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If you're overseas and are considering investment in UK property, this guide from Harvey Homes aims to shed light on the key factors driving this trend and provide insights to help you navigate this promising market.

In this blog, we'll explore the future of smart homes, examining the trends and technologies that are reshaping the way we live and transforming the real estate industry.

All aspirations in life need to start with a plan and property investment is no different. Many people decide that property investment is going to be part of their wider financial strategy and the most successful investors have a property investment business plan in place from the start. So, what is a property investment plan? In this blog, we’ll explore what one is, why you need one and the key components that are needed to create one.

Cheshire-headquartered property developer The Ratcliffe Property Group has partnered with Manchester Storm to design and build a new spectator box at Altrincham Ice Rink.

Cheshire-headquartered property developer Harvey Homes joined forces with the Poynton Fire Services by providing them with a realistic setting for a fire training drill. 

Flipping property is a trend that has gained real momentum in recent years. If you turn on the TV, you will likely find a property programme to watch where professionals or amateurs are striving to make some fast cash from a renovation.

As experts in property, the team at Harvey Homes is very knowledgeable about what a property valuation is, and we want to share this knowledge with you.

To some people, the reasons you should buy a new build home are clear – less hassle, more efficiency, increased design choices, tighter warranties – but there are other less obvious reasons.

Charlie Jarvis Ratcliffe, 21, was presented with his first-class honours degree from Salford University and has also been awarded the prestigious RICS North West Board Prize for Best Student in BSc Real Estate Development and Management.

Are you dreaming of a new home? First, you’ve got to sell your old one! In this blog, we look at the UK housing market in general and share our top ten tips on how to sell your home quickly.

Father of three, Rory Gorton, has recently moved into one of Harvey Homes’ four-bedroom detached family homes, in ‘ The Twemlow ’ style.

The team at Harvey Homes has always loved the community we are fortunate enough to be part of in Lower Peover, Knutsford.

Going up in the world will help you find the space you need for your family!

We like to think that all of the properties that Harvey Homes builds for our discerning buyers are true ‘homes’ from the minute they walk in. We make sure they are built with love and care so that they are able to nurture families as they change over the years while also fostering quality time together.

Home buyers across Britain breathed a sigh of relief this week when the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rishi Sunak, announced that the Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) holiday in England and Northern Ireland was to be extended.

Bowden-headquartered property developer Harvey Homes is beginning 2021 with a bang by bolstering its already strong team and launching a new-look website.

With 2020 being a difficult year for all of us, it was no wonder that we were all hoping for happier times in 2021. However, with Boris Johnson’s announcement on 4 th January of a new national lockdown, people’s hopes and dreams for the new year appeared to be dashed before it had really even begun. Thankfully, there is still a glimmer of hope for those people who were hoping that 2021 meant a new start and a new home. Mercifully, the exceptions to the ‘UK Coronavirus Ale rt Level 5’ rules, includes house moves and therefore house-hunters are free to go forth and seek out their new home. This means that the UK property market is still buoyant, with Estate and Letting agents and removal firms continuing to work. Property viewings are also still allowed, with guidance issued on the importance of following national guidance on moving home safely , which includes points on social distancing, sufficient air flow and face coverings. This is obviously great news for all of us who spent 2020 ‘trapped’ in our houses and envisaging bigger rooms, spacious gardens and considering the benefits of a home office for the first time. So, whether you’re looking to take the first step on the property ladder, upsize, downsize, buy another property or add to your portfolio, here are all the reasons why January 2021 is the perfect time to be thinking about making a move. 1. Make savings with the Stamp Duty holiday One of the main reasons why now is a great time to move, has to be the Stamp Duty Holiday that was announced by Chancellor Rishi Sunak in 2020 and is currently still in effect. In a nutshell, the ‘holiday’ has come to being because the government has temporarily increased the stamp duty threshold to £500,000 for property sales in England and Northern Ireland. This will considerably reduce costs for homebuyers, and even people buying homes worth more than £500,000 will enjoy substantial financial benefits as more expensive properties will only be taxed on their value above that amount. For example, buyers purchasing a home from Harvey Homes would be able to save up to £15,000! Not a bad little saving at all! According to a survey of 2000 people by Skipton Building Society’s Group owned estate agency Connells, the stamp duty holiday has really opened up buyers’ options: It has ‘made it possible for 33 per cent to consider increasing the size of the property’ they are looking for. It also makes it ‘possible for 62 per cent of those who have considered moving to buy somewhere which needs a little money spending for renovations and decorating.’ ‘58 per cent of respondents like the idea that they could free up some cash to landscape or do up an outdoor space.’ Whatever it is that you would do with your stamp duty savings, be sure to start the house moving process soon, as all moves have to be completed by Wednesday, 31st March 2021. 2. Make the most of lots of options The period between Christmas and New Year is always a busy period, with Rightmove hits topping 150 million visitors at this time in 2019 . 2020 was no exception to this – maybe being cooped up for Christmas with family makes people dream of a new sanctuary! This means that there are many options for people to consider at the moment and now is the perfect time for you to be ahead of other house buyers, and the millions of other searchers out th ere who are looking for similar attributes that you are. 3. Don’t lose sight of your new goals With 2020 being an extremely turbulent year, it is no wonder that many of us set new goals for ourselves and started thinking about what was really important. This might be a move to the countryside, getting closer to some local amenities, a bigger garden or even a hankering for more spacious and flexible living areas. Whatever your new moving goal, don’t let it slip through your fingers. 2021 is the year for making a change and looking to the future, leaving the doom and gloom of the last 12 months behind us. 4. So much time and space With travel restrictions in full force, it is unlikely many of us are travelling far this year so instead of binging on another Netflix series, why not truly make the most of your time and invest it in the future of your home. Moving home can be one of the most time-consuming and stressful periods in someone’s life (when it’s not manged by Harvey Homes of course) so take advantage of all your fr  ee time this year and put it into something productive – a new home! Whether you have been thinking of a house move for a while, or are at the start of your journey, considering your options and securing happiness for your future is always a worthwhile pursuit. While current times certainly are strange times, there really has never been a better time to get moving!

Bespoke housebuilder Harvey Homes has partnered with a local school in Knutsford to run a festive competition in order to raise money for Knutsford charity, Hope Central. The team at Harvey Homes, as part of their #AHugFromHarvey community work, challenged the pupils at Lower Peover C.E Primary School to design and decorate a Christmas bauble as beautifully as possible, using the idea of ‘Hope’ as inspiration.

Harvey Homes is lucky enough to work with a valuable network of people who each bring something unique and valuable to our offering. The collaborative way we work allows us to reach new heights of excellence and ensures that the homes we create are of the highest quality possible. One of our partners is Knutsford-headquartered Irlams Estate Agents who we started working with earlier this year. Irlams is an independent estate agent specialising in Sales and Letting, headed up by Director and Founder Tim Irlam. He has a wealth of knowledge of the local area and many years’ experience dealing within its prosperous property market. Irlams itself has a reputation for excellent customer service. We recently caught up with Tim to find out more about the agency and what keeps him motivated… Can you give us a brief overview of Irlams? We are an independent family-run business that was formed by myself and my wife in 2013. Since then, we have enjoyed fantastic organic growth which has mainly been thanks to our reputation in the local area and lots of loyal clients. Unparalleled customer service really is at the heart of everything we do, and we also have a young and energetic team who want to be successful and they understand that hard work is the key to this. What has your career been like? I suppose my career started the day after my 13th birthday! This is the day I started helping in my family’s haulage business. While most of my friends were going to parties at the weekends, I was loading wagons and learning about the value of a strong work ethic. My family have owned a variety of businesses in Cheshire, so this entrepreneurial streak was instilled into me from a young age. When I was younger, I was really interested in property and architecture – building things with Lego was my favourite thing to do as a child. Having worked within the family business until I was 21, I decided to get involved within the property industry at a nation-wide estate agent where I gained valuable experience. After a few years, I decided it was time to branch out on my own as I had good links within the community and enough knowledge to be successful. I was watching property prices rise and knew that there would never be a better time. Eight years later I am so glad that I took the plunge! I’m only 34 at the moment so I still think of myself as being at the start of my career and it’ll certainly be interesting to see what the future holds! What does a usual day consist of for you? Every day is different – that’s part of the fun! I usually get to the office for around 7am and check my emails, catch up on finances and get myself up to speed with any new sales or lettings opportunities that have come our way. After a brief team meeting, I’m mostly out on the road whether that is undertaking valuations, viewings or developing relationships with our clients. During office time I am dealing with the day-to-day running of the estate agency. There’s certainly no time to be bored! What keeps you motivated at work each day? I think probably, the variety of what each day entails is what keeps me motivated! Fundamentally of course, it also comes down to family and wanting to provide for them and for Irlams reputation to be the best it can be. Receiving positive feedback is great and it’s always a lovely feeling seeing the smiles on the faces of our clients and watching my business grow and develop. My end goal is to be known as the best estate agents in Cheshire. How would you characterise the property market in Knutsford? There is a real eclectic mix of houses, buyers and vendors in Knutsford that I think adds a lot to its overall character. One day you can be helping to showcase a £2M house and then next minute you could be doing a viewing at a £200,000 apartment round the corner. It is a very cosmopolitan town in Knutsford which creates its own unique atmosphere and charm, rather than it being just another suburb of Manchester. The vibrant mix of people, independent shops and characterful houses also makes it much more friendly than some of the surrounding areas and I think that is reflected in the property market. How do you think coronavirus has impacted the local property market? Initially it did create uncertainty and in April/May people were expecting to get massive deals on properties that just didn’t materialise. However, I think that COVID has actually ended up creating a big demand. After everyone having experienced lockdown at home means that the desire to find a new or better home has been heightened and this is certainly true in Knutsford and the surrounding areas. The Stamp Duty reprise also gave a massive boost and our sales teams really have been so busy! We have ended up having record sales months this year which I think show just how resilient the market is in this region. Knutsford is a place that will always be in demand and things like Brexit and COVID certainly don’t get in the way of this. What is your company’s focus at the moment? Of course, our number one priority at the moment is creating a safe environment for clients and staff while continuing to provide an excellent service. Everything we are doing has been streamlined so we’re more efficient than ever before. What do you think of Harvey Homes’ properties? Swan Green is a very unique development because you don’t often get that type of quality new build in the Knutsford area. The design of the homes is great, and they are set within a stunning location. The homes themselves feel really superior and the design, fit-out and finish really accentuates this. Aside from the properties themselves, the location of Lower Peover couldn’t be better (not that I’m biased by living there myself!) and it has buckets of community spirit and character. There are some amazing pubs, a fantastic primary school and nursery and some very interested local legends as well – it is thought that the idea of the D-Day Landing was conceived in the Bells of Peover Pub during the time that Field Marshall Patten was stationed at Peover Hall! I personally love living in Lower Peover and couldn’t think of anywhere better for a family to settle. What has it been like working with the Harvey Homes team? Working with the Harvey Homes team is a breath of fresh air compared to some developers. They are happy to work with us collaboratively rather than just instructing us what to do. They are very good at making the most of our local knowledge and it’s great to work with a young and dynamic team which shares the same values and ethics as us. What do you think the stand-out feature of a Harvey Homes property is? I would say the on-point design for a modern family, both internally and externally. The bathrooms, open plan and separate living areas would give any family the space they need and to top it off, the kerb appeal is amazing as well!

The most controversial word on everyone’s lips at the moment has to be Brexit. It has dominated our news feeds for more than three years, it causes arguments between friends, fills our social media feeds and of course is a factor to consider for many people when making business or life decisions.

Bespoke developer Harvey Homes is taking its flagship Swan Green development in Knutsford to new heights by creating a strategic collaboration with a new estate agent team. Director Tom Harvey Ratcliffe has appointed two estate agents, one each from Knutsford and Altrincham in order to reach out to local buyers from these two key areas. Irlam’s of Knutsford and Ian Macklin & Company from Altrincham have each been tasked with marketing Harvey Homes’ few remaining four and five-bedroom homes. Several homes at Swan Green are set to be complete and ready for families to move into this autumn, with the rest due to be completed over the next 18 months. 60% of all homes at the development have now been purchased or reserved. The Stamp Duty Holiday means that there has never been a better time to buy, with huge savings available for property hunters. Commenting on the partnership, Director of Harvey Homes, Tom Ratcliffe (who co-founded the business with his father, Nick Ratcliffe in 2018), said: “From current sales we know that the development is popular with buyers from both Knutsford and Altrincham, so it seems fitting to work with a partner from each area. “The coronavirus pandemic over the past few months has shown just how important your home is as it needs to be a welcoming space for all family members that can be flexible to their needs. We believe that our homes at Swan Green fit this perfectly. “Both Irlams and Ian Macklin know their prospective buyers well and understand what they need. We’re confident that, between them, they can help local families find their dream homes.” Tim Irlam from Irlams said: “The team at Harvey Homes is dedicated to achieving the highest quality in their homes so it is fantastic to be able to work together. We pride ourselves on having the best homes from Knutsford and surrounding areas on our books and I’m sure that our innovative marketing techniques will get the job done quickly.” Chris Macklin from Ian Macklin & Co. said: “We have been working with families and house buyers from across Hale, Hale Barns, Bowdon, Altrincham, Timperley & Sale for many years. Interestingly, we’ve recently seen that these same buyers now have their eye on Knutsford as well, so we are delighted to expand our offering. The quality of the homes at Swan Green is fantastic and this is reflected in the fact that we’ve already receiving a considerable number of enquiries about them.” One of the latest families to reserve a home at Swan Green is the Gorton family who commented that: “We were first attracted to the homes at Swan Green due to the area and the beautiful show home . . . We are all very excited to move in!” The Swan Green development is a hidden gem in the heart of Cheshire, just 3 miles from the hub of Knutsford town-centre and with a whole host of useful amenities on its doorstep in Lower Peover. The four and five-bedroom homes feature large living spaces, modern technology and thoughtful storage solutions. Prices of the homes range from £735K to £855K. The show home at Swan Green in Knutsford is open Monday-Friday for appointments only, and Saturday/Sunday from 11-2pm. All appropriate social distancing measures are being followed. To enquire about the homes at Swan Green or to make an appointment to see the show home, please contact the team at 0161 468 2728 or hello@harvey-homes.co.uk .

Here at Harvey Homes, we are well aware that some of our success can be attributed to the dedicated partners that we work with. The collaborative relationships that we have created bring out the best of our properties and help us to reach families who are looking for their new home. Marie Charnley Interiors is one such partner – the team’s work at our Swan Green show home has been fantastic, with many visitors commenting on the luxe design and feel. The established interior design company is based in Cheshire and predominantly practices in the North West of England as well as in Spain. They have an impressive portfolio of projects; from complete bespoke interior design on large residential homes to contemporary show homes and apartments. The interiors they create reflect the individual personality and lifestyle of each client, and this has fostered a reputation for excellence and a flawless track record. We recently spoke to Marie Charnley herself, to find out more about the work she did with Harvey Homes, what motivates her and what the future holds for interior design… CAN YOU GIVE US A BRIEF HISTORY / OVERVIEW OF MARIE CHARNLEY INTERIORS AND YOUR CAREER? I originally showed a bit of a flair for interior design at school where I particularly loved art and sewing but I didn’t go down that route career-wise until much later. Interestingly, I originally trained as a children’s nurse and then became a paediatric nurse which I loved for many years. However, in 2004 I went back into training and enrolled at The National Academy of Design at Nottingham University. While training I undertook some work experience at a company called ‘Show us your rooms’ and also worked a bit with my husband who is an architect and is in development. I ended up acing my course and then went to work full-time with ‘Show us your rooms’ for around five years, where I focused on dressing apartments and show homes. After the Economic Crash in 2007 there was a devastating knock on effect to the housing market. As a direct result I decided to take the plunge and become my “own boss”. Consequently, Marie Charnley Interiors was launched in 2009. I quite quickly secured a steady flow of private customers focusing on soft furnishings via the local Interior shop Wilmslow Interiors, helping customers choose fabrics and wallpapers initially to compete a given space, then increasing my scope to include fixtures, fittings and furniture – the full design package. Alongside my private clients, myself and my team began to focus on larger developments, providing a wide range of design advice to incorporate all internal finishes for developers and their newly built houses, from the bathrooms, kitchens, floor finishes and lighting. Over the years I have established a portfolio of trade contacts and strong working relationships with many trades to name a few locally; Wilmslow Interiors and Arighi Bianchi. WHAT IS YOUR WORKING RELATIONSHIP LIKE WITH HARVEY HOMES? I was recommended to Harveys Homes by Mike Kennedy. I met the team, pitched for the job and our working relationship has gone from strength-to-strength. They agreed a generous budget for their show home at Swan Green (they’re not one to cut corners) and aside from a general colour scheme and flow, they gave us free reign to do what we do best! I really wanted to do a good job for them as I hope to work with them on more of their developments in the future. I’m very pleased with how the show home at Swan Green turned out and know that they are too. They are a very personable team and I love that they are a family-run business. It’s great to see a father and son working together so well. WHAT STANDS OUT FOR YOU ABOUT THE HARVEY HOMES PROPERTIES? It’s simple – the houses are so spacious, and all the rooms are naturally filled with so much light that it was a real joy to work in them. The generous room sizes and high ceilings mean that the interior design was quite easy – no matter what I put into the Tabley home it was always going to look good! We worked with the Harvey Homes team to ensure we didn’t miss any attention to detail and to ensure that everything flows well and that the quality of the homes themselves is allowed to sing. The location of Swan Green is particularly amazing as well and I’m quite proud to have been involved in its conception. DID YOU DO ANYTHING UNIQUE FOR THE HARVEY HOMES SHOW HOME? The properties are very much for discerning buyers and we want to reflect that with high-end products in the homes. The design, finishes and bathrooms are all chosen to be very good quality and unique – just like the homes themselves! For example, they are my only client to have allowed us to feature an Eames chair and it stands in pride of place in the study window. WHAT IS YOUR COMPANY’S FOCUS AT THE MOMENT? We are currently lucky enough to have a very diverse array of clients and projects. We work with private clients to bring their vision to life and to make them smile whenever they enter a room of their home. For our developers, we are given a bit more freedom and it’s great to get my creative juices flowing to showcase the best of their developments. It’s important to ensure that we match a property to a target market. For example – an apartment in Manchester would be designed very differently to how we did the family home in Knutsford for Harvey Homes. WHAT DOES A USUAL DAY CONSIST OF FOR YOU? One day to the next is totally different. Some days are all about negotiating with trade to ensure a project comes in on time and to budget. Other days are all about my children, whether that’s the school run or helping them with their homework. I love the independence of working for myself and the flexibility that brings. I’m certainly never bored and have never looked back on my career choices WHAT KEEPS YOU MOTIVATED AT WORK EACH DAY? I’m a real people pleaser and don’t like to let clients down. I love doing a good job and ensuring that I have a reputation that precedes my work – getting new business off the back of referrals is a fantastic feeling. I also think it’s important to be a good role model to my children and demonstrate what a strong work ethic is. WHAT DO YOU THINK THE FUTURE HOLDS FOR INTERIOR DESIGN? Coronavirus means that there certainly has been a bit of a rise of the ‘home-office’ recently. It amazes me how much trendy office furniture is out there! People are at home now more than ever before, but many are still too busy to design it themselves, so we are seeing an increase of enquiries on this level. At the end of the day, homes will always be being built and they have to continue to be spaces that are warm and welcoming and that is where interior design can truly make a difference! Thank you so much for talking to us Marie and for your continued support of Harvey Homes!

2020 might not have transpired in the way that we all thought but there is still time to make the most of it. To make life easier for buyers, our Easy Move package is now available on our Tabley-style homes in Knutsford and enables purchasers to move into their new home with a smooth & enjoyable transition for the whole family.

Harvey Homes’ Swan Green development isn’t special just because of the quality of the homes, it is also located in a very special place indeed – Lower Peover. Lower Peover itself is a beautiful and peaceful village in the civil parish of Nether Peover in the authority of Cheshire East. It is just 4 miles from Knutsford and 6 miles from Northwich.

New residents of Harvey Homes’ Swan Green development in Knutsford have been delighted to find a range of great schools near Swan Green. Our Swan Green development has proven to be enormously popular with families who have chosen it due to its rural location yet proximity to an array of great amenities.

Knutsford is an amazing town that is full of character and is now host to a fantastic range of pretty shops, delightful eateries and characterful bars, all nestled together on a backdrop of cobbled streets.

There was great news for house buyers this week when the Chancellor announced a significant holiday on Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) for the first £500,000 of all property sales in England and Northern Ireland.

Working from home is now the new normal for millions of people across the UK. This is, of course, because of the coronavirus pandemic and the efforts individuals and businesses are making across the UK to stay at home and to stay safe.

Coronavirus is doing its best to keep us apart from our loved ones, so the team at Harvey Homes decided that we would try and help us all come together again through a digital competition – Nominate a Neighbour.

It seems obvious to say it, but houses in the country offer an awful lot in terms of quality of living. There’s naturally more room, more open space in which to roam around and the amenities and community feel of villages and market towns are increasingly sought-after.

In these uncertain times, we are all wishing that our family and friends lived next door so that we could be bit closer to them, or even have a cup of tea together over the garden fence. Here at Harvey Homes, we are giving you the chance to win some Amazon-UK vouchers while letting your loved ones know that you are thinking of them.

Our competition which challenged children across the North West to design their perfect lockdown home has resulted in a whole host of fantastic entries. From drawings, to models, to computer-designed extravaganzas, we were blown away with the quality of the work that was sent to us.

Cheshire-based Harvey Homes is bucking current trends in the coronavirus-affected property industry and strengthening its offering across the North West region.

It may seem like lightyears ago now, but the 2020 Budget was only announced last month, with the chancellor, Rishi Sunak, giving several updates in regard to housing and property. These included new taxes for overseas property buyers, funding to remove unsafe cladding and some spending on new homes delivery and money to tackle homelessness.

Earlier this month, we were delighted to agree to speak to journalist Isla MacFarlane from the online industry magazine Show House about the coronavirus crisis for their latest Podcast episode.

It is now more than ever when we realise how important family and friends are to us. Coronavirus is doing its best to keep people apart, but we need to combat it by staying busy, staying positive and staying at home.

Given the current situation in the UK with regards to coronavirus, Harvey Homes wants to take this opportunity to reassure everyone that we are making the safety and wellbeing of our customers, colleagues and their families our top priority.

Cheshire-based luxury housebuilding group, Harvey Homes, has recently made great strides with its bespoke development in Knutsford, with house sales starting to surge and the show home now open to the public.

For years there has been a divide between the North and the South. And no, we’re not talking about Game of Thrones! The people of the UK are regularly getting into heated debates about the merits of Gravy VS Quinoa, Dinner VS Tea and of course when it comes to property, the difference between a four-bedroom house VS a studio apartment in London city centre.

We recently invited the 207 pupils at the school to enter a competition and draw their best predictions for the homes of the future.

Homebuyer Ben Young has become the first person to move into one of the brand-new properties at Swan Green in Lower Peover, Knutsford, having purchased a four-bedroom house from Harvey Homes.

The results are in and the UK has voted decisively to not only keep the Conservatives in power but to give them a significant majority in the House of Commons.

Having lived in Cheshire for many years we have always been aware of the beauty in the area and the quality of life that the region grants to its residents.

Bespoke housebuilder Harvey Homes has challenged the 207 pupils from Lower Peover C.E Primary School to enter a competition and draw their best predictions for the homes of the future.