Month: June 2016

Potential buyers who viewed an impressive scheme to create nine homes in a Winchester city centre church have been quick to come back with reservations.

The scheme at St Thomas Church in Southgate Street drew an enthusiastic response from guests invited to preview it on launch night and now two have come back with reservations for homes at the multi-million pound scheme.

“I knew as soon as I saw the plans for St Thomas’s that we were looking at something special,” said Chris Gooch, partner in charge of residential sales for Carter Jonas in Winchester. “But seeing the high quality of the finished showhomes inside the Victorian church shows that Hemdean Ltd is the perfect developer to carry out the scheme.

“For many years the Victorian and Grade II-listed church has successfully fulfilled other roles within its unaltered exterior, most notably as home to the Hampshire County Records Office. The current scheme is seeing it converted into nine superbly luxurious homes with a total value in excess of £8 million.

“I have been receiving an enthusiastic response since the launch event. The church is an integral part of the city centre and a short walk from all the features that make Winchester such a vibrant and appealing place. It’s easy to see why The Sunday Times recently Winchester declared Winchester the best place to live in England.”

The new apartments, including one within the tower itself, just beneath the spire and with spectacular views, are being created by Hemdean (St Thomas) Ltd to offer comfortable layouts, the best quality fittings from Bulthaup, Miele, and Porcelanosa, and a sumptuous lifestyle. Guide prices range from £625,000 to £1.45 million but owners of each apartment will take satisfaction from the high standards of unique design, construction, and finish.

While in a prime city……

Connells’ New Homes division has reported a significant increase in new homes sales in May 2016, including a 36% rise in those buying a new home compared to last month and a 23% rise in new homes sales compared to May last year*.  With new builds becoming an ever more popular choice for first time buyers and home movers alike, the Connells Southern New Homes team highlights the benefits of choosing a new home:

“Many people may not know that there are many advantages to moving into a new home,” says Viv Denyer, New Homes Manager at Connells.  “Not only are they more energy efficient and cost effective, but they also come with a 10-year warrantee as standard and often offer the opportunity to choose the specification for certain elements of the house.  The purchase of a new home can also be much less stressful; buyers can move in immediately as they come chain-free and, as the property comes in pristine condition, they needn’t worry about maintenance or decorating.”

Following the Government’s introduction of pro-homeownership incentives over the past few years, new build homes are also a fantastic option for first time buyers hoping to take their first step onto the property ladder. 

“There are some fantastic initiatives out there to help aspiring homeowners with the purchase of a new build home,” continues Viv Denyer.  “The Help to Buy scheme in particular can help buyers to get onto the property ladder with a deposit of as little as 5%, and with the Help to Buy ISA the Government will even contribute an extra 25% towards money saved for buying a new home.”

Connells is currently marketing a number of new build developments, appealing to a variety of buyers, budgets and tastes.  These include: A Kier Living development- Mapmakers, Romsey Road,……

Revival of prominent classical building

Set right in the heart of Winchester’s historical city centre, yet tucked away off the High Street, Walcote Chambers has been beautifully restored and converted to three highly indulgent homes.

All the attractions of the city can be easily enjoyed by residents including numerous coffee shops, bars and restaurants, superb cinema, theatres, art galleries, high street shops and individual boutiques, choice of gyms and fast access on foot into the surrounding countryside and riverside walks.

Each of the three individual homes, accessed via a grand communal entrance hall, boasts chic elegance and restored period features. The ground floor apartment comes with a highly valued allocated city parking space and private courtyard garden with further parking available for the first floor apartment. Both these homes are extremely spacious and offer the ultimate in luxury for city dwellers.

Walcote Chambers is within easy reach of the main line railway station, offering services to London Waterloo in less than an hour. Road connections are also excellent with the A34, M3 and M27 within easy reach.

Prices for these unique homes are from £525,000. 

For further information or an appointment to view call Charters on 01962 830880.…

Beautiful home in very pretty village

Crawley is one of the prettiest villages in Hampshire, traditionally laid out over centuries, where smallholdings and farmsteads were infilled with farm workers cottages and larger detached homes appeared set in walled gardens with the community supported by a parish Church, rectory, public house and village hall.  The typical village buildings of the school and post office have long since been converted but the village pond and recreation ground add to the community and Winchester and Stockbridge are both within easy reach.

This is the setting for this Grade II listed house, one of a terrace of four, which is set back from the village lane by a long gravelled driveway.

The front door opens to a spacious hallway with a staircase up to the first floor. On the ground floor the sitting room and dining room have wonderful beamed ceilings and large windows allow plenty of natural light. The kitchen has a range of appliances set in white units keeping things light and bright and a door opens from this room, together with French doors from the dining room, to the enclosed and very private rear garden with a sunny aspect.

Two good double rooms and a single bedroom are arranged over the first floor accompanied by a modern family bathroom. The largest bedroom faces to the front of the house and has its own shower room.

Available on an unfurnished basis, this beautiful home in its pretty setting is ready for occupation and Belgarum quotes a monthly rent of £1,650. Contact the office in Winchester on 01962 844460 for more details.…

Enjoy the location of this ground floor apartment

This ground floor apartment in Winchester has much to appeal to tenants looking to be within a short walk of the train station and city centre delights as well as being within a desirable residential area and set within lovely communal gardens.

Park Road lies on the northern fringes of the city and from here the acres of open parkland at the leisure centre are within just a few minutes’ walk. For those who love the outdoors, this apartment is particularly appealing as there is direct access to the communal gardens from the kitchen.

The accommodation radiates from an entrance hall and includes a generously proportioned living room with space for dining and relaxing, a fitted kitchen, a double bedroom with fitted wardrobes, a further room ideal as a single bedroom or study, and a bathroom.

Well presented, Pearsons says the property is available on an unfurnished basis and is ready for immediate occupation.

The monthly rent of £950 includes a garage and residents’ parking. Contact Pearsons in Winchester on 01962 853344 to arrange to view today…

Not everyone realises that there is no law to stop an agent spending tenants’ deposits or landlords’ rents. Nor do they realise that some agents have been known to use tenants’ rents and deposits to run their businesses or enhance their lifestyle to a different level!

This is highlighted by Judith Davis at Penyards Property Management whose reassurance quickly follows:

“The only way a tenant or landlord can ensure that they will have their money protected is to rent or let through an agent who has their client accounts bonded by an organisation such as ARLA – The Association of Residential Letting Agents.

“ARLA registered agents have their client accounts audited every year to ensure that every penny which belongs to a client is in the account and is not being misappropriated. Not only this but if the agent were to disappear with the funds or use them dishonestly the ARLA bonding scheme would reimburse the missing funds.”

Judith poses the question ‘Why risk it?’

She continues: “The pitfalls of using an un-registered agent can be very expensive and painful. What would you do if your agent withheld money from you that was rightfully yours? Who would you turn to? Are there laws to protect you? Sadly there is nothing that safeguards you if you fall foul of an unregistered agent.”

The advice must surely be that when choosing your letting agent always look out for the ARLA logo and double check the ARLA website to verify your agent is licensed.

For further information contact Penyards Property Management on 01962 860303…