Visiting The Kennel Cottage, 330 Gray Craig Road, Middletown, Rhode Island

Over the years I have been in the doghouse on more occasions than I care to remember. But recently I was very happy to be in a very special doghouse indeed. The Kennel Cottage was once the home of eighteen pampered Pekinese pets - owned by a late lamented Newport grand dame. Fortunately someone with great foresight recognised that it would make an even better home for pampered persons.

For a start this delightful house never fails to deliver.  Inside the colour palate is sophisticated, subtle, natural and calming.  It is furnished with restraint and seemingly effortless good taste to show off the superb architecture and detail with great élan.

But if the house and its interior enthral then the grounds will enchant.  What is extra special about The Kennel Cottage is its secrecy.  It is tucked away on the private 77 acre Grey Craig estate that it shares with only five other homes. Hardly a soul knows that the house is there.  It is a hidden garden kingdom.  Beyond the terrace and pool are almost nine acres of very special landscaping.

Apparently the gardens were designed to emulate those of an English country estate.  Perhaps.  But in some ways these are even better.  No English garden has views to Martha’s Vineyard! But in true English garden tradition the space is divided into distinct areas.  These include a formal rose garden, an amphitheatre garden with lake, walled fruit orchard with pillared Italianate tea house and a shade garden.  Beyond, the land falls gently to a rocky strand and the ocean.

If you want to live in Newport and make a statement to passers by then this is not for you.  There are no passers by.  But if you want total privacy in your own coastal realm then it is hard to see how this can be beaten.  I loved my walkies around The Kennel Cottage.  It certainly makes my ‘I would buy’ list. 

Nick Churton

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Mayfair International Realty

Visiting Devonshire, 96 Westwood Dr, Bedford Corners, New York

In England Devonshire is the second largest county and one of the most beautiful.  In New York Devonshire is an exceptional house in a magnificent location.  Reading the brochure and looking at the photos – no matter how well done – cant really prepare anyone for their first view.  Of course it is a wonderful and handsome colonial-styled house: that much can be discerned before any visit.  But what really struck me is the elevation.  It is the lofty location with such commanding views to the north that immediately sets this house apart.  The scene reminds us that city New York may be one of the world’s most iconic urban spaces but rural New York has a timeless natural magnificence.

We now live in a day and age when ostentation in property is rather eschewed.  But despite its fine and even grand appearance Devonshire manages to overcome any such concerns.  This is surely because the location provides the drama, with the house adding a distinctive human element to the tableau.

The interior doesn’t disappoint either.  The dramatic views are ever-present but the spacious, elegant and thoughtfully arranged rooms do not shout; instead they seem to whisper comfort and elegance in respectful tones.

Here is a serious house for a serious buyer.  It is a beautifully designed home that would make any owner proud and any guest enchanted.  Even as an outsider I could appreciate so many of Devonshire’s charms.  I could also appreciate that with the I-684 comfortably out of earshot but giving access to a 45-minute drive to New York City this is the perfect country antidote to busy – and successful - city life.

Nick Churton

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Mayfair International Realty 

A Visit to Plaisance, 41 Ledge Road, Newport, Rhode Island

Last night I dreamt I went to Plaisance again . . .  To an Englishman there is something of Daphne Du Maurier about this spectacular house.  Perhaps it is the rugged coast, the rocks and the crashing waves beneath. Perhaps it is the haunting romance but I have thought about Plaisance every day since I was there.

Over the years I have seen many houses with fine views - houses all over the UK and the US, houses in France and Italy and in lots of other places too.  All these views have been different, special and spectacular.  But I don’t think I have ever seen anything quite like the view from Plaisance.

In the ‘fifties this was an important stop for Newport socialites.  The house has style, location and an extraordinary presence – everything that was needed for society and entertainment. Today it still has its romance, but no longer its parties.  Its gilded past still resonates but now it seems to be a house in waiting.

There are some homes with the capacity to become almost as famous as the people who lived in them.  In the UK Churchill had Chartwell and Vita Sackville West had Sissinghurst. In the US Thomas Jefferson had Monticello and even Elvis Presley had Graceland. Plaisance has that quality and potential.

Plaisance will present its new owner with the unique challenge of restoring an iconic property. This will take care, flair and vision and will not suit everyone. But whoever meets this challenge will restore a house of true celebrity. Not necessarily a house for celebrities but better, a house capable of possessing its own celebrity.  I long to see Plaisance again.

Nick Churton

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Mayfair International Realty 

Market on Ice

In real estate it is both nicer and easier to give and receive messages of optimism and assurance. No one ever wants to hear from a pessimistic broker or agent. But then no one wants to hear from a stupid one either.  Pessimism should never be confused with pragmatism or objectivity.  It would be wrong not to prepare sellers and ensure that they are in the best possible position to make the very most of the market we are in.  Property is sold by people with their feet on the ground, not by those with their heads in the clouds – or worse!

So realistic brokers and agents are putting the Champagne back on ice for little longer in the UK.  For a while many people thought that a buoyant property market had returned.  In many places prices had regained their pre-2007 levels and there was strong demand.But it would be foolish to ignore the many signals we have.  In the market, all is not quite so rosy as it was.  Demand has slackened off; mortgage lending is at a six month low; harsh economic measures are ahead and, despite low interest rates and helpful noises from the IMF that the British economy is looking better, few are deceived into thinking that the next twelve months or so won’t be a challenge.

For buyers with cash, or enough deposit to take advantage of some very good mortgage rates at the moment, this is a great market with lots of choice and a good degree of negotiating room.  If purchasers missed the wonderful window of buying opportunity in spring 2008 now is a second chance to make a very good property investment in the UK just as it is in the US.

For sellers in the UK it is time to become hard-nosed business people.  The message is clear.  Pitch your price to attract lots of viewers and undercut the competition.  Ensure that your home is always window-dressed to impress. Keep your eye always on your objective and try not to worry too much in the meantime. Encourage all offers and do not react crossly to low ones – it is not the first offer that counts, but the last! Negotiate hard on your next purchase.  Finally, use a realistic broker/agent and not a silly one.  Then, at last, you will be able to open that Champagne.