Castles and celebrity mansions: UK property site reveals list of most viewed homes in 2019

In these turbulent times, many dream of winning the lottery and moving to a spectacular castle set in sprawling grounds or a mansion with a home cinema and bar.

Perhaps that’s why the most-viewed home on the UK’s popular property marketplace, Rightmove, was viewed almost 150,000 times. However, the nearly £5 million ($6.6 million) 9-bedroom luxury house remains unsold after almost a year.

The stylish mansion in Chigwell, southeast England, is believed to belong to soccer star Andy Carroll and his partner, Billi Mucklow, who stars in the popular UK reality show “The Only Way Is Essex.”

It features a games room, home cinema, an acre of landscaped grounds and a replica of the Angel of the North sculpture in the driveway.

The second most-viewed home on the list is a Scottish castle built from red Dumfriesshire sandstone with panoramic views over Loch Sunart to the Morven Hills.

The 16-bedroom, £3.75 million ($4.9 million) Scottish baronial mansion has its own boathouse, jetty and coach house and is set over 132 acres. It has been on the market since July 2017.

There is just one apartment in the top five most-viewed properties, a £3.5 million ($4.6 million), triple-level penthouse in Manchester’s Beetham Tower, thought to be owned by Phil Neville, the former England soccer player and manager of the England women’s team. It has been listed since June 2017.

Next is the £3.95 million ($5.2 million), seven-bedroom house in the village of Prestbury, Cheshire, which boasts an indoor swimming pool, hot tub and gym and has been on the market since November 2018.

The final property on the list is a 400-year-old, Grade I-listed country manor, which was a garrison for King Charles I during the English Civil War.

The £3.95 million ($5.2 million), 10-bedroom home in Exeter, southwest England, is spread over 11,000 square feet and has a swimming pool and staff accommodation. It has been on the market since October 2018.

“The properties with the biggest personalities or quirkiest features are usually the most popular,” said Rightmove’s property expert Miles Shipside in a statement.

He said people looking at these properties were “seeking interior inspiration or just want to peek inside truly remarkable homes.”

But property expert Trevor Kent told CNN that there was a reason these homes had been on the market so long.

“There’s a limited number of people who can afford expensive houses, which are often quirky,” Kent said. “Quirky usually doesn’t sell, unless you have very quirky purchasers.”

He said that “conventional sells,” but added that the “static” market also means that it has become more restricted recently.

He said high stamp duty land tax was putting off overseas buyers, and whichever government is chosen in the UK election could raise property taxes again.

Buying agent Henry Pryor, who helps wealthy individuals find luxury homes, told CNN that houses are still selling but there were issues for the UK, such as the political climate and the future of Brexit.

Rightmove’s most-viewed properties of 2019

1. Nine-bedroom home in Chigwell, Essex – £5 million ($6.6. million)

2. Glenborrodale Castle in the Scottish Highlands – £3.75 million ($4.9 million)

3. A penthouse in Beetham Tower, Manchester – £3.5 million ($4.6 million)

4. A seven-bedroom home in Prestbury, Cheshire – £3.95 million ($5.2 million)

5. Canonteign Manor in Christow, Exeter – £3.95 million ($5.2 million)