Comment: Is this the fixer-upper to end all fixer-uppers?

We’re used to property portals’ most-viewed homes being of the multi-million pound mansion variety.

53 The Park, St Albans - a seven-bed mega pad, complete with hydraulic car lift, miniature Dutch barn and huge basement leisure complex - has topped such lists on more than one occasion.

This time it's a very different sort of property that's getting St Albans house hunters clicking, however.

And what 81 Jennings Road lacks in luxury touches it more than makes up for in plot size (it's 270ft long and 52ft wide) and quirky additions (who doesn't want their very own air raid shelter and a choice of boats out back?)

Since hitting Rightmove on Valentine's Day, it's quickly become the property portal's most-viewed St Albans home, and I was lucky enough to take a tour on the first day of viewings.

It being a Tuesday during half term seemed no deterrent to the 11 other interested parties keen to cross the neglected threshold and see if the pictures of peeling wallpaper, dirty, threadbare carpets and broken windows were as they appeared.

They were.

This place is undeniably packed with potential, though; it's detached and on a desirable road with a huge garden.

The kitchen may be mini at present, but it could easily be transformed into the must-have open plan dream with a side and rear extension.

Naturally, this wouldn't come cheap.

The house already has a hefty guide price of £950,000, but could potentially double in value following a major renovation. There's just the small matter of whether the buyer would have the budget necessary to make such a dream a reality.

Regardless, with a shortage of available family homes on good streets, close to sought-after state secondary schools, I can't see this place hanging around for long.