Escape To The Country (Nit Picking).

Sparklefizz

Freya5

Amazes why an older couple, entering a large kitchen, say "it's not big enough". When they enter a good size bedroom, with en suite, and state the same. Unrealistic to say the least. Or as we say, "more money than sense."

I think these sort of comments are just an excuse. The couple have no intention of buying. Many haven't got a buyer for their own house and don't intend to move.... they just want to be on TV and have a few days away at the expense of the programme. I often think this when a couple are choosing to move somewhere that they haven't even visited!!! Why would anyone sane do that?
(suspicious? Moi??)

I often think this when I watch the programmes where they are looking to move abroad - A Place in the Sun etc.

I wonder whether the TV company pay their expenses when they go to the Costa Brava (or wherever) looking for their 'holiday home but we are planning to move here permanently'.

I wonder what percentage of people actually do move out there.

What about those bathrooms with plain glass and fabulous views (as I mentioned elsewhere). Fabulous views for whom?

HelterSkelter1

I remember the Pembrokeshire one and thinking at least she found that out before moving. I wonder how many of thenpeople on the show are genuine or if the programme is 50% made up.
But I do love Alistair and Jules. I remember one woman who was frightened of cows...and what were in the field next door to one of the houses??? At least she and Jules had a laugh which made me laugh too. Anyone been on the show??

Yes I agree good she found out. But I cant really get my head around not actually thinking about before deciding where to move! 🤔 Its not surprising people end up coming back if they havent thought through the bigger picture really.

I could cry at my kitchen sometimes, particularly when DH has cooked.
It tasted good though 🙂

Oreo

I laugh at the amount of women who cry and wave their hands about when they enter a kitchen, are they really so odd or just attention seekers?I mean, it’s a kitchen! Get over it.

Yes, and then they will say I like it. This works.. it’s a kitchen. That’s its job!

Sparklefizz

25Avalon

They also think they can hold down Jobs an hour’s drive away and manage 5+ acres.

Yes.... and all the time keeping alpacas!

And all those people semi-retiring and renting out cottages etc.

I only like Alistair as a presenter tbh.I like his slightly acerbic wit.

I laugh at the amount of women who cry and wave their hands about when they enter a kitchen, are they really so odd or just attention seekers?I mean, it’s a kitchen! Get over it.

Grannynannywanny

I find the frequent references to how the windows let in light rather irritating.

Yeah 😂 it’s what windows tend to do innit?

Beechnut

I agree with you Chardy. My friends moved 200 miles away and I had no intention of travelling there. It didn’t work out for them and they are back in my area.

Yes I've known people revert back to where they started. Unfortunately country house prices sometimes don't always keep pace with city house prices, and so families slide down the property ladder (never mind the expense of two lots of conveyancing)

Plus I've noticed that every single light in the house is always switched on to confuse the viewers as to how light the rooms actually are.

Grannynannywanny

I find the frequent references to how the windows let in light rather irritating.

I thought that was the point of having them 🤣

I agree with you Chardy. My friends moved 200 miles away and I had no intention of travelling there. It didn’t work out for them and they are back in my area.

I find the frequent references to how the windows let in light rather irritating.

I remember the Pembrokeshire one and thinking at least she found that out before moving. I wonder how many of thenpeople on the show are genuine or if the programme is 50% made up.
But I do love Alistair and Jules. I remember one woman who was frightened of cows...and what were in the field next door to one of the houses??? At least she and Jules had a laugh which made me laugh too. Anyone been on the show??

The daftest episode I've seen was a woman living in London suburbs wanted to move to Pembrokeshire. 3 properties with her raving about them or their potential (one had a massive collapsing barn in the garden she was planning to turn into her forever home!). In the final chat asked about the houses etc she says " I came down to Pembrokeshire by train for the programme and realised how far away it is so I've decided I'm going to move to Kent/Surrey/Sussex!" 🤪🙄😳 (Think it was those 3 counties but certainly was that sort of area as "nearer to London!"

Yes, Eloethan, the wood burners go through a lot of wood, don’t they ? We usually have enough around on our block but still only use our open fire a few times a year. To buy wood costs an absolute rocket, more expensive than gas or electricity.

There was an opinion piece in the I, yesterday I think, from a woman with a young baby who moved to rural Cornwall because she had enjoyed some lovely holidays there.

She soon found out that having to drive up to an hour for the most mundane of reasons was a real nuisance and regretted making the move.

I have lived in the country and hated it. I can't drive, and the bus service was very limited, stopping at 6 pm. Even if I could drive, there might come a time when I would not be able to. I don't think people always think things through properly.

I always laugh at the obsession with fireplaces and wood burning fires.

Almost every episode has something about having parties/entertaining or feeding a lot of people. If you move 200 miles and know nobody, will you be doing a lot of mass entertaining? Family at Christmas - there must be better places for them to meet without the expense of all that petrol?
As for people coming to stay, friends who moved 200 miles to the country assured me that once their friends had found how wearing driving 400 miles in a weekend, plus the joy of little lanes at one end, friends only came once!

Joseann

I hope the vendors get something out of it because it is a big upheaval having a film crew traipsing around the house. Having said that, the vendors are getting national coverage.

Not quite the same, but we were in a documentary with Nigel Lawson (1988) about the housing market. Two huge ITV trucks with cameras and sound gear turned up, plus the agent, and there were people tramping all over the house. It was all staged even then, and they firstly wanted a shot of the cot being taken down the drive by the removal men? I held onto the baby, while they filmed but then realised I had nowhere to put her down to make them all a cup of tea! We had to do silly things like pretend to wrap up china and hoover carpets! We were given a bunch of flowers by ITV, but with hindsight, we should have asked them to pay at least our estate agent fees or removal costs.
Sadly, my acting career did not take off from that!

I wondered if the vendors got their houses deep cleaned and styled before they filmed.

Sparklefizz

Freya5

Amazes why an older couple, entering a large kitchen, say "it's not big enough". When they enter a good size bedroom, with en suite, and state the same. Unrealistic to say the least. Or as we say, "more money than sense."

I think these sort of comments are just an excuse. The couple have no intention of buying. Many haven't got a buyer for their own house and don't intend to move.... they just want to be on TV and have a few days away at the expense of the programme. I often think this when a couple are choosing to move somewhere that they haven't even visited!!! Why would anyone sane do that?
(suspicious? Moi??)

Yes you could be right there. The modern age, 5 mins of fame.

I hope the vendors get something out of it because it is a big upheaval having a film crew traipsing around the house. Having said that, the vendors are getting national coverage.

Not quite the same, but we were in a documentary with Nigel Lawson (1988) about the housing market. Two huge ITV trucks with cameras and sound gear turned up, plus the agent, and there were people tramping all over the house. It was all staged even then, and they firstly wanted a shot of the cot being taken down the drive by the removal men? I held onto the baby, while they filmed but then realised I had nowhere to put her down to make them all a cup of tea! We had to do silly things like pretend to wrap up china and hoover carpets! We were given a bunch of flowers by ITV, but with hindsight, we should have asked them to pay at least our estate agent fees or removal costs.
Sadly, my acting career did not take off from that!

Phil and Kirsty found my DS and DiL their first property. It was not scripted and they found that Kirsty was very down to earth and gave them good advice. They bought the flat and stayed a few years.

nanna8

Same as Wanted Down Under. The majority just wanted a holiday paid for by the BBC and to see themselves on tv.

I did see one young couple who'd relocated Down Under in a shopping centre and recognised them from the programme!

Same as Wanted Down Under. The majority just wanted a holiday paid for by the BBC and to see themselves on tv.