Would you buy this property?

[Slowslowlavaflow]

I saw this property online whilst searching for my first home last year. I was very confused by some of the pictures back then as I could not see 'the house'. The pictures have now been updated and make more sense.

It has been up for sale for nearly a year and the price has been reducd by £35,000, and re-listed on Zoopla. Even with the reduction, I still feel like the chances of this undeniably lovely home(inside) selling, are miniscule, as it is so unconventional. The right buyer would be hard to find. I wonder what the homeowner was thinking when building it. Somewhat admirable that they went against the grain though.

What do you all think?

www.zoopla.co.uk/for-sale/details/56987892/

Why's it got so many toilets?

I can't understand why the garden - which has been given priority in the planning process - looks so bleak!

The railings look left over by the builders, there is a stranded plastic sunlounger and no planting.

Totally bizarre.

@preprepared101 @slowslowlavaflow I'd be more inclined to buy the 595k in the same area.

@RainbowSlaw Yes. Awkward shape. But, positive is it has a window!

Well I quite like it, and I can imagine it would be nice and toasty in the winter. I agree, though, that if the point of the underground house is to make the most of the outside space, they should actually have done something with the outside space.

I guess you wouldn't be able to grow much in the 'garden'. No trees for starters! Even big heavy planters might be problematic.

@portinahurry True. Maybe someone will come along and build on top if structurally possible?

I am guessing this had something to do with planning. I’ve seen a few underground houses on property shows over the years and this is definitely the worst I’ve seen. No thought has seeming gone into it.

I'd worry about water run-off and damp, as well as keeping clean the glass roofs/atriums.

Is that a building site opposite the front of the property?

When looking at the pics I wondered if it was underground. No I would not buy it and certainly not at that price. Or any price really. Hard to sell too.

@prepared101 @londonlass71 The £595k looks to have a lot of potential. In the area, after fixing it up to good standard, it may well be worth over £1.5mil.

Hahah noooo wtaf is it?? It is a nightmare imo

Everyone mentioning the garden. I agree, if this is the real sell, it should be gorgeous. Perhaps they have shot themselves in the foot if in reality they cannot put anything on the 'roof' garden to beautify the place. What is the point?

I would need far more natural light but I'm sure someone will love it

There's no kerb appeal... 😆
On a positive note being underground and not open to the elements would be cool in summer and warm in winter.

But yes, monstrosity

I don't think this house is the work of an architect at all. No way! The way the space is utilised is all wrong for an architect. Utilising space and focusing on how we live and move within that space is at the forefront of an architect's mind. It's a messy renovation. Was it a former office converted into a house?

It's a weird house. It's not bad. I mean, if you love it, buy it. Personally, it's not for me. It's a bit of a patchwork house. But it's definitely not the home of an architect.

Also, that outdoor space looks like a wandering field in search of itself. That outdoor space is really not nice at all.
It's a home that would need some TLC thrown at it and you could make it into something more. Every home has potential. I just wonder how much you'd want to throw at it because it would be a lot. Those windows look like they could trap heat (excellent with our rising gas prices... winter's sorted! But in summer? I can almost feel how thick and warm the air might get in there). There's something a bit claustrophobic about it. I just feel like the air wouldn't flow freely through it.

Absolutely love it. Bit too much outside space for me though.

I think it would be very efficient to heat. It was probably lovely and cool in the recent hot weather too. If the garden was properly landscaped it could be lovely.

I wouldn’t buy it because I don’t have 650k and don’t want to live in Bushey.
And it would probably be difficult to sell on.

But I think in general we should make more of underground space in this country. Yes, it costs more to dig it out initially. But you could increase the average house size by 50%.

I like it.
agree the garden needs some work ,and you could easily build a sun/ garden roof up there for extra usable space.

the pluses are it will be extremely well insulated being underground, so low heating costs, cool in summer, and no outside noise.
a fantastic space just to get away from world . 😀

our house is half underground downstairs ( bedrooms,bathroom ) and it’s so quiet down there, never went above 22c in the heat wave( 35c upstairs) And keeps the heat in really well in winter.

i think in the future more houses will be built under/ half underground, it makes sense. It’s just in costs a lot more to do so.

This is the biggest problem here! An underground house to maximise outside space yet unable to do anything with the outside space!

I guess hard landscaping is a no no as is any kind of planting or trees.

I don’t think they thought it through!

@Mueslikid @Diyextension I see your points. Many homes include a lower ground floor these days, which is great as then there is much more living space. But there is no house here, just lower ground floor. I would truly hope that this does not catch on.

Its certainly unique ,thats for sure! I dont get why it was built like this though.I dont like it personally .What about Damp I wonder?

I’ve heard of people building a house in their back garden but not under it. It’s a no from me, too dark and I (I’m sure this is irrational) but I’d be worried after every heavy rain, or if I started planting trees etc and there would be subsidence or root damage etc. both house and garden might be bigger but both spaces are compromised in a way that doesn’t feel good.

Oh I can see now that it really is an underground house... a bunker, with glitz!
Oh no way. Floods, damp, mold, pests. All of those problems increase exponentially with an underground house. I wouldn't touch it with a barge pole. It would be a bad investment. It's got monkey on your back written all over it.