Those who watch Channel 4 property program Location, Location, Location will be well aware that presenters Phil Spencer and Kirstie Allsop regularly rib each other about their tactics. This is one of the most popular property reality programs offering would-be buyers the opportunity to look round a number of homes which fit their criteria. However, it seems that Kirstie Allsop’s recent tactics have tickled the fancy of Phil!
Oxford property for £250,000
This week saw Tim looking for a one-bedroom home within cycling distance of his museum workplace in Oxford with a budget of £250,000. While this is around the average property price in the UK, Oxford is a relatively expensive area and this would be a challenge for the two presenters. This week’s potential buyer was not only looking for a property around the £250,000 mark but he was looking for character home with exposed beams and walls. It very quickly became apparent that he would need to look outside of the city itself.
First stop Temple Cowley, which is just a 15 minute bike ride from Oxford city centre and a prime location for Tim. Kirsty managed to find a small terraced house valued at £250,000 and seemingly fitting at least some of the criteria put forward. This is where the presenters began to poke fun at each other!
Winning the battle on Location, Location, Location
Those who watch Location, Location, Location will be well aware that the aim is to find a suitable property and then encourage the buyer to make an offer. This week Kirsty left Tim out in the freezing cold while she ventured inside to do some camera work. She then suggested her tactic was to “chill them until they have no choice but to put an offer in” which certainly tickled the fancy of her co-presenter Phil when he later found out about her methods. Suggesting that the “ice maiden” had struck again the on-screen chemistry between the two came to the fore.
As it happens Tim did not take the advice of either Kirsty or Phil suggesting that he would look elsewhere within the Oxford ring road. So, as often happens on the programme the criteria passed to the presenters is not always possible to fulfil even if some of the properties do seem genuine contenders.
The rise and rise of property programs
Location, Location, Location is just one of many property programs in the UK which attracts significant audience numbers. There is no doubt that more and more people are now looking towards property as their “pension funds of the future” and watching actual property purchases develop in front of their eyes is perfect for many. There is obviously some editing to significantly shorten the process and, while some would argue this gives a false impression, at the end of the day it does give a general overview about how to find that dream property and how to play the bidding game.
It is a little bizarre to many people around the UK to find that it is nigh on impossible to acquire a one-bedroom property in Oxford for £250,000.