Elections, Ducks and Property

It’s Election Day!

In case you’ve somehow managed to avoid the flurry of press and hysteria, you have until 10pm tonight to get down to your local polling station and cast your vote. As we mentioned in our last blog post, it seems to be another painfully close call but we expect another dreary two horse race between Labour and Conservatives. There does seem to be a youthful push for the Greens so final results could indeed pull up an unexpected curve ball. Either way, get voting people!

If you still haven’t decided on who to vote for you may want to check out this rather nifty election compass which asks simple questions to gauge your political leanings. You can find it here.

In other Leicester news, we spotted a rather endearing story over at Leicester Mercury we wanted to share. In part this is to lighten the tone of the day and because we just love local oddities.

A mother duck and 13 of her ducklings have been spotted waddling around the street in Cosby. If you’re already quackers for ducks, you’ll know that it’s prime time for ducklings around this time of year. Speaking to Leicester Mercury, animal carer Angela Downham testified that it’s very common to see such behaviour inland around May time.

The ducks luckily waddled to safely in a nearby pond but not all mother ducks are so lucky with many getting stuck in domestic gardens and industrial areas. Check out the endearing photo by Chris Gordon below.

Check back with us in June for more updates and with any luck, a new government! For now, keep in touch via Facebook and Twitter or give us  call on 0116 2990 990 to discuss our properties today.

Pre-Election Property Seesaw

We’d be lying if we said that pre-election anxieties hadn’t at least slowed down the UK property market a little bit. It’s no surprise then that such a minor change in the public’s buying habits has given the press another opportunity to blow things out of proportion. Leicester isn’t exactly London but it’s evident by our burgeoning business that the British public are still very interested in keeping the property market on its toes. We’ve seen plenty of new faces coming through our doors and can only hope that whatever the outcome of the election, this continues to grow.

Anyway, the NEWS –as irrelevant as it may seem, London based estate agent Foxtons has lamented the recent dip in London based business. For the rest of the UK this is actually a good thing and marks the first time since 2009 that the rest of the UK’s national growth price has exceeded that of the capital. This news follows a prediction made by the Centre for Economics and Business Research that London property prices would fall by at least 3.6% in 2015. This further contrasts a UK wide price hike of 1.5% and though that may seem minor, it’s refreshing to see a new balance reached after consistently bloated London market growth.

*sigh*

It’s evident that some people may be holding off because of the potentially messy outcome of the election. There’s talk of coalitions, mansion tax, scrapping bedroom tax, rent control, assistance to buy and then just general anxiety over an unwanted government. Many will welcome Labour’s refreshing take on economics while blue voters think a ‘long term economic plan’ will help. Whatever the outcome, it’s been one of the oddest elections in recent memory with no clear winner in sight.

Whatever the outcome, you can count on Newby & Co to continue to provide friendly, personal service in the Leicester area.

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Cinemas of Leicester

Sometimes we get the impression that Leicester is a little underrated when it comes to cultural appreciation. If you look hard enough, it’s evident that Leicester is home to a rich and vivid artistic community. If you’re a film buff, it can be a little frustrating as more and more cinemas shut down or only stick to a strict regimen of ‘blockbuster’ listings. Film comes in all kinds of weird and wonderful forms and variety is the spice of life! Thankfully, Leicester has a fair selection of picture houses including…

• Phoenix – Independent Cinema, Art Centre & Cafe Bar

Exactly the sort of cinema this country needs more of! Situated in a colourful art deco construct, Phoenix is dedicated to the finest visual art and cinema both past and present. The team clearly understand the inspiration and educational worth of film and have formed a delightful cinema with excellent screens, diverse listings and an awesome cafe bar with plenty of tasty beers and treats. If you prefer your films to have more than just bangs and explosions then the Phoenix will suit you perfectly.

• Odeon Cinema – Freemans Park

Situated just a half mile out of the Leicester city centre within the Freemans Park leisure complex, you know where to go if you’re itching for a blockbuster. The screens are huge, the service is good and the cinema listings cast a fine balance between mainstream and independent. Don’t expect anything ‘special’ but it’s a reliable picture house with decent screens.

• Showcase Cinemas – Highcross Shopping Centre

Another chain cinema but slightly lesser known, Showcase offer an excellent cinema experience with 4K Digital Projection and Real 3D. Private screenings are also offered alongside party facilities so expect a welcoming and hospitable environment. Cinema listings are a little one dimensional with not much room for variety, there’s a definite favour for big name titles but if that’s what you’re after then you’ll be right at home.

What’s your favourite Leicester cinema?

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First Richard III, Now Shakespeare?

There’s a certain former British King causing something of a stir among the people of Leicester at the moment. He may have been dead for over 500 years but old Richard III has finally received the dignified burial deserved of a king. Slain in 1485 at the modest age of 32 during the Battle of Bosworth Field, the divisive leader has since resided under a Leicester car park for hundreds of years after his original tomb was destroyed during the Protestant Reformation. After being excavated in 2012, three years of tests and radiocarbon dating come to an end with a sealed tomb in Leicester Cathedral.

The new coffin is a fascinating construct consisting of two tonnes of pale Swaledale fossil limestone and an engraved incised cross. The coffin itself was finally lowered into an underground vault in the cathedral floor on Tuesday marking the end of this whole ordeal.  A lot has been learned about Richard III since his excavation thanks to the phenomenal advances in forensic science. It seemed like a one off occurrence, surely we won’t start exhuming the skeletons of cultural heroes of the past to have a poke and prod? An academic from the University of Witwatersrand in Johannesburg suggests otherwise.

‘Francis Thackeray’ seems to think it would be a good idea to exhume Shakespeare and use analysis of his bones to forge new information on the legendary playwright’s lifestyle. There are many rumours about Shakespeare but few are confirmed, including claims that he was a fervent stoner. Unfortunately for Thackeray, the writer was also deeply paranoid about exhumation and the abuse of corpses. This man did not want to be played with after death.

His tomb actually states “cursed be he that moves my bones”, it’s pretty clear he means hands off! Still, there could be a way around it if they could swap a little DNA from his teeth. It’s unclear how this will be done or if at all but laser scanning may also help provide an accurate recreation of his face. Richard III has certainly opened a can of worms!

What do you think? Should we be writing new chapters about old history?

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Tea Rooms of Leicester

In this day and age it can be hard to find a truly exceptional tea room. The art of the cream tea may reside in the South West but there are still a select few out there that know the secret to a great tea room. Thankfully, Leicester has more than its fair share of fine eateries, bars and cafes but hidden away among them are three peerless tea rooms.

• Mrs Bridges Tearooms

Built in 1793, this gorgeous establishment is found deep within the alluring left field Lanes area. Expect to this marvellous tea room and restaurant tucked between Leicester’s finest independent shops and boutiques. Serving traditional tea room mainstays alongside an illustrious menu of hearty home-made meals (full English breakfasts, pies, pastries, sandwiches), if you’re ever in a pickle for where to go for lunch you could do a lot worse than dropping by Mrs Bridges. A real Leicester gem.

• St. Martin’s Tea & Coffee

While St.Martin’s may foremost resemble a slightly modern take on the traditional coffee shop, they do indeed stick to the ethos of a great tea room. Featured in the 2015 BBC Goodfood Magazine as one of the best UK coffee roasters, it’s hard to deny they know their way around a blender. More than just a coffee shop, expect a kids play area, board games to relax and play, bike locks for mobile visitors and a sublime selection of chunky sandwiches, cakes and light bites. Marvellous!

• The Cattows Farm Shop

Bit of a ‘far out’ choice here but how could one deny the charms of a tea room, farm shop and pick your own fruit ground all in one place? Cattows Farm is a wonderfully quaint patch of farmland that offers visitors a plethora of natural produce and pastoral indulgence. The tea room offers a range of main meals  7 days a week including Sunday lunch and sandwiches.  Expect traditional afternoon tea, cake and scones served from 2:30pm with booking advised.  Cattows has certainly drawn its fair share of applause and it’s not hard to see why!

What’s your favourite Leicester cafe or tea room? Let us know.

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Join Our 50 Club!

If you’ve not checked our website or Facebook lately, then there’s an unfortunate chance you’ve not seen our 50 club deal. After an extraordinary start to the year with record beating sales, we felt it was time to give a little something back to our customers(so soon after Christmas too!).

We’re a confident bunch here at Newby & Co, but never arrogant and we have absolute faith that we can provide you the best estate agency in the Leicester area. If we fail on that ethos, then you are free to call us up on it and as such, we’ve introduced the 50 club.

Essentially, if we fail to find you a buyer for your property in 50 days from the properties publication in our portfolio, then we’ll cut your fees by exactly half. Time is indeed running out to take advantage of this offer and we are currently limiting the offer to the first 50 clients who apply.

If you’re thinking of selling your home, please get in touch on 0116 2990 990 to arrange a free valuation. We cover Leicester areas such as Glenfield, Groby, Ratby, Markfield, Anstey and Kirby Muxloe which you can learn more about on our website.

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Meet the Team

As Newby & Co enters its fourteenth year in business (yes, we’re in the terrible teens!) we thought we’d give our blog a little reflective charm. When Kevin Newby and his wife Candi opened up this estate agency back in 2001, the world was entering an uncertain new age of digital globalisation. Businesses came and went, networking grew and social media took over but there you are, Newby & Co soldiers on! Why not meet our team?

Kevin & Candi Newby

Kevin is an entrepreneurial estate agent with experience dating back to 1985 after joining the Snushall Leicester City Centre office as an 18 year old A-level graduate. What followed was an impressive legacy in business and one which gave him the confidence to bite the bullet and open his own outlet in 2001.

By starting Newby & Co with wife Candi, Kevin has been able to focus independently on customer satisfaction and build trusted relationships with his clients. His ethos is the complete antithesis of the faceless corporate practice so commonly found throughout the UK today and one that has served the team very well.

Candi initially sacrificed much to help Kevin build Newby & Co from scratch but this perseverance and faith has given Glenfield a much lauded independent estate agent it can be proud of!

Despite Candi’s continued activity in the office, this has not stopped her from opening her own business ‘The Gift Boutique Flint’ in Groby and Birstall!

Tracey Woodward and Caroline Freeman

The delightful Tracey joined the ‘family’ in February 2003 as an administrative assistant but has since become an integral and much loved face at Newby & Co. She is very popular with our clients and always ready to help with marketing appraisals and any of your property niggles – so never underestimate her knowledge of the area!

The once Yorkshire based Caroline is our newest arrival and by that we mean she joined us in April 2004. A strong character with excellent sales negotiation skills and a wonderful interpersonal approach, it just wouldn’t be the same without her! Her knowledge in the Ratby area is unrivalled.

Pippin the West Highland Terrier

There isn’t much to say about Pippin that hasn’t already been said by our clients a thousand times over. We highly recommend tickling his tummy if you drop by, he’ll love you for life!

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Britain’s Smallest Properties

The UK is home to some extraordinarily small properties and we’re not talking about single bed maisonettes here, these are the kind you’d struggle to toss a borrower around in. We decided to have a breezy scan of the net for obvious cases and came up with a shortlist.

• The Islington Flower Shop

This former flower shop was converted into a no bedroom property last year and ended up selling for an outrageous £275,000 despite being half the size of a train carriage. Some poor soul with more money than sense must’ve found some kind of novelty value in the home but we doubt they’ll be throwing parties any time soon. At fifth of the size of an average new build the owner gets a mezzanine bed, a toilet/shower combi and an ‘open plan’ kitchen….

• Colchester Cottage

This charming cottage in Colchester was publicised as having a market value of £77,000 last year with its current owner Mr Cross having enjoyed it as a base of operation for his electrical business for a good 30 years. The property is said to be the tiniest in the area with a single bedroom, two storey make up and outside toilet. The property was originally bought from an elderly lady and her son who seemed to enjoy its quaint short comings. We’re rather taken with its slim design and vintage aesthetic and believe it could be a nice match for the right buyer.

• The Smallest House In Great Britain

This Guiness Book of Records recognised property has drawn the attention of tourists worldwide as the smallest house in Great Britain. With measurements of 72 inches wide by 122 inches tall, you can muster a good idea of what to expect before you make your first step through the door. The property was last occupied by a local Conwy fisherman named Robert Jones who sold it on in May 1990 – he was 6 ft 3… For the last 24 years this cramped 16^th century haunt has been open to public tours with fancy dress guides providing enthused entry to visitors from the world over. If you’re ever in Wales and have an interest in novelty property we highly recommend a visit – it’s only £1!

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Rutland Takes a Major Hike

Lovely Rutland

The gang at Newby & Co are currently celebrating a rather wonderful start to 2015. Though it may seem like ‘just another year’ to some, for us it’s a fresh start to better our business and build on the burgeoning success of 2014. First of all – are you looking to sell in 2015? If so please get in touch as we are already attracting an encouraging number of enquiries. Contact us now on 0116 2990 990 or email us here for a free evaluation.

Anyway, on to the news! It would appear that the wonderfully reserved landlocked community of Rutland has come out on top of the national house price listings. Rutland is situated approximately 30 miles out from our office but it still attracts a fair share of interest, especially among older and wealthier clients. For those unfamiliar, Rutland is the smallest county in mainland England and home to approximately 38,000 people. Better yet, 2012 revealed it to be the happiest county in the mainland UK, not bad for the original (fictional) home of The Rutles!

All You Need is Cash?…

Price wise you should now expect to pay an average of £305,000 for a property in Rutland, an insane £50,000 hike one the same average calculated 12 months ago. This 19% growth in property value managed to exceed Greater London (18%) but such economic riches are surely going to alienate those on lower incomes and first time buyers looking to settle down in the area.

The top tier properties are clearly selling fantastically and Rutland will only benefit financially from those willing to invest. On the other hand, Rutland remains a small conservative community with little leeway when it comes to demographic variety.

Would you move to Rutland or are the prices just too far up the economic echelons?

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Relocation Essentials

So 2015 has finally reared its head and with it another cycle of the seasons. While many will be busy reflecting on last year’s accomplishments and regrets, others will be looking forward with a keen eye to the future.

Relocation is hot on the agenda this time of year and a lot of people will be looking to make a big move for the first time. To help you avoid common missteps, take heed of the following:

• Insurance

When you choose a relocation service to move all your beloved possessions it’s important to check if they have decent insurance to cover accidents. The last thing you want is your hi-fi and crockery rattling around in pieces because some gristle-headed handyman couldn’t keep his balance. A free survey before moving is also a key aspect to attain.

• Label Your Boxes Clearly

Arghh! Been in your new place a month and still can’t find your jewellery? Should’ve labelled those boxes. It doesn’t matter if you ‘dont have all that much stuff’, you’ll be surprised by what you lose. It also gives removal teams an idea of what they’re handling. The pros of doing this are pretty obvious and it’s bewildering why some people fail to do so.

• The Relocation Survival Bag

A bit like a first aid kit only with clothes, wash bags and a bottle of wine. Pretend you’re going on holiday for a week and pack the essentials; you’re going to be in unfamiliar territory with all your things packed away. Imagine you’re stuck in the middle of nowhere, what do you immediately pine for? Coffee, pajamas and iPod speakers? Throw them in.

• Utility Readings

This should be paramount and can be a bit of a rude awakening down the line if neglected. Over charges, confusion over the phone and messing up the new tenants bill records are all possible outcomes. On your last day, get a pen and paper and write them down or better yet take a picture on your phone too!

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