Millgate appoints agent to sell four new luxury homes in Sunninghill

by Viv United Kingdom

Sunninghill is a peaceful village which sits on the edge of Berkshire, close to Surrey and nudging the boundary of better-known Ascot.

These villages are held in high esteem and are known to attract the rich, the famous and even a smattering of royalty.

  • Newly built luxury homes to be sold by Hamptons International
  •  According to Zoopla, house prices remain buoyant and are up over 6% on 5 years ago
  • New buyers looking for houses in the South East up by 35%

Schooling is of a particularly good standard and is one of the reasons why these villages are so attractive to families.  Parents have been known to move house to get their children into Charters School in Sunninghill, one of the UK’s top performing state schools.

The area sees many expats living here in a truly cross cultural community. Many are driven to the area by the choice of two leading international schools – TASIS in Thorpe and the ACS International Schools in Egham and Cobham are highly appealing to families looking to ensure that their children maintain an international education.  Trains from adjoining Sunningdale take under an hour into Waterloo, whilst Heathrow airport is just 15 miles away, making this an excellent location for business travel.

Julian de la Poer Beresford, Regional Director for Hamptons in Sunninghill, comments on the country mansions that are coming from Millgate:

“Hamptons International is delighted to be working again with Millgate in the sale of Holland Place in Sunninghill, Berkshire.  Millgate’s mission is to be “the best in British house building” and the quality of their work speaks volumes.  Hamptons International has sold several developments for Millgate in the past and they are certainly building a positive reputation from our clients to this effect.

“Holland Place, a development of only four bespoke houses, will provide an opportunity for discerning buyers to acquire a well-appointed individual home, set in a semi-rural location, with garden sizes to match the generous accommodation.

“Holland Place is situated between the prominent towns of Sunningdale and Ascot, internationally recognised for their famous golf course and racecourse. It is perfectly located for motorway access to London and to Heathrow and Gatwick airports.

“With house prices in London now 10% above their pre-recession peak, but the average price in England and Wales still 10% below, the country house market is very good value indeed.  Recent statistics seem to be recognising this.  Our figures show that new buyers looking in the South East are up by 35% on last year, yet the number of new sellers is only up by 17%.  As a result, Hamptons have seen an increase in overall sales of 55% on last year and over the last three months, more sales than any three month period since 2007.  However, there is still ground to be made – prices remain 6% below their peak, but with an increase in enquiries from London buyers in the prime sector, now is a good time to be looking at Holland Place and a move to the country.”

Jonathan Cranley, Sales and Marketing Director for Millgate, who made the Hamptons International appointment, commented:

“We have worked with Hamptons International on several projects previously and we are confident of their ability to attract local, London and international buyers to view our new homes.  The largest property in the portfolio of four that we are building will fetch in the region of £4.75 million and it is likely that this country mansion will sell to a foreign investor.”

This fabulously indulgent project in Sunninghill is due to launch in November 2013.  For further information please contact Millgate on 01189 343344 or visit www.millgatehomes.co.uk.

Oktoberfest 2013: Why beer and sausages are helping to recession-proof the German property market

by Charlotte Ashton United Kingdom
The crowds are about to flock to current ‘tourism Mecca’ Munich once again for Okboberfest 2013 (September 21 – October 6).  The renowned beer festival is just one of a growing number of reasons why Germany (and particularly Munich) took the lead in this year’s UN World Tourism Organisation rankings, with record hotel booking of over 400 million overnight stays.
•Oktoberfest is held in Munich, Germany between September 21 – October 6 2013
•Over 6 million people visit Oktoberfest each year, consuming 7 million litres of beer
•155% increase in German hotel room investment in Q1 2013 (Savills) 
Known as the largest Volkesfest (People’s Fair) in the world, Oktoberfest originated with a party to celebrate the marriage of King Ludwig I and Princess Therese of Saxe-Hildurghausen on October 17, 1810.  The citizens of Munich were invited to attend the festivities held on the fields in front of the city gate, now known as Theresienwiese (Theresa’s meadow), or Wies’n. The wedding celebrations ended with horse races and it was the decision to repeat the races the following year, which gave birth to the annual event which is now Oktoberfest.
Bratwurst booths arrived in 1881, followed by the first serving of beer in glass mugs in 1892. Today, in order to meet Oktoberfest’s strict standards, beer must conform to a minimum of 13% Stammwürze (approximately 6% alcohol by volume) and be brewed within Munich’s city limits. The date has also since been moved forward to September to catch the end of the summer weather.
Oktoberfest’s 200th anniversary in 2010 saw the special return of horseracing in historical costumes. A commemorative beer was brewed to serve exclusively in the festival beer tents and a museum tent gave visitors a feel of how the event felt a century ago. Traditional Oktoberfest visitors still wear Bavarian hats called Tirolerhüte, which contain a tuft of goat hair.
The 420,000 sqm Theresienwiese is 10 times the size of Wembley stadium and offers a selection of decorative tents selling beer, cocktails, savouries, cakes and various wares; along with fairground ride attractions and celebratory events including concerts and parades. Approximately 7 million litres of beer are consumed at Oktoberfest today.
The festival is now such a successful worldwide attraction that Lufthansa airline kicks off the party 30,000 feet in the air. From September 18, flight attendants wear traditional lederhosen and dirndl on select flights between Munich and New York, Chicago and Tokyo. ‘Oktoberfest crew’ is a popular tradition which has been running for a few years and business class passengers are also served Bavarian food and beer on the flights. And this year, even Bayern Munich football team are getting into the spirit by launching and wearing a lederhosen-inspired kit. Fodors.com also cited Munich’s Oktoberfest as one of the ‘14 Best Places to Go This Fall’.
Attracting some 6 million visitors from all over the world each year, Oktoberfest plays an important role in Germany’s tourism industry. Hotels in and around Munich are often fully booked months in advance and getting a seat in one of the tents can get very competitive. Germany’s hotel market in fact continues to go from strength to strength with Savills reporting a 155% increase in the nation’s hotel room investment in Q1 2013 compared to a year earlier and forecasts a turnover in commercial property to hit the €30billion (EURO) mark this year. Germany also currently ranks number two in the top recession-proof property markets, second only to Monaco.
Ray Withers, CEO of Property Frontiers, explains:
“German property is becoming increasingly attractive; having avoided the housing boom which occurred in many countries before the crash, the German market has remained on an even keel and values continue to rise at a gradual, yet steady pace.”
He continues: “Germany continues to win accolades for its economy and tourism trade. Now it is also offering excellent returns in the property market particularly so in commercial property such as hotel rooms, which take advantage of all these factors combined. It is easy to see why Ernst & Young, one of the ‘Big Four’ accounting firms, cite Germany as the most attractive destination for foreign investors in 2013.”
For more information about investing in a German hotel room such as those at the 4* AlpenClub just 30 miles from Munich, contact Property Frontiers today on +44 1865 202 700 or visit www.propertyfrontiers.com.

Booming Asia: New unmissable conference at OPPLive announced

by Charlotte Ashton United Kingdom
Here in the UK, we may be rejoicing in falling unemployment levels, reports of house prices rising at their fastest rate for seven years and the Chancellor proclaiming that the economy is “turning a corner” but whilst these are indeed positive signs of recovery, they are nowhere near the immense levels of growth seen in Asia in recent times.
Compared to China and the Philippines’ 7.5% GDP growth recorded in Q2 2013, the UK’s 0.7% increase hardly stacks up making investment in Asian markets even more appealing. Indeed according to the latest Global Property Guide survey, Asian housing markets are leading global real estate recovery with prices in Taiwan soaring 14.52% during the year to Q2 2013 and the luxury homes market in the Indonesian capital, Jakarta, outperforming Beijing, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Singapore, Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Manila and Mumbai according to the experts at Jones Lang LaSalle.
Xavier Wiggins, Organiser of OPPLive 2013, the international property industry’s biggest and best trade event, comments,
“Since the economic crash we have all seen international property companies based in the West looking East to secure buyers. The booming Asian economies, especially China and Singapore, have changed the whole pattern of international property in recent times so it is only natural that this market plays an integral role in OPPLive.
“We have therefore created a dedicated “Booming Asia” conference at the unmissable event held at Central Hall, London on 27th and 28th November 2013 bringing together expert speakers from a variety of Asian nations to offer their insight into this lucrative and fast changing market.”
Short in duration but high in content and value, there will be a wide assortment of seminars held during the Booming Asia OPPLive conference including:
–What next in Asia: Key concepts and challenges of this market.
–Marketing to China: Who, what, where and why are they buying? How to market successfully to this audience.
–Marketing to Singapore: The cultural and practical problems associated with selling and doing business in this territory.
–Marketing to Emerging Asia: How to find, work with and retain partners in emerging Asian markets.
–Smart Media Selection – Smart Media Buying: The choices of media available in the major markets and the top three marketing tips for each market.
In addition to these scintillating seminars, Booming Asia will conclude on Thursday 27th November with a Champagne Networking session enabling delegates to meet with speakers and exhibitors over a glass or three of bubbly!
With delegate passes selling fast visit http://www.opp-live.com/buy-delegatepasses/ for more information and to register your attendance.

New luxury homes in Berkshire opened by Home Secretary sell out in record time

by Viv United Kingdom

A beautiful new development of homes that was opened by Theresa May, Home Secretary and MP for Windsor & Maidenhead earlier this year has sold out in record time. This development from local award-winning builders, Millgate, located in the Berkshire village of Wargrave comprised a private collection of 8 three and four bedroom homes with the first house selling within 24 hours of the Show Home opening.

  • Victoria Mews by Millgate was opened by Home Secretary – Theresa May
  • First luxury family home sells within 24 hours of launch
  • Property prices in Wargrave rise 12.21% in 4 years (Zoopla)

Mrs Julie Deadman was one of the new residents in Victoria Mews moving from Wokingham where she had purchased a smaller newly built town house some years back.  Mrs Deadman described her feelings on purchasing her first Millgate home:

“Having purchased a new build town house before I thought I knew what to expect when looking to upgrade to a large home but I was blown away by the wow factor of Victoria Mews.  The attention to detail when we drove onto the development earlier this year was staggering; every property was completed, flowers and trees planted, the Show Home was dressed and it felt like I was walking into a real home – lived in, warm and cosy.

“Even now we have moved in, the excitement of the new house remains; I honestly get really excited at the thought of ‘going home’ after work. My house is exceptional in terms of quality and standard of finish. I am absolutely delighted and it is literally “my dream house”.”

Mrs Deadman was also enthralled by the customer service experience she received from Millgate,

“The Millgate customer service team are beyond good – they are amazing. They are courteous and efficient and always go out of their way to provide a first class and responsive customer service at all times. Nothing is too much trouble for them.”

Wargrave is peaceful village, off the beaten track and has a charming, tranquil feel to it.  Some delightful gastro pubs line the water’s edge, riverboats bob around on the Thames and when you add in swans, ducks and weeping willows you have yourself a fabulously charming spot.  Unsurprising that, according to Zoopla, property prices have risen over the past 4 years by 12.21%.

Jonathan Cranley, Sales and Marketing Director for Millgate comments,

“Knowing the local area and having developed here before, we were aware of the demand for family housing and were confident that these houses would get snapped up.  We are known for building award-winning country mansions but on this occasion we transferred our expert skills and knowledge of building super homes into this delightful gated estate and it really worked.  Our team enjoyed designing and building Victoria Mews and the clients who purchased have been elated with the homes. For me that is a job well done.

“From start to finish this project has been successful and dare I say it – fun.  We hope to get the opportunity to build more of these types of town houses over the next year but finding the right site is always a challenge.”

For more information about Millgate’s future developments contact the team on 01189 343344 or visit www.millgatehomes.co.uk.

At a Glance: Puerto Plata dominates Dominican Republic demand

by Georgina United Kingdom

Puerto Plata dominates demand for Dominican Republic property, TheMoveChannel.com’s latest At a Glance reveals. The infographic, which charts activity on the portal over the last 12 months, shows that Puerto Plata is the most popular place on the island, accounting for over three-quarters of enquiries.

Famous for its stunning beaches, the northern province attracted a staggering 76.85 per cent of Dominican Republic enquiries on TheMovechannel.com in the year ending August 2013 – almost four times as many as its closest contender. The second most popular area on the Caribbean island is Santo Domingo in the south, which accounted for 19.36 per cent of enquiries.

La Vega and Samaná received the next highest number of enquiries, responsible for just 1.51 per cent of activity apiece. Distrito Nacional, the home of capital city Santo Domingo, received only 0.61 per cent of enquiries, just ahead of eastern province La Altagracia (0.15 per cent). The rest of the Dominican Republic received no enquiries at all.

Puerto Plata dominates the earlier stages of the buying process too. Kite surfing hotspot Cabarete accounted for more than one in four searches (28.4 per cent) for property in the Dominican Republic in the last year, closely followed by the town of Puerto Plata itself, which was responsible for 26.5 per cent of searches. Together with Sosua, the ninth most-searched location in the country, the province of Puerto Plata was responsible for well over half (56.7 per cent) of all searches.

Buyers also showed interest in Puerto Plata’s northern coast neighbour Samaná: Las Terrenas and the town of Samaná both appear in the 10 most-searched locations, accounting for 1 in 10 (11.8 per cent) and 1.8 per cent of searches respectively. Other popular locations are spread across the island, including the inland area of Jarabacoa, La Vega, and the southern coast of Barahona.

The At a Glance infographic also analyses the behaviour of buyers searching on Google. “Property in Dominican Republic” was the most commonly used keyword, while the most popular type of property was “houses for sale in Dominican Republic”. Searches on Google peaked at the start of 2013 but have steadily increased since September 2012.

Editor Ivan Radford comments: “The Caribbean has always been a place where people dream of owning a home. The Dominican Republic is one of their favourite places to do so – and Puerto Plato is why. Known around the world for beaches such as Playa Dorada, it is no wonder that the coastal province dominates buyer demand.

“What is perhaps surprising is that houses are the most popular type of property on TheMoveChannel.com. “Houses for sale” were searched for by more people than hotels, despite the island’s strong income potential from tourists and several hotel listings on the site – confirmation that the Dominican Republic’s appeal lies with lifestyle buyers as much as investors.

“It is also interesting to note the lack of buyer interest in the rest of the Dominican Republic, with many areas receiving no enquiries whatsoever: Puerto Plata’s international popularity is similar, perhaps, to Florida’s dominance of the US property market, where the state accounts for over half of enquiries. That may change as the island’s overseas market develops. Indeed, it is revealing that Google activity surrounding the island’s real estate has increased in recent months – a trend matched by the country’s rising profile on TheMoveChannel.com, where it climbed 13 places in the Top of the Props chart to be the 16th most popular destination in July 2013. Puerto Plata has accounted for some of the most popular listings on the site in the last 12 months. The At a Glance infographic confirms that for Caribbean property buyers, Puerto Plata is an investment and vacation hotspot to be reckoned with.”

Click here to view the full infographic.

Notes to Editors
Founded in 1999, TheMoveChannel.com is the leading independent website for international property, with than 400,000 listings in over 100 countries around the world, marketed on behalf of agents, developers and private owners. 

The website address is http://www.themovechannel.com and the office address is 24 Jack´s Place, Corbet Place, Spitalfields, London, E1 6NN. The website address of Lead Galaxy is http://www.leadgalaxy.com .
Contact Dan Johnson on 0207 952 7650 for further information.

Barton Wyatt’s Jo gets ready to take 192 deserving children on their charity ‘Dreamflight’

by Viv United Kingdom

Jo Parris, the Lettings Manager at award-winning Surrey estate agency, Barton Wyatt is revving up for her trip to America with the charity Dreamflight.

Once a year, 192 deserving sick and disabled children from all over the UK, accompanied by a team of carers, jet off to Florida on a ten day life-changing holiday filled with fun and excitement at the theme parts of Orlando.

 ·         40 Days to lift off – Dreamflight departs on October 20th

The team of carers include doctors, nurses, physiotherapists and non-medical escorts such as Jo who are there to help care for the children’s needs 24 hours a day whilst they are away.

Jo attended a meeting on Saturday 7th September 2013 where she received a full briefing for the trip together with the other volunteer escorts.  Paperwork was checked, uniform issued and detailed procedures were explained together with lots of useful advice.

Jo commented:

“This trip will be amazing fun for the children who are lucky enough to be going, but there is a serious side to a Dreamflight holiday.  Many of the children have never been away from home or their parents before and they gain a degree of independence not previously thought possible.  Self esteem grows as they are encouraged to join in the many events and activities.’

Once the formal briefing was over the ‘Pooh Bear’ group, for which Jo is a team member, met the most important people of all – the ‘little Pooh Bears’ and their families. Jo continues,

“The Mums and Dads of these children are rightly more concerned than anyone – it was wonderful to meet them and hopefully allay any of their concerns.”

The Dreamflight escorts are all colour co-ordinated, for example the doctors wear green polo shirts and the Pooh Bear group wear purple. Matching T-shirts for the children have been donated and Jo Parris is thrilled that Barton Wyatt has supported this worthy cause with T-shirts for the Pooh Bear group.

Formed in 1987 the charity is funded by donations and fundraising, There’s more information on the official website at www.dreamflight.org or contact Jo Parris on 01344 843000.

Georgian homes rule the roost. Period.

by Charlotte Ashton United Kingdom

Results of a BBC Magazine poll published earlier today reveal that Georgian era homes are the nation’s favourite style of property.

38% of those who voted in last week’s online poll stated that Georgian homes were the preferred architectural era with the more decorative homes built in the Victorian era following closely behind with over a quarter of votes (26%).

Richard Patterson, Director of leading online estate agency, My Online Estate Agent, which sells and lets homes across the UK from a variety of periods for a one-off flat fee, comments,

“I’m not too surprised by the results of this BBC poll; as we have seen from own enquiries Georgian properties are in high demand from Grade-II listed manor homes to the desirable town house.  Open fireplaces and solid wood floorings are popular with home buyers and so sought after is this era that we are also seeing a growing number of new properties developed in the manor of the Georgian style.”

Spanning over a century from 1714 to 1837, the Georgian period saw the reign of three Georges. Divided into three sub periods, the Palladian, early and late Georgian, the style became lighter in terms of colours and level of decoration as the years passed by, eventually becoming the regency style.

Many will have gained their understanding of Georgian society through the works of the eminent writers of the time including Jane Austen, Henry Fielding and Mary Shelley, with the iconic architecture of Robert Adam, John Nash and James Wyatt creating the perfect backdrop. Other famous artists of the era include the romantic poets – Samuel Taylor Coleridge, William Wordsworth, Lord Byron, John Keats and Robert Burns – as well as celebrated artists Thomas Gainsborough and John Constable.

Some of our best loved properties today such as The Circus in Bath and 10 Downing Street are of the Georgian style. Typical characteristics of the era include a simple 1 or 2 story box with strict symmetry, a centred panel door topped with rectangular windows, cornice embellishments and chimneys on both sides of the house. Internally colour schemes began bold with popular colours including sage greens, subtle blues, stone, off white and burgundy, lightening up as the regency era approached.

Following on from the Georgian era, with over a quarter of all votes, the Victorian architectural style also remains desirable. Taking its name from the reign of Queen Victoria (1837 – 1901), the Victorian era saw the return of the Gothic style and the construction of many large public buildings connected to the engineering marvels of that time. Developments in construction techniques and the introduction of steel enabled famous buildings such as St Pancras railway station, the Royal Albert Hall and the Forth Bridge to be erected.

On a smaller scale, due to new manufacturing processes and the beginning of the railways, building materials including mass produced bricks, were widely available enabling the rapid construction of homes for Britons. Terraced properties were commonplace with wealthier Victorians preferring the villa style home.

Richard Patterson comments,

“Victorian properties are particularly popular with house hunters due to their large rooms offering bright and airy living spaces. The period fireplaces are the centrepiece of most rooms and a major selling point as well as the bay windows and decorative detailing synonymous with this period. Due to their size and layout, Victorian properties are often sought after by first time buyers and young families, especially those living within towns and cities.”

On the market:

Georgian style: 7 bedroom detached house for sale in Duns, Berwickshire, Scotland £595,000

An Elegant ´B´ listed Classical Georgian south facing family country home with 1 acre garden and electric fencing, affording stunning views of the surrounding countryside to the Cheviots beyond. The vicarage was sympathetically restored to a high standard approximately 15 years ago, and boasts 7 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, open working fires, original sash windows and shutters as well as hardwood floors throughout. There is also an additional unrestored east wing and plot of land with lapsed OPP for the erection of a Detached House providing as yet undeveloped potential.

http://www.myonlineestateagent.com/for-sale/berwickshire/duns/the-glebe-1433/

Victorian style: 4 bedroom semi-detached house for sale in Sheffield, England £454,950

An impressive 4 double bedroom, 2 bathroom, semi-detached Victorian stone fronted villa, with outbuildings. Despite benefiting from a complete rewire, plaster, new central heating system, new bathrooms and remodelled kitchen, the property still retains some potential to add value.

Situated in the very desirable Millhouses area, off the main road, seconds from Millhouses Park with play areas and walks, close to Ecclesall Woods, excellent catchment area for good Offsted rated schools (Silverdale/St Wilfreds etc). Fine dining and family friendly public houses within short walking distance. There is a golf course and sports clubs a short drive away.

http://www.myonlineestateagent.com/for-sale/south-yorkshire/sheffield/knaresborough-road-1630/

Getting the most out of OPPLive: Naomi’s 6 Top Tips for Exhibitors

by Charlotte Ashton United Kingdom
So, you’ve take the plunge and made the wise decision to exhibit at OPPLive, the international property industry’s biggest and best trade event. You’ve committed the time, funds and resource to this leading event which will be held at the prestigious Central Hall, Westminster, London on 27th and 28th November 2013 but how can you ensure success?
With over 12 years’ experience in planning and exhibiting at overseas property events, Naomi Zammit, Marketing and Operations Manager at OPPLive, shares her 6 top tips for exhibitors:
1.Start planning now: 12 weeks seems a long time until OPPLive 2013 but as we enter the busy autumn selling season, time will soon fly by. Draw up a comprehensive “To Do” list covering everything from stand design and production to presentations, AV equipment, furniture logistics and staffing rotas. Be thorough and assign realistic timescales working back from the opening on Wednesday 27th November.
2.Make sure you stand out: At its heart OPPLive is about doing business and with numerous world class exhibitors already confirmed and many more expected, it’s essential that you stand out from the crowd to get that ROI. Think about what delegates will want from your stand; clean and clear messaging is vital as is easy access to market information, product details and commission structures. Use graphics and AV presentations to engage delegates and have knowledgeable staff on hand to answer any questions.
3.Get your marketing collateral in order: The Center for Exhibition Industry Research (CEIR) recently announced in their new report, Exhibitor Product Information Sharing Practices, that 85% of exhibitors gave out printed brochures and 58% of visitors welcomed information in this format. It may seem old fashioned but the appeal of a tangible, printed brochure is clear. Start preparing any materials now to ensure time for printing and delivery but remember that OPPLive is a trade event so all content must be relevant to agents and developers not consumers.
4.Tell the world that you’ll be at OPPLive: Whilst the team here at OPPLive will do our very best to promote your attendance, we encourage all exhibitors to tell their colleagues and contacts within the industry that they’ll be at the show. A simple email to your B2B database with details of OPPLive, when and where it is and your stand number can be effective so can promotion via social media – just follow us on Twitter or Like us on Facebook. Alternatively use the soon to be launched OPP Meeting Bureau to arrange one to one meetings in advance.
5.On the day: Before you even step foot into Central Hall, set your objectives for OPPLive. Be it speaking to 50 people, collecting 100 business cards or arranging 10 meaningful meetings, be clear on what will be of most use to you. Schedule in time to attend any seminars of interest and ensure that your stand is staffed at all times by a knowledgeable team who are all aware of the event objectives. Exhibitions can be long and tiring but stay proactive throughout, it’ll pay off. Oh and remember regular coffee runs and flat shoes are essential!
6.After the event: Far too many exhibitors think that once the doors close then it’s all over but in fact, this is when the hard work begins. It’s essential to follow up on all those leads generated from OPPLive, action any requests in good time and maintain momentum. CEIR research reveals that 70% of exhibitors sent follow up information via email after an event with 80% of those using this post-event tactic reporting that it was “Highly Effective” or “Effective”.
For more information or advice on exhibiting at OPPLive, contact Naomi and the team on +44 203 540 2231 or visit http://www.opp-live.com/why-who-should-exhibit/.

Back to school in Gerrards Cross: New homes in town with outstanding GCSE and A level results

by Charlotte Ashton United Kingdom

A number of private and grammar schools in the Gerrards Cross area have received an outstanding set of GCSE results this August:

  • The Times 2013 league tables placed Dr Challoner’s High School as the 25th best state school in the country at GCSE and 22nd at A Level.
  • A record number of places were gained by Chesham Grammar School pupils at Oxford and Cambridge this year
  • At Langley Grammar the whole year group (148 students) walked away with at least 10 GCSEs at C or above.
  • At Beaconsfield High School (grammar) more than 40% of all ‘A’ level students achieved grades of A* and A.
  • John Hampden Grammar School hailed its latest crop of year 11 pupils its “best ever” after 60% of boys scored A*/As, with 70% securing at least 5 A* grades.
  • St Mary´s School in Gerrards Cross, achieved a near 100% GCSE pass rate, with a staggering 41% of grades being A or A*
  •  At Thorpe House School pupils have celebrated the best ever GCSE results with 51% receiving A or A* grades and 93% at C or above.
  •  And down the road at The Royal Grammar school all of the 198 candidates gained 5 grades at A*-C.  98% gained 8 or more grades at A*-C including English and Mathematics and 72.62% of all grades were A* or A.

 With results like this it is not surprising that Gerrards Cross in Buckinghamshire remains a hot spot with parents keen to ensure that their children can benefit from such a remarkable education.

Housing in the area remains popular with local developers, Millgate, recently completing a small bespoke development of luxury family homes just a mile from the Gerrards Cross High Street.  The development which comprises 8 beautifully thought-out detached houses and 4 luxurious town houses have been the talk of the town.

Jonathan Cranley, Sales and Marketing Director for Millgate explains why,

“In today’s market our clients are more inclined to ask us about the education, both grammar and private, available in the area. Giving their children the very best chance in life has become of the utmost importance and it is with this in mind that we often base decisions on where we choose to build.

“The schools in the Gerrards Cross area certainly seemed to have had a storming success this year in the face of news about lower grades throughout the UK. More and more parents, especially those from central London, are basing their housing decisions upon schooling options and with Gerrards Cross presenting such great results, we are delighted to be able to offer luxury family homes nearby.”

Indeed according to a report by Prime Location prices near top schools are 37% higher than neighbouring areas in the South East of England and a report by Lloyds TSB revealed that house prices in the postcodes of the 30 state schools with the highest 2011 GCSE results in the country were £33,631 higher than average, or 12% higher than prices in neighbouring locations.

For more information on the stunning Millgate development at Alderbourne Place, Gerrards Cross where town houses are priced from £930,000 and detached 5 bedroom properties from £2,100,000, contact the sales team 0118 934 3344or visit www.millgatehomes.co.uk to take a video tour.

Property Inspector: How not to sell your home

by Charlotte Ashton United Kingdom
Selling your home can be a tricky business – sometimes a little too tricky. As the autumn house hunting season approaches, TheMoveChannel.com’s August podcast interrogates estate agents from around the world to find out the things that go wrong when putting your property on the market.
From awkward encounters to adult toys left on the table, TheMoveChannel.com’s Property Inspector uncovers the real estate horror stories no one dares to mention in public.
(Some names have been removed or details changed to protect people’s identities.)
This story came from an estate agent at Think Slovenia:
“I had an interesting experience once viewing an old house right up in the mountains of Slovenia – really remote, about 25 minutes to the valley floor up winding mountain roads. We arrived at the seller’s house. An old farmer who lives locally was going to take us to the house to unlock it. I called his name as I could hear someone outside and he came round the corner from the barn with both hands in the air covered in blood up to his elbows.
“He was in the process of slaughtering a pig.
“Suffice it to say, the rather timid English buyers didn´t buy the property.”
Animals in the barn can be a problem but apparently, so can people in the bedroom. One UK agent related this:
“I once showed a house and went into a bedroom which was pitch black… then I realised that the granny was sleeping inside! The rest of the family didn´t mention it when I started to take the clients round the house!”
Sometimes, you don’t have to go into the bedroom for things to get embarrassing:
“I took a house on the market where the daughter was a newly successful glamour model so they had pictures of her (she was probably about 17) proudly plastered all over the house, living room and kitchen with her… assets out.  Very odd. What do you say to that?”
Spain has its fair share of slip-ups too:
“Many agents over here share properties and often an agent has never been to the house or met the owners. We know of one agent who had travelled a couple of hours to meet his sharing agent at a dilapidated house but the sharing agent didn´t show up.  The other agent then proceeded to break into the house. The clients were baffled by the agent’s actions and wanted to wait for the other one to show up.  The “break in” agent said that if they wanted to wait, they were welcome to – and drove off!”
Once you have a buyer interested, you should always make sure he is above board:
“I have met with a Russian businessman who wanted to buy a house near us but he was not keen to get involved with lawyers. We arranged to meet and he literally sat there with a suitcase full of cash that he wanted to hand over for the house. I explained that he would need to go through some legal process to buy the house but he flatly refused.  I still wonder whether he had €700,000 in that case or whether it was just some elaborate ploy…”
And no matter what happens, always be polite:
“A chap I used to work with went on a valuation and was chatting to the lady owner and he asked her when she was due.  Needless to say, the lady wasn´t pregnant – simply a bit on the plump side – and rather surprisingly she decided not to instruct the agent to sell her house.”
With so many horror stories piling up, the Property Inspector tracked down David Rick from Creative Property Marketing, which sells properties in Spain, to find out how to sell a house without any funny business getting in the way.
Three simple steps to sell your house smoothly
The three P´s – presentation, price and paperwork.
1.Presentation 
This is absolutely vital – not just the presentation of the house when you have viewings but almost more important is the need to present your property in photos online as this is where it will be seen first. The decision to move on or stop and click for more details is almost always based on a decent photo.

2.Price 
It stands to reason that price is a key. If your house costs too much money you will not get any enquiries. If you are getting enquiries but not selling, then it will almost always be something to do with the home.  If your asking price is a little higher than it should be, the chances are you will struggle to get interest.

3.Paperwork 
This is particular to Spain (especially Andalucía) but if you haven´t got your paperwork 100% sorted anyway, it will inevitably lead to a cancelled sale. There is nothing worse than getting a buyer and then seeing them wander off into the sunset because your paperwork isn´t up to scratch!
Click here to listen to the full investigation.
Notes to Editors

Founded in 1999, TheMoveChannel.com is the leading independent website for international property, with than 400,000 listings in over 100 countries around the world, marketed on behalf of agents, developers and private owners.

The website address is http://www.themovechannel.com and the office address is 24 Jack´s Place, Corbet Place, Spitalfields, London, E1 6NN.
Contact Dan Johnson on 0207 952 7650 for further information.