Lower Slaughter is typical of the most attractive Cotswold villages

“If you’re thinking of moving to the country, you should definitely consider the Cotswolds.  This picturesque region offers a wonderful way of life, a safe environment to bring up children and is just an hour or so from London.  We have excellent schools and colleges, and for the ‘grown ups’ there’s no shortage of Michelin star restaurants and excellent gastro pubs, making this a highly sociable foodie’s paradise,” says Sam Butler, senior partner at Cotswolds property specialists Butler Sherborn.

“Many people find that once they move to the Cotswolds, they never want to move again.  Some families have lived in the region for several generations, while newcomers soon appreciate the community spirit and openness of the villages.  In recent years, celebrities have caught on to the quality of life and relaxing nature of the area, only a short commute from London, with famous artists, authors and stars of stage and screen establishing young roots in some of its finest old properties.

“Whether you buy a cosy cottage or a rambling rectory, it’s possible to live very well in the region, as Cotswold Life magazine proved at its recent Food & Drink Awards” .  Sam adds: “There are so many opportunities to get to know people and make new friends, and perhaps not surprisingly, much activity focuses around food and food-related events.”

Two typical Cotswold properties are:

2 Hartley's Barn is a converted Cotswold barn

2 Hartley’s Barn is a traditional Cotswold stone barn that has been sympathetically converted by Newbury developers Rivar, to offer a spacious and well presented home. Accommodation includes a kitchen/breakfast room, utility room, cloakroom, sitting/dining room, master bedroom with adjoining shower room, two further bedrooms and a family bathroom. Local pub – The Lamb Inn, Shipton-under-Wychwood. Guide price £480,000 .

Flora's Cottage, located in the village of Fifield

Flora’s Cottage, located in the charming village of Fifield in the heart of the Cotswolds, has a number of attractive period features including exposed beams and walls. Accommodation includes a kitchen, sitting room with wood burning stove and a bathroom on the ground floor.  Two double bedrooms are located on the first floor, while a separate annex offers the option of a third bedroom or study, plus a shower room and cloakroom.  Local pub – The Feathered Nest Country Inn, Nether Westcote. Guide price £350,000.

Burford is around five miles away, Stow-on-the-Wold is six miles and Witney is 12 miles; Cirencester and Cheltenham are approximately 23 miles, while Oxford is 26 miles.  Kingham railway station is four miles, with the journey time to London Paddington around 75 minutes.The Cotswolds is located in the heart of England stretching through Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire, Wiltshire and Warwickshire.  The region is the largest designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in England and Wales and covers 790 sq miles.

La Maison Caignac, in the beautiful south west region of France

Built in 1707 and renovated throughout in 2003 this luxurious Maison de Maître offers a spacious 655 square metres in 0.92 hectares of grounds. The house, situated in the centre of a small village and located within 100 metres of the bar/café/small shop, is equipped with six bedrooms (one en-suite), four bathrooms, three salons, three kitchens, dining room, games room and laundry.

The swimming pool at La Maison Caignac is located in the formal landscaped gardens

Outside, in formal landscaped gardens, is a heated 12 x 8 metre swimming pool, a tennis court, boules court, garden chess and a small acacia wood. The terrace features a vine-clad pergola, a barbeque and pizza oven and a formal dining area for 14 persons. There is a wine cave with a natural well to irrigate the garden. There is also covered parking for four cars.

The current habitable accommodation is split currently over two floors. In addition, there is a third floor (already equipped with power and water) of 325 square metres which is available for conversion into a minimum of eight additional en-suite bedrooms with extensions to the two existing stairwells.

The house is capable of being split into three separate areas by the locking of two doors, affording divided accommodation to larger family groupings. The current owners let the property during the months of May to September for short-term holiday lets and achieved a 4 per cent gross return in calendar 2010.

La Maison Caignac features:

• The house – renovated to luxury level in 2003 with 655 square metres on two floors (plus an additional 325 square meters of space suitable for future development on the third floor)
• Six double bedrooms – the master en-suite and with a dressing room
• Four additional bathrooms
• Three kitchens, each equipped with oven, fridge and dishwasher
• Three salons, two with open fireplaces, one with a wood burning stove
• Dining room and mezzanine space for a rest area, office or library
• Utility room and laundry room
• Cellar for use as a wine store which also houses a well
• Imposing entrance hall and lavatory
• All electric with three separate circuits

La Maison Caignac's tennis court

The garden

• Formal landscaped gardens and a small wood in 0.92 hectares (two acres)
• Tennis court
• 12 metre x 8 metre heated saltwater swimming pool
• Boules court, outdoor chess
• Covered parking for four vehicles
• Additional hard standing with vehicle gate access to the main street
• Vine-clad pergola, barbeque/pizza oven and dining area for 14 persons
• Stone outside shed for all garden machinery

The Area

• Caignac, in the department of the Haute Garonne, is some 35 kilometres south west of Toulouse (airport 40 minutes) and 55 kilometres north west of Carcassonne (airport 50 minutes) and is six kilometres from the Canal du Midi and the local town of Villefranche de Lauragais.
• The Mediterranean is just over one hour away as are the ski slopes of Ax Trois Domaines
• The Lauragais is an area of outstanding natural beauty, farmed for cereals and sunflowers, and is at the north end of Cathare Country giving a history trail back to the 13th century. The nearby towns of Carcassonne, Albi and Mirepoix are regular fixtures on the tourist trail.

Initial contact: e-mail Bob Lewis at bob@caignac.com or go on-line at: www.lamaisoncaignac.com

The architecturally elegant exterior of the château which is located in the Beaujolais region

Elegant in scale, architecturally exquisite and with beautiful views of surrounding vineyards, this magnificent château affords a sophisticated lifestyle in Beaujolais, one of France’s prettiest wine regions.

Between the villages of Saint-Amour and Fleurie in the hilly Beaujolais countryside and on the border of Burgundy, the prestigious 17th-century château mansion sits majestically in the middle of the region’s renowned vineyards.

Built in 1690, the château is a unique heritage property, steeped in history and the elegance of a bygone era. It has been occupied by several noble families, and it was also a postal relay station where Napoleon stopped for two days in 1811.

The château and vineyard estate exudes elegance and grandeur, reflecting the generous sense of space and sophistication. The property consists of a luxury château residence, wine-producing vineyards, a four bedroom guesthouse and a chapel. The gorgeou swimming pool is set in a tranquil spot in the midst of the grapevines.

The main building of the château has eleven bedrooms while there is also a four bedroom guesthouse

The main building has eleven bedrooms, and there are numerous reception areas such as sitting rooms, boudoirs, libraries, billiard rooms, dining rooms and a home cinema, which are all tastefully decorated and each having its own charm.

An interior courtyard

There are four beautiful fireplaces in the main house and one in the guest house. The exceptional kitchen, equipped with professional appliances, can cater for over 30 guests.

There are also wine cellars and a summer kitchen in an interior courtyard boasting a town fountain and a La Cornue barbecue.

This is a luxurious home where the new owner will find nothing has been overlooked

With a blend of fine architectural details and superb furnishings, this home is picture-perfect and is ready for immediate occupation; it is lavishly furnished, outfitted and decorated. Every detail has been taken care of, even a set of house linens and a complete “La Pléiade” collection in the libraries.

The mid-19th century St Suplice-style chapel is still consecrated and has been entirely renovated with its wonderful stained glass windows. A small cloister leads to a building providing a relaxation area with sauna and massage room as well as three more bedrooms.

The estate’s singular setting commands almost two hectares of grapevines surrounding the château. Its A.O.C. Moulin à Vent red wine, a single Gamay variety, is officially accredited as the ‘Vin de Bourgogne’ naming.

This home is impressive and is a quintessential trophy property for a celebrity, jet-setter, entrepreneur, wine enthusiast or savvy investor. Offered at €4.7 million, it is a solid investment with unlimited lifestyle potential and real estate value.

The Château and Vineyard estate for sale is available from Signature Residences Worldwide. For more information, go on-line at www.signatureresidencesworldwide.com or telephone: +44 (0)20 7095 8701

The final touches are being put to a group of former farm buildings which have been given a new lease of life as luxurious holiday homes set in an archetypal Tuscan rolling landscape of vineyards, olive groves and cypress trees. They are located alongside the sixteenth century former home in Montagnana of ancient Italian families linked to the Medici, just 24 km south-west of Florence in the Chianti wine region.

Pictured is one of the residences at Villa Bossi Pucci, set in a typical Tuscan landscape of vineyards, olive groves and cypress trees. There are regular flights from UK airports to Florence and Pisa. Florence Airport is 25 minutes by road from Villa Bossi Pucci and Pisa Airport is a one hour drive

The development, Villa Bossi Pucci, takes its name from the last family to have owned the property over four generations. It comprises six buildings arranged around a central piazza and converted to create 21 one-, two- and three-bedroom residences.

They are being sold on an innovative private residence club basis which enables purchasers to buy a one-tenth interest in a particular residence and then to have unlimited use of all the residences in that category, subject to reservation policies.

Peter Kempf International is handling sales for the Milan-based developer, Il Sasso srl. Explains Peter Kempf: “This is not fractional ownership, whereby an owner’s use of the property is limited to a fixed number of days each year; neither is it timeshare which may not have ownership in bricks and mortar.

“Members of a private residence club are joint owners of the actual building and yet have access to all residences in their category. Like the members of an equity golf country club wishing to book tee times, their use of the accommodation is limited only by the club’s reservation policies.

“In my view, this arrangement offers the best value lifestyle option for people who cannot justify the cost of purchasing and maintaining a holiday home abroad when, in reality, they will only use it for a few weeks each year.”

Current prices of a one-tenth interest range from €50,000 for a one-bedroom residence, €86,000 for a two-bedroom residence, rising to €100,000 for a three-bedroom residence. Purchasers can buy more than one interest if they wish to do so.

Described by Peter as ‘an ideal holiday location’, Villa Bossi Pucci is within easy reach of Florence and is accessible by local buses which run to the city every half hour. Other towns and cities that are easily accessible are San Gimignano (30 km), Vinci (35 km), Siena (50 km) and Pisa (60 km). Beaches on Italy’s west and east coasts are within a one-hour drive.

Rustic style of a Tuscan country house

Ready to occupy now, the residences have been planned and equipped to meet the needs and lifestyles of clients seeking luxurious short breaks and long holidays in a beautiful location. They include old wooden beams, stone fireplaces for log fires in winter, porticoes and other architectural features of the original farm buildings.

Floor areas of the one- and  two-storey air-conditioned, centrally-heated homes – some with mezzanines suitable for use as a study or children’s play area – range from 80 square metres for a one-bedroom residence to 150 square metres for a two-bedroom, two-bathroom residence and 180 square metres for a three-bedroom, three-bathroom residence.

Furnished in the rustic style of a Tuscan country house, featuring local ironwork and ceramics, every residence comes fully-equipped with everything needed for a weekend break or a long holiday, from beds to bottle-openers. Standard equipment includes a plasma TV, DVD player, radio, WIFI internet access and a telephone.

Available with each residence at Villa Bossi Pucci is underground car parking and secure climate-controlled storage facilities for personal effects – such as babies’ cots, children’s toys and clothes so that the luggage required when travelling from the UK is kept to a minimum.

For more information contact Peter Kempf International, telephone +44 (0) 20 3006 4980 or visit www.villabossipucci.com

Melanie Backe-Hansen, historian for Chesterton Humberts

On homes where the history is deemed particularly valuable, historical information is made available within property details. Historical information, such as former residents, when the house was built, how the area developed, and even any significant events in the house, is used to give a fascinating insight into the history of the house and the people who have lived in it.

Melanie Backe-Hansen, historian for Chesterton Humberts

Melanie Backe-Hansen is the first person to be employed as an in-house historian by a UK estate agent. Melanie is responsible for heightening awareness of our heritage by researching the history of individual houses and the history of streets and local areas. Her research has profiled the former homes of P.G. Wodehouse, T.S. Eliot, H.G. Wells and former Prime Ministers, Benjamin Disraeli and David Lloyd George.

Westlands Farm

Surviving documents give us a picture of the history of East Itchenor, but the exact location of the lost village is uncertain. From the 19th century, the current house has been located among open fields much as it does today.

Romans and Anglo-Saxons

The area of Chichester Harbour and in particular West Itchenor, Birdham and the former East Itchenor can be traced back to the Romans when it was used as a landing place for travellers arriving for Chichester. However, the first occupation of the area was in the Anglo-Saxon period, in the 7^th century, when it was occupied by Icca, the son of the ruling Saxon Cissa. The peninsula became known as ‘Iccen Ora’ or ‘Icca’s landing place’ which slowly became Itchenor.

Westlands Farm. The property is believed to sit on the very location of a lost medieval village – East Itchenor

Normans and thriving East Itchenor

By the time of the Domesday Book in 1086, Itchenor and Birdham were under the lordship of Earl Roger and East Itchenor was recorded with three families. East Itchenor was originally part of the Priory of Boxgrove and by the 13th century both Birdham and East Itchenor had churches. In fact, by 1291 East Itchenor was larger than Birdham, recorded with a value of £8 as opposed to Birdham’s £5 6s & 8d.

Plague hits small village

It is during the medieval period that East Itchenor’s history takes a turn. Records show that in 1332 the manor of East Itchenor was tenanted to William de Hunston, while the church and attached lands were still held by Boxgrove Priory. However, it is thought that when the Black Death came to England in 1348, East Itchenor was badly affected. We know from records that the parish of East Itchenor survived until the 1440s, when it was united with Birdham, almost 100 years after the plague swept across England.

Village disappears

The manor of East Itchenor continued through the hands of wealthy owners, but it’s clear that there was no longer a parish and people living in a village, but rather it was relegated to farming land as part of the manor and church lands. The section where Westlands Farm is located today, on the edge of the peninsula, was part of the church lands, connected to what would have been the small village near the church. What is known is that the lands were not part of the manor, but belonged to the Priory of Boxgrove.

Sir Richard Sackville and the Dean and Chapter of Chichester

At the time of Henry VIII’s Dissolution of the Monasteries, the land was acquired by the Crown and in 1557 was granted to Sir Richard Sackville. He was under-treasurer of the exchequer and chancellor of the Court of Augmentations, along with a number of other positions he held in Sussex. Only seven years later Sackville transferred the estate to the Dean and Chapter of Chichester.

Farmhouse constructed – Westlands

Westlands Farm has seen great changes since it was first built in the early 19th century, with the replacement of thatch for a tiled roof, as well as the conversion from two dwellings into a single family home.

Westlands farmhouse was built in the early years of the 19th century, with the first specific recording in the 1828 land tax records, showing the house and land leased from the Dean and Chapter of Westminster by a Mr. William Gibbs. He was also recorded as owning other sections of old East Itchenor, including part of the old manor. The tithe documents also record William Gibbs as occupying large parts of the area, amounting to hundreds of acres.

William Gibbs and agricultural labourers at Westlands

William Gibbs and his family continued as leaseholders of Westlands and neighbouring land into the 1850s. The 1841 Census shows the house shared by William French, agricultural labourer, aged 45 with his wife Annie, along with John Hebberden, also an agricultural labourer, aged 55 with his wife Lydia. In the house were William, an agricultural labourer with his wife Elizabeth and their five children (under the age of 9), and also James French, agricultural labourer, only 23 with his wife Ruth.

Westlands for sale

In 1854, we find the house and farm on the market, promoted as ‘the very compact and fertile farm…comprising a double tenanted brick built and thatched cottage, having four rooms to each tenement, with detached washhouse, jointly used’. From these details we know that the farmhouse was divided into two dwellings and was originally thatched. The property details in 1854 also tell us that it was still owned by the Dean and Chapter of Chichester and the leasehold had passed to William’s sons, Wyatt, aged 24 and Edward, aged 19. The sales particulars show Lot 1, Westlands Farm, sold for £1550.

Agricultural labourers working the land

The management of the farm continued in the same way after the sale, with the farmhouse rented by agricultural labourers. The 1861 Census records that one part of the house was occupied by James Peters, agricultural labourer, aged 72 with his 70 year old wife, Rebecca. The other part of the house was occupied by James Bowers, agricultural labourer, aged 33, his wife Anne and their four children. Their oldest, 10-year old William, was already a labourer.

Boughton family come to Westlands

By the 1890s, Westlands Farm became the home of the Boughton family, which established a family run farm that continued into the middle of the 20th century. The 1901 Census shows that the farmhouse had become one single home with head of the house, Henry Thomas Boughton as ‘farmer’, 39 years old with his wife, Fanny, 38 years old. Henry and Fanny had six children between the ages of 17 and six at this time.

The Boughton Brothers

The Boughton family continued to farm at Westlands during the early 20th century, adding further farm buildings, while the Ecclesiastical Commissioners (official office for church lands) were lords of the manor and had taken over the leasehold of Westlands. Even in the 20th century, Westlands Farm was rarely named in records and was simply known for the ‘Boughton Brothers’.

The Mason family move to Westlands

In 1935 things began to change and by the outbreak of World War II, the cottages and the farmhouse were all leased to different families. By 1945, Westlands Farm was leased to Anthony Mason, who had formerly been living at nearby Itchenor House. In 1945 he moved permanently to Westlands Farm, where his family has continued to this day.

Farm cottages to single family home

The 20th century saw further alterations with an extension added to the northern section of the house and further developments attached to the land.

The property is now on the market through Chesterton Humberts. For more information, call the Chichester office on: 01243 531010

The residents of each of the three main islands, Mallorca, Menorca and Ibiza are fiercely proud of their homes and I remember once making the mistake of describing Ibiza as part of Cataluña, the region ruled over by Barcelona, in front of an elderly Ibicencan man.

His reply was a grimace, a lecture about geography, history, politics, culture, wine, fishing and agriculture and, I suspect, my parentage, although my Spanish wasn’t good enough at that point to understand what he actually said. The local dialects were banned during Franco’s years in power and residents were forced to speak Castillian Spanish.

However, once this law was repealed, the languages burst into full flower once again and with them, so did the future of the islands. Ibiza became a clubber’s paradise; Mallorca, which had been known as a package tourist’s paradise received government aid to completely refurbish its infrastructure, and Menorca, which had always remained slightly apart from the tourist explosion, gradually moved into building low rise developments aimed at foreign residents.

Foreigners who come to the Balearic Islands are a multi-cultural group, with people drawn from every corner of the world. Britons, Germans, French, Dutch, Americans, Australians, Canadians, mainland Spanish and the locals all rub shoulders happily on each of the islands both as tourists and residents.

Marine views

Each of the three islands has its own character in every sense of the word. Ibiza looks like a Cubist painter’s dream with small white farmhouses with room after room stacked up on top of each other, its tree-clad hills and its rich red earth; Mallorca with its majestic mountain range rearing up to Valldemosa and its links with Chopin, its central plain and coastal resorts; Menorca and its historic links with Britain, Nelson, ginger beer, cricket and its prehistoric monuments.

And then, of course, there’s Formentera, just a boat ride away. Flat, small and gentle, Ibiza’s delicate little sister is not for the seeker after overdoses of noise and nightlife. But Formentera, whose length you can cycle in just half an hour, is ideal for those wanting a beach, an umbrella and a quieter way of life.

Are the Balearic Islands a good choice for buying an overseas property?

There’s so much choice, but where should you look for a home? The first question is: What do I want? The fact is that the Balearic Islands provide the property seeker with a world of choice. From crowded beaches full of suntan cream, naked bodies and beach bars, through family resorts with quieter restaurants, calmer harbours and homes set back from the hustle and bustle to serene farmhouses set on hillsides clad in majestic pines, the islands have it all. And getting there is simple from almost anywhere in Europe.

Mallorca

Traditionally the capital of the Balearic Islands, Mallorca woke up about 10 years ago and realised how far down the slippery slope it had gone in terms of quality of tourism. Always a popular holiday destination, Mallorca has attracted many foreign residents who bought apartments and house in almost every corner of the island, but the quality of the infrastructure had suffered badly. The island was a tired old lady in severe need of a facelift and several weeks in a health farm.

The islanders set about changing their home and billions of pesetas were invested in roads, water, drains, telephones, the airport and cleaning up the beaches and today, Mallorca ranks high in the list of places where the jet set goes. The image of the island today is one of an up-market destination where property purchasers can enjoy a superb quality of life. The capital is Palma de Mallorca, a fine city with excellent restaurants, great hotels and superb shopping and a great airport linking it with the rest of the world.

Home to golf courses, an opera house that features stars from all over the world, harbours and marinas where some of the most luxurious boats in the Mediterranean tie up, Mallorca has property developments second to none with some of the most elegant homes in Europe.

A number of international celebrities own home on the island. They include film stars such as Michael Douglas and his wife Catherine Zeta Jones and former F1 star, Michael Schumacher, while Don Juan Carlos, King of Spain and his wife Sofia enjoy summer holidays there

Menorca

Menorca has always been modest about its achievements and its many qualities. Perhaps the fact that it was owned by Britain during the 18^th century makes it slightly different to the other Balearic Islands. Certainly the locals are proud of their Georgian architecture, their dairy farms and their enjoyment of gin.

Menorca hasn’t repeated the mass tourism mistakes made by Mallorca and Ibiza. Rather, it has concentrated on developing its shoe industry and only in recent years has it started to encourage foreign residents.

Low level developments are being built around the coast, but great care is being shown and perhaps those seeking to buy a property on Menorca will be looking for a quieter, more laid-back lifestyle. The two main towns, Maó (or Mahon) and Ciutadella are different from each other.

Maó is where the tourist will find the most typically Georgian buildings and has a distinctly international feel, doubtless thanks to its wonderful harbour, while Ciutadella retains more of a Spanish air and in the past has provided palaces for wealthy Catalan families.

You’ll find that the island of Menorca is pretty much bisected by one main road which connects the two towns. Between, there is a rural landscape of dry stone walls, market towns and factories which produce everything from ice cream to shoes.

For those that love the sun, sea and sand, look for names such as Cala D’Algairens, Cala En Turqueta, Cala Macarella and Cala Pregonda. These aren’t the typical tourist beaches but there are properties to be bought and if it’s a typical tourist development you want, head for Cala Santa Galdana.

Menorca is emerging carefully into the tourist 21^stcentury and with it, there are more and more places for the property purchaser to think about. But this is an island where tradition counts, and you can be sure it won’t allow the island to be spoiled by too much concrete.

Ibiza

Ibiza (or Eivissa as it’s known locally) is the Balearic Island that’s known the world over for its nightlife and for its clubs. But don’t be put off by this if staying out till dawn isn’t your thing. The locals are going through a similar process to the ones in Mallorca and they are putting their house in order. While this doesn’t mean they’ll be closing down the clubs, emphasis is being placed on the quality of the lifestyle for the permanent island residents.

As in the rest of the Balearic Islands, it is now recognised that tourists are great for about four or five months of the year, but it’s the year-round residents that keep things going for the rest of the year. Towns and villages such as San Carlos, San Jose, Santa Gertrudis and San Juan are still home to many who love Ibiza for its many fine qualities and these days the facilities, such as water, phones and electricity function as they should.

The White Island, or La Isla Blanca, Ibiza is dotted with fincas, or farmhouses, have grown just as the families grew. As another generation came along, so an extra room was added and the whole thing was whitewashed, making it look as the house has been built with a child’s building blocks.

This is a truly international community and foreigners have bought fincas, modern houses and apartments all over the island. Go out to dinner and, just like Mallorca, Menorca and Formentera, you’ll be surrounded by a dozen different languages, and they’ll all be saying the same thing; “Isn’t this a great place?”

San Antonio in Ibiza is still the main destination for those seeking long nights and lazy days. Clubs and bars abound but for those with the energy to get up and go to the beach, there’s plenty of choice as well. Boats make regular trips up and down the coast and there are plenty of beach restaurants for long lunches before heading back to the serious business of a long night of fun.

Ibiza town is the capital of the island and main administrative centre, as well as having great shopping, restaurants and bars. Check out the La Marina area and wander through the cobbled streets of D’alt Vila up to the Cathedral. See whether an apartment in town would suit you.

There again, perhaps Santa Eulalia will be your ideal local village, with its sugar cube church sitting atop the village, its easy-going lifestyle and its many bars and restaurants. Nearby San Carlos was originally the haunt of the island’s original hippies back in the 1960s and there are developments in this part of the island with houses and apartments to suit all tastes.

In fact, despite all the things that have been said about Ibiza in the press, it would be hard to find somewhere (apart from Mallorca or Menorca – choices, choices!) that had as much to offer the second home buyer or retiree.

Formentera

Formentera is the little sister of Ibiza and, so far is only within reach by boat (or your own private helicopter). Two high plateaux one in the west and one in the southeast are linked by a flat part in the middle. On either side of this lie two beaches, Platja de Tramuntana to the north and Platja de Mitjorn to the south. Formentera harks back to an earlier time and even if you buy a property on one of the other islands, don’t miss the chance of spending time on the smallest of the Piutiusas, the little gems of the Balearic Islands.

© Stewart Andersen and Stewart Andersen’s Property Blog, 2009. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Stewart Andersen and Stewart Andersen’s Property Blog with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

Southwold's famous beach

It’s been a family favourite for several decades, and as children grow up and have kids of their own, so another generation returns to the beaches, the annual crabbing competitions, the ferry across the river, Adnams ales and some of the friendliest people you’ll meet anywhere. In the summer, parking can become a distinct problem and the sensible visitor leaves his or her car on the outskirts or near the Common where there’s plenty of space. At the moment, residents only have to struggle with parking during the summer months and then only in the streets around the High Street.

A new look?

Architecturally, the town has changed little for many years, which is all part of its charm. The town’s buildings are essentially rural so, for me, the look of the new development, Tibby’s Triangle, and the Adnams Cellar and Kitchen Store located on the site of the old Adnam’s distribution centre, is completely out of character with the rest of the town.

The front of Cellar & Kitchen, Tibby’s TriangleA local resident commented recently, “I’m all for architect-led, contemporary and sustainable development but Tibby’s Triangle appears to be a 90′s throwback – too dense, retro-building technologies, and with no understanding of the local vernacular.”

The Cellar and Kitchen Store is clad in shiny corrugated aluminium and the front of the building is sliced away at a weirdly acute angle and frankly, it’s hard to believe it ever received planning consent, so little does it blend in with it’s surroundings.

The front of Cellar & Kitchen, Tibby's Triangle

This is industry plonked down in the heart of a traditional-looking East Anglian coastal town. In addition, why there is a four-storey apartment block in the heart of the development is quite beyond me. Prices in the development are in the region of £489,995 for a 2-bedroom terraced house.

The High Street

Fortunately Tibby’s Triangle is sufficiently near the outskirts of Southwold that I’ve found it possible to hurry past and into the High Street. These days, the shops range from smart delis to uber chic women’s boutiques, but there are plenty of old friends such as the Amber Shop, Denny Clothes and Bookthrift that blend in with the quiet nostalgia of the Market Square.

Property prices

In earlier real estate downturns, property prices in the town stayed fairly level, dropping only slightly and once again, this seems to be true. Southwold is definitely a desirable niche for homebuyers and while some homes get stuck in the estate agents’ windows for a while, on the whole there’s quite a decent turnover of houses and flats.

Southwold's famous lighthouse

A 4-bedroom terraced house at the pier end of town sold recently for £500,000 while a 2-bedroom first floor flat overlooking South Green is on the market for a guide price of £410,000. Renting and buying beach huts is certainly a costly affair with prices for one of the larger huts starting anywhere in the region of £40-50,000.

A family home

To me, Southwold seems to have a micro-climate. Drive round Ipswich on the A14 on a horrible day with a gale blowing, the rain lashing down, the windscreen wipers fighting all the way. Then take the A12 north east towards Lowestoft and you’ll notice a slight brightening of the sky.

It’s about 30 miles from Ipswich to Southwold and by the time you go over the level crossing at Darsham the rain will probably have ceased and the wind eased off. Turn right onto the B1126, the sky will have cleared and the lighthouse will have appeared in the distance.

The ferry across to Walberswick from Southwold

If you have time, turn off to Walberswick from the A12, drive down to the harbour and enjoy looking back at Southwold before going off to the Anchor for lunch.

This part of East Anglia has so much to offer  visitor or second home owner alike, it’s no wonder that over the years so many people have returned to Southwold time after time.

The Poll of Polls’ accuracy was highlighted last month following the Land Registry’s publication of house price data for June which matched the Poll of Polls’ forecast of a monthly change of +1.0 per cent month on month.

Highlights of this month’s data are:

• Six of the eight indices tracked by the Poll of Polls now show monthly gains in house prices for their most recent month of data and none of the indices with data for July report declining prices

• House prices fell in eight out of twelve regions and countries of the United Kingdom in July; however the two regions with the largest populations, London and the South East show prices rising by 0.5% month-on-month, raising the weighted average

• House prices in London rose by 0.5% over the month to July, adding £1,486 to the value of a typical house in the capital

• Less than half (47.6%) of local authorities experienced monthly falls in house prices in July and the proportion of those with annual declines in excess of 10% remained at 72% for a second month

• The top 20% of properties by value experienced an increase in house prices of 0.9% over the month to July. However, prices of the bottom fifth fell by 0.8%

• For the first time since January 2008, all of the four main property types experienced an increase in price over the month. The price of flats rose by 0.7% in July from June, with a smaller increase of 0.2% for the most expensive type, detached housing.

Robert Bartlett, Chesterton Humberts CEO, comments:

Robert Bartlett, CEO of Chesterton Humberts

“This upward trend in property prices masks the fact that volumes remain low. Demand in parts of London and the South East is being frustrated by the lack of supply while the continued lack of adequate mortgage finance is affecting the entire market.

“The volume of new applicants now looking to buy has risen dramatically in just the past three months and this is having a marked effect on house prices. In an increasing number of cases we now have as many as five or six interested parties making offers on the same property.

“However, the lack of mortgage finance, the very cautious mortgage valuations and the desperately long transaction delays are leading to a considerable number of abortive sales.  These issues are causing considerable frustration amongst both buyers and sellers and are undoubtedly keeping the market back.”

Douglas McWilliams, chief executive of CEBR, comments:

“While positive growth has now returned for house prices on a month-on-month basis, it is far from certain that any meaningful recovery will take hold in the near future. Credit channels remain tight with mortgage lending – which is still 58% lower than the same month two years ago – increasing only marginally every month.

“The key unknown is the extent to which rising unemployment and weak wage growth will lead to a second round of house price falls, or whether this has already been built into existing expectations. Either way, we expect the recovery in the housing market to be sluggish over the medium term.”

Please visit www.chestertonhumberts.com for more information.

The Chesterton Humberts’ Poll of Polls brings together the leading house price indices to capture a unique look at properties for sale and that have been sold, in effect creating a medium value for house price polls. This report has been produced by Chesterton Humberts and the Centre for Economics and Business Research (CEBR).

CEBR is an independent economics and business research consultancy established in 1993 providing forecasts and advice to City institutions, government departments, local authorities and numerous blue chip companies throughout Europe. The contributor to this report was economist Benjamin Williamson.

© Stewart Andersen and Stewart Andersen’s Property Blog, 2009. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Stewart Andersen and Stewart Andersen’s Property & Travel Blog with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.