An old cottage sandwiched between two apartment buildings just got its fairy tale ending. Sold for a whopping $1.4 million at an auction, the new owner of the house aims to turn the humble house into an artists’ centre. Its previous owners were Mr. And Mrs. Richards. Several people proposed to buy their house for many years. It was only shortly after Mr. Richards died that his wife conceded to selling the house because she had a hard time moving around.
Mrs. Richards was emotional when the cottage was sold to an anonymous buyer. Before her husband passed away, she lived in the tiny residence for 60 years (her husband almost 100). Even more astonishing is the fact that quaint house was built around 1927. It goes without saying that the humble home has some sentimental value to Mrs. Richards.
Although the house is smack in the middle of two apartment buildings (there’s even a shopping centre nearby), Mrs. Richards never left like she was caged in. On the contrary, she admitted that she felt safe and secure. She also said in a statement that if not for her age then she still would have stayed in the house. However, she was at peace with the outcome. She was even quite surprised at the cottage’s final price.
According to a report from domain.com.au, the new owner plans to keep the cottage’s structural design and will turn it into an Artists Hub, with a capacity for 68 artists to use it each year. Each artist has the opportunity to live in the cottage for at least three weeks. This kind of residency program was conceived by the new owner in order to help boost the art industry in West End. He also thought the cottage was worth preserving since it one of the few remnants of the community’s history. The previous owner, Mrs. Richards, is happy to know that her former home would remain intact despite rapid gentrification with the rest of the community.
