Opening Doors - Spring 2012

Homes, industry insight and stories from across Sussex, brought to you by Guy Leonard & Co S SPRING 2012

SPRING IN YOUR STEP

Three Sussex walks perfect for this time of year

OPEN PLAN LIVING How the style evolved

WHAT’S THE MARKET LIKE?

An estate agent’s view on buying and selling right now

FIRST FOR PREMIER SUSSEX PROPERTY



welcome With a mixture of industry insight and entertaining features, Opening Doors is a useful resource for buying or selling a home and helping you enjoy your leisure time in this area

W NEIL MOORE Managing director

e find that this time of year brings with it plenty of fresh starts. So what better time to bring you a collection of the finest properties on the Guy Leonard & Co books? If you see something you like, the team at the office is waiting to assist. And if you would like to make sure your home is featured in a future edition of Opening Doors or need a valuation carried out on your home, please get in touch.

We are celebrating 20 years in business and have offices in Pulborough, Storrington, Horsham and Mayfair, London. So you can rest assured

you are in safe hands. In fact, our customers speak very highly of us and you can read what one of them, Glenys Rowe, has to say about the service she received 17 years ago when she sold and bought a home with us. When the time came to sell her property on at the end of last year, there was only one estate agent she trusted with the task.

We’ve also interviewed Guy Leonard himself. Find out how the company was founded and how it has prospered for two decades. Plus we bring you a few walking routes in Sussex – guaranteed to put a spring in your step.

SALES Storrington: 01903 742354 Pulborough: 01798 874033 Horsham: 01403 248222 Mayfair: 0870 112 7099 Email: enquiries@guyleonard.co.uk

LETTINGS

Storrington: 01903 744166 Horsham: 01403 246750 Email: lettings@guyleonard.co.uk

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www.guyleonard.co.uk

Slinfold

Price guide £315,000

Freehold

A fine ground floor apartment forming part of the Lydwicke Estate, a home much enjoyed by the present owners for the last eighteen years.

Situated in a semi-rural location with wonderful views over farmland, the apartment has an array of character features including high ceilings, original panelled doors and light, airy rooms. There is a private garden immediately around the conservatory.

∙ RECEPTION HALL ∙ MAGNIFICENT DRAWING ROOM ∙ KITCHEN ∙ CONSERVATORY/DINING ROOM ∙ TWO BEDROOMS ∙ BATHROOM ∙ PRIVATE GARDEN ∙ GARAGE IN BLOCK

horsham@guyleonard.co.uk

Horsham Office

01403 248222

contents 3 Welcome 4 Slinfold

30 Amberley

6 Dial Post

Why local resident Glenys Rowe chose Guy Leonard & Co for a second time when selling her home

Price guide £315,000 Freehold

Price guide £1,225,000 Freehold

8 A good plan

How we came to adopt the Scandinavian style of living

10 West Grinstead

Price guide OIEO £700,000 Freehold

12 Horsham

Price guide £650,000 Freehold

13 Go team Guy Leonard

Staff members from the estate agents have walked a 100km for charity

15 Thakeham

Rental £950 per month

16 Spring Walks

Put a spring in your step with three countryside routes

20 Rackham

Rental £2,300 per month

21 Profile: Guy Leonard

Read about Guy Leonard & Co’s roots and how the values on which it was founded remain as strong today

22 West Chiltington Price on application

25 Spring insight

Director Neil Moore gives his views on the property market for the months ahead

27 All about lettings

Price guide £950,000 Freehold

31 Adding value 32 Storrington

Price on application

33 Amberley

Price guide £825,000 Freehold

35 Roundabout’s revival

How the West Chiltington hotel found a buyer

36 Storrington

Price guide £649,950 Freehold

37 Fittleworth

Price on application

39 Amberley

Price guide £499,950 Freehold

41 Congratulations are in order

Guy Leonard & Co, award-winning company

42 Steyning

Price on application

46 North Heath

Price guide £1,000,000 Freehold

47 Houghton

Price on application

49 In the diary

A selection of events from around the county over the next few months

50 West Chiltington

Price guide £900,000 Freehold

Your questions answered

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www.guyleonard.co.uk

horsham@guyleonard.co.uk

Horsham Office

01403 248222

DIAL POST

£1,225,000

FREEHOLD

Set in approximately seven acres, a glorious Grade II Listed family home with a wealth of character, stabling, barn, granary and garaging/workshop situated in a rural location between Horsham and Ashington.

∙ DRAWING ROOM ∙ SITTING ROOM ∙ DINING ROOM ∙ KITCHEN ∙ FAMILY ROOM ∙ STUDY ∙ TWO CLOAKROOMS ∙ BEDROOM WITH EN-SUITE SHOWER ROOM ∙ THREE FURTHER DOUBLE BEDROOMS ∙ FAMILY BATHROOM ∙ TWIN OAK FRAMED GARAGE WITH ROOM OVER ∙ FORMAL GARDENS ∙ SUMMERHOUSE ∙ TWO PADDOCKS ∙ IN ALL EXTENDING TO APPROXIMATELY SEVEN ACRES

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A GOOD PLA Interior design consultant Mark Lewis explores the foundations on which open plan living was built

For the last 50 years, home owners have been knocking down interior walls and building extensions to create that open plan look and make better use of the space available. The Scandinavian approach offered something new and modern – a more minimal design and a change from the style of the 50s and 60s. For the first time, contemporary design ideas were universally embraced and celebrated and were enthusiastically introduced at every social level during the regeneration of post-Second World War society.

The origins of the modern approach to living began to emerge in the early 20th century but were interrupted by the First World War with scarcely a moment to breath before the distraction of the second.

My first personal experience of open plan living was when visiting my Uncle’s house in Surbiton in the late 60s when I was only 11. He is an Architect and

at that time worked for the Greater London Council supervising their civic developments, mainly schools and hospitals. Earlier in his career, after leaving college, he joined the practice that designed most of the features for Festival of Britain in 1951. Not only was he a keen modernist, as many post war Architects were, having absorbed the edicts of the Bauhaus and Le Corbusier but he also met and married a young East German who had escaped the Russians and managed to get into Britain as a refugee. She brought into his life a thoroughly European approach to family living.

Having established a carrier for himself by then he set about building a thoroughly modern family house mostly wood and glass with split-levels. A large round dining table sat in the dining hall adjacent to the open kitchen area. It had a revolving disk inset in the centre, which we pushed to pass the amazing selection of pastries and teatime condiments.

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nother open plan house I first experienced before I had begun my own design education as an under graduate was a rather modest interpretation of the theme (possibly inspired by those Sunday visits to Surbiton). This was my older brother’s effort to modernise a small terrace house in Chester. Known then as a ‘two-up two-down’ with back yard and privy. The front room, the ‘parlour’ as it was called by its original occupants, was reserved for when the Padre came to visit or the laying out of the dead. It was the back room that had the fire and hot water kettle, a sink and a table and one or two fireside bucket chairs leaving scarcely any room to move about. This room, used all the time, was the only warm room in the house. That is unless someone was sick and a fire was lit in a bedroom. A lot of enthusiasm with a hammer soon tore out the tight hall way and dividing wall between the two rooms leaving the stairway stringers exposed. By incorporating the privy and coalhole situated at the back of the house into the main room the kitchenette became a new feature, open to the new living and dining area. Furnished with a Futon sofa made of salvaged wood and home sewn and dyed Hessian been bags, together with a freshly sanded slide leaf table and French café chairs, the ensemble completed an interior that was likely one of the earliest Habitat-inspired homes.

Most British residential building stock is over a hundred years old and enjoyed for its charm and distinction. Currently contemporary homes are built on small plots using a traditional footprint but modern building techniques. These often lack the integrity associated with original Victorian or Edwardian architecture and represent an inhibited housing initiative of resent governments. A far cry from those of Harold McMillan’s promise to build 300,000 new homes a year who embraced the modern ideas of architects and the ruthless ambitions of the developers who set about the task of rebuilding Britain. We have their legacy. Some of which (the more successful high rise buildings of the Alton Estate, Roehampton in south West London and the Barbican development in the City of London) are good examples of post-war architecture and are now highly sought after as modern homes.

As one travels along the copious urban and suburban avenues of 18th and 19th century houses, terraced, double fronted or detached one could imagine their interiors matching those depicted in period dramas.

What one often finds instead, after further inquiry to the rear, are the extensions and the interior alterations that have made these once intimate cocoons for living into veritable ice rinks of domestic function.

Open plan from entrance door to sliding glass wall panels opening up the rear of the house there is little or no indication that the back garden is any less or more a significant space than the dining area. Or that one is in a different space to the lounge, living room, sitting room, snug it definitely could not be, or whatever words we may now use to describe that space we may have a Sunday afternoon snooze in after lunch. Certainly not the drawing room given that in these houses there are no longer any rooms from which to withdraw.

Other than the occasional depiction in a home magazine of radical interiors which include the bath or wet room-type shower in the bedroom, the upper floors of our houses are less likely to be as open plan as the ground or lower ground floors. My own career started in earnest applying the fashion for open plan in the early 80’s. My clients were pleased to have me re-model their homes with an emphasis on the kitchen being the prevalent room in the house, which would require the opening up of either the lower ground or the ground floors presenting a room for cooking and living in as one area incorporating dining, sitting and kitchen in an architecturally cohesive themed room that acknowledged the desire to have the ability to entertain and cook in the same space. At the time of their last renovation, these homes had adjusted themselves to deal with the lack of domestic staff enjoyed by the previous era’s occupants. To maintain the notion that the food was still prepared by others, the kitchen was more of a utility from which the hostess would emerge with a trolley laden with the warmed serving dishes full of food and be issued on to the table after which guests were invited to come into the dining room having had their aperitifs in the living room. More often than not, in the absence of the hostess who had actually done all the cooking. The most expert of hostess would plan the menu to ensure that as little time as possible would be spent away from the gathering of friends and family and that the logistics of the dining experience did not appear to be too much of an effort or a distraction from the social occasion.

One of my more extraordinary clients in those early days, was an enthusiastic cook of near professional expertise, whose husband, a financier of international projects like building dams in far flung continents around the world, would often entertain senior British politicians and their international counter parts. The whole orientation of the house was adjusted to create an environment equitable to their expectations of presentation, usually reserved for the reception rooms but now incorporated into the kitchen. On completion of the refurbishment and a few dinner parties later her eminent guests were reported to have been thrilled and charmed to be able to have helped in the kitchen like any family member, gossiping and chatting about the stuff of life whilst pealing the potatoes and trimming the broccoli.

For more information on Mark Lewis, visit www. marklewisdesign.co.uk

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www.guyleonard.co.uk

horsham@guyleonard.co.uk

Horsham Office

01403 248222

WEST GRINSTEAD

OIEO £700,000

FREEHOLD

An attractive detached character cottage set in approximately two acres of garden and light woodland with a range of outbuildings, including a barn extending to in excess of 50’ with two offices adjoining.

∙ SITTING ROOM ∙ FAMILY ROOM ∙ KITCHEN ∙ DINING ROOM ∙ UTILITY ROOM ∙ CLOAKROOM ∙ BEDROOM WITH EN-SUITE BATHROOM ∙ THREE FURTHER BEDROOMS ∙ FAMILY BATHROOM ∙ DETACHED BARN AND OFFICES (POTENTIAL FOR HOME OFFICE/STORAGE) ∙ PLANNING PERMISSION TO EXTEND (DC/10/1222) ∙ IN ALL EXTENDING TO APPROXIMATELY TWO ACRES ∙ ADJOINING FARM LAND

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www.guyleonard.co.uk

Horsham

Price guide £650,000

Freehold

This property is situated in a quiet location yet is just one mile from Horsham Town Centre and within a short walk of open countryside. It is a detached, light and spacious bungalow providing good accommodation with some potential for updating and extending. The gardens are delightful and in excess of a quarter of an acre.

∙ RECEPTION HALL ∙ SITTING ROOM ∙ DINING ROOM ∙ STUDY ∙ KITCHEN/BREAKFAST ROOM ∙ UTILITY ROOM ∙ MASTER BEDROOM WITH ENSUITE DRESSING ROOM AND BATHROOM ∙ THREE FURTHER BEDROOMS ∙ FAMILY BATHROOM ∙ ATTACHED DOUBLE GARAGE ∙ GAS FIRED CENTRAL HEATING ∙ ENCLOSED REAR GARDEN horsham@guyleonard.co.uk

Horsham Office

01403 248222

Members of the Guy Leonard team walk 100km for children with Cerebral Palsy

GO TEAM GUY LEONARD Members of staff from Guy Leonard & Co have walked 100km for charity, spurred on by team spirit, a little music - and a teddy

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embers of the Guy Leonard & Co team have been fundraising for the Dame Vera Lynn Trust by taking part in a 100km relay walk – some of which took place through the night! The event was arranged by not-for-profit organisation Horsham 100 and involved almost everyone from Guy Leonard & Co’s offices in Horsham, Pulborough and Storrington, as well as their Mascot, the Guy Leonard & Co teddy. Those who did not take part by walking helped with pick-ups, drops offs and, of course, manning the phones.

The team has raised £3,600 in sponsorship for completing the walk across the South Downs Way, smashing their initial target of £3,000. Manager of the Horsham branch, Ian Goff walked for 25 miles of the route. He said: “For someone who doesn’t really walk a lot, this was a challenge. The team started at 7.30am and walked all day and all night. There were times when I couldn’t sit down – because I would

have fallen asleep! There was the most wonderful camaraderie between us all, especially at around 3am when we were flagging a bit. And you carry on because you know that you’re raising money for a good cause. We kept a pretty good pace throughout, and for a while we were entertained by music from a band performing at the Amex Stadium. I walked with a great bunch of people so the 25 miles was well worth it – a fantastic event for a really fantastic cause.”

Horsham 100 is a partnership between PMW Communications and Tanbridge House School. The organisation raises funds specifically for the Dame Vera Lynn Trust, a charity which provides services to families of children with Cerebral Palsy and other motor learning disabilities. The trust runs a school for parents and children to help them learn daily living skills together. For more information on the charity visit horsham100.co.uk or dvltrust.org.uk

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La Source Contemporary Living

Introducing our new luxury outdoor living range Visit our website to view our extensive new collection Available in store from Easter. Delivery throughout the UK and Europe

3, East Street, Horsham

Tel: 01403 218686

www.lasourcedesign.com

www.guyleonard.co.uk

Thakeham

£950 per calendar month

A charming Grade II Listed semi-detached period cottage of immense charm and character. Offering many fine period features including a splendid brick inglenook fireplace and exposed timbering. The property is located in the heart of the picturesque village of Thakeham which is approximately three miles to the north of Storrington. A particular feature of the property is the cottage gardens which are beautifully landscaped and offers a pleasant entertaining terrace. A gravel path interspersed with flower borders stocked with shrubs and plants runs through the garden and there is an attractive circular stone terrace with wooden arbor above.

∙ SITTING ROOM ∙ KITCHEN/DINING ROOM ∙ STUDY/NURSERY ∙ 2 BEDROOMS ∙ BATHROOM ∙ BEAUTIFUL LANDSCAPED GARDENS lettings@guyleonard.co.uk

Lettings Office

01903 744166

SEASONED RAMBLER BRIDGET GLYNNE-JONES WALKS US THROUGH THREE COUNTRYSIDE ROUTES YOU WILL LOVE IN THE SPRINGTIME

In light of the recent cold spell you could be forgiven for not wanting to blindly rush out, boots strapped on, map in hand to explore Sussex without a moment’s hesitation. But as sure as (spring) eggs is (spring) eggs, the weather will improve and when it does, seize the day and head out to savour some of the lovely walks to be enjoyed in this area.

The three walks below will require no more planning than blocking the time required out in your diary to get there, walk and return if you follow the instructions on a map carefully. They are not difficult and the pleasures are myriad.

They have been picked out as being the perfect spring walks when the slightly longer days and steadily warming sun has taken the edge off the biting cold and boggy ground

EBERNOE COMMON

Walk one

) Park in Balls Cross, somewhere close to the pub is fine. This walk is a real woodland wander and in fact on

Ebernoe Common itself (less of a common, more dense woodland) you have the right to roam. If your sense of direction is not well developed however you may be best to follow the instructions for this walk and to make doubly sure of not going wrong, take a map with you. Otherwise, just explore the area. ) Head left down the road from the pub car park and then take the left turn signed to Northchapel and Ebernoe.

After just after ¼ mile, turn left down a driveway with a footpath sign and stay on this until you pass a large house on your right. Butcherland to your right is an experimental area of reclaimed arable land being left for conversion back to woodland and wild meadow. ) Stay ahead and ignoring the first two paths to the left, take the third footpath off to the left away from the

driveway. Stay ahead on this signed path, maintaining your direction for ¾ mile through the woodland until you reach a track at a T junction by three upright posts. Turn right to reach and cross a cattle grid (by Ebernoe Common information point). Stay on ahead to reach the Church. This nineteenth century Church is lovely as a result of it’s seclusion. A brief stop to look will be accompanied by astonishing birdsong on a still day. ) Stay on up the track to reach the lane. Turn left and walk down the lane, crossing the cricket pitch. The lane

swings left and as it swings right, head left in to the woodland taking the left of two paths. Follow the signs as you drop downhill over a stream and up out of the wood to walk along a field side, exiting via a pedestrian gate to reach a track. ) Turn right here, soon passing a remote house and continue on in to the woodland via a pedestrian gate. Stay on

this path as it winds through the wood following the signs (staying ahead at a three point sign) until you reach a T junction. ) Turn left here to stay on ahead for ¼ mile to reach a track. Turn right. Then either (a) stay on this driveway to

retrace your steps and reach the lane again before turning right to walk back in to Balls Cross again or (b) turn immediately right on the next signed footpath and follow this as it winds through more woodland until you exit on the Balls Cross Road. Turn left to find the pub.

Bridget Glynne-Jones is the founder and owner of B-footloose, a company that offers walking experiences to organisations to encourage team bonding, staff health and wellbeing and improve communication. For more information visit www.b-footloose.co.uk

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Registered Charity number: 307048

Happy, successful individuals - from Nursery to Sixth Form Come and see ‘Farlington in Action’ on:

Wednesday 16th May or Thursday 14th June at 9.15am

An opportunity to meet the Head and enjoy a tour of the school on a working day To register your interest please visit our website

www.farlingtonschool.net or ring the Registrar, Mrs Jo Coveney, on 01403 282573

Farlington School | Horsham | West Sussex RH12 3PN Independent Day and Boarding School for girls aged 3-18, with a co-educational Nursery

MIDHURST

Walk two

) A 7.3 mile walk across the South Downs which incorporates parts of the South Downs Way. Begin at Cocking

Hill car park, off the A286 just south of Midhurst. ) Take the South Downs Way heading westwards along the made up track, soon to become a chalky path, for

around ¾ mile before reaching a large round boulder. Fork left here on to the bridle path away from the main track. Here is the first of the tumuli sites over to your right. The white boulders are installations by the artist Andy Goldsworthy. Continue for around 1 mile to reach another boulder. Fork left here, heading downhill. ) Stay on this, as it swings slightly left to reach a crossing (logging) track. Turn right here and then immediately fork

left on the bridle path to head downhill again through the conifer forest. Reaching the bottom of the hill maintain your direction up the hill the other side. ) Stay ahead until you reach a path by another large boulder. Turn left to walk down through the Westdean Estate.

All of the heating and hot water needs of West Dean College (and parts of the village) are met entirely, and on a sustained basis, by using wood fuel grown on the West Dean Estate. Continue for just under a mile to reach a lane. ) Turn right down the lane, keeping right as another lane joins from the left. Just after the lane bends sharply left

handed, turn right on the footpath at the crest of the hill. ) Stay on this footpath to reach a gate. Continue ahead out in to the open to soon pass a small stone barn on your

right. Stay on the track taking you up through the valley ahead of you following the line of the overhead wires. ) At the top of the valley, entering a field via a gateway, hug the left hand side following the field hedge round to the

left to reach a stile beside a gate. Cross over to reach the South Downs Way. ) Now turn right along the track (marked SDW) and continue along this for a little over 2.5 miles until you reach the

car park at Cocking Hill and the finish.

ARUNDEL

Walk three

) Begin in Arundel town centre. Leave the car at Amberley Station at Houghton Bridge and take the train to

Arundel, then an easy walk in to the town centre. The walk back to Amberley along this route is just under 4 miles. Or leave the car in Arundel and get the train back. ) From the town centre head up the high street, past the Norfolk Arms Hotel to soon pass the Cathedral. Just after

the school then on your left, fork right (signed with cricket parking) and continue on to go through some big red gates into Arundel Park. ) Stay on ahead up the metal track. When you begin to draw level with the tessellated folly, Hiorne Tower, turn right

in front of it to cross the gallops and locate the path in to the woodland (marked The Monarch’s Way). The Hiorne Tower was built by Francis Hiorne to prove his abilities to the 11th Duke of Norfolk. The Monarch’s Way is a 615mile path that approximates the escape route taken by King Charles 11 in 1651 after being defeated in the Battle of Worcester. Head briefly downhill and then left over a stile in to an open area. Stay ahead downhill on the track (or drop down in to the dry valley below). ) At the cross roads at the bottom of the hill, head up the steep grass path (signed MW) and continue ahead over

the open grassland, maintaining your direction for ½ mile to eventually skirt some woodland before reaching a viewpoint looking north, your destination visible over to your right. ) Head through the gate you see ahead of you and stay on this track downhill, soon sweeping right handed and

then turn left (signed footpath) to continue on down. When near the bottom of this woodland descent, turn right through the metal kissing gate/wall to immediately turn left to walk alongside the riverbank. ) Stay on this path for ¾ mile following the river. After the high chalk cliffs on your left of Houghton Chalk Pits and

just as you see a house appearing to your left, take the indistinct and unsigned footpath forking you right to allow you to continue walking along the river bank (if you reach the wooden gate, retrace your steps until you can access this small path). Now stay on this all of the way until you reach the road (B2139) and Houghton Bridge/ Amberley Station. (Or, when you reach the Bridge, walk down the opposite bank, following the river all the way back to Arundel). Amberley Museum and Heritage centre is worth a visit - dedicated to the industrial heritage of the South East there is lots for children and for adults and includes a picnic area, gift shop and restaurant.

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www.guyleonard.co.uk

Rackham

£2,300 per calendar month

A rare opportunity to rent a Grade II listed 4 bedroom property situated in an idyllic rural setting on the outskirts of the Parham Estate. The property offers great character and charm including a two storey round tower. The accommodation offers versatility and we suggest an early viewing! The Round House is situated on the edge of the Parham Estate, a beautiful 875 acre Private Estate of deer park and woodland.

∙ ORIGINAL OLD OAK FRONT DOOR LEADING INTO THE ENTRANCE HALL ∙ CLOAKROOM ∙ SPACIOUS KITCHEN WITH AGA ∙ BREAKFAST/DINING AREA ∙ WOOD BURNING STOVE ∙ DRAWING ROOM WITH OPEN FIRE ∙ FIRST FLOOR ROUND ROOM CAN EITHER BE AN ADDITIONAL LIVING ROOM OR A BEDROOM ∙ THREE GROUND FLOOR BEDROOMS ∙ TWO BATHROOMS ∙ PRIVATE DRIVE ∙ EASILY MAINTAINED GARDENS SURROUNDING THE PROPERTY ∙ CAR PORT FOR SEVERAL CARS lettings@guyleonard.co.uk

Lettings Office

01903 744166

PROPERTY, PASSION AND PEOPLE As Guy Leonard & Co celebrates its 20th anniversary, the company’s founder says the business operates with the same values on which it was founded

I

had always been interested in architecture and nice homes. And after a bit of a false start in the world of banking, I decided to go and do something I was passionate about”, Guy Leonard told Opening Doors.

The founder of Guy Leonard & Co began his career working for Barclays Bank in the City, where he would frequently meet surveyors and estate agents. It was there he realised his future was in property and soon after he joined a small estate agents in Horsham, with no knowledge of the industry. Mr Leonard said: “I joined Whiteheads in the centre of town in 1982.

They really took a chance on the young unknown chap I was at the time. In a way they gave me my break. I didn’t really know what I was doing, but I do know I loved it. The negotiating was exciting and meeting different people every day gave me such job satisfaction. And I made sure I compensated for my lack of experience with sheer hard work. I learnt the ropes to such a degree that when the manager left two months later, they appointed me as his replacement.”

Guy went on to work for Humberts estate agency in Petersfield, where he learnt about land sales and the agricultural side of the industry. Over the years he also acquired skills in carrying out valuations and repossessions. And with his passion for the work and willingness to learn all elements of the property business, it was only a matter of time before he would consider going it alone and establishing his own company. He told Opening Doors: “I thought to myself; ‘why don’t I do this myself?’ And it didn’t take long before Guy Leonard & Co was created. And I know that people promise this everywhere you look these days, but it really was founded on a belief that the customer mattered most. I have always believed that this business is about people, not just property.

And I think that philosophy is the reason we have stood the test of time.”

Twenty years later, Guy Leonard & Co remains one of the premium and most successful estate agents in Sussex. Today the company and its staff members all share and believe in Mr Leonard’s original vision. He added: “Technology changes to make life a little quicker, the prices might go up, we’ve moved with the times to create a modern business. But the fundamental things apply. And that is that buying and selling homes is all about the people. It’s a philosophy I instilled in the company in 1992, and one that I am proud to say is of paramount importance to those at the helm today.

Even though I am semi-retired, I still see it there - the commitment of the staff and the passion for property, and people.”

Mr Leonard added: “Many members of the team have been long standing employees. There is continuity at Guy Leonard & Co and it’s no accident. I always wanted to hire people who would stay. I never wanted employees who would be here today gone tomorrow.

And like me, each of them understands that buying a home is one of the most important purchases you will make. It has such an impact on people’s lives and circumstances. In many ways, they do not buy a property, they buy a way of life, and for that reason, we all love being a part of it.”

Today, 30 years after he began working in the property industry, Mr Leonard takes an active interest in Guy Leonard & Co. Enjoying retirement in Amberley, he also runs a busy Bed and Breakfast as well as being chairman of the marketing and fundraising committee for the Mary How Trust. He added: “I’m immensely pleased with what I and the staff at Guy Leonard & Co have achieved. I am delighted that my successors are Neil & Cathy Moore who have built the company with me since 1992 and who share my ethos for the business. I am proud to say that to this day the values on which it was formed remain – property, passion and people.”

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www.guyleonard.co.uk

enquiries@guyleonard.co.uk

Storrington Office

01903 742354

West Chiltington

Price on application

A glorious detached ‘Wells’ country house built in the late 1920’s and set in one of the most sought after private lanes in West Chiltington. The property has been sympathetically modernised and updated to offer well presented accommodation retaining many of the original features. The gardens are beautifully landscaped with large areas of lawn and an abundance of rhododendrons and other shrubs.

∙ ENTRANCE PORCH ∙ CLOAKROOM ∙ DINING ROOM ∙ DRAWING ROOM ∙ CONSERVATORY ∙ KITCHEN/BREAKFAST ROOM ∙ STUDY ∙ PRINCIPAL BEDROOM WITH ENSUITE SHOWER ROOM ∙ GUEST BEDROOM WITH DRESSING ROOM AND ENSUITE SHOWER ROOM ∙ TWO FURTHER BEDROOMS ∙ FAMILY BATHROOM ∙ DOUBLE GARAGE ∙ GARDENS AND GROUNDS APPROACHING ONE ACRE

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PRICE £339,950

SPRING INSIGHT Neil Moore, Managing Director of Guy Leonard & Co, gives a positive prediction for 2012

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believe 2012 is going to be a good year, with prices staying steady. Although there won’t be any great rise in values, at least the spring market is starting to get things moving. If we look at the last four years, there has been a lot of negativity surrounding the property market, largely down to values plummeting in 2008. Thankfully, confidence is now lifting slightly. We had a positive, strong market in 2009 and 2010 and with values and sales staying relatively flat throughout 2011. Last year any plateau in sales was due to stock not really coming onto the market. That reluctance to sell seems to be shifting now, and a flatter 2011 means that things are looking up for the year ahead. Overall, I believe we have weathered the worst of the storm.

And speaking of the weather; remember February’s cold spell? It’s probably not helped matters when people don’t want to go out viewing property. There are those who will batten down the hatches, put the fire on and stay at home. But there is always a bit of a lull just after Christmas followed by a rush when things pick up in the spring. Which leads me to the year ahead. At Guy Leonard & Co, we’re all geared up for a successful spring and summer. I am confident that the period will be strong for sales. It is my personal opinion that we won’t be having a double dip recession. And if I am wrong, I feel this is the best place to be in order to survive it. Here in the South East the jobs market is withstanding the downturn and people are generally positive. We’re very lucky we live in this part of the country.

Buy to let is looking like a safe option for investors this spring, mainly because values have come down. The key to this remains the same as always – I advise people to purchase on the basis of cash flow and not on the potential price growth. Many people get into the buy to let market to make quick cash, with a short-term view.

But those who look at the long-term picture will make a wise investment in property. Those who plan it well for a pension for example should see a good return. It is proving more profitable than the stock market.

Anyone thinking of buying or selling should see a definite increase in the number of properties and buyers out there. It’s what is so great about this time of year. For many, it’s time for a fresh start. And for our team, it’s time to get down to business. Spring is in the air and the winds seem to be changing, as property gets moving.

ABOUT NEIL MOORE Neil Moore is managing director at Guy Leonard & Co, where he has worked for 20 years. Having started his career in the construction trade, Neil moved into estate agency after a recommendation from a careers advisor.

He said: “I knew I didn’t want to be behind a desk all day and I loved property and nice homes. When I had an interview with my first boss who drove a Ford Capri 2.8 Injection at 140mph up the motorway, I knew this was the business for me! And here I am, older and hopefully a bit wiser. I absolutely love what I do. It is as much about people as it is property, and that makes every single day a pleasure. I never did get a Capri though.”

25

easy elegance with vintage vision

Bespoke sofas S Interior design service info@newenglandhome.co.uk www.newenglandhome.co.uk 60-62 East Street Horsham RH12 1HN 01403 330508

LETTINGS Q&A Whether you’re a landlord or tenant, Angie Blunden from the Guy Leonard & Co office in Storrington answers reader’s questions on renting

HOW DOES RENT GUARANTEE INSURANCE WORK?

The Rent Guarantee insurance protects you against non-payment from tenants and includes Legal Expenses Insurance. The Insurance is based on the tenants rather than the property and is determined by the referencing we carry out on the tenants prior to the tenancy starting. At Guy Leonard & Co we include Rent Guarantee & Legal Expenses Insurance free for the first six months.

If the tenant’s rent payment is late we will initially try to arrange a payment as quickly as possible. However if that proves difficult or if more than three weeks have passed then a claim will be put in to the insurance company along with the various documents that they require. They will then process the claim and send the outstanding rent. This will be ongoing for up to five payments on a six-month policy and in the background their legal team will be liaising with us, as your agent, to legally remove the tenants from your property.

This, along with the minimum one and half months security deposit we hold should ensure that you are covered for any loss of rent and/or dilapidations incurred. There are no limits to the type of tenant you can accept, if they pass the referencing then the rent guarantee insurance will be in place. For full policy information, terms and conditions please apply to the Lettings Department at Guy Leonard & Co.

I HAVE HEARD CONFLICTING INFORMATION ABOUT WHAT TENANTS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR IN THE GARDEN. CAN YOU CLARIFY FOR ME? Gardens can be a difficult matter. The rules are not always black and white and in changing seasons, disputes can occur. Generally speaking, tenants are responsible for the upkeep of the garden in its entirety. This includes mowing the lawn, tending to and weeding borders, keeping hedges trimmed, weeding patio and driveway areas etc. In some cases, areas might be seen as maintenance of the property and therefore the landlord’s responsibility.

For example, if the garden was bordered by tall conifers or shrubs or if there were a number of trees within the grounds it would be unreasonable to expect the tenant to have the equipment or to have to go to the expense of employing a tree surgeon/specialist equipment.

On these occasions it is important to add additional special clauses if there is something out of the ordinary to make matters clear. Our garden clauses are very detailed and used alongside a comprehensive inventory and photos, ensuring that all parties know what they are responsible for and thus limits confusion and potential disputes.

Any sheds or greenhouses provided would be maintainable by the landlord. For an unfurnished property it is not necessary for you to leave equipment for gardening but if you do then it would be your responsibility to maintain it.

We explain to all our landlords, especially if they are keen gardeners, that although tenants must maintain the gardens to a certain standard they should not expect them to be kept as well as the landlord might themselves. If the garden is particularly important to you it might be worth providing a gardener.

DO I REALLY NEED A CHECK IN? Firstly, a Check In involves an inventory clerk meeting the tenants at the property on the day the tenancy starts. They will look around the property and note the general cleanliness of windows, carpets etc. This is noted on a report, the keys given to the tenants are logged individually on the report and meter readings are taken for all utilities. A copy of this report is then given to the landlord and the tenant along with a more comprehensive inventory.

Although a Check In report is not a necessity, we do highly recommend that one is carried out. You can see from the above description that a lot of information is collated at this time. It is also difficult to insist on a Check Out report if a Check In wasn’t carried out.

Should there be a dispute at the end of the tenancy the Check In report is used along with the inventory and Check Out report to determine the condition and cleanliness of the property. This allows the adjudicator to make a fair and correct decision. For what is a relatively small fee, it could save you hundreds of pounds.

27

planning ahead for care Most of us hope for a healthy, independent old age. But the fact is that many of us will need some form of care in our later years – whether in our own home or in a residential nursing home.

It’s important to plan ahead for this eventuality because care doesn’t come cheap. Currently, a residential home costs over approximately £26,000 a year on average. If nursing is required, that figure can easily rise to over £36,000 a year1. Even the average cost of home care is £17.57 a hour2. So just two hours of daily assistance in your own home could amount to more than £12,826 a year.

provider (tax may be subject to change in future and depends on individual circumstances). The income paid will depend on how much capital you pay, your life expectancy and what add-ons you want such as income rises to help keep pace with care home costs.

Annuity-based plans provide a lot of certainty – although capital can’t automatically be reclaimed if you die soon after the plan begins.

One way round this is to look for plans that offer early MoneyBack Guarantees and capital protection insurance for periods beyond this, but these options may cost more.

Your local authority can provide some funding support but eligibility is means-tested and highly restricted. Only those with assets worth less than £14,250* (including property) can get all of their care funded. Above £14,250*, individuals are expected to make a contribution, while anyone with assets of £23,250* or more is expected to pay for their care in full.

Talking about it Planning for care involves a lot of major decisions so it’s important to talk to your adviser as well as family members about your wishes. It is also sensible to arrange a Lasting Power of Attorney so the people you trust can make decisions about your care and financial wellbeing if you aren’t able to.

In fact, even people who do qualify for support from the local authority can discover a shortfall between what a home costs and what the authority is willing to pay for that standard and level of care. Currently, 40% of people who are in residential care are paying for it themselves.3 It can be tempting simply to try to pay for care out of savings and pension income. But given the high costs mentioned above, savings could quickly be wiped out. It is advisable to look for solutions that can generate income indefinitely, without the risk of running out of capital.

Seeking Professional Advice Global Financial Limited’s Care Specialists offer a bespoke service to clients and their families who are facing the prospect of looking for and entering into the care system, whether it is requiring care at home, or placement in a care/ nursing-home, providing: • Assistance with state benefit entitlements and claims procedures • Help with understanding the long term care funding options • Information clearly explaining the implications of different approaches to long term care planning • A service which works closely with client’s families sensitively and appropriately to ensure full understanding of their needs and priorities and how these might be best met • Detailed and clear reporting on any recommendations • A fair and transparent service – keeping the client firmly in control • A wide remit of services beyond long term care incorporating all aspects of later life planning, such as mitigating inheritance tax • Links to other professionals such as accountants and solicitors ensuring a streamlined approach to wider financial and legal matters

Investment-based solutions Savings accounts – including deposit accounts, ISAs and National Savings – are very low risk but, as a result, people will have to hope that interest is sufficient and that their capital isn’t used up too quickly. There are many investment possibilities from bonds to shares. The most profitable do tend to be higher risk and there are no guarantees that values won’t fall.

Property-based solutions Many older people will be looking to sell their home to provide the capital to pay for care. If the property needs to be retained – say because a spouse lives in it – then equity release may be the solution. There are two main options: first, a lifetime mortgage being raised on the property to be repaid on sale, death or when a surviving spouse moves into care.

Alternatively, some or all of the property is sold to a home reversion company in return for a lump sum or a regular income. A spouse or partner can usually continue to live in the property indefinitely for a nominal rent.

Care fees plans Finally, you may be able to consider an annuitybased care fees plan. Under this arrangement, you pay a one-off lump sum to a care fees plan company and in return they pay a guaranteed income for the rest of your life. This income is tax-free if paid direct to a registered care home/

If you think you might benefit from a no obligation discussion about planning for care, please call Kate Scrace on 01403 331505 or email kate@globalcareuk.com and mention this article. Kate Scrace is qualified and experienced in this specialist and sensitive area of financial planning.

1,3 Laing and Buisson – Care of Elderly People – UK Market Survey 2010 2 Laing and Buisson - Domiciliary Care - UK Market Report 2011 * In England and N. Ireland 2011/12; different limits apply in Scotland and Wales.

Care in later life is a major concern for many people - it can appear a confusing issue.

Global Care Specialists Limited have a team of independent advisers who specialise in helping you find the best route to planning for care, whether it involves raising capital and whether it is for care at home or in a residential setting. With you, we consider all of the options available to pay for care and assist you in minimising the impact of long term care fees.

Please call Kate Scrace on Email us r r you 01403 331505 or email today fo E kate@globalcareuk.com to FREE CAR discuss your circumstances.

FUNDING RE There is no charge for an BROCHU initial consultation.

Global Care Specialists is a trading syle of Global Financial Limited which is an appointed representative of Best Practice IFA Group Limited which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority. Global House, Daux Road, Billingshurst RH14 9SJ

Global Financial Chartered Financial Planners based in Billingshurst have a specialist team advising on: • • • •

GL BAL

CHARTERED FINANCIAL PLANNERS All areas of residential mortgages Buy to let funding Equity release Family protection including life cover, critical illness, income protection

We source solutions from the whole of the market – meaning we do all of the shopping around to find the best deal for you.

We liaise with the mortgage lender, solicitors, estate agents and accountants as necessary saving you time and money.

The initial consultation is always carried out free of charge.

Exploring your world of mortgages

Call Carol Ellis – Mortgage & Protection Adviser on 01403 780755 or email carol@global-uk.com to ensure you are not paying too much in interest or premiums Your home may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage.

An equity release is a lifetime mortgage. To understand the features and risks, ask for a personalised illustration.

Global Financial Limited is an appointed representative of Best Practice IFA Group Limited which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority.

www.guyleonard.co.uk

Amberley

£950,000

Freehold

An extremely spacious and versatile detached house set in a generous plot of approximately one acre situated in the sought after Downland village of Amberley with views over the South Downs National Park. As well as offering six bedrooms the property benefits from a large studio above the garage, parking for numerous vehicles and a tennis court, all screened by mature hedging.

∙ ENTRANCE HALL ∙ SITTING ROOM ∙ STUDY ∙ CLOAKROOM ∙ DINING ROOM ∙ KITCHEN ∙ UTILITY ROOM ∙ BREAKFAST ROOM ∙ GALLERIED LANDING ∙ PRINCIPAL BEDROOM WITH ENSUITE BATHROOM ∙ GUEST BEDROOM WITH ENSUITE ∙ FOUR FURTHER BEDROOMS ∙ FAMILY BATHROOM ∙ DOUBLE GARAGE ∙ LANDSCAPED GARDENS ∙ TENNIS COURT enquiries@guyleonard.co.uk

Storrington Office

01903 742354

Glenys Rowe

ADDING VALUE Mrs Rowe has just sold her home through Guy Leonard & Co for a second time. She tells us why there is only one estate agent she would turn to and how their commitment to customers is the same almost twenty years on

S

eventeen years ago, Glenys Rowe saw the cottage of her dreams in the window of Guy Leonard & Co, in Storrington. She bought the house in Rackham, with a little help from Guy Leonard himself. And recently, when the time came to put it back on the market, there was only one estate agency Mrs Rowe would consider. “I had already seen Pine Cottage and fell in love with it. That was before it was on the market. I knew I would love to live there. Then one day I walked past the Guy Leonard & Co office and there it was in the window! I shot inside, which was when I first met Guy Leonard, and asked him to take it out of the window because I wanted it”, she told Opening Doors. In the mean time Glenys and her husband put their own home on the market – with Guy Leonard & Co, naturally. Mrs Rowe added: “We were in a chain and so Guy suggested that we exchange on Pine Cottage but have a delayed completion. I trusted him entirely and he was knowledgeable about the entire process, so we followed his advice and he helped us find rented accommodation until the former owners of Pine Cottage could move.”

At the end of 2011, Mr and Mrs Rowe decided after 17 years, it was time to sell Pine Cottage, and there was only one estate agent Glenys would turn to. Mrs Rowe said: “There are about 20 acres of land at Pine

Cottage. Regretfully we put it back on the market to move to a more manageable property. But I only wanted one agent to sell it – Guy Leonard & Co. They really do provide a fantastic service. I assure you I am not just saying that. They look after you from start to finish. There was no question in my mind about who would sell my home, and do so with such good service.”

Despite almost two decades passing by, Mrs Rowe believes that very little has changed since 1995 at Guy Leonard apart from its size. She told Opening Doors: “It’s bigger now, obviously. They have the Horsham and Pulborough office now and a lettings department.

But the commitment to excellent customer care remains the same today, all these years later. The quality and care is second to none. One of the best things about them is they are realistic. They give you straightforward advice and they give sensible valuations, which means the entire process is more effective. They make informed decisions. The staff members know what they are talking about. They are intelligent. They know the area and they know their potential clients. I have seen a great continuity since Guy Leonard retired. I believe that Cathy and Neil Moore, who have taken the reins, are very keen to maintain that quality.”

31

www.guyleonard.co.uk

Storrington

Price on application

An extremely well presented and spacious detached property in a quiet location within gardens and grounds of approximately nine acres with equestrian facilities. The ground floor offers excellent living space, the master bedroom is extremely spacious and there is a comprehensive range of stables, barn, tack room and sandschool. The property enjoys views across its’ paddocks to the South Downs.

∙ ENTRANCE HALL ∙ DINING ROOM ∙ DRAWING ROOM ∙ SITTING ROOM ∙ STUDY ∙ CLOAKROOM ∙ KITCHEN/BREAKFAST ROOM ∙ UTILITY/ LAUNDRY ROOM ∙ PRINCIPAL BEDROOM WITH ENSUITE BATHROOM ∙ GUEST BEDROOM WITH ENSUITE SHOWER ROOM ∙ TWO FURTHER BEDROOMS ∙ FAMILY BATHROOM ∙ DETACHED BARN ∙ 6 LOOSE BOXES ∙ TACK ROOM ∙ PADDOCKS ∙ FLOODLIT SANDSCHOOL ∙ PARKING enquiries@guyleonard.co.uk

Storrington Office

01903 742354

www.guyleonard.co.uk

Amberley

Price guide £825,000

Freehold

A delightful thatched cottage named after the artist Edward Stott who resided at the property from 1889 until 1918. Famous for his rural scenes, many were sketched close to Amberley. We believe that the property dates back to 1580. The cottage was restored by the present owners in 2006 to provide well planned accommodation with many period features and attractive open fireplaces.

∙ HALL ∙ CLOAKS/SHOWER ROOM ∙ DRAWING ROOM ∙ DINING ROOM ∙ SITTING ROOM ∙ KITCHEN/BREAKFAST ROOM ∙ UTILITY ROOM ∙ THREE BEDROOMS ∙ FAMILY BATHROOM ∙ GARAGE ∙ BEAUTIFUL LANDSCAPED GARDENS SURROUNDING THE PROPERTY

enquiries@guyleonard.co.uk

Storrington Office

01903 742354 33

A ROUNDABOUT SALE Thanks to extensive knowledge of the local area, the team at Guy Leonard & Co has sold West Chiltington’s Roundabout Hotel, which will now be restored to its former glory

T

he Roundabout Hotel, in West Chiltington, is being saved from demolition and redevelopment thanks to a new buyer who saw the potential of the former business. But this was no ordinary (or easy) sale, as the property needed to be painstakingly restored to its former glory. Cue Guy Leonard & Co - because if anyone could sell the property, they could. The fact that the estate agency is responsible for nearly half of all sales in West Chiltington is a testament to the team’s sound understanding of the area and the type of properties that come to the market there. Which is why the team were the perfect choice to sell the Roundabout Hotel.

Initially, most of the interest in the hotel and its large surrounding grounds came from developers looking to either redevelop the 15,000sq ft property into apartments or simply level it out and build new homes on the land. Although many developers looked at the property the over-riding problem was local planning restraints, which meant options for the use of the land were limited. For this reason, it was up to Guy Leonard & Co to find another hotelier that would be prepared to invest in the property.

The estate agency found a buyer in Chris and Deliah Chapman of the Chapman Group. Neil Moore,

Managing Director of Guy Leonard & Co, attributed the sale of the property to the experience of his dedicated sales staff. In order for the Chapman Group to be confident in their decision it was crucial for them to have a clear understanding of the local demographic of the area and the previous popularity of the Roundabout Hotel. The professional team at Guy Leonard & Co, which has excellent knowledge of the local area, amenities and transport links at their disposal, were able to give the best possible advice to both buyer and seller alike. Neil said: “We are delighted to have negotiated the sale for our client and wish the Chapman Group all the very best for the future. We know from our regular dealings with clients in West Chiltington that the Roundabout Hotel was sadly missed and will be welcomed with open arms on its return to business.”

The Chapman Group has been a successful hotelier and landlord since 1977. Having viewed the property and being informed of the history behind its popularity by the sales staff at Guy Leonard & Co they were able to make an informed decision to purchase the property and add it to their already successful portfolio of establishments. The new owners are hoping to be open in time for spring 2012. Visit relaxinnz.co.uk for further information.

35

www.guyleonard.co.uk

Storrington

Price guide £649,950

Freehold

A glorious well presented detached home set in stunning landscaped gardens. The property is located in a quiet ‘no through’ road and is approached via a long gravel driveway, the front is screened by mature tree and shrub borders and steps lead to a raised terraced garden. To the rear of the formal garden is a wooded copse.

∙ ENTRANCE PORCH ∙ ENTRANCE HALL ∙ CLOAKROOM ∙ SITTING ROOM ∙ DINING ROOM ∙ CONSERVATORY ∙ KITCHEN/BREAKFAST ROOM ∙ UTILITY ROOM ∙ PRINCIPAL BEDROOM WITH ENSUITE SHOWER ROOM ∙ THREE FURTHER BEDROOMS ∙ FAMILY BATHROOM ∙ WORKSHOP/ HOBBIES ROOM ∙ DOUBLE GARAGE ∙ BEAUTIFUL GARDENS enquiries@guyleonard.co.uk

Storrington Office

01903 742354

www.guyleonard.co.uk

Fittleworth

Price on application

A quite magnificent country residence offering spacious and versatile accommodation including a separate three bedroom cottage. Set within approximately 6.5 acres of grounds with fishing rights on the River Rother. A footbridge across the River leads to the boathouse, the kitchen garden and fields. A beautiful Garden Room takes advantage of the beautiful gardens and the accommodation offers many period features.

∙ ENTRANCE HALL ∙ CLOAKROOM ∙ BILLIARD ROOM ∙ DRAWING ROOM ∙ CELLAR ROOMS ∙ DINING ROOM ∙ GARDEN ROOM ∙ KITCHEN/ BREAKFAST ROOM ∙ UTILITY ∙ PRINCIPAL BEDROOM WITH ENSUITE BATHROOM ∙ BEDROOM WITH ENSUITE ∙ THREE FURTHER BEDROOMS ∙ FAMILY BATHROOM ∙ ANNEXE HALL ∙ SITTING ROOM ∙ KITCHEN/DINING ROOM ∙ TWO BEDROOMS ∙ DRESSING ROOM ∙ BATHROOM ∙ COTTAGE CLOAKROOM ∙ SITTING ROOM ∙ KITCHEN/DINING ROOM ∙ BEDROOM WITH ENSUITE ∙ TWO FURTHER BEDROOMS ∙ BATHROOM ∙ COURTYARD GARDEN ∙ BOAT HOUSE ∙ GARAGING ∙ PLAYHOUSE ∙ FORMAL GARDENS ∙ KITCHEN GARDEN ∙ FIELDS ∙ FISHING RIGHTS ∙ FOOTBRIDGE pulb@guyleonard.co.uk

Pulborough Office

01798 874033 37

www.guyleonard.co.uk

enquiries@guyleonard.co.uk

Storrington Office

01903 742354

Amberley

Price guide £499,950

Freehold

A glorious Grade II listed character cottage in the heart of the much sought after Downland village of Amberley enjoying stunning views of the Wildbrooks and countryside beyond. There is a walled garden to the front with side access leading to a beautifully landscaped rear garden.

This is split into sections including a formal garden with an archway to a secret garden together with a fruit and vegetable garden to the rear. There is also a detached studio/office.

∙ SITTING ROOM ∙ DINING ROOM ∙ KITCHEN ∙ UTILITY ROOM ∙ PRINCIPAL BEDROOM WITH ENSUITE SHOWER ROOM ∙ TWO FURTHER BEDROOMS ∙ FAMILY BATHROOM ∙ DETACHED STUDIO/OFFICE ∙ GARDENS ∙ VIEWS

e

S

0

Horsham’s Premier Wedding Venue

Mannings Heath Hotel Winterpit Lane, Mannings Heath, Horsham, West Sussex RH13 6LY Tel: 01403 891191 www.manningsheathhotel.com

GUY LEONARD & CO IS A WINNER! C

ongratulations to Guy Leonard & Co on receiving a Silver award for ‘Small Agency’ at the Estate Agency of the Year Awards, 2011.

The company and its staff were recognised in the South East category for offering an exceptional level of service to its customers. Speaking about the award, the judges said: “Guy Leonard & Co really do offer a quality service, from 100% accompanied viewings to an innovative and free premier selection service and excellent customer contact. The enthusiasm and passion for delivering a great service is palpable with this company. Coupled with professional photography

and some terrific examples of ‘going the extra mile’ for individual clients makes the team at Guy Leonard deserving recipients of the silver.”

Director at Guy Leonard & Co, Neil Moore said: “We endeavour to provide a first-class service to every customer who comes through our doors. Whether that’s a buyer or seller visiting one of our offices in Storrington, Pulborough or Horsham office, we want to provide a consistent and exemplary service experience. This award is a testament to those efforts and we are really grateful for the recognition.”

41

www.guyleonard.co.uk

Steyning

Price on application

Freehold

A magnificent equestrian facility with an attractive brick and flint house, two holiday cottages, sixteen boxes forming stables and tack rooms, all set in approximately 37 acres in the historic village of Steyning. The property was built approximately 11 years ago on the site of the old timbered house which, although in a ruinous state, was still standing about 60 years ago.

∙ ENTRANCE PORCH ∙ VESTIBULE ∙ UTILITY ROOM ∙ WET ROOM ∙ DINING HALL ∙ SITTING ROOM ∙ KITCHEN/BREAKFAST ROOM ∙ LANDING ∙ STUDY/BEDROOM 4 ∙ PRINCIPAL BEDROOM SUITE INCLUDING DRESSING AREA AND BATHROOM ∙ TWO FURTHER DOUBLE BEDROOMS ∙ BATHROOM ∙ GARDENS ∙ FOURTEEN STABLES PLUS TWO TACK ROOMS ∙ LARGE HAY BARN ∙ GARAGE ∙ TWO HOLIDAY COTTAGES OFFERING ONE BEDROOM EACH

pulb@guyleonard.co.uk

Pulborough Office

01798 874033

and the South Downs area‌ sex Sus oss acr ers own e hom ond sec ‌To all

Let Us Get Your Second Home Working for you Do you own a second home which is a perfect holiday retreat?

We continue to experience ever increasing levels of enquiries from people wanting to stay in quality self catering accommodation across Sussex. The South Downs National Park has had a significant impact on the interest we are finding in our beautiful county. We can help you earn valuable income from your property. We are seeking further properties from two bedroom village and country cottages to apartments and larger homes along the coast.

To find out more 01798 877336 www.amberleyhousecottages.co.uk In association with

Amanda Shaw Solicitors Tel: +44 (0)1403 710742 Fax: +44 (0)1403 713081 www.amandashaw.co.uk email: amanda@amandashaw.co.uk

Services for Individuals • Buying Your Home • Selling Your Home • Transfer Equity • Remortgage • Buy to Let

Services for Business • Buying Development Land • Option Agreements • Conditional Contracts • Planning Agreements • Plot Sales • Secured Lending

“An exceptional level of service”

Address: 1 Mill Lane, Littleworth, Partridge Green, West Sussex RH13 8JU

architecture : interior design

www.ariordesign.co.uk

info@ariordesign.co.uk

Tel. 01273 249519

We have selection of properties that we market discretely by providing the details to those we think would be interested. Homes are not included on internet lists or marketed visibly at our offices. ‘In the Know’ allows us to keep a record of people who are looking for a particular type of home and then inform them if something comes available.

Contact us for more information about the service or to add your name or home to the list.

www.guyleonard.co.uk

North Heath

Price guide £1,000,000

Freehold

A most handsome double fronted house believed to date from 1890 and set in a plot in excess of 1.5 acres. It is believed that the original building dated back to the 14th Century when it was a working farm. Around 1880 farmland was sold to the railway allowing the owner funds to build the current house and create formal gardens. The property offers excellent family accommodation with generous sized rooms and retains many original features.

∙ RECEPTION HALL ∙ CLOAKROOM ∙ SITTING ROOM ∙ DRAWING ROOM ∙ DINING ROOM ∙ MORNING ROOM ∙ KITCHEN/BREAKFAST ROOM ∙ UTILITY ROOM ∙ LANDING ∙ PRINCIPAL BEDROOM WITH ENSUITE ∙ THREE FURTHER BEDROOMS ∙ FAMILY BATHROOM ∙ DOUBLE GARAGE ∙ HEATED SWIMMING POOL ∙ POOL ROOM pulb@guyleonard.co.uk

Pulborough Office

01798 874033

www.guyleonard.co.uk

Houghton, Nr Amberley

Price guide £785,000

Freehold

This wonderful thatched cottage we believe was built between 1490 and 1570 and was originally part of the Duke of Norfolk’s estate. The property is presented in good order throughout and benefits from many noteworthy character features, having a wealth of charm with exposed beams and open fireplace. The property has been adapted for modern family living with the two principal bedrooms both having ensuite shower rooms.

∙ ENTRANCE LOBBY ∙ SITTING ROOM ∙ STUDY ∙ KITCHEN/DINING ROOM ∙ UTILITY ROOM ∙ CLOAKROOM ∙ PRINCIPAL BEDROOM WITH ENSUITE DRESSING ROOM AND ENSUITE SHOWER ROOM ∙ BEDROOM TWO WITH ENSUITE SHOWER ROOM ∙ TWO FURTHER BEDROOMS ∙ FAMILY BATHROOM ∙ HOME OFFICE OUTBUILDING ∙ SUMMER HOUSE ∙ GARDEN SHED ∙ DETACHED GARAGE WITH ROOM OVER ∙ ATTRACTIVE GARDENS ∙ SWIMMING POOL ∙ STUNNING VIEWS. pulb@guyleonard.co.uk

Pulborough Office

01798 874033 47

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FOR THE KIDS PEPPA PIG VISITS FISHERS FARM Fishers Farm Park - 31 March and 1 April fishersfarmpark.co.uk Keep the little ones happy with a visit to Fishers Farm, where this spring they can meet Peppa Pig.

WALKING, SITTING AND LYING BY NICK BODIMEADE Zimmer Stewart Gallery, Arundel - 31 March to 21 April 2012 zimmerstewart.co.uk Arundel’s Zimmer Stewart Gallery is showing paintings and woodwork by Nick Bodimeade.

The artist creates pieces inspired by everyday life and his current exhibition focuses on the beach.

IN THE DIARY SPRING 2012

OXFORD V CAMBRIDGE BOAT RACE 7 April theboatrace.org

BRIGHTON MARATHON Sunday 15 April brightonmarathon.co.uk

march

VIRGIN LONDON MARATHON 22 April virginlondonmarathon.com

RACE NIGHT Fontwell Park - 4 May www.fontwellpark.co.uk Funk and Soul is coming to Fontwell Park with a performance from band Reel Deal after the racing has ended.

The band is considered to be one of the best live party bands in the UK and has played for celebrity and VIP clients including David Beckham, Elton John and HRH Prince of Wales.

BRIGHTON FESTIVAL 5 May to 27 May brightonfestival.org

SPRING GARDEN SHOW 6 and 7 May - Ardingly near Haywards Heath springgardenshow.co.uk According to the organisers, it’s ‘gardening galore’ at this spring garden show at the South of England Centre.

april

ST. REGIS INTERNATIONAL CUP – POLO Sat 19 May - Cowdray Park cowdraypolo.co.uk It’s England v Cowdray in this annual cup, which forms part of the polo club’s Veuve Cliquot Gold Cup season of play.

RHS CHELSEA FLOWER SHOW 22 to 26 May rhs.org.uk

MAY FESTIVAL Goodwood - 24, 25 and 26 May goodwood.co.uk Enjoy three days of back to back horse racing at the renowned venue.

MY FAVOURITE TOY Hove Museum & Art Gallery, Hove - Until November 2012 brighton-hove-rpml.org.uk At Hove’s museum and art gallery is a selection of toys from decades gone by.

may

49

www.guyleonard.co.uk

West Chiltington

Price guide £900,000

Freehold

A spacious detached ‘Wells’ cottage, three quarters of which is thatched, situated on a plot of approximately one third of an acre in the sought after village of West Chiltington. The property has beautiful and well screened gardens laid mainly to lawn.

∙ ENTRANCE HALL ∙ CLOAKROOM ∙ SITTING ROOM ∙ MUSIC ROOM ∙ STUDY ∙ DINING ROOM ∙ KITCHEN/BREAKFAST ROOM ∙ UTILITY ROOM ∙ FIRST FLOOR LANDING ∙ PRINCIPAL BEDROOM WITH ENSUITE BATHROOM ∙ FOUR FURTHER BEDROOMS ∙ FAMILY BATHROOM ∙ ATTRACTIVE GARDENS ∙ SUMMER HOUSE ∙ DRIVEWAY ∙ DOUBLE GARAGE

pulb@guyleonard.co.uk

Pulborough Office

01798 874033

now only

£799 *

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Collingwood Batchellor www.collingwoodstores.co.uk Horsham ( 01403 269261

Haslemere ( 01428 641947

Horley ( 01293 782404

Inspirational

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Showroom @ 37 East Street, Horsham, West Sussex, RH12 1HR T: 01403 276266

E: info@tilecenter.co.uk

W: andsotobathe.co.uk