Country houses for sale

13 stunning character properties for sale at under £400,000

A breathtaking Scottish coastal home and several delightful cottages feature in our latest round-up of genuinely affordable country houses with character.

Tywyn, Snowdonia — £375,000

An absolutely glorious four-bedroom farmhouse in just under half an acre of the southern section of Snowdonia, not farm from Dolgellau and within easy reach of the glorious beach at Aberdovey.

Inside, the place hasn’t been touched in some time, but it’s in better condition than you might first think once you look closely — and it’s a blank canvas full of character just waiting for someone to make it a picture-perfect home.

For sale with RG Jones. See more pictures of this property.

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Lower Metherell, Cornwall — £399,950

If a cottage in a picturesque Cornish village is the dream for you, this extremely well-refurbished property in the Tamar Valley looks ideal.

There are three bedrooms, plenty of space both inside (1,500sq ft) and out, and a nearby station offers trains to Plymouth and beyond.

For sale with Stags. See more pictures of this property.


Kent — £425,000

This very pretty Victorian semi-detached home has tiled floors, a log burner and scope to extend.

It’s even commutable to London, with the high-speed link at Ashford International about 20 minutes’ drive. Yes, it’s slightly above our £400k budget, but in these times an offer might well get a positive reception.

For sale with Hobbs Parker. See more pictures of this property.


Tideswell, Derbyshire — £349,950

A charming, stone-built cottage in the very heart of the gorgeous Peak District village of Tideswell, a delightful place full of independent shops and cafes.

The house itself is immaculate inside and bigger than it appears, with three bedrooms, a kitchen-diner and an enormous reception room of roughly 17ft by 22ft.

For sale with Eadon Lockwood & Riddle. See more pictures of this property.


Gainsborough, Lincolnshire — £425,000

Buyers from pricey metropolitan areas will be stunned at what is on offer here: a Georgian beauty with six bedrooms, 3,770sq ft and location in the centre of Gainsborough at the price of a two-bed flat in Croydon.

The rooms are every bit as beautiful as you’d hope to see from the outside, with an abundance of period features.

For sale with Fine & Country. See more pictures of this property.


Dumfries & Galloway — £380,000

Just breathtaking, this is a six-bedroom home with magnificent views across Luce Bay and just under an acre of land.

It’s even full of history: The Barracks was built 200 years ago on this spot specifically for Customs and Excise agents to keep an eye out for smugglers using the sheltered beach that sits at the end of the track.

Inside there’s work to be done, though it’s absolutely liveable in the meantime. A real opportunity.

For sale with Galbraith. See more pictures of this property.


Cornwall — £380,000

This picture-perfect two-bedroom cottage sitting in bucolic gardens which wrap around the property has a true rustic feel.

It has a village location with primary school and pub nearby, while with Penryn and Falmouth to the south and Truro and St Agnes Head to the north, it’s a place from which you can easily explore both sides of the Cornish coast.

For sale with Stags. See more pictures of this property.


Richmond, North Yorkshire — £329,950

A quite astonishing property right in the heart of this historic and beautiful town, this is a two-bedroom home that dates back to 1750.

Once an offshoot of Swale House, it’s been beautifully and tastefully converted and updated and is now a glorious, Grade II-listed character home.

Despite the town centre location (Market Square is just a few steps away) there is a large garden with views down to the river.

For sale with Irvings. See more pictures of this property.


Hitcham, Suffolk — £365,000

Simply called ‘The Cottage’, this three-bedroom thatched home is set in a third of an acre with off-road parking and a detached double garage.

Believed to be early 18th century in origin, the house has kitchen, utility room, sitting room and a garden room, two bedrooms upstairs and one more downstairs which could easily be a study.

There’s plenty of scope to improve and restore more character features (the inglenook fireplace’s original stonework is apparently hidden behind modern brick), subject to permission from the relevant authorities.

For sale with Chapman Stickels. See more pictures of this property.


West-Horrington, Somerset — £385,000

In the village of West Horrington, you’ll find this beautiful period stone cottage with an abundance of charming features such as a woodburning stove in an open fireplace in the sitting room, exposed beams and stone walls galore.

With three bedrooms and two reception rooms, the cottage is compact yet comfortable, with a separate spiral staircase leading from the dining room upstairs to the principal bedroom.

To the rear of the property is an enclosed courtyard garden with enough space for a small table and plenty of flowers.

For sale with Killens. See more pictures of this property.


Weston-Super-Mare, Somerset — £395,000

Exquisite interiors are the name of the game at this charming three-bed terraced cottage in Somerset.

The interiors have been sympathetically renovated by the current owners, with plenty of warm wood panelling, an incredible inglenook fireplace in the sitting room and bespoke, handmade units in the kitchen.

The property is accessed through a wooden gate, which leads to a shingle driveway, at the end of which is a garage. To the rear of the house is a compact terraced garden, packed with plants and flowers, and to the side is a sheltered courtyard area, perfect for potting or sheltered G&Ts.

For sale with Greenslade Taylor Hunt. See more pictures of this property.


Snowdonia — £355,000

A fine stone-built house in Corris, a village near Machynlleth, that has some of the most beautiful mountain views we’ve seen in a long time.

If you can pull yourself away from the beauty on display from the terraced patio areas, the four-bedroom house within is beautifully, tastefully decorated.

For sale with Walter Lloyd Jones & Co . See more pictures and details for this property.


Isle of Skye — £350,000

Located at Kilmuir on the northern end of Skye — not far from the grave of Flora MacDonald — this is one of those houses that offers an amazing amount of home for the money.

Immaculately presented, spectacular views, and four bedrooms — although it’s currently set up as three plus office. And you really can work from Skye here: the agents report that there is ultra-fast 1000mbps broadband available to this address.

For sale with Isle of Skye Estate Agency. See more pictures and details for this property.