Sonali Shah tours the East Midlands in search of a property to suit buyers who have lived in the USA for the last 23 years.
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00:00Escaping to the country and finding that dream home is a more familiar process than many
00:07of our escapees might think.
00:10It's like dating.
00:11When you know you know.
00:12Yes, you weren't very good on paper.
00:17Look past the blurb and the brochures and listen to your heart.
00:21I'm just amazed.
00:22I've never been inside a barn conversion before.
00:24Have you not?
00:25No, it's really...
00:26I didn't realise that.
00:27It's kind of startling really.
00:29And have faith that when you hit the jackpot.
00:32It's just gorgeous.
00:33I can't think of anything I don't like about this place.
00:35Well done.
00:37You won't be able to think about anything else.
00:40But my heart's just not here.
00:41Yeah, I know where it is.
00:43I think it's at our last property, isn't it?
00:45That's right.
00:59England's rural East Midlands, 6,000 square miles of prime English countryside and coastline,
01:16sprinkled with honey-hued villages and flourishing market towns.
01:22This region doesn't boast about its many treasures, but know where to look and you will unearth
01:28some real gems.
01:30The lovely counties of the East Midlands are largely and in no particular order Derbyshire,
01:36Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire, Northamptonshire and saving the littlest until
01:42last Rutland, where I am now.
01:44And you don't need me to tell you what they say about good things and small packages,
01:48do you?
01:51Today we'll be exploring the East Midlands counties of Lincolnshire and Leicestershire
01:56as well as Rutland, whose motto is Multum in Parvo, meaning much in little.
02:03And certainly the county, only some 17 miles wide, squeezes a lot inside its border.
02:11The main beauty of Rutland is in the countryside.
02:13We've got Rutland Water, which is only two, three miles from here, which attracts a lot
02:17of bird watchers, a lot of cyclists, a lot of nature parks as well.
02:20There's a lot of rolling hills in the area.
02:24The county town of Oakham attracts many suitors, with families particularly drawn to the outdoor
02:29lifestyle, green space, good schools and wealth of period properties on offer.
02:35I feel so lucky to have grown up in this area.
02:38The countryside is just beautiful and there's so much to constantly explore and discover.
02:44It's such an incredible place to live, work and play.
02:48In neighbouring Leicestershire, set foot in the village of Waltham-on-the-Walds and you
02:52could be forgiven for thinking you've landed in the Cotswolds.
02:57Fudge-coloured stone buildings abound and the pace of life here, well trust me when
03:02I say you'll breathe easy.
03:09And so too today's couple, who are undertaking a major change.
03:13They are moving from America for good, for the countryside splendour of the rural East Midlands.
03:20Hello, my name's Jo.
03:21This is our beautiful home just outside Charlottesville in Virginia by the Blue Ridge Mountains.
03:27And I'm Tim and we have enjoyed living here for the last six or so years.
03:31There's lots of nature around and lots of trails to walk on, but our community has grown
03:36quite a bit in the last couple of years.
03:38There's probably, oh, maybe seven or eight new houses just on our street alone.
03:41So we've lost a little bit of the natural element here and so we're anxious to find
03:46that in rural England.
03:49Tim was born and bred in the States, whilst Jo, originally from London, has lived there
03:54for the past 23 years.
03:57In 2020, they built their own home.
04:01This large four-bed detached property in a gated golf community has allowed Tim to indulge
04:07in his greatest passion.
04:10Absolutely loves golf and has enjoyed all the beautiful courses around here.
04:16He's really looking forward to joining his English club, joining the men's group and
04:21of course has already bought his waterproofs.
04:26Good shot!
04:29It's a three and a half thousand mile move across the Atlantic, but Tim and Jo have a
04:34crystal clear vision of how their new lifestyle in rural England will look.
04:40Countryside walks and pub lunches and quiz nights at the pub and just enjoying the community
04:45of a small rural village.
04:49Jo and Tim want a detached character property with a minimum of three bedrooms and three
04:55bathrooms.
04:56They're also after a garden room, at least half an acre of land and to live in or very
05:02near to a village community.
05:05With the sale of their stateside home complete, they're fortunate to have a substantial budget
05:10of one and a half million pounds to spend on their new country pad.
05:20I do wonder how much of a culture shock it'll be.
05:23They're wanting a villagey life here and that will be quite different to that sort of community
05:33that they were living with in the States, but they're obviously a couple who are up
05:39for an adventure and know what they want and they're willing to go for it.
05:44Having sold their home in the States, Jo and Tim landed in the UK just last week and have
05:50taken a six month rental in Rutland.
05:53I'm meeting them at one of the county's top tourist destinations, Rutland Water, one of
05:59the largest man-made lakes in Europe.
06:02Jo, the first thing I need to do is check that you're alright because I've heard a
06:07rumour that you missed the wet weather of Britain.
06:10I miss my wellies, absolutely.
06:13In fact, when you're gardening and it's 110 degrees, you miss a little slush and mud.
06:19Apart from the weather, what else were you yearning for?
06:22Oh, a real garden.
06:24It's nothing like an English garden in spring and summer.
06:27This is quite a dramatic move.
06:29Why the East Midlands in particular?
06:31Location is perfect for us because there's so many parts of the UK that we want to explore
06:35and it's really sort of a central location and close enough to Joanna's mum and cousins
06:39and other family members, so it's really an ideal location.
06:42I just need to find you some houses, don't I?
06:45Yes, you do.
06:46Shall we head off?
06:47Let's go.
06:48Yay!
06:49Our East Midlands odyssey begins in the county of Lincolnshire in the hamlet of Lenton.
06:57It's three and a half miles from the picturesque estate village of Urnham, which has remained
07:02virtually unchanged for the past hundred years and whose award-winning pub is very
07:08much at the centre of village life.
07:11An eight-minute drive from Urnham, in an idyllic rural setting, sits our first offering, this
07:17exemplary barn conversion.
07:20Oh my gosh, fantastic, wow.
07:26I'm very surprised.
07:28This is super.
07:30It's peaceful, it's real character, isn't it, it's just stunning.
07:36Stunning views after the distance as well, just beautiful.
07:40Really does look modern, but lots of character too.
07:43So much character to it.
07:44Yes, this is very English.
07:47Very unique.
07:48Or very un-American, one or the other.
07:51Non-American.
07:52Non-American, but hopefully right for your American.
07:55Absolutely.
07:56There you go.
07:57Let's have a look.
07:58Let's head in.
07:59The barn was built in the late 1800s and was converted into a luxury family home about
08:05seven years ago.
08:07Shall we go across the bridge?
08:09I think so.
08:11It's thought to be one of the last apprentice barns built in the county and features a high
08:18level of craftsmanship with exposed roof trusses and beautifully blended stone and brickwork,
08:26all skills that apprentice builders had to demonstrate before they qualified.
08:31All that character has been retained in this contemporary conversion that has 360-degree
08:37views of the surrounding countryside.
08:40And as is the way in the country, we're coming through the back.
08:44Isn't that lovely, look at the brick and the beams.
08:48That's as beautiful inside as it is out.
08:50Very lovely, super.
08:51It is.
08:52It's a beautiful kitchen, but you just keep looking out there, don't you?
08:55It really is.
08:56I can't wait to see more.
08:57Look at those, the beams are just beautiful.
09:00With a property this size and a kitchen this size, you're going to be very, very popular.
09:07These steps lead down to a utility room and laundry, whilst the other end of the kitchen
09:12is given over to a dining space, which leads through to a reception room.
09:17So this is a sort of adaptable space, office, it could be a gym, it could be a dining room
09:23if you wanted something separate, or a snug area.
09:26It continues on to this spectacular entrance hall and garden room that sits in the very
09:32centre of the property and looks across the south-facing courtyard.
09:38This is the money shot.
09:40I think we need to begin here, look at that.
09:42And they've just kept so much of the character too.
09:44Yes.
09:45This is super, and again, the ceilings for you don't feel...
09:49I'd have to jump pretty high to hit that ceiling.
09:51Absolutely.
09:52I was going to say, you could just while away the days and never leave, couldn't you?
09:57And we still have another wing to use.
09:59At the wings.
10:00Super.
10:01What a lovely entryway as well.
10:04You were talking about snug earlier, I mean, this is larger than a snug.
10:08This definitely does have more of the cosy feel, doesn't it?
10:12You really...
10:13Bearing in mind it's not going to be summer all the time in England.
10:17That's right.
10:18The owners tell me it's a particularly cosy room in winter,
10:22courtesy of this unique pyramid log burner.
10:26I'm just amazed.
10:27I've never been inside a barn conversion before.
10:29Have you not?
10:30No, it's really...
10:31I didn't realise that.
10:32It's kind of startling, really.
10:33That's awesome.
10:34Well, what do you make of it?
10:35First impressions.
10:36Well, I think it's just, as I say, it's done to such a high standard.
10:41The remainder of the ground floor is accessed via this door from the living room.
10:45It leads to another wing,
10:47which I think would make rather impressive guest accommodation.
10:51This is a nice room, isn't it?
10:53Beautiful view again.
10:54Views all the way round.
10:56I love these floors.
10:57Shall we have a...
10:58Nosey?
10:59Nosey in, if we can.
11:01Oh, my goodness!
11:03It's not a closet at all.
11:04It is not a...
11:05Look at this.
11:06Wow, how...
11:07It's like a hidden oasis, isn't it?
11:09It is.
11:10Oh, my goodness.
11:11It's absolutely like a spa.
11:15Next door, there's another reception room.
11:18Oh, my gosh.
11:19Oh, here's...
11:20So, a bit of a kitchenette for our guests.
11:23Sure, you could set up a little coffee service for them
11:25so they can take care of themselves in the morning.
11:27A red sofa and chairs would be very nice in this room, wouldn't it?
11:31I think so, yeah.
11:33Another double bedroom, presently in use as a twin,
11:36has sole use of this elegant bathroom next door,
11:40and these stairs lead up to an en suite double above.
11:44Of course, I've saved the best till last.
11:47What could be Joe and Tim's sleeping quarters
11:49is accessed from these stairs in the kitchen.
11:53I can't believe there's more of it.
11:56You've always wanted your own living room, right?
11:59It's just about my size, I think.
12:01Well, it prohibits me from going in.
12:03Yes, that's right, it would be Joanna only.
12:05Oh, my gosh.
12:06And then this is the master suite.
12:08Oh, gosh.
12:09Isn't this super again?
12:10It is.
12:11Shall we go and explore further?
12:14An en suite with a little steam room at the end.
12:17Oh, my God, the spa, the steam room.
12:20It really is all so beautifully put together.
12:23It does start to feel almost, with the two wings,
12:26it becomes a lot.
12:27It's almost too much.
12:28Yes, too much space for us.
12:30I literally could put you in a different wing and never see you.
12:33I think you could.
12:34Don't worry, because that's what the first house is about.
12:37The first house is about, actually, what do I really want?
12:41Because you can have something on paper, but in reality,
12:44it's like dating.
12:46When you know, you know.
12:47Yes, you weren't very good on paper.
12:51She said it.
12:54The property sits in the middle of a 1.25-acre plot,
12:57which includes the south-facing courtyard,
13:00plus large expanses of lawns and borders to the north, east and west.
13:07It really is 1.25 of wonderful, isn't it?
13:10They've used the space perfectly.
13:12Absolutely, absolutely.
13:13Creating separate areas and, yeah, it's gorgeous.
13:16I sense a but.
13:17A but?
13:18I think it would be almost too wonderful for me, too big for me.
13:23So you've done too good a job, I think that's what I'm saying.
13:26Again, inside and out.
13:27What about the price?
13:29OK, I am going to say 1.25.
13:36I think it's a little higher than that, I think 1.3.
13:40It is currently on the market for £1.4 million.
13:44I can understand why, with all that space as well inside.
13:47Absolutely.
13:49This exquisite detached Victorian barn conversion
13:53boasts an enormous kitchen breakfast room, three receptions
13:57and a stunning garden room, with three spacious double bedrooms,
14:01three opulent bathrooms and a luxurious master suite.
14:06Sitting in the middle of a one and a quarter acre plot
14:09with 360 degree views of the surrounding countryside,
14:13it's on the market with a guide price of £1.4 million.
14:18This house really surprised me a lot.
14:20I'd never been in a barn conversion before
14:22and I was really kind of stunned by the way it's laid out
14:24and how well done it was done.
14:26The grounds are just absolutely stunning.
14:28I'm just afraid that it's a little bit too much for us.
14:31It would be a full time job for Joanna
14:33and she wants to devote herself to other things than just gardening.
14:36The other thing is it might be a little bit too remote for us.
14:39This home is absolutely beautiful.
14:41The feels, the views here are just fantastic.
14:45The house was warm and cosy, but maybe just a little bit too much for us
14:51but it's an amazing start.
14:59Last year, the Rutland market town of Uppingham
15:03was voted by a national newspaper
15:05as the best place to live in the East Midlands.
15:09Only right then that we send Tim and Jo
15:12to find out what the fuss is all about.
15:15Beautiful building, isn't it?
15:17It sure is.
15:19Of Rutland's two towns, Uppingham is the smaller,
15:23but as the 5,000 strong community will tell you,
15:27it packs a punch.
15:29Uppingham is a fantastic place to live.
15:31We've got everything, independent shops, antique centres,
15:35theatres, cafes.
15:38We're near Rutland Water.
15:40The marketplace was still very much a market town.
15:42We have a market every Friday.
15:44It really is a very, very friendly place to live.
15:48Chock full of period stone buildings,
15:51the High Street is notable for the fact
15:53that independent businesses vastly outnumber High Street chains.
15:58Look at all those lovely grounds.
16:02At the Falcon Hotel, originally a 16th-century coaching inn,
16:07Tim and Jo are meeting local radio presenter Rob Persani,
16:11who's most happy to give our couple the lowdown on life here.
16:15So what does keep you in Uppingham?
16:18What do you like about the area specifically?
16:20I think it's just got an amazing sense of history
16:22and it works in all weathers.
16:24We've got beautiful sunny day today, but in the snow it is so magical.
16:28It is literally like Dickensian down the High Street.
16:31It's just beautiful.
16:32And I think it's just got such a wonderful blend.
16:34I mean, the amount of shops here is staggering for such a small area.
16:38So this really is the hub of the county?
16:41Yeah, I'd say so.
16:42Certainly within five or ten miles,
16:44people come here, particularly on market day,
16:46at the weekend when there's festivals on.
16:48It's got such a range of things to do.
16:50I mean, the art galleries are as good as anything in London.
16:53Oh, my God.
16:54The variety of antique shops, the places to eat.
16:57There's so much here.
16:58I think we're going to be very busy.
17:01Schools?
17:02Uppingham ticks that box with the State Primary and Secondary
17:06both rated good by Ofsted,
17:08plus a prestigious independent school,
17:11the backdrop for several scenes in the Harry Potter films.
17:15The nearest train station is in Oakham, six miles north,
17:19and the A47 will get you to the cities of Peterborough to the east
17:23and Leicester to the west in around 40 minutes.
17:27It's just a beautiful place to live.
17:29It's a fantastic community, very, very friendly.
17:32I'm ten minutes from the town centre,
17:34and ten minutes later, I'm out in the wilderness.
17:37We've got everything that the Cotswolds have,
17:40but we don't have, we're not overrun with tourists.
17:44It is a unique place.
17:46I've yet to find anywhere that comes anywhere close to it.
17:57What I'm seeing so far is that this move for Joe and Tim
18:01isn't really about the property.
18:03It's about its location and the kind of life that location will offer.
18:08So that is my focus for today.
18:11I want to show them a little bit more life.
18:13Coming up, we have the mystery house,
18:15which will need a little bit of vision from them.
18:18So far, I have kind of handed them things on a plate.
18:22But before that, I'm going to reel them in
18:25with something that should feel very familiar
18:27with a sprinkling of English charm.
18:31We're making our way to the sought-after Leicestershire village of Hose
18:35in the Vale of Beaver.
18:37The 500 or so residents are well served by a church,
18:41a village hall which hosts the tennis and badminton clubs,
18:44a post office and shop, plus a pub.
18:48Just a two-minute walk from which is where we find this gated development.
18:53It's far smaller than the one they left behind in America,
18:56housing just a handful of residences, including this one,
19:01a lavishly appointed detached family home on a prime corner plot.
19:08Look at this.
19:11Tucked into a private little corner.
19:13I think you've pointed out what is great about this house,
19:16that you are within a community here, but it's your own little corner.
19:20It is, isn't it? It's beautiful.
19:22The brick is fabulous and the planters.
19:25It's really, really well done.
19:27Super. Love it.
19:28Yeah.
19:29It's just terrific. Our own little peaceful corner.
19:31Little corner, yeah. It's great.
19:33And hopefully, I'm getting you onside by being in a village.
19:37You can walk to your local shop, you can walk to your friends' houses,
19:41go and get the paper, all those things.
19:43I bet there's a pub lurking around somewhere.
19:45There is. Oh, good, good.
19:48The house was built 13 years ago by a well-regarded local building company
19:53who designed it in a barn conversion style.
19:57Oh, really fantastic.
19:59Love the floors. Love the floors, love the wood.
20:02Staircase.
20:04Imagine the Christmas decorations already.
20:06Yep.
20:07This instantly feels more like us because it's more cosy and intimate.
20:10It does.
20:11And it feels like we could have a great amount of space
20:14but not feel lost, just the two of us.
20:16Very much so. Wonderful.
20:18Let's see more.
20:19Oh, look at this room.
20:22Isn't that a beautiful fireplace?
20:24I can see us in here, can't you?
20:25Oh, my gosh.
20:26Yeah. Beautiful.
20:27Everything about this.
20:29Like each of the ground floor rooms that overlook the rear garden,
20:33the living room has a set of double doors that open straight out onto it.
20:38Kitchen's just across the hallway.
20:40Make yourself at home.
20:42They already have.
20:45Oh, this is a lovely size.
20:48I like the variety of materials.
20:50The different surfaces and the counters and the wood over there.
20:53That's right. Heating area.
20:55And the sofas are beautiful over there
20:57but we could have that kitchen table with the blue chairs.
21:00There's even the fireplace in the corner.
21:03It feels big but cosy all at the same time.
21:07It's literally got everything.
21:09And the character throughout with the flooring and the wood.
21:12It's just gorgeous.
21:13I can't think of anything I don't like about this place.
21:16Well done.
21:19That, viewers, is my first ever escape to the country fist bump
21:23and it tells me we could be on to a winner here.
21:26I love that they're happy and I love that they feel at home in here.
21:30We knew that the location would be great for them
21:33but the fact that everything's working inside too.
21:35Tick, tick, tick, tick, tick.
21:38The rest of the ground floor is given over to a second large reception room
21:42in use as a games room and gym.
21:45Oh, my gosh. Wow.
21:47There's so many things you could do with this space.
21:49Well, this would make a great media room, wouldn't it?
21:51It would.
21:52Oh, my God.
21:53You would love it.
21:55The stairs rise up to this very spacious galleried landing.
21:59Wonderful. It is.
22:00Absolutely wonderful.
22:02Of which are four bedrooms.
22:04This one, the largest, has a spacious en suite bathroom
22:08with separate bath and shower and a dressing room.
22:12Ooh, so this could be our room.
22:14Oh, definitely so, yeah.
22:15Looks like there's a balcony out there.
22:17A balcony to look out on the garden. That's gorgeous.
22:20The garden, oh, my gosh.
22:21Have your morning coffee out there.
22:23And sweeping views of the countryside too.
22:27There's another similar-sized double, also en suite, next door.
22:32Cupboards, I presume.
22:33Yeah.
22:34Oh, and this is a beautiful room too.
22:36Oh, my gosh.
22:37This could even be a master.
22:38It could be, couldn't it?
22:40This is super.
22:42I'm absolutely loving the enthusiasm.
22:45It's so heartwarming.
22:46And, there you go.
22:47Oh, my gosh.
22:49I had a feeling that location would certainly win them over,
22:53especially Tim.
22:55But it's great that the house is working for them too,
22:58more than working.
22:59It's feeling like a great fit.
23:01So this feels really more like it fits us, doesn't it?
23:04It does.
23:05I think it's of a size where it's not going to take all our time
23:07to keep it up.
23:08We'll be able to pursue it.
23:09That's right.
23:10So it just fits.
23:12There are two further double bedrooms on the first floor,
23:15each with an en suite shower.
23:17And then, on the second floor, two more double bedrooms
23:21which share a family bathroom.
23:24Outside, there's just over half an acre of garden.
23:28It might be the smallest we've seen to date,
23:31but it packs a lot in with a huge expanse
23:34of beautifully maintained lawn.
23:36A polished stone terrace for alfresco dining.
23:40And a petanque pitch, used regularly by the vendors
23:43during family get-togethers.
23:46Tucked around the side of the house
23:48lies a wonderful kitchen garden, which includes...
23:52Hens!
23:54Hens!
23:55Oh!
23:58Hens and pots and greenhouses.
24:00We're in a village and the country.
24:02You have this little corner all to yourself?
24:04I could.
24:05With the hens.
24:06And the church.
24:07There's the church.
24:08Isn't that fantastic?
24:09Perfect.
24:10Yes.
24:12There's just one final piece of the jigsaw to slot into place.
24:17We've got to get down to business.
24:19That's true.
24:20And talk about price.
24:21I'm going to say the top.
24:231.5.
24:241.5?
24:251.5.
24:261.5.
24:271.5.
24:281.5.
24:291.5.
24:301.5.
24:311.5.
24:32Absolutely.
24:33I don't disagree.
24:34I'm going to go a little bit lower just for drill and say 1.4.
24:37It is currently on the market for £1.35 million.
24:42I'd have enough money to paint, too.
24:44It's a very attractive price.
24:46Excellent, yes.
24:47This contemporary luxury family home
24:50has two reception rooms, a spacious family kitchen
24:54and six bedrooms, four of which are en suite.
24:57Sitting on a plot of just over half an acre
25:00in an intimate gated development in the centre of the village,
25:04it has a guide price of £1,350,000.
25:09Sonali has hit the nail on the head with this one.
25:12It's fabulous.
25:14The space but the cosiness marrying together is magical.
25:18It really is.
25:19I can really see us living here.
25:21The house offers so much that works for us.
25:24It's really delightful.
25:26Enough so that I'm going to start researching local golf clubs.
25:29Or how about a celebratory game of petanque, Tim?
25:33A little competition.
25:34OK.
25:35Loser buys lunch.
25:36Deal.
25:37Excellent.
25:38All right, here goes.
25:40Oh!
25:41Ooh!
25:42I nearly got to the greenhouse.
25:43Your turn.
25:44All right.
25:48Oh!
25:49Oh!
25:50Not close enough.
25:52Oh!
25:53What?!
25:55Like I've played it all my life.
25:57Zootalo, that's lunch on me then.
26:06The East Midlands is home to over 4 million people
26:09and if you're thinking of joining them,
26:11here's the lowdown on house prices in the region.
26:14When you consider that the average price of a detached house in the UK
26:19is more than £457,000,
26:22then the East Midlands, at around £371,000,
26:27seems to offer more property for your hard-earned pounds.
26:31But buyers, beware.
26:33There are big differences across the region,
26:36with a detached home in Rutland costing, on average, nearly £526,000
26:42compared with Lincolnshire,
26:44where the same house will set you back just over £316,000.
26:53Let's take a look at what's currently on the market
26:56in the most desirable of the East Midlands counties.
27:00This Grade II listed end-of-terrace cottage
27:03has three bedrooms, one reception room and a conservatory.
27:07The rear garden is edged by a crinkle-crankle wall,
27:11that's a wiggly or snake-shaped wall to you and me,
27:14and it could be yours to enjoy for £450,000.
27:20In the heart of Uppingham Town,
27:22this Grade II listed one-bed end-of-terrace cottage
27:26has a lovely large front garden
27:28and is being sold with no onward chain for just under £190,000.
27:35Or how about a short break in this 180-year-old former chapel?
27:41With a contemporary open-plan living, dining room and kitchen,
27:45it sleeps up to four people in the two double bedrooms,
27:48one of which is on a mezzanine floor.
27:51Prices range from £88 to £150 per night,
27:55subject to seasonal demand.
28:01Our property quest takes us into Rutland now,
28:04to Thistleton, the most northerly village in the county.
28:09Its 100 or so residents can fit in
28:12Its 100 or so residents can head to the pretty stone village of Market Overton,
28:18a 30-minute walk or a three-minute drive away
28:21to grab a pint of milk, socialise in the pub
28:24or hop on one of the buses that serve the towns of Oakham,
28:28Melton Mowbray and Stamford.
28:33And now for me to show you this.
28:38Welcome to the Mystery House.
28:40Actually, it's better than that. Mystery Houses.
28:43There are two plots on offer.
28:46Yes, I know they're not finished, but that's the mystery.
28:52This former farmyard is being transformed
28:55to accommodate two barn-conversion-style new-build houses.
28:59The smaller of the two properties will feature
29:02a large open-plan kitchen living space,
29:05a separate utility and four bedrooms.
29:09I'm going to show Tim and Joe around the larger property,
29:12but before I do, I'm meeting brothers Patrick and Jamie Duffin,
29:16who are overseeing the project.
29:18Their local family-run building business has a track record
29:21in constructing small rural developments
29:24and they've kindly agreed to chat to me about this one.
29:28Tell me about the houses. So this is the slightly bigger one.
29:32You're further ahead with this one.
29:34It's a new build that was made or built to look like a barn-conversion.
29:39There are some nice features.
29:41Oak king-post trusses and purlins and whatnot.
29:44Although it's a new build, it was important to try and keep it
29:47looking sort of like a traditional farmyard.
29:49That was the idea behind both plots.
29:53Both properties are fitted with air-source heat pumps
29:56which extract heat from the air outside
29:59to provide consistent heating and hot water.
30:02They use about four times less energy than the most efficient boilers,
30:07slash your heat-carbon footprint by around 70%
30:11and are less costly to maintain.
30:15Welcome, welcome, welcome. Oh, my goodness.
30:18How would you feel about buying something that isn't quite complete?
30:23Well, we've done it before. Yes, we have.
30:25We're masters, so we certainly wouldn't say no.
30:29A new build was not at all what we had in mind.
30:32A new new build. A mystery is to be solved, isn't it?
30:36It may not be what they had in mind, but they are no strangers to it,
30:41having built their previous home in Charlottesville.
30:44Our mystery option offers them a gentler approach.
30:48The hard graft of planning and building is done here,
30:51allowing them to concentrate on the finish.
30:54I have a little bit of help here for you.
30:56Oh, that's your trusted friend as we walk in. OK. Super.
31:01Armed with the floor plan,
31:03we're going to explore the larger four-bed home on offer here.
31:07Once completed, the ground floor will feature a principal bedroom suite,
31:12a family bathroom that serves two further double bedrooms,
31:16a study and a spacious L-shaped open-plan kitchen-dining living area.
31:22It's nice high ceilings, for sure.
31:25Oh, pretty cabinets. Oh, I do like those. Super cabinets.
31:30Oh, isn't that a lovely space? This is a huge space.
31:33Oh, it's massive, isn't it? Very open.
31:36This really is quite similar to our home in Virginia.
31:39It's very open to the kitchen and out.
31:42The open fields are fabulous out to the back.
31:46Now, would the back garden be just to that?
31:50Yeah, that field belongs to someone else.
31:52So, actually, your plot size is out to the side and then out to the front.
31:58Stairs from the open-plan living area lead to further sleeping accommodation.
32:03So, if we go up here, there are two bedrooms, both with en-suite.
32:08Oh, lovely. Nice staircase.
32:12So, one bedroom there with an en-suite. OK.
32:16And the other one here.
32:18And the idea behind the window is that you are lying in bed.
32:22Lying in bed, looking at your... And you wake up to the view.
32:25Up to the view, to the horses right out there.
32:30I'm leaving Tim and Jo to explore on their own,
32:33but it soon becomes evident that Jo can't shake this morning's property from her mind.
32:39I really like the high ceilings, and I think this would be a good-sized room,
32:45but my heart's just not here. Yeah, I know where it is.
32:48I think it's our last property, isn't it? That's right.
32:52In fact, the very thing that I thought would be such a draw,
32:56the chance to take on the design and style of a new-build home,
33:00appears to be the very thing that they just don't want.
33:04I don't know whether it's because we like the last one so much
33:07or whether we're just reacting to the fact that it's another hill to climb with a new build.
33:12That's right. That we've already climbed.
33:14Note to self, Tim and Jo would love a property that is absolutely ready to move into.
33:20They don't want to enter at the development stage.
33:23I think their heart is just somewhere else.
33:25They've seen something they love.
33:27Everything after that is going to be compared to that,
33:30and this just doesn't compare.
33:33But I'm still really intrigued to know how they would price this property.
33:38Who'd like to go first? It's the last throw of the dice.
33:41All right, well, I'll go first.
33:43And I'm going to guess a million on the dot, a million pounds.
33:48I'm going to say a million and fifty.
33:51It's on the market for a little bit more.
33:54This house is on the market for 1,195.
33:59So 1,195,000 pounds, just shy of 1.2 million.
34:05There is a premium on being in England.
34:08But that gives you an indication exactly of what your money can buy where,
34:12and how actually being savvy about crossing borders within the East Midlands can get you more for your money.
34:20This detached, barn-conversion-style new build has an open-plan kitchen, dining, living room,
34:26a study, five bedrooms and a good-sized garden with uninterrupted rural views.
34:32It's on the market for 1,195,000 pounds.
34:38I think these two homes have been beautifully put together.
34:42They're not finished yet, but we already can see the love and the attention that the builder is putting into them.
34:49And they're going to make beautiful homes for some lucky people.
34:52But unfortunately, I think our heart is, I know our heart is somewhere else.
34:58Not for you. No.
35:00A note for me.
35:02Let's head off. My work is done.
35:05The hard work is on you, basically.
35:07Right.
35:12Joe and Tim's move from the States is sizeable, not just in terms of distance,
35:16but culture, lifestyle and, of course, the British weather, all of which can take time to adjust to.
35:22But many have made the move successfully.
35:25To prove that, I'd like to introduce you to Eva and Richard,
35:28who made their great British escape from California six years ago.
35:33Hi, I'm Richard. And I'm Eva, and this is our home in the East Midlands.
35:39British-born Eva had lived in California for 25 years and her American husband, Richard, for 40.
35:46In 2016, they relocated to Leicestershire to be closer to Eva's family.
35:52And I think for me, one of the reasons I wanted to come back to England was to finally get some more rain.
35:57I know that sounds strange, but when you've lived in California in a drought for so many years that we had,
36:04it's just fresh and clean and everything looks alive.
36:09I don't mind the rain, but too frequently it gets in the way of playing golf.
36:13It's not fun playing golf when it's raining, but you still go out and play.
36:18Hmm. A rain-loving Brit and a golf-playing American?
36:22I know, their story sounds familiar. Eva and Richard are basically Joe and Tim, but further down the line.
36:28And it's great to see how much they've been able to achieve in that time.
36:32But you know I want more. I'm in the area, so I thought I'd pop in for a cup of tea and grab some advice from them,
36:38for anyone else thinking of making this move.
36:45Hi, Sonali! Come in!
36:49Hi, Sonali! Come in!
36:51This is gorgeous. Thank you.
36:54I love that you've almost got this house of two halves. You've got the best of both worlds.
36:59Yes. How old is that part?
37:01The first part was built in 1760.
37:04The second half of this house was built in 1850.
37:07And then this one in 2017, 18.
37:11Any more extensions planned or this is it?
37:14No, this is it.
37:16I think four years of construction, we're finished now.
37:20And we're loving living in the house.
37:22When you first started your search, were you looking for that character?
37:26I definitely, if I was going to move back to the UK, I wanted a character property.
37:30But I didn't realise what it would mean to live in a character property.
37:35I think they're very, very dark.
37:37All the rooms, the windows are very small.
37:40It's a very dark environment.
37:43And that's why this, which for us is exactly what we needed after California.
37:48Their house is now a gorgeous blend of rural English charm and California soul.
37:55They're living the dream, but Eva is quite candid about the challenges she faced upon returning to the UK.
38:02And I will say, after living, I think it was 25 years in America,
38:07I found it very, very difficult to adjust.
38:11I think it was the lifestyle, very difficult.
38:14Everything is a little bit more difficult here than it was back in the States.
38:19And what got you through those wobbles?
38:22Part of it was renovating this house because it's something I really enjoy doing.
38:27And then making friends, mixing with the local people in the village
38:32and other villages, getting involved with the community.
38:35I made a lot of friends and they really helped me through the whole process.
38:41And you've just highlighted, actually, that so much about a move isn't actually about the house, is it?
38:47It's about the people around you and who you're connected with.
38:51I think it's the friendships that you make.
38:53It's the community around you. It is.
38:59Those friendships come in both human and animal form.
39:03Little ones for a little one.
39:06Feeding these ponies in the neighbouring field
39:08has become a regular part of Richard's new life in rural England.
39:13And he appears to be very much at home here.
39:16Is there anything about California that you miss in particular?
39:20Well, the only thing I truly miss is I was a West Coast sports fan.
39:24And you can watch West Coast sports here,
39:26but you have to stay up until one or three in the morning or record them.
39:31You've not become a Leicester football fan?
39:33Leicester Tigers, I've been to four of their matches now,
39:38so I'm learning rugby.
39:41It's just an insane sport. It doesn't make sense to me.
39:45They do the same thing our American football players do
39:48without all that protection, including the helmets.
39:51They just bang into each other. It's insane.
39:53Us Brits are made of hardy stuff.
39:55Hardy stuff, indeed. I found that out.
39:57Well, the woman I married is made of hardy stuff.
40:00Do you have any sort of words of wisdom
40:02about what you've learnt over the last six years?
40:04Be patient with it. Be comfortable with the people.
40:08They're all very friendly people.
40:10Don't let anything bother you or get to you
40:13because everything works out in the end
40:16and you'll learn to love the English countryside.
40:19It's just one of the most beautiful places I've ever been.
40:31Time to find out what's next in Tim and Jo's Big Adventure.
40:41I'm going to go straight in.
40:43For the avoidance of doubt,
40:45is it only the house in the village that is on the table?
40:49Yes. I would say definitely so. Absolutely.
40:52The village, as we went through the village and the gates opening,
40:56being part of the community and village was very evident
41:00and then going into that private little place at the back was fantastic.
41:04Just tucked into the corner like that was really, really perfect.
41:08So what's the next move? Going back?
41:10Yeah, I think we'd both like to go back for a second viewing.
41:13Walk around the village, go into the village shop,
41:16go into the pub and the church
41:18to really understand that community that is so important to us a little bit.
41:22Hopefully meet a few locals and smiles.
41:25And then the house.
41:27Spend some time in each room getting the feel of it
41:31and also working out a little bit more of where our furniture would be.
41:35But really today we could envisage ourselves in each room,
41:39which was very exciting.
41:41There's so much available in that property in and out.
41:44It's almost like you have to do an inventory of it
41:47to see what you're all getting.
41:49I mean, it encompasses a lot of different aspects.
41:51Well, all the very best and I look forward to the call.
41:54Thank you. And we want to thank you.
41:56We've had a great week with you.
41:58It's been a tremendous experience with you all.
42:00Thank you for having us too.
42:10I'm so pleased that we were able to play a part
42:13in Tim and Jo's Big Adventure.
42:15Slightly relieved that it was a useful part
42:18because when a move is so big, it can feel overwhelming
42:21and we were able to show them plenty of opportunities
42:24and help focus their search.
42:26Perhaps even, dare I say it, find them the place
42:30that Jo can finally feel at home in.
42:33I wish them the best of British
42:35in that second viewing of the village home
42:38and await some very exciting news.
42:40See you next time.
42:42Tim and Jo did return to the house in the small gated community,
42:46but in the end they decided the village
42:49didn't have everything they were after.
42:51Goes to show that buying a home
42:53takes more than just falling in love with a house.
42:56We wish Jo and Tim all the very best with their continued search.
43:01If you would like to escape to the country in England,
43:04Northern Ireland, Scotland or Wales
43:07and need our help, why not apply online
43:10at bbc.co.uk forward slash take part.
43:19.