The county of Hertfordshire is the choice of an increasing number of home buyers. Johnny Turner looks at what’s currently available.
Hertfordshire is home to lifestyle envied by many. Its combination of rural feel and modern attitudes makes it suitable for anyone from families to singletons, from young people just embarking on a career to older people. And the homes currently on the market in this remarkable county run the gamut from slick apartments to traditional houses. Herts has everything today’s home seeker could want.
Bushey offers residents good connections and wealth of high-quality places to live. Cosmia Court in Vale Road is one of the newcomers to this popular area. Kebbell Homes is currently selling a development of just 12 two-bedroom apartments in a village setting, homes which combine modern convenience with a laid-back pace.
These homes are the ideal choice for those who want to live in a quiet setting yet enjoy all the benefits of easy access to Watford and London. ‘These stylish apartments are in a superb location to make the most of both the wide choice of local bars, shops and restaurants and the more extensive facilities of Watford a short distance away,’ says Wayne Isaacs of Connells, the sole selling agents of Cosmia Court.
Designed and fitted out to a high standard, the apartments have a modern open plan kitchen/living/dining area, as well as both family bathroom and en suite facilities. Quality kitchens have stainless steel oven and gas hob, integrated microwave cooker, fridge/freezer and dishwasher, washer/dryer and waste disposal unit. Stylish touches include recessed downlighters to the kitchens and white sanitaryware and chrome fittings to the bathrooms.
Security is also well provided for, with each apartment having its own audio entryphone and ground floor apartments fitted with full burglar alarms; the latter can be supplied as an optional extra to the upper floor apartments. Outside both the car park and entrance areas are lit by communal security lighting.
Prices at Cosmia Court start at £219,950. Contact Connells on 020 8950 4404.
PJ Livesey is selling Fairfield Hall, a development for home buyers in search of both exclusivity and rural serenity. The developer’s organic approach to house building is in evidence here; at Fairfield Hall, Livesey has created living spaces the offer both the practicality of a newly built home and the architectural heritage of a breathtaking Grade II listed building.
The development represents an outstanding opportunity to purchase a prestigious and highly individual apartment in an idyllic and beautiful location, close to the picturesque town of Letchworth and within close proximity of the A1 and M1 motorway for easy access to London, Luton Airport and surrounding cities.
Fairfield Park, offers residents the advantage of the peaceful village life, with extensive landscaped areas, a mature woodland backdrop and the perfect foundation upon which to cultivate a convivial community environment. At the same time it is in tune with today’s needs, with electronically operated gates and audio entry system.
Apartments at Fairfield Hall are priced from £149,950. The marketing suite is open seven days a week from 10am to 5pm and there is no appointment necessary. Call 01462 735125.
Rialto Homes offers chic contemporary-style riverside two-bedroom apartments at Canada Fields in Turnford. Located within a 35-minute commute into London, these 479 homes in the Hertfordshire countryside are sure to appeal to young professionals, both first-time buyers and those who are trading up.
The development is situated in an attractively grassed and landscaped area, complete with cycle paths and dedicated wildlife area. The New River ambles through it, completing the picture of natural beauty and calm. Some of the two-bedroom, two-bathroom apartments have views of the river, providing the feel of a London riverside development but at a fraction of the cost – and the fact that it is not in the capital is itself an added benefit. And once you factor in Rialto’s extremely attractive incentives, an attractive lifestyle takes on the even more irresistible aspect of an attractive deal.
David Reed, Rialto’s marketing manager, comments: ‘The riverside apartments at Canada Fields offer the benefits of waterside living from just £188,000, representing great value. Additionally, we’re providing help for the first-time buyer to acquire this lifestyle with five per cent deposit and legal fees park, together with a mortgage subsidy of up to £350 per month for 12 months on selected apartments.’
The apartments feature an en suite to the master bedroom with thermostatic shower, a superb contemporary kitchen with modern stainless steel appliances and a flexible living space. Bathrooms have modern white sanitaryware with chrome fittings. Internal doors are in a beech wood effect with modern chrome door furniture, while laminate flooring is provided for hallways and lounge/dining/kitchen areas.
Each home has allocated private parking, including some with garage parking. The location is superb for shopping, with the Brookfield Shopping Centre bringing household names such as M&S, Next and a Tesco superstore within a few minutes’ walk away. Nearby Broxbourne and Cheshunt railway stations provide direct rail link services into London Liverpool street; the journey takes roughly 30 minutes. Drivers will appreciate the easy access to the A10, M25 via junction 25, A1(M) and M11.
Prices at Canada Fields start at £187,000 for two-bedroom, two-bathroom apartments with river views. Call the marketing suite on 01992 442087 or contact Rialto on 0800 731 4477.
In central St Albans, Fairclough Homes is seeing sales success with its Aventine development, which consists of 12 spacious apartments on Holywell Hill opposite Verulamium Park. Six of the apartments enjoy direct views of the 100-acre park, quite a rarity in such a thriving city-centre location.
The apartments at Aventine all have two bedrooms and two bathroom, while there is a variety of layouts available. Square footage ranges from 798 to 1,121. All homes are finished to a high specification, with designer kitchens and integrated appliances, fully tiled bathrooms and en suites.
It is also very much worth investigating the wide range of options and choices for Fairclough’s Design Centre, which includes a one-to-one session with a design consultant to help buyers achieve their vision.
Security includes electric automatic entrance gates to the residents’ parking area, as well as a video system and NACOSS-approved alarms.
Call the show apartment and sales centre at Aventine, open daily, on 0845 676 0168.
Linden Homes, which boasts one of the strongest presences in Watford, is set to take its tally of developments in the town to eight with the launch of The Avenue. Situated just minutes walking distance from the town centre, this new scheme of just 13 one- and two-bedroom apartments will offer high specification and convenience.
‘The Avenue will appeal to a range of customers,’ says Helen Todd, sales and marketing director of Linden Homes, ‘including investors looking to buy from plan, first-time buyers looking for excellent value in Watford and professionals who will be within easy reach of Watford Junction rail station and the tube.’
The apartments will have Symphony kitchens with a range of stainless steel appliances and stylish tiling from the Minoli or Porcelanosa ranges, while bathrooms will include pristine white sanitaryware.
For further information on The Avenue call Heather Davies on 01895 827447 or visit lindenhomes.co.uk.
Banner Homes’ new development Darvells, located in Chorleywood, generated more than 900 enquiries prior to its recent launch, at which an impressive seven out of 11 properties were sold.
The stunning collection consists of two refurbished farm houses and 12 other two-, four- and five-bedroom homes, all planned around three stunning courtyards. Several properties enjoy fantastic views over the surrounding countryside.
Prices at Darvells range from £395,00 for a two-bedroom house to £1.4 million for a five-bedroom detached house. For more information contact the sales office, open daily, on 01923 285041 or visit bannerhomes.co.uk.
Also from Banner is Hawkesley Manor in Radlett, which offers impressive proportions and high quality. Hawkesley Manor is divided into two wings; many properties have views onto the surrounding communal landscaped areas. Kitchens are huge and glamorous, while sumptuous marble bathrooms contain stylish white sanitaryware. Bedrooms include wardrobes with individually designed interiors, as well as striking white oak interior doors.
The development offers secure underground parking, lifts and maintained grounds. Prices begin at £465,000 and rise to £895,000. Contact the sales office, open Thursdays to Mondays, on 01923 858094.
Standon Mill is City & Country Group’s conversion of a historic former flour mill into 21 one-, two- and three-bedroom highly contemporary apartments. The renovation cleverly combines ultra-modern living accommodation yet still retains original features of the 1901 structure, including cast iron columns, exposed brick walls and brickwork arches.
Fold-away walls have been incorporated into five of the properties. Located between the living rooms and bedrooms two or three, this unique touch enables purchasers to adjust the amount of living space they have according to their needs. ‘The folding wall function of these homes means the living space can be increased easily and swiftly by up to 118 sq ft,’ says Tim Sargeant, chief executive of City & Country Group.
Further features include solid oak or walnut flooring to some homes, as well as rooftop terraces and balconies. All of these modern homes have been wired with CAT5 cabling, which will enable purchasers to have total flexibility to install whatever high-tech feature they choose, from multi-room audio systems and plasma/LCD home cinema to TVs fixed into bathroom tiles!
Standon is less than 30 miles from London and offers easy access to the M25 via the M11 or A10. Also, trains run regularly from Bishops Stortford to both London Liverpool Street and Cambridge, with journey times of approximately 40 minutes.
One-bedroom apartments are priced from £179,000; two-bedroom apartments start at £275,000; and three-bedroom apartments are priced from £360,000. Call 01279 817882 or visit standonmill.co.uk.