Finding the Perfect Property in the Countryside

Savills Country Houses

For over 160 years, Savills has been helping people thrive through places and spaces. Savills’ team of highly experienced country house specialists covers the length and breadth of the UK, from the South to Scotland. With each team member having a regional countryside specialism plus direct access to Savills London and International networks, including the well-established Private Office, the department is able to provide a unique 360-degree service to clients. Our agents have considerable local knowledge and a granular understanding of the environment of each property, from school choices to planning policies and everything in between.

With an office network containing over 130 national offices and a further 600 global offices, we can market properties to a vast network of qualified buyers based both in the UK and overseas.

Head of Savills Country Department, Phillippa DalbyWelsh, has nearly 20 years’ experience in prime property. She originally worked in central London before expanding to the country markets following her own move out of the Capital with her young family. This journey is one experienced by many country house buyers and, as such, Phillippa has a detailed understanding of the key motivators for embarking on a move, for example: good schools, more space or lifestyle choicesor often all three - as well as the common challenges when it comes to timing and logistics.

One of the key catalysts that drives housing demand out of London is the desire to buy a larger family home in an area with good schooling, and making the move often occurs in anticipation of a child starting school. In the case of boarding schools, the move can be a permanent one within a couple hours’ drive of the school, or a second home, which makes it easier for parents to spend time with their children on the weekends.

For some, a cluster of high performing independent schools will determine where they will look to buy, whilst others will hone in on a single school, making their search area a little more closely defined.

Market overview:

Confidence is returning to the UK’s prime markets after a somewhat turbulent 2023. Across the UK, the market is increasingly driven by best in class properties though usually realistic pricing is advisable to achieve the best result.

We have a strong book of buyers and there has been encouraging activity in the sales market already this year, particularly in the Cotswolds and South West regions. We’ve had an early run of sales with numbers up on last year in these areas and new buyer registrations across the UK country are 5% up on 2023.

Our latest market survey in January showed an increase in buyers commitment to move during the course of 2024. This coincides with increased certainty as the mortgage market is settling down and there is the prospect of interest rate cuts over the course of this year.

If considering moving for the start of the academic year in September, buyers should begin their search now as conveyancing timeframes have extended over the past 12 months. It is worth speaking to a country house agent at this time of the year as there will be numerous properties for sale privately which are not visible on the open market, presenting an opportunity for an early look in.

The UK is blessed with some of

Guide the world’s top schools and many of these are located in the markets in which we operate.

The Cotswolds and surrounding counties are ever-popular with family buyers, with Oxfordshire and Gloucestershire being home to many more top schools.

Heading north, places such as Shropshire, Derbyshire and Yorkshire also offer excellent choices.

We have a country house specialist with expert knowledge in all of these areas and beyond.

PHILLIPA DALBY-WELSH Savills Country Department

CAMILLA MARTIN PR Manager www.savills.co.uk