Can you see potential in this house?

[inmyshoos]

I found this property on the Rightmove Android app and wanted you to see it: www.rightmove.co.uk/s6p/35664819

It is in a great little village with great schools.
Obviously needs complete overhaul but can you see the potential. Dh and I can but my mother is having a complete hissy fit saying we are really upseting her talking abput buying 'a bloody shed stuck on to the back of another house' and moving 'her grandkids' into it!

Looks lovely but I'd say it needs a lot more than £70k, even without doing an extension! Will the sums work out with resale value?

It has got potential but I fear £70k would only scratch the surface.

That place needs major work.

I'd get quotes before you commit to anything.

The thing that would put me off (and I only buy dumps properties with potential) is that the ceilings seem very low. I'm also a little concernedb y the access - is it a little alley that means the front of the house is blocked by others and gets little light? How easy will it be to get building materials onto site and remove rubbish? Can you park nearby?

lalalong ceilings upstairs in lounge are low but cross members could be raised or floor lowered.
The house is actually built on the back of a wee cottage on the main street. Front door access is down a lane (just wide enough for a wheelie bin) To side of the attached cottage. Main and vehicular access is along lane at back so the pic looking up the garden is taken from the lane. Might be tricky for building materials but not impossible.

I am weighing up the pros and the cons! There is do much to love about it! But yes so much money/work/time. Making me wonder if building a new house on a plot would work out less hassle!!

Ooo yeah sorry forgot to say, can park on main street near front door or drive along lane and park in drive.

The house is actually built on the back of a wee cottage on the main street.

That's not clear from the photos and is pretty off putting for many people.

I'd seriously consider potential resale value- if you put £70k (and the rest in) will this ever be a £200k house in that area given the massive access restrictions?

I agree with anastasie. The ceiling heights look strangely low. It has already been subjected to a doing-up and that was a disaster. I really think you could do better than this if you have a spare £70k to spend on top. Having rained on your parade however, don't let your mum dictate to you. Perhaps her doing so is making this property more attractive to you.

I think really that it's a minefield of potential ownership, access and not to mention building standoffs. Not only would a newbuild be less hassle, it would be less money probably too

I think something that's been knocked together off the back of an already ancient building is likely, no very very likely indeed, not to have been done terribly well.

It would be like buying a very old piece of flat pack furniture if so. A complete waste of money - only worth the land it is built on.

So by all means investigate but I would be very cautious indeed about throwing money at something so clearly on its last legs.

Thanks guys. Appreciate all the opinions positive or otherwise. I just want to live somewhere like where we are now only closer to dh work and family. It is proving near impossible.

It has bags of potential and the work required wouldn't put me off personally - we've restored several wrecks, our last house being 2500 sq ft of unmortgageableness and previously we took on a 3500 sq ft Victorian building comprising four flats that we almost singlehanded reconverted back to its original use as a family home.

We did that one with young a DS and were concerned he'd hate old buildings, having spent his formative years with both parents wielding various power tools/paint brushes and spending every spare moment at the salvage yard, but instead he has grown up to be an expert at DIY, despite being a cerebral, academic type and at 26 is on his own second renovation project

But......for me the position/access of the house in question would be an issue. The fact that it's tacked onto the back of another residence would be a no no, although the rear views are lovely.

Sorry

Thanks raphaella good to hear about the positive impact on your son. We have carried out endless works on our current cottage and hope our dc learn from it. My dc are actually dead keen that we build a house actually because they want to live in a caravan because 'that would be AWESOME'

I can see the potential and would love to live there!

We have only done one house renovation, it involved lots of work and we couldn't afford it at the time, so had to do it bit by bit over 4 years, mostly ourselves. I really loved those 4 years when we just lived in a dump. Not much housework, visitors had no expectations, no pressure except to do a little bit of concrete laying/beam stripping/decorating each week. Good luck, hope it all comes together for you.

Thanks exConstance We are going back to see this place next week. Will get my solicitor to check access etc and take it from there.

I think your mother can stfu. If you can hack living in a building site for a couple of years voice of bitter experience go for it, there's loads of potential there.

Cute house, great garden, sounds like the location suits you...

I don't know a thing about rehabbing houses, though.

But if the survey results are acceptable to you, why not?

Its absolutely FAB. Buy it. Oozes potential from every bit of that manky carpet

That's not the only thing oozing from that carpet

I bought a house with carpet so impregnated with baby shit (yes really) that we had to take it out 40 minutes after getting the keys.

Potentially gorgeous house. The state of it wouldn't put me off as we've renovated several times whilst living in it and with children. Our children are grown up now and love old properties with lots of charachter and dislikes new builds.

You're obviously experienced at doing this and understand the market, so I guess you've taken all necessary things into consideration. If your gut feeling for it is that it's the right place for you then you should go for it and enjoy doing it up and creating a lovely home for your family.

Your mum sounds controlling, inexperienced and afraid of change. Can you tell her that you don't want to discuss the move with her any more since her negativity is unwanted?

Agatha (love the name Agatha!) You are right about my mother. The problem is my Dad is a retired builder so I like to get his opinion on things, sometimes she just happens to be there and sticks her oar in!

Don't buy it. It's a money pit and cheaper to knock down. It's priced for the plot.

Realistically with architects fees, engineers, damp proofing etc you are looking at a good 150 to do that.
I can see gartmore is pricey - but you've got £200k cash? Price knocking the thing down and starting again

I don't think you're necessarily looking at that amount to renovate it munch. A lot of the work can be staged and done as and when time/money allow it, once the initial works have been done. Also the OP and family may well be capable and willing to do a lot of the works themselves, which can save huge amounts of money. The problem with knocking it down and starting again is that you are then left with a new build, which isn't everyone's cup of tea at all.

Love the garden onto fields. Nice big receptions rooms.

But after living in a dump for 4 years with kids our house is finally nearly finished. Actually resent the stress it has caused and wish we had chosen a new build or something done up.

Huge potential but not a job for the faint hearted. Damp, rewiring and potential structural issues. Would need a sensible, well thought out budget with a good contingency and strong project management.

What does your Pa think about it?