Could you deal with this mess in your new home?

Messy kitchen in Cockermouth
Messy kitchen in Cockermouth

If you're lucky, when you move into your new home you'll find it neat and tidy - if you're really lucky, you might find flowers and a bottle of wine.

That's probably not going to be the case if you buy any of this week's featured properties. Sometimes, a house has been left empty for decades; sometimes executors of a probate sale simply haven't got the time or energy to clear it. Sometimes it's just, well, a bit too lived in.

We look at seven houses where you'll be doing a fair amount of clearing up before you can move in.

Cockermouth, Cumbria

A messy room
A messy room


This two-bedroom terraced house is half the price of similar properties nearby - and it's easy to see the reason why. Not only is the wallpaper peeling off the walls, but it's full of decaying furniture and rubbish. There's a garden out back, but don't expect a peaceful oasis - you'll be picking your way through a ton of rubble and plastic bags. It's up for sale for £45,000 through Auction House Cumbria.

Aberaeron, Wales

The abandoned junkyard
The abandoned junkyard


On the upside, this old smithy is several centuries old and full of character, as well as having an acre of land. On the downside, it's a bit of a tip, to say the least. There's an extra three acres of land for sale that used to be used as a scrap yard, and it looks as if the owners left in something of a hurry. But for anyone that can handle the work, the place has great potential. Contact Evans Bros for more information.

Crewe, Cheshire

The messy room in Crewe
The messy room in Crewe


Up for auction in mid-July, this two-bedder isn't for the faint-hearted. It's not entirely clear how much of the contents will be removed, but there's certainly plenty of stuff in there now. There are, for some reason, a bike and a large wheely-bin in the kitchen; a rabbit-hutch dominates the small back yard. The house has a guide price of £32,000; contact Butters John Bee for more details.

Bolton, Lancashire

The Bolton home
The Bolton home


While somebody's clearly been living in this double-fronted three-bedroom terrace, the agents don't think it terribly habitable - they suggest knocking it down and starting again. There's certainly the opportunity to put up a new house on the good-sized and comparatively clear plot, and it's in a pleasant area. Another auction property, it has a guide price of £60,00 through Cardwells Sales, Lettings & Management and goes under the hammer in mid-July.

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Dundee, eastern Scotland

Piles of junk in one room
Piles of junk in one room


Last time this two-bed flat sold, ten years ago, it went for £65,000, making the current £25,000 price tag something of a bargain. As agents Auction House Scotland point out, though, it's currently uninhabitable, thanks to a fire, and all the rooms are full of junk. But it's set in a lovely building, with communal gardens and a great location, and could be worth over £80,000 once it's cleared out and fixed up.

Redlingfield, Suffolk

The mess in the derelict building
The mess in the derelict building


Quite frankly, the broken bicycles, timber and rubble in this cottage are the least of your worries - the building's completely derelict, with holes in the roof and ivy growing through the walls. It's been abandoned for 70 years. But there's permission to repair and extend to create a three-bedroom house in what's an undeniably pretty location. It's up for sale by informal tender - give agents Durrant your offer by 26 June.

Llanelli, Wales

The fire-damaged kitchen
The fire-damaged kitchen


Another fire-damaged and abandoned property, this two-bed house needs completely gutting and renovating - once you've cleared all the junk out, that is. But there's the potential to turn it back into a pleasant home, with a good-sized kitchen and living room and a garden out back. The auction guide price is £25,000, through agent John Francis.


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