Country houses for sale

A quartet of charming cottages in the Cotswolds up for sale, with the intriguing possibility that they could pay for themselves by generating a six-figure income

Q: What is more appealing than a cottage in the Cotswolds?
A: Four cottages in the Cotswolds.

Rose Walk Cottages do not just present the unique and exciting opportunity to buy a thriving lifestyle business, but also offer the chance to own some of the sweetest Cotswold stone cottages we’ve come across, located in the village of Upper Oddington in Gloucestershire.

The quartet of cottages (say that a few times fast) are currently on the market via Knight Frank at a guide price of £1.5 million for all four, and is not the type of sale that we come across very often.

Lifestyle businesses are not rare – a quick online search will no doubt yield hundreds of results from across the country where budding buyers can buy rental accommodation, farms, shops and restaurants.

What makes Rose Walk Cottages so exclusive is their potential earnings and the quality of accommodation on offer.

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The Director of StayCotswold, Tom Burdett says, ‘With its proximity to Stow on the Wold, Daylesford, The Wild Rabbit and The Fox Inn, Oddington is fantastic village in which to invest in a holiday cottage. If these properties were made available to holiday let year-round, with no restrictions, then I would expect them to generate a combined gross rental income of approximately £100,000 per annum.’

Clearly any buyer would need to do their own due diligence to verify that, but it’s an eye-catching number — and one which will put the costs in perspective. An interest-only mortgage at 2% for the full asking price would cost just £30,000 per year; and if you’ve £400,000 in cash or equity, even a repayment mortgage for the remaining £1.1m would cost around £4,638 per month with the 1.95%, 10-year fixed mortgage that’s currently top of the best-buy tables.

Aside from their potential revenue, the cottages are all presented in a wonderful condition. However, you may want to check their energy ratings though. ‘E’ and ‘F’, much like in a school exam, don’t bode well.

Aside from that, there is plenty of natural ‘Cotswold charm’ — exposed ceiling timbers, cute mini Aga’s in the neat kitchens and wood burning stoves in feature fireplaces.

Cottage two is the largest in the terrace (yet still compact at 901 sq ft), and the only property that has a separate dining area from the kitchen plus two bedrooms and bathrooms.

Cottages one, three and four are all one bed, with a shared kitchen/dining room on the ground floor. Cottages three and four also have the added benefit of an additional porch/utility area in the entrance.

Each cottage has its own private terrace with access to a larger lawned area, plus a parking space at each house.

Rose Walk Cottages are currently on the market via Knight Frank at a guide price of £1.5 million — see more pictures, or enquire with the agent for further details. 

Upper Oddington: What you need to know

Location: In the valley of the River Evenlode, east of Stow on the Wold. Upper and Lower Oddington join together to form the civil parish of Oddington. The market town of Stow on the Wold is just two miles away and the nearest train station can be found in Kingham (approximately three miles). Oxford is 28 miles to the south east.

Atmosphere: The village is known as one of the most desirable places to live within the Cotswolds and is surrounded by picturesque countryside, is home to two churches and a local pub that has won several food and drink awards, and maintains a friendly community atmosphere.

Things to do: Meander along the many walking trails near the village to fully appreciate the surrounding Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty or visit the local pubs that the area is known for. Famed Daylesford Farm Shop is just a mile and a half away, and further shopping facilities are located in Stow on the Wold and Chipping Norton.

Schools: Stow on the Wold Primary School, Bledington Primary School and Kingham Primary School are all excellent local primary options. Secondary options include The Cotswold School and Chipping Campden School.

See more property for sale in the area.


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