A couple have paid more than half a million pounds over the guide price for a derelict, fire-damaged farmhouse on the Isle of Anglesey. The property, which includes outbuildings and 25 acres of land, went to online auction with a guide price of £320,000 but sold for £825,000.
The farmhouse was featured on BBC's Homes Under The Hammer, where presenter Martel Maxwell was impressed by the landscape but unimpressed by the size of the house, which was essentially a two-bedroom property. The home had also suffered fire damage, with soot in almost every room.
Buyers Mike and Sarah, experienced property developers from Cheshire, bought the site as a family home rather than a business venture. Sarah said all her childhood holidays were in Anglesey and her parents had retired there, so the couple wanted to be there too. They initially budgeted £100,000 for an 18-month renovation using permitted development.
However, two years later the site looked worse, with the roof off, ceilings and floors gone, and one external wall demolished. Mike explained they had opted for full planning permission instead of permitted development, which took longer. The couple had also changed their plans to build a bigger home, increasing the budget to around £200,000.
The new design includes a hall, staircase, bootroom, and spacious lounge, with the original house becoming a kitchen-diner with a log burner and floor-to-ceiling glass. Sarah estimated it would take another 12 months to make the house habitable, followed by a year to landscape the garden and convert outbuildings into a games room and granny annexe.
During the build, the couple and their son lived in a static caravan on site, while their horses were housed in new stables built inside a modern barn. They also treated themselves to an Arctic cabin as a retreat from the renovation work.
