Unique Property Bulletin
Members and Friends
Seaview For £7,000 = PART Northern Roads Depot (c) C. McLean
Individual Sea View Parking Bays [Left of Building] For Sale: £7,000 Each
Ideal For Motorhome Use, or Resale Circa £9,950
In answer to many emails from members and friends we aren’t ready for a full scale Unique Property Syndicate public share issue at this time, but we have a smaller alternate. The purchase by site members of small plots of land suitable for our UK wide Motorhome Land Initiative (MLI) – whether for personal use, or resale though our new MLI website.
Last edition of the Bulletin we explored this idea, and this week we have more small affordable plots for sale – this time with beautiful sea views. Plus buyers of one of the three MLI parking plots photographed above will very likely be the neighbour of our new Unique Property Bulletin home, which we hope to be designed by a talented television programme architect and built on the adjacent site.
This subject is further explored in the article for this Unique Property Bulletin at the lower part of this webpage.
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Picture Toll
Toll House, Caergeiliog, Anglesey, Gwynedd, LL65 3HW
A delightful detached grade II listed historic former toll house which dates back to the 1800’s and has been converted into a two bedroom home with a single garage and gardens. An interesting octagonal home.
We know several readers who this may appeal to, and hope that they will email us with news if this interstingly shaped building becomes their new home.
Guide: £110,000 to £120,000
http://www.pugh-auctions.com/Lot/Manchester/20141023/053a
Contact – Pugh & Co., Tel: 0844 2 722444
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Former Church For Sale
St Catherine’s Church, Church Walk, Colwyn Bay, LL29 9PW
Former St. Catherine’s Church, Old Colwyn comprises a delightful and most appealing former church premises with associated grounds
Guide: £150,000
http://www.vebra.com/property/851/25145688
Contact – Jones Peckover Tel: 01745 832240
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News & Additions
With the current move from weekly to fortnightly Bulletins, we are adding extra unique properties mid-edition.
For example, a fresh UKWMO Nuclear Bunker IS coming up for sale…
We have found that these UKWMO Bunkers are very popular with Bulletin readers. For anyone unsure what the underground structures look like, an excellent graphic has been created by Mr Bob Marshall:-
Bob Marshall ROC UKWMO Post Illustration – Click Here
Keep an eye on this section for regular mid-edition updates to any given Bulletin. In the example pictured above – as soon as the owner gives the go ahead to include his UKWMO ROC Bunker we will include it here.
So please check back regularly – Just to make sure you don’t miss anything!
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More Methodist Masonry
Former Birstall Methodist Church Premises, Chapel Lane, Birstall, Batley, WF17 9EJ
Photo (c) Betty Longbottom
Vacant Grade II listed former church premises. Extends to approximately 540.60m2 (5819ft2) net internal area. Site area approximately 0.2 hectares (0.5acres). Conservation area.
Guide: £125,000
http://www.eddisons.com/property-auctions/online-catalogue/75-303/
Contact – Eddisons Tel: 0113 243 0101 – Lot 303
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River Tees Mill
Workshops and Office’s, Bridgegate, Barnard Castle, County Durham, DL12 8QF
This interesting former mill building provides accommodation over a ground floor and two upper floors. The mill was most recently used as offices with workshops to the ground floor. This building may make an interesting development such as a home/office, or due to the extensive amount of space, several home/office telecommuter style apartments [subject to planning].
Guide £125,000
http://www.pugh-auctions.com/Lot/Leeds/20141021/021
Contact – Pugh & Co. Tel: 0844 2 722444
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Unique Property Bulletin
Now On Facebook
Thanks to a very good friend of Unique Property Bulletin, is now LIVE on Facebook:-
CLICK HERE TO ACCESS OUR NEW FACEBOOK PAGE
A BIG thank you to Louise for all of her help and efforts.
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Trio of Castles
Castle Levan, Stirling Drive, Gourock, PA19 1AH
We have a regular stream of emails from fellow property eccentrics looking to buy a castle. This particular fortification has just popped up. Given the number of our readers who like castles and are looking to buy we also had a review of the old Bulletin archives. For readers of this edition, we start with the freshly listed Levan Castle, and add two other castles which, due to longevity of being on the “for sale” market, might, just might be open to a bit of bargaining to the Bulletin readers advantage. As for Levan Castle, further details on the owner’s website:-
Guide: Offers Over £475,000
Castle Levan: Online Sale Brochure – Please Click Here
Contact – Remax Tel: 01698 464 200
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Kames Castle Sale Anniversary
Kames Castle, Port Bannatyne, Isle Of Bute, PA20 0QP.
Continuing on the subject of castles, we have a Bulletin snipet: it is almost a year since we first featured Kames Castle. Original photos and details:
Kames Castle From A Year Ago: Nov 2013 – Click Here
There are scenic grounds and various lodges included in this coastal gem.
Guide: £995,000. But given the length of time for sale, possibly worth asking the new estate agent how much “flexibility” is in the price for this wonderful castle. Please let us know how you get on if this is your sort of ideal home.
CURRENT Sales Details Oct-Nov 2014 – Click Here
Contact – Strutt & Parker Tel: 0131 226 2500
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Lickleyhead Castle – Bargaining Time?
Lickleyhead Castle Auchleven, Insch, Aberdeenshire, AB52 6PN.
During our good old rummage through the Bulletin archives [you should try it] we found another interesting castle still for sale after 16 months. Originally listed in the Bulletin:
Unique Property Bulletin 23 June 2013 – Including This Castle
[Lickleyhead Castle is 2/3 of the way down th 23 June 2013 Bulletin]
It is well worth reminding readers that this wonderful property is still on the market, as, with the passage of time there may well be room for manoeuvre on the price. Just a thought.
Guide: £1,350,000.
http://r-r-urquhart.co.uk/property/for-sale/details/3482
Contact – R & R Urquhart Solicitors Tel: 01463 250025.
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Land With Unique Designs
Land With Unique Plans: Foxroyd Lane, Thornhill, Dewsbury, WF12 0NA
Here is a parcel of land with full planning consent to develop a unique architect designed five bedroom contemporary home with far reaching views.
Guide [For The Land]: £60,000 to £70,000
http://www.eddisons.com/property-auctions/online-catalogue/75-309/
Contact – Eddisons Tel: 0113 243 0101
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Unique Property Competition
For this October month, the Unique Property Bulletin competition prize is for one of our more regular type of notes:-
This Is Our Modest Prize For The October Competition.
Competition Hint
Don’t Be Cagey: “Do Well & Fear Not”
Can You Name This Unique Property ?
Waterside Pad (c) TBA
The first correct entry for the name of unique property – out of the hat – wins the prize.
PLEASE NOTE: The prize is NOT the building, just the £50 note. Sorry we haven’t reached the level of prize value that enables real buildings to be awarded to winners. Yet!
Free to enter. Just let us know have your competition answer by 31st October 2014. Email free entries to:-
Unique Property Bulletin Competition Entry Contact Page
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Architecturally Unique
Please note, each week we feature the work of a unique architect. These properties are NOT currently for sale, but are included to help inspire readers as to the talent that abounds when a good architect’s mind meets the imagination of a unique property person, and something that little bit special is created by the synergy.
Flight of the Birds House
Flight of the Birds House (c) Bernardo Rrodrigues Architect.
A polished presentation from design to realisation of this truly unique home:-
www.Bernardo-Rodrigues.com – Flight of the Birds House
Unique Property Bulletin Commended Architect
Bernard Rodrigues Architects
Rua do Almada, 254 | 3º Esq 32
4050-032 Porto | Portugal
Tel: [Portugal Code]: 351 22 2053221
http://www.bernardo-rodrigues.com/Page6.html
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Try Before You Buy
The property included within the try-before-you-buy section of the Unique Property Bulletin – is NOT for sale. Our endeavour is to provide a sample, and actual experience of what it would be like to live in any particular genre of unusual abode. This specific listing is for a short-stay break. Our offering for this edition is:-
West Blockhouse Fort
West Blockhouse Fort, Dale, Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire SA62 3RT
The views along the Pembrokeshire coast from the roof terrace are magnificent and there is a sheltered south facing beach a short distance away. The accommodation is all on the first floor. This is indeed a magnificent place to stay a while to see if you would like to play forts or castles and buy one of your own – either to renovate, or alternatively keep looking at fresh issues of Unique Property Bulletin for a completed fort/castle ready to move into. If you do visit West Block Fort to be inspired, please let us know how you get on (Click Here). Thanks.
West Blockhouse Fort Historic information:-
www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk-west-blockhouse-fort
Sleeps 8 = 3 Twin 1 Double.
4 nights from £406.00 = equivalent to £12.69 per person per night
Online Details & Picturesque Photographs….
Online Brochure – West Block Fort
Tel – The Landmark Trust: 01628 825925
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Unique Property Bulletin Main Article
Unique Property Bulletin
Members & Friends
An enduring pleasure that started on this very island:-
Wings and our home at Davaar Island, Kintyre (c) MPL Communications Ltd
Many years ago on the small tidal island pictured above, the Unique Property Bulletin was born – in an old Coastguard Lookout we had acquired. This was the first unique property our founding eccentrics enjoyed, and renovated. As an asides, because of the well known Wings album cover above at that time, we used to get fans of Sir Paul and Lady Linda McCartney walk across at low tide to see if this is where the couple lived! It wasn’t – the island was just used as a backdrop for the album cover. Though ironically a lot of the material you read in the Unique Property Bulletin was stored in our growing collection of filing cabinets at Sir Paul’s actual High Park Highland retreat, but that is a whole other story.
Not just fans of the big bands such as The Beatles, and Wings came across to the island, but people interested enough to visit unusual places that they had just seen on a photograph.
The enduring pleasure we mention above is that in many instances, the folk who had taken the time to walk across to the island ended up staying for a coffee, and some have become lifelong friends.
Davaar Island, Kintyre – An Alternate Angle of Photograph (c) Russ McLean
To the Right In This Picture Is The Dhorlinn Causway Linking The Island To The Mainland At Low Tide.
This causeway exposed for just a few hours twice a day is shown more clearly in the next photograph:-
Dhorlinn Causway Linking Davaar Island To The Mainland At Low Tide (c) Raymond Okonski.
A similar thing happened when we bought the larger island property at Ailsa Craig. Enduring friendships. People who went to quite a bit of effort to travel across to the island and ended up becoming abiding friends.
Ailsa Craig Island (c) Knight Frank
Lighthouse Compound, Pier, Railway To The Fore
The reason we start off with a little reminiscing is as a result of many emails from the previous edition of the Bulletin and the main article in that edition…
Unique Property Syndicate – A Gentle Alternative To A Full PLC
…is to answer a plethora of questions and help explain the Unique Property Bulletin adventures over the years, and how we may look at restarting some of them.
Many folk “got it” from the last edition about property syndicates. Especially in relation to the fact we have to move with the times and abide by the new Financial Conduct Authority rules. The old Unique Property Syndicates can’t be run as they once were. Not that they were relaxed in professionalism. Then as now, the solicitors handled all the finances and property titles. But now, with new rules, we either need to go for a full public share issue [plc] – or a smaller purchase by friends and colleagues of parts of a unique property. So the new way is for each person to own their Title and have their own Deed Certification:-
An Example Land Registration Certificate (c) Licence C2010002126: HM Land Registry
The Gentle Start In This Entry Level Example Is At £7,000
Each member owns and holds title to on their own account. The solicitors handle all the money and Title Deed transfers. It is a lot cleaner and keeps us all on the right side of things.
However, several emails voiced concerns about being “stuck” with an unusual property. Even a small piece of land. This is an important point. Apart from the fact that of the 18 Unique Property Syndicates since 1998 to date, all have been processed and nobody “stuck”, it is important to us to make sure that folk don’t and would not feel left behind.
The best example we can give is our friends who bought part of the Strathy Point Lighthouse Compound from one of our earlier syndicates. The Engine Room. that was 14 years ago. We are still friends. At the Unique Property Bulletin we have been pulling out the stops to help our friends sell the magnificently refurbished Engine Room which is now a beautiful home:-
Strathy Lighthouse Engine Room House Conversion (c) Russ McLean
For Sale House Outlined In Red: Above Aspect Facing Out To Seaview
It is worth checking out the “before” and “after” photographs on the Strathy Point Engine Room Conversion. Touch wood we have now sorted out a new owner for our Unique Property Bulletin friends of 14 years. A sale is working its way through the system as these very words are being written.
Hopefully, this illustrates that enduring friendship is one of the drivers behind these property adventures.
On that subject, one of the first unique properties, again at Sir Paul McCartney’s beloved Mull of Kintyre – the Keil Hotel purchase and resale, provided a handsome financial bounty on top of the property syndicate adventure. That resulted in a very popular spin-off from Unique Property Bulletin:-
Keil Hotel: An Early Unique Property Syndicate (c) 1999 Unique Property Bulletin
This spin-off progressed directly to a new adventure away from the Bulletin but still part of the “family”:-
Scots Lion Real Dragons’ Den – Click Here
We are particularly proud of this digression. From a relatively obscure paper version of Unique Property Bulletin, a group of unique property syndicate friends decided to dabble a little in restoring old closed shops – having just bought and sold an old closed hotel at Keil on the Mull of Kintyre. With the Small Shops Initiative [SSI] we purchased and refurbished several along the years. Helping young folk get started in business. Over 20 shops, hotels and industrial units have so far been brought back into use. Directly as a consequence of Unique Property Syndicates. Of course the commercial buildings aren’t unique in the essence of this publication, but it was a debate amongst Unique Property Syndicate friends that gave rise to trying that particular direction of adventure with old closed shops and hotels that brought about over 100 new jobs during the 15 year period. A source of huge delight and happiness for all those who took part.
So where are we going on this? Well last year we looked at buying a Bulletin Bus to go and visit with unique property owners for a television series.
Bus Driving Assessment Bus (c) 2014 Unique Property Bulletin
This is currently on hold due to health issues of the website owner. So we have stepped down a vehicle size – from big bus level, and are looking at motorhomes. One of the things about motorhomes is where to park them whilst on tour [notwithstanding the times spent visiting and filming/writing with fellow unique property owners]. Yes there are many “regular” motorhome sites, but for us, nothing quite excites like somewhere unusual, unique and/or beautiful to park on. Especially if you own your the site chosen. For example this former Roads Depot pictured here with beautiful sea views [the old Nissen hut is due to be demolished]. A new unique home for the Unique Property Bulletin is being planned for the adjacent site.
Northern Roads Depot (c) C. McLean
Three Parking Plots For Sale At £7,000 Each
Ideal For Motorhome Use or Resale
There is something very comforting about owning your own piece of land. To physically hold a set of your own Title Deeds for your own property. Along with land that is ideal for purpose – parking a motorhome. Whether your vehicle for your style of life, or just selling the land onwards. This edition’s offering has amongst other things, three large parking spaces. All with wonderful views.
We don’t know if this idea of unique places to buy around the coast of Britain and also close to unique properties for a Motorhome Land Initiative will work, but at £6,000 to £7,500 entry level per motorhome parking place it may well be worth a go. A dedicated Motorhome Land Initiative website is being built to establish whether we can create a resale market for these diminutive pieces of motorhome parking land. We know there are about 227,000 UK registered motorhomes and a significant number of overseas motorhome visitors to the UK, so there seems a decent market for this. In the final analysis it is an educated guess. But over the years we are well ahead of things with both Unique Property Syndicates, and also the Real Dragons’ Den as just one example of spin-off initiatives. So we are now looking at buying several places around the UK Coast to tour around. Each parking plot being distilled from the title of the parking ground and owned by individuals. Whether to keep or resell is entirely up to each person, but as mentioned with the Strathy Engine Room above, we have a core group of friends who stay the course and help as much as possible when needed.
Northern Roads Depot Guide Plan
Parking Plots For Sale At £7,000 Each [Plot 3 Under Offer”]
Ideal For Motorhome Use or Resale
Please Note The Plan Drawing Is Given In Good Faith, But Is For Guidance
Prospective Buyers Should Satisfy Themselves As To The Definitive Accuracy.
So for those who would like to buy – in this edition’s Roads Depot example – at the £7,000 guide and possibly sell on at say a retail level of £9,950 we have the makings of a gentle adventure. Plus our creating a specific website for motorhome land for sale. All very modest. But from experience we know one thing: if you don’t try these different forms of enterprise, you won’t get very far. When we have gone on different odysseys not all have worked out – but the vast majority have. Almost as important is that all of these unique inspired adventures have been very interesting. Just take a look at two of the islands pictured above that we and Bulletin members have been privileged to enjoy. The larger, more exotic adventures all started from smaller initiatives such as the one narrated in this Unique Property Bulletin.
So for the next few Bulletins we will be featuring suitable unique or interesting property with two or three parking places that can be sold individually in the general listings. This keeps the cost of a full syndicate plc down [a public share issue can cost tens of thousands of pounds]. It also gives folk who would like an entry level syndicate and possibly a bit of fun a chance to join in, and own their own diminutive piece of unique property.
We cannot guarantee that the substantial returns made in earlier syndicates will be repeated…
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Unique Property Syndicates Late 1998 to Early 2000
Gross Profit £133,500
Profits Shared Amongst Syndicate Members By The Solicitor
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Unique Property Syndicates 2000 to 2001
Gross Profit £125,172
Profits Shared Amongst Syndicate Members By The Solicitor
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But that having been said, we already have family members wanting two parking spots – one in north Scotland and one near to Dover and the Channel Tunnel, along with Bulletin readers who have emailed in to ask for a piece of parking land on Anglesey, a space in Suffolk, and also on the Isle of Wight. So it is looking good that this gentle start entry level project might end up going somewhere substantial – All round the coast of Britain and inland too if the sites are sufficiently unique and interesting.
So if you would like to join our round-robin email alert for news from us to you of any up and coming locations – or even suggest your own favourite, please:
Email Your Coastal Site Suggestions Via Our Normal Link: Click Here
To quote one of the most memorable lines from one of the finest ever films: This could be the beginning of a beautiful friendship.
Classic Film Casablanca: Bogart and Rains (c) 1942 Warner Bros
Last but not least, please remember that if you would like to buy one of the two [from 3] remaining parking places at the Northern Roads Depot you will be immediate neighbours of the new Unique Property Bulletin home. The big shed is likely to be demolished, but on the adjacent site [not blocking your seaview] will be a genuinely unique build of our home-office. Hopefully designed by a well know television presenter/architect, but more of that later.
Suffice it to say, if you do keep your parking plot and visit, there will be a coffee and company awaiting you at the Unique Property Bulletin.
If interested in either of the two remaining pieces of land [1 and/or 2] please feel free to get in touch. Please Click Here. Also please watch out for other unique and/or unusual plots ALL AROUND THE UK for this Motorhome Land Initiative.
Sincerest best wishes.
Unique Property Bulletin
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