Grade II listed windmill in Kent is for sale on Zoopla for £995k

For sail! Grade II listed windmill in Kent with original fantail and an exposed cog on the bedroom ceiling could be yours for £995k

  • Grade II listed windmill in Kent has been converted into a three-bed house and is for sale for £995k
  • The windmill has an original fantail and a large exposed cog on the ceiling of one of the bedrooms
  • Property includes a detached double garage, a two storey workshop and a well-maintained 140ft lawn

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If you’ve always dreamt of living in an unusual property, this Grade II listed windmill in Kent may fit the bill.

It has been converted into a three-bedroom home while retaining many of its glorious original features. 

Not only does it have its original fantail, the windmill also boasts a large exposed cog on the ceiling of one of the bedrooms.

The cog would have been used to help the top of the building to revolve, turning the sails in the wind.

This Grade II listed windmill in Kent has been converted into a family home and is currently on the market for £995,000

The first floor boasts a balcony that wraps around the entire windmill on the first floor, boasting far-reaching views of the surrounding Kent countryside

The first floor boasts a balcony that wraps around the entire windmill on the first floor, boasting far-reaching views of the surrounding Kent countryside

Although the property has been extensively renovated, it retains several original features including its original fantail

Although the property has been extensively renovated, it retains several original features including its original fantail

On the outside, the property is finished with dark timber weather boarding, which contrasts with the original lower brick façade.

It spreads across four floors, with a kitchen and separate dining room, as well as a living room on the ground level. The first of the bedrooms is also on this level.

A second bedroom occupies the entire first floor that boasts a balcony that wraps around the entire windmill and has far-reaching views of the surrounding Kent countryside.

The unusual windmill features a large exposed cog (pictured) in the centre of a ceiling in one of the double bedrooms

The unusual windmill features a large exposed cog (pictured) in the centre of a ceiling in one of the double bedrooms

In the past, the featured cog would have been used to help the top of the building to revolve, turning the sails in the wind

In the past, the featured cog would have been used to help the top of the building to revolve, turning the sails in the wind

On the outside, the property is finished with dark timber weather boarding, which contrasts with the original lower brick façade

On the outside, the property is finished with dark timber weather boarding, which contrasts with the original lower brick façade

The cog is black, and matches the exposed beams, wooden door, skirting boards and shelving unit that are in the bedroom

The cog is black, and matches the exposed beams, wooden door, skirting boards and shelving unit that are in the bedroom

The third bedroom is on the second floor, along with stairs to the final floor that is currently used as a storage area.

There are exposed beams and two wooden framed windows complete with monkey tail handles on the second floor.

The unusual property makes it difficult to secure a mortgage and so you'll need to go to a specialist lender (scroll down for more information)

The unusual property makes it difficult to secure a mortgage and so you’ll need to go to a specialist lender (scroll down for more information) 

The property spreads across four floors, with a kitchen and separate dining room, as well as a living room (pictured) on the ground level

The property spreads across four floors, with a kitchen and separate dining room, as well as a living room (pictured) on the ground level

The windmill can be found along a track just off Bowl Road, near the village of Charing, which includes shops, a primary school and a mainline station

The windmill can be found along a track just off Bowl Road, near the village of Charing, which includes shops, a primary school and a mainline station

The estate agent suggests that it may be possible to extend the property into the workshop adjacent to the windmill

The estate agent suggests that it may be possible to extend the property into the workshop adjacent to the windmill

Well-maintained grounds surround the property, including a long 140 ft lawn (pictured) as well as a peaceful courtyard

Well-maintained grounds surround the property, including a long 140 ft lawn (pictured) as well as a peaceful courtyard

The property sits within a third of an acre and is currently on the market for £995,000 via Foundation estate agents.

The agent suggests that there may be an opportunity to extend the property into the workshop that is adjacent to the windmill, subject to planning permissions.

There is also a detached double garage and well-maintained grounds, including a 140 ft lawn and a peaceful courtyard.

The windmill can be found along a track just off Bowl Road, near the village of Charing, which includes shops, a primary school and a mainline station.

The market town of Ashford is only nine miles away and provides a high-speed rail link into London St Pancras in about 38 minutes.

I would like to buy a windmill to live in, can I secure a mortgage?

If you are looking to buy a windmill, there may be some potential financial issues to consider, particularly if you require a mortgage.

This is because windmills are unusual properties and this means that many high street lenders are unwilling to provide finance for them.

However, there are alternative lenders who are prepared to lend on such properties. 

Jonathan Harris, of mortgage broker Forensic Property Finance, explained: ‘Most high-street lenders tend to prefer to lend on buildings of standard construction – bricks and mortar with a tiled roof.

‘These lenders are concerned about resale value – whether the property will sell for what the buyer paid for it and also that there will be a big enough pool of potential buyers to purchase it. They will be guided by the valuer’s comments and many of these can be pretty conservative in their outlook.

‘If a property is highly unusual, such as a windmill or watermill, it follows that it won’t appeal to the vast majority of buyers and therefore it may be harder to sell on.

‘That said, there are a handful of specialist lenders who will consider lending on such buildings, assessing them on a case-by-case basis. A mortgage broker is a good place to start as they will know which lenders are most likely to entertain such properties, and may well end up recommending a lender that the buyer has never even heard of before.’



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