Show us your real estate pawn (vol 3)
Discussion
Doofus said:
Rich_W said:
Turn the corner ground floor bedroom back into a garage and you've got 2 car parking in a decent location
Sorry to sound like a stuck record, but it isn't a decent location. It's the middle of London.
dmsims said:
Rich_W said:
Hays Mews. £6.95M
Imposing isn't it! 4 storeys, a lift! And a roof terrace!
and a great view out the front:Imposing isn't it! 4 storeys, a lift! And a roof terrace!
(But then I’m not a Londonista)
RichB said:
Despite being a Londoner, I cannot understand why anyone would want to live there, even less so keep classic or nice cars there. You can't use them so why or just to pose? I'd rather have a decent house with loads of garage space and an acre of gardens in the country but within 45 mins train of Waterloo for when I want to go to the theatre or for work.
Very much this.everyone said:
Mews living.
Ten years ago or so I did some drawing work for a steel fabricator. One of the jobs was a mews house in Kensington. When the guvnor outlined the project I couldn't comprehend it. The owner had paid a million for the property and was now in the throes of paying another million to have it converted. The house had at one time been able to accommodate a horse drawn carriage; the main door and ground floor ceiling height were high. By gutting the place, excavating for a room below ground level and installing a complex steel structure up into the roof, the scheme managed to gain three extra rooms with conventional ceiling heights. So much money, so much effort. I just couldn't understand it. Anyway, one morning, I drove up with some drawings for the builders, parked and got out of the car. Then I understood. The mews was quiet. There were a few trees. I could hear birds singing. At the end of the mews was a pub. Further still was public transport to the City, the West End, everywhere. A house in a quiet location in central London, with parking and a garage for two million. Genius.RichB said:
Despite being a Londoner, I cannot understand why anyone would want to live there, even less so keep classic or nice cars there. You can't use them so why or just to pose? I'd rather have a decent house with loads of garage space and an acre of gardens in the country but within 45 mins train of Waterloo for when I want to go to the theatre or for work.
TBH I can see it from both sides. Living in a quiet-ish, well heeled part of London with space for a couple of cars has it's appeal. You have literally everything you could ever want or need within a mile or so
Living slightly further out in a bigger house with more grounds (but inside the M25) and with a close fast train service into one of the major stations is potentially the best of both worlds.
The former potentially appeals to me more as a no kids, not married type who wouldn't have the knowledge or patience for gardening
The latter because, lets face it, most neighbours are a
holes in 1 way or another, so if you can keep away from them, the better! 
Rich_W said:
TBH I can see it from both sides.
Living in a quiet-ish, well heeled part of London with space for a couple of cars has it's appeal. You have literally everything you could ever want or need within a mile or so
Living slightly further out in a bigger house with more grounds (but inside the M25) and with a close fast train service into one of the major stations is potentially the best of both worlds.
The former potentially appeals to me more as a no kids, not married type who wouldn't have the knowledge or patience for gardening
The latter because, lets face it, most neighbours are aholes in 1 way or another, so if you can keep away from them, the better!
To me, it's more straightforward. Is London the centre of your universe, or isn't it? Living in a quiet-ish, well heeled part of London with space for a couple of cars has it's appeal. You have literally everything you could ever want or need within a mile or so
Living slightly further out in a bigger house with more grounds (but inside the M25) and with a close fast train service into one of the major stations is potentially the best of both worlds.
The former potentially appeals to me more as a no kids, not married type who wouldn't have the knowledge or patience for gardening
The latter because, lets face it, most neighbours are a
holes in 1 way or another, so if you can keep away from them, the better! For me, it absolutely doesn't have "literally everything" I could want or need because one of the things i want and need is to not have to go to London if at all possible.
Other towns and cities have restaurants, bars, open spaces, trees, birds and theatres. They generally also have more realistic costs of living, less overcrowding and less congestion.
Rich_W said:
RichB said:
Despite being a Londoner, I cannot understand why anyone would want to live there, even less so keep classic or nice cars there. You can't use them so why or just to pose? I'd rather have a decent house with loads of garage space and an acre of gardens in the country but within 45 mins train of Waterloo for when I want to go to the theatre or for work.
TBH I can see it from both sides. Living in a quiet-ish, well heeled part of London with space for a couple of cars has it's appeal. You have literally everything you could ever want or need within a mile or so
Living slightly further out in a bigger house with more grounds (but inside the M25) and with a close fast train service into one of the major stations is potentially the best of both worlds.
The former potentially appeals to me more as a no kids, not married type who wouldn't have the knowledge or patience for gardening
The latter because, lets face it, most neighbours are a
holes in 1 way or another, so if you can keep away from them, the better! But that wasn't the reason I came on here. I came to share a bit of gossip about some future real estate pawn.
My folks retired to Salcombe nearly thirty years ago, before the prices went mad. The old boy died seven years ago and his last project was to successfully challenge the building of a huge cube of a house next door. In a road of mostly 1920s houses on single plots, the proposed house was a simple slab taking up most of a double plot that would, he argued, be too out of keeping with its neighbours. The plan was rejected, the plot was sold and a modern chalet style house was built on half the plot leaving the owners with the other half, currently as garden, available to sell if needs be.
This is the view from the back of mum's house.
![](https://thumbsnap.com/sc/ynXfIg1t.jpg[/img]</a> <a href="https://thumbsnap.com/ynXfIg1t" Target="_blank" rel="nofollow">[img]https://thumbsnap.com/sc/ynXfIg1t.jpg)
The house to the right of the picture has pedestrian access from the road below and vehicle access from mum's road. Next to it, at the bottom of mum's garden, was a slightly smaller house that was very run down. The plot was sold for £650,000 two or three years ago the house demolished and plans were passed for a very interesting house to be built in its place. To satisfy the planning authorities, its height could be no more than the house it replaced - similar to the one in the picture. But there is no vehicle access from mum's road. The slope at the front of the house would prevent vehicle access. The previous very elderly owners didn't drive and visitors parked in the road. The solution?
They've excavated back, at just above street level, to the extent of the footprint of the original house. At the new ground level will be garaging and the entrance to a lift. Above will be a further four floors. It leaves the houses either side looking a bit isolated; Addams family-esque to my eye. But what a fantastic solution. And, if it's not a rectangular slab, it will be a fabulous house. The steps will be arduous but not like the previous mini Stelvio Pass arrangement.
Apparently it's not a developer doing it to sell but a couple with a young family.
I'll post more pictures as the house progresses.
My folks retired to Salcombe nearly thirty years ago, before the prices went mad. The old boy died seven years ago and his last project was to successfully challenge the building of a huge cube of a house next door. In a road of mostly 1920s houses on single plots, the proposed house was a simple slab taking up most of a double plot that would, he argued, be too out of keeping with its neighbours. The plan was rejected, the plot was sold and a modern chalet style house was built on half the plot leaving the owners with the other half, currently as garden, available to sell if needs be.
This is the view from the back of mum's house.
The house to the right of the picture has pedestrian access from the road below and vehicle access from mum's road. Next to it, at the bottom of mum's garden, was a slightly smaller house that was very run down. The plot was sold for £650,000 two or three years ago the house demolished and plans were passed for a very interesting house to be built in its place. To satisfy the planning authorities, its height could be no more than the house it replaced - similar to the one in the picture. But there is no vehicle access from mum's road. The slope at the front of the house would prevent vehicle access. The previous very elderly owners didn't drive and visitors parked in the road. The solution?
They've excavated back, at just above street level, to the extent of the footprint of the original house. At the new ground level will be garaging and the entrance to a lift. Above will be a further four floors. It leaves the houses either side looking a bit isolated; Addams family-esque to my eye. But what a fantastic solution. And, if it's not a rectangular slab, it will be a fabulous house. The steps will be arduous but not like the previous mini Stelvio Pass arrangement.
Apparently it's not a developer doing it to sell but a couple with a young family.
I'll post more pictures as the house progresses.
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