Tonight:
9°c
On sale at £1m, the terrace house where Becks grew up
Aline Nassif17.11.08
FROM the outside, there appears nothing special about this three-bedroom terrace house in Leytonstone to merit the astonishing £1million price tag.
The Victorian period property has a bay window at the front, marred somewhat by the satellite dish next to it, and French windows leading out to the garden from the wood floored lounge. Normally such a home would be worth £250,000 at most.
But its owners are convinced they are sitting on a goldmine - or rather a "goldenballs" mine - thanks to its status as David Beckham's home when he was a baby.
According to the owners, Samira and Sulman Ali, the former England captain spent the first two years of his life in this modest terrace in Norman Road, Leytonstone. They reckon that makes it a very valuable commodity, even in these difficult times.
The Alis only bought the house five months ago, unaware of its Beckham connection. But a local businessman Colin Evans, who had been researching Leytonstone's famous residents, knocked on their door and informed them that their house enjoyed its own slice of sporting history.
Mr Evans had obtained Beckham's birth certificate, showing his date of birth - 2May 1975 - and his home address as Norman Road, Leytonstone, along with his parents' names and his place of birth, Whipps Cross University Hospital. The family moved to Chingford in 1977.
Mr Evans, who is now handling the sale, said: "We've had an offer of £1 million from an Australian businessman who deals in Beckham memorabilia but we've got to see what else comes in. We've been for a meeting with some people at Chelsea and we're meeting some more well-off people in Mayfair.
"It looks like a humble house, but I understand why it might go for that kind of money. It is the Brand Beckham selling it."
Mrs Ali is unmoved by her home's roots and even a little sceptical about its alleged new worth. "I don't really care about David Beckham," said Mrs Ali, "I'd be surprised if anyone bought the house at that price, but it would be fantastic as we could then buy a beautiful big family house abroad. My husband has about seven properties and he is now planning to sell them all so we can move to Dubai. We got a visit by [Mr Evans] who told us about the Beckham connection and we didn't believe him.
"My husband looks after the properties. I only moved here because I wanted some peace and quiet for my son. Our house in Walthamstow was always busy."
Neighbour Carol Kendrick, 59, who has lived in the area for 35 years, said: "The area is a dump so anyone who'd want to buy it at that price would be crazy. They're just cashing in on Beckham's name."
Another neighbour Clara Fernandez, 26, said the sale was "cynical" and "unfair" at a time when thousands were struggling to buy or sell homes.
She said: "There's a lot of resentment about it. But maybe they'll find a Beckham fanatic who is prepared to fork out that amount of money."
The advertisement, on the website Gumtree.com, posted by the sellers, reads: "This house is footballer David Beckham's first house, where he lived before moving to Chingford."
Reader views (18)
Isn't anyone concerned about that fact that this Evans bloke obtained a copy of Beckhams birth certificate so readily?! This worries me no end.
- Isabel, woking
Somehow I doubt they will get any where near a million.
- Michael Riley, london
I think the bloke who made the I mill offer is call
Bud Gerigar and lives up the road in a tree house I believe....
- Colin Snelling, Melbourne Australia
Its in Leytonstone!
I'll offer two bags of flour, thirty three (full) books of Green Shield Stamps and a pair of my own unwashed underwear.
Any takers?
- Tangomike, Kensington, London
becks is not worth a light and his self loving greedy fur wearing wife is worth even less, just a load of fuss over a man who kicks a football and a woman woh just pouts and pouts, what a ridiculous over hyped unproductive money bleeding couple
- Sean O'Leary, Walthamstow London
He isn't even a decent footballer so why all the fuss. It is probably worth £40,000 at best.
- Keith Price, Luton, England
The prospect of 50,000 job losses in the estate agent business must have sent both estate agent and vendor collectively mad!
- Maria, London
I would like to meet this oz businessman. Sounds like a lot of hot air to me. Samira and Ali take the money and run if it is really there. Maybe Dave would buy the place for sentimental reasons but not for 1M.
- Steve, London, UK
It just goes to show that there really is one born every minute.
- Bob, Cheam
Best of luck - they'll need it!
- Paul, London
Maybe they could get a blue plaque put up - or should that be a gold one?
- Adam, London
if people are willing to spend that silly amount on a crappy old house, let them!
- Nl, london
Dream on !!!!!
.... If they are lucky may be they will have one of those blue circular thingies ...
...
- Marke, Houston, Texas
English Heritage should buy it and open it as a 'Beckham Musuem' - or Beckham should buy it himself and live there while visiting his academy in North Greenwich (save hotel bills etc, what with the credit crunch)
- Mc, London
Some Beckhan fanatics are mad, but none are that mad. In the end it is area, area, area!
- Michael, London
Who is David Beckham?
- Paul, Chatham, UK
Good, sell all your properties and bug*er off
Just incase you don't know who Beckham is, he's an english footballer whos been one of the greatest on the planet....
- Sid, London
I once sat on a park bench where little David Beckham used to go with his Mum, Instead of the council chucking the bench away they can now sell it for at least £100,000 and probably a lot more.
- Mike Kendall, London
