Rural Property with Golf Course
We are currently marketing a substantial property with a golf course in its grounds on the Dorset/Somerset border. Not just any old pitch and put though, this is a challenging eleven hole course with a proper water hazard in the form of a large lake, undulations and 200 yard holes. On the face of it this should be a shoo in for a golf-mad buyer who would pay a premium for the ready enjoyment of his or her passion….oh, and with a great house chucked in to boot.
Marketing property though is not quite that straightforward and for every golfer there are other home owners who would rather graze horses or keep alpacas on the land and this would certainly be a realistic option in this case. So as well as emphasising the golfing aspect to prospective purchasers, we also have to widen the market and suggest alternatives for the use of the 7.6 acres on offer. This is naturally quite vexing for the owner who having spent many years and a great deal of money on his creation but he accepts our advice that not everyone will share his dream and is moving on.
Rural Property with Cricket Pitch
A property near Tisbury in the Nadder Valley with a cricket pitch was sold not so long ago and the same rule applies. Despite careful groundsmanship of the perfectly kept wicket, there is limited added value to having a county standard pitch on your property when a buyer might prefer to put up rugby posts for his budding Jonny Wilkinsons.
Sport and leisure activities are an important aspect of our lives from the personal interest point of view and for our well-being but only a limited few sporting installations are likely to add value to our properties. A case in point being outdoor swimming pools. For some buyers a pool might be high on their wish list but for many the expense of heating and maintaining one, the lack of opportunity to actually make use of it with our fickle climate and safety concerns where there are small children around, can be a detrimental factor. Indoor swimming pools in contrast are much more likely to create positive interest.
Properties with Gym
For some, a gym for some is regarded as not much better than a torture chamber but a well maintained tennis court will often prove popular with families. We are frequently asked whether a property’s garden is large enough for a court.
Equestrian Properties
The most sought after leisure facility is an equestrian one. Suitable acreage, stabling and preferably a ménage are highly desirable amenities. This market is huge and the house itself can often be of secondary importance to the buyer compared to the quality and extent of the facilities to keep and manage horses.
Riverfront Properties for fishing
River frontage or close proximity to a well stocked body of water is a very attractive proposition to a keen fisherman. In a different league all together however is a sporting shoot where hundreds of acres of open countryside and accompanying woodland are needed together with the skills of a good gamekeeper. For those with the means, the addition of this lifestyle to a seriously good house is an essential part of a package, for the rest of us though, a paddling pool and a tree house will suffice!
