Meet the couple who couldn't afford a UK home bought an entire French hamlet for £26K, saved £100K

Yip Ward and Paul Mappley transformed an abandoned French hamlet after buying it for £26,000. (Photo: yipandpaul.com) Yip Ward and Paul Mappley were living in a caravan in England when an unexpected opportunity changed their lives. The couple bought an abandoned hamlet in Normandy, France, and have since taken on the mammoth task of restoring it themselves. Six years later, they own seven cottages, two barns and several other buildings, and estimate they have saved more than £100,000 through their DIY efforts.A couple who struggled to afford a home in the UK have turned an abandoned French hamlet into their dream property after purchasing it for just £26,000. Yip Ward and Paul Mappley, both 52, were living in a caravan in Tunbridge Wells when a friend offered them an opportunity to buy a property in Normandy in 2020. According to a report by the Daily Mail, the couple initially purchased the hamlet for £12,000, funding the deal by selling an old tractor and other possessions. They subsequently acquired the neighbouring buildings for another £14,000.Their estate, called La Busliere, now comprises seven cottages, two barns, a workshop, a cider press, two traditional bread ovens and s...