Think you know about property? Here’s some homeowner QI from the team at Armishaws Removals.
1 Mail order houses
You think Amazon is good? Well, the famous US mail order catalogues produced by Sears & Roebuck didn’t just deliver to your house, they delivered your house! Between 1908-40 it sold and dispatched about 70,000 self-assembly house kits to people looking to build their own property – take that Grand Designs!
2 Brassed off
The ions in brass and copper door handles have anti-bacterial properties that can kill germs, so it might be worth reinstalling those period doors.
3 Tree-mendous
A study conducted by Lancaster University found mature trees in gardens by busy roads can reduce air pollution by up to 50% and deaden road noise by 6-10 decibels. And that’s not all, trees have also been shown to reduce stress, increase positivity and help speed recovery from illness.
4 Right Royal residence
Buckingham Palace wasn’t originally a royal residence. Built by the Duke of Buckingham in 1703, King George III bought it as a town house for his family in 1793, but it was his son George IV who made it his official residence. When George’s brother took the throne, he wasn’t so keen and offered it to Parliament – Westminster had recently burned down – but it politely declined. Queen Victoria, however, loved it and subsequent monarchs have made it their official London gaff ever since.
5 Great outdoors
If you prefer something more rural, the world’s largest tree house was built in Crossville, Tennessee, in 1993. The house had 10 floors, covered 3,000 square metres and was supported by six oak trees. Horace Burgess spent 14 years building his dream home that even included an indoor basketball court! But in 2012 local fire marshals closed it down as the wooden structure posed a fire hazard.
6 Mouse house
Located in Conwy, Wales, Britain’s smallest house is just 182cm wide (5ft 9in), 304cm deep and 312cm (10ft 2in) high. Built in the 16th century the two-storey house’s last occupant was 6ft 3in fisherman Robert Jones. The house is still standing and is now a tourist attraction.
7 Plant
Plants like bromeliads can remove over 80% of impurities from the air. House plants can also help reduce humidity.
8 Paint it black
US property website Zillow found that houses with black doors sell for more money.
9 Not yellow
Similar UK studies have found houses with yellow doors sell for the least amount. In Scotland it was traditional to paint your front door red to celebrate making the final payment on your mortgage.
For more house facts and moving tips, head to Armishaws.com