Cavendish Ikin Chester and Tarporley Offices were favoured with instructions to market David Wilson Homes Development at St Oswald's Court, Malpas in late summer of last year and are pleased to report that 60% of the site is now sold or under offer.

The house types provide for three, four and five bedroomed houses with the three bedroomed mews houses being directed at the first-time buyer market with prices in the region of £140,000 and the five bedroomed houses that are available range from £499,995 to £529,995.

The site is adjacent to open countryside with the majority of the five bedroomed houses enjoying a superb rural outlook.  The houses are built to an exacting specification and a particular advantage of the site is that it is within walking distance of the excellent village amenities of Malpas and also the renowned primary and secondary schools.

All enquiries to Cavendish Ikin and the Site Office.  The Site Office is open five days a week from Thursday to Sunday. Telephone our Chester Office on 01244 404040 or our Tarporley Office on 01829 730078.

Can we save you money

Homebuyers in England and Wales are facing bills for thousands of pounds by failing to have a sufficient survey on their property before purchasing, according to recent research carried out by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS). 

The RICS survey has found that a quarter of all homebuyers who only had a mortgage valuation report had to make unplanned building works to their property after they’d bought it. On average, the bill for these works (such as damp-proofing or repairing a roof) came to £1,818, but the cost can be much higher. 

Home surveys, like the RICS Homebuyer’s report are designed to help buyers make more informed decisions as to whether to buy a property before legally committing themselves to the purchase.

Cavendish Surveyors is a specialist professional firm of Chartered Surveyors who can offer a range of valuations and surveys of residential properties throughout North Wales, Cheshire and Wirral. 

The principal surveyor, Gareth Roberts said “Our continued success here at Cavendish Surveyors, is centred around our aim to provide a quick and efficient personal property service to give help, guidance and advice on all types of residential properties. We provide clear and concise advice from a professional team with extensive experience and  local market knowledge.”

Gareth has a breadth of experience of the property market throughout the region. Having started his property professional career in the early 1990’s, he has the experience and knowledge of the local market needed to ensure his clients’ interests are protected during the buying process and giving some peace of mind.

 “Buying a property is a stressful process and unexpected defects are usually only found on the day of moving in. These are often not budgeted for and can sometimes be costly and disruptive.” Gareth added.

 “Having a survey undertaken will take some of the uncertainty away and provide a clearer picture as to the property’s condition and whether it provides good value. It may also allow you to renegotiate the purchase price.” 

Cavendish Surveyors offer valuations and surveys designed to be a detailed, easy to read but comprehensive report on the condition of the property so you are fully informed of any repairs needed on the property which may be significant or urgent.

For further information on how Cavendish Surveyors can help with your next property purchase, call us on 01244 322 422 for an informal discussion with a surveyor experienced in your area.

IT’S OFFICIAL.

CAVENDISH RENTALS LTD ARE AMONG THE BEST IN THE BUSINESS.

Cavendish Rentals have just received the ultimate industry accolade, becoming Gold Winners for the Best Small Wales in the 2011 Lettings Agency of the Year Awards. These prestigious awards are the only ones in the industry which are specially focused on lettings and are in association with the Sunday Times and The Times.   Cavendish Rentals’ win provides recognition of the exceptional standards that they achieve.  The awards are judged by an independent panel overseen by the Property Ombudsman, Christopher Hamer, and thus provide expert acknowledgement that they really are amongst the best in their field.

Managing Director, Christine Collins, commented “by sheer hard work, experience and determination to raise standards in the industry and offer a value for money service, we have finally achieved recognition as being the best in the business”.

The judges, in their report, highlighted ‘The level of rent paid on time is exemplary and the business shows growth year on year.  There is an excellent dispute resolution scheme and the team are proud no case has ever gone to the Dispute Resolution Service’.  Also that ‘The team at Cavendish Rentals are at the top of their game and that the enthusiasm and positive attitude shown by all the staff is outstanding’.

Following the total refurbishment of the ground floor of Cavendish Ikin's Chester office, staff have settled into their new surroundings, including the first display system of its kind in an estate agents in the north west.  The new showroom includes new ceiling and lighting, new flooring, new furniture, print-on-demand sales particulars and a large scale map of the city covering one entire wall in the showroom.

Following the total refurbishment of the ground floor of Cavendish Ikin's Chester office, staff have settled into their new surroundings, including the first display system of its kind in an estate agents in the north west.  The new showroom includes new ceiling and lighting, new flooring, new furniture, print-on-demand sales particulars and a large scale map of the city covering one entire wall in the showroom.

Failing to have a survey could cost more than you bargained for
Published 28 October 2010
RICS recommends homebuyers have a survey before purchasing property.
Homebuyers in England and Wales are facing bills for thousands of pounds by failing to have a sufficient survey of their property before purchase, according to new research from RICS.
A quarter of all homebuyers who only had a mortgage valuation report had to make unplanned building works to their property after purchase. On average, the bill for these works, such as damp proofing or repairing a roof, came to £1,818 – but the cost can be much higher.
Home surveys help buyers make informed decisions on whether to go ahead with buying a property, before legally committing themselves. Despite their importance, many buyers remain confused about surveys.
A mortgage valuation report is often wrongly assumed to be a building survey. Actually, it is purely an indication of the property’s value for loan purposes, prepared for the lender, not the purchaser. Most importantly, it won’t uncover any potential problems. However, when questioned, 58 per cent of respondents wrongly believed a valuation report included the building’s condition, including searching for damp and structural movement. A further 31 per cent were mistakenly under the impression it included advice on any legal issues a solicitor should investigate.
Even if you are paying for a mortgage valuation report, RICS still recommends you arrange a survey with your own surveyor. There are two options available; an RICS Homebuyer Report, which provides an inspection and report on the property’s condition, plus a valuation. A building survey is more detailed, and may be the best option if the property is in a bad state of repair, has been significantly altered, or if you are planning a major conversion or renovation.
A survey might just be able to help you get a better deal on your property, too. 76 per cent of those questioned agreed that a more comprehensive survey could potentially allow you to negotiate a better deal with the seller.
“In difficult economic times like this it makes sense to ensure you are getting the best possible value when purchasing a property. No one wants to find a nasty surprise down the line, or pay over the odds for a property that needs lots of work. A survey not only gives you a price valuation, but also a detailed report of the state of the property. Armed with this information you are in a much stronger position to decide whether to proceed with the purchase, or negotiate a better deal.” David Dalby, RICS Residential Director

Chester Office Refurbishment

As a result of a particularly heavy downpour of rain in late August, major damage was sustained to the Chester showroom. As part of the refurbishment of the showroom, it has first been necessary to re-roof the entire building. This has now been achieved and a major refit of the showroom will take place during the next few weeks.

Cavendish Ikin apologise to our many customers for any inconvenience this may cause and assure our clients that it will be ‘business as usual’ during this time.

NUMBER OF MORTGAGE PRODUCTS ON THE MARKET INCREASES FROM LOWS OF 2009
A recent survey of Home Sale Network members, cites that it is the lack of a necessary mortgage loan deposit that is preventing buyers from entering the property market and not mortgage product availability. When asked, 65% of survey respondents stated that the number of mortgage products currently available on the market has increased when compared to 2009.

Over half of Network members surveyed (63%) report it is the lack of a mortgage loan deposit that most influences potential buyers with just 24% stating it was a lack of mortgage availability.

 Julian Adams from Cavendish Group, the member of Home Sale Network in Chester said, “It is welcoming to see that a large proportion of members have seen an increase in mortgage products since last year, which should help more buyers to enter the market.

“Buyers are beginning to find new ways to afford a mortgage loan deposit, with many choosing to purchase property with a friend or relative or through a shared equity scheme. Once the necessary deposit is found, now is a good time to get on the property ladder – with more property now coming to the market.

“If you are thinking of moving or need advice about the current property market contact Cavendish Ikin today. As a Home Sale Network member, we are Chester’s Local Expert and can help you find the right property.”

Rents increase further as lettings market buoyed by greater activity.
The lettings market remains buoyant, as increased tenant demand and a shortage of properties pushes rents higher, says the latest RICS Residential Lettings Survey.
26 per cent more chartered surveyors reported a rise in demand for property rather than a fall, which was the second consecutive quarter that lettings demand has risen at a pace above the long run average.
Tenant demand increased across all regions, but was strongest in London and the East of England. Continued difficulty in securing mortgage finance, worries over a double dip in housing and large deposits required by lenders are leading to higher numbers seeking to rent rather than buy.
As a result, rents increased for the second consecutive quarter, with 27 per cent more surveyors reporting a rise in rents than a fall. Just a year ago the picture was very different, as over supply pushed rents down and 29 per cent more surveyors reported falling not rising rents.
Although interest rates are at a record low - making property a potentially attractive option for investors - difficulty in securing buy-to-let mortgages is contributing to the lack of supply. New supply of property to the market remains low and has now fallen for four consecutive quarters, although at a slightly slower pace. In the run up to July the net balance of surveyors reporting a fall in landlord instructions was -6, in comparison to a net balance of -12 in the previous quarter.
However, existing landlords do not appear to be in any rush to dispose of their property; just 4.1 per cent of landlords said they intended to sell their properties at the end of a tenancy agreement.
Looking ahead, the outlook for rents remains positive. 33 per cent more surveyors expect rents to increase over the next quarter rather than fall. Rents for houses are expected to marginally outperform flats, with the net balances for this forward looking indicator moving to +34 and +31 respectively.
Source: RICS, 26 August 2010

Over 1m HIPs wasted as majority of homes fail to sell.

More than one million unnecessary Home Information Packs were issued in the 12 months to June this year, because so many houses failed to sell.

New research says that well over half of the 1.825 million houses that were put on the market in England, Wales and Scotland did not sell.

In total, more than 1.1 million homes remained unsold, compared with 725,000 sales that went through.

High prices were cited as a main reason (18% of cases) for properties failing to sell.

There were also 755,000 people who tried to buy but could not, with 53% unable to find buyers for their own home.

One in ten buyers were unable to raise a sufficient deposit and 4% could not get a mortgage deal for other reasons. Some 12% of people who tried to sell could not get an acceptable offer.

The findings are based on Land Registry and Register of Scotland data, plus opinion polls conducted among more than 2,000 people in June. The research has been released by the high street bank Santander.

Source: Estate Agent Today