Sometimes you know if a property is not right for you as soon as you walk in, or maybe by the time the property tour is over and you have not fallen for its charms - it can be awkward if the estate agent is with you and is wondering why.
It's a little bit more uncomfortable though when the rejection of a property is done on national television on the very popular BBC daytime television programme Escape to the Country.
House hunters Rachel and Lee were looking for a rural home in Powys, moving from Dewsbury in West Yorkshire to find a slower pace of life in Wales' largest county and taking Rachel's parents, Mel and Janet with them too. So there were four people this Welsh house hunt had to try and please.
READ MORE: The sweet countryside cottage for sale with a swing in the living room
With a budget of £650,000 the family were looking for a detached dream home with at least three bedrooms, an annexe for Rachel's parents, close to a community and not too isolated, and hopefully with at least half an acre of land too.
According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS) the average house price in Powys in August 2022 was £247,075, a rise of 11.6% over the 12 month period to that date, so surely finding the family's dream home for that hefty buying budget would be an easy task?
The first property the couple viewed with presenter Jules Hudson was located in Lloyney, on the border with England, was a large slate and stone, five-bed former mill on the market at offers over £530,000 that sprawled over three floors.
The pair seemed to be impressed with the property - there were lots of 'nice' and 'lovely' - but there wasn't really any love in their eyes. But that's not an issue, you can't fall in love with every property you view, so it's on to the next one.
Property two was located further into Wales, within the village and community of Llangurig, and Rachel immediately gives her opinion from the outside, saying 'I don't like it... I love it!'. It's love at first sight, so let's hope the inside matches up and that Lee also gets the feels for it.
It's perfect for the parents too, the property was once two houses so each couple can have their own separate space with their own front doors. Every room gets praise, the location is 'spectacular', and when the couple are invited to go and have an extra wander around, they are more than keen. At offers in the region of £569,000 it is substantially under budget too.
Looks like Jules has made a perfect property love match but there's still the mystery house to view, and it is remarkable how many times the 'curved ball' property becomes the house hunters' favourite home on the show. Can Jules find a mystery property that is likely to persuade the couple to cheat on their newly found property partner, house number two that they've fallen in love with?
Located next to the canal in the picturesque village of Talybont-on-Usk is a handsome stone property that is a former mill and can offer an idyllic location with rural views yet all the amenities of the village on the doorstep.
Wandering along the canal path is a delightful experience and this property is a gem to discover along its route. The property dates back to 1804, is Grade II listed and has plenty of accommodation to explore across four floors.
Lee is impressed, saying: "Fantastic, I wasn't expecting this!" - it's a promising start for the mill but the first room, the cosy lounge with the huge log burner, has not won their hearts as, for them, it's 'a little tight'.
The mystery house is challenging the couple's expectations, as it's supposed to, but when they see the work that needs to be done to convert the lowest floor into an annexe for the parents it's curtains for the mill. They both like the house and the location but the annexe has put an end to the mill being a contender as their new home in Wales.
Jules meets them in the pretty garden and asks them if they would like to go back in and have another look around. For Rachel it's an instant 'no' and for Lee it's a 'probably not' - there's no love there - but he goes on to say something that is spot on; it will make a lovely house for somebody.
And just because the couple weren't personally taken by the charm of this unique property it doesn't mean the mill isn't 'the one' for someone else looking for character and history in a remarkable location.
The chance to bag this TV star home has come as it is going to auction with a guide price of £409,000, considerably under the £499,950 that was revealed on the show as the asking price - although, of course, it could easily sell for more than the guide, depending on the number of bidders desperate to buy it.
The auction house selling the property can recommend it as a characterful home with four floors to find, even though from the canalside it looks like a two-storey home. Two floors are hidden and include the lower ground floor where the annexe potential can be found.
This level has its own front door and already has a small kitchen, ideal for anyone looking for a section of a house to renovate and convert into extra accommodation and add value to the property, or it could make the best collection of games rooms in the village.
You enter the ground floor through a glass double doorway into a slate floored hall and into the characterful lounge with a beast of a log burner and the ceiling beams that Jules loved so much. From here the rural views through the charming multi-paned windows are amazing, but they get even better from the two floors above that house the three bedrooms.
The master bedroom is a suite that occupies the whole of the top floor, accompanied by a recently refurbished family bathroom, and can also boast a clever 'instant balcony' window that folds out from the roof space and looks out onto the canal and the rural view beyond.
Back to the ground floor and the attractive heritage green Shaker-style kitchen can accommodate a dining zone too, although there is an extra room on this floor that is versatile enough to be a formal dining room, a home office or den.
The auction house also suggests that the property, called Yr Aildy, could make a unique holiday let or Airbnb not just because of its character but because its location is ideal, nestled within the Brecon Beacons National Parks.
For anyone wanting to come and explore the area, there's every level catered for at the mill's location. Staying local as Talybont-on-Usk offers two rivers, a reservoir and waterfalls as well as the canal and a choice of pubs and restaurants in the village and its surrounding countryside.
Or go gently into the countryside for strolls, fishing and bird-watching, or ramp it up a level and tackle mountain biking, canoeing, climbing and kayaking to name just a few more vigorous activities available - there are so many outdoor adventures this area can offer. Or, of course, do all three levels, from relaxing to re-invigorating.
And what happened to Rachel and Lee? They fell in love with house number two and with Wales so they were led by love and bought it, right? No. They were led by love, but love for family not property and bought a house in Lincolnshire to be near their children.
The mill is going to online auction with Sage & Co Auctions from noon on Monday, October 31 to Wednesday, November 2, finishing at 6.20pm. Call the company on 01633 838888 to find out more.
To watch this Escape to the Country episode, series 23, episode 6, go to BBC iPlayer where it is currently available to view. And don't miss the best dream homes in Wales, auction properties, renovation stories, and interiors - join the Amazing Welsh Homes newsletter , sent to your inbox twice a week.
READ NEXT:
- Win tickets to see Wales v All Blacks
- The couple fighting to save derelict country manor that's going to take decades to rebuild
- Owners convert old building into £1m dream home with gorgeous interior
- This is much harder than playing rugby' The challenging home renovation of a former Welsh international and his Olympian wife
- Hidden coastal dream home full of character in a quiet Gower location
