Buy one, get one free

Enjoying spectacular wildlife from the comfort of your own lounge would be enough to tempt many a buyer to this lovely Highland home, but it also comes with an even bigger bonus, writes Susan Welsh – a second home that’s completely free of charge

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The main house, above and below

WANDER along any supermarket aisle and you’ll see tempting goodies marked with a “buy one, get one free”, sticker.

This super country house may not have a sticker, but it does come with a similar, and equally tasty, offer that’s hard to resist.

For families on the lookout for a home within easy commuting distance of both Inverness and Nairn which combines peace and tranquillity with good-sized rooms, Feabuie House is perfect.

And the four-bedroom house adjacent to Loch Flemington, a super nature reserve at Gollanfield, near Inverness, comes with a free, bonus, self-contained one-bedroom bungalow which would make an ideal granny flat, a first home for a teenager or holiday accommodation which could be let.

Since the current owner moved in five years ago, he has spent both time and money upgrading the property, installing a new kitchen and bathroom, plus creating a luxury en-suite shower-room for the master bedroom in the main house.

What was once a very large detached garage has been transformed into a ready-to-move-into one-bedroom bungalow.

Both properties enjoy lovely open views towards Loch Flemington, which was once a brown-trout fishery, but – after being designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest for its importance to wildfowl – is now a nature reserve with international status.

The loch attracts a wonderful array of birds, including mute swans, swallows, sand martins and the Slavonian grebe, as well as four-legged creatures ranging in size from rabbits to roe deer, all of which can be viewed from the comfort of the main house and the bungalow.

For those wanting to get out and explore the great outdoors, it’s an ideal spot, as Feabuie House sits next to a quiet country road which is ideal for a leisurely walk or a cycle run.

For families with very young children, the gardens – with well maintained borders, neatly tended lawns and an orchard area with fruit trees – are a great place to run about and burn off excess energy.

Inside, the accommodation in the main house begins with an entrance vestibule, which leads to a hall giving access to three of the bedrooms, the lounge, bathroom, kitchen and stairway.

The living room is a lovely bright room with large dual-aspect windows which make the most of the views. A nice focal point of the room is a tiled fireplace and hearth which allows you to enjoy a roaring coal fire on cold winter nights.

A glass door leads from the lounge to the dining-room, from where there is direct access to the newly installed fitted kitchen.

Furnished with a nice selection of base and wall units, including two glass-fronted display cabinets, it comes with a built-in electric oven, ceramic hob and extractor unit. It is plumbed for a washing machine and there is space for a fridge and a freezer.

Two good-sized doubles, a single bedroom, a storeroom and a recently refitted bathroom with bath, wash-hand basin, WC and quadrant shower complete the ground-floor accommodation.

Moving upstairs, the upper landing has a gable window and coombed ceiling and is large enough to offer a number of uses, such as a study, library or music area.

The spacious master bedroom has large Velux windows in a combed ceiling. It has a smart new en-suite shower-room boasting a double shower cabinet, WC, wash-hand basin, tiling and recessed spotlights.

Accommodation in the bungalow includes entrance hallway; living room with patio doors to the garden, and a well appointed kitchen with wall and base units, ceramic hob, electric oven and extractor fan, integrated washing machine, fridge and freezer.

The L-shaped bedroom has a double mirrored-door wardrobe, while the bathroom has a bath with overbath shower, WC and wash-hand basin.

Loch Flemington, Gollanfield, is about six miles from Nairn and 12 miles from Inverness. Local shops can be found in the nearby villages of Croy and Ardersier. Primary schooling is available at Croy and secondary schooling at Culloden or Nairn Academy.

Selling agent ReMax Properties is seeking offers over £310,000 for both properties. For further information, call Alan Grant on 079222 78705 or 01463 238844.