Estate agent's own home up for sale

THE name Edward Mellor is synonymous with selling houses all over south Manchester. Unlike many estate agencies who have adopted a highly corporate image, this is a true independent - owned and run by family members all living in the area they serve.

Edward set up his company in 1984 after 10 years working for his brother Leslie. The first branch was in Gorton and since then the business has grown to 17 branches, including a flagship head office on St Petersgate in Stockport.

Although Edward is now semi-retired, having handed the reins over to his son Colin, he still likes to be involved and, naturally, he has entrusted his company with the sale of the family home in Gatley.

"I'm not a typical estate agent because we've lived in our house for 27 years," says Edward. "We have really loved living here and when we've tried to move in the past, we could never find anything that was better than this house, so we stayed and made many improvements."

The impressive 1930s four-bedroom detached home, on the market for £575,000, is a far cry from the Mellors' humble beginnings. Edward and his June began married life in a terrace in Longsight, with a mortgage of £5 a month.

When it came to moving on after seven years, Edward discovered that the house was blighted by a proposed road-widening scheme, and had to sell it for half it's worth.

The couple and their children, Colin and Karen, moved to a modern three-bed semi in East Didsbury, where they were happily settled for another nine years.

In 1977, Edward and June started to look for a bigger family house in the Gatley area.

"When we came here we fell in love with it," says June. "This house was really unusual because you walked in at street level but the back of the house was elevated and there was a stunning 200ft-long, south-facing garden that dropped away."

"We loved the tree-lined road but the garden really sold it to us," says Edward. "Over the years it has been fantastic for the children and now for our grandchildren."

Not long after moving in, they started work on an extension, adding a large kitchen diner, the full width of the house. They replaced the wooden garage with a 12ft-wide brick version and extended the lounge to the rear, bringing in the wonderful garden views.

After 13 years, the Mellors started to think about another move.

"We really wanted a bigger space for entertaining," says Edward. "I'd always fancied a games room so we looked around to see what was on the market.

"Everything we looked at was a big disappointment and we said to ourselves, `what are we doing?' Our house had all the ingredients to be a better home and all the things we were missing we could put into it."

Their son-in-law suggested creating a lower ground floor, with access on to a new patio running the length of the house, so Edward and June embarked on an exhaustive two-year refurbishment that cost £120,000.

"It was like a rollercoaster that once we got on, we couldn't get off," says Edward. "It ran away with the money, especially when you're consulting with architects and structural engineers.

"The basement had to be dug out and we must've had over 100 skips of earth. To create enough head height in the basement, we had to have the house underpinned with concrete footings all the way round, which effectively lifted it up by about two feet. The house was in chaos. I think that was the closest we came to divorce!"

The new basement floor occupies the full area of the house and incorporates a large games room with snooker table, bar area and gym room, as well as a small kitchen and utility. The patio has been built up and offers a wonderful vantage point from which to view the garden in all its glory.

Edward and June also extended over the kitchen to create another bedroom and leading from the master bedroom, an enormous en suite with a luxurious whirlpool bath.

As they were now on a roll, Edward decided to improve the façade of the house by replacing the exterior brickwork and repositioning the double-glazed windows, made in hardwearing Brazilian mahogany. By using the best quality materials, the couple have given their home real appeal.

"It's amazing that many people think this is a new house," says Edward. "We think we have really improved the look, but it's not until you get inside that you realise the full impact."

The refurbishment has been a labour of love but now they feel it is time to downsize.

After a two-year search, the couple have found a bungalow that suits their lifestyle and are looking to move as soon as possible.

"To be honest, we were traumatised when we made the decision to sell this house," reveals Edward. "We have always resisted selling it, and even our friends are talking about how much they will miss it.

"We really need more time for ourselves, without the worry of the upkeep of such a large house. We both enjoy playing golf and it will be nice to have a property that is easy to manage."

As an estate agent with many years of experience, Edward is very open to offers.

"I am willing to talk about the price and it may be that a buyer would like to move right in. We would also consider selling most of the fittings and furniture with the house if someone was interested.

"It's such a lovely family home that we hope a buyer will love and cherish it as much as we have."

Edward and June Mellor's home is for sale for £575,000 through Edward Mellor, 91 High Street, Cheadle, Stockport Tel: 0161 443 4710

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