Property Information
A luxurious private residence for a family wanting plenty of space; or tons of potential as a small boutique pension, home-and-income for a couple wanting to escape the rat race.
Built in the traditional style of an old Italian mansion, this grand old lady boasts a birthday of 1899, carved into the stonework of her arched entranceway. With towering ceilings and wonderfully spacious rooms, she has the ambiance of a fine old country estate. Chosen as HQ during the Italian & German occupation, she has all the colourful history to match! The extensive grounds and fresh-water well offer plentiful produce for her occupants too.
The house itself comprises of two floors, with a total surface area of 496m2. She has been partially renovated by her current owners, who have carefully preserved the history and character of the building. The ground floor has been completely gutted and rebuilt, recycling materials from the original building as much as possible.
The garden entrance has a dramatic doorway, with majestic ceilings and a mansion-sized hallway. A large kitchen-dining room and lounge room (situated either side of the hallway) overlook the garden, both opening onto a tiled patio. Further back, there are three other rooms – one already converted to a spacious bedroom with en suite; the other two rooms which are awaiting their role in the house as additional bedrooms, office, kids' den or whatever.
At the rear of the house, a new bathroom suite has been built, with two separate shower/toilet areas. Designed with multiple guests in mind, this would be ideal for anyone considering a boutique pension.
The lounge and kitchen open out onto a large patio, including a sunken garden area with traditional stone seating, shaded with banana and palm trees. The area close to the house and the pathway leading down the garden is an oasis of palms and other greenery - unusual in this climate (thanks to our well !) Further down the garden, there are two other outbuildings, currently used for storage. These could easily be converted to small houses for guest accommodation.
Planning permission already exists to convert these buildings; there is also a license (and lots of room!) to build a large swimming pool.
Just off the kitchen patio, there is an external laundry, with washing machines and drier.
On the street side of the house, there is plenty of room for vehicles in the driveway; plus a garage which is used as a woodworking shop in summer, and storage for cars in winter.
The well has a depth of 30m, and provides the property with a plentiful supply of fresh water, both for the garden and drinking use.
The grounds are currently cultivated by a local gardener, an arrangement which could easily be continued and provides wonderful home-grown produce for the owner! Besides vegetables, there are dozens of mature fruit trees - orange, lemon, pomegranate, olive, almond. The garden area in total is 6200m2.
The lower floor has been extensively renovated by the current owners, and needs little more to become a spacious and luxurious home. The top floor still needs attention, but not nearly as much as the ground floor did.
The upper floor has two large rooms overlooking the garden, currently living and dining areas. There is also a small kitchen and bathroom in this front half of the house. The rear of the house consists of two large bedrooms, plus an additional smaller room which is plumbed for more shower/toilet facilities, and could additionally be another bedroom/study, etc.
For the past 9yrs, the house has been home base to a small yacht charter company based in Leros. The ample grounds have been perfect for storage and workshops; the house was originally planned to be a guesthouse for charter clients. The location is perfect for the business - out of town enough to have a quiet, country ambiance; but within a few mins drive of the main harbour and its two local marinas & other suppliers.
The current owners are still living in and working on the house, and will continue with their project until a loving new owner is found. Given the size of the property and grounds, they are open to alternative business suggestions and ideas, and are especially interested in potential buyers who are cat lovers !
LOCATION
Leros is a small island in the Dodecanese which has so far happily escaped mass package tourism. It is an island which attracts a faithful flock of visitors back year after year, thanks to its friendly ambiance. She has also attracted a small community of expats who live here year round. Greener than most islands in the area, Leros also has some lovely little beaches and getaway spots, still uncrowded for most of the summer. There is one flight per day to Athens, and multiple ferry connections.