A WOMAN who snapped up what might be Homes Under the Hammer’s tiniest house has revealed she placed her bid just seconds before the auction closed – without even stepping foot inside the property.
Carol bagged the minuscule home in Pontycymer, South Wales, for £43,500 – significantly above the £27,000 guide price – in what she describes as a ‘moment of madness.’
She told presenter Martin Roberts: “It was a spontaneous buy – one minute and eight seconds before the auction finished. I didn’t really read the auction pack either.”
Carol admitted that while she skimmed the legal pack enough to confirm the property was freehold and check for flood risks, she didn’t investigate further before committing to the deal.
Instead, she was enjoying a relaxed evening at home when the final seconds of the online auction ticked down.
“I did read those two little things and then I pressed the buy button,” she said. “I hadn’t been to see it or anything, but we all have moments of madness. I thought I’d see what happens, and here we are!”
The home’s proportions shocked the Malvern postie when she finally visited in person.
“I did a drive-by after the auction and I was thinking, ‘Where is the rest of it?’” she laughed.
“I opened the door and I was like, wow, there is no more, this is it. I think the school Wendy house was somewhat bigger than this.”
The property, which had previously been a commercial unit, consisted of a single upstairs room with a narrow staircase leading to a damp-ridden lower ground floor.
Some work had been started to add a shower room and bedroom, but much of it was incomplete.
Even Martin, who has seen his fair share of bizarre properties in his two decades on the show, was left gobsmacked.
“You are having a laugh, wow, blink and you’ll miss it!” he said, dubbing it a ‘doll’s house’ and declaring it likely the smallest property ever featured on Homes Under the Hammer.
Despite its size, Carol and her partner Steve – an electrician – set about tackling the renovation with an initial budget of £10,000.
But as many DIY enthusiasts will know, things rarely go according to plan.
The couple ended up spending nearly twice that amount, ultimately pouring £63,000 into the project.
Fifteen months later, the transformation was complete.
The damp issues were sorted with new guttering, a cleverly redesigned staircase created extra space, and the entire home was given a modern makeover.
Who presents Homes Under The Hammer?
Current
- Martin Roberts (2003 – present)
- Dion Dublin (2015 – present)
- Martel Maxwell (2017 – present)
- Jacqui Joseph (2021 – present)
- Owain Wyn Evans (2024 – present)
Past
- Lucy Alexander (2003 – 2018)
- Jasmine Birtles (2005)
- Marc Woodward (2005)
- Tommy Walsh (2021 – 2024)
A compact kitchen, fresh flooring, and a stylish shower room made the most of the small footprint, and Steve even managed to squeeze in an outdoor storage shed.
One unexpected hurdle was the need for a sprinkler system, as the property’s conversion from commercial to residential meant it was classified as a ‘new build’.
When an estate agent returned to assess the finished property, they estimated a resale value of around £60,000 – meaning Carol and Steve would take a loss if they sold up.
However, the couple had already secured a tenant keen to move in, ensuring a steady rental income.
Steve admitted: “We’ve done three properties over the last three years, and the others are somewhat bigger than this. But this one has been more headaches than the other two put together!”
Despite the challenges, Carol has no regrets about her whirlwind purchase.
“You can’t put a price on the fun we’ve had!” she said.
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