Where
have all the country houses gone?
With a paralysing shortage of rural homes in some areas,
and an increasing demand to live ‘the Good Life’
from poacher turned gamekeeper townies (or should that
be metrosexualites turned hobby farmers?), many buyers
are frustrated by the serious lack of supply.
Recent research from Jackson-Stops & Staff shows the
current imbalance between supply and demand in rural hot
spots. There were just over 25 new applicants on the company’s
books for every new home on the market this time last
year, compared to nearly 30 hopefuls queueing up to buy
today.
Competition is especially fierce at the moment for good,
relatively low maintenance country houses, says Ben Standen
at Jackson-Stops & Staff’s Truro office. “City
guys and gals are picking up their bonuses and spending
it on country pads they can use over the summer. Leftover
stock from 2006 is even selling well. There is just not
enough property to offer to keen purchasers.”
So, how do you find your ideal country home in the current
market?
Standen advises would-be buyers to be as bold as they
can, “especially if you want to take a property out
of play. Don’t dilly-dally around, even if the price
appears slightly high. It’ll save you a lot of stress
in the short term and you’ll have the property you
want, long term.”
Graham Adnitt at Jackson-Stops & Staff in Chester
is seeing a shortage of period village houses.
“Get yourself into a position to buy,” he suggests,
“because these houses don’t hang about.”
Being friendly with your estate agent can help too. “Find
out who the senior partner of the firm is and go in and
say hello,” Adnitt adds. “Try to be as specific
as you possibly can and be prepared to compromise as no
property ever offers you 100% of what you want.”
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The lateral thinking realise they can always replace dated
kitchens and rotting floorboards, according to Adnitt,
but certain things could be harder to change, like living
on a busy road or next to looming pylons. If you don’t
mind such flaws, however, compromise can be good –
you get more value for money.
Part of the reason there is a logjam in certain parts
of the UK is because people are reluctant to sell before
they buy their next place, points out Philip Blanchard
from Jackson-Stops & Staff, Winchester.
“If someone wants to move from Hampshire further
west, it can be difficult going right from one house to
another,” he explains. “If someone wants to
buy a country house and they have to find a buyer for
their home first, I’m afraid I tell them they aren’t
even in the running. There are three or more ahead of
them in the queue who have already sold and have the cash
to move quickly.”
Blanchard is not as keen as some of his colleagues on
another frequent feature of the current booming market
– sealed bids, when competing buyers put down their
offers in writing and the vendor chooses the best one.
“Sealed bids can work well for the client where everyone
involved understands and genuinely accepts the rules,”
says Blanchard, “but you have to judge such situations
carefully. In the main, I would rather keep bids out in
the open, giving sellers a chance to really think about
the offers on the table, even running to a small private
auction on occasion.”
A spell in rented property is a good idea for some, Blanchard
says: “Families moving from London quite often sell
first, then rent. It means that they are on the spot and
able to move fast when that perfect country house comes
onto the market. Renting may not be for everyone but,
unless you have the resources to buy without selling,
it can put you in the best position to secure your ideal
country house.”
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Cheryl Markosky is a freelance national property
journalist. She is a regular contributor to the
Daily and Sunday Telegraph, Daily Mail, Mail on
Sunday and various magazines including She, Property
Review and The Hill. |
Classic country houses
Top: Bedfordshire, £1.35 million guide
Below top: Kent, £1.6 million guide
left: Surrey, £1.6 million guide |
