Escape to the Country's Alistair Appleton 'surprised' by Tooting family's last minute Chiltern Hills swap

Escape to the Country host Alistair Appleton shared his surprise after a couple from South London ditched their plans to move to the Chiltern Hills for a new home in Surrey instead. During Monday's episode of the BBC One show (April 22), Alistair was joined by a couple who wanted to get away from the busy capital and enjoy a quieter family life.

House hunters Carl and Michelle were living in a one-bedroom flat in Tooting, with their toddler Hugo, and wanted to find their first family home. They also wanted a rural area for their son to grow up in so the couple headed to the idyllic Chiltern Hills with a £600,000 budget.

The first-time buyers were drawn to the area for its quick transport links into London and the green surroundings that are a far cry from the hustle and bustle of their flat in the Wandsworth borough. Alistair showed the couple three different properties in Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire, and one period property caught their eye.

READ MORE: Escape to the Country house hunter shares sad confession for wanting to move out of the city

The trio visited the village of Kingston Blount, in Oxfordshire, to view a three-bedroom detached Victorian House with an open-plan kitchen, cellar, walled garden, and off-street parking. The lovely property was perfect for the young family but was on sale for £625,000 so slightly over budget.

"I would say it had exceeded my expectations", Carl said while they excitedly spoke about their potential new home as they were undeterred by the asking price.

At the end of the episode, Alistair confirmed that Carl and Michelle had put in an offer on the property, but it was rejected. They then decided to look for a rural family home elsewhere.

Giving an update on the couple's next move, Alistair said: "In a surprise twist, they looked in a whole new area and fell in love with a character home in the county of Surrey. We wish them all the best as they complete the purchase."

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

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