By, Charlie Jacoby
3 min read
ByCharlie Jacoby, Charlie Jacoby
It's one of London's superstar suburbs, with a low-key loveliness that attracts the rich and famous. Surrounded by green belt, Radlett emerged as a top-rank suburb in the late 19th century, following the building of the Midland Railway from Bedford to London. Today its population of 8,000 (around a quarter of them Jewish) can boast some of the highest property prices along the M25.
Agent Village Estates, which has offices in Radlett and Elstree, is selling a six-bedroom house in two-thirds of an acre on Newlands Avenue at an asking price of £2.95 million. "We are a niche market," says Neil Landau of Village Estates. "The market is good. Prices have been going up over the year, but they are starting to flatten out. I think next year will be similar to now. "
Gavyn Fresco, at agent Statons, says the Radlett market remains strong, "especially if you have the right property at the right price". For him, one of the beauties of Radlett is that there are no bad roads. "In every road there are one, two, three or four fantastic houses," he says. "And there will always be the best roads - Loom Lane, Newlands Avenue, The Warren, The Avenue and The Ridgeway."
According to the Zoopla website, there have been nine house and flat sales on Loom Lane in the past three years, with the average sold house price nearly £2 million. A newly-built house at 47 Loom Lane went for just under £4 million in June. Developer James Craig will not name the buyer, but it is believed to be a footballer.
Greystones is a new property on The Warren in Radlett, providing 5,220 sq ft of living space on three levels.
It has air conditioning, mood lighting, multi-room music control, a Poggenpohl fitted kitchen with Gaggenau appliances and a leisure complex with steam room, changing, shower and WC - all for £2.795 million, freehold. Security includes an alarm system, cameras, digital recording, mains-powered smoke and heat detection and a gated entrance with video entry. Agent is Statons.
Octagon Developments is working on two schemes in Radlett. Loom Lane will be a mansion in around half an acre of gardens, with four reception rooms, grand entrance hall, lift to first-floor master bedroom suite and six more bedrooms, four en-suite. It also has a swimming pool, cinema, wine cellar and parking for five cars. Gills Hill will be a new five-bedroom detached house with five bathrooms, kitchen/breakfast/family room and two further reception rooms with double garage. Prices to be arranged.
Elstree has similar appeal to Radlett. Statons recently sold a six-bedroom house in Elstree at an undisclosed price in the millions. It didn't even reach the wider market - it sold on the third phone call, says Mr Fresco.
Estate agent Breslauer had four prominent houses for sale on Barnet Lane, Elstree earlier this year and sold the lot. Period properties, they ranged in date from 1864 to 1908. "Barnet Lane - you love it or hate it," says Anthony Breslauer. "But houses here are set back and beautiful. Over the last two years, we saw the market decline here. In the first months of this year, we have seen modest growth month on month. In the last two or three months, prices have plateaued. There is demand for good-quality family homes."
Breslauer is selling an unusual house in Medburn, on the Elstree/Radlett border. Behind electronic gates, on a one-and-a-half acre plot, this late-Victorian country home features a converted barn, inner cobbled courtyard and a swimming pool. The asking price is £2.5 million."This property is quirky in the nicest possible sense," says Mr Breslauer. "Parts are Harry Potteresque."
Aitchisons is another agent with wide coverage across Radlett and Elstree. William Susman of Aitchisons agrees that prices in the Radlett area are protected by strong demand. "Whereas at the beginning of the year we would get 10 people around a property, it's probably now six or seven," he says. "But good-quality, sensibly-priced property is still flying out of the door. Property like that can go in two weeks."
Aitchisons is offering 10 new apartments above Brook Court, Watling Street. Developer St James's Properties has put another floor on top of an existing block of flats. New two-
bedroom, two-bathroom flats start at just under £240,000. With Winkworths, Aitchisons has already sold four to investors and there is an open weekend on November 27 to 28.