An abandoned house on one of Wales’ poshest streets is going under the hammer for £325,000 – despite having holes in the roof, a pigeon infestation and rotting windows.
The three-storey semi-detached, seven-bedroom property on Westbourne Road in Penarth, Vale of Glamorgan has been battered by the elements – so much so that a significant portion of the front facade has literally fallen off.
The garden is a jungle, all the windows are rotten – some don’t even have glass in them – and there are no working guttering or downpipes.
Inside, the home is like a time warp; still full of the previous owners belongings, strewn with cobwebs, with piles of cigarette butts and pots and pans stacked in the kitchen sink.
An abandoned house on one of Wales’ poshest streets is going under the hammer for £325,000 – despite having holes in the roof, a pigeon infestation and rotting windows
It stands out like a sore thumb among the elegant, well-maintained Victorian villas on the tree-lined suburban street, which is one of the most affluent in the area.
The house is going to online auction from midday on February 10 with Auction House South Wales for a guide price of £325,000 plus fees, but auctioneers have warned a buyer would need to ‘rebuild the entire property’ given its condition, reports WalesOnline.
The auction house estimates the outlay to renovate, as well as acquiring the freehold, would be in excess of £300,000. According to property portal Zoopla, a similar property on the street close to this house sold for £775,000 in 2015.
Based on sales data and the continuing rise in popularity for substantial period properties in this town, auctioneer Marc Morrish estimates the resale value for the wreck could be as high as £900,000 – if the house is renovated to a luxury standard with high-end interior design.
The three-storey semi-detached, seven-bedroom property on Westbourne Road in Penarth, Vale of Glamorgan has been battered by the elements – so much so that a significant portion of the front facade has literally fallen off
The kitchen – a good size space if renovated – is littered with pots and pans, jars of food on the worktop, the kettle is still plugged in and the past owner’s ‘best’ china remains displayed on a Welsh dresser
The second reception room begins to suffer the home’s rundown condition, with a fireplace dating back decades, chairs and a sideboard
However, a project this extreme will require a professional developer or a builder with relevant experience, Marc warned. They’ll also have to be a cash buyer, as the condition of the house means getting a mortgage won’t be possible.
On entering the home, there’s a glimpse of Minton floor tiles in the small porch, but then the tour becomes a little more treacherous.
The hall is in average condition, with spiderwebs in abundance and an original staircase, a decorative ceiling arch and a picture rail, while the front reception room features a large bay window that, once restored, will let the light flood into the space.
The second reception room begins to suffer the home’s rundown condition, with a fireplace dating back decades, chairs and a sideboard, plus a coffee table packed full of items including an ashtray of cigarette ends that look frozen in time to the moment the owner left them.
The derelict house stands out like a sore thumb among the elegant, well-maintained Victorian villas on the tree-lined suburban street, which is one of the most affluent in the area
The front reception room has a large bay window but the floor is covered in debris while the previous occupants’ belongings remain
A coffee table packed full of items including an ashtray of cigarette ends looks frozen in time to the moment the owner left
Meanwhile the kitchen – a good size space if renovated – is littered with pots and pans, jars of food on the worktop, the kettle is still plugged in and the past owner’s ‘best’ china remains displayed on a Welsh dresser.
Each space is strewn with personal possessions and furniture from past decades, and this continues on the two upper floors where the bedrooms and bathroom are located. There are clothes still on hangers in the bedrooms, photo frames, shoes in the cupboard and a collection of wine in the rack.
One upstairs room is so rammed with stuff it’s a challenge to even contemplate pushing past it to enter the space.
On the top floor the ceiling has caved in due to a massive hole in the roof – no doubt one of the main factors leading to the structural problems cascading down the levels of this house below.
Auctioneers say any buyer will basically be starting from scratch and almost rebuilding the entire property (pictured: the kitchen)
With gaping holes in the roof, the upper level of the house is littered with pigeon droppings scattered across much of the rooms.
Auctioneer Marc said: ‘Stepping inside is pretty much fear of the unknown. Once inside it is pretty much a time warp; old furniture is present along with clothing hung up inside which include old sheepskin coats and other retro looking items.
‘The elements have really got to the condition of the property and certain sections at the front of the house have had to be propped up.
‘The house has a lot of pigeon guano present from an infestation and part of the top floor no longer has a roof present.
‘You are basically starting from scratch and almost rebuilding the entire property.’
A wine rack, strewn with pigeon faeces, remains half stocked in the property’s kitchen
Each space is strewn with personal possessions and furniture from past decades, and this continues on the two upper floors where the bedrooms and bathroom are located. There are clothes still on hangers in the bedrooms, photo frames and shoes in the cupboard (pictured)
Marc added: ‘Being a Penarth resident born and bred, I’ve often walked past the house and thought what an opportunity it could be for somebody, but also feeling sorry for the neighbouring properties.
‘I’m really looking forward to seeing the end result once a successful purchaser has put their own stamp on the house and brought it back to life.
‘Once they had developed the property, it would certainly be a forever home giving its fantastic location on one of the most sought after roads within this wonderful seaside town.’
For more information call the auction team on 029 2047 5184 or estate agent David Baker & Co on 029 2070 2622.