Apartments make sense on a number of levels, including low-maintenance home and sound investment. Johnny Turner looks at some of the best flats current available.
Apartments have several advantages in today’s marketplace. They are easier to maintain than houses, making them ideal for the busy professional and downsizer alike. They are popular with investors as there is always demand from the rental sector, particularly in London and the surrounding commuter belt. And the most recent crop of apartments are particularly contemporary and stylish, offering the latest in convenience and specification. Buyers in the market for an apartment are spoiled for choice these days.
Beginning in the very up-and-coming East End, Higgins Homes is selling Ozone, a collection of 25 high-specification two-bedroom, two-bathroom apartments built above shops and offices on the Leyton Mills piazza. This development is designed to provide a living environment that is both serene and convenient for amenities.
Wide windows maximise natural light, while many apartments have private terraces and overlook the open, airy new piazza. High-level security includes an audio entryphone system, a mains-operated smoke detector and wiring for a burglar alarm system. There is also provision for satellite television in addition to terrestrial, as well as radio outlets to the reception, living room and bedrooms.
Leyton Underground station is under 500m from the development, with Stratford only one stop away; it is a very quick journey to the City, Canary Wharf or the West End. And of course with the recent announcement that London will host the 2012 Olympics, the area will be at the forefront of an exciting reimagining, encompassing not only sports facilities but also all types of amenities, housing, transport and landscaping. This is an ideal chance to buy into an area that both already pleasant and also ready to embark on an exciting transformation.
According to Jeremy Marcus, sales director of Higgins Homes, ‘Ozone provides purchasers not only with an excellent choice of contemporary apartments but also a multi-use development for all their recreational and everyday needs.’
Prices for Ozone’s first phase start at £225,000 (less five per cent assisted deposit) for a two-bedroom, two-bathroom apartment. For further details contact the sales and marketing suite on 020 8558 3600 or visit higginshomes.co.uk.
In the heart of London’s Docklands, Telford Homes has unveiled an exclusive development of only eight one-bedroom apartments perfectly suited for contemporary living. Langdon Park, in Chadbourn Street E14, is located in an area marked for a programme of major regeneration, including the construction of a new DLR station close by.
The apartments enjoy a southerly aspect and provide a relaxing environment that is open, roomy and ideal for unwinding at the end of the day. They are designed with a modern open-plan layout that is ideal for everyday living. Light and airy, the kitchens flow into spacious living areas, which in turn extend out to a balcony or terrace with views overlooking the landscaped grounds and the expansive green space of Langdon Park.
In addition to the spacious living area, the top-floor apartments also offer a mezzanine floor above the kitchen area. This creates a dramatic double-height ceiling over the main living area and extra space that can be used as an extra lounge/bedroom or home office.
Apartments are finished to an excellent standard and feature designer kitchens by Urban Myth and smart white bathrooms.
The Langdon Park Apartments are equidistant from All Saints and Devons Road DLR stations, which provide fast and easy transport to Docklands and tube connections. Prices start at £192,000. For further information contact selling agents Cityzen on 020 7790 1818 or Telford Homes on 0870 872 0987. Visit telfordhomes.plc.uk.
Laing currently has a number of wonderful apartment schemes on offer. In the Howlands area of Welwyn Garden City, just a mile and a half from the town centre, Creswick Place is a development of 109 one- and two-bedroom apartments over three and four storeys. Some apartments have two bathrooms, and all have allocated parking as well as visitors’ spaces.
Prices start from £154,500 for one-bedroom apartments and £167,500 for two-bedroom apartments. A choice of incentives includes stamp duty, legal fees paid up to £500, and fully fitted carpets. Conditions apply. A two-bedroom show home is now open. Call 01707 351330.
In popular Cambridge, Laing has launched The Gallery II, the second phase of a very successful development of stylish one- and two-bedroom apartments and penthouses. Located within two miles of the bustling city centre and within a mile of the main railway station, these homes are convenient both for those who work in Cambridge or surrounding towns and London commuters.
There are numerous deals available with these designer apartments, one of which is Laing’s Easymover scheme, similar to that described above. Alternatively, a unique Homestyle voucher is available, enabling purchasers to upgrade the specification of their home to their particular taste.
One-bedroom apartments are priced from £179,950, while two-bedroom apartments start at £219,950. Call 01223 247669.
In leafy Enfield, Jerome Walk is a stylish collection of one- and two-bedroom apartments and three-bedroom houses. Located close to local amenities and with good transport links – and priced from just £155,000 – these properties are ideal for first-time buyers looking for a contemporary new home. Jerome Walk is also perfect for investors; prospective tenants will be impressed by the easy commuter options, with Brimsdown station and the bus terminus just two minutes’ walk away.
Prices for one-bedroom apartments start at £156,950; two-bedroom apartments start at £179,950. To find out more about Jerome Walk call 020 8804 1036.
Shires Lodge in Hendon, located adjacent to the synagogue in Brent Street, consists of 14 two- and three-bedroom luxury apartments in landscaped grounds. Exterior features include gables, ornate brickwork and bay widows. There is basement parking and gym facilities for the exclusive use of residents and their guests.
Interiors feature superb décor, contemporary lighting and elegant features such as French windows, terraces and large balconies on selected plots. Specification is high, with designer integrated fitted kitchens, luxury bathrooms with Hansgrohe taps, utility rooms to many of the apartments, and en suites and showers to most master bedrooms.
The apartments are priced between £299,950 and £750,000. Call 020 8202 9458.
Also by Laing Homes is Quarles Park, located in Chadwell Heath, Essex, where only two two-bedroom apartments remain, priced from £175,950. The location is great for road and rail links; Chadwell Heath station offers a fast commute to Liverpool Street.
The two-bedroom apartments offer a spacious master bedroom with an equally spacious second bedroom adjacent to it. The open-plan living room and kitchen add to the sense of freedom and space. Call 020 8586 4091.
At Queen’s Manor in Queensbury there are only three apartments remaining for sale of the 24 spacious two-bedroom apartments. Located less than half a mile from Queensbury tube station, this is the ideal location for commuting into central London, and both first-time buyers and investors will be drawn to the specification and convenience to be found.
Prices start at £239,950. Call 020 8732 2596 for more information.
In Dagenham, Higgins Homes offers the fourth local scheme, called East Village North. This is sure to be popular with first-time buyers and investors both from London and the nearby area. The previous scheme, East Village South, offered smart apartments at less than half the price one would be paying in central London – and this sealed its success in this well-connected area.
East Village North will be an exciting, stylish and significantly larger development which brings metropolitan London-style living to Dagenham. Comprising 179 one- and two-bedroom metro-style apartments, this scheme is affordable and high-quality. Sleek designer kitchens by Urban Myth lead onto spacious living areas. Bathrooms feature elegant white sanitaryware by Ideal Standard and stylish chrome fittings.
A short walk from Dagenham Heathway and Dagenham East Underground stations on the District Line, this development will place City commuters just 35 minutes from their destination. For drivers, the scheme is minutes from the A13 and the A406 North Circular, offering excellent connections to central London and the M25. London City Airport is only 20 minutes away by car.
Prices for one-bedroom apartments start from an amazing £139,995 less five per cent assisted deposit and other incentives. Two-bedrooms are priced from £159,995. Each of these prices is less five per cent assisted deposit, stamp duty refund and assistance towards legal fees. To find out more call 020 8517 7887 or go online to higginshomes.co.uk.
Rydon Homes is selling The Nordic Apartments, a contemporary development of apartments on Cable Street, London E1, a very central location that is absolutely ideal for City and Canary Wharf workers. The former can walk to work, while the latter will find Canary Wharf very accessible – either by a four-stop trip on the DLR station or a 20-minute riverside walk. The River Thames is only 400m away, along with amazing proximity to the best London has to offer.
Each apartment at The Nordic Apartments has features that speak of easy, restrained luxury. The stylish kitchens are designed by Commodore and come with a full range of appliances, while bathrooms feature pure white sanitaryware and heated towel rails, and there is wooden flooring to the kitchen, living areas and hallways.
Prices start at a very friendly £187,950. For prospective landlords who need the apartment to be ready for tenants to move into – Rydon Homes offers a full furniture package; apartments can be purchased complete with all the furniture needed, from sofas to beds, and even other necessities such as cutlery!
The marketing suite is open Monday to Saturday 10am to 5pm and at other times strictly by appointment. Call 020 7780 1580 or visit nordic-cool.co.uk.