OMG - WE BOUGHT A GARAGE

OMG - WE BROUGHT A GARAGE

What a way to start a New Year (2018).

We had just started to think about moving as our 2 children were now Adults & not living at home anymore.

Brian, my husband, randomly one day said there was a garage for sale around the corner, so I started to think more seriously about moving as I knew he was keen!

I knew that he was looking at the idea of buying a Building as a project, there was some talk about it before Christmas. I had not paid much attention to it as I had just had a Rotator Cuff repair at the end of November and that had knocked me for a 6!

The BIG decision was- were we going to buy this as an investment with others or buy it for ourselves?

Brian had seen through the old McLaren Garage before Christmas.

So on January 4th I was taken for a whirlwind visit and could see the huge potential.

It was very much a Blank Canvas, needing EVERYTHING to be renovated!

Downstairs was a large Commercial space which was the old Workshop.

Upstairs there were 3 Flats each with a separate entrance

So, we put in an offer and it was accepted, after a few negotiations!

Then we Signed on the dotted lines to list our house!

In its early years it was the McLaren's garage.

The building itself was built back in 1926 but was known for the longest time as a garage and home to Bruce McLaren and the McLaren Trust.

As of now 2018

There were some pre-existing Concept Plans to build 6 apartments on top of the Retail.
These had been widely Advertised.

So, when people asked us where we had brought & we said the McLaren Garage, they all took it for granted that we had brought an Apartment :)

Most people were very surprised that we had brought the whole building and even more surprised to learn we were planning to live there!!!

Concept Drawings Above versus Reality Below!