Can you believe it is a year since the  last campaign?  This year we went BIGGER AND BETTER!

Between all of the  offices we have raised over &1250 going Pink.

We changed all websites Pink for the  day, sold cakes from offices, orgaised a raffle including a signed LFC Shirt and still have a David Price Boxing Glove to auction off in the  November Auction as a lot.

Pink Wigs, Feather Bowers and men in Pink were the rule for the  day. 

Maria Barrigan, Business Development Director commented

"We love supporting events like this, it brings all of the  offices together and our customers support us so well.  We hope the money we have raised takes the  Charity a step closer to crucial research into Breast Cancer and we hope events like this will help to raise awareness of how we can all help to make a difference”

The Venmore Group would like to give a huge Thank You to everyone who donated gifts for the raffle and contributed towards the day.

PHOTO: Rob Farnham & Paul Lea Join in the fun with signed David Price boxing glove.

All our Auctions for 2013 will again be held at Liverpool Town Hall, Dale Street, Liverpool, L2 2SH and will commence at 1pm.

AUCTION DATES 2013

Wednesday 13th February 2013

Thursday 11th April 2013

Wednesday 29th May 2013

Thursday 18th July 2013

Thursday 19th September 2013

Thursday 28th November 2013

The list of auction lots are available via our website approximately 4 weeks prior to the auction date and we can send you an email alert as soon as the lots have been finalised and released.

A PDF copy of the catalogue will also be produced approximately 3 weeks prior to the auction date and again we can send you an email alert when this is released.

There will be hard copies of the catalogue available in branch or on the day of the auction in the Town Hall. We are trying to cut down on catalogue waste and so will only send out a catalogue on request for that specific auction and are il the process of migrating our  hard copy database to an email only distribution, so it is in your interest to sign up for email alerts. If you do want a hard copy you can call the auction department on 0151 236 6746.

Christmas is coming; however the market is still in full flow for people looking to invest in property.  With home movers suspending their searches now until the New Year, you have most of the market place to yourself and there is plenty of fantastic property out there to invest in. 

Mortgage lenders are offering some fantastic products to existing landlords and first time landlords alike.  With a vast knowledge of the mortgage market and the property market, book your appointment now.  I have been helping clients build their portfolios for several years and can help you do the same. 

On the flip side I can also help you if you’re considering investing in property for the first time. As a whole of market mortgage broker I can find you the best deal no matter what your circumstances are.   

Please call Nadine on 07798 882856 or email Nadine.bflmortgages@hotmail.co.uk

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

The Financial Services Authority does not regulate some aspects of Buy to Let mortgages.

Venmore Mortgage Services is a trading style of BFL Mortgage Services Ltd which is Authorised and Regulated by The Financial Services Authority.  Registered in England & Wales. Company Number 06734055. Registered office 7 Pensby Road Heswall Wirral CH60 7RA.

3 Meres Way, Southport     &210,000

* Three Bedroom Link Detached House
* Modernised Throughout 
* Fitted Kitchen & Bathroom
* Off Street Parking & Integral Garage 
* Sunny Aspect Gardens To The Rear

For full details and photgraphs click here
  

107 Clifton Road, Southport     &115,000

* Two bedroom semi detached house 
* Lounge, dining room, kitchen and utility area
* Partial double glazing and central heating
* In need of general modernisation
* Off street parking and private rear garden  

For full details and photgraphs click here 

30 Guinea Hall Mews, Banks, Southport     &129,950

* First floor two bedroom apartment 
* Modern kitchen and bathroom 
* Views to the front over farmland
* Private garden to the rear
* Off street parking and garage  

For full details and photgraphs click here
 

42 Blundell Drive, Southport     &335,000

* Handsome FIVE BEDROOM semi detached house 
* Three reception rooms and dining kitchen 
* Master suite to the second floor 
* Well-presented throughout 
* Pleasant gardens to the front and rear  

 For full details and photgraphs click here

3 Bibby Road, Southport     &349,950

* Four Bedroom Detached Family Home 
* Two Reception Rooms & Dining Kitchen 
* Utility Room & Outside WC 
* Retains Original Character & Charm
* Sunny Aspect Gardens & Garage

For full details and photgraphs click here

The housing market in Moreton is one of the smallest on the Wirral with generally around 450 houses for sale at any given time. During the past 3 years this stock has fluctuated and currently is at its lowest level for 3 years being 10% down from October 2011.

The average house price in Moreton has remained fairly constant over the past 3 years,  in 2010 this figure was &118k a slight rise in 2011 to &120k and this year a drop to &117k.

Throughout the year, we have noticed a rise in the volume of sales as vendors have become more motivated to compete in an ever changing market.

A correlation can definitely be seen between the motivation of vendors and three key elements-pricing, presentation and good marketing.

We are seeing houses that have all three key elements selling quickly and in some cases, achieving higher than the asking price. The key is getting the price right to attract interest in the first place.

Having these three key elements, as well as a pro-active estate agent, has a drastic effect upon the time spent on the market.

We have also found that buyers expectations have increased as they now have control over the housing market specifically buyers with mortgages approved and ready to move.

The two most common questions asked are by vendors “ when will prices begin to rise” and by customers “ do you have any repossessions” this means vendors and buyers are still in different places – vendors hoping for best price and buyers still bargain hunting.

The answer to the first question is hard to predict – two hard facts would say the market is getting to the bottom  - the volume of houses for sale has reduced by 10% in the year and the number of website hits we have had in Moreton of people looking at the stock we have  has increased  by 25% from October 2011 to October 2012.  This reflects we believe that getting the price right is the key.

Whilst lending for new buyers is restricted, and Moreton is the perfect first time buyer market, its hard to see prices increasing. We believe as confidence returns in 2013 stock levels will increase as people currently renting their properties sell , volumes of sales will increase but prices will remain flat.

Moreton remains a very affordable entry point to the housing market and a thriving centre and decent schools attract familes.

Ten years ago the property market was in the middle of a massive boom with house prices rising on a daily basis. People were buying off plan for obscene amounts of money, before a spade was even put in the ground. People were buying at auction and selling one month later for a hefty profit. Lenders were throwing money at investors and developers with Liverpool finally catching up with the rest of the country in terms of growth. Properties were basically selling themselves. The good times were rolling and if you weren’t putting all your eggs in the property basket you were going to be kicking yourself for years to come!

Right at the top of the boom in 2004 when it was announced that Liverpool had won Capital of Culture for 2008 the auction market in Merseyside went crazy. People were literally fighting over properties. So much so that Venmores had to have security guards at their auctions and people were getting turned away right, left and centre. People were buying properties blind with nothing more than the address, size and price to go on. Surely the market couldn’t sustain this? Well it couldn’t and the gravy train began to slow in 2005 and finally ground to a halt in late 2008.

Put it this way, as a comparison, Venmores March 2004 auction sold a whopping 194 properties over 2 days raising a massive &12,955,250, and in the whole of 2008 (6 auctions) Venmores sold only 129 properties in total raising only &11,197,700. Unfortunately this was not the worst the auctions would face and in 2010 we hit an all time low in the auction market on Merseyside selling only 112 properties and raising only &8,093,050 over the whole year. Grim times indeed!

With a change in personnel and a new found source of motivation we began the task of trying to turn the auction department around in this ever increasingly difficult market. Property prices are now back reflecting prices in 2004 and with the rental market so strong in Liverpool we are experiencing some of the highest yield returns in the whole of the UK.  Through offering a high level of customer service and taking a hands on approach we are now starting to see a high level of buyers and sellers come back to the auction market, and more importantly come back to using Venmores.

So far this year Venmores have already sold 175 properties at auction raising over &10 Million, and we still have our bumper year end auction featuring another 63 properties coming up on Wednesday 21^st November. It may not be reaching the heights of the boom in 2004, but we are experiencing the best results we’ve had in over 5 years. Long may it continue...

Name? - Claudine Farrell

Time Worked at Ball & Percival? -  4 Years

Favourite Southport Bar/Restaurant? - The Office Restaurant

Top Tune? - Natures Law by Embrace

Favourite TV Programme? - Holby City

Interesting Fact about you? - I used to play Tennis professionally at junior level!!!! 

After several years of strict restrictions on residential development which has effectively stagnated the private residential development sector the good news is they have been lifted.

Hooray!!

Whilst the social housing, subsidised and the housing association sectors have seen continued support there has been only piecemeal activity in the private sector.

The lifting of the moratorium across the whole of the Wirral - and without restriction - has come with some surprise. Whilst the lifting of the moratorium was in line with the recent changes in Chester and Liverpool it was expected that the drive to develop the South Wirral areas – particularly in the Rock Ferry – would be a key objective of the forward planning team. The consensus opinion was that the resistance to opening up the residential development process would result in restrictions being imposed on the on the North Wirral areas. (The dividing line for North/South is the M53 motorway)

The lack of restrictions means that the rules and guidelines pre moratorium will prevail. Some of these are clear – others are not!

The Urban Development Plan (UDP) will be the key reference point for what, in general, will or will not, be allowed. The UDP is currently being reviewed but that process has been considered, so far, under the assumption that the moratorium would be in place. Clearly that will have to be re considered.

The good news is that the opportunity will now exist to look afresh at the residential development process and particularly at physically and economically obsolete properties as well as residential properties sitting on significant/excessive plots.

Redevelopment of a property to provide a larger unit on the plot (within scale), developing back land for a second building and sizeable extensions are now likely to become the norm. In certain situations more comprehensive – and therefore more profitable - developments are feasible especially where adjoining neighbours are amenable.

Back land development will have restrictions relating to privacy and developable distances. In essence, if a back land plot is capable of development, then consideration has to be given to the distance from a “main view” window of an existing residence, especially neighbouring properties, to any new property.

I have the guidelines and will be happy to come an explain them to individuals/offices so that you will have a background as to what is and what is not possible.

A word of warning!

As Rachel Tottey (Branch manager of our Heswall BFL branch) and I found out recently on a back land development opportunity visit - the owner had expectations of site values well in excess of reality. It has to be remembered that the old yard stick of looking at the final value and doing a split of 1/3^rd build cost, 1/3^rd developers profit and 1/3^rd site value have long gone.

As we have had a paucity of opportunity to “self build” due to the moratorium and, added to that, the resistance of the Banking sector to funding development projects it may take a little time for the market to find its right level. This higgling is to be expected after such an absence of a real market and the other extraneous forces which now have come into play.

After the moratorium was imposed, residential values did rise but firstly stagnated and then generally fell back. However since the initial introduction of the moratorium, build costs have increased as the requirement to have eco-friendly and efficient new builds. This means that there is a pressure on the developer to take a reduced profit and/or the site owner to take a hit on value. An aspect, that is going to be a recurring feature of current client facing interactions will be the frequently inability of the client to accept that the market has moved in a downward direction. Managing expectations may well be your biggest challenge!

That is perhaps where I can be of assistance taking the pressure of you in your patch.

Give me a call on 0151 236 6746 or email m.irving@venmores.co.uk .

Local Hot Spot: 

Port Sunlight was built by Lever Brothers to accommodate workers in its soap factory (now part of Unilever), work commenced in 1888. The name is derived from Lever Brothers' most popular brand of cleaning agent, "Sunlight".

Port Sunlight contains 900 Grade II listed buildings, and was declared a Conservation Area in 1978. Port Sunlight has been informally suggested for World Heritage Site (WHS) status to protect it from development and to preserve the unique character for future generations.

In 1887, Lever Brothers began looking for a new site on which to expand its soap-making business, which was at that time based in Warrington. The company bought 56 acres (230,000 m²) of flat unused marshy land in Cheshire, south of the River Mersey. It was large enough to allow space for expansion, and had a prime location between the river and a railway line. The site became Port Sunlight, where William Lever built his works and a model village to house his employees. William Lever personally supervised planning the village, and employed nearly thirty different architects. Between 1899 and 1914, 800 houses were built to house a population of 3,500. The garden village had allotments and public buildings including the Lady Lever Art Gallery, a cottage hospital, schools, a concert hall, open air swimming pool, church, and a temperance hotel. Lever introduced welfare schemes, and provided for the education and entertainment of his workforce, encouraging recreation and organisations which promoted art, literature, science or music.

For more information on property for sale in Port Sunlight please contact our Bebington office on 0151 645 7155 - the village was seen recently on Antiques Rd show don't you know!

Local amenities:

There are a wide variety of activities in the area but the best way to see the village is by foot. You can take in the local history bu visiting various monuments, the Lady Lever Art Gallery which offers free entry, Port Sunlight museam and local garden nursery.

The area is served by both Bebington and Port Sunlight railway stations, on the Wirral Line of the Merseyrail network. There are regular train services to Chester, Ellesmere Port and to Liverpool via Birkenhead.

Wining and Dining:

There are various pubs and eateries in and around Port Sunlight but if you want to soak up the atmosphere there is the Bridge Inn which offers great pub food and drinks, or if you fancy feeling like Lord or Lady Lever check in to the Lerverhulme Hotel and Spa!

                                                 Local Hot Spot: Liverpool City Centre

        Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, United Kingdom along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880. It is the fourth most populous British city, and third most populous in England, with a 2011 population of 466,400 and is at the centre of a wider urban area, the Liverpool City Region, which has a population of around 2 million people

    As cities around the UK experience slowdowns in the housing market, one northern city is bucking the trend. With rising house prices, a strong rental market and major new developments set to create 38,000 homes under construction. Liverpool has one of the strongest prospects of any northern city.

    Riding high on the effect of Liverpool’s 2008 European Capital of Culture status, the city is enjoying rising house prices, a strong rental market and an employment boom.

Local amenities: The City benefits from a Merseyrail system operating trains to and from the City Centre running 4 trains hourly.  Liverpool One the new development offers a range of retail shops catering to everyones needs. From department stores to Mini Golf.

Wining and Dining: The Albert Dock boasts some of Liverpool's most stylish restaurants, cafes and bars, in a unique waterfront setting. Perfect for a day out with the family, a relaxing lunch by the water or a night on the tiles, you'll find plenty of choice, and some of the tastiest eateries in the city

Hot Property: Kings Waterfront, Monarchs Quay, L3

Stunning and brand new apartments in this exclusive development, offering fabulous views of the River Mersey.   Furnished or unfurnished, tailor made to suit your requirements, this two double bedroom apartment has features including a luxury bathroom, immaculate en-suite and a fantastic fitted kitchen.   A secure development, with 24 hour concierge and security, there is secure parking available at an extra cost.

Kings Waterfront, directly next to the well known Echo Arena is located on the Mersey riverfront. Immediately south of Albert Dock and opposite the Paradise Street development, Surrounded by a superb array of bars, shopping and restaurants offered by the popular Albert Dock and Liverpool One district.

For further details contact Darren Kay on 0151 0151 236 4400.