St Albans - house on sealed bids

whambamboo

Don't know this area at all, but keen to move in saw an interesting house online, station master's house. Probate sale. Sealed bids by 19th September. Great location, as it's obviously the station master's house.

They said they had 6 people they thought would put in bids already, with more viewings to come next Saturday. They are expecting offers over asking price.

Is this something I should get involved with? Bit nervous about competing with others. How much would it be worth, as I don't know St Albans at all.

details:
http://www.rightmove.co.uk/viewdetails-12896956.rsp?pa_n=3&tr_t=buy

silvercar

Looks picturesque but I have the following reservations.

It is so near Victoria St station that you are going to have a lot of comuter traffic. Also this is a mainline station, trains are going to be hurtling past all times of day and night. As well as the Thameslink line Bedford to Kings Cross you have Midland mainline to Sheffield. Not saying don't but you should be aware.

Clearly it will need a new kitchen and bathroom. I don't consider a downstairs bathroom much value. A 30 foot rear garden is not much for a house of that price.

I don't know St Albans well enough to comment on the value but I know that it is a very expensive city. Also you are not in the best part of it, the Cathedral area / Fishpool Street are considered a much better part of town - far more greedery, large parks and quant streets.

hornetgirl

It does have the benefit of parking though, which is at a premium in St Albans though.
As Silvercar says, St Albans is v expensive. I would expect this to go for a good bit over the stated price. But a lovely house.

FaTB

I know St. Albans well, and it does look like a nice substantial place, most of the houses in that street are large old town houses, many I suspect have been split into rental flats. It has also been blocked at one end of the road, so no through traffic anymore.

Its not a bad area as far as I know, but also not the best part of the town.

You are also bang next door to the railway line, good if you want to commute, bad if you want a good nights sleep.

Also I see you have a driveway for one car, I would look into the parking situation if you have more than one car, as the traffic nazis are a nightmare in St. Albans now, usually walking around in groups of three until about 8pm each night.

Value would be hard to judge, as I imagine this is the only house of its type in the street, and i'm not really up on houses in this kind of price range.

thelawnet

silvercar wrote:

Looks picturesque but I have the following reservations.

It is so near Victoria St station that you are going to have a lot of comuter traffic. Also this is a mainline station, trains are going to be hurtling past all times of day and night. As well as the Thameslink line Bedford to Kings Cross you have Midland mainline to Sheffield. Not saying don't but you should be aware.

Clearly it will need a new kitchen and bathroom. I don't consider a downstairs bathroom much value. A 30 foot rear garden is not much for a house of that price.

I don't know St Albans well enough to comment on the value but I know that it is a very expensive city. Also you are not in the best part of it, the Cathedral area / Fishpool Street are considered a much better part of town - far more greedery, large parks and quant streets.

You'll pay even more for that though.... Nothing comes for free. Better a 4-bed and a 1/2 mile walk to the nice greenery than a 3-bed backing onto it I think.