Homes
WMN5
Westcountry
Property Editor Gillian Molesworth
wmnproperty@westernmorningnews.co.uk
In association with
SATURDAY DECEMBER 20 2014
Property of the Week Go with the flow at lovely riverside home P4-5
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Here at Westcountry Homes, we’re dreaming of a white Christmas. When we last checked the odds, they weren’t looking great – so we’ve decided to create our own. Slip in a Bing Crosby CD and snuggle up by the fire to enjoy our selection of homes for sale and for hire, if you just fancy a weekend getaway in the Westcountry wilds. Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow... The Old Manor, Lower Marsh, Dunster, Somerset,£750,000
Able to sleep 14, atmospheric Parnacott near Holsworthy is perfect for a party
This Grade II* listed manor house has a secondary Edwardian house, set within fantastic landscaped gardens near the Somerset coastline. There is an array if really beautiful period features from through the centuries, including one of the finest beamed ceilings the Homes team has ever seen. The main house has five bedrooms and five bathrooms, with a great hall/ dining room, sitting room, and farmhouse kitchen. The Edwardian House has two reception rooms and five bedrooms. Its two barns and seven acres realy do look absolutely spectacular in the snow. Agents: Strutt & Parker, Exeter, 01392 215631, www.struttandparker.com; and Stags, Taunton, 01823 256625, www.stags.co.uk.
COMING SOON New homes for rent in Scarletts Well Park, Bodmin Available Spring 2015 Available: 7 x 1 bed 2 person ats from £83.07 per week 11 x 2 bed 3 person ats from £96.92 per week 9 x 2 bed 4 person ats from £106.15 per week 4 x 2 bed 4 person houses £110.76 per week 16 x 3 bed 4 person houses £124.61 per week 10 x 3 bed 5 person houses from £129.23 per week 4 x 4 bed 6 person houses £161.54 per week
Eligibility Criteria
You will need to be registered with Cornwall Homechoice to bid on these properties
Local Connection criteria
1. First Priority - Town of Bodmin 2. Second priority - County connection to Cornwall
Local connection required:
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A snowy view from Overcliffe in North Devon Overcliffe, Woolacombe, £549,950 It’s hard to beat these snow-sprinkled views for fostering that feel-good factor. At the rear, four-bedroom Overcliffe looks towards Woolacombe Bay towards Hartland Point and Lundy Island. At the front are far-reaching views to the Welsh coastline.
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The house is a remodelled 1960s house in Mortehoe, a quaint coastal village with a thriving community complete with church, heritage centre, post office, shops and restaurants. Much of the surrounding area is owned by the National Trust. Agents: Stags, Barnstaple, 01271 322833, www.stags.co.uk
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Parnacott, Holsworthy, West Devon for hire from £2,995pw Here’s a Christmas home primed for a visitation from the Ghost of Christmas Present. Imagine decking the halls of this Grade II listed Georgian mansion in unspoiled West Devon, furnished with high-class furniture and family portraits. There’s a formal dining room perfect for the holiday feast and a grownup drawing room for civilised lounging. The children’s room has toys, dressing-up boxes and a puppet theatre – and for teens, a PlayStation 2, Wii and pool table. Able to sleep 14, it’s perfect for a special gathering. Have you got one coming up in 2015? Agents: Helpful Holidays, Chagford, 01647 433 593, www.helpfulholidays.com Gibb House, near Drewsteignton, Dartmoor, for hire from £1,035pw Brushford Barton, near Winkleigh, Mid Devon, £1,550,000 A secluded country house looks as grand in the snow as it does when its trees are in leaf. This estate includes a main house and a cottage set in about seven acres of grounds. It also comes with a charming pavilion, courtyard of outbuildings, a party barn, parkland, gardens and orchard. The Grade II listed house has been beautifully decorated in late Georgian style: definitely worth checking out online even if you’re not in the market. Agents: Savills, Exeter, 01392 455755, www.savills.com
It doesn’t get much more picturesque than this thatched cottage near Drewsteignton. Gibb House is 200 yards from a stretch of the River Teign at the entrance to Fingle Gorge – Fingle Bridge is 1.5 miles by foot. The cottage has pretty furnishings, and the open fireplace in the sitting/ dining room, With a ground-floor bedroom, it is suitable for wheelchairs. Gibb House welcomes dogs – but not children. Sleeps four. Agents: Helpful Holidays, Chagford, 01647 433 593, www.helpfulholidays.com
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Just 200 yards from the River Teign, Gibb House on Dartmoor is a lovely winter retreat for hire. Buy a beautiful piece of history with North Somerset’s The Old Manor, left, and Brushford Barton near Winkleigh, right
Auctioneer will be talking turkey... It’s normally homes going up for auction in this section, but this week Rendells auctioneers will be putting a little more gobble in their gavel. On Monday, December 22 at 5pm, Rendells experts will be inviting bids on about 1,000 birds for the Christmas table, dressed and ovenready. Held in the Newton Abbot Market, the sale boasts an impressive programme of 700 turkeys, 175 geese, 100 chicken, 80 ducks and 50 partridge, as well as pheasant, rabbit, guinea fowl, quail and venison. The birds have all been
How to contact us Westcountry Homes Advertising Call 01392 207127 or email mike.wainwright@dc-media.co.uk
reared on local Devon farms and come in a variety of sizes. Last year, 400 buyers registered for the sale – it’s a great opportunity to fill the freezer as well as choose your Christmas roast. Ask the Rendells auctioneer for
details – on the day, he’ll be the one in the Santa hat. The Sale of Dead Christmas Poultry is at Newton Abbot Market from 5pm until late on Monday, December 22. For more details call 01626 353 881.
Westcountry Homes Editorial Contact Gillian Molesworth on 07788 339 006 or wmnproperty@westernmorningnews.co.uk Twitter Follow Westcountry Homes on @WMNHomes
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property of the week
Riverside adventure beckons at lovely Foye Foye is one of those waterside houses where you keep a pair of binoculars and a reference book of British birds to hand. “The other morning I opened the curtains and there were black swans swimming past,” says owner Gina Parkin. “Every day there’s something to see, and the light on the water changes all the time. It’s wonderful.” Originally from Essex, Gina moved to the Westcountry in 1999 for a “big adventure” with her husband Ken, who grew up in Exeter. Gina and Ken’s son had just gone to university, so the time seemed right. They knew the moment they saw Foye that they had found something special. “When we walked up the stairs and saw the view, the agents knew they wouldn’t have to argue – we were ready to jump up and down and hug each other,” says Gina, who in Essex ran a probate department in a solicitor’s firm. “I’ve spent a fortune staying in five-star hotels with worse views.” On the eastern side of the Exe estuary, Foye is at the confluence of several waterways, including the rivers Exe and Clyst. At Foye’s location, it measures a mile and a quarter to the opposite bank. The view isn’t Foye’s only selling point, though – it’s in a wonderful local community, with friendly and active people who took the Parkins to its heart. This proved more important for Gina then she ever imagined – sadly, Ken died the same year that the couple completed the purchase. “It just meant I had to have the adventure on my own, but I didn’t want to go back to the South East,”
Gillian Molesworth finds a converted railway station with stunning river views says the irrepressible Gina. Instead, she found a job in a local office deigning suspension systems for Formula One cars, and got well stuck into village life: joining in the Garden Club and other local organisations. She could easily have kept a boat on her mooring, but that would have been Ken’s thing – Gina’s happy just to watch them pass on the river. As far as communications go, Foye is hard to beat. On the doorstep is the Exton railway station, on the Exeter to Exmouth line. Indeed, Foye itself was once a railway station and ticket office, called Woodbury Halt. It was closed in 1979 and converted to a house in the 1980s. “What I love about the rooms is the
About the area Exton: This is a vibrant community. About six miles from Exeter, it is close to the ancient port of Topsham, Lympstone and the seaside resort of Exmouth. Down the estuary runs popular cycle track and ferries provide access to other points along the estuary. Roads: You’re only a few miles from the M5, with a junction at Clyst St Mary. Rail: Hard to beat! Across the road is Exton station, a request stop on the Exmouth line. Exeter has regular services to London. Air: Exeter International Airport is seven miles away.
Schools: There are several primary schools with an Ofsted rating of “good”, including Clyst St George, Topsham, and Woodbury. Lymptone has St Peter’ School, a coeducational independent for ages 214. Exeter has a broad range of state and private schools. Days out: Head to Topsham for great shopping or go the beautiful beaches at Exmouth – from Foye you can even cycle there. Eat out: Your local here is The Puffing Billy restaurant, with a great menu. For a special treat, take the ferry to the Turf Hotel on the opposite bank.
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Black swans can often be seen swimming past the beautifully-located three-bedroom home that is Foye huge great open space – its like New York City loft living,” says Gina. “Everyone who comes to stay loves how spacious it is.” The best showpiece at Foye (which, by the way, is Medieval French for ‘homestead’) is the first floor sitting and dining room, a 45 x 37 ft space with spectacular views over the river towards Powderham Estate. On one end of this is the kitchen/ breakfast room, and on the other, a roof terrace, perfect for dining outside. The big double bedrooms, all with water views, are on the ground floor, along with two bathrooms. The ground floor also has an annexe with sitting/dining room, kitchen, bedroom, bathroom a separate entrance – which turned out to be ideal for Gina’s mother, who came to live with her. “It worked out very well,” she said. “The annexe was convenient for my mother and gave us both some privacy, but we could be together when we wanted.” Gina is now moving to be closer to her two much-anticipated grandchildren. Now it’s someone else’s turn for a riverside adventure at much-loved Foye.
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Foye, River Front, Exton, Exeter, £650,000 Property: A three double-bedroom house with stunning river views, roof terrace and ground floor annexe Location: Exton is on the East side of the Exe estuary, about halfway between Exeter and Exmouth Accommodation: Huge 45x37ft open plan sitting and room with roof terrace; kitchen/breakfast room; three double bedrooms with two bathrooms; ground floor annexe Outside: Detached garage, flower borders with interesting shrubs. Lots of potential for landscaping Agents: Wilkinson Grant, Topsham, 01392 875000, www.wilkinsongrant.co.uk
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struttandparker.com A SELECTION OF SOLD PROPERTIES IN 2014 City
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St Leonards, Exeter
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Guide Price £525,000 Holne, Newton Abbot
An exceptionally well presented Victorian townhouse with off road parking in a prime St Leonards location
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Brampford Speke, Exeter
Guide Price £950,000 Beer, Seaton
A large detached house with outstanding views, self contained annexe and indoor pool
Guide Price £950,000 The Bantham Estate Offers in Excess of £11,500,000 Honiton
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A coastal estate situated in a totally unspoilt and romantic location within the popular South Hams
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Guide Price £665,000 Dunchideock, Exeter
A lovely detached house in a sought-after accessible location, a fine example of early Edwardian architecture
Guide Price £1,700,000
A Grade II Listed late Georgian country house overlooking its own parkland towards the Otter Valley
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Guide Price £395,000 Wiggaton, Ottery St. Mary Guide Price £765,000
A charming Grade II Listed cottage set in about 1 acre and enjoying extensive landscaped gardens.
An extremely well-presented detached house in this attractive East Devon hamlet set amongst beautiful gardens
List your property and place your trust in us today, with the added reassurance you don’t have to pay to get out of a contract with us. During 2014 we have acheived 97% of guide prices. Exeter | 01392 215 631
Guide Price £2,350,000
Situated in the the most exciting location in Beer with possibly the best sea view outlook of Lyme Bay in East Devon
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An exceptionally designed home with outstanding views across the Exe Valley
Duryard, Exeter
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Guide Price £875,000 Bridford, Exeter
An impressive Victorian villa enjoying fine sea views with ground floor accommodation & 4 residential apartments.
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Avonwick, South Brent
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An elegant and exceptionally well-presented Grade II Listed town house
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A fantastic brand new development of just four properties with far reaching coastal views over Woolacombe beach.
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Germansweek, Beaworthy Guide Price £750,000 St. Davids, Exeter
Guide Price £595,000 Stoke Hill, Exeter
A large Grade II Listed renovated townhouse in a central city location, lovingly restored throughout by its current owners.
Guide Price £875,000
A superb contemporary residence with stunning views to the Exe Estuary and Haldon Hills.
Get 50 estate agents working for you. When you appoint us, you get our national network looking out for you. Exeter | 01392 215 631
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Guide Price £695,000 Mortehoe, Woolacombe Offers in Excess of £775,000
A contemporary detached house with exceptional views to the Exe estuary and Exmouth
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Guide Price £625,000 Ashburton, Newton Abbot Guide Price £475,000
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Guide Price £775,000 Dunchideock, Exeter
A superb Devon farmhouse with glorious views situated in a peaceful unspoilt location above Roadford Lake.
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A spacious country cottage with about 5 acres & a detached annexe cottage in Dartmoor National Park
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An elegant Grade II Listed house with a superb walled garden in the heart of the South Hams
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10 holiday homes Homes with holiday letting potential selected by Melanie Cassidy of Helpful Holidays Terras Crossing Cottage, Sandplace, Cornwall, £240,000
This refurbished former lock-keeper’s cottage on the East Looe River estuary has stunning views. It is beside Sandplace railway halt linking Liskeard to Looe. It has potential to achieve around £13,300 to £14,800 over a 30 to 35 week season. Agents: Chartsedge, Exeter, 01392 832446, www.chartsedge.co.uk
The Old Chapel, Noss Mayo, South Devon, £637,500
Getting a taste for
Go on a foodie break this January, and experience a menu to remember. Here’s our guide to where to eat and where to stay... a lovely Christmas present or New Year’s treat Here are three great reasons to get out and about in the Westcountry this winter: ragoût of turbot and scallop with vouvray and basil; wild Dartmoor beef with wild mushrooms, celeriac purée, and red wine sauce; and Boozy Truffles with three-year-old Somerset cider brandy and coffee. These are excerpts from three of the most highly-regarded menus in the Westcountry. If you love food, why not follow your nose (or your stomach) and book a mini break? “At Helpful Holidays, we’ve got a range of properties, large and small, near some of the most popular restaurants in the Westcountry,” says Helen Hayes. “Devon and Cornwall have some of the finest fare in the UK, both in terms of ingredients and prepared food. Winter is a great time to enjoy off-season deals, both with the county’s best restaurants and accommodation.” You should book at least one special treat restaurant into your visit. Here are a few choices: SENSATIONAL STEIN
This converted 1870s Methodist chapel in a waterside village has three en-suite bedrooms and a deck with water views. I’d estimate an income of around £26,000 to £28,000 over a 30 to 35 week season. Agents: Luscombe Maye, Newton Ferrers, 01752 872417, www.luscombemaye.com
2 Bridge Cottages, Stratton, Bude, £229,950
Rick Stein has been a long-term champion of locally landed seafood, and has created an empire of eateries in Padstow, North Cornwall. Of these, The Seafood Restaurant on the harbourside is the most haute cuisine. It has a seafood bar right in the middle of the restaurant, where you can watch chefs assembling platters of oysters, langoustines and sashimi. For the main course, head chef Stephane Delourme and his team create simple seafood dishes with classic flavours using Rick’s recipes, some of which you may have seen on TV. For a more relaxed feel, there’s also Rick Stein’s Cafe and St Petroc’s Bistro in town, or go to the head of the Camel Trail for Stein’s Fish and Chips (or indeed squid and chips) after some invigorating exercise.
Where to stay: Just 200 yards from the harbour up a peaceful lane, Woodbine Cottage (Helpful Holidays reference P20) is ideally located within walking distance of all the restaurants in Padstow. It has three bedrooms and costs £305/week in January. CRACKING CAINES Beam-striped Gidleigh Park near Chagford is the quintessential country house. The building, the artistic interior, and its woodland valley surroundings set the scene for a very special experience indeed. Gidleigh’s restaurant is the domain of the twoMichelin-starred celebrity chef Michael Caines MBE, who turns locallysourced produce into exceptional dishes. An example is Dartmoor lamb served with Boulangère potato and confit shoulder, fennel purée and tapenade jus. The food is matched by one of the finest wine cellars in the UK, holding more than 1,300 bins under the expert guidance of Master Sommelier Edouard Oger. Whether you go for lunch or dinner, it will be a wonderful memory. Where to stay: With one double bedroom, The Coach House in Gidleigh (A175) is a perfect retreat for one or two. Once part of the owners’ former rectory next door, this converted outbuilding is light and modern, with lovely views towards Cawsand Beacon. It’s £262/week in January. THE FABULOUS FEARNLEY-WHITTINGSTALL You’re sure to have seen Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall cooking up a feast on TV. Not only is he a fantastic chef, he tackles many of the UK’s food-related political issues: fishing quotas, growing your own, and finding alternatives to eating meat. His home River Cottage near Axminster is the site of his cooking programmes
Cosy and beamed, this Grade II listed cottage has three bedrooms, a good-sized garden and parking. Surfing beaches and golf club are within two miles. I’d estimate potential income over 30 weeks in the region of £15,000. Agents: Bond Oxborough Phillips, Bude, 01288 355066, www.bopproperty.com The estimated income figures above are net of VAT and agency fees, but not running costs. For more advice on buying holiday let property, call 01647 434071 or visit www.helpfulholidays.co.uk
Rick Stein’s The Seafood Restaurant in Padstow is all about celebrating the fresh daily catch
and a cooking school, where you can learn kitchen skills – baking, pickling, making cheese, and more. His restaurant in Axminster’s Trinity Square is a showcase for local food, and live music, too. Where to stay: Along a quiet lane on the edge of Axminster, The Mill House (G91) is surrounded by beautiful countryside. The friendly owners next door breed alpacas, and are only too happy to introduce you. It sleeps four and costs £410/week in January. For details on all three properties, see www.helpfulholidays.co.uk or call 01647 434071.
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Ask the experts Your holiday let questions answered Q. Can we let our holiday home to a tenant for six months of the year and retain our tax benefits as a furnished holiday let? â&#x20AC;&#x201C; TF, Honiton A. Katie Treseder, property manager, for Helpful Holidays, says: Furnished holiday lettings (FHLs) are treated by the HM Revenue and Customs as a trade, which gives an owner access to some trade tax advantages. To meet the HMRCâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s criteria, a FHL must be made available as a holiday let for 140 days a year. Longer-term occupation is a period of more than 31 days. You can let the property out for periods longer than 31 days in one stretch. However, do note that none of the days will count towards your qualification period of 140 days. However, if the total of all or any â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;longer-term occupationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; lettings is more than 155 days in the period/tax year, your property will no longer qualify as a FHL for that period. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s advisable for you to contact your accountant to discuss the tax implications of this in greater detail.
Beautiful Gidleigh Park on Dartmoor sets the scene for chef Michael Cainesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; gourmet creations. In Axminster, Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall is growing his own at River Cottage, and serving it up a treat
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SATURDAY DECEMBER 20 2014
Q. I have my own website for my holiday cottage. Should I make it possible for visitors to leave reviews of my property or is the opportunity for negative feedback risky? â&#x20AC;&#x201C; ZM, St Ives A. Gill Nicholls, property manager for Helpful Holidays, says: If you know that youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re offering good value for money and work hard at keeping your holiday property well maintained, welcoming and comfy, then you have nothing whatsoever to fear from negative reviews. Genuine reviews really do help
you to boost interest and achieve better bookings. Too many sites cherry-pick, but at Helpful Holidays we show all reviews, good, bad or indifferent, and we ensure we respond if appropriate. There are sites where people express their opinions on a whole range of subjects â&#x20AC;&#x201C; far better that your happy visitors have your website to record their comments rather than somewhere else.
Q. A potential customer has asked if I have a car charging port. Please can you tell me more about this and whether it will be a useful facility to install? â&#x20AC;&#x201C; MW, Exeter A. Gaby Wakley, property manager for Helpful Holidays, says: The UK Government has made a grant available to help home owners install a 3.6kW electric vehicle home charge unit in their property as a step towards electrifying the transport network. It is offering grants worth up to 75% of the capital cost of installing home charging facilities, capped at ÂŁ900. Holiday lets qualify as domestic properties and can take advantage of this grant. Those holiday homes which have already installed charging points have benefited from local publicity and won accolades for promoting sustainable tourism. Installing an electric vehicle home charge unit can set your holiday property apart from the crowd and is an attractive facility to offer potential guests. For more information, visit www.gov.uk and search for â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;electric vehicle homecharge schemeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;. If you have a question for our holiday home experts, please send it via email to: wmnproperty@ westernmorningnews.co.uk
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