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Media attention for McCartneys Auctioneer
It was fantastic to see one of our professionals in the media recently, Jenny Layton-Mills our Auctioneer and Rural Professional at Knighton was featured in not one but two publications. An excellent article in The Farmers Guardian for Women on the Rostrum and an interview in RICS Modus Magazine for her insight into working as a Rural property and land expert, Livestock auctioneer and chair of our Rural Professional department here at McCartneys. It’s great to see our professionals in the media and showing that we really do care about what we do and the service that we provide to our clients here at McCartneys.
I’m sure we will continue to see Jenny and our professionals in the media, as local people we not only pride ourselves on the support we provide our clients but also to our local communities too. -
Big Numbers Attend Royal Welsh
This year’s Royal Welsh Show was a great success, McCartneys stand looked fantastic and we welcomed many of our clients, old and new for a chat and a cup of tea. Over 227’000 visitors came to the show over the four days despite the weatherman again threatening us with bad weather, a little wind and rain never seems to put us off so as always the McCartneys team of professionals were on hand with a little light refreshment and a smile.
This year McCartneys also sponsored the International Pavilion and our parasols on the Balcony stood out for all to see while providing much needed cover for near 700 guests from 40 different countries.
It was fantastic to speak to our clients at the show, some of which were only visiting and some who were entering into the shows many competitions. we hope you all enjoyed your time at the show as much as we did ! -
Government announces delay to EPC regulations
We have all now become used to seeing Energy Performance Certificates – or EPC’s as they are more commonly referred to displayed on the details of properties for sale and to let.
Originally brought in at the same time as the much maligned Home Information Pack the EPC requirements were part of European legislation and when HIP’s were scrapped EPC’s remained as mandatory. The EPC shows prospective buyers or tenants the energy efficiency of a property and also gives advice as to any potential improvements which could be made to improve energy efficiency and reduce household bills.
Currently when a property is advertised for sale or let an EPC must be available within 28 days of the property going on to the market. On 1st July the Government were planning to reduce this time limit to 7 days, on 1st October it was also proposed that more information should be available on the sale particulars other than just the EPC graph.
The Government have announced a delay to these changes as the Regulatory Policy Committee which scrutinises new regulations has yet to give clearance. Therefore all changes to EPC requirements are likely to take place later in the year although we are not yet aware of any dates.
McCartneys LLP have a team of Energy Assessors In-House who can provide EPC’s and advice on how you may be able to reduce your household energy bills- for more information please contact Debbie Anderson on 01584 872153. -
Three Counties Show, a great day out if you ignored the Weatherman!
McCartneys attended the Three Counties Show for the first year this year with our fantastic McCartneys show stand. Although the weatherman had promised us rain we were pleased to see most had braved the weather and were rewarded with a mostly dry weekend and a great show.
We very much enjoyed our weekend at the show and with our professionals on board offering advice and a cup of tea it was a great chance for customers old and new to stop and take a rest with us before enjoying the rest of the day.
It was a proud weekend for McCartneys as one of our Top Auctioneers Clive Roads was auctioneering the Sheep Carcasses sponsored by the NSA, which proved to be a popular and exciting event on Saturday, and there were also many more of our top professionals and auctioneers on hand to take part in what we thought was an excellent show.
Our next show that we will be attending is The Royal Welsh, we look forward to seeing you all, so do please come and say hello ! -
At the Top of Our Game
Wimbledon may be on everyone’s lips at the moment but McCartneys have more exciting news to be talking about with two of our professionals being at the ‘top of their game’ after passing some exciting exams.
Simon Edwards from our Brecon Office has passed the RICS Assessment of Professional Competency and is now a Member of the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS), he is now a Chartered Valuation Surveyor and is also a member of the RICS Valuer Registration Scheme specialising in Compulsory Purchase (e.g. road schemes), Valuation (rural, commercial and residential property), Property Management and Access Rights Over Land (e.g. wayleaves, pipelines). Simon covers the areas of Brecknock , Abergavenny and Llandovery and although he is based from our McCartneys Brecon Office Simon does also spend time at our Hay Office.
Simon is currently running a professional advice surgery at Brecon Market on Horse and Cattle sale days where farming clients can have the opportunity to discuss other professional services that they may require from McCartneys.
Simon is not our only McCartneys ‘player’ that we are talking about with Geraint Jones from our Kington Office passing APC in Building Surveying. Geraint is now a Chartered Building Surveyor and a member of the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS). Geraint is also McCartneys main Commercial EPC assessor and is a valued member of our survey team after joining McCartneys four years ago.
Geraint has gained the expertise in a constantly evolving market to become a Qualified Building Surveyor, allowing him to be at the ‘top of his game’ and keep up to date with what is happening in property and construction today.
McCartneys continues to encourage our ‘team’ to progress in their careers and in turn develop the professional services that we, as a company, offer….
…and just like the players at Wimbledon, we feel a little support goes a very long way! -
National coverage for Hay Castle
Hay Castle which is on the market with McCartneys for £2 million, has recently received national coverage in one of the country’s top newspapers. The Castle based in the most famous ‘book town’ in Europe, Hay-on-Wye and which dates back to the 1400’s is featured in ‘The Sunday Times’ article ‘Moving On’ and ‘The Hot House, Top Ten Homes of the Week’ on Sunday 8th May.
The stunning property is a landmark in the town and comprises of a Norman Castle, Jacobean Mansion House, holiday cottage, numerous outbuildings (mostly in commercial use), magnificent walled grounds and terraced gardens all situated at the heart of the town.
“It’s an incredible opportunity for the right buyer. It is an iconic building in the centre of Hay”
Ryan Williams, Senior Consultant, Hay-on-Wye Office. -
New Staff receive a warm welcome at McCartneys
At McCartneys we believe in investing in the future and bringing new members forward in the business. In today’s current climate it is important that we continue to encourage our youth to progress and we are therefore proud to announce two new members to join our team; Adam Pearson joins us as Assistant IT Manager, with A level qualifications in IT and a BTEC in Web Development. We also welcome Jessica Brant who joins us as our PR Manager from previous employer DeGreys of Ludlow; she brings with her an extensive background in Marketing, PR and Administration.
“McCartneys have always believed in giving young people a chance in the business and a chance to make their mark as part of the firm for the long term future” John Uffold, Chairman
With an extensive catalogue of exciting and unique properties, many of which with historical links, antiques auctions often featuring specialist items, our agriculture and rural development professionals and busy schedule of livestock markets, we must be on the forefront of informing our customers. We provide many services to our local counties and as local people we care as well as providing the knowledge, honesty and results that you need.
“We believe in promoting our properties, antiques and services effectively and efficiently and by increasing our coverage throughout the country with interesting and informative editorials as well as the newest techniques and social media, McCartneys will continue to be informative, professional and still bring you the high standards of service that as our customers, you deserve.” Jessica Brant, PR Manager -
PROPERTY MATTERS a monthly look at the Property Scene - Torn off a strip
Once upon a time and not so long ago a resident asked her Council to sell a narrow strip of land alongside the boundary of her home as she was building an extension and wanted the land to use as a path running from front to the back of her home. The council agreed to sell the land for £2,950.
However, before the sale was completed a council officer visited the resident and decided that her extension was being built on a small, triangular part of the strip it had agreed to sell to her. The officer said that the land would be re-valued and that she might have to demolish the partly-built extension.
The council decided that the small triangular piece of land on which the extension had partly been built had a greater value to the resident than if she were just using it for a path and said it now wanted £7,000 not the original £2,950 – effectively holding her to ransom and valuing the small triangle of land, 7 inches at its widest point, at £4,000!
However, as with most classic tales justice was done as the matter was brought before the Ombudsman who reprimanded the Council and found that they should put matters right by transferring the entire strip of land to the party without cost, pay £1,500 in recognition of the distress caused to her together with the costs arising from the delay in completing her extension.
Full marks to the Ombudsman, but remember not all sellers are governed by an independent body so if a contract of sale has not been completed the vendor in the majority of circumstances is well within their legal right to demand whatever they want.
So as the idiom says remember to “Look before you leap” or it could prove very costly!
For further information on Property Matters Wyn can be contacted on Tel 07702 722905 or by e-mail on wyn@mccartneys.co.uk -
McCartneys Fine & Country Accelerated Marketing
According to statistics a typical vendor selling their house at the moment has only a 5% chance of successfully selling it in any given 4 week period. Prestige agent McCartneys Fine & Country feel that they have identified a way to increase these chances. Its ‘Accelerated Marketing Programme’ is designed to increase the visibility of the vendor’s home to targeted buyers through a number of innovative marketing techniques which can ultimately accelerate the sales process.
Each home marketed under the programme has a short film clip, a “videoette” made which adds a new dimension to presenting the property online and allows the consumer to view a life-like glimpse into what it might be like to live in the property. This is also featured on major portals such as rightmove Zoopla and Prime Location, iPhone App, social networks (such as Facebook) and YouTube. Importantly a presence on these major portals dramatically improves the chances of the property being found by the growing numbers of prospective buyers searching on the internet.
Unique to McCartneys Fine & Country, vendor interviews are conducted over the telephone by journalists providing a ‘wish you were here’ insight which explores their motivations and aspirations, detailing items such as the vendors’ favourite room and what they will miss most when they move, all enhancing the lifestyle aspects to prospective purchasers.
Other elements include the production of high quality, studio designed property brochures which are available in an electronic page-turning version which can easily be emailed with the videoette to friends and family to gauge their opinion; inclusion in a regionally distributed lifestyle magazine called Refined which professionally presents the character and location of a property in a full-page feature and printed and touch screen window cards for the local agents’ office and the prestigious headquarters in Park Lane, Mayfair which provides an engaging promotion to the lucrative London and international investor.
This powerful and integrated campaign is not only designed to increase viewings and accelerate the sales process for new properties on the market, but also for those homes that have already been on the market for a length of time. This new programme combines the best of old and new media to help secure a quick and successful sale at an attractive price.
Tom Carter, Partner of McCartneys Fine & Country says: “Simply being attractively priced and available to view on the major portals is no longer sufficient to make a sale. McCartneys Fine & Country understands the importance of promoting homes through the increasingly powerful online, social media and mobile channels. A house needs to resonate emotionally with a potential buyer and we have found that people relate and aspire to certain lifestyle aspects in a particular location.”
For more information please contact your local McCartneys Fine & Country Agent on Tel: 01686 623123 -
Holiday lets will be legally required to have an Energy Performance Certificate from June 2011
As the result of a recent consultation by Communities and Local Government entitled “Making better use of Energy Performance Certificates and Data” it will from the 30th June 2011 be a legal requirement for holiday let accommodation to have an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC).
EPC’s are designed to give an indication of the current energy efficiency of a property and the amount of carbon dioxide that it produces as well suggestions to improve the energy efficiency and reduce the carbon dioxide emissions of the property.
The legislation requires that energy performance certificates are produced for all buildings or parts of a building that are sold, constructed or rented out including holiday lets that are rented out for four months or more in any 12 month period.
EPC’s that are produced for holiday let accommodation will be valid for a 10 year period but a new EPC can be produced at any time if any improvements to the energy efficiency of a property are made.
The new legislation will be being enforced by trading standards and the owners of non exempt holiday let properties that fail to comply to this legislation are liable to be prosecuted, with a potential fine of £200 for each tenant that has rented the property during the period of non compliance.
McCartneys have a trained team of Domestic Energy Surveyors who can produce an EPC for you. For further information or to book an appointment for one of our surveyors to carry out an EPC for you please contact your local McCartneys office.
