Moving to a rural location near Berkhamsted

Why our client came to Stacks

Mr & Mrs K were time-poor. Though they already lived in Berkhamsted, they simply weren’t able to juggle their busy lives and chase estate agents, view properties on the off-chance, and keep up to date with what was going onto the market within a 10 mile radius. Stacks had helped friends of theirs find the ideal property the previous year, and they realised there was no better recommendation than that. They contacted Stacks for help.

What they were looking for

The couple were currently living in a lovely Georgian terrace in Berkhamsted, just a short walk from the High Street. Suburban life suited them, but they had reached a point where they were keen to incorporate a more rural/countrified aspect into their lives. It was critical, however, that they could continue to run their businesses and reach their clients easily, as well as have easy access to their daughters’ schools… wherever they ended up living.

What the local area offer could offer

In their own words, the area around Berkhamsted still suited them perfectly. “We didn’t want to change our area at all, just get more rural. Fortunately around Berko, you can do that quite quickly and still pop in to a nice café for brunch on a Saturday morning. We had to be convenient for the girls’ schooling and for meeting with our clients, but really wanted to ‘just us’ when we shut the door on the world.”

How Stacks helped

Knowing that Mr & Mrs K were short of time, we focused on viewing and evaluating properties on their behalf before making suggestions to them. We were keen for them to only have to view properties with real potential.

During our hunt, we discovered a hidden gem of a property nestled in the hills surrounding the town. Most people wouldn’t even know it was there if they drove past, so it seemed perfect. Plus it was a gorgeous country cottage with a great garden and a surfeit of outbuildings needing someone to make their mark on them.

Our next step was to check how well ‘living out in the sticks’ would suit their criteria. We drove the morning commute to the schools and checked out journeys to work venues and other locations. It seemed to stack up, so we let them have a look. They loved it and were very keen to move things forward to make an offer!

When a client gets to this stage, it’s always a superb opportunity for us at Stacks because we have a lot of experience of negotiating with vendors to get the best price and terms of purchase. However, little did we know at this point that we would also have the opportunity to flex our muscles on managing the many quirks the ancient land system in English Law can present at times.

Bridleways and footpaths can put barriers in the way of a purchase sometimes. We decided to track down a previous owner in order to prove there had been continuous access over one particular a bridleway. A bit of dogged wrangling with the council’s Definitive Map Officer then established a consensus on the footpaths and rights of way across and nearby the prospective property. By the end of our determined investigations and discussions, we had made sure Mr & Mrs K retained this important access and had it properly in writing. The purchase could proceed.

The happy outcome

Right from the first time they saw the property, Mr & Mrs K had amazing vision for what the house could be. We’d always had high hopes for their happiness there once the purchase had completed, however a kind invitation to visit after they’d moved in confirmed just how perfect the place we’d found for them actually was. The renovation they’d overseen was incredible. What had been an old cottage needing some TLC and attention had been transformed into a stunning, modernised and updated country home. It was still beautifully connected with its woodland hillside setting, but now perfectly suited to the family’s lifestyle with studio and teaching space in abundance. Fabulous!

How Stacks made a difference

Sometimes, it’s our clients’ words that explain what we bring best. As Mr & Mrs K say, “Having Nick and Rachel iron out tricky items in the conveyancing process that might have put other buyers off was invaluable, and, in all honesty, we may well not have had the bandwidth to get them resolved by ourselves. The thought that we might not have ended up here is unbearable!”