The Independent re Abingdon Hot Spot! By Robert Liebman

Hot Spot: Abingdon, Oxfordshire

The wilds of Oxfordshire? Hardly. This is one satellite town that can claim few drawbacks but all the benefits of country living. Such as history, rural amenities, great schools

By Robert Liebman

Saturday, 14 April 2001

The wilds of Oxfordshire? Hardly. This is one satellite town that can claim few drawbacks but all the benefits of country living. Such as history, rural amenities, great schools

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They might be the offspring of Oxford University, a spate of first-rate schools in the university town itself and in Abingdon barely 10 miles south. Although Abingdon these days seems to be a satellite town of its famous academic neighbour, it has its own venerable history, not to mention the remains of a seventh-century abbey. This Oxfordshire community of 35,000, in the Vale of the Horse, may also be England's most continuously inhabited town. Like Oxford, Abingdon's housing stock is approximately one-fourth Victorian and 60 per cent modern. Property prices in both are higher than the national average, but Abingdon's six per cent of private renters is lower than Oxford's 14 per cent, while its property values are rising at a higher rate: 28 per cent versus 20 per cent.
Many people discover Abingdon only after being scared away by the high prices or abysmal traffic in the university town. "People in Oxford know about Abingdon but Londoners are probably unaware of it," says Jenny O'Sullivan of Allen & Harris estate agents. "We are surrounded by lovely villages and golf courses, and there are plans to open a large sports complex. We also have a great amateur opera and dramatic society, and a monthly farmers' market." There is also a local employment base, much of it concentrated in Abingdon Science Park, Abingdon Business Park and several other business parks.
"The lettings market is good, especially for first-time buyers looking to get onto the ladder. There is a bus route between Abingdon and Oxford, and we get overspill from Oxford," says Ms O'Sullivan. "Many of our buyers are families attracted to the many highly regarded schools here and in Oxford such as Josca's Preparatory, Abingdon, St Helen's, St Katherine's, Our Lady's Convent and the European School at Culham," she adds. "We also sell to many first-timers, investors and older retirees moving from a village back to town to be nearer amenities. Sellers tend to be upsizers or downsizers moving around within the local area."
Disenchanted Londoners comprise much of Hampton's customer base: "We have a niche market in which most of our clients are motivated by their children's education," says Gavin West. "Many of them are from Fulham, Kensington and Wimbledon, that sort of place, looking for the better quality of life associated with rural living. They also want a better quality of education to be available, but combined with the ease of being able to commute into London."

Low-Down

Transport
Didcot to Paddington is 40 minutes, but many commute between Abingdon and Oxford and London by bus. The A34 skirts the eastern edge of Abingdon and connects to the M4 10 miles south.
Prices
Prices start at less than £100,000 for studio flats and extend to seven figures for country estates. But a three-bed terrace can cost £125,000 in one part of town, and twice that in another. Cheaper houses are in mass-built modern estates north and south of the town. "The market was manic at some points last year, but it is quite balanced at the moment and we have a steady flow of sales," says Ms O'Sullivan.
Properties
Allen & Harris are selling a diverse range of mostly modern flats and houses, but their list includes a two-bed town centre cottage overlooking the Thames for £119,950, and a barn conversion in Frilford four miles from Abingdon for £525,000. Retirement Homesearch has homes for the over-sixties, from £105,000. Call 0870 6005560.
Heady homes
The erstwhile Morland brewery in the town centre near the River Ock is now Berkeley's The Brewery, 130 new and renovated units, including cottages, houses, townhouses and apartments when completed. The malt house, brewery and other outbuildings have been refurbished; £157,500 and £384,500 (01235 530816).
Auction
John D Wood is auctioning Dee Cottage on 9 May (unless sold previously), either as a whole (in excess of £500,000) or in two lots: £425,000 to £450,000 for the cottage, and up to £60,000 for the potential building plot. Dee Cottage is a five-bed house on 0.33 acres in Headington Hill.
Still prancing
The Uffington White Horse and 16 other figures are carved into the chalk downlands near Abingdon. The Horse has been there since at least 1084.
New
Oxford has greater choice for new homes. Near the Oxford Canal in North Oxford are Berkeley's Waterways (from £232,000; 01865 513555), and Laing's Canal Walk (townhouses from £325,000, houses from £700,000; 01865 514229 or selling agent Thomas Merrifield, 01865 515000). The same developers are building outside the city centre in Summertown. Westbury is building townhouses from £295,000.
Estate Agents
Allen & Harris, 01793 513224; Hamptons, 01865 240240; John D Wood, 01865 311522.
Blue Door Sales 01235 524800.

Mmmmm Tax from propertytalklive.co.uk

Landlords are being urged to ensure they are fully tax efficient after research shows many are failing to claim for the full range of tax allowances.
Buy-to-let mortgage specialist Paragon said landlords could offset many of the costs incurred through letting property against their income, but many were unaware of the full range of costs they could claim.
For example, Paragon's research shows that more than one in 10 landlords (13%) are not claiming for mortgage interest, despite it being a major cost for landlords.
Meanwhile, a third of landlords don't claim management or letting agent fees, with 55% of landlords not claiming for advertising costs incurred in letting their property.
Paragon's Tax Guide (prepared in association with Perrys Chartered Accountants), which can be downloaded from www.paragon-mortgages.co.uk/, helps landlords from purchase through to sale and provides comprehensive information on income tax, limited companies and Capital Gains Tax, in addition to the list of tax reliefs available to landlords and top tax tips.
Nigel Terrington, Paragon Group Chief Executive, said: "Good tax planning is key. How landlords implement, manage and run their tax affairs could have a major impact on landlords' property investments and their overall performance.
"Tax is a complex area and we are confident that our Tax Guide will help landlords obtain a better grasp of tax matters. It's vital that landlords take advantage of the allowances open to them to maximise their return on investment."
He added: "I'm sure when landlords take all of these costs into consideration it could generate a significant saving on their tax bill."

There's a man waving not drowning

I was out doing a take on this morning and popped out in the garden to take some photos when I heard a shout from high up. Actually it was more of an "Oi, oi!" which made me think I might see someone mooning on a roof.

Thank goodness it was just this guy waving at me to take a picture of him and make him famous. I didn't catch his name......

Apples with Apples eh?

A local agent is clutching at straws with a new advertising doo dah.

Have a look at this

I think what they are saying here is "We have no USP and we can't think of any way to improve our service to you and the discounts we've offered haven't worked so we are just going to pretend that all agents are the same and the only thing you (the customer) will respond to is a bribe"

Apples with apples? Try this simple test.

Call a few agents and ask them these three questions:

Is the cost of you managing a property much different for a large house or a smaller flat?

Do you charge for renewing tenancy agreements to existing tenants?

If I call you at the weekend can I speak to someone who knows me?

The answers to these questions and more will reveal that all agents are not apples. Some are much more than just an apple and one is very special because it is a BLUE fruit. You know who I mean don't you?

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