The noughties of this century was another decade of technology breakthroughs. The ipod was released, Pop Idol was on the TV, and YouTube was launched. Property prices were markedly increasing in the island. Here’s our fourth look back video in our series to celebrate our 50th anniversary.

The winner of the Swoffers holiday competition is donating part of the prize to Les Bourgs Hospice. Steve Mann’s name was drawn out of the hat for the £3,000 World Travel voucher.

Our ‘list it to win it’ competition ran for six weeks earlier this summer and there were more than 100 entrants. Steve said he and his family wanted to donate part of the prize to Les Bourgs Hospice in memory of his sister.

‘It was my sister’s flat that we were selling after she passed away last year, and Les Bourgs was fantastic at looking after her, so we’d like to give something back to them.

‘I was very surprised when Swoffers rang up to say that we’d won the prize, it’s a lovely offer and we’re looking forward to going somewhere special next year.

‘We haven’t decided where yet, I’m sure our daughter Emi will have a good bit of input into that, but me, my wife, and my daughter will go somewhere.

‘All through the process Swoffers has been fantastic. I’ve known Scott Ingrouille for a number of years and he made the process easy and seamless, so it’s been great dealing with Swoffers.

‘I can’t imagine that we’ll ever sell our house but if we do then Swoffers will be the first port of call.’

Jessica Bichard, local market negotiator at Swoffers, presented Steve with his winnings last week. She said the competition had received a great response from sellers.

‘After all the travel restrictions of the last couple of years, there’s a lot of appetite for going abroad.

‘So whilst there are lots of reasons to choose Swoffers to sell a property, we launched this competition as an extra little sweetener.

‘Congratulations to our lucky winner Steve, and it’s great that Les Bourgs Hospice will also benefit.’

Swoffers is the most recommended brand in Guernsey’s property sector, according to independent researchers. It was ranked as the top estate agency regarding values such as trustworthiness, quality service, and giving back to the community.

Island Global Research measures the reputation of selected organisations in Guernsey, and it monitors which brands resonate most with residents. In its latest bi-annual report it assessed 75 local companies and organisations across a range of criteria.

As part of this ‘brand reputation index’, respondents were asked which brands they would recommend to a friend, would describe as ‘trustworthy’, would feel proud to work for, and felt positively towards. They were also quizzed on which brands cared about the environment, which ones they associated with ‘good quality’, and which ones made a positive contribution to the local community.

The island’s four biggest estate agencies were among the 75 organisations assessed, and Swoffers came out top in the sector. None of the companies had paid to be included on the list, they were included because of their status as a local brand or because of a strong local presence.

Swoffers director Spencer Noyon said having a well-defined mission, vision, and value statement meant that customers trusted and advocated for the brand.

‘In an island that thrives on word of mouth, this confirmation of how we are perceived is very encouraging.

‘The team works hard to make sure the customer’s experience – over the phone, through social media channels, the website, and in person – is excellent.

‘We always listen to feedback and we’re constantly trying to improve.

‘We also try to engage a lot with the community, for instance through sponsorship and CSR opportunities.

‘All of our corporate branding is very professional, but ultimately the real brand is the one that customers carry round in their mind, so there has to be substance behind the image.’

The online survey took place across April and May, and it included 1,017 respondents. They were recruited in various ways, including from IGR’s research panel and via social media.

A diverse range of people aged 16 plus took part. The results were weighted to be representative of the total adult population by age and gender.

According to the survey, the most recommended brand in the island overall is Guernsey Post. Waitrose took the runner-up spot, followed by Marks & Spencer, the Co-op, and the Guernsey Dairy.

Swoffers has come out fighting for boxing in Guernsey by giving financial help to the Guernsey Amalgamated Boxing Club. We created a promotional video to encourage participation in the sport.

The video highlights that boxing is primarily non-contact, and it appeals to all ages and abilities, particularly those who might not enjoy the mainstream team-based sports. There are massive physical, mental, and social benefits to boxing.

Check out the video below, although spoiler alert, you may be inspired to get involved with this sport’s resurgence.

Swoffers has also gone the distance by sponsoring the club’s van. It’s being branded up in livery, which is another way of making this sport more visible.

Since November last year, the island’s new boxing development officer, Mandy Hobart, has been taking non-contact boxing into schools. The goal is to improve fitness and behaviour, and reduce bullying and truancy. Mandy said boxing helps to instil confidence and self-respect.

‘I’ve had a great reaction from the schools, the pupils have loved it because it’s something different for them. And the van is an absolute godsend because there’s so much gear and equipment to carry round. The van means we can go into the schools and reach out to the community.’

At the boxing club in St Martin’s, participants range from age 8 up to 73. Mandy stressed that no one gets pummelled or receives a bloody nose.

‘I always promote it as non-contact. It’s non-contact for a really long time, unless you become a Billy Le Poullain of the world. We don’t let anyone hit each other until they can defend themselves, it’s a long way off. I would say out of a hundred we normally get maybe one person who moves on to that. When I coach my ladies who are aged up to their 70s, they do pad work, bag work, foot work, partner work. It’s just about having fun, getting some exercise, and socialising.

‘It’s a great workout from your feet up to your mind, it’s a full fitness, cardio workout for the body. And you have to really concentrate on what you’re doing, you can’t think about anything else, so it empties your mind of all your worries. For that hour session you forget everything else that’s going on in the world. You have to completely focus on what you’re doing.’

Andre Austin, a director with Swoffers, said he was very impressed with the professionalism of the club’s coaches and volunteers, and the diversity and underlying community ethos.

‘There’s a perception that boxing is just about punching each other, but it’s not at all, and we wanted to try to help change that misconception. The reality is that 98% of people who go will never fight. It’s a great sport for anyone to try, especially youngsters who might be struggling at school. Boxing has a reputation for creating well rounded individuals, it establishes dedication, a good mindset and a positive attitude, so that obviously has spin-offs for the classroom.

‘Swoffers is the heavyweight of the local estate agency world, although we are very nimble on our feet, so supporting boxing felt like a natural fit.’

Guernsey has a long history of producing outstanding footballers who have made it to professional ranks. Ask anyone to name a famous player from the island and most will know of Southampton legend Matthew Le Tissier, but there are so many more who have made an impact on the game.

For an island of just over 60,000 people, it’s quite remarkable that Guernsey has produced so many first-class players. There are currently six players from Guernsey with contracts at professional clubs, and it looks like there are more to follow in their footsteps. Tony Vance, Manager of Guernsey FC and himself a former pro in the 90s with Wycombe Wanderers, takes a look at what makes the island a rich breeding ground for so many talented players.

The moat

Tony refers to the water around the island as a moat: ‘It’s our ultimate protection for many things.’ He explains why Guernsey is an ideal place for children to take part in sport: ‘Between the ages of six to 18, the island provides a fantastic sporting environment, and with all sports we are punching well above our weight to deliver quite a number of world champions. It’s impressive. As a parent, you can drive your child to athletics at four o’clock after school. When they finish athletics, you can take them to basketball until seven. In the UK it’s going to take you a whole night to go to training or the whole weekend to go to football.’

As well as good facilities, Guernsey is blessed with skilled coaches. ‘Good coaches can positively influence children and do it consistently over many years. In England, however, a good coach is likely to move on to somewhere else and end up in a different jurisdiction. So suddenly the children have got to start again with a new coach.’ This is where Tony’s ‘moat’ acts as a real positive for Guernsey. It provides protection and helps create an environment where dedicated sports people can be nurtured and developed.

Of the island’s football scene, Tony says, ‘There’s some real talent over here. I’ve always maintained that even at age group levels, if you were representing Guernsey at last half of those players would have been good enough to have been involved with professional clubs at some point.’

Getting noticed 

Although the island provides an ideal environment for nurturing sporting prowess, Guernsey’s top footballers benefit from competing against players from further afield. Guernsey FC was formed in 2011 and plays in the English leagues, currently at Step 4. This has provided a pathway for players and greater competition to help them develop by competing in the adult leagues, far tougher than just playing in Guernsey.

For those who want to be a pro, this also gives them a higher chance of being spotted. Competition to be noticed by a pro club is intense, so just being on a club’s radar is quite an achievement. Playing on a rock in the middle of the English Channel makes that job even harder. Guernsey FC players have an added card up their sleeve, however: Bristol City owner Stephen Lansdown lives on the island, and Manager Tony has a close working relationship with the club.

One player to benefit from this relationship is Alex Scott. He signed for Bristol City in 2020 and has quickly established himself as a first team regular and crowd favourite. Many top premier league sides are lining up to sign him, and Tony is impressed by his mental toughness: ‘It’s absolutely about the mental ruthlessness to be away. Alex is a great example because I think the month he signed Covid hit and he was stuck in England with a host family. He didn’t drive and was probably stuck in a room – for a social youngster whose friends at home weren’t in lockdown that must have been tough. That takes tremendous drive and it’s these bits that won’t be talked about when he signs his £20 million transfer or whatever it is.’

Guernsey FC player Ben Acey is following in his footsteps, having signed a contract to play for Bristol City from the summer.

But Guernsey FC isn’t the only route into the professional game. Sixteen-year-old Joe Adams has recently signed for Wigan Athletic. He looked for opportunities to play in the UK against tougher competition. ‘What Joe did was he took his opportunity by going through a college academy which put him in the English league system. At 16 he has taken himself outside of his comfort zone and ended up being signed by a pro club.’

Joe Adams signed a professional contract with Wigan Athletic earlier this year

In the women’s game one of the brightest prospects for the English game is Guernsey’s Maya Le Tissier, who plays for Brighton and Hove Albion in the WSL. Guernsey’s women’s game wasn’t well developed when she was younger and she grew up playing with the boys, often up an age group which helped her develop physically. ‘She’s been out of her comfort zone since day one and that’s going to be a big benefit. It’s only a matter of time, she is going to be a world star, the next Lucy Bronze. She is an amazing ambassador and an amazing person,’ enthuses Tony.

Maya Le Tissier plays as a defender for Brighton & Hove Albion

Maya is joined at Brighton by another Guernsey girl, Sydney Schreimaier, who is following in her footsteps. Tony says she is also a big talent, with the drive and determination to match that should lead to success at a high level. There are more girls who have the potential to join them in the coming years.

These players all have something in common. They are all talented but they have been totally focused on being the best they can be and enjoying the game. ‘The players who make it don’t just do the training with their clubs growing up, they practise, practise, practise. They have a certain obsession but also a big love for the game as well. They have to have the right mentality for this tough game. That’s what creates different levels,’ says Tony.

The future is bright for these Guernsey footballers, and it looks like more will be following them to make a career in the sport.

The 90s was the decade that personal tech took a giant leap forward.  As part of our nostalgia series to mark our 50th anniversary we’ve been looking back through the ages.  It was the decade when personal computers and mobile phones were introduced to the office, and we launched our website.  Opal fruits became Starbust, and Swoffers also went through a few name changes.

Work experience doesn’t have to just be stapling bits of paper together and other menial work.  At Swoffers we aim to provide real hands-on experience, not just shadowing, but some doing as well.

After all, it should be a learning experience where students contribute and feel that their work is useful.  Through our links with the College of FE and local schools, we’ve been exceptionally happy with the students who’ve joined us for work experience and paid placements in the holidays.

It’s a two-way process that benefits all the parties involved.  Not only do the students get inspired by the world of work, it’s also a training and recruitment opportunity for us.

Stephanie Best has been working at Swoffers for three years after a one-week stint of work experience.  She was studying for a diploma at the College of FE when we initially met her.  We were so impressed with her can-do attitude and communication skills that we offered her a permanent full-time job.

Stephanie said the week opened her eyes to the industry.

‘I really enjoyed my work experience week with Antonia, one of the local market negotiators.

‘We did viewings, take-ons, valuations, the whole gamut.  Back at the office I was shown the production process, including aspects like floor plans.

‘I’d been interested in working in property, and I learnt that there’s a lot more involved than just selling houses, the reality is there’s always lots to do behind the scenes.

‘My job is really interesting and varied, I speak with lots of people and get to build relationships with the landlords and tenants.

‘Swoffers is great because if they know you’ve got a target, they’ll help you work towards it.

Maisie Whiteman is studying at the Trinity College of Music in London.  In the holidays she’s had a paid position with us.

‘I really enjoy it, one minute I’ll be going out and picking up keys or going to a property with someone, the next minute I’ll be doing admin and typing.

‘I’ve done lots of office admin jobs in the past and it’s been just stapling, whereas here I’ve been able to see the big picture and everyone has explained to me what their role is.’

Working in an estate agency is a popular choice, there is high demand when jobs come up.  We’re delighted that we can help a young person’s career development, and as you can see, the feedback we’ve received from the students has been excellent.

Swoffers has again confirmed its reputation as the go-to estate agency for the open market, with latest figures showing that it handled 100% of agency sales last month. There were six agency sales during May in Guernsey, and Swoffers was responsible for all of them.

We are proud that our experience, expertise, and hard working team continue to allow us to dominate the open market sector. Across the first five months of this year, data shows that Swoffers has negotiated nearly 60% of the entire sum of open market agency sales.

So far this year the open market sales section of our website has had nearly 38,000 visits.

Director Sophie Ephgrave, said that there were lots of reasons why Swoffers continues to sell more homes than other agents.

“We use a wide range of strategies and tools to target and market to buyers, and we’re a trusted voice in the island with the best network of contacts.

We understand how technology has changed buying habits and we know how to generate quality leads.

So we’re delighted, but not surprised, that these latest figures show that Swoffers has consolidated its position as market leader.”

The first half of this year is proving to be another strong period for both of Guernsey’s housing markets. In the open market, overseas buyers are recognising the opportunity of making the move to Guernsey.

The island’s relaxed lifestyle, low taxes, world-class beaches, and access to nature are attracting a range of buyers from young entrepreneurs to people with well-established business interests.

So far this year there has been 34 open market agency sales, and Swoffers negotiated 20 of those. In 2021 there was a similar picture, with Swoffers handling half of all open market sales, and 57% of all sales of £3m. and over.

As we celebrate our 50th anniversary we take a look back at our first 10 years in business – 1972 to 1982.