inherited victorian schoolhouse listed this month

[Nemesis]

The Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings.

http://www.spab.org.uk

(It won't really be hard to find you know, but I appreciate your not wanting to make it easy!)

I would talk to the local authority first - it may resist any development in that location. It may be outside the local plan.

If it was me, I would want to buy it with land for a garden, and privacy, but what you want to avoid in some way is selling and then a new buyer making a heap more cash by flogging off a building plot. If you want to avoid that, sell with a restrictive covenant, or do as Graham suggested with an 'uplift' clause.

 

[Jon Maine]

From your financial view point selling with permission on the garden would be best, as Nemesis says it may be outside the local develpoment plan.

If you consider the garden to be large enough to split you need to get firstly the info from the local authority as to whether its in a permitted develpoment area. If it is you could then instruct an architect or surveyor to obtain planning permission for a sympathetic development. Who knows that may make enough money for you to restore the schoolhouse if you sell the plot. I am not big on tax implications but it could be that you could say let the land go cheaply and have them restore the property for you as part of a deal.

Perhaps some ongoing rental income might be useful?

Anyhow, just kicking a few ideas around, a bit of lateral thinking can be quite useful in these cases.

How big is the garden?

 

[Craig]

J - it looks like from the news articles about your schoolhouse that its already been subject to vandalism recently.

I would move in - looks liveable, you have the summer to decide if you can love it, see what needs doing and make it feel like a home. Then start the work.

 

[schoolhouse]

Re moving in ... there's no hot water (well a sadia heater - small, hand wash size ... and a kettle) - no heating apart from electric radiators (so walls etc are cold - as you say, unloved) I would do it (like you guys!) but I am not sure my husband would be up for that - he's not really into all this - and I am away most of the time anyway - a couple of the reasons I will need to sell really.

Yes - I know it would be easy to find .... but as you say let's not make it easier... and yes there has been a little vandalism ... there is a a bit of a story which I am more than happy to tell a buyer ... but not the general public! It is generally not the kind of area where vandalism takes place!

Oh yes the total plot is about 90' x 80' with the possibility to purchase land to the side - so enough for a smallish cottage next door.

Thanks again for the great suggestions - j

 

[Nemesis]

Hah - new husband required then, obviously!



Another suggestion, assuming the local authority is not resistant to another building, and no-one else will object (which they may well do...) and assuming such things as vehicular access is not difficult, is to contact a housing association - pref one with 'green' building credentials - and see if some sort of partnership could be formed to build an 'affordable' home for someone. However, it would need to be something sensitive to the location of course.

 

[schoolhouse]

great idea - will look into that J

 

[Nemesis]

Landmark Trust or Vivat Trust may, depending on how nice the location is, be interested in the original house as a holiday let.

I know that it may be a downside to that for local residents, not having someone permanent, but they do a really wonderful job on the buildings and it does bring cash into the local economy. They also use local people to manage properties, thus giving some employment.