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Okay, guys! What do you think?
Good.
NARRATOR: Mandy Cavanaugh
loves her family's comfortable and sweet life
in the Peach State.
We are very close to restaurants,
activities for the boys, shopping.
Yeah.
NARRATOR: But her husband Joe's dream
to live a life less ordinary
is about to make things sour.
JOE: Yeah, this would work.
No, I don't think so.
Is Mandy ready to get Georgia off her mind?
MANDY: No dishwasher...
Us Americans would call it "roughing it."
Or can Joe convince her to embrace the change of pace?
I'm a little concerned that there's no shower in there.
Just part of the adventure.
Watch as "House Hunters International"
takes a turn through tranquil Blackburn, England.
[ Groans ]
Why don't they make these roads bigger?
You got me.
[ Doorbell rings ]
-- Captions by VITAC --
Closed Captions provided by Scripps Networks, LLC.
Joe Cavanaugh has racked up plenty of business-class miles
traveling between Georgia and the U.K.
JOE: I've been coming back and forth for the past five or six years,
and a position came available in the Blackburn office.
I've always considered doing something different,
and I thought I would try it.
NARRATOR: Joe is already excited for a new life in England.
But his family may need a little more time.
Watch for the bump! Good job.
I am originally from Georgia.
So, for me, this is home.
Yay! My little speed monster!
We're also pretty well-established in ***.
Way to go! Oh, good job, Charlie!
So it's gonna be an issue,
uprooting everything that we know and love
and starting over.
Okay, so, let's see what Joey sent me to look at for houses.
I know it will be good for my husband's career,
but I've never visited England before,
and I'm not really sure what to expect.
I'm leaving all I've ever known.
What is that?
Hopefully it's not a barn.
I am a bit apprehensive of how Mandy and the rest of the family
will make the adjustment.
I mean, as long as it has a bathroom inside and not out --
I mean, I could live with that.
You know, it's hard to find something
that will be similar in ways to what we have in the States.
I could be wrong, but those white specks look like sheep.
[ Chuckles ]
But I suppose it's like anything else.
You just kind of jump in and do it.
So hopefully something --
If we look back on it and hadn't done it,
Mandy would be regretful
we hadn't taken advantage of the opportunity.
That looks like a lot of them.
That could be bad.
NARRATOR: Unsure how far she is willing to spread her cultural wings,
Mandy and the kids cautiously cross the pond
to meet Joe in Blackburn.
Sprouting from the East Lancashire hills,
Blackburn's earliest records are traced to 1086.
Its coal, limestone, and iron-ore supply
helped spur an Industrial Revolution
where cotton was feverishly produced
from the mid-18th to the early 20th century.
Since the milling boom's decline,
Blackburn is reinventing itself in the modern age.
Hi, Haesel. I'm Joe. Nice to meet you.
But Mandy may not be pleased
with how affordable homes around the city center
are keeping up with the times.
So, what kind of property are you looking for?
Four bedrooms, three baths --
lot of space for the boys to play.
JOE: Something close to my office would be great.
I think the main thing
is to have as modern a house as we can --
To be able to cook and not have to light a fire
every time I want to start making dinner would be good.
I don't want to be super close to any farms.
I don't want to be too far from the things I need
in case I don't catch ahold
of this driving on the wrong side of the road.
And is there a fixed budget?
$2,000 a month is about where we need to be.
HAESEL: Mandy and Joe's wish list might be a little bit difficult.
Blackburn -- most of the housing stock is Victorian,
so most of the traditional British houses
probably won't meet their wish list for large, modern living.
NARRATOR: Haesel starts things off with a home close to Joe's office.
But central Blackburn's version of modern and spacious
may be a harder sell for Mandy.
HAESEL: So this is the village of Oswaldtwistle,
just outside of Blackburn.
JOE: Very good.
So this is the house -- at the end.
It looks nice.
It's four bedrooms, three bathrooms,
coming in at $1,700 per month.
The houses look nice and new,
but maybe a little bit on the small side.
MANDY: And they're a bit close together.
Okay.
The house in Oswaldtwistle is a very modern, new-built house,
very much a blank canvas -- very neutral tones.
I'm hoping this will appeal to her taste.
Okay.
It's a big-enough size.
I think so. Be a good place to sit and watch some TV.
Yeah.
This property does come furnished.
Okay. Good deal.
So, into the kitchen.
MANDY: Yeah.
Yeah.
Is there a dishwasher?
I don't think there is.
I believe that is a washing machine.
Okay.
No dishwasher, no microwave,
and a washer and dryer in the kitchen.
[ Haesel chuckles ]
JOE: All of the adjustments
might be too much of an adventure for Mandy.
But it'll be just fine.
Ready to see upstairs?
Okay.
JOE: Oh, whoa! Look at that!
[ Laughter ]
Absolutely.
On to the master bedroom.
MANDY: It's very small.
Yeah. And not much space for cabinets.
Okay.
I think there are some things to consider.
Under budget, and that's important.
Easy trip to work, so that's good.
And I like the fact that it's new.
But it is on the small side.
And unfortunately, this kitchen, although it looked new,
it was really lacking key elements that make a kitchen.
You weigh the size versus the other pluses.
I don't know.
HAESEL: Welcome to Darwen.
Good.
NARRATOR: It's an uphill battle,
finding a comfortable home for Mandy.
So Haesel hopes stepping up in size
will be the cure for her concerns.
This house is *** on budget at $2,000.
JOE: It's got a good view.
MANDY: But the hill could be kind of dangerous.
Sounds good.
Here comes a car... and a tractor.
NARRATOR: Mandy was content to travel on the straight path in Georgia.
Joe's sense of adventure drove him
to take a manager's position in Blackburn, England.
But his promotion is upending Mandy's status quo.
Moving to England is going to pose a lot of challenges.
Not having the things that we're used to
within a short distance --
That's gonna be a big adjustment for me.
[ Groans ]
Why don't they make these roads bigger?
You got me.
MANDY: The food, I think, is gonna be different.
The way of life.
So, which way are you looking?
I'm looking every way.
Driving on the wrong side of the road is gonna be different.
I don't know if I'm ever gonna get the hang of this.
I mean, it's gonna be different!
So, are you, like, worried about me driving?
[ Laughs ]
Well, that makes two of us!
I'm just trying to keep an open mind and just kind of embrace
that it's part of the whole adventure.
I'll take a chauffeur. You got one of those?
[ Chuckles ]
NARRATOR: Mandy is struggling to accept life
without her creature comforts.
I believe that is a washing machine.
Okay.
It'll be just fine.
NARRATOR: Straying far from work and their $2,000-a-month budget
will also leave Joe unsettled.
But with Mandy's penchant for spacious and modern...
Yeah.
...real-estate agent Haesel Abbott
may have to go back to the drawing board.
You weigh the size versus the other pluses.
I don't know.
With house 2, Haesel again gets Joe a short commute.
But this time, she wants to test Mandy's willingness
to trade modernity for space.
Welcome to Darwen.
Good.
You've got your four bedrooms and your three bathrooms.
All right.
It's got a good view.
MANDY: But the hill could be kind of dangerous.
Would you like to see inside?
Okay.
Sounds good.
Ooh. Right into some stairs.
And...not a big fan of wallpaper.
And straight off the hallway into the guest bedroom.
Yeah, this would work.
No, I don't think so.
It's so close to the front door.
But it's definitely sizeable.
Okay. Yeah.
On your right, the living area.
Upside-down living -- Interesting.
Wow. Look at the fireplace.
MANDY: I like the wood.
It's really nice.
So, of all the furniture, what of it actually stays?
All of this is due to leave.
We'll have to keep that in mind, for sure.
JOE: Coming in to the house -- little bit of a strange layout.
I'm sure that's the differences in the layout here
versus what we're used to.
And it's not furnished at all.
That's obviously gonna bring
some additional financial burden.
So that was, I think, my first impression.
Straight through this room, this is the kitchen/dining area.
Yeah.
Oh, wow.
This is huge.
And it's open.
This is like an American refrigerator.
I really just love the feel of the kitchen.
I could see us sitting down, and me cooking the boys dinner.
And I think that would work out good for the family.
So, if you come straight down the landing,
this is where the master bedroom is.
Wow. It's a good size.
Lots of places to put stuff.
A little tight.
Another wall of wallpaper.
[ Chuckles ]
Wallpaper is something
that my wife will have to get accustomed to.
We have some history with wallpaper.
But I'm mostly okay with it.
Now going up to the third floor.
So this is where the other two bedrooms are.
Yeah.
Um...It's the wallpaper.
And there's more of it.
Yeah, well, other than the wallpaper,
this would be a pretty cool little room.
So you've seen the whole house now.
What are your reactions?
I like it as a whole.
Yeah -- It's close to work,
and the master bedroom has that great view.
But the hill -- I think that could be potential
Yeah.
Yeah, kitchen's great.
Plenty of room -- I mean, all in all,
Yeah.
So, we've come a little north of Blackburn.
It looks like an American neighborhood would.
NARRATOR: For Mandy to feel the most at home,
Joe may have to make major concessions
on the commute and cost.
HAESEL: So, this is four bedrooms, three bathrooms --
$2,300 per month.
JOE: That could be a problem. We'll see.
Okay. Would you like to see inside?
MANDY: That would be great.
JOE: Look at this.
MANDY: Oh, neat.
Y'all want to go check it out?
NARRATOR: Since the team's inception in 1875,
a love and passion for soccer
has been present in Blackburn's DNA.
JOE: Do you think you might be able to be the greatest supporter?
Or maybe you? What do you think?
NARRATOR: Joe's hoping his job transfer
will inspire the same level of excitement from his family.
JOE: I've been coming back and forth
from Atlanta to the Blackburn office.
But it's like, really, any other business trip.
It's pretty isolated.
Hey, look up here, guys. This is the pitch.
Oh, wow.
So I'm looking forward
to getting to know the area a bit more.
Can you imagine playing football on that?
Wouldn't that be awesome?
I've always felt like I would do something
a little different in life,
and this is something like that.
It's a lot bigger than the soccer field
I tell you. That is perfect.
Blackburn strikes me as a good place for us to go
and experience the English way of life.
You'll have to learn some of the songs that the fans sing.
[ Laughs ]
I'm thankful that we're not gonna be in a big city,
because I think this will give us
a bit more of the actual experience,
for myself and for the whole family.
NARRATOR: It's been fairly smooth for Joe to step out of his comfort zone
and embrace a different life in the U.K.
JOE: Wow. Look at the fireplace.
Mandy's trying her best to support Joe's free spirit.
I'm not a big fan of wallpaper.
But she never had the same desire
to give up her cozy life in America.
JOE: This would work.
No, I don't think so.
Not having easy access to the conveniences of home
is also keeping Mandy from settling in.
MANDY: No dishwasher, no microwave,
and a washer and dryer in the kitchen.
Us Americans would call it "roughing it."
Haesel has done her best sticking close to Joe's work.
But she's forced to take them outside their preferred area...
Oh, boy.
...and Joe's $2,000-a-month price point
to try and deliver something closer to Mandy's liking.
HAESEL: So, we've come to the area of Brockhall Village.
This is a gated community.
Families like to settle here.
JOE: It's a long way from work.
But it looks like an American neighborhood would.
So, this is four bedrooms, three bathrooms --
$2,300 per month.
That could be a problem. We'll see.
Okay. Would you like to see inside?
MANDY: That would be great.
Wow.
A lot more space.
Yeah.
Okay.
MANDY: I like the lighting.
Yeah. It's very spacious. That's a good thing.
HAESEL: It comes -- Yeah.
Okay.
Okay.
Wow.
Yeah.
HAESEL: You've also got the breakfast area.
This would be a good place for their breakfast.
JOE: Absolutely.
I love the kitchen. It has a gas stove.
It's very similar to what we have at our house in Georgia.
I really like that about the house.
HAESEL: First bedroom.
MANDY: Um...Okay.
I don't think Will would particularly appreciate
this type of wallpaper.
It seems kind of feminine.
JOE: Well, maybe it would be a good guest room.
The first bedroom had plenty of space,
which I think would work well.
Obviously, the wallpaper is something
Mandy's gonna have to get used to.
This is your master suite.
I think it's a lot bigger than we had expected
Yeah, definitely.
Wow, look at the size of the tub!
I'm a little concerned that there's no shower in there.
Just part of the adventure.
Okay.
HAESEL: I'm not sure which way it's going to go,
and the proxy in Brockhall Village
is a little bit further out of Blackburn,
and the commutes and links to Blackburn aren't as good.
But on the other hand, it is a gated community.
So, we'll see how that one goes down.
I do, too.
It's got lots of space for us.
It looks great.
I think the kitchen would work well.
The wallpaper -- It's not my favorite.
And it's over our budget.
The other thing is, it's quite rural.
And far from work.
So we'll just have to keep that in mind.
Yeah.
Down to business?
Yeah, we got to figure this out, and quick.
NARRATOR: In all their choices,
Mandy has seen touches of what she loved in Georgia.
But choosing the best fit in Blackburn may not be as clear.
You think you've picked one that you know for sure?
Yeah, I don't know.
Down to business?
Yeah, we got to figure this out, and quick.
NARRATOR: It's rough on Mandy not having her American creature comforts.
But getting her to decide on where to live in rural England
may be even harder on Joe.
House 1 came in $300 less than their $2,000 budget,
with touches of British charm.
Absolutely.
Joe likes the price and proximity to work.
But the tight space isn't the only thing
cramping Mandy's style.
No dishwasher.
Us Americans would call it "roughing it."
House 2 is right on budget at $2,000 a month,
and Joe is enamored
with its more authentic English experience.
Wow. Look at the fireplace.
The cost and close commute are also positives for Joe.
But the dated decor is a step back for Mandy.
MANDY: I'm not a big fan of wallpaper.
Other than the wallpaper, this would be
a pretty cool little room.
House 3 fits what Mandy has in mind
for something that's spacious and modern.
It looks like an American neighborhood would.
The $2,300-a-month price tag breaks the budget,
and they both may want to put its location out to pasture.
It's far from work.
And it's quite rural.
We'll just have to keep that in mind.
Do you think there's one we can eliminate right now?
I think we should eliminate the small house.
You know, all of the rooms are on the very-small side for us.
I'd be folding laundry next to chopping onions.
You could multi-task.
Yeah, I'm not into that type of multi-tasking.
Yeah.
BOTH: And the house on the hill.
The hill kind of scared me.
Although the views were awesome.
Inside, the wallpaper was a little bit too much.
I think we could live with that,
but the stairs -- good for separation,
but having to go up might be a bit of a challenge.
Gated house is good.
It's over budget. That's a problem.
But it did come partially furnished,
Right.
I like the house. I'm not so sure about the location.
It seems to be a bit far from my office,
so -- Yeah, I don't know.
Yeah?
It is out there in the country.
But I feel like the boys would be safe.
I think it has the best feel
as far as a comparable neighborhood
from where we live in Georgia.
Even though it's a little bit far from work
and a little bit over budget,
it just has so many good things to offer.
Okay, then, gated house it is.
Excellent. Let's do it.
Even though Mandy will have sheep for neighbors
and it will cost them an extra $300 a month,
having the comforts of Georgia
mixed with the English experience
may smooth the transition for both her and Joe.
Look at these!
That is huge!
Holy cow!
MANDY: The move has been relatively smooth.
You want to touch one? No?
I'm not feeling confident in my driving.
I don't venture too far from home.
So, on the weekends,
we would explore some neat, little places
for us and the boys.
And the boys, of course.
Charlie, what's that one called?
Persil. Yeah.
It's also amazing how adaptable we can be and the kids can be.
You just kind of get up and do your thing.
Oh, I know what this does. This closes that.
Oh, you're right, Charlie. Good job.
So it's worked out well.
All right, I'm just gonna wash my hands
and cut up some fruit and vegetables
for you and your brother, okay?
The house itself had a lot of features to it that fit us well.
Hey, guys! I'm home!
We thought it was as comparable as you could get
to a house back in the States.
So I'm feeling comfortable where we are.
How you doing, Charlie boy?
Good deal.
I was sort of surprised to see how easy we made this home.
How was school?
I did the backstroke in swimming.
Good.
It's been a good place for our kids to come in
and meet new people, and for us, too.
MANDY: I think there's a maze around here.
Let's go that way, you guys.
I hope that the boys both remember
as much of this as possible...
[ Shouting ]
...and look back on it and say it was worth it.
[ Laughs ] No, you can't go through the gate!
It's a very unique opportunity professionally, personally.
So, at this point, no. No regrets.
[ Shouting ]
I miss Georgia.
So, I mean, that's been an adjustment.
But I think what I'm experiencing now
is all part of the adventure,
and just hope that we can all learn
and grow from the experience
as a family and as individuals.
Yay! Good job, guys! Good job!