As the property market cools and winter brings its seasonal slowdown, canny buyers may feel inclined to set their sights on unusual property for sale which is no longer flying off the shelves.
Of course, unusual property may well come with its own issues. Older properties might have challenging EPC certificates, dizzying restoration bills requiring deep pockets, and unknown ongoing maintenance needs, but if you see a house that makes your heart skip a beat, you may be prepared to take all that on board.
So, if that description could be you in any shape or form, we’ve researched seven unusual properties that might just turn your head!
Let’s take a look at some extraordinary homes for sale.
Spectacular views of the northwest coast of Caithness can be enjoyed from The Lighthouse Engine House at Noss Head. This extraordinary location is three miles from Wick in the Scottish Highlands and just a few miles from the renowned North Coast 500 road route.
This is definitely a renovation project: the Engine House has full planning permission for conversion into a home and the Highland Council has indicated that the plans could be amended to create two one-bedroom properties and also an extension. Also, the new owner could potentially build a unique clifftop property on nearby Pirates Cove. There is obvious potential here as an Airbnb property investment or a family home. The Engine House covers 764sq ft, it has two bedrooms, one bathroom, and wonderful views of land or sea from all four sides. This unique property is for sale with Sylvyn Property, Crail, Fife, who are looking for offers over £149,000.
Stunning Haslington Hall at Haslington, Crewe, Cheshire, is a grade I listed medieval hall set in grounds of nine acres, with a lake and stables. This is a major restoration opportunity; parts of the house date back to 1480, but it was mainly built in 1545 with later additions. The house was founded by the Vernon family, notably Admiral Sir Francis Vernon who fought to defeat the Spanish Armada and one room is believed to have been built with timbers from ships salvaged from the Armada at a time when the Admiral was alive.
The ground floor rooms have high ceilings, there are two staircases and a third which could be reinstated, seven bedrooms and six bathrooms along with staff quarters and a conservatory. The second floor is currently fire damaged. The grounds contain ponds, a tennis court, and a World War II concrete bunker. There is potential to develop several buildings there, subject to planning permission. Haslington Hall is for sale with Savills’ Knutsford office and has a guide price of £800,000.
If quirky is more your vibe, this former tin tabernacle in Exeter might get your attention. Wheatley Hall has been renovated to create an exquisite home, and it’s now a detached one-bedroom, one-bathroom property which is priced at £225,000. Built around 1900, it has evolved through various guises, including use as a church hall and a masonic lodge.
Affectionately known as the `Tin Tabernacle’, Wheatley Hall has been restored, preserving its integrity while adding double-glazed windows and new plumbing, heating, and insulation. It covers 890sq ft and is predominantly styled in wood and decorated in neutral colours. There is a vast central studio space with a double-height vaulted ceiling, along with a bespoke kitchen, dining room, inner hall, double bedroom, and enclosed terrace. It is located in Pocombe Bridge, 15 minutes from Exeter and six miles from Dartmoor National Park. The Unique Property Company, London, is dealing with the sale.
Characterful Box Cottage is a fine-timbered house in Lavenham, Suffolk. It’s grade II listed, and the main part is believed to have been a traditional, rectangular wool hall. The house was extended in 1957 and the host of attractive features include a 17ft x 10ft galleried landing, dark stained pine floorboards, and leaded light oak framed windows. Other features of this pretty house include exposed wall and ceiling timbers, high ceilings, fine moulded and carved woodwork, and views over the village.
There are two bedrooms in the old part of the house, one being vaulted right up to the ridge, and a third bedroom in the new section of the house. It has been refitted with a new kitchen and the rear windows have been replaced with traditional wooden casement windows with single-glazing bars. Box Cottage is for sale with estate agents Sworders of Sudbury, priced at £495,000.
This charming, thatched grade II listed property on Swan Hill Road, Colyford, Devon, is close to beautiful countryside and the Jurassic Coast. It’s an end-of-terrace, two-bedroom cottage with good ceiling heights and features a herringbone wood-blocked floor, slate flooring in the kitchen, and a terraced garden. It’s for sale at £360,000 with agents Gordon & Rumsby of Colyton, Devon.
If Gothic grandeur is more your style, this house at Rush Common Mews, London, could offer inspiration. Grade II listed but with a cool maximalist interior covering almost 2000sq ft, it sits at the centre of a former Sunday school which was built around 1878. It is terraced, with four bedrooms and three bathrooms, and is accessed via a gated communal courtyard. On entering, there almost appear to be two properties in one – downstairs from the lobby is a fourth bedroom with a barrel-vaulted ceiling and ensuite bathroom, ideal for a teenager or elderly relative. There are quarry tiles in the reception area, large leaded windows, high ceilings, and a large kitchen.
An ornate staircase leads to the second floor and Gothic arched windows flood the landing with light. There are two bedrooms on this floor with vaulted, beamed ceilings and exposed brickwork, and a bathroom. The second flight of stairs leads to another bedroom in the eaves, which could be used as an office or guest room. Outside there is a private and sunny wrap-around terrace. Rush Common Mews is midway between Brixton and Streatham and is within walking distance of good transport links. It’s priced at £1,200,000 with the Unique Property Company, London.
A vineyard, woodland, and fields are included in the 20 acres of land surrounding Swallowfield Barn, Brightling, Robertsbridge, in East Sussex. There are amazing views from this unique property and no other house is in sight. The cottage has wooden beams and floors, and one large living space with an integrated kitchen and a spacious bedroom on the first floor.
While it is currently used as holiday accommodation, there are lots of opportunities here – the barn could be demolished, and a new home built, subject to planning permission. The vineyard could be extended: the location has recently been designated as a UK Geographical Indication (GI) area, which means that its products made with traditional methods can be protected and registered, and wine growers are now investing in this area.
There are two equestrian buildings, and while the land has been tended organically for some years, it would need official organic certification to qualify as organic land. There is potential to develop part of the site for glamping or similar tourist activities. Robertsbridge has a train station with a direct link to London’s Charing Cross Station and town centre shops are close by in Battle and Tunbridge Wells. The Unique Property Company is selling this property for £1,000,000.
