US tenants drive lettings market in Surrey

According to data from Surrey's Best Estate Agent, Barton Wyatt, US nationals are driving the North Surrey lettings market, accounting for 45% of all tenants in rented properties in 2011. Established in Virginia Water for nearly 50 years, the award winning agency Barton Wyatt which specialises in high end lettings as well as property sales, also revealed that despite the majority of rental stock in 2011 being privately let, almost 20% was let to companies and their employees. Commenting on the findings, Partner James Wyatt, who celebrates his silver anniversary at Barton Wyatt this year, said: "In line with the recent findings from PrimeLocation.com which revealed that the location from which the highest volume of searches for British property to buy was the US at 21%, we too have seen a resurgence in US nationals renting in the North Surrey area, accounting for nearly half of all lets in 2011."   Wyatt continues, "During the recession we saw a decrease in the volume of corporate lets particularly with many international companies downsizing operations or relocating, many back to the US. In 2011 however we saw this trend reverse with US professionals and their families once again returning to the area for employment which in turn has boosted the corporate lettings market." Of Barton Wyatt's corporate tenants, the most popular sectors of employment in 2011 were energy at 19%, finance at 15% and telecoms and pharmaceuticals each accounting for 10%. As Lettings Manger, Joanne Parris explains, "Some of our biggest corporate letting clients include oil and gas giants BP and Shell as well as the 10th largest pharmaceutical company in the world, Eli Lilly and American corporation, Dow Chemicals." Indeed this leafy corner of Surrey, in and around Virginia Water, only 42 minutes by direct train to Central London, seems to be the preferred destination not only for major US conglomerates to house their UK operations but also for employees to reside. A number of American expat groups and communities exist in Surrey such as the American Women of Berkshire & Surrey and the presence of not only TASIS in Thorpe but the ACS International Schools in Egham and Cobham is highly appealing to families. These flavours of home combined with the large, often American style open-plan properties on offer in the area make it an obvious choice. As James Wyatt points out, "Over the years we have seen a greater demand from our US tenants for larger detached homes with properties in the area now averaging a substantial 5 - 6000 sq.ft. 4 and 5 bedroom properties are frequently the most popular with smaller 1 and 2 bedroom apartments barely rented by this market." One such home, available to rent today is Sylvanus House located in Sunningdale. This great family house just minutes from the shops and mainline train station comprises master suite with full dressing area, guest suite with bathroom and dressing area, 3 further bedrooms, family bathroom, living room, dining room, study, open-plan kitchen / breakfast room leading to a family room as well as a double integral garden and gardens to the front and rear. Available for £4,750 per calendar month, this type of property is ideal for corporate tenants and won't stay on the market for long.

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

Property Near ACS International School

Relocation is always a possibility for various professionals in the course of their careers. When families have to relocate, housing often plays a big role in determining where to stay. Schooling considerations may also come into play. Although transformations in learning have made it possible to train for many careers online, the hands-on nature of certain courses still necessitates physical attendance of classes. Check out the resources here for more on distance education.

When relocating to foreign countries, it is common for individuals to seek schools that have an international aspect. This is because international schools allow students to adjust more successfully to the new school environment. ACS International School, located at Egham in Surrey, England is one of the finest examples of an international school. It offers a unique curriculum that meets the needs of both international and local students. The school has an extremely diverse selection of students, representing all continents, which truly reflects a global outlook in the educational arena.

The property market for many of the towns near the school is well developed. With various housing styles and neighborhoods to choose from, you’re bound to find a house within your range. The school is served by an excellent transportation system that consists of a highly advanced road and rail network. This allows easy access to London and other metropolitan areas. Heathrow and Gatwick airports are conveniently located not far from the school, which makes international travel easier to manage.

The high demand for properties in Surrey has contributed to a high market value for housing. Properties on the market include rentals and properties for sale. Several factors have contributed to making Surrey one of the most desirable places to live in. These include excellent transport network, wide availability of various levels of schooling, including preschool, primary and high schools, good range of housing, vast areas of woodland, low crime rate, and quality shopping opportunities. Housing designs in Surrey include Georgian style houses, romanticized styles, Surrey-style varieties, suburban-style houses and Victorian housing. The good range of housing styles also helps to sustain high interest in the property market near ACS International School.

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

Return of corporate lets injects boost into sluggish Surrey property market

After an achingly slow year in 2009, corporate lettings have finally returned and with great momentum injecting a welcomed boost to the sluggish property market in Surrey. Sitting on the south-west border of London, the home county of Surrey is known for its green open spaces, affluent villages such as Virginia Water and celebrity residents let alone the direct road and rail links to the Capital, superb schools, having two international airports on its doorstep and being only one hour from the South Coast.


Not only one of the most sought after destinations in which to live by Brits, Surrey is once again becoming a desirable property enclave for expats relocating to the UK for business reasons.
As James Wyatt, Partner of multi award-winning Virginia Water based estate agency, Barton Wyatt, explains:
“With the majority of international companies still having headquarters in and around the Capital, locations such as Virginia Water, Cobham, Esher and Weybridge in Surrey have become very popular alternatives to living in the city centre. Relocation agents vie for a slice of the Surrey action as many of their expats clients have families and the large homes, wide open spaces, wide range of facilities and top class schools such as The American Community School and Tasis as well as Eton, Harrow and Wellington nearby meet their needs perfectly.”

During the boom years, Surrey was awash with business expats and their families driving a very prosperous high end rental market but in line with the economic crash back in 2009, many international companies withdrew many of their expat workers leaving some homes without tenants. The last few months have seen a turnaround however with James Wyatt and his team seeing increasing numbers of expat business workers returning to the area, relocation agents searching for rental properties and more homes being let specifically to this market.

James Wyatt comments:

“We really are back to 2008 when the market was saturated with tenants and a limited choice of properties to choose from. We are seeing some clients buying more property now, as they see bricks and mortar as a safer bet than other investments. Returns are somewhere between 5 and 6% which is an attractive proposition. Rents are rising too having risen about 5% during 2011, mainly due to the lack of supply, and we expect a busy summer this year as corporations head to the safe haven of the UK.”

Having operated in this market for many years, the lettings team at Barton Wyatt are highly trained to assist expats on what could be quite a daunting and stressful journey.  Striving to make this as easy as possible for their clients, getting the location right, advising on the right school and making sure they are in a place where they will ‘fit in and feel at home quickly’ is paramount.

Jo Paris, Lettings Manager at Barton Wyatt talks of the challenges facing an expat and how her team help make the journey as painless as possible.

“When an expat family is due to fulfil a stint in the UK, the first we hear about it is often via a relocation agent.  We have very strong links with dozens of relocation agents – it is important to them and their clients that we understand their needs and can deliver a selection of suitable houses quickly and efficiently.

“Knowing the nationality is the most important thing for us, different nationalities have different needs and desires.  For instance an American is likely to want a house with spacious rooms, a utility with American sized appliances and a huge double fridge – this will not be important to a Japanese family – they will be looking for a house within a gated community and it is important to them that there are other Japanese families in their street.”

As experts in their field, Barton Wyatt is exhibiting at the 2012 Corporate Relocation Conference & Exhibition held at the Russell Hotel in London on February 6^th.  This one day event is in its 15th year and is a must for expatriates of all nationalities, International HR professionals and those advising the expatriate community. There are over 40 exhibitors with products and services that support the expatriate community, and there are also free seminars that you can attend.

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