Young couple accidentally buys 120-year-old run-down mansion
Glasgow couple, Cal Hunter and Claire Segeren have accidentally bought a 120-year-old derelict mansion after a massive auction mix-up.
The two had meant to bid on a two-bed flat but a mix-up with lot numbers meant they paid £30,000 (AU$56,272) for the mansion, the Daily Record reports.
The mansion, Jameswood Villa, is north-west of Glasgow, Scotland and has a leaking roof, rotten wood and has partially collapsed.
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The two are now living in a caravan as they begin the massive renovation project, but have luckily fallen in love with the property.
“We love the house and its stunning location in a village on the edge of a Scottish loch. It’s all been a beautiful mistake,” Hunter, a 26-year-old carpenter by trade, said.
“If we can tackle this, we can tackle anything – it’s going to take us much longer than a year but just think of the life skills we are going to learn along the way.”
Added 25-year-old Segeren, the mix-up with the initial purchase “did come as a bit of a shock”, but her father asked her what the worst was that could happen.
“Neither of us are from Scotland so we had to look up Dunoon on the map and we were both relieved to see it wasn’t that far from Glasgow.
“But our relief turned to despair when Cal pulled up outside the house and saw it for the first time,” Segeren said.
In addition to the leaky roof and rotting timbre, the ground was taken over by plants, and the house was still furnished with mouldy couches, broken furniture and old appliances.
However, the couple had planned to spend a year flipping a property after Segeren decided not to immediately attend medical school, so the disrepair isn’t a complete disaster.
Similar homes in the area generally sell for between £250,000 and £350,000.
The couple are now documenting their attempt to flip the property on their blog, What Have We Dunoon.
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