Kirstie Allsopp was left reeling as she was given a very savage review after showing a couple around a property on Location, Location, Location.
On last night’s episode of the Channel 4 show, the property guru, 53, and her co-host Phil Spencer revisited a couple who had been hunting for their dream home in Chelmsford, back in 2016.
Charlene and Jay had been living in Romford, Essex, with their one-year-old son, Kai – but wanted to upsize and improve their commutes.
But after a year of searching – and with a budget of £425,000 for a four-bedroom home – the couple had no luck, and enlisted the help of Kirstie and Phil.
It was soon easy to see why Charlene and Jay had been struggling, as they gave the first property they viewed in Chelmer Village a very savage verdict.
Even before going inside, Jay said he ‘wasn’t keen on the brickwork’ and, despite being near good schools, having ‘excellent’ transport links and only being a mile and a half outside of Chelmsford, they were even less impressed by the interior.
On the market for a guide price of between £425,000 and £440,000, the property was almost double the size of their current home.
But when the couple gave Kirstie their feedback, she was shocked by their brutal honesty and felt like she’d been ‘harshly judged’.
Kirstie Allsopp was taken back after receiving a very savage review on Location, Location, Location
Kirstie was trying to find Charlene and Jay a new home in Chelmsford – but the task was proving difficult
With a well-equipped kitchen, open plan kitchen and diner, generously sized garden and four good sized bedrooms, Kirstie thought it would be an easy win.
After touring the upstairs, Charlene said it seemed ‘too small’ and Jay even ranked it a ‘D minus’.
Kirstie could only gasp: ‘Oh my god! Flashback to school days!’
Charlene tried to reassure her – but her feedback wasn’t much better.
‘I wasn’t as harsh. It’s a C minus upstairs, so now it’s probably like a B minus,’ she said, giving her review of the property.
Kirstie said: ‘Maybe the answer is nobody buys a B minus house. And they certainly don’t buy a D minus house! I feel judged – I feel harshly judged.’
The second property Kirstie showed the couple – this time taking them to Great Baddow – received an equally harsh review.
The £425,000 Chalet-style home was detached and big enough for family life, with a large family bathroom.
On the market for a guide price of between £425,000 and £440,000, the property was almost double the size of their current home
Kirstie could only gasp ‘oh my god’ after getting the very savage feedback
Though the property was double the size of their previous home, Charlene and Jay said it was ‘too small’. Pictured: The dining area in the first property with a view of the garden
The couple had hoped to upsize from Romford to a family home in Chelmsford with their son Kai
But Charlene was still less than enthusiastic and was put off by a large ‘beam’ running through it, and even said she thought it might be ‘too sensible’.
In the end, it was third time lucky for Kirstie after they paid a visit to the suburb of Moulsham.
Though the 1920s property only had three bedrooms, it was much closer to town, making their commutes walkable.
Charlene called it ‘really nice and lovely’ and said it was a ‘definite contender’ after only one viewing.
In the end of the 2016 episode, after hitting it off with the vendors, Jay even managed to bag the property for £415,000 instead of the guide price of £425,000.
And when Phil Spencer returned to see how the couple were getting on seven years later, he was left speechless.
The property looked almost unrecognisable as the old rear extension had been replaced by a kitchen diner – with the estimated new value of the property standing at a huge £700,000.
Totally impressed, Phil gushed: ‘You’ve moved! This is not the same house! I’m struggling for words, it feels like a totally. totally different house.’
Last night, Phil visited the family to see how they’re getting on now
In 2016, the couple had bought the third property Kirstie had shown them on the show
Since then, they’ve done extensive renovations and the house is now worth £700,000. Pictured left, in 2016, right now
Last time, Location, Location, Location viewers were left baffled by a young couple who dubbed spacious homes in leafy Surrey a ‘compromise’.
Kirstie and Phil had hoped to find Elise, Elliot and their three young children the perfect home.
Having already sold their three-bedroom property, the couple had a healthy budget of £650,000 for four bedrooms and an open-plan downstairs.
But, heavily emphasising that they weren’t willing to compromise, Elise and Elliot were struggling to meet all their needs with the money available.
As a result, they’d viewed countless properties and, despite having moved back in with Elliot’s parents, were refusing to settle for something less than perfect.
With Kirstie taking them round several properties, the couple either weren’t ‘sure’ about the area, said the homes were ‘too small’, and even just ‘didn’t feel the love’ for what they were seeing.
Their indecision soon left viewers of the show baffled – as they failed to see anything wrong with the sought-after postcodes and spacious properties.
People said: ‘They are worried about the area?? Mate, you’re in Epsom.’
Location, Location, Location is available to watch now on Channel 4.
