Lucky Dip

After twice missing out on the home of their dreams, Lottie and Simon Waugh eventually had the good fortune to secure the sale and make it their own

- Sarah Ward

It was a case of third time lucky when Lottie and Simon Waugh found their dream home in Essex. ‘We were living in an old, higgledy piggledy cottage,’ says Lottie, ‘but we desperately needed more space. When this house came onto the market we fell in love with it – the ceilings were high and the layout felt fluid. It needed lots of work but there was plenty of potential, plus it was near my parents and sister.’

The couple quickly put in an offer on the property, but were outbid. ‘When the first sale fell through, we were still keen to buy but we lost the house a second time,’ recalls Lottie. ‘We were so disappointed. Finally, though, the owner called us directly. He told us he was being mucked around by the buyers and asked if we’d like to proceed with the purchase. We were delighted!’ Once they had moved in, Lottie and Simon began the first phase of the renovations.