Archers Cottage, The Street, High Easter, Chelmsford, Essex, CM1 4QR

Description

This established detached house is situated in the rural mid-Essex village of High Easter, north-west of Chelmsford City Centre and between the A130 and A1060. Formerly the village shop, it was converted into residential accommodation and subsequently extended. The house is in need of some improvement but does have five bedrooms, versatile ground floor accommodation, south-facing rear garden and driveway parking to the front.

Accommodation

Ground floor: Entrance reception hallway with cloakroom/W.C., living room with fireplace and French doors opening to garden, dining room and kitchen. First floor: Landing, bedroom 1 with en-suite shower room and dressing area, four further bedrooms and family bathroom/W.C. Outside: Driveway parking leading to garage. South-facing rear garden with access to a garden room/workshop.

Location

The village of High Easter is situated in the Essex countryside, with the River Chelmer running nearby. The surrounding villages offer various local pubs and restaurants, and opposite the property is High Easter Cricket Club. Chelmsford City Centre provides High Street shopping, retail parks, bars, restaurants, recreational facilities and a mainline railway station to London (Liverpool Street). Bishops Stortford, Stansted Airport and vehicular access to the M11 Motorway are also roughly equidistant in the opposite direction.

Tenure / Property Information

Investment Analysis

The supplied comparable evidence includes two detached freehold sales on The Street, High Easter at £650,000 and £750,000 in 2021. The subject is also detached and freehold, with five bedrooms, but its floor area, precise condition and the comparables' specifications are not supplied. A cautious evidence-led GDV range is £650,000–£750,000, with £700,000 used as the base estimate. This is not a formal valuation and does not adjust for market movement since 2021.

Investment Snapshot

Strategy Recommendation

Treat as a potential owner-occupier or value-add purchase only after confirming condition, floor area and costs. Do not rely on the supplied rental evidence for an investment decision, and do not set a maximum bid without a survey, quotations and confirmed auction fees.

Works Required

The property is described as needing some improvement, but no detailed schedule or cost evidence is provided. Obtain a full survey and contractor quotations before budgeting. The EPC is E, but no specific remedial works are evidenced.

Rental & Market Context

Sold Comparables

The following completed sales were identified within approximately 5 miles:

Potential BRRR Position

A BRRR assessment cannot be completed reliably because refurbishment costs, local rent and total acquisition costs are unsupported. On the base GDV, 75% refinance would be £525,000, but the amount of cash left in cannot be calculated without purchase, works and buyer-cost figures.

Buy-to-Let Analysis

A BTL assessment cannot be quantified. The only rental evidence is an advertised £1,237 pcm listing in Poulton-le-Fylde, which is not evidence for this High Easter property and is not an achieved rent. No local rent evidence, operating costs or finance costs are supplied.

Flip Analysis

The base GDV is estimated at £700,000 using the supplied 2021 High Easter comparables. A flip surplus cannot be calculated because refurbishment costs, auction/admin fees, acquisition costs and selling costs are not supplied. The £550,000+ guide is before these additional costs.

Investor Risks & Due Diligence

• The property is stated to need improvement, but the scope and cost of works are unknown.

• The supplied comparable sales are from 2021 and lack floor areas, bedroom counts and condition details.

• Buyer/admin charges and other non-optional auction costs are unspecified.

• No reliable local rental evidence or passing rent is supplied.

• The property is vacant, so no existing rental income is evidenced.

• EPC rating E may indicate potential energy-efficiency improvement requirements, although specific works are not supplied.

Recommendation

Treat as a potential owner-occupier or value-add purchase only after confirming condition, floor area and costs. Do not rely on the supplied rental evidence for an investment decision, and do not set a maximum bid without a survey, quotations and confirmed auction fees.

Strategy Rating

Analysis Confidence

There are two reasonably relevant same-street detached sales and a stated guide price, but the comparable specifications, current market evidence, condition detail, refurbishment costs, local rent and auction charges are incomplete.