From castles to water towers – the eccentric homes for sale right now worth up to £3m
There are currently over 8,000 character properties on Rightmove including barn conversions, castles, houseboats and old mills
EVER fancied living in castle, a water tower or a windmill? Eccentric homes are getting increasingly popular with house hunters and some are now worth up to £3million.
More and more unusual listings are found on online estate agents like Rightmove or Zoopla.
There are currently over 8,000 "character properties" on Rightmove alone, including barn conversions, castles, houseboats and old mills.
While the Local Government Association estimates one in 10 new homes over the last two years are actually former office blocks.
Rightmove housing expert Miles Shipside told the Sun Online: “Homes that have something unique or unusual about them often attract more attention from home-hunters, especially if they have an interesting history.
"Some might just be dreaming about living in a castle, while others can see the potential of buying a fixer-upper property like an old mill or church and transforming it into something amazing, making use of the existing features.”
From converted churches to windmills, here are some of the most eccentric properties available today:
Hadlow Castle, Kent - £2million
A 175ft gothic tower which underwent a major £4.5million renovation is now on sale for almost £2million with Strutt & Parker.
The Grade I listed Hadlow tower is the last surviving part of the Hadlow castle which was demolished in 2013.
The stunning property has four bedrooms, four bathrooms, a dining room, kitchen, drawing room and a media room.
Standing 6ft taller than Nelson's column, it was reportedly built by wealthy merchant Walter Barton May in 1838 so he could spy on his estranged wife who left him for a local farmer.
Kennington Water Tower, London - 3.6million
This former 100ft tall Victorian water tower conversion in Kennington is now on sale and it could be yours for a cool £3.6million.
The tower itself is Grade II listed and retains many of its original features, including a York stone staircase and exposed brick walls.
Spread over its nine floors are five bedrooms, four bathrooms, two reception rooms, a gym and an open plan kitchen and dining room.
The original property was bought for £380,000, according to the TV programme Grand Designs.
Two bedroom windmill, Oakham - £1.5million
Another property for sale is the this Grade II-listed four-storey, two-bedroom windmill – complete with sails and fantail.
The characterful windmill is actually an extension to an adjacent four-bedroom house, all up for sale within a 15-acre rural retreat.
The windmill itself can be accessed either through the main house or externally and is currently used as a holiday let.
Three bedroom church, London - £1.4 million
This flat is set over three levels of an historic converted church and comes complete with original church features.
It comes with a well equipped kitchen, a dining room with double height ceiling overlooked by a gallery, and a bedroom that opens onto a terrace, with an ensuite shower room
The reception room located on the second floor is bathed in light from one of the largest stained glass windows at the front of the building.
Two bedroom Clock Tower, Southsea - £575,000
Ever wondered what it must look like inside Big Ben?
This three bedroom apartement is located on on the upper two floors of the imposing Clock Tower" which is part of the former Royal Marine Barracks in Southsea.
The accommodation provides 1201 sq ft of living space arranged over two floors and comprises afitted kitchen, a shower room and two bedrooms.
You'll also get panoramic views of the skyline from every window.
Water Towers, Colchester - £2million
The water tower was built in the 1800 and it is now selling for a cool £2million with Essex Heritage.
It comprises of two towers, which combine about 3500 sq ft.
The first one has a former pumping station drawing water up from deep underground and now provides annex accommodation over two floors.
The second tower is spread over 6 floors each offering unique living space.
More about My First Home
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But some families have been getting creative, converting everything from horse boxes to Double Decker buses into their family homes. Here are the six of the most impressive and stinking conversion we found.
HOME LOAN The £120K homes first-time buyers can afford WITHOUT putting down a deposit
Research by Aldermore Bank revealed that first-time buyers underestimate how much they need for a deposit by £15,000.
This week a former adviser to Theresa May called for a million new homes to be built for under 40s to help ease the housing crisis.
How to find your dream home
Here are some tips for first time buyers and home movers
- Use the right propery finding sites: One of the best place to compare homes on the market is R, it plots listings on Google to make things easier for home hunter and has a the most properties listed up for grabs. Meanwhile Zoopla lets you match up sold prices with old property ads, including pics, asking prices, descriptions and floor plan
- Chat to your local estate agent: The best deals go quickly and some are even sold before they appear online. So it's worth having an informal chat with your local estate agent to see if they have something available that hasn't been listed yet. Tell them what type of property you’re looking for and your budget. Remember that estate agents see loads of buyers so be polie and make sure they know you’re a serious about buying a house.
- >Take pictures when viewing:Take photos, as they'll be a useful reference point when all the homes blur into one.
- View at different times of the day: View the place at three different times of the day. Daylight makes spotting flaws easier, but if you're neighbour like to listen to loud music at night you won't hear it until after-work hours.
- Watch out for flood risk: The (England and Wales) and (Scotland) flood information provide detailed reports on whether and why an area is at risk.
- Knock on your neighbours' doors: Neighbours may offer tip-offs on the area or house.
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