Surrey a safe haven for international buyers

The combination of a weak pound and the prediction of the UK property market bottoming out have been drawing international buyers from all corners of the world, however it isn’t just London city lights appealing to overseas buyers. A niche location in Surrey has been carved out as a safe haven for foreign nationals, seeking the best of all worlds.

The Wentworth Estate, in the heart of Surrey has long been synonymous with wealth and exclusivity and today it is this distinctive living which has drawn international buyers mainly from Russia, Kazakhstan and South Africa. Bricks and mortar in the UK is deemed to be a safe investment compared to fluctuating oil shares for example, in Russia, on which their economy is dependent.

According to James Wyatt, Senior Partner of Surrey estate agency Barton Wyatt, “Wentworth is a secure and safe environment for high profile, wealthy overseas investors which is one of its greatest appeals. For the last 3 years or so, we can count on international buyers making up at least 10% of all sales and predominantly they buy on the Wentworth Estate.
“For the wealthy families, there are exceptional schooling opportunities nearby with many renowned private schools such as Eton College, St George’s Ascot and St John’s Beaumont only a short distance from Wentworth. In addition, there are two international schools, ACS in Egham and TASIS in Thorpe.”
International buyers certainly haven’t been put off by the lack of credit from our troubled banks, nearly all the buyers pay with cash for their luxurious UK pads; properties with asking prices ranging from £3m to £10m or more. The likes of Highgate House currently on the market on the Wentworth Estate with its imposing formal pillars framing the Georgian exterior, 6 bedrooms with walk in dressing rooms and en-suites set in Wentworth’s roomy 1,750 acres will appeal to international buyers and with a price tag of £4,750,000 is an affordable cash purchase.
James continues, “Property features we regularly have requests for, include home security, staff quarters, high ceilings and general high tech gadgets. If their chosen home doesn’t have the immaculate finish they are looking for then there will be no qualms in completely refitting to their standards, despite many of the houses being newly built, complete with £100,000 kitchens”.
Due to supply and demand for this level of house, it seems that despite many of the majority buyers today seeking property bargains and negotiating hard on the asking prices, on the big ticket houses negotiations are frugal with 10% reductions on the prices being achieved at very best.
The Wentworth Estate has it all for international buyers, first of all an international community, the security, close proximity to London, private and international airports, and importantly it offers the size and specification of property that only a £10m cash buyer would expect!


Barton Wyatt provide luxury golf villas in Florida and select golf villas in Spain.

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

Worldwide comparison of eco housing

Thursday, July 16, 2009
Catherine Deshayes


The NHBC Foundation, Zero Carbon Hub and PRP Architects are today publishing the first ever global snapshot of individual countries' progress towards achieving lower energy emissions and zero carbon targets in housing...

The Zero Carbon Compendium: a record of who's doing what in housing worldwide is a unique report comparing the progress and aspirations of 15 major countries in improving the sustainability and carbon efficiency of their new homes. Including energy consumption and climatic data, as well as analysis of national policy targets and achievements, the report shows that the rate and nature of reform in each territory varies hugely, but overall progress on low carbon housing has been significant.

For the UK, the report shows that the target for England and Wales to reach zero carbon by 2016 is one of the most ambitious internationally, but that these countries are well-placed to achieve this. The UK is also unique in using carbon emissions (tonnes of CO2) instead of energy (kilowatt-hours) as its key measurement metric.

Further, the UK is one of the only countries to propose including both regulated energy (primarily heating and hot water) and unregulated energy (including appliances used within the home) in the criteria for zero carbon measurement.
Commenting on the report Imtiaz Farookhi, chief executive of NHBC, said: "This compendium provides a comprehensive and invaluable overview of how other countries are approaching and meeting the challenge of reducing carbon emissions in housing. Inevitably, every country has its own unique domestic circumstances and approach, but it is reassuring to see the collective advancements being made and on such a scale.

"The UK, in particular, is setting the bar extremely high with aspirations that look beyond those of many other countries - indeed, we are the only country to propose including carbon emissions from appliances in our targets. We have also started from a different point of development from many other countries, which already have clear, long-term policies in place."
Neil Jefferson, chief executive of the Zero Carbon Hub, added: "We know the UK target of net zero carbon for each new home from 2016 is ambitious. The compendium clearly shows just how stretching this target is in comparison with the ambitions of other countries, but it also provides valuable insight into how we can achieve our goal. "Over the past year the Hub has been working closely with industry and Government on a revised definition of zero carbon for new homes. We hope to have an announcement from Government shortly regarding their consultation and this report is a valuable set of learnings to help move the definition forward to a practical and workable stage."


Barton Wyatt provide luxury golf villas in Florida and select golf villas in Spain.

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

Sell back energy

Thursday, July 16, 2009
Catherine Deshayes

Homeowners who generate their own energy will find it easier to sell back excess supplies to the National Grid under Government 'green' plans expected to be announced today...

The scheme is part of the Government's 'renewable energy strategy' to be announced by Energy and Climate Change Secretary, Ed Miliband, who is expected to propose spending more than £100 billion on renewable sources by 2020.
At the moment householders need to buy an export meter for around £75 and then register to sell supplies to the grid.

The rate is negotiated with their electricity supplier and is usually for less money per unit than the supplier charges households.

The 'green' strategy will also confirm plans for householders to face higher council tax and stamp duty if they refuse to make their homes greener.

The plans are also expected top include 'feed-in' tariffs that will allow people to sell energy from domestic solar panels and wind turbines to the National Grid.
The renewable energy strategy is said to estimate that bills will have rise by 20 per cent, putting £230 on a year to the current household levy of £1,150 per year for electricity and gas.

Barton Wyatt provide luxury golf villas in Florida and select golf villas in Spain.

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

What the butler saw… 5% added to the value of your home?

In 1969 when ‘What the Butler Saw’ was first staged at the Queen’s Theatre, London, the comings and goings of owners in a managed home was at the height of comedy, but household staff are far from a joke, today, hosting your helpers can add value to your home.

Barton Wyatt, Estate Agents Surrey, for the prestigious Wentworth Estate and the surrounding Virginia Water area in Surrey are well acquainted with the extra staffing needs of home buyers. James Wyatt, Senior Partner, insists, “10% of all our customers have specific household staff requirements, the most popular being nannies or au pairs to assist with the children. Housekeepers’ accommodation is also regularly requested especially for foreign owners who aren’t in residence for much of the year, their housekeepers would then in turn managed cleaners and gardeners etc to keep the house immaculate all year round.”

Staff quarters or household accommodation ranges from in-house set ups with bedrooms usually at the top of the house, over garage annexes, basement conversions, stand alone cottages in the grounds or off-site accommodation where owners rent a nearby property or indeed own a second home nearby.

Wyatt continues, “the over-garage annex is most popular with owners, it tends to be more private for the family whilst being conveniently on-site and there are many cultures that insist on separate quarters. Arabs for example choose annexes or stand alone properties as culturally it isn’t acceptable to have staff above you in a home. In the home, an in-house set up will add the least value to the property too because it isn’t as popular a choice with buyers, without doubt a separate stand alone annex will add the most value, at least 5% to the value of the property. In properties say worth £2 million this equates to an additional £100,000 to the asking price.”

“Of course affording extra staff in your home is a costly arrangement with an au pair couple adding £15,000 a year to your household bills including salary, car usage, utilities, heating and water etc. Nanny’s will demand a salary at least £30,000 a year and housekeepers’ salaries can reach £40-50,000.”

Employing household help often occurs when families are expatriated overseas, the same applies when people come to live in the UK. Today people tend to spend more hours in the office and so to maximize their time spent at home with the family, staff are taken on to maintain the smooth running of the home and cover the more menial but essential aspects of home ownership.

The British are amongst those who choose household assistance, along with Kazakhstanis, Arabs and Russians and their homes tend to demand an asking price of at least £2 million such as Caspian House in Sunningdale. This 5 bedroom, 4 bathroom family home has a triple garage with accommodation over and is set in landscaped gardens of 0.6 acres. It is ideally located close to the Sunningdale golf course as well as village shops and amenities. Caspian House is on the market for £2,595,000.

For more information and to discuss your home requirements large or small contact Barton Wyatt on 0134 484 3000 or visit www.bartonwyatt.co.uk


Barton Wyatt provide luxury golf villas in Florida and select golf villas in Spain.

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

A guide to New Homes in Surrey

With ‘New Homes Week’ for 2009 at an end, Barton Wyatt updates us on the new homes available in Surrey and why buyers should seriously consider investing in a brand new property.

James Wyatt, Senior Partner, comments, “As an agency situated in the heart of Virginia Water, we are lucky to find ourselves with a range of new homes on our books, from the developer new builds situated in Virginia Water itself and surrounding towns to the Wentworth Estate where new homes can be found on a somewhat grander scale.

It has often been the trend in Wentworth, for example, for buyers to seek out older homes on excellent plots in order to knock down and re-build to their own specification and design. In some respect these owners as doing just as developers are these days but on a smaller scale. New home developers today, provide properties, often on brown-field sites, with homes that suit our current lifestyles. This includes the apartments for young professionals, starter homes for families and the larger detached properties and town houses for families close to schools and amenities with the benefit of ‘all the work being done for them’. Even so new homes offer the budding DIY-enthusiast a blank canvas on which to stamp their own mark should they wish to. It is a myth that home renovations of older style properties is the only way to achieve this.

Just as a new bespoke Wentworth Estate home will include all the latest in modern home technologies from surround sound systems, integrated security systems, to ultra modern kitchen and bathroom furnishings and accessories, so can your new home from quality developers. It is also possible for buyers to have a say in the property design internally and externally. At Charles Church’s Cascades development in Virginia Water, for example, buyers are able to decide on the layout of non-load bearing internal walls allowing you to tailor your home to suit your particular lifestyle.

A new home today must adhere to strict government compliance rules on build specification resulting in far more environmentally-friendly properties with an excellent standard of finish. Most developers also offer buyers the peace of mind of build warranties such as the NHBC warranty.

Just as we thought we were all safe in our property purchases, gazumping has made a return to the market. There have been reports of recent and sustained house price rises in certain markets resulting in owners dropping buyers to get the best possible price for their homes. Equally, with interest rates at their lowest mark since the Second World War, those who have been sitting out the recession are now finding themselves financially in a position to move. With house values overall having also dropped buyers looking to move up the ladder are finding that they can afford a lot more for their money and so in some cases are out bidding their rival buyers to secure their homes. Of course with new homes complicated property chains are avoided as you are buying homes without a chain direct from the developer. For many this is a huge appeal to reduce the ‘stress’ of moving home.

Barton Wyatt’s reasons to buy ‘new’:

• More environmentally friendly than older properties
• Can include the latest in technology and bespoke additions
• No long chains to be caught up in
• Developer incentives and buyer rewards
• Most come with 10 year warranty protection
• Homes built to suit peoples’ lives today
• You don’t need to renovate to put your ‘stamp’ on a property, new homes come as a blank canvas

For more information on buying your new home, large or small, contact Barton Wyatt on 0134 484 3000 or visit www.bartonwyatt.co.uk. Information on New Homes Week can be found at nhw2009.co.uk.

Barton Wyatt provide luxury golf villas in Florida and select golf villas in Spain.

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

On the market today

The Cascades, Virginia Water, From £509,950 (reduced from £569,950)

The Cascades is a prestigious new development by Charles Church, boasting a range of well-planned accommodation built to the highest of specifications in Virginia Water, Surrey.

Within The Cascades, a stunning four bedroom, three storey townhouse can be purchased with flexible accommodation that allows buyers to design their own layout by deciding upon where any internal walls that do not bear a load are built. The result is a bespoke property that perfectly fits personal requirements and the needs of day-to-day life.

The spacious property comprises of a master bedroom with en-suite bathroom, guest bedroom with en-suite shower room, two further bedrooms, family bathroom, drawing room, kitchen/breakfast room, utility room and ground floor cloakroom. It also includes a single integral garage and its own private garden.

Shamwari, Wentworth Estate, Guide Price £3,750,000 Freehold
An exceptional family home built to exacting standards and completed in 2009 with spacious accommodation set over 3 floors with interesting design features such as the use of balconies and a stunning split level kitchen/breakfast/family room. The property is superbly situated on the Wentworth Estate, a delightful and tranquil environment yet just half a mile from the picturesque shopping parades of Virginia Water.
Shamwari was built for the Managing Director of Bridgewater Estates for his own occupation and completed in early 2009. The house has been built to exacting standards using the finest materials throughout. The property follows a contemporary theme with modern bathroom suites and kitchen and is well suited to a contemporary family lifestyle and entertaining on a grand scale with a magnificent kitchen/breakfast/family room with a split level and unique semi circular family room area.

Over the triple garage is a staff/Au-Pair annexe accessed via an independent staircase. All the principal rooms face due south across the rear of the property with doors opening onto the patio and onto three balconies across the rear on the first floor making the very bet of the sunny southerly rear aspect.

Shamwari enjoys an enviable location in up Gorse Hill Road, a safe and tranquil no through road. The house sits well in it’s plot which amounts to approximately half an acre in all. Gorse Hill Road is located just opposite the picturesque shopping Tudor parade in Virginia Water with its excellent shops, restaurants and mainline railway station. The property is approached through electronically operated gates on brick piers over a shingle driveway providing ample parking for many cars, a path leads to the side of the property onto an expansive split level terrace across the rear with steps onto the lawn bordered by well stocked shrubbery beds. The garden is totally private from adjoining properties and enjoys sun throughout the day.
For more information contact Barton Wyatt on 0134 484 3000 or visit www.bartonwyatt.co.uk.

Property for sale in Berkshire snapped up within an hour

While the media may be painting a gloomy picture of the UK housing market, for the owners of a four bedroom penthouse apartment for sale in Berkshire, it was good news as their home was snapped up by an eager buyer in just 60 minutes.

The luxury apartment, overlooking Sunningdale Golf Course, defied the national trend, with the exchange being finalised in just 24 hours, proving that the right properties are still selling fast.
Barton Wyatt, who sell exclusive properties in Berkshire and Surrey, was the estate agent behind the sale which took place last month. As the company's sales manager, Oliver Clarke explains; this was an unprecedented move which took the owner by surprise:
"I showed the prospective buyer around the penthouse on a beautiful winter's day in February when the country was covered in a blanket of thick snow. We spent a good hour looking over the luxury property which was on the market for £1,650,000 before heading outside where we met the owners returning from a walk. The purchaser asked to see the garage in which we sheltered from the snow.
"The prospective purchaser then made the owner an offer there and then in the garage to exchange by the close of play that day telling them that he had bought his last house in just three hours and that if his offer was acceptable, he would instruct his solicitor to do the same this time.
"Due to the snow we had to wait until 1pm the following day to exchange, but exactly 24 hours after the prospective buyer had seen the property for the very first time, we exchanged contracts. After three months of raising enquiries, it just goes to show that with the right property and the right buyer, a home can sell very quickly indeed - leaving the owner slightly bemused but very pleasantly surprised by what could take place in just 24 hours!"
Barton Wyatt - who recently also broke a record by selling the most expensive property per square foot on Surrey's famous Wentworth Estate - market prestigious properties in areas which include Virginia Water, Sunningdale, Englefield Green, Ascot and the Wentworth Estate.

Barton Wyatt provide luxury golf villas in Florida and select golf villas in Spain.

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