Ferdos (35) and Marlou (31) from Groningen are in Buying Without Looking and are moving to… Haren. But are they happy with that?

“The desire to have a child is very great and the love is there. We are convinced that we can provide a loving home, but it is not self-evident. Unfortunately, we found out,” says Ferdos with tears in his eyes, while presenter Martijn Krabbé sits at the couple’s table to tell them that they are participating in the program. They are very happy with that, but the process is intensive.

‘Going back on the pill and taking another injection’

Marlou underlines this when Krabbé asks what the perspective is. “There’s another one in the freezer. And if that doesn’t work, you start over again. Back on the pill and injection again. We have full confidence that everything will work out in the end. It’s also good, because at Buy Without Looking It seems like everything goes by itself, but having children is not done on order.”

The people of Groningen visit the team of Buy Without Looking , real estate agent Alex van Keulen, construction expert Bob Sikkes and interior designer Roos Reedijk, to discuss their wishes. Their total budget is 470,000 euros. Wishes: a single-family home with three bedrooms and a garden for Ferdos.

Liveliness of the city

The places: almost all neighborhoods of Groningen and possibly Haren. “I would rather stay in Groningen, we often go into town on late evening shopping. We are looking for somewhere quiet to live, but we are looking for the liveliness of the city.”

Alex and Bob’s big question is whether they can look for, for example, a house in a child-friendly neighborhood. “What if we buy a house on a child-friendly square and we are unable to get pregnant?” says Alex.

Marlou indicates that that is one of the reasons why they have not yet succeeded. “Often when I go to bed, Fer goes for a round of Funda and shows me a house the next day. It’s very nice, but I don’t want to live there yet. But I think we have come this far now,” says Marlou. Ferdos nods. “Anyway, we are happy together and we have been that way for 12.5 years.”

Alex sheds a tear during the recordings. “You got emotional, didn’t you? It really touched you,” says Bob. Alex nods. “It’s something you don’t think about. Everyone just assumes that it will happen automatically and succeed. And it’s such a deep-seated desire for these two young people. I sincerely hope that it will work out for them, but it does affect me.”

Puzzle tour of potential houses

Dozens of couples have participated in the popular program in recent years, in which Alex and Bob look for a home for people who cannot do so themselves. They do find a home for the couple. But where and which house it is, Marlou and Ferdos still have to guess. They do the standard puzzle tour that leads past houses in the area. One of those homes is theirs, without them knowing it.

Problem: one of the houses they passed during the puzzle tour is in Haren. And that causes quite a few headaches. “You no longer just walk into the city. I really like almost everything, but my head is working overtime. We gave up on Haren, but when I got there I didn’t feel anything.”

There is great fear when they turn out to be in Haren

The shock is great when they turn out to be in Haren, when the blindfolds they had on in the car are taken off. “I’m actually waiting for you to say: get in the car, we’re going to another house,” says Marlou. Ferdos responds matter-of-factly: “It is really what we want: a grown-up house and peace and quiet.”

After the viewing, in which it was discovered that every nook and cranny of the house really needed a makeover, the long wait begins. The house was purchased for 350,000 euros, so there is 120,000 euros left for the renovation and furnishings. Bob goes wild and even builds an extension to the back of the house and Roos goes on the Japanese ‘zen tour’, also called Wabi Sabi Japandi.

Ultimately, it turns out that the couple is increasingly getting used to the idea of ​​living in Haren, the house is being completely overhauled and when, after months, they are finally allowed to take a look at their own house, they are lyrical. “I’m going to hug you all,” says Marlou when she comes downstairs and the team Buy Without Looking sees. “What happened inside is almost impossible,” says Ferdos.

The champagne bottle is opened. “A lot of luck. With everything!”