Three properties today that you'll need to get a shift on if you're in a position to buy. Not least because they reflect two growing trends for the renovation property market - "best offers" and the "modern" (read: "more costly") method of auction.
First, this lovely stone cottage overlooking an estuary within an AONB area of Anglesey. Sent to me by reader Tim who spotted it during a camping trip to North Wales. A very old-school layout - two bedrooms and living/cooking room downstairs (no bathroom, loo, or drainage) and three anonymous, interconnected rooms upstairs (animals, storage), it's clearly been a while since Felin Wen housed a family.
Also, you'll need to be into jets - RAF Valley is just over a mile away and, as Tim reported:
We had a beach day at Rhosneigr and it was awesome watching jets taking off from the nearby base but, as the details say, it is very near probably on the take-off path.
There are no inside pix on the agent's (or Rightmove's) web listing for the property, although they clearly exist because WalesOnline has used them and credited both (thanks for the tip, Tim). I've added a couple below to give you a flavour.
On the market through Burnells, with an auction guide price of £120k. However, don't forget there's a non-refundable MMOA reservation fee on top of the sales price of at least £6k. Details here and here. Online auction opens15 September.
Also up for online auction is this former farmhouse, workshop and land in Boreland, about seven miles from Lockerbie, in Scotland's Dumfries and Galloway region.
Some work has begun (loving the metal roof by the way, suddenly on-trend...). There's also a large office/workshop and store and half-an-acre of land. Plenty to work with.
Guide price is offers over £90k for the lot, plus non-refundable fee of at least £3k. Details here and here.
My next pick is rather larger - and consequently rather more expensive. This grand High Peaks stone house comes with a guide price of offers over £500k - via best offer, sealed bids today.
Hollinknoll, at Chapel-En-Le-Frith, is a Grade II-listed, five bedroom country mansion dating from mostly 1745. Beautiful, if bric-a-brac packed (I'm being kind) rooms peopled by a disconcerting number of stuffed toys.
(Sidebar - please don't just skip them. I have a weirdness about abandoned toys. When my daughter was little I couldn't go to sleep until I'd picked up her scattered dolls and put them into their beds or comfy spaces. Still the same now - just can't look a teddy left in a cupboard in the eye.)
Outside over an acre of gardens and woodland, a two-storey barn, and a further five acre field. And stunning views over a quite beautiful bit of England.
On the market through Gascoigne Halman. Details and more pictures here and here.
I mentioned it's a "best offers" house. Having sold one myself via that process, I can tell you what others would tell you - best offers doesn't mean the highest offer will win. Your story counts as much as your offer - the sellers will want to avoid selling to someone who bids high just to get the house off the market then starts haggling when the survey comes in. Tell them why you're committed to that property.
