Robert Williams Estate Agents, Exeter

 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.

 

 

 

What is it? The Renters (Reform) Bill sets out the government's plans to reform the private rented sector and improve housing quality. The Bill, introduced to parliament on 17 May 2023, will need to pass through parliament before becoming law. Below we have summarised the main points that you need to know.

Key takeaways:

  1. The Bill confirms plans to abolish Section 21- a process that enables private landlords to repossess their properties. Instead, landlords will only be able to evict a tenant under reasonable circumstances.
  2. All Assured Shorthold Tenancies will move onto a single system of periodic tenancies. This means that rather than having a set 6 or 12 month contract they will instead, roll by every month without having a specified end date. Tenants will however still need to give landlords two months notice and landlords can only serve notice to tenants under “reasonable circumstances”.
  3. Notice periods for rent increases will be doubled to help with the cost of living crisis. Rent increases will be limited to once per year and the minimum notice landlords must provide of any change in rent will be increased to two months. The white paper also outlines plans end the use of “rent review clauses”.
  4. Tenants will have more rights to have a pet in the property. They must apply to the landlord to have a pet, the landlord then has 42 days to respond but can extend the decision period by 1 week if more information is requested. It is not a legal obligation for landlords to agree to having a pet and they can still say no but the Bill endeavours to make it easier for tenants. No additional charges are allowed to be made for a pet.

 

Robert Williams can offer advice to both tenants and landlords on the above changes, if there is anything we can assist with, please contact us on 01392 204800 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

External

Call our experienced team to arrange a no obligation sales or lettings valuation for you property.

Property for sale across the Southwest will be showcased in London on 11th May, when Robert Williams and more than 60 estate agency offices in Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Somerset and Bristol join together to take part in the Experts in Property’s Southwest Property Exhibition.

 

Like it or loathe it, the fact is that a great percentage of homes sold in our region are bought by people from elsewhere, and around 50% of those make the move from London and the Southeast.

 

In order to directly reach these buyers, and after a long break, the network of independent estate agents is thrilled to bring back its Southwest Property Exhibition, which will be held at a brand new venue – the DoubleTree by Hilton London Kingston Upon Thames hotel, which sits in the heart of the borough just 12 miles from Central London, within easy reach of the M25 and well served by public transport.

 

Many of our local estate agents will be making the journey to chat with potential buyers, answer their questions and match properties to their needs.

 

Visitors to the exhibition will be looking for a diverse selection of property – as homes to move into and investments as well as holiday homes – so details of every property on the market with the Experts in Property agents will be made available at the event in the affluent borough, where studio apartments can range from £200,000 to £600,000 and a three-bed semi starts at around £450,000.

 

Steve Moir, chairman of the Experts in Property network, said: “We are overjoyed to resume our regular Southwest Property Exhibitions with the first in our new venue – the DoubleTree by Hilton is in a great location, just a five-minute walk from the station and very accessible from the surrounding areas of Richmond, Hounslow, Wimbledon, Surbiton and Hampton as well as the City and beyond. It’s great to be able to take our client’s properties directly once again to active buyers in the Southeast.”

 

So, if you’re thinking about selling, or if you’re already on the market but want to change agents, now is a great time to talk to us or your local member of the Experts in Property – with all member agencies working together on a daily basis, every branch provides what is effectively a multi-agency service for a sole agency fee.

 

At Robert Williams we specialise in selling interesting property across Devon. For a no obligation marketing consultation contact our sales team on 01392 204800 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

 

To find your nearest local office, visit www.theexpertsinproperty.co.uk/agents-directory/.

Robert is a Chartered Surveyor and has been an RICS member for over 40 years. Having worked in London and locally for small and large private practices, it was when Stratton Creber became part of the corporate agency Lloyds/TSB in 1997 that he decided he didn’t like corporate governance and proceeded set up Robert Williams Ltd in January 1998.

“ I was very lucky that I had some very loyal clients and most importantly The Diocese of Exeter chose to retain my services for both lettings and professional valuation work.”

“ When we started in 1998 in Southernhay West, there was only me and a secretary but soon we were busy enough to hire help in the form of a junior negotiator. My first thought was to employ a student land agent but after having a few candidates for short periods none of them worked out too well.”

“ Next arrived Simon Havens, a fresh faced negotiator with real potential who spent a couple of successful years with us before leaving us to join GTH and becoming now the head of their whole residential team. After Simon I interviewed a high end car salesman named Steve Alford. Although I was concerned that he didn’t have any property experience, I needn’t have worried because Steve was excellent and became a good friend and a full partner in the business. During his 12 years with the company the business continued to thrive with more staff arriving.”

“After more than a dozen years Steve decided to move on to another role which gave him more time with his young family and in the meantime my eldest son Oliver had joined us after gaining a first class degree in Business from Manchester/ Vancouver Universities. He subsequently went on to gain a masters degree from Exeter University and I was confident enough in his ability to oversee the business, allowing me to start taking a back seat “

“Oliver has now been in charge for over 10 years and we have increased turnover nearly every year even though we have been through recessions and Covid years. I firmly believe that we have now our best team ever with Graham Coton as our sales director and Sarah Coleman heading up our lettings team. They are ably assisted by Suzanne and Alice in sales and Madeline and Kim in lettings.”

“Over recent years we have added our auction department which is run by our consultant Richard Copus who has as many years experience as myself, whilst I continue to carry out the professional valuations for The Diocese and other clients.”

“ So 25 years since I started the business we continue to be a family run outfit that strives to give our clients the best possible honest service we can and I am confident that Oliver will continue with the same ethos long after I retire.”

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