When Dick Strawbridge and wife Angel Adoree agreed to make the jump across the channel and start a new life in a French chateau, they agreed on a budget of £300,000.
The couple, who are the stars of Channel 4's Escape to the Chateau, almost came unstuck within minutes of viewing the property that would eventually become their new home.
The fell in love with Chateau de la Motte Husson within an hour after they “fell under its spell” but Angel was so keen to make the property theirs, she almost blew the whole budget trying to secure it.
They were cash buyers, so could move quickly but Dick admitted "we’re in trouble" as Angel had "found the property she wanted" but the walled garden at the chateau was under offer to a developer, who had plans to build two houses there.
Dick and Angel didn't want that to happen, so unbeknownst to Dick, Angel made an offer to the estate agent to secure the whole shebang.
The Chateau was listed at £250,000, which was the equivalent of 345,000 euros at the time but Dick said that he was trying to "be sensible" with their offer.
Dick said: “I’m trying to be sensible, this is a huge house, it’s got the Orangery, the walled garden, it’s got all these things going for it, but we’re talking a lot of money to get it back to where it should be. It is so doable and it is so beautiful, it’s almost too good.”
Speaking to the estate agent, Angel looked to discuss what they could do about the 50,000 euros offer that had been made for the walled garden and came up with an immediate solution.
She said: "We need to have the walled garden in it. Not having the walled garden is just a no-go for us. We need the stables, we need it all for it to work for us.
“Keep in mind, we’re cash buyers, what will he take for the entirety?”
The estate agent replied: "If you say, we offer 390,000 euros today for the whole lot, then I stop the visits.”
Angel called Dick over as he said: “I missed the conversation, what did you say, darling? Have you bought the place?”
She told him as hands were shaken on the deal: “If we offer 390,000 euros, he will stop the visits and we can get going."
Dick had another look around the chateau and he admitted that they could be in trouble with purchasing at that price.
He said: "If you look at the sewage if you look at the electrics in here if you look at the lead paint, it basically says ‘Don’t buy me.’”
The problem was that Angel was agreeing to pay £280,000 of their £300,000 budget, leaving next to nothing for renovation.”
After sealing the deal, they found the property had 450 faults listed in the paperwork.
Dick said: “The whole of this document says ‘Do not buy The Chateau’. It says it’s all our risk if anything happens.”
*Season one to seven of Escape to the Chateau are available to watch on 4oD now.
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