Property sales figures for the first quarter of 2020 paint a positive picture of Guernsey’s property market.
The Q1 statistics, published by the States of Guernsey, show there were 174 Local Market transactions during the first quarter of 2020, 17 fewer than the previous quarter and three fewer than the same quarter of 2019.
There were 17 Open Market transactions in the first three months of this year compared to 18 in the first quarter of 2019.
The mix adjusted average purchase price for Local Market properties was £444,150 in the first quarter of 2020, 0.6% higher than the previous quarter and 4.4% higher than the first quarter of 2019.
‘It is interesting to note that the volume of sales is pretty much the same as Q1 2019 but clearly prices are up,’ said Andre Austin, Swoffers Director.
‘These figures indicate increased confidence in the marketplace from both buyers and sellers, a trend which was continuing until lockdown and is now starting to increase again in the limited time we have been operating under the new public health guidelines.
‘As long as banks continue to lend and we have a healthy employment rate, there remains a desire to move house and we are starting to see an increase in supply too, as we move into the usually busy summer months,’ said Andre.
‘It’s too soon to say what the long-term impact will be on Open Market sales after the positive start to 2020 but Guernsey is in a good place. The island’s leaders have handled the Covid-19 outbreak in an extremely professional and open manner, restrictions are being further lifted and the team at Swoffers is optimistic about the future.
‘Judging by the amount of phone calls, emails, viewings and valuations we have been dealing with over the past week or so it seems the Guernsey community shares our optimism.’
If you would like to discuss any aspect of the property market, whether buying, selling, renting or letting don’t hesitate to contact a member of our experienced team on 01481 711766 or email sales@swoffers.co.uk
As Guernsey begins to emerge from lockdown and our community starts to slowly return to normal life, we thought it would be the ideal time to share with you what has been happening in the island, reflect on the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak and explain how Guernsey has coped. We also want to tell you what the Swoffers team has been doing and look forward to the future with optimism.
Don’t hesitate to get in touch with a member of our experienced team if you have any questions or if you would like to talk through relocating to Guernsey or buying, selling or renting a property.
To read the document in full, click here: https://swoffers-v4.onyx-sites.io/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Swoffers-Open-Market-Update-v4.pdf
Giant slides, rainbows and homes for animals featured strongly in our Colour Your Home competition.
‘We were delighted at the number of entries and amazed at the creativity shown by our young artists,’ said Swoffers director, Andre Austin.
‘All the houses look like they would fun places to live in with everything from giant football pitches to tree houses and swimming pools. We even had a 3D model!
‘Perhaps some of our vendors could think about a few similar ‘home improvements’ before trying to sell their houses,’ joked Andre.
The colouring competition was run in partnership with the team at Iris and Dora who kindly matched the prize fund so that we are able to award nine prizes across three age categories – a £25 Iris and Dora voucher for first place, a £15 voucher for second and a £10 voucher for third.
And the winners are…
7 and Under:
1st Place – Olivia Saunders
2nd – Katrine Tønnes Svejstrup
3rd – Elizabeth Darlington
8-11 year-olds:
1st Place – Archie Robins
2nd – Alexander Cusack
Joint 3rd – Tiffany Fitzgerald and Daniel Cusack
12 and over:
1st – Lacey-Mai Gower
2nd – Annie Setters
We will be in touch with all the winners and send their vouchers to them.
Thanks for taking part.
#GuernseyTogether
Swoffers welcomes today’s announcement about the types of businesses that will be able to operate, within strict Public Health guidelines, from next week.
Property sales and business transactions are highlighted as one of the business activities that may resume from 25th April.
‘We have carefully considered how we can operate safely, with the best interests of our clients and staff at the forefront of our considerations, and have published these guidelines on our website,’ said Craig Whitman, managing director.
‘We have also carried out all the necessary risk assessments and operational planning over the last few weeks to ensure we comply with all the necessary guidance. We will advise our clients of more detailed plans as soon as we can.’
For more information please visit viewing requirements from 25 April
We’ve spent almost every waking hour within the same four walls for the last week and a half, so now it’s time for the youngsters to let their imaginations run wild.
We would like as many children as possible to colour or paint their dream home. It can be a cross section of rooms, the front, back or garden. Whatever you want it to be, we want to see it. For example, if you want a theme park in your back garden, show us how it would look.
You might want to go hi-tech and futuristic – the possibilities are endless.
We will have three age categories, with vouchers for Iris & Dora for the winners and runners up in each category. The age groups are: under 7, 8-11 and over 12.
Prizes
1st place in each category: £25
2nd place in each category: £15
3rd place in each category: £10
Thanks to our friends at Iris & Dora who have matched our prize fund.
Simply scan or photograph your masterpiece and send it to: sales@swoffers.co.uk with your name, age and contact telephone number.
We will post a selection of colourings and paintings on our Facebook page, so keep an eye on it.
We will choose the winners on 30th April. Get creative and good luck!
In these fast-changing times there is one thing that hasn’t changed: Swoffers is here to help.
We may not be able to visit your home at the moment, meet you in person or show you around any properties but what we can still do is share our expertise.
With the largest team of property experts in the island, we have staff ready to help and advise on all aspects of property sales, purchases, rentals and management.
We have produced a list of frequently asked questions that may help address some of the queries you have about how the current situation is affecting the property market.
If you have any further questions then please don’t hesitate to email sales@swoffers.co.uk or call our main number 01481 711766 and leave a message with your name and number and we will get back to you as soon as possible.
In these fast-changing times there is one thing that hasn’t changed: Swoffers is here to help.
We may not be able to visit your home at the moment, meet you in person or show you around any properties but what we can still do is share our expertise.
With the largest team of property experts in the island, we have staff ready to help and advise on all aspects of property sales, purchases, rentals and management.
We continue to update our website with the latest properties ‘new to the market’ and our online property details give an excellent overview of the highlights of each home.
Why not browse what’s on offer and note down what you like – and what you don’t like – to help fine tune your search so you are ready to go when things get back to normal.
Our negotiators are all working from home and able to take your call or answer your email as usual.
Call us on our usual numbers or email sales@swoffers.co.uk
We are also delighted to be able to continue to support Guernsey Welfare, Health Connections and the Guernsey Voluntary Service with essential deliveries to those most in need in our community at this time.
#GuernseyTogether
Swoffers has had a great response to its offer to help out by using its company vehicles and staff to run an ad-hoc collection and delivery service for the community.
‘The nature of our work means that we have a fleet of more than 20 company vehicles that are usually out and about across the island every day and we wanted to see what we could do to help,’ said director Andre Austin.
‘There are lots of examples of great community spirit in evidence at the moment, from local hotels offering to provide hot food to their neighbours to individuals checking on older or more vulnerable people living near them. We were keen not to duplicate these efforts and so are partnering with Health Connections who already operate a Voluntary Community Transport Service and will support their efforts.
‘Health Connections have already established a really useful online directory of help and support https://healthconnections.gg/category/coronavirus/ where there is loads of information about online food shopping, free pet food deliveries, pharmacy opening times and much more. We think that this is the best place for us to signpost the service we are offering.
‘People can still contact us direct if they want to or they can go through Health Connections who will let us know what is needed and when. We are also helping to support the Guernsey Welfare Service with food parcel deliveries and have been in touch with the Guernsey Voluntary Service to see if we can be of assistance to them. Obviously, we will operate in line with all the advice and guidance issued by the States of Guernsey and hope to continue to provide this service even if we have to close our offices for a while,’ said Andre.
#GuernseyTogether
We would like to reassure all our clients that it’s still business as usual at Swoffers and we are operating in line with the advice and guidance being issued by the States of Guernsey.
We are confident that at the moment we can continue to provide all our usual services including viewings, valuations, property management and lettings.
We are taking all necessary precautions, as advised by Public Health Services, and will adapt our work practices to take this advice into account.
We would ask you, as clients, to also comply with the current advice and guidance which is available online at https://gov.gg/coronavirus
In line with this guidance we would ask if you have a cold or any symptoms relating to the virus, that you cancel your appointment or viewing by calling or emailing us.
We will also not be shaking any clients’ hands for the foreseeable future. I hope you appreciate our stance.
This is a fast-changing situation and if the advice changes, we will adapt our working practices accordingly.
The first two months of the new year may have felt like storm after storm followed by travel chaos and health fears.
But things have been a lot brighter in the Swoffers office as 2020 continues to see thriving local and open market sales.
Combined figures for January and February sales published by Unusualities of Guernsey confirm 137 Local Market sales – a 50% increase on the 91 sales in 2018 and nine more than the same period last year.
Open market sales so far this year stand at 15, 11 of which have been negotiated by Swoffers, representing nearly three quarters of all sales.
‘We always expect the start of a new year to be busy as people make the decision to put their houses on the market and start the search for their new home,’ said Lucie Fox-Pegg, local market sales negotiator.
‘What has been surprising though is just how fast properties are moving. In some cases, properties are going under offer even before they hit the website.’
Prices remain competitive and mortgage providers and brokers are also reporting a busy start to the year.
‘Banks continue to be extremely keen to lend and competition is proving to be beneficial to borrowers,’ said Pierre Blampied, managing director of SPF Private Clients.
‘The market is now fully covered with a 95% loan to value mortgage readily available together with competitive salary multiples being utilised. Historically, Guernsey has not had the benefit of having a competitive buy to let mortgage, but this has changed and his has led to new investors looking to enter this sector. We also have Marsden Building Society looking at mortgages for older borrowers which is relatively new to the island.’
One of the consequences of such a busy property market is that demand can outstrip supply.
‘Even though we are busy taking on new instructions we are still finding that we have buyers ready and waiting but there is nothing in their price range or that meets their requirements,’ said Lucie.
‘We have 60 properties under offer at the moment so our advice to buyers is – make sure you register with Swoffers. Our advice to sellers or people thinking of putting their property on the market, is – now is a great time to sell. Give us a call and we will give you a free valuation and can get your property on the market within 24 hours of being instructed.’
If you list your house with Swoffers between now and the end of March, you will be entered into our prize draw to win a holiday worth £3,000 through World Travel. Find out more at https://www.swoffers.co.uk/win-a-3000-holiday/
