Page 41 - September2023

AT HOME WITH... AT HOME WITH...

A journey IWC Media/BBC Scotland/Kirsty Anderson

to

the dream home

How a derelict former train station in Leith became the ultimate
renovation project – and Scotland’s Home of the Year…

f you’re a fan of the BBC’s Scotland’s Home easy to see why. We caught up with Christina
of the Year, then you’ll certainly recognise to find out more about how she found this
IThe Old Train House. Formerly Bonnington incredible, unique property.
train station, located on the edge of trendy The couple longed to stay in Leith, but the only
Leith, the property had lain derelict for more “We knew we needed to move; since buying our homes that met their criteria were new builds,
than a decade before Christina Blundell and first flat together we’d had a baby and gotten which didn’t match what this period-property-
her husband Ben spotted it for sale with ESPC, a dog, so we were desperate for some extra loving couple dreamed of. “We put in an offer
and decided to turn it into their dream home, space, ideally with a garden,” explains Christina. on another property initially, but we never
where they live with their daughter Vesper, “We were already in Leith and loved the area, so heard back from the vendor’s solicitor which
and dog Watson. we wanted to stay close by.” was very strange – although it was advertised
with an agency that isn’t part of ESPC, so it just
Three years on, the property has just been For Christina and Ben, it was important to make goes to show you!”
named Scotland’s Home of the Year – and it’s sure that selling their flat and buying their next
home was a smooth process, and for them, that But their dreams came true when a chance
meant using an ESPC-affiliated solicitor estate passing led them to The Old Train House. “Ben
agency. “Having a solicitor who was associated came home from walking Watson one day and
IWC Media/BBC Scotland/Kirsty Anderson
with ESPC brought a level of credibility – it was said, ‘You’ll never guess, but that old wreck on
something I looked out for when searching the cycle path is up for sale!’,” says Christina.
for our next home. We decided to go with “We looked it up immediately on ESPC, and we
Thorntons, which was a recommendation from saved the listing so we could keep going back
a friend, and we were very pleased we did. Our to it, looking at the floorplan and thinking about
solicitor, Andrew, really helped when there what we could do if we were able to buy it. We
were some challenging negotiations during were so intrigued to see what it was like, so we
the process of buying our new house, and they made sure we were the first in on the open day.
were brilliant with an in-person valuation of our Within 10 minutes, the house was heaving with
flat. The valuation came out higher than we prospective buyers, all identical to us: families
expected, which gave us a bit of extra cash for with young children! I think it says a lot about
the renovation works.” the Edinburgh housing market.” IWC Media/BBC Scotland/Kirsty Anderson

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