- [Kirstie] This week we're  getting down with the kids.
(Phil laughing)  - Wickedness.
This place is dope.
- Yeah.
Fries your brain.
Go and check out   how wicked it is.
- Wicked.
- [Phil] At one   with the animals.
- Come on.
(Phil barks)  Yay!
- Why am I imitating a dog?
- [Kirstie] And wowing  our house hunters.
- Wow.
- Wow.
- Oh, wow.
- Wow.
- Mega wow.
- [Phil] But will it help   us find two special homes?
- How could anyone not  think we were right?
- This is a long way to   carry out your TV dinner.
- Yes.
- Looks almost   too swanky for us.
- No, it doesn't.
- No!
- If I get any more smug,   I will just blow   up and float away.
("Location Location  Location Theme") This week we're helping a family   who want period perfection   with modern perks.
- And we need a riverside home  for one woman and her dog.
- But don't be fooled  by all this water.
We are in a property  drought zone.
- [Phil] Our search is taking us to the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead, and the idyllic towns that nestle on the banks  of the River Thames.
- [Kirstie] With good   transport links to London,  bustling shops, bars,  and river pursuits,  it's not hard to see why our  two sets of house hunters  have fallen in love with  this picture postcard life.
I'm with Damien Wasylkiw and Nicki Sung,   who are making their first   big move out of London   for a forever family home.
- [Phil] And I'm  with Maria Vigneaux, who's also making a big move back to the UK  after 10 years living  in Switzerland.
- This year's a completely new adventure  and new life for me.
And obviously finding  somewhere wonderful to live  is a really important  part of that.
- [Phil] In fact, Maria's life  has been completely changed   after tragically   losing her husband   to cancer four years ago.
- If my husband   hadn't have died,  I wouldn't have moved  back to England.
If you're in Switzerland   with your own family unit, then it's great.
But as a single foreign woman, oh, it's tough.
- [Phil] She's  taken the brave step  to move home and start  her whole life afresh.
But there's one thing she   couldn't leave behind.
- [Maria] Edward is absolutely  critical to my search  because once my husband  died, then it was me and him.
Edward.
- [Phil] She's currently  renting a whole family house   for her and Edward   in Maidenhead.
With her own furniture waiting in Switzerland,  it's not especially homely,  but it is doggy friendly.
She'd ideally like to buy a two bed property,  but finding any apartment  that allows dogs is tricky.
Leases for shared  buildings often state  that dogs are banned.
- If he's happy, then I'm happy.
- [Phil] Maria's got herself back on her feet   with a new job 40   minutes away in Uxbridge.
- Now is my time in life for me, I've decided.
- [Phil] But her growing network of friends   are based around her   rented home in Maidenhead.
- I love being near  the Thames here now   and I've taken up rowing.
So I think as close to  the water as possible   would be my dream.
What I'm looking   for in a property,   I think is the wow   factor in a sense.
I think first, it's got to   be a real bachelorette pad  so that you walk  in and you go, wow.
And everyone else goes, wow.
I don't care how big or  small, but wow, it has to be.
- Times of changing  Maria, goodness me.
- No, totally.
- Be very exciting.
- Yeah.
- But also quite scary at the  same time, I should think.
- Well, I think after  10 years of working   and living in Switzerland,  it's just wonderful  to back in England,  so it's now finding  somewhere wonderful to live.
- Decent budget, 600,000.
Although I don't know if you're aware of this,   but Windsor and Maidenhead   have the highest   average property   prices of anywhere  in the rest of the country.
- [Maria] In the  whole of the country?
- In the whole of the country.
- [Maria] Oh, I  didn't realize that.
- We are absolutely living  in the eye of the storm here.
But tell me about the  sort of properties  that are gonna inspire you.
- I like something like ultra modern, glass, kind of real wow factor.
But I think if it was something  beautiful in an old building, that can do it as well.
- Combining the wow location  with a seriously wow property,  in your budget, albeit it's a  very significant sum of money-  - [Maria] It's  probably impossible.
- It's quite tough.
- No, I know.
Yeah, no, that's why  I wanted your help.
- Well, let's try have some fun.
Come on.
- Thanks.
Maria's got a healthy  £600,000 to spend   and is looking for   a stylish property  as near to the  Thames as possible,   which is dog friendly and   within a 40 minute commute  to Uxbridge.
So I'm basing my search around Maidenhead  and the banks of the Thames.
- [Kirstie] While I'm  staying firmly on dry land,  searching within the  towns and villages of Berkshire and Buckinghamshire.
- Where's that?
You know where  that is, don't you?
Good girl.
- [Kirstie] Since selling   their house in London six months ago to find a better quality of life near family,   Damien, Nicki, their three   year old Evie and baby Joe  have been in limbo.
- We just suddenly found  ourselves accepting an offer  and then having nowhere to go.
So we moved back here  to my mum and dad's.
- Our stuff stays in boxes and now, you know, we're ready to start the hunt properly really.
- Hi.
- [Kirstie] Nicki's parents'  loft is just a bit closer  to family than they  ideally wanted.
And with editor Damien  working and playing from home,   and the kids growing   every day, space is tight.
- [Phil] But getting out  of the loft could be tricky  as there's not  much on the market.
- [Kirstie] And to  make matters worse,  they're not helping  themselves with a list  of specific demands.
- Four bedrooms.
- Garden.
- Garden.
- With a big tree in it.
We need a water mill.
- I don't really think the  water mill's like that high   on the list of priorities.
- Do you not?
No, I'd rather have  like a big kitchen.
- I need an office.
I need somewhere to work.
- Ideally though,   out of the house.
- [Kirstie] They're playing  a worryingly familiar tune,  but at least there's  one high note.
- I think we've been really  lucky with our houses before  because we sort of seem to buy  and sell at the right time.
And so that's kind of allowed  us to have this pool of money.
- [Kirstie] With a mortgage  free dream in mind,   they've got an impressive   £800,000 cash to spend, but I'm worried history will repeat itself.
- The house that we sold in  London took us a year to find.
So I just hope it doesn't   take that long this time.
That was ridiculous.
- [Phil] This should  be interesting.
- Rumor has it that you  looked at 80 houses in Clapham  before you bought your house.
It will probably take you  four years to see 80 houses   in this neck of the   woods that were suitable.
I mean, what would you say were your top three priorities?
- I think four  bedrooms, definitely.
And a kitchen that we can eat  in all together as a family.
- Water mill?
- No.
We don't have to   have a water mill.
- I know about the   water mill thing.
I am totally ignoring it.
What do you think is stopping  you from finding something?
- I think initially  we probably didn't have a wide enough area.
We were being too specific.
- Bear in mind that  we're in a situation  where the availability  is very limited.
- Yeah.
- And we do not want to find a year from now that you are still in that loft.
- No, no, no.
- Nicki and Damien's £800,000  must buy them a house  close to Nicki's  parents in Maidenhead, with four bedrooms, a garden, period features,  and, very importantly,  workspace for Damien.
I just went in and I told   Damien water mills...
He's not allowed to have it on the criteria list.
- You don't wanna look for it?
- No.
What's the point of just narrowing your search down that much?
- Well, Maria's  narrowing it down to  as close to the river  as I can get it.
I don't think she  quite appreciates how  restrictive that is.
- Be a foolish woman that   didn't appreciate you.
Foolish woman.
Ah!
Don't you dare.
Don't you dare,   wouldn't be funny.
- Do you appreciate me?
- I'm not gonna... - Do you appreciate me?
- [Kirstie] Sometimes flat  shoes are a sensible option.
- [Phil] It's a good thing   both our sets of buyers  have healthy budgets,  because this area is renowned  for hefty price tags.
- [Kirstie] In fact,  the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead is 40% above  the national  average at £416,000.
- [Phil] I'm starting my search for Maria in Maidenhead.
It's a popular riverside location and gives her  a 30 minute commute to work.
But she's not the   only one who likes  this stretch of the Thames.
- I couldn't actually live   in a town without a river.
It's the heart of   the town really.
- We've got boats going around all the time.
So life is always   interesting here.
Never dull.
- I love this stretch of the  river, the Royal Borough, beautiful towns.
Worth paying a  premium to live here.
- For Maria's first property, I've brought her half a mile east of Maidenhead town center,   just back from the river.
Location wise, it's perfect.
It's minutes away  from her rowing club  and the new life  she's begun to build.
And it's a real treat.
An impressive three  bed Victorian house.
It's freehold, so no  issues with keeping Edward,  and inside there's a stylish  open plan living area, office and dining room.
I think it's got the wow   factor she's looking for.
And it's on the market   for 35 grand under budget,  at £565,000.
Here we are Maria.
This is the first  one I've got for you.
I was hoping you'd be   pleased with the location, although we're not on the river,  the river's at the end  of that road there.
- Yeah.
I'm excited to   see what's inside.
- See what you think of this.
- Oh, actually this is nice.
- It's a very different feel  inside to outside, isn't it?
- Yeah.
- [Phil] And towards  the back of the house,   a kitchen fit for   a bachelorette.
The kitchen's not massive.
- But I don't cook, so a  microwave and a dishwasher,   that's all I need.
- [Phil] Yeah.
- I'm just wondering  if the living areas seem a bit disjointed almost cause you've got  a sofa facing nothing.
- It is slightly disjointed.
You've got two rooms and the  staircase off the living room.
Why don't you have a   look around the bedrooms?
- Okay.
- Three of them and a bathroom.
I'll leave you to it.
Maria's just had what must  have been an incredibly tough  last few years in Switzerland.
So this really is a  completely new start for her.
And she's full of  excitement about it.
But at the same time, I  just can't help feeling that  it must be incredibly scary.
She's moved countries.
She's starting from scratch  on her own all over again.
There's a lot riding on this and I'm determined to get it right for her.
But I'm feeling   for her right now.
It's tough.
How'd you get on upstairs?
- I think it says family  more than bachelorette pad.
- I'm not entirely sure   I'd agree with you inside  that it's got too  much of a family feel.
And I was hoping you'd be   pleased with the location.
- It is close to the river,  but I think not close enough.
It doesn't have the views.
- Are we writing this off?
- Yeah.
- Ah!
Okay.
Come on then.
A river view?
Hope I'm not out of my depth.
- This week, we've been house  hunting in the Thames basin.
- But can we navigate our   way through the market  to find the best deal?
I'm with Maria, who failed to  fall for my first property.
The lack of river view meant  it didn't float her boat.
- But I'm hoping Damien and Nicki will think my first property is ship shape.
We're starting in Maidenhead, just a stones throw from Nicki's mum and dad.
There's tons of space  for growing kids.
Four good size bedrooms, two reception rooms   and an open plan kitchen.
Outside, there's a garage,   ripe for converting  into office space for Damien.
We've arranged a viewing before it's even hit the market.
It's only just been  valued under budget  at between 725 and 750,000.
I want you to think about   the outside of the house when you're inside of the house,  because actually  this bit of the house  really reflects what the  whole of the house could be.
What do you think Nicki, from the outside?
- I think it's really pretty.
I really like it.
- Cheered you up?
Let's buy it.
Let's buy it.
Let's buy it.
- Slightly premature.
- No, that's the attitude I like.
Right.
Okay.
No water mill in sight and Damien still thinks it's great.
What we've got here is very  nice formal front room.
And then because this house is double fronted,  a second room here.
So there's lots of space.
- Yeah.
- [Kirstie] And the  kitchen at the back.
- [Phil] You've rendered   them speechless, Kirstie.
- Seems alright.
- No, no, no, no,   no, it's great.
You're looking quite  bright eyed, Nicki.
- It's sort of more spacious  than any of the other ones  we've seen around  Maidenhead, I think.
- It's exactly the sort of right amount of character for us,  but it still feels slightly  modern, slightly cool.
- [Kirstie] And outside it only gets better,   with a potential   office for Damien.
- That would be   perfect, I think.
Wouldn't it?
- It's perfect.
- If you're thinking of converting a garage,  you may need to make an  application for change of use,  so it's best to always check.
How does it compare to   what you've seen thus far?
- It's much bigger, I would  say, than what we've seen.
- [Damien] I think it's   the best house we've seen.
- At this point I'm  chronically worried.
This is way too good a start.
Ah, it's not a good sign.
- [Phil] Don't fret, pet.
They like the house.
- It's quite a good size.
- Ceiling rose.
Funny round window.
- This is why I love this job.
You just never know.
They took over a year to  find their house in Clapham.
They've been looking for a   house here for six months.
They had a super  long list of criteria  with some weird things on it.
And yet this house they've   absolutely embraced.
Now obviously I don't know  what they're saying upstairs,  but I'd be surprised if  there was a total turnaround  based on the bedrooms.
- It does feel more modern   upstairs, doesn't it?
- Definitely need to add some-   - Less character.
And it doesn't quite  deliver in certain aspects.
- It's just whether we think  we want to spend the time  and energy doing it.
- Yeah.
- [Phil] Looks like you were  right to be worried, Kirstie.
The idea of doing the   work to put the character  back into the house  is too much for them.
- You've seen it all now.
How are you feeling?
- I don't love it.
And I feel like I  would need to love it  to spend this amount of money.
- Right.
It's our first house.
Let's not discount it.
It's me that's speechless now.
This is a fantastic house   that they could improve  over the years to suit them.
I think their problem is that they're looking for a ready made dream home,  and they don't come  along very often.
- Looks as if I'm in the   same boat as you, Kirstie,  as Maria discounted my  property one outright.
Her dream of living as close  to the water as possible  actually means being  able to see it.
So I'm gonna have  to move up the river and up the price scale.
Nine miles from Maidenhead  is the historic town  of Henley-on-Thames.
It's just outside  her maximum commute,  but I think what  I've got to show her  will make the  journey worthwhile.
We're a bit further  upstream this time.
Henley-on-Thames.
- [Maria] A friend of  mine, where she heard I was going to work in Uxbridge, said, "Oh, Maria can live in Henley."
- In fact, you  could live in Henley   with a view of the Thames, cause that is what we're gonna go and see.
- [Maria] Oh wow.
- Very cool indeed.
- Gee.
Looks amazing.
- [Phil] This modern  development's right  up Maria's street.
It's a stunning   three story house  with a sitting room  on the top floor,   three good size bedrooms,   and on the ground,  the kitchen and a patio  perfect for her pooch, Edward.
It's on the market right on budget at £599,950.
How do you feel about  making this decision?
- Oh no, I'm really excited to  really have a home of my own  now back in the UK.
I think that's the   final thing now.
I've got my job, got my life,  and is somewhere to  live that's mine.
That's really important.
- [Phil] Yeah.
I'm so glad she's not   scared of going it alone.
And I'm confident this   house will help kickstart  her dream new life.
River.
- Boats.
- Boats, greenery, nature.
- That's amazing that I  can actually see the river.
That's what I wanted to have the Thames view.
Wow.
- [Kirstie] Looks like you're  sailing to victory, Phil,   but that's how it   started for me.
- The view is something you'd  enjoy all year round, Maria,  but you actually do  your living in here.
- Yeah, no, it's nice and bright.
And is that designed  to be closed off?
- Yes.
And there's even potential   to improve this space too.
I know if I was living here,  I'd open the whole thing up.
- No, absolutely.
- Take all this out.
I mean that that's  just man with hammer.
In fact you can get  Kirstie to do it.
- [Kirstie] Ooh, it'll cost you.
- This is the master here.
- Oh no, this is  really nice, isn't it?
And can you see the  river again from here?
Just thin the trees a  little bit, don't you?
- Well, the trees are  obviously in full leaf   this time of year.
Kitchen, it's probably the   darkest room in the house, but it's a decent size.
- You know, it's a good size.
I think the kitchen  is disappointing.
It's probably my least  favorite color unit.
- Change the cupboard doors.
- [Kirstie] The kitchen  shouldn't be a deal breaker for someone who doesn't cook that much.
- [Phil] Given that you   don't do a lot of cooking.
- Yeah.
- You're not gonna spend  very much time on this level.
It'll be right up there.
- Yeah.
Just a long way to carry up your TV dinner.
- [Phil] But more to see.
- [Maria] Okay.
- [Phil] Too far to  carry the TV dinner?
I love the way house  hunters can always  come up with new drawbacks.
- With such a limited market,  I'm enlisting Phil's help,  and extending my search eight  miles north of Maidenhead   into Buckinghamshire and   the pretty town of Marlow.
It's a location I know  that Damien and Nicki love,   and it's easy to see why.
- Marlow is growing,  but it's never lost  its community spirit.
- People are really friendly  and we're so close to London.
You can hop on a train and  be at the theater in an hour.
- There's lots going on.
There's lots of pubs and bars and restaurants.
- [Kirstie] Situated in the  heart of the town center   within 300 yards   of the high street   is this delightful   Edwardian house.
This property is   perfect for them.
It has five bedrooms, three really charming reception rooms,  as well as a superb  open plan kitchen.
The whole house has been stylishly modernized,   while still retaining many   of its original features.
- [Phil] It's not currently  on the open market,  but the owners are looking to  sell it for around £780,000.
When factoring in the 4%  stamp duty, that's 30 grand,  it comes in slightly  over their budget,   but I think we can   get it for less.
- This one looks amazing on the outside.
Ha.
That is nothing to the inside.
- Wow.
- If I get any more smug,  I will just blow up  and float away, so-  - She's quite pleased  with this one.
Come on.
- So, you know what, I wish I  could say welcome to my house  because I would be so pleased  to have this as my house.
- Oh my God.
- Wicked.
It's beautiful.
- That'll do, we'll take  wicked as a first description.
- No, this is awesome.
It looks almost   too swanky for us.
- No, it doesn't.
- No, no, no, it doesn't.
I'm really fine with this.
- [Phil] No such thing  as too swanky, surely.
- [Kirstie] Let's not  get excited, Phil.
We've both been here before.
- I wanna know   how much it costs.
- They're asking 780.
- Right.
Which is more than we  can afford, slightly.
- But we should remember that they're selling   without an agent.
So they won't be incurring an agency fee.
And the trick is to get them  to pass the saving onto you,  which can be between 1 and 3%.
- Just makes me  smile coming in here.
- It's perfect.
It's really sexy.
Marlow's cool.
Let's let's look at  more of it, please.
- Happy to oblige.
Hopefully the garden should  provide a cool play area  for the kids and more.
Just pop your head around there.
There's a lovely little stone built building   and a Wendy house.
- Excellent.
Oh yeah, I love little  areas like that.
It's like a little   secret garden.
- [Kirstie] One happy boy.
- You saved up this  money and you're in   a fantastic position,   which is really grown up.
But then when Kirstie  tells me that Damien plays on his PlayStation and he's a bit of a,   sort of a big kid.
- It is like having three kids.
But that said, he is the   one who handles, you know,  negotiations when we've  been buying a house before,  cause he's much cooler  headed than I am.
- But when it comes to  practical family decisions,   is it down to you?
- I think if I  didn't like a house,   I don't think he'd   bother pursuing it  because I just wouldn't do it.
But I think he's probably  more persuadable on a house  if I like it.
- Okay, okay.
I'm getting the picture.
- What would you  have to find upstairs   that would put you   off this house?
- As long as it maintains   that level of wickedness.
- Go and check out   how wicked it is.
- Thank you.
- If you see Phil,   send him this way.
- Okay.
- Tell him I'm on  the trampoline, it  won't surprise him.
My worry is history  will repeat itself,  and as soon as they go  up a flight of stairs,  they'll get altitude sickness  and go off the house.
Is Nicki thrilled   about this house?
- Yeah.
- Really?
- Yes.
- Totally?
- Totally.
- 100%?
- I haven't heard a word of  worry, concern, anything.
- So what do you think?
- I really like it.
- I read the last house wrong  cause I thought this is it.
And then Nicki came  in and said no.
- Oh my God.
- So we could be   reading it wrong.
- I love the downstairs.
- Yeah.
- It's amazing.
I don't know whether  it's because it's so  amazing downstairs that I got a little bit disappointed with the upstairs.
- This is perfect for them,   and I think Nicki   can see it now,  but Damien still seems stuck.
- We're so taken with the house  and it's suitability for them.
- Yeah.
How could anyone not  think we were right?
- How could anybody not?
- What a shocking concept, Phil,   that we could not   pick their house.
- [Phil] Crazy talk.
- So...  - I really like it.
- Nicki really likes it.
- Nicki really likes it.
- Oh dear.
- No, I really like it too.
I don't know whether it's   because the downstairs  was so amazing that I got a  bit disappointed upstairs.
- You're never gonna be blown away by bedrooms.
Bedrooms are bedrooms.
But actually downstairs is so rock and roll.
- It's a goer, though.
I think it is a goer.
- Yeah.
Well let's see if   we can beat it.
The challenge is set.
- We?
You're shimmying off.
- No, I'm not.
No, I'm here for the journey now.
- Are you?
That's a nice treat, what  have we done to deserve that?
- You've shown them the   house they're happy with,  now it's safe for me to stay.
- Right, in Phils tender care, we shall move on.
You'd have thought it would be relatively easy  to find the right  property when you know  exactly what you want.
- But sometimes you can have  too much of a good thing.
- I'm working with   Damien and Nicki, who've got £800,000 to spend on a family home,   but they're so focused on   finding a ready made home  that they're  discounting properties   with the potential   to be perfect.
- Maria's looking to start   a new life back in the UK, so I'm looking for a bachelorette pad for her  and four legged friend Edward.
I'm keen to get it right and avoid ending up   in the dog house.
So, for Maria's next property,  I'm taking her to Marlow,   next to the Thames and   the lifestyle she craves.
This is an island.
When I first looked  at this place,  and this is the one  we're looking at here,  with ducks flying  around it and you can genuinely feel in contact with the water.
It comes with the moaring.
- So I can have my own boat?
- [Phil] Your own boat.
- Oh, wow.
- I'm pleased you're pleased.
- Yeah, no, I'm very happy   and excited to be here.
And I love Marlow.
- This island house  is perfect for her.
Built over three levels, this huge maisonette is surrounded by water with river views galore.
It boasts two impressive reception rooms,  four bedrooms, and even the kitchen has a view of the Thames.
It's on the market 20 grand  under budget at 579,950.
Dining room.
- Oh, so you have the  view this way as well.
- [Phil] Yeah.
- Oh gosh.
Can you knock these walls down?
- Yes, do it in half an hour.
- Is that a Kirstie job?
- Give Kirstie a sledgehammer.
- Okay.
- [Kirstie] Phil,  stop hiring me out.
I'm a very busy woman.
- Oh wow, so we have a balcony.
Oh fantastic.
Wow.
That's unbelievable.
- This is great.
- [Kirstie] Wow indeed, Phil.
She's smitten.
- There's another floor.
Go and help yourself.
Have a look at the   bedroom up there.
- I will.
- Yes.
Finally, I'm getting somewhere.
Maria's come alive.
She's just lit up   coming in here.
It's fantastic.
But there's more to consider  here than just a house.
Having recently   lost her husband,  Maria's looking for an  entirely fresh start.
I'm picking up from you, Maria,  that the environment  that you live in   is almost as important as   the actual house itself.
- It's a complete contrast  to where I was living before.
Where at night you have no signs of human life whatsoever.
Whereas here-  - You were that alone.
- Oh, it was absolutely that isolated.
So very stunningly beautiful,  but it would do you  in a bit of the head if you stayed much longer living on my own.
- And just, if you  were to buy this one,  there's about 60 odd  houses on the island,   would create a really   strong sense of community.
- [Maria] To be here is just  like a breath of fresh air.
It's wonderful.
- Well, I'm so pleased   that you like that place,  and that there are options and  there are affordable options.
- Yeah, no, that's great.
- But we've still got  another one to see.
- Oh true.
I don't know how you  could have beat this.
- I'm gonna try.
- You get even  closer to the water.
- [Kirstie] Oh, you tease, Phil.
Now get back here   like you promised,  I've got a cracking property  to show my troublesome pair.
Nicki loved my second property,  but the upstairs left  Damien a wee bit down because it wasn't quite as wicked or cool   as the rest of the house.
So for their third property,  I'm pushing the  location boundaries  six miles north of Maidenhead  to the village of Wooburn.
But I think it's worth it.
The front of the  house is deceiving.
But once inside this  grade two listed barn, it's clear this would give them an outstanding family home  with the period  features they love.
And the tasteful modern extension at the back provides a large kitchen diner.
It's just come on the  market at £800,000.
It's more than they can afford,  but I've got an ulterior  motive for bringing them here.
- [Phil] What are you  up to lady Allsopp?
- Wow.
That's amazing.
- [Nicki] It's like a film set.
- Yeah.
It's the sort of place I always hoped I would live one day.
It's just amazing.
- It was built as a  pub, 16th century,  and it was converted into a  house I think the early 30s.
- And wait till Damien  sees what's outside.
- [Damien] What is that?
- That is your office, Damien.
- Wicked.
- He's gone.
He's gone.
Phil, do you wanna   go and find him?
- I'll look after him up here.
- You go and look  after Damien up there.
I need to talk to you Nicki  about the big compromise.
- Okay.
- A boy's heaven for you, Damien.
- It's lovely.
- [Phil] Perfect place to  work, to set up your games.
- [Kirstie] Don't  encourage him, Phil.
- What?
- There's only two bedrooms  in this bit of the house.
And then there's a  room over the study.
And then there's this slightly  weird room off the kitchen.
So the compromise is in getting your head around   the fact that the bedrooms   all over the shop.
- Right, it's hard to tell.
It might not work.
- I like it.
I'd be interested to  see what Nicki thinks.
- I wonder, I wonder.
We better find out.
- Would you have house number  two or house number three?
- Two.
I think house two was so strong.
This is beautiful, but I  don't think they'll choose it.
- I think you're right.
- You think I'm right?
- This house will dazzle them,  but ultimately focus them.
- Yeah.
- I sort of feel like it's got  amazing parts to this house  but I just think in three  years, would it still work?
- And weirdly I think  about property two,   in three years, am I just   gonna be so bored of this  and really I wanted  something more imaginative?
Yeah.
- [Kirstie] It's crunch time.
What this house has shown   them is that their dreams   for a new home   are world's apart.
Nicki wants a practical family home while Damien   still wants space   to work and play.
- This place is dope.
- It is dope.
- What do you mean?
- It's awesome.
It is the sort of place I   always imagined living in.
- But I think I'm gonna crush all your dreams,   but I just think we'd   outgrow it quite quickly.
- I mean, we can put  a sofa bed in there.
- Oh, he's trying, isn't he?
He's really trying.
- You know what, I think tomorrow is another day,  and please God, you will  still be together tomorrow.
Tell you one thing, it's been beautifully done.
- It's a new day and time to focus on Maria.
She's already seen three of the best properties  on the market, but the last home is something very special.
It's in Sunbury, Surrey,   26 miles east of the life  she started to  build in Maidenhead.
So her commute to Uxbridge  will be just about the same.
But with Thames views  being like gold dust,  this really delivers  on her dream.
If you fancy living  by the river,  there are specialist  estate agents  that deal solely with  waterside properties.
Another island we have for you.
- It's really exciting.
Can you drive over this?
- Well you can drive,  but there's nowhere  to park at the  moment on the island.
This is true island life,   with access only by boat,  footbridge, or wheelbarrow.
And if there's any property  that makes me go wow,  it's this one.
Situated right on the  banks of the Thames, it's got a stunning vaulted kitchen-lounge,   two bedrooms and   a luxury bathroom.
- [Kirstie] Something like this in Maidenhead  would cost around £200,000  more than Maria could afford.
But here, further downstream, it's under budget and on the market for £499,950.
- Wow.
Wow, water, both sides.
- [Phil] You really do  have water both sides.
- And... - [Maria] No, it really is wow.
I wanted a wow place.
- I looked at it   and I must admit, I said if Maria doesn't buy it, I'll have it.
- I guess you'd never get a  flood insurance would you?
- No, you do.
No, he has flood insurance, yeah.
Waterside properties  have a lot to offer,   but it's always a   good idea to check with your insurance company about your cover   before purchasing a house.
Taking action to reduce the risk of flooding  to your property can bring  your insurance premiums down.
It's really beautifully done,  the way the windows  completely fold back.
- Yes, no, that is stunning.
It's perfect, really,  for me and a dog.
It's just incredible.
- There's also a   far reduced price  from other things  that we've looked at.
- [Maria] Oh okay, even better.
- Just under 500.
- Okay.
Okay, no, that's good.
- [Phil] Looks like  my work here is done.
- I wanted a place that   you bring your friends to,   and your family, and they   go, oh wow, oh my God.
- [Kirstie] It's  exactly what this is.
- [Phil] Maria's blown  away by this house.
Could it be the fresh start she's longed for?
- Well, you pulled   a blinder, Phil.
That is lovely.
- It's just... - It's pretty special, isn't it?
- I love it.
- Yeah.
You love it, I love  it, Maria loves it.
So Maria, are you  gonna buy this house?
- I can't imagine actually   how anything could be better than living here.
- Come and join us.
- No, we reckon this  is the house for you.
- [Phil] But does Maria?
Because there's a  lot riding on this.
- I just had to think, but I definitely dismiss yesterday's place.
I guess it's just perhaps   just the pros and cons.
- [Phil] We can  always go back there.
- Maybe I need to, just to  completely dismiss that one.
- Okey doke.
- [Phil] So it's back  to Marlow for Maria.
- [Kirstie] And me too, because overnight, Nicki and Damien didn't fight but focused.
Although Damien wasn't  wowed by the upstairs,  they've decided to  revisit property two.
It's at the top of their budget,  so it leaves no room  for improvements,   but they've come   with an open mind.
You've got to see  it in the long term.
- [Nicki] Yeah.
- At the moment,  it's stretching you  to the limit of your budget,  but it's a house  that you can stay in   for the rest of your life.
And every time there's  a bit of a bonus,  you can do something  else to the house.
- [Nicki] Yes.
- And that I think is the point of this house.
- I'm liking a lot  more already, I think.
It's good to be back here   and see it on a new day.
- Go and have a look  at the rest of it,  but just walk into  every room and think  what could we do in this room  which would make  it a bit different?
- Mm.
- Cool.
Okay.
- Thank you.
- Thanks.
- [Kirstie] At last,  they're both seeing   this house's potential   as a perfect family home.
- I'm warming more  to the upstairs now.
I kind of thought that we almost needed to have   all the money to   do everything now, but we don't necessarily, do we?
- No.
- We can work on   it over the years.
As we grow older together.
- Damien, the first time you came to this house,  you were disappointed  with the upstairs.
What do you think now?
- I'm feeling a lot  more happy with it.
It does feel now like a sort  of sensible family home.
But seeing this again now makes me feel, yes, we can live here, we can raise a family here.
- Your budget is £800,000   including stamp duty.
This house is on the  market at £780,000.
We can crack this, but we should go to the pub,   sit down and work out   how we're gonna crack it.
- Yeah.
Okay.
- Beer.
- You're on.
- [Kirstie] We're  in the Royal Borough   of Windsor and Maidenhead,  looking for two  princely properties  for our house hunters.
My picky pair, Nicki and Damien are desperate to leave loft living and find a family home.
- Whereas I've been  trawling the Thames   with widow Maria   for a dream view.
She's asked me to revisit   property three in Marlow,  to rule it in or rule it out.
And she's brought Edward along  to see if he can help  sniff out a deal.
And I've brought local   builder Mike Shears along  to help work out some sums.
If she was to open all this up, you'd seriously enjoy the river right the way through the flat.
- To take down this wall and the petition, we've got £2,280.
- And how about that wall, Mike, over there?
If we were to open that one up.
- This wall's  slightly different.
Because it's a structural wall, that comes to about 2,700.
- I'll tell you what, if   you sort the windows out,  you put more than five grand  on the value of this flat.
- Yeah.
- Goodness me.
- No, just really to  walk in and mega wow.
Yeah.
- [Kirstie] I take it that's better than wow.
Now it's up to Edward to see  if he thinks it's wow too.
- Edward, what do   you make of it?
He's pretty happy.
Pretty comfortable here.
- The challenge will  be to see how he is with a spiral staircase.
Come on then.
Let's see you on the stairs.
Funny stairs.
Come here.
What a good boy.
Bed.
Come on.
Come on.
Yeah!
He knows bed time.
- That was an important moment.
I was suddenly nervous that he wouldn't go up.
Cause it was vital that Edward   could get up the   spiral staircase,  cause he sleeps in the bed.
Edward happy?
Woof woof.
Why am I imitating a dog?
- [Kirstie] I always knew he  could talk to the animals.
- Okay up there?
- Yeah.
No it's fabulous.
- Edward's all happy?
Yeah, no, very.
- [Phil] Doesn't make the decision any easier.
- No, absolutely.
There's so much to think about  from seeing this morning,  that just beautiful location, and this is also very beautiful  and it's one has lot  of space, one doesn't.
- [Phil] So it's a two boat race.
Will Maria choose the practical home approved by Edward   near the life she   started to build, or property four with the river at the bottom of the garden?
- Whereas Nicki and  Damien have decided  they want to buy property two.
If you want that house, how are we gonna make the money come together?
- That's the big question.
- I don't know.
If we need to make a sensible  offer that's at the top of...   As much as we can afford,   then we should do that.
- That's a sort of  take it or leave it.
Is that what we should do?
- Yeah, no, that's  what you should do.
I mean it, in this circumstances I would ring up the vendor  and I would say this  is the situation.
My clients have £800,000 cash.
Cash.
That's it.
I would ring up and say, look,   you told us you   wanted 780 for it.
770 is all that's being offered.
- I'm happy to sort of   take your advice on this.
- So you've got no   hesitations on it?
- No.
- Okey doke.
Right.
Okay.
I have numbers.
The house isn't being   marketed through an agent,  so I have to call  the vendor directly.
Lucinda, it's Kirstie Allsop  from "Location,  Location, Location".
Is it a bad moment?
Can you hear me?
Hello, Lucinda?
Right.
Okay.
- Can it get more tense?
- Can it get more tense?
No, don't know.
Mobile reception   is really patchy.
- It's all pretty tense here with Maria too.
She was smitten with house   number four in Sunbury, but worried about moving away from the new life  she started to build.
So she went back for a second  viewing to property three  in Marlow with Edward.
How was the second   viewing for you?
- Yeah, no, second viewing,   I think just driving down   there this afternoon,  it felt like I was going home.
And I think Edward would be very happy as well  cause he loves people  around and other dogs.
- Good news.
So what are we   gonna do about it?
It's on the market   at just under 580.
They tried to market it last  year for a few months at 610.
- What do you think would   be a realistic offer  to be able to get it,  obviously for the best  price I possibly can?
- Shall we say 558?
- Okay.
Yeah.
- And I think if we bought it  somewhere in the five sixties, I think that would be terrific.
- Yeah.
No, I agree.
- Maria, it's starting to rain.
I think we should   dive for shelter.
These negotiations are  approving to be tricky  and we've not even  got the offers in yet.
Okay.
Right, let's give them a ring.
Tim, is that you?
It's Phil Spencer here.
I've just had a chat  here with my client,   talking about what   she wants to do.
It's a difficult one  trying to justify  the asking price at  just below the 580,  but I've got an offer for you.
And the offer is for 558.
If we could agree at that   price, she'd be delighted.
Okay, thanks Tim.
I'll wait to hear.
- So what did he say?
- He didn't laugh at me,  but it's gonna be a difficult  pill for them to swallow,  but we might try and  make them swallow it.
- Lucinda, I'm so   sorry about that.
I have now laid my  hands on the landline.
It will not happen again.
As I was saying, we went back  to your house this morning  and we've had long chat and  we've been through everything.
The maximum offer they are able to make is 770.
They haven't hummed and harred and offered less  or tried to be canny with it.
They really want it.
Okay, brilliant.
Bye.
Right.
That is part very good  and part very bad.
- Okay.
- She said to herself, if I get a certain amount, I will go.
And your offer is  very close to that.
The bad news is that she   hasn't got anywhere to go  and she is not a hundred  percent sure that she's going.
- But I think it's good that she said it now  because I would hate to go  down the conveyancing route  and her say it three  weeks from now.
- Listen.
High hopes.
Let's drink to high hopes.
- High hopes.
- High hopes.
With their offer on the table and the owner  still searching for  somewhere to buy,  all Damien and Nicki can do  is play the waiting game.
(phone ringing)  - Here we go.
Hi Tim.
What news?
Yeah.
Any idea of timescale?
Thank you.
Cheers Tim.
Bye.
- What'd he say?
- He's spoken to Mr.  Mrs is on a golf course and  not taking the phone call.
- Oh.
- Mr said he needs to...
He does need to have a  conversation with his wife.
It's not an outright no.
- Okay.
- I promise, as soon as he  rings me, I'm gonna ring you.
- Fantastic.
Thank you.
- Fingers and toes crossed.
Thanks.
Overnight, Maria's original  offer of 558,000 was rejected,  but desperate for the house,  she instructed me to  increase her offer to 565,000  and she's now on tenterhooks  for their response.
- Hello, Phil?
- [Phil] Hello, Maria?
- Hi, it is.
Hi.
- [Phil] I have some news.
565 has just been accepted.
- Oh, wow.
Oh that's so amazing.
- [Phil] Congratulations.
I think it's a   terrific property.
Thank you.
Bye-bye.
- [Phil] If ever  someone deserved to  find their dream home,  it was Maria.
- [Kirstie] Five months on and she's living  the waterfront dream.
- It was wonderful to  come through the door  for the first time.
I think I was bouncing   around like a kid, really,   with excitement to think   this is actually mine now  and living by the water and  seeing the boats going by   and the ducks and the   swans, which is wonderful.
- [Phil] But she wasn't the  only one we had to consider.
- [Maria] Edward,   I think likes it.
I think just the fact  that he's with me.
The removal guys said,  oh, that he definitely   was like my baby.
He was following me everywhere.
So I think just being in a  new environment, he likes it.
- [Kirstie] It's been  a tough few years,  but finally it's  all coming together.
- I think this is the   perfect bachelorette pad.
I think everyone says so.
And everyone says it's  a really me place.
- [Phil] I couldn't agree more.
- [Kirstie] Meanwhile, it's all change for Damien and Nicki.
The owner of property two decided she didn't want to sell.
But their disappointment made them reconsider  something they had  previously discounted.
Who'd have thought it would  be the house next door?
- Given that it was   actually the mirror image of property two and that they are attached,  it seemed crazy not to go back  and have a proper look at it  and see if we could do what  they've done next door.
- [Phil] They had the  vision and offered 669,000,   a hundred grand less than   they offered next door.
It was accepted and they got  the keys a couple of days ago.
There's no time to waste.
- [Nicki] Everything  needs decorating.
The whole house.
We're gonna try and put some  original features back in  that have been stripped out.
- This whole  fireplace is just...
It looks terrible, but  it could be beautiful.
And I think that's the  nature of this house.
It just needs to be  brought back to life.
- [Phil] If anyone can  do it, these two can.
- We need to put back its mojo.
Get it living again.
Put it back to the state that it should be in  and then we can move in and  we'll feel happy, I think.
- [Kirstie] Damien  and Nicki are going to   transform this house into   a fantastic family home.
And I can't wait to  come back and see it.
(upbeat music)