Take a look around Saif al-Islam Gaddafi’s £10m London mansion
Earlier this year we launched an exciting new tool on Zoopla.co.uk - the Zoopla Property Archive – the UK’s first online property archive. We launched with over 2 million historic property listings details and have been adding to this ever since.
This is a totally unique feature to Zoopla that will become another essential research tool for house hunters to help them make smarter property decisions.
What this means is that our users can search homes that at one time were for sale or to rent in the last 10 years and pull up the old listing.
Searching through the archive, we’ve unearthed this property in Winnington Close, London, N2 which is reported to be owned by Saif al-Islam Gaddafi’s, Colonel Gaddafi’s son and heir-apparent and former London School of Economics student.
We currently value the property at £9,530,444.
What does the archive tell us about the property?
- Previously listed for sale on 1st Jul 2009 for £12,500,000
- It was then listed for rent on 14th May 2010 £9,500 pw
- It is a 7 bedroom property over 7,500 sq ft
- Features “stunning” entertaining space including a home cinema room, a swimming pool and a sauna
Here is the historic property for sale listing and rental listing.
More about the Zoopla Property Archive
We believe that one of the key benefits of the web is its ability to make useful information free and easily accessible to everyone. Whilst historic house prices paid have been available online for some time (you can find every record since 1995 on Zoopla.co.uk), the ability to match these to photos and descriptions of the property at that time it was for sale or to rent hasn’t been possible…until now.
The unique property archive covers properties that have been on the market for either sale or rent at some point in the 10 years.
What will an archived record show?
- the historic for sale or to rent asking price of a property
- the date it was last listed on the market
- images of the property at the time it was last listed for sale or to rent
- a description of the property at that point in time
- access to the sold prices of the property, if sold
Where can I find an archived listing?
Historic listings can be found in the ‘Current Values’ section of the Zoopla.co.uk website and are clearly marked with an ‘H’ to indicate a historic listing record is available.
As always, please feel free to share and use this information, all we ask is that you credit the source as Zoopla.co.uk and link to Zoopla.co.uk. Thank you.
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DIY help: Celebrity builder Tommy Walsh on how to fix a warped wooden floor
This is a legacy post from the findaproperty.com blog which is now maintained as an archive within the Zoopla blog. Links have been preserved.
Celebrity builder Tommy Walsh is sharing his DIY tips and hints exclusively with FindaProperty.com.
This week he answers the question: how to fix a warped wooden floor?
Natural wooden floors add a nice touch to any property. They create character in new builds, and leave a sense of authenticity in older properties. The juxtaposition between old and new can often create stunning results, but it’s not without its problems. In this week’s blog, we will be looking at how to prevent the age old problem of warping.
Warping often happens as a result of exposure to too much moisture or too much sun, which can cause the floor to swell, or even worse, shrink. The best way to prevent it is by ensuring the floor is correctly finished. It might sound a bit silly, but a thin coat of mineral oil can do wonders on a wooden floor, and can help to absorb moisture. When applied regularly (i.e. once a month), it can help to enhance the sheen of the floor.
Freak temperatures can wreak havoc on a wooden floor, so try to maintain a consistent temperature in your property, without jumping from extreme high temperatures to extreme low temperatures and vice versa. A good dehumidifier can help to regulate the atmosphere, so it’s worth investing in one.
Frequent problems with warping could be a sign of a damp property, so ensure you get it investigated. If your floors, do become warped, don’t despair – warping is treatable, and the best way to treat it is to put some damp towels over the warped area for a couple of days; re-screw the floor down, and fill any holes, with the correct filler. However, an overly warped floor can be dangerous, and should be replaced.
*To see more DIY tips, products and deals visit Trades Supermarket
First-time buyer blog: What you need to know about getting on the ladder
This is a legacy post from the findaproperty.com blog which is now maintained as an archive within the Zoopla blog. Links have been preserved.
In my last blog I wrote about the art of negotiation (or rather the lack of it). We didn’t end up getting the property we liked for the value we felt reflected the condition. Eight weeks from going on the market, it is still there, but we’ve moved on, as you often need to do in this game.
During the past few months house hunting (yes, we are beginning to wonder whether it really should take this long), it has been a huge learning curve. I’ve never read so many books, blogs, articles; watched so many programmes; or responded to as many tweets relating to property before in my life. It’s sucked me in. I’m constantly trying to find out as much information, advice and top-tips.
To make it a little easier for other first-time buyers who’ve just begun their house search, these are a few of my favourite reference points:
1. How to Buy Your First Home by Phil Spencer This has been a little gem. Brilliantly laid out, easy to understand, up to date and rammed full of top tips. Every now and then it’s great to refer back to refresh my memory.
2. Newspaper property sections One I always go back to is the Guardian, today the top story is “Mortgage rates hit record lows, but first time buyers remain squeezed”. It may not be the most uplifting article, but it does give you some indication of the current market.
3. Mortgage comparison websites You may already have your agreement in principle from one lender, but always worth keeping an eye on other options as you are continuing your search. Some lenders have come up with more attractive offers since we have been looking.
4. TV programmes I had watched quite a few Location, Location, Location episodes before we started our house search as I’m quite a fan. It’s entertaining, and sometimes I do wish I had Kirstie and Phil to call the agent with a bunch of cameras pointing at the phone to give added pressure. I got through a few episodes of Help! My House Is Falling Down before it scared me senseless, but it did hammer home the need to check drains and to pay good attention to your survey.
5. Twitter This adds the humour into the proceedings with estate agents, buying agents, sellers and buyers all giving their perspective on the property market. It’s pointed me in the direction of some great blogs, and it’s incredibly interesting to read things from a seller’s and agent’s point of view.
Probably the most information and advice we get is from work colleagues, friends and family who’ve been through the process before. Everyone has a different story to tell. It’s rather exhausting knowing that we’re at the beginning, with a long way to go….
Follow Emma on twitter @polkadotcherry.
Premier League Property
This is a legacy post from the findaproperty.com blog which is now maintained as an archive within the Zoopla blog. Links have been preserved.
As the Premier League gets into full swing, FindaProperty.com turns its attention to some of the less reported news of the season. We’ve been crunching the numbers that matter and made some quirky discoveries, including the true cost of each goal, just how many football stars really “play away” and, of course, who owns what homes, how much they’re worth and who’s top of the property league table. Infographic by Gareth Davies.
Embed the Premier League Property video infographic on your site and share it with your visitors – copy the following code and paste into your webpage:
Football Infographic – the Home Game
This is a legacy post from the findaproperty.com blog which is now maintained as an archive within the Zoopla blog. Links have been preserved.
Take one dash of colour, add a sprinkle of wit and stir in a huge dollop of property knowledge. What do you get? The latest creative and quirky FindaProperty.com infographic, of course, all packed into an easy to download format for your enjoyment. This is where the magic happens.
The first of a series of infographics with a football theme.
The Home Game Football Infographic
Embed the Home Game football infographic on your site and share it with your visitors – copy and paste the following code into your website:
<img src=”http://zooplauk.files.wordpress.com/2011/08/football-infographic.png” />
Could Abramovich be eyeing a Kensington Palace Gardens home?
This is a legacy post from the findaproperty.com blog which is now maintained as an archive within the Zoopla blog. Links have been preserved.
Rumours abound at the moment of a sale on Kensington Palace Gardens, one of London’s most exclusive streets. Dubbed “Billionaires’ Row”, Lakshmi Mittal, the UK’s wealthiest man, owns property on this tree-lined park-side road, as does Foxtons’ founder Jonathan Hunt and the Saudi royal family. So we sent writer Jessie Hewitson to dig a little deeper.
Houses here have very rarely come onto the market – until now. According to sources, Belgian hedge fund manager Pierre LaGrange and his wife Catherine have put their million-pound pad up for sale. LaGrange is co-founder of GLG Partners, one of the most successful hedge funds in the country. This year’s Sunday Times Rich List placed him at #201, with a fortune of £331 million.
The rumoured price tag for the Kensington Palace Gardens property is £30 million, which will boost LaGrange’s personal fortune still further. Its unusually long Land Registry report shows that the 10-bedroom house was bought for £19 million in 2004, and despite being a house it is leasehold, with 118 years left to run. The Crown Estate (i.e. the Queen) owns the freehold and the ground rent is predictably steep: in 2004 it cost £10,000 a year, but according to the Land Registry report this could rise to £160,000.
The house sale coincides with the office-relocation of an even wealthier businessman: Roman Abramovich, who has moved his headquarters from Chelsea to Knightsbridge, close to Kensington Palace Gardens. As a result property industry insiders have been speculating that the Russian oligarch may be aware of the sale and is taking a strong interest.
If he is interested in purchasing the property it is likely to be because he can’t resist snapping up such a rarely available trophy home, or perhaps he is viewing the purchase as an investment or to gift to a family member. It’s unlikely to be for his personal use, as work is currently underway on the mega-home he owns in Knightsbridge, which he plans to share with girlfriend Daria Zhukova and their two-year-old son Aaron. They are knocking together two adjoining townhouses on Lowndes Square, creating one palatial residence. The houses were originally home to a combined nine flats, and when finished will feature eight bedrooms and span a jaw-dropping 30,000 sq ft, five times the area of the average five-bed home.
How to get your rent deposit back
This is a legacy post from the findaproperty.com blog which is now maintained as an archive within the Zoopla blog. Links have been preserved.
Tenant deposits are big news if you’re a renter. The deposit can be anything from six weeks rent to more than two months and that can add up to thousands of pounds. Of course, the idea is, you’re supposed to get that money back when you move out and leave the property in the pristine condition in which you moved in. But things, as they say, don’t always work out the way we plan.
Get busy with the cleaning products and you’ll have a better chance of getting your rent deposit back
So why are some renters not getting all their deposits back?
Some new research from mydeposits – one of the government-sanctioned deposit holding bodies – has revealed that’s mainly down to cleaning costs and unpaid rent. Of those estate agents and landlords who did withold money, 78% said they spent it on tidying up after tenants.
Now, moving out when you owe rent is one thing , but moving out and not cleaning up properly – and then losing money – really shouldn’t be happening to clued-up tenants who value their pounds and pence. It’s that simple really.
Eddie Hooker of Mydeposits wants to help tenants get their cash back and says renters can improve their chances by “ensuring the property is clean, any damage repaired and that the rent is paid up to the day they move out”. He says general wear and tear should be taken into account, too. We couldn’t agree more.
It’s also a good idea to make sure your contact details (including postal address, phone number and email address) are up to date with whichever tenant deposit scheme you’re using. Ahead of vacating your premises, dig out your tenancy paperwork and ensure you know exactly what was included in the inventory so you can be upfront about anything that’s missing, as well as avoiding any accidental omissions.
So tenants: keep the carpets clean and the dosh delivered and, all things being equal, you’ll be in the strongest position possible to get your cash back in a flash. Tidy!
