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Thursday, November 9 - Wednesday, November 15, 2017
This property showcased courtesy of Davis Tate. To view property details, see inside.
MOVING HOME? There are many things to think about when moving house. Don’t let choosing the wrong solicitor make buying or selling your home harder than it needs to be. Talk to Slade Legal about our specialist Conveyancing service. Abingdon 01235 521920
Didcot
• 01235 511211 •
Wallingford 01491 839346
www.slade-legal.co.uk
• enquiries@slade-legal.co.uk
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Andrews
Abingdon
01235 888393
NEW INSTRUCTION
Abingdon
£174,950
A modern one bedroom ground floor flat with allocated parking, situated 0.2 miles from Abingdon town centre. EPC Rating - C
Abingdon £350,000
A light and airy three bedroom detached family home situated in a no through road positioned 1.2 miles from Abingdon Town centre. Sold with no onward chain. EPC Rating C
Fyfield
£950,000
Nestled in the heart of this picturesque Oxfordshire village, is this exquisite double fronted, five bedroom detached cottage. EPC Rating D
PRICE REDUCTION
Abingdon
£185,000
Abingdon
£315,000
A modern one bedroom flat situated just 0.4 miles to the ever popular Albert Park. EPC Rating D
Light and bright three bed semi-detached family home within a mile of Abingdon town centre. EPC Rating D.
Steventon £345,000
Open everyday 12 hours in-branch, 24 hours online at Andrewsonline.co.uk
A well-appointed, light, bright and cheery three bedroom property in this popular village location. EPC Rating C
To view more properties and other services available visit Andrewsonline.co.uk
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To worry or not to worry...? THE news that the Bank of England has increased the Interest Rate (you will often hear talk of the Bank of England Base Rate, if you are ever talking to mortgage advisers) has not come as a surprise, and in fact we had even predicted that it would be in November this year! The question is whether or not we should be worried. There are always winners and losers when rates change, and these can loosely be called savers and borrowers; savers win when rates rise, and suffer when rates go down; Borrowers can feel better when rates are low, but are potentially put at greater risk when rates start to go up. Borrowers who have loans or mortgages that are linked directly to the Bank of England Base Rate, for example those on so-called ‘Tracker Mortgages’, are going to feel an immediate effect on their repayment amounts, which will go up. Borrowers with loans or mortgages on Variable Rates will have to wait and see, as the decision about whether to increase the interest rate on those loans lies with the lenders themselves. Borrowers on fi xed rate deals will see no change at all of course, but perhaps will find that if they wish to remortgage after a fi xed rate deal comes to its end that they will drop onto a higher Variable Rate than they expected, or may find it more expensive (potentially) to remortgage when the time comes; effectively, the cost of borrowing may be higher than the last time they did so. I would urge people, for the time being, to remain calm enough in this case. The Interest Rate has risen by just one quarter of a percent - so, 25p for every £100 borrowed, which is a little over £20 per month for every £100,000’s-worth of loan. I am not saying that is ‘small potatoes’, and it is not to dismiss individual concerns of what an extra £20-odd per month
means to them - it is simply putting it into context for anyone who had not yet worked it out for themselves, in the hope (if anything) that it may ease fears of what the extra burden might mean. It is also actually just a simple reversal of the 0.25% reduction to the Bank of England Base Interest Rate made last year, which dropped 0.25% from the 0.5% rate that it had been sitting at for nine years. That drop last year was a response to the Brexit referendum result and a move to restore confidence in an under-confident market place - never something, when it meant that the rate was only 0.25%, that was going to be sustained long term. And indeed, when talking about ‘long term’, let’s remember how low a rate of 0.5%, as it is now, really is. The average Interest Rate since the Bank of England came to be some four centuries ago has been 4.7%, and in fact in the past 100 years the average has been over 6% - so 0.5% is remarkably low, still. The real and understandable worry might be that rates continue to rise and potentially even return to the 6% levels that we had been used to until as recently as the past decade. Well, ‘never say never’, but the market economy is a different beast today, we may see a total of another 0.5% rise over the next two to two-and-ahalf years, with another 0.25% rise at some point next year and another in either 2019 or 2020, but I suspect there will not be any greater rise than that before the end of that year. Speak to a mortgage adviser if you do have any concerns. Our own in-house mortgage service is one that is genuinely ‘Whole of Market’, and we can advise you on which mortgage will be the best for your individual circumstances and needs. Contact Wallers of Oxford on 01865 435175.
Oxford homeowners are only moving every 18 years (part 2) Bill Cooper, co-author of The Oxford Property Blog and managing director of Martin and Co, Oxford
IN the credit crunch of 2008/9 the rate of home moving plunged to its then lowest level ever. In 2008 and 2009 the rate at which a typical house would change hands slumped to only once every 17.5 and 15.4 years respectively. The biggest reason being that confidence was low and many homeowners didn’t want to sell their home as Oxford property prices plunged after the onset of the financial crisis. Between 2013 and 2015, the rate at which people moved increased in Oxford, yet last year, it dropped again to a new lowest level of once every 18 years, meaning as a City, there has been a 44.84% drop in moves by homeowners in Oxford, compared to 15 years ago.
So why aren’t Oxford homeowners moving as much as they did? In last week’s article I talked about how ‘real’ incomes and savings have been dropping. Another issue is the long-term failure to build sufficient newbuild homes of the right type. In the 1960’s and 1970’s, as a country, we were building on average 300,000 and 350,000 households a year. The Barker Review a few years ago said that for the UK to stand still and keep up with housing demand (inflated by a number of factors including: immigration, people living longer, marital divorce, a 50% increase in the number of households with a single person
Front cover property
Guide Price
£985,000
The Tythe – like no barn you’ve ever seen before WITH its high vaulted ceilings and exposed beams, The Tythe barn is a most impressive 18th Century property in a peaceful location with wonderfully spacious interiors and lovely views over meadows towards the River Thames. Situated in a private courtyard of just three properties, the barn has over 3,000 sq ft of accommodation arranged over three floors with well-proportioned rooms throughout. EPC Exempt. To arrange a viewing contact selling agent Davis Tate Didcot 01235 818371 or visit www.davistate.com
1995 15.37 2006 8.97
Average Length of Time (In Years) between Home Moves in the Oxford City Council Area 1996 11.65
1997 9.92
1998 9.80
1999 9.37
2000 11.61
2001 9.17
2002 9.82
2003 10.76
2004 10.08
2005 10.87
2007 10.69
2008 17.49
2009 15.39
2010 14.67
2011 16.13
2012 17.31
2013 14.97
2014 14.12
2015 15.43
2016 17.81
since the 1980’s) we needed to build 240,000 households a year. Over the last few years, we have only been building between 135,000 and 150,000 households a year. In Oxford just 1% of property sold is new build (just 7 properties sold per month on average over the last 12 months). As the UK population gets older, there is no getting away from the fact that a maturing population is less mobile. Those retired people who want to move are finding there is no suitable smaller option available to them in the place they want to live. So, what does this mean for Oxford homeowners and landlords? Many of the older generation in Oxford are stuck in property that is simply too big for their
needs. The fact is that, in Oxford, nearly five out of every ten (or 46.5 per cent) owned houses has two or more spare bedrooms; or to be more exact ... 12,470 of the 26,832 owned households in the Oxford area have two or more spare bedrooms. As young families struggle to move up the housing ladder, with those young families bursting at the seams in homes too small for them, we have a severe case of under-occupation amongst the older generation – retired people staying put in their bigger homes, with a profusion of spare bedrooms with a dearth of smaller alternative properties available to them. Many commentators have suggested the Government should give tax breaks to allow the older generation to downsize,
yet in a recent White Paper on housing published just weeks before the General Election, there was no reference to any detailed policies to inspire or support them to do so. This means that there could be an opportunity for Oxford buy to let landlords to secure larger properties to rent out, as the demand for them will surely grow over the coming years. As for homeowners; well those in the lower and middle Oxford market will find it a balanced sellers/buyers market, but will find it a buyers’ market in the upper price bands. Despite a 17% reduction in completed transactions, prices have risen 7% over the last 12 months, confirming a supply constrained market. For more commentary on the Oxford Property Market visit www.OxfordPropertyBlog.co.uk.
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We would be delighted if you would join us for a community open day at Millcroft, our senior living scheme. We would be delighted if you would join us for a community open day at Millcroft, our senior living scheme. Date: 11 October 2017 Time: 1.30pm 4.30pm Date: 11 October 2017 Time: 1.30pm 4.30pm Join us for a tour of this stylish collection of new self contained apartments for rent with onsite care for over55s Join us for a tour of this stylish collection of new self in Wallingford. At Millcroft you can enjoy a fulfilling contained apartments for rent with onsite care for over55s independent life within a vibrant community, with the added in Wallingford. At Millcroft you can enjoy a fulfilling reassurance of 24 hour care and support onhand when independent life within a vibrant community, with the added you need it. reassurance of 24 hour care and support onhand when you need it.
For more information 0300 123 7334 For more information info@seasonhomes.co.uk 0300 123 7334 info@seasonhomes.co.uk Millcroft, 4-44 Tumim Court Wallingford Millcroft, 4-44 Tumim Court Oxfordshire OX10 9FX Wallingford Oxfordshire OX10 9FX
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Our experienced and outcome focused lawyers have helped hundreds of peoples property dreams come true. But don’t just take our word for it – here’s what some of our clients have said… “I would like to thank you for the excellent service you have given us in recent months. We were impressed with your service when we sold our property last year, which is why we returned to you for our next purchase. Again, we have been impressed.” “I have completed a number of property transactions in recent years and want to let you know that the service we have received from you by far exceeds that of others that I have dealt with. It is a pity that we didn’t discover you sooner!” Abingdon 01235 521920
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GREAT WESTERN PARK COMING SOON Thinking of selling or renting your home? Ask Martin.
NEW OFFICE COMING SOON!
Martin & Co have an office close by in Abingdon, and already work with many property owners in your area. FREE VALUATION
We are opening our new office soon on the Great Western Park.
We will be pleased to assist you NOW by offering a free property valuation for the sale or for the rental of your property. If you have already instructed an agent to sell your property on a sole agency basis, you must consider your current agreement to ensure you do not pay more than one commission.
Martin & Co Abingdon 8-10 West St. Helen Street • Abingdon • Oxfordshire • OX14 5BL
Martin & Co Abingdon abingdon.martinco.com
8-10 West St. Helen Street • Abingdon • Oxfordshire • OX14 5BL abingdon@martinco.com
01235 524300
01235 524300 abingdon.martinco.com
Thursday, November 9 - Wednesday, November 15, 2017 59
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a l c h E S t E R c h E S t E R t o N
•
P a R k
o X F o R D S h i R E
laSt two hoMES REMaiNiNG CALL 01869 244761 TO BOOK YOUR SHOW HOME VIEWING
This stunning development offers a superb collection of modern, high-specification 4 and 5 bedroom detached homes, with garages and private driveways, in an ideal location. Situated just 14 miles from Oxford city centre and a short distance from Bicester town centre, Alchester Park has access to a range of excellent local amenities, including a great choice of schools.
PRicES FRoM ÂŁ615,000 Green lane, chesterton, Bicester, oX26 1uu F O R M O R E I N F O R M AT I O N O R T O R E G I S T E R YOUR INTEREST PLEASE CALL 01869 244761 OR EMAIL alchesterpark@hill.co.uk
www.hill.co.uk
External and internal photography is from the Show Home at Alchester Park. Prices correct at time of going to press.
Excited about autumn? We are!
If you are thinking of moving then contact Louise, Warren & the team for a wealth of experience in successfully valuing & selling property in Didcot & the surrounding villages on 01235 511406.
www.hodsons.co.uk
60 Thursday, November 9 - Wednesday, November 15, 2017
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SHILLINGFORD HILL, WALLINGFORD £190,000 SANDFORD ON THAMES £89,950 D V A T 1S
1S
T
A
D V
ER T
(3 miles Oxford centre)
ER T
(12 miles south Oxford
A well presented 2003 Stately Tredegar 38’ x 20’ twin unit set in enclosed gardens on this sought after Thameside “Quality Awardâ private park. Porch, hall, 20’ lounge, dining area, kitchen, 2 good bedrooms (main bedroom with en-suite shower room), bathroom, oil radiator central heating, UPVC double glazed windows and doors, Decra style roof, textured walls, brick built skirt, gated on-site car parking, enclosed gardens
A much improved and well-extended 1970’s Donnington 43’ x 10’ single unit backing onto fields. Hall, lounge, kitchen/diner, 2 bedrooms, bathroom, LPG gas radiator central heating, UPVC double glazed replacement windows, Decra style roof, gardens, on-site car parking space
FOXHALL MANOR PARK, DIDCOT £99,950 SHILLINGFORD HILL, WALLINGFORD £197,500 (12 miles south Oxford)
JU
1S
ST
T
A
D V
R ED U
ER T
C ED
(12 miles south Oxford)
A much improved early 1980s Donnington 36’ x 20’ twin unit on established park. Hall, lounge, dining room, kitchen, 2 good bedrooms, bathroom, separate WC, metered LPG gas radiator central heating, UPVC double glazed replacement windows, Decra style roof, low maintenance gardens, car parking space to side.
A well presented 2004 Stateley Tredegar 42’ x 20’ (maximum L-shaped) twin unit set in enclosed gardens on this sough after Thameside “Quality Awardâ private park. Porch, hall, lounge, dining room, fitted kitchen, utility room, 2 good bedrooms, wet room, oil radiator central heating, UPVC double glazed windows and doors, Decra style roof, textured walls, UPVC boarded skirt, on-site car parking, enclosed gardens
THE WILLOWS, GROVE £105,000 FOXHALL MANOR PARK, DIDCOT £92,500 C ED
R ED U JU ST
A 1986 Tingdene 36’ x 20’ twin unit in need of some updating set on corner plot on established private park. Hall, 17’ lounge, dining area, kitchen, 2 good bedrooms, bathroom, mains has radiator central heating, UPVC double glazing, Decra style roof, brick built skirt, low maintenance gardens, communal car parking to front
BICESTER PARK HOME ESTATE £160,000
ST MARY’S COURT, £179,950 (4 miles Witney, 12 miles Oxford) BAMPTON
THE WILLOWS, GROVE £130,000 (2 miles Wantage, 12 miles Oxford)
JU
ST
(10 miles Oxford)
A spacious 1976 Stateley Sceptre 36’ x 20’ twin unit on good sized plot. Lobby, hall, 17’ lounge, 18’ kitchen/diner, 3 bedrooms, bathroom, LPG gas central heating, UPVC double glazed windows, Decra style roof, brick built skirt, low maintenance gardens, on site carking for several cars
R ED U C ED
JU ST
R ED U
C ED
(12 miles south Oxford)
A mid 1990s Stately 40’ x 20’ twin unit set in good sized gardens with open views to rear on established private park. Porch, hall, 20’ lounge, dining room, kitchen, 2 good bedrooms, bathroom, UPVC double glazing, mains gas radiator central heating via modern combi boiler, Decra style roof, brick built skirt, gardens with open views, communal car parking nearby
BIGWOOD PARK, £127,500 (3 miles Oxford, 4 miles Abingdon) RADLEY
SANDFORD ON £48,000 (4 miles Oxford centre) THAMES
Do not be afraid for
PEBBLE HILL, RADLEY £165,000
JU
ST
(4 miles Abingdon, 3 miles Oxford)
R ED U C ED
A circa 2000 Stately Albion 40’ x 20’ twin unit on enclosed pitch. Porch, hall, lounge, dining room, fitted kitchen, utility room, 2 good bedrooms, shower room, LPG gas radiator central heating, UPVC double glazing, on-site car parking, gardens
A superbly presented 2011 Tingdene Muslo Lodge 42’ x 20’ twin unit pleasantly situated on this established and popular private park. Porch hall, superb L-shaped lounge/diner, study, fitted kitchen, 2 bedrooms (main bedroom with dressing room adjoining), luxury bathroom/shower room, LPG gas radiator central heating, wood-effect flooring throughout, UPVC double glazed Georgian style windows and doors, textured external walls, Decra style roof, brick built skirt and steps, gravelled driveway and gravelled car parking space, low maintenanc gardens
the LORD your God A superbly presented and well extended 1982 Wessex single unit in good sized and low maintenance gardens on popular private park. Entrance lobby, kitchen, sunlounge, dining room, bedroom, shower room, LPG gas radiator central heating, UPVC double glazing, brick built skirt, low maintenance gardens, on-site car parking space
A much improved 1992 Omar 36’ x 20’ twin unit backing onto Woodland on favoured family park. Inner hall, 20’ lounge, dining room, fitted kitchen, shower room, 2 good bedrooms, LPG gas radiator central heating, UPVC double glazing, Decra style roof, fine chipping external wall covering, brick built skirt, gardens with on-site parking for several cars
An early 1970’s Donnington 42’ x 10’ single unit much improved in recent years on established private park. Hall, lounge, re-fitted kitchen, 2 bedrooms, re-fitted shower room, LPG gas radiator central heating via modern combi boiler, UPVC double glazed replacement windows, on-site car parking space, low maintenance gardens
goes with you. Deuteronomy 31:6
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Do you know where you will be living next year? 3 BEDS Old Road, Headington £1,550 Harcourt Terrace, Headington £1,755 Cardwell Crescent, Headington £1,300 South Street, Oxford £1,670 Bailey Road, Cowley £1,650 Bailey Road, Cowley £1,650 Cardwell Crescent, Headington £1,625 Grays Road, Headington £1,625 4 BEDS Valentia Road, Headington £2,150 Cowley Road, Cowley £2,200 Valentia Road £2,340 Stonor Place, Headington £2,100 Valentia Road, Headington £2,200 Gipsy Lane, Headington £2,300 Cardwell Crescent, Headington £2,100 Magdalen Road £2,230
4 BEDS continued Wharton Road, Headington £1,895 Wharton Road, Headington £1,895 Randolph Street, Cowley £1,800 Kirby Place, Cowley £1,595 LET Kirby Place, Cowley £1,595 Kirby Place, Cowley £1,595 Kirby Place, Cowley £1,595 Bullingdon Road £1,950 Hollow Way, Temple Cowley £1,800 Hollow Way, Temple Cowley £1,800 Old Road, Headington £1,750 LET Hillview Road, Oxford £1,725 LET Ferry Hinksey Road, Oxford £1,895 Henley Street, Iffley £1,995 Cowley Road, Cowley £1,975 LET Cricket Road, Cowley £2,400 Bullingdon Road, Cowley £1,800 Argyle Street, Cowley £1,895 Leopold Street, Cowley £2,100 5 BEDS Old Road, Headington £2,750 Cowley Road, Cowley £2,875 Morris Crescent £2,750 Addison Crescent £2,750 Coleridge Close £2,750 Minster Road £3,125 Osler Road £2,925 Cardwell Crescent, Headington £2,875 LET Stockmore Street, Cowley £2,790 Warwick Street, Iffley £2,790 East Avenue, Iffley £2,790 Parsons Place £2,295 LET Glanville Road, Cowley £2,350 Marston Street £2,260 Valentia Road, Headington £2,495 Girdlestone Road, Headington £2,695 Cowley Road, Cowley £1,975 James Street, Iffley £2,500 LET Oxford Road £2,750
5 BEDS continued Milton Road £2,000 Regent Street, Cowley £3,000 Regent Street, Cowley £3,000 Headley Way, Marston £2,800 London Road, Headington £2,800 London Road, Headington £3,000 Cricket Road, Cowley £2,800 Valentia Road, Headington £2,650 6 BEDS Gipsy Lane, Headington £3,450 Cramner Road, Cowley £3,150 Harcourt Terrace £3,510 LET Morris Crescent £3,300 Valentia Road £3,510 Valentia Road £3,510 Addison Crescent £3,300 Bullingdon Road, Cowley £2,665 St Marys Road, Cowley £2,895 Cricket Road, Cowley £2,895 LET Leopold Street, Cowley £3,600 Cowley Road, Cowley £2,650 Old Road, Headington £3,000 Harcourt Terrace, Headington £3,050 Howard Street, Cowley £2,750 Cowley Road £3,700 Valentia Road, Headington £3,750 Grays Road, Headington £3,750 Windmill Road, Headington £3,800 Howard Street, Iffley £3,600
ist l rty 017 e p 2 o r p ber t of n o n e ct io rd. d t u c fo le st 9 O x e s e v n1 i st nd O s e t: b ou u do l a e c r e x he th d a m e e o s r bli n e h .com s a u t O pu to y in en co t d s t s tu tin 8 fir per a s e t r w o 01 th t pr ex ma t2 n e s . r B i n e L ou ord d e y u h f d st #T Fin ox
6 BEDS continued Cowley Road, Cowley £3,700 Divinity Road, Cowley £3,750 LET St Mary’s Road, Cowley £3,600 Fairacres Road, Iffley £3,500 Cowley Road £3,000 LET Marlborough Road, Oxford - £2995 7 BEDS East Avenue, Cowley £3,850 Lime Walk £3,850 Howard Street, Cowley £3,250 Regent Street, Cowley £3,250 Old Road, Headington £4,300 8 BEDS Langley Close, Cowley £4,250 Grays Road, Headington £4,800 Cowley Road, Cowley £4,320 Divinity Road, Cowley £5,000 Cowley Road, Cowley £4,400 LET
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SATURDAY 11 TH
SUNDAY 12 TH
NOVEMBER
10 AM - 5 PM
The photography is of The Russell, The Brandon and The Kensington. We reserve the right to vary the specification. Details are correct at time of print, November 2017. Terms and conditions apply.
SALES SUITE OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK FROM 10 AM - 5 PM
THE RUSSELL – PLOT 254 – 3 BEDROOMS - £369,995 THE BRANDON – PLOT 241 – 4 BEDROOMS - £429,995 THE KENSINGTON – PLOT 143 – 3 BEDROOMS - £454,995 Heyford Park has, and continues, to evolve around its growing community. Situated 6 miles from Bicester, 16 miles from Oxford centre and 3.5 miles from junction 10 of the M40, Heyford Park provides unrivalled access to the rest of the UK.
ASSISTED MOVE AND PART EXCHANGE NOW AVAILABLE!