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