In tonight’s first episode, every penny’s on the line for two couples who’ve bought new homes at auction.  Fortunately, Property guru Sarah Beeny is on hand to offer advice and help the couples streamline their plans and maximise their creative ambition.

 

In Guildford, social worker Alison and husband Michael were forced to sell their old home when the interest rate shot up after Liz Truss’s 2022 mini budget. But will their auction buy – with its unanticipated pitfalls - give them and their two young sons the financial freedom they’re looking for?

In Cornwall, Jules and Al spent more than they’d intended on a delipidated seven-bedroom former B & B.  They’re feeling intimidated by the scale of their Victorian renovation. Can Sarah give them some direction?

Sarah also visits an old council loo in Newport, South Wales, sold at auction, that has been transformed into a unique performance space by local resident Janet. And in North London we go behind the scenes at a leading property auction house that specialises in selling properties that have been left to charity, and follow a sale that has the potential to do a huge amount of good.

In Help! I Bought It at Auction, Sarah Beeny follows brave buyers with big ambitions and is on hand to offer advice and help the couples streamline their plans and maximise their creative ambition.

 

In Nottinghamshire, Laura has snapped up a 100-year-old abandoned bungalow with ivy growing under the wallpaper. Mortgage-free in her mid-thirties, she’s determined to create her dream home.  But funds are tight, so she’ll have to roll up her sleeves and tackle much of the renovation herself. But as a DIY-novice, can her skills match her vision?

 

In Stoke-on-Trent, Tariq has taken ownership of a local landmark – the former Minton Library. To fund the restoration of its historic tiles, he plans to transform the upper floors into an events venue. The pressure is on: he has just eight weeks until he hosts his first wedding, but spiralling costs and looming deadlines threaten to derail everything.

 

Plus, we go behind the scenes at the East Anglia Auction House where a tiny plot of land sparks a bidding frenzy, and we meet the new owners of what locals call ‘Norfolk’s creepiest house’ as they face a big decision – demolish or restore?

Sarah Beeny meets more determined buyers chasing big dreams on tight budgets.

 

In a picturesque village in the South Downs National Park, Michelle and Derek have fallen for a cosy cottage in desperate need of attention. Its condition meant a mortgage was off the table – a common risk with auction properties – so with money stretched and hopes of moving in fast, they’ll have to take on most of the work themselves. It’s a daunting task, but a true labour of love, and Sarah is on hand to help them make the most of the layout.

 

In Somerset, young couple Archie and Lauren are aiming to add value to their fixer-upper. Archie’s grand plan for a large outdoor kitchen could transform the property – but will it increase the value more than it costs to build?

 

Plus, Sarah checks whether the sums add up for first-time auction buyers gambling on a flat they hope to renovate for profit. And at a Devonshire auction house, a dream holiday home is up for grabs, as more secrets of the trade are revealed.

In this episode of Help! I Bought It at Auction, Sarah Beeny follows two buyers taking huge risks and hoping their auction dreams will come true.

 

In Herne Bay, Leezac has bought a derelict end-of-terrace and is hoping to create a modern home that nods to its Victorian roots. But with a modest budget of £25k, a house stripped back to bare brick, and a steel beam that’s causing a problem, Sarah’s worried his budget won’t get him close.

 

In Somerset, Alice has worked hard, saved up and bought a classic town house built out of local Blue Lias stone. But what had seemed like a fairly straight forward conversion turns out to be much more complicated when a gable wall is examined more closely.

 

Plus, Sarah meets business owner Barbara in Cornwall, who bought a stunning, fire-damaged mansion but is struggling to get permission to restore it. And more trade secrets are revealed in this week’s auction in Stoke-on-Trent, where Butters John Bee have been auctioning property for 170 years. Tonight auctioneer Rob Oulton, who himself has been in the business for thirty years, is on the podium and faced with an all-time first. 

In this episode of Help! I Bought It at Auction, Sarah Beeny finds out if fortune favours the brave when it comes to property auctions.

 

On the Cornish coast, Danny and Danielle take on a multi-million-pound mansion with spectacular views – and spectacular problems. A storm batters the sea wall, emergency repairs mount up, and before work can even begin they must find £40,000 for a new home for their resident bats. As setbacks come thick and fast, the couple are forced to confront a terrifying reality: to save their dream, the only way may be to start again from scratch.

 

In North Wales, the clock is ticking for Aled and his fiancé Sarah. They want to move in together before their wedding in just a few months, but with the renovation funded by their monthly income, they’re doing the hard graft themselves. When demolition of the porch reveals ominous cracks, the whole project hangs in the balance.

 

Plus, a cautionary tale for auction buyers as plans for a water tower conversion hit a planning brick wall, and one auction house prepares for what could be its biggest sale ever.

This week Sarah Beeny meets two more intrepid couples who have bought at auction and are now trying to find out if fortune favours the brave.

 

In South London, Christy and Matt have poured their savings into a seven-bedroom terrace house, paying over £1m for a property that’s in serious need of restoration. But with their savings committed, they now need to do all the work themselves - a complex task even before rotten beams are discovered.

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In Derbyshire, Heather and Dave have bought a converted stables which they’re hoping will be their first family home. But they were on holiday when they bought the stables ‘sight unseen’ and, a year on, they’re still not in.

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Plus, an old radar training centre bought at auction overlooking Morecombe Bay turns out to be a problematic buy. Architect Iain was hoping to convert it into an upmarket holiday let. But his plans are being thwarted by the absence of a sewage connection. Can Sarah help? And at SDL auction house in Nottingham, will 29 year old property investor Jack be able to land a 56th property to his growing portfolio?