Cotswolds classics are always in demand
PICTURE the idyllic country home and the chances are you’ll conjure up some quaint, mullioned stone cottage in the Cotswolds. Far beyond a fad, the Cotswolds are home to what many consider England’s most appealing rural villages. They ooze a well-heeled ambiance but provide countryside and an equestrian community that is second to none, all within the golden two hour radius of London.
As Craig Jordan, of buying agent Property Vision, puts it: “A property in the Cotswolds has become the must-have trophy country home. The area offers a London lifestyle in the country where people are spoiled for choice.” Luxury brands which you wouldn’t expect to get outside of St James’s are tucked away in pretty boutiques, and there is a plethora of organic food outlets – celebrity chefs have brought the culinary delights of Kensington and Knightsbridge into the region.
Rob Jones-Davies, Cotswolds agent of Middleton Advisors, says the main hurdle for would-be home-owners is actually finding a property to buy. Stock is very low and has been for years. Over the last two years, when other markets suffered, prices here remained at their peak. “There has been no shortage of buyers, particularly in the £1.5m and up bracket,” says Jones-Davies. “Post credit crunch, there may not be 15 people bidding for the same house, but eight. There’s a lot of talk of gazumping and people taking things off the market before they’re listed, and agreeing sales on the closed market.
Particularly sought-after locations are the market villages are Southrop, where Kate Moss and Dom Jolly live; Stowe; Morton-On-Marsh and Northleach: these are on the Eastern edge of the Cotswolds so as close to London as possible. It follows that these are the most difficult towns in which to secure a good property; though as Jones-Davies says, there are no bargains to be had anywhere in the area.
That said, it is possible to increase your chances both of winning a bid for a property and of getting more value for money if you’re open to living outside the two-hour-from-London radius. “For most people, two hours from the capital is the cut-off. So if you go outside the Chipping Norton-Burford-Stowe triangle, you should get more bang for your buck.” And, following the stock-freeze brought on by the triple whammy of half-term, the ash cloud and the budget, Jones-Davies expects more supply from September, so prepare to leap
HOW TO SECURE A HOUSE IN THE COTSWOLDS
Rob Jones-Davies, Cotswolds agent of Middleton Advisors
“If you’re serious about getting on in the Cotswolds, instruct a buying agent. Next, getting on very well with the estate agent is absolutely key. They have a long list of people wanting to buy any given quality property so the better your relationship the higher chance that they’ll call you. Also, have funding in place (best of all are cash buyers), along with a lawyer, so that you’re ready to leap when something comes up. When an agent calls you have to jump in the car and head straight out. Finally, you have to be proactive. Call every week. Estate agents in the Cotswolds are extremely busy people and they aren’t going to trawl through a long list of would-be buyers when something comes up. You need to be calling them.”
WINSOM MILL, NEAR CIRENCESTER
Price: £2m
A unique chance to buy a 17th century Coln Valley mill available for the first time in 56 years. The property has helpful extras such as a pantry, boot room, extensive attic, vegetable garden, paddocks, 530 yards of fishing in the Coln, two outbuildings and private formal and informal gardens. The home sits in 8.4 acres of land close to Cirencester
Contact: Knight Frank, tel: 01285 659771,
www.knightfrank.co.uk
STREAM COTTAGE,
lower kilcott
Price: £735,000
A beautifully restored period Cotswold stone cottage in an enchanting secluded valley, the four-bedroom Stream Cottage has been updated to very high standards while as much of the original character has been preserved. An ideal weekend retreat/second home or a lock-up-and-leave for an owner who spends long periods away.
Contact: Knight Frank, tel: 01285 659771, www.knightfrank.co.uk
tayler’s farm, aldsworth
Price: £1.75m
A fine Grade II Listed house in a sought-after village of Aldsworth, 25 miles from Oxford, this graceful six-bedroom home has a reception hall, cloakroom, drawing room, dining room, sitting room, conservatory and extensive outbuildings including a former malt-house and cellars. Lovely gardens and grounds add to its appeal.
Contact: Savills, tel: 01285 627550, www.savills.co.uk
the studio, box
Price: £2.75m
A classic four-bedroom Cotswold stone house with an attractive open pediment porch, sash windows to the front and casements to the rear. The home is arranged over three floors with wonderful far-reaching views, and there is a double garage and garden, plus an Aga in the kitchen for added country style.
Contact: Chesterton Humberts, tel: 01285 650955, www.chestertonhumberts.com