• Mews House +
• Willett Estate Conservation Area +
• Huge scope to improve +
• Liveable condition +
• Open plan living area +
• Two double bedrooms +
• Two bathrooms +
• Off street parking +
• 0.2 miles from Hove Station +
• No chain +

Paul's note -

"First and foremost, let me introduce myself, as you won’t have seen my brand in BN3 — or anywhere else in Sussex, for that matter.

My name is Paul Cooney. I’m a born-and-bred Brighton lad — although technically raised in Hove (as we like to clarify!).

I purchased this mews house in September 2021 after (perhaps unwisely) telling my neighbour over a few drinks that if she ever decided to sell, I’d buy it. That confident declaration ended up costing me £440,000 — plus stamp duty (including the additional 3% surcharge) and solicitor’s fees.

The original plan was always to carry out a full refurbishment. I believe the works could be completed for around £50,000, with a worst-case scenario somewhere in the £60,000–£70,000 range depending on specification. Post-refurbishment, I genuinely feel you would be looking at a property worth in the region of £550,000–£600,000.

The property was last fully refurbished in 2007. Credit where it’s due — it has held up remarkably well. That said, I suspect most buyers would comfortably enjoy it as it stands for 12 months before feeling the urge to modernise and truly make it their own.

If you take a walk around the mews, you’ll see what’s possible. Several neighbours have done wonderful things with their homes, particularly to the exterior. The property at 1 Eaton Grove is a fine example of how special these houses can become with the right vision and investment.

Since Autumn 2021, we were fortunate to have the same tenant for over four years — which speaks volumes about the house. We’ve recently welcomed a new tenant who is incredibly house-proud, which certainly makes viewings a far more enjoyable experience for prospective buyers.

In terms of timing, we have a commitment to our current tenant through to the end of July, and our buy-to-let mortgage runs until 31st August. This means we are in a position to offer an immediate exchange of contracts, with completion set for 31st August — providing clarity and certainty for all parties.

This property is one of my investment homes, and I’m personally representing the sale. I run my own estate agency in London, which allows me to list on Rightmove and Zoopla directly. That said, I don’t have suitable buyers on my database for this particular home, which is why I’m marketing it more broadly.