A Gift of a Home for Christmas in Surrey

by Viv United Kingdom

 

Cooking at home this Christmas or perhaps not? Here are two very different ways of enjoying a luxury Christmas in Surrey this year.
 
Consider yourself the new owner of Green Hedges, a brand new super mansion in Wentworth, Surrey which has just been released on to the market. This house is priced of £5,750,000 and offers the owner a Christmas Day to die for. On December the 25th you might be woken by the children who have all emerged from their double rooms with en-suite bathrooms. After the noise and excitement of the Christmas stocking you will be wandering into your own en-suite to freshen up. 
 
Luckily the en-suite has a state-of-the-art aquavision TV so you can quickly catch up on the news before disappearing into the cavernous dressing room to select your festive Christmas outfit.
 
Down to the kitchen and to be faced with the difficult decision of which of the four ovens you might like to put the turkey in. If Bucks Fizz is on the menu for breakfast then you would not have to go far to fetch a bottle of champagne perfectly cooled in your wine fridge. The built in coffee maker will supply you with endless cups of coffee with could put Costa to shame.
 
Three reception rooms on the ground floor will allow your family and guests plenty of space for opening presents and playing charades. But once you have opened the gifts and eaten too much lunch then you might be heading downstairs to the home cinema room to watch the Queens’ speech or catch a cheesy Christmas movie. 
 
Once lunch has gone down then it would be a shame not to make use of the spectacular 11 x 5 metre swimming pool with mood LED or if you were feeling very energetic there is always the gymnasium.
 
This basement area has a large games room with it’s own bar/kitchenette which would be utterly fabulous for the evening entertainment. Shaking up some exotic cocktails to go with the inevitable turkey sandwich.
 
But for some cooking a Turkey at home is the last thing on their mind on Christmas day. At Wentworth Golf Club, Virginia Water you can leave all the hard work to the fine chefs that will have been working hard all week to ensure that you don’t have to.  
 
Wentworth Golf Club is like entering another world; the leafy and rhododendron-lined drive through the estate offers glimpses through the trees of lush fairways and manicured greens of the mansions. Then you are greeted with one of the most celebrated and best known sights in golf, the opening hole on the legendary West Course, overlooked by the famous castellated Clubhouse.
 
Wentworth Golf Club boasts a variety of dining experiences to suit all tastes, budget and circumstance, from the elegant splendour of the Wentworth Grill – with its eclectic menu mirroring that of London gastronomic legends The Ivy and Le Caprice – to the relaxed atmosphere of the oak panelled Burma Bar, or the chic Club Lounge with its calming décor, welcoming sofas and open fireplaces.
 
Christmas day at Wentworth is the privilege of members only and priced at £110 per head for adults. The dining experience kicks of with a champagne reception and Canapés. The menu is delightfully traditional with a four course yuletide lunch. Not to mention an essential appearance from Santa for the children. 
 
For a large selection of homes available from Barton Wyatt in the Wentworth area call 01344 843000 or visit www.bartonwyatt.co.uk. Or if you would like to become a member at Wentworth Golf Club please visit www.wentworthclub.com.
 

Surrey house trend watch – Going Underground

by Viv United Kingdom

 

Traditionally, the British have been a fiercely proud home owning nation and since the Queen came to her throne in 1953, the proportion of owner occupiers in England has steadily increased from 32% up to a peak of about 75% in 1981 (70% today).
Homeowners have always found ways of showing-off their property whether it be thousands of gaudy lights at Christmas, an over abundance of colourful hanging baskets in Spring or simply by building a property larger than your next door neighbour. Showing off by building tall buildings has been in vogue for centuries – in the picture postcard village of San Gimignano in Italy, the local wealthy merchants built taller and taller towers to signify their wealth and importance and that was back in the 11th to 13th Century. Even today, designers and architects cannot help themselves but build higher and higher skyscrapers all over the world, to impress.
Saying that the latest trend in the golden commuter land of Surrey – where turning your house into a skyscraper is just not an option – is to bury underground and build enormous basements. This is due to tough greenbelt policies which normally allows an owner of a modest-sized house on a good-sized garden plot to add to or rebuild his house with just 30% extra floor space. This leaves owners with only one choice, which is to dig down and create space underground. London terraced-house owners have been doing this for the last 20 years – creating rooms where the cellar was – often making laundry rooms and play rooms.
The problem with these underground rooms is the difficulty in getting any good natural light to the subterranean room. But architects have become more and more wily at stealing light from up-stairs that quite often now you would not know that you had gone underground. However, whilst it might seem attractive to extend your house by 5,000 square feet or even a lot more, what can you actually do with all that space?
The answer is that you become creative in the type of rooms you install and with some careful planning and consideration this space can become life changing. James Wyatt, Managing Director of Barton Wyatt in Virginia Water had some enlightening information on what goes on downstairs:
“There are a few fairly obvious choices, firstly the plant room. Not of the green and leafy variety but the machinery which is required to run your home – industrial sized boilers – man-enough to heat the pool, AC units – man-enough to cool it down. Electronic wizardry to run your alarm, your lighting system and phones. Maybe the latest state-or-the-art music system with the ability to pipe any song ever written through to any room you desire.
“You might want a communications room containing racks and racks of audio visual machinery and patch panels with wiring that would frighten most. In a large house this might contain numerous satellite boxes, a number of huge hard drives for your new music and video collection and so the list goes on.
“The next obvious room to bury is the laundry.  American top load washing machine, tumble dryer, maybe a spare fridge/freezer and plenty of space to store, iron and fold. It is not uncommon to find a laundry shoot from the upstairs bathrooms – saving the bore of carrying it all downstairs. 
“Cinema rooms come high on people’s lists for very clear reasons and with improvements in technology, these can be incredibly grand affairs. It is of course budget dependent but anything from a run-or-the-mill sofa to luxury reclining leather seats. 
“Wine cellars are an immensely sensible thing to put underground, since every wine maker in Europe stores their wine beneath the ground – then why shouldn’t us mere mortals. 
“Swimming pools are proving to be increasingly popular for underground space. A reasonable-sized indoor pool with seating areas, changing rooms, Jacuzzi, sauna, steam room could use up as much as 2,500 square feet. Multi gyms are also in vogue with an array of gym equipment and the latest pilates apparatus to ensure supreme fitness.
“Garaging – well that speaks for itself. And of course staffing accomodation – out of the way of the main part of the house but still close enough for child care.
“Maybe all of the above might seem rather obvious – this space is yours to do what you like with – a hair dressing salon, massage room, fake tan spraying booth or in one rather extreme case – a gift wrapping room.”
Notes to editor
Example of a house available in the locality of Barton Wyatt which include underground space:
Green Hedges, Lake Road, Wentworth Estate, Virginia Water, Surrey
Green Hedges, on the Main Island of the Wentworth Estate,is a spectacular imposing new Georgian style mansion with Corinthian columns giving the front elevation a timeless classical appeal. 
Ground floor comprises a fabulous kitchen/breakfast and 4 reception rooms First floor includes four very large bedrooms with en-suite ‘wet room’ showers. The second floor has a further two beds with en-suite.
A sweeping marble staircase leads down to the large basement which includes – swimming pool, gymnasium, changing and WC facilities, a large games room also with a light well has a bar/kitchenette making it suitable for a variety of uses as is the home cinema with the adjoining shower room which could become staff accommodation if required. The utility room also adjoins the cinema and could double as a kitchen for a staff flat.
For more information contact Barton Wyatt on 0134 484 3000 or visit www.bartonwyatt.co.uk.

BARTON WYATT JOINS AN ELITE NUMBER OF WINNERS AS THE UK PROPERTY AWARDS ARE REVEALED

by Viv United Kingdom

 

If you are wishing to find the ultimate property related professionals across the length and breadth of the UK, where better to look than the winners’ list of a highly acclaimed industry competition? The results of the UK Property Awards in association with Bloomberg Television have just been announced, putting a chosen few leading companies firmly in the limelight, both nationally and internationally.
 
One of these rightly proud winners is Barton Wyatt which has won two awards in the category of Best Estate Agent in Surrey and Best UK Estate Agents website. Winners will be invited to attend a high profile property networking event and gala dinner at the Royal Lancaster Hotel in Hyde Park, London on November 26th and 27th during which they will be presented with their awards.
 
The event is part of the International Property Awards, the world’s most prestigious competition dedicated to finding the best real estate professionals across the globe. The fact that Barton Wyatt has won not one, but two of these coveted awards is proof that Surrey is not only capable of competing at this level but also triumphing within the highly competitive UK property arena.
 
Entries from the top scoring winners of the UK Property Awards are currently being rejudged as they compete against other winning companies from Europe & Africa, the Americas, Arabia and Asia Pacific to find the ultimate World’s Best in each category. The results of the grand final of the International Property Awards will also be disclosed at the gala presentation dinner in London.
 
Much of the judging has been carried by the International Property Awards’ esteemed panel of judges at the London offices of Bloomberg Television but entries were also outsourced to leading experts in each particular field throughout the world. This year’s judges included Luke McKend, industry head property markets of Google UK; Peter Bolton King, group chief executive of the National Federation of Property Professionals; Christopher Hall, president elect of FIABCI; Thijs Stoffer, International Consortium of  Real Estate Agents Association (ICREA); Fiona Nixon, chairman of the Australia Institute of Architects, Hendrik Nelde, president of FIABCI Belgium; Helen Shield, editor-in-chief of International Homes Luxury Collection magazine and Sven Johns, CEO of the German Real Estate Association.
 
James Wyatt, a Partner of Barton Wyatt said of winning the award, “It is quite amazing that we have yet again won awards at this event. These awards have recognised us as Surrey’s best Estate Agent since 2006 – it’s all down to our brilliant team. And clearly, our new website has proved to be a big hit with the judges.”
 
    ENDS
 
Further Information

Contact Amanda Sharples, ABPM PR    Tel: 01737 222334                                           

Moving house to get the best education for your Children

by Viv United Kingdom

With the start of a new term upon us, going back to school is at the forefront of many parents’ minds. And it is not just new shoes and a pencil sharpener that is of concern this year. For many parents who have always managed to dig deep and find the funding for private education life had been simple. But with the recession continuing to rear its ugly head more and more parents are considering turning to state education.

For residents in the South Berkshire area, one school continues to lead the field for secondary education. This school will happily fill the expectations of any Mum or Dad that wants the very best for their children. Charters School in Sunningdale first opened it’s doors in 1958 and is set in 30 acres of land and is now run by two co-head teachers – Martyn Parker & Richard Pilgrim who have very strong directive on how their school should operate.
“We believe in setting the highest possible standards in everything we do. Each pupil at Charters is recognised as an individual and encouraged to develop to his or her full potential. We set high standards of appearance and behaviour, seeking to provide an ordered, happy caring environment.”
The co heads go on to say, “Charters is an outstanding school and we were delighted to have this recognised in our last inspection and our redesignation as a Specialist Sports College and award of a second specialism in Science. We seek to use our enhanced status to provide opportunities for all pupils to achieve excellence.”
Charters School is without a doubt the topic of conversation at many coffee mornings and dinner parties in North Surrey and South Berkshire. And of course locating yourself in an area that leans itself to gaining entry is even more important today than ever. The admission page of Charters School states “Charters School is heavily oversubscribed and full in all year groups from 7 – 11… Following submission of your completed application form to RBWM you will receive a standard letter advising you that Charters is full in your chosen year group but offering you the option to appeal.”
Obviously that is for current year groups but gives a flavour for what an applicant might be up against. Children gaining entry at year 7 must complete an application form at the beginning of year 6 and enter the ‘Charters Lottery’. Your chances of success will include the location of the applicant.
So if you are a parent hoping to gain admitancce for your children at Charters and need some advise on moving into the area then talking to the longest standing Estate Agent in the area will be of benefit. James Wyatt from Barton Wyatt explains “People often come to the area and ask if a certain property is in the Charters catchment area, in fact we sold a house in Ridgemount Road in Sunningdale recently to a couple who moved from Virginia Water specifically to get into the Charters catchment.
The school has a tremendous reputation and adds to the overall appeal area in general which is good news for us and good news for Sunningdale.”
 
An example of a house situated very conveniently to Charters School is on Ridgemount Road. This is a lovely residential address within a stones throw of Sunningdale Golf Course and a short stroll to the village centre. An architect-designed detached home with four bedrooms and three bathrooms. This house also has the advantage of a separate one bedroom self contained annexe with a double garage below.

This property is price at £1,595,000. For more information contact Barton Wyatt on 0134 484 3000 or visit www.bartonwyatt.co.uk

James Wyatt, new Chairman of NAEA Surrey announces plans for the year ahead

by Viv United Kingdom

 

James Wyatt, Senior Partner of Virginia Water estate agency Barton Wyatt, located in the heart of Surrey, was elected Chairman of the National Association of Estate Agents (NAEA) Surrey branch in April 2010. As part of his duties as Chairman he has announced his future aims for the group plus the first networking event for the region.
Having been an estate agent for 26 years, early on in his career James saw the benefits of the NAEA and promptly became a member. 23 years later James is now very proud to be a voice for the industry in Surrey and wishes to continue promoting best practice, drive for more members and also increase exposure to the public.
James informs us,
“The NAEA is far more than just a label for an estate agent; it holds much more significance which is something I want to better promote to non-members and the public. One of the key offerings of the NAEA to members is the push for education. The training courses are an excellent way to gain a vocational qualification relevant to your property practice, be it, residential or commercial sales, lettings, property management or even auctioneering. On top of this property professionals have access to vital industry information including the latest government legislation and professional resources.
“For the consumer of course, knowing that they have appointed an NAEA member gives them peace of mind that they are buying or selling through professionals who are there to promote and protect their client’s interest. It is essential for all members to hold valid and up to date professional indemnity cover, for example, and it worries me that on this point alone there are estate agents trading without this insurance leaving their clients vulnerable to the financial consequences of professional negligence, simply put clients stand to lose money if things go wrong. It’s not acceptable for the trusting public to be unwillingly put in this liable position, and it’s just one thing the NAEA fights for in government.”
For his first event as Chairman, James has organised a networking event on 15th September, a cruise down the Thames with the backdrop of Hampton Court Palace and Richmond-upon-Thames. The aim of the event is simple – to bring together all facets of the property industry in order to meet people you need to help you run your business… Developers, bankers, solicitors, estate agents, interior designers, marketers, kitchen suppliers, landlords, property managers and so on. James wants to get Surrey talking and working with each other.
With 330 current members in Surrey and a history of poor turn outs at previous events James has already had a record number of respondents to his invite and he needs to get a bigger boat!
James muses,
“Gone are the days when people have a spare day to spend in a drab hotel room being preached at, property professionals don’t have a spare minute in the current climate with the internet adding a new dimension to property promotion for example, so the networking cruise has really got people talking and it stands to be a great success.”
For further information on the NAEA visit www.naea.co.uk/, to speak to James or to find out more about his role and agency in Surrey contact 0134 484 3000 or visit www.bartonwyatt.co.uk. If you are in a job related to the property industry and would like to network with other professionals then also contact Barton Wyatt direct.
 
— Notes to Editor —
About the NAEA
The National Association of Estate Agents (NAEA) is the UK´s leading professional body for estate agency. Its 8,000 members both in the UK and overseas, including residential and commercial sales and letting, property management, business transfer, auctioneering and land are bound by strict rules of conduct to ensure they offer you the highest level of integrity and service, while the Association´s entry qualification means you can be sure you are dealing with an expert. www.naea.co.uk/
About Barton Wyatt

The Barton Wyatt estate agency is a family run business in Virginia Water. They specialise in residential property sales and lettings in the area with a focus on the luxury market of the Wentworth Estate. www.bartonwyatt.co.uk

Landlords – Invest in your asset for a fast return

by Viv United Kingdom

 

Landlords in Surrey can let their properties easily within weeks if they don’t cut corners in the presentation of their homes and invest in maintenance. According to Jo Parris, Lettings Manager of Barton Wyatt’s Letting  Division, properties ‘walk out of the door’  when they are offered in an excellent condition, whether they are flats, houses or Wentworth mansions.
 
Jo explains, “Unlike those looking to purchase a home who may want to add value and put their ‘stamp’ on a property, people looking to rent a home are seeking functional spaces, with all the mod-cons required for comfortable, stress-free living and above all they want clean, fresh homes without evidence of previous tenants.
 
“Landlords who invest in professional  cleaning; for example, steam cleaning of carpets , stand the highest chance of renting them out quickly which of course means earning maximum rental return across the year. And above that it is the savvy landlords who invest in new kitchens and bathrooms every 10/15 years at the very least, that pull in the tenants  above their competitors.
 
“Kitchens and bathrooms sell a house and that is the one area of interest shared by both tenants and purchasers.”
 
Jo continues with her top tips on letting a home:
 
1.      The moment a tenant leaves arrange for painters / decorators to give the tired walls a lick of paint and organize for a full professional clean of the whole property. The quicker this is done the quicker we can start showing your home to potential tenants – don’t be tempted to have it viewed prior to this. 
2.      Take advice from your lettings agent whether to present the property furnished or unfurnished. Prospective tenants will be quicker to sign up if the property is presented in show house condition.
3.      Ensure your lettings agents are doing their job in drumming up rental interest and it is best to use an honest agent who knows the market instead of one who will tell you what you want to hear. At the end of the day lettings are a business for most landlords and when you need the job done employ the professionals. 
4.      Always use and ARLA registered agent. Even the most prestigious homes could end up with difficult tenants and the tenancy agreements need to be water tight.
5.      Get a “To Let” board put up outside the property. We get calls all the time from these boards when people have just been driving past doing a reccy of the area.
 
 
Editors Note
 
One such property is Hunters Dell in Sunningdale. This property was built in 2006 to a very high standard. Set behind gates in a quite location this property offers very good living accommodation as well as ample space for guests and staff. 
 
Available for £14,000 per calendar month. For more information of this or any other properties contact Barton Wyatt on 0134 484 3000 or visit www.bartonwyatt.co.uk.
 

 

No more excuses, now is prime time to change your property

by Viv United Kingdom

 

Figures have emerged showing that the time properties spend on the market has reduced by close to 20% and that there is a demand for 3 and 4 bedroom homes according to Time On The Market Survey. The fact is good properties are selling fast and it’s a seller’s market as demand for properties increases. This is a sentiment shared by James Wyatt, Senior Partner of Barton Wyatt, a Surrey estate agency, who is experiencing high demand from buyers with not enough stock to satisfy.
 
James explains, “In the Surrey area where we operate, properties in prime locations and well presented homes are selling incredibly fast. On the flip side of that properties with potential to develop and add value to are also top of the buyer’s wish lists.
 
“Our main area of business is in the niche Surrey mansions sector, catering for the Wentworth Estate and Virginia Water, where business is still booming. Virginia Water has a lot to offer a wealthy city or even international commuter with a family and it is this type of person who purchases a £3million plus property without batting an eyelid, one such purchaser recently got out his cheque book for a £2 million home, it was that simple.
 
“However, for the majority of people looking for more modest accommodation in the area, they are simply struggling to find suitable homes on the market,” continues James.
 
“Possible vendors have been saying that they’ll wait for the election, they’ll wait for the budget… these have now passed. After the abolishment of HIPs we did experience a wave of properties coming onto the market but it’s still not enough. We are in the middle of a glorious summer – a prime time to show off your home to potential buyers, yet the excuses keep coming. It really has to be said that now is an excellent time to sell your home, buyers are crying out for more good stock and it has been proven that it is taking less time for people to sell their homes as a result.”
 
In the last year (July 09 to July 10) the average amount of time that houses are on the market has fallen by just under 20% according to the Time On The Market Survey for Surrey. 3 bedroom properties have seen the greatest reduction in time spent on the market with a 23% decrease, 4 bedroom homes followed closely in second with 18%. It would seem that out of all the property types, terraced houses are quickest to sell with only 111 days spent on the market, followed by semi-detached at 115 and then detached at 121 days. This is tremendous news for many home owners who have been delaying putting their home to market with the worry that it might take too long to sell. 
 
Interestingly despite the overall number of properties found advertised for sale in Surrey being up marginally by 4% from last year, after a significant dip over the winter period, the number of 3 and 4 bedroom properties being advertised for sale is down by 3% and 4% respectively. This is clearly creating a deficit of properties in this particular band, driving up demand and in turn creating a ‘housing war’ on the current stock hence we are seeing the time spent on the market reduce.
 
James Wyatt is urging sellers who are sitting on the fence to take the plunge and capitalise on this opportunity. For more information contact Barton Wyatt on 0134 484 3000 or visit www.bartonwyatt.co.uk.
 
 
— Notes to Editor —
 
Currently on the market with Barton Wyatt:
 
Sangari, Virginia Water                                £550,000 Freehold
 
Sangari is a very attractive white washed cottage which has been extended to now offer good family accommodation and is presented in very good condition throughout.   The property comprises kitchen / breakfast room and two receptions, utility and integral garage. The master bed has an en-suite shower room, three further beds and a family bathroom.
 
This property is priced at £550,000. For more information contact Barton Wyatt on 0134 484 3000 or visit www.bartonwyatt.co.uk.
 
Hamilton Brook, Sunningdale,                    £1,850,000
 
Hamilton Brook is an immaculately presented modern family home within easy reach of Sunningdale yet in a private gated location. The property has a particularly impressive entrance hall with a beautiful feature staircase, as well as a galleried landing with double doors to a balcony. Hamilton Brook boasts five good size bedrooms (two of which are en-suite), family bathroom, drawing room, kitchen with granite worktops, an attractive dining room ideal for entertaining with doors leading to the garden, family room and a laundry room.
 
The house is situated in landscaped gardens approached through electric gates on brick pillars with an entry phone system and also boasts a detached double garage.
 
On at £1,850,000, for more information contact Barton Wyatt on 01344 843000 or visit www.bartonwyatt.co.uk.

 
 
Time on the Market Survey:
 
 

Ravello – A right royal Race

by Viv United Kingdom

The tension is building in Ascot with less then two weeks until the Royals, Lords and Ladies and the general hoi polloi arrive in their finery with an exotic array of hats. The ladies racing season kicked off last Friday with the Epsom Derby. Much is now made of ladies day in Epsom but quite frankly it is not a patch on the sophistication and lavishness that will be seen in Berkshire.   The gentlefolk of Surrey would like to think that their race is every bit as equal to the neighbouring event in Berkshire but sadly the Derby does not quite cut the same mustard.

 Ascot has it all; fine dining, an array of beautiful shops, some of the finest schooling in the country, not to mention it is situated in ‘Royal’ Berkshire – not just plain old Berkshire and the homes that adorn this wealthy area are something to be seen.
 
James Wyatt of Barton Wyatt has a special affinity with Ascot and enjoys a good day at the races like many country gents. “There is something so remarkably British about donning top hat and tails, mixing with an array of champagne Charlie’s and hoping to win a couple of quid in the meantime. Saying all that, racing at Ascot is big business for many. The weeks and weeks of preparation that goes into training those wonderful beasts to be at their peak – it is a massive investment and it is certainly not all fun and frolicks for the racing yards.’
 
He goes on to say ‘I have many clients that live in the Ascot area and for that brief moment in time Ascot can occasionally grind to a painful stop. But there is not a local that I know of who would swap their location for something different. The excitement of living and breathing Royal Ascot for those few days a year is something to be believed and if you have never been then I would highly recommend a visit. Even if you aren’t fortunate enough to be included in the Royal Enclosure, your chance of seeing one of the Royals is extremely high – particularly when they arrive in the Royal carriages travelling the length of the race-course’.
 
Barton Wyatt has just been appointed as agents for a beautiful home less than two miles from the race course. Priced at £3,150,000 it is not for all markets but for a few this home will be a tremendous find.  For more information on this property or other properties available from Barton Wyatt please contact them on 0134 484 3000 or visit www.bartonwyatt.co.uk.
 
 

Surrey Millionaires – Why they live in Virginia Water

by Viv United Kingdom

 

Surrey dwellers know that there are particular areas of the county that attract the rich and famous more than others; is this a Surrey secret or does the rest of the country or even the world know about these hidden gems of magnificent bricks and mortar? Just this week Virginia Water hit the headlines for having streets amassed with millionaires, is it an overspill from London or are there other lifestyle and property attraction factors at play?
 
James Wyatt, Senior Partner of Virginia Water estate agency Barton Wyatt informs us:
 
“There are several factors that make people want to come and live here – none of which include Virginia Water being an overspill from London, on the contrary, wealthy business people move out of London to the likes of Virginia Water deliberately to improve their standard of family living. We also have a large number of foreign buyers who have been attracted by the exclusivity of the area and its distinctive living; international buyers are drawn mainly from Russia, Kazakhstan and the Far East.
 
  1. The location is spot on for commuters. We are just a one hour commute door to door into the City. Communications are excellent with the M25, M3 and M4 close by giving fast access to the motorway network, London, Heathrow, Gatwick and Farnborough  which allows business people quick and easy access to Europe and beyond.
  2. Virginia Water really is a green and pleasant land. There is no beating Surrey for its stunning countryside and the lake at Virginia Water makes this a very special place for families to live. Plus the local centres of Virginia Water, Sunningdale, Ascot and Windsor cater for day to day shopping requirements.
  3. Schooling is exceptional with many renowned private schools such as Eton College, Heathfield, Papplewick, Sunningdale, St Mary’s Ascot, St Georges Ascot and St John’s Beaumont. In addition, there are two international schools, ACS in Egham and TASIS in Thorpe.
  4. And lastly I would recommend the social activities. Sporting facilities in the area are numerous with many golf and country clubs as well as Ascot Race course and Polo at Smiths Lawn in Windsor Great Park. There is of course the famous golf clubs at Sunningdale and Wentworth, with its swimming pools, restaurants, tennis courts and health club which is in the same league as St Andrews and is simply a touch of class in the area – overall it is just a really terrific place to live”
 
Virginia Water is the only place outside of London to make it into the top 10 most expensive postcodes. The GU25 area is ranked sixth overall in the country, with homes in the area changing hands for an average of £920,000. For an average property price this is quite something but a conservative estimate according to James who is currently marketing several properties around the £10 million price bracket.
 
Currently the portfolio of properties available for sale at Barton Wyatt has an average value of approximately £2.36m. This does show a slight decline in recent months; leafy Virginia Water, like the rest of the country, has not escaped the effects of the downturn with its fair share of properties having their prices reduced to reflect the market status. This is now turning around in the area but you can still pick up a relative ‘bargain’ in Virginia Water as prices readjust once more.
 
An example of this is Bryher, a much loved family home which has the fabulous addition of a detached 3 bed cottage. This home would suit many family situations and has been reduced from £3.5 million to £2.95 million. For those with a £10 million property budget then Hollow Lane is the perfect house, thoughtfully designed with a room for just about everything – wine, laundry, games, plants, spa and gym – you even get £500,000 change.
 
For more information contact Barton Wyatt on 01344 843000 or visit www.bartonwyatt.co.uk.
 

Fabulous Development Opportunity Surrey

by Viv United Kingdom

 

Fresh on the market and a property with potential – Silver Trees located in the heart of Virginia Water, Surrey – is the opportunity that so many of us would like to get our teeth into and to make the proposition even more exciting this is an original Tarrant House.
 
For those of us not in the know Walter George Tarrant was born in Portsmouth, son of a local policeman. At the tender age of 20 he moved to Byfleet and set up a construction company. His first major coup was buying 964 acres of Surrey scrubland from the Egertons, the family of Lord Ellesmere. This land was to become St George’s Hill in Weybridge – now home to rock stars, movie idols, and the anonymously wealthy. These Tarrant homes now brush up against a riotous collection of brazen mansions where a Tuscan Villa oddly looks at home next to an American colonial home!
 
War broke out which halted his building business but after the war Walter went on to buy the Wentworth Estate in Virginia Water where he laid out the first of four golf courses which now exist fringed by ‘weekend homes for City Gentlemen’. In 1931 Tarrant went into receivership – being a victim of the terrible 30’s recession. However one of his sons, Percy, maintained the company name and went on to build more property around the Wentworth and Virginia Water area; this luxury location is where Silver Trees sits. 
 
There is no denying that Silver Trees is in desperate need of a complete overhaul and this is reflected in the extremely reasonable price. With the right care and attention the selling agent believe that this home should reach around £1,000,000.
 
James Wyatt of Barton Wyatt in Virginia Water comments:
 
”We anticipate this house being picked up very quickly by a discerning client who will understand the value that this house will reach once it has been renovated and extended. The plot is easily big enough to add to and we would be very surprised if there were any issues with getting planning permission – virtually every home in the area has undergone extensive renovation or rebuilding”.
 
James also goes on to say:
 
“In today’s market where money is tighter, our clients are very keen to get a bargain and I don’t doubt that the lucky purchaser of Silver Trees will never regret his or her decision to buy”.
 
For more details please contact the sole agent for this property, Barton Wyatt on 01344 843000 or visit www.bartonwyatt.co.uk.