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/

I hate it and wouldn't buy it.

The ones I’ve seen on TV the landscaping was just as important as the house and done at the same time. I am wondering if they ran out of money here or it was not planned properly and it’s difficult to do retrospectively.

I like to be able to sit and look through my big windows and have lots of natural light, but I initially thought that this would be an eco house, so would be popular for future-proofing and low fuel bills. But the EPC isn't great and I'd expect it to be totally powered by solar and air/ground heat pumps, not need gas too.

They've maximised the garden space but done nothing with it - they could have created something gorgeous with plants, or used it to grow veg and be self sufficient, but it's just scruffy grass, shed and ugly metal fencing.

It just seems to be oddly unambitious and a wasted opportunity. It ought to be something radical and innovative, but all they've managed is a boring, conventional house, but with no proper windows and an ugly garden. I'm not sure who would it would appeal to.

Why do estates agents lie? 4 bedrooms and a study.... No it's 4th bedroom/study. So annoying. Entrance is weird, not sure why there are 4 toilets and 3 bathrooms but the garden could be amazing. Not the worst place to live

I quite like it. I like that it feels tucked away and private and still has outdoor space

Oh yes, good point. I suppose they could have designed some lovely containers/raised beds, or built a tennis court or made use of the land in another way.

@Sexismdoesntrule not any architect I'd ever use! Underground is one thing - I've seen sone great examples. But this is truly awful - weird shape, weird supports (assuming that's what those brick pillars are), bad everything.
@londonlass71 give us 'arty types' more credit. We may like unusual, but this is just bad.

I think they will struggle to sell it - largely because of all the issues PP have stated. But also, just a mishmash of styles. It looks like 2 people with opposing tastes have brought their furniture/art/style into one place and just dumped it in the same rooms/on the walls. So the "style" cannot even begin to oversome the "substance".

I thought that.

The bathrooms having no windows is worrying. You would never ever be able to properly ventilate. It is already an issue for many typical homes where the only room without a window is the bathroom. Here most rooms have no window that can be opened, which is much worse unless they have some high tech ventilation system.

Is the unmarked space on the left a light well? If not, I struggle to see how it passed building regs.

Not sure I agree that an arty type would like it. The only artist I can think of who hung out in a bunker blew his brains out in 1945.

Even the photos look depressing. It's not good to live without natural light

Completely ruined the garden space too.

You'd think it would have a better EPC rating really. Isn't that the whole point of it?

@Eleusa See pictures 2, 3, and 9. I think this is an open courtyard sort of space with light.

I think that's an outside space where the bbq is.

It's built in someone's back garden!

Has anyone found it on Google maps? Streetview whooshes past where I think it is. Looks like someone sold a strip of land to the side of their house.

I bet it would be great in a heatwave!

TugboatAnnie on Streetview it's in the garden to the left of the new builds.

Imagine the EA face tomorrow when the property suddenly receives 10,000 views for no apparent reason. He’ll think he’s a marketing genius 😂

shame they’ve used such crappy curtains and the shower curtain? Wtf?

for anyone not familiar with the terrible real estate agents photographs website, the sun lounger has more than a whiff of ‘garden chair of solitude’ 😂😂😂

It's in the garden of this house which you can find under previously sold. So someone either sold off their garden or built a house in their garden and sold it.

Take a look at the virtual tour - it is nicer than the static photos suggest! It looks like there’s very narrow access to the plot (something like 6-10 foot?) but it opens into a big garden. I guess it was a garage or workshop and the buyer intended to build a house in the garden, but planning refused that. It’s very suburban so I’m not surprised at that. So the owners did the underground thing.
The design is quite good given the brief (nothing above ground and a small plot): the bedrooms have light because of the central back yard. But at the end of the day, living underground won’t appeal to all.

I would also be concerned about the resale value of it.

Thanks @SheilaWilde I thought it was the house opposite