Market Analysis

Best buy Laughton Manor (left) in
Laughton, East Sussex, has amazing views
towards the South Downs across its 12
acres of landscaped gardens. It boasts
nine bedrooms, a cinema room, a helipad
and a gymnasium. Price on application
through Winkworth Lewes (01273 471471)
Best buy This Grade II-listed house in
Temple Cloud, Bristol (below), is well sited
for the area’s excellent schools. £860,000
through Winkworth Bath (01225 829000)
Bill Jarvis from Winkworth Winchester
is a big advocate of reading parish magazines
because they offer a good flavour of
certain villages. ‘And it’s not that I’m promoting
hanging out in the pub every day,
but you’ll definitely work out the mix of
residents and friendliness factor by downing
a pint or two with the locals.’
Other tips from Mr Jarvis include getting
a dog, a pair of walking boots and good
‘Taking up an outdoor
pursuit can introduce
you to a whole new
group of people’
outside clothing. ‘Taking up an outdoor
pursuit, such as shooting or fishing, can
introduce you to a whole new group of people.
We’re lucky here, as we have the Test Valley,
famous for its chalkwater fly-fishing.’
But beware: rose-tinted Darling Buds of
May reveries can change rapidly, warns
Matthew Harvey from Winkworth’s Canterbury
office. He explains that ‘cute
cottage, lots of land and somewhere to put
the chickens’ fantasies frequently evaporate.
‘It’s usually the wife who dons her sensible
shoes two years after arriving in the country
side, declaring she won’t drive the
children to different places 15 times a day
any longer.’ At that point, thoughts of
dream acres and a pond morph into more
practical considerations, such as getting
your children registered at a school with
a good Ofsted report. ‘You need to act fast,
however,’ he adds, ‘or you can come up
short if you try to move your child halfway
through the academic year, or you miss that
all-important application date. I’ve seen
many a sale falter when it becomes evident
that the children haven’t made the final cut
at their school of choice.’
Often, couples make a natural progression
towards the countryside, especially
when they return to their county of origin
with their children. They might start out on
the outskirts of a town or village, and then
move further out once they get used to the
rural lifestyle, Mr Harvey finds. ‘This could
mean looking for somewhere with land for
the horses or more room for an ambitious
kitchen garden and conservatory, compared
to when they first stepped off city
pavements and expected a shop and café
on every corner.’
Wherever you buy, understand that it will
take time to forge relationships with your
community. Mr King advises that you
shouldn’t accept every single invitation
from your neighbours the moment you
move in. ‘Otherwise, it’s a bit like your
second year at university when you try to
lose all those friends you made in the first
year. Go slowly, as too much eagerness can
put the locals off.’
Mr Harvey agrees that a calm approach
can pay off. ‘I know my neighbours in our
village, but we’re not in each other’s houses
all the time. We might have a drink only
a couple of times a year, but we’re definitely
there when someone needs help. You need
to get the rhythm of your village before you
try to lead the orchestra.’
How to be a
good countryman
l Don’t hog single-track roads and
remember to wave thank-you when
someone moves over to let you pass
l Always buy food locally and support
farm shops and village shops
l The country isn’t a Disney-like playground,
so don’t become weepy at
the thought of sheep in the next field
going off to slaughter
l Be open-minded with property and
location. A period cottage in a picturebook
village might turn your head, but
you could be better off in a modern
double-glazed house in a plainer
village with better facilities
l Muck in. Go to church, join a book
club or join the parish council. If a film
club doesn’t exist, invent one.
l Get into the rhythm of country life.
In time, you’ll get used to the 20-minute
drive to the supermarket and the
absence of Starbucks
www.winkworth.co.uk Winkworth Spring/Summer 2013 7