The first property I owned was a flat in a small block situated in a leafy part of Acton Town...Avenue Road to be exact. Not the period gem that I would have preferred but it was a way of stepping onto that all important ladder in an area where value could be added. It was a 2 bedroomed ground floor flat with a communal garden, close to amenities, tube and train stations twixt trendy Chiswick and genteel Ealing.
For a while, Mel joined me and rented one of the bedrooms whilst she closed a deal on a flat that she was buying in South East London but then, after a few months, I was living alone. The year was 1986 and London was an exciting metropolis and the world was my oyster. I lived life to the full and spent most of my free time going to the ballet, opera, indie clubs, rock concerts, art galleries, independent cinemas (there was a fantastic venue in the High Street), going to the gym, having parties and eventually meeting my future husband just as I was about to sell the property!
I spent 7 very happy years in this flat but soon began itching and knew that it was time to move on. For me, West London was a great place to be and where I wanted to stay. So began the search. Having made a profit on the sale, I was aiming to purchase a period house with features and ended up venturing slightly further west to Hanwell situated just outside Ealing, to make the money go further.
Initially, I was a little underwhelmed at the choice but eventually found a stunning 3 bedroomed Victorian house requiring updating which more or less hovered right above the the A40! I was sorely tempted and undertook several visits to the property to try to convince myself that it was the right purchase to make but ultimately I just couldn't cope with the prospect of having to endure constant noise and pollution.
The estate agent, who was very patient and long suffering, suggested that I considered a terraced house in a fairly new development which, for a single girl, would be the perfect solution between buying something with character without the need for extensive renovation work. The development was situated in 'Hanwell Village' and was previously a factory dating from the Victorian era. It had a quirky arrangement in that the living space and garden was on the ground floor with the kitchen upstairs...but it did have a certain charm.
After much mind wrestling, I decided to make an offer which was accepted. However, one of the drawbacks was that although it was a house, it was leasehold and came with some restrictions most of which seemed reasonable. But having spent 7 years in a flat without the luxury of being able to hang my washing out, I had spent a fortune on running a washer dryer for all those years. I was adamant that I wouldn't be going through that again! Despite the fact that the vendor assured me that it was OK to use the garden for washing, I had my suspicions.
One afternoon, I decided to ring the estate agent requesting another visit to the house before contracts were exchanged. He dutifully agreed and within half an hour we were at the property. As soon as we crossed the threshold and turned into the living room, the evidence was there for us to see. The lounge was covered with washing hanging on the radiators and clothing racks with the sun blazing gloriously outside!
That was it...I knew that, despite having got that far with the exchange of contracts due the next day, it simply was not the house for me. I immediately instructed my solicitor to halt all proceedings and made an appointment to see her that afternoon. Her office was in Wimbledon.
I arrived at Wimbledon station well in advance of my appointment and feeling deflated but also relieved, I felt drawn to resuming my property search straight away.....and there it was! A tired looking semi detached Victorian 3 bedroomed house with a 60ft plus garden well within my budget. I walked into the agent's office and made an appointment to view the property after my appointment with my solicitor.
As soon as I walked into the house, I knew that it would be my next home and, remarkably, that's exactly what came to be!
My very first period gem...in Wimbledon, how cool was that?!!
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