COTTAGE STUDIO
The buyer
The buyer is around 40 years old, single, a freelance British actor
who wishes to spend more time writing, so all he wants is a small but
inspirational house, just big enough to be his 'den'; As actor,
his income fluctuates,
therefore he does not want to be tied to another mortgage but is
prepared to invest a lump sum of up to £30,000.Requirements
The buyer likes the cosmopolitan, arty atmosphere of Cesky Krumlov and
wants to be within walking/cycling distance of the centre. But does not
want a central property, because a/ the property prices in the UNESCO
centre are beyond his
budget, and b/ he needs peace and quiet in a more rural setting. He
also wants a garden. As he is single, he does not need a large house,
or a big garden, indeed the smaller the
better, as he will not live there permanently and so doesn't want the
burden of upkeep. He would however quite like the challenge of
something that would need
doing up in the first instance, as long as the sum total of the initial
purchase price and the restoration work would fit into the given budget.The search
The requirements were tough, because at the time of the buyer's interest the property prices around Cesky Krumlov were already rising fast, and finding something within his budget so close to the centre, yet rural enough, seemed impossible at first. However, we did find a small semi-ruined house in a setting that made our hearts leap: it stood right at the end of a narrow lane lined on one side by eight similar small houses, all built into a steep rocky hillside, and on the other by a lovely small river, across which stands a 16th century Mill. The road ends at the house, and the rest is National Park. On the top of his terraced garden there is nothing but fields and woods, and further down the valley is a large paddock where the local riding stable keep their 10 horses. The house faces South, so the sun never leaves it, morning till evening. A further plus is that the house has its own well, therefore the buyer has a free water supply. There is electricity, but no gas - so the heating will be provided by wood-burning stove, with electric-radiator boost if required.The result
Having bought the property for 450,000 czk, the buyer embarked on a
complete renovation by a local building firm, to make it
open-plan living/kitchen space on the ground floor and two beds in the
loft, with a small cellar for the utilities. The renovations included a
new roof, a re-build of the gable end, a complete new french window in
the gable, new chimney, antique wood-stove, new electrics and plumbing,
new floors, doors, plastering, insulation, bathroom, stairs and
painting, and a new septic tank. The house is now absolutely lovely,
custom-fitted to the buyer's needs. And though the renovation did
bring the toatl price almost up his total initial budget, on the open
market the house is now worth roughly four times the initial purchase
price. The buyer now has a place
where he can write in peace, play with his terraced garden, and even
has a guest bedroom in the loft for any visiting friends.
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