Escape to the Country presenter Ginny Buckley was on a mission to help Mark and Sue, a couple from Bow in east London, find their dream getaway in Somerset.
Their first viewing held promise, with a charming, character-filled house situated in a quiet cul-de-sac on Yeovil’s western edge. At first glance, the property looked like a perfect fit.
Ginny asked, “What are your first thoughts?” Sue responded, “Impressive, a nice-looking house.” Mark added, “It has a lot of character and has been done really nicely.”
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Inside, Ginny highlighted the spacious interior compared to their previous two-bedroom London flat. “This L-shaped detached home, built in 1975 with reconstituted stone, features characterful details throughout. From the hallway, all rooms radiate out.”
Sue noted the kitchen was “about six times as big” as their current one. Ginny invited them to explore an extension added at the back to open up the space with high ceilings and views on three sides into the garden.
Sue was enthusiastic: “I can imagine sitting here; it’s lovely to have different areas but still be in the same room.”
However, upstairs, the master bedroom failed to impress. Sue found it lacked the personalization and warmth of downstairs, likening it to a plain hotel room. Mark commented on its small size compared to the spacious ground floor.
Attempting to maintain positive momentum, Ginny led them to the garden. She outlined the features: an integral garage, gardens on three sides, and a large deck seating area off the extension.
When asked if the garden met their expectations, Mark admitted, “It’s a tad small.” Sue quickly agreed, saying, “Quite a lot smaller. We’re looking for significantly more space.”
Ginny acknowledged that the extension had taken up much of the garden space, while Sue firmly stated, “I don’t think it’s big enough for what we’re after.”
Ginny clarified, “I thought since you were coming from a flat, you might not want too much garden, but if you’re going to do it, do it properly.”
Discussing price, Mark guessed £425,000 and Sue £410,000, but Ginny revealed the listing price was £450,000—right on their budget’s limit.
After a second walkthrough, the couple concluded, “Downstairs is perfect and we really like it. If only we could find a similar house with a bigger garden, that would be ideal.”
Escape to the Country airs weekdays at 3pm on BBC One.