Tuesday, September 25, 2012

Tuesday Tidbit: J.K. Rowling

SELLER: J.K. Rowling
LOCATION: Merchiston, Edinburgh. (That's Scotland, puppeenuh weenuhs)
PRICE: £2,250,000
SIZE: 6,847 square feet, 8-9 bedrooms, 3 full and 2 half bathrooms

YOUR MAMAS NOTES: As already discussed by almost every other celebrity property gossip on the planet, near billionaire British writer J.K. Rowling "She-Rah of the wildly lucrative Harry Potter books" recently put a Victorian-era residence with 8 bedrooms and 3 full and 2 half bathrooms, situated in the affluent Merchiston area of Edinburgh, on the market with an asking price of £2,250,000, an amount otherwise known, according our currency conversion contraption, as 4,053,280 U.S. dollars at today's rates.

There (probably) aren't any wizards in the basement or magic potions in the cabinets, but marketing materials for the 6,847 square foot former residence indicate there are—among other features—a top-notch security system (that may or may not include magic wands), under-floor heating and at least half a dozen fireplaces for taking the damp edge off Scottish mornings, a cross-shaped entry/stair hall with (truly mortifying) buff-colored wall-to-wall carpeting, a 35-plus foot long family/dining room with two fireplaces offering direct garden access, a modestly-scaled main floor master suite and a concealed door that disguises access to the ground floor service quarters.

In addition to the the fully refurbished and restored main house, the walled, gated and fully landscaped mini-estate encompasses several outbuildings that include (but may not be limited to) a couple of semi-detached storage rooms, a summerhouse, detached two-car garage and a low-slung, just under 700 square foot split-level contemporary structure comfortably equipped with kitchen and bathroom and suitable for use as a home office/writing room, guest and/or in-law accommodations, a meditation retreat and/or—quelle horreur—a man cave.

Miz Rowling will hardly be left homeless when she unloads her already vacated Merchiston manor house. She reportedly owns another estate in Edinburgh, purchased for about two million pounds in 2009, a townhouse in London and a getaway estate in Perthshire. That's also in Scotland, laddies and lassies.

listing photos and floor plan: Rettie

18 comments:

Anonymous said...

Incredibly modest residence for one of the wealthiest ladies in England. I don't think Edinburgh is anywhere near as pricey as most parts of London, though a gorgeous city!!

Anonymous said...

You don't really get much in the UK for your money, house wise. And while many of them have some patina of age, they are hardly for the most part stunning. Quite plain in fact. I am also surprised she couldn't find a better gardner to keep her rear lawn in better (greener) shape.

Aunty Bev said...

Why are the children acting as though an almost 7,000 sq ft mansion is 'modest'? Anyhoo, this is a lovely residence in a lovely corner of the world. I for one love Edinburgh.

Anonymous said...

If I was the Queen of Magic, I would be living in a castle or at least a Downton Abby like manse! This house is kinda blah!

Anonymous said...

No.1 Anonymous - the clue is in the title.JK Rowling lives in Scotland, not England. Both are in the United Kingdom, but are separate countries with their own identities. Edinburgh is the capital of Scotland, and London the capital of England.

Anonymous said...

She hasn't lived in this property. Her main home has always been the country estate in Perthshire & when she's in Edinburgh she stays in a suite at The Balmoral hotel.


"And while many of them have some patina of age, they are hardly for the most part stunning"

Are you actually familiar with British real estate? Most of the nicest homes I've ever been in have been in London. This property has clearly not been refurbished for some time despite what Mama states & if it has it's been done cheaply rather than getting a proper architect/designer in. I'd suggest you check out UK realtor websites before making such generalized, ridiculous statements.

"Incredibly modest residence for one of the wealthiest ladies in England"

She resides in Scotland, not "England". Either get it correct or just say "UK" / "Britain" then you can't go wrong.

Anonymous said...

The lady is almost a billionaire!! I was just surprised that someone in her circle did not let her know that beige rugs and and Ikea cabinetry may not be the way to go even for a part time residence!!! I prefer to make generalized statements not to get anyone knickers in a knot as I clearly did to you!!! btw if you had properly analyzed my statement, I never said that I did not like real estate in the UK!!! sheesh....

Turbo said...

Is that berber carpeting?

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Anonymous said...

Are there really only two hall baths for the seven upstairs bedrooms? It's like a youth hostel.

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