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W I P NT R E O R P S E A R L TY E
THE BSPC PROPERTY GUIDE / FEATURE PROPERTY
A TRADITIONAL GALA HOUSE WITH TRADITIONAL FAMILY VALUES
Built in the mid 1930s, Gladys and Norman Tweedie’s sandstone semi-detached house in Galashiels is the very epitome of a family home. And the same features that inspired the Tweedies to buy the property back in 1978 – lots of space inside and out and a great location off Abbotsford Road within walking distance to schools, shops and other amenities in the town. “We had been living further out of town and always commented on this house whenever we passed it,” recalls Gladys. “With three young children at the time, it was – and still is – a perfect family home.” During their 34 years here the couple have improved, upgraded and maintained the property on an ongoing basis.
3 Eastfield Park 20 Abbotsford Road Galashiels Guide Price £220,000 Details on page 36
In the early 1990s they added a sunroom and sizable patio at the rear; they have also refitted the kitchen and bathroom, replaced the boiler and extended the central heating to cover the whole house, erected a garage with built-in work area, replaced a fireplace, and re-decorated as necessary. Set well back from the road in one of the most sought after residential areas of town, this is a substantial house with a layout that includes an attractive entrance vestibule and hall off which is a sitting/dining room with a bay window to the front, living room with doors into the adjoining sun room, breakfasting kitchen, utility and cloakroom / WC. Upstairs there are four good-sized bedrooms (two with wash basins, another currently used as a home office) and spacious family bathroom with over-bath shower. There’s also a large and very useful floored and lined attic space accessed by a pull-down ladder, which incorporates a stained glass roof light feature – a lovely feature seen from the first floor landing.
The layout is also flexible. The present living room, for instance, backs on to the kitchen and offers scope for making the two rooms one large open-plan dining kitchen. That said, the existing kitchen is attractively fitted with natural wood wall and floor units and appliances (integrated electric hob, oven and dishwasher) with space available for a table and chairs to accommodate casual dining. The utility, cleverly constructed from the original back lobby, is plumbed for a washing machine and has space for a fridge freezer. Both the living room and elegantly proportioned sitting/dining room are fitted with attractive fireplaces and gas fires. Bedrooms one and two upstairs have recessed wash hand basins, while the present master bedroom also has a range of white built-in wardrobes. Storage is good throughout, with display cabinets/alcoves, cupboards and under -stair storage.
Outside, the house is accessed by a sweeping driveway (shared by four properties) and fronted by lawns and mature trees with plenty of space for parking. The rear garden is a desirable feature in its own right, with steps going up from the patio outside the sunroom to a large lawn and beyond it, a wooded area that makes a wonderful playground for children, especially as it houses a shed. There is also a greenhouse located next to the single garage. This is a wonderful family home in an ideal location – and at a guide price of £220,000, which is £5,000 less than the original asking price, it’s an opportunity too good to miss.