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.
Swoffers staff have raised more than £3,000 for Guernsey Mind through its Swoffathon – and donations continue to roll in.
Five staff members completed a 10km run, a cycle around the island, and they swam 25 lengths of the bathing pools for charity. When this video was made, the total raised stood at £3,257 – more than four times the target of £750 set by the team (Courtney Kennedy, Georgia Blumsom, Alex Stuart, Scott Ingrouille and Annie Rihoy). But further donations have been made and the total continues to rise.
If you’d like to donate, you can do so here.
At Swoffers, we’re passionate about giving back to the community. That’s why we’ve launched the Swoffathon, our latest fundraising event, supporting Guernsey Mind. On Sunday 30th July our team will be running 10km, cycling around the island and swimming 25 lengths of the bathing pools! We love a challenge, and this not only brings excitement to the office but also raises funds for a very worthy cause.
How it began
Every month we would nominate three employees to take on a challenge. Inspired by the Waitrose charity box idea, we set up three donation pots, each representing a nominated employee. The office would donate into the pot of the person they’d like to take on the challenge. The employee with the highest amount collected was chosen. Challenges have included a January bathing pool dip, putting on a comedy show and baking for the entire office. All the funds raised then get donated to a charity, chosen by the person who took on the challenge.
How it evolved
When our colleague, Georgia Blumsom, was leaving the Swoffers family, we knew we wanted to mark the occasion in a special way. So, we decided to mix things up and recreate the three challenge pots but for our Sports and Social committee members – Georgia, Steph Best and Courtney Kennedy (Steph was unable to make the date of the challenge and has had to pull out). Instead, the pots set up represented the challenge they would take on – either a ½ marathon, 100km cycle or a kayak around the island. The pot with the most money raised was the challenge they would then train for and complete on Sunday 30th July.
How it took shape
We didn’t stop there. Georgia and Courtney were so inspired they decided to combine all three disciplines to form the Swoffathon – a 10km run, island cycle, and 25 lengths swim of the bathing pools that the whole office could participate in. They have been joined in their mammoth efforts by Alex Stuart, Scott Ingrouille and Annie Rihoy. The Swoffathon is our version of a triathlon, but we’ve mixed up the traditional order of events to make it more challenging and exciting. The team is aiming to finish in under four hours!
Getting into shape
Training is in full swing in preparation for the big day with group sessions three times a week. While it hasn’t been without its challenges (and injuries!), we are a determined team and thanks to our competitive spirit and the fantastic support we’ve received we’re continuing to keep pushing forward. We are looking forward to event and who knows, maybe next year we could open it up to the public.
Supporting Guernsey Mind
As we set our sights on this grand challenge, we couldn’t think of a more deserving charity to support than Mind Guernsey. Mental health is so important, and we’re very grateful for the incredible work Guernsey Mind do. We’re excited to share that we have already surpassed our fundraising target of £750! We’re setting our sights high and want to keep rising as much money as we can.
We’re grateful for any support you can offer, big or small, from cheering us on to donating, it all goes a long way.
Please donate what you can here
Swoffers’ senior property manager Nikki Trebert had quite a week at the Island Games. Scooping 3 golds and a bronze, Nikki did us and the whole island proud at Guernsey 2023.
After an amazing week winning gold medals in 3 events and a bronze in another, Nikki is now settling back into her day job. The island’s shooting team had a huge medal haul at their home games, collating a fantastic 33 out of a grand total of 142 medals won by Guernsey athletes during Guernsey 2023.
‘I am so happy to be able to represent Guernsey, it is really rewarding that all the training and hard work has paid off,’ said Nikki, who also represented Guernsey at the Commonwealth Games in 2014 and 2018.
‘It was great to be shooting again with other islanders we haven’t seen for a while. The whole week had a fantastic vibe, and of course it felt amazing to win four medals!’
Nikki took gold, alongside partner Tara Leighton-Dyson, in women’s 10m air pistol, women’s 25m air pistol and women’s 25m sport pistol. She won bronze in women’s 25m standard pistol.
Back in March we spoke with Nikki Trebert, our very own shooting superstar and senior property manager, to discuss her preparations for this year’s Island Games in Guernsey. Now the Games are just a few days away, we got back in touch to find out how ready she is feeling.
How has training been going?
Everything is really starting to come together now. Training has been going well, I do at least five training sessions a week and have been shooting as much as I can on the outdoor range.
Practicing shooting outdoors helps to get used to the various weather and lighting conditions. One day it could be really hot and bright, and the next really windy and dull, which impacts how you shoot.
How well did you do in the recent Channel Islands Championships?
It went very well, some of my Island Games teammates came over to Jersey too and we picked up a few medals. I won two golds and two silvers. It was great to be able to practice in a competition setting ahead of the Games and to also use the electronic targets they have in Jersey.
We currently don’t have electronic targets in Guernsey so we aren’t as used to using them, but excitingly we are getting them in for the Games and they will stay on island. This will massively benefit local shooters, especially when preparing for national competitions, so a brilliant legacy of the Games.
It was also good to see at the Championships how we measured up against the Jersey shooters who are taking part in the Island Games as well.
How does shooting on home turf compare to competing off island?
For air pistol we don’t really have much of an advantage as the range is only being assembled a couple days before. So, we won’t have much time to trial it out. It will be interesting to see though how we settle on a totally new range.
I normally practice at Chouet so am very familiar with the conditions of that range and how the wind flows through, so I usually do quite well if it’s windy.
Last time we spoke, you didn’t know if you’d qualified for the air pistol event yet. Were you successful?
Yes I was! I have qualified so will be competing in three events: the Ladies’ Standard Pistol, Sport Pistol, and the Ladies’ Air Pistol.
There are both individual and team competitions. For the team events I will be partnering with Tara Leighton-Dyson.
Which event do you think you will do best in?
That’s a tricky one. Probably the standard pistol but I do really enjoy sport pistol and can shoot that one very well. It’s quite difficult to predict the outcome of the air pistol competition as there are quite a few of us that are very similar in our abilities.
How confident are you feeling?
My training has gone well, I just need to control my nerves. If I shoot how I have been shooting in training, I will be happy. This year there’s a real mix of new shooters and shooters I’ve shot against before so it will be interesting to see how everyone performs. Isle of Wight is probably our toughest competition, but our shooting team is very strong so hopefully we can secure some medals for Guernsey!
As Island Games Pistol Co-ordinator, is everything on track?
Yes, preparations for the Games and temporary facilities have started. To be ready to be able to run the events we are bringing in portacabins, containers and generators as we only really have the range roof for shelter.
The week before the Opening Ceremony will be full on to make sure everything is operational and ready for the athletes as they start to arrive on the Thursday. We are also hoping to livestream the events as spectators aren’t allowed on the range.
What are you most looking forward to?
I’m excited to welcome everyone to Guernsey, and for us to host the Games, it has been a long time since we last saw each other. The last Island Games was in Gibraltar four years ago as the 2021 Games was cancelled due to Covid. It will be lovely to catch up with the shooters I’ve competed against before and to make new friends.
Most of the shooting medal ceremonies will be held at Beau Sejour. It will be a hub for other events too as swimming will be there and lots will be going on. Shooting is quite often not accessible, so it’s good to feel part of the Games by meeting up afterwards and everyone can come and support the medal winners.
The island will come alive with over 2,000 athletes coming over and I am sure everyone will feel the energy the Island Games creates. There’s lots planned, for example St James is hosting a social area for athletes and the general public.
I’m also looking forward to hopefully watching a few other sports and finding out how the other Guernsey athletes have got on, it creates a lovely team feeling.
We wish Nikki the best of luck. Read more about Nikki’s shooting journey here.
Fewer transactions and a slight fall in the average price of local market property are highlighted in the latest quarterly residential property price bulletin from the States of Guernsey.
The average mix adjusted price of properties sold during the first quarter of 2023 was £613,942 – down 3.8% on the previous quarter and 7.1% higher than the first quarter of 2022.
There were 68 fewer local market transactions in January to March than in the previous period, and 86 fewer than the first quarter of 2022.
‘The figures don’t really come as much of a surprise. It’s well documented the market peaked last year and was always going to cool off,’ said Local Market director Andre Austin.
‘The good news is that there are still plenty of buyers around, the market has just become more price sensitive. We are also starting to see stock levels increase which is great news for buyers.’
The raw median price (realty only) of the 14 Open Market transactions in the first quarter of 2023 was £1,779,375, compared with £1,216,313 in the first quarter of 2022. Rental prices saw a slight increase – up 3.1% from the previous quarter and 7% higher than the same period in 2022. The mix adjusted average rental price for local market property now stands at £1,788 a month.
Andre added: ‘Stock levels on the rental market are still a real concern and this has not been helped by the decision by the States to increase document duty on second properties at the end of last year. The rental market needs buy-to-let investors and they are simply investing elsewhere. We hope the States will reconsider this policy.’
Leading Guernsey estate agent Swoffers has announced today that it will become the first agency in the world to staff its team of negotiators entirely with artificial intelligence (AI) robots.
The company, which celebrated its 50th anniversary last year, has always had a reputation for innovation being the first agency on the island to have a website.
Director Craig Whitman said: “Whilst we have always been a people orientated business, we are constantly looking at ways we can improve our service and when we were approached by world-leading Japanese AI company Eipurifuru International with the idea, we were very excited.”
The company has worked with Swoffers over the last year with the existing team with a plan to create the perfect estate agent.
Mr Whitman added: “The new generation of estate agent robots come with industry leading features: all our robots are programmed to never over-promise and under-deliver, they have the latest hi-tech cameras installed guaranteed to never make rooms look bigger than they actually are, and most importantly, will always tell you the truth.”
Towards the end of last year, Swoffers announced a three-year sponsorship deal to support Liberte Netball Club. The financial support covers player registration fees, match and training court fees, and new dresses and hoodies.
Natalie Carre, the chairman of Liberte Netball Club, said the financial commitment from Swoffers had put the club, which was founded in 2019, in a strong position.
“Having the support from Swoffers has been really important for us. Their support has meant that we’ve been able to provide training for every single one of the teams,’ she said.
‘It’s been really good for us. We’re all kitted out now, we’ve got the Swoffers logo on us and we’re all very proud to wear it.’
Swoffers caught up with the club at one of its training sessions. Watch the video here:
It has been 20 years since Guernsey last hosted an Island Games and the competition will be coming back to the island bigger and better than ever before this July. At Swoffers we are passionate about supporting women in sport, and even have our very own shooting superstar competing in the Games. Nikki Trebert, our senior property manager, will be facing nine other islands to win a medal in the shooting events. We spoke with Nikki to find out why she loves the sport and more about the competition.
How did you get into shooting?
I’ve been shooting since I was 14. It was a sport we had the opportunity to try at school. I really enjoyed it so joined the Guernsey Pistol Club and realised I was actually quite good at it.
I then entered the Junior British Championships and won! And it just continued from there. I have now been shooting for 32 years and have been lucky enough to participate in many international competitions including two Commonwealth Games (Glasgow in 2014 and Gold Coast in 2018).
How many medals have you won?
In total I’ve won ten gold medals, six silver and five bronze.
Which pistols do you use?
I use an air pistol pellet gun which is for indoor use and has a shooting range of 10m. I also use a .22 pistol for outdoors which has a 25m range and much smaller bullets.
What do you enjoy about shooting?
I find it really calming, it allows my mind to focus and forget about the rest of the world. My favourite discipline is 25m Pistol, which has 2 parts, you shoot 30 shots precision and 30 shots rapid at turning paper targets. The rapid section is my favourite; each shot has to be taken within three seconds, there is no time to overthink the shot so I just concentrate on technique and do not think about nerves.
How many Island Games have you competed in?
This will be my 10th Island Games. My first one was in Jersey in 1997. This year though I will not only be competing but also helping organise the shooting competitions as the Island Games Pistol Co-ordinator.
Which Island Games events will you be competing in this year?
I will be competing in the ladies’ standard pistol on 11 July. This is where 20 shots of five shots are fired in under 150 seconds, 20 seconds, and 10 seconds. On 13 July I’m competing in the 25m sport pistol event.
There are both individual and team competitions. For the team events I will be partnering with Tara Leighton-Dyson, a very strong shooter, and our scores will be combined.
I’m yet to qualify for the air pistol events as there are more qualifying competitions to still take place. I am hoping to qualify for the ladies’ air pistol events which will be shot on electronic targets – a first for Guernsey.
What are you looking forward to for this year’s Island Games?
I’m looking forward to welcoming the other Island shooters to Guernsey’s home range. We’ve met many times before and, even though we are competing against each other, it’s like a big family.
I also would love to win a medal. The strongest competition will be Jersey, Gibraltar, Gotland, and Isle of Wight.
How have you been preparing?
I train four times a week, but closer to the Games I’ll up this to five times. I’ve been practising at the outdoor range at Chouet, and, when its dark in the evenings, at the indoor range. Practising outside helps to train for different weather conditions and lighting. I also train at home doing dry firing where no bullets are used. This helps me practice my trigger control, timing, lifts, and visualisation.
The Island Games is the first competition I’ve taken part in since the 2019 Gibraltar Island Games due to Covid. I’m hoping to go to France in April to compete and to go to the Channel Island Championships in Jersey so I can practice under competition pressures.
What’s new to this year’s Games?
The use of electronic targets for the air pistol and air rifle events. They will provide instant results, and the technology will enable people to view the targets online and watch the shooting event. Perhaps not an advantage for Guernsey air shooters, as the range will only be assembled just before the Games, so it will be a new temporary range at Aztec Centre.
After the games they will stay on island, which will massively benefit local shooters, especially when preparing for national competitions; so a brilliant legacy of the Games. Unfortunately spectators will not be able to view the full bore disciplines at Chouet, due to a lack of space on the range. But there will hopefully be a camera, so people can log on to livestream the shooting events.
How can others get into shooting?
I’d recommend trying Air Pistol or Air Rifle at the Cobo United Air Rifle Club Cobo-arc.co.uk. For those who wish to shoot Pistol, more details can be found on guernseypistolclub.com. It would be great if more people could get into the sport.
Just before Christmas, Swoffers – the island’s most experienced estate agents – launched its Big Property Survey, and almost 1,300 people responded. The results are in, and we have a sneak preview for you. In short, Guernsey people love their island, they love their houses, and they really love their cars!
Following the end of the post-Covid property explosion, the last quarter of 2022 saw activity stabilise and us estate agents were able to get back to what we love the best – talking to people and finding the perfect property for our loyal clients. We wanted to get a snapshot of what was making people tick, their likes and dislikes, as well as the things that kept them awake at night. So, we launched our Big Property Survey, which has yielded some interesting results.
It’s heart-warming to note that while many communities yearn for something bigger and better, overall people in Guernsey seem happy with their lot. It appears the grass isn’t always greener, and the island’s charm still holds the hearts of its local population.
The survey was split into three sections – for renters, homeowners and non-islanders – with some questions allowing respondents to highlight their top three answers, and others asking for a single response. Overwhelmingly, islanders said they appreciated the safety and quality of life that we are blessed with in Guernsey; three-quarters of respondents listed these in the top three best things about living on the island. Respondents who took the survey but don’t live in Guernsey said the same. Many were born in Guernsey and had moved away, or had family in Guernsey; almost all wished they could live on the island, or intended to move back at some point.
We didn’t want to be one-sided, so we asked what the worst thing about living in Guernsey was. Unsurprisingly, based on the average house price alone, the cost of living was a concern (77.8%). The cost of getting off the island was also raised as an issue by 84.5% of survey participants. What really struck us was just how appreciative islanders are of their own homes, whatever the size. Faced with the option of choosing the answers: “I love my house”, “I wish my house was bigger, but I can’t afford to move”, and “My house needs an upgrade”, the vast majority (46%) said they loved their home, with 22% saying their house could do with an upgrade and 15% saying they would like more space but were restricted by cost.
In terms of what buyers look for in a new property, it is overwhelmingly a garden and parking, with parking nudging ahead slightly. School catchments were at the bottom of the list, indicating that the island has a spread of good schools. Out of 862 responses to the question: “What is most important to you in a new home?” 618 placed parking in their top 3, with 589 listing the need for a garden and 564 including location.
The biggest dealbreaker, again, was having no parking. 42% of respondents choose no parking as being a barrier to buying a property. Being above budget was in second place (22% said this), while having no garden was third, with 19% of the vote. People are more prepared to go over budget than buy somewhere without parking!
“It appears the grass isn’t always greener, and the island’s charm still holds the hearts of its local population.”
Local homeowners were also questioned on how they look for a new property and the role of estate agents; we were very happy to see that more than half agreed or strongly agreed that Swoffers was the island’s most trusted estate agent.
In terms of finding properties to buy, the island showed its commitment to online activity, with the vast majority saying they would look on estate agents’ websites or social media.
See the full results here.
If you’re looking to relocate to Guernsey, or live in Guernsey and are thinking of moving, get in touch with one of our friendly team.
Call 01481 711766 or email sales@swoffers.co.uk
