For all the latest news visit us at
www.the-negotiator.co.uk
Simon Miller, Partner Holroyd Miller, Wakefi eld, Yorkshire
The recent arrival of The Hepworth Gallery, one of the UK’s largest purpose-built galleries, honouring Wakefi eld’s own Barbara Hepworth, has put the City on the map and has kick-started a local renaissance. Further development has seen the regeneration of the city centre, Westgate Railway Station being re-vamped and improvements to access; new urban landscaping and a new shopping centre and there is more to come such as a new college campus and Council HQ. This renaissance along with
the communications - the M1 and M62 and rail times to London of two hours, Manchester in 45 minutes and Leeds in 20 minutes – means more professionals are content to stay in the City or are happy to move here.
During its regeneration
Wakefi eld has seen major development of its waterfront by the river and canal. This includes the refurbishment of the Grade II listed Navigation Warehouse to provide offi ce, retail, restaurant and cafe units. Also the out of town developments near the river Calder have seen the business park, Calder Island secure tenancy agreements from regional as well as national companies. Again location is the attraction with the business park just off Junction 37 of the M1. There is plenty of housing
stock available but not enough quality buyers to satisfy supply. Confi dence is still more of an issue than fi nance in both the sales and lettings markets. We are repositioning the business in recognition of the changes that are happening in the city.
Clifton Button, Managing Director, Clifton & Co Estate Agents, North Kent
The varied demographics of our offi ce network location means that we deal with a diverse range of property. At one end of the scale this could be studio apartments on the South East London/Kent borders priced at less than £100,000 to country homes being sold for more than £1,000,000.
We are reducing sales prices slightly but we are trying to get the price right at the stage of instruction. Less people are putting their homes on the market – conversely we are undertaking fewer valuations. A key reason for this is that potential vendors are having diffi culty fi nding the next property up the ladder
This shortage of property
has also created a spate of over pricing by agents to gain
www.the-negotiator.co.uk
instructions, coupled with reduced fees. Viewing levels are down across our three offi ces - impacted by reduced instruction levels for the period. Our average fee of 1.45 per cent is not historically strong, but again there has been much undercutting on a local level. We remain optimistic for increased instructions for the remaining quarter. The rental market is still lucrative for landlords but again, a lack of new instructions and with tenants staying in- situ for longer, the stock is not returning to the market. Record rents are therefore still being achieved. Our managed portfolio runs at an average of 12 per cent management charge per month but we are fi nding some competitors advertising as low as fi ve per cent. ●
TheNegotiator ● June 2012 ● 27
West Yorkshire
Average sale price: £160,000 Average fee (sales/lettings): 10% or 1.25%
Average price reduction (%) sales/lettings: Sales 4%/let- tings 5%,
Number of viewings this month (sales and lettings): 65
Number of sales/tenancies agreed: 6 sales and 10 lets
North Kent
Average Sales price: £305,000 Average fees: Sales 1.45%. Managed Lettings: 12% Price reductions: Sales: 2.5% Sales Viewings: 325
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44