Dawsons April 2019 Newsletter

May Newsletter 2019

Community:

We are thrilled to have collected sanitary products to help support girls in our local comprehensive schools under the “Period Poverty” campaign! Thank you to everyone who contributed, it is greatly appreciated by Dawsons and, of course, the local schools.

Period Poverty collection for local schools from Dawsons Property
Beth & Nicky proud of their ‘period poverty’ collection for local schoolgirls

Industry News:

Dawsons Property has announced the acquisition of the ‘We Will Homes’ property portfolio, that had previously been managed from their central offices based at Orchard Street, Swansea.

The acquisition sees two well established, local and trusted companies working together with the intention of enhancing the customer experience and professional services to clients within the city.

This has been a seamless transition as a result of much preparation, ensuring that the `We Will Homes` clients were unaffected by the change of agent and that they were being guided and supported through every step of the process.

Dawsons Property have acquired We Will Homes in Swansea

Top Tips:

Now that Spring is here and the weather is getting warmer gardens are starting to come back to life. Remember to weed the patio, trim that out of control hedge and cut the grass.  Basically, make the garden look manageable because a well-presented garden will be one less job for a prospective purchaser.

Top Sales Tips from Dawsons Property Swansea

Auction News:

The auction market in Swansea is booming currently. We had a total of 24 properties for Aprils auction with 16 already (at the time of writing) for June’s auction. If you have a surplus property, if you are working to a short timescale, if you want to take the stress away from selling then you need to call our auction department on 01792 478904. We will give you the platform you need in order to sell your property.

Dawsons Property Auction April 2019

Dawsons Auction going, going, GONE!

F & C Property Focus:

Dawsons Fine & Country are selling Mumbles Hill House Mumbles Hill House, Mumbles, Swansea

For Sale £1,500,000

Mumbles Hill House is a truly amazing and extremely rare opportunity, to acquire a property where it’s outstanding position and incredible views are unparalleled. Set in approximately 1.43 acres of grounds, the existing house is nestled amongst mature trees and woodland, overlooking the totally breathtaking, triple aspect sea views. Here you have the option to completely renovate the existing substantial, detached house. Or completely redevelop, to build your dream home, subject to the necessary planning consents. This truly is a once in a lifetime opportunity.

Business Link:

Gomer Williams are April's business link company with Dawsons PropertyGomer Williams is part way through a very exciting year for the business. Not only are they celebrating their 100-year centenary but their Pontarddulais branch office is celebrating its first year anniversary! Kate Clarke who one of the directors says “To mark the occasion, we are excited to be hosting a charity race day at Ffos Las on Sunday 15th September in aid of our charity partner of the year, Maggies cancer centre Swansea. Tickets and tables still available.”

With a sterling reputation for customer service and with Juliet Phillips-James the award-winning Welsh Businesswoman of the Year 2019 (less than 50 employees) at the helm, the firm continues to go from strength to strength. There are strategic plans for future growth and business development and team are excited to make new connections.

Gomer Williams are April's business link company with Dawsons Property
Juliet Phillips-James Owner of Gomer Williams & Welsh Businesswoman of the Year 2019

Careers @ Dawsons:

WE ARE HIRING

Are you considering a career in Estate Agency, Property Management or Surveying, check this link for our current vacancies

A career at Dawsons Property Swansea

Reward Card:

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

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

Relocation Agent Network:

DOUBLE CELEBRATIONS FOR APRIL……

Sam and Kelly have passed the tests to become our 2 most recent Relocation Specialists

Dawsons are Swansea's Relocation Agent Specialists
Sam Singh & Kelly Israel are accredited Relocation Agent Network Specialists in our Dawson’s Mumbles Office

Both based in our Mumbles branch,  Sam Singh (LHS) is one of our most experienced and knowledgeable Property Consultants and spends the majority of her time passing on her vast knowledge in providing market appraisals to our valued clients, when not in work you may find her running the odd ‘marathon’ or two.

Kelly Israel is one of our highly regarded negotiators and knows all about the importance of customer service and takes pride in delivering excellence every time.  Kelly loves cooking and you will often find her providing a feast for her team.

Relocating? Dawsons can cater for all your relocation needs in conjunction with Relocation Agent Network, we are Swansea’s only agent to provide this unique service.  To find out more follow the link or pop into your local branch where you will find a Relocation Specialist on hand to deal with any enquiry.

#weheartrelocation

Mortgage Advice Bureau:

Dawsons Mortgage Advice BureauWhat can we do for you?

Dawsons Mortgage Advice Bureau is part of the leading mortgage network, as well as the most recognised intermediary consumer brand, winning over 70 national awards for the quality of its advice and service during the last five years.  So what sets us apart?

  • 12,000 mortgage deals are available via our network.
  • We have over 90 lenders who have chosen to work alongside us, allowing us the ability to adapt based on your situation and needs.
  • Exclusive deals from some of the major high street banks and building societies, that will not be available to the open market.
  • Mortgage protection insurance, exclusive to our network.
  • Expert advisors with in-depth knowledge of the market, who aim to assist you with the purchase of your new home.

For your free advice, please do not hesitate to call your local Dawson’s office today to make an appointment or click this link.  Please remember that your home can be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage.

Why you should sell your home at Auction by Dawsons

The benefit of choosing to sell by Traditional Auction

Here is an example of why Auction can be the best method of sale if you are looking for fast, secure results.

21 Brookville Road was brought to the market in March 2019 in readiness for our last auction on April 17th.

The vendors chose auction as they wanted a quick sale, it was a rental property for themselves and the property had deteriorated over the last couple of years.  Instead of spending a lot of money on a revamp of the house, they made the decision to sell it in a pretty run-down condition.

We began marketing the property and within 3-weeks we received an offer, at first the offer wasn’t quite what the vendors were looking for, however, thanks to our awesome auction negotiators a deal was agreed and both purchaser and vendor were really happy.

Even though the vendors accepted a pre-auction offer, it remained under auction conditions of an immediate exchange and completion to happen in 28 days. The property completed on the 18th of April a day after it was meant to go to the auction room, the whole process took 8 weeks from start to finish.

If you have a surplus property that is playing on your mind please let our Auction Department take your stress away give a call on 01792 478904 for your free valuation.

Dawsons Auction Going Going GONE!

Our Auction Listings are here

Easter Bunny visits Morriston Hospital Children's Ward at Easter

Easter Cheer for Children at Morriston Hospital

Hospitals can seem like scary places and there is nothing worse than being cooped up in a hospital ward when all of your friends are enjoying a special occasion, such as celebrating Easter.

That is why 2 of the dedicated Dawsons marketing & charity team, Callum Thomas (Swansea Auctions) and Gemma Savage (Mumbles Lettings) headed to Morriston Hospital Children’s Ward with a little Easter treat this weekend gone.

Dawsons Marketing Team head to Morriston Hospital

Dressed like a beautiful Easter Bunny and armed with lots of goodies, including colouring & craft kits, and eggs (of course) the dynamic duo put a smile on the children’s’ faces (and, admittedly, terrified a few too!).

Dawsons Marketing Team head to Morriston Hospital

Dawsons Marketing Team head to Morriston Hospital Dawsons Marketing Team head to Morriston Hospital Dawsons Marketing Team head to Morriston Hospital

We really care about our local community and love to get involved with helping out.  The guys were buzzing when they returned and hope they made some of the Children’s Easter special.

WhatsApp Image 2019-04-18 at 13.33.50

You can find out all about visiting the Children’s Ward at Morriston on this link.

If you are interested in our Charity & Community work, please get in touch with Callum Thomas on

☎︎ 01792 646060

Spoilt for choice, check the Dawsons relocation service

Spoilt for choice? You can’t beat a good recommendation!

Nowadays we have more choices than ever before. From the half-fat, decaf, double froth cappuccino at your local coffee shop to the fifty shades of white available at your local DIY store (Chapel Porth or Dover Skies anyone?).

So when it comes to selling your home, selecting an estate agent it is no different, except this time it’s not a £3.60 coffee you’re choosing, it’s finding someone you trust to help guide you through the biggest investment you’ll ever make.

With so many estate agents in the high street and online these days, it can be daunting trying to work out which agent is right for you.

So how do you even begin to choose?

Like most choices we make, it’s always more reassuring to make one based on a recommendation. And for us, there’s no better recommendation than from “Relocation Agent Network”. They chose us to be Swansea’s ‘Local Expert’ which means they not only
recommend Dawsons to every seller in the area, but also to the market leader in relocation services, Cartus, who relocates employees for their corporate customers.

Who Are Relocation Agent Network?

Relocation Across The Nation from Dawsons PropertyRelocation Agent Network is a national network of estate agents across England, Scotland and Wales and a division of Cartus. They search the UK for the very top estate agents to represent them as Local Experts and only invite one company from each area to join. So in the Swansea area, Dawsons are the only estate agent to be selected.

Why Did Relocation Agent Network Choose Us?
The team at Relocation Agent Network has a list of strict criteria they look for in any of their member agents:

  • In-depth local knowledge
  • Quality customer service
  • Proven experience in the marketplace
  • Innovation in business
  • Professionalism

… and as it turns out, we tick all the boxes.

So if Relocation Agent Network – experts in estate agency excellence – chose us, why wouldn’t you?

Thinking of selling this Spring / Summer?

Through our Relocation Agent Network membership, we are able to offer sellers a completely unique channel of buyer that no other estate agent in Swansea can provide.

Visit our Relocation Page to find out more, or contact us on ☎︎ 01792 646060

Young lambs

Dawson’s April Newsletter

Community News:

Dawson’s have proudly sponsored the Swansea City AFC disability supports associationDawson’s have proudly sponsored the Swansea City AFC disability supporters association for some time now, regularly attending events and raising awareness of the group where we can. The SCAFCDSA was set up in 2013 and is the recognised representative body of the disabled Swansea City AFC supporters, they work hard to ensure they; bring together the disabled supporters into one group including their family and friends, put the views of SCAFCDSA members to Swansea City AFC and other bodies along with improving facilities and policies that affect the disabled supporters.

This is very much an inclusive club, and extremely welcoming. They hold events throughout the year for their members and families. Our marketing teams Naomi Webborn and Joe Chiffi recently attended the latest event and very much enjoyed taking part in the raffle, Q & A session and quiz.

Any disabled supporter is welcome to join, more info can be found on their website:

http://www.swansdsa.org.uk/

Industry News:

Dawsons Wins ‘Feefo Gold’ Trusted Service Award 2019

feefo_rt_gold_service_2019_yellowWe are so delighted to announce we have won the Feefo Gold Service award in February 2019, an independent seal of excellence that recognises businesses for delivering exceptional experiences, as rated by real customers.

Created by Feefo, Trusted Service is awarded only to those businesses who use Feefo to collect genuine reviews and insights. Those who meet the high standard, based on the number of reviews they have collected, and their average rating, receive the award.
The Feefo Award is a badge of honour, and this accreditation remains unique, as it is based purely on the interactions with real customers.

As all reviews are verified as genuine, the accreditation is a true reflection of a business’ commitment to outstanding service. Dawsons have met the criteria of collecting at least 50 reviews between January 1st 2018 and December 31st 2018, with a Feefo service rating of between 4.5 and 5.0.

Chris Hope, our Senior Partner commented: “We’re thrilled to receive this award from Feefo. It recognises how hard we’ve been working to give great experiences to all our customers, who are the most important judges of what we do. We’re committed to delivering the highest quality of service, so it’s important for us to listen, understand and respond to all our customers. Feefo enabled us to consistently improve throughout 2018 and now we’re looking forward to another successful year ahead.”

Top Tips:

Recycling Nation – Get involved
Get everyone in the household involved in recycling Swansea City AFCevery day – it’s not one person’s responsibility.
Recycle ♻️ your cooking water to feed plants

Auction News:

Dawsons Action an iconic beach hut in Langland,Dawsons Auction Department invite you to attend our biggest ever auction.  At the time of typing, the Dawsons Auction Department are taking 25 properties to the auction room, all but one are located in the Swansea area. Properties vary from an array of brilliant investment opportunities from Port Talbot to Pontardulais. We also have quirky properties that offer either investment, pleasure or the possibility of a second home: an iconic beach hut in Langland, Ship and Castle Public House in Loughor with plans to develop and a property on the seafront of Port Eynon.

The Auction Department here is growing from strength to strength, please see below some of the glowing reviews that we have received.

5 Star Independent Reviews for DAWSONS“Selling the property could not have been easier. From the outset, they have been friendly and hard working. Selling my deceased brothers property could not have been easier.”

“Overall a great service. Thankfully due to Dawson’s establishes customer network we were able to auction our property. We did have our challenges through the process but thankfully through hard work it all turned out ok in the end.”

“Efficient and effective, positive experience. I dealt with the auction team together with one of the managing directors. Everyone in the team is very efficient always willing to assist, prompt with replies. First ever sale at auction, daunting experience, would recommend this team. Excellent service.”

If you want a free valuation on any property/land that you want to sell please give Dawsons
Auction call 01792 478904

Fine & Country Property Focus:

Bellendaine, Middleton, Rhossili
Offers Over £699,950

Bellendaine, Middleton, Rhossili Offers Over £699,950
Bellendaine is an absolute gem, full of character and surprises, sat in 1.8 acres of beauty in
Middleton, Rhossili. You have stunning countryside and sea views with an opportunity to have
additional income with it's large annexe/holiday let. It really is quite special. Absolutely perfect for
those, who enjoy the outdoor lifestyle twinned with peace and quiet.

Business Link:

Introducing
Christian Jones
For all your Wealth management and Financial investment advice
Christian Jones Financial Services work with Dawsons Estate Agents
Contact Christian on 07786 038555
Email: c.jones179@btinternet.com

Careers @ Dawsons:

Are you considering a career in Estate Agency, Property Management or Surveying?
Visit our website

A career at Dawsons Property Swansea http://www.dawsonsproperty.co.uk/career.php

for current vacancies.

Reward Card:

Dawsons Property have an exclusive reward card for their clients in SwanseaAsk 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.

Relocation Across the Nation:
#weheartrelocation

RELOCATING FROM SEVEN OAKS TO SKETTY

Mortgage Advice Bureau (MAB) update: 

Dawsons Mortgage Advice BureauDawsons Mortgage Advice Bureau – What can we do for you?
Man entering figures in speadsheet on laptop
This week presented a great example of what Dawsons Mortgage Advice Bureau are doing for our clients day in and day out, and what we could be doing for you! After speaking to one of the major high street banks, a disappointed customer seeking to purchase for £250,000 was left £50,000 short on the mortgage they required. However, after visiting and discussing his needs with Dawsons Mortgage Advice Bureau, we have carefully sourced a mortgage that will secure him his dream home at £250,000, which will also be available at no extra cost with his monthly repayments. Not only did we get the required
mortgage, but we also saved our client payment of £100 per month against the original mortgage payment figure he was offered by his bank.

Your home may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage.

Friends of Dunvant Primary School receive a boost for their parking patrol

Friends of Dunvant Primary School receive a boost for their parking patrol

Dunvant primary school are extremely proactive in the safety of their school children, as part of this initiative their year 6 pupils regularly patrol the outside of the school at pick up times and politely ask the parents to reconsider their parking choices should they be parked on the zig zags, double yellow lines, etc for the safety of all children entering and exiting the school grounds.Dawsons Estate agents have kindly provided a host of high visibility jackets for the children to wear on their patrols along with conducting a children’s drawing competition to design a road safety banner for the front of the school. Dawsons worked alongside the head teacher Miss Thomas as well as Abi Cherry and Catherine Luck of Friends of Dunvant School (FODS).

The 3 finalists of the drawing competition were then presented with their Dawsons goodie bags along with the new school banner and high vis jackets in their celebration morning assembly.
Friends of Dunvant Primary School receive a boost for their parking patrol

Photo: Daniel Ray (Dawsons Killay Office) with Sophie and Halle (artwork finalists).
Catherine Luck (Friends of Dunvant School) said
‘When the Dawsons marketing team got in touch with us to see if they could help the school in any way, it was a must for me. Upon initial discussions, we felt that having a local estate agent supporting the safety initiative of the school would be a great opportunity for the children to get creative and increase their safety at the same time. My mum Joan worked within the Land & New Homes Dept for some years and it was lovely to see my children in the school being supported in some way by Grannies work’David Parton (Dawsons Killay branch manager) added:
‘We are very fortunate to be based in such a vibrant community and will always look to work alongside other local businesses, charities and schools where we can. It was wonderful to see the children get so involved with our competition and enjoyed judging the artwork very much, we look forward to working alongside the school in future projects.’

For further information on how Dawsons can help you and your family to relocate to or from Swansea, call sales on 01792 298014, lettings on 01792 301000 or visit www.dawsonsproperty.co.uk

 

Renovation Project with Dawsons

HOW TO SAVE MONEY ON YOUR HOME RENOVATION

Whether your budget is big or small, the cost of a home renovation can quickly get out of control, so we’ve put together a tick list to help keep you on track and on budget!

Set a budget and stick to it

If you’re planning to do work on your home, start with an amount that you’re able to spend before you begin making design choices. Then you can price fixtures and materials and begin to get a grasp on what will work with your budget and what won’t.

Dawsons Renovation TipsCreate a spreadsheet and simply add everything you can think of:

  • Flooring
  • Roof
  • Windows
  • Doors
  • Paint or wallpaper
  • Fixtures such as worktops, shelves, cupboards
  • Fittings for the rooms you are renovating
  • Electrics and electrical fittings
  • Tiles and grout
  • Appliances
  • Labour & materials

Are there any areas which are eating into your budget?  Take a look and try to make adjustments by choosing less expensive materials or cutting out items altogether.  When you make a budget for your project, it’s a good idea to allow for unexpected expenses, keep a reserve fund of at least 10% of your budget for flexibility.

DIYPaint your Dawsons renovation project yourself

You may not be able to plaster the walls, or re-wire the electrics, but there are some things you can do to prepare your space before the building crew arrives.  You’re probably paying the contractors by the hour (although, perhaps when negotiating, you may be best to consider a job price rather than an hourly rate) so if you can clear the space, remove old fittings and prepare surfaces then you’re one step ahead.  If you have moderate DIY skills, why not have a go at smaller tasks.  Nowadays you can watch anything on YouTube to give you a guide on how to do things and if you have the availability to learn a new skill, and take your time to do it right, then you only need the determination to give it a go. You can rent most DIY tools from a local hire plant store and knowing you have to return the items on a certain date is a real incentive to get the job done.   If you’re planning to do a lot of the work yourself make sure that you do not fall foul of the law by carrying out works you need a qualification or a license for. If you are skilled enough for a job like tearing down walls and installing load-bearing beams, be sure to get the work checked by the Local Planning Officer.

Reuse Materials

One of the best ways to save yourself money is to reuse items you already have, such as cabinet carcasses.  You can save a lot of money by refacing doors to change the style or by leaving the cabinet body in place and just changing the doors.  Why not try sanding down old doors and repainting them in a new colour, adding a chalk paint & wax treatment such as Annie Sloane’s.

Renovate by repainting the kitchen doors to add new life to old units
Renovate by repainting the kitchen doors to add new life to old units

Alternatively, you can buy visit the local salvage yards and pick up some amazing fixtures and fittings or check out Facebook Marketplace or buy/sell/trade websites where you may just come across someone selling perfectly fine items that will save you a tonne of money. Hunting for old or salvage materials can be a lot of fun and can also add character to your project. Plus, you’re helping the planet in the process of saving money!

Sell Anything You’re Not Using

Sell items you are not using with Dawsons renovation tips
Sell what you can before you skip it

Old kitchen cabinets, appliances, doors, hardware, light fittings and lots of other materials might be of interest to someone else scavenging for materials, but if nobody wants your junk, you can sell metal items to scrapyards in exchange for cash.

Cash, not Loan

Save money with Dawsons renovation tipsPaying for your project with your savings rather than taking out a loan, or worse, putting items on a credit card, will save you a significant amount of money in interest. If you’re renovating in order to sell your home, it might make sense financially to take out a loan when you know there will be a return on your investment and the loan will be paid off quickly. If you don’t have the savings it is best to begin thinking about ways you can trim your household budget to save money for your project.

Timing

If you have the money in a savings account, it can be tempting to gut and renovate your home all at once, but if you rush things, you’ll most likely regret some of the choices you make. Why not start off with one or two rooms and finish those before moving on to other areas? If you prioritize the most intensive parts of the project and do them first it will stop the anxiety over having major works to diarise at some future point.  Also, if you force yourself to finish one project before beginning another, you won’t have to live in a house full of mess with no room to escape to. Planning a project is half the fun, so take your time, consider every detail, and you won’t waste time and money later when you’re unsure of your decisions.

Dawsons Renovation Project
Wait for the sales before you buy the big ticket items

Also, worth considering putting the biggest projects into the diary to coincide with ‘sales’ for certain big-ticket items, such as ‘Black Friday’ for electronics and power tools, Boxing Day Sales for lounge & bedroom items and flooring, and the end of Summer for outdoor furniture and lawn care items or conservatory furniture! Research the best time to make your purchase, and don’t let your impatience steer you away from getting a good deal.

Finally,

When you are house hunting for a fixer-upper, look out for moisture issues, foundation concerns, and bug infestation. These are the top three nightmares where renovation budgets are concerned. Make sure that you consider other minimal fees involved in renovation such as building permits, or even getting permission from a conservation society. You may not be allowed to make the changes you want, so be aware of your limitations before you begin.

Renovating with Dawsons Property
Check if you need planning permission for any of your renovation work

We have a number of renovation projects at our Auctions, so check them out on HERE.