Hove’s Priciest Semi? £2.5M Listing Sparks Debate Over ‘Ordinary’ Three-Bedroom Home

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A three-bedroom semi-detached home in Hove, East Sussex, has sparked intense debate after being listed at an eye-watering £2.5 million, more than £2 million above the average asking price for similar properties on the same street, The Daily Mail reports. 

The red-brick property, which the elderly owners purchased in 2010 for £750,000, is now on the market for more than three times its original price. According to estate agent Purple Bricks, the average house price on the road is around £600,000, leaving many potential buyers baffled by the ambitious valuation.

Despite its modest exterior and location on a busy seafront road, the home boasts significant internal space, totalling 250 square metres. It includes four bathrooms, a study, dining and sitting rooms, and an attic games and media room. The property also features a driveway and garage, and sits just 100 yards from the pebble beach.

Online reaction has been swift and sceptical. One user questioned the layout and privacy concerns, commenting, “Those flats overlooking the back would be an instant no for me, even if dirt cheap. Half the house is the master suite. Seems unnecessary.” Another remarked, “£2.5m is insane money for this. Surely it’s not worth even close to that. Even at half, it would be steep, no?”

Locals, however, offered more context behind the surprising figure. Neighbour Barbara Crafts, who lives in a three-bedroom flat nearby, defended the valuation, saying: “They are a lovely couple, but they’re getting on. Although the house only has three bedrooms, it is deceptively large, and the bedrooms are huge and have walk-in dressing rooms.”

She added, “Although it looks quite ordinary from the front, it is a lovely house and very spacious, and they’ve spent some money doing it up. I’ve lived here for around eight years, and my children who live up north are always telling me to sell. They tell me I could buy a fantastic property near them for just a fraction.”

Rachel Dent, a mother-of-two living on the same street, echoed this: “That is an awful lot of money, but that house is like a Tardis, it is absolutely massive on the inside. There is 250sqm of living space, which is huge. It might not have the wow factor on the outside, but the inside is a different story.”

Critics online highlight drawbacks, including the busy road, limited privacy due to nearby high-rise flats, and a lack of scenic views. One user noted: “Far too much. Front of property faces west, back faces east. Front faces a row of guest houses and a God awful 60s five-storey guest house. Back faces an 11-storey block of flats. So, no privacy and no sunlight in the morning or evening.”

The listing is reminiscent of another case last year when a Russian businessman tried to sell a renovated ex-council house in London for £3.5 million. Despite a £1.4 million refurbishment including a cinema and basement expansion, the property failed to sell, and the owner eventually moved in himself.

Whether this latest Hove listing finds a willing buyer remains to be seen, but it’s a stark reminder that in Britain’s volatile housing market, location and space can only justify so much when the figures seem to defy logic.