A VERY Scottish nine-bed mansion is going under the hammer with a £695k guide price

A nine-bedroom country pile near Glasgow is going under the hammer with a guide price of £695,000 later this month. 

The arts and crafts style mansion was built in 1888 and is located in the village of Howwood, ten miles from Glasgow Airport. 

According to Auction House, the firm selling the property, the house is ‘keenly priced’. The guide price represents a reduction of about 25 per cent compared to its market value. 

Kinnell House sits in three acres of mature garden grounds, which include a walled garden and wildlife pond with fishing rights. 

The current owner is proud of their Scottish roots, and many of the rooms have tartan carpets. 

Its traditional style, the auction house says, was part of an architectural reaction against the industrialisation of the 1800s. 

On the ground floor, there is, among other rooms, a large reception hall with an arch, a dining area with a fireplace, a traditionally designed study, a formal lounge room and a billiards room.    

A timber staircase leads to the upper floor, which comprises a shower room and seven bedrooms.

On the second floor, there are two bedrooms, a shower room and three storage rooms. 

When the roof was replaced, three bedrooms on the second floor had the dormer windows removed and these are now used for storage. 

Internally, the property has retained many period features throughout, including wood panelling, ornate cornicing and marble fireplaces. There is a balcony at the front overlooking the garden with views to Glasgow. 

There is also a tree-lined driveway, triple garage, summer house, boiler house, and other outhouses including a workshop and store. 

Auction House Scotland auctioneer John Loudon, said: ‘This is a truly rare opportunity to acquire a magnificent arts and crafts mansion of this scale and character, set within three acres of private grounds just minutes from Glasgow Airport. 

‘With a guide price almost 25 per cent below the home report valuation, Kinnell House represents exceptional value for a landmark home of such history, grandeur and potential.’

While large country mansions are places most of us can only dream about living in, there are downsides to living in such a large home.

The running costs for large country houses can be colossal. Factoring in energy bills and ongoing maintenance or repairs is essential. 

Properties sold via auction can, in some cases, be substantially cheaper than on the open market.

However, properties sold in this way often – though not always – come with added complexities for the buyer.

It is therefore important to do as much research as possible before buying any property at auction.

Where possible, always visit the property in person before the auction.

Do not underestimate how much renovation work or reconfigurations could cost if you are taking on a project property.

Read legal documents for the property carefully and, when possible, get advice from a solicitor before heading to the auction.

Sometimes, the legal pack includes ‘special conditions’ that mean you might also be liable to pay an additional three per cent fee to a sales agent.

Before submitting any bids, always check what sort of price similar properties in the area have sold for. This will, of course, be harder if it is a more unusual property that you are after.

If you do bid, do not get carried away and bid more than you can afford.

Most properties bought via auction have a 28-day competition date and home loans for auction properties can be harder to get.