Finding a renovation project that comes with a garden large enough for a hefty extension and is full of enough of original features to add that all-important unique character can be a challenge.
It definitely helps if you have a hefty budget too, not just to buy the doer-upper but to completely revive and transform it into a dream home that combines the past with the present and also looks towards the future.
And, of course, location is a huge factor that can dictate the chances of finding a renovation project and securing it before someone else does.
READ MORE: Rare seaside house up for sale in one of Wales' prettiest locations
The Covid-19 pandemic has seen some people reassess where they live and how they live, and this has had a quick and forceful impact on most parts of the Welsh housing market - from location, to type of property selling, to type of buyer purchasing.
Now try finding a cottage renovation in a glorious country corner or a coastal property with sea views that just needs an internal makeover - these property gems are becoming like gold-dust to find.
Locations that have always been popular, such as towns and villages outside major urban centres but commutable for work, continue to offer the best of both worlds, country or coast living within easy reach of the city.
And with working from home continuing to be a way of life for many people, a home with more space and more outdoor opportunities outside an urban setting can be a draw.
However, if you can't tear yourself too far away from the hustle and bustle of a city, a commuter village might be an ideal compromise.
In arguably one of Cardiff's most popular commuter villages, Dinas Powys, it can be almost impossible to find a home untouched for decades to renovate into your semi-rural dream.
In a prestigious part of the village there's a renovation opportunity that is a one-off.
Right at the end of a quiet residential street, before it morphs into a private lane, and with views down the road lined by period properties, there's a house waiting to be loved again.
This classic 1920s/1930s house is called Sunbeams and it certainly will shine warmth and joy on anyone who loves distinctive properties from this era.
Inside there is original parquet flooring that will look spectacular once sanded, plus numerous tiled fireplaces.
The floorboards, at first glance, look in good condition too and would also bring charm and visual warmth to the rooms where they are allowed to be on show as a central aspect of the decor.
Hopefully these little beauties will all stay put in the house, as they are obviously an integral part of the home's genuine 1930s interior design and its original heart and soul.
Enter the house to the side of the property, but not before you've noticed a charming and sunny veranda sitting under a bonus first floor balcony, both offering views down the road to the hills and countryside on the horizon.
The hall offers a period staircase that sets the anticipation levels of the character gems potentially waiting in every room, to very high.
The living room dominates the front of the house, covering the whole width of the property and boasting a large bay window and those lovely parquet floor tiles.
There are ceiling beams too, plus a door out onto the veranda, and with four further windows the room is flooded in light as well as period character.
And if you want extra character as well as extra warmth, this room rather unusually has a fireplace at both ends - how many homes can offer you that?
Behind the living room is the dining room where more beams and a fireplace greet you, as well as the continuation of the parquet floor.
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At the rear of the house, as well as a cloakroom and conservatory, you will discover the kitchen and it is currently a perfect 'frozen in time' showcase.
It's hard to be totally certain, but it appears that the original 1930s kitchen has survived and is standing proud in its primrose yellow glory - what a treasure to find still intact.
Maybe a new owner could incorporate some of these units into a utility room to salvage a slice of this home's past and pay homage to the design of the era.
The mint green Aga is a happy surprise to find, and with any possible repair or renovation completed, would be a classic and iconic addition to any new kitchen design.
Rather unusually there's an extra room off the kitchen being marketed as a drawing room.
But if the house does not get extended to create more rooms, this extra space could have any number of functions, from home office to playroom to media room or, arguably slightly less exciting, a utility room.
Upstairs the house can currently offer five bedrooms, four of them doubles, and a classic design from decades past - the separate toilet and bathroom.
Many a cold winter's night is past by the heated debate of whether to keep the two very distinct functions of the toilet and the bath separate or combine the spaces into one large bathroom. What do you think?
Currently, the house has oodles of space, over 2,100 square feet, but as the house sits on a generous plot, there's opportunity to create even more.
According to the agent there is planning permission in place dating from 2019 for alterations and a new, two-storey extension.
This modern addition to this period property will create, among other things, a huge open-plan kitchen, diner family room and a master suite with dressing room as well as ensuite.
A spectacular dream home is waiting to be born here, are you going to be its new owner?
Sunbeams can spread a lot of sunshine into your life if you have the budget.
This gem of a period property is on the market for offers in the region of £900,000 with estate agent Burnett Davies with Easton, give them a call on 029 2051 2222 to find out more.
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