- Searches for homes in Sicily soar after TV show ‘Amanda and Alan’s Italian Job’
- They are up 255% since the BBC One show began in January
- We select four renovation projects around Sicily that are for sale online
Searches for cheap homes in Sicily have soared following the TV show ‘Amanda and Alan’s Italian Job’.
Numbers have increased 255 per cent since the BBC One show began in January, compared with the same period a year earlier, according to Rightmove.
The property website compared searches online for Sicily between January 6 and February 22 this year with 2022.
The BBC One show followed Amanda Holden and Alan Carr renovate a pair of Italian properties that they bought for €1 each.
Now one of the properties is on the market with a price tag of £127,500, with the proceeds of the two-bedroom holiday home being split between Comic Relief and Children In Need.
Amanda and Alan tackled the property from the ground up and threw themselves at DIY jobs from plastering to plumbing.
The stunning flat is listed on Rightmove, with the description: ‘The three balconies offer breathtaking views of the landscape, making this the perfect spot to watch the sunset.
‘It also comes with a shared, walled courtyard, perfect for al fresco dining or just enjoying the Mediterranean sunshine.’
We pick four renovation projects in Sicily for sale…
1. Five-bed townhouse, Mineo, £32k
This five-bedroom townhouse in the medieval village of Mineo has views of Mount Etna.
The property was built around 1500 years ago and is entirely built from stone. It is on the market for €36,000, the equivalent of £32,000, via Viva Sicily estate agents.
2. Two-bed townhouse, Caccamo, £17k
This two-bedroom townhouse is in Caccamo, a town on the Tyrrhenian coast of Sicily.
The property is on the market with a price tag of €19,000, the equivalent of £17,000, via Sicily Property Management Brokers.
3. Two-bed townhouse, Mineo, £13.2k
This two-bedrooms townhouse is in Mineo, which is in the region of Catania, part of Sicily.
It has two terraces with far-reaching views, and a price tag of just €15,000, the equivalent of £13,200. It is being sold by Viva Sicily estate agents.
Mineo is close to two airports – Catania and Comiso – which are both 35 kilometres away. At the same time, the beach is 35 kilometres away, while there are ski stations within 75 miles.
4. Two-bed terrace, Caccamo, 22k
This two-bedroom townhouse in Caccamo is spread across three floors and boasts a seven metre roof terrace.
It is being sold for €25,000, the equivalent of £22,000, via Sicily Property Management Brokers.
Lawton commercial and business permits totaled almost $15 million in the last two months of 2022 even as new home construction remained in the doldrums.
Lawtonians eager to cut their energy bills and prepare for disasters provided a bright spot in residential remodeling.
An outback Queensland council is playing the role of matchmaker in Cunnamulla, but it’s not bachelors and spinsters they are trying to unite in the small town.
Faced with a shortage of housing stock and dozens of empty homes falling into disrepair, Paroo Shire Council took action 18 months ago — and it’s paying off.
“We’re a little bit like a dating agency for properties,” said economic development officer Shelly Holland, who’s been driving the council’s special social media project.
“People come to me looking for a property or investment opportunity, and we can actually match them up with someone who’s got something to sell.”
Ms Holland said without a permanent real estate agent in town, the council saw an opportunity to help with the housing crisis.
“We decided to set up a free community service and put it on a Facebook page called Cunnamulla Real Estate to help people find their dream homes.
“We started off finding people to purchase the older properties, and many of them are from deceased estates that have been sitting with families who’ve been unsure what to do with them.”
Ms Holland works with the parties as they contemplate whether to develop or renovate the properties.
“In many cases the owners do want to sell them on so they can perhaps put the money back into their own house and do that up as well.”
Destination Cunnamulla
Homes in the town are still bought and sold through the “bush telegraph”, but the council’s free real estate service is being credited with bringing a surge of investment and new blood to the region.
Julie Stone from the Whitsundays more than 1,000 kilometres away moved with her husband and son to Cunnamulla after seeing one of the council’s social media posts.
At the time they didn’t even know where the outback town was but fell in love with the old RSL building that they are now restoring to its former glory.
“We’ve been renovating the unit so we’ve got somewhere nice to live, and then we will progress into the RSL section of the building,” Ms Stone said.
She said the renovation plans were not finalised but might include beauty services, accommodation and a bar or cafe depending “what the town needs”.
And with plenty of work to be done amid a trade and material shortage, the couple has been resourceful in order to renovate their large space.
Tapping into small-town community spirit, they’re helping paint another local’s house in exchange for getting the floors sanded in their unit.
“We absolutely love it,” Ms Stone said.
“There’s no airs and graces, it’s just relaxed and everyone’s happy to help each other out.
“It’s really friendly, we really like the town and the good community feel.”
New energy, new blood
The Stone family is among investors, renovators and home owners who have bought into Cunnamulla this year, bringing the potential of new business while increasing the cash flow of existing ones.
Council chief executive Cassie White welcomed the new arrivals.
“We’re seeing lots of new energy and new blood coming to town,” Ms White said.
“New blood tends to bring new ideas and families into the community.
“That’s desperately needed, particularly since the industries have changed and drought has caused a lot of families to disband out of the area.”
Boosted by the creation of the Facebook page in April, Ms Holland said council had helped facilitate the sale of more than 30 properties, even luring interstate buyers.
“If we’d managed to have sold two properties and got them done up and put back onto the rental market, we would have considered that a really big win,” she said.
“One post I put up, within four or five hours it had reached 83,675 people and it was a house that couldn’t currently be lived in.”
Ms Holland said the council hoped to increase the town’s population by 10 per cent within five years.
“Looking at the interest and those properties that are being turned over, we may well and truly increase that target as well.”
Members of Danville’s Historic Preservation Commission plan to meet at 6 p.m. Thursday in city hall to take a vote that could end the 104-year-old tale of Bresee Tower.
The 12-story stone-and-steel structure opened its doors in 1918, a showcase for local businesses. In its heyday, the building — with its beautiful marble and wood interior — housed a bank and other offices.
For the past 16 years, however, Bresee has stood empty, towering above the intersection of East Main and Vermilion streets. And the building was largely empty for years before the last tenant moved out.
Passing through a series of owners, little maintenance was performed on the structure. That allowed weather and time to begin deteriorating parts of the building. It was condemned as dangerous in November 2021, and city officials were forced to construct barriers along its Main Street side to protect passersby and traffic from chunks of material falling from the building.
Despite the efforts of several one-time owners, no substantial renovation has been made public since Bresee was closed.
City officials went to court earlier this year to gain title to the property. During that process, a study conducted estimated renovation costs at just more $11 million. That cost does not include any work on the Vermilion County Courthouse Annex, which is connected to the Bresee. County officials moved out of that building several ago to the Vermilion County Administration Building farther north on Vermilion Street.
Every time the proposal to demolish the Bresee surfaces, advocates for its preservation step up to express their opinions. It’s easy to see why they would want to keep the structure. It was a beautiful place, and it serves as a landmark for downtown Danville.
Even if the preservation advocates could come up with the $11 million to restore Bresee — and the bill likely would be more by the time the work was finished — funds will be needed to maintain it in the future.
Business has changed, and with the amount of available space already existing in other downtown buildings, it’s doubtful enough tenants could be found to make a renovated Bresee self-sustaining.
In fact, city officials might soon find themselves making decisions on other empty structures downtown, such as the Adams Building that also has been empty and deteriorating for some time.
City officials want to demolish Bresee to limits its liability, improve safety in the area and possibly redevelop the site to house new businesses.
The final fate of Bresee remains uncertain, as legal issues involving the building continue to move through the courts. Once those are settled, a final decision can be made.
No one wants to see Bresee Tower come down. It was a magnificent building in its day. But its day, and its usefulness, has passed. No practical proposal to restore and maintain the structure has been presented. Members of the Historic Preservation Commission and all city officials should move forward with their demolition plans.
Nestled in the highly desirable Forest Hills neighborhood of midtown Tulsa is where you’ll find this week’s Showcase Home, 3006 S. Yorktown Ave.
This beautiful home features five bedrooms, four-and-a-half bathrooms, a two-car garage and a backyard pool. It spans nearly 6,000 square feet across one level and is located on half an acre.
Though this home was built in 1970, it essentially feels like a new home. Last year, the owners completed an astounding renovation, adding two bedrooms, a bathroom and a gym, implementing new finishes, tile and flooring, remodeling the pool, redoing the exterior landscaping and more.
“We’re offering a house that’s essentially brand new and maintenance-free in a beautiful, established neighborhood,” said owner Brad Jobe. “We really wanted to do this renovation right.”
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What’s more, this home boasts a prime midtown location and is just a short drive from Utica Square, Philbrook and Brookside.
While Jobe said he’ll miss the home he’s leaving behind, he’s excited for the next owners to take advantage of all it has to offer. Due to its size and layout, this home, he said, is ideal for someone who loves to host.
“I can’t imagine a better house for someone who likes to entertain,” Jobe said. “Because it’s one level and there are so many entry and exit points off the back of the house and into the backyard, it’s great interior-exterior living.”
Jobe’s favorite part of the home is that it’s not what people expect to see when they look at it from the outside.
“It’s full of surprises,” Jobe said. “People are surprised by the size, the scale, the finishes and details. There are many ‘wow’ moments.”
For more information or to schedule a tour, contact Blake Loveless, Walter & Associates, 918-645-4662.
In this week’s episode, James Watts and Grace Wood jump into the holiday spirit with being thankful as well as looking ahead to Christmas.
There are different levels of challenges and stress when it comes to renovating properties, from a relatively simple refurbishment of decor, kitchen and bathrooms to a full-on, back to brick project that probably needs every aspect of the building worked on.
Then there are the properties that look like a relatively simple project that turn out to be a nightmare. They trick you into thinking it will be a pretty simple job but as you peel back the layers of the fabric of the building like the layers of an onion and discover horrors waiting to be found, it’s likely to make you cry.
Property television programmes are littered with people who saw the potential of a renovation project but didn’t see the mountain they would have to climb once they got started.
READ MORE: Stretch of stunning Gower coastline up for sale for £45,000
From programmes like Grand Designs to Homes Under The Hammer, whatever the size of the budget featured, the size of the task ahead creates stress and usually ends up with a number of repeated scenarios; going over budget, going over the predicted timescale, running out of money, losing money and living in a leaky caravan for longer than expected. For viewers who like a drama, the best TV property renovation stories are the ones that include all of these traumatic scenarios. Property renovation is not for everyone, even people who are super keen or experienced can come unstuck.
At property auctions some bidders buy blind so it’s really their own fault if they end up picking up the keys to a disaster zone, but some people buy the right way and get a survey done by an expert and so have more of an idea of the stress that awaits them. But even that can’t always prepare you for the hidden challenges that lie beneath as Jude Edgell, who is renovating and restoring Penllyn Castle, is finding out as she fights to revive this amazing and historic Welsh property. Find out more about Jude and her castle here.
But there are some Welsh homes for sale that from the first moment you see them are clearly telling you there is much work to do and you had better be ready. From no roof and ceilings caving in to just a ruinous collection of stones, these are extreme renovation projects not for the faint-hearted – they might even make the experienced renovators faint.
But the reward to saving and securing the future of one of these buildings is a location that is stunning, or a home that is heavenly, or a development project that could potentially create a profit. Which one would you be brave enough to take on?
Pembrokeshire: £103,000
(Image: Sage and Co Auctions, Cwmbran / rightmove)
(Image: Sage and Co Auctions, Cwmbran / rightmove)
Well, someone has started here a while ago but has downed tools and left, but the good news is that the planning is still in place according to the estate agent. The agent states that the plot was approved for outline planning permission in 2005, for a detached bungalow and garage. Building control at Pembrokeshire County Council have confirmed that the re-instatement of planning permission is not necessary as construction has already begun and the agent says there is written confirmation of this available from them.
The agent also says that a radon sump has recently been installed, which should assist any potential buyers in continuing with the build immediately.
(Image: Sage and Co Auctions, Cwmbran / rightmove)
This breeze block beauty could definitely become a wonderful Pembrokeshire home, located within the small residential village of Sardis, offering the peace of a country community but the amenities of Milford Haven nearby and the extreme beauty of this amazing county to constantly discover too, from award-winning beaches to rolling rural landscapes, as well as oodles of castles and culture.
The building plot with consent is going to online, unconditional auction on June, 29 from 6.05pm with a guide price starting at £103,000. A legal pack and pre-registration details as well as information on a buyer’s premium fee are available from Sage & Co Auctions, Cwmbran. Call them on 01633 838888 to find out more.
Pembrokeshire: £135,000+
(Image: John Francis, Pembroke / Tenby)
(Image: John Francis, Pembroke / Tenby)
At least there are four walls and windows and doors on this one but there’s plenty of renovation work, from top to bottom and back to front that includes a roof that could contain asbestos, that will keep you busy and keep you away from days out at the nearby gorgeous beaches of Barafundle Bay and Broad Haven; at least for a while.
The former coastguard’s cottage is in need of complete refurbishment, upgrading and improvement and if you need to use the facilities while you are working hard to bring it back to life, you’ll have to hop across the yard as the toilet is still in the garden within an outbuilding that used to be an office.
(Image: John Francis, Pembroke / Tenby)
(Image: John Francis, Pembroke / Tenby)
But there’s so much to love here, not just the lovely position within the popular village of Bosherston within the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park, just six miles from Pembroke and even closer to the breathtaking coast, but because it still has period features in place including a fabulous stove and oven fireplace nestled into a chimney breast which would be the heart of this home once restored to its fabulous former glory.
For further information contact estate agents John Francis at their Pembroke office on 01646 200054 in ample time to find out more before the auction that starts at 11am on 12th July, 2022 at 11am, with closing bidding time at 3pm on July 13 2022.
Isle of Anglesey: £175,000
(Image: Jones Peckover, Denbigh)
(Image: Jones Peckover, Denbigh)
No roof, no windows, no doors – no problem? This once very pretty stone home is now a rare opportunity to purchase a partly renovated derelict cottage together with about 8.6 acres of very good quality land on the Isle of Anglesey, and there’s the chance to purchase more land too, if desired.
It is being marketed as semi-derelict as some renovation work has already been done on the stone walls, but there is still obviously a lot left to do. This lot for sale is the chance to buy this bulk of very good quality land as well as the cottage to create your own rural retreat but that is also close to the A55 Expressway, the Holyhead to Crewe railway line and the village of Gwalchmai.
(Image: Jones Peckover, Denbigh)
(Image: Jones Peckover, Denbigh)
The agent selling this renovation project states: ‘The property is currently occupied by the vendors and vacant possession will be available upon completion of the sale. The vendors reserve the right to let all or a proportion of the land up until July 6, 2022 should they feel that the grass needs to be managed by cropping for silage or hay. If this right will be exercised, then the letting will be subject to a Mowing Licence Agreement prepared by us’.
More information about the Basic Payment Scheme Entitlements owned by the vendors that will be available to purchase at market value following completion of the sale is available from the estate agents, as well as information on wayleaves, easements, rights of way, boundaries and the Town and Country Planning Act.
The cottage and land is being sold by formal tender to be received by no later than noon on July, 13, 2022 with a guide price of £175,000 – £225,000. Contact estate agents Jones Peckover at their Denbigh branch on 01745 812127 to find out more.
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Pembrokeshire: £425,000+
(Image: Savills, Cardiff)
(Image: Savills, Cardiff)
This character cottage in a glorious location on the Pembrokeshire coast has not been lived in for over 60 years, but comes with planning to create a very special coastal home. Called Plas-y-Pinc, the renovation project with a sea view stands on Strumble Head peninsula within about 10 acres of its own land, made up mainly of pastureland.
The estate agent states that the cottage for sale comes with existing planning permission for the renovation and extension of the property into a three bed, two bath home with two reception rooms.
And what a location to call home; the rugged coastline brings drama, rural vistas brings peace and quiet and the coastal path brings an opportunity to explore the coast, coves and beaches of north Pembrokeshire, the nearest being about only half a mile away.
(Image: Savills, Cardiff)
(Image: Savills, Cardiff)
Views from the cottage span out over Garn Fawr and Porth Maenmelyn and the pretty coastal towns of Goodwick and Fishguard are only about five miles away. Currently, the cottage is in need of full renovation, and comes with one large reception room across the width of the building, a scullery and what’s left of a stone outhouse on the ground floor, and two bedrooms on the first floor.
The cottage is for sale for offers over £425,000 with joint agents JJ Morris, Fishguard on 01348 873836 and Savills, Cardiff on 029 2036 8900. For further information, including the planning consent and the facilities at the cottage, give them a call.
Pembrokeshire: £650,000
(Image: John Francis, Narberth / rightmove)
(Image: John Francis, Narberth / rightmove)
(Image: John Francis, Narberth / rightmove)
This idyllic, remote and private location provides a very interesting renovation project for anyone who fancies not just saving a derelict farmhouse but also establishing a business too, as the estate agent states the site also has a range of outbuildings ideal for conversion into workshops or holiday style accommodation, subject to the necessary planning consents.
And if the idea of a winter in an old caravan, as seems to be essential to get the complete extreme renovation project experience, fills you with dread there’s a cute and unexpected straw bale studio ‘house’ in the garden that might offer you an unusual place to stay as an alternative while you renovate.
The agent says the studio was built in 2018 within the curtilage of the farmhouse under permitted development rights. It has mains electricity and a log burner, and a compost toilet.
(Image: John Francis, Narberth / rightmove)
(Image: John Francis, Narberth / rightmove)
(Image: John Francis, Narberth / rightmove)
Once the main house has been transformed into a country retreat surrounded by its 33 acres of glorious Pembrokeshire countryside, this bale house would make the best home office to make all your colleagues envious on Zoom calls, or could easily become an artist’s studio, the best kids or adult den in the area or guest accommodation.
There’s also a good sized stone outbuilding with delightful steps up to one of its front doors that could become another home, subject to planning consent, so when the main house is done and you can move in, there’s another project onsite to get your renovation teeth firmly stuck into.
Have you finished the work now? Nope, there’s still the former milking parlour to turn into a tasty treat, so don’t put those power tools away just yet. Then you can relax and enjoy the undulating land that surrounds your new abode that includes the river Afon Rhyd-afallen as part of its boundary. This bundle of brilliant buildings is for sale for £650,000 with John Francis, call their Narberth branch on 01834 740049 to find out more.
Pembrokeshire: £700,000+
(Image: Savills, Cardiff)
(Image: Savills, Cardiff)
Extreme renovation project is a term that can relate to the derelict state of the building to be rescued or the size of the project, with multiple buildings needing attention. This exciting plot for sale has both and the eventual outcome could be something absolutely spectacular.
Merrion Court is an exciting property proposition for any renovation expert who wants to turn and old Grade II listed former farmhouse and its courtyard of listed outbuildings that include a granary range, dairy block and mill into an outstanding home with multi-generational living and holiday let income potential, subject to planning consent of course.
(Image: Savills, Cardiff)
(Image: Savills, Cardiff)
The Grade II listed properties on the site were part of the Merrion Court at Castlemartin estate. The whole site extends to about 3.5 acres and includes a large courtyard and some more modern general purpose farm outbuildings, near the hamlet of Merrion close to the south coast of the county between Tenby and Milford Haven.
The estate agent states that the company has approached Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority for pre-application planning advice in respect of proposals to convert redundant buildings at Merrion Court for residential use. To find out more about this and the site, which is on the market for offers over £700,000 contact the Cardiff branch of Savills on 029 2036 8900.
Cardiff: £1,260,000+
(Image: Seel & Co)
Hiding behind overgrown hedges and a boarded-up gate in one of the poshest suburbs in Cardiff is a unique Victorian villa that most people passing by probably don’t know exists, at least in more recent times. Now this grand house in Lisvane with potential to become a stunning family home is up for auction with a guide price of £1,260,000.
The handsome house is important enough to be included in the Coflein archive, the online catalogue of archaeology, buildings, industrial and maritime heritage in Wales, which describes the property as being a “large brick mansion with a dressed stone entrance facade and fine Victorian veranda, dating back to the late 19th century and set in its own formal lawns to the front”.
(Image: Seel & Co Ltd)
(Image: Seel & Co Ltd)
(Image: Seel & Co Ltd)
So the outside has impressive features that have survived to impress and inside two floors of accommodation plus a basement below and attic above that could be incorporated into a renovation project. For someone with vision and a healthy renovation budget the impressive Victorian mansion can offer an exciting opportunity for a grand home to be reborn.
Take a short tour of the grounds and inside the house here:
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There’s oodles of space, some original features to restore (and the opportunity to add some back in), and a garden that stretches to three-quarters of an acre that could become so special you would never want to leave. Swimming pool, log cabin, garden home office – the three quarters of an acre of land can easily accommodate them all, subject to planning consent, and still have masses of grounds left to enjoy.
Could that extreme renovator be you? This beautiful and unique building is up for online auction with Seel & Co with a guide price of £1,260,000. Call the auction house on 029 2037 0100 to find out more. And don’t miss the best dream homes in Wales, renovation stories and interiors, join the Amazing Welsh Homes newsletter which is sent to your inbox twice a week.
Sometimes deciding to view a run-down house because it has ignited your curiosity can be a dangerous decision; you might totally fall in love with it and want it, even if it is not even habitable when you buy it.
Some people claim to want to do a renovation project because finding a house that can be rescued and remodelled not only adds value but means that, within listed building restrictions, if appropriate, you can create the home of your dreams.
But there are some renovation projects that are so major that only the brave or the experienced decide to proceed with the stress, budget rollercoaster and months and months of mud, dust and grime that a full-on, back to bricks, top to toe restoration produces. And if the property is listed, that’s a whole extra layer of stress.
READ MORE: Cheapest homes for sale in Wales you can move into straight away
(Image: Google maps)
(Image: Google maps)
Nestled within Vale of Glamorgan countryside near Rhoose is Upper Porthkerry Farm, a historic thatch property that was granted Grade II listed status in 2004 for being ‘a 17th century farmhouse which, despite alterations, has retained its character and its thatched roof’. But the listing also commented that ‘this house is very difficult to describe accurately because of the heavy garden growth’.
But Claire Croft and Clive Watkins couldn’t stop themselves from being nosey about Upper Porthkerry farm when they spotted it for sale online, even though when they drove past it was shrouded in undergrowth and greenery that had expanded even more since the 2004 listing visit by Cadw.
Claire said: “We agreed to just do a drive-by but fell in love with the tumbledown, bramble-ridden cottage. It was entirely derelict and the garden had grown up to the walls of the house and we had to beat a path to the garden wall that looks out over the viaduct and the channel. Inside, we got a bit lost with the quirky rooms and the two staircases but we instantly fell in love with it.”
Clive could remember very clearly how the house made him instantly feel, he knew it was ‘the one’. He said: “When I first walked through the door, even though it was old, unloved and tired, I could feel how welcoming it was and the warmth the house has, it has always felt like a loving, comfortable warm home.
(Image: Claire Croft and Clive Watkins)
(Image: Claire Croft and Clive Watkins)
“I could see the amount of work needed, inside needed total renovation, outside was so overgrown we couldn’t really get past the back of the house, the kitchen was just an old cupboard, sink and oil burner stove with a danger sign on it! But we saw the potential of this Welsh beauty – for 500 years this house has been part of the community as a farm and as a place for training horses and we knew we could inject the love back into it and bring it alive.”
(Image: Claire Croft and Clive Watkins)
(Image: Claire Croft and Clive Watkins)
Of course, taking on a wreck has an impact on the whole family, so the couple chatted to their young children and the wise youngsters struck up a deal with their parents; they were happy to move and be part of this restoration adventure as long as they could have a puppy and a swimming pool.
Claire said: “We shook on the deal and decided to enter our new life and put an offer in. The puppy was bought immediately and the pool was put in before we even had a kitchen!”
(Image: Claire Croft and Clive Watkins)
When the keys were handed over and the story of this huge renovation project began, it was winter and the classic scenario of living in an onsite caravan was the first chapter. Impressively the caravan was only their home for about six weeks while they updated two bedrooms as their base within the farmhouse.
Claire said: “We were scared but elated and set to work immediately. I think the electricians and plumbers were there as we got the keys ready to go in and completely strip the existing electrics and plumbing out and put in new.”
(Image: Claire Croft and Clive Watkins)
This was a good start to the transformation, but every renovation project has challenges. Claire and Clive’s main bump in the renovation road was a damaging one. The couple lost £68,000 in an alleged scam.
“We found ourselves with no goods and running all our electric on one extension lead, plus no heating and an immersion heater that took hours to heat water for a bath or shower.”
(Image: Andy Stoyle of ALS Photography /Mr and Mrs Clarke estate agents)
(Image: Andy Stoyle of ALS Photography /Mr and Mrs Clarke estate agents)
“We tried to get the money back but it had gone, and on calling the companies who were to supply everything they hadn’t been paid, so we weren’t getting anything from them. After a few weeks of just pure hopelessness we realised that we had to dig deep into our emotions and work out a new plan.”
This huge hurdle blew the timescale out of the water and with the majority of the budget gone, literally, the majority of the work was now going to be down to them with Claire saying, “I think Clive has handled nearly every brick and stone in the house”.
But this couple are fighters and nothing was going to stop them from transforming this wreck into a dream home, even if it was going to eventually take them eight years.
(Image: Andy Stoyle of ALS Photography /Mr and Mrs Clarke estate agents)
(Image: Andy Stoyle of ALS Photography /Mr and Mrs Clarke estate agents)
(Image: Andy Stoyle of ALS Photography /Mr and Mrs Clarke estate agents)
The new plan saw Clive decreasing his business work to focus on the house and take on the role as primary child carer, whilst wife Claire focused on her role working from home and in London. It also meant having to renovate one room at a time once the structural jobs were done.
But before dreaming about eventual colour tones and soft furnishings, there was some back breaking work to be done. Clive said: “We first had to dig up the downstairs concrete floors and the piles and piles of rubble. We added a damp course, insulation and re-poured the downstairs concrete.
(Image: Andy Stoyle of ALS Photography /Mr and Mrs Clarke estate agents)
(Image: Andy Stoyle of ALS Photography /Mr and Mrs Clarke estate agents)
(Image: Andy Stoyle of ALS Photography /Mr and Mrs Clarke estate agents)
“All electrics were torn out and replaced, all heating was torn out and replaced with a large heating/water boiler. Ceilings were torn out as we knew the original beams were hidden behind. Then a new kitchen, bathrooms and all pipework replaced from the street and through the house.”
Of course, when you carefully pull apart a centuries old house it’s likely you’re going to discover some hidden spaces and secret items and one of the most exciting at Upper Porthkerry Farm was a hidden, wall mounted safe. Clive said: “I was so excited I spent a whole day trying to break into it sure that there would be something of value in it, as I opened the mangled door it was empty!
(Image: Andy Stoyle of ALS Photography /Mr and Mrs Clarke estate agents)
(Image: Andy Stoyle of ALS Photography /Mr and Mrs Clarke estate agents)
“Also, we have a big stone in the wall of our hallway, it is a national monument and can’t be removed, but to the side there is a hole just big enough to partly get your hand in, you can’t feel anything but I always wonder why the hole is there and is something buried inside?”
Taking down walls, removing bricks, and bringing down ceilings revealed some period gems that delighted the couple and have understandably become the main features of the dream home around which the stunning interiors have been created. Claire said: “We found features that were hidden, like the beams in the big lounge ceiling. These are beams from a shipwreck and they were hidden with plasterboard and coated in tar, we later worked on them and recovered them.
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“We also found a huge inglenook fireplace which was hidden by a red brick façade. We have uncovered many original features and lovingly brought them back whilst retaining 21st century living.”
And the home that the couple have created is outstanding, each room could easily be the cover of a high-end glossy interiors magazine.
The magical experience of touring the transformed property begins in the front garden, through the front gate, up the central path through the lawns to the cute thatch bonnet porch, flanked by slate and bay tree planting, which is a galaxy away from the mangle of undergrowth eight years ago that needed to be fought off with a digger.
(Image: Andy Stoyle of ALS Photography /Mr and Mrs Clarke estate agents)
(Image: Andy Stoyle of ALS Photography /Mr and Mrs Clarke estate agents)
Through the heritage green front door, with delightful period door furniture, and into a light and characterful hall that offers you access to a choice of two reception rooms at the front. To the right is an elegant drawing room, with the period fireplace the dominant and beautiful main feature and the timeless furniture arranged to ensure this is a sociable space.
Opposite the drawing room is the lounge, arguably the stand out space for original features. Go through the robust, ancient wooden door and into this mesmerising space and you’ll find the shipwreck beams above and the substantial inglenook fireplace that even includes a little stone bench inside to warm your toes by the large log burner.
To the rear of the home and behind the drawing room is the dining room, a most pleasant, welcoming space with glass doors to the garden and a brick fireplace nestled into the wall that add to the unique character that each room displays. The room happily seats eight people and some armchairs and can expand to welcome more if the extended family or friends drop round for dinner.
(Image: Andy Stoyle of ALS Photography /Mr and Mrs Clarke estate agents)
(Image: Andy Stoyle of ALS Photography /Mr and Mrs Clarke estate agents)
At the opposite side of the rear section of the house is the kitchen and it’s a very special space as it was hand-crafted by Clive. It contains all the integrated appliances you might expect from a luxury dream home and some you probably won’t, like two dishwashers.
A family room, boot room and shower room complete the ground floor accommodation before heading upstairs to be delighted by the five beautiful bedrooms. The triple aspect master has an ensuite that any posh hotel would be more than happy to copy in layout and interior design.
There’s a roll-top bath placed centrally not only to command attention but also to allow the occupant in the bubbles to have the best view out of the window, plus there’s a sink unit that oozes style and character.
(Image: Andy Stoyle of ALS Photography /Mr and Mrs Clarke estate agents)
(Image: Andy Stoyle of ALS Photography /Mr and Mrs Clarke estate agents)
(Image: Andy Stoyle of ALS Photography /Mr and Mrs Clarke estate agents)
More lush interiors can be found in bedroom two’s ensuite, with the double gold mirrors, feature wallpaper and mirror tiles all visual treats to discover. Using the same wallpaper in the bedroom and the ensuite is a thoughtful and successful way to visually link the two spaces.
The family bathroom has not missed out on luxury either, with the navy wall panelling, bath and sink unit making a bold and beautiful statement, all lit by a fancy, central chandelier.
Bedroom three is currently being used as a home office, while bedroom five has its own ensuite shower room. Throughout the house the elegant and sophisticated interiors with touches of glamour, add the extra layer of luxury to the historic bones of this special house.
(Image: Andy Stoyle of ALS Photography /Mr and Mrs Clarke estate agents)
(Image: Andy Stoyle of ALS Photography /Mr and Mrs Clarke estate agents)
And yet every space is welcoming and comfortable, with an atmosphere that invites you in and easily persuades you to stay; the warm ambience that Clive loved so much when he first entered the house has not been lost, it’s been enhanced.
But this couple like to do renovations that bring some surprises to the final outcome, and Upper Porthkerry Farm is no different. Claire said: “Friends and family are always delighted and surprised by the secret rooms in the house that we’ve hidden cleverly. One of which is the master ensuite, which is entered through a renovated French wardrobe. It’s such a fantastic surprise and is steeped in The Chronicles of Narnia vibes!”
(Image: Andy Stoyle of ALS Photography /Mr and Mrs Clarke estate agents)
(Image: Andy Stoyle of ALS Photography /Mr and Mrs Clarke estate agents)
There are more surprises outside too with the addition of an annexe, and because it’s Claire and Clive, it’s not your standard garden addition. This annexe is a modern homage to a traditional Welsh cottage with the open bedroom a first floor crog loft mezzanine.
And that is not the end of the tour because the garden, as well as the pool, has an extra stricture – a cabin that might be a work from home space? No, happy days, it’s a cabin the family call The Clubhouse that includes a bar and a sociable seating area as well as doors spilling out onto a patio where you will find a hot tub.
(Image: Andy Stoyle of ALS Photography /Mr and Mrs Clarke estate agents)
(Image: Andy Stoyle of ALS Photography /Mr and Mrs Clarke estate agents)
After working so hard to create this dream home and enjoying living in it too, it’s time for the family to move on. The couple are leaving it ‘move-in ready’ but with potential for the new owner to add to the site too, with planning in place to add a glass box extension to take full advantage of the stunning countryside views.
Claire said: “It’s been a great family adventure but also I can see the advantage of moving into something that is already done! We have worked on the house for over 8 years; we have ploughed heart, soul and lots of cash into it. But Clive always says we are just the custodians of this house – we have brought it back to life for others to love and cherish and add their memories too.”
(Image: Andy Stoyle of ALS Photography /Mr and Mrs Clarke estate agents)
Upper Porthkerry Farm is on the market with a guide price of £1.25m with estate agents Mr and Mrs Clarke, call the Cardiff and Vale of Glamorgan branch on 07432 206134 to find out more. And to make sure you never miss the best dream homes in Wales, renovation stories and interiors, join the Amazing Welsh Homes newsletter, sent to your inbox twice a week.
When some people move into a new house all they want to think about is what changes they would like to make to the decor in order to make it truly reflect their personality and interior design style and taste.
Because not everyone wants to do any major DIY, preferring to just get a paint brush out and add their style via accessories, furniture and soft furnishings. For many the thought of borrowing or hiring power tools and renovating a house is the stuff of nightmares.
But with the Covid-19 pandemic having a substantial effect on the housing market it can be a challenge to find a reasonably priced home at the lower end of the market that is ‘move-in’ ready.
READ MORE: Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen’s unusual family living arrangements in country mansion
Wales has consistently been the top region in the UK to experience the highest increase in average house prices, even with the latest figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) suggesting a slowing of the market rises. Find out more about that here.
Nationwide Building Society states that although house prices have been increasing at double-digit rates so far in the first four months of 2022, they could start falling again as budgets are put under pressure by the rising cost of living. Inflation reached a 40-year high in the year to April 2022, hitting nine per cent as measured by the Consumer Prices Index.
With the uncertainty about the future of the economy, the rising cost of living squeezing house hunters’ budgets, and mixed property expert predictions, plus Wales remaining the hottest spot for house price increases in the UK, finding a cheaper house in our nation is now significantly more difficult than pre-Covid times.
Of course, there are still ways to buy a property on a budget, including shared ownership and accessing schemes such as Help to Buy – Wales. And if you are happy to get stuck in with the DIY, have a renovation budget to get professionals involved, or love the idea of buying a wreck and transforming it into a stunner, then the property auctions are the place for you, and where you will find the majority of the cheapest houses for sale in Wales.
But if DIY and building work sound like the worst scenario that you can think of, there are still houses for sale in Wales for under £150,000 where all the stress and sweat of a renovation project has been done for you.
Of course, a survey will assist in flagging up any potential issues with a property before you buy it, but on the surface these homes for sale for £150,000 and under, look ready to welcome you as their new owner without a power tool in sight.
Holywell, Flintshire: £100,000
(Image: Adore Properties, Bolton / rightmove)
(Image: Adore Properties, Bolton / rightmove)
(Image: Adore Properties, Bolton / rightmove)
Between Rhyl on the coast to the north and Mold further inland to the south, this market town is well positioned for the beauty of Wales including the Dee Estuary plus the cities of north west England.
And this refurbished terrace house is well positioned for the town’s high street too; it’s just around the corner. There’s nothing to do here regarding DIY, just a perfect first-time buyers home that offers comfort and convenience.
(Image: Adore Properties, Bolton / rightmove)
(Image: Adore Properties, Bolton / rightmove)
There’s an open-plan lounge and kitchen on the ground floor that features a clever half-wall, meaning the opportunity to add more lower kitchen cupboards on one side, and some visual separation between the two zones of cooking and relaxing.
Add a spacious double bedroom and shower room on the first floor, plus off-road parking and a chain free purchase for the potential new owner and this house is potentially a carefree package. Just choose your own personal interior design style, and off you go living a stress-free, DIY-free life in this budget friendly abode.
The house is for sale for offers over £100,000 with estate agent Adore Properties, Bolton, call them on 01942 818033 to find out more.
Llanelli, Carmarthenshire: £109,950
(Image: John Francis Llanelli / rightmove)
(Image: John Francis Llanelli / rightmove)
(Image: John Francis Llanelli / rightmove)
If you want character as well as a modern home, then maybe this distinctive property is the one for you. The mid-terrace has been given a spruce up throughout but has some period features remaining too, including its unusual and engaging arched facade design and ceiling beams in the open-plan lounge.
The newly fitted kitchen has space for a small breakfast table as well as space for the modern appliances needed, with the bathroom found next door, off a rear hallway. Upstairs the house can boast two, double bedrooms.
(Image: John Francis Llanelli / rightmove)
(Image: John Francis Llanelli / rightmove)
The easy maintenance rear courtyard garden is surrounded by walls and has steps up to a seating area where there is one final, happy surprise – a front row seat over the garden wall to the local bowling club, so you can watch the match from the comfort of your own deck chair.
The house is located just a short drive away from the Carmarthenshire coast as well as Trostre Retail Park and strolling distance to the town centre and is on the market for offers in the region of £109,950 with John Francis, call their Llanelli branch on 01554 773051 to find out more.
Near Machynlleth, Gwynedd: £112,000
(Image: Morris, Marshall and Poole, Machynlleth / onthemarket.com)
(Image: Morris, Marshall and Poole, Machynlleth / onthemarket.com)
(Image: Morris, Marshall and Poole, Machynlleth / onthemarket.com)
If you think you can’t get a unique history and a stunning rural location for this budget, this stone cottage is going to disagree with you. A slice of Grade II listed history as one home in this pretty row of four terraces is offered here, as a former slate miner’s cottage.
The estate agent describes the location as being about a mile from the slate mining village of Corris and within the small hamlet of Tanygraig, which seems to have more sheep than people – it’s an idyllic rural setting if that is what you yearn for.
For more facilities, Machynlleth can be found to the south and Dolgellau to the north, but for more peace, for a good price and only your choice of paint colour for the walls to consider, this pretty cottage is a pretty good property proposition.
(Image: Morris, Marshall and Poole, Machynlleth / onthemarket.com)
(Image: Morris, Marshall and Poole, Machynlleth / onthemarket.com)
The house has a sitting room with so much character to adore including slate fireplace, ceiling beams and flagstone floor. There’s a kitchen, rear utility and lobby area, and shower room at the back that leads to a cute, sunny courtyard. Upstairs there are two double bedrooms.
To the front of the property is a slate forecourt with ample space for alfresco dining looking out over the fields of sheep and undulating hills. There is also a detached, lawn garden area found about 90 metres away.
This house with history is on the market for offers in the region of £112,000 with Morris Marshall & Poole, call the Machynlleth branch on 01654 702472 to find out more.
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Rhayader, Powys: £115,000
(Image: James Dean estate agents, Builth Wells / rightmove)
(Image: James Dean estate agents, Builth Wells / rightmove)
(Image: James Dean estate agents, Builth Wells / rightmove)
A compact budget won’t get you a country mansion, but it could get you a slice of it at this cute courtyard cottage. It is a one bed home that is nestled within the communal grounds of a country estate as your front and back gardens, so there’s plenty of space outside to enjoy.
The abode is found in the heart of Carreg Llwyd Place, a select development of ten properties in total, just a stone’s throw from the centre of the popular town of Rhayader.
There’s plenty of scope to make this pretty mews cottage your own too; but don’t worry not with DIY but with just the positioning of correctly proportioned furniture.
(Image: James Dean estate agents, Builth Wells / rightmove)
(Image: James Dean estate agents, Builth Wells / rightmove)
The open-plan kitchen, diner and lounge can accommodate all three functions if the layout of the space is designed well. The cottage has a double bedroom, a shower room, its own designated courtyard space and two parking spaces within the estate’s grounds.
The vendors have informed the estate agent that The Mews currently has a restrictive covenant in place that prevents the property from being let out, so what a gem for a first-time buyer to call their own escape to the country home without a country estate sized budget.
The Mews is for sale for £115,000 with James Dean estate agents, call their Builth Wells branch on 01982 552537 to find out more.
Rhondda Valleys: £135,000
(Image: Darlows / rightmove)
(Image: Darlows / rightmove)
Plenty of time for you to walk the hills and mountains of the Rhondda Valleys from this base as your home – everything has been done for you so you’ll have no evenings and weekends booked out for wallpaper stripping and woodwork sanding.
And while you’re out and about, you could find extra excitement at Zip World, wander over to the waterfalls within the Neath Valleys and pop down to Cardiff for an exhausting shopping expedition, because what will be waiting for you when you come back is literally nothing to do – just a fully modernised three bed home.
Downstairs there is a substantial lounge diner that leads into the stunning new kitchen, which in turn flows out into the rear garden. This outdoor space is a neat and tidy blank canvas, so if you did want to add some work to your ‘to do’ list and add some value and colour too, the garden is waiting for your soon-to-be green fingers.
(Image: Darlows / rightmove)
(Image: Darlows / rightmove)
(Image: Darlows / rightmove)
Upstairs the renovation project has successfully managed to create a good sized shower room rather than a downstairs version which is so common in this style of traditional valleys house, plus keep three bedrooms too; happy days.
And happy days if DIY brings you out in hives, because it’s all good to go here at this terrace in Treorchy, for sale for offers in the region of £135,000 with Darlows, call them on 01443 436445 to find out more.
Cardiff: £140,000
(Image: Mr Homes Sales and Lettings, Cardiff / rightmove)
(Image: Mr Homes Sales and Lettings, Cardiff / rightmove)
(Image: Mr Homes Sales and Lettings, Cardiff / rightmove)
It’s hard to find a house ready to move straight into within the capital city and virtually impossible in one of the most expensive areas, so most first-time buyers will be looking for a flat. But if you look hard enough within the northern suburb of Whitchurch, you will find a hidden gem.
Not only is this pretty, one bedroom detached bungalow just around the corner from the shops and restaurants of this thriving and popular area of Cardiff, it has its own cutest of wraparound, private courtyard gardens too.
(Image: Mr Homes Sales and Lettings, Cardiff / rightmove)
(Image: Mr Homes Sales and Lettings, Cardiff / rightmove)
(Image: Mr Homes Sales and Lettings, Cardiff / rightmove)
The front door opens onto an open-plan lounge diner that flows past the shower room, the door to the double bedroom and into the kitchen at the rear and it all works together beautifully.
Just turn up with your suitcases and moving van, turn the key and get on with living, with a few paint colour changes and some new cushions the minimal amount of changes to suit your style.
The bungalow with no DIY to taunt you is on the market with a guide price of £140,000 with Mr Homes Sales and Lettings, Cardiff, call 029 2020 4555 to find out more.
Near Swansea: £150,000
(Image: Purplebricks / rightmove)
(Image: Purplebricks / rightmove)
The budget of maximum £150,000 can get you three bedrooms and zero renovation work in and around Swansea, if you hunt hard enough.
This fully renovated mid terrace, three bed in Gorseinon means no time spent grappling with DIY and more time either heading towards the beaches of nearby Gower peninsula to the south or popping into Swansea for a retail therapy or socialising session.
(Image: Purplebricks / rightmove)
(Image: Purplebricks / rightmove)
There’s an open-plan lounge diner created by the removal of the dividing wall which backs onto a handy utility room. If you were tempted to do a bit of work to the house, then removing a section of the wall between the lounge and utility room could be considered.
Add French doors to the outside wall of the former utility room and you’ve got yourself a bonus garden room and a main reception zone that flows from front to back, with views of the garden, as well as light, shared throughout.
And the garden is a very good size with no opposite neighbours as houses, just some rugby posts, so it is worth considering ditching the utility room and making it flow from the lounge – you can always dry your socks on the garden washing line.
(Image: Purplebricks / rightmove)
(Image: Purplebricks / rightmove)
The newly fitted, modern kitchen and bathroom can be found at the rear, with the kitchen alongside the utility room, so there may be the option of extending the kitchen space into that area should a new owner want a larger kitchen or a kitchen diner that connects to the garden.
Yes, that utility room, handy though it is, is so ideally placed to connect to the garden some might feel it’s a missed opportunity not to use it as a living space rather than a functioning laundry room.
Or, a new owner could, and should, be very happy to just move in and enjoy the light, bright and modern home that has already been created for them.
The three bed near beaches and a city is on the market for £150,000 with Purplebricks, call them on 0800 810 8008 to find out more. And to make sure you never miss the best dream homes in Wales, renovation stories and interiors, join the Amazing Welsh Homes newsletter, sent to your inbox twice a week.