Introducing the June 2020 Auction Sale
During the period of lock-down, my team have been busy working remotely to bring you three days of online auctions already. This two day sale takes us to 5 days of online auctioneering but of course, with lock down lifted for estate agents, the wider market place and our branch network can now re-open albeit with the safety of our staff and customers at the forefront of our minds.
We have a full schedule of viewings this month, so please follow the guidance on our viewing schedule and we must require that you abide by this guidance and follow social distancing regulations. I have instructed our viewing agents that any infringement of this is not acceptable and if such an instance occurs, they will simply lock up the property and leave. We also ask that you are patient and wait until it is safe for you to enter any property, you must please follow the instructions and requests of our viewing agents.
You will notice that this catalogue contains lots from our regional auction centers who will be working on their lots whilst sharing the online bidding platform with us.
Around the group, as the various parts of our business re-open their doors, it is clear to see that buyers and sellers remain active and keen to move.
Our estate agency branches are reporting really strong activity levels, registering more people who want to buy than this time last year and, compared to last year also, higher volumes of property coming onto the market and sales agreed.
In our lettings divisions activity is also up with higher applicant demand from tenants and more instructions from landlords both new and existing who are recognising the value of our quality service to them especially when times such as we are currently emerging remains unwavering.
On the New Homes side, as developers re-open their sites not only for construction but also sales in the short time we have re-opened the division is reporting over 3,000 enquiries specifically for new homes that we now have available and reservations for these plots signing up on a daily basis.
With all this activity, you would imagine that our mortgage services division is also busy bringing staff back from furlough far faster than was originally envisaged. They are writing business and arranging mortgages not only for house movers and landlords but also, many re-mortgages where customers are seeking to make the most of the low interest rate climate.
All of this certainly indicates and, activity backs it up that the market has been in “pause “mode during lock-down and now the button has been pressed again is well out of the blocks. I am a great believer in looking at the actual activity and statistics rather than forecasts made by those that have probably never worked in the industry. Statisticians can forecast as much as they like with impunity, let’s face it, most of the forecasts we have seen from any “expert body” has been wrong recently! One thing you cannot deny is facts and, the ones that I see from our group are clear – the property market is open for business and doing business!
Consider this as you page through this 230 lot catalogue, maybe now is the time to put your hand in the air (or for this auction click your computer mouse) and buy now before the momentum builds and the inevitable price rises flow through.
