Robert Williams Estate Agents, Exeter

Q: I totally understand that good photos are important for selling my house, but do you recommend I do anything to prepare for them?

A: Good photos are absolutely essential as potential buyers expect to see photographs of almost every room in a house, both online and on the sales particulars and first impressions count for a lot, as it could mean the difference between them booking a viewing or deciding against it.

At the higher end of the market, agents routinely use professional photographers but luckily, most estate agents these days appreciate the value in investing in the latest technology and opt to buy good quality cameras as well as attending and sending staff on photography training courses to learn how to use and get the best results from all of their settings and gizmos, in order to produce decent, professional-quality photos showing your home at its very best.

However, an agent can have all the best tools and knowledge but if a home is untidy or cluttered, that will be captured with piercing clarity in the photographs, so some preparation is needed. Your estate agent will offer tailored advice on preparing your home but generally, the key is tidiness.

So, make sure the garden looks well tended and clear of anything unsightly, like weeds in the beds or rubbish bins. In reception rooms, make sure cushions are plumped up; dining tables either laid for a formal meal or completely clear; children’s toys and magazines tidied away, etc. Check all the lights work and if necessary, remove surplus pieces of furniture to create a feeling of more space.

Also, try to make your kitchen look as pristine as it did the day it was installed – no washing up on the side, tea stains on the work surfaces or limescale on the sink. Make sure all clothes are away and beds are properly made. In the bathroom, fold towels neatly and remove any unsightly collections of shampoo bottles, etc. And toilet seats should always be down!

If you’d like any advice without obligation, pop in and see us or give us a call on 01392 204800 and we’ll be happy to help.

We're thrilled to offer for sale a beautiful Edwardian home in an elevated position overlooking Dawlish and with glorious views out to sea and the horizon beyond.

With its large, full-height bay windows, first floor balcony and sun terrace, this home is a local landmark sitting on the side of the valley above the pretty seaside town, just 12 miles from Exeter and the M5, and a 10-minute walk to Dawlish Town Beach, taking in Dawlish Lawn and the pretty Dawlish Water with its famous black swans along the way.

Having been lovingly and superbly restored, the elegant house still has plenty of its original Edwardian features including fireplaces, tiling, stained glass inner windows and a lovely staircase rising from the generous reception hall.

On the ground floor is an inner porch and welcoming hallway, three generous reception rooms, a study, kitchen/breakfast room fitted with shaker style cabinetry as well as a central island unit and Aga, rear hallway/store, utility room and a large adjoining room, which would make a great home office or orangery (subject to any planning permissions). A second staircase offers annexe potential and adds to the versatility of this fabulous property.

The central landing on the first floor runs from one staircase to the other and leads to four bedrooms and the family bathroom. The master ensuite bathroom is impressive and the second bedroom has its own balcony overlooking the town and out to sea. There are two more bedrooms on the top floor sitting either side of a large central ‘lounge’ area, an ideal space for teenagers.

Immediately to the front of the house is a paved patio area and to the side is a sun terrace, on which it would be easy to while away many hours watching over the town and the water. There is a BBQ area and pergola with a productive grape vine, and a driveway ascends from a parking area and double garage up to a car port. The rest of the gardens, which sit mainly to the front of the house, are terraced and thoughtfully landscaped with hedging, shrubs, a mature palm tree and steps leading up to the house.

Graham Coton, Associate Director, said: “The Red House really is a jewel of a property – its Edwardian elegance combined with stunning coastal views and great location perched high above the pretty seaside town, make for a beautiful home just perfect for a family or extended family with enough space to keep the home and home working separate, or even to create an accommodation business, subject to consents.”

To arrange a viewing of the handsome house, or for a valuation of your home, pop into the office or give us a call.

One of our properties - the fabulous Lea House at Clanage Cross, Near Bishopsteignton, has been featured by Country & Town House magazine as one of the best homes on the UK market this week!

Thanks Country & Town House!

See the full roundup here: https://www.countryandtownhouse.com/cth-life/properties/best-new-properties/

 

We are absolutely thrilled to offer to the market a simply stunning six-bedroom family home with a plethora of facilities in almost four acres of Devon countryside, near the village of Bishopsteignton, crowned by The Sunday Times as one of the best places to live in the UK 2023.

Lea House is a truly exceptional property with glorious south-facing views high above the Teign Estuary and the rolling hills of the South Hams. The small parish of Bishopsteignton, with its friendly tight knit community, renowned public houses, village shop, Post Office and primary school, is a short stroll away. Within a half hour’s drive is Exeter Airport as well as mainline railway stations, independent schools, the coast and water sports, sailing and golf clubs.

Approached via electric gates and a long sweeping driveway, the palatial, villa-style house is designed with large picture windows, balconies, and terraces to take full advantage of its enviable position and magnificent far-reaching estuary views.

This exceptional house boasts almost 6,000 square feet of space. The entrance hall is large and welcoming with two flights of stairs; the contemporary, crisp white kitchen/ breakfast/ dining room is fully equipped and measures 31’x24’ with steps leading up into the 25’x19’ drawing room with its dual aspect picture windows and wraparound balcony. On the same level is a gym, utility room, cloakroom, and the master bedroom with an ensuite his-and-hers bathroom and its own terrace.

The study is on an upper level with magical views, and on the bedroom level, the remaining five bedrooms are all double or bigger in size, each with an ensuite. Bedroom two comes with an en-suite bathroom for two, as well as its own sauna.

The outside space befits the inside of this distinguished home. In all, the plot extends to around four acres and includes garaging for a fleet of treasured vehicles, and two stable blocks with eight stables, three stores and a turn out yard as well as a menage and pair of paddocks to accommodate, exercise and graze a team of horses and ponies.

In addition, there is a covered, heated swimming pool and a tennis court as well as well-kept formal gardens and paved terraces including an attractive outdoor entertaining and al fresco dining area by the pool.

Graham Coton, Associate Director, said: “The Lea House estate is exceptional in every way – its location is visually astounding and highly convenient, the generous accommodation flows beautifully and is luxuriously fitted to an extremely high standard, and the outdoor space is phenomenal. This truly is the property of dreams.”

For further information, to arrange to view Lea House, to book a valuation of your property or to discuss any property-related matter, pop into the Robert Williams office on Southernhay West in Exeter or call 01392 204800.

Address: Lea House, Clanage Cross, Bishopsteignton, Devon, TQ14 9TP

Guide price: £3,000,000

Details at: https://www.robertwilliams.co.uk/properties/property/11985425-clanage-cross-bishopsteignton-teignmouth

 

 Sparkwell

We are inviting offers in excess of £600,000 for a substantial 7-bedroom former vicarage. The impressive property is whipping up a stir in the market with a record number of viewings prompting a deadline to submit Best and Final Offers by midday on Friday 23rd June.

Sitting in large, attractive grounds, the stunning Regency property is in need of complete refurbishment and is just crying out to be returned to its former glory. It seems there is no shortage of people willing to take on the challenge – more than 65 viewings have taken place and there is a resounding echo of enthusiasm from potential buyers with their own vision for the handsome country pile.

The house sits close to All Saints Church in Sparkwell, a small village and civil parish in an enviable position in Devon’s South Hams, flanked by Dartmoor National Park, the protected landscape of South Devon AONB (Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty) and the waterfront city of Plymouth.

Inside, the house is bursting with original features. The rooms are set over three floors and there are two staircases. On the ground floor is an entrance porch, reception hall, two kitchens with three storerooms, a washroom, shower room and three reception rooms, the largest of which measures a grand 26’10” x 18’6” with an unusual two-storey corner bay, thought to have once been the dispensing surgery when the residing Vicar was also the village doctor!

On the first floor is a galleried landing with five generous bedrooms (one with dressing room), a bathroom and an additional 16’ x 10’ bathroom. Stairs from the landing lead to the loft space, in which are two further rooms as well as eaves storage.

Graham Coton, Associate Director of Robert Williams, said: “We are thrilled to be selling All Saints Vicarage – it’s a beautiful property in a gorgeous village in a fantastic location with great access to countryside, coast and city and all of the leisure pursuits and conveniences they provide. The house has proved hugely popular with a wide range of buyers, all of whom are keen to give it the love and attention it deserves to bring it back to life as a fine home of fabulous proportions.

“Amid all the reports of a quiet market, there are still plenty of buyers out there for the right property. There is undoubtedly a shortfall in the number of homes on the market at the moment, but having less competition can work in a seller’s favour. I would urge anyone looking to sell to not hold back and wait for better market conditions, but to forge ahead as the ideal buyer might be just around the corner.”

More details, along with photographs, a floor plan and video footage of the vicarage can be seen here:https://www.robertwilliams.co.uk/properties/property/10865678-sparkwell-plymouth.

For more information or for an expert valuation of your property, or to discuss any property-related matter, pop into the Robert Williams office on Southernhay West in Exeter or call 01392 204800.

 

 

 

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