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A luxury houseboat once branded as "one of the best homes" is still up for sale after years of trying. The owners have decided to slash £175,000 off the price tag in a last-ditch effort.
Despite their home getting attention on TV with a feature on George Clarke's Amazing Spaces , Rohan Tully and his ex-wife Christina have been very unlucky in trying to secure a sale. The couple initially tried to flog the home via a raffle through Omaze after seeing other people going down a similar route - but this didn't work out.
The couple then found a private buyer - but the sale fell through when they moved abroad. Now, Rohan has decided to cut down the price.
The converted 1960s houseboat, which is spread across two levels and measures 150 square metres, is moored in Penton Hook Marina in Chertsey, Surrey. It was initially on the market for £750,000 but is now being sold for £525,000.
With the renovation completed in 2020, the vessel features a spacious living room and a large kitchen dining area that leads out via large French doors to an outdoor terrace. The master bedroom is en-suite, with a bath and twin basin vanity unit.
Another bathroom and two other single bedrooms can also be found onboard. In 2020, George Clarke's Amazing Spaces documented how the couple, from London, gave up their rental property in Paddington to renovate the boat.
The old cargo barge came all the way from Belgium, where Rohan purchased it. He claimed he got quite a good deal for the vessel, and paid less than £100,000, as per the Daily Mail.
George Clarke, who presents the show, called the houseboat "one of the best homes" he'd ever seen. Rohan, who works in property, is now looking ahead to his next venture.
The dad-of-one told Luxury Property News: "I'm already onto my next project abroad so I would like to see the houseboat go to someone who will enjoy it as much as we did. It was a wonderful family home that we enjoyed creating.
"We paid a lot of due care and attention to the boat's conversion and its finish. Everyone who has seen it has loved it, and we have some great memories of the project and living there."
The issues with selling may not rest with the stunning attention to detail throughout the massive renovation, but more with the type of property it is. According to Zoopla, lots of people who buy houseboats do so with cash rather than a mortgage becuase "most mortgage providers won't lend on floating homes."
The experts add: "This is because houseboats can't be registered with the Land Registry. Plus, you could sail off into the sunset with it before the loan is repaid. Specialist 'marine mortgages' are available. But they need at least a 25% deposit and come with higher interest rates and a shorter repayment term."