Wickham Place, Basildon, SS16

Some homes are deceptively spacious. This one is deceptively quirky — and spacious. If you like your homes with a bit of character, plenty of space and enough stairs to justify skipping Legs, Bums and Tums class, this could be the one. Tucked away on the private Woodlands Estate, opposite Kingswood Golf Course, this unusual split-level townhouse offers a peaceful, leafy setting while remaining brilliantly connected by road, rail and foot. Inside, there are four bedrooms, a shower room with potential to become an en-suite or even form part of a separate annexe, a bright kitchen/family/dining room, spacious drawing room, family bathroom and a rather lovely double-height landing. French doors open onto a private balcony with far-reaching views — perfect for sunset watching, wine drinking or pretending you’re in an episode of Grand Designs. Outside, there’s off-street parking for one car (two if you enjoy a logistical challenge), plus plenty of permit-free residents’ parking. The location is a real winner. Kingswood shops are a stroll away, Basildon town centre is around ten minutes on foot, and the Woodlands Club and Club Kingswood are both nearby for those who enjoy their leisure facilities without actually having to leave the neighbourhood. With schools, shops, transport links and the A13, A127 and A130 all close by, it’s a seriously well-connected home in a wonderfully tucked-away setting. And here’s the exciting bit: this is a fantastic blank canvas. There’s plenty of scope to modernise, reconfigure and put your own stamp on it without needing to spend your children’s inheritance. In short: quirky, spacious, full of potential and unlikely to require Kevin McCloud turning up in muddy wellies, declaring your budget “ambitious” before helping himself to your emergency supply of Chocolate Hobnobs. Room Sizes Kitchen/Diner — 17'9" x 15'5" Drawing Room — 13'11" x 15'5" Bedroom One — 10'8" x 15'5" Bedroom Two — 12'1" x 8'10" Bedroom Three — 8'8" x 6'3" Bedroom Four — 18'1" x 8'0"