Prime Surrey Agent, Barton Wyatt, scoops Property Awards

Leading Surrey Estate Agent, Barton Wyatt scoops Best Surrey Estate Agent in the highly acclaimed International Property Awards.  This is the ninth year running that Barton Wyatt have been awarded for being top of their game.

Gathered at the London Marriott Grosvenor House Hotel on Friday October 24th and sponsored by Rolls-Royce and Gaggenau, the UK Property Awards attracted entries from hundreds of companies across the length and breadth of the UK. Winning entrants were presented with either a 'Highly Commended' or '5-Star' award.

Partner James Wyatt comments:

"This is the eighth year that we have been awarded 5 stars for being the Best Surrey Estate Agent.  We are extremely delighted to receive this award again and it makes all the hard work and effort that the team put in really rewarding. It is always motivating for the company and our staff to be recognised for their achievements over the last year.

Barton Wyatt also lifted a highly commended award for their newly redesigned website. 

Wyatt says:

"Having a stand-out website is essential in estate agency today and implementing a new site takes a considerable amount of time and energy from a great number of people.  We were keen to give ourselves an entirely new, forward thinking look and this meant starting from scratch, making the site look fresh, more appealing and easier to use.  Being highly commended for the new site makes me feel that it was definitely a worthwhile exercise."

The International Property Awards are open to residential and commercial property professionals from around the globe.  They celebrate the highest levels of achievement by companies operating in all sectors of the property and real estate industry. An International Property Award is a world-renowned mark of excellence.

For more information contact Barton Wyatt on 01344 843 000, or drop in to speak to your award-winning local agents at The Estate Office, 2 Station Approach, Virginia Water, Surrey. 

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Barton Wyatt provide luxury and select Property in Surrey. James Wyatt MNAEA, MARLA, TRC, REALTOR ® is a partner at Barton Wyatt Letting Agents Surrey. Tel: 01344 843000

A secret service for 50 years, now to be publically launched on 1st October 2014 Award-winning Barton Wyatt Launches Private Office

Barton Wyatt, the prime multi award-winning estate agents Surrey , has been offering a concierge service to their clients since 1965, designed to fulfil the needs of international royal families, non-doms, celebrities and high net worth individuals who wanted more than "just an estate manager".

Over the past five decades, Barton Wyatt has further honed and developed this incredibly discreet and specialised service and today they launch their service under the name of Private Office as more and more clients seek this type of assistance.

James Wyatt, Partner of Barton Wyatt and Head of Private Office explains,

"We have been fulfilling a concierge facility for clients for fifty years but as demand has risen, we felt it was time to give the service a separate identity and more credence. 

"Our clients include those who hold properties all over the world but may only use their Surrey homes for one or two months of the year, whilst others may visit at weekends.  Some live here all the time but want to enjoy their own time to the maximum. We sit in the background of these luxurious lifestyles ensuring that homes and households continue to run seamlessly whilst the client is here or away." 

The Barton Wyatt Private Office offers a fully bespoke and customised service for clients although typical services include:

• Recruiting and managing household staff, ensuring they are fulfilling their role both within the house and the grounds
• Handling the utilities, ensuring best value and arranging maintenance of household equipment - this could be anything from swimming pools to whirlpools, kitchen and / or gym equipment, Wi-Fi, electronic gates and even internal lifts for both people and cars!
• Undertaking basic "running of the house" errands from the dry cleaning through to servicing the cars, cleaning windows and chimneys
• Arranging private transportation from limousine airport picks up through to private jets for national and international travel
• Organising social gatherings from lavish children's birthday parties through to gastronomic luncheons for 100 guests plus
• Assisting with finding suitable schools for off-spring - from pre-school to seniors, traditional English schooling and international schools, day or boarding
• Re-opening the house upon a client's return includes a deep clean, fresh flowers and filling the multitude of fridges and freezers with food that is often quite specialist and pertains to country and culture
• Closing the house upon a client's departure including once again a deep clean, laundering bedrooms, replacing any broken items during their stay and ensuring the house is safe and secure whilst they are away

James goes on to say:

"Wentworth and the surrounding area has a unique set of families who live here; many are from overseas, often of high standing or famous but almost exclusively they are all very wealthy.  With wealth comes very high expectations and offering the Private Office is not something that we have taken lightly. Our staff must have exemplary customer service skills and an in-depth knowledge on how to make things happen seamlessly.  Thankfully I have no hesitation in stating that we hold these skills and are looking forward to taking on more clients to assist them with running their households."

Needless to say the sky is the limit when it comes to the services on offer to members of Private Office.  Time is often short for the rich jet set and despite an army of staff, having someone on the ground at the Surrey country mansion enables better planning and organisation.  It is hard to organise dinner for 20 from Malibu or a champagne reception with a string quartet from Dubai.  But with Private Office no job is too hard, the team have the know-how and the savvy to be on hand to make things happen on time and as requested.

Wyatt says:

"Clients sometimes need assistance with interior design which will all come under the Private Office banner.  We are highly experienced with applying for planning for new extensions, assimilating quotes and ensuring work is carried out to the highest standard.  We create new bathrooms and kitchens, re-design any room in the house, select new curtains, carpets and often furniture for our clients.  No job is too big or too small."

The Private Office is available to client's who live in the vicinity of the Barton Wyatt Wentworth office in Virginia Water, Surrey. Prices are available on request but are generally calculated on the size of each property. 

For more details of this luxury service please contact James Wyatt at Barton Wyatt Surrey estate agents on 01344 843 000

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Barton Wyatt provide luxury and select Property For Sale in Sunningdale. James Wyatt MNAEA, MARLA, TRC, REALTOR ® is a partner at Barton Wyatt Letting Agents Surrey. Tel: 01344 843000

From Surrey to North Dakota, it's pumpkins galore this Halloween!

As the nights draw in and Halloween approaches, the supermarket shelves are bulging with pumpkins once more. From roast pumpkin soup to ward off the winter chill in Surrey, to pumpkin pie with lashings of cream in North Dakota, much of the English-speaking world goes mad for these tasty seasonal treats at this time of year.

Pumpkin carving is also a popular activity in both the UK and the US. In Surrey's Virginia Water, well-appointed doorsteps and tasteful windowpanes glimmer with the flickering of candles from within spookily carved creations as the 31st approaches. Local estate agent James Wyatt, partner at Barton Wyatt letting agents in Surrey, comments,

"The changing of the seasons is always a lovely time in Surrey. We have so much green space that you can really sense nature changing all around as autumn progresses. For me, Halloween always feels as though it is the turning point between autumn and winter - I know when I see the pumpkins in Waitrose that soon families will be carving pumpkins together and baking tasty treats with their rich flesh as they prepare to host glittering Halloween parties."

One house that would make a perfect Halloween party venue is Crossland House in Surrey's prestigious Virginia Park gated community. On the market for £1.6 million, the beautifully constructed, four storey home has a drawing room, dining/family room and generously proportioned private garden, providing flexible entertaining space that is perfect for anything from a formal dinner to a more relaxed Halloween party. With five bedrooms, the townhouse has ample space for overnight guests. 

Virginia Park is also a wonderful place for younger family members to enjoy Halloween. Each year, the great and the good of the community organise a Halloween event that sees every participating house put a poster up in the window. Children from the neighbourhood then roam the park dressed as ghouls, goblins and ghosts (with parents lurking discreetly in the background), trick or treating from door to door within a wonderfully safe environment.

On the other side of the pond, pumpkin pie recipes from Texas to North Dakota are being dusted off for another year. As a largely agricultural state, North Dakota is no stranger to pumpkin patches. Many are open to the public during late October and early November, and one county even hosts an annual giant pumpkin festival.

Though the influx of tens of thousands of workers due to the state's oil boom has begun to change the makeup of North Dakota's population, family values and holiday traditions are still important and this year pumpkins will be dotting many a stoop. Pumpkin pie will be making an appearance on the menu at the Great American Lodge sites, created by oil worker accommodation specialists North Dakota Developments. Group CEO Robert Gavin comments,

"We offer a home from home with our workforce accommodation and hotels here in North Dakota and appreciate that holiday times can feel lonely for those workers whose families are yet to move out here to join them. We do what we can to celebrate occasions such as Halloween and our chefs will be whipping up some delicious pumpkin recipes in honour of the holiday."

North Dakota Developments' latest venture, the three storey Transhudson Hotel - Parshall won't be quite ready for decoration with carved pumpkins this year, as groundworks have just begun, but investors wishing to be part of the action in North Dakota can pick up a suite from $89,950, with assured net yields of 15.55% per year provide a total net return on investment of 56.66%, following compulsory buy back after year three for the sale price plus 10%. 

From North Dakota's oil workers to Surrey housewives, let the celebration of all things pumpkin commence!

For more information on the properties detailed above, please contact:

Barton Wyatt

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Barton Wyatt provide luxury and select Property in Sunningdale. James Wyatt MNAEA, MARLA, TRC, REALTOR ® is a partner at Barton Wyatt Letting Agents Surrey. Tel: 01344 843000

Surrey Properties Sold Within Hours

Aviva recently commissioned research into 4,000 homeowners surprisingly revealing that the average buyer takes just 33 minutes to decide on a house purchase. Probably one of the most expensive decisions a person makes in their lifetime and yet seemingly one of the most rushed. 

 James Wyatt, partner of Barton Wyatt (Estate Agents Surrey) is unsurprised,

"I have known my wife take longer choosing a pair of shoes than many people take deciding on a house purchase!"

 Aviva is of the opinion that buyers are reacting to a highly competitive market, leading them to make snap decisions. Indeed the insurance company reports that 24% of homeowners only ever make one viewing before taking the plunge on offering.

Wyatt suggests,

 "Properties are extremely evocative items and buyers know pretty much instantly if they like or dislike what they see.  I would suggest that the gut decision is actually make in the first 10 minutes of being in a home and the other 23 minutes is spent reassuring themselves they are making a good choice.

 "The real talent in being a savvy estate agent is knowing your buyer well enough that you don't spend ages taking them around properties that they won't like - it wastes everybody's time." 

 Barton Wyatt is red hot at qualifying potential buyers, utilising years of experience and expert insight into a property's specification so that it will meet the purchaser's requirements. This is important for every purchaser but even more so as you foray into super prime properties which need to accommodate lavish lifestyles.

 James Wyatt mulls,

"There is little point looking at houses that don't have the right size kitchen, the correct number of bathrooms, wardrobes or dressing rooms required to house your Imelda Marcos-esque collection of Louboutin shoes, enough rack space for haute couture collection or with the right storage facilities for your Chanel handbags. 

 "The garage needs to be big enough for not just one but multiple luxury cars - Bentley and Rolls Royce models are longer and wider than average. And external storage facilities can be important if you need somewhere to park the racing bikes, golf clubs, vintage cars and the ride-on lawn mower."

 So if you are limited to 33 minutes what should you do with this precious time?  Barton Wyatt advises:

1. Study the kitchen - does it have the room and space you are used too?  Accepting a smaller kitchen is a big ask for many.
2. The bathroom number might seem fine but turn on the shower - a trickle of water will not keep you amused.
3. Look at the boiler and ask about its maintenance and age.
4. Get in the loft - it may sound odd but 3 minutes in the loft could answer many questions!
5. Spend the last 10 minutes doing the school run at peak time. Many people look at houses in the middle of the day when no-one is around.

Further research from Aviva found that a third of home buyers didn't carry out any specific checks when viewing their future home, spending an average of £3,500 on repairs after moving in - an additional cost some home buyers may not have budgeted for.

These are often problems that the current owner knows about and doesn't want to fix before departing - damp and cracks are the worst culprits.   Buyers often fall in love with a property and don't want to hear about the bad bits.  Poor heating, a bit of subsidence, a leaky roof can all be swept under the carpet in a hasty viewing.

Further invaluable advice from James who goes on to say:

"Talk to the seller. You don't need to become best friends but you do need to get a good understanding of why they bought the property in the first place and why they are selling. Ask them who the neighbours are and what they are like.

"Get a good survey done, it will pay off in the end.  Agents are very keen to sell and most will give completely honest and open advice. The days of "Caveat Emptor" are long gone, today all and any adverse information must be given to a buyer BEFORE they start incurring costs.

"Above all, after you've agreed to buy a property, step back, breathe deeply, go and visit again. You can change your mind. We agents hate this, but it is a big decision for the purchaser, and if I have a happy buyer at the end of the day, I'd like to think they might sell that home through me in 7, 10, 20 years time."

For more details contact Barton Wyatt on 01344 843 000.

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Barton Wyatt provide luxury and select Property in Sunningdale. James Wyatt MNAEA, MARLA, TRC, REALTOR ® is a partner at Barton Wyatt Letting Agents Surrey. Tel: 01344 843000

Letting Agents in Sunningdale

Sunningdale is a pretty village in Berkshire. It is only 24 miles from London and only a stone's throw away from Surrey.

With its good location and easy access to London as well as it is natural beauty, Sunningdale has always been in demand with people wanting to live there. In addition, it is very close to a lot of attractions, such as Thorpe Park, Runnymede, Legoland® Windsor and some world famous places, such as the Ascot Racecourse and of course, the Sunningdale Golf Club.

Naturally, this demand and the interest from celebrities have been pushing the residential property prices up consistently.

So, this situation has made the property lettings market very buoyant, with a lot of exclusive properties for rent in Sunningdale on offer.

If you are looking to rent out your property in Sunningdale, or indeed looking for a place to rent, then you need a very experienced team of letting agents and property managers on your side.

Your real estate agent should be dedicated to finding the right match between the property and the tenant at the best possible rent. This will make sure the tenancy is based on good footing.

Do not take their word for how good they are and how good their service is. Make sure to ask your agent for references and testimonials.

Go through and understand their services. The following list will give you and idea of what type of services you should expect:

• Extensive advice on the current Sunningdale lettings market
• Accompanied viewings
• Full management service
• Administration of Tenancy Agreements
• Close relationships with International schools near Sunningdale
• Tenancy deposit protection scheme
• Rent Guarantee scheme
• Credit search facilities

As you reflect on this article, you will find that when you have the right letting agent on your side, you will not only have access to the right property (or tenant) but will also have a problem free tenancy.

Good luck with your search...

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Barton Wyatt provide luxury and select Property in Sunningdale. James Wyatt MNAEA, MARLA, TRC, REALTOR ® is a partner at Barton Wyatt Letting Agents Surrey. Tel: 01344 843000

Some Essential Benefits Of Hiring A Letting Agent in Surrey

A letting agent in Surrey is an individual who eliminates all the hassles of renting a property. He finalizes the renting agreement and provides efficient service of property maintenance. All essential works of renting a property are managed under a letting agent. He ensures quality work without charging much from his customers. Therefore, here are few important benefits of hiring a reliable letting agent for leasing your property-:

1.     You’ll get your rent on time- The first essential benefit which you’ll get after hiring a letting agent is receiving rent on time. Generally, tenants create numerous problems while paying off their rent. They don’t make the payment on time and create big frustration for the landlords. But, a letting agent can avoid this frustration very easily. With his efficient skills, he can take rent on time and can give it to the landlord. Thus, after hiring his services, you will never have any issue in receiving your rent.

2.     Conducts regular property checks- The next amazing benefit of hiring a letting agent is constant property checks. Sometimes, it becomes very essential to check physical condition of the property on regular basis. It ensures that the asset is maintained and used with proper care. But, other important works can create big problems while conducting this check. However, if you have a letting agent on your side, this check can be conducted in an easy and hassle free way.

3.     Fixing damages of your property- The next essential benefit from a letting agent is fixing damages. If during checks, the agent finds any damage, he makes efforts to repair it also. He brings required technicians to conduct all essential repair works without creating any issue. Thus, through a letting agent, your property will be maintained in the best possible way

4.     Finds reliable tenants too- Along with property maintenance, a letting agent gives effort to find a reliable tenant too. He gathers a list of all potential candidates and tries to find a perfect tenant for your property. His main focus is to bring you a tenant who is ready to pay a bit more as the rent for your property.

So, these were some essential benefits of hiring a letting agent in Surrey. A well trained and professional letting agent will provide reliable and cost efficient service to you. He will give best of his efforts to give you ultimate satisfaction through his reliable property management services.

Corporate Lettings in Surrey

The article below outline what the corporate lettings is all about and what the best options are for residential corporate lettings (or rentals) in Surrey area of the United Kingdom.
Surrey is one of the hottest spots for residential corporate lettings in the country; probably only second to London. One of the main reasons is that Surrey hosts a number of international blue-chip companies. Over the years, many multi-national companies have opened up offices and headquarters in Surrey in order to take advantage of its brilliant location, which is very close to London, major motorways as well as the key airports.
Some of Surrey's technology giants include Philips, Canon, and Toshiba. A number of pharmaceutical companies such as Pfizer and Sanofi are also based in the area well. Other world-famous companies that have their national or European headquarters in Surrey include Superdrug, Unilever and Nestle.
In addition to some of the London based companies, these Surrey multi-nationals tend to have a large number of employees constantly moving into Surrey and the surrounding areas for medium or long-term assignments that come with generous relocation packages. Due to this demand, the corporate lettings has become a very popular service amongst the Surrey agents over the last couple of decades.
What services do Corporate Lettings include?
As part of the corporate lettings service, different estate agents provide different sets of services depending on

• the size of their rental departments,
• the requirements of their customers,
• the geographic area they cover.

However, in general, the estate and letting agents in the Surrey area tend to offer a subset of the following services:

• assistance with local or international employee relocation,
• new hire (or graduate) housing and accommodation,
• private home search,
• short term lettings.

How to choose the estate agents for Corporate Lettings needs?
Finding the right estate (or letting) agency to assist your residential corporate lettings is a very important decision. Not getting it right can cost you a lot of money, and it can potentially cause a lot of inconvenience to your employees. Here are 3 key steps you should consider in your selection:

1. First of all, you should do your homework in order to create a short list of estate or letting agents you could work with. It is always good to work with agencies that have professional memberships to National Association of Estate Agents (NAEA) or the Association of Residential Letting Agents (ARLA). These organisations enforce a strict code of practice with their members.
2. Secondly, you must check the references for these agencies. Understand their financial stability, their corporate lettings customers as well as their property portfolio. Also ask for personal recommendations as well. Keep in mind that if the agency has not gone the extra mile for their customers, they are not very likely to be recommended.
3. Lastly, compare the fees and commissions for each of the agency as they sometimes change significantly.

Good luck with your search.

Buyers get into pole position as F1 legend Sir Jack Brabham's former luxury apartment goes on sale

F1 legend Sir Jack Brabham's former penthouse apartment at Lyne Manor House in Surrey is on the market. Sad news of his death comes as a shock to F1 supporters around the globe who remember Sir Jack's fearless bravery which crowned him World Champion three times over.

Indeed Brabham's former home, the Wentworth Estate, is renown for its great wealth and it's a common sight to see a Bugatti, Lamborghini, Maserati or Ferrari cruising around the private roads of this exclusive North Surrey estate.

So for F1 fans, what could be more exciting than owning a luxury property where a three times Formula One champion racing car driver lived?

The penthouse apartment is located in Lyne Place Manor, an imposing Regency house with eight acres of delightful gardens, located just two miles south of Virginia Water. Lyne Place Manor had been the home of the Russian philosopher P. D. Ouspensky between 1930 and 1947 and after his death, was subsequently split into luxury apartments.

The house is approached via a long private drive with the unique penthouse enjoying a secluded, south-facing roof terrace which offers commanding views over the surrounding countryside and woods.

Boasting its own private lift, three reception rooms, two double bedrooms (the master with en-suite and dressing room) and a further room which could be used as a further bedroom or study, the accommodation is spacious and flexible.

Rupert Wyatt of award-winning appointed estate agents Surrey, Barton Wyatt comments:

"It is sad news to hear of Sir Jack Braham's death. I am a keen F1 fan myself and love the buzz of motor racing. It will make the sale of this property even more special with this connection to a racing hero. Sir Jack was a three times winner of the Formula One championship and the founder of the Brabham team, racing in an era when the stakes were high and accidents frequent.



"This penthouse apartment is a really lovely opportunity to own something steeped in history but with all the mod cons expected today. We expect interest to be high with a number of clients already keen to get to the chequered flag on this property."

The penthouse apartment in Lyne Place Manor is available for £825,000. For more information call Barton Wyatt on 01344 843 000.

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Barton Wyatt provide luxury and select Property in Sunningdale. James Wyatt MNAEA, MARLA, TRC, REALTOR ® is a partner at Barton Wyatt Letting Agents Surrey. Tel: 01344 843000

60 Seconds with... James Wyatt, Partner of Barton Wyatt

60 Seconds with...  James Wyatt, Partner of Barton Wyatt an award-winning Surrey estate agency selling to the rich and famous on the Wentworth Estate in Surrey.

What does it say on your business card?

It says James Wyatt - Partner.  But to be honest I rarely use business cards these days - they are a bit old hat.  More likely to connect on LinkedIn or have a tweet chat!

Barton Wyatt is a family business - when did you first get involved?

Well when I was born we lived in a flat above the office where it is now, so it would be fair to say I have lived and breathed Barton Wyatt since infancy.  By the time I was 10 I was used to helping with envelope stuffing or good old fashioned leaflet delivery.  On leaving school I was ready to embark on a full time position - which I did in another agency in Weybridge and then in London.  My father felt it only correct that I earned my stripes elsewhere before returning to the family business.  So officially I started at 21 - 27 years ago!

What makes Barton Wyatt different from other local Agencies?

I am glad to say there are no poor agencies in the local area and we all generally enjoy a great working relationship.  We have to as we often work together as joint agents for house sales.  However I do believe we are different - we are not a large corporate and demands are not being made of us by share-holders in the City.  This means we can be adaptable to create the best possible environment for our clients and our staff. 

We are all very passionate about what we do here and will often go the extra mile to be the best.  I guess that is one of the reasons we have won so many awards.  Our customers certainly do return time and time again.  I have sold some people in the area half a dozen houses as they have upsized, side stepped and now downsized over the years.

How do Wentworth and Virginia Water differ from other local villages?

There are lots of lovely villages in the local area but Wentworth really is a bit special.  As soon as you turn into any of the private Estate roads you do feel that you are entering a slightly more exotic land.  The lanes are extremely leafy and the houses are set far back from the road.  You can really only glimpse the odd balustrade or column as you pass past often very lavish gates.  People here are terribly private - they don't want passers-by gazing into their lives and many go to extreme lengths to remain hidden. 

On the flip side when you are at Wentworth Golf Club it is wonderfully sociable.  There are kid's events, golf tournaments, tennis tournaments, annual balls, charity events galore and all sorts to get involved in so there is no need to be lonely if you live on Wentworth.

What has attracted so much wealth to Wentworth?

There is no denying it, Wentworth is classy and this air of glamour and sophistication is the thing that lures the rich and famous to buy a ring side seat on these illustrious courses.  The central part of the Wentworth Estate is known to the locals as 'The Island'. This just adds to the feeling of exclusivity that seems to pervade the whole area. And with a long list of rich and famous on your doorstep it would be hard not to be impressed. 

What is the best bit of your job?

No day is the same. I could be discussing an investment with a local, then letting a house to an American, followed by a meeting with a foreign Royal, then with a famous Film Director to deal with. It can be great fun.

Describe a typical Wentworth resident?

I would say typically savvy and confident.  Most residents are at the top of their trade, captains of industry and, very often, business owners.  A large percentage of the estate is multi-national - the list is endless as tides shift on international business.  Currently there are many Middle Eastern families, Malay, Russian, US and Kazaks.  Many of these families are renting, so every three years the make-up of parts of Wentworth changes as the corporate mood alters.

What does 2014 hold for Barton Wyatt?

Judging by current activity it is going to be ferociously busy.  We have had a very sedentary period in sales - really ever since stamp duty was massively increased.  Lettings continued to thrive but sales were horribly quiet.  The London ripple affect at last appears to be nudging at our doors and, within a matter of a few weeks, things have become incredibly hectic.  I would suggest that if this level of interest and activity continues then Wentworth should be set to see a 10% growth in property prices for 2014.

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Barton Wyatt provide luxury and select Property in Wentworth Estate. James Wyatt MNAEA, MARLA, TRC, REALTOR ® is a partner at Barton Wyatt Letting Agents Surrey. Tel: 01344 843000

Celebrating 40 years of the humble postcode. What's been going on in GU25 in the past four decades?

It's been 40 years since postcodes were rolled-out across the UK to make letter sorting easier.  Originally trialled in Norwich, 1974 saw this revolutionary new method of speedily identifying addresses being used throughout the rest of the UK. Often taken for granted, the simple postcode has transformed the way that sorting offices quickly organise mail to speed up the delivery to the end user. There are now 1.8 million postcodes covering 29 million addresses across the country.

Indeed the humble postcode has become an automatic way in which we identify ourselves and get around.  With two thirds of the country finding it easier to navigate with a sat nav, the old fashioned map is becoming a thing of the past.  Just key in the postcode and off you go! Hard to believe that 40 years ago this wonderful system did not exist.

Indeed one of the many sectors highly affected by the creation of the postcode is estate agency.

James Wyatt, partner of leading Surrey Letting Agent, Barton Wyatt comments:

"I was only a lad when the postcode was introduced but I was still actively involved in the family business.  My brother Rupert and I were often tasked with delivering leaflets door to door extolling the virtues of selling your house through Barton Wyatt so I felt like a postman sometimes! It might sound jolly but door-to-door delivery is not fun in Virginia Water and the Wentworth Estate. The plots are big and the drives seem endless when you are just 11 years old."

Another sector that has relied on the postcode is demographic classification. Used in the UK to describe, measure and classify people of different social grade, income and earnings levels this data is essential for market research, social commentary, statistical research and analysis. 

"Wentworth, Virginia Water and surrounding villages are all A1 classified," mulls James, "We are very fortunate to live in such an affluent area.  And it was like this 40 years ago when the postcode was invented - as it will be in another 40.  But things have not stood still - a lot changes in housing in 40 years!"

Forty years ago a new house sitting on half an acre in Wentworth would have had an internal size of 2,000 square feet and the house would have gone on the market at about £55,000.  This would have been a large house by UK standards then.  Today a new house on Wentworth will be around 7,000 square feet and will cost a buyer £4,000,000. 

And if you are wondering about flats - the sizes have not altered greatly but the cost has.  In 1974 you would expect to pay £10,000 for a 2 bedroom flat - today you could pay between £250,000 and £400,000.

The 'must have' gadget in the kitchen if you were flashy in 1974 was a dishwasher; incredibly this white good is the same price today as it was then.  A cheaper toy, but all the rage in the middle classes, was a Sodastream, with its violent coloured concentrates and endless flow of sparkling beverages.  The "Get busy with the fizzy" tagline has been re-launched recently as Sodastream attempts a return to its original fame. 

Back in the 70's houses were all being refitted with shag pile carpets and chocolate bathroom suites sporting gold taps.  In the garden, you were considered dead trendy if you had a ride on mower and slightly vulgar if you had a swimming pool.  Today it's cool to have a gardener and a bit retro to have a hot-tub.

On the driveway you had made it if you had a Reliant Scimitar in Mexico brown with a vinyl roof and if you were really flashy, a webasto sunroof.  The ladies would have liked to be seen in a Dolomite Sprint, a bit of a GTI in its day, the most popular colour in 1974 being deep purple.  Today it's a 4x4 all the way with the odd drop head Mercedes for sunny days and a VW Golf for the nanny.

James mulls over some differences in the workplace too,

"Selling houses was considerably less electronic. Your estate agent would measure up your house with a tape measure, he or she would count the power points, take note of the dado rail and get excited by the number of aspects. A photo and typed up details would be carefully placed in the agent's window and an advert would appear in the local paper... and then we would wait for the perfect buyer. 

"Like most businesses, all estate agents would close for lunch, and very few would open on a Saturday - and if they did then certainly not for long.  It was fun working in an estate agency then and still today.  Much has progressed but actually people still buy from people and that will never change. Our clients return time and time again, they pop in for a chin wag and they are the life blood of our business.  I was addicted then and I still am!"

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Barton Wyatt provide luxury and select Estate Agents Surrey. James Wyatt MNAEA, MARLA, TRC, REALTOR ® is a partner at Barton Wyatt Letting Agents Surrey. Tel: 01344 843000

Put a spring in your property buying step

You might have lost an hour of priceless sleep but the turning of clocks forward last weekend officially marked the start of spring, a favourite time of the year for many including the team at Barton Wyatt Letting Agents Surrey.

From their base in the heart of north Surrey, the award winning estate agency can once again enjoy the bright and colourful flowers popping up in Virginia Water, admire the catkins hanging from the trees and hear the woodpeckers hammering away in the ancient woodlands of Wentworth.

And just as nature springs once again into life, invariably so too does the property market with Barton Wyatt seeing an increase in the numbers of properties put onto the market, viewings and indeed sales. In the last fortnight in fact Partner James Wyatt has seen numerous new propertiesbeing made available for sale, undertaken an increasing number of viewings and made several multi-million pound sales.

So if all this sunshine has put a 'spring' in your property buying step, what are the best buys?

1. Fresh on the market this week this house is an antiquarians dream. Simply known as TheCottage in Thorpe, Surrey, this beautifully presented true family home with two staircases has been occupied by the current owners for the last 24 years - a mere blink of the eye in the houses' more than 500 year history. They have sympathetically restored and improved this lovely property to form a home of immense character yet still having the luxury of modern conveniences such as gas central heating, replacement kitchen with under floor heating, Jacuzzi bath, alarm system, double glazed conservatory etc.

The house retains plenty of the original features which include magnificent timber beams, five fireplaces with a large Inglenook fireplace complete with bread oven in the Sitting room, ledged and braced doors with Suffolk latches and old timber panelling.

Through the leaded light windows views can be enjoyed to the beautiful south west facing gardens, which is mainly lawned with an attractive patio and pond with waterfall feature which completes the garden. The origins of the house have been dated to 1490 according to the owner, and we recommend a viewing of this sensational family home in the heart of the village available from £995,000.

2. For a more contemporary property you would be wise to look at Meadowbrook inSunningdale, an exceptionally designed house completed in 2010 to the highest specification throughout. This fabulous home is a perfect blend of luxurious accommodation set over three floors amounting to approximately 5,500 square feet including a triple garage and staff accommodation.

The house has been carefully planned for a modern family with a stunning kitchen/breakfast/family room area. The property enjoys a unique location in one of Sunningdale's most prestigious roads at the end of a long private driveway backing onto Chobham Common and the 12th green of Wentworth's championship West Course.

Six bedrooms, six bath/shower rooms, four reception rooms, steam room, annex, three car garage. Meadowbrook is on the market for £2,950,000.

3. And lastly Four Winds Harvest Hill is being launched at the end of April and offers 5 families the opportunity to live in an exclusive idyllic semi-rural location within 3 milesof Beaconsfield, with stunning views across the Thames Valley recently described as one of the most desirable towns in the country.

Each home affords substantial living space on the ground floor flowing from a grand entrance hall into formal drawing and dining rooms and impressive kitchen/breakfast rooms incorporating family living areas.

Master suites feature balconies, dressing rooms and palatial en-suite bathrooms with 4 further en-suite bedrooms and cinema rooms. This is a unique opportunity to own a classically designed home, combining modern fittings with timeless external materials and beautifully landscaped gardens in an outstanding location.

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Barton Wyatt provide luxury and select Property in Surrey James Wyatt MNAEA, MARLA, TRC, REALTOR ® is a partner at Barton Wyatt. Tel: 01344 843000

Surrey property market

It is indeed peace and tranquillity along with a cool and composed atmosphere that you would vouch for in your dream house. With the exquisite house for sale Surrey deals from Barton Wyatt, a prominent Estate agent in Surrey county, UK, your most coveted dreams would surely turn to reality.

The one of a kind broad based Estate Agency is next to none when it comes to searching for house for sale Surrey. The extraordinary and lavish houses it has for sale possess exceptional facilities and speak of their grandeur in high volumes. In addition, these homes are quite secure since most of them are occupied by the owners themselves.

Be it the Wentworth Estate around the much famed Wentworth club in Virginia waters, Windsor Great Park, Runnymead or the Sunningdale village, Barton Wyatt can help you buy a plush house almost anywhere in the vicinity of the Surrey county. Besides, you could also benefit from the agency's expertise in corporate lettings, land appraisal, new home sale and other significant real estate departments while making important decisions regarding any of these matters.

A huge selection of homes are for grab in Surrey. There are the grand houses on the Main Island of the Wentworth Estate with heart raising views, and then, there are luxurious six bedroom houses with ample entertaining space. Some of them may offer you the facilities of gyms, games room, swimming pool, all at one place, the others may be the opulent family homes with generous rooms along with extended grounds. You can look out for various house for sale Surrey schemes being offered by Barton Wyatt to buy one of these magnanimous houses as per your choice and budget constraints.

Certain factors should be considered before buying a house at a particular location, these include proximity of schools, colleges, hospitals and shopping destinations from the preferred site. Availability of public transport and security is yet another dominant factor in this regard. The same holds true for a house for sale in Surrey, however, with Barton Wyatt, you can be rest assured to be facilitated by all such amenities at the closest possible distance.

Summary: Barton Wyatt is a distinctive Estate Agency in Surrey, solely own and operated by the Watt family with the help of an extended team of experienced professionals. It helps the potential buyers to finalize a house for sale Surrey deal as per their financial limits and suitability. Before helping you in any such deal, they make it sure that the house proves true to all the standards as per desired by the clients.

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