A studio flat by the seaside has hit the market for just £60,000 – but as the price would suggest, the space is somewhat tight.
Found just minutes from the beach in Worthing, West Sussex, the property features a bed positioned right in the middle of the room, mere inches from the kitchen surfaces.
Listed as a one-bedroom studio apartment, its compact layout isn’t a total surprise.
Cosy is an understatement though: the main room, which currently houses a desk, double bed, and kitchenette, measures 4.39m by 3.30m, contributing to a total area of 17.9 square metres.
To put that into perspective, newly-built or converted studio flats in the UK are now subject to a minimum size requirement of 37 square metres, more than double this home.
Though the new owner will undoubtedly be cooking their dinner just a few steps from where they’ll rest their head at night, there is at least some differentiation between the toilet and the main living area — the shower and loo can be found in a separate room, jutting off the main space.
Yes, it might be cramped, but it’s significantly cheaper than the going rate for the area.
According to data from Rightmove, the average house price in Worthing over the last year was £396,550 – higher than the national average of £267,200, as per Zoopla’s figures.
This is likely because of the limited space it offers, but also because of the fact it’s being auctioned, which often means property prices are reduced for homes that need to sell quickly.
‘The apartment features a bright and airy living/bedroom area, thoughtfully designed to accommodate a small dining table for added versatility,’ the listing reads.
‘Ample built-in storage cupboards provide practical solutions for organisation without compromising space. With its excellent location and smart design, this studio apartment is a fantastic opportunity for a first-time buyer or landlords for investment.’
Interested? You’ll need to complete within 56 days and purchase a buyer information pack at the cost of £300 and a non-refundable reservation fee of £6,600 — both paid on top of the selling price. Ouch.
Inevitably, the listing made it onto the famed SpottedonRightmove Reddit thread, a place where variously weird, wacky and wonderful listings are shared.
‘That’s insane. A one-bed flat suggests to me there’s a single bedroom, a bathroom and living area. That’s just one single room,’ @KindMathematician18 penned in the comments section.
For @uncertain_expert, it resembled a furniture store showroom, but in all the wrong ways. They labelled it a ‘starting point for one of those micro-homes on display in Ikea, except the ceiling isn’t 15ft high.’
In @AccomplishedBid2866’s view, it was nothing more than a ‘shoebox’ that no one ‘in this world’ should get a mortgage for – however, they did claim that with a ‘bit of reworking,’ it could work as an Airbnb.
‘Is the “built in storage” actually just the kitchen, or is there an invisible wardrobe the current occupant isn’t using?’ @Long_Huckleberry1751 added, while @xanthophore joked: ‘Thank goodness there’s a floorplan!’
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