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PROPERTY
Architectural Advice
Wednesday May 31 | 2017
DESIGN WITH THE TIMES
John Bullock
Architectural services
Having studied at Edinburgh College of Art and The Royal Academy of The Hague, John Bullock launched John Bullock Design in 2003. With offices in Tunbridge Wells High Street, John has won awards for his work and is committed to delivering the best outcomes for clients. www.johnbullockdesign.com
How to maximise the selling appeal of a typical Victorian family home When the O’Reillys inherited a Victorian house in Tunbridge Wells that had not been changed for more than half a century, they wondered what sort of improvements would be the most attractive to buyers… YOUR QUESTION: Dear Design with the Times, We have recently inherited my parent’s house in central Tunbridge Wells. It’s been a family home for the past 40 years, and whilst we have considered taking it on, we are really happy in our own house in Sussex, so are thinking of putting it on the market. My parents purchased the house in the 1970s, and whilst they enjoyed it they never really did much to it, so it’s rather stuck in a time warp. In fact, the house probably hasn’t been touched for maybe 50 or even 60 years. It is lovely, and is a typical Victorian Tunbridge Wells townhouse, white rendered on the outside, and has three floors, including a basement which has never been used. There are also five bedrooms, a sitting room and dining room, all very dated. We would really like some advice on what could be done to improve it to make it more attractive to a potential purchaser. We would like to increase its value so when we sell we can use some of the funds to help our children get on to the property ladder. Any advice would be very much appreciated. Jennifer and Peter O’Reilly