Residents living next to a one-bedroom bungalow which they say looks like a ‘converted garage’ believe it will be nearly impossible to sell.
The quirky property is on the market for £325,000 after originally being valued at a more hefty £400,000.
On the face of it, it certainly raises eyebrows with its unusual appearance on a street in the village of Clifton in Bedfordshire.
The 682-square foot home only has three main rooms – a bedroom, bathroom and an open plan kitchen and living room space.
The property was originally developed as home office space in connection with neighbouring houses.
It was then made into two studio flats before it received planning permission to be converted into a one-bedroom bungalow in July 2024.
The estate agent with the job of trying to sell it has described it as ‘very spacious’, but one local said it resembled a ‘doctor’s waiting room’.
It sits alongside other semi-detached and detached properties on the street, which are valued at around £700,000.
When the Daily Mail visited the ‘detached property’, neighbours said it resembled a ‘doctor’s waiting room’
The property has been built in the shadow of a much larger property
One neighbour of the property said they thought the developers were trying to squeeze as much money as they could out of the small plot of land tucked between larger, multi-bedroom properties.
They said: ‘I couldn’t live there as I’ve got kids. Maybe someone who’s older with less belongings, or a single person or older person who doesn’t want the maintenance.
‘If it’s dead space and somebody is happy to live there.’
Martin Hunt, 55, has lived on the street for 20 years and believes the property looks like a ‘converted garage’.
The driver said: ‘It’s a very odd set-up. I think they just thought lets make some extra money by shoving another house there.
‘I don’t think people are stupid. I’ve seen the plans online, you can get a lot better than that for £325,000. And why on earth would they think it was worth £400,000 to begin with. It reminds me of a doctor’s waiting room.
‘I cannot see it selling. I think it’s been on for a few months and it’s come down in price a lot since then. It’s shocking really.’
Another local said that while the property was ‘really tiny’ and perhaps suitable for a single person, many first time buyers would be ‘priced out’.
They added: ‘We’re thinking of downsizing next year but would I want that? No.’
Another neighbour said: ‘I would presume a single person or a elderly couple who have retired could live there.
‘I don’t think there will be many buyers, considering the price.’
Samantha Davidson, 43, lives on the street and said the property was ‘weird’.
The full-time mother said: ‘I just think it’s odd and frankly, weird. It’s clear they cannot do anything bigger with it so they’ve just tried to make the most. But I think that sticks out from a mile away.’
They added that the development featured more bungalows nearby that were bigger and ‘more liveable’.
Inside the bungalow is modern and airy. However it is also compact
The listing also drew the ire of notorious property trolling group ‘Spotted on Rightmove’
The listing by the Sell New Group boasts the bungalow has access to an outdoor patio space as well as a ‘spacious driveway’. Its asking price was reduced in early September of this year.
Tom Francis, director of Sell New Group, said the property had been viewed by around six interested parties.
He told the Daily Mail: ‘We thought we were going to sell to retired couples downsizing.
‘It’s an open plan, very spacious one-bedroom in very good order, high spec, and in a pretty mid-Bedfordshire village.
‘It’s very rare they build one-bedroom bungalows,’ he said, adding that the one-level property would be suitable for wheelchair access.
The listing also drew the ire of notorious property trolling group ‘Spotted on Rightmove’ where it was compared to a ‘converted garage’.
One incredulous user remarked: ‘I’m wondering if the estate agent could have found a wider angle lens.’
Another joked: ‘They did well to get 30 photos out of it, that’s for sure.’
