We will be organising the event next year and will inform all members once a date has been agreed.

Many thanks

Anthony

–
Anthony Whitehead
Race Secretary
BHEAA Stanmer Stagger

Full Time Residential Lettings Administrator

WAYNE's WORLD - Wayne Manley, Lettings Director

We welcome Wayne Manley back to Brighton as Brand Vaughan’s new Lettings Director. Wayne is well-known in Brighton with over 20 years all-round experience in residential sales and lettings.

He successfully ran his own business in Brighton and Hove for 8 years, and is returning home from Marbella, Spain, where he established his own overseas estate company.

“It’s good to be back” says Wayne,. I’m raring to go.” Wayne is looking forward to welcoming clients old and new. Please contact him on 01273:205550/07832:985683. Or email him at wm@brandvaughan.co.uk.

The BHEAA have made a further donation to one of their selected charities, this time being the Chestnut Tree Hospice, a childrens hospice based in Poling, West Sussex.

The idea was derived from discussions which took place between Phil Graves and Creative Director of Latest Homes, Andrew Kay during the early part of this year. Andrew and his team have named the hospice as their chosen charity for 2010 and after being heavily involved in the substantial fundraising at this years annual dinner, Phil was delighted to adopt the idea and make the gesture.

Phil confirmed;

“Andrew and I visited the hospice and from the moment we arrived we not only knew we had made the right decision to gesture some money, but were soon talking about other ways to help. It’s such a wonderful place and full of inspiration. The design of the building, its setting and the fantastic staff that work their all contribute to its success. The fundraising team have to set a task of raising millions of pounds each year to fund their efforts and our relatively small amount helps just a little. I would certainly encourage others to take a close look at the set up and lend support”.

“I am delighted that Oliver has accepted my invitation to become Honorary Solicitor to the Association. Both he and his practice reinforce the more modern attributes of the Association and it’s Members.  The advice they are able to provide to the Association will be invaluable to us”, stated 2010 President Phil Graves.

Oliver Asha is the head of the Commercial Property Department at ACUMEN BUSINESS LAW, an award winning,innovative and creative business law firm (Please read more at http://acumenbusinesslaw.co.uk).  Oliver is a commercial property specialist working around Brighton & Hove and with previous experience in the WestEnd of London. He regularly advises clients on contentious & non-contentious Commercial Property, Licensing, Environmental and Commercial Law matters.

Oliver is the honorary solicitor and/or sits on the committee of the Seafront Traders’ Association, Brighton Youth Centre, and now the Brighton & Hove Estate Agents’ Association. In addition, ACUMEN BUSINESS LAW is supportive of many local charities and business organisations and advises: Sussex Clubs for Young People (SCYP), Brighton & Hove Chamber of Commerce (BHCC), Young Enterprise South East (YESE) and the Burgess Hill Business Park Association (BHBPA).

Paul Bonnett raised over £1000 for Cancer Research UK running in The Brighton Marathon with a very respectable time of 4hrs 30mins and David Beaken ran the London Marathon the following week, raising over £2000 for Shelter.

Well done chaps!

Brand Vaughan

Jason Brand, BV Director and BHEAA council member, admits to being ridiculously excited at the prospect of selling this lovely, brick and flint house, which was built c.1890 and is Grade II listed. “I can’t remember seeing anything like this on the market in the last 10 years” he says “it’s an impressive 6,276 sq. ft. of fabulous space – with a very flexible layout”.

The lucky person who ends up buying this Chesham Road property will be spoilt for choice – the conversion from School House to handsome home has retained many original features and resulted in a spacious interior, with some lovely vaulted ceilings, which is flooded with light. There’s a main house with 5 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms (2 en-suite), Annexe No.1 with 3 bedrooms over 3 floors, Annexe No. 2, which is over the garage, and a further self-contained lower ground floor flat with its own separate entrance. Plus, of course, there’s the double garage (a very important plus in Brighton City).

Rental income from the three flats would be in the region of £2,000 per month, and if it’s a work/live option that’s needed, this property could be the perfect solution.

Step inside this space and you will be amazed – and delighted. There’s nothing else on the market, or in town, to compare as an investment or simply as a great place to live. You’ll be in a stunning location at the top of Kemp Town, a stone’s throw from the sea, and king of your own castle.

Brand Vaughan are asking for best and final offers, over £1 million, by 15th April at the latest. So if you’ve more than a million in your back pocket and are looking for a stunning and unique property to invest in, please contact Jason Brand at Brand Vaughan (01273 683111). He’ll be more than happy to show you around.

Without attempting to avoid the question, I believe it is almost impossible to be specific and to generalise as the various sectors of the market have reacted in different ways. How can it be possible to consider Brighton to say Hastings, commercial to residential, a City centre location to a rural one – no chance.

However, you cannot avoid the facts and the UK economy is in dire straits and will be so for some time to come. We slipped into substantial negative growth during 2009 and there is a modest, perhaps ambitious, increase forecast for 2010. Time will tell, but I do believe there could be a ‘double dip’ and for the economy to get slightly worse before it gets better. The first quarter of the year is always a tough time for most business and I see this year as being particularly challenging. A General Election is imminent, possibly as early as March and whichever political party gets voted into Government there will be a period of uncertainty and no doubt public sector cost cutting and tax rises. There does however seem to be some focused optimism in the business world and a determination to ‘kick start’ some activity and where there is a will, there could be a way.

Residential property transactions dipped from 1.3m at its peak in 2007, down to 0.6m in 2009. Both Halifax and Nationwide predict zero or minimal growth for 2010. For Brighton and Hove, I predict stability and continued improved activity as the Banks begin to sort out their lending criteria and are forced to lend more money, despite higher deposits being required. It is still a great place to live, but the transactions will have to be second-hand property, as little new build will take place.

Commercial property will continue to be dominated by leasehold transactions as opposed to many Freehold sales. The market relies on the supply of finance and as Bank lending only just made 10% in terms of volume in 2009 of its lending levels for 2007, then I cannot see a dramatic change taking place. The loan to value levels dipped from an average of 85% to 65%, plus a more stringent lending criteria in general. With tenant vacancies increasing, caution will be adopted. As for Brighton and Hove, I believe retail premises at sensible rents will always let, offices too but at a slower pace and industrial premises will have to be discounted. Very little Freehold investments, land or owner occupation deals.

We need a sense of business stability, a Government we have some confidence in, low interest rates and an appetite for lending, plus job security. It maybe a tall order, but cautiously possible.