Buy a new Property to maximise gain with minimum pain

The appetite for new homes is back.

A recent poll by a national house builder showed that 79% of prospective home owners would prefer to buy a brand new home as opposed to renting or buying a second hand property. The research represents a 27 per cent increase in the popularity of new build, since the house builder conducted the same research in 2008. The NHBC state that registrations to build new homes in the private sector were up 5% when compared with the same period last year.

New homes are showing positive quarterly price growth across the UK which is bucking the trend for falling house prices. The SmartNewHomes July index shows that a new home in the UK will cost £6,975 more than at the same time last year.

James Wyatt, Owner of award winning Surrey estate agent, Barton Wyatt, in Virginia Water comments:

"In the micro-climate of Surrey, as yet, I have seen little evidence of a decrease in construction of new homes. I do agree, however, that the price of these new homes is very buoyant and there is a great deal of interest in the market as soon as these houses are ready to view. It is also true to say that many of the older style houses that are coming on the market are under scrutiny of packs of developers who are swarming around the Surrey market looking for the perfect plot.

"It is without a doubt that savvy developers are fighting over the best spots and working hard to find the funding to build state of the art new houses."

The average property price in the South East of England is around £300,000; the greatest investment most people ever have in their lives is buying a property. So it makes sense for consumers to want a brand spanking new house that normally comes complete with a brand new set of white goods and always with a 10 year NHBC guarantee.

Buying a used house gives the consumer much less protection - aside from insurance that most people are loath to make use of. And your house buyer will opt for mortgage survey which is not reliable to show up any defects that lurk beneath the surface.

There is also a misconception that buying a new home will cost you a great deal more than a usedproperty - this is not correct. The average price in the south east of England for a new-build propertyis £291,000 vs a pre-owned at £302,000.

Almost every new home built in the UK comes with a 10 year guarantee from the builder, and buying from a reputable builder with a great reputation puts a home buyer in an enviable situation.

Some of the benefits of buying a new home:

• A new home will come with the very latest technology which will mean your household bills are lower.   New house should have excellent insulation and energy saving heating systems.
• Weekends will be DIY free - no more painful trips to B&Q. Apart from the saving on your time, there is a great saving on your pocket.
• Chic design with all the convenience - most house builders create quality design and include the latest gadgets to impress in a new home. Often they may offer a choice of kitchens, bathrooms, fixtures, fittings and even the internal colour scheme, so you can personalise your new home before you move in.
• Fewer possibilities for long laborious chains to exchange - you could possibly be offered a part exchange in some cases and have a full turnkey experience without another buyer being involved at all - which in England is a true blessing.

Jonathan Cranley, Sales & Marketing Director of Millgate, explains what sets a Millgate Home apart from the rest:

"We only build about 45 bespoke homes a year - we focus on what we know best, that is building luxury homes in prime high wealth areas. We carefully select the most beautiful and luxurious materials available to mirror the expectations of someone looking for spend £2 - 3 million pounds on their home."

"Our latest house to be launched on the market is in Kingswood in Surrey - our house is up against the very best in country mansions. But the proof is in the pudding - we are quietly confident that buyers considering their options on new homes in Kingswood will be totally blown away by the attention to detail and height of luxury that has gone into the conception and build."

For further information, please contact Barton Wyatt estate agents Sunningdale.

Make sure that you can see the wood for the trees and choose the right home in splendid Surrey

Article by Barton Wyatt Letting Agents Sunningdale

Did you know that Surrey is the most wooded county in England?

No? Well woodland covers a substantial 22.4% of Surrey, 37,564 hectares in fact, nearly double the national average of 11.8%. Box Hill for example, close to the charming town of Dorking, has the oldest untouched area of natural woodland in the UK and is one of the oldest in Europe; not surprising perhaps that it was closely guarded from the crowds keen to catch a glimpse of Wiggo whizzing past at the Olympics last year.

The South East of England is particularly rich in ancient woodlands. There are sites which have been continuously wooded since at least 1600 and can be found on the earliest reliable maps as well as many which have been woodland for much longer and may even be descended from the 'wildwoods' that covered Britain at the end of the last Ice Age.

Perhaps all this woodland located tantalizingly close to London is the continuing draw for individuals, couples and families alike to reside in Surrey? Adding another dimension to the immediate environment, woodlands attract large numbers of wildlife as well as offering beauty, tranquillity and privacy which makes living in the countryside so highly prized.

Inspired by this exquisite nature, Barton Wyatt, award-winning Surrey estate agent see an extraordinary number of homes with names linked to trees or woods. In fact 50% of their current sales inventory features just that: Keepers Wood, Pine Acre, Birchington, Willowbrook, and Woodbury House - the list goes on.

James Wyatt, Partner of Barton Wyatt, comments on how the great outdoors impact local house names in the Virginia Water area:

"A great number of our buyers come to the area from central London or overseas. They're attracted to Surrey due to the short commute (42 minutes direct to Waterloo by rail), the great schools available and almost always for our beautiful countryside. There are very few days of the year where you cannot enjoy all the nature we have to offer. Whether you are into shooting, fishing, riding or perhaps more mainstream cycling, walking and flying a kite - Surrey has it all. The changes of season that can be hard to spot in London are around us every day and I particularly love this time of the year as we enter Spring, although it does appear to be dragging its heels somewhat this year!

"Virginia Water is particularly blessed, we have our own stunning lake in grounds that reach as far as Windsor Castle, locally there are many gardens that are open to the public such as The Savill Gardens and if you like golf - the courses at Wentworth are an amazing spectacle, particularly in May when the rhododendrons are out."

So if you are looking for the perfect home in splendid Surrey, make sure you can see the wood for the trees and be inspired by one of these charming properties.

Queenswood, Sunningdale, Guide Price  £4,250,000

A magnificently restored country house with distinctive Dutch gables occupying a stunning location overlooking Sunningdale ladies course yet just a short walk from Sunningdale village centre and mainline station.  

Queenswood is blessed with wonderful grounds. The garden to the rear of the property has a stone paved terrace with gradual steps down to the lawn.   A gravel path leads down the undulating lawn with steps down to the swimming pool area. Many of the trees and shrubs in the front and rear gardens are discreetly lit by an external lighting system.

The property offers wonderful family accommodation. The ground floor comprises a modern Kitchen / Breakfast room, utility, gymnasium and shower room. The reception rooms include formal drawing room, dining room, sitting room and orangery.

On the first floor the master bedroom has an en-suite and 2 dressing rooms. There are a further five bedrooms all with en-suite and a large games/cinema room.  

Keepers Wood, Wentworth  £4,450,000

Keeper's Wood is set within 0.7 acres of south facing rear gardens in a highly sought after road on the prestigious Wentworth Estate, in Virginia Water, Surrey.

The property includes marble floored entrance hall, large combined kitchen / breakfast / family area with walk-in larder and second cloakroom. Linked dining and drawing room opening onto terrace, a spacious guest cloakroom, TV end and study complete downstairs.

First floor has 4 en-suite bedrooms. The master bedroom suite is beautifully appointed and includes a centre, free standing bath, TV, bespoke twin basin vanity unit, super-sized walk in wet room and separate wc and bidet. The master bedroom has double doors with a glass Juliet balcony overlooking the rear garden

Top floor has a further bedroom, bathroom and a leisure room with mini kitchen.

Willowbrook, Wentworth, Surrey  £3,595,000

An architecturally handsome and traditional house with a stunning contemporary styled interior. A stunning open plan kitchen/breakfast/family room is the main feature of the downstairs giving a contemporary family lifestyle. On the first floor there is a generous master bedroom suite with a unique frosted glass wall to the en-suite bathroom. The other bedrooms are all of generous proportions. The house was built to a very high level of specification and finish and has been immaculately maintained during the first occupant's ownership.

The property is approached though wrought iron electronically operated gates over a cobble driveway providing ample parking for several cars. A pathway leads down the side of the property to an expansive terrace across the rear of the house with steps leading down to a central path running down the middle of the formal upper lawns. There is also a path to the Jacuzzi tub area and a thatched breezes house for al fresco dining. From the upper lawns, the garden falls away to the Cabrera Trust Nature Reserve, a highly protected wildlife sanctuary. The garden is well enclosed by mature trees and high perimeters of rhododendron bushes, faces due south to the rear and amounts to approximately 0.65 of an acre

Woodbury House, Wentworth Estate  £3,950,000

A unique stunning new house recently completed to an extremely high level of specification and finish, an opulent home with a fabulous design and attention to detail.

Five bedrooms, five bathrooms, second floor games room, drawing room, dining room, study, kitchen/breakfast/family room, utility, double garage, beautifully landscaped gardens facing south at the rear of half an acre.

For more information please contact Barton Wyatt Estate Agents Sunningdale on 01344 843 000.