Nicki Chapman is on the hunt for a Pembrokeshire property with a holiday let to suit a couple with very different wants and needs. Nicki also visits some entrepreneurs who have turned a derelict farmhouse into a gorgeous home in the county.
Category
😹
FunTranscript
00:00Here on Escape to the Country, we make it our mission to give our buyers what they want.
00:07We can't fault you on this one so far.
00:09So far, so good.
00:11Even when she wants one thing...
00:14You know what they say, happy wife, happy life.
00:16Absolutely.
00:17And he wants another.
00:19Are you getting excited about this house?
00:21The house is lovely.
00:23It felt like it hurt him to say that.
00:27Yeah.
00:29It's one of the trickiest situations to navigate,
00:32but we're on cloud nine when we deliver.
00:35This is Little Dogs.
00:59Pembrokeshire, a magical county
01:04with a rich and vibrant Welsh heritage
01:08that's been hailed as one of the world's best coastal destinations.
01:16Pembrokeshire's amazing national park
01:18follows much of the county's spectacular coastline.
01:22Now, here's a fun fact for you.
01:24At its widest, if you were to head from the coast inland,
01:28it would be around ten miles wide.
01:31The narrowest point, well, if your name's Usain Bolt,
01:35you can get from one side to the other in less than ten seconds.
01:39My advice to you, though, would be to take a more leisurely walk
01:43and really get to enjoy this awe-inspiring scenery.
01:49Pembrokeshire sits in the most south-westerly corner of Wales.
01:54I've lived in Pembrokeshire my whole life.
01:57The great thing about it is it's got so many beautiful beaches.
02:00As a surfer, that's great news for me.
02:02I've also got a great sense of community here, and I love it.
02:07The 186-mile coastal path boasts 52 beaches
02:12and is dotted with towns and villages from yesteryear.
02:18Tenby, in south Pembrokeshire,
02:20has a pretty harbour topped with brightly coloured Georgian houses,
02:24many of which will set you back at least a cool £1 million.
02:31In the north of the county, you'll find gems like Lowertown,
02:35with its cluster of quayside cottages.
02:37The old harbour is the backdrop for a series of sculptures
02:41that celebrate the town's heritage by local artist John Cleel.
02:46Pembrokeshire is the perfect place to build a lifestyle.
02:51It's got a culture of farming,
02:53but also a culture of Michelin-starred restaurants.
02:56It's perfect if you would like to be busy
02:59and to be really ingrained in the culture.
03:01There's lots of things to do.
03:03But also if you want to just come and sit and walk and do nothing,
03:07it's the perfect place to be.
03:10As I made my way here to Wales and saw the most incredible sunset,
03:15it reminded me of just how beautiful Pembrokeshire is.
03:19And for me, it doesn't just have a few of the things
03:22that make the perfect escape to the country.
03:25Oh, no, it actually has them in spades.
03:28And I believe that today's buyers feel exactly the same.
03:35Every time we come to Pembrokeshire,
03:37I personally just feel the stress just falls away
03:40and I feel my shoulders dropping,
03:42and I think you find it the same, don't you?
03:44Exactly the same.
03:46Ruth, who's just sold her gym business,
03:49and husband Craig, an electrician and builder,
03:52live in the Wiltshire town of Chippenham.
03:55This four-bedroom detached property
03:57has been their home for the past 10 years,
04:00and it's the latest in a long line of do-er-uppers.
04:03So since buying this house, we've created an annex.
04:07I've had to fit three bathrooms,
04:10two kitchens, raised floors.
04:13Raised ceilings.
04:14Raised ceilings, it's been rewired.
04:17And I sort of think our next project
04:20should be something similar to this, would be ideal.
04:23Whereas I would like a house that's finished.
04:26I'm really looking forward to being able to live in a house
04:29that's actually done and not overhauled.
04:32Actually done and not a building project for a change.
04:35So we don't really agree on what we're looking for.
04:40What they do agree on is that their new home should be detached,
04:44have at least two bedrooms and a spacious open-plan kitchen-diner.
04:48They'd like a large garden and a holiday let,
04:51or the opportunity to create one.
04:54If a property does need work,
04:56those costs must come out of their £650,000 budget.
05:03So Ruth and Craig have spent years working hard,
05:07but also years having this dream that one day
05:11they can actually live in Pembrokeshire.
05:13They've been here numerous times on holiday,
05:16but now the time is right.
05:18And this is where it gets interesting.
05:21Because from what I can gather,
05:23they want very, very different things from this move.
05:27Yeah, Ruth, it's all about the home.
05:30But for Craig, he definitely wants something to do,
05:32so we're going to call that the project.
05:34So I think it's going to be quite a tricky ask.
05:37I think it's going to be fun,
05:39and I want to make sure both of them are happy with the end result.
05:46Before we start our house search in earnest,
05:49I'm meeting Ruth and Craig in a lovely little spot
05:52on the shore of the Dydelphi Estuary in the heart of the National Park.
06:01Well, welcome to Pembrokeshire, Ruth and Craig.
06:03But in a way, I feel you should be welcoming me,
06:06because you know this county so well,
06:09having been here numerous times on holiday,
06:11and you now want it to be your future home.
06:14Yes, yeah, we've spent a lot of time here over the last 10 years.
06:18Now, I get the impression, how can I say it politely,
06:22that you want two different things, two different houses, in a way?
06:26Oh, yeah, definitely.
06:28I want what he can see at the end, without all the work in between.
06:32And ideally, you'd like holiday let potential, is that right?
06:36Yeah, so we've got a holiday let at the moment,
06:39and we'd like to carry on and do that.
06:43If the house doesn't have holiday let potential,
06:46is that going to put you off or not?
06:48If I've got the land to put the holiday lets on,
06:51then no, it's not a problem.
06:53So how are we going to keep you both happy?
06:55If he had a house that was finished, but he had holiday lets to do,
06:58then it keeps him quiet.
07:00Would you quite like him to have a project?
07:02Yes!
07:04Shall we get started? Yeah, let's do it.
07:10Our first stop is in the village of Ludchurch,
07:13a 2½ mile drive from the coast
07:15and less than 10 minutes from the town of Narberth.
07:19Its multi-coloured Edwardian and Georgian streets
07:22are filled with shops selling fine art, antiques,
07:25copious amounts of local food and drink,
07:28as well as a liberal sprinkling of pubs, cafes and restaurants.
07:33It also has a train station with regular services
07:36to Haverford West, Tenby, Cardigan and Carmarthen.
07:42Down an unmade track shared with just one other neighbour
07:45sits the first house we've lined up for Ruth and Craig to view.
07:49Oh, that's pretty.
07:52And is this farmhouse thought to date back to the 1840s?
07:58So, may I introduce you to our first property?
08:02Lovely. Yeah?
08:04It looks finished from the outside.
08:07Which, from my point of view, is fantastic.
08:11Yes, the house has been done to a great standard,
08:14which I'm going to show you,
08:16but there's always potential for a project.
08:18How does that sound? Good. Perfect.
08:20Yeah? Yeah. Perfect. Let's have a look. Come on.
08:26Craig will have to wait to see those potential projects
08:29as the house has been completely overhauled by the present owners
08:33following a two-year modernisation project.
08:36So, you've got a very attractive tiled porch.
08:39Practical, and you've got a doggy.
08:41And it leads us into our country kitchen,
08:44which I really like.
08:46It's open, but it's not cavernous, so it's still homely and cosy.
08:50Yeah. I really like it. Great.
08:52The kitchen's perfect, isn't it, really? Yeah.
08:55You've got that look on your face, Craig.
08:57He's quiet, which means he probably likes it a lot.
08:59There's not a lot to do here, is there?
09:02Mm. Craig seems disappointed at the lack of work required,
09:06but Ruth is thrilled.
09:09We're not going to stop there, because I'm going to squeeze past you
09:12and take you through to the drawing room.
09:17Oh, another nice room. Yeah.
09:19Love the fireplace.
09:21You also have the added advantage of a conservatory as well.
09:25Oh. Yeah.
09:27I don't like conservatories, but this...
09:29But, no, this is all right, isn't it? This is OK, isn't it?
09:32I would definitely use this a lot.
09:34So, so far, so good. So far, I'm liking it, yes.
09:38Are you? Yeah. OK. You know what they say.
09:40Happy wife, happy life. Absolutely.
09:43I'm confident we'll get a happy husband too.
09:46He's just got to wait a little longer.
09:49We're heading upstairs now to check out the bedrooms.
09:52Oh, that's lovely.
09:54So, this is the main bedroom. You have an en suite there.
09:57Again, all beautifully done.
09:59Yeah, it is nice. It is really nice, but it's finished.
10:03So, what's the overall vibe that I'm getting? I'm not quite sure.
10:07It's a bit scary, because I think, you know,
10:10what I've seen so far, I love,
10:13and it could mean we've got to do something.
10:16I knew as soon as we'd come in, you'd like it. Yeah.
10:19Are you getting excited about this house?
10:21The house is lovely.
10:23Oh, it's... It felt like it hurt him to say that. Yeah.
10:29I'm letting them explore the rest of the upstairs on their own.
10:33As well as the family bathroom, there are two further bedrooms.
10:37This one is used as a dressing room.
10:42Oh, it's bigger than I was expecting.
10:45Yeah.
10:47And a third bedroom overlooks the front of the house.
10:53Oh, it's another nice room.
10:55Yeah.
10:57I actually like the dressing room as a bedroom better.
11:00So, perhaps that could be my bit of project.
11:03Change the bedrooms around.
11:07Don't you worry, Craig.
11:09I promised you a project, and it's outside.
11:12The house is on a plot of a third of an acre,
11:15and tucked in the corner is a workshop and studio space.
11:22If you just look at the concrete,
11:24you can see there's a bit of a footprint there.
11:26There was a building there a few years ago.
11:28Sadly, the tree came down and took it out.
11:31So, I'm just thinking of planning permission
11:33and the opportunity to build a holiday-let building.
11:37What do you think, with your professional eye?
11:39I'm thinking, with the base down,
11:42you've got a wooden lodge would go on here beautifully.
11:48Depending on size and spec,
11:50log cabin kits can cost from £4,000 upwards,
11:53plus the cost of labour.
11:55So, if this property is to be a serious contender,
11:58it needs to come in under Ruth and Craig's top budget
12:02of £650,000.
12:05What are we thinking when it comes to the price?
12:09I'm going to say...
12:11..£575,000?
12:13£575,000.
12:16I think it's going to stretch us.
12:19I think this is going to be...
12:21..£600,000.
12:22The asking price, they are asking offers in the region of...
12:26..£550,000.
12:29Oh, wow.
12:31Yeah, it's just got a bit better.
12:36This detached Victorian farmhouse
12:38boasts a contemporary kitchen-diner,
12:41a charming living room,
12:43a south-facing conservatory and three bedrooms.
12:46It sits on a plot of a third of an acre
12:48and, with the relevant planning permission,
12:50there's potential to create a holiday-let.
12:53It's on the market for just under £550,000.
12:59Now, I know we were joking earlier on,
13:03but we really do want Craig to be as happy with this move as Ruth,
13:08and it sounds like this property has everything they need
13:12and the potential for more.
13:15I can definitely imagine myself living in a place like this.
13:19I wasn't expecting quite such an almost visceral reaction to it.
13:24It almost works, doesn't it?
13:27I don't think there's anything really that doesn't work.
13:31If it was ideal, I would want a little bit more land,
13:35but we could make this work.
13:37To do the lodge there is quite a short project,
13:40and then I've realistically... You'd have to find another project.
13:43For the first time in my life, I'd have to find something that isn't work.
13:47I'd have to go back to hobbies.
13:53No change of heart, we still love it.
13:55It's the first one, isn't it? It might get better.
13:57It might get better. I'm loving the optimism.
14:00But we're going to be pushed to beat this, but we're going to give it a try.
14:03Come on.
14:13Saundersfoot is a classic seaside resort
14:16with the perennial appeal of ice cream, deck chairs and fish and chips.
14:22In recent years, it's become one of Wales' most sought-after destinations,
14:27so we're sending Ruth and Craig there to see what all the fuss is about.
14:32Yeah, it's pretty, isn't it? Yeah.
14:36For starters, there's its fabulous location,
14:39Slat Bang in the Coastal National Park.
14:42Then there's its three sandy beaches.
14:46It's stunning, isn't it? It's a lovely beach.
14:49Perfect for the dogs to run around on.
14:52We'd have dogs going in one direction, grandkids going in the other direction.
14:58Part of the town's charm is its remoteness.
15:01The nearest motorway is nearly an hour away.
15:04From Saundersfoot train station, located a mile outside the town,
15:08there are direct mainline services to Swansea in 90 minutes
15:13and to Pembroke in 35.
15:15But, to be honest, there's everything you need here,
15:18including excellent restaurants, cafes and pubs,
15:21where you can sample the daily hauls of whelks and crabs landed at the harbour.
15:28The town's 2,000-plus residents can get involved with more than 50 community groups.
15:33Lifelong resident Simone, known as Sai,
15:36has kindly agreed to give our couple the inside scoop on the Swans.
15:43Hi. Hi, nice to meet you. Nice to meet you too.
15:46What an amazing place to live and work, Sai.
15:49It's absolutely amazing, isn't it?
15:51You've only got to look at that beach. It's just stunning.
15:54Great for dog walking, loads of water sports down here as well.
15:58I hear you're interested in paddleboarding.
16:00I have just started this year, but I do it on a lake,
16:03so I don't have tides and wind and waves to deal with.
16:07Absolutely. You'll have to come and see us.
16:09So help and advice. Yes.
16:11We'll get you out on that paddleboard and we'll get you surfing, Craig.
16:14Perhaps kayaking. We'll do kayaking. Yes.
16:17So what's the pace of life like here, Sai?
16:20Obviously slower than a city, but it's still quite vibrant.
16:23We've got a New Year's Day swim. Lots of the locals get involved with that.
16:27Hundreds of people come down to watch that.
16:30To watch. Yes.
16:32We've got a rowing club. There's a good community here.
16:35There'll be lots of things for you to do.
16:37Pub quizzes. You've got the beaches.
16:40You've got the Preseli Mountains half an hour's drive away.
16:44It's nice and peaceful and quiet and...
16:46Slower pace of life. Absolutely.
16:49That's just what we want. Fabulous.
16:51That's what we're looking for, isn't it?
16:53And our search to find what they want will pick up again first thing tomorrow.
17:08I'm really enjoying my time taking Craig and Ruth around Pembrokeshire.
17:13They did warn me that their priorities were very different
17:16and that became evident with our first property.
17:19However, I think they both liked it.
17:21But I don't want to count my chickens too soon
17:24because what we are doing is we're showing them a county
17:27which they know and love but areas that they haven't discovered before
17:31and that's certainly going to be the case today.
17:37We're making our way into the Pembrokeshire National Park
17:40to the seaside village of Amroth.
17:45Its half-mile-long flat sandy beach is an excellent spot for rock-pooling
17:50and during very low tides the remains of a drowned forest are exposed
17:55with fossilised tree stumps, antlers and early human stone tools visible in the sand.
18:01A leisurely half-hour stroll from the beach,
18:04so ideal for paying guests on their hauls, we find our next property.
18:11Oh, it's a very pretty property.
18:13It is pretty.
18:14So this is a property that not only is in the National Park
18:18but we also have sea views.
18:22Yeah.
18:23Fabulous views.
18:24Yeah.
18:25It's a really nice-looking house. Do you think?
18:27I would say the best so far.
18:30Really?
18:31Yeah.
18:32Shall we step inside?
18:33Yes.
18:34Let's go.
18:37This house had been in a complete state of disrepair
18:40when the present owners purchased it two years ago.
18:43Following a total renovation, it's been operating as a lucrative holiday let
18:48but I'm proposing it could make a great home for our couple.
18:54Oh, wow.
18:55It is very nice, isn't it?
18:57It is very nice.
18:59I like the fact they haven't painted the beams.
19:01It gives it some character, doesn't it, and the fireplace.
19:03Lovely.
19:04Does it feel like a home as you walk through the door?
19:06Yes.
19:07Yeah.
19:08This is good.
19:09Very good.
19:10Let's take you next door to the kitchen.
19:12OK.
19:15Oh.
19:16Again, done to an impressive high spec.
19:20It's smaller than what we're used to.
19:24It doesn't feel smaller, does it?
19:26It's big enough.
19:27Yeah.
19:28You've got a utility room just off the kitchen
19:30and a downstairs shower room as well and there's more storage
19:33so you've got your white goods out there.
19:35Brilliant.
19:38I'm giving Ruth and Craig free reign of upstairs
19:41where a family bathroom serves three good-sized bedrooms.
19:45The largest overlooks the front of the house.
19:48What a lovely room.
19:50And...
19:51A good view.
19:52Yeah, you could spend hours just looking at that, couldn't you?
19:56On the opposite side of the landing is a second double.
20:00So this would be a good room for the grandkids, really.
20:03Yeah, we could get a couple of single beds in here, couldn't we?
20:06Yeah.
20:07Or leave it as a double for the kids.
20:10For the grown-ups.
20:11Yeah.
20:13And at the rear of the property, a twin room.
20:17OK, so here's the single room for the grandkids.
20:20And they've got storage.
20:22And a different view, so you've got countryside views.
20:29We're heading outside now, where I've saved the best till last.
20:35On the other side of your property, you will see a field.
20:39There's a gate and there's a derelict building right at the back.
20:42Quite a large plot of land.
20:44That is currently owned by the owners here
20:47and they are selling it separately.
20:49But whoever buys this house gets first refusal on that land.
20:53OK.
20:54In addition to that, it already has planning permission granted
20:59for two log cabins.
21:01Oh.
21:04That's good.
21:07Interesting, very interesting, this one.
21:10Does this tempt you?
21:12Oh, very much so.
21:14Yeah, it's got an awful lot going for it, this place.
21:17OK, it comes down to the crunch.
21:19What do you think this house is on the market for?
21:22Just the house? Just the house.
21:24Yeah.
21:25I'm going to be really hopeful and say around £460,000.
21:29£460,000.
21:31Craig?
21:33Let's be optimistic and say £430,000.
21:36Oh, £430,000, you are hoping, aren't you?
21:40Yeah.
21:41OK, well, the asking price for this house is £475,000.
21:46OK.
21:48So let's just park that there.
21:50Mm-hm.
21:51How much do you think they're asking for the plot next door?
21:55I would expect it to be at least £150,000.
22:00OK.
22:01Ruth?
22:02Again, I'm going to be hopeful and say £100,000.
22:05£100,000.
22:07This...
22:09..is a little dance.
22:11Because the asking price...
22:15I want to say it quietly so no-one else hears.
22:17..£50,000, with the planning permission already granted.
22:22OK.
22:23I've got to backtrack now. So the house was?
22:25£475,000.
22:27£50,000.
22:28£525,000, your top budget was?
22:31That's irrelevant now, because I think...
22:35..it's sort of like almost city...
22:39Shall we not bother with the next house?
22:42Let's just knock it on the head and get down the pub.
22:46I think that's Craig telling me that this is a done deal.
22:51This beautifully renovated three-bedroom detached property
22:55is being marketed for £475,000.
22:59The adjacent plot with planning permission is priced at £50,000.
23:03That's a grand total of £525,000.
23:09You might have pulled a rabbit out of the hat here.
23:13I think, for the first time, we may actually be on the same page
23:18and we both really love this property,
23:22which is a bit of a miracle, really.
23:25Location, view, done.
23:28Ruth wanted finished house, done.
23:31I wanted a project, done.
23:33We wanted income stream, done.
23:35I would say, at the moment, you're going to struggle to show us
23:38something that fits the brief better than this.
23:58If Pembrokeshire's stunning coastline has swept you away,
24:02here's what you need to know before you make the move here.
24:05The average price of a detached property in the UK
24:08is just over £458,000.
24:12In Pembrokeshire, it's more than £100,000 lower
24:16at just over £340,000.
24:22So, take a look at what's currently on the market.
24:25This detached character cottage has two reception rooms,
24:29one with an original bread oven
24:31and a contemporary country kitchen with dining area.
24:35Upstairs, a family bathroom serves two double bedrooms
24:39and a third single room used as a study.
24:42Outside, there's a pretty cottage garden split across several levels.
24:46The asking price? £450,000.
24:54Make an offer over £375,000
24:57and this recently renovated detached home cottage could be yours.
25:02It has two reception rooms, one with a feature fireplace
25:06and a contemporary kitchen diner.
25:08Upstairs, there's a stylish bathroom with a sunken bath
25:12and four bedrooms, the largest of which has views across Fishguard Harbour.
25:17To the rear, a good-sized garden looks out across open fields.
25:23If you're in the market for a short break,
25:25then perhaps this might float your boat.
25:28Powered by solar energy, it has an open-plan kitchen diner sitting room
25:33with a wood-burning stove, a bathroom
25:36and one double bedroom with doors onto the veranda.
25:39Sleeping up to four people,
25:41prices start from £150 per night in low season
25:45with a minimum two-night stay.
25:49It's mystery house time
25:51and we're hopping over the border into Ceredigion,
25:54heading for the village of Glangoyd Moor,
25:56three miles from the coast of Cardigan.
26:01Residents use the facilities in neighbouring Llachryd,
26:04which sits on the north bank of the River Thames.
26:07It's a great place to spend the night,
26:09but it's also a great place to spend the night.
26:13Residents use the facilities in neighbouring Llachryd,
26:16which sits on the north bank of the River Tyvee.
26:19And whilst Ruth and Craig take a wander around the village,
26:22I'm giving you a sneak preview of this,
26:25our mystery house.
26:29So right at the beginning of this search, Craig and Ruth joked
26:33that ideally they'd like two separate houses.
26:36Well, this is the mystery and their wish may come true
26:39because behind me you have this exceptional old traditional farmhouse,
26:44so Ruth could be very happy here.
26:46However, we can't forget Craig, can we?
26:49Just take a look at these impressive barns.
26:52Yes, he said he wanted a project,
26:54but I'm calling this PC, Project Craig.
27:01Not only does our mystery house satisfy Ruth and Craig's property desires,
27:05it super-sizes them.
27:08It's the largest house we're showing them,
27:11has the biggest renovation project and comes with an acre of land.
27:15I think we've hit the jackpot, but will they?
27:21So welcome to your mystery house.
27:24It's huge.
27:26The good news is both properties on either side
27:31are part of the mystery house.
27:34OK, we can't afford it.
27:36LAUGHTER
27:38Do you want to start off with the house or with the barns?
27:42The house. House it is. Come on.
27:48The barns, which we'll explore later, were built in 1820.
27:52The main house dates back to 1910.
27:55Two years ago, the owners added a huge rear extension
27:59to create this spectacular kitchen, dining, living room,
28:03which is where we're starting our viewing.
28:06How is this for a kitchen entrance?
28:08Oh, my word.
28:10What are you doing to me?
28:12I'll leave it. I don't need to do anything.
28:15I'm quite happy not to do anything in one side, yeah?
28:18You'd live in this, wouldn't you? Well, we'd both live in this.
28:21Don't need the rest of the house, really.
28:24It is beautifully done.
28:28You might not need to see the rest of the house, Craig,
28:31but trust me, it's worth taking a gander.
28:35So you've got this as a reception sitting room, which I think...
28:39Yeah, great size. ..pretty generous. Yeah.
28:41It's really nice and bright, light.
28:44I could see Christmas in here, with fire going.
28:48Yeah. Grandkids and wrapping paper everywhere.
28:51Well, when they do all come to stay,
28:54there are areas that they could actually be in.
28:57They've got their own wing, if you like.
28:59It's sort of got a self-contained flat on that side.
29:02You've got a bedroom now downstairs. OK.
29:05You've got a really good-sized bathroom as well,
29:08a kitchenette-stroke utility room and then another reception room.
29:12We can't fault you on this one so far.
29:14So far, so good.
29:17And I'm confident they'll find little to grumble about upstairs.
29:22The largest of the three bedrooms could provide Craig with a little job.
29:27Oh, huge.
29:29Oh, you've got enough storage.
29:32So that was going to be a shower room, was it?
29:35Oh, no, that's a project and I've got something to do.
29:38You've got quite a bit to do. It's lovely.
29:43Next to the family bathroom, there's another double.
29:47The windows are fab, aren't they? Yeah.
29:49Cos they're so big and open.
29:51And I love the wooden windowsills as well.
29:53And low.
29:55Yeah, it's got character.
29:58Then there's the third and final bedroom.
30:03Wow, it's another big room, isn't it?
30:05Yeah, this would be two singles easily. Yeah.
30:09Happy, happy.
30:13And we intend to make you even happier, Craig.
30:17Here you have the barns.
30:19In actual fact, it's two barns and a coach house at the end.
30:23OK. Now, there is a covenant on this building.
30:26When the farmhouse was sold out of the hands of the local farm,
30:30they put a covenant on that this can be refurbed,
30:33can be done up, as long as it's for family members.
30:39Restrictive covenants tend to be used to ensure
30:42that certain standards are upheld by the residents of a property.
30:46A solicitor can check whether there are grounds
30:49to form the basis of any claim to remove a covenant
30:52and, depending on whether the application is disputed,
30:55the process can take between 18 and 24 months.
30:59Whilst this particular covenant restricts holiday-let conversions,
31:03there is a solution.
31:05The other idea that the owner had
31:07was you actually do this up to live in yourself
31:10and you can always rent that one out.
31:13No, no-one else is getting that question.
31:18Yeah, if we live here, we live there. Yeah.
31:21And we have to try and get round...
31:23Well, a conversation would have to be had, wouldn't it?
31:26Yes. Financially, it has to work. Yeah.
31:29So, you know, we have to have an income.
31:31Well, why don't you take the opportunity
31:33to go and have a look on your own and think it through?
31:36And you know where I'm going to be, don't you? On the balcony.
31:39Oh, I'm going to be sitting on that balcony. Yeah. Absolutely.
31:43Work has already begun on the first of the two barns.
31:47Oh, that's a toy room, is it?
31:50Yeah, but it could be a lounge, couldn't it?
31:52Lounge, diner. Lounge, kitchen.
31:56That's a fake water that can come out.
31:59It has power, lighting and a first floor that has been boarded out.
32:04This gives you a sense of what could be done, though, doesn't it?
32:07Yes. Easily.
32:12The barn next door, in use as a garage, has a similar layout.
32:16And then there's the old coach house.
32:21Oh, wow.
32:23Two-storey.
32:26And stairs up. What an amazing roof.
32:29It's just a lot of work, isn't it?
32:33And this is just a small portion.
32:35There's a lot more that side through there. It's mind-blowing.
32:41The property is being sold using the modern method of auction,
32:45an online process designed to open up auctions
32:48to buyers who require mortgages.
32:51The successful buyer pays a non-refundable fee to reserve the property,
32:55a cost on top of the purchase value.
32:58Fees vary, but for this property, it's 4.2% of the final selling price.
33:04There are pros and cons to this method of buying,
33:07but some of the benefits to the buyer include purchase prices
33:10that are typically 10% less than the market value,
33:14speedier sales, since you have to complete within 56 days,
33:18and binding agreements,
33:20which remove the danger of being casumpt at the last minute.
33:24Well, let's discuss finances.
33:26What price are you thinking?
33:29I think it's going to be...
33:35..£640,000.
33:37£640,000 doesn't leave you much from your top budget, does it?
33:40No, no. OK, Craig?
33:42I'd be very surprised if it was under £700,000.
33:46OK. I'm not going to do a dance...
33:50..but I will tell you the asking price offers over £550,000.
33:57OK.
33:59Do you know, bizarrely, I was hoping you were going to say
34:01it was way out of our budget so we didn't have to consider it.
34:05And now...
34:06It's close enough that we are going to have to do some looking out.
34:09We have to consider it, yeah.
34:10We can't walk away now... No.
34:12..without exploring it further, can we?
34:16In an idyllic spot on a generous one-acre plot,
34:20this impressive farmhouse has a show-stopping kitchen diner,
34:24three bedrooms and a self-contained one-bed annex.
34:28Subject to planning and the terms of the Covenant,
34:30the outbuildings are ripe for conversion.
34:33The owners hope to achieve a price of £550,000
34:38and Ruth and Craig will need to factor in the additional reservation fee
34:42of 4.2% of the final purchase cost.
34:48Well, this morning, we thought we were put an offering
34:52on what was our nailed-on, dead-cert first choice.
34:57This has just changed everything, really.
35:01But creating the letting business is a huge amount of work.
35:05I just think it's going to be worth it for our life.
35:24So, if all goes according to plan,
35:26and I love it when a plan comes to fruition,
35:29Craig and Ruth will be moving to Pembrokeshire very, very soon.
35:33But let's meet Sue and Adrian,
35:35who made their country escape here from London four years ago.
35:39And I'm interested to find out how their life has changed.
35:43I'm guessing for the better.
35:48There is not a day that goes past that at some point that day
35:53we think we love where we live.
35:57And it's a very special place with very special people in it.
36:02Yeah.
36:04And that place is Clangloughan, set in the Preseli Hills,
36:08just two miles from the beautiful, expansive beaches
36:11on Pembrokeshire's north coast.
36:14The couple found this traditional farmhouse
36:17nestled in five acres of land
36:19and painstakingly restored it from dereliction
36:22to create a luxury B&B.
36:24In doing so, they also completely transformed their lifestyle.
36:29I joined the local male voice choir in Hamford West.
36:34Sue's taken up upholstery.
36:37She loves upholstering things for the bed and breakfast.
36:42The bed and breakfast is a fantastic part of our life.
36:47The people we meet through it are lovely without exception.
36:51There isn't anyone that's stayed at our place
36:54that we wouldn't have back.
37:00Sue and Adrian are quite literally, and to use that old cliche,
37:05living their dream life here in Pembrokeshire.
37:08So I thought I should come and meet them
37:11and, well, just for a little while, live that dream life with them.
37:17The oldest part of the farmhouse dates back to the 1530s
37:21and even the newest additions are more than 140 years old.
37:26But the property had been derelict for more than 40 years
37:29when Sue and Adrian bought it.
37:34Hello. Hello.
37:36Adrian and Sue, lovely to meet you both. Hi. And you.
37:39What a stunning spot. This is incredible.
37:43And all this is yours? Yes. Yes.
37:46I'm going to have to hear more about all this story.
37:48Do you want to come on in? I'd love to. Thank you.
37:52Initially, the couple lived in a static caravan on site
37:55whilst they rebuilt the house
37:57to include a breakfast room and lounge for guests
38:00plus three beautifully appointed bedroom suites.
38:03But I'm checking out the heart of what is their own home.
38:08Oh, wow. This. This is wonderful, isn't it?
38:12And I'm guessing this didn't look like this when you bought this property.
38:16No. This building had very little to do with the house.
38:20It had very little roof, just a little bit up here,
38:23and it used to be the old dairy.
38:25And the windows didn't have glass, they were just gauze
38:29to let all the air circulate and flow, so it was very different.
38:36Sue, formerly an operations director
38:38for a prestigious interior design company,
38:41now takes the role of head chef and housekeeper,
38:44whilst Adrian, who used to work in sales for a design and build company,
38:49is front of house and head groundsman.
38:53Together, the pair have ambitious plans
38:55to rewild much of the five acres here
38:58and nurture a woodland for which they've already planted
39:01more than 1,000 trees.
39:04Today, I'm helping them plant some willow.
39:09You just pick out a piece of willow
39:13that's about pencil thickness.
39:16Yeah.
39:17Chop it off. Yeah.
39:19And then take all the little branches off
39:25and then cut about...
39:28..that much.
39:30These little rods of willow are known as willow whips.
39:34We plant that straight into the ground.
39:37And it'll root? It'll root and grow.
39:40All of these are willow whips that were planted two years ago.
39:46It's fascinating to think that you can plant one tree
39:50and get so many other trees from it.
39:55Willow grows fast, up to two metres a year,
39:59so you don't have to wait long for results.
40:01These? The lower branches.
40:03That one or not? That one.
40:05And then about here, when you're ready, just cut it off.
40:13And that can go straight into the ground?
40:15Yes. Right, in you go.
40:17Let's pop you in here, find a nice little space.
40:20And would you ever trade your old lives back again?
40:23No. No.
40:24Not for a second? Not for a second.
40:26Yeah. If you've got a dream, you need to follow it.
40:31And on that note, it's time to return to the task
40:35of helping Ruth and Craig to follow theirs.
40:40What a predicament. What's their next step going to be?
40:43I genuinely can't call this one,
40:45so let's find out what they've got to say.
40:50This is a rather delightful spot, isn't it?
40:53It's lovely.
40:55So, you've had a little time to think about it.
40:58It is a massive step.
41:00But where are we now?
41:03Well...
41:05I think, this morning, I thought we'd find the house
41:09that we were going to move to.
41:11So did we.
41:13Then you dropped a bombshell with the mystery house.
41:17Yeah.
41:18For me, it's...
41:20I absolutely love the house. The house is perfect.
41:24Is the coastal property still a contender?
41:27If the covenant can't be lifted... On the mystery house.
41:30..on the mystery house, then that's... That's out of the way.
41:34..out of the equation straightaway.
41:36Then we have to concentrate on...
41:38We'll go back and have a look at the other house. Yeah.
41:41For two that want different things, you are very much together.
41:45And I'm going to throw this one in.
41:47If the mystery house doesn't work out,
41:49go back and see the coastal property, won't you?
41:51Yeah, definitely.
41:53Thank you for all your help.
41:55Well, you're very welcome.
41:57It has honestly, honestly been our pleasure
41:59and we do wish you the very best of luck.
42:02Well, that was an interesting one, wasn't it?
42:05With Craig and Ruth.
42:07And I thought, with that Sea View house,
42:09that, well, we had it in the bag.
42:11It was a given.
42:13And then what happens?
42:15The mystery house comes along and blows it out of the water.
42:18So, fingers crossed the paperwork gets sorted
42:21because it is a spectacular home
42:23with so much potential in the most beautiful of locations.
42:28And you know what?
42:30I'm looking forward to being invited back
42:32to see how they're getting on.
42:34And I'll see you again next time. Bye-bye.
42:38Ruth and Craig return to the house near the beach
42:40to chat with a vendor.
42:42They've also scrutinised the legal pack for the mystery house.
42:46Both properties are still in the mix
42:48and Ruth and Craig are hopeful
42:50that as soon as they've sold their home,
42:52they'll be able to move forward with one.
42:55If you would like to escape to the country in Wales,
42:58Northern Ireland, Scotland or England
43:00and need our help,
43:02why not apply online at bbc.co.uk forward slash take part.
43:25For more information visit www.bbc.co.uk