35b Four

property details · for a Hub House co-operative coliving project

Area ✧ this would be a PICK were it not for the fact that it's expensive compared to other options unless only prioritising proximity to Barcelona
✦ compare with #295 in a village closer to the hills/nature with activities closer and only 20mins by train from here which makes it the same if including walking distance(!), plus is slightly larger and cheaper but requires more serious works; or #351 at the same cost but larger and set directly amongst much better nature whilst still being close to the coast

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as a supremely accessible property so close to Barcelona and based upon final costs/value it does represent good value; using French workers the refit cost for 9 apartments is quoted at 240k, so could be completed for less and with a higher standard, making it only nominally more costly ~35k/unit average

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just 1h20 train for Barcelona (€80, last 4pm), or 2h20 by regular coach (from €10 twice hourly, last 2am, more practicable 9pm arriving by midnight); also the slow coastal train in 3h30 with a quick change at the border (€25, last 7pm, arriving 11pm)
✦ train is also fine for changes to northern europe through Lille/Paris
✦ however station is 25mins walk (5 bike/scoot) but there is a bus 5mins walk every 20mins, taking 10mins (not much point unless with baggage)
✦ Barcelona provides the best flights but there's a small airport with Ryanair, and Girona also close
✦ the local airport has an hourly bus taking 35mins, its Lisbon route was recently removed but may return for winters, London-Stansted seasonally

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for daytrips Beziers is ~1h and Carcassonne 1h30 by train thus also reasonable; Barcelona is not acheivable except by bus, due to bad train times, however it is expected that the regions will establish more regular services between Barcelona, Montpellier and Toulouse sometime around 2030, thus all serving Perpignan in adition to the just 4 current daily trains

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excellent microclimate with lots of sun throughout winter as is the last part of France next to the Spanish border, however this is problematic during summer with droughts and high temperatures (but not as bad as Spain)
✦ not an especially lively nor cosmpolitan city but 110k pop with plenty of cafes, brunch places, facilities, plus some events, but low investment thus a bit decrepit, yet nonetheless unique with its tree-line river in a canal through the centre and old buildings
✦ on a quiet street just 5mins away from centre and next to the university, but in the heart of the very rundown gipsy quarter (I like the contrast and many seemed friendly); arguably when street works are started this will be one of the first and are already ongoing to rebuild parts; this is one of the few imposing buildings in the quarter
✦ a few doors from several Moroccan restos

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5mins walk to gardens, 20mins to small park with lake, 30mins to a stroll along a stream but being a city no other strolls nor hikes without transport
✦ 10mins bike tennis, 25mins bike to a large lake, 40mins bike/bus to beach
✦ for the better beaches in coves, lagoons, biking or hiking in the lower hills, 15–25mins train; so for beach add the station walk (~45mins total) or use bike/scoot
✦ Villefranche/Vernet is 1h train for the scenic train up into the Pyrenees
✦ secret thermal springs, great hikes/bikes including to the peak of Canigou are a bit further at 1h30 transit or ~1h drive
✦ 1h drive is the narrowest deepest gorge in the world, which has been closed for years due to a landslide but is purportedly reopening 2026 (despite a €25m cost)

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several pretty touristic villages near including great night market in summer
✦ somewhat scarce water and swimming in the rivers is not allowed (due to cyanobacteria) though not an issue higher up
✦ good canyoning
✦ all local busses just €1

property detail ↗︎

Property ✧ currently 160k, down from 180k < 205k but relisting with KW have valued higher versus direct sale; was advertised direct at 150k so would probably be accepted

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would provide 10 rooms: 2 premium, 7 standard ensuites (5 single), 1-2 basic, 6 pods
✦ would be 50% common spaces(!)

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roof and structure in good condition but needs full stripping and refit
✦ many floors could be kept (mix of new cheap clip parquet and terracotta/cement tiles) but some rooms due to divsions would need new
✦ 130m2 footprint; 90m2 *4, +60m2 attic, garages appear to have the same footprint
✦ 10.5m across and probably has a middle load carrying wall
✦ stairs likely in middle or at back

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[general planning, as staircase and rear layout unknown]
  ✧ ground would be a cool space, split on 2 sides, the south-east as focus coworking with a very wide window that would be made sliding from desk height (not pavement), plus library on south-west with a slightly narrower window having some armchairs and a fireplace; the front door is absurdly narrow but would be disrupting to move into the coworking
  ✧ 1st kitchen/dining, and casual coworking with a sofa or two
13m2 extension at rear without windows(?); the basement of the annexe would become a bike shed with access only from the street
  ✧ 2nd 5 standard, laundry, potentially 1 basic, 12m2 terrace at rear
ugly outlook over neighbours best used for laundry drying; new 20m2 side terrace likely as orangerie/with pergola, could also be built up thus extension with terrace at 3rd
  ✧ 3rd 2 premium (3 windows), 2 standard, at rear 1 basic and a shared bathroom
  ✧ attic: lounge onto tiny 4m2 roof terrace (getting sunset!), 6 pods and 2 shared shower rooms, callroom, storage; has views to north
roof terrace could be enlarged though would be divided by beam
✦ the 1st and 2nd could be swapped around as it might make sense for access to the terrace/orangerie to be from a common floor
✦ this unusually gives 3 distinct spaces/moods (library/focus, kitchen/casual, rooftop/lively); only the rooftop space would be used for films/parties, though some activities might take place in the library swapping the mood with the rooftop; music could be played in the kitchen and thus at mealtimes would swap with the rooftop; in the summer the rooftop would require A/C so use would be reduced, pods would often require at night, but cool air could be piped up from the basement to reduce

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the limited floor space is made up for by the fact that units would have very effifcient space use
✦ south-west oriented front has 5 big french doors across each floor with a juliet balcony; rear north-east, some side windows south-east
✦ the copious windows makes all rooms splendidly well lit, and would give narrow units of 2m which is quite acceptable with ensuites at the rear, and a depth of 5–6m (2m bed, 2.5m ensuite, +wardobe) possibly more for some plus units with desks as well
✦ standard singles would get a generous 1m10 mattress whilst doubles would however require blocking the balconette and placing an outward opening window so that the bed can pushed against the wall below it across the end, this is because all the balconettes have shutters tha fold inwards into the wall, then the french doors open into the room; as a result only 1–2 standard doubles would be created, favouring 2 premium for doubles as giving more space
✦ due to the high temperatures, outdoor space would only be wanted if mainly covered e.g. with pergola or orangerie that can be adequately opened up and covered

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west 11m built, 13.5m footprint, 2.5m extra corresponds to extension
✦ east 8m built; but 11.5m footprint, 3m extra corresponds to annexe but has different floor levels; would be best to remove roof, level to 2nd same as otehr terrace, and for this section build an orangerie with a low wall

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tax €3800

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building in front has been sealed, and might be acquireable cheaply for expansion with apartments, is simialrly prsentable if much smaller (55m2 *4)