Following last night’s announcement by the Prime Minister that England will move to a new national lockdown, agents can continue to work and house moves are permitted to go ahead.

The guidance states:
“You can still move home. People outside your household or support bubble should not help with moving house unless absolutely necessary. Estate and letting agents and removals firms can continue to work. If you are looking to move, you can go to property viewings. Follow the national guidance on moving home safely, which includes advice on social distancing, letting fresh air in, and wearing a face covering.”

The national lockdown requires that under UK Coronavirus Alert Level 5, people across England must stay at home, except for very limited exceptions.

Responsible behavior by everyone involved and adherence to safety guidance throughout is more important than ever.

At Perry Bishop we take the safety of our staff and clients extremely seriously. Residential Director, Sarah Benson, spells out what this implies in the video she released on facebook last night in response to Boris’ announcement.

We look forward to helping you more safely during these challenging times.

We would like to wish everyone a very Happy New Year. Let’s hope that with the ramped up roll out of the vaccine programme – including the addition of the Oxford/AstraZeneca Covid vaccine today – we can send this pandemic packing as quickly as possible!

All of our offices are now open after the Christmas break. As of the 30th December, our offices in Gloucestershire and Oxfordshire and our newly opened office in Swindon now find themselves in Tier 4. Our Chippenham office is the exception, which currently remains in Tier 3. We are pleased to advise that anyone looking to sell, buy, let or rent is still able to move in all tiers as ‘moving home’ has been deemed a ‘reasonable excuse’ by Government for leaving your property. Estate agents, tradespeople and removal firms are therefore allowed to continue operating. And other professionals in the property industry, such as conveyancers, are also still able to work. Obviously, the safety of our clients and staff remains our main priority and we have rigorous procedures in place – following strict social distancing and health and safety guidelines – to ensure that we can help people move safely across our region.

The housing market remains strong. Changing priorities in terms of how and where we live – triggered by successive lockdowns – coupled with the Stamp Duty holiday, continue to fuel buyer demand in our area. If you are looking to move this year, we are here to help.

We would like to wish everyone a happy and healthy Christmas. We appreciate that this Christmas will be like no other, but hope that you are able to enjoy some time off with loved ones.

All of our branches will be closed from Thursday 24th December until Saturday 2nd January. Do take a look at the wonderful choice of properties we are currently marketing, via our website. If any inspire you to make 2021 the year of your next move, do get in touch in the New Year. We’re here to help.

Here’s to a brighter future in 2021.

Best wishes from everyone at Perry Bishop.

The property portal’s latest House Price Index – the largest monthly sample of residential property prices – drills down to reveal what’s happened in the market over the last month and, as it’s their final report of the year, dissects the year as a whole and looks ahead at what’s in store for 2021.

Read the report in full.

If a move is on the cards for you in 2021 talk to your local branch of Perry Bishop and Chambers, recently named one of the Best Estate Agents in the country by The Property Academy and Rightmove.

Hats off to our fantastic Cheltenham team who are pounding the streets around Cheltenham and Gloucestershire this December. They’ll need to keep their own woolly hats on however as they will be walking, jogging or running 5k every single day of the month, come rain, sleet or snow, even on Christmas day! The miles will often also be completed in the dark after work. The team are taking part in the Sue Ryder December Dash, raising funds for their charity partner – Sue Ryder Leckhampton Court Hospice

The Hospice supports people through the most difficult times of their lives, whether that be a terminal illness, a neurological condition, or the loss of a loved one. The doctors, nurses and carers give people the compassion and expert care they need to live the best life they possibly can.

Gavin Wallace, Director and Branch Manager of the Cheltenham branch, explains:

“The Sue Ryder Leckhampton Court Hospice is playing a vital part in the Coronavirus effort, relieving the pressure on the NHS across Gloucestershire. All their staff want to be able to use their skills, expertise and experience to help patients and their families in the months ahead. But in order to keep their services running through the winter and beyond they urgently need to secure more funds. All of their fundraising events have had to be cancelled since March and their 450 charity shops have had to remain closed most of the time. The Sue Ryder Leckhampton Court Hospice really needs all the support it can get. It costs £21 for an hour of care at the hospice but any donation will make a big difference”

In under a week, the team have already hit £700 of their £1000 target! But naturally they are keen to raise as much as possible and would welcome further donations at this link.

Anyone on the move in and around Swindon can now take advantage of the services of award-winning independent sales and letting agency – Perry Bishop. Popular and respected Swindon-based agent, Paul Dearing, has been appointed Associate Partner and will be heading up sales and valuations in the town, with the support of this established multi-branch property service recently named one of the best in the country.*

Perry Bishop have been helping people on the move in Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Wiltshire for several years from their six prominent High Street branches based in Cirencester, Faringdon, Cheltenham, Stroud, Tetbury and Nailsworth. Their London office also ensures appropriate properties reach buyers in the Capital. Perry Bishop is the leading agent in many of the towns they serve – a result of their innovative marketing approach, exceptional customer service and brilliant results.

Paul has lived in Swindon for over 20 years and knows the area inside out. He started his career in estate agency over 15 years ago and is passionate about property and delivering a first-class service. Some of you may also recognise him from guest appearances on Homes Under The Hammer! Paul joins fellow Associate Partner – Caroline Ferris – employed by Perry Bishop to manage sales and valuations in Chippenham and surrounding villages.

“Now people on the move in Swindon can benefit from the best of both worlds,” explains Phillip Bishop, Managing Director at Perry Bishop. “Enjoy personal service from experienced local agent Paul – from valuation through to a successful sale – with the backing of a respected agency with the latest and best marketing tools at our disposal, a large database of home hunters and a tried and tested strategy for attracting the best buyer and delivering the best price.”

* Featured in the Best Estate Agent Guide 2020 and 2021, compiled by Rightmove.

This month sees our Faringdon branch expand its service offering to now include sales and lettings and is delighted to welcome Kevin Harford to head up lettings across Faringdon and surrounding villages.

To celebrate the branch’s return to lettings, Kevin has launched a fantastic introductory offer – 3 months FREE management – with further offers available for  portfolio landlords with 3 properties or more.*

Seven years ago Perry Bishop and Chambers sold its extensive lettings portfolio to Leaders who for a while traded on the brilliant reputation that Perry Bishop had nurtured in Gloucestershire and the Vale of the White Horse, by marketing their rental stock in the area as Perry Bishop and Leaders. When towards the end of 2018 Perry Bishop and Chambers’ Gloucestershire branches successfully returned to lettings in their own right, Leaders continued trading in our region, but simply as Leaders.

Up until a few months ago the Faringdon branch of Leaders rented the floor above our Faringdon sales office, but now they have set up elsewhere in the town and our Faringdon branch is pleased to offer its own comprehensive lettings and management service on site with the appointment of experienced estate and letting agent, Kevin Harford.

Now landlords across Faringdon and surrounding villages can benefit from the same superior marketing and award-winning customer service enjoyed by people selling with Perry Bishop and Chambers. Kevin strongly believes that there is a gap in the market for an exceptional lettings service provider – one that ‘keeps you informed’ and that can best market rental properties in order to secure the maximum yield.

Kevin Harford, Lettings Manager, Perry Bishop and Chambers Faringdon:
“I’m really looking forward to working for a strong independent estate agent that has built an enviable reputation across Faringdon and the wider area. I’m excited that landlords too will now be able to take advantage of Perry Bishop’s professionalism, passion and innovative marketing approach.”

Landlords can find out more by calling Kevin on 01367 240356 (option2) or by emailing him at faringdonlettings@perrybishop.co.uk.

*terms and conditions apply

Hot off the press, Rightmove’s House Price Index gives a national picture of house prices and activity over the past few weeks.

Here are some key facts:

SALES
Strong lockdown demand as new sellers price keenly to beat March deadline

• Average price of property coming to market dips by 0.5% (-£1,505) from last month despite continuing strong buyer demand as new sellers join the rush to sell and beat the March stamp duty deadline
• Demand and activity compared with October last year are strongest in the price bands and regions where buyers are set to make the biggest stamp duty savings as the March deadline approaches:
• National sales agreed are up 50% on October last year, and Rightmove now estimates there’s 650,000 sales going through the buying and selling process, 67% more than at the same time in 2019
• 106% uplift in sales agreed and drop of 23 days in time to secure a buyer in £400,000-£500,000 band
• The more expensive southern regions also fare better than the national average, with a 72% uplift in the number of sales agreed in the East of England, and 69% uplift in the South East
• Buyers who were temporarily uncertain in run-up to the new lockdown in England have jumped back into action, with the first six days of the second lockdown seeing demand up by 49% on this time last year, as the housing market remains open

Their full report can be read here

We are very pleased to welcome Jack to the Perry Bishop and Chambers team. A recent film graduate from Falmouth University, Jack is filming, editing and fronting video tours on behalf of clients across all our branches. He will also be filming interviews with key staff to provide regular market updates and an overview of our key service offerings – giving you the chance to meet the people behind the Perry Bishop brand!

If you visit our YouTube channel – Perry Bishop and Chambers – all of the video tours he has filmed to date can be viewed here. On our website, his video tours will also appear when you hit the video button next to the properties you wish to view and you will also be able to find them on Rightmove. Jack will also be posting them up on our company facebook pages.

Covid-19 has resulted in a significant change in our way of working and one which will endure long after the pandemic has become a distant memory. The first viewing, wherever possible, should now be virtual. If you like what you see, then we are happy to arrange a physical viewing for you. Jack’s videos guide you through every room in the property, the garden and any outbuildings.  A view of the street in which it sits also features.

We may be biased, but we think Phil Spencer’s days could be numbered!

It’s official – Perry Bishop and Chambers is one of the very best Estate Agents in the country!

Perry Bishop and Chambers has been independently identified as one of the top estate agents in the country and now features in the Best Estate Agent Guide.

The Best Estate Agent Guide is a website (www.bestestateagentguide.co.uk) that provides an independent reference source for sellers and landlords, who can search for the best sales and lettings agency offices in their areas.

The website is compiled by Property Academy (an organisation that works with agents to improve service standards in the property industry), with the support of Rightmove, the UK’s leading property portal.

There are c.15,000 estate agents in the country and Perry Bishop and Chambers was among this year’s award winners, confirming them to be one of the very best estate agents in the country, for both sales and lettings.

Over 3 billion data points were analysed in the search for this year’s top performers – the biggest assessment of any industry. The awards are made for property marketing, results and customer service – which consumers consider to be among the most important criteria when selecting which agent to sell or let their property.

Peter Knight, founder of the Property Academy, commented: “We set out to provide the home mover with a reliable resource to help identify the best estate agent in each area, whether someone is looking to sell or let a property. Only the best branches make it into the Best Estate Agent Guide and only the very best agencies have been recognised with an award.”

Phillip Bishop, Managing Director at Perry Bishop and Chambers, said “These awards follow a rigorous and independent assessment and we are thrilled to have been recognised as among the best in the country”.

If you’re thinking about selling or letting a property then please get in touch  with your local branch of Perry Bishop and Chambers – we will be very pleased to provide you with our advice and you can be confident that you’re dealing with one of the very best estate agents in your area.