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STANHOPE ROAD, DARLINGTON - 6 bedroom town house with rear garden

An immaculately presented property which has been upgraded by the current owners to an extremely high standard. This large family home has accommodation over four floors with additional storage space within the cellar. Benefiting from a range of original features along with modern improvements this home will certainly not fail to impress. The internal accommodation briefly comprises entrance vestibule leading through into the entrance hallway with access into the large living room, dining room and open plan kitchen/breakfast room to the rear. Also having a ground floor WC and access to the basement storage area. To the first floor there are four bedrooms and an immaculately finished family bathroom. On the second floor there are two further double bedrooms and a shower room. Externally the property benefits from a private west facing walled garden and patio area with access to the detached brick built workshop (previously the garage). 

For full details CLICK HERE

Entrance hall with beautiful original mosaic tiled floor with part ornate glazed panelled door leading through into the entrance hallway with solid oak flooring, access into the ground floor accommodation and stairs leading to the first floor.

An impressive, large living room with exposed timber floorboards, a fantastic bay window to the front with high quality double glazed sliding sash windows and custom built window seat and an impressive cast iron open fireplace with decorative timber surround.

The dining room is a further spacious reception room with a stunning fireplace with timber surround and large single glazed window to the front elevation.

The inner hallway gives access to the kitchen and wc. and a stairwell leading to the basement (a useful space currently used as a coal bunker and storage area). The wc has ceramic tiled floor and part ceramic tiled walls, low level WC, ceramic wash hand basin and chrome heated towel rail. Obscure double glazed sliding sash window to the side elevation.

An extensive open plan kitchen with dining area having large double glazed sliding sash window to the side elevation overlooking the patio area and high quality engineered wood flooring. Fitted with a range of high quality floor and wall mounted units with granite work surfaces. A large Rangemaster oven with 6-ring gas hob and double oven with grill and proving drawer with overhead extractor unit and glazed splashback, double ceramic Belfast sink and space and plumbing for dishwasher and washing machine. The kitchen benefits from a large amount of natural light via the two double glazed windows to the side elevation and large double glazed window to the rear overlooking the lawned garden. Within the wall mounted units there is a concealed gas fired central heating boiler.

Having a half landing area with double glazed sliding sash window to the side elevation and access to the accommodation within the rear offshoot. Also having further steps up to a further three bedrooms and useful understairs storage cupboard.

Bedroom one is a double bedroom with sliding sash double glazed window to the front elevation, chimney breast with original fireplace, two built-in wardrobes and engineered wood flooring. Bedroom two is a further large double bedroom currently used as a playroom with original fireplace and fitted wardrobes. A further room currently used as an office, could also be a good sized single bedroom with window to the front elevation. Bedroom three is a beautifully presented double bedroom with original fireplace and double glazed window to the rear elevation overlooking the garden.

A stunning bathroom finished with a high quality bathroom suite comprising a ceramic wash hand basin, high level WC, slipper bath and large shower cubicle with overhead thermostatic shower. Also two double glazed windows to the side elevation.

On the second landing a skylight allows natural light and useful built-in storage space within the eaves. On this floor are two further bedrooms - a double bedroom with Velux roof window and original feature fireplace and a further double bedroom with original fireplace and dormer style window with double glazed sliding sash units.

To the front there is gated access to a footpath with steps leading to the front door and a low maintenance front forecourt garden. To the rear a beautiful enclosed patio area with timber steps leading to the walled garden area and access into the workshop. Useful covered bin store area with brick outbuildings. A fantastic, versatile space currently used as a workshop, previously used as a garage, with power, lighting and full width built-in storage units. Personnel door to the side elevation and window to the front. (Please note this workshop could be reinstated into a garage, subject to building works).

In 1991 Nick Carver started his own business as an estate agent with his brother Gordon Carver joining him 5 years later. 25 years on The Carver Group now employs over 40 members of staff across 5 residential branches, incorporating the commercial arm of the business and Mortgage Advice Bureau.

To celebrate Nick & Gordon held it's annual conference and awards ceremony for all their employees at Mowden Park RFC.

The evening started with a history of how The Carver Group began, how it has grown over the last 25 years, and future plans for the coming years. An awards ceremony recognised individuals who had played an important role in the company over the last 12 months, including a number of staff who had achieved qualifications in their specific area in the business.

Following the presentation, a hot buffet was served and guests were entertained by local magician Paul Lytton.

An article from onthemarket.com provides useful tips on preparing for an open day when selling your property
Click here to read Tips to prepare for an open house.

At Carver Residential we always say that presentation is key when selling a property - even if your property needs updating, presenting it well can show off it's features and enhance the positives.  A fresh coat of paint will also help give the property a clean and fresh feel - which also helps put a positive spin on the marketing.

Gill Wilkinson from GMW Interiors says on her blog

"When selling your home there are 3 really important ‘P’s’ you need to think about:

Price, Presentation and Promotion

The majority of house buyers now shop online and if they don’t like what they see they’re not going to pick up the phone and book that viewing. Making sure your property looks its best is key and while few of us live in a show home on a daily basis, the injection of a little show home style will make it more attractive. Most house moves are aspirational and you need to remember that as well as the bricks and mortar you are selling, you are also selling a lifestyle.

So, ‘how exactly do you do this?’ I hear you ask. Well, first of all deal with clutter. Thinning our possessions will not only make your home look more spacious but also will put you in the mind-set for moving.

Secondly, deal with any maintenance issues such as dripping taps, cracks in plaster and broken tiles. Be proactive and consider any problems that may show up on a survey - have the boiler serviced and sort any issues with electrics.

Finally, make sure your home sparkles particularly the kitchen, bathrooms, and windows. We see other people’s dirt far more easily than our own and, yes, it is more off-putting.

Once you’ve done all this make sure your Estate Agent uses a professional photographer for those important shots or at the very least a good camera.
Price

When it comes to deciding on the asking price the key is to be REALISTIC and don’t be seduced by an over ambitious valuation. Today’s buyers are savvy and will know more or less what your property is worth and what they would be prepared to pay.
Promotion

This is ultimately down to your choice of Estate Agent, however, there are questions you can ask to ensure your property is given maximum exposure. Make sure they advertise on the major property portals; find out whether they advertise in the local press and if they use social media platforms for selling properties. The more avenues of advertising they use, the greater the visibility of your property to potential buyers."

Source: - GMW Interiors

It's easy to let the grease and grime build up on your oven but there are ways of getting rid of the grime and keeping it clean.

The below article gives some good information on cleaning your oven. I also recommend using Lakeland Oven Cleaner. In previous cleaning attempts I have failed to get the burnt on residue from my oven and was convinced I had ruined my oven glass door by using cream cleaner on it (a definite no apparently!) - however I used the Lakeland Oven Cleaner and I can now see through the glass! It has also removed most of the residue from inside, although will need another clean. I was very impressed with it - and now hope to keep on top of it so it stays clean.  There are also other cleaners available which use less chemicals.

"If you have taken a close look at the inside of your oven recently and don't like the grime you see, help is at hand with this how to clean your oven guide.

Prevention is better than cure. Avoid spills in the first place by not overfilling dishes and place aluminium foil under shelves to catch drips. Wipe off splashes as soon as possible.

From minor spills to heavy duty grim…

Bicarbonate of soda is a natural way to remove stuck on spills. Spray water over the oven surface then sprinkle on a 5mm layer of bicarbonate of soda and spritz again if necessary, so that you have a layer of bicarb paste over the oven's surface. Leave for several hours or overnight, then scrub off the paste with a non-scratch scourer and soapy water.
A tougher fix is Oven Pride, which has a unique bag and glove system. It's a good option when there's a significant build-up of grease and burnt-on food residue. Oven shelves go into a large bag with half the cleaner added to coat them. They are left overnight for the cleaner to do its work. The remainder of the product is applied to the surface of the oven cavity.
For an oven that hasn't been tackled for quite a while and that has welded on grime, a professional oven cleaning service may be the best option. When you factor in the time and effort it would take you to get a sparkling result, this service can represent good value. A company such as Ovenclean use caustic-free products to restore your oven to a pristine condition.

Source House Beautiful "

James Carver is soon to be one of around 10,000 participants taking the plunge in what is Europe's biggest open water swimming event. The Great North Swim is held in England's biggest lake, Lake Windermere and is taking place over the weekend of the 12th of June.

James says ' I have taken up the challenge of swimming in the 5km race, which is approx 3.2miles or the equivalent to 200 lengths of a 25m pool. Believe me this is not an easy task and I have been taking training very seriously.

I am raising money for a fantastic local charity which I have the responsibility of being a Trustee for. Herriot Hospice operates across the Hambleton, Richmondshire and North Yorkshire regions and provides care for patients in their own homes. All of their charitable services are free of charge to patients, which means fundraising forms a huge part of the charities existence. If you could spare a few &&s for this worthy cause I would be very grateful. It may encourage me to swim a bit faster on a Sunday morning in water expected to be less then 15°c! '

Please click here to go to the Just Giving page - any donations will be greatly appreciated

This lovely cottage has been renovated in keeping with the age and style of the building
Click here to read House Beautiful renovation - cosy cottage.