentioning it, and for the next six hours driving behind a wheel, I just was daydreaming
35:32about...
35:33Owning a chilli farm.
35:34Yeah, what it would be like.
35:35So, everybody knew, if you found out this was for sale, that was it, game over.
35:39Yeah, exactly.
35:40A hundred percent, and here we are four years later.
35:42I still feel like I'm on holiday a lot of the time.
35:43When I go around here, go into Kingsbridge, into town, I feel like I'm on holiday.
35:49You're walking around the areas where you'd come on holiday and we just live there now, so it's really exciting.
35:53It's all really lucky to live there.
35:54And that is the dream, isn't it?
35:56But they do put a lot of work into the farm, which runs entirely on renewable energy and nurtures over
36:03100 varieties of chilli plants, from seed to harvest.
36:07Wow, this is impressive.
36:09This is one of our nursery tunnels, where the action starts in January in here.
36:15We have heated propagators, with all our seeds germinating.
36:20Then they get what we call pricked out into small cells, as tiny, tiny plants with just two little leaves
36:26on.
36:27And then they live on our heated benches for several months to get to about this size.
36:32And as you get to now, we've turned it off because it's very expensive to keep running.
36:36But once you get to this time of the year, it's nice and warm, so you don't have to have
36:40that.
36:41And how much of a chilli harvest would you get from...?
36:44A couple of kilos off a plant over the season.
36:46Under that sort of commercial setting where we're really trying to push the plant on, you'll get about two kilos
36:50worth of fruit.
36:51That's a lot of fruit.
36:51I don't need that.
36:52You definitely don't need that when it's 100 million scovilles.
36:55I've potted it.
36:57I just grow it in this pot for my summer.
37:00Yeah.
37:00It would be totally fine.
37:01I pray for a hot summer.
37:02Yeah.
37:02Yeah.
37:02Sunny windowsill.
37:03Okay.
37:04Or greenhouse conservatory.
37:05Greenhouse is ideal.
37:06Okay.
37:07Conservatory is very good.
37:08A sunny, sheltered porch.
37:09That can be fine.
37:10It needs shelter.
37:11It needs warmth.
37:12Good amount of water.
37:13They don't like to be wet, so just keep the compost moist.
37:17Okay.
37:19In addition to regular varieties, they're experimenting with cross-breeding new ones, which takes around seven years.
37:26Once the chilies are harvested, the couple use a secret selection to create award-winning products.
37:34We make absolutely all our products on the site here.
37:37Are you kidding me?
37:37All of this.
37:37Even the chocolate is made on site.
37:39When do you sleep?
37:41We have a team.
37:42We've just been looking at the plants.
37:44We have a team that grows the chilies.
37:45And then we harvest it, and then we have a chocolatier and a chef in the kitchen who are cooking
37:50the products.
37:51That's amazing.
37:52But it's still just individual batches.
37:54So it's just, you know, we produce thousands of these, and it's still held by one guy, filled by one
37:59guy.
37:59It's not a factory.
38:00And every single bar of chocolate is hand-laid and hand-cut.
38:04Well, this is very special, isn't it?
38:06I get to try all of these.
38:08There you go.
38:09Wow.
38:09And have a bit of cracker.
38:11Bit of cracker.
38:12And have a taste.
38:13All right.
38:14No, I can't resist, so I'll have to have a taste as well, isn't it?
38:17So, let's all go in there.
38:19Manzanilla, chili jam.
38:23Mmm.
38:25Pineapple, one of my favourites.
38:27Fun fact with this, it only took two recipe iterations to land on this.
38:31Wow.
38:32Okay, I'm ready for some mango now.
38:34Shake this up for you there.
38:35Thank you.
38:36And would you like me to pour a bit on this?
38:37Shall we try that?
38:38Yeah.
38:39Let's get a little bit on here.
38:40Let's try not to make a mess.
38:41Mmm-hmm.
38:42So.
38:43This is more of a dipping sauce.
38:45Dipping sauce.
38:46Than a pouring sauce.
38:46It's not very hot at all, you know, compared to, like, a Scotch bonnet sauce.
38:50But.
38:51Mmm.
38:51The mango would come through.
38:52The mango.
38:53Yeah.
38:54Heat and flavour rather than so hot that it masks everything else.
38:58Exactly.
38:58That's what you've got there.
39:00Yeah.
39:00Really nice blend.
39:01So, we go to dessert some chilli chocolate.
39:03So, the first thing you notice, the bars don't have any score marks.
39:06Oh, no.
39:06Because it's not in a mould.
39:08It's all hand-laid.
39:09Oh, good.
39:09Yeah.
39:10And you can have as much of this as you like.
39:14So, what's the chocolate?
39:16Oh, here we go.
39:1660% dark chocolate ratio.
39:18Yeah.
39:18I'm breaking in there.
39:19Oh, so it's kind of good for you as well.
39:21Oh, totally.
39:22Yeah, dark chocolate.
39:22You can convince yourself that it's good too.
39:24Most of the range of chocolate that we do is dark chocolate base, because it works really
39:29well with the chilli.
39:31But we do a white and a milk chocolate version as well.
39:35You get lime the minute you bite into that.
39:37The lime is there, isn't it?
39:38Wow.
39:38Zing.
39:40And if you're lucky enough, you'll bite into a nice little piece of crystallised ginger.
39:44I can see why that's going well.
39:45Yeah.
39:46A little chilli tingle.
39:47Yeah.
39:47If you're ever looking for another chocolate taster.
39:50Oh, yeah.
39:50Come down.
39:51Come down.
39:51You know where to find me.
39:52Yeah, I'll be down for the season.
39:57Amrit and Jenny's delicious chilli treats have set my taste buds tingling.
40:01But what I really want to know is whether any of our houses are to my buyer's taste.
40:11This week we've shown Susie and Sam a real variety of properties.
40:15By the water, inland, below budget, above budget.
40:18Let's see what they've decided.
40:28Sam and Susie, this has been an amazing week with the two of you.
40:32We've seen such a variety of properties.
40:35But really, this is a dream that you've had for so long.
40:38Yeah.
40:38How are you feeling, having spent time making it a reality now?
40:43I think the fact that it is actually going to be a reality is actually sinking in now.
40:48And it's actually so exciting.
40:50And the fact that we've had the opportunity to see some homes that we can actually see ourselves in.
40:55Oh, that's exciting.
40:58Have we shown you a house that could be your new home?
41:01So, yeah, I think house one and three are the ones that would be worth probably revisiting.
41:08Working out the sums, how much would we need to borrow, what work would we need to do to both
41:13of them.
41:14Property three, as it stands, feels more like a home and has a bit more going on in the area.
41:21But you have the compromise of the budget and not being able to achieve being mortgage free.
41:26So, it is, it's the kind of trying to find the, which one outweighs the other.
41:32Yeah.
41:32Whilst you maybe lose something in house one in terms of maybe space for us.
41:36But I think we've come in from a big house.
41:40Do we need that much space?
41:41So, yeah, I think it just needs probably another visit.
41:43So, I wish you the best of luck with going back, second visits, seeing what's there for you.
41:49You're a beautiful couple.
41:51This is clearly the place for you.
41:53And hopefully we get to come and see you soon when you've got the keys to your new home.
41:57Absolutely.
41:58And thank you so much for your help.
42:00Yes, thanks very much.
42:06Nothing beats Devon in the sunshine, especially near the coast.
42:10And it's that very connection to the water that seems to have really won Sam and Susie over.
42:16And it's the one thing they simply aren't willing to compromise on.
42:21I wish them all the best with those second viewings.
42:25And I hope it won't be too long before they're settling into their new life together here in beautiful South
42:32Devon.
42:32I'll see you next time.
42:35Having realised their two most important criteria were being near water and property price,
42:41Sam and Susie expanded their search area and, in a real twist in the tale, found their dream property in
42:48Wales.
42:48They've had their offer accepted and plan to be living mortgage-free in Carmarthenshire by a reservoir within walking distance
42:57of the sea.
42:58Sounds glorious.
43:00And if you would like to escape to the country in England, Wales, Northern Ireland or Scotland and need our
43:07help,
43:07why not apply online at bbc.co.uk forward slash take part.
43:29Thank you.
43:30Thank you.