Swoffers sold more Open Market properties in the first two months of this year than any other, with the exception of the post-covid boom.

So far this year there have been nine Open Market agency sales, of which Swoffers was responsible for eight. This is on the back of negotiating 64% of all Open Market transactions in 2023.

With interest rates stabilising, consumer confidence is growing.

‘2024 has started in a very positive manner, and once again we are delighted to have been the dominant agency for Open Market sales, having been responsible for 89% of agency sales so far this year with more sales agreed and a number already signed up for completion,’ said Swoffers Open Market negotiator Alex Stuart.

‘Looking ahead towards Spring, we have a number of applicants planning trips across to view property, together with positive interest levels from within the island. We anticipate this to continue to build over the coming months.

‘We are still optimistic that as we move closer to the next UK general election that the potential of a change of government will increase interest in our Open Market. As ever, our team of five experienced negotiators are here to guide through your property transaction.’

If you are considering buying or selling an Open Market property, get in touch with Guernsey’s most successful estate agents today. Call 01481 711766 or email sales@swoffers.co.uk

Swoffers has had a very busy start to the year, averaging five Local Market sales a week since the middle of January.

Latest statistics from the States of Guernsey confirmed a drop off in the last quarter of 2023, when compared with the same period the previous year. In October to December last year there were 150 Local Market sales – 31 down on the same time in 2022 and 86 fewer than the same period five years earlier.

But, with 25% of those sales during Q4 under its belt Swoffers is optimistic for the year ahead.

‘These figures don’t come as a surprise; it’s what we were seeing on the ground last year. The market peaked in 2022, and then last year the spike in interest rates and a period of economic uncertainty was always going to make it challenging time for the property market. However, the Guernsey property market has always been incredibly resilient, and it’s important to remember property markets are cyclical,’ said local market negotiator Scott Ingrouille.

‘With a longer period of stability with interest rates, it’s been a very busy start to the year. On average, we’ve agreed five sales per week for the last few weeks, and have nearly 40 local market properties under offer, so we are encouraged by what we have seen so far.’

The average local market house price dropped in the last three months of 2023. The average purchase price was £609,362 – down 5.9% on the previous quarter and 4.5% down on the same period in 2022. However, prices remain 47.5% higher than five years previously.

The raw median (realty only) of Open Market transactions in Q4 of 2023 was £1,462,500.

Last year, Swoffers dominated Open Market sales, and was responsible for almost two thirds of all transactions. Open Market negotiator Alex Stuart explained with only a handful of Open Market sales going through across the island in the last quarter of 2023, the average price fell. This, he said, is why it’s important not to view quarterly figures in isolation.

‘Last year was challenging with the volume of sales well down from 2022, but that was always likely to be the case after the unprecedented post-covid years. Swoffers continued to dominate the market with 64% of open market sales,’ he said.

‘It’s been a steady start to the year, with a number of buyers coming over to the island on second and third visits. We are expecting to pick up momentum later in the year as we head towards the election.’

 

With interest rates rising at a rapid rate and the post-Covid boom seeming like a distant memory, 2023 was not looking like it would be a good year for the housing market in Guernsey. So, what actually happened? Swoffers negotiator Antonia Thomas takes a look.

As we entered 2023, the fastest rise in interest rates for more than 70 years – combined with a deepening cost of living crisis – significantly reduced people’s affordability, and certainly dampened confidence, threatening to derail the housing market.

But demand remained resilient and, breath held, the sales kept coming, albeit slower than in previous years. As we teetered further into Spring, it became clear that the volume of Local Market transactions was down on both the previous quarter and the same period in 2022. Whilst movement was sluggish, prices remained relatively stable, dipping only a few percent (down 4% from the previous quarter); a colleague succinctly described the inevitable adjustment in prices as more of a ‘parachute’ down painting a much more genteel picture of the situation.

Spring turned to summer (no one told the weather), King Charles became official, food price inflation finally started to fall, and Q2 figures showed that transaction levels were up (175 from 113), but the average house price fell for the second consecutive quarter, down from £613,942 to £600,836. Still no sign of that predicted derailment though, with prices still around 45% higher than they had been in 2018.

As the summer progressed, Guernsey’s attention turned to hosting the NatWest International Island Games, where our shooters, swimmers and runners did us proud, and the success of the games kept morale going through the August washout. September brought respite in the form of a gorgeous Indian summer and the welcome news that after 14 back-to-back rises, the Bank of England held the base rate at 5.25%. Was this beginning of the comedown? The consensus was that rates had peaked.

The red herring release of the Q3 statistics in November indicated that house prices had incredulously gone up 7.8%; on closer inspection, a low number of transactions (138 – 37 fewer than the previous period) combined with a handful of high-value sales skewed the figures and this was not a true reflection of the whole market.

Regardless, there was – and continues to be – a sense of optimism that we have at least peaked on the interest rate front. Monetary policy in the UK will dictate a slow reduction in rates, and there is the further impact of recent global events to consider, but there are certainly green shoots in the mortgage market, maybe not yet above the ground.

Ultimately, the 2023 crash that Guernsey didn’t experience was underpinned by a shortage of property available, rather than any significant strengthening of buyer demand. However, we are taking comfort in the knowledge that rates have surely peaked, and that confidence is returning, and with it demand and stock levels too, completing a much more positive outlook for 2024.

 

Latest statistics show that Swoffers has continued to dominate property sales this year.

Swoffers has sold 53% of Local Market properties over £1.5m this year, and in October alone was responsible for 37% of all Local Market sales.

On the Open Market, Swoffers has an even stronger hold; this year to date it was responsible for 67.5% of all Open Market sales.

‘We’ve been in business for more than 51 years and with the biggest and most experienced team on the island have experienced every high and low of the market,’ said director Andre Austin.

‘Although it has been a challenging year with rising interest rates, our extensive contacts and unrivalled marketing reach means we can showcase properties to more people than anyone else and that has been reflected in our figures.

‘As always, it’s been our mission to help people at all levels of the market find their perfect home. Obviously it’s been frustrating when rising interest rates has meant some people no longer being able to secure lending for the home they wanted to buy.

‘However if we continue to see stability with interest rates and even a drop then it does inject confidence into the market as evidenced by encouraging activity levels that we saw in Q4 when interest rates stayed the same. So whilst 2024 is likely to be challenging, we think there are signs there will be more stock available next year offering greater choice to prospective buyers.’

Latest statistics from the States of Guernsey confirm that the housing market slowed down during the third quarter of this year.

 

There were 138 Local Market sales in Q3, compared with 175 the previous quarter, and 234 the same time last year. Five years ago, during the same period, there were 251 transactions on the Local Market.

‘It has been a challenging market which is reflected in the decreasing level of transactions. While stock levels have improved, the depth of stock where there is most demand still remains an issue,’ said Swoffers director, Andre Austin.

‘Most vendors understand the need to be realistic and that certainly seems to be the message as we go into the New Year.’

Despite the slowdown, the mix adjusted average purchase price for Local Market properties increased to £647,889 in the third quarter of 2023, 7.8% higher than the previous quarter, 3.0% higher than the third quarter of 2022, and 54.3% higher than five years previously.

This quarter’s increase has been attributed to by an increase in higher-end properties transactions and is not a true reflection of the whole market.

The mix adjusted price is a measure of the value of the properties sold during the quarter, not a reflection of the values of individual properties nor the change in the value of any one property over time. Many factors, including age, location and quality, determine the actual value of individual properties.

The raw median price (realty only) of Open Market transactions in the third quarter of 2023 was £1,443,438. Of the ten agency sales Swoffers completed nine of them and we continue to dominate the market with 68% of open market sales to date. The average of the agency sales was £1,735,000.

‘Uncertainty over interest rates has meant that some buyers who are selling UK property or investments have had to delay their relocation. But, with its very simple entry process, friendly tax regime, and fabulous lifestyle opportunities, Guernsey remains a popular destination for those planning to leave the UK. As the Q3 sales figures show, Swoffers remains the agent of choice for the Open Market,’ said Swoffers Open Market negotiator, Simon Jones.

‘Now that interest rates are levelling off and with the UK tax year end and General Election looming we fully expect to see sales volumes increase over the next few months.’

The mix adjusted average monthly rental price for Local Market properties was £1,909 in the third quarter of 2023, 2.4% higher than the previous quarter, 10.6% higher than the third quarter of 2022 and 46.1% higher than five years previously.

As ever, a summary of each quarter should not be viewed in isolation; a more accurate picture of recent movements will be understood in the context of a whole year.

 

Fulfilling a life-long dream is not something everyone can achieve, but that’s exactly what local artist James Colmer has been doing since January, having left the world of full-time employment to concentrate exclusively on his painting and illustration career.

 

James has had a passion for art since he was a child, both as a ‘scribbler’ as he describes his young self, and a keen visitor to art galleries and exhibitions when on family holidays. With a degree in illustration from Falmouth Art College, James returned to Guernsey and got a job with one of Guernsey’s then largest advertising agencies, Wallace Barnaby. He was trained in graphic design and was able to put his illustration skills to use for many of the agency’s clients. After a brief spell in web design, he joined Healthspan where he spent the next 21 years, eventually becoming the group’s Creative Director.

Now James has replaced screen with easel and is doing what he loves best – painting. He said: “I have rekindled that painting spirit that I had when I was a teenager when I was doing a lot of art.”

James’ work incorporates a number of styles using predominantly oils for his landscape work and watercolours for his portraits. He is also continuing with his illustrations having recently been commissioned for designing and producing the poster artwork for two local films. He enjoys the range of variety but admits that if he had to choose one preferred genre it would be landscapes. These have a distinctive style which James describes as ‘a contemporary take on classic landscapes using vibrant bold colours to promote positivity and to create a sense of wellbeing.’

“I get most enjoyment out of the landscapes I think because I love nature and I love the outdoors. I surf, go sea swimming and so I like to connect with that through my artwork. I try not to just paint the picture but aim to create some connection with the view that’s portrayed.”

James was recently part of a group exhibition at Sula Gallery and is currently discussing a number of other exhibition opportunities locally as a way of expanding his audience (so watch this space). He is already enjoying good levels of success with commissions from those who have seen his work online or elsewhere.

“I am very fortunate to have lots of commissions; the slight downside is not having much time to build a body of work for an exhibition – which is a nice problem to have but a challenge at the same time.”

His work is on permanent display in the hospital where he painted “Walk About Guernsey” in the Roustel Ward for patients with dementia. The mural depicts the local coastline and includes visual details to stimulate patients’ memory – such as a tray of tomatoes. He was delighted with the positive feedback from staff and patients alike and was pleased to be able to create something that has real tangible benefit.

The De Sausmarez Ward corridors are brightened with six paintings of Sausmarez Park which are used as aides for physiotherapists to see how far recovering patients can walk. For James though, the highlight of his artistic career so far are the two sets of stamps he has
designed – the first depicting seagulls, and more recently a set with the iconic puffin produced for Alderney.

“Once the pictures are done, they go to the palace for royal approval. That was mind boggling – my artwork going for royal approval seemed a bit unreal.”

The next stage is for James to create an e-commerce website from where he can sell limited numbers of prints of his work to complement his commissioned work. Looking further ahead, a goal is to exhibit outside of Guernsey and to be able to continue doing what he loves alongside enjoying life with his wife and young son.

“I guess if I am still doing this in five years’ time, I will have made it. I find it amazing to be able to create something that someone thinks is good enough to put on their wall. That’s really gratifying.”

James is currently in the running for a Pride of Guernsey 2023 award; he has been nominated for Arts Contribution of the Year.

Some of James’ work can be viewed at www.jamescolmer.com

 

No one relishes the idea of getting older and starting to need additional support for day-to-day living. Many older people would choose to stay in their own homes – homes in which they have often spent many years and which hold so many lifetime memories – for as long as possible, but need additional support to be able to do so. Halo has been established to help people do just that.

 

Founder John Merrien was faced with his own personal situation when his own mother (who suffers from Alzheimers) fell in her home and broke her hip.

“Often the catalyst for moving older relatives into nursing or residential care is an accident in the home. For me Mum’s fall was a wakeup call to the fact that she wasn’t coping at home and that the environment in which she was living wasn’t a safe one. My brother and I found ourselves facing a very difficult decision concerning her long-term care.”

John’s Mum was adamant she wanted to stay in her own house. Initially, John employed a ‘home care assistant’, Kyra, for 20 hours a week to undertake basic chores and provide companionship for his Mum who showed immediate signs of improvement in both her physical and mental health as a direct result. Kyra’s partner Reece undertook basic maintenance work on the property and the solution was found – and the idea for Halo was born.

Described broadly as a ‘home concierge service’ Halo provides a range of services to people who need additional support at home. Kyra now works for Halo full-time and is responsible for the small team of carers who have since joined the company. The management team is completed by Gina who is a qualified home assessor and who runs the company on a day-to-day basis as Managing Director.

John’s aim is for Halo to provide ‘personalised assistance delivered with kindness and compassion’. Each client has a tailored support package which can include anything from reminders to take medication, to washing dishes, gardening or a trip out for a cup of tea or an ice cream so that they have some meaningful human connection.

Since the company’s inception, John has reached an agreement with UK company Autumn Care giving Halo access to a bank of care professionals who are able to give 24/7 live-in support where necessary. In addition, he has put Halo through the rigorous UK Care Quality Commission’s quality validation process as an extra layer of quality assurance for clients and their families.

Alongside his growing team of full and part-time staff, John is developing a directory of other service providers and tradesmen on whom the team can call as and when required.

“The only thing we ask for is a guarantee of a ‘rapid response’,” John explained.

Care workers generally are undervalued and underpaid in John’s view, and he has therefore set out to pay above market salaries.

“We want to build something to last. We are employing the best people; we pay them as well as we can; and we give them the most flexible working arrangements we are able.”

John is mindful that the families of clients also need some level of on-going reassurance and support – particularly if they live away from the island. Halo has adopted the use of an app called ‘Jointly’. Clients sign up and the care team is able to add updates, photos and any other useful information that family members can access at any point.

Swoffers is also part of this ground-breaking (for Guernsey anyway) service. For Halo’s clients with large complex properties, Swoffers will be providing property maintenance assessments and plans as it would for large rental properties, minimising the pressure and stress this can create.

With pressure on care and nursing home beds, the on-going issue of blocked hospital beds because older patients are unable to return to their homes, and an ageing demographic, Halo’s service delivery model is arguably long overdue. Whilst John is a businessman – and runs his own accountancy firm Books & Co – he aims to keep fixed costs low and work with small profit margins to ensure that the service is accessible to as broad a range of people in Guernsey as possible. He wants Halo to have real ‘societal benefit’ and his own Mum was the best-case study he could have wished for.

In 2003, former West End performers Brian and Catherine Webster moved back to Guernsey, where Catherine grew up. Their dream was to create an inclusive dance and theatre school where they could pass on their decades of professional experience to the island’s budding stars.

 

Fast forward 20 years, and The Guernsey Academy of Theatrical Education (GATE) has nurtured thousands of talented youngsters, with many going on to pursue a career in the performing arts. With dozens of annual shows, Eisteddfods, Dance Festivals and Dance World Cup successes (including 2 Gold medals for Guernsey on the international stage) under its belt, the school is going from strength to strength.

‘It’s surpassed all our expectations,’ said Catherine (or “Miss Catherine” to her students).

‘We wanted to give local children the full experience of performing, from dancing to singing and acting, so anyone wishing to pursue the performing arts as a career have all the necessary skills, not just one. It was a world that Brian and I were fully immersed in, and we wanted our students to experience that same feeling performing can give you.

‘It’s amazing how much talent we have in such a small island. With fewer distractions and an active lifestyle, our students are in a fantastic position to put their energy into their passion.’

Brian and Catherine’s daughters, Maisie and Eliza, have grown up around the school, with invaluable help from Catherine’s mother, “Miss Jeanette”, who still runs the dancewear and equipment shop on a Saturday morning. Both girls are accomplished performers, with Maisie heading to study performing arts at Laine Theatre Arts in September. She follows a string of GATE alumni to have followed their dreams, and so many have gone on to achieve successful careers.

Cameron Ashplant, who took an academic route at university, has used his theatrical background to become an accomplished actor, screenwriter and director. He co-founder of Across The Channel Productions with which he produced the Amazon Prime series ‘The Balkans’ and Guernsey film ‘Marooned Awakening’. The latter secured a Los Angeles-based distribution deal. He’s acted opposite Steve Coogan, Andrew Scott, Paterson Joseph, Tilly Keeper, Tim McInnerny, Barry Keoghan and Mark Gatiss, and has also acted in scenes with Mads Mikkelsen, Harrison Ford and Austin Butler.

Pierce Rogan, who left GATE in 2014, is currently performing in South Pacific in the West End, having also starred in Fiddler on the Roof. Rachel MacDougall has also gone on to perform in The King and I which will end its UK tour in the West End in January.

Others, like Harry Giubileo, have gone on to secure TV acting roles and the lead in West End play Witness for the Prosecution, with a number pursuing dance teaching, singing and songwriting. Indi Phillips and Sam Ashcroft both perform on cruise ships, while Claudia Valentina has a successful singing career and almost a quarter of a million followers across Instagram and TikTok.

But it’s not all about fame, says Brian.

‘Arguably there’s no better feeling than performing before an audience and seeing the results from all the blood, sweat and tears,’ he said.

‘But also it’s about friendship, teamwork and creating rounded human beings. The camaraderie backstage at shows, the buzz in a dance studio at training and the laughter and excitement when we travel away for competitions. That’s what it’s all about. Seeing young people enjoy themselves and achieve what they had never dreamed they could, that’s the feeling that we strive to achieve, and there’s nothing like it.’

 

Catherine Webster

Catherine trained at the prestigious Elmhurst Ballet School, where upon leaving she performed professionally for 12 years.
Her credits include: Me and My Girl, Singin’ in the Rain, Calamity Jane, Oliver!, Hollywood and Broadway, West Side Story, Grease (Patty Simcox and Jan in the West End), Lautrec (West End) and the Ira Gershwin Gala (West End and televised). TV credits include The Bill, Talking Telephones, Watchdog and commercials. Catherine has worked with many stars such as John Barrowman, Shane Ritchie, Adam Garcia, Samantha Janus, Paul Nicholas, Wayne Sleep, Gary Wilmot, Hannah Waddingham and Bonny Langford and remains in contact with many working professionals, often bringing them over to teach GATE students.

 

Brian Webster

Brian trained at both the Guildford School of Acting and West Street Ballet School. His professional credits include: Singin’ in the Rain, West Side Story (Diesel), Grease (Roger and Sonny in the West End), The Movie of ‘Jesus Christ Super Star’, Stars of the West End (Malaysia Stadium Concert), Copacabana, Happy Days, Boogie Nights and professional pantomimes. TV credits include GMTV, TFI Friday (as one of the Massive Heads), The Clothes Show and Blue Peter. Brian has worked with many stars including Arlene Phillips, Shane Ritchie, Paul Nicholas, Tommy Steele, Wayne Sleep, Henry Winkler, Michael Praed and Leslie Grantham.

 

Cameron Ashplant

Actor/ film director – Marooned Awakening

 

Harry Giubileo

TV actor – Casualty & Last Train to Christmas

 

Indi Phillips

Cruise ship dancer/ singer

 

Sam Ashcroft

Cruise ship vocalist

 

When Andy Furniss first arrived in Guernsey six years ago, becoming a train driver wasn’t a life goal, but driving Le Petit Train between 10am and 3pm fitted perfectly around doing the school run for his two boys while his wife settled into her new teaching role. One year later – at the end of 2018 – Andy seized the opportunity to take over the business in its entirety.

 

“We had one really good year in 2019 and then Covid struck. With the States’ support scheme for small businesses, I was just about able to stay afloat and in a way, it gave me the breathing space to think about the direction I wanted to take the business.”

At the time, cruise boat visitors accounted for 95% of the train’s passengers – a market that disappeared overnight due to the pandemic, but a vulnerability that Andy had already recognised as something he needed to address. With over 40 ‘petits trains’ in France having gone out of business – victims of Covid 19 – he wanted to move away from being wholly reliant on the tourism industry.

“I wanted to focus more on local trade as I saw that as the growth area for the business. So in a way, Covid accelerated the realisation of that vision.”

Andy is no stranger to hard work and innovation and whole heartedly believes in the ‘you get out of something what you put in’ mantra. Prior to moving to Guernsey, he and his family lived in the Falkland Islands where, as he explained, everyone has to be a bit of a ‘jack of all trades’ and make a contribution or the place doesn’t run. He spent time as a marine mammal observer, a fish catch verifier as well as an HGV driver and instructor. Andy also spent many years working in special needs education in the UK and lived in Australia for a period working for a mining company.

He grasped the post-Covid challenge to build the business with the same energy and enthusiasm. Initially he offered free seats for children as a way to drive incremental adult ticket sales resulting in a 40% uplift. He then developed a programme of evening events from food safaris (three restaurants in three hours) to Abba nights and children’s sing-alongs.

In an island with a finite market, the need to introduce new products and services is paramount. So Christmas lights and ghost tours around St Peter Port are now also on the agenda and are popular with corporate and group bookings and are proving to be a valuable revenue stream. Le Petit Train also ran ‘Park and Ride’ services for the coronation celebrations and for Christmas shoppers.

Last year, Andy took on Lucy, initially to sell the advertising space on the train, but who now supports him with event planning and promotion. He describes her addition to the team as a ‘game changer’. They have since set up a separate company Mainline Events through which they can run events away from Le Petit Train. Mainline Events owns ‘The Little Black Bus’ found on the quayside when a cruise ship is in, offering small group excursions.

For Andy, diversifying the operation is a way of future proofing the business. The cruise market still constitutes 65% of his passengers but with Princess Cruises not visiting this year, and with 35 fewer boats in total in 2023 compared with 2022, developing his local events trade seems a sensible strategy. And the numbers seem to stack up: 45 events in 2022 and an impressive 145 planned over the course of 2023.

When Andy isn’t in the train, he might be found under it on engine maintenance duties. The Italian-built vehicle is around 30 years old and needs ‘a gentle hand’. The diverse nature of his day-to-day life is what he loves.

“For me it fulfils everything I need. I have a ‘quirky’ business. I can tinker with engines (it used to be motorbikes and land rovers; now it’s a land train) plus I have the challenge of running my own business which is becoming increasingly interesting as it grows. Knowing that this is all of my own doing gives me a huge amount of satisfaction.

“Guernsey is a beautiful place to live where you can enjoy a great work/life balance. When friends ask me what it’s like to live here, I just say that I can get to a beach in 10 minutes in any direction. That’s hard to beat.”

There was a slight drop in the average purchase price of Local Market properties last quarter, but more properties were sold than during the first quarter of 2023.

The average purchase price for April to June was just under £601,000 – on a par with 2022 and 46.2% higher than the same period in 2018.

Latest figures from the States of Guernsey’s quarterly residential property price bulletin show that the mix adjusted average purchase price for the Local Market properties transacted during the second quarter of 2023 was £600,836, 2.1% lower than the previous quarter, 0.3% higher than the second quarter of 2022 and 46.2% higher than five years previously.

‘These figures reflect what we are seeing on the ground at Swoffers, so this slight fall does not come as a surprise. The increased cost of borrowing, general cost of living issues and shortage of stock have all contributed to the current situation,’ said Swoffers Director Andre Austin.

‘Our lengthy experience tells us that the property market sees these kinds of cycles, and doesn’t indicate any significant cause for concern.’

The mix adjusted price is a measure of the value of the properties sold during the quarter, not a reflection of the values of individual properties nor the change in the value of any one property over time.

There were 175 Local Market transactions during the second quarter of 2023, 62 more than the previous quarter, 61 fewer than the second quarter of 2022 and 8 fewer than the second quarter of 2018.

The raw median price (realty only) of the 20 Open Market transactions in the second quarter of 2023 was £1,633,125, compared with £1,366,843 in the second quarter of 2022. Of those 20 transactions, Swoffers was responsible for 10 of them at an average of £2,704,650 (realty only).

‘Guernsey continues to be an attractive relocation destination and our Open Market team continues to be busy,’ said Managing Director, Craig Whitman.

The cost of rental property continues to rise. The mix adjusted average rental price for Local Market properties was £1,864 per calendar month in the second quarter of 2023, 4.8% higher than the previous quarter, 2.6% higher than the second quarter of 2022 and 42.3% higher than five years previously.

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