Rent reaches record high

Article provided by Letting Agents Sunningdale

The cost of renting hit a record high of £734 a month in August after five consecutive months of rising prices. Average rents in England and Wales rose by 1.2% compared with the previous month, according statistics from LSL Property Services. The average cost of renting is now 2.9% higher than it was 12 months ago, causing rents to rise to record highs in five regions of the country.

London tenants have been worse hit, with rent rising at a rate of 4.9% since August 2011.

Meanwhile, renters in the South East have seen price rising at a rate of 3.9% during the same period.

Wales and the South West are the only two regions where rents have fallen in the past year.

David Brown, commercial director of LSL Property Services, says: “The rental market is right in the thick of its peak season, and the demand from graduates and those starting new jobs has added a new layer of competition on top of the existing pool of frustrated buyers.”

For more information, please refer to Barton Wyatt Letting Agents Surrey.

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Living in Glass houses – the secret to magnifying the value of your home?

According to RICS, adding a conservatory can raise your house’s value by a respectable 4% to 5% but is this the reality in today’s market?  James Wyatt, partner of privately owned estate agency Barton Wyatt Estate Agents Surrey shares his thoughts.

“If not done properly, conservatories can be design disasters resembling oversized porches crudely stuck onto the most convenient exterior wall with no consideration for the interior layout.  When care is taken however they can be a work of art, lovingly designed with care and consideration to the house and the environment that it is being added to,” comments James Wyatt.

“Once highly fashionable, the demand for traditional ‘conservatories’ has declined in our area with buyers now seeking “orangeries” instead alluding to a feature of luxury and sophistication. It seems to be all about perception,” he adds.

With the type of ‘orangeries’ prevalent in many of Barton Wyatt’s clients’ homes costing anywhere from £25,000 to £250,000 to install and planning permission often required; committing to additional space is not a light undertaking but for some having the extra space has become invaluable.

One such lady is Mrs Fernando who purchased through Barton Wyatt; she was so taken with the large conservatory, located just off from the kitchen. Covering some 500 square feet, the space has been designed into an L-shape in order to connect the main house with the swimming pool complex.

“When we moved into Broomfield House I quickly realised that in order to fully utilise the living space of the conservatory that it would need some serious refurbishment.  We installed a fully retractable seamless glass door system which meant that in the winter we can shut the room off and stay cosy in the kitchen and when the house needs cooling down we can throw the doors open and let the fresh air in.   I also had thermal glass installed at this time to keep the heating /cooling costs to a minimum,” explains Mrs Fernando.

“We also added in an air conditioning system.  This is, I believe, essential in any glass house.  Although we live in England, a glass room can get ferociously hot and needs cooling on hot days. In the winter the air conditioning unit is able to quickly and efficiently heat the room so it really has become an integral feature of the house.

“The final item that must be purchased is a decent set of blinds, without which you will find yourself having friends for dinner and all sitting there in sunglasses!” she advises.

So, if living in a glass house is for you then follow these top tips on installing a conservatory:

• Choose a design that complements the style of your home and make sure it doesn’t dominate your garden. Also think about its position: a south-facing conservatory needs ventilation and shade, while a north-facing room requires good heating.
• Check with your local planning department whether you need permission. If you’re within your home’s permitted development allowance (your local planning department can advise on this) and your conservatory is separated from your house by patio doors, you may be exempt
• Cheap doesn’t always mean the best. Obtain several quotes and do check feedback from other customers, the biggest and most vocal companies aren’t always the best either.
• Do your research – make sure you are buying the highest quality structure within your budget
• Do make sure you ask your builder what is included in the quote – is it inclusive of flooring and electrics or will you be left with a bare shell?
• Do install effective heating and ventilation arrangements so that you can use it in all seasons

The benefits of a conservatory are multiple; they give you greater living space and can add light into your home.  You can achieve the desirable feeling of bringing the garden into the home and they make fabulous spaces for entertaining.

And the downsides, well they can be very costly to build and will eat up a chunk of your garden.  If they are not properly ventilated this room will end up being too hot or too cold and then unusable.

So, is it worth while? James Wyatt says a definite yes!

“There is no point adding a cheap and nasty lean-to onto your house but if you have the funds and space to build something beautiful and tasteful then I would say yes every time. Done properly, it will add more value to your home than the cost of it. Our purchasers are always wowed when they walk into a conservatory that has had time, thought and energy put into and it will definitely help to sell your home.”

For more information on rental property Surrey area contact Barton Wyatt on + 44 (0) 1344 843 000 or visit www.bartonwyatt.co.uk.

 

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Sports and Property in Surrey

These days, Surrey is becoming a primary place with numerous real property with property owners and investors. Regardless of the property needs you wish to accomplish, the place has each alternative to fulfill it.

The residential market for property for rent in the Sunningdale and Surrey is extensively busy as various reasonably priced household apartments and flats are available for the rent.

Buying or renting a property is not a straightforward task.  Beyond falling in love with the property, the pinnacle must stay firmly on to factor in proximity to schools, transport hyperlinks, storage and parking facilities, and all your personal preferences for contented living.

Apart from these considerations, the decision is, at all times, influenced by local facilities and surprisingly, typically certainly one of these factors is the opportunity of watching prime quality sport without having to drive miles.

The Surrey/Berkshire borders are most likely the most effective location in the entire of the United Kingdom for the variety of skilled sport obtainable within lower than 30 miles.  Surrey estate agent, James Wyatt, of Barton Wyatt in Virginia Water is a real sports voyeur and talks us through the most well liked sporting locations in their vicinity:

“We’re blessed with a superb number of ‘prime title’ sporting venues on our doorstep.  There is barely a month in the 12 months the place you cannot be wowed by golf or tennis, not to mention our equine friends.

“Of course having so many world class venues does mean that we get to rub shoulders with many famous sports activities stars in Virginia Water and it is not uncommon to show the corner in Waitrose to bump in to any variety of World famous golfers.  Now we have bought and rented houses to many nicely-identified sports activities personalities.  Wentworth clearly attracts plenty of golfers but we’ve had just a few pop stars, entertainers and actors also.”

James’ love of sport has helped the success of this highly acclaimed Property Agency: “The previous adage of doing enterprise on the golf course may not pull the same punch as in earlier decades but the networking that comes from being seen and concerned in sport regionally has nice benefits in my business.”

Hopefully this epic list of sporting occasions has wetted your appetite for issues to return this 12 months – and that’s without pertaining to the excitement that 2012 will convey with the Olympics.

So when requested which was James Wyatt’s favourite he responded: “I could not presumably select – every of those sports are so unique to watch it could be unfair to declare one higher than another – however for ease of getting residence afterwards I suppose the PGA Golf at Wentworth does come up trumps!”

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How to find the best property to rent in Surrey

When you are are tenant looking to relocate to an exclusive area, such as the county of Surrey, you need a professional letting and property management agency on your side to be able to find the best properties for rent in Surrey; whether it is a flat, house or a mansion you are after.

You should expect your letting agency to understand your individual circumstances and your requirements, and to provide the type of service you require. They should be able to accompany you to the viewings, and help you with all the ins-and-outs of the tenancy process as well.

Most important of all, your letting agency should have access to an exclusive and wide-range of property for rent in Surrey.

Here’s an example property:

A delightful family house standing in mature gardens and grounds situated on the famous Wentworth Estate with magnificent views down the 12th fairway of the East Course. The property has recently had a complete refurbishment and is presented in excellent condition.The accommodation comprises; entrance hall * cloakroom and cloaks cupboard *drawing room opening to large patio * dining room * study/library * family room * kitchen with breakfast room * utility room and secondary entrance * large master bedroom suite with sitting area, dressing room and bathroom enjoying fabulous views of the East Course * 4 further double bedrooms * 4 further bathrooms * guest suite over the garage comprising bed/sitting room, bathroom and kitchenette * triple garage * heated outdoor swimming pool * mature gardens.

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FLOORING

HOME FLOORING

This article by Barton Wyatt Estate Agents Surrey should be exactly what you are looking for. Barton Wyatt have been in the residential property sales and rental business for a long time in the Surrey county of England. So, they have plenty of experience in the residential property market. And, the numerous number of viewings they have carried out in the area has given them some good ideas on the floor covering of residential properties.

For each different area of your residential property, you can pick a different type of flooring and each type of flooring has a wide range of variety. To name the few, carpets, lino, tiling and marble can be listed as a few.

Let us begin our analysis with the carpet, which has been the most widely used type of flooring all over the world for decades.

Picking the right type of underlay is almost as important as picking the right carpet for your residential property. If you invest in good quality underlay, it will help save you money in the long term.

Over the last ten or fifteen years, the laminate flooring has also become extremely popular due to its relatively cheap cost and relative ease of installation. The laminate floors can even be used in the bathrooms and the kitchens where there is plenty of potential damp.

The marble and granite are also popular options in the richer areas of England as these floor types tend to be much more expensive compared to the others.

You can find more information by browsing through our articles at Estate Agents Surrey.

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