Moneyed buyers once satisfied by a tennis court are now more likely to enquire after a heli-pad, panic room or underground garage for their fleet of supercars, according to the specialist agents tasked with playing property matchmaker.
Perhaps more fascinating than the finer details of high-spec mansions are the homes which look otherwise ordinary – the Thirties semi with a huge swimming pool in the back garden, or the (admittedly smart) Victorian townhouse with a state-of-the-art recording studio.
We’ve found 10 London homes for sale with built-in hidden features, from cinema rooms and saunas to mirrored dance studios.
Chingford, E4
£550,000
As well as reservoir rooms from the first floor, this three-bedroom Thirties family home has a large basement games room and adjacent sauna. There’s also a utility and shower room on this unusual lower level, plus perks like solar panels.
William Rose, 020 3907 3535
Telegraph Hill, SE14
£1.6 million
There’s lots to recommend this six-bedroom Victorian townhouse in this sought-after neighbourhood near New Cross, but most unusual is the fully sound-proofed recording studio and booth with separate side access. New Cross Gate station is a short walk.
The Estate Agency, 020 8051 4573
Camberwell, SE5
£2 million
A vast six-bedroom period home within the Minet Conservation Area, moments from Myatt’s Fields Park. If 3,500 square feet of space isn’t enough, there’s a dilapidated two-storey coach house in the back garden, which comes with planning permission.
Wooster & Stock, 020 3834 8457
Forest Gate, E7
£750,000
Sat on a corner plot on a local high street, this three-bedroom house has a shuttered shop area and huge basement workshop. It’s within walking distance of four stations, including the Forest Gate with its Elizabeth Line connections.
Highcastle Estates, 020 3910 0995
Lower Clapton, E5
£1.35 million
A thoughtfully decorated Victorian terrace near buzzy Chatsworth Road. It has four bedrooms, a garden studio and a converted basement cinema room, as well as solar panels and a Tesla storage battery for off-peak energy usage.
Keatons, 020 3889 5851
Merton Park, SW20
£995,000
This smart four-bedroom semi features a double garage at the end of the garden which has been converted into a mirrored dance studio with kitchenette. It’s near ‘outstanding’ schools and South Merton station for Thameslink trains.
Maalems, 020 3869 5089
Eltham, SE9
£950,000
A Corbett Estate terrace with three bedrooms upstairs and a fourth in the converted loft, which also includes an en-suite. Bi-fold doors connect the open-plan kitchen diner with a landscaped garden, which features a studio, hot tub and built-in pizza oven.
John Payne, 020 3910 0996
South Kensington, SW3
£3.5 million
This attractive Georgian terrace has three bedrooms and a secluded garden designed by Jon Uglow, plus a velvet-walled cinema room and wine cellar clad in mosaic. It’s within walking distance of all the South Ken museums and offered chain-free.
Hamptons, 020 3879 5298
Ealing, W5
£800,000
Thanks to a loft conversion, this Thirties semi is far bigger than most. It comes with four bedrooms, a good-size cellar and a garage, plus a large swimming pool in the back garden – something of a unicorn at this price point. There’s also an ‘unofficial’ roof terrace.
Foxtons, 020 3840 3876
Clerkenwell, EC1
£1.4 million
This unusual triple-aspect apartment in the heart of Clerkenwell has a cedar-clad studio on the terrace, which functions as a third bedroom and houses a built-in cinema projector. Other perks include a utility room and designated underground parking.
