Page 41 - February 2024

AT HOME WITH
colour the right catchment, and Jamie knew the area

well. We tried to view it that day, but the owner
A world of wouldn’t accept viewings ahead of the open
day that weekend. We decided to offer blind
there and then, but it was turned down; the
owner wanted us to see the house first.”
The winners of BBC’s ‘Scotland’s Christmas Home of the Year’
Unperturbed, the couple persisted: “I couldn’t
show us all around their vibrant home, found on ESPC.
make the open viewing, so Jamie and then-18-
month-old Beth went without me. Jamie had a
good feeling about it, so we offered again the
next morning. I trusted his instincts – we’ve
f you, like us, are avid watchers of BBC
Scotland’s fantastic series ‘Scotland’s
IHome of the Year’, then you’ll be familiar
with the Edinburgh property that secured the
win in the glorious Christmas special: Bay Tree
House. Located in Willowbrae, on the east side
of Edinburgh, owners Katie and Jamie Morris
have transformed this 1930s terrace into a
joyful family home since they moved in almost watched so many home programmes on TV
six years ago. and we never disagree on the ones we like,
so it was a safe bet! This time our offer was
“This was my fifth property purchase, but our accepted, on the condition that I wouldn’t view
second purchase together,” explains Katie. it in person until the missives were signed. In
“We sold our previous home in Midlothian to the end, these weren’t signed until the morning
be closer to Jamie’s daughter in Edinburgh, and of the move, so the first time I stepped inside
this was the fifth property we offered on. We was when we got the keys!”.
knew we wanted to be in the east of Edinburgh,
with a good school catchment area for our Luckily, Katie and Jamie’s instinct on the
daughter, Beth, but we knew we couldn’t be property proved right, and they have spent
too extravagant with our requirements, as we much of the last few years gradually turning
were downsizing to afford to live in the city.” the house into a cosy, colourful and charming
family home. The works undertaken have been
The couple listed their previous home with anything but small, with renovations including
ESPC solicitor estate agents McDougall a large-scale basement conversion.
McQueen, and while that sold within a week,
it took them two months to have an offer “After 18 months in the house, we started
accepted, after getting caught in several renovating the basement to add some much-
bidding wars. needed extra space. We wanted to ensure
it would be in keeping with the rest of the
When a 1930s two-bedroom terrace just a house, so we had an architect draw up plans,
hundred yards away from Holyrood Park came and went out to tender. The prices were
onto the market, Katie and Jamie decided to eye-wateringly expensive! We found one
act quickly: “I [Katie] saw this home on ESPC affordable quote and decided to go with it –
one Friday, and I loved the look of it. It was in and then the pandemic hit.”

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