Keep up to date with the latest Stags news
A property has just come on the market that earns £70,000 a year as a holiday let. And no, we are not talking about a castle or a palace. This is a two-bedroomed fisherman’s cottage in West Cornwall.
“I have to admit, when we were told by our letting agency how much to ask for a week’s stay here, my jaw dropped,” says the current owner, Gloria Sheppard.
“But then this is a really special place, in a magical location. We love it here – and so do our guests.”
Higher Saltponds stands right on the waterfront in the charming fishing village of Mousehole, with views directly over Mount’s Bay to the iconic view of St Michael’s Mount.
It is now beautifully decorated – after much hard work by Gloria. “I slept on the floor so many times – it took 16 months in all and we redid everything from the floors up,” she remembers.
Today, with its stunning décor and tasteful furnishings, the cottage has garnered a huge amount of media attention nationally. “It’s been chosen by Conde Nast Traveller as their ‘Digs of the Week’ and also featured as one of The Sunday Times’ ‘50 coolest cottages’,” Gloria explains.
“A stay in the cottage was also chosen as a prize for subscribers to The Times, which meant our little cottage had a whole page advert with photographs in the newspaper nationally. It has also featured in Ideal Home magazine and John Lewis Edition magazine.”
When you visit this little gem of a property, such media coverage makes perfect sense. From the thoughtful lighting to the bespoke kitchen cabinets, attention to detail is everywhere. “When we bought the cottage, it had been the home of an elderly couple for more than 30 years. I really wanted to freshen it up and bring out its character, and make it as beautiful as its setting,” remembers Gloria. “Transforming it was a real labour of love. I spent hours sourcing everything from the sofas to the light shades, not to mention trying out paint colours and totally redesigning the garden,” she remembers.
The rewards have been considerable, though, and all that time and effort has definitely paid off for Gloria and her husband Jon. “We signed up with an agency called Unique Home Stays which specialises in top-end, beautifully presented properties. Last year, the cottage has earned £70,000 as a holiday let,” Gloria explains. “This was beyond our expectations financially but it turns out people absolutely love it here. As well as the cottage being so pretty, it is in such a charming location. Mousehole has a lovely safe little beach, lovely shops and places to eat. And the views out to sea are just stunning.”
For this reason, it is not without a wrench that Gloria and her husband Jon are parting with the cottage, which has just gone on the market with Stags for offers over £750,000. “But it’s the right time for us to let it go,” she explains. “Our children are older and we have elderly parents to care for, so we don’t make it to Mousehole as much as we used to do.
“I’ve loved the whole experience of transforming the cottage though and to be honest, I’ve got the bug. I’ve learned so much about how to renovate a character property. I’ll soon be looking for another property to transform.”
And when Gloria works her magic on her next property, no doubt it too will become something rather special.
Higher Saltponds is on the market with Stags Truro for offers in excess of £750,000. Contact the office today to find out more or get in touch with Unique Home Stays to find out how to book a holiday here.
