The full piece takes 45 minutes to read. So, make yourself a cup of tea 🫖 and dive into a story of lakes, rural properties, and their potential business opportunities.
Types of properties encountered
Development vision for each
On the one hand, I envision creating a place that will be comfortable and engaging for all involved; on the other, developing a niche business that will help the property evolve in an unusual, perhaps even unique, direction.
Barns and other former agricultural properties, which in the UK are often repurposed to meet new demands for housing, guesthouses, and hotels, immediately caught my attention for their potential to fit this vision and ambition.
I quickly realized, though, that in the south of the UK, almost any historic barn is surrounded by dense development. While each might resemble a standalone home, they lack the sense of openness and connection with nature.
Moving my search further north—to Scotland, Yorkshire, and the Lake District—I found a range of stand-alone farmsteads nestled in the wild.
For my first exploratory trip, I decided to start in the Lake District, and there were plenty of reasons for this choice.
| Why the Lake District?
Last but not least. My initial research turned up surprisingly few well-renovated, reimagined hotels and guesthouses. "Interesting," I thought. "This is either a potential opportunity or a sign of challenges I haven’t yet uncovered." And so I headed to the Lake District to explore this question in person, offline. |
During the trip, I managed to view three of them in person, assess their business potential, and imagine the end vision for each.
- Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels House, Barn, and Two ShedsA farmer’s house and a converted barn currently used for short-term rentals. Horse stables and utility spaces (e.g., shed or cowshed) are tucked away in the back. The property includes 10–20 hectares of land.
- Historic CottageA 17th-century whitewashed farmhouse with preserved interior decor for private use and a gray-stone barn complementing the farm. The land is limited to 1–2 hectares around the houses.
- «Multi-Unit» Farm ComplexA setup similar to an inn, often arranged in a square with multiple entrances, separate living spaces, stables, workshops, a large barn, and adjacent land. Often includes a patch of forest.
- Mansion HouseA stand-alone historic home, traditionally belonging to a local Lake District estate owner (features include high ceilings and windows), with housing for staff and utility buildings, including barns and sheds.
I toured a property that includes a farmhouse, a barn, large utility sheds, horse stables, historical ruins a bit further out, and over 20 hectares of surrounding land. The living spaces had been split into rooms and rented out nightly to hikers on nearby trails.
In October 2023, the entire set of lots went on sale for £1,350,000. These barns (even though technically the white building is a house, let’s call them both barns because inside, they’re anything but normal houses 🤷♂️) have either never seen a proper renovation or were poorly updated ages ago, as is the case here. The cowsheds are barely more than storage sheds.
Most of these types of properties aren’t protected heritage sites, allowing full freedom to reimagine their appearance and layout.
…I would transform it into a Media Barn, a place for interesting people with public profiles or digital content creators to escape to unique surroundings, both for exclusive settings and focused project work, free from distractions. It could even host “stream-huts” for popular bloggers.
The current setup in the barns would allow a team to move in and house visiting guests, while the sheds would need a full redesign to turn them into high-tech filming and audio recording studios.
The entire architectural project could balance “local tradition + ultra-modern tech.”
Meanwhile, the barn could shift from a guesthouse for hikers into a stylish private residence for the investor and their family.
- Quick decor changes, versatile installations, easy utilities access, high ceilings, and open spaces—all these qualities make the former barn ideal.
- The stables can serve as technical rooms or themed rental boxes.
On the outskirts, I found the ruins of another farmhouse included in the property lots. These ruins sparked the idea for the architectural solution: to combine ultra-modern elements—black metal, glass—with the existing historical materials—stone and whitewashed walls. This blend aligns perfectly with the media barn business concept.
We discovered a Scottish architect known for “redesigning” quirky properties for sale. She has a project showcasing similar ruins, where she essentially builds an ultra-modern interior within historical walls, extending the structure to create a minimally functional apartment—"The Most Unusual Stay on Airbnb" style.
A collaboration with her to adapt this concept would be exciting. I’m confident this kind of renovation could become award-winning, a major value in the UK, not least because it guarantees a steady influx of tourists.
A picturesque 17th-century farmhouse, listed as Grade II, retaining almost all its original features both inside and out. The property includes several outbuildings, such as a standalone cellar (reminiscent of my childhood in Pripyat), and a spacious barn. Set in true pastoral style, the house and its surrounding structures rest by a stream on a hillside, with windows offering views of valleys and rolling hills.
While the property has minimal private land, it occupies a stunning location with just one neighboring household, which used to belong to the same farm.
It was recently sold for £725,000.
I’d launch a Deep Immersion product aimed at the luxury market, with artificially limited demand. The main house would house a “guide” to the past, and I would sell exclusive tickets for small groups of up to six people, offering them a one-of-a-kind historical experience under careful supervision. In addition to the offline experience, I’d start an online project where followers could observe the life of the “guide” and watch videos in a “History Behind Glass” style.
Conceptually, I’d divide the property into two areas: the Immersion House and a modernly furnished barn. Guests could enjoy modern comforts in the barn, buy souvenirs from the past, and even change into authentic period clothing.
I’m confident this concept would succeed because I know the UK has a large community of wealthy individuals working in high-tech industries, many of whom feel the need to “reset.” We are the best at recreating events from the past, so we’re uniquely positioned to offer this kind of escapism, and we’re ready to deliver it.
- The furniture inside is currently modern. All the fireplaces are in working order. As a little "Easter egg" from the future, permission has been granted for underfloor heating installation on the ground floor ;) However, overall, the renovation of the main house is limited.
- The stables can serve as technical rooms or themed rental boxes.
After all, they are more liquid by nature, as they are adaptable for both commercial activities and private living.
There are many great establishments in the Lake District, but can you find a place where complex slow-cooking dishes or delicious cod cakes are served?
Building on this idea, we could launch a separate project focused on the art of preparing exquisite dishes from the past.
Another type of rural property I viewed in person resembles a serious farming estate with a courtyard and numerous multi-room buildings constructed over different periods. This has resulted in a layout where one part of the property houses the owners, another section is rented out long-term, and yet another is available for weekend stays.
Overall, the houses form a cohesive visual concept, creating a unified "belt" around a massive central barn. The property looks highly promising for a large-scale project.
This complex, along with its surrounding land, is priced at £1,300,000.
... I would transform it into a Creative Residency, blending a vibrant mix of artists and their studios, a rotating cast of guests, a rustic restaurant with accommodations, and a cultural center housed in the barn.
The complex offers immense potential with its diverse spaces, suitable for large workshops, small shops, private rooms, and "apartments" that can accommodate both individuals and families. I believe the lack of fresh, inspiring venues outside major cities, combined with people’s love for handmade creations and a strong selection of resident artists, could form the foundation of a successful venture.
This could also serve as a seasonal retreat for the property owners.
- Everyone lives mixed together: artists, guests, people coming and going, creating together, creating for each other—that's the essence of this space :)
- No standard buildings, everything is unique—plenty of room to get creative with renovations.
Notably, it’s also located in the Lake District. With shared passions as common ground, it could be a great opportunity for collaboration and valuable networking. :)
I haven’t seen this house in person, but before the trip, I managed to view many similar ones on real estate aggregators.
This type stands apart from the rest, as it historically belonged to a different class, functionally differed from the previous properties, and the location for all its beauty was chosen according to a different principle. Specifically, this house with land costs £1,300,000, but prices can go to infinity depending on the proximity to a water body, landscape, and the condition of the house.
I might turn it into a Party Mansion with accommodations for business owners’ families in a remote barn. This type of house is characterized by having enough space for several modern families to live, but it doesn’t have a layout that’s convenient for hosting constantly changing guests (unless we’re talking about a Victorian-style hotel). The atmospheric halls with high ceilings and unusual, complex walls could be transformed into spaces for themed events by request, and the estate could host workshops related to design and organizing elite events.
The real estate is overvalued, but with minimal viable research, it will be possible to justify a 5-7% reduction in the purchase price. Almost all properties will require renovation, which may impact launch timelines and extend the project-investment phase beyond the desired 5 years.
Consider the nuance mentioned by the owners of one property regarding the need for housing and retaining locals; it might be necessary to offer part of the property for long-term rent to local Cumbrian talents.
Investigate the willingness of our target segments (tech seniors, accomplished artists, like-minded high net worth individuals) to relocate to Lake District, possibly by running a pilot themed product at existing properties.
Due to its proximity to the ocean and its reputation as a resort destination for well-off tourists and locals, this area could be a perfect fit for an elite "seafaring" theme, featuring a yacht, a coastal hotel in the style of "Admiral Benbow" from Treasure Island, bathing in historical costumes, and retreats for both the young and the elderly.
The investment potential here is higher, aiming for $15-20 million.
We have already started reviewing commercial real estate options on aggregators. Some good hotel complexes have been found, often located right on the oceanfront. These include both standalone properties and those within larger developments.