A six-bedroom Grade II-listed house owned by the same family for hundreds of years is going under the hammer this month.
The grand property in Grendon, Northamptonshire, is going up for auction with a guide price excluding fees of between £850,000 to £900,000 via Auction House on Wednesday 19 November.
A new owner will be able to enjoy a summer house, an ornamental lily pond and a dovecote.
The original part of the house dates back to the seventeenth century, while the majority stems from the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.
The property was originally built in 1680 for the Markham family of local landowners and has been handed down the family from generation to generation to this day.
A twentieth century extension was designed by Sir Albert Richardson, an architect and former president of the Royal Academy.
Guide price: This property in Northamptonshire has an auction guide price of between £850,000 to £900,000
The three-storey period stone house spans 5,500 square feet and has six bedrooms and three bathrooms.
The house boasts a two-acre lawned garden commanding views of the surrounding countryside.
The main house comes with an additional two bedroomed ground floor flat, as well as a four bedroomed apartment and a former dairy, also converted to accommodation.
The property retains many period features and would benefit from some modernisation and renovation work.
Richard Greener, auctioneer for Auction House, Northamptonshire, said: ‘The property is unusual in that it was built in 1680 for the Markham family of local landowners and has been handed down by inheritance to the present owners, who having lived there for some 40 years, are now emigrating.
‘Many of the portraits on the walls shown in the internal photos are of previous occupants and family members, along with their hunters and dogs.’
He added: ‘The house has been added to over the years with the most recent twentieth century extension having been designed by Sir Albert Richardson FRIBA, one-time president of the Royal Academy.
‘The accommodation now extends to over 5,000 square feet and is offered together with approximately two acres of formal gardens, which include the former lawned tennis court and pond and some superb specimen trees.
‘This lovely house stands with its back to the village lane; however, when approached along the access drive, the slow reveal of the house and grounds creates the most amazing sense of arrival.
‘The outstanding benefit is the fact that the principal rooms of the interior all enjoy a westerly aspect over the gardens to the most spectacular view of the open countryside beyond.’
Grand: A six-bedroom Grade II-listed house owned by the same family for hundreds of years is going under the hammer
History: A twentieth century extension was designed by Sir Albert Richardson
Grand: The property is brimming with period features and charm
Space: The house in Northampton spans 5,500 square feet
Potential: The property going up for auction has stacks of potential
Do your homework: Always do proper research before buying a property at auction
Views: Many of the rooms in the house enjoy views of the garden and surrounding countryside
Options: The house currently has six bedrooms and three bathrooms
Quaint: While the property is grand, is is jam-packed with cosy spaces
Let there be land: The property comes with approximately two acres of gardens
How to buy at auction
Properties sold this way can, in some cases, be substantially cheaper than on the open market.
According to Property Auction News, the average price properties sell at auction for is approximately £166,000.
However, properties sold in this way often – though not always – come with added complexities for the buyer.
It is therefore important to do as much research as possible before buying any property at auction.
Where possible, always visit the property in person before the auction.
Do not underestimate how much renovation work or reconfigurations could cost if you are taking on a project property.
If a garden is heavily overgrown, do factor in that getting it cleared could potentially cost thousands of pounds if the work is undertaken by professionals.
Read legal documents for the property carefully and, when possible, get advice from a solicitor before heading to the auction.
Sometimes, the legal pack includes ‘special conditions’ that mean you might also be liable to pay an additional three per cent fee to a sales agent.
Before submitting any bids, always check what sort of price similar properties in the area have sold for. This will, of course, be harder if it is a more unusual property that you are after.
If you do bid, do not get carried away and bid more than you can afford.
Most properties bought via auction have a 28-day competition date and home loans for auction properties can be harder to get.
