A snowy scene in Swansea Wales

February Newsletter 2019

Dawsons supporting local communities

We pride ourselves in not just having local offices, but our staff within those branches being part of the community in which they are placed.  As a company, we support many different charities, both local and national, local schools, social and sports clubs, as well as local businesses and events.

Our community contributions in 2018 were by far one of our busiest years to date.  To name but a few, we were involved in: sponsoring the Wales Airshow, Burry Port raft race, DJM Charitable trust, Macmillan, Save the Children, Swansea City DSA, Mr X, Trussell Trust, Cariad defib, friends of Mumbles parks, alongside many local primary school fetes, local litter picks, and many more.

Dawsons Property in Swansea raise over £14,ooo for charitable causes in 2018We proudly raised a grand total of £14,106.00 in 2018 alone, for which we are extremely thankful to all our staff who got involved.  Whilst day to day we are an award-winning estate agent, we are also team Dawsons supporting in any which way we can.

Industry News:

Dawsons celebrate their win at the EA Masters with new window displays

Dawsons placed in top 0.1% of agents in the UK after winning gold and silver.  Our Sales & Lettings teams are celebrating their achievements after winning both gold and silver in the Estate Agents Awards (EA Masters) in October 2018 placing us within the top 0.1% of estate agents throughout the UK.

Ricky Purdy, our lettings director commented:  “The judging of this prestigious accolade takes place over a 12 month period, involves in-depth research, many statistics and mystery shops”

Jo Summerfield Talbot, our sales director commented:  “These awards are attributed to the sheer hard work and outstanding customer service all our team members display by always going that extra mile helping and supporting our clients through their journey”

Take a look as you drive by our local offices this month and see all our windows which are now splashed with awards and celebration.

Top Tips: Declutter

Declutter those cupboards and drawers, tidy up and remove excess items that might give the impression of cluttering. You may want to remove any large bits of furniture (such as a clunky wardrobe) in order to make a room look bigger.  Check out our ‘declutter blog’ here.

Declutter your home is the advice of Dawsons in Swansea

Auction News

Alltiago Road, Pontarddulais goes up for Auction with Dawsons Property in February

“2018 was an amazing year for Dawsons Auction Department! Selling 90% of everything that we took to the room. Proving that buying and selling via auction is the most secure method of sale, the national average of selling via private treaty is only 65%.

A misconception is that auction properties are in disrepair or requires work, last year we found that its the vendors circumstances that determine whether a property is to be sold at auction not the finish of the property e.g. shorter timescales, security of sale, speed of sale and ability to sell with discretion in certain situations debt, separation, emigration, death.

Going into the first auction of 2019 we have very diverse stock located all across Swansea (which includes the property pictured in Alltiago Road, Pontarddulais).  Come down to the Swansea Marriott Hotel on the 27th of February and start your investment with us. If you want a free valuation on any property/land that you want to sell please give Dawsons Auction a call 01792 478904.”

F & C Property Focus:

Ryelands, Bishopston. Offers Over £800,000

Ryelands, Bishopston. Offers Over £800,000 For Sale with Fine & Country Swansea Office

A prestigious & recognisable home which has marked the entrance to the village of Bishopston since 1905. With it’s prominent stature & handsome exterior, Ryelands is a striking and property. Offering an array of beautiful original features & magnificent size rooms made up of 5 receptions, 5 beds & 3 baths. Fantastic size south facing gardens & ample parking.

Business Link:

Would you like to work out for just 20 mins a week? Through efficient electrical muscle stimulation (EMS) training you can with Body Street.

Bodystreet Swansea Central 37/39 Pearl House Princess Way Swansea SA1 5HF

Dawsons would like to introduce our local branch of Body Street, visit their website for introductory offers.

www.bodystreet.co.uk

Careers @ Dawsons 

WE ARE HIRING

Are you considering a career in Estate or Letting Agency, Property Management or Surveying? Visit our careers page for all of the current vacancies.

Reward Card:

Dawsons Property have an exclusive reward card for their clients in Swansea

Ask a member of our team for information on how to get one of our exclusive Reward cards providing you with discounts and offers in many local companies throughout Swansea & Llanelli

Staff News:

Tom Hope celebrates 10 years of service with Dawson property in Swansea

January has seen us celebrate Tom Hope’s 10th year anniversary within Dawsons.  Tom is now based in our Fine & Country department in our Mumbles office, Congratulations from us all @ Team Dawsons, here’s to the next 10 years +.

Declutter your home is the advice of Dawsons in Swansea

Declutter your Home

When you are considering putting your property up for sale, we suggest that you consider a “declutter”, even before you call out the agent to value your home.

If you are serious about moving, you will need to go through your items to pack at some point in the near future, so consider this a pre-clean to make the packing job easier.

1. If you have a lot of clutter, at this stage it might be worth considering hiring a skip for a few weeks, that way you can just throw out the items you no longer need, without copious trips to the local dump.  Alternatively, you can usually hire a van for a day or two, but make sure that you have checked with your local rubbish dump that they allow ‘commercial’ vehicles to enter and off-load.

shutterstock_566884272.  It is a good idea to try and predict a dry day, you might find that it is easier to move items out onto the patio or driveway, so that you can start with a blank room and only move back into the house the items you really need.  At this point, it is worth noting that the more you can open up the space in a room, the bigger it will look and the easier it will be to get great photos for your marketing.

3.  Try to keep your surfaces as clear as possible, if you have lots of nick-nacks or you tend to collect paperwork, books and magazine, or you have a myriad of family photos, or a mountain of toys, now is the time to pack those away in a cupboard or into a packing / storage boxes ready for you move.  When people are viewing your home, you will get much better results if they can automatically imagine themselves in your space, so keep personal items to a minimum.

Declutter your home before you put it on the market with Dawsons

4.  Take a look inside your storage areas.  If you are anything like me, you probably just toss items in without any systematic approach.  I find that every once in a blue moon I tidy up the cupboards and drawers with good intentions to keep them in order, but that quickly goes out of the window!  Most of my storage areas look like junk heaps so I know that now is the time to drag everything out and store it, label it and neatly return it in a systematic way!  I know that once this happens I will 100% find way more space to fill with even more stuff!  Go on, have a go!

5.  It is a great idea to have storage containers on hand when you are decluttering.  My personal favourites are anything stackable, even better if they have drawers to open from the front, and for all of those Seasonal clothes and shoes, how about vacuum pack storage bags which you fill and suck the surplus air out of, making them very easy to pack away in small spaces?

Declutter your home before you put it on the market with Dawsons

Once you have decluttered and semi-depersonalised your home, touch up any walls which have scuffs and call the agent in for your property valuation.  If you live in the Swansea area, we know just the person to call:-

  • Swansea Sales 01792 646060
  • Sketty Sales 01792 299655
  • Mumbles Sales or Fine & Country 01792 367301
  • Morriston Sales 01792 700777
  • Llanelli Sales 01554 784400
  • Killay Sales 01792 298014
  • Gorseinon Sales 01792 896868
Sketty Renovation Project

Our Sketty Renovation Project Story

Firstly, thank you to James Matthews of JM BUILDING CONTRACTORS, for coming along and allowing us to video him (on our phone) about the amazing renovation project he has been working on over the past 2 years:

Secondly, we hope that if you are inspired to take on a renovation project, that you will contact us in the first instance and let us guide you to the right project for your budget & skill-set.

Thirdly, watch James talk about his first renovation project and take a look at the amazing before and after photos, from his work at 26 Beaconsfield Way, Sketty.

James put his unique stamp on the property, which he purchased in March 2017, opting for a large open plan design with a large rear extension.  Due to his tight budget, it was imperative for James to rely upon his relationship with Alison, the associate valuer at Sketty office, who went out on a limb to ensure that James got hold of the property for the best price, in order to utilise his savings for the work!

James and his family moved into their newly renovated home in March 2018 and are now working on the garden & garage, before the project is complete and the property can be sold.   Here are some of the photos from the project so far.

Refurbishment project in Beaconsfield Way Sketty
Before Photos
Refurbishment project in Beaconsfield Way Sketty
Roof being refurbished
Refurbishment project in Beaconsfield Way Sketty
Kitchen & Lounge almost completed

We are sure you will agree it is, indeed, an amazing project and showcases the work James & his building team can do.  If you are considering a renovation project there are 2 contacts to add to your planning list:

Alison Morris
(Associate and Valuer)

90 Gower Road
Sketty
Swansea
SA2 9BZ

Tel: 01792 299655

JM Building Contractors

Tel:01792 201 448
Tel: 07837 488 350
Email: info@jmbuildingcontractors.co.uk

JMBuilders Logo

Dawsons auction room 2018

Should you consider putting your home up for Auction?

No longer just a domain for investors, developers and property traders, the auction room is now the preferred option of buying and selling property for a number of people looking for a fast and secure method of sale.

The beauty of the Auction Room is that there is no chain and the buyer commits legally on the fall of the gavel with an exchange of contracts secured by a 10% non-returnable deposit.  So auction sales remove the stresses and uncertainty of ‘subject to contract’ transactions, ensuring that estate agents who market property through this method can speed up the process and eliminate the risks of ‘gazumping and gazundering’.

When you consider the time it takes to sell a home by traditional methods, it is easy to see the appeal:

  • Property listed to offer accepted: 10 weeks
  • Offer accepted to searches ordered: 36 days
  • Mortgage arrangement: 3-6 weeks
  • Searches to an exchange of contracts: 58 days
  • Exchange of contracts to completion: 0-28 days

(Data:  View My Chain)

The residential property auction market saw a significant increase in both the number of lots offered for sale and lots sold in 2018, as a high number of people continue to turn to auctions as a means of buying and selling property, fresh data shows.

It is clear to see the benefit of having a sales transaction under-offer and completed in a month, when you compare it to the average time it takes for a property to go ‘under offer’ in Swansea (100 days on average)!

Average time for a house to go under offer

According to the latest figures for October released by the Essential Information Group (EIG), with whom the Dawsons Auction Team work, there was a sharp double-digit increase in both the volume of lots offered and lots sold for the month, up 26% and 38% respectively.

The total amount of money raised by the group rose by just over 51% to £298 million.  “Further increases are evident throughout the rolling quarterly and yearly figures, demonstrating an ever-strengthening market with growing numbers of buyers and sellers choosing auctions as a viable route to market,” said David Sandeman, Managing Director at EIG.

Speaking with Callum Thomas, our Auction Sales Negotiator, the Nationwide statistics fro EIG mirror those from the 5 Dawsons auctions during 2018.  Callum says “we have always had a strong Auction market in South Wales and in 2018 we had an average of 19 properties listed at each event, but we have seen a real change in our audience.  We have had a significant increase in ‘auction newbies’ attending, especially from further-afield areas, like London & Bristol.  It would appear that many people are looking at investments in our location, whether it be buy-to-let, flips, pension plan or putting their kids on the market.  We are really delighted to announce that we’ve been able to sell 91.3% of our listed stock at Auction, this is much higher than the National average for property listed in the traditional manner, which is 65% (77% for Dawsons traditional sales properties).”

“With regards to pricing, the Auction medium is still being used for more ‘run-down’ properties or those with development potential.  Hence, the average sale price at Auction for Dawsons in 2018 stands at £99,981 (price does not include pre / post-auction sales).  That said, it is an increase on 2017 figures and there is definitely a shift happening, with more family homes or more traditional property being listed.”

Compare this with the traditional (non-Auction) sales in County of Swansea 2018, you will see that there is a distinct gap still, but one which is being closed and is likely to close further during 2019.

  • Semi-detached properties averaged £158,142.
  • Terraced properties averaged £123,044
  • Detached properties averaged £276,469.

This was similar in terms of sold prices to nearby Bridgend (£166,620) but was more expensive than Neath Port Talbot (£125,157) and Rhondda Cynon Taff (£124,686). The most expensive area within Swansea was Rhossili (£800,000) and the cheapest was Brynhyfryd (£99,695).

In the past year house prices in County of Swansea were 4% up on the year before and 4% up on 2016 prices, when they averaged at £166,648.

Taking in the areas from where we’ve seen a marked increase of auction buyers coming, it may suggest that Swansea is an area of particular interest to property developers or investors looking for rental properties:

LONDON

Most of the sales in Central London over the past year were flats which on average sold for £1,565,096. Terraced properties had an average sold price of £3,379,980 and detached properties averaged at £3,000,000.

  • Central London averaged £1,691,247
  • West London averaged £1,244,006
  • South West London averaged £743,632
  • North London averaged £714,095

BRISTOL

Last year most property sales in Bristol (County) involved terraced properties which sold for on average £317,913. Flats sold for an average price of £252,766, while semi-detached properties fetched £350,286.

  • Bristol (County) averaged £315,338
  • Gloucestershire averaged £300,133
  • Somerset averaged £292,947
  • Wiltshire averaged £289,584

During the last year, sold prices in Bristol (County) were 5% up on the previous year and 11% up on 2016 when the average house price was £285,126.

If you would like to speak to someone about the Auction process, and whether it would be beneficial to your property, or if you are interested in attending our next auction (Wed 27th February3pm) then read on or call us on 01792 478903 or 01792 478904.

Winner of the Dawsons car wrap competition

Bishop Gore Pupil wins Dawsons ‘Wrap a car ‘ competition

Cora of Bishop Gore School entered the Dawsons Estate Agents competition in October to see her design wrapped around Dawsons newest fleet car this November.

Winner of the Dawsons car wrap competitionOur marketing coordinator Naomi Webborn explains:

“We held the social media competition throughout October inviting any young person to submit a design using the blank canvas of a white ‘VW up’ car.  Whilst we were overwhelmed with the entries received from local schools, girl guides and scouts and other local community groups throughout Llanelli and Swansea, Cora’s innovative design stood out greatly with her use of paint and imagination.  We thank all children who took part and urge all children to submit designs when we host similar competitions in the future.”

Both Cora and Helen (Bishop Gore’s head teacher) were so proud to see the design on the car when Dawsons visited recently.  When Cora was asked how she came up with her design she answered:

“As it’s an estate agency, I thought a key idea would be a good as it links the design to houses.  I’m very proud to have won the competition and I felt very excited to see the car as it’s my own design.”

Mrs Helen Bergum also commented: “We are very proud of Cora’s achievement.  Her creativity and enthusiasm for art have been magnificently embodied in this design. It’s fantastic for Cora and the community in Swansea to be able to see her design on a daily basis.”

Dawson’s company car fleet has become something of a blank canvass for local artists and photographers to show their work of late.  Since early 2016, Dawsons have wrapped their fleet with a number of unique and innovative designs from children’s drawings (competition designs), the work of two local photographers who we spotted on social media, local maps and throwback photos supplied by a local author.  We will be on the lookout for even more designs in 2019, so watch this space and keep your eyes out for the fleet in your local community.

angelina chugh winner of Dawsons Van wrapFor more information please contact:

Naomi Webborn on 01792 633267