A couple on Escape to the Country discovers their ideal home, but faces a significant problem

Escape to the Country made a return on Wednesday (19 March), featuring Matt and Jamie, a couple eager to find their idyllic abode in Devon, with Sonali Shah guiding their journey.

The pair were embarking on the exciting venture of buying their first home together and had set their hearts on the charming county of Devon. Jamie, who works as a genetic counselor for the NHS, hailed from the Oxfordshire town of Wantage, while Matt, an aerospace engineer, called Eastley in Hampshire his home.

Armed with a budget of £550,000, the duo had a clear vision: a property boasting up to four bedrooms, off-street parking, a garage or workshop space, and a generous garden.

Their first stop was a quaint 19th-century cottage in Mutterton, on the market for £550,000. This charming home offered three bedrooms, an annexe, and a spacious kitchen.

They then explored a beautifully converted barn in Landscove, valued at £530,000, which featured three bedrooms, an expansive garden, and an array of period features. Although impressed, Matt confessed he found it hard to see the barn as their future family home, reports Devon Live.

The final viewing brought them to a Georgian gem in Ipplepen, also priced at £530,000. This stately house boasted four bedrooms, two reception rooms, and sat proudly in the village’s heart.

Jamie couldn’t hide her admiration, declaring the property could be her “dream house” and praising the interior as “perfection”. However, she highlighted a significant drawback that seemed to put their dream on hold.

The property in question boasted the tiniest garden they had seen and lacked the space for a workshop, which Matt conceded didn’t satisfy their “practical needs”, yet he remained intrigued.

Subsequently, Jamie and Matt reconvened with Sonali to disclose the outcome of their property search on ‘Escape to the Country’. The couple joyfully declared they had made an offer on the initial property they viewed, with Matt confessing: “After seeing the second and third one, the first was the best fit for us.”

Jamie concurred, stating: “Yeah, it meets basically all of our needs. We feel really excited about it. So, we’ve decided to put an offer in on that one. We were so impressed by that property. We could picture ourselves there, we were instantly thinking about what we’d do with the space and hopefully, we’re successful with actually buying it.”

In the end, it was disclosed that Matt and Jamie’s bid was accepted, and they became the proud owners of the home in Mutterton.

Escape to the Country airs on BBC One on weekdays at 3pm