Yesterday, we took a drive to explore a piece of countryside property that’s currently on the market. For now, we won’t disclose the location.
We arrived thirty minutes before the scheduled meeting with the estate agent, so we parked on the land and used the opportunity to explore the area. The land featured three structures, including a timber shed that appeared to be in decent shape, a brick building that housed a sink, electricity, and water connection, and an old shipping container that appeared to have been used as a summer house or similar in the past.
With some restoration, the land has ample space to accommodate a couple of motorhomes. Our goal is to transform the area into a serene oasis, teeming with vibrant flora and fauna, including bird boxes and bee-attracting plants such as Lavender.
We can already imagine a cosy sitting area complete with a picnic table to enjoy the peaceful surroundings.
The land already has mains water and an electricity supply from the house.
The above is a standalone brick built building on the land, which houses a connection for the mains water and a mains electricity supply. Clearly it is not in great shape.
During our visit, we discussed ways to enhance the land by removing saplings that had naturally grown over time. As the meeting time approached, we made our way to the house and waited for the estate agent.
However, we were taken aback when we peered through the living room window and saw that the ceiling was missing, likely due to some sort of internal flooding. Our initial reaction was that this issue would likely deter many potential buyers, especially since the agent’s advertisement conveniently omitted any mention of the flooding, and it became apparent why there was no photograph of the living room. Although we had suspected that something was amiss with the living room before scheduling a viewing, we had no idea it was due to flooding until now.
As we explored the house further, the extent of the internal flooding became increasingly apparent, with mold visibly growing on the walls and fittings. We had to tread cautiously in one of the bedrooms, unsure if the wooden flooring could support our weight.
Looking back at pictures of the house from six years prior, when it was last on the market, it appeared vastly different and was clearly habitable at the time. However, speaking to the farmer neighbor, we learned that the flooding occurred four years ago following the previous owner’s death, and the property has remained unoccupied ever since.
Furthermore, the neighbour informed us that the internal oil-fired heating system had stopped functioning years ago and was not repaired or replaced due to financial constraints.
Outside, the roof looked in good condition, but the guttering needed removing and replacing with new, some parts of the guttering were missing, and I am sure some of the underlying woodwork will need replacing as it will have rotted due to the missing guttering parts.
The woodwork of the outside front porch was rotten and will need to be completely removed and replaced.
As our visit drew to a close, we had a pleasant conversation with the farmer neighbor before contacting the estate agent with some follow-up questions. One query pertained to the responsibility for removing and disposing of any personal effects left behind, to which the agent responded that the family estate would handle it.
After a few additional phone calls, we decided to make an offer for the property. Given that the property is only available for cash purchase, potential buyers hoping to obtain a mortgage would be sorely disappointed. Considering this and the level that a previous offer had been declined, we asked the agent to submit our offer, highlighting our strong purchasing position.
We made a short Youtube video of our visit. Please do leave us a comment on the video to let us know what you think of the property. Would you take this property on?
The offer has now been made, and we anticipate a response by Monday, March 27th. We will keep you informed of any updates regarding the outcome.
Vintage RV Adventures 