Darlington and The Alps

After the years of hard work and constant moving, only the grandest home in the most beautiful setting will do for Alex and Phillip. But so far, Alex has been searching for seven months without success.

Their wish list is long... and a little bit contradictory. They'd consider up to a ten bedroom period property. Semi detacheds are a definite no-no. They want uninterrupted views of the countryside... but also want easy access to restaurants and bars, and good transport links. It's going to be a truly mountainous task to tick all the boxes, even for their huge budget of £750,000.

But the challenge doesn't end there, as Alex and Phillip also covet their very own ski chalet amongst the stunning scenery of the French Alps.

For their bolthole in the mountains, Alex and Phillip have a much smaller set of requirements. The main thing they're after is access to good quality ski runs around Chamonix and Morzine. Ideally it'll be close to bars and restaurants for the all important après ski.

Whilst a budget of £200,000 is not to be sniffed at, it's going to push Phil and Kirstie's searching skills to the limit in these highly sought after European climes.