With more of us enjoying the flexibility that working from home offers, the demand among home buyers for work-friendly property is rising. Anna Bowden looks at some of the latest homes that let you take care of business.
These days the time it takes to travel to work can be mere seconds. Thanks to advances in technology, a day’s work needn’t necessarily be done in an office – a telephone, along with a computer with a modem or broadband connection, and you’re away. Once you have learnt the crucial lesson of not trading old office distractions (talking about TV) for new ones (watching people talk on TV) you’ll find that your home can be the perfect place to get things done.
Over two million Britons now work from home at least one day a week, a fact that is not lost on today’s developers; they are aware of the trend towards living and working under one roof and are providing increasingly creative ways to have the perfect the home office. Whether by providing space that is conducive to meeting deadlines; by offering extra rooms – for example allowing those purchasing a two-bedroom flat to have two bedrooms as well as a study for home working; or by furnishing access to the technology the modern home worker needs, today’s builders are proving that they are wise to their customers’ need for domestic workspace – and willing to provide for that requirement.
On top of this, many developers now Cobstar Developments has now released The Space Works, a collection of live/work homes at Aldgate East, on the City's eastern fringe. Those whose work is important but feel that a long, painful commute is too much to ask will be very interested indeed in these stunning homes, each of which offers the flexibility to work from home. Each space feels truly contemporary, with up-to-the-minute design throughout as well as the latest technology. All homes boast TV, telephone and FM points in main bedrooms and living and work areas, as well as internal networking in all work areas.
Most of the apartments have private terraces – and the penthouses are nothing short of breathtaking. The main rooms to each living space are huge. There are custom-designed, engineered white oiled oak floors, floor-to-ceiling doors throughout, a luxury bathroom with walnut veneer wash stands and tabletop basins, stylish kitchens in which the theme of walnut detail continues. Even the radiators, vertical designer models, speak of cool, high-tech luxury. Low-voltage downlighters complete the look.
Prices start from £315,000 for a first-floor flat with terrace; and penthouses are to be released shortly. To find out more contact selling agents Bridge Estates on 020 7749 1400 or Hurford Salvi Carr on 020 7791 7071.
Asprey Homes is now offering Ickham Court Farm, a development of luxury homes near Canterbury, Kent where three of the four individually designed properties benefit from space above the garage.
Chief executive Bruce Walker says, ‘With the cost of transport rising and the standards of service leaving much to be desired, more and more people are considering working from home. This incentive to leave the rat race is often beset by the question of where to base your office, with many homes not providing a dedicated study.
‘At Ickham Court Farm, the accommodation above the garages to the majority of the homes provides the ultimate in flexibility, allowing home buyers to distance their work from their family life. For those who prefer not to step outside the house to go to work, three of the homes have a generous study to the ground floor, with far reaching views of fields, while two properties have a fifth bedroom on the second floor, ideal for those who wish to cut themselves off and concentrate.’
At Ickham Court Farm Asprey Homes has managed to retain the charm and individuality of the village in the design of the homes. Traditional mansion style properties sit alongside homes created to look like barn conversions with ship-lap boarding and large windows that allow natural light to flood inside.
Prices for remaining properties start from £699,950. Call selling agents Strutt & Parker on 01227 451123 or Cluttons on 01227 457441 to arrange a viewing.
Belgravia Homes’ The Enclave, a stylish new development of four smart four-bedroom town houses in Forest Hill, comprises another example of a great home-working opportunity. Set behind a private gated entrance, the contemporary homes feature up-to-date modern technology which includes a video entry phone system and wiring for a centrally controlled speaker system.
One of the most interesting features of the homes is the snug area, built in the eaves on the second floor. Accessed through a low entrance (measuring approximately one metre in height), this bonus room opens up into an area with standing space which could also be used as an office.
The Enclave is ideally situated for access to Forest Hill mainline station, allowing travel into London Bridge station within 20 minutes. The nearby A205 also offers links to the M25.
Four-bedroom houses at The Enclave are available for sale, priced from £375,000. For sales information call selling agent Kinleigh Folkard & Hayward on 020 8699 1596 or email sfh@kfh.co.uk.
Bovis Homes has a large selection of four- and five-bedroom homes at its Littlefield Park development in Titchfield, Kent. These homes include some particularly spacious room-in-the-roof properties, offering flexible living over three floors.
‘The selection of homes available in Titchfield provides a choice in character and layout, enabling purchasers to select the perfect property to suit their needs,’ says marketing manager Gareth Goodridge. The final bedroom in the four-bedroom Melville type property is located on the top floor, along with a large private office/studio, allowing purchasers to be flexible in their use of space.
Other features to be admired include the opportunity to purchase Bovis’ all-inclusive specification package, offering a range of modern integrated kitchen appliances, a feature fireplace in the sitting room, attractive tiling in both bathrooms and en suites and wood-effect flooring in the hall, all included in the purchase price of the home.
The four-bedroom Melville is priced from £379,950. Call the show home on 01489 564644.
Swan Hill has now introduced Nightingale Place, a select collection of just eight two-, three- and four-bedroom family homes in the village of Haslemere, Surrey. The development sits perfectly within the Surrey landscape; built around a central courtyard, the homes have been designed to reflect local architecture, with traditional red brick and plain tiles.
The eight homes offer three different designs between them and each has its own decorative features, including attractive lead covered roofs over both the bay window and porch. Internally, specification is high; the three-storey homes boast flexible living accommodation including an extra room to use as a study as well as a spacious master suite, high-quality designer kitchens (fully fitted with stylish stainless steel integrated appliances) and classically decorated bathrooms and en suites.
While offering this high-specification living, the homes at Nightingale Place also have all the comfort and character of living in a country cottage. Each home boasts a low-maintenance garden and an attractive Victorian style conservatory, and the development itself has been constructed within a range of mature trees and shrubs.
Haslemere is a highly desirable area in which to live, being both beautiful and accessible. Purchasers will benefit from the village atmosphere and facilities, including boutiques, restaurants, pubs, high street shops and gift shops; and the proximity of Guildford and its even wider range of amenities. For those who need to access the capital once in a while, a direct service from Haslemere into London takes a mere 50 minutes.
Current prices at Nightingale Place start from £345,000. For further information call selling agent Hamptons on 01428 642307 or visit website swanhill.co.uk.
Silver Homes has now released two spectacular new homes in Cheam, Surrey, providing exceptionally spacious rooms on three storeys to allow for maximum flexibility of space. Specification is high, with state-of-the-art pre-wiring for an integral sound and vision system in the lounge/dining room as well as satellite points throughout and wiring for the internet in the main rooms. And to make life even easier for home-workers there is CAT 5 cabling for an internal network system, including the provision for a multi-room sound system.
Other features of the two homes include real wood laminate flooring in the kitchen/breakfast room, stylish fully fitted kitchens with granite work surfaces, attractive stainless steel integrated appliances (cooker hood with curved glass canopy, fan-assisted oven, gas hob and fridge/freezer) and bathrooms with ladder style towel rails and ceramic/porcelain tiling.
One of the homes comes complete with luxury fitted carpets throughout, plus light fittings and curtains. Prices start from £695,000. For more details call selling agent Burn & Warne on 020 8642 1234 or visit silver-homes.co.uk.