Category Archives: Property Buyer News

News, Property, Property Buyer News, South East England News

Homebuilder provides its top five walking locations in Abingdon for National Walking Month

For National Walking Month, Oxfordshire developer David Wilson Homes Southern is offering a list of scenic riverside walks near its Kings Gate and Abbey Fields developments in Abingdon-on-Thames.

National Walking Month – which lasts through the whole of the month of May and is run by health charity Living Streets – aims to get people out into their local area, be active and appreciate all nature has to offer while taking a scenic walk.

This year’s theme is #Try20, and Living Streets is encouraging everyone who is capable to try walking for a minimum of 20 minutes a day for the duration of the month.

David Wilson Homes’ Kings Gate and Abbey Fields developments, both approximately a 20-minute drive from Oxford, are ideally placed for both short and long walks. Whether you’re looking for a stroll along the River Thames to Oxford or a heritage walk through Abingdon itself, you’re sure to find a walk you’ll love in this picturesque area.

For those new to the area, David Wilson Homes has curated a top five list of local walks:

 

Walk along the Thames from Abingdon to Oxford

    • Taking just under four hours at a brisk pace, this walk is for those ramblers who like to make a day of their excursions. The trail starts with a walk through a small wooded area before following the River Thames to Oxford.

Abingdon Abbey Heritage Trail

    • If you’re looking to learn more about the local history, the Heritage Trail is perfect for you. The route takes you past St Nicolas Church, Roysse Court, the old site of Abingdon School, St John’s Hospital, the Abbey buildings and gardens and Barton Court ruins, with the option of walking back along the river. This walk is the perfect way to get to know your local area.

1556 Boundary Walk

    • This walk can be done on your own or as part of a walking tour. Traditionally done on New Year’s Day, this walk takes you around the boundaries as they were when the town was granted its royal charter in 1556. The whole walk will take you about two hours as you walk the three miles from the Market Place to Abingdon Lock.

Abingdon Waterways Walk

    • This eight-mile walk will usually take about four hours to complete and will take you to Culham Lock where you will be treated to the best view of Abingdon. The walk along the Thames path offers a calming waterside ramble, with pubs available along the way for refreshments.

Thrupp Lake

    • On the outskirts of Abingdon near Radley, The Earth Trust have created a walk around Thrupp Lake. The walk around the lake takes an average of 40 minutes and features a boardwalk along the water’s edge and a bird hide where you can watch the local wildlife.

A variety of one, three, and four bedroom homes are available at Kings Gate and four and five bedroom homes are available at Abbey Fields.

More information on the homes at Kings Gate and Abbey Fields can be found by visiting the David Wilson Homes website, or by calling 033 3355 8487.

Education, Engagement, Property, Property Buyer News

Grand designs by talented art students light up new year property campaign

GRAND designs by talented art students hold the keys to a long-standing partnership with one of the country’s top property agents.

Learners on the Foundation Studies in Art and Design course at Grwp Llandrillo Menai have been working alongside Williams Estates to develop a series of images for their Home is Where the Heart Is campaign.

The cohort from the college’s Rhos-on-Sea site created bespoke posters for an innovative light-up window display that will capture the attention of customers and passers-by at their offices in Holywell, Denbigh, Mold, Rhyl, Ruthin, Prestatyn and Rhuddlan.

It comes as Director Jason Williams and the team again were named Best Lettings Agency in Denbighshire at The British Property Awards for 2021/22, adding to the impressive array of industry customer service awards they won this year.

Jason said: “We’ve had an amazing year and it’s been topped off by the brilliant work of the students at Llandrillo.

“We are always keen to try and support the college and the next generation of artists and designers with real-life, real-time projects that will enhance our marketing and profile while giving them vital experience.

“The end result is a fabulous and eye-catching digital poster using different concepts which will definitely turn heads – we love it and thank them for their amazing efforts.”

This is the sixth consecutive year that Williams Estates has given the Art and Design department a creative brief.

“And every year the absolutely blow us away with what they come up with,” said Jason.

“This Christmas is no different, they’ve outdone themselves once again.”

Lecturer Dewi Owen Hughes added: “I fully support such links with industry as I believe realistic creative work projects greatly enhance the experience and future employability of our Art and Design students.

“Our learners gain so much added-value by working on this brief and they can’t wait to see their creative work being printed and used by Williams Estates in a state-of-the-art LED light-pocket window display.”

Reflecting on their latest awards victory, which came just weeks after they won six titles at the ESTAS – including their ninth Gold for Best Sales Agent in Wales – Jason said: “That is testament to our staff, who – despite the challenges of the pandemic – have gone above and beyond to support our customers and provide outstanding service.

“For that to be recognised with success in two such high-profile industry award ceremonies is a major honour for us.”

“Visit www.williamsestates.com and follow @williamsestates for more news and information from Williams Estates.

For more information on Creative Arts courses at Coleg Llandrillo, call 01492 542 338 or visit www.gllm.ac.uk.

 

 

For more property news, visit propertynewsdesk.co.uk

News, Property, Property Buyer News

Downsizing – tops tips to take the headaches out of moving

Written by CEO Nygel Scourfield, My Future Living

Moving can be stressful, especially if you are downsizing and moving to a smaller home. Not only have you got the usual things to contend with, you also need to think about what you can and can’t take with you.

No matter what you think there is no way a three bedroom house is going to fit into a one bedroomed apartment! Putting things in storage could be an option, but this should only be a temporary measure as this can get costly. It’s better to have a good clear out before moving.

To make things easier we’ve put together the following top tips for people planning a move this year to ensure it goes as smoothly as possible:

Advance planning

As with most things having a plan is the best approach. Begin your countdown as soon as you know you are moving and write down a list of everything that needs doing and by when. Allocate tasks if there are two of you or you have someone in the family helping you.

Midweek move

Think about what day of the week is going to be best for you to move. Often people move on a Friday so they have all weekend to get sorted, however, if you are flexible on the day of the week you can move choosing a midweek day could save money on the cost of removal firms.

Book a removal company

It’s essential to book a removal company as soon as you know what date you plan to move. Often firms get booked up months in advance, so do some research early on in the process and get prices, so you can book as soon as you’ve agreed a move date.

Start packing and de-cluttering

Again the earlier you can start this the better. This is the time to de-clutter too. Packing room by room is the best plan. Remember if you are downsizing there is going to quite a lot that you can’t take with you. Whilst a lot of this may be large furniture, it’s surprising how much people have when it comes to personal effects such as clothes, books, magazines, electronic items, hobby items.

Re-cycling / selling or throwing away

As you go from room to room work out what you are keeping and pack it up, remembering to write on the front what is in each box. With the rest decide if it’s something you could sell or re-cycle, or whether it should be thrown away. Using coloured stickers is a great way to mark-up items depending on what you plan to do with them.

Have a garage/door stop sale or sell online

Any items that you think are worth selling could be sold through a garage or door stop sale or through local community groups online. You could also consider a boot sale. There are also quite a few online second hand sale sites or you could try eBay. Doing this sooner rather than later is the best idea to give some time for things to sell.

Plan a few trips to the recycling centre

Most household items including electronics, paint and furniture can be taken to a local recycling centre, as well as bits that are destined for landfill. It can often be quite crowded at these centres though so try and go midweek to save time. You may need to schedule a few trips to get rid of everything, but this will help your home look less cluttered and make it easier in the long run to see where you are at with your packing. For larger items such as furniture you can often find charities that will come and collect it free of charge. Just do a quick internet search in your local area or call up and ask.  Most councils also offer a paid for service for bulky items such as sofas or fridges. These options are handy for those with limited mobility too.

Write to banks and other financial institutions

Get in touch with your bank and other financial providers such as pensions, insurances and investments and let them know your new address. People often forget policies they have taken out, so going through paperwork earlier in the process can make this job easier and ensure you contact all relevant parties.

Utilities, telephone and other subscription services

As above make sure you inform them of your moving date and new address so they can send through final bills. It’s crucial on move day to do gas and electricity readings. Taking a photo can be the best way to have a time/date stamped record. Make sure to contact all the subscription services you use too such as broadband, Netflix etc and inform TV licensing that you are moving.

In the final month

In the last few weeks before your move do things such as redirecting your post, cancelling regular deliveries such as milk and newspapers and paying any local shops where you have accounts. Write to family and friends and let them know your new address too. Go through the house and check you have everything packed that you are taking with you, including curtains, light fittings and rugs.

Finally, go through your check-list that you made at the beginning and ensure everything is ticked off! Now you are ready and can look forward to the big day and starting your life in your new home.

About My Future Living

My Future Living, is the leading UK retirement rentals brand, which is part of ReSI Property Management Ltd.

My Future Living specialises in good quality, age-exclusive, assured tenancy rental properties in safe and friendly later living communities throughout the UK.

We make renting in retirement easy and affordable, so people can really enjoy the next chapter of your life.

With 2,222 apartments designed exclusively for the over 55s in modern purpose-built retirement developments by the coast, in thriving cities or pretty market towns – we have homes to suit everyone. With so many options, people can choose where and how they want to live in retirement.

For more information: www.myfutureliving.co.uk

News, Property, Property Buyer News

First homes now on sale at brand-new community in Houghton Regis

The first homes at Linmere, a brand-new community being created on the northern edge of Houghton Regis, are now on sale and available for buyers to reserve.

Bellway Northern Home Counties has begun construction work on 153 homes on land off Sundon Road.

The development, known as Bellway at Linmere, will comprise a range of one and two-bedroom apartments and a variety of three and four-bedroom homes.

Once complete, the wider Linmere site will consist of 5,150 homes, new schools, shops, community facilities and 90 acres of public open space, including new sports pitches, outdoor play areas and a network of cycle paths.

A two-form extension to Thornhill Primary School, which is located next to the site, will be completed in time for the new school term in September, while a new supermarket close to the first homes is also expected to open later this year.

Linmere will also be home to The Farmstead, a collection of three barn-style buildings containing an artisan café, community hall and meeting rooms.
The overall scheme will deliver funding of around £36 million for local education, transport, open space and leisure facilities through developer contributions, as well as creating hundreds of jobs.

Luke Southgate, Sales Director for Bellway Northern Home Counties, said: “Linmere is an exciting and ambitious project which will create an attractive and desirable new community on the edge of Houghton Regis.

“We are proud to be building the first homes at this highly anticipated development and to have now released a selection of properties onto the market. There has understandably been a huge amount of interest and we are pleased to share that we have already received two reservations, with another expected this coming weekend.”

Later this month, The Chestnut showhome will open for buyers to explore an example of the three-bedroom homes available at Linmere. It will be viewable by appointment only, in line with coronavirus restrictions.

Luke added: “The homes we are building will be just a short walk from The Farmstead community hub, the new supermarket and extended Thornhill Primary School.

“As well as these new purpose-built facilities, there is an array of existing shops, pubs, restaurants and leisure venues in Houghton Regis and Dunstable, which are both within just three miles of the development.

“The site’s location just over a mile from Junction 11A of the M1 makes it ideal for commuters. Luton and Milton Keynes are only 15 and 30 minutes away by car respectively, while trains from Luton railway station can get to London St Pancras in as little as 22 minutes.

“I would encourage anyone interested in becoming a part of this exciting new community to register for updates through our website or to call our sales team to find out more.”
For more information about Bellway at Linmere, call 01582 953 878 or visit bellway.co.uk.

News, Property, Property Buyer News

New 159-apartment development launches in Sydenham

The first homes at a new apartments development, which is transforming the former Maybrey Foundry site in Sydenham, have been released for sale.

On January 30, Bellway London launched its Maybrey Works development off Worsley Bridge Road, where a selection of one, two and three-bedroom apartments are now available to buy.

Bellway has also unveiled a two-bedroom show apartment, designed by Vesta Interiors, with photos and a virtual tour available to view on the development’s website.

The 159 apartments at Maybrey Works will be split between four buildings, some of which will look out over Pool River. The development will also feature central communal gardens as well as rooftop gardens for residents, and commercial space where the sales office currently sits.

Among the new apartments will be 51 affordable homes available for local people through rent or shared ownership.

Bellway will also be investing more than £900,000 in the local area.

These contributions include £523,938 for education, £212,040 in carbon offsets, £166,960 towards healthcare and £4,000 for highways.

Sales Director for Bellway London, Emma Hamlett, said: “Construction work is progressing well at Maybrey Works, where we are regenerating a brownfield site into what will become a vibrant community of new homebuyers.

“As a housebuilder, we understand that the requirements of our customers have shifted since lockdown began, with access to open space now a top priority – so Maybrey Works, with its riverside setting and gardens within the development plus balconies to most homes, will help meet those needs well.

“The showhome that we have opened at the development is a great example of the high-quality homes on offer at Maybrey Works. We have enjoyed working alongside Vesta Interiors to create a home that combines traditional and modern styles, forming a warm and inviting space.

“Maybrey Works comprises a variety of apartment sizes, so we are expecting a broad range of buyer types to be able to find their ideal home here. We are also anticipating a lot of first-time buyers will be able to take their first steps on to the property ladder here because of the availability of the London Help to Buy scheme.”

Under London Help to Buy, first-time buyers can secure a new-build home with just a five per cent deposit and a 55 per cent mortgage. The buyer then receives a Government-backed equity loan covering 40 per cent of the property’s value, which is interest free for five years.

Prices of the one, two and three-bedroom homes at Maybrey Works currently start from £357,500.

For more information, visit bellway.co.uk or call the site on 020 3993 8572.

News, Property, Property Buyer News

First residents set to move into new Romsey development

The first residents are getting ready to move into their new homes at a housing development in Romsey.
Bellway Wessex is building 73 homes at Meadow View, off Cupernham Lane, with the first properties due to be completed next month (February).

Bellway launched Meadow View in July last year and has since opened a four-bedroom Goldsmith showhome to give prospective buyers an insight into what life might be like in a new home at the development.
Viewings of the showhome are currently strictly limited to one-to-one appointments only, which can be booked with the sales team in advance.

Kim Caldwell, Sales Director for Bellway Wessex, said: “Since opening Meadow View last summer, we have seen a great deal of interest from house-hunters and we are looking forward to welcoming the first residents to their new homes.“We have made great progress with the build so far and it won’t be long before what has been a construction site becomes a new residential community in Romsey.“All of the homes at Meadow View are part of our Artisan Collection, which is the result of two years of development and decades of customer input. It is a new range of house types which combine traditional craftsmanship and attention to detail with the very latest construction techniques.”

Of the 73 homes that are being constructed at Meadow View, 44 are being sold privately while 29 are being provided as affordable housing available for local people through shared ownership or rent.
There is currently a selection of three and four-bedroom homes available to reserve at Meadow View, with prices starting from £479,995.

With some properties at Meadow View due to be finished before the end of the stamp duty holiday on 31 March, buyers who are able to complete their purchase by this deadline could save stamp duty on the first £500,000 of their new home’s price.

For more information visit bellway.co.uk or call Meadow View on 01794 725477.

News, Property, Property Buyer News

Housebuilder helps fund festive front door competition in Shrewsbury

A competition which aims to get Shrewsbury in the festive spirit is being backed by a local housebuilder.

Bellway West Midlands, which is building new homes at two developments in the town, is one of the leading sponsors for My Shrewsbury’s Decorate your Doorstep competition.

The competition encouraged people in Shrewsbury to make their doorsteps look festive for Christmas, with prizes awarded for the best decorations in the following three categories – ‘fun’, ‘stylish’, and ‘over the top’.

The winning ‘fun’ decoration will secure family tickets for four to all Shropshire Festivals events in 2021, the most ‘stylish’ decoration will be awarded a voucher of £80 off any photoshoot from Birgitta Zoutman Photography, and the most ‘over the top’ design will secure a guided family tour of Shrewsbury Prison.

Prizes will be awarded on Wednesday 16 December, the night of the town’s Carols on the Doorstep initiative, which is encouraging people to sing carols on their doorsteps in household bubbles.

In the spirit of the competition, Bellway has decorated the doorstep of its showhome at Copthorne Keep, off Copthorne Road.

Katy Rink, editor of My Shrewsbury magazine, organising the competition with photographer Birgitta Zoutman, said: “We love the idea that Shrewsbury will be the most decorated town in the UK! We are making a big noise, nationally, with our Carols on the Doorstep event and if everyone decorates their doorsteps, it will make for a fabulous atmosphere on the night.

“We loved working with Birgitta during lockdown and we are delighted to join up again to run this festive competition, whilst hopefully raising lots of money for Shrewsbury foodbank at the same time.”

Bellway West Midlands Sales Director, Marie Richards, said: “We are very proud to be supporting My Shrewsbury’s Decorate your Doorstep competition, which is a wonderful event that will help to bring festive spirit to residents in Shrewsbury this Christmas.

“It hasn’t been an easy year for many people, and we feel the competition will serve as a very light-hearted and fun way for the community to celebrate and get creative together.

“As well as decorating our own showhome doors, we are also organising food bank collection points at our sales centres at The Spinney, off Oteley Road, and at Copthorne Keep from 1 December.

We’d like to encourage those in the area to visit our developments and contribute to the cause, to help those in need this Christmas season.”

Food donations will go towards Shrewsbury Food Bank, which is run by Barnabas Community Projects. More information about their Christmas campaign can be found at barnabascommunityprojects.org/christmas.

Details of the Decorate Your Doorstep competition and the Carols on the Doorstep initiative are available at doorstepcarols.co.uk.

For more information on the new homes being built by Bellway in Shrewsbury, visit bellway.co.uk.

News, Property, Property Buyer News

Anwyl Homes on course for growth in 2021

TARGETING growth of its Cheshire and North Wales region in 2021, Anwyl Homes is forecasting an increase in the number of homes it builds of almost 20%.

Based in, Ewloe, Flintshire, Anwyl Homes Cheshire and North Wales, is on target to complete around 474 homes by its year end of September 30, 2021, an uplift of 19% on the 400 homes it completed in its latest financial year.

Phil Dolan, managing director for Anwyl Homes Cheshire and North Wales, said: “We remain optimistic as we end 2020 and enter 2021. I believe we are now safely through the initial period of pent up demand caused by the Covid lockdown and our net reservations per week continue to exceed expectations.

“Across the region we have a strong forward order book and have recently commenced work at two new Cheshire sites. The first in Ellesmere Port, which will go on sale early in the new year, and the second in Holmes Chapel, which we plan to launch towards the middle of the year. We are in the fortunate position of having a number of new sites in prime locations in for planning, which gives us huge optimism for growth through 2021 and beyond.”

The regional business is currently building homes at 11 locations in Cheshire, North Wales, North Staffordshire, and North Shropshire.

Anwyl recently launched a new collection of 224 new homes at The Fairways, in Handforth, neighbouring Styal Golf Course, in one of Cheshire’s most sought after postcode areas.

Phil added: “We are seeing strong demand for new homes outstrip supply on pretty much all of our sites. At our new development, The Fairways, we initially released 16 homes off-plan. Of these, 14 were reserved even before we had a sales presence or show homes open on site.

Anwyl Homes was named Housebuilder of the Year at the 2020 NW Insider Residential Property Awards, receiving particular recognition for its strong and sustainable growth strategy. Its was also named in the latest Sunday Times PcW Top Track 250 league table, which ranks Britain’s leading mid-market private companies with the biggest sales.

Both achievements came in the year the company celebrated its 90th anniversary.

For more information see www.anwylhomes.co.uk.

News, Property, Property Buyer News

Construction work to begin on 102 new homes in Wavendon

Work is set to start on a housing development in Wavendon which will form part of a new neighbourhood featuring more than 1,000 homes, new schools and a health centre.

Ashberry Homes will be building 102 homes off Burney Drive, near to the village. This will include 40 affordable homes available to local people through shared ownership or rent.
The development is part of a larger parcel of land being jointly developed by Ashberry Homes and Bellway. Between them they will be providing a total of 381 new homes on the site after plans were approved by Milton Keynes Council in June.

Ashberry Homes’ development will be known as Wavendon Fields and the new homes within the development will include a mix of two, three and four-bedroom houses.

Ashberry Homes Sales Manager, Zoe Dobbs, said: “Wavendon Fields will deliver a wide range of housing which feature flexible living spaces to suit our customers’ lifestyles, as well as affordable homes for local people.

“There’s a clear demand for new housing in the area as people look for a peaceful place to live with great transport links for stress-free commuting.

“Research by Rightmove has found that having more indoor and outdoor space, plus the facility to work from home, are now top of buyers’ wish lists. Our homes are designed to maximise space and with home working areas factored in.

“Plans for the additional infrastructure in Wavendon will significantly benefit new and existing residents in the area.

“The location of the development means that Wavendon village will be just a short walk away, where its popular theatre, The Stables, holds film screenings, live performances and musical workshops for all ages.

“This part of Buckinghamshire is becoming increasingly desirable for those working in London, as it offers excellent transport links into the capital. Milton Keynes railway station is just five miles away for direct trains to Euston, while the M1 and A421 are also close by.”

Ground clearance work at Wavendon Fields has now begun, with the first homes set to go on sale next year.

For more information, visit ashberryhomes.co.uk.

News, Property, Property Buyer News

First homes built at new development in Bicester

Building work at a development of 106 new homes in Bicester is on track to be completed within the next two years.

Ashberry Homes has built the first six houses at Royal Retreat, located off Vendee Drive within the Kingsmere development. Construction is progressing apace and more than 30 homes at the development have been reserved.

The first residents moved in earlier this year and two of the homes built so far have been fitted out as showhomes.

Elaine Brown, Head of Sales for Ashberry Homes South Midlands, said: “We have had a great amount of interest in the homes at Royal Retreat. Kingsmere’s appeal continues to grow as the new community becomes increasingly established.

“The location offers a tranquil village setting with easy access to Oxford and Milton Keynes. Kingsmere itself has broad appeal, due to the proximity of Bicester town centre, excellent transport links and the facilities, including schools, being built within the development.

“At Royal Retreat we sought to create a range of homes to fit varying budgets and requirements, with flexible living spaces. Many of our off-plan buyers have taken the opportunity to personalise their home by choosing fixtures, fittings and upgrades.”

Ashberry Homes is building 106 two, three and four-bedroom homes, with 38 properties being provided as affordable housing through rental agreements or shared ownership.
Two showhomes are available to view by appointment at Royal Retreat. These include the three-bedroom detached Lysander house type, which offers an open-plan kitchen diner, separate living room and en-suite to the master bedroom.

The second showhome is a four-bedroom linked Jasmine house type, which features an open-plan kitchen, dining and family area, two double bedrooms and two single bedrooms. It also benefits from French doors leading to the rear garden and a car port.

There is currently a selection of two, three and four-bedroom homes available to buy at the development, with prices ranging from £320,000 to £474,500.
For more information, or to book an appointment, visit ashberryhomes.co.uk or call Royal Retreat on 01869 722 575.