Why they came to Stacks:
The clients had been living and working in Zanzibar for a number of years, but needed to find another base in the Southwest of England for their grown up children to visit and to retire to at some point in the future. There is a high demand for pretty cottages in good rural locations and our clients had missed out on a couple of properties that they had made best and final offers on.
What the local area could offer:
East Devon is within 3 hours of London by car and is served by two train lines. It is also 1hr 30mins to Bristol Airport. It has all of the lifestyle benefits of neighbouring locations: proximity to the coast, stunning rural views, market towns but fewer people and more bang for your buck.
We focused our search on the Blackdown Hills and East Devon AONBs for scenery, accessibility and value.
What they were looking for:
They were looking for a character period property that was also practical and had scope to accommodate the family when they visited. Location was key, it had to be private, have a decent-sized garden and outbuildings. They were happy to make improvements but didn’t want to take on a major project. The maximum budget was £650K.
How Stacks helped:
Stacks put the brief out to all local agents to get wind of any suitable properties before they hit the market.
Agents were made aware that our client was a cash buyer and was committed to finding and buying a property quickly.
We picked up the client from the station and took them on orientation trips to familiarise them with the arewa between viewings.
There is a lot of competition for the best cottages as they appeal to many different sections of the market, especially downsizers who have cash and have to find somewhere quickly.
Stacks opened up the search to properties needing work, which offered more potential but may not have appealed to wealthy older buyers needing to move in straight away.
A meeting was arranged to introduce the client to the Head of Residential Sales at the selling agency so that he engaged with her and understood her circumstances fully.
Stacks used our knowledge of the local market to advise on the final offer, which came in just above the nearest under bidder.
The happy outcome:
Our clients have spent the first few weeks in their new cottage which comes with a coach house, and over half an acre of land. It is in a peaceful hamlet with beautiful views, the garden has been cleared and plans are shaping up for renovation, a small extension and conversion of the coach house into guest accommodation. They have secured a property that has far more to offer than the smaller but more expensive fully renovated cottages that looked promising at the start of the search.
How Stacks made a difference:
We brought:
- Our determination to find and secure the right property so that our client could return to Zanzibar
- Knowledge of the local area, and the niches within it that would appeal to our client
- Resource on the ground so that our client could time visits to the UK
- Management of offer submission at the right level
- Arranging the survey and following up on any issues raised
- Recoomending a suitable Solicitor and helping to resolve any issues as they arose
- Helping to ensure that rubbish was cleared from the site for vacant possession
- Key collection and sourcing an architect, log supplier and plumber for clients’ first visit
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How we can help you
View our property finder services
When making probably the most important financial decision of your life, it pays to have the right advisors at your side.
Downsizing or Resizing
Retirement or semi-retirement is an exciting stage in life. Finding the right home to live in and enjoy it to the full is important. We know that and will do all that we can to understand what you’re looking for… before starting to search. And search we will, until we find the house of your dreams.
Moving from Abroad
Relocating is time consuming and stressful. We regularly work with clients who live abroad. We hunt, short-list, prepare your viewings, and make the search process as easy as possible. We oversee the negotiations, manage the conveyancing, and deal with the headaches, so you can concentrate on other aspects of your move.
Holiday Home Hunt
A holiday home is often an interesting mix of investment and heartfelt connection. You want to use it, but you may well also be keen for others to use it too. We can advise you on what factors to consider in making your decision. And we can then find the perfect holiday home for you to enjoy.
Investing in UK Property
Others say, ‘location, location, location’. We say, ‘location, purpose, price, capital growth, rental returns’… the list goes on. Knowing the market is critical. Local knowledge is key. We ensure all aspects of your investment decision are addressed. Finding, analysing, negotiating, and completing… it’s what we do.
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Stacks Head Office
Old Severn Bridge House
Purton, Blakeney
Gloucestershire
GL15 4AX
+44(0) 1594 842 880
