What do estate agents know?

[snookerdad]

ESTATE agents in Berkshire reckon the chances of finding a snooker fan to buy a house, which comes with a full-sized snooker table, are “minimal”.

The three-bedroomed property in the village of Finchampstead is on the market for £179,950.

It is owned by a snooker-loving builder called Stan Bunker and his wife Alethea.

Stan plays in the Byfleet Snooker League and used to help at the Cuestars Section at Bracknell Snooker Club. He was coached by Alan Bell, who worked with Jimmy White.

Alethea said: “Stan always wanted a snooker table but felt it was out of reach and impossible to afford a house with one. We bought this house because we realised that by knocking all the walls down it would have perfect cueing room, and still manage a kitchen and living room.

“It was so much work to make the house perfect for snooker, it would be a shame to waste it.”

The Berkshire village of Finchampstead is situated midway between the M3 and M4.

Its parish church dates back to the 12th century.

It boasts a cricket club, a football club, a netball club, a scout group, an independent cake designer, a flower club and a Chinese restaurant.

The nearest railway station is Crowthorne, 1.5 miles away.

The Bunkers are moving to a bigger house near Stan’s parents. A 20 x 30ft garage will be converted into a snooker room.

Alethea said: “The whole house is a big project as it has barely been touched since 1972.

“But I’m sure Stan will try to tell me the snooker room is more urgent than the olive green bathroom!”

Tim Dunkley (World Snooker coach)

[DeanH]

Hi snookerdad, I have lived in the Bracknell area for many years and have never heard of the Bracknell Snooker Club, do you have any details please

[caesar]

Estate agents told us exactly the same. Ignore them. We found a house in wonderful Lymm, Cheshire, for similar money and the dream became a reality. You just have to look out for unusual properties. For example, half of our house used to be a shop and so had the big room that was required.

[burwat292596]

http://www.dezrez.com/Drapp/Search.A...lID=72&eaid=41

ok, the garden needs work, but the downstairs arrangements are perfect!!!!!

[1blonde]

........**** all

[ADR147]

very funny.

[snookerdad]

Hi snookerdad, I have lived in the Bracknell area for many years and have never heard of the Bracknell Snooker Club, do you have any details please

I believe it was a Rileys at 65 Princess Way.

[Inoffthered]

........**** all

Real estate agents in the USA don't much better!

[DeanH]

I believe it was a Rileys at 65 Princess Way.

I see what you mean used to play there many times, and in the pool league as well (against the house), but unfortunately that club closed a while ago

[Geoff Large]

The Estate agent has looked at the house on it's available living space , unfortunatley the table is in part of that living space in this house.
I am sure that if the house was much larger house with many rooms then the intenery would include a games room as an added Feature .

I have fitted tables in many diffrant types of houses , some not built to house a Full sized table , like a terreced house with 1.5 foot down each side of the table and 4 foot at one end to a window and 6 foot at the other end which had to house a TV and Sofa ? how they played on it I shall never know , it was taken out 1 year later .

I have also fitted many in garage's , what you have to apreciate is if you take up living space or in the case of the Garage a space that was allocated in the design to house a Car , then the estate agents will look at the house from a selling perspective that it has a Garage or in this case the MAIN living room and not mention the Table , on the understanding that it will be removed when the house is sold UNLESS the new owners require it to stay . I am afraid in this case it is not a Selling point and the Estate agent has correctly valued the house with the whole living space spec .

I see Stan is converting his garage to a Games room in the new house , this could devalue or add value depending on how you look at it , devalue if there is work to turn it back to a Garage , increase value if he sells to a snooker nut as all the work has been done and the table is allready in situ , by the way is Stan taking the table with him in the move or selling it and buying another ?.

the table in this house by the way is a standard cushion BCE not steel block .

[snookerdad]

Stan is leaving the table.

[stanbunker]

Hi.
I am Stan, its my house we're looking at - a big thanks to Snookerdad for putting this on the forum, I've only very recently found the site.
The table is a BCE Westbury, installed by Bill Hillman (of Karnham and Hillman) and has full queing all around (including back-swing) for a longer than average cue. The cushions although not steel block are a good quality dense mahogany and I use a Strachan Tournament Champion cloth. The cushions could be easily changed to Steel Block, and I'd be happy to do this and recloth the table if a snooker player wants to buy the house - its a minor change in comparison to doing the building work on the house, or for that matter taking the table down and storing it until my next snooker room is ready if whoever buys the house doesn't want the table!
I have played in a few Bracknell snooker clubs, originally The Regency, which closed over a decade ago, then Colours, which became Rileys and has also closed. We are now based in Sunninghill Comrades which has three tables so you can occasionally get a game! This is why in this area a snooker table at home is so good!!! I will certainly miss it for the next year or so until I get the new room. If you are a socialable player like me it has been excellent for getting people round to play, have a laugh and occasional drink, but mainly for playing other serious players in a match environment, being able to play undisturbed and quiet, and be able to play best of 19 matches!
Stan

[jrc750]

Best of 19 Stan ! must have some stamina mate, welcome to the forum

[DeanH]

Hi Stan, welcome to TSF.
I remember The Regency very well, used to go there after college 2/3 times a week and bought my first "real" cue there (as opposed to the sports shop cue) which I still have. Very sad when it closed.
I also moved onto Colours - do you remember the high walkway entrance before the partition was put up and the American pool tables fitted.

[davipp]

Hey burwat underneath your table is as cluttered as mine!