At the top of the finances-needed tree is this farm on the Staffordshire/Derbyshire border, just around the corner from me and a property I've been driving past for 12 years.
There are two houses - a three bedroom farmhouse and adjoined two bedroom cottage. Clearly scope for creating one big home.
Plus masses of farm buildings, particularly these lovely, if ivy-supported, brick buildings around the farmhouse and its yard.
As well as the large yard and (small) gardens, the property brings with it over three acres of land.
It sits off a fairly busy bypass (I did say I drive past it a lot) but there are decent motorway and train links from its location on the edge of Tutbury.
On the market through Fisher German at offers over £500k. Details and more pictures here and here.
This next property is also on the larger size.
Sent to me by reader Morgaine, the six-bedroom former school is in pretty Ross-on-Wye, Herefordshire.
The Grade II listed building is currently divided into three apartments (Morgaine tells me there's a tenant in one), but there's plenty of scope to turn it back into one home.
Lots of period details and big, airy rooms in a very large and handsome house - if in need of some serious remodelling and several skips ; )
My final pick made the cut because of this gorgeous husky.
Actually it's an interesting house too, some lovely rooms (albeit there are clearly issues) and period details. There's a gorgeous big garden, a deck area off one room, and a nice-looking pub a couple of doors away.
But whoever thought to let that handsome hound wander in and out of the photos was a genius.
The three-bedroom semi is in the village of Pulverbatch, Shropshire, and is on the market through 99Home with a guide price of £240k. Details and more pictures here.
There's an Open House event on August 24th.
