What I Own: I nearly passed on my £635,000 Surrey three-bed — then I remembered my golden rule

This weekend, we’re visiting Emma Potter near Hampton Court (Picture: Justin Griffiths-Williams) Welcome back to What I Own – Metro’s property series where we speak to homeowners about getting on the ladder. When Emma Potter first saw her house online, it was an instant no. The three-bed was in Molesey, a Surrey neighbourhood near to Hampton Court that she’d been planning to move to for years — but it needed so much work, she shied away from even looking. But then, she reminded herself of the one house hunting rule she’d set for herself: don’t discount something until you’ve viewed it. When she arrived, she was sold by its potential, and after buying it for £635,000, ended up spending a further £60,000 to do it up. Ask Metro Use AI to go deeper into the stories you care about – powered by Metro and trusted publications. Here’s what Emma said about her property journey… Ready to start your homebuying journey? You can access completely fee-free mortgage advice with London & Country (L&C) Mortgages, a partner of Metro. Customers benefit from: – Award winning service from the UK’s leading mortgage broker – Expert advisors on hand 7 days a week – Access to 1000s of mortgage deals from across the market Unlike many mortgage brokers, L&C won’t charge you a fee for their advice. Find out how much you could borrow online Mortgage service provided by London & Country Mortgages (L&C), which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (registered number: 143002). The FCA does not regulate most Buy to Let mortgages. Your home or property may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage. Tell us about yourself! I’ve been in marketing, brand and communications for 25 years. I’m also an artist. I’m particularly interested in the neuroscience of how our brains work, and how that overlaps with being creative. I try to help people connect with their creativity, and to just be curious. Other than that, I’m a keen cyclist, and I love being outdoors. Emma has lived here for three years now (Picture: Justin Griffiths-Williams) Whereabouts do you live and what do you think of the area? I live in Molesey near Hampton Court, so I’m right by the river. I’ve lived here for three years now. I moved from Raines Park, near to Wimbledon, where I’d been for 25 years. I wanted a bigger house, a bigger garden, and the ability to connect with nature more. I also wanted to be near water and have a stronger sense of community. There’s a real village vibe in Molesey, particularly along Bridge Street. There’s Marda Deli and Dish, my two favourite cafes, and loads of antique shops. I love anything that’s unusual, and has a history. Emma moved in almost three years ago to the day (Picture: Justin Griffiths-Williams) When did you move in? August 17, 2023. How much did you pay for your property? £635,000. It’s a three-bedroom house with a living room, a dining room, a kitchen, two bathrooms, a lovely 70-foot garden, and parking at the front. I used the equity from my previous flat to fund the deposit on this one. What’s the monthly cost of living here now, including mortgage and bills? About £1,700. 70% is the mortgage, and the rest is bills. Did you have any challenges porting the mortgage over? It was quite a tricky time when the mortgage rates were going up. I was very lucky to lock in a pretty good rate. But even when you do port your mortgage, you still have a six-month window. Mine went to the wire, perhaps 24 or 48 hours before it expired. I actually spoke to my solicitor and pulled out. I was supposed to move in April, but I didn’t move until August. These angel wings are one of her favourite pieces (Picture: Justin Griffiths-Williams) It was very stressful. I was buying a probate property, so there were things that needed to be sorted on their side, and the people that were buying further down the chain were wanting to find some additional details around some building work, so that was coming into play. What’s your mortgage rate and term? 2.24%. I locked it in for five years. What made you choose this property? I found it online, and I discounted it straight away because it needed so much work. My friend who lives on the same road sent me the link, and so did my parents. I’d been looking to move for four years, and this was the sixth house I’d seen on this road. It had so much potential, but it hadn’t been touched for the best part of 40 or 50 years. It still had the original lighting from the 1930s.The wallpaper was probably 50 years old, and there was carpet on top of lino, on top of newspaper, and the newspaper was from the 1950s. It was ready for some new life. The kitchen isn’t to her taste, but it’s functional (Picture: Justin Griffiths-Williams) The day I got the keys, there were five or six of us armed with masks and Stanley knives, and within the first hour, all the carpet everywhere came out before even a box came in. It was a very messy 18 months. What else did you do to the property? I did a complete rewire, moved the plumbing, took out all the old radiators, and took out a redundant gas fireplace in the lounge. I took out the downstairs bathroom, and converted one upstairs bedroom into a bathroom. I took out the windows, supported the chimney breast in the loft, put in a new roof at the back because it was leaking. The only thing that hasn’t been done is the kitchen. It’s not to my taste, but it’s totally functional. How much did you spend on the renovation? £60,000, but the new windows are included within that figure. I had an estate agent round to valuate it, and he said it would probably go on the market for £720,000, or £730,000, but that was more than a year ago. What inspires your interior design style? Every single room is three colours, which might sound like a bit of a car crash, but it works. I want my home to feel welcoming and cosy, a place to revitalise for me and those who come to visit. Friends tell me it shouldn’t work, but it does. I’ve designed my house for me, not for anybody else. I have photographs of me cycling in my early 20s, and then I’ve got things like my curtains, which I found in a charity shop. They were £20, and they’re the perfect drop. She’d love to build a studio in her garden one day (Picture: Justin Griffiths-Williams) In my garden, I’ve got three or four Belfast sinks, and a gazunda, which is an old-style bed potty. I’ve stuck a plant in it. I found it at a car boot sale. Do you have a favourite room? In the summer, it’s my garden. I love being outside. My dining room is like my studio, and in the winter, it’s the lounge, because it gives you a hug. There are no houses behind me, which is quite unique. I’m a 15-minute walk from the river, and my neighbours are lovely. Do you feel like you have enough space? When I first moved in, I felt a bit greedy, because I have this whole house to myself. I wouldn’t need more space. In time, I’d like to have my own art studio in the garden. But I think I’m extremely lucky, and I’m very grateful. What are your plans for the future, housing-wise? I don’t know. I love where I am, but I don’t see this as my forever home. I want to travel more at some point, but I’m staying here for now, and I don’t have any ideas to move. I look at it as a beautiful home for me. Deals of the Day Parents can save up to 30% on Kickers school shoes ahead of the new term The back-to-school hack that's helping parents avoid queues and sold-out sizes Could your hair be wavy rather than straight? This brand thinks so Could your star sign improve your skincare routine? This new beauty launch thinks so Best skincare for menopausal skin? This dermatologist-created treatment is tailored to you As the owner, you’re the guardian of the property for the time you’re there. I don’t belong to it, or it doesn’t belong to me in that sense. Shall we take a look around? Emma has always been a creative person (Picture: Justin Griffiths-Williams) …and enjoys having a few different spaces to work (Picture: Justin Griffiths-Williams) It costs her around £1,700, including mortgage and bills (Picture: Justin Griffiths-Williams) Emma almost pulled out of this house purchase entirely (Picture: Justin Griffiths-Williams) …because it kept getting delayed (Picture: Justin Griffiths-Williams) Emma previously lived in Raines Park (Picture: Justin Griffiths-Williams) But she wanted a bigger house and a bigger garden (Picture: Justin Griffiths-Williams) We’re enjoying these sunflowers (Picture: Justin Griffiths-Williams) Emma loves pieces with a history behind them (Picture: Justin Griffiths-Williams) Can we steal this fridge? (Picture: Justin Griffiths-Williams) She used the equity from her old home for the deposit (Picture: Justin Griffiths-Williams) The mortgage and bills cost her around £1,700 per month (Picture: Justin Griffiths-Williams) She managed to lock in a decent mortgage rate (Picture: Justin Griffiths-Williams) …at 24% for five years (Picture: Justin Griffiths-Williams) She viewed six other houses on the same road (Picture: Justin Griffiths-Williams) …but was initially wary of visiting this one (Picture: Justin Griffiths-Williams) It still had many of the original features (Picture: Justin Griffiths-Williams) The previous wallpaper was about 50 years old (Picture: Justin Griffiths-Williams) There was ‘carpet on top of lino, on top of newspaper’ (Picture: Justin Griffiths-Williams) …and that newspaper was from the 1950s (Picture: Justin Griffiths-Williams) ‘It was ready for some new life,’ Emma says of her home (Picture: Justin Griffiths-Williams) They pulled up all the carpets before a single box came in (Picture: Justin Griffiths-Williams) The renovation took around 18 months (Picture: Justin Griffiths-Williams) An estate agent valued it at around £720,000 (Picture: Justin Griffiths-Williams) Every room has at least three colours (Picture: Justin Griffiths-Williams) …including this one (Picture: Justin Griffiths-Williams) Why hello there (Picture: Justin Griffiths-Williams) Emma doesn’t see this as her forever home (Picture: Justin Griffiths-Williams) …but she’d like to be settled here for a while (Picture: Justin Griffiths-Williams) ‘You’re the guardian of the property for the time you’re there’ (Picture: Justin Griffiths-Williams) Do you have a story you’d like to share? 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