Brian Page is enchanted by a brilliantly-presented, well-located value-for-money period home.

WE had a good chat with this week with the affable Peter Moody, now firmly re-established with his own independent estate agency.

It’s a bit like coming full circle for Peter.

Years (and years) ago he left a national chain to join Ben Hudson in founding a mid-market independent agency. He then went back to that national chain for a while before once more deciding to return to independence.

His aim now is to never have more than 30 properties on his book – in order, he says, to devote his personal attention to clients. And, he adds, he couldn’t be happier.

“We’re doing very well and we have some very interesting and attractive properties on the books.” Indeed.

In fact we had called about one such property – a super, sunny and beautifully- presented period home in White Cross Road, off the town end of Haxby Road. A home that intrigued in a number of ways, being a surprisingly spacious end-of-terrace house – and one which was for sale at a very competitive £229,950.

Which certainly justifies the property of the week tag as, in our humble opinion, it stands out among its competitors in that price bracket.

It sits at the end of a smart row close to local shops and cafes and within easy walking distance of the district hospital, Nestle’s factory and the town centre.

“I know just how long it takes to get right into the city centre,” says Liz McFadzean, “I timed it last night, it’s a 15-minute walk. Mind you, I was wearing heels so it might be even quicker in flat shoes!”

Liz bought the house 18 months ago, sharing the mortgage and moving-in costs with a good friend as a way to get onto the first rung of the property ladder. Sadly, the friend has now got another job, in the Midlands, and has moved out.

Liz now has to reassess her options. It’s clear she will be sad to be leaving her first home – and for good reason.

It is as we said a super house.

Period features abound throughout the house with high ceilings, cornicing, picture and dado rails, tall skirting boards, stripped solid wood floors and feature period fireplaces giving the home-huge character.

“It is,” Liz says with a brilliant turn of phrase, “a house that is beautiful without even trying.” Even when, she adds, a lot of the furniture has been moved out and there are packing boxes dotted around.

That slightly sad state is because Liz and her friend had a buyer for the house but the chain collapsed and it was back to square one...

Having seen the house for ourselves we are pretty sure, however, that will not remain the situation for very long. It’s a natural attraction for either first-time buyers, young professional couples or – given the three decent-sized bedrooms – a young family.

What’s more it has, being an end of terrace, the option of either offstreet parking or a very pleasant south-facing courtyard garden. But, enough of the laudatory introductions...

Let’s let Liz take you on a tour of the house. We begin in a long hallway which has a high ceiling overhead and delightful Victorian mosaic tiling underfoot.

From here, looking out to the front of the house, there is the main sitting room. This is an absolutely charming room with a big bay window, stripped and polished solid wood flooring, deep cornicing to the ceiling and with alcoves to either side of a period fireplace with cast iron inset and hearth and a burnished wood mantel and surround.

It is, says Liz, a super room to sit and relax – but we get the feeling it may not be her favourite spot.

That could well be the next room along the hallway, a brilliantly light and bright dining room or second reception room. Again there is solid wood flooring, high corniced ceiling – and a contemporary French door and window letting in the sunshine from that south-facing garden.

“It’s a really sunny, light room,”

Liz says, “especially in the afternoons.

We had it as a second sitting room.”

And why not when, having gone even further down the hall, you find yourself in a good-sized dining area with a window to one side and built-on original pine cupboard to the other.

This room opens into the house kitchen which, while not huge, is very smartly fitted with high-gloss white wall and base units, wood work surfaces and built in oven and gas hob.

A side door opens onto the courtyard garden, presently in use as a secure parking spot but with plenty of room for patio table and chairs to make the most of sunny afternoons.

(And, incidentally, there is residents’ permit parking on street and there were plenty of spaces available when we visited.) So far so good.

But now for the first floor where, we have sometimes found, period bedrooms can be something of a disappointment. Again, we are very pleasantly surprised.

We start with the back bedroom which is a good size (not just your two beds and a boxroom here).

Then there is a contemporary house bathroom before we arrive at a smartly-decorated second bedroom. And then there is another highlight in the shape of a marvellous master bedroom with high ceilings, fitted cupboard and two deep windows.

The decor here, again, is super, all in chocolate and cream and with a dramatic feature wallpapered wall.

“We were lucky,” Liz confesses when we mention the smart presentation in evidence throughout the house, “the man we bought it from spent quite a long time refurbishing and improving the whole house.

Then he met someone...” Ah, so it was serendipity all around then.

The talented chap found his ideal woman and Liz and her friend found an ideal house. But, now, life cycles and all that, Liz is ready to move on to whatever awaits... and someone else will be lucky enough to buy into a super home.


6 White Cross Road, York

Reception rooms: 3

Bedrooms: 3

Bathrooms: 1

Gardens: Forecourt to front, enclosed courtyard style garden to the rear

Wow factor: A surprisingly spacious, light and bright house – definitely good value for the money

Price: £229,950 Contact: Peter Moody and Company.

Tel: 01904 658044