(electric guitar chords) - This week we're back in Devon, visiting two couples whose searches had weeping.

You're not gonna cry, are you?

Wailing.

(Phil and Kirstie laughing) And the gnashing of teeth.

- Eek.

- [Kirstie] As we struggled with house hunters who didn't see eye to eye.

- You love it, don't you?

- I do.

- I know sometimes Jamie is wrong.

- Frankly, we were in the drink.

One Sea Breeze, please.

- This sea breeze or the one with vodka in it?

- (sighs) Which do you think?

- Ah, vodka.

(laughs) A little early.

(upbeat swing music) - This week, we're catching up with two couples who have their hearts set on the beautiful South Coast of Devon.

Both pairs wanted to be near the English Riviera in Tor Bay.

Phil was trolling this Devon market for Sharon Shulberg and Jeff Harrop who were relocating to Torquay, and I was searching in the countryside for local couple, Sam and Jamie Brown.

They'd met as teenagers at his mom and dad's stables, but it wasn't exactly love at first sight.

- He used to call me a geek.

He used to shout "Geek" at me.

- You had the short, curly ginger mop for hair.

- Mushroom.

(laughs) - [Phil] It took 12 years and a new hairdo for Cupid to strike.

They now live together in Galmpton, where Jamie grew up.

It's the perfect base for Sam to indulge her love of horses and Jamie, his passion for surfing.

- Jamie's interest in surfing, I wouldn't really use the word interest to describe it.

I would use obsession.

- I could never contemplate living in an area where I couldn't get to the surf.

It just wouldn't compute.

- [Kirstie] As their life together flourished, tragedy hit the family.

Jamie lost his dad several years ago, then shortly before their wedding, his mum also passed away.

- [Phil] It was a very tough time for them both, and as well as dealing with their loss, they also had to sell his parent's farm.

After their wedding, Sam and Jamie rented out their house in Totnes and moved back to the farm in order to help with the sale.

It was a difficult decision, but at least some good has come from it.

- Since we've been back, we've sort of re-fallen in love with the village.

Suddenly, you sort of think, God, I can see why my parents wanted to bring me up here.

- Yeah.

- [Phil] Sam and Jamie have now decided they want to start their own family near Galmpton, so they've kept a small part of the farm for themselves and their horses.

- [Kirstie] What's proving to be a trickier choice is how to invest their inheritance.

I'm hoping I can help them spend their budget of 400,000 pounds wisely.

The money that you're spending is the money from the sale of your parents' house.

Is that an added responsibility?

- Yeah, I just wanna make sure it sort of goes somewhere proper.

(laughs) Like, I don't wanna sort of get 10 years down the line and think, God, I've made a really bad decision there.

So yeah, it's a bit of a weight on the shoulders, really.

- We found ourselves in this situation without expecting it, you know, without building up to it, just completely out of the blue, and we were lost, weren't we?

We- - Yeah, we didn't know what to do.

- Not knowing which direction to go, what kind of house to buy, what to do.

And we have been lost and we do need a bit of help giving a push in the right direction.

- In a way, that's where I can help.

- [Sam] Yes.

- But having never met Jamie's parents and therefore not having an emotional feeling about it, I know that I will always do my best to ensure that where you put your money is the right place to put your money.

- [Sam] Yeah.

- So that's an absolute given.

- [Jamie] Yeah.

- So you can stop worrying about that.

I'm going to have to work hard to take the pressure off Sam and Jamie, and steer them to a home they feel happy in and one that does his parents proud.

- [Phil] The good news is that by putting their inherited money towards buying a house, they don't need a big mortgage.

Finding any way to reduce your mortgage is a smart move, and you don't need a lump sum in order to do it.

A recent study showed that overpaying by just 50 pounds a month can shave over seven grand off the money you owe.

- [Kirstie] Sam and Jamie have 400,000 pounds to find a house with three bedrooms, within driving distance of the sea and the land they own in Galmpton.

- [Phil] The village sits a few minutes from the beaches of the English Riviera, six miles south of Torquay, where my couple have signed up for a new life.

(upbeat rock music) Jeff and partner, Sharon, have been together five years, and now he's landed a job as Head of Youth for Torquay United Football Club.

A move to Devon is on the cards for the whole family.

- With your mother, then us, your children, my children- - [Sharon] And the grandchildren.

- And the grandchildren, it's gonna be a house that's got to accommodate certain people at certain times of the year.

- [Phil] Luckily for me, I don't have to house the full squad of 11; just the five aside team of Jeff, Sharon, two of her children, and her mum, Joyce Williams.

- I'll have a fruit scone.

- With jam and cream?

- Yes, please.

- Okay.

- [Kirstie] Oh, just three generations to cater for, then.

A piece of cake.

- We're hoping to find a property that has an annex or a cottage sort of on the side that she can remain independent.

- [Phil] Joyce has contributed her share of the family's 550,000 pound budget, but she's happy to let Sharon and Jeff decide how and where to spend it, which might be a rash move, as they can't even agree on the style of house they were asked to find for them.

- I know what I want.

(laughs) - And I know what I want.

- Exactly.

But I'm not really sure yet; it'll be interesting.

- [Kirstie] Great; to top that, they're poles apart when it comes to doing work.

Sharon loves renovation, and Jeff hates DIY, plus this is the first house they've bought together.

I smell trouble.

- Do you think you'll agree, Jeff, if you've never lived in an old house, Sharon's never lived in a new house, where's this gonna go?

- (laughs) We've discussed this and we haven't got a clue.

(laughs) Good luck.

- On one hand, you're in a good position, because in your price bracket, there aren't many buyers out there at the moment here in Torquay, and there's quite a lot of property on the market.

So, in theory, we've got lots to choose from.

However, the room configurations and the layout that you need for the different generations restricts the choice back down.

- The next week is really important for us.

- Home is the top of our list.

- Yes, it is.

- Always.

- We've gotta pull it off then, don't we?

- Yes.

(laughs) - Come on.

Jeff and Sharon have got 550,000 pounds to spend on a new family home.

They want room for the two kids moving with them, an annex for mum, Joyce, and great entertaining space for visiting family, all within commuting distance of the Football Club in Torquay.

- How did it go?

- It went well, but I'm filled with the worries, usual worries, of three generations, granny, various kids, all coming to live together.

They all think it's gonna be easy.

There's lots of houses on the market to choose from, very few of which are going to suit.

- Great.

- And I just add into that a little neat scenario, they've never looked at a house together before.

So.

(laughs) - I think it's one of those weeks.

'Cause my couple, he surfs, she rides, he was brought up in this area, and he wants to hold onto the land, although he's selling the house.

- Yeah.

- But they want a family house.

Well, when they've got kids, there's gonna be a lot less riding and a lot less surfing.

So criteria one and two are in direct opposition to criteria three.

Should we run hand-in-hand into the surf?

- (laughs) We'll go for a swim, exactly.

- Yeah, never come back.

There's no doubt we're going to be swimming against the tide in Devon's very special property market.

- [Phil] Prices here reflect the fact that with every house comes pretty easy access to some of the best beaches and countryside in the whole of the country.

The average house will set you back 238,000 pounds, which is 75 above the national average.

- [Kirstie] Sharon and Jeff are new to the area, and their main competition is other incomers who head to the region for the good quality of life.

With 32 million pounds being invested in Torquay alone, its popularity is set to continue.

- Do you mind if I sit down?

- No, be my guest.

- It looks like you've got the top spot here watching the sun go down over there.

It's quite special.

- Welcome to Torquay.

- Thank you.

- Having lived here 21 years, Torquay is a place I would just love to stay for the rest of my life; it's fantastic.

- It's a nice place, close to the sea; 20 minutes and on the Moors.

- [Kirstie] By heading out of Torquay itself, we'll find beautiful Devon villages that could hold the key to this three-generation search.

Broadhempston sits just 30 minutes out of town, within commuter distance of the Football Club for Jeff.

It has a tightknit community that could be perfect for mum, Joyce.

There's even a local shop run by volunteers, and new residents are met with a welcome pack.

- As a village goes, it's got everything that you'd want.

It's got two pubs, shop.

- And a shop.

- And real community, and lots of these very pretty houses.

This barn is the perfect start for Sharon, who's mad for period properties.

- [Sharon] It's absolutely lovely; I love it.

- That is different than what I'm used to, (laughs) without a doubt.

- And with no DIY to be done here, hopefully, the inside will make Jeff feel more at home.

This converted barn is currently on the market for 585,000 pounds.

It has three bedrooms and a separate annex for mum, Joyce.

This space has pushed the price over their 550 grand budget.

But as it's been on the market for several months, there could be a deal to be done.

Having two properties on the one plot wouldn't suit everyone.

But for Jeff and Sharon, it offers a solution for the whole family.

You talked about having friends around and that sort of thing.

Can you entertain them on this level?

- Yes, especially in the summer, you open the doors.

- [Phil] Jeff?

- Yeah, I'm sittin' on the fence, 'cause I do like a big sort of a social area.

- This is the first property they've viewed together.

But sitting on the fence isn't gonna help me or them find the right home.

So kids' bedrooms that way.

Master bedroom with the all-important en suite.

- [Sharon] Aw.

- [Jeff] That's nice, the en suite.

- And lovely views lying in bed.

You look straight down the valley.

- [Jeff] Yeah.

- It's on now at 585.

It's been over 650 at certain stages of its marketing.

- [Jeff] - Yeah.

- I think that's a lot of money for what, at the moment, feels very small.

- You're being asked to pay for the finish- - Sure.

- The position.

- Yeah.

- And the fact that it's got the annex.

- [Sharon] Yeah.

- [Kirstie] There are two further double bedrooms for Sharon's kids and an extra room downstairs to put their extended family in.

And the separate annex just might be enough to justify the admittedly chunky price tag.

- Across the yard is where Joyce would live.

- [Jeff] After you.

- [Sharon] Wow.

- [Phil] Her own front door and her own kitchen.

- [Sharon] This is lovely.

- [Jeff] I'd say your mum would have no problems being in here.

- This is perfect for mum.

Absolutely perfect.

Just not sure about that spot for us.

- This is the only suitable independent annex I've seen in their price bracket; separation costs.

And if this barn isn't big enough, they're either gonna have to up their budget or be prepared to compromise.

Oh, the joys of three generations all wanting to live together and all wanting different things.

Oh, the fun of it continues.

- [Kirstie] Oh, dear, he's got that slightly manic look of a desperate man.

(upbeat swing music) This week, we're catching up with two sets of house hunters who wanted the best of Devon's coast and country.

We failed to score with the first property we showed football coach, Jeff, and partner, Sharon, so we needed to be more tactical in Torquay.

Further south, we were searching for local couple, Sam and Jamie, within five miles of Galmpton and their family's land.

They'd inherited some money from Jamie's parents.

But even with their generous budget of 400 grand, the properties they preferred, ideally with some land, were scarce.

Our first property has no acreage, but it's a wee cracker in Churston Ferrers, the neighboring village to Galmpton.

- [Phil] It's a conservation area, so property developments are restricted.

But after a green light has been given to a new build on the footprint of former railway cottages.

Priced between 285 and 320,000 pounds, they each offer three bedrooms and a smart open-plan living space.

Sam and Jamie have been struggling to invest the inheritance from his parents, so I've come along to offer them, and Kirstie, extra support.

- This house is the super-duper easy option.

We're not taking some kind of hard route to eventually find the right house.

This is like, we're close; this house is sorted.

- Yeah.

- Do you want it?

- [Phil] It's a very easy option.

- We could throw our furniture here from- - You literally could throw your furniture here.

The showhome is sold, but I want Sam and Jamie to see how easy one of these houses would be to make a home in.

- I'm pleasantly surprised; it feels a lot bigger- - Yeah.

- Once you get in- - It does.

- Than it did from the outside.

- [Kirsty] Which is why they redeveloped them.

- [Phil] These guys have been carrying a heavy weight on their shoulders, and I hope we can help make this next stage of life a little easier with a house that offers a fresh start.

- [Kirstie] It's very simple.

You know, you've had a difficult time over the last 18 months.

- That's true.

(laughs) - You've both got busy jobs.

You want to settle, you want to get on with your lives now.

You're not gonna cry, are you?

Sam!

- [Jamie] Why you crying, Sam?

- Come on, I'm gonna take Sam off.

Come on.

- [Phil] Okay.

Seeing how easy life could be is a massive relief for Sam after a tough year and a half.

- [Kirstie] Relax; I know, I know.

Don't; you'll start me off.

I know exactly- - Just things go back to normal.

- [Kirstie] I know, I know, I know.

Just riding and surfing, and having a nice time and seeing your mates, and doing all of that stuff.

- I didn't know that that was- - [Kirstie] No, no, no, no.

It happens, and it happens a lot, and it's about exactly, you put your finger on it.

I mean the great thing is that you know exactly why you're feeling like you're feeling.

It's just about that.

It's wanting to have a normal- - Yes.

- [Kirstie] Young life.

- I think she might have just sort of gone (blowing) because it has been sort of a tough 18 months, and that might have just been, wow, this is how easy it could be.

- [Phil] Yeah.

- We could move in and it could all be okay.

- [Kirstie] This modern cottage may just what Sam and Jamie need.

- Well, talking to Jamie, he thought that it's probably relaxed tears.

- Yeah.

- It's sort of, at last, we're seeing something that lets us move on.

- Yeah.

It's just that.

It's just like, God, we've had a terrible time.

- This is the next stage.

- This is the next stage.

- And they both seem very positive about being here.

- Yeah, yeah.

So it's just totally good.

- Yeah, happy days.

- I know; she is setting me off, though.

(laughs) - [Phil] (laughs) Aw.

- I don't know what's wrong with me.

Just the whole thing is just like, I really want to get them sorted out, and I just think, well, you know, I really hope I can.

- You will.

- [Kirstie] And like you said, tears aren't always a bad thing.

- It's not what we had in mind at all, is it?

But yeah, it took me by surprise how much I did think about just sitting down and staying.

- Yeah.

- Yeah.

- Well, that's what I said at the beginning.

We can go and see other things and think about other options, but I wanted you to know from the outset that there was something which was easy.

- [Phil] Easy does it really could be the key to this one.

For Sharon and Jeff, I'm hoping Torquay holds the answer to their property conundrum.

The English Riviera attracts over 4 million visitors every year, and Torquay's right at the heart of it.

- [Kirstie] Over 400 properties here are dedicated to the tourism trade, and properties big enough to put up guests are also big enough to house three generations.

- [Phil] Priced at 535,000 pounds, this former guesthouse is under their budget of 550, and it has a self-contained flat for mum, Joyce, four bedrooms, all with en suites, and enough entertaining space for an entire football team.

- [Kirstie] This house is so big, I think we should both tackle it.

- I think of it as special, this.

You've got reception rooms on either side, all the bedrooms that you and all the extended family could ever wish for.

- This is my type of lounge.

Yeah, the high ceiling, I just, I'm in love with the lounge.

I think it's great.

- [Sharon] This is just lovely.

- Coming from a cancer state and it's a big jump up in the world.

So you know, this is lovely.

- Sharon and Jeff seem impressed, but the compromise here is that mum, Joyce, wouldn't have her own front door.

This time, her self-contained flat is on the first floor.

Given that we've already established today that an entirely separate unit puts a lot on the price- - Yes.

- Is you get a separate unit, but you would benefit from the increased size of the house.

- Yeah, seeing these rooms compared to the massive rooms downstairs, it doesn't feel very fair, either, does it?

- [Phil] Okay, okay.

- If you see, I mean, it's a nice flat, but I could put one of the kids in here.

You know- - [Phil] Yes.

- [Sharon] One of the older children.

- [Phil] Yes, yes.

- That feeling.

- And you'd convert- - Rather than the mother.

- Some of the rooms or two of the rooms downstairs.

She would have greater independence.

- [Sharon] Yeah.

- [Phil] And perhaps she could have her own entrance- - [Sharon] Yeah.

- At the back of the house.

- Yeah.

- But it would mean quite a lot of switching around of rooms.

- Yeah.

- It's perfectly possible.

- Yeah, yeah.

And there's a lot of space downstairs.

- Sharon's right.

This house does offer other options, and she's happy to take on a project, but I'm worried self-confessed DIY-detester Jeff might not be.

If you hand that side of the house over to Sharon's mom, you lose the current kitchen.

- [Jeff] Okay.

- If you fitted this out as a kitchen and knocked that through, that would still be like a sitting room diner, and this would be where the actual kitchen bit was.

- When you're not do-it-yourself man, the imagination of it all- - Yeah, it, yes, is hard, yeah.

- [Jeff] It is.

- At least he's honest, but Jeff's lack of vision could put paid to this house.

I know you've had a good old look round and a chat together, and a think about the layout.

- If we can do something on the downstairs, on the ground floor level.

- I just can't imagine how much work has gotta be done to get the mother-in-law in.

And, for me, that's gonna be the difficult part of it.

- [Phil] If Jeff could trust Sharon's instincts for improving this house, it could still be a winner.

If not, I think this next property might simplify things.

This dormer bungalow's been finished to an incredibly high standard, and Jeff won't have to lift a screwdriver to enjoy living in it.

- [Kirstie] It sits in a rural location just outside Torquay, only 10 minutes drive to the football ground, near to the village of Stokeinteignhead.

- It's bang-on budget of 550,000.

The house has five bedrooms, three bathrooms, and a kitchen diner that's made for having people round.

Well, quite an impressive spot this is.

- [Jeff] That's a view to die for, that's for sure.

- Picture yourself out here in the afternoon, Sharon?

- [Kirstie] All quiet.

(Sharon laughs) What's the problem?

- I don't like it.

- [Kirstie] Don't like it.

- [Sharon] Oh, gosh, if I say this, it's so rude.

- [Kirstie] Go on, say it; it's not rude, go on.

- [Sharon] It's like living in an old person's bungalow.

- Well, it's interesting you should say that.

Let's hold that thought, hold that thought.

- Yeah.

- All of you, follow me.

If we're going to get Sharon to even consider this house, we've got to get her inside and quick.

- [Jeff] Oh, my God.

- Not quite so the old person's bungalow.

- Oh, gosh, no.

- [Jeff] I think you might have to eat your words.

- [Sharon] Yeah, I eat my words completely.

- [Kirstie] Whoops.

- [Phil] It was an old person's bungalow until the current owner made it twice as big.

- Everything is fabulous, the space is fabulous.

I just need to see, I think, the rest of the house.

- The rest; okey doke, right.

Sharon, you come with me and I'll show you where Joyce could be.

- Well, I walked in here and I went, Jeff is gonna love this.

- Yeah.

I like the hallway; it's me.

The kitchen is me, (laughs) 'cause it's nice and big.

Love the stoves, they're bricky, and the garden, oh.

- [Kirstie] With five bedrooms, there's enough space for the whole family.

But if Sharon insists on her mum having her own front door, they could convert the garage.

- There's no of your hated DIY involved in the main house.

- I do like that, (laughs) I do like that.

As long as it's not my space that's gotta be DIY.

- [Kirstie] What's going through your mind now?

- Everything's been done beautifully.

But, for me, it just doesn't feel like a home.

- [Kirstie] I'm sensing trouble ahead.

- He said to me that Sharon has always lived in old houses, she's always done work.

He's never lived in an old house and never has wanted to do any work, so.

- I said to Sharon, can you imagine a scenario where you bought a house which Jeff was keener on than you?

- Yeah, what'd she say?

- And she said, "No."

- Did she?

(laughs) (Kirstie laughs) - You love it, don't you?

- I do; I do.

- It's just completely you, isn't it?

(laughs) It's completely you; it is.

- Just sit here and think, the sea is that way, beautiful countryside is that way, the village, and the pub and the football ground's five minutes there, and Kirsty's about to be quiet.

Does happen now and again.

- Shut up.

I'm having five minutes of sun.

- [Phil] There's no time for relaxing, Kirstie.

Sharon and Jeff are not seeing eye to eye on this house either.

- On so many practical levels, it really works.

- Yeah, well, I mean that's why Phil picked it.

- (laughs) It's a man's house, isn't it?

- Yeah, (laughs) it's true.

- We're doing all right, Jeff.

- Yeah, I need your help on this one.

(Phil and Sharon laughing) - [Phil] I really want to help, but to DIY or not to DIY is the burning question this couple really need to tackle.

I'm worried we've hit an impase.

- [Kirstie] On the other side of Tor Bay, I'm working hard to help Sam and Jamie find the right place to invest the hard-earned inheritance Jamie's parents left them.

The last house showed that they are ready to put difficult times behind them.

Our next choice in the village of Littlehempston offers them a completely fresh start, a house with its own land and stables.

- [Phil] With a guide price of 385,000, it's 15 grand under their 400,000 pound budget.

It's a two-bed, semi-detached cottage with a sauna, plunge pool, and access to communal tennis courts.

- So what we've got here, guys, is- - [Sam] Kitchen.

- [Kirstie] Kitchen.

First impressions?

- Doesn't feel like a kitchen.

- I'm not keen, no.

- [Phil] Cooker, check; fridge, check; and oh, yes, it even has a kitchen sink.

I think it is a kitchen, Jamie.

- First, a look around this house.

First thing we need to know is how much it is, because I think, pretty much going by this room, we're gonna want to change everything, so.

- 385,000 Pounds.

- With 2.5 acres, some stables, a tennis court, and a communal plunge pool.

- The plunge pool actually is yours; it's not even communal.

So I think it's a good price, don't you?

- [Jamie] Yes, no, it is.

- Yeah, yeah, absolutely.

- I thought it'd be a lot more.

- As most of the work is cosmetic, it won't break the bank to make changes, and the price tag has certainly got their attention.

If this house with this amount of land was detached, it would cost around 450,000 pounds, way over their budget.

But you've got downstair shower there, coming in from surfing.

- [Sam] Yeah.

- And then this is your sitting room with your mezzanine.

- [Sam] Oh, that's nice, isn't it?

- [Jamie] This room's really nice.

- You're taking this a bit more seriously now, aren't you, Jamie?

- Yeah.

- [Kirstie] It does have an unusual layout, but I think with a bit of imagination, it could be a great space for Sam and Jamie.

Truthfully, truthfully, Sam, does the whole thing fill you with a bit of dread?

- No, it doesn't fill me with dread; I'm just not feeling it.

- I really like it.

(Sam laughs) - Oh, God.

(Jamie laughs) I'm going to give Jamie a little space to try and win Sam over to this cool pad.

I can totally see why Sam doesn't like this house, and I can totally see why Jamie does like it.

And if you want to know what a pig in the middle looks like, look no further.

- [Phil] Well, you're gonna have to play big bad wolf if they don't agree on what they want.

- Jamie, you look slightly browbeaten.

- It just, I don't know.

It's cool, but I think that's all it is, really.

It's cool; it's not what we should be moving into.

- [Kirstie] Listen, we've got another property to see.

- That lounge is really cool.

(Sam and Kirstie laughing) And the resume was cool.

- Oh, my God's sake, he's gonna make me start to feel sorry for him soon.

But Sam is more than cool about this house.

She's frozen it out.

There are couples at loggerheads all over Devon; yay.

(upbeat swing music) We're back with two sets of house hunters who had very different challenging searches in Devon.

Local couple, Sam and Jamie, were struggling to use their inheritance wisely.

They loved the simplicity of the first house, but the unusual layout of the second caused a rift.

Football coach, Jeff, and partner Sharon, were in search of a home to suit three generations, but we were struggling as their taste couldn't have been more different.

- [Phil] I've got one last stab at finding a house which they can both love for their half-million pound budget, and I think this former coach house could be it.

It's in Meadfoot, one of Torquay's more desirable areas.

Properties around here can sell for in excess of a million pounds.

- [Kirstie] For 530,000 pounds, they get four bedrooms.

Sharon's mum, Joyce, has her own front door, and there's even access to their own woodland.

- If any room can impress them both, it's this beautifully-finished lounge.

Vaulted ceiling, beams.

- Oh, ho, look.

- [Phil] What a place.

(Sharon laughs) Pretty garden.

- [Sharon] Yeah, look at that.

- [Phil] And a very quiet Jeff.

- (laughs) I'm very quiet.

I just don't get the feel of it.

It's like havin' a Mercedes and a mini to me, I have to sell the Mercedes.

(laughs) - [Sharon] You haven't seen the garden.

- [Phil] This could get difficult, isn't it?

- [Sharon] Yeah.

- But you don't need me at this stage.

- [Jeff] Yeah.

- [Sharon] Okay.

[Jeff] Thank you.

- Eek, I don't want this to be awkward, but I have a funny feeling it's gonna get very awkward.

- You really like it, don't you?

(laughs) - Yeah, I do.

Let's see all of it, and then we'll talk.

- Yeah.

- Reality has finally hit.

Jeff is in love with the last house and Sharon has fallen for this.

It's one-all, but that's not the score we're after.

I need to help them find a solution.

How's it work on a practical level?

I know it looks pretty- - Well, it doesn't.

(laughs) But I don't mind.

(laughs) I absolutely don't mind.

- [Phil] Jeff?

- No, I'm disappointed; it's not really my cup of tea.

It's all too cluttery.

And the other house, I like the long garden, the peacefulness of it all and- - This is peaceful.

You can only hear the odd car occasionally.

- Okay, you're not gonna convince me, darling, so let me, I love the third house.

I thought it was great.

It's new and vibrant, and- - Okay.

And, Sharon, let's just think about it from a practical perspective.

Oh, dear, this is very difficult.

This is extraordinarily difficult, and it's a situation I have never had to deal with in 15 years of house hunting, is you get a couple where one loves it and one hates it.

It is exactly what I was worried about the whole way through this search, is that they are coming to this, having not chosen the house together and actually with very different stylistic ambitions.

I don't know how this is gonna shake down, I really don't.

I'm gonna give them some space to talk it through.

- After taking Sam and Jamie out of their comfort zone, I brought them back to the village where Jamie was brought up.

They have seen this house on the Internet, but discounted it due to the lack of land.

Now they're keeping a plot from the family farm, it's a contender, and it's seriously under their 400 grand budget.

What's the hesitation?

(Sam laughs) - There is no hesitation.

I'm just being silly.

- He thinks it's too central, which it's not.

- It'd be quicker for me to go to the pub than to go to the fridge for a beer.

I'm a bit worried.

(Kirstie and Sam laughing) - [Phil] And he thinks that's a problem?

- [Kirstie] And to top its central location, the house itself is a real gem.

The cottage is being marketed as a three-bedroomed house with two reception rooms and a private garden, all for 289,950 pounds.

- [Sam] Ooh, aw.

- [Kirstie] How does it strike you when you come in the door, Jamie?

- It's nice, like full of character.

It just seems a bit small.

- [Kirstie] It is; it's got quite a few rooms.

- It's lovely; look at the fire.

- [Jamie] I do like the fire.

- Look at the window.

- Do you like the window?

- Window seat.

Okay, I've got a sewing machine.

(laughs) - I am staring into the eyes of a defeated man.

- [Phil] Give him a chance, you've only just got him into the place.

- This is the current kitchen, and you would need to make it a bit bigger.

- [Sam] Yeah.

- Now, because the house is listed, you would need to get relevant permissions, and we've looked into it.

It would probably cost you in the region of about 40,000 pounds.

- It's as big as the kitchen in the one that we looked at yesterday, really.

It's just a different layout.

It's really quiet, and once you're in the house, you don't hear or see anything.

You're looking at the garden for most of it.

- Jamie's seeing the house's potential.

And even though it's grade two-listed, an extension should be possible.

It'll require permission from the local Planning Authority.

When Jamie was first outside, he had that uncertain look.

Then when he came in, he had an even more uncertain look.

- I wasn't hesitant because I know sometimes Jamie is wrong.

So if he didn't like it, then he would've been wrong, because I know how happy he would be here.

We've got everything within a very short distance, and to have such a pretty little house in the middle of it all, it's just, it's perfect.

- Sam is beaming.

And after a tough few months, it's great to see.

- You'll like it.

- I think my mom would've liked it, 'cause it's in her village as well.

She sort of grew up here as well as me growing up here, and I think she'd be pretty- - [Kirstie] Well- - Happy with me here.

- To be honest, Jamie, if your mum likes it and Sam likes it, (laughs) then I think, you know- - Yeah.

- It's a good house.

- [Sam] Yeah.

- [Phil] You can almost see the weight lifting off the shoulders of this young couple.

- [Kirstie] And mine; we could finally be getting there.

- [Phil] After a night's sleep, it's a no-score draw in Torquay as three houses are still in the running.

Jeff and Sharon haven't discounted the second property I showed them.

- [Kirstie] The third low-maintenance property has stolen Jeff's heart, and Sharon has fallen for the fourth character-filled coach house.

- So I've called a summit meeting with them and with Joyce.

How did you two get on over the course of last night?

- I don't think we're any further ahead.

We went into it thinking we knew what each other wanted, and after seeing the properties, we're quite apart.

- Yeah, it was a shock, actually; it was a shock.

Poles apart.

- Don't think you're the only people that are trying to do complicated things for the wider good of quite a lot of people.

- Yeah.

- And what everyone gets excited about, it's all gonna be great.

Actually, there are tough decisions that need to be made along the way.

- [Kirstie] Phil's role is to take the emotion out of this and give them fresh perspective.

And luckily, he's good at his job.

After debating all three properties, they've agreed to revisit the second one.

- One thing that we both said, we want a home that all the family can enjoy and be together.

And we got big rooms to entertain, and that, we can do that in that house.

- [Jeff] Yeah.

- Sharon and Jeff need time to look seriously at what this house can offer their whole family.

It gives me a chance to show Joyce her space.

Now the quote that we've had is to level this.

So don't worry about the stairs; it's all on one level.

- Right.

- [Phil] But this is your kitchen.

- [Joyce] Oh, it's a lovely kitchen, isn't it?

- [Kirstie] We've had a quote for around 20,000 pounds to convert this space and the adjoining bedroom into an annex for Joyce.

- [Phil] Joyce seems happy, and I'm hoping Sharon has put Jeff's mind at rest about the renovations.

- [Jeff] I will say slowly and you can explain that.

I can see the big potential in the house.

- [Sharon] It's beginning to piece together, isn't it?

- [Jeff] Yeah.

- Well, I tell you, last night, I was very worried.

I got a couple that were completely at loggerheads with one another.

Very relieved that, with Joyce's influence, and Joyce's comfort with her space, it seems to be coming together.

- [Kirstie] It's come together so well, in fact, that they want to make an offer.

Phil's next challenge is to bring it in on budget and leave them enough money for Joyce's annex renovation.

It's on at 535,000 pounds.

- Let's offer 500 and take it or leave it, 'cause we're to not waste anyone's time.

- I like your start, Jeff.

Get that man of a Bacardi and Coke quickly, and another glass of red while we're at it.

Hi, Kate, a quick conversation at this end, 'cause we have a best and final offer for you, and I do absolutely, genuinely mean best and final offer.

They will pay 500; they won't pay a penny more.

Terrific; I'll wait to hear.

Thank you, bye.

- [Sharon] Shall I dance now?

(laughs) - No.

(laughs) - Sam and Jamie aren't dancing yet either.

For a property with no land, they don't want to spend more than 300,000 pounds.

The Galmpton cottage is on at just under 290,000, so under budget, but I still want to get them a good deal.

What do you want to pay for this house?

- Would 275 be a reasonable starting point?

- I think 275 is a good starting point.

This house is not being marketed through an agent, so I have to call the vendor direct.

There can be advantages in this for both parties, as it cuts out the fee for selling, up to 6,000 pounds for a house of this price.

But it's not for everyone.

The upshot is that Sam and Jamie really want your house.

We wondered what you would feel about an offer of 275,000.

- [Phil] If you do have to speak to the vendor directly, be clear about your pitch and your top price before you call.

Stick to your guns or it could end up costing you more.

- Okay, fantastic, bye.

She said we were hoping for a little more, but I will speak to my husband about it.

- Fingers crossed?

- Fingers crossed.

It's a very fair offer for a house that's been on the market for almost two years.

But there's nothing we can do but give the owners time to mull it over.

- [Phil] For Jeff and Sharon, (phone rings) there's no more waiting.

We're all a bit anxious at this end, Kate.

Can you put us out of our misery?

(mysterious piano music) Get in.

(Sharon and Jeff laugh) Thank you very much; terrific.

- Oh, mummy.

- [Kirstie] It was great jubilation at the time.

But a few days later, Sharon and Jeff had a change of heart and decided the great guest house conversion was too big for them to take on, so they pulled out.

And they feel fate brought them to this house.

- There's a little road down there with a parade of shops, and Jeff and I were driving, and someone pulled out of the space, and I just went "Space," estate agent, and he pulled in, and they gave me a wad of brochures, and this was amongst them.

- [Kirstie] It's a five-bed coach house with a two-bed annex above Tor Bay.

- As we walked through the front door, I could just imagine us all sittin' around the table, either with our family or with our friends.

That really excited me, and I thought that is perfect.

- [Kirstie] It was at the top of their budget at 550,000, but they managed to do a deal at 500 grand, and amazingly, the property hits the spot for all the family members.

- It fitted on all three fronts, great entertaining area, merging the old and the new really sympathetically, but it had a brilliant space that we could convert for my mum.

- [Kirstie] This property was a very straightforward proposition in terms of creating independent living quarters for Joyce.

With two bedrooms above it and a separate entrance, the garage was the ideal space to convert into her perfect pad, and the money was there, thanks to the saving on the sale price.

- It has worked, isn't it?

- Oh, absolutely.

- It really has worked perfectly.

- I don't think we could have found anywhere better.

- I mean, we see each other every day, like, I can see mum through the utility window.

(Joyce laughs) Or and then I'll drive back and mum might be sitting in the courtyard or in the garden, but- - We're just like next-door neighbors.

- Yeah.

- I think.

- It's like neighbors.

- [Kirstie] True to form, Jeff stayed well away from the renovating.

Fixing a bird table is as far as he'll go.

- Voila.

- [Kirstie] So it was left to Sharon and Joyce, and a local builder.

- We weren't worried; just Jeff.

He just, he stayed out of it.

- I really haven't got that sort of flare, and I take my hat off to builders who can change a room into a living area.

- [Kirstie] But that was the only work the property required.

The main parts of the house had everything they needed in terms of style and space.

At Christmas, they had 14 people staying.

Given how at odds they were during our search, it's a huge relief that Sharon and Jeff did end up living in the same house.

- [Jeff] Without Phil and Kirstie's input, I don't think we'd have got there.

- It's a perfect size, and it has a lovely feel to it.

It's so warm, isn't it?

- Yeah, I mean, you know, obviously, we love entertaining, don't we?

- Yeah.

- [Jeff] We like our weekends with our friends coming around, and the garden, and we can sit out in the garden.

And when you have days that are as beautiful as this- - There's nothing that is missing.

- [Kirstie] It's a fantastic outcome.

The ideal home for several generations with priceless views in a prime spot.

- [Sharon] Walking, beaches, it's to die for.

What haven't you got?

- And just wakin' up in the morning, seeing the sea and the blue sky, and it's just a fantastic place to live.

- [Kirstie] It's a superb result for Sharon, Jeff and Joyce.

Further down the coast, Sam and Jamie eventually had an offer of 280,000 pounds accepted on the cottage, but then they, too, took fright.

They were concerned about the complications of extending a Grade two-listed house.

- We were going to try and extend, and put a lovely kitchen on the side.

However, there was no guarantee that we would ever be able to do that.

- 16 months on, has fate been as kind to them?

(upbeat swing music) Just over a year ago, I was here house hunting for Sam and Jamie.

Jamie's mum had recently died, and he wanted to spend the money she'd left him wisely.

Sam wanted to be close to her horses.

There were lots of things going on with their search.

After pulling out of the charming cottage in Galmpton, they then found a 1960s house a mile and half away in Paignton, and a world away from their original grief.

Things have changed.

But the biggest change is baby Arthur, who was born only seven weeks ago, weighing a very impressive 11 pounds, seven ounces.

He's really beautiful.

- He is.

- [Kirstie] He's really- - Gorgeous.

- So you are looking totally amazing.

Jamie is looking chilled and relaxed, and the house looks so lovely.

Set over three levels, they have four bedrooms and the potential to convert the garage into a fifth.

From the outside, it's not the most elegant of houses, but when you've got views like this, who cares.

- From the road, and the picture in the estate agent's was a bit of an ugly duckling.

- Yeah.

- And it was very overgrown out the front.

We walked up the stairs and looked out that window, and I think it was- - [Kirstie] That was it.

- I think the estate agent knew he had us then.

- Yeah.

- 'Cause it was just (whistles).

- And it was the space as well, wasn't it?

- [Kirstie] Their top budget for a house with that land was 300,000 pounds.

To secure this place with its beautiful views, they had to stretch to 323,000.

However, both house and location make it worth every penny.

It's a really fantastic baby house, and it's so big.

I mean, look at this kitchen.

How much of this have you done?

- We've done all of this.

It's not quite finished.

We've still got to do the floor, but the kitchen, that was our main extravagance.

- [Kirstie] It's lovely.

Sam and Jamie have improved and updated the house with style, but their hearts were originally set on village charm in Galmpton near the horses.

- I loved the other house that we had the offer accepted on, but the day we dropped out of that house, this one came on the market, and we were sort of in a complete panic, 'cause we thought we were settled and had everything organized.

So we were the first people through the door in this property, and we just loved the space.

And we saw we were the only people through the door.

We had the offer accepted the day after, and that was it.

- [Kirstie] And that was it.

And has the arrival of Arthur meant the surfing and the horses are taking a backseat?

- Nope, Jamie's still managing to surf, but the horses have gone.

- You sold them completely?

- Yeah, completely.

- When did you sell them?

- It's a big relief, to be honest.

We found out I was pregnant in September, and they've gone by Christmas.

And they've gone to a really lovely home, both together, on the Moors, so.

- Oh, wow.

- Yeah, so we're really pleased about that.

And it's such a weight off my shoulders, I can't believe it.

- Is it?

- Yeah.

- [Kirstie] The thing is that who needs horses?

- No.

- [Kirstie] No.

- Doesn't compare.

- No, it doesn't compare.

The views are also incomparable.

This is my kind of "Baywatch."

It's mesmerizing; it really, really is.

I mean, you can see, sitting down here, you don't need a telly or a book, really, do you?

- We didn't use the telly for about the first six months we lived here, so.

- It's extraordinary.

You know, people pay, they pay millions for this view.

They really do.

- I'm glad we didn't have to.

- No, I'm very glad you didn't have to.

I think after all you went through, I'm thrilled you've got this lovely house.

You were concerned about spending the money wisely.

- [Jamie] Yeah.

- You know, there had been a lot of trauma and upset.

Are you content that this is the house that your mum and your dad would've been happy to see you in?

- Definitely, yeah.

My dad was a fisherman, and he spent all of his time out there.

My mum was swimming on Broadsands Beach the day that I was born on the bank holiday.

This is- - This is your life.

- This is part of them really, yeah.

- Yeah.

It's truly heartwarming to feel that Arthur will enjoy the Devon coast just as his grandparents did.

Have you got a tiny wetsuit yet?

- Not yet, but I've already seen the one I want.

- It couldn't have worked out better, and I'm thrilled, as it was an emotionally testing search with a lot at stake.

Now here you are in this amazing house, overlooking the sea, with the world's best-behaved baby.

Also, what you have got is room for more kids, which is fantastic.

- Yeah, and the main thing is, 'cause my family's so far away, which is even more important that we see them now- - [Kirstie] Yes.

- We've got room for them to come and stay, which is lovely.

- [Kirstie] That's really nice.

- My mum comes down quite often.

- Oh, that's fantastic.

It's clear that both sets of house hunters found their own property heaven here in Devon.

Sharon and Jeff, and Jamie and Sam are settled.

All the grannies, both near and far away, are catered for.

Everyone is happy beside the sea.

Devon; you can't beat it.

(upbeat swing music)