Institut Lamothe-Poulin
property details
for a Hub House co-operative coliving project
#60 🏅66% SOLD • €60k • commercial • rural • 3000m² complex • High bid was only €65k, sold at 60k. Very interesting as a hub because it has loads of outdoor and shed space surrounded by greenery (see the report), walking distance to shops plus a station making town only 15mins; could host big gatherings; very tame environment so would be more inward-focussed. Compared Covilha, is less sunny, slightly colder winter, yet it is much greener and quieter and much less risk.
OKAY 🔨 effort
GOOD 🚌 transport
GOOD ✈️ access
OKAY 🛒 shops
OKAY 🏙 towns
DODGY 🧗 activities
DODGY ☀️ climate
DODGY ⛰️ nature
GREAT 🌷 garden
OKAY 🏠 building
GOOD 🏘 hood
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southern France — near Agen, Villeneuve-sur-Lot, (Toulouse, Bordeaux)
☃️2–10–16° 🏖27–36° ☀️10 days 🌧9 days
🚩View Report
☃️2–10–16° 🏖27–36° ☀️10 days 🌧9 days
Compare all properties
Environment ✧ pleasant but unadventurous rolling agricultural with big rivers, nothing notable
Services ✧ 25mins walk village supermarket, restos and cafe/bar; town 15mins via train (€4) last return 8:30pm
Access ✧ station 5mins walk, Toulouse/Bordeaux ~1h45 train, Paris 4h; Cahors/Bergerac airports 1h drive
Notes ✧ fast Paris connections are possible which ranks it well for access with two daily Ouigo TGV to the local town in 3h15 and only €20!! 4h with connection to local station; but return can add an hour with change
✦ shops/village are a quiet walk/bike/scoot along backlane, but you can get to town in the same time by train as the stop is on the edge of the property
✦ 7ha of land on a slope, mostly field (below and to right of pin on the map) yet also a bit of woods; suitable for agriculture; there's a farm with yeard round veg supply and a brewery around corner
✦ appears fundamentally solid and is already built, versus Covilha which needs its shell to be built out, thus in this sense is much less risk, but the effort required on the fitout work is significant as every window and room are different but time can be taken doing it bit by bit if need be
✦ share cost would be less than Covilha, but it depends what we'd plan for the huge outbuildings, and cohousing will definately be cheaper; however monthly costs will not reduce because heating is expensive as are French taxes(!)
✦ has a 15m pool, would greatly improve winter/shoulder appeal if we heated it (can be done partly with geothermal/ground source) and had a sauna
✦ winters span 3 months with average temp of only 10° but still some nice days hitting 16° to get out so fine for working if not being more active; probably less rental demand than Covilha (still better than the UK though!)
✦ could accommodate camping for more event capacity, and also function as a base for vanlife
✦ there's a fair selection of cafes and restaurants around local towns and villages for outings and in the village itself
✦ the biggest issue as a hub is that it comprises multiple seperate buildings some distance apart, however the first is only 15m so can have a sealed hall connecting them, and for the main accommodation block I'm envisaging a lovely long greenhouse, at 80m it'd be a lot of glass but could be done affordably and may also provide warm air for solar space heating; at the very least a covered walkway is essential 1,000m2 of outbuildings suitable for workshops/workspaces/indoor sports extending over 70m long(!) but need to be more presentable with new sheet roofing, else parts for demolition
✦ the biggest cost would be heating and all the buildings are some distance apart; the main building's common areas would need new underfloor, but a groundsource heatpump from the south facing field would help
✦ could have an excellent glass conservatory in the courtyard (if not having the long greenhouse)
✦ built 1960s onwards (some parts older), vacated 2015 so many broken windows etc
✦ some minor asbestos present (floor tiles, and cement pipework; but in good condition for removal)
✦ most of the roofs appear to need only minor repairs although will require more extensiive work at some point; most windows should be replaced for better insulation and enlarged for more light but could simply be repaired in many cases
✦ the local town has undergone renovations with a new station facade and pedestrian boulevard and is quite presentable
✦ whilst Covilha had its parsnip festival, Agen is of course home to … Le Grand Pruneau Show (that's prunes!) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=23rRIJ0-mOw
✦ in future (maybe ten years!) there'll be a new high-speed train line reducing the time to Bordeaux and Toulouse to about 1h including connection
✦ parcels: 47 (buildings and field) + 9 (trees above right) plus private track above and around; high res sat view:
✦ https://www.geoportail.gouv.fr/carte?c=0.7429055699744516,44.28372650030772&z=17&l0=ORTHOIMAGERY.ORTHOPHOTOS::GEOPORTAIL:OGC:WMTS(1)&l1=CADASTRALPARCELS.PARCELS::GEOPORTAIL:OGC:WMTS(1)&permalink=yes
✦ shops/village are a quiet walk/bike/scoot along backlane, but you can get to town in the same time by train as the stop is on the edge of the property
✦ 7ha of land on a slope, mostly field (below and to right of pin on the map) yet also a bit of woods; suitable for agriculture; there's a farm with yeard round veg supply and a brewery around corner
✦ appears fundamentally solid and is already built, versus Covilha which needs its shell to be built out, thus in this sense is much less risk, but the effort required on the fitout work is significant as every window and room are different but time can be taken doing it bit by bit if need be
✦ share cost would be less than Covilha, but it depends what we'd plan for the huge outbuildings, and cohousing will definately be cheaper; however monthly costs will not reduce because heating is expensive as are French taxes(!)
✦ has a 15m pool, would greatly improve winter/shoulder appeal if we heated it (can be done partly with geothermal/ground source) and had a sauna
✦ winters span 3 months with average temp of only 10° but still some nice days hitting 16° to get out so fine for working if not being more active; probably less rental demand than Covilha (still better than the UK though!)
✦ could accommodate camping for more event capacity, and also function as a base for vanlife
✦ there's a fair selection of cafes and restaurants around local towns and villages for outings and in the village itself
✦ the biggest issue as a hub is that it comprises multiple seperate buildings some distance apart, however the first is only 15m so can have a sealed hall connecting them, and for the main accommodation block I'm envisaging a lovely long greenhouse, at 80m it'd be a lot of glass but could be done affordably and may also provide warm air for solar space heating; at the very least a covered walkway is essential 1,000m2 of outbuildings suitable for workshops/workspaces/indoor sports extending over 70m long(!) but need to be more presentable with new sheet roofing, else parts for demolition
✦ the biggest cost would be heating and all the buildings are some distance apart; the main building's common areas would need new underfloor, but a groundsource heatpump from the south facing field would help
✦ could have an excellent glass conservatory in the courtyard (if not having the long greenhouse)
✦ built 1960s onwards (some parts older), vacated 2015 so many broken windows etc
✦ some minor asbestos present (floor tiles, and cement pipework; but in good condition for removal)
✦ most of the roofs appear to need only minor repairs although will require more extensiive work at some point; most windows should be replaced for better insulation and enlarged for more light but could simply be repaired in many cases
✦ the local town has undergone renovations with a new station facade and pedestrian boulevard and is quite presentable
✦ whilst Covilha had its parsnip festival, Agen is of course home to … Le Grand Pruneau Show (that's prunes!) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=23rRIJ0-mOw
✦ in future (maybe ten years!) there'll be a new high-speed train line reducing the time to Bordeaux and Toulouse to about 1h including connection
✦ parcels: 47 (buildings and field) + 9 (trees above right) plus private track above and around; high res sat view:
✦ https://www.geoportail.gouv.fr/carte?c=0.7429055699744516,44.28372650030772&z=17&l0=ORTHOIMAGERY.ORTHOPHOTOS::GEOPORTAIL:OGC:WMTS(1)&l1=CADASTRALPARCELS.PARCELS::GEOPORTAIL:OGC:WMTS(1)&permalink=yes
…towards ownership and use in any property you think is a good candidate! To discuss post on Facebook, or email jacob@hub.house; and if you're especially eager join our Whatsapp group (for coordinating visits, votes and share issues).