PUSHING THE limit

Vanessa and Andy Roberts are proof that perseverance pays off. Buying their first home in 2012, the couple managed to secure their ideal property – a two-bedroom converted coach house in Harrogate – after writing a letter to the owners begging to buy it. ‘The listed building next door was a squat but was eventually redeveloped into luxury apartments, making our home more desirable,’ says Vanessa. ‘By creating an outdoor kitchen in the courtyard and living through the building work next door, we increased its value, allowing us to plough money into our next project.’