(upbeat music) - Finding your dream home isn't easy.

- But when you do find the perfect match, it's just meant to be.

- All right, sweet cheeks.

Strawberries and cream, Batman and Robin.

- Kirstie and Phil.

(upbeat music) - Phil and Kirstie.

- [Kirstie] Whichever's your preference.

- Yeah.

- We're back and... - There's no stopping us.

Come on then, show us in.

Show us in.

- Blimey.

- In our brand new series.

- Ooh!

- We're once again trying to make property dreams come true.

Yes!

- Yeah.

- [Phil] Across the country.

- It's a beautiful, beautiful, beautiful house.

- [Kirstie] As we deal with high expectations.

- I'd love to be knocked between the eyes.

Thank you.

- I'm not sure you're allowed to do that, Phil.

- [Phil] And a lightning fast market.

- It's not selling like hot cakes, it's selling before the flaming cake is baked.

Uh.

- Hmm.

- Da-da.

We'll try and find all the answers.

- You know there is that saying?

Location, location, location.

- Yes.

(upbeat music) This week we've got something to shout about.

- Oh, Phil, please remember to tell Gemma that there's a dishwasher.

- [Phil] I think she might have heard.

- [Kirstie] Unlike our brace of first time buyers.

- Gemma's being quiet.

- I'm not a big fan of the car park opposite.

- It's a vista.

- As ever we have conflict.

We should talk to you about the compromise.

- No, we shouldn't.

Yet.

- That comes with this house.

- No.

We should not yet.

- Okay.

Can I go?

- No, you can't go.

And we have resolution.

- I think it's a serious consideration.

- [Phil] But there's always time for something new.

- [Kirstie] That's our first ever selfie.

- Ooh, we're very up to date, you know.

- Yeah.

(upbeat music) - This week we're house hunting in Kent with two couples, both of them first time buyers.

- But this is no place for newbies.

Houses are flying off the shelves and prices are rocketing.

You have to keep your wits about you.

- [Phil] Kent is London's lush next door neighbor, where the average house price is around 192,000 pounds, nearly two and a half times less than the average in the capital.

- [Kirstie] But Kent may not remain a good value commuter hotspot as property prices have risen 7.1% in the last year alone.

- [Phil] And for first time buyers, with limited funds and experience, it's a tough time to get a foot on the ladder.

(upbeat music) - [Kirstie] I'm with young love birds, Gemma Cameron and Barney Clark.

They are ready to take the plunge and buy for the first time together.

But in the current circumstances, it's unlikely to be a walk in the park.

- [Phil] Meanwhile, I'm trying to find a first nest for couple Gemma, yes, another one, and Robin Acworth.

- [Kirstie] Only just back on British soil, they've spent the last three years in Singapore through Robin's job as a solicitor.

- During that time we got married and bought some cats, trial babies, and then we got a real baby.

- [Phil] Welcoming bouncing baby Beatrice into the world made the couple keen to return from overseas to live nearer friends and family.

- [Kirstie] They're currently renting in London, close to Robin's work, but being in Asia for three years has left them completely in the dark about where to buy.

- [Phil] Their only guiding light is a romantic dream of an English home.

- Living in somewhere like Singapore, where it's very modern, we're very keen on a period house.

- Yeah, we're looking for a quintessential English property to live our typical English lifestyle.

- Sash windows- - Rebelling from Singapore.

- Yeah.

- [Phil] And in a fast, expensive market these out of touch first time buyers have been getting nowhere.

- We've watched in horror as the prices have climbed higher and higher to the point where we put an offer in on a house without viewing it.

We're pretty clueless really.

- [Kirstie] Property detective, Phil, to the rescue.

- Describe to me your ideal setup.

- For us it's the house that's driving us, it's not really the location.

- Definitely character property, so Victorian or Georgian.

The most important thing for me really is it has to be within the commutable distance from my work in London, and good access to greenery, countryside.

A good pub.

- I like your priorities.

You're kind of describing to me a bit of a quintessential English village life.

- Yeah, and- - But within an hours commute.

- Or small town, yeah.

- Or small town.

- Yeah.

- The London market has been so hot, and that is now filtering out into the country, into commuter zones.

It's a bit of a battlefield out there at the moment.

It really is.

So... - Yes.

- Let's get on with it.

Into battle we go.

Whilst abroad Robin's low taxed earnings allowed them to save a large deposit and has now given them an edge in their property hunt.

- [Kirstie] They have 550,000 pounds to spend.

- [Phil] They're yearning for a quintessentially English family sized home, which must have period features and a garden with vegetable patch, if possible.

- [Kirstie] And Robin wants under an hour's commute to work in London.

- [Phil] It may be a healthy budget, but it's not enough to fulfill that hefty wishlist.

So I'm going to have to help them discover where the compromise can come.

- [Kirstie] To top it off, there's also a challengingly wide search area.

They've toyed with buying as far north as Beckenham, on the London outskirts.

- [Phil] And in Kent where their number one location is the pretty, but pricey, Royal Tunbridge Wells.

Nevertheless, I think Robin and Gemma mean what they say, they don't mind where the house is so long as it's the right house.

- [Kirstie] And it's up to you to find it, Phil.

(upbeat music) Our second set of first time buyers are young love birds, private banking assistant, Gemma Cameron, and outdoor adventure tutor, Barney Clark.

(upbeat music) - [Phil] After two and a half years, the smitten twosome want to spend more time together so are joining forces to buy.

- It'll be the first time we've lived together, first time buying a property, at all.

And we're excited, I think, to do it together and go to DIY shops and get all the paint.

- It's gonna be cool.

(upbeat music) - [Kirstie] Gemma lives with her family in Tunbridge Wells, and Barney rents nearby.

So the pair have become rather attached to the town.

- I've had such a fantastic childhood in Tunbridge Wells.

I wouldn't want to move.

- It's got the bars and restaurants and shops that we want.

It's got a bit more of an atmosphere, but it's still a nice place to live.

We love it.

- [Phil] At only 23 Gemma has an incredibly sensible approach to house hunting.

- I always lower my expectations, and Barney always- - Not.

Obviously not with this.

- Oh, yeah, obviously I got far more than I bargained for with you.

- Yeah.

- But you always get over excited and really, really keen and then you get disappointed.

That's how it is.

- Yeah.

- [Kirstie] Having been house hunting for over six months, they've accepted they need to make some serious compromises.

- We're not gonna get what we want.

The market's really competitive.

We're gonna have to roll with the punches.

- Yeah.

- [Kirstie] I like these two already.

- [Phil] All the more pressure to find them a house then.

- So you must be pleased that it's such a great time for first time buyers at the moment.

- It's not very fun out there.

- No, it's not very fun out there.

Things are moving incredibly fast.

And have you seen prices go up in the time you've been looking.

- Yes.

- [Kirstie] Considerably?

- The race is on.

- Is there anything that you are phobic about, that you just couldn't live with?

- Top story flat new build in a really urban area with no outside space at all.

- So budget?

- [Gemma] Mm-hmm.

- So our absolute max is 245.

- So 245 total, total, total tops?

- If we find a good house- - [Kirstie] Yeah.

- And it needs a complete renovation, we'll happily spend the top budget.

- [Kirstie] Yeah.

- And then refurb over time.

- So could you see yourself refurbing over time?

- Absolutely.

- Yeah.

- If that's what it takes.

- God, you're a poster couple.

- [Phil] I'm a little envious.

For your poster couple's 245,000 pounds they want a house, not a flat, with two bedrooms.

It mustn't be a new build and needs character.

- [Kirstie] But they'd happily take on work to make a place their own, and the garden is also a priority, particularly for outdoorsy Barney, As the twosome love socializing in trendy Tunbridge Wells any areas close to town would go down well.

- [Phil] But they'd also consider Southborough, where Gemma's parents live.

- [Kirstie] We'd better get the lay of the land then.

- Allow me.

(gentle music) Oh, good morning, thank you very much, indeed.

That's fine to me.

- I see you're looking for properties?

- Yes, always looking for properties.

Why is Tunbridge Wells so popular?

- Close to London.

Train's pretty good.

But The Pantiles is a fabulous part of Tunbridge Wells.

We have jazz here every week during the summer, countryside's lovely, you know, you couldn't want to live anywhere else really.

Thank you.

- Nice to meet you.

It says it all really doesn't it?

It's popular, that makes it expensive.

But it's very nice.

As is the peppermint tea.

(upbeat music) - [Kirstie] Glad to see the peppermint is keeping you perky and positive, Pip.

But you may need something a little stronger once this search gets underway.

- Have no fear, I'm on my way.

How did you get on?

- Mm.

Very driven young couple.

- Yeah?

- Early twenties, want to get on the ladder, all laser focused.

Yeah.

- My couple have a very kind of idealistic view of what life back in England is gonna be like.

Geographically the search is very wide, so that's gonna bring its challenges.

- Boy, oh boy, Tunbridge Wells is pretty.

- Well, you know, garden of England.

Kent, finest county in the land.

- Kent only has one strike against it.

- [Phil] Hm?

- Birthplace of Phil Spencer.

- How did I know you were going to say that?

(upbeat music) Well, being a local lad may have its advantages.

But for Robin and Gemma's first property I'm not starting in Kent.

The couple want a quick commute to London, as well as to rural surroundings.

So we're heading to Beckenham, a leafy suburb close to the Kent-London border.

- [Kirstie] It's an area they've considered because of the green open space.

- [Phil] But I want to see how important the nippy 45 minute travel to work is for Robin.

- [Kirstie] Being 10 miles from the city makes the Victorian property they want too pricey for their budget.

- So here the compromise is era, this terrace is 1930s.

What's going through your mind?

- Yeah, probably a few decades too young.

- And it's pink.

It does have like the ivy creeping up outside the house, which is lovely, but if it was creeping up outside a Victorian house, that would be ideal.

It's not, looks wise, the type of house that I had in mind.

- No.

- At all.

(gentle music) - [Kirstie] Looks are not always most important.

- [Phil] Agreed, but I hope they can see past the front because out the back there's greenery galore to satisfy their craving for the country, while inside it's a spacious family home with the character they're after.

- [Kirstie] It's 10 grand over budget, but the owner is looking for a chain free sale so there is scope for a deal.

- I think there's an awful lot of potential here.

- Yeah, there certainly is some period features and we, you know, like the fireplace for instance.

- Yeah.

Gemma's being quiet.

- But, you know, there's cracks in the ceiling and cobwebs everywhere.

- [Kirstie] Get your duster out, Phil.

- [Phil] Well, if they want an older house they'll need to accept it'll come with a few imperfections and shouldn't be put off by a cobweb or two.

- It's definitely got the space that we need.

- [Robin] And it's nice having the adjoining dining room.

- [Phil] Yeah.

- But I like all the features, the flagstone floor, the wooden floorboards, the coving is lovely.

- See, I hadn't ignored your brief entirely.

Come on, let's see some more.

- [Kirstie] Baby steps, Phil.

Gemma is slowly seeing some of the positives here.

- [Phil] Let's hope it lasts.

- [Robin] Not sure about the textured ceiling.

- No, it's artex, isn't it?

Every room needs painting and decorating, so that's just gonna add costs.

- [Robin] Yeah.

- Gemma's been dreaming of this move back to England and what the family house might look like.

She's got that picture in her mind and she's had it for such a long time.

This doesn't match up to it, which means she's struggling.

- But it's... - It's a bit more- - This is UPVC.

- [Phil] They might be uninspired by the inside, but the outside can't fail to impress.

Out the back is this patch of communal woodland, genuinely wild space.

- Which is really nice.

- [Phil] I think it would be very special.

- [Robin] Yeah, it's quite unique.

- If you wanted a village life in suburbia, it wouldn't be a bad option.

- The fact that it's got the woodland, all the period features, absolutely perfect.

- Okay.

- Just in the wrong house.

- Can I just be devil's advocate?

- Okay.

- You're gonna look at that house for about five seconds a day as you walk up the door and open it.

And after that, it's all about what's inside and what it offers.

I've made my point, I'm not going any further.

- [Kirstie] Looks like curb appeal is key for these two.

- [Phil] And that leaves me looking for picture postcard perfection.

(upbeat music) - This week my young couple are mustard keen and capable of compromise.

- And just returned from Singapore, my couple have packed away their passports.

They're no longer frequent flyers, they're first time buyers.

Looking for a classic slice of English life in Kent, I'm having teething problems with new parents Gemma and Robin.

Wanting an idyllic home less than an hour from London the first property I showed them in Beckenham delivered on character inside, but the pink 1930s frontage was a turnoff.

- Yeah, probably a few decades too young.

- [Phil] So I need to crank up the curb appeal.

(upbeat music) - [Kirstie] I'm hoping my first time buyer couple, Gemma and Barney, will be a little more dazzled by what I've got up my sleeve.

The first house I'm showing them is a handy two miles from the center of Tunbridge Wells, in Southborough.

- [Phil] Gemma's parents live in this sought after spot where right now properties are selling at open day for top dollar.

- So we've been quick off the mark with this two bed semi, which has only just come on the market.

I'm here to get you into a house before anyone else has seen it, and before the open day on Saturday.

- Okay.

- Cool.

- That's exciting.

- And this is it.

- Okay.

Busy road, that's not so good.

- Are we five out of 10?

Are we three out of 10?

Are we six out of 10?

- Probably about five because of the road.

At the moment, yeah.

- What would you need to find in there to bring it up?

- Nice garden.

- Two bedrooms- - Where you can't really hear the road.

- Yeah.

- Right.

She's a right girl, isn't she?

You've done well there, Barney.

I say, you've done well.

Behind closed doors, away from the road, this place should rev them up.

It's got two reception rooms, the required two bedrooms, which are both good sizes, and there's potential to extend into the loft.

- [Phil] It also scores points with a pleasant, low maintenance garden.

On the market for 240 grand, there will be 5,000 left for this proactive pair to make it their own.

- So first impressions of this room?

- It does feel small.

It's a sort of cozy size, isn't it?

- Right.

Let's move on, because I think this house has more to see.

Now this is your very generous second reception room.

- It's a nice size, isn't it?

- Yeah, I like the size.

I'm not quite sure how I would use the space.

- [Kirstie] I did think this place would excite them more than this.

- [Phil] Don't write them off just yet, Kirstles.

Maybe they're slow burners.

- Now coming through, here's your kitchen.

- I'm impressed.

- [Kirstie] Yeah.

- Is there a dishwasher?

- Yes, his name begins with B.

- [Phil] Barney's not amused.

- [Kirstie] Maybe the garden will sweeten him up.

- [Barney] It's a nice sort of manageable size.

- And you can't hear the main road?

- No.

No.

- I quite like it.

- Right, have we gone up from five out of 10?

- I don't wanna sound harsh when I say six and a half, but I don't wanna say seven.

I want to say seven, but that sounds like I'm getting too excited.

- Listen, Gemma, no, I think you are very, very, very wise.

Wise beyond your years.

Do your worst?

Do you know what?

I think I'm a little bit scared of Gemma.

- [Gemma] Whoa.

- She's just so sensible, and I thought I was sensible, but she's really sensible.

- There's a lot of space.

You could rejig.

- She's buying a house in just the right way, and I want to find one, 'cause I wouldn't want to disappoint her.

And I don't think the surprise in the master bedroom will disappoint.

Oh, you found it already?

- Yes, we have.

What is up there?

Oh my goodness.

- [Barney] Surprise, surprise.

- [Gemma] This is very exciting.

- So you could create all sorts of things up here.

- We could make it sort of a chill out room, or something like that.

- [Gemma] It's a bonus.

It's more than- - It's a bonus?

- Yeah, definitely.

- We were expecting.

- Oh, yeah.

- [Phil] But has the inside made up for the busy road?

- So where are we now on the points system?

- I think we're... - Eight.

Maybe above.

- Above?

Oh, that's loose talk, Barney.

That wasn't an approved sentiment there.

- Definitely an eight.

- Yeah.

- Yeah.

- [Gemma] A definite eight.

- Definite eight.

Well, I'm very happy to live with a definite eight.

- I think it's a serious consideration.

- Yeah, definitely.

- [Kirstie] Fittingly a very sensible response.

But it's fair to say we've got a contender.

- [Phil] Robin and Gemma were given a reality check at the first house, which clarified that a pretty property takes precedent over a quick commute.

So I've scrapped London suburbs and headed further afield to deliver the dream of quintessential English charm.

We're heading 30 miles southeast to the village of Wateringbury in the heart of Kent.

- [Kirstie] This area has it all.

But the picture postcard setting comes with a compromise, there's an hour and a half commute to London for Robin.

- As you can see around you, a classically rural country village.

- [Robin] It's pretty.

- [Gemma] It is very pretty, with all the ducks for Beatrice.

- [Phil] But this is the longest commute.

- Okay.

If it's the right property, then that's workable.

I think.

- Well the house I'm going to show you is that one over there.

- [Gemma] Oh, wow.

- [Kirstie] Parts of this quaint cottage are Georgian.

It has not one, but three gardens.

One with beautiful views of the mill pond.

- [Phil] And it's equally as impressive on the inside, with a 28 foot living room, second reception and kitchen diner.

And upstairs, there are three bedrooms.

- [Kirstie] It's beautifully decorated throughout, so Gemma and Robin wouldn't need to splash out on redoing it.

- 25 grand over budget, it has been on the market for a while, and I know there's room for maneuver.

It's quite a quirky house, but stacked full of character.

- [Gemma] This is a beautiful room.

- Yeah.

Yeah, it could be a dining room and sitting room potentially.

- And a living room.

- Unless there is another dining room?

- [Phil] There is actually.

- Okay.

- [Phil] Should we go to it?

- Yeah, let's go and have a look.

- [Kirstie] This place is deceptively large.

- This is the room with the sensational view of the pond.

- [Robin] Yeah.

- It's a beautiful, beautiful, beautiful house and it's ticking all the boxes in terms of the way it looks.

- [Kirstie] This place has warmed Gemma's heart.

- Upstairs should also fit Gemma's romantic view of an English home.

And then this is the master bedroom.

- Oh, wow.

It's really, really beautiful.

- [Phil] The dressing room could be a fantastic nursery.

- Yeah, especially if we have another one.

- Thinking long term, see.

- [Kirstie] This is the house which offers everything they've dreamt of, especially Gemma.

But can they live with being this far from London?

- Robin seems to be approaching the idea of his fairly lengthy commute genuinely with an open mind.

- Maybe, the reality might be quite different.

Especially as Beatrice is growing up.

- [Phil] Yeah.

- He's just gonna miss out on a few more- - [Phil] Bath times.

- Bath times, meal times.

- [Kirstie] Location is becoming more important than they first thought.

- [Phil] But my priority was finding the right house.

This peach even has the veg patch they want.

- I'll actually have to grow some vegetables now.

- Strawberries.

- This is amazing.

But... - [Robin] But it's a bit far away.

- It's a bit far away.

- [Kirstie] But you don't get English Shangri-La on London's doorstep.

- Is it somewhere you could genuinely see yourself and Beatrice living?

- I think so.

- I think- - I think it's got that potential.

Yeah.

- Yeah.

- You know, the question is the commute really.

- [Phil] Yeah.

Fine.

But I'm getting the sinking feeling the commute may rule this beauty out.

This search isn't over yet.

(upbeat music) - [Kirstie] I want to show my 20 something first time buyers the kind of pad they can afford closer to the bustling social scene of Tunbridge Wells.

So I'm taking Barney and Gemma two miles south into the center of town.

- [Phil] Royal Tunbridge Wells is of high standing in the property market.

Two bed terraces here can fetch 450 grand, a whopping 205,000 pounds over Gemma and Barney's budget.

(upbeat music) - [Kirstie] But just off the hip and diverse Camden Road, this affordable two bed terrace could be just right for my home buying newbies.

But that doesn't mean I wouldn't like a helping hand from a Kent old timer, especially on this slope.

- Kirstie in her heels, tottering by gently.

- So if we were to see a house, for example, there, would this be a good location?

- [Phil] Just 30 yards from Camden Road.

- It would be a fantastic location.

I'm not a big fan of the car park opposite.

- No, but you know what?

- Yeah.

- It's a vista.

It's not great, but it's not a huge negative.

So what do we get out of 10, excluding the car park, for the location?

- [Barney] Five again.

- No.

- Five?

I would say about an eight.

- Okay.

- You can't really exclude the car park, it is part of the location.

- Shut up.

- Shall I go?

- Shut up.

- Can I go?

- No, you can't go.

- [Phil] Despite the vista, the location is scoring high with Gemma.

- [Kirstie] I'm pretty pleased by what this house has to offer.

The garden is bigger than the last, so is the kitchen.

It has a light and spacious living room and separate diner, with a generous master bedroom.

- The compromise is that the only bathroom is off the second bedroom, but Barney and Gemma are willing to do work so at five grand under budget, that can be sorted.

Now it is very cute and beautifully done.

- [Barney] Mm.

- [Gemma] Big window.

- Ooh, Barney.

I thought that it would be a total winner.

- But I'm with you.

- Right.

- I like this bright, airy, fresh feel of it.

- Yeah, it's got sort of granny house feel to it.

I don't like it.

- Ooh.

I'm sorry, Barney, what I didn't do was take your taste into account enough.

Your standing your ground, and I admire that.

Good luck with that one.

(all laughing) Seriously though, this is not a laughing matter.

I do really want to please both Gemma and Barney.

- [Phil] Hopefully the dining room will be more up his street.

- I'm not feeling anything for it, but I can see it's, definitely, it would be a step onto the ladder.

- But you're feeling less positive towards it than you did the previous house?

- Yes.

- Yes, definitely.

- Ah, this is so interesting.

- We should talk to you about the compromise.

- No, we shouldn't.

Yet.

- That comes with this house.

No, we should not yet.

- [Phil] Okay.

- Trust me on this one.

I know how to handle these two.

You show Gemma the upstairs, I'll work on Barney.

- [Barney] That's pretty good.

I like this.

- You like this?

- Yeah.

- Yeah?

Bet you find a dishwasher somewhere.

Yes, there's a dishwasher.

Oh, Phil, please remember to tell Gemma that there's a dishwasher.

- [Phil] I think she might have heard.

- Okay.

- [Phil] In fact, I think the whole street heard.

- Barney's warming to the place, and desperate for his very own patch of the outdoors this garden's another step in the right direction.

There's much more soil in this garden, you see.

You feeling a bit chirpier now?

- Yes.

- More positive about this house?

- Yeah.

Definitely.

- Okie doke.

- [Phil] Keeping open-minded has paid off for Barney.

- [Kirstie] Phil, I'm trusting you to explain to Gemma how easy reconfiguring the bathroom would be.

- Well the solution is simple.

If Gemma and Barney were to switch the direction of the staircase, taking some space from bedroom two to make a corridor, they'd end up with access to the bathroom from both bedrooms.

The cost of doing that is 4,000 pounds, and we've had a quote.

- Okay.

It's doable.

- Good work, Phil.

She's on board.

- Barney seemed a bit down about downstairs.

- I think maybe he was hoping for more of a challenge.

- Oh, Barney.

Wasn't expecting you.

Have you had enough of Kirstie?

- Yep.

- [Phil] Join the club.

- [Kirstie] What is the penalty for mutiny?

- Well that seemed to go down quite well.

- How did it go with the compromise?

- It was all right.

- Really?

- Absolutely.

- It's a possibility, isn't it?

- [Gemma] Mm-hmm.

- And it will add value.

- The opportunity to make his mark has changed Barney's opinion here.

Maybe worth marking the moment?

Have you ever done a selfie, Phil?

- What with you?

No.

- We're gonna do this.

- You press it.

- Okay, I'll press it.

There we are, Phil.

That's our first ever selfie.

- Ooh, we're very up to date, you know.

- Yeah.

(upbeat music) - [Phil] Enough tweeting away, let's get back to the matter in hand.

- Hashtag, have we got a winner?

We've seen two properties, both of which might be contenders?

- Yeah.

- Yeah, definitely contenders.

- [Kirstie] Definitely contenders?

- Yeah, we've got a lot to think about tonight.

- That's how I like to end a day.

Now that's how it's done, Phil.

That is how it's done.

- Yeah, yeah, yeah.

(upbeat music) (upbeat music) This week I'm house hunting for a pair of expats who have given up the high life in Singapore in search of the good life in Kent.

Vegetable patch included.

- And I'm facing a right royal challenge in Tunbridge Wells, helping a twosome desperate to live together.

Finding a first home for love's young dream is one thing, securing it in this market is quite another.

And these levelheaded love birds have kept a very open mind with the two properties I've shown them so far.

- And you can't hear the main road.

- [Kirstie] They're a breath of fresh air.

(upbeat music) - [Phil] Compromise really is key in such a manic market.

So far I've had an uphill struggle finding Gemma and Robin's first idyllic family home.

- [Kirstie] Initially the property was priority, not postcode.

But Robin's travel to work in London has become a hot topic.

- You know, the question is the commute really.

- [Phil] Yeah.

Fine.

It's a new day and I'm taking Gemma and Robin out of the sticks to Tunbridge Wells, a town they like with fast train links to London yet also close to countryside.

- [Kirstie] St. John's is a desirable area, a few miles north of the town center, but still has an English villagey feel.

- Robin's total travel time to work is 20 minutes less than the last property.

And I've also been able to fulfill their penchant for period with this Victorian end of terrace.

You're gonna need a little bit of vision.

- [Gemma] Okay.

- 'Cause it's just a little bit dated, but I think could be a good opportunity.

- Okay.

- Brilliant.

- [Phil] In an area where properties are selling in 24 hours I hope these two can see past the dated decor because this is a great sized family home with four bedrooms and period features galore.

- [Kirstie] And being 50 grand under budget should give them scope to spruce it up.

- It's a very big house, the proportions are strong all the way through and it's got character.

- [Gemma] The fireplace isn't the type of fireplace I would particularly like.

- I quite like the fireplace actually.

- [Kirstie] Reserved Robin is fired up by the period features, but have they got the vision the kitchen needs?

- You spend some money in here, but if you can buy the house for under half a million, you've got the money to do it.

- Yeah.

But I'd probably move the kitchen around so that we open that completely with some French doors.

- That's a good idea.

Would you be able to project manage it though with me being at work?

- I'd give it a go, but I'd... - Great.

Fills me with confidence.

- [Kirstie] With a brand new baby, it's sensible to be realistic about how much of a project they could take on.

- All the rooms are really good sizes.

- Well they're saying it ticks all the boxes and they're being very positive, but there's no passion in their eyes, and I don't entirely understand why.

But this absolutely delivers what I thought that they were looking for.

And it's at a decent price.

And it's still available.

Which most of these kind of things aren't.

- It's got all the features.

- But... - But it's further away from the station.

- [Phil] The level of work and commute are both issues, this isn't the house for them.

But I'm beginning to doubt that exists for the money they have.

For my last property I need to pull something pretty special out the bag.

(upbeat music) - [Kirstie] Poor, Phil.

My search for Barney and Gemma has been going great guns.

They liked property one and property two, and if they like property three in Southborough, that'll be the hat trick.

(upbeat music) - [Phil] It's the biggest house yet, offering stacks of space.

A sitting room and separate diner, leading to a substantial kitchen.

There's a roomy bathroom and two bedrooms, plus a beautifully converted loft.

- [Kirstie] And the back garden even has an outstanding outhouse.

It's just over budget with a guide price of 250,000 pounds.

But I've got inside info there's room for negotiation.

- [Phil] Not even a bit of rain could put a dampener on this place.

- This weather is playing havoc with my hair.

- [Phil] Yes, mine too, Kirstie.

- Is that you two?

- Hello!

- Come on in.

Come on in.

Come on in.

Come on in.

- Thank you.

- I'm not standing out in the rain.

You may like your hair frizzy, Gemma, but I don't.

So this is a much bigger house.

- [Gemma] Yes, it is.

- Gemma's face is not good, Barney.

What on earth has been going on?

- We do like one of the other houses.

- Oh, right.

Okay.

- And stuff that we've... Just from we discussed stuff last night.

- Before you tell me anything, I do want you to see this house.

Go, go, go.

Go, go.

- [Phil] Gemma's reluctant, she's obviously fallen hard for one of yesterday's properties.

- [Kirstie] She needs to keep her sensible head on or she won't see what great space this place could offer them.

- It's quite big in here as well.

- And I like the arch going through.

- [Kirstie] The outside space should impress them too.

- [Barney] Oh, that's cool.

- [Kirstie] Whoa, look at all of this storage space.

- [Barney] Now you could definitely build a bar in here.

- Gemma doesn't want see any more houses.

Her face when she came in, she is so set.

I think it's house number one, and she just wants to go and get that one.

Oh.

Oh well, you reap what you sow.

I've created a monster.

- [Phil] Gemma does seem ferociously fixed on somewhere else, but maybe this place isn't dead in the water yet.

- This is amazing.

- It's quite big.

- This is such a nice bright room.

- [Barney] Yeah, it is good, isn't it?

- So this was unexpected, wasn't it?

- Yes.

- Yes.

It was.

- It's... - So has it changed your view?

- It's very big.

- It would take time to grow out of this house.

- I think we might be rattling around in all the space, just the two of us, and we don't have any immediate plans to expand.

- That's fine.

You've just broken your mother's heart.

Right, this house is too big, too scary, it's a future house.

- [Gemma] Yes.

- That leaves us with two houses, one of which you are very keen on.

- [Gemma] Yeah.

- [Kirstie] Property one, the cozy cute two bed in Southborough has lodged in their hearts.

So back we go.

- [Phil] Right now I'd be happy to win over either head or hearts with Gemma and Robin.

With shifting priorities between curb appeal, character and commute I can't get them a more central spot for their budget.

So I need to find a house that will wow them.

And I think I've found it in Southborough, a patch of Tunbridge Wells they're not familiar with.

- [Kirstie] This spot is perfect for their family now and in the future, with nurseries and schools nearby, plus Robin's commute is still just over an hour.

- In the UK the average cost of moving house is over eight grand.

So I've found this stunning, spacious, Victorian semi which could last them long term.

And to help my pair see the benefits here I've invited Madam Allsopp along.

Given that we've come from somewhere that needed decorating I also wanted to show you somewhere in Tunbridge Wells that was completely done.

- [Robin] Okay.

It's very pretty.

- [Gemma] Yeah, it's a very pretty house.

- Interestingly it's owned by a couple who are moving back to Australia after four years.

- [Gemma] Oh, wow.

- So sort of... - Reverse.

- Reverse.

- Yes.

- Which means there's no chain.

- Okay.

(gentle music) - [Phil] This house is a jewel in the crown of Royal Tunbridge Wells.

It's the biggest I've shown them and needs no polishing up.

- [Kirstie] Blessed with two reception rooms, a large kitchen diner and conservatory.

It has five bedrooms and two bathrooms, all stylish and characterful.

- On at a guide price of between 550 and 575,000, it's at the top of Gemma and Robin's budget.

It's completely finished.

- Yeah.

- Yeah.

- [Phil] And done up.

- They've kept all the features.

- I like the way it's been done.

Nice fireplace.

- Yeah.

- PVC windows, a bit of a shame.

- [Kirstie] Oh, don't get me started.

- No, please, don't.

Gemma and Robin wouldn't need to lift a finger here, it's been beautifully renovated throughout.

There have been times over the last few days where you've mentioned, oh, that needs painting or that needs doing, almost as though it was a negative.

So I'm interested in your thoughts here where you don't have to do anything and whether that's actually quite attractive?

- Yeah.

I mean, certainly the amount of stuff we'd have to do to this is quite minimal.

So that is attractive.

- The flawless finish is winning them over and the space on offer also packs a punch.

You a gym man?

- Not so much.

No, but I've dreamt about having a basement.

So this is- - Really?

- This is great.

Yeah.

- What have you dreamt of doing in the basement?

- Having a workshop in my house so I can learn carpentry and have that as a hobby during retirement.

Yeah, that's another option for this.

If Gemma will let me.

- Remind me how old you are, Robin.

- [Robin] Only 30.

- [Phil] Nice to see he's thinking of the long term.

Upstairs I'm showing Gemma a heavenly place she could lay her head.

- This is massive.

I think it's beautiful.

All the features, even down to the colors of the walls, are just exactly what I would want in our house.

But we don't know a lot about this area.

- But I'm gonna bring you back to what we said at the beginning, which was- - [Gemma] It's the house.

- And we're seeing a few houses that you like.

- Mm-hmm.

- But then we start talking about commutes or areas.

- Yeah.

I suppose 'cause we haven't been really fixed with our area.

Coming back from Singapore we don't really know where's good, where's not good.

- [Kirstie] Dream house nailed, especially for Gemma.

- But is that enough for reticent Robin to make it their home?

- I suppose you've thrown the cat among the pigeons with this.

- I can picture us just moving in.

- In this house?

- Yeah.

- Yeah.

- It's an amazing house.

Unless there's something just like this in the center of town within our budget?

- Well I don't blame you for trying, or asking, but the answer's no.

- [Gemma] No.

- Have you really looked hard enough, Phil?

- There was a 1930s semis that came on the market at 550 and sold for 600.

- Wow.

- Yeah.

- That was in pretty ordinary condition.

- Okay, I'll shut up.

- Thank you.

(Phil laughing) - [Kirstie] I never really doubted you.

Touche.

- [Phil] Maybe not, but I sense Robin's doubting this house.

(upbeat music) (upbeat music) - [Kirstie] We're in glorious Kent, my fledgling first time buyers, Gemma and Barney, have taken a fancy to the first house they saw.

- My Gemma fell for the style and space of the last property I showed her and Robin in Southborough.

But reliant on Robin feeling the love I'm going to try and convince him on the area.

So being a little bit further out of main Tunbridge Wells you've got woods and you've got parks and you've got, you know, lovely places to walk.

And a pond.

- And a pond.

- [Gemma] Mm.

- You are between the village life and the town life.

It's got elements of both.

- Yeah, it's really nice.

And it's making the case for Southborough a lot stronger for me.

- Yeah, I think the area's got a lot going for it.

It's whether it works with my work, I suppose, and the commute.

- [Phil] Southborough's massively floating Gemma's boat, but the 15 minute walk to the train station has Robin in a flap.

- [Kirstie] Will a second visit to the property be enough to win him over.

- It's really nice to be, you know, back in the house.

And, you know, talking about the house last night I saw this room as Beatrice's playroom.

- [Phil] Gemma's practically moved in.

- [Kirstie] But Robin doesn't seem sold on feathering this nest just yet.

- I love it.

- Yeah?

- But it's, you know, it's for us to... Well, for you to take the walk to the train station.

- I'm still finding Robin just a little bit difficult to read.

He's a lawyer so probably playing his cards close to his chest.

Gemma, on the other hand, is being very imaginative about picturing the family living here and...

But I'm just not sure about Robin yet.

Don't know how this is gonna go.

- [Kirstie] And if they don't make some fast decisions that potentially perfect house could go.

- Well hopefully that was useful.

- [Kirstie] Over with Barney and Gemma, they already know and love Southborough and fell for the feeling of property one.

So we're back to re-evaluate its pros and cons.

How does it feel out on that road?

- As noisy as I remember, no surprises there.

- Which is the bit that you're both interested in seeing again?

- It was the case of just checking it all over once more so that we're definite, which I think we are already just being in here.

It just feels good.

- [Phil] They've still got that loving feeling.

- [Kirstie] But second viewings are all about the practicalities, and here it's whether they can compromise on the busy road?

- You can hear it, but it's not...

I can't hear anything now.

But we... You're quite a heavy sleeper as well, aren't you?

- [Phil] I think they want it.

- If they do, we have to keep our cool.

It's fresh to the market with a guide price of 240,000 pounds and it has an open day in 48 hours.

So you're settled here now?

- Yes, we do.

- I don't think anything's changed.

- Yeah.

- We like it.

- Yeah, we do like it.

- But what I am gonna do, just...

There's no time like the present, I'm going to see if we can put in an early offer and get this house off the market.

Phil, it's Kirstie Allsopp.

- [Phil] While Miss.

Marple does some digging, my search for Gemma and Robin's dream family home has come to an end.

But has Gemma's affection for the five bed in Southborough rubbed off on her other half?

- It's got a lot going for it.

It just feels a little bit like we're on the outskirts of Tunbridge Wells.

- Mm, you are.

- And the place, although it's got a few shops, doesn't really kind of have a center or an identity.

You know, it's a bit of a walk to the station.

It just doesn't quite achieve what we're hoping, I suppose.

- Living in central Tunbridge Wells is not going to offer the quintessential English life with a veg patch and all that goes with that.

- And I think the reality of actually viewing these houses has made us realize we're not quite at that stage.

- [Kirstie] I've got a horrible feeling they've ruled out their dream home.

- Are you now saying it's the area, not the house?

- It's both.

- No, it can't be both.

It can't be both because you'll still be crunching this through in six months time and it'll cost you another 5%.

- We don't need our dream home right now.

You know, we only need two bedrooms really.

- But I was trying to find your dream home.

I've just been looking for your dream home.

Well, I wish you the best of luck.

I really do.

- Thank you.

- Just keep the momentum.

Keep momentum, keep out there.

Don't leave it too long because it's hot out there.

- Yeah.

- Yeah.

- [Phil] We showed them just what they asked for, but it turns out it's just not what they want.

- Oh, Phil, I feel your frustration.

Over with Barney and Gemma it's down to me to find a way to secure this house for them on at a guide price of 240 grand before the open day.

Right.

Okie doke.

As you probably know, their top budget is 245.

So I think the question of canceling it for 250 is not open to us.

And I know that 70% of the people who are looking at that house will also be first time buyers.

The only thing in my client's advantage is they really don't have to give anyone notice and they really can wait until your clients find somewhere else to go and they can move entirely flexibly.

I think probably the best thing to do is for them to wait until after the open day and see how it goes.

Thank you.

Bye.

You probably gathered from that conversation that only 250 would get the open day canceled.

If we were to offer their max of 245,000 before the open day, it would just set a price precedent for others.

In which case we don't do anything.

If all those people see it on Saturday and no one's made an offer by the end of Saturday, then we're on a level playing field.

- [Barney] Yeah.

- They've seen it.

You've seen it.

Then you are the first people to make an offer.

- Yeah, it's the best place to be, isn't it for us?

- Yeah.

We're just gonna have to cross our fingers and really, really, really pray that people don't get ridiculously overexcited on Saturday.

- Fingers crossed.

- Fingers crossed.

(gentle music) - Three months later and Gemma and Barney are hosting a housewarming barbecue, but not at the house I showed them.

As feared that got snapped up for just shy of 250,000 after the open day.

- [Phil] But simultaneously this two bed came on right around the corner.

Wasting no time they lept on it, securing it under budget, and it's now been home for almost a week.

- It does feel like we're on a vacation at the moment.

It feels like we're borrowing the house.

- It's quite surreal, isn't it?

- [Kirstie] But it is theirs, and on their very first night up came the sitting room carpet to expose the floorboards.

- And then we just sat and had a Chinese on our camping chairs with a bottle of cheap bubbly.

- My mum brought us that bubbly.

- Oh, nice bubbly.

- Eventually it will feel like home and ours.

But we're just so grateful and so happy really.

- [Kirstie] If they're happy, I'm happy.

- [Phil] But what of Gemma and Robin and baby Beatrice?

- We absolutely loved our time with Phil, it made us really realize that location was a hell of a lot more important than we had first considered.

- [Phil] So with no compromise on location and no compromise on the house that only left them one way forward.

They increased their borrowing by 60 grand, which gave them enough for this three bed less than 10 minutes from the station in Tunbridge Wells.

- It ticks every box.

It works as a family home and it works really well, you know, for work as well.

- It's the perfect property.

We've found our ideal family home in a very quick period of time.

So it's just been brilliant.

- [Phil] So they're longed for home on British soil cost them a little more than they hoped, but they're happy.

And, of course, if I'd had that budget this is precisely the kind of place I'd have shown them.

- We don't blame Phil for not finding it for us, it's fine.

It just wasn't on the market at that time.

- [Phil] Thank you, Robin.

All's well that ends well.

I'm just pleased they finally realized what was important to them and are now happily settled.

(upbeat music)