Many of the clients moving into my patch put ‘village property’ at the top of their wish list. Anybody who has watched relocation programmes on the TV where young professional couples want a better quality of life for their young children or who has gorged themselves on a diet of Country Living magazines over the last few years will feel this is the only kind of property to own. And who can blame them? Sadly not all villages are the bustling communities they are painted as and village living is not for everyone. We looked at a fabulous property in a Wiltshire village when we moved West from London in the mid 1990s but a second viewing carried out on a midweek afternoon convinced us that there was no real heart to that community. Eventually we settled on Holt, about eight miles East of Bath.

Holt is not a picture postcard English village. Strung out along an increasingly busy B road it is a curious mix of modest terraced cottages and  the occasional newer build with a couple of more modern estates off the main street. Recently a light industrial estate estate has been partly redeveloped into executive homes. Of course there are some handsome detached village homes, a village green, playing fields, pond and the like. But what Holt lacks in attractiveness it more than compensates for in heart. It is, as the cartoon taken from this month’s Holt magazine advertising the forthcoming production of Shakespeare’s  ‘Merry Wives’ an active village.

This production which is to take place in the openair at The Courts gardens in the heart of the village (courtesy of The National Trust) next week is one of the reasons why my blogging has been somewhat slow of late. The village drama society which has been going strong longer than I have been alive is just one of the reasons why residents of Holt have plenty to keep them occupied. In the last month we have been entertained by some very well regarded bands at the village music festival, enjoyed a fabulous Art Exhibition at St Katharine’s Church and  feasted our way around the village on a Safari supper. There’s always something going on with any number of clubs, societies and special events organised by the school, the church or the village hall.

Of course, Holt is not the only village in West Wiltshire or Somerset to be a great place to live. But it will always hold a special place in my heart. And importantly for anyone making the move to a village it has all the elements that make village living so good for families- good school, active and friendly church, vibrant village hall, well stocked shop, great amenities which cost very little and safe space for children to explore.

Tickets for ‘The Merry Wives of Windsor’ (or Holt?) are available from the village shop, The Courts or by post. Email me at cally@countrygate.co.uk for details. Bring a picnic and relax beforehand in a National Trust garden with a glass of wine, courtesy of the village’s resident (and published) wine expert, who is incidentally directing the play. What could be better on a Summer’s evening?

Tuesday is leftovers day. This is because our main weekly shop arrives in two cardboard boxes on a Wednesday morning. No stress. No having to unload a myriad plastic boxes and definitely no carrier bags. Our veg box man now delivers eco cleaning products, bread flour, fairtrade tea and coffee, wine…you name it really. And not knowing exactly what your veg box is going to contain is always an adventure. Like Christmas every week if, like me, you love to open parcels and cook with seasonal produce. On Thursday I make my weekly foray through the woods to town to visit the farmer’s market and pick up supplies in the local shops. And, get this…I sometimes never have to enter a supermarket from one week to the next  - and only then to buy the copious quantities of tomato ketchup, baked beans and apple juice that go hand in hand with being the mother of three under eights.

I see from an article on the BBC website that others have the same idea and, bless them they’re even using my name. “Householders in West Wiltshire will be urged to shop SMART (Save Money and Reduce Trash) during Recycling Week which begins on Monday”, BBC Wiltshire revealed at the weekend. With a surname like Smart I’ve had to get used to all sorts of ad campaigns and products taking my name in vain but if this is its new incarnation, I’m content.

Bradford on Avon, like many of the market towns in my business patch is well served by local shops selling quality produce, farmers markets and veg box schemes. They can be a bit  pricey compared to some of the supermarkets, but even if you only use them for part of your weekly shop you’ll be doing your bit to cut those food miles and support  local producers. Details of all local outlets are included as a matter of course in my client Welcome Boxes which are now available as house warming gifts for anyone who is moving into the area. Beautifully packaged in a reusable wicker basket and hand delivered they  combine a directory of up to date local information with a few supplies to get through the first few days chaos in a new home. Email me for details if you have friends or family moving to my patch   cally@countrygate.co.uk

I wonder what this week’s box will contain……..

Yesterday’s downpour involved a trip up into the loft to check for signs of water ingress around the chimney, which we know is a potential problem. It showed up in the survey we comissioned prior to purchasing the house.

A question I am frequently asked by clients is “Do I really need a survey?” On the one hand this is a ludicrous question when for a fraction of 1% of the cost of the property, you could have real peace of mind and confidence that your investment is safe. On the other hand, press reports about nightmare property purchases are not uncommon, where the surveyor has not been held liable for items missed in the report. It’s true that surveyor’s reports are only a snapshot in time and are full of caveats and disclaimers. So are they worth the money and what line should you take when purchasing property?

Currently only 1 in 5 purchasers opt for a more detailed survey than the basic valuation  which is insisted on by the morgage lender. Although you pay for this type of survey it is intended for the benefit of your lender to ensure that their investment is safe. They instruct the surveyor and you are unlikely to have any contact with him or her. He or she may never visit the property. Drive by or desk top valuations are commonplace. 4 out of 5 purchasers rely on this when deciding whether to invest hundreds of thousands of pounds in a property. Frightening isn’t it!

If you opt for the next level of survey (the Homebuyer’s Report) bear in mind that if this is booked by your morgage lender you may be paying extra for the privilege. My advice would be to get the basic valuation and then to commission your own survey from an independantly recommended surveyor. By taking this course of action you can set up a dialogue with the surveyor and determine the scope of the survey.

If you have owned a string of similar properties in the past then an opportunity to have a close look around may be enough to set your mind at rest but for most people a survey from an expert is the way to go. My advice is this:-

• Decide on the level of survey you need which for more modern properties may well be a Homebuyer’s Report
• Approach a smaller practice for flexibility. You  may then be able to opt for a purely verbal report (cheaper) or meet the surveyor to decide the scope or discuss the findings.
• For older properties a full structural survey is advisable but choose a surveyor who has experience of the kind of property you’re thinking of buying. Remember if you intend carrying out extensive work on the property, the surveyor may well prove useful to you in the future and starting to build an effective working relationship with someone you can trust is important.
• Remember that despite their bad press, surveyors are impartial, do operate under a strict professional code of conduct, are required to have insurance and  a clearly defined complaints procedure. So you do have some protection.
• Make sure that the following areas are within the scope of the survey for these are the most revealing and potentially the most expensive to put right…

           Structual soundness eg look for signs of subsidence and settlement.

           Condition of roof, particularly effectiveness in channelling away rainwater.

           Management of damp eg inspect the render, plaster, wall coverings and  damp  proof course.

           Condition of brickwork and pointing including chimney structure.

           Condition of woodwork eg doors, windows, roof timbers, floorboards.

           Condition of electrics and boiler.

           Condition of drains

I’m not in favour of taking on a property with the crossed fingers approach to the future but it is important to take control and be sensible about the scope of the survey you require. Know what you’re paying for and pay for what’s important.

Until next week.

Cally

My children are of the country variety - happier outdoors building dens and getting down and dirty than surgically attached to computer or play station. As a result, when we moved house a few years ago and were priced out of our village, our proximity to woods, fields and rivers was the decidng factor when compromises had to be made. Even clients with considerably more cash than we were able to muster have to make some compromises when it comes to finding a suitable property.

 Current market conditions suggest that thinking medium to long term is what we have to do now. Think home not investment. Last year my mantra was buy the worst house on the best street; this year it’s  you can change most things about a property …..but not the location. It’s important to get it right whether that’s being close to open space or in the thick of things in a market town or city. If you are interested in getting a better work/life balance then an easy journey to work will affect your ideal location. Equally if getting your children into the right school is your aim, living close by will enable them to walk there.

It’s easy to be seduced by a skillfully designed interior or kerb appeal on the estate agent’s details but most househunters find that two minutes after arriving at a property it either feels right or it doesn’t. One of the benefits of engaging a good relocation agent is that you don’t have to go through the pain barrier of endless wasted trips to houses which look ideal on paper but will never suit you. And having found the right location they can help you see how to mould something unpromising (and therefore affordable) into your ‘dream home’. Oh how I love my job!

Some of my clients do think carefully about the potential to add value to a property but most are just looking for the right home and heart wins out over head every time.  Beware ignoring your gut instincts because you’re guaranteed to be moving again within a couple of years even if you completely remodel the interior and spend a fortune in the process. It just won’t feel like home. I start out with a lengthy client wishlist when looking for a property but I know full well that most items will tend to evaporate in the light of finding the right location.

This week’s  photo is a lovely view over Wiltshire fields and I guess many of you wouldn’t really care what the property was like if you could wake up to this.  It’s not the view from my back door, in case you were wondering. But I have spent a couple of hours outside painting the back doors today listening to my folk musician neighbour practising on his accordian. It makes painting a lot more bearable and as compromise houses go, this one is in a pretty good location for me!.

Today I’m negotiating on the purchase of a ‘project house’ - you know, the kind that needs “modernisation” in the language of the estate agents. Actually this one is not all that bad but it will require my clients to share their living space with a team of builders for a few months if they are to create the living space they desire. It’s a great idea to add value to a property by increasing the square footage and it’s also good to be able to put your stamp onto a property but the reality of living with builders for months on end, especially if you have a young family hits hard. It’s almost three years since we completed our own building project. At the time our three children were all under five. Our builders were great and we knew exactly what to expect. Even so, four months without access to the garden, severely restricted downstairs living space and dust took its toll.

So what can you do to survive a building project?

• Effective communication is the key to a successful project. Talk to your neighbours about what is happening on a regular basis and talk to your builders.  This ensures that everyone is aware of what’s going on and any problems can be sorted out early and easily. Clients who employ me to manage a project often bemoan previous projects where the builders didn’t turn up at eight every morning or left early. It’s a fact of life that builders do not work conventional hours. They have several jobs on the go at once and  will be looking to book up their next job. Their work is physical and some tasks cannot be completed in all weathers or until some trades have finished. Aim to know what the general shape of the project will be and what will be happening week by week. Then you can monitor whether it’s on schedule. If you’ve built up a good rapport with your team they’ll make an effort for you. Equally if you’ve communicated with your neighbours they won’t add to your stress by complaining about absolutely everything.
• Move into temporary accommodation. This is the most expensive option unless you have a friend who wants you to house sit for a few months. It is less stressful and your project could progress more quickly provided that you are still around to manage the project or employ a project manager to do it for you. Even if you can’t afford it, take the opportunity to get away from the building for weekends by staying with friends and relatives. It helps you keep everything in perspective and allows you to relax in comfortable surroundings. We had an arrangement with friends to stay at their houses if they were away for the weekend. Never underestimate the value of a good soak in a bath you haven’t had to scrub before you get in!
• If you stay put throughout the project try to separate the building work from the rest of the house as much as possible. Use plastic sheeting to tape up doorways or windows.
• Be clear about your expectations that the builders keep the site as tidy as possible. It’s important for safety as well as your state of mind.
• Park well away from the building work. Ask the builders not to block access to your property and ensure that you know when they need unrestricted access.
• If you will be without a kitchen at any point get the builders to set up a temporary kitchen space if possible using your old sink, units and work surfaces.
• If you are blessed with more than one, allocate one WC for the builders and one for you.
• Knock through from an extension or loft conversion to the main house at the last possible moment. This will help to limit mess and draughts. Friends of ours recently took on a loft conversion project. Their builders arrived and left via the roof and scaffolding until the final stages. Totally stress free.
• Be prepared to lower your standards for a while. There will be mess and dust. Things will be a little more chaotic than usual. Decide on your bottom line and when it all gets too much have a plan of action for destressing.
• Be hospitable but remember you’re not running a cafe. My builders had access to the kettle, tea and coffee every day and home made cake twice a week.

Hope your building projects progress smoothly.

Until next week.

Cally

Sometimes my job is more relationship counsellor than relocation agent or project manager……and never more so than when couples or families are looking for a new home. Numerous studies have revealed that when it comes to finding a house,although the man looks after the financial side, it’s the woman who makes the final decision about which house to buy.

In my experience men and women have very different approaches to the whole process of finding a new home. Whilst she would rather move in to a house which is as near as possible to her ‘dream’, he likes a ‘project’. Price per square foot is important to him whilst she craves light, airy spaces and storage. She looks closely at the potential of the kitchen and the location whilst he spends his time checking the water pressure, looking for dry rot and tapping walls……..oh, and checking out the garage. It all seems to hark back to his traditional role as provider of safe haven for his family and hers as nurturing home maker.

I am the last person to accept traditional and very stereotypical roles - and of course there are exceptions but I speak from experience. Just last night after we returned from a family jaunt to the Wiltshire/Dorset border we checked out the details of a property we both liked the look of. I looked first at the photos of the kitchen (big enough for mass catering), the garden (potential for kitchen garden, hens, a pig and still big enough for dens/rugby practice and all the accompaniments of family life) whilst my husband drooled over floor plans and the outbuildings and decided whether it offered good value for money.

I guess I’m in a good position to steer a successful course between the his and hers approach. As a surveyor I’m pretty hard nosed about value for money, the maintenance issues which need to be addressed and the realities of taking on a project, both positive and negative. But as a woman I’ll always have an eye on whether a property will make a suitable home for my clients.

Until next week.

Cally

Congratulations to Frances and Rosada whose comments on the blog have earned them a copy of David Ireland’s fabulously informative book “How to Rescue a House”. I will be contacting you both shortly to arrange postage of your prizes.

I do hope you’ll keep on contributing - even without such an incentive. 

Cally

Yesterday we received confirmation that a deceased estate that we had been dealing with for some considerable time is finally discharged, with everything satisfactorily complete. Dealing with the affairs of a much loved friend or family member is never easy and when this has to be done at a distance this is doubly so. Of course there are solicitors to help, who are experts at dealing with all legal matters connected with probate, but there are numerous tasks which you may not want to hand over entirely to a third party or which require delicate handling and the simple fact of the matter is that you may not feel ready to complete some tasks. Having to deal with an empty property has the potential to be one of the most difficult and time-consuming of these.

As a qualified surveyor one of my roles is valuing property for probate purposes. When meeting clients many admit to dreading the task of clearing the home of a relative who has died. There are some common themes - living some distance away, having to consider the feelings and wishes of other family members, not feeling emotionally strong enough to cope with the task…….a combination of practical and emotional difficulties.

If you are in the position of having to tackle this most difficult of tasks then the following guide may be useful if you are responsible for the security, clearance and eventual disposal of a deceased property.

Ensure that the buildings and contents policy is still valid.

This will mean contacting the insurers as soon as possible to inform them that the policy holder has died. Bear in mind that most policies require an empty property to be visited and checked on a very regular basis for the policy to be valid. Seek clear guidance from the insurers and arrange for someone to visit. Trustworthy friends or neighbours could do this for you. In this area it is one of the services I offer as part of my probate package and I’m sure there are similar folk in other parts of the country.

Immediate tasks

Remove all valuable items and documents to a more secure location. Compile an inventory of what you’ve removed and don’t forget to collect the post on a regular basis or have it redirected. Shred all papers that are not needed by you or the solicitor.

Inform all the utility companies and the council. You could arrange for the phone to be switched off but you’ll still need other services.

Valuing the property

As part of the process of calculating the value of the estate you will need to have the property valued by a qualified professional -  estate agent or surveyor.

Clearing the property

• how to do it

You can choose to do this yourself or call in a house clearance firm. Whatever you decide, I would advise you not to do this alone. Take a friend or relative with you as it can be an emotional process. Allow at least half a day per room and have a system. The traffic light system is a good one where you equip yourself with red, orange and green stickers. Red for keep; orange for sell or donate and green for recycling centre.

If you engage a house clearance firm choose only those who will take everything. Obtain quotes and check that firms are reputable, licensed and insured. The cost they charge is dependant on what the contents are worth to them.

• when to do it

Items should not be disposed of until you have received the Grant of Representation from the Probate Agency but you also need to feel ready to face the task. I have known of people who have been very efficient and tackled the job too soon. Six months down the line they have regrets that they didn’t take more time. Both Cruse and Help the Aged provide helpful advice. Check out their websites at www.crusebereavementcare.org.uk and www.helptheaged.co.uk

• dealing with relatives

This can be a minefield. Aim to keep everyone informed. A will may indicate which items are to go to  specific people. Thereafter invitefamily and friends to choose what they’d like from “special items” of sentimental value.

• disposal of goods

Anything of value should be disposed of via auction rooms. Choose one close to the property. Look at www.nava.org.uk  to find a reputable one. Less valuable items could be advertised via ebay or local classified ads. Car boot sales are more appropraite for less valuable items.

For the rest try charity shops or recycling centres first. Charity shops don’t take electrical goods and try not to send anything which is of poor quality. Some charities take items of furniture to help with homeless projects.

The National Recyling Network is a good source of infomation. Find them at www.reuze.co.uk  The more you can recycle the fewer trips to the dump or skips you will need to hire.

Marketing the property

When you’re ready to sell the property obtain quotes from three local agents and engage the one you feel has the knowledge and experience to sell the property. Usually it is best to sell the property as it is, rather than to spend money trying to improve it, particularly in the current market. However it is worth arranging for someone to tidy the garden and carrying out minor maintenance. Nervous buyers are prepared to redecorate and refit kitchens and bathrooms but if the roof leaks this is a deal breaker. If a property is empty over the winter months specific problems may occur which, if left unchecked, may develop into major expenses.

Be realistic about accepting offers but always get your agent to check out the postition of the prospective buyers. Aim for as straightforward a transaction as possible.

You can download a guide to probate from www.hmcourts-service.gov.uk/cms/wills.htm or by calling 0845 3020900.

For those with properties in Wiltshire/Somerset, Country Gate offers a probate support package, coordinating what needs to be done to ensure that your property is secure, well maintained and has been correctly valued and effectively marketed …….and that goods are disposed of safely and as profitably as possible.

Until next week.

Cally

Those of us who live in flourishing market towns are well aware of the benefits of living and working in the same community. There are the obvious financial savings of not having to pay hefty commuting fees. Or  the health and eco benefits of being able to get to work  and home again quickly and easily.  Such a community is vibrant and  sustainable. Imagine a world where you can walk to work in twenty minutes, pop out during your lunch hour to grab a few goodies for supper and be home by 6. You could spend a whole evening with your family. Maybe invite friends over for a mid-week supper. Even pursue a hobby without having to walk the dog at midnight and fall into bed exhausted. Bliss!

Working from home is well established now with some employers as an alternative to requiring their staff to commute every day and in recent surveys about work/life balance millions of people state that they would like to work for themselves from home or do less commuting. There is a growing number of female entrepreneurs doing just that - running successful cottage industries and combining this with bringing up children and pursuing a better quality of life.

However for many people this is not viable. In a bid to address this and to redress the balance where light industrial estates have been redeveloped into residential apartments, yesterday a report was launched focusing on the benefits of work/live developments. Backed by government policy advisor Kate Barker, it suggests that town planners need to consider the importance of enabling people to live and work in the same area when creating new homes and when considering planning applications for redeveloping brownfield sites.

This is already happening in some parts of the country. In Leeds for instance a large area of deserted warehouses and factories close to the centre has been redeveloped into live/work developments combining residential accommodation and small businesses. In my own market town in Wiltshire we are  at the start of redeveloping an old cloth mill into a mixed development with an additional communtiy Arts or Museum space. (The previous mill redevelopments  were totally residential.)

It’s a far cry from Richmond where parents are about to be penalised for driving their children to school in 4×4s. Successful live/work communities enable parents to walk their children to school and still get to work on time. And for all you who have caught the downshifting bug this week it’s a perfect start to slowing down and greening up.

Until next week. Don’t forget you still have a few days to post a comment and be in with a chance of winning a copy of David Ireland’s book.

Cally

This week is National Downshifting Week and I for one want to highlight the benefits of the downshifter’s lifestyle. When we moved to Wiltshire from London in 1994, to all intents and to the great amusement of our friends we were downshifting. “Isn’t that something you do in you fifties, not your twenties?” a colleague remarked. In fact although we relocated to a country village and got involved in our community, essentially we were not doing anything different than we had in the city. The real downshifting decision happened much later when our children were born and we moved to a more affordable house on the edge of a market town, one of us changing jobs and the other setting up a business on a small scale.

Downshifting is nothing new but it is certainly gathering momentum as an alternative to the ‘have it all’ society, particularly now when green issues are front page news.Being financially very secure does not equate to being happier according to a myriad studies. Our grandparents were poorer but happier. That’s official! Trading money for time can lead to a more personally fulfilling life where bringing up your children, being involved with your community, doing more exercise and being  creative more than fills the gap left by having more money.

Totally embracing the make do and mend culture is not right for everyone. It requires a real shift in  how you live your life and doing without some things which you have got used to having. However we can all do something to ’slow down and green up’ and that is what International Downshifting Week is seeking to highlight. Log on to www.downshiftingweek.com for more information and check out their top ten tips reprinted below. Why not try to adopt three of them this week?

• analyse where you spend your time and money

• cut up a credit card

• donate a bag of items to charity or recycle them (try Freecycle)

• eliminate three non essntials form your weekly shopping list

• start growing your own veg and build a compost heap

• cook a meal using seasonal, locally sourced (and preferably organic) ingrediants

• keep some chickens

• handmake rather than buy your next birthday cards

• turn off the TV for one evening and play games or read instaed

• book a half day off work to spend with the one you love and do something which doesn’t involve spending money.