London’s narrowest house selling at $1.3 million

London’s “skinniest” house selling at $1.3 million.

A house whose dimensions measure six feet wide and elevates to five stories high is selling at £950,000. 

Winkworth, the real estate agency marketing the sale, reports that the five-storeyed building covering 1,034 square feet, was previously a hat shop. This Victorian-era store with living quarters on the upper floors was built sometime between the 19th or early 20th centuries. 

Located in Shepherd's Bush, west London was initially converted by fashion photographer Juergen Teller. It features an original Art Deco bathtub and an Aga cooker. 

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CNN Style reports that David Myers, who is the agent overlooking the sale, began life as a hat shop before being converted by a fashion photographer to the ultimate designer house. The basement has a kitchen, dining room, double-glass doors leading to patio gardens, and a reception room on the first floor. The third floor houses a bathroom, a shower room, and a dressing room. The top of this house is the main bedroom. The room’s interior design takes the aesthetic appeal of a luxury yacht utilizing most of the tight spaces. 

In London, the ‘skinny’ house fairly stands out as an abnormally, however, they are a common fixture in countries where land taxation is based on widths, such as Netherlands, Japan, or Vietnam. The price tag of $1.3 million is generally affordable given it is in London. Architects are responding to the high living costs, increased urban density, and a growing interest in downsizing and simplifying life. 

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The property is neatly wedged in between a hairdressing salon and a doctor’s surgery. You will only recognize its existence by noticing a streak of dark blue paint that vertically shoots up, separating it from its white and brown neighbors. The kitchen on its lower floor is the narrowest end of the property opening up to a dining area double that size. A 5-meter wide garden lies behind the french windows. On the first floor is a bedroom with a roof terrace giving stunning views of West London. A spiral staircase leads to its second floor where a bathroom and showers are located. The master bedroom is located on the third floor. 

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The Strait Times reports that Myers considers the house ideal for a young couple or an individual who can see the beauty for what it is. He says that the previous owners put their own stamp on it. IThe average cost of a house in the UK is  £256,000 - in line with the London property market. According to the British land registry, should the house meet its selling price, it will have doubled in value since 2006 when it sold for £488,500.

The Covid-19 pandemic has hit London hard, forcing families to move out of London or capitalize on low property prices on the outskirts of the capital. However, this does not deter the seller as he remains upbeat over the house’s appeal in the market.