(upbeat music) - [Kirstie] This time, we really need to keep our eyes on the ball.

- If you'd have shown me this one first, I think I would've just walked out (laughs).

- [Phil] For every lucky break, - Score!

(hands clap) - [Phil] There's a missed cue.

- He failed you.

And he's very sorry.

- What is going on at at the moment?

- [Kirstie] If we don't reframe, - Wow.

(Annemarie laughs) - Ooh.

- [Phil] We could both be snookered.

(balls clack) (trumpet blasts) - Is that a hole in one?

- No, that's golf, darling.

- All right.

Okay.

(laughs) (jazzy music) (upbeat music) - This week, we're north of Leeds, helping a stylish young couple find a character property that won't leave them cramped.

- And guiding a couple of first-time buyers into a home with room for them to entertain.

- So the battle of space versus location starts here.

And at the beginning of round one, it's all to play for.

- [Phil] We'll be sizing up Yorkshire properties in the spauncy spa towns of Harrogate and nearby Ilkley and down in the hip northern neighborhoods of Leeds.

- [Kirstie] Hip is my middle name, so I'm closest to the city, helping Mike Richie and Katie Roberts, first-time buyers who've recently returned to the UK after 10 months of globetrotting, five of which were spent living in a camper van.

- Well, first thing my dad asked us when we got back, was, "Are you still together?"

(laughs) Because I think if we could survive that, we can survive anything.

(food sizzling) - [Kirstie] New jobs have brought them from York to Leeds, Katie with the probation service and Mike at a video production house.

And having raised enough cash for a deposit, this once footloose and fancy-free pair are ready to put down some roots.

- They've been renting in the suburb of Meanwood and are keen to stay in the area, within walking distance of shops and bars, and with the bright lights of the big city not too far away.

- We want to make sure we find a balance, somewhere where we can get the best of both worlds and not completely give up on our youth just yet.

(Mike chuckles) - From living in the back of a van to looking to buy a house, it's like complete opposite ends of the spectrum.

But yeah, I think we're ready for that.

I think it's time to sort of grow up a little bit and get that sorted.

- Real life now.

(both chuckle) - [Phil] Real life means thinking ahead, and they want a house big enough to accommodate their five-year plan for a family.

- [Kirstie] But just when I thought I had a pair with their priorities right, turns out they've just bought a brand new car.

- We've said when we buy a house, we are definitely having a drive.

- [Mike] Yeah.

- As a treat.

- [Kirstie] A chocolate bar is a treat.

A driveway is a luxury they may not be able to afford.

So essentially you are already in my bad books.

- Why?

(laughs) - A new car?

A new car?

- Yeah.

- Before the house hunt, which is so precious that we must have off-street parking?

- It is a practical thing as well with the drive.

It's not just we wanna protect our precious car.

- We will bear that in mind.

(Mike and Katie laugh) So your budget.

- Yeah.

147.

- [Kirstie] 147 is your top, top, top, top, top?

- Yeah.

- Yeah.

- [Kirstie] Yes, so we don't really want to necessarily push to 147.

- Yeah, ideally a bit below, - [Kirstie] A bit below.

- with sort of - Development opportunity.

- Yeah, room to spend a bit of money on the property would be awesome.

- When it comes to development opportunities, how up for that are you?

- We don't want to spend five years doing the house up and then move out after five years.

You wanna spend maybe two years or so.

- [Katie] Yeah, and then enjoy it.

- So nothing too kind of major.

- You want to just make sure that the house you buy, although on paper it's for a five-year plan, and you want something more grown up and bigger and better, which we all do, it would be also nice if that has had the ability to keep you safe and comfortable in the long run just in case anything happened.

- [Mike] Yeah.

Fair enough.

- Yeah.

We hadn't actually thought about that, had we?

Does that mean we have to look at like schools and stuff as well?

- No, I swear, no.

- That we didn't wanna do.

I will not discuss catchment areas with you.

I promise.

- [Katie] Thank you.

- [Kirstie] Mike and Katie have a top budget of 147,000 pounds.

- [Phil] They want a two to three bedroom house with off-street parking and a decent entertaining-sized kitchen, or at least the potential to create it.

- [Kirstie] And they'd like to be within a 30-minute walk of the baths and bars of Headingley or Chapel Allerton.

Both areas are former villages now absorbed by Leeds' suburban sprawl and increasingly popular.

The average house price is over 170,000.

So they're smart to offer walking distance to them rather than being directly in them.

- [Phil] While the road not yet traveled for Kirstie, Mike, and Katie encompasses neighborhoods just north of Leeds' city center and 30 minutes up-country, searching in some of Yorkshire's sought-after spa towns.

Ever since the arrival of one-year-old Georgia, architectural technician Lee and NHS manager Annemarie have been anxious to exchange their modern rented accommodation for more character and space.

- And then the most important thing is actually a couple of family rooms.

- Lee and I don't feel that we have any grown-up space of an evening without spending an hour or so tidying everything away.

- [Kirstie] Ilkley and Harrogate, near the picturesque Moors, are top locations, but holding back their search is the ghost of a past property disaster.

Six years ago, they bought a Leeds inner city apartment, but very quickly fell out of love with it.

- Within the first six months, we knew we'd made a mistake, and we put the property up for sale, and it took us over two years to sell it and a huge loss.

It has scarred us both mentally and financially, and it's taken us this long to have the courage to put money back into a property.

- [Kirstie] They've set very high standards this time round, but there's been a lot of sofa searching, and they've only been inside a mere 12 properties in the last 10 months.

- We have quite particular requirements.

And so we do rule out quite a lot which we think on paper don't work for us.

- [Kirstie] You should never dismiss a property on the basis of an online glance.

Pictures don't tell the full story.

The best way to get a feel for a house is to get inside it.

- [Phil] A firm hand is needed here, but also a fair one.

The first property catastrophe was very bruising.

- It must have been a fairly torrid time.

- I think the apartment affected me more than it did Lee.

I feel like I lack the confidence now to make the right decision, because we thought we'd made the right decision then.

- To look back and think, "We got that wrong," would be very tough when it comes to making another decision.

What are we looking for?

What is the ultimate property?

- We've always lived in very modern accommodation, but now we're looking for a family home.

I think what we would really like is something with that bit of charm and character but that is fairly modern internally.

- Would you renovate a property?

- (sighs) I would be happy to take on a bit of a project.

I think you have said you'd like a bit of a turnkey.

- I mean, what's more important to you, the property itself or the location it's in?

- For me, I think it's location.

- For me, it would be the property over location.

- I'll get confused.

So how long have we got to pull this off?

- Two months.

- Two months?

- Yep.

- When's the next train south?

(all laugh) - [Kirstie] There's no going back, Phil.

In two months' time, the lease expires on their rented flat.

They need you, and they need you now.

- [Phil] I'm really gonna have to access my inner superhero on this one.

- [Kirstie] Just remember, underpants on the outside is very last-century.

- [Phil] With a maximum budget of 235,000 pounds, my couple are looking for a Georgian or Victorian property.

- [Kirstie] They want three bedrooms and two family rooms, ideally in the Ilkley area, 'cause they're after good transport links to their jobs in Leeds.

Both couples are looking for similar-sized properties, and although their search areas are only 15 miles apart, the difference in average price is over a hundred grand.

- [Phil] Oh, Kirstie.

A comfy seat.

(Kirstie sighs) That might be the last one we get for a few days.

- Oh, do such a pessimist.

- I've got a lot of work to do my end.

I don't know about you.

- Why, why?

- Well, the usual old story, in a way.

Been searching for 10 months.

- Yeah.

- And they want different things.

She doesn't want to do any work.

He does.

He wants a really nice house.

She's more worried about the location.

Happy days.

- Oh, I'm okay, in comparison.

Actually I've just got a car, and they want it parked off street so it doesn't get keyed or scratched.

- And that narrows down the housing choices.

- Narrows?

That just like yeow, completely takes it from from 60 to north.

- Then they're gonna base the house choice over... - No, not when I finish with them.

Believe me.

No.

- [Phil] So it looks like someone's off to get the backseat driving, and I need to gear up for what could be a royally rough ride amid the majestic scenery and impressive heritage of my patch of Yorkshire.

30 minutes up the line from Leeds with the Yorkshire Dales on the doorstep and plenty of Old World charm, the spa towns of Ilkley and Harrogate are sought-after spots, indeed.

- [Kirstie] In a recent property website survey, Harrogate was voted the fourth happiest place to live in the UK.

- We just fell in love the place, 'cause it's full of flowers, it's beautifully kept.

We just thought, "Wow, this feels a nice place to live."

We still feel like we're on holiday.

- Very good shopping, restaurants, bars.

And yet you can be out into the countryside within minutes.

- And even if you're not going anywhere in particular, like tonight after school, just walking around Harrogate's really nice.

- And there's lots of space to ride our bikes and all that type of stuff.

- [Kirstie] Desirability drives prices up, and the average cost of a three-bed property in their favorite towns is 245,000 pounds, 25% more than the rest of the region, and 10,000 more than Lee and Annemarie have to spend.

- Here in their number one spot of Ilkley, they have good access to shops, schools, and the malls, and the street's only 10 minutes from the train to Leeds.

This is a little smaller than I think you'll like, but it's got lots of other things going for it.

- All right.

- Most of all is where it is in Ilkley.

- Yeah.

- Yeah - I like the privacy, and there is some character, and it's on a very nice, quiet street.

- So far.

So good.

- Come on in.

- [Phil] This 1900 stone-built terrace fits the bill with three bedrooms, and has a separate sitting room and dine-in kitchen.

There's no chain, so it could work well for their two-month deadline.

- [Kirstie] And the charm and period detail should be right up their alley.

There's a gap in the property stock that meets their strict criteria.

And the price on this place is 45 grand less than their top spend.

- How does it strike you so far?

- I like the style.

It feels very homely.

It's like a family home.

Definitely.

- It would be a compromise not to have that extra family space.

I think we knew Ilkley would be a push to get what we wanted.

- Yeah.

We have found that, haven't we?

- Yeah.

- [Phil] Spacious character properties in this area and in their budget are few and far between.

It is the turnkey home Annemarie would prefer, and this next room's proportions should impress.

- Pretty glamorous bathroom, I thought.

- It's really nice.

- It is really nice, isn't it?

- You could sleep in it.

- Yeah, well it would've been a bedroom when the house was built, 'cause the bathroom or the loo would've been outside.

So a lot of these Victorian houses around these streets have got really very nice bathrooms.

- [Annemarie] It is lovely.

- [Phil] The bathroom's a hit, but my instincts tell me this might get a low reading overall on the yes-o-meter.

- [Lee] Very light and airy and quiet.

- Yeah.

I like it.

It's good size.

- I think I'm just getting a dose of kind of first viewing politeness, I'll put it down to.

I don't believe they like it, but they're not telling me that yet.

There are choices.

There are compromises, but they're gonna be making them whether they make them now, or whether they make them in three months' time, they've still gotta make them.

- It's too small for me.

- Is it?

- Yeah.

- [Lee] Think about it without the clutter.

- [Kirstie] Will the love of location win out over the need for space here?

- [Phil] We'll soon find out.

Hi.

- Hi.

- Hello.

- How'd you get on?

- The third bedroom is a little bit of a concern for me.

I just think it's really small even as a guest room, but that could be the compromise.

- And it seems to be a very sensible choice.

- [Kirstie] Somehow I don't think sensible's gonna swing it here.

- Let's head on.

- [Lee] Thank you.

- [Kirstie] Come on, Phil.

You really need to fire up this search.

- I'm struggling to find a home that offers enough space and period style for a practically perfect couple.

- And I'm dealing with an elephant in the driveway.

This could be a complete car-tastrophe.

(Phil laughs) - [Phil] North of Leeds is our house hunting patch this week.

My first property in Ilkley with Lee and Annemarie was the right location, but the house itself was a bit of a disappointment.

- It's too small for me (laughs).

- Is it?

- [Phil] y next number needs to spark a lot more enthusiasm.

- [Kirstie] And I'm searching with Katie and Mike closer to Leeds City.

They've got the travel bug out of their system and now want a two to three bed home with a driveway so they and their new car can park for at least five years.

They'd like to be within 30 minutes of either Chapel Allerton or Headingley, locations popular for a buzzing vibe, close to the city center.

- What's good about North Leeds for me is it's kind of a mixture of both modernity and old fashionedness, I guess.

- There's a good mix of students, young professionals, and people that have been around here for generations.

- It feels a really nice, safe place to live.

- [Kirstie] Today, I'm taking them just beyond the borders of their preferred patch to Kirkstall, where their budget of 147,000 pounds goes further.

- [Phil] The average price for a terraced house here is just under 120,000.

- It's stretching their boundaries, but this sociable pair want a house with a kitchen big enough to cook and entertain in.

Our first property is the best example of that that we could find.

The compromise?

Yep, you guessed it.

Not a driveway sight.

I'm totally, totally listening to what you're saying about off-street parking.

I'm, despite my things about the car, I'm not ignoring it, but this is you can park outside your front door and you can do it safely.

- I think it's hard to tell in the middle of the day.

It's the sort of thing where I'd come back in the evening, and see how it is.

- Yeah, exactly.

No, no, no.

Yeah.

- [Phil] Nice maneuver.

At least they didn't do a complete U-turn.

- I'm hoping this four-level terraced house will impress them with its walk-in wow factor and spaciousness.

We've heard it was once owned by architects, which could explain the clever conversion of the cellar into a kitchen diner.

- [Phil] Terraces this size often have three bedrooms, but here there are two large ones.

The whole house has been done to a very high spec.

And it's under budget at just under 145,000.

- Is this house an interesting beginning or a possible contender?

- I think it's tricky because we haven't seen any terraced houses.

We hadn't really thought about them because of the off street parking situation.

- Right.

- It's annoying, 'cause we've not researched terraces, have we?

- [Kirstie] As first time buyers, these two really have been approaching things the wrong way.

And that means they've disregarded around half of the property stock in their area.

What I cannot believe is that they never considered a terraced house because of the off-street parking.

Da da?

The only reason to veto a property is because of location.

- [Kirstie] Terraced properties have enormous benefits.

An English Heritage report found that over a period of 30 years, the repairs on a Victorian terraced house could cost 60% less than building and maintaining a new one.

- [Phil] You're also well insulated, thanks to houses either side, and the square footage is often generous.

- [Kirstie] This property has 930 square feet, heaps of room to cook for friends.

- Gas hubs!

- [Mike] Gas hubs.

- Score!

(hands clap) (Katie giggles) - [Phil] They're definitely cooking on gas in the kitchen, but what do they think overall?

- For me, showing us this has made me rethink the parking, which we've not done yet.

- Fantastic inside.

I kind of think if there was a house that wasn't quite as nice that we could do up, that might be a better thing.

- Okey doke.

- [Phil] Well done, Kirstie.

The driveway seems to have lost top spot on the wishlist.

- [Kirstie] Quite right, too.

- [Phil] Up yonder in Yorkshire with Lee and Annemarie, our first property was all about location, but lack of space took it out of the running.

Our next property is in Harrogate, and I'm hoping it gets me back on track.

- Very excited.

- Yeah.

- Yeah.

This one's exciting.

- Yep.

- We are smiling, aren't we?

- I know.

- How about this?

(Annemarie laughs) Come on then.

Hope the inside's as good.

(Annemarie laughs) The curb appeal is clear.

There's a nursery nearby for one-year-old Georgia, and the train to Leeds is a 15-minute walk away.

There's nothing cramped about this property, with outside spaces front and back and even a garage.

And with the two family rooms they're after, I'm confident it'll measure up.

- [Kirstie] Originally on at 225,000 pounds, it's now been reduced and is 20 grand under budget.

- Yeah, it's on the market for 215,000.

It's approximately 200 square feet bigger than we were in Ilkley.

So you're getting better family space.

- Yeah.

- Yeah.

- [Kirstie] However, the extra family space has been created at the expense of the kitchen.

- Just doesn't quite feel like a family kitchen as such.

It feels like something that we had when we lived in our flat.

- Okay.

Is it doing it for you?

- In here?

I think I share the same sense as what you do.

- [Phil] Wow.

(Annemarie laughs) - Ooh.

- [Phil] There are compromises here, and the problem is they seem to be comparing it with another near perfect property seen some months ago.

- [Kirstie] At the time, they couldn't quite afford it.

And now it's another shadow hanging over this search.

- [Phil] Is the existence of that property and the memory of that holding you back from making decisions on other ones?

- Quite possibly.

Yes, because it did set the benchmark.

And I think we have to forget about that one and move on.

- Okay.

Whether you are actually able to do that, whether Annemarie's able to do that, is perhaps a different matter.

- [Kirstie] You've really got your work cut out for you here.

- I just get a sense that they're still dwelling on the past and they're struggling to accept what the market can offer them at their budget right now.

And they're struggling to reach any decision with any confidence.

- That's a room of good size.

- And this is a good-sized room.

- Yeah.

- [Kirstie] I see smiles, Phil.

Quick, bounce on the positive.

- [Phil] If the kitchen looked different than it does today, what would we be talking about now?

How would you be feeling?

- What offer should we put in?

- Really?

- Yeah.

- As strong as that?

But the kitchen could look different.

You can sort that out.

- I think there's lots of potential.

- [Phil] Finally, we're making a bit of progress, but Annemarie's aversion to taking on work could really stymie this time-sensitive search.

- [Kirstie] 15 miles south in Leeds, my first time buyers are happy to take on a doer-upper.

And I think this rather individual-looking house could be the one for them.

- [Phil] We've come to Meanwood, much closer to their favorite watering holes.

- [Kirstie] Mike and Katie rent in Meanwood, but this is a part they're unfamiliar with.

- Yeah, we drove past a sign that did say about criminal activity nearby.

(Kirstie laughs) So that sort of worries us to start with, but, you know, keep an open mind.

- Never fear.

Phil is here.

You want to know whether this is a good street or a bad street.

Just look up there.

Tell me one thing.

Do crims trim hedges?

- No?

- No.

- Maybe that's what they want you to think.

(Annemarie and Kirstie laugh) - [Phil] Well-kept gardens are an encouraging sign, and if they're on board with the Kirstie maxim, "Crims don't trim," this house offers Katie and Mike all they asked for and more.

We're talking garage, even a games room, and a garden of rather grand designs.

- This could be a no brainer, and there's my kind of room for improvement.

Now this is the wall that I would knock down.

- Okay.

- Yeah.

- So that this is your kitchen diner.

- [Phil] True to form, Kirstie.

But yes, that would create the entertaining-size kitchen space they're after.

- Apart from the kitchen, this three bed semi only needs cosmetic updating and a touch of TLC.

There's money in the pot for that.

The asking price is 125,000 pounds.

- I'm excited about designing this kitchen now.

- Yeah, I like the idea that you can do work to it and make it ours.

- I also think you'd be enhancing the value.

- Yes.

- Yep.

- That's a big yeah.

- Because families want big family kitchens.

When this house was built, this is how they like to live.

- Yeah.

- Yeah.

- We've changed.

- Yeah.

- The wife doesn't stay at home, cook, and put the dinner on the table at 5:30 anymore.

- Sadly, not.

- Yeah.

Tell me about it.

(all laugh) - [Kirstie] Think you two better beat a retreat before you dig yourselves any deeper.

- [Phil] Merely jesting, Kirstie.

But I do want a chance to check in with Mike.

It's quite a transition from being carefree in a camper van to finding a future home.

And how are you dealing with the whole sort of concept of choosing a house?

- Thinking about this is our sort of five-year house.

You've gotta think about things that are gonna happen in sort of three, four, five years, which is kind of scary, sort of thinking about maybe having kids and how they would work in the house as well.

It's important to do it, but it's sort of the next five years, all in sort of a couple of weeks, which is pretty crazy.

- But you're absolutely right to do that, to think longterm.

This is a longterm decision.

- Absolutely.

- You have no idea how the next five years are gonna pan out for you guys.

- No.

- [Kirstie] In the current economic climate, especially if you're buying for the first time, it's sensible to aim for a future-proof home.

(billiard balls clacking) - Sometimes we forget how difficult it is for these young first-time bars to navigate this.

Actually, everybody needs a helping hand.

I wish I could split myself in a million.

- Don't try to do that.

(balls clack) - [Kirstie] Oh.

- Several million of you is enough to scare anybody.

- It that a hole in one?

- No, that's golf, darling.

- All right.

Okay.

- [Phil] Never mind.

You may not know the lingo, but to be fair, Mike and Katie did need your help to queue up this particular pocket in Meanwood.

- I think we might have discounted this area completely in our search.

- Yeah.

- And now I'm here, I don't know why, because it's nice.

- In terms of space and what's there of the house, it's spot on, oh yeah.

- Spot on, yeah.

- Terrific.

Excellent.

I'm delighted.

- What's got into you all of a sudden?

- I'm feeling very chipper at the moment.

(Mike and Katie laugh) - You're looking very chipper.

- Don't encourage him, Katie.

(Mike and Phil laugh) - [Kirstie] Oh, Gordon Bennett.

All we need is a chipper Pip.

(Annemarie laughs) - [Phil] I'm just happy that wagon wheels are turning in the right direction here.

I need a bit of that further north.

- [Kirstie] I have great expectations, Pip.

(traffic zooms) - [Phil] Over in North Yorkshire, Lee and Annemarie are still not entirely in agreement on their priorities: space or location, turnkey or doer-upper.

The three bed in South Harrogate met with some approval, but they felt the kitchen needed work, something Annemarie's not keen on.

Today, we're in Knaresborough, a traditional market town five miles northeast of Harrogate.

- [Kirstie] There's more potential to bag a bargain here, so their budget could go a little bit further than in South Harrogate.

- I need to know who's more willing to compromise on what, so I have a trick or two up my sleeve.

What do you guys think?

Has it got the right kind of curb appeal?

- It looks really nice from the outside, but I'm not entirely sure about the street it's on.

- [Phil] Opposite the house is an empty development plot, the fate of which is uncertain, but this is a period property with an interior that will bowl Annemarie over.

- [Kirstie] It's a seductive mix of old and new.

You get all the benefits and even some of the luxuries of modern living combined with beautifully preserved character features.

- [Phil] The major attraction here is the two longed-for living areas.

It's all very spacious and stylish for our perfectionist air.

- [Kirstie] You couldn't get more turnkey, and it could be theirs for 225,000 pounds, 10 grand under their top budget.

- [Phil] Now this would be dining room, playroom, family room.

- Wow.

- (laughs) Ah, woo!

- [Phil] It's pretty special, isn't it?

- I'm quite speechless.

- [Lee] Think Georgia would like this one?

- This is my room.

(all laugh) - Yeah.

- I'm in the front now?

- I think he's lost out now.

- [Phil] Annemarie's obviously smitten, and there's plenty of room for the whole family, with the galley kitchen opening out onto an entertainment and play area.

- [Kirstie] The current owner is a decorator joiner, and every room has been done to an exceptionally high spec.

(footsteps clomping) - Wow.

- Wow.

It is lovely.

- It is truly spectacular.

isn't it?

- [Phil] The place is a hit, but because Lee's always been more keen on a project, this is where my third gambit gets two-prong.

- [Kirstie] Sounds painful, Phil.

- [Phil] It's all in hand, Kirstie.

Up for sale just two doors down is a four bed semi-detached with exactly the same footprint, but without its potential fully realized.

- [Kirstie] Having seen what can be done, there's no imagination required.

And this property is significantly cheaper.

- Two doors up is on the market at 225,000.

This is on at 180,000.

- Wow.

- Really?

Wow.

- Massive difference.

- [Phil] Massive.

- That is.

- If they were both game for it, this could be the perfect place to satisfy Lee's fixer-upper fantasies.

But you'd have to live through it.

- Yeah.

I don't think I could, if you'd have shown me this one first, I think I'd have just walked out.

- [Kirstie] Sounds like a no from Annemarie, but maybe Lee can still get her fired up.

- We could get it to your taste.

We could take this on as a project, but it would cost a bit of money and it would take a while.

- Yeah.

Sorry, I'm not interested.

(both laugh) - I got that impression.

That's fine.

- [Kirstie] That's a no, then.

- [Phil] What's going through your minds?

- Out of the two, it has to be the one that's good to walk into and start living.

- Okay.

How do you feel about the area?

- The plot of land opposite is causing me a few concerns.

It's something that I didn't want, but it may have to be the compromise.

- Well, we've got another one to see.

- Yeah.

- Yeah.

- You only need to choose one.

That's all I ask.

(Annemarie laughs) - This week, we're hunting out homes for two couples, both of whom have a preference for prime locations north of Leeds.

- But if they want premium postcodes, they'll need a big injection of cash or a healthy dose of compromise.

For my first-time buyers, postcode doubts seem to be balanced by the great potential of property two, but could this proactive pair be pushed even further in the project department?

- [Phil] Lee and Annemarie fell for the interior of property three, the curb appeal of property two, and the location of property one.

- [Kirstie] But their rental lease expires in just two months, so they really need to come together on the compromise.

- [Phil] For my final property, I'm taking them to Burley in Wharfdale, a six minute drive from their preferred town of Ilkley.

And I might need a bit of backup on this one.

- [Kirstie] You know, you can always count on me.

- Well, a bit of a curve ball here.

- (laughs) Yes.

- That's a cricketing terminology.

- Yeah.

Bit of an in swinger.

Well, I'm definitely putting a spin on things, taking them to a house that's barely 10 years old.

- I wanted a period property.

I never said which period.

(Annemarie laughs) Maybe I should have stated a bit clearer.

- [Kirstie] From the word go, I'm sensing a big fat no, Phil.

- [Phil] Give it a chance.

This is all the space they need in a good location.

And with their deadline, if Annemarie's adamant she wants perfection over potential, they do need to be open minded.

The house is priced at just under 240,000, but for a quick sale, it's likely we could get it on budget for 235.

- I love this room.

Yeah.

I'm surprised.

- Would you trade the character?

- That's the question I don't think I can answer.

- [Kirstie] This is actually a sympathetic development designed to fit in with the surrounding architecture, and it is well laid out over three levels.

However, there's no denying it looks new.

- It's not really what we're looking for as a style.

- No.

- As a family home, it would work, though.

There is only really one compromise with this house, - [Annemarie] Yes.

and that's the character.

Could you see that being sacrificed?

- No, I don't think.

- [Kirstie] It hasn't one of- - I think it's too much of a compromise.

- (sighs) But there's gonna have to be a compromise somewhere along the line.

- That's fine.

- But luckily, that's Phil's job.

(both laugh) - [Phil] Compromising.

They keep talking about it, but are they actually ready to do it?

- I can see the benefits as to what this would give us, but I think there is one property that stands above the rest.

- [Phil] Okay.

And it's not this one?

- No.

- Annemarie?

- Same as me.

I think we're on the same page.

- Okay.

That would be a first (laughs).

- No arguments just yet.

- [Phil] If this property has helped completely clarify character as a main priority for both of them, our time here hasn't been wasted.

- This was the right thing to do.

I'm with you all the way.

I've backing you up.

- I've slightly, I've wasted your time.

- [Kirstie] I don't think you've wasted my time at all.

- Well, I probably could have... - I'm sure they don't either.

- Why don't I believe her?

- [Kirstie] Phil and I keep busy while Lee and Annemarie check out the house.

Great.

- [Annemarie] Hello.

- He failed you and he's very sorry.

- No offense.

- No offense taken.

- One learns by one's mistakes.

You cannot learn without mistakes.

- Don't look at me like that.

Get out of here.

Go on.

- [Kirstie] Okay, come on.

Moving on, moving on, moving on, ladies and gentlemen, let's try.

- See what I have to put up with, day in and day out?

Week in, week out.

Month in, month out.

Decade in, decade out.

(upbeat music) - [Kirstie] Phil's final viewing might have fallen flat, but I'm very excited by the last property I have to show Mike and Katie.

They love Chapel Allerton, and although the kind of property they're after is generally more expensive in this neck of the woods, I've managed to find a ray of hope in this 1930s Ed Warden-influenced home.

On this lovely day, we have a little sparkling gem.

And the look of the house, what you can see over the hedge?

- Nice.

Yeah.

- Cute.

Yeah.

I really like the street.

- Yeah.

- It's a lovely street.

- Yeah.

- Got a driveway as well, so.

- In my opinion, that's completely irrelevant.

(all chuckle) - [Kirstie] Yes, there is off-street parking for the precious car, but we find homes for people, not cars.

And if they're as keen on a project as they say they are, they could score themselves a diamond in the rough here.

- [Phil] The downside is there's no longer a kitchen in place, due to a burst boiler, but they could start from scratch and create the dine-in sized kitchen they're after.

- [Kirstie] A deceased's estate, the house is on the market for 140,000 pounds, seven grand under budget.

- [Kirstie] Do you think you are equal to the task?

- I think we're gonna need a lot of help.

- [Mike] Yeah.

- But we've got people who are willing to do that.

- What fun things to do.

What a good thing to achieve after like two or three years and go, "Look, look at all we've done."

That really excites me, yeah.

- I have to say, I am thrilled that you are thrilled.

Go and have a look upstairs.

See what you think of the bedrooms.

- [Mike] Cool.

- I'm gonna sit in the sun.

- Yeah (laughs).

- See you in a bit.

- [Katie] See you in a bit.

- [Phil] Sit in the sun?

You are feeling confident.

If they go for it, the challenge will be to knock down the price so they can afford to do the work.

- [Kirstie] On our side is the fact that it's a private sale we found through an online bulletin board, so the vendor's already saving on marketing fees.

- [Phil] Average fees in the UK are around 1.8% of the house price.

So by not using an estate agent, they potentially save themselves over two and a half thousand pounds.

- [Kirstie] Deals can be had with private sales.

So don't just rely on property websites.

Check out community bulletin boards, too.

- [Mike] So how do you feel about the level of work that needs to?

- It's just cosmetic, isn't it?

Like... - When you are thinking on taking on work, it is so important that you are both up for it.

I'm shouting (laughs).

This is a good, strong house, and it would be a good buy.

But they need to be in it together.

- It's so big, isn't it?

- Yeah.

- It's so grown up.

(Mike laughs) - [Kirstie] The last owner of this house lived here for over 50 years, and apart from the kitchen, it is in reasonable shape.

- [Phil] But they'll still need to spend every penny to bring it into the 21st century.

- Contemplating the enormity of it?

- It doesn't put me off.

- I know.

- One bit.

- It's not you I'm worried about.

I think you are being really, really up for it.

I get a slight sense that Katie's a bit nervous.

- I think she's up it for as well.

Like from the beginning we've said we wanted a project, and I'm really excited.

Really excited.

- I'm excited.

- Good job, Kirstie.

- If you buy this house, I'm doing the revisit.

(Mike laughs) - [Phil] Even if you are gung ho about creating your ideal family home, do your homework so you don't over capitalize.

Check out what the done-up houses in the area have achieved price-wise, and scale your plans accordingly.

- [Kirstie] It's a big step forward for my pair, but I think they can see there's a massive window of opportunity with this house.

Would it be jumping to conclusions to say that you might want to come back and see this property?

- I think definitely.

We'd like to look at it in more detail.

Yeah.

Brilliant.

- [Kirstie] Happy days.

- Good job.

- We found a house.

Woo hoo!

- No doubts about which one's the front runner for Katie and Mike, but Lee and Annemarie left me in limbo overnight.

I need to get to the bottom of where their heads are at.

Have you reached any conclusions, decisions?

- We know which area we want to live in.

- We've agreed on Harrogate.

- Yep.

- We like the second property very much.

And we would just like to have a look to see what else was on offer to make sure that is exactly the right one for us in the area.

- [Kirstie] Given their history, we saw this coming.

- [Phil] Our cautious perfectionist couldn't resist trawling the net overnight, and think they found something we've missed.

- [Kirstie] As if.

We never skimp on research and know exactly what's going on with all the houses in the area.

- [Phil] It came on the market on the weekend.

- [Lee] Right.

- At 250.

They had a full price offer by Sunday night.

They had another offer on it on Tuesday that was over the asking price.

That will fetch north of 260.

It's just way out of reach, isn't it?

- [Annemarie] Yeah.

- [Lee] It is.

- Totally.

- So what were you doing looking at it?

- We thought no one else would like it, and they might take a cheeky bid.

(Lee laughs) - Harrogate is such a prime location.

People will always want to live here.

There will always be demand.

- I think, yeah, I definitely needed to hear that.

And it's just making me focus more on property two and what we could potentially do with it.

- [Phil] Back on track then.

There is a real danger in looking beyond your budget online.

You're only setting yourself up for disappointment with what's available within your price bracket.

- [Kirstie] No such mudding of the waters with Katie and Mike, who've been exploring property three's neighborhood, and I've called in some building expertise.

- [Phil] Paul Spencer, no relation, is here to assess the cost of making the place habitable by reinstating a kitchen and creating a good entertaining space by knocking through to the dining room.

- [Kirstie] I know they love the idea of this house, but the reality of it has to be faced.

- For my budget for doing the whole of that work it was probably a little bit higher than you think, but maybe seven for a new kitchen of reasonable quality.

- [Phil] Seven grand would be doable within their budget, but to err on the side of caution and to cover a new boiler and possible rewiring, best to allow 10 grand.

- It's just a case I was talking about, what we can live with for a bit and what we need to do now.

- Yeah, absolutely.

- [Kirstie] Paul estimates the basic building work could be done within two weeks, which is good news, as the mortgage company would want to know it was being made habitable as soon as possible, or they might consider it a high risk loan and only release money in stages.

And when it does come to knocking down walls and updating, bear in mind the value of retaining any original features.

If someone takes that out, sympathetically, you can put it somewhere else.

- [Mike] Yes.

- 'Cause it's absolutely charming.

And I'm telling you this now.

16 years of house hunting experience, this is the kind of thing that sells a house.

- [Mike] Yeah.

- [Katie] Hmm.

- [Phil] Kirstie is sold on the place.

But for Katie and Mike to commit to buying, the price has to be right.

- Let's go and talk tactics.

- [Phil] After our little hiccup, Lee and Annemarie decided property two in South Harrogate was definitely worth a second look.

- It feels good to be back.

You get a nice feeling about it.

- It's nice to see it in the sun.

- Yeah.

- [Phil] Yeah.

They love the area and space this house has to offer, but the main sticking point was the kitchen.

It's small and on a different level.

- Yeah.

Still is definitely an issue (laughs).

- But I have a solution.

To lower the floor and to open up the archway entrances, and to redo the plumbing and the electrics, is a total cost of four grand plus fat.

- [Mike] Okay.

- Okay.

- [Phil] If they wanted to go one step further, they could extend out the back as has one of the neighbors.

- As this isn't a conservation area, under permitted development rights on a terraced or semi-detached property, Lee and Annemarie could extend from the original house by three meters using matching materials, unless it was a conservatory.

- We've spoken to a builder who's actually working on this street and he knows that extension.

- [Annemarie] All right.

- He reckons 16 grand.

- That excites me, though.

- Yeah, yeah.

- Not the money part.

(laughs) (Lee laughs) - [Phil] The fact that Annemarie's excited has got me pretty chirpy.

Considering a project is a turnaround from the turnkey she was always after.

- Why the change of heart?

- Definitely get the right feel about the area, and to get what we want on this street, we're gonna have to.

- [Phil] Do a project.

- Yeah, definitely.

Yeah.

I'm happy to make that compromise.

And I think Lee's very excited about having his own little project.

- [Phil] Yeah.

It's win-win.

- [Annemarie] A bonus.

- Although there is, of course, a project to manage and to live through.

- Yeah.

But that's the short term.

Long term is family home right for us.

- Fantastic.

Annemarie, this is music to my ears.

- And mine (laughs).

- [Kirstie] Annemarie has seen the light, but have they both finally got the confidence to commit to buying again?

- 10 months of searching.

Could this be it?

I don't know.

(upbeat music) - [Kirstie] We're of leads with some first-time buyers who have been won over by a 1930s semi-detached house in Chapel Allerton.

- [Phil] And after 10 months of searching and often different priorities, we finally found once bitten, twice shy Lee and Annemarie a terraced house in Harrogate with the potential to become a good family home.

- Question from here is what do you wanna do about it?

- We would like to make an offer.

- Confident?

- Yes.

- Good.

- Well, that's the first.

(Lee and Annemarie laugh) - [Kirstie] Well done, Phil.

Now the hard part.

- They have a maximum budget of 235, and the current asking price on the house is 215.

Do you have any figures in mind?

- I think we're really keen to try and buy it, but we want to be pretty sensitive with the price.

We don't want to push it too far, knowing that we have to withhold some budget for the extension.

- Well, if you're happy, I'd suggest that we start negotiating at 205 and just gauge reaction.

- Alex Hyatts, Phil Spencer here.

We don't particularly have a massive problem with the price as such, if it was in slightly better condition and the kitchen didn't have some of the issues that it does.

They would like to offer you 205,000 for that house.

Okay.

Terrific.

Well, thank you.

Bye bye.

Yeah, she wouldn't be drawn on whether she thought it was good offer or a bad offer.

- Right.

Okay.

- [Kirstie] In Leeds, I have to do the same negotiating for Katie and Mike.

They have 147,000 to spend, and the asking price on their semi-detached house is 140, but we also need to factor in the cost of a new kitchen.

I think we can get it for 130.

What are your feelings about that?

- It's the only house we've ever liked that we could actually afford, so... - Yeah.

- It's a no brainer, isn't it?

- Yeah.

- Yeah.

Yep.

Do it.

Do it, absolutely.

- [Kirstie] It's a private sale and a deceased state.

And I'm dealing with the wife of one of the inheritors.

Tammy, hi, it's Kirstie.

Katie might want the house.

They really love the house.

They're completely okay with the house as it is.

They don't want you to do anything more to it.

If you were able to accept an offer of 130,000, they would take the house completely as it is 100%.

- [Phil] Kirstie's working her magic.

But I've not pulled a deal out of the hat in Harrogate.

Our initial offer of 205,000's been rejected.

- [Phil] Well, how about this?

'Cause we've been sat here talking about how you might react and what we might do about it.

I've got instructions to offer 208 now.

However, if your clients would move out within two months and complete the deal and take the property off the market with no further viewings today, then I will talk to them about paying the 210.

Thanks Alex.

Bye.

- [Phil] We could get lucky with 208, but my feeling is Lee and Annmarie will have to go slightly higher to seal the deal.

Time alone will tell.

- I don't know whether to laugh or cry.

- [Lee] Right?

- You and me both.

In Leeds I've just been dealt a body blow.

Yes, yes.

Right.

Yes, Tammy.

That would be great.

I'll do that.

Thanks so much.

Okay.

Thank you.

Okay, bye.

(phone clunks) What is going on at the moment?

This is fine.

This is okay.

We're not gonna lose the house.

- I'm terrified right now.

(Mike laughs) - But the neighbor opposite, as Tammy came out the house this afternoon, having locked up after we went round, made an offer on it.

- Oh man.

- [Katie] How much?

- A bit more than we've just offered.

(Katie groans) - [Kirstie] But Tammy met Mike and Katie earlier and liked them both.

She felt they'd be sympathetic to the period features, but she needs to discuss it overnight with her husband.

We'll just have to do this and touch this.

(wood knocking) - (exhales) It's gonna be a long night.

- [Kirstie] It's a game of patience now for Katie and Mike.

Can Phil at least come up trumps for Lee and Annemarie?

(phone ringing) - That was quick work.

208's not enough.

- [Lee] Okay.

- [Annemarie] Okay.

- But she does believe there's a deal to be done at 210.

If you're prepared to pay for it, for them to move out and take the property off the market.

- For 210?

- Yeah, yeah.

- Mm-hmm.

- Alex, we have a deal (laughs).

Terrific.

Delighted at this end.

Thank you.

Cheers.

Bye-bye.

We have a deal!

- Thank you, Phil.

- Goodness me (smooches) Well done.

- Look at you.

- A long, long search with a very happy ending.

- Yeah.

- And a terrific house.

- A very happy ending.

- Thank you.

(men laugh) - [Phil] I love it.

Two weeks later, Lee and Annemarie's building plans for their new home had an unexpected setback.

- We got the offer accepted, and we were dead excited.

Shortly after, we found out in the deeds, there was a restrictive covenant.

- [Kirstie] Frustratingly, the covenant means Annemarie and Lee can't alter the house to make it work for them, putting the purchase in jeopardy.

- [Phil] But we track down the covenant owners.

And if Lee and Annemarie can get planning approval from the neighbors, hopefully their perseverance will net them the home they clearly love.

- I can picture us in this home, and if we get this issue resolved, it'll just feel amazing to be there.

- That's gonna be one hell of a moving in party.

(Annemarie chuckles) - [Phil] And don't forget my invite.

I wouldn't miss it for the world.

But it all proved a bit more straightforward for Mike and Katie.

After an agonizing weekend wait, their offer of 130,000 was finally accepted.

- It was amazing.

And it was a big journey we were about to embark on.

- The house is full of like old furniture, old beds, old microwaves, so a lot of that needs to go.

- [Kirstie] They're the perfect pair to get stuck in and transform this house into a home.

- I think by the time we can actually sit back and go, "Wow, it's finished," we'll have like a screaming baby and all loads of other stuff going on.

I don't think we're ever gonna relax again, are we?

This is just our life now, but that's a really good thing (laughs).

Sorry.

- Babe.

- [Kirstie] Don't look so worried, Mike.

I'm sure there'll be just as many happy times as nappy times.

(jazzy music)