In the market for a fixer-upper project with real potential? Due to go under the hammer on Wednesday 27 September at 2pm, this abandoned Edwardian mansion has a guide price of between £100,000 and £125,000. Steeped in history and situated on a sprawling plot, it could be a golden opportunity for one lucky buyer. However, you'll need plenty of imagination and deep pockets to bring this crumbling property back from the brink. Click or scroll on and let's take a closer look...
Known as Redlands, the derelict mansion lies in Longstanton, South Cambridgeshire, and dates back to 1905. The once beautiful building has been the victim of several fires over the years, leaving it vulnerable. According to Cambridgeshire Live, a major fire ripped through the property in 1956, thought to have been caused by an electric heater. The interior and a large part of the roof were left damaged. The house reportedly suffered two more fires after this, the worst of which took place in 1996 and destroyed the internal floors, ravaging most of the rooms and what remained of the roof.
Despite the damage, the core of the property remains intact, but it has certainly lost the fight with Mother Nature. Nestled on more than an acre of land, the substantial structure benefits from 16 rooms, eight of which were once bedrooms. Constructed from traditional red bricks with stone facings, it features an impressive entrance with stone steps and what were once generous reception rooms lined with mosaic floors. The house even comes complete with the remnants of servants' quarters, highlighting how well-to-do the original owners were.
There's also a cellar, which might have been used for storing wines and champagnes. The grounds come complete with what was once a full-size tennis lawn, an orchard and an extensive vegetable garden, though these are now overgrown and require significant attention. Mains electricity, gas and water connections have been capped off at the eastern end of the site, which means the buyer will need to arrange for these to be reconnected.
The abandoned mansion is currently owned by Keith Tyker, who inherited it from his father, who bought the site in 1959 for just £900, the equivalent of around £17,000 in today's money. It's now due to go to auction via Cheffins at the end of the month with a guide price of between £100,000 and £125,000. There's also an additional two acres of land, adjacent to Redlands, which will be available at the same auction on 27 September for between £50,000 and £60,000. So, there's certainly scope here for someone to create a sprawling estate in the heart of the Cambridgeshire countryside. Up to the challenge?
Read on for more affordable auction homes going under the hammer this month...
For many UK house hunters, getting onto the property ladder can seem like an impossible task. Yet if you know where to look, don't mind taking a calculated risk and are willing to put in the elbow grease, you could snap up a bargain by buying at auction. From an incredible brutalist home in Surrey to a 19th-century gun tower in Kent, these homes will soon go under the hammer. If you’ve got the nerve (and budget), one could be yours. Just remember, figures are guide prices only and additional fees apply. It's always worth instructing a surveyor before you go to auction to avoid any nasty surprises further down the line. Click or scroll on for more…
Those on a tight budget need not miss out on the auction action, because bids for this two-bedroom terrace house in Rotherham, South Yorkshire, start from as little as £15,000. However, the buyer will need to invest in a renovation to make the property suitable for modern living.
According to Auction House Lincolnshire, the property is in good condition throughout and benefits from uPVC double glazing and a gas boiler. However, there's plenty of work to be done. From missing floorboards to crumbling plasterwork and flaking ceilings, it seems like the current owner started a renovation but never quite got around to finishing it.
As for the floorplan, there's a lounge, a kitchen-diner, two bedrooms and a shower room. The house is believed to be freehold, which means there shouldn't be any nasty, expensive surprises later down the line. There's even a decent backyard, with an old garage that could be demolished to make way for a contemporary kitchen extension. Bids open on 25 September at 1pm and you'll have 24 hours to make your offer.
If you'd rather buy in Newark, Nottinghamshire, and have £55,000 to spare, then this quaint cottage could well be for you. Affordable, spacious and move-in ready, it's perfect for a first-time bidder looking for an investment property that won't require too much effort or expense to turn around.
Known as Boatmans Cottage, the idyllic property is bursting with lovely features, such as exposed beams, stone fireplaces and barrel ceilings. There's just 716 square feet of inside space, but that includes a sitting room, a kitchen, a separate dining room, a utility room and a bedroom and bathroom on the first floor.
Freehold and essentially ready to go, the buyer may want to modernise the place but if money is tight then this can definitely wait as the house is perfectly habitable. Auction House Lincolnshire will open bidding at 1pm on 2 October and close the virtual auction floor at 1.20pm on 3 October, so don't miss your chance to snap up this characterful gem.
Proving that you don't always need a huge budget to buy something special, this pretty mid-terrace in Southampton is up for grabs for as little as £75,000. Conveniently located close to the amenities of Totton, the property is minutes away from New Forest National Park. What's more, with homes in this postcode selling for an average of £365,000 according to Rightmove, there's certainly the potential to turn a sizeable profit.
The mid-terrace features a living room, a kitchen, two bedrooms and a family bathroom. Looking at the listing photos, it's clear that the house is in need of work – that drooping ceiling isn't looking great and could be a sign of a damp issue. It's definitely worth enlisting a surveyor to assess the damage.
The property is Grade II-listed, which means there might be some restrictions around what you can and cannot do when you renovate. The buyer is therefore advised to seek guidance from the local authority before undertaking any work. On a positive note, there's also a lovely rear garden, so there's space to extend. If you fancy taking the cottage on, it's going under the hammer on Wednesday 20 September at 9am.
Sandhurst in Berkshire is perhaps best known as the site of the Royal Military Academy, but the town is also a leafy, picturesque place to call home thanks to its array of lakes, parks and reserves. There's also a few property bargains to be found in the area. Positioned close to Bracknell Forest, this attractive home will be sold by online auction on Friday 29 September and has a guide price of just £100,000.
The one-bedroom maisonette is generously proportioned, with an entrance hall, a spacious living room, a separate kitchen, a single bedroom and a bathroom. It also comes with off-street parking and endless architectural details that the buyer may want to preserve. These include fireplaces, timber floors and sash windows. However, the interior is undoubtedly old-fashioned and in need of a total renovation.
Highly affordable, the maisonette does come with a downside; there's only 63 years remaining on the lease. A Section 42 notice will be served to the freeholder and assigned to the purchaser on completion. This means that whoever buys the place will likely need to fork out a substantial sum in order to extend the lease. According to Compare My Move, lease renewals tend to cost between £7,000 and £10,000.
If a standard house just doesn't do it for you, then this 19th-century gun tower might just pique your interest. Positioned on the mouth of the River Medway, just off the coast of Kent's Isle of Grain, the unusual structure is ripe for restoration and could make for one seriously cool conversion project! Known as the Grain Tower, the building was constructed as a small defensive fort, similar to the Martello towers that were built along the British and Irish coastlines in the early 19th century.
This particular tower was created to protect the dockyards at Sheerness and Chatham from French naval forces during the 1850s. In the mid-19th century, the tower became obsolete, when improvements were made to artillery technology, according to Savills. However, by the end of the 19th century, the remarkable property was being used to defend against torpedo boat raids. It was then used during the First and Second World Wars and even had its form altered to support new, quick-firing guns. It was decommissioned in 1956 and has sat vacant ever since.
Sadly, we don't know the tower's dimensions or anything about its interior, but it's safe to say that due to its exposed location, it will likely need a lot of work to render it suitable for living. As the last remaining example of this type of gun tower in the UK, this exceptional and rare piece of real estate is sure to be snapped up and could go for way more than its £150,000 guide price. If you fancy taking on an amazing conversion project, then place your bid at 9am on Wednesday 20 September.
If you've got £180,000 going spare, this substantial five-bedroom mid-terrace in Denton, Manchester, could soon be yours. It's going under the hammer via auction on Wednesday 20 September and has a guide price of £180,000. Smaller terraces in this location have recently sold for as much as £260,000 according to Rightmove, so this could be a golden opportunity for a savvy investor.
We don't know when the house was built, but it's likely Victorian – which means there are plenty of lovely period features throughout that the buyer will wish to retain. These include fireplaces, timber floors and pretty ceiling roses. However, a lot of work and financial investment will be needed to bring them, and the rest of the house, up to scratch.
Covering 2,243 square feet, the mid-terrace house is laid out across four floors, including a large basement that's waiting to be put to use. As for living spaces, there's a large hallway, a substantial living room, a small sitting room, a kitchen, an office and five good-sized bedrooms, as well as a family bathroom and a ground-floor WC. There's also a sizeable rear garden and front yard.
This quaint, semi-detached house is located in the market town of Shepton Mallet, Somerset. Surrounded by idyllic countryside, the rural home benefits from a large plot and off-road parking, as well as a generous interior that's in need of an overhaul.
The property will be auctioned off via Savills at 9am on Wednesday 20 September and has a guide price of £190,000, which is pretty good considering homes in the area tend to sell for £295,666 on average. You'll gain plenty of bang for your buck, too. Encompassing two floors, the house offers an entrance hallway, a reception room, a kitchen, a conservatory, three bedrooms and a bathroom.
Every room is generously proportioned, with high ceilings and ample windows that let in lots of natural light. Despite being a little rundown, it appears as though the cottage just needs cosmetic work, though you should always hire a surveyor to assess the full extent of the work needed. Plus, with a sizeable garden outside there's plenty of space to build an extension, subject to the necessary permissions.
Although they tend to divide house hunters, we love a Brutalist residence! Cool and unique in equal measure, they rarely come up for sale, let alone for such an affordable sum. Listed with an auction guide price of £220,000, this impressive, three-storey home in Camberley, Surrey, could certainly be described as a real estate gem. Let's take a closer look...
The architectural home is positioned on a cul-de-sac development of 32 similar properties, designed by renowned architect Lawrence Abbott in the 1960s. According to the Evening Standard, the community was created to provide affordable housing in Greater London and the home counties. They were nicknamed the “Elephant Houses”, thanks to their tubular features and grey brick exteriors. We don't know how many square feet the house is, but a similar property in the development, which was listed in 2017 for £365,000, spans 1,153 square feet.
The modern masterpiece comprises an entrance hall and living room on the ground floor, a kitchen, dining area and bathroom on the first floor, two bedrooms on the second floor and a third bedroom on the top floor. There’s also a courtyard garden and a detached garage that could be converted into extra accommodation if needed. Having sat vacant for some time, it needs a makeover. However, there are plenty of design details worthy of rescuing, including half-moon windows, curved walls and quirky nooks. If you fancy taking it on, bidding opens on Friday 29 September at 10am and you'll have until 12.25pm to put in your offer.
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