T H E R E C O U L D B E T R E A S U R E I N Y O U R G A R D E N !

Finding the right individual building plot is rarely easy and never without challenges

However, sometimes an opportunity is in front of you, in plain sight Perhaps your present home has a generous plot, offering potential to create your new home, next door?

There’s much to consider it’s rarely plain sailing Results, however, can be really exciting, having overseen some truly fantastic, self-build home developments in the region

Sometimes there is a natural reluctance to leave a much-loved home, perhaps after many years, so the opportunity to self-build a new home in effectively the same location is a rare chance Is it time to downsize, perhaps a home for a relative or create income?

Peregrine Mears Architects’ approach

Experienced in such projects, my team and I consider impact on nearby properties with our awareness heightened where our client owns both Potential impact needs considering, part of our refined, design approach

Obtaining early indicative valuation guidance from Nic Chbat of Match Property is prudent The existing and new properties should be considered individually ensuring a development is not to the detriment of the original, so assessing overall financial viability

Planning Permission

It is dangerous to generalise, however, if your garden is within the development boundary of a city town or village, subject to certain criteria, there is a reasonable chance that planning permission could be obtained Planning policies vary, as do circumstances, including the local council’s housing land supply position

The initial research undertaken by Peregrine Mears Architects can provide an initial view of the fundamentals and whether in principle permission is likely

Key Considerations

When building in a garden, it’s highly likely that properties would be close to other existing dwellings. It is important to ensure that any garden plot development relates well to its situation and surroundings, in the pattern of development and buildingdesign.

As architects we consider everything, privacy, overlooking amenity access right to light aspect outlook and more Design encompasses scale, height, massing, form and external materials Vehicular access is fundamental, along with drainage, ecology and more; investigations need to be broad We face these challenges every day as part of our professional approach, blending technical compliance with design creativity

Drainage

Ideally foul drainage should connect to the mains sewer and surface water drainage to a soakaway or water course A private foul drainage system could significantly affect layout options adding to construction costs Equally, surface water drainage may require attenuation to overcome the risk of potential flooding from run off Do you need access over adjacent land and do you have appropriate rights to deal with these constraints? More questions!

Sufficient Space for a building plot

Space is fundamental, often involving more than might initially be apparent There might be room for a home but consider amenity space, parking and vehicle considerations How would a new property affect the streetscene? Careful, innovative design can achieve a lot The answer isn’t prescribed and not always obvious; simply copying existing properties isn’t the solution

The Highway Authority’s regulations can be tough. Compliance with visibility and road safety regulations are fundamental, incorporating appropriate access, along with on-site turning and parking; this can use up valuable external space.

Land ownership should be checked; don’t make assumptions. Planning permission may approve development. However it doesn t mean the development can be completed in practice! Restrictive covenants in favour of adjacent properties can be a major issue, perhaps requiring a significant cost to remove or totally frustrating development Are there rights over your land or disputed boundaries We recommend early investigation of your title with your solicitor is a sensible first step

Privacy and Overshadowing

Privacy is an essential, from windows, as well as gardens, with some local authorities stating minimum separation distances Between 18 – 20 metres between windows of habitable rooms in new and existing properties is a reasonable starting point.

Perhaps not an obvious consideration, but overshadowing can be an issue requiring appropriate siting The effect on the new and existing properties can affect the saleability and value of both

Trees

Trees can be a major feature or significant limitation They look great, enhancing settings, but are they in the wrong place or protected by a Tree Preservation Order? Their removal can affect an established streetscene, with residents and councils naturally taking an interest Careful landscaping solutions can look to alleviate resistance, as can advice from an arboriculturist.

Ecology

An initial ecological survey will almost certainly be required, considering potential impacts on protected species including bats and reptiles Timing is often critical with follow up surveys often only undertaken during the summer season Mitigation measures may be required as part of a planning application including proposals to improve biodiversity

Often, identifying a building plot within a garden generally leaves the main budget for the build stage, with the site being essentially free, allowing full investment in design and quality specification

If you think there is the chance of development in your garden and you would like a professional opinion, talk to Barnstaple architects Peregrine Mears Architects as your first step anywhere in North Devon and the southwest

Peregrine Mears Architects www.mearsarchitects.com

01271 377776

Is your unique home attracting the right interest from buyers?

Find out how we accurately value homes that are one of a kind and can help you sell at a premium

As estate agents, valuing homes accurately is at the core of our business. We’ve got to price them at a level that attracts enough attention from buyers, while achieving the maximum sale price for our clients, and sometimes it’s a challenge –particularly when there’s not much to compare them to

We value homes based on a combination of factors. We look at recent data, consider what we know about current market conditions, sprinkle in price per square foot, then use our expertise to judge how popular your particular home is likely to be with buyers

While it’s relatively straightforward to value a home if a lot of similar ones exist, it can be much harder to put a price on a unique home Deciding how much a particular view or architectural style is worth in a certain location is not an exact science, which is why it’s especially important to choose the right estate agent when your home is one of a kind

Let’s look in a bit more detail at how we arrive at a market value:

Data on comparable homes

The first thing we need to know is the value of other homes that compare to yours – ones of a similar size, in a similar location, with similar features. While there are usually plenty of direct comparables for homes on estates or Victorian terraces, the challenge with unique homes, where there might be very little else like them, is getting as close as possible. The more unique the home, the greater the challenge!

We look at two types of data:

Sold prices: How much have comparable homes sold for in the last 3–6 months? If there aren’t many of them, we sometimes have to look back further in time, then calculate a likely current value based on average price increases Sold price data from the Land Registry is the main source for surveyors when they make their reports for mortgage lenders, so it carries significant weight

Current market prices: We look at similar homes for sale and consider:

How long have they been on the market?

What’s the current asking price?

Has the price been reduced?

Generally speaking, we expect to agree a sale at within 5% of the asking price, but the longer a home is on the market, the less likely it is to achieve this

Together, these two sources give us a ballpark price guide

You might be wondering about online instant valuation tools, which use this kind of data to come up with a current price for your home They’re becoming increasingly popular and can be useful if lots of similar homes have sold recently. But when it comes to unique homes, we find the results are often quite different to inperson valuations

There might only have been a handful of properties sold recently in the area that are even close to yours in size and style, and it’s almost impossible for a piece of technology to put an accurate value on a view or a one-off architectural feature.

Data is certainly helpful in giving us a guide, but it’s by no means the whole story when it comes to unique homes!

One important thing for us to bear in mind is the ‘ceiling’ – the top price that comparable homes have sold for If we value your home at more than this, there’s always a risk it might be too expensive, and when buyers think a home is overpriced, it tends to put them off However, unique homes can often break through the ceiling and attract a higher selling price, simply because there’s nothing else like them.

Price per square meter

Not a commonly used valuation tool, but an invaluable one. It doesn’t take into account all the amazing amenities, like a stunning view, or even some disadvantages like a footpath right through a garden. Still, some buyers like seeing exactly how much they’re getting for their money

Anything attached to the main home is included in the total price per square foot; however, most detached buildings aren’t, unless it’s an additional dwelling – a holiday home for example

Price per square meter is different for each area It provides a good general overview of what a home is worth At least on paper

Current market conditions

Prices depend on supply and demand When there are fewer homes on the market, prices tend to go up as there’s plenty of competition from potential buyers The best homes can often attract a ‘bidding war ’ and end up selling for over the asking price.

IOn the other hand, if there are fewer people looking to buy when more people want to sell, prices tend to fall That’s because buyers have a good amount of choice and will be more tempted to try and get a bargain by making an offer below the asking price

So, in order to put the right market value on your home, we need to know how many buyers out there are looking for a home like yours Are similar homes selling quickly or is there an oversupply right now?

While unique homes are usually less affected by rises and falls in the market, it’s still important for us to know what’s happening, as it gives us a feel for how positive we can be with our valuation.

Our expertise

Taking all the above into account, we then have to judge how attractive your home is likely to be to buyers We’ve got to look at the outstanding features and decide how valuable they are, then balance that with what we know about how much potential buyers are willing and able to pay There might be lots of things that set your home apart, but would someone be willing to pay more for it than for its closest competitor, and how much more? This is where our experience really matters.

A lot comes down to how rare the features are, particularly when you ’ ve got a combination of them. For instance, if you have a beautifully refurbished Grade 1 listed home in a waterfront location, how many other homes like that are there in the area – more importantly, how often do they come up for sale? When a buyer knows that if they miss out on your home, they might not get another chance to buy something similar for another five or ten years, they’re usually willing to pay a premium And it’s our job to know how much that premium is.

The final thing we need to consider is your own position How quickly do you want or need to sell? If you ’ re not in a rush to find a buyer, we might think it’s worth being optimistic with the price, then we can always adjust it if needed On the other hand, if you’d like to sell as quickly as possible, we’ll recommend a price that we ’ re sure will immediately catch your target buyers’ attention

So, if you ’ ve got a unique home, choose an experienced local agent who’s got a track record of successfully selling one-off homes Search online to see what’s sold locally in the past couple of months and take note of which agents have handled the more individual sales. They’re the ones who should be able to see the true value of your home, properly judge its market potential and then help you achieve the best possible sale

If you ’ re ready to move or are currently on the market and haven’t yet had the response you’d hoped for, give us a call on 01271 410108 or email sales@matchproperty co uk We’ll be happy to chat through our tailored marketing approach for unique homes.

CHESIL CLIFF | DOWN END | CROYDE

The iconic 'landmark' property in north Devon, Chesil Cliff House, is a substantial contemporary home with over 700 m2 of seafront accomodation, infinity pool, helicopter pad, 3 acres of coastal grounds and foreshore, and a detached luxury 3 bedroom property

OIEO £10,000,000

To arrange a viewing contact Nic Chbat on 01271 410108 or visit www matchproperty co uk

FREMINGTON | BARNSTAPLE

This unique four bedroom detached home is positioned within a beautifully presented half acre plot close to the coast. Its spacious and light and has a modern kitchen dining room with utility space and large living room which links into a lovely garden room With all the bedrooms having en-suites this is a comfortable and flexible home - with options

OIEO £725,000

To arrange a viewing contact Nic Chbat on 01271 410108 or visit www matchproperty co uk

COTTAGE & ANNEXE | ASHFORD

Design the life of your dreams! This property is a completely unique home, extremely spacious and flexible with four double bedrooms PLUS a two bedroom character annexe, nestled in the heart of this very desirable village

OIEO £675,000

To arrange a viewing contact Nic Chbat on 01271 410108 or visit www.matchproperty.co.uk

Off Market!

LOCATION | ON APPLICATION

a rare building plot with full planning permission located in the sought after coastal village of Braunton and a build package in place with the developer. This elevated plot has full planning for a luxuriously spacious, 410m2, 5 bedroom house with a 2 bedroom annexe, garage and parking with private drive Located just a short drive from the award winning beaches of north Devon and within walking distance of the restaurants and bars. With a completed value of circa £2.5 million.

OIEO £600,000

To arrange a viewing contact Nic Chbat on 01271 410108 or visit www.matchproperty.co.uk

BAY VIEW ROAD | NORTHAM

A substantial and versatile detached home with 3 or 4 bedrooms, and stunning views over Westward Ho! Beach and beyond. A large plot with scope to remodel and improve it has also previously been a succesful holiday let

OIEO £600,000

To arrange a viewing contact Nic Chbat on 01271 410108 or visit www.matchproperty.co.uk

HOUSE & ANNEXE | BARNSTAPLE

A spacious and light grade II listed, three bedroom barn conversion with attached one bedroom annexe. Located in the peaceful hamlet of Westacott on the outskirts of Barnstaple

OIEO £575,000

To arrange a viewing contact Nic Chbat on 01271 410108 or visit www.matchproperty.co.uk