Fisks Gateway issue 22

THE PROPERTY & LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE BROUGHT TO YOU BY FISKS | ISSUE 22

inside this issue

BLOOM’S BIG YEAR AN INSTANT WINTER WARMER HIIT JANUARY HARD PLUS ALL OF THIS MONTH’S PROPERTIES

Contents Bloom’s big year 2017 is going to be a big year for one British actor as not only does Orlando Bloom have a number of films set for release, but he is going to be 40!

An instant winter warmer Why go out into the cold this January when you could stay inside and keep cosy with Woolshed Designs?

HIIT January hard Before you pay for the annual gym membership, try these simple home workouts in order to gain confidence to create a leaner body.

Our Properties Last, but certainly not least, you can find all of this month’s feature properties throughout the magazine. Enjoy!

© iceberg-digital.co.uk; Tel +44 (0) 1992 766 637; Web: www.iceberg-digital.co.uk This magazine is published by iceberg-digital.co.uk, hereinafter referred to as “the publisher”. The publisher retains the right to all ‘work’, hereinafter defined as such work is wholly the property of the publisher and may not be copied, quoted or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the publisher. The views expressed in this magazine are not necessarily those of the publisher. While every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of this work, the publisher cannot be held responsible for any misfortune, injury or damages which may arise there from. The publisher reserves the right to revise or reject, in whole or in part, any advertisement or submission without notice and for any reason. All advertisers agree to release the representations of any advertisement herein, including, but not limited to any claim arising from any negligence and/or fault on the part of the publisher. The publisher is not responsible for the condition or for the performance of any services advertised in the magazine. All rights are reserved.

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Welcome to our

magazine...

Welcome to the January edition of our Gateway magazine.

Each year follows the same pattern; as Spring follows Winter, so the market activity immediately increases as soon as the new year arrives.

This year has been no different; with new enquiries registered in all three offices for both sales and lettings, and requests for market appraisals.

John Pring FNAEA (Honoured) & MARLA | Director

The Government, always looking for a headline, last year announced a review into the house buying process and how it could be improved.

As yet, no formal date has been set for the consultation process to begin. Talk about déjà vu; politicians seem to have ample time and money to spend on seeking to improve the transaction process, even though an in-depth investigation initiated by the Tony Blair Government on this subject took place some years ago and led to the creation of Home Information Packs (HIPs). Ironically, David Cameron’s Government repealed this legislation with the exception of the Energy Performance Certificate (EPC). There are merits in providing accurate information upfront of the sale process, at least this enables the seller to resolve any issues before the buyer’s solicitor spots the problem. In the meantime, sales transactions will move at the pace of the slowest link in the chain.

My tip for the New Year is that if you are considering selling, work with your estate agent and solicitor to gather as much information as your buyer will need. This will reduce the length of time on your own sale, leading to certainty on the exchange of contracts.

Happy House Hunting in 2017!

For an updated Sales or Lettings valuation, to see your property in our February Gateway magazine or for further advice, please contact your local Fisks branch.

fisks.co.uk

Meet our

Benfleet Team Our centrally located estate and letting agency branch offers a professional sales, lettings and property management service for Benfleet and the surrounding areas benefitting from ARLA and NAEA qualified staff.

THERE ARE A LOT OF ESTATE AGENTS BUT ONLY ONE FISKS “We gave our property to Fisks when we decided to move as Ian seemed the most professional of the three agents who we asked to value our property. Boy are we glad we did house sold to the first viewers in 36 hours from instructing Fisk’s. We were kept up to date with regular calls and nothing was too much trouble. Now we have moved Ian is collecting post from our old address for us and calling for us to collect from the office. Beyond the call of duty Great service thanks again Martin and Melanie Bagnall “

Located some 30 miles east of the City of London on the north bank of the Thames Estuary, Benfleet is primarily based around three historically separate settlements; South Benfleet, Thundersley and Hadleigh. which gradually merged during the 20th century. The residential areas are now said to have the highest proportion of owner occupancy in the country which speaks volumes for the quality of life here!

The mainland station in South Benfleet services the entire area and is the busiest commuting station on the Fenchurch Street C2C line.

AWARD WINNING

2016

Fisks 146 London Road, Benfleet Essex, SS7 5SQ T 01268 565555 F 01268 566291 E benfleet@fisks.co.uk

fisks.co.uk

LOCAL

THE RUNDELS, BENFLEET ÂŁ287,000 Deceptively spacious, offering modern living accommodation on both floors, including an additional playroom/study.

Situated on a corner plot, the garden is larger than average and benefits from a summerhouse, perfect for entertaining the family. The property boasts both a garage and a carport. Energy Band - D.

CALL 01268 565555

ROSEMEAD, BENFLEET ÂŁ290,000 Three bedroom semi-detached property with a garage in this popular area of north Benfleet.

Extended living space on the ground floor with three bedrooms and a family bathroom on the first. Sold with no onward chain. Energy Band D.

CALL 01268 565555

GREENOAKS CLOSE, BENFLEET £435,000 This modern family home has been completely refurbished to an exceptional standard and is offered with no onward chain. Benefiting from a large kitchen/diner, en-suite and downstairs WC and a 45ft rear garden, the property has everything a family needs. Energy Band - D.

CALL 01268 565555

SEAMORE CLOSE, BENFLEET £290,000 Guide Price: £290,000 - £300,000 Three bedroom semi-detached property situated in a quiet close in north Benfleet. It offers a brick based conservatory with modern refitted kitchen and the bedrooms and family bathroom on the first floor.

Energy Band – D.

CALL 01268 565555

KENTS HILL ROAD, BENFLEET £290,000 Guide Price: £290,000 - £295,000 Three bedroom semi-detached property, with 100ft plus rear garden, private driveway with three bedrooms and family bathroom on the first floor. This property is sold with no upper chain. Energy Band - E.

CALL 01268 565555

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ELMTREE ROAD, BASILDON £240,000 Two bedroom semi-detached property with private driveway. Based in the popular River View estate, it offers close proximity to the train line, Pitsea market and good road access to major roads. In need of modernisation, this property is ideal for first time buyers and developers. Energy Band Awaiting.

CALL 01268 565555

MANOR COURT, BENFLEET £136,950 Three bedroom maisonette with an 84 year lease remaining, sold with no onward chain.

Ideal for those who love to have a project.

Energy Band - E.

CALL 01268 565555

THE RUNDELS, BENFLEET £305,000 Extended four bedroom semi-detached property with ground floor shower room, utility room and good sized lounge/diner.

The property comes with a separate garage and private parking. Situated on a corner plot, you have extended living space throughout. Energy Band - Awaiting.

CALL 01268 565555

Bloom’ s

BIG YEAR

2017 is going to be a big year for one British actor as not only does Orlando Bloom have a number of films set for release, but he is going to be 40!4

Image: Denis Makarenko/Shutterstock.com

Image credit: Featureflash/Shutterstock.com

Canterbury born, Orlando will celebrate his birthday on 13th January and not only is he one of Britain’s most successful actors – he is one of Hollywood’s most successful too!

After having his breakthrough as Legolas in The Lord of the Rings trilogy, Orlando rose to fame by appearing in more fantasy adventure films. His most notable films include The Hobbit trilogy, the Pirates of the Caribbean series, Troy and Kingdom of Heaven.

The Los Angeles resident then established himself as a leading man in a number of Hollywood films such as Elizabethtown and New York, I Love You. As if this wasn’t enough success, Orlando made his professional debut in the West End’s In Celebration at the duke of York’s Theatre in London in 2007.

The brunette Brit then went on to star in a Broadway adaption of Romeo and Juliet in 2013.

Fans of Pirates of the Caribbean will be pleased as in May, the next sequel will be released. On 27th May, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man Tells No Tales will be in cinemas around the UK starring Orlando alongside Johnny Depp. Also set for release in May, is Unlocked. Orlando stars in this action, thriller film which tells the tale of a CIA interrogator who is lured into a ruse that puts London at risk of a biological attack.

Image credit: Helga Esteb/Shutterstock.com

Orlando may constantly be in the spotlight but is there anything we don’t know about him? “I’m rather accident-prone, I have to admit. I’ve broken my back, my ribs, my nose, both my legs, my arm, my wrist, a finger and a toe and cracked my skull three times.”

However Orlando’s achievements certainly don’t go unmissed as in 2009, he was named a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador and has won a number of awards for his acting career. Yet, just how did he get into acting? “Aged nine, I had this girlfriend, and we used to have running races in the park to see who would be her boyfriend for the day. I wanted to be like Superman and fly in and rescue her. Once I realised Superman was an actor, I thought, “That’s for me.”

He may be hitting the big 4-0 but what does Orlando have planned for the future? “I’d like to grow old gracefully or pain free at least… I see my career as a marathon. I don’t see it as a sprint. Hopefully, I’ll be around for a long time, to see my son grow up and have the opportunity to keep working on films. “ We hope Orlando has a great birthday month and can’t wait to see the next Pirates of the Caribbean in May n

Image credit: Joe Seer/Shutterstock.com

Meet our

Canvey Team Our office located at the heart of Canvey Town Centre offers a sales, lettings and property management service for Canvey Island and the surrounding areas and benefits from ARLA and NAEA qualified staff.

GREAT PROFESSIONAL YET FRIENDLY AGENT “Gemma North & the Fisks team were incredibly easy to work with .....even from 3000 miles away in Canada. .Gemma was always available, polite ,freindly & returned calls swiftly . .The whole transaction went smoothly with many excellent recommendations for other professionals ie solicitors, inspectors etc We would not hesitate to recommend or use Fisks in the future. Thank you so much for all your hard work !!!!�

AWARD WINNING

With excellent rail connections into the City from neighbouring Benfleet station, Canvey is today permanently connected to the mainland via two road bridges, offering fast access to the M25 and East Anglia via the A12 trunk road. However the island still manages to preserve an independent character and a vibrant community spirit all its own.

Thanks to development in recent years, Canvey offers a wide range of exceptionally reasonably-priced property, from first time buyer apartments to detached executive homes - many with stunning views across to the wooded Hadleigh Downs, and along the estuary towards Southend.

2016

Fisks 85 Furtherwick Road, Canvey Island, Essex, SS8 7AY T 01268 510510 F 01268 697126 E canvey@fisks.co.uk

fisks.co.uk

LOCAL

MAGNOLIA CLOSE, CANVEY ISLAND ÂŁ650,000 With a square footage of over 3000ft and situated in a small cul-de-sac, this five double bedroom detached home has been redecorated with no expense spared.

The property is spread over three floors which maximises the space in every room, offering three bathrooms, a 30ft x 14ft conservatory with under floor heating and an immaculately presented garden. Over the double garage is a fully functioning studio annex and the driveway has space for eight cars. Energy Band – Awaiting.

CALL 01268 510510

THORNEY BAY ROAD, CANVEY ISLAND £419,995 This spacious detached house in the sought after Thorney Bay location offers all you could want and need from this style and calibre of property. Internally the home offers a good size lounge, separate study, separate dining room and utility room to the ground floor, while upstairs there are four double bedrooms with en-suite to the master and a family bathroom. In addition there is a low maintenance decked and lawn rear garden, double garage and plenty of parking. Energy Band – D.

CALL 01268 510510

fisks.co.uk

SEAVIEW ROAD, CANVEY £289,995 This fully detached family home located close to the seafront and town centre, offers a square 16ft 7in x 17ft 1in lounge/diner, a galley style kitchen, three wellproportioned bedrooms and a modern three piece bathroom. A detached single garage is located to the rear of the garden and there is a driveway to the front of the property. Energy Band – E.

CALL 01268 510510

BRANDENBURG ROAD, CANVEY £319,995 A spacious fully detached three bedroom bungalow, perfect for a couple who require space, a peaceful location and friendly neighbours. The property features a large 13ft 2in x 13ft 11in master bedroom with ensuite, a 17ft 5in x 12ft 2in kitchen/diner and a fantastic rear facing lounge. Off road parking is located to the front of a double length garage. Energy Band – D.

CALL 01268 510510

AN INSTANT WINTER WARMER Why go out into the cold this January when you could stay inside and keep cosy with Woolshed Designs?4

All images credited to Woolshed Designs

Winter is here and for many of us, going out in the cold is not on the agenda. If staying inside, getting cosy and watching TV is your idea of heaven this month then we’ve got the perfect accompaniment.

Woolshed Designs creates soft furnishings, upholstered furniture and home accessories using sheepskin and fur providing tactile comfort and warmth to homes worldwide and we promise you won’t look back.

Woolshed’s Beanbags provide complete comfort for relaxing or socialising. A practical and welcoming addition to any space, beanbags bring a softer element into a design scheme. The sheepskin beanbag features a saddle leather handle making it easy to replump and it comes in a choice of thirteen different colours and three standard sizes.

Prices for the beanbags start at £1,395 and are also available in cowhide. Woolshed’s new Shaggy bag features a 100% sheepskin top on top of a woven wool base. These shaped bags provide extra support for ultimate comfort while adding a glamourous touch to any room in the home.

Haven’t got space for a beanbag but fancy putting your feet up? Woolshed’s Ottomans fulfil the role of a footstool, coffee table or a seat. A multi-functional addition to the home which comes in sheepskin with a hard-wearing leather base, prices start at £1,195 for a standard size measuring 80cm x 80cm x 32cm.

Rugs are ideal for adding warmth underfoot and what could be better than 100% sheepskin? Woolshed’s rugs come in a choice of short or long wool providing the perfect decorative touch to the home all year round.

Available in a full range of colours and made to measure, you can find the perfect rug for any room.

For extra opulence in your home, a fur throw is the perfect way to add an extra layer, as the days get colder. Enhancing any design scheme Woolshed’s possum and rabbit fur throws provides glamour and warmth to beds, chairs or sofas. With prices starting at £1,495, these natural fur throws are backed with velvety velour to prevent slipping.

James and Nessie Lamb who developed an appreciation for sheepskin and natural fur when they moved to New Zealand established Woolshed Designs in 2007.

Their vision was to create luxurious items that would work in harmony with other furniture in every room of the home. With a background in interior design and access to the world’s finest skins and furs, they developed a small collection of products.

Nowadays, their luxury sheepskin, hide and fur products sell worldwide through their online shop.

Everything is made to order so for more information on the bespoke service, visit www. woolsheddesigns.com or call 01403 787406 n

Meet our

Docklands Team Located at South Quay, at the foot of the pedestrian bridge to Canary Wharf, our Docklands office offers sales, lettings and property management services for the Docklands and Royal Docks area benefitting from ARLA and NAEA qualified staff.

GOOD PROMT AND PROFESSIONAL SERVICE “Fisks have found 3 good tenants for me over 5 years, each time they handled the transaction with high professionalism, promptness and doing more than their job description to get the deal done. All details were accurate and checked thoroughly. Good team support.

Happy landlord, happy tenant. “

The London Docklands area has been transformed into one of the most exciting commercial and residential environments in the world.

Alongside the glittering office towers of Canary Wharf, a rich mix of developments, purpose-built luxury apartment blocks and warehouse conversions full of period character all making the maximum use of the spectacular waterside setting - have helped to make today’s Docklands the last word in sophisticated urban living.

Transport links with the City via the Docklands Light Railway and the West End via the Jubilee Line are first class.

AWARD WINNING

2016

Benfleet & Canvey

Canary Wharf, Docklands & Royal Docks

Fisks Docklands Suite 2 Parker House, Admirals Way, Marsh Wall, London, E14 9UQ T 0207 517 8810 F 0207 517 7902 E docklands@fisks.co.uk

fisks.co.uk

ALASKA BUILDING, E16 £650,000

ROYAL WHARF, E16 £570,000

Leasehold – Two bedroom, two bathroom apartment offering a high specification kitchen and bathrooms, with an en-suite to the master bedroom. Energy Band - C.

Guide Price: £570,000 - £575,000 Leasehold – Off plan sale, two bedroom apartment situated on the 8th floor of Compass House expected to complete in March 2017.

CALL 0207 517 8810

CALL 0207 517 8810

ROYAL WHARF, E16 £750,000

ROYAL WHARF, E16 £425,000

Leasehold – Off plan sale, three bedroom apartment expected to complete in March 2017.

The property benefits from a balcony and high specification kitchen and bathrooms.

Leasehold - One bedroom apartment expected to complete in April 2017. The property benefits from a balcony and high specification kitchen and bathroom.

CALL 0207 517 8810

CALL 0207 517 8810

NEW PROVIDENCE WHARF, E14 £1192 pcm Stunning studio apartment furnished to high standard, including a separate fitted kitchen and modern bathroom finished in high quality tile & stone. Occupants will benefit from direct river views from a good size balcony. Located within walking distance of Canary Wharf (Jubilee Line) and Blackwall DLR station. Energy Band – C.

CALL 0207 517 8810

LANDMARK EAST TOWER, E14 £1729 pcm This large one bedroom interior designed apartment will boast stunning west facing landscape views. Specification includes floor to ceiling glazing, comfort cooling throughout, engineered wood flooring, kitchens with granite finishes and Siemens appliances, bathrooms with marble finishes.Energy Band – B.

CALL 0207 517 8810

DISCOVERY DOCK EAST, E14 £1842 pcm One bedroom apartment available furnished or unfurnished. Other benefits include use of a secure parking bay and extensive leisure facilities to include an indoor swimming pool & gymnasium.

Located five minutes' from Canary Wharf Jubilee. Energy Band - Awaiting.

CALL 0207 517 8810

fisks.co.uk

CASCADES TOWER, E14 £2492 pcm Furnished three bedroom, two bathroom apartment with stunning direct river and city views. Located on the edge of the Canary Wharf estate, the apartment is ideally located for the Canary Wharf's financial district. The West End and the City can be reached in less than twenty minutes via the Jubilee line and the DLR. Energy Band – D.

CALL 0207 517 8810

NEW CRANE WHARF, E1W £6500 pcm Recently converted apartment benefiting from two large bedrooms with en-suite bathrooms and a third double bedroom. The bespoke fitted kitchen opens onto an open plan reception room, with a second reception room dressed as a cinema room offering 76 inches of screening. There is also a guest cloakroom and a fully fitted utility room. Energy Band – Awaiting.

CALL 0207 517 8810

HIIT JANUARY HARD

Before you pay for the annual gym membership, try these simple home workouts in order to gain confidence to create a leaner body4

Image credit: VectorLifestylepic/Shutterstockc.com

Image credit: Smolina Marianna/Shutterstock.com

Many of us will have a New Year’s resolution to be fitter and leaner for 2017.’’ I know I say it every year, but I really mean it this year’’ is a comment I hear often.

Before you decide to pay that annual subscription of gym membership, try these simple workouts that you can do at home to gain confidence, create a leaner body and not have to queue to use any gym equipment.

So what is HIIT training? HIIT is High Intensity interval training. Working as hard you can for a short period of time, followed by complete rest to aid with recovery.

This method enables you to burn calories whilst exercising and up to 48 hours thereafter, also known as EPOC, Exercise post oxygen consumption - or the after burn effect. This is a much more effective compared to stead state cardio, where you simply burn your calories whilst exercising and that is it.

Other benefits of HIIT include boosted metabolism, effective fat burning, improved insulin resistance, and improvements in cardiovascular health and you can do it in the comfort of your home in 20 minutes.

Make sure you do some initial warming up and stretching as well as a cool down once you have finished. The exercise description in brackets allows for modifications if the initial exercises are too challenging to begin with. Put on some tunes and get to work.

Do these 10 exercises below and repeat.

Image credit: Syda Productions/Shutterstock.com

Beginners work for 20 seconds with 40 seconds rest.

Intermediate work for 30 seconds and 30 seconds rest.

Advanced work for 40 seconds with 20 seconds rest.

1. Running on the spot (high knees) 2. Press ups (on knees is fine, if required) 3. Jumping squats (squats) 4. Tricep dips with legs extended (legs much closer to torso) 5. Diamond jacks (star jumps) 6. Jumping lunges (lunges) 7. Chest to floor and get up (much slower, putting knees on the floor) 8. Deep squat and uppercut punch (uppercut) 9. Tuck jumps (standing opposite elbow to knee) 10. Donkey kick (one leg at a time, leg to bottom) Repeat!!!

If you are a beginner the above workout will be challenging, but bare with it as over time you will become stronger and leaner. Hopefully you will enjoy this method of training and it will give you the courage to go to the gym when the initial increase of gym membership starts to wain in February. If you are a regular at the gym and aren’t enthused at the prospect of cold morning starts everyday, use this a few times a week and let us know how you get on.

Written by Mind and Body Detox www.mindandbodydetoc.co.uk n

Image credit: VectorLifestylepic/Shutterstock.com

2016

Benfleet Fisks Ltd 146 London Road Benfleet Essex, SS7 5SQ T: 01268 565555 F: 01268 566291 E: benfleet@fisks.co.uk

Why use Fisks?

Canvey Fisks Ltd 85 Furtherwick Road Canvey Island Essex, SS8 7AY

Members of NAEA (National Association of Estate Agents) and ARLA (Association of Residential Letting Agents).

T: 01268 510510 F: 01268 697126 E: canvey@fisks.co.uk

Audited clients account

Docklands Fisk Docklands Ltd Suite 2 Parker House Admirals Way Marsh Wall London, E14 9UQ

Free rent guarantee insurance with management plus Option to spread payments over the length of lease (subject to Terms of Business) Three levels of service offered: Let Only, Management and Management Plus

T: 0207 517 8810 F: 0207 517 7902 E: docklands@fisks.co.uk Head Office 146a London Road Benfleet Essex, SS7 5SQ T: 01268 750000 F: 01268 758921 E: office@fisks.co.uk Property Management: 0207 517 8811

fisks.co.uk

To experience our service, put us to the test! Contact your local branch at Benfleet, Canvey or Docklands