Fulwell Road, Finmere, MK18

Moonstone is a traditional family home with generous square footage and scope to update, set on a c.1.2-acre plot with paddocks, garages and extensive parking, and along a quiet lane in the charming village of Finmere.

The Home

For families searching for their forever home, Moonstone is ideal. The accommodation delivers on all the important elements such as large living spaces, big bedrooms and lots of natural light, and the property offers the potential to put your own stamp on it. The current owners have lived here for 15 years, making changes over time and maintaining the home well.

The layout is much the same as when the house was built c.50 years ago, combining rooms that are distinct yet flow easily into each other. The two reception rooms are a formal dining room in the centre and a spacious lounge on the right, with a wide archway between them, while the kitchen/breakfast room is on the left.

The lounge is dual aspect, with a south-facing bay window for sun to stream in, and sliding doors at the back for outlooks of and access to the garden. There’s also a fireplace fitted with a stove for keeping warm on chilly nights. The dining room has garden outlooks too, and is conveniently next to the kitchen for bringing meals through to the table. If formal dining isn’t your thing, this central space is flexible for other uses.

The kitchen/breakfast is fitted in classic Shaker-style cabinetry, topped with brand new quartz surfacing. Splashbacks and floors are tiled. There’s a ceramic sink and drainer, an integrated fridge/freezer and dishwasher, as well as a gap for a range cooker. The adjoining utility allows for shutting away noisier appliances, and provides access to outside and the integral garage. Being next to the garage, there may be possibility to enlarge the kitchen by knocking through.

To the first floor are four double bedrooms, the biggest with an en suite bathroom, the remaining three served by a shower room. There’s also a cloakroom downstairs off the hall. Bedrooms one and two benefit from dual wardrobes for plenty of storage, and further storage includes a deep cupboard on the landing, a loft, and an understairs cupboard in the hall.

The Garden

Moonstone has great gardens to both front and rear, totalling around 0.4 acres. The love and attention they’ve been given has paid off, as you’ll see from the abundant planting. The selection of trees includes birch and blossom at the front – lovely to look out on from bedroom four – and fruit trees at the back for an orchard feel.

The rear garden is laid out in lower, middle and upper tiers. The lower is mostly lawned with a large patio, and the middle has a sweet little seating area made for morning coffees and evening cocktails alike. The upper tier widens into an expanse of lawn, with a patio in one corner, an allotment area tucked away near the top, and views to fields beyond.

The gated frontage is predominately block-paved for extensive parking, with a second set of gates to even more at the side of the house, plus the two garages. There’s room for a horsebox, a caravan, a whole fleet of cars…

The detached garage presents opportunity to convert into a self-contained annexe (stp), perfect for living with parents or to grant older children their own space.

The Paddocks

The paddocks at the top of the plot cover c.0.8 acres. This land is currently split into four separate paddocks, with post and rail fencing around the perimeters. There are two timber outbuildings/stables, with a water supply. Primary access to the paddocks is to the rear via the adjoining lane from Fulwell Road, and there are also gates from the main garden.

The Location

Finmere is a small, sleepy village equidistant to Buckingham and Brackley, both just 10 minutes away by car. Amenities here include a village hall, playing fields, a cricket club, a park and a primary school. There’s a choice of secondary and independent schooling in the surrounding areas.

Bicester and Banbury are only a little further than Buckingham and Brackley. Between these four towns, you’ll find all you could want. There are loads of things to do for a family, many pubs, cafés and restaurants, plus options aplenty for staying active.

Finmere is well-suited for horse lovers, with bridal paths and equestrian facilities on the doorstep. The village is set among seemingly endlesscountryside for getting outdoors and appreciating nature whether on foot, by bike or atop a horse.

For commuters, trains from Bicester into the capital take as little as 48 minutes. Milton Keynes is a 30-minute drive from Moonstone, and you can be in Oxford in 45 minutes and the Cotswolds in under an hour.

Parking - Double garage