Cheshire & North Wales

Autumn 2012

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The year began well, with new applicants and viewings up on the same period in 2011, and a marked increase in potential vendors seeking advice on marketing. Since then, the market has become more price-sensitive, but there seems to be a lot of pent-up demand from those in rented accommodation who are still waiting for the right property.

Setting the right guide price will be key to achieving a sale over the next six months. When the price is realistic, the level of interest is encouraging – for example, a pretty farmhouse recently attracted 60

viewings on the first weekend, with a sale 20% higher than the guide price. Cheshire and North Wales have a diverse range of property types and geographical features that provide something for most buyers. Access to good schools is a priority for families, and we’re often asked for properties with good communication links to Chester, Liverpool and Manchester. Nearly 40% of our buyers are people moving into the area from other parts

of the country, so we’re using Strutt &

Parker’s national network to its best advantage.Martyn Haden,

Associate Partner

Bryn Celyn, Llanbedr Dyffryn ClwydDenbighshire LL15

Bryn Celyn is an exceptional Grade II Listed country house, believed to date from 1835 with later additions, that has dressed stone and mellow brick elevations beneath a slate roof. The property is set in nearly three acres of

mature gardens, including formal lawns, a semi-walled garden, an orchard and tennis court. The grounds include a detached cottage that provides excellent secondary accommodation and further outbuildings. Surrounded by

the beautiful countryside of the Vale of Clwyd, the property has wonderful views towards the Clwydian hills.

£995,000

We have a diverse range of property types that provide

something for most buyers

‘The level of interest is encouraging’

Cheshire & North Wales • 3struttandparker.com2 •

&homes Chester

Welcome to your property update for Cheshire & North Wales. We’re delighted

to share with you some of the diverse properties that your local Strutt & Parker team has to o�er, as well as our expert insight into your local property market. For an innovative way to access a large and enthusiastic pool of potential buyers, or easily view a wide range of houses, contact us for details of Strutt & Parker’s upcoming Open House Day, taking place on Saturday 6 October.

‘The 12-month outlook for the UK property market is muddled. It’s key for mortgage providers to support the main “engines” of the market – first-time buyers and mid-market – through greater liquidity and affordability. Our view is that, although personal debt needs to be contained and reduced, the lending costs that are currently throttling the market will start to soften.’Stephanie McMahon, Head of Research

In summer 2012, Strutt & Parker saw a

64%increase in instruction

numbers and

14.6% increase in exchange

levels, compared with 2011.

And from May 2011 to June 2012, across the regions we produced

on average

2.75%

IN EXCESS of our clients’

expectations on price

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SOLD

SOLD

Donadea Lodge, BabellFlintshire CH8

A country house with a separate cottage, outbuildings and land.

£475,000

Holtridge Court, NorburyCheshire SY13

A stunning barn conversion with land and outbuildings in a delightful rural location with views over rolling farmland.

£799,000

Groeslwyd, LangollenDenbighshire LL20

A delightful home in a spectacular hillside setting with stunning views and around 8.4 acres of land. £425,000

Warway Cottage, MalpasCheshire SY14

An excellent four-bedroom family home in a popular rural village with land and superb views.

£575,000

Trevalyn Barn, RossettWrexham LL12

A detached fi ve-bedroom barn conversion developed to an exceptional standard.

£899,000

Plas Yn Cwm, RhualltDenbighshire LL17

An outstanding eight-bedroom Victorian country house situated in the beautiful Vale of Clwyd with views across extensive parkland. £2,500,000

Little Oaks Barn, OvertonWrexham LL13

A charming Grade II Listed barn conversion with a paddock on the fringe of a sought-after village. £450,000

Station Lodge South, NannerchFlintshire CH7

A pretty Victorian lodge house on the edge of a popular village with well-established grounds. £285,000

of sales handled last year were in the

£500,000 to £1 million bracket

50%The marketing campaign resulted in 46 viewings and 10 offers

Mr T, Thornton Hough

Cheshire & North Wales • 5struttandparker.com4 •

&homes Chester

SOLD

SOLDSOLD

SOLD

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Tarvin Lock Cottage, ChesterCheshire CH3

A charming Grade II Listed four-bedroom cottage on the canal side set over three levels with views directly over the canal to cricket fields beyond. £470,000

The Dukes, HanmerShropshire SY13

A delightful Grade II Listed detached farmhouse in unspoilt countryside with gardens and a paddock. £450,000

The Barn, ChirkWrexham LL14

A conversion of a former shippon in a rural setting with three bedrooms and views across open fields. £275,000

14 Black Friars, ChesterCheshire CH1

An impressive Grade II Listedtownhouse with original features situated within the city walls. £415,000

The Glebe, Church Minshull Cheshire CW5

A charming former vicarage set within delightful gardens with many original features. £595,000

Heathcote, Childer ThorntonCheshire CH66

A period house believed to date from 1910 set in about 20 acres. £825,000

Swinford Mill, Great BarrowCheshire CH3

A wonderful five-bedroom country house set within its own grounds with beautiful gardens and delightful views from all sides. £975,000

Pale House, ManleyCheshire WA6

A dramatically appointed property set within 1.7 acres in an exclusive development.

£2,250,000

The team has been both friendly and

professionalMr & Mrs W,

Spurstow

We have sold properties ranging in value from

£230,000 to £11m

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Cheshire & North Wales • 7

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The Old Rectory, WorthenburyWelsh Borders LL13

An impressive Grade II Listed Georgian Rectory dating from 1657 and set in about two acres. £975,000

Llanerchgron Isa, RuthinDenbighshire LL15

An elegant period property situated in the vale of Clwyd with stunning views.

£545,000

Park House Farm, HathertonCheshire CW5

An outstanding, modernised Grade II Listed farmhouse. £1,450,000

Park Cottages, PulfordCheshire CH4

A charming period property surrounded by open countryside with views to the Welsh hills. £395,000

Coed Mawr Hall, RowenConwy LL32

A beautifully presented eight-bedroom period property with contemporary features in the hills above the village of Rowen. £950,000

Foxhill Farm, FrodshamCheshire WA6

A charming four-bedroom Georgian farmhouse, with a separate cottage and extensive outbuildings, set in about fi ve acres. £725,000

Milton Lodge, Church MinshullCheshire CW5

A family house with a large garden and adjoining land. £595,000

Moreton Manor Farm, GyfeliaWrexham LL13

A delightful barn conversion with versatile accommodation. £495,000

The national network proved to be

extremely effective Conran Homes,

Knutsford

active potential buyers have registered in the past six months

717

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&homes Chester

SOLD

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Belinda Hutchinson-Smith Associate Partner

What’s the best way to

spend a Sunday afternoon

in your area? In my case it’s riding horses with my family in the beautiful South Cheshire countryside and stopping for a drink at The Swan in Marbury. However, we are so spoilt for choice in Cheshire as there is so much to do, including walks in the Bickerton Hills, Delamere Forest or along our many beautiful canals. What’s your top tip for

making a property stand

out? When it comes to presentation, it is important to remember you are selling a home and not a museum so, although a house should be uncluttered, it should also feel comfortable and inviting. The front door should be well painted and make sure the doorbell works as the first impression is the most important.

Martyn Haden Associate Partner

Which is the best house

you’ve sold this year?

One of the most satisfying sales for me this year was Sandford Barn. At the time, we had a client who had a good o�er on their house but couldn’t find something to buy. They were desperately looking for a high-quality barn conversion in the Rossett area so when I was invited to provide advice on the sale of Sandford Barn, I knew we had a potential buyer. They viewed a couple of days later and a sale was agreed within a week with no marketing required whatsoever.What’s your top tip

for making a property

stand out? Try to enjoy the process, and be as positive as you can without going over the top. It’s also good to have answers to commonly asked questions, and if the viewer isn’t local, chat to them about schools perhaps, if they have children, or nearby pubs if they don’t!

Dominic Sheppard Associate

Which is the best house

you’ve sold this year?

The most interesting was probably the Point of Ayr Lighthouse, which marks the northernmost part of mainland Wales. The dunes on which the lighthouse was originally built have retreated inland over the years and it now sits in the middle of the beach with stunning sea views. What’s the best way to

spend a Sunday afternoon

in your area? For me, Sunday afternoons are almost always spent in the open air. I often go walking in Snowdonia or mountain-biking at Llandegla, but whatever I do it’s usually with the aim of working up an appetite for a big roast in the evening.What’s your top tip

for making a property

stand out? Take good photography on a bright sunny day – ideally in the spring and summer months when the garden should look colourful and the lawn freshly mown.

Ebnal House, MalpasCheshire SY14

This wonderful Victorian country house, currently laid out to include a self-contained annexe, stands in attractive gardens and grounds and has far-reaching views to the Welsh Hills. There are also paddocks and

a coach house with stabling, a workshop and large loft space, which is ideal for conversion if further accommodation is required. Whilst rurally situated, the house is within a mile of Malpas, which o�ers good local

amenities and schools, and Chester, Liverpool and Manchester are all within a daily commuting distance.

Guide price £895,000

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&homes names&faces

Chester

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affi liate offi cesworldwide

more than

1,000

offi ces in London

1050 local offi ces nationwide

Strutt & Parker has joined the Christie’s International Real Estate network, with 1,049 affi liate offi ces worldwide from New York to Hong Kong, Rio to Moscow and everywhere in between. Its luxury property website is viewed by more than 90,000 potential buyers in 42 countries every month. Strutt & Parker is now well connected globally, so we have the reach and relationships to match your home to the ideal buyer, wherever they are in the world.

Scan the code with your smartphone to view the latest listings from the Chester offi ce.

Chester37 Lower Bridge StreetChesterCH1 1RS

Tel: +44 (0)1244 354888 chester@struttandparker.com

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