UFO Info Week-End

Hunched all in black over its rectangular stand in the basement studio of his Gothic mansion in the Hollywood hills

Hunched all in black over its rectangular stand in the basement studio of his Gothic mansion in the Hollywood hills, he goes into a state of what he would call the “arrogance of concentration”, a commitment not to be distracted by anything other than the work. Prices start at £157,000 for the basic lodge, rising to £228,000 for a deluxe one.Stacks: 01208 850555Ribblesdale Park (Savills): 0161-244 7712. Watching Daniel Lanois play his pedal-steel guitar up close is a remarkable experience. The surrounding Gisburne Park Estate provides a wealth of thing to do, including fishing, shooting and riding.Ribblesdale Park can also arrange lettings, and Hindley expects rents to range from £600 to £1,000 a week. They are well spaced out and each has an extensive deck with Jacuzzi.Owners are automatically members of a club that maintains the grounds and organises maid service.

At Ribblesdale Park, near Clitheroe, Guy Hindley is building 75 luxury homes for people who want to enjoy the countryside.The “lodges” are technically caravans but you wouldn’t know by looking – these are hi-tech timber productions with a traditional look. Speculation about Blackpool becoming an ‘English Las Vegas’ has raised prices across the entire range of properties.”There is much more than the seaside to the North, however. Blackpool Pleasure Beach’s theme park is the most popular tourist attraction in the UK, with 6.8 million visitors in 2004, and plans for Britain’s first super-casino will bring a new type of punter.Lee Dribben, the Blackpool-based Residential Landlords Association director, says: “Although many investors prefer the security of year-round income from permanent accommodation, holiday lets can still command a premium price. And everything has to be pristine, too – holiday landlords now redecorate every year and often replace the domestic appliances as well. As Simon Gordon, of the National Landlords Association, says, “People like a property that is fresh, clean and well furnished.”The North has also seen a revival of its holiday trade, especially at that most traditional resort, Blackpool. Many get sniffy if there isn’t a nice bottle of sauvignon blanc in the fridge on their arrival.

Unlike assured shorthold tenants, who just want to be left alone, holidaymakers need the place cleaned regularly, laundered bed linen and new soap in the dish. The property also has to look good in photos, because holidaymakers choose from a brochure or the web.Getting the sums right on a holiday investment is complex. Not only are voids inevitable, the landlord has to keep the rent competitive, and also ensure he or she doesn’t miss out on seasonal opportunities like the summer holidays and Christmas. “Speak to a local holiday-property agency for an accurate picture of what percentage of the year you can expect to rent for,” Oddy advises.Another drawback to holiday-home rentals for many landlords is the need to provide top-class service.

Choosing a property tailored to the market to which you want to sell is vital.In the West Country the best investments are family homes, says Nicola Oddy of Stacks Property Search in Devon and Cornwall, but any old family home will not do. “If you’re renting to families, you need plenty of bathrooms and cloakrooms, and probably some downstairs facilities such as a shower, drying-room and utility space,” she advises.Gardens are less important, especially for active families that will be spend most of their time out and about. Over the last five years, northern seaside resorts such as Blackpool have seen property prices surge, too.
Unfortunately, the property market has now hit the buffers and investors must rely on old-fashioned intelligence and hard work to make holiday homes pay.The work starts right at the beginning – it is essential to do your homework. As a result, house prices in holiday areas have been booming. According to research by County Homesearch, the West Country recorded the highest property price surge in England and Wales over the last decade, with Truro topping the list with a staggering 272 per cent rise Dorchester, Exeter, Taunton and Bath all made the top ten.

Holiday homes in Britain seem to have a lot to offer the property investor compared with those abroad. Weekly rentals are enticingly high, the properties are close enough to keep under observation, the legal situation is better, and the owner can stay there for free

People are taking more holidays in Britain, too. The asking price for this piece of history-in-the-making is €3.43m (£2.36m), from Engel and V?rs.. * Finca de la Belette comes complete with a home-cinema, tennis courts, antique fountains, a small lake, and two swimming pools, one of which is built into the mountainside. * Located on a 2.6-hectare estate in the hills above Marbella, the house and it’s adjacent guest-house offer an unusual combination of classical and avant-garde design. * Architectural features incorporated into the design include 17th-century supporting columns, medieval fireplaces, amd 18th-century doors – all mixed with modern glass-plate walls and neon lights. Fincas Exclusivas Tel: +34 902 190 167 Website: Engel & V?rs Tel: 020 7351 6767 Website: Montiboli Estates Tel: + 34 966 810 439 Website: Savills Tel: 0207 016 3740 Website: History in the making * Finca de la Belette offers many exquisite features of a grand historic property and only lacks age, with its pedigree established by appearances in high-profile advertising campaigns rather than centuries of illustrious inhabitants.