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Home Ideas – Urban Gardens

clairep — Fri, 05 Apr 2013 13:37:58 +0000

If you live in a dense city area, there’s often very little room for outdoor spaces, so check out these tips for making the most of urban gardens.

Rightmove Home Ideas has thousands of photos of real properties to browse for garden ideas so we went looking for some interesting pictures that show what can be achieved transforming a boxy brick and concrete space into a cool urban garden.

Here are our top tips to transform urban outdoor spaces.

Tip 1 – Don’t be afraid to go grass-free

If your outdoor space is surrounded by hard materials like brick, concrete and fencing, sometimes it’s more complementary to join in rather than compete.

Tip 2 – Use split levels

If you only have a small space, build up and use split levels to get more area and interest.

Tip 3 – Use bright colours or patterns

With limited options for greenery and surrounded by dull inorganic materials, add some bright colours or patterns.

Tip 4 – go white

If you have lots of big buildings around, it can be hard for the sun to reach you, so maximise the feeling of light by painting large flat areas bright white.

Tip 5 – break up rectangles

With so many straight edges and right angles in urban spaces, break up them up with curves, angles or diagonals to give the eye interest. This funky design by Robert James Landscapes also employs Tip 3 to add fun colours.

Tip 6 – you’ve built it, now enjoy it

If you’re going to design an urban garden, chances are you want to show it off and entertain friends and family in it, so make sure you have plenty of seating areas

Rightmove Home Ideas lets you browse and search thousands of real home photos. You can save the photos you like and build your own collections or just browse some of our existing featured collections.

Welsh historic castle is sold!

clairep — Thu, 26 May 2011 09:33:26 +0000

One of Wales’ most historic castles has been sold for nearly £2million. The 800 year old Norman castle and its several outbuildings were put on the market about three weeks ago and it appears that a generous bidder has come forward and offered near the asking price.

Take a look!

The Grade I listed estate is set right in the middle of Hay-on-Wye and has long been a pivotal part of the town’s history. Along with a Jacobean manor house, the new owner can look forward to a holiday cottage, a carriage house, and numerous outbuildings all of which is set within terraced gardens and surrounded by 13^th century walls. Not only is the lavish property a spectacular sight it’s also somewhat of a money-maker with many of the outbuildings used for commercial purposes including an antique shop, a Fair Trade shop, a second-hand bookshop and a clairvoyant.

While a sale hasn’t been set in stone yet (there’s always too much paperwork!), rumours have been circulating that legendary graffiti artist Banksy was amongst those interested in bidding on the property now – imagine artwork covered castle walls!

The current owner, Richard Booth, is somewhat a celebrity himself. The OAP once famously declared the town of Hay an ‘independent kingdom’ with himself as king! The eagle-eyed readers amongst you will notice that the stone over the mantelpiece and a triangular grassed area near the entrance to the castle are not included in the sale; this is because of the “erection of a proposed statue of Richard Booth” – long live King Booth!

Fly on the wall at a Knightsbridge Estate Agents

sarahbrown — Tue, 17 May 2011 10:07:40 +0000

Written by Tracy Kellett - www.buyingagent.me

W.A. Ellis, the Knightsbridge Estate Agent founded in 1868 and ddealing with some of the most prestigious addresses and clients in the world, think my blogs are funny, which is nice. They want me to write one about them. 'Only if it's warts and all' I warn. I don't want people thinking I have moved over to the dark side. 'Warts and all is fine' they say. I really hope they mean that and I really hope I am not going to have to spend an entire day with roaring 'Ruperts'.

I arrive at their Brompton Road office. A cavernous labyrinth covering many floors, housing nearly 50 property pro's and belied by the subtle shop front. If Estate Agents did TARDISes...

Leila on reception greets me. She's a born and bred Londoner, a nice change to your standard London EA receptionist, who are generally chosen for inside leg measurement, blondeness and the ability to speak English is an after thought.

Simon, my 'charming as they get' host for the day arrives. 'Lift or stairs?' he asks. 'Stairs' I say and emerge panting on the sales floor eyrie in the Knightsbridge treetops. I can see down to a square which has been a temporary home to Bill Gates and Woody Allen among many, I may know this but I suspect W.A. Ellis couldn't possibly comment.

The sales team greet me warily, they know I am writing a blog, some even know what one is. I feel like Katie Price infiltrating the Royal box.

Simon has calls to make, so I tuck myself into a corner with a steaming mug of Earl Grey. Hate the stuff. I attempt invisibility but with flapping ears.

Graeme, an 18 year old recruit to WAE 'quite a few' years ago is on the phone. 'We're not going to start this if you're not going to finish it' he booms at what I picture as an increasingly squirming buying agent. "I won't have my client messed around'. I warm to Graham.

Receivers are covered as questions get thrown to the floor.. 'Anyone seen anything good on Egerton..?' 'Whats the chance of demising that roof terrace on Walton Street?'

'Our Vendor's just lost out on an Eaton Place, can we find one, £5-£9m?' says Jamie, who started as a Saturday boy and was then supported through a Real Estate Degree by the company... I bite my lip, dying to say 'tell them to call me!'

It's time to hit the road with Simon. We are street walking Knightsbridge style. Well he is. I am sporting Clarks comfort heels and blisters, he is in Gucci. First stop a pied a terre in South Kensington. It's tenanted, (cue untidy) and has the added novelty of a snarling home alone Chihuahua. 'It's on webcam' Simon informs me, 'they watch it from work'. No kicking the dog then, I tell him.

First viewer is a glossy buying agent. 'It needs gutting' she proclaims. 'Is your client happy to do that?' asks Simon. 'NO' is the curt response. Oops, I look away and concentrate on my role of shooing dog from ankles. Another viewing and another buying agent lollops up the common parts. Simon talks through innovative ways to redesign layout. The buying agent has other ideas, dumb ones. I bite my lip. Onto the roof terrace, Simon starts a techy discussion on it not being demised and ways in which to mitigate that. It's high up and we are surrounded by London chimney pots. If I had an umbrella I could be Mary Poppins but Simon is no Dick Van Dyke. He's more Ewan McGregor in Moulin Rouge, I think wistfully. I try to focus back on roof terrace demisings and not dwell on the unlikelihood of me being mistaken for Nicole Kidman.

Another flat, and £1m nicer. Tim is already there with a gaggle of even glossier buying agents and their uber-glossy clients. I look around trying to find fault then remind myself that today I am not a buying agent, I am an EA.. I need to project the positives. 'It's very light' I say lamely. Tim and Simon classily avert their eyes from the wired glass views onto the dingy light well and say 'absolutely!' I'll stick to being a buying agent, I am so much better at being negative.

Discussions are on lease length, service charges and sink funds, as the common area's are, shall we say, 'very'. It gets very technical buying flats and the best agents spell out the good AND the bad at the front end. It save's lawyer/buyer histrionics the day before exchange.

We trot back to the office and I grab a cuppa with Lucy Morton, the doyenne, the matriach, if not supreme commander of not only WA Ellis but most committee's, boards and advisory panel's worth listening to in the property world. In this world, at this level she's as rare as hens teeth, she is a woman and a phenomenally knowledgable one. Her awards shelf competes with Ant and Dec's. I comment on the longevity of their staff, many over 15 years and Jamie starting as a Saturday boy. 'Oh yes' she says 'He was so young when he started that I wouldn't let him cross the Brompton Road'. I get a maternal twinge, then remind myself he is an Estate Agent.

I am told to talk to Charlie about the lettings side, they cover a large swathe of London from this office. Ah, the delicious Charlie. I force a lame News of The World style interrogation on him. 'Tell me your funniest tenant story'. I am regaled with inebriated Polish girls, the quaintly phrased 'birthday suits' and Dan stuck in a lift 'I was talking to his feet for an hour'.

A quick catch up with Katya, IT manager and Bill Gates' most dedicated of Bulgarian disciples. She rules all things wifi and web with an iron curtain fist... and Louboutins, then it's off with Jamie to see something in the teens of millions with the added bonus of a real-life buyer, not a buying agent. It's an astounding chandelier hung Edwardian apartment overlooking the poshest of the posh London squares. Decor is a feast of 1980's trompe l'oeil and rag roll paint effects but what the heck, it has a 30ft balustraded terrace with glorious black and white original tiling.' Can we take those up?' asks the prospective buyer. I have visions of decking, blue LED's and Cargo tea lights, my intake of breath is audible. She needs a different type of decking. Lip is bitten yet again.

Back at the office I am flagging. We have walked literally miles, as no one was getting me on the back of their ubiquitous red scooters.

I finish off with the sales guys. Dominic tells me he has been in Lettings, Sales and the surveying department.. he is a chartered surveyor and his desk, littered with very funky spectacles points to a personality too. Another 'hens teeth in the industry' moment.

As I am leaving, the whole office ask 'Have you seen Trevor Place, it's stunning'. Genuine enthusiasm for a listing is a rare thing to hear from Estate Agents. 'Yes, I have seen it', I say, (it is £17m of delicious double fronted real estate), but there's one thing I haven't seen today', I tell them.... 'A Rupert'.

We do have one of them they say, a little crestfallen... but we keep him in Accounts.

Very pleasing.

Living with RSS (Rightmove Search Syndrome)

sarahbrown — Fri, 06 May 2011 08:49:06 +0000

Written by @RightmoveAddict

My parents have lived in the same house for over 40 years, so growing up I only ever knew our family home.

Over the last 20 I have lived in nearly 30 properties and developed a fantastic disease called RSS.

I can’t remember the first time I saw Rightmove, I just remember it always being there. Last year when I got an iPhone, I could not control my excitement knowing that I would have Rightmove on tap. I remember nervously waiting while the loading bar, which seemed to take an eternity, slided along until it said complete. The butterflies in my stomach as I clicked the logo and it started to load and the total euphoria seeing it there in mobile form.

From that day on my addiction grew, now I didn’t have to wait to get home to load my extremely slow laptop, I could look at my phone and there was the wondrous site.

So what is a typical day as a sufferer of RSS? Well I wake up and look at properties just to see what’s new on the market. If I am stood on a street, I will check out the market and have a nosey of their interior choices. At night I cannot sleep without getting my fix whether it’s looking for the lottery win home or seeing what the house is like down the road.

Like most sufferers it can be hardest on the family. My husband arrived home the other night and said “ do you know that house round the corner is on the market”, yes I replied “for £174,950 and has been on for about 4 weeks”. His face was one of annoyance, here he was thinking he had come home with exciting property news, which I may not have known, and little Miss Rightmove had all the answers.

I know I am not alone, that there are many sufferers out there, but I like to believe I have the most terminal form of RSS. So this is me Mrs. Rightmove Addict allowing you a small insight into my world, so until next time …

The ultimate souvenir – Kate Middleton’s childhood home!

clairep — Wed, 20 Apr 2011 16:29:19 +0000

In just a matter of weeks, Prince William will marry Kate Middleton in what’s set to be an unforgettable lavish ceremony watched by billions. The country has gone wedding-mad in the countdown to the celebrations and has been busy stocking up on memorabilia including royal wedding-themed tea towels, mugs and even fridges! But for the most dedicated of fans, the ultimate souvenir is now up for grabs… Kate Middleton’s childhood home!

Look inside West View now!

The four-bedroom semi-detached Victorian Villa in Bradfield Southend, Berkshire has a guide price of £495,000 and is up for auction just weeks after the couple wed. The future queen lived in West View from birth until she was thirteen years old and her parents’ business, Party Pieces, was started and run in the garden shed. The ‘Middleton Bus Tours’ already visit the property so there’s no doubt that the house’s royal history is likely to have a positive effect on the value – who wouldn’t want to grow up in a princess’ house?! There are already rumours that it could be bought and turned into a museum or let out as a holiday cottage.

So if you fancy a little (well rather large actually) piece of royal wedding history then start practicing your best ‘tally ho’ and get your Prince William posters at the ready, and you could be living in a house fit for a queen!

Is this Wales’ most unique council house?

clairep — Wed, 02 Mar 2011 14:28:04 +0000

Swansea Council has put this former park keeper’s lodge in Byrnmill on the market for £120,000. Singleton Park Lodge can be found by the entrance of the park and is within walking distance of Swansea beach.

The gothic-style property comes with more space than you might think including three bedrooms, two reception rooms, kitchen and a bathroom all set over three floors. Its charm doesn’t stop there however; this grade II listed property also offers an enclosed level courtyard and picturesque period windows.

Fancy living near the park rather than in it? Check out these properties close by...

3 bedroom house - £295,000	3 bedroom house - £259,950
3 bedroom house - £178,500	2 bedroom house - £149,000

Everything Changes for Robbie as he sells his vast country estate

clairep — Wed, 02 Mar 2011 11:19:10 +0000

Back in 2009, before he re-joined Take That (hallelujah!) Robbie Williams splashed out nearly £8.5million on an 18^th century, seven bedroom manor in the Wiltshire countryside. But it seems the popstar quickly regretted his impulse buy as the property is back on the market.

Robbie, who’s worth an estimated £80million, looks set to lose around £1million from the sale as it can now by purchased for a cool £7.5million (or even less if you believe the reports).

Compton Basset House is set in seventy-one acres of stunning countryside that houses a helicopter hanger, two staff flats and a cottage, and a formal garden with temples and fountains. In the mere year that Robbie called the sprawling pad home, he commissioned a full size football pitch and a dirt track for quad biking – much to the dislike of the neighbours!

The outside isn’t all this property has to offer however, inside is just as luxurious. With a sauna, hot tub, his & her bathrooms, huge wine cellar, library and indoor swimming pool, it’s unlikely that Robbie will have ‘no regrets’ once he’s sold this rock star pad.

The ‘Angels’ singer is thought to have bought the property largely because of its ‘crop circle’ location; Robbie is said to be intrigued by all things extra-terrestrial and was hoping to spot a few UFOs for himself.

Robbie swiftly moved back to LA just months after moving across the pond complaining of ‘bad weather’ but it looks as though the star may be ‘back for good’ as he’s now busy with the Take That tour.

Sports Personality of the Year sells his equestrian manor!

clairep — Tue, 01 Mar 2011 13:02:41 +0000

He won the Grand National last year so it wasn’t going to be long until he sold up and moved somewhere equally grand. That’s not to say his current abode is anything less than spectacular.

Check it out here!

Top jockey Tony McCoy is selling his 6,500ft²country house in Lambourn for £2.5million. Set in an area known as ‘The Valley of the Racehorse’, Lodge Down House is a sprawling mansion with over 38 acres of land set in stunning Berkshire countryside. With endless space like that, you’ll never need to worry that your late night parties will wake the neeeeigh-bours! (ok, bad joke…)

Tony bought the country manor back in 2006. The property comes complete with five bedrooms, four reception rooms, a self-contained annex, posh electric gates and beautifully landscaped gardens. What once was a B&B is now filled with horse-racing memorabilia including his recent BBC ‘Sports Personality of the Year’ accolade.

McCoy has won more than 3,000 races and racked up a bone-breaking 680 falls. This hasn’t stopped the sportsman from staying away from his equestrian friends though - the jockey has gained permission to build a 10,000ft² family home with space for sixty stables (that’s a lot of horses!)

If you see yourself as the next superstar jockey check out these equestrian properties across the UK – perfect for practicing your galloping skills!

Essex - £2,200,000	Newcastle upon Tyne - £1,800,000
Welwyn - £1,395,000	West Sussex - £965,000

Properties with heart!

clairep — Mon, 14 Feb 2011 17:15:05 +0000

As it's Valentine's Day we thought we'd have a look for 'love-themed' properties on Rightmove to get you into the romantic mood.

Here are our favourites:

Love Walk - £1,350,000	Rose Cottage - £499,000
Love Lyne Lane - £1,150,000	The Heart - £1,000 pcm

The Dragon is selling his Den!

clairep — Wed, 26 Jan 2011 09:38:24 +0000

Peter Jones, the youngest of the Dragons on the popular Dragon’s Den, is saying ‘I’m out’ and selling his £3.25 million mansion. The six-bedroom family home is situated in Beaconsfield in what is known as the ‘golden triangle’ due to all of the luxurious homes in the area.

Have a look around the den now!

Built in 2002, Mountbatten House comes complete with deluxe interiors including a ‘Belgravia’ hand painted kitchen, fully programmable mood lighting system in each room and a triple garage to house Peter’s fleet of cars. And because it’s a multi-millionaire’s pad, there has to be something a little bit special… an enormous ‘bathing chamber’ in the master bedroom – a totally pimped out bathroom to you and me!

The telecoms entrepreneur, known for his straight-talking, is believed to have initially moved to the area to be closer to his business ‘Phones International’ so he could spend more time with his wife and five children.

Forty-four year old Peter has a property portfolio of an estimated £10 million including various investments in Spain and Portugal so while he may be ‘out’ of this Buckinghamshire beauty he’s sure to snap something else up soon.

Here’s what he could afford in the area:

Chalfont St. Giles – £3,500,000	Coleshill – Guide Price £3,750,000
Gerrards Cross – £4,500,000	Jordans – £3,000,000

Live like a reality star!

clairep — Tue, 25 Jan 2011 13:04:17 +0000

It’s been a rollercoaster few years for reality star Kerry Katona and it doesn’t seem to be getting much better. While the newly-slim blonde is busy skating around on this year’s Dancing on Ice, her former home in Cheshire, Hartree House, has allegedly been repossessed and is now on the market to the highest bidder.

Look inside Hartree House now!

The mother of four previously lived in the five-bedroom house with her children and ex-husband Mark. The spacious property has been the set for numerous reality programmes capturing Kerry’s colossal fall from grace.

The property is reported to have been bought for £1,225,000 and is now on the market for a much more conservative £1,100,000. The contemporary family home is split over four floors and is situated in the sought-after area of Wilmslow.

The Atomic Kitten singer has now moved down south to ‘rebuild her career’ and is thought to be living in a £1 million mansion in Surrey. Since the move and her split from bad boy cab driver Mark Croft, Kerry seems to have turned her life around and is signed with a new management company who also handle reality favourite Peter Andre. But fear not, even though life is now sweeter for she’s still busy documenting her life in Kerry Katona: The Next Chapter.

If you fancy a property on a reality star budget check out these houses across the UK.

Liverpool – £1,100,000	Devon – £1,100,000
Newcastle – £1,100,000	Sussex – £1,100,000

Castles fit for a Prince… and of course his new queen!

clairep — Wed, 17 Nov 2010 16:20:16 +0000

It's not long now until Prince William and Kate Middleton say 'I do' in front of billions of spectators across the globe and one thing is for sure... they’re going to need a pretty spectacular abode for post-wedding family life!

We'd like to think Rightmove will be their first port-of-call for the hunt of their perfect property (you never know!) and it turns out there are some rather spectucular castles up for grabs!

Check out some of the castles we found on Rightmove for a taster of what royalty could be like… nothing wrong with dreaming – Prince Harry is still on the market after all!

	Ruperra Castle - £1,500,000 Officially recorded as an ancient monument, this Welsh castle was originally constructed in in the seventeenth century. Now just ruins, this castle would make an exciting project for those looking to renovate the property and live like a modern day monarch.
Midmar Castle - £3,200,000 This 10-bedroom lavish castle is stooped in tradition boasting spiral stairways, ground floor vaulted room and a great hall - ideal for afternoon tea with the Queen!

	Myres Castle - £2,950,000 Myres Castle has beautiful panoramic views over the Scottish countryside. It's set in 45 acres of its own grounds and enclosed with a high stone wall, making it the perfect private spot for the newlyweds.
Italian Castle - €1,300,000 This stunning castle in central Italy is one of the last remaining fortified structures in the area and boasts breath-taking views of unspoilt countryside. While the structure remains in good condition, the property is longing for some loving owners to help it back to its former glory.

Welsh tourist attraction up for grabs

clairep — Tue, 19 Oct 2010 13:53:44 +0000

Boasting breath-taking views of the crystal clear sea and flanked by acres of woodland, Waterwynch house is a cash-rich buyers paradise. And the stunning estate in Pembrokeshire that has played a major role in Welsh tourism for the past 200 years is now officially on the market!

Look inside Waterwynch house here.

The property situated in Tenby has been used to entertain overseas guests for decades. The beachside house was first built by Charles Norris in the early 19^th century when he was given the land in recognition of his work promoting the seaside town. It was later owned by Lord and Lady Ridsdale whose son-in-law Conservative Prime Minister, Stanley Baldwin was often a guest, adding to the town’s popularity.

What once was a rundown hotel, has now been converted into a beautiful family home with an asking price of £3.5million. Philip Evans, the present owner of the property, used to be the chairman of the Welsh Tourist board and credits the lovingly restored house with helping to keep Wales a popular holidaying destination.

The eleven bedroom house can be accessed down a quiet country lane and has its own beach front and a deep-water mooring (one needs a place to keep the yachts!). The property also includes a separate four bedroom lodge which is currently set up for short-term holiday rentals. Waterwynch house and all of its glory is set in 30 acres of land and stunningly laid formal gardens and it’s clear to see why so many tourists have flocked to area to marvel in its beauty.

If you fancy living in this stunning tourist spot but can’t afford the price tag then check out these more affordable options all in Tenby, Pembrokeshire.

9 bedroom house - £799,950	4 bedroom house - £499,950
5 bedroom house - £395,000	2 bedroom house - £199,950

Mull of Kintyre – Rock and Roll history for sale!

clairep — Mon, 18 Oct 2010 16:29:53 +0000

It was the inspiration for Sir Paul McCartney’s Christmas number 1 and now the Mull of Kintyre can be yours for just £2.95million!

The stunning area in southwest Scotland on the Kintyre Peninsula gained international recognition when Macca and his band Wings topped the charts with the first ever single to sell over 2million copies in the UK. McCartney is said to have fallen in love with the region when he escaped there after the split of the Beatles and wrote the song to pay tribute to the area.

The impressive sporting estate is now being sold and boasts a nine bedroom Edwardian house, nine estate houses and cottages, and a vast 7,360 acres of land. There’s no shortage of craggy hills, woodland and sandy beaches to practice your fishing, shooting or stalking (animals not Sir Paul!) and there’s an array of wildlife including herds of cows, sheep, deer, wild goats and eagles.

The sprawling manor covers nine miles of coastline with spectacular views overlooking Carskiey Bay and comes complete with a profitable farming business.

With five spacious reception rooms and oodles of period features, the inside of the estate isn’t too shabby either. It comes complete with a hydropathic bathroom (an old-age spa to you and me) with a ‘ship deck’ floor and shower with hoses for fresh and salt water – unfortunately these no longer work.

While the Beatles legend may not be the owner of this famous estate, he would be your neighbour! McCartney owns High Park, a farmhouse near Campbelltown which he bought back in 1966 and was known to enjoy relaxing breaks with his late wife Linda and their children there.

If you fancy a country getaway like the former Beatle then check out some of these idyllic rural properties.

Gloucestershire - £795,000	Nottinghamshire-£1,400,000	Devon - £2,250,000
Kent - £549,950	Yorkshire – £299,950	Norfolk – £995,000

The UK’s ‘most haunted’ house is up for sale on Rightmove! Take a look inside if you dare!

clairep — Mon, 13 Sep 2010 15:34:33 +0000

Don’t let the plain exterior fool you… this grade two listed building is known to be one of the UK’s most haunted properties.

Wymering Manor is said to have around twenty spooky spirits living within its 17^th century walls, attracting a lot of attention from ghost hunters and those looking for a fright. The Hampshire property has a reputation of high levels of paranormal activity including eerie sightings, children laughing and sudden drops of temperature. It’s so scary in fact that the ghostly goings-on have appeared on Youtube and TV’s Most Haunted.

Dare to look inside?

Along with being the scariest, the manor is also the oldest house in Portsmouth; the site was even mentioned in the Domesday Book back in 1086. Reportedly King Edward the Confessor and William the Conqueror have both called these foundations home at some point, and it’s thought that Roman and Medieval treasures can be found underneath the property.

The ten-bedroom manor, which has been used as a youth hostel, monastery and vicarage, is up for sale for £375,000 (a bargain if you don’t mind some rather creepy housemates) and is up for auction later this month. This frightening property could also have great potential as a hotel because of its scare factor and is likely to entertain thrill-seekers for many centuries to come.

If the thought of ghosts makes you come out in a cold sweat then fear not! Check out some of these properties in the UK for the same budget – ghoul free we promise!

Hertfordshire	Cheshire	Yorkshire
Sussex	South Wales	Suffolk