This Edition’s Unique Property Feature:-

Unique Property Bulletin Evolution

& How You Can Get The Best From It

The Round House: Unique Architect Richard T. Foster

In our previous Unique Property Bulletin we advised a temporary switch to publishing new editions on a 3 week cycle instead of the earlier fortnightly frequency. In that edition the phrase “end of retirement” was mentioned as part of the reason for changing. A euphemism we heard from a politician who couldn’t quite bring himself to say the end of life. It was a relatively dry remark, but has left me touched by the decency of Bulletin readers. There have been several heartlifting and kind emails with concerns about the matter of health and wellbeing. To be frank, neither I, nor anyone who helps with the Bulletin are quite ready to drop of the perch yet. Turning 50 years of age was a jolt, and yup, absolutely, health has been a problem. The Blue Badge for parking kind of brings it home that the old body is complaining. But hey, there is plenty that can be done, even if the bones are creaking and there are, with morbid fascination, bits of my spine in a medical jar sitting on the study desk as the most vivid of possible reminders to my terminal stupidity – to stop doing idiotic things like lifting overly heavy objects – and getting bloody well stuck again when the old back has a resultant bout of rigor mortis! Whatever else, the fingers can still work the computer keyboard and the internet. So there is plenty of life in contributions to the old Bulletin yet.

To those highly perceptive and decent readers who emailed in, worry not – we’ve managed to keep this publication going since 1987. Indeed from being a kid with an ancient an honourable Adana lead font letterpress machine for a birthday present – as a brilliant lesson of how life affirming and important the written word can be, print is, as the mantra goes in the DNA. So the Unique Property Bulletin is far from stopping. Just evolving. Or as the folk in Japan are apt to say ??  – kaizen – equating to the philosophy of continual improvement. Now we embark upon a next stage in the life of this eccentric publication. Social media then growth to where we can ensure continuity through taking on staff.

Plus there is a huge kick – an almost immeasurable pleasure, when one of our lot – that means you – Bulletin readers and/or syndicate member ends up buying that martello tower, castle, railway station or windmill as their new home. Bliss. It never ceases to knock the old socks off.

This edition narrates a little of past, present and future evolution of this publication. To ensure it is improved and the long term viability of the Bulletin is secure. Though at the heart of things it is about….

You & Unique Property

The full feature can be read – at the foot of this page.

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For ADDITIONAL Unique Properties Check Out…

The Unique Property Bulletin TWITTER Newsfeed: Click Here

&

The Unique Property Bulletin FACEBOOK Newsfeed: Click Here

Ruggers Fail

Former Rugby Club, Siddal, Halifax, West Yorkshire

Photograph Courtesy of Stephen Craven

This former rugby club is a curious little building. Detached and spread over three floors. It is one of our favourite types of proposition, a FAILED TO SELL AT AUCTION job.

This interesting looking building and equally interesting planning permission for a four storey block containing 8 apartments.

Not sure where the former rugby guys have gone, but we wish the Siddal Amateur Rugby League team all the best in their travels and fixtures.

Former Rugby Club Plans – Backhold Lane, Siddal, Halifax

Location: Former Rugby Club, 78 to 82 Backhold Lane, Siddal, Halifax, West Yorkshire, HX3 9EH

Guide: Failed To Sell At Auction. Original Guide: £70,000

Further Details: Click Here

Archived Details (for future research): Click Here

Contact: 0844 2 722444

Unique Property Syndicate

News

Just a quick update to those readers interested in our Unique Property Syndicates. We had a terrific response to the recent Syndicate Survey.

We are now progressing the regulatory and legal side of things to ensure our next project is run in a way that meets the various official requirements governing these types of project. As soon as we have the due diligence and certification etc., sorted out, then those who have registered an interest in syndicates information and candidate properties will receive an email in respect of our next property adventure – Syndicate 19.

If you would like to receive an email alert for this aspect of what we do, please click here and type the word SYNDICATE into the subject line or message box. We will then ensure you are updated you when materially important events happen.

Earlier Syndicate 8 – Waterside Properties Usually Do Well In Bulletin Adventures

This is one of the 18 syndicates so far progressed. We bought the building in the year 2000 for £120,000. Poor old thing was in a sad state. Been closed down for 3 years. Our Bulletin syndicate sold it within 6 months of purchase. Resale proceeds were £152,500. Grossed £32,500. After solicitor, conveyancing, tax and auctioneer costs, the net total profit was £26,306.62.

A 21.92% return was very welcome. Though a few regrets – after a couple of years, the new owner demolished what was a building with a unique history. Not least as this waterside property gave service during World War II as a garrison for soldiers who attended special operation exercises in this strategically remote area and we would have loved to bring the building back to life.

“But a hotel is not that unique” we might hear you say! Au contraire we would suggest. Hotels are implicit in the concept of two-summers-and-no-winters – a lifestyle experience we passionately believe in. As expounded on one of the Bulletin’s sister websites: Hotel Room Ownership.

If the likes of actor Keanu Reeves and billionaire Howard Hughes plus many others find hotel perma-residence useful and interesting, then it is certainly on our radar. Our syndicates have bought four hotels so far in the effort to test the two-summers-and-now-winters theory.

The only flaw in our plan so far is we keep buying the hotels at a very competitive price, and subsequently have difficulty refusing a significantly higher price in the weeks and months after acquisition. But this is a whole other story for another Bulletin edition. Suffice it to say, that unique property syndicate purchased hotels have helped many of our readers grow their individual financial moneypots to a point where other unique properties become affordable and beckon.

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To Paddle Or Not To Paddle

The Creek, Sunbury-on-Thames, Surrey

This property is being marketed as a building plot, but actually has a serviceable house in situ. So the question is whether to refurbish what is already here, or knock it down and build a new bespoke residence? To newbuild or not to newbuild? To paddle or not to paddle. Personally we quite like the old building. It is quirky and certainly liveable. But the price tag is pitched towards a state of the art newbuild to go onto what is a very well located site. Imagine commissioning Richard T. Foster Architects to build something along the lines of The Round House as featured below! What an amazing design for a first class location.

For the sake of good form we should also point out a third option to the refurbishment or newbuild proposition. At around 0.45 acres, technically there should be enough room to build 6 houses on this plot (click here). Though that might be viewed as over development of the site. Perhaps four newbuilds would be worth consideration.

Much Desired Water Frontage: The Creek, Sunbury-on-Thames

Agency Summary: Externally at over 220′ in length and just under half an acre in size the large plot has plenty off street parking to the front of the property, a gated entrance and large southerly aspect mature gardens which lead down to the river – 80ft of river frontage and mooring. With lovely views of the river Thames backwater and Wheatleys Eyot. Situated in a private cul-de-sac, The Creek is located just a short walk to Sunbury village on the banks of the River Thames 3 miles from Hampton Court Palace. A highly desirable place to build a unique home and just a few miles from…

Just 20 Miles From Canary Wharf & some of the most expensive real estate on the planet

2015 Copyright Courtesy of Diliff

This property at Sunbury-onThames has reasonable access to the M3 & M25 for London and major airports. It is almost exactly one hour from Canary Wharf – and we know a fair few of our readers are looking for something like this within a reasonable commute to their office.

Location: The Creek, Sunbury-on-Thames, Surrey, TW16 6BY

Guide: £890,000

Further Details: Click Here

Archived Details For Future Reference: Click Here

Contact Hamptons Tel: 020 3369 4568. Please can you let the estate agent know that you found their property in Unique Property Bulletin. Many thanks.

The Round House By Architect Richard Foster
This Is An Example of Unique Property That We Just Love

Photograph Courtesy of CMLS

The what, why and how of evolving Unique Property Bulletin? Let’s just explain where we are as of this edition. Until we can restructure things so that there are sufficient resources to augment the purely volunteer based structure and employ two part-time salaried contributors, the current frequency of Unique Property Bulletin is moving to 3 weeks instead of two. However, like much that is accidentally successful about this endeavour since being first published in 1987, we did something intuitive, but not previously thought useful. In this case we started to add new properties every couple of days to our Twitter and Facebook feeds. We hadn’t anticipated how the social media element would impact upon readers. It has been particularly positive. Already two Bulletin readers have made offers on potentially life changing projects for their new homes. So as part of this feature, we cannot emphasise enough:-

How Can You Get The Best From The Bulletin?

Answer: Add Social Media To Your Reading Mix…

Twitter: Regular Additional Lots – Click Here

Facebook: Regular Additional Lots – Click Here

The reasoning is to ensure readers still have a steady and varied diet of unusual property candidates for their future home between the main Bulletins (major edition and feature etc., published each 3 weeks). We have always had too many properties for any given Bulletin and had to distil them to 8 or so per main edition. Therefore there are plenty to include, and this is in addition to what already makes it’s way onto our website. Since deciding to opt for the 3 week frequency, the Twitter/Facebook feeds have had an extra 12 to 24 properties between main Bulletins. That means an increase of 200 more unique properties a year. Not too bad an accident in the evolution of this thing.

So If You Seek A Modest Box Building…

Leigh Road Security Station, Leigh Road, Ramsgate, CT12 5EU
Whether You Are Looking For A Bargain Box Building Box Building (Sale Result Here)

Plus A LOT of Land Guided At 20 Grand…

To Work Out How Much Land At £20,000:
Check Out The Comparable Size of The Neighbouring Plots.

Ordnance Survey Copyright Licence: LIG1016 & 100052015

Then our new social media/newsfeed Facebook and Twitter additional lots are well worth keeping an eye on.

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Or Even If You Seek A Grand Pile…

Grade 1 Listed Caverswall Castle & Moat, Caverswall, Staffordshire, ST11 9EA

Something Brill For Just 3 Mill !

Then you would do well to check out the Bulletin AND the Facebook & Twitter newsfeeds.

The positive use of social use of social media with additional property links is, far from being a retrograde step, in fact something that helps our readers. That is the essence of what is here. A website that interacts, and can help you in ways that, incidentally, we find incredibly enjoyable.

This current turn of events has heartened our reason for writing the Bulletin, and is also starting to bring about the necessary changes: to free up a little time that can be devoted to the syndicate side of things. Those very Unique Property Syndicates  that have, in the past, garnered tens of thousands of pounds extra for Bulletin readers who join in, along with the fact that the financial support from the syndicates has, on several occasions, kept this very publication going.

It is also worth mentioning the accidental success in Unique Property Syndicate spin off – our Real Dragons’ Den having, since 1998, created over 100 new job. However I digress. Returning to the evolution of the Bulletin -the narrative above indicates where it is now going – including more use of social media.

To be complete, and also to answer a thread of emails that steadily arrive at Bulletin HQ it is perhaps worth placing on record a little of the past so as to appreciate where this thing has evolved from…

Unique Property Bulletin Evolution

& How You Can Get The Best From It

Part 2 of 2

In 1983, one of those lucky accidents of life came about. It is covered in more detail within the pages of our Manual. Suffice to say, when the offer of a long term lease to an old coastguard station located on a small island station at a nominal rent came about – in return for renovating same, it was difficult to resist. The thought of a sanctuary away from a job – and police station – which fellow police officer Denzil Meyrick has now written about (click here) was something not to be missed. Then it was a case of friend, local lifeboat coxswain Jim McPhee locating a suitable vehicle that could tackle the tidal causeway – The Dhorlin. This was in the form of a beloved Landrover from D&N MacKenzie of Islay. Then setting about what was to be a magical and memorable time…

Russ McLean & Trusty Landrover For Coastguard Renovation

Apologies For The Grainy Photo: It Was 30 Years Ago!

The destination of this much loved Landrover? Well that was to feature in one of the early versions of this Bulletin…

 Unique Property Journal (A5 Format). Forerunner To The Unique Property Bulletin

Looking at the Old Coastguard Station on that front cover, you can perhaps see the attraction of this island sanctuary. There were seaviews from three of the four aspects. Plus it was on a small island. Back then it wasn’t called “off-grid”, but given the need for a generator, VHF radio, plus self sufficiency in water supply etc., that is pretty much what it was. An amazing wee building that gave many happy days. Plus inspired this Bulletin so that like minded people could be helped to find their own flavour of favourite dwelling genre. The actual picture featured above shows the ground floor windows fitted and new door installed. The upstairs windows were soon in place and the building was wind and watertight and ready for what were to be treasured times. Moving forward several years, the unique property publication had a refurbishment too…

Unique Property Bulletin Temporary Transmogrification

The new name of Alternative Househunter Magazine seemed like a good idea at the time. But the original nomenclature was more apt, and has stood the test of time. So in fairly short order we reverted to the original name. That became a long term A4 paper version known then – and now – as the Unique Property Bulletin…

Unique Property Bulletin A4 Paper Format

It should of course be remembered that the primary aim of this Bulletin was, and is to help folk find that ideal home. Though for many years this involved a lot of envelope stuffing parties! To give current internet version readers an idea what it was like back then, here is how the old paper version was produced…

Only kidding! But it wasn’t that far removed from the old style lead print. As mentioned earlier, the originator of this website grew up with an actual Adana lead print press (plus the enduring Lego which is a whole other story – many of those in building and construction occupations started out with humble plastic blocks).

Adana Lead Type & Font Printing Press.

There is something incredibly tactile, honest and venerable about old school letterpress printing.

Even though we were immersed in print and the letterpress ethos, times and events brought changes. Earlier paper versions of Unique Property Bulletin were printed on an amazing machine known as a Risograph.

One of The Risograph Printing Machines Employed For Unique Property Bulletin

An Actual Bulletin Risograph Printing Machine: Main Ink Drum

A Risograph printing machine is basically a high speed duplicator that scans the proof copy and automatically cuts a stencil which it rolls onto the print drum. Then hey presto, 3,000 printed copies.

It is a little strange to think that the ink drum pictured above was vital in securing adventures on the likes of Ailsa Craig Island – life changing stuff. Not just for us, but for countless readers who have progressed from these pages to buy amazing places to live. These wee printing machines are still on the go by the way – they are regularly available for sale, and anyone looking to print say 5,000 pages at a time. Worth considering depending on what your future intentions are for life and working environment. The ink drums on many models are interchangeable. This spot colour ability lifts the vibrancy on each page. Up until recently, this was how the Unique Property Bulletin was produced.

In fact we did look at transferring to the internet in the late 1990s. However it was fairly early in technology uptake back then. Many in the building industry were still “old school” and preferred their printed information via the Royal Mail through an old fashioned letterbox. Many stamps expired for the cause back then. On the technology front we even got as far as one of our readers, a talented computer wizard by the name of John Clare – a doctor in his subject – offering to assist in moving us from dead tree media to an embryonic internet. His patience was awesome given the troglodytes at this end. Oh if only we had listened to the good doctor and gone online back then, several acres of trees would still be swaying in the breeze instead of becoming Riso fodder. But hey ho, we are here now. For in 2011 even our cave-dweller habits of lead print fonts and old ink drums were destined for the museums of life.

In 2011 This Was The Initial Online Version Of Unique Property Bulletin

A big thankyou to IT helper Darren MacLean for his work in 2011 getting our website up and running.

With the transfer of the Bulletin to the internet, what we didn’t anticipate, and this was a shock – in a very good way – was the amplification of our readership. From an average circulation of 1,500 with occasional peaks at 3,000 in paper format, we have the interesting situation where our current IT Bod advises the Unique Property Bulletin has over 40,000 unique IP users whilst our sister Lighthouses For Sale & Rent website is catching up quickly with 38,000 unique IP users. We wouldn’t really know what an IP was if it hit us on the head. What we do know is it can take four hours a day to reciprocate the courtesy of inbound emails and reply to them.

Hence the current position. We need to evolve to cope with the capacity and increase of readership that does justice to those who are good enough to stop by and visit.

We have been evolving the Unique Property Bulletin for over 25 years. It may now be a generational step-change, but as the thing evolves, the core purpose remains solid – to help you find a unique home.

So for this edition we reiterate that EXTRA UNIQUE PROPERTIES are being placed onto the radar of our readers. In ADDITION to the regular Unique Property Bulletin. So as not to miss anything, we recommend that readers dip into our newsfeeds on social media. For some who buy buildings discovered on these pages, it can end up being life changing in a very positive way…

Click Here For UniqueBulletin Twitter Newsfeed

Click Here For UniqueBulletin Facebook Newsfeed