FORGET BAFTAS AND GRAMMYS –
IN THE PROPERTY WORLD, IT’S
THE EMSONS!
The February auction offered a long list of 129 Nominee
Lots for the three-day event with the majority receiving excellent pre-auction
interest, culminating in a feverish round of voting (or bidding!) by
prospective buyers.
DAY ONE - MONDAY, 22 FEBRUARY -
COVERING KENT & SOUTH EAST LONDON
AT THE RAMADA HOTEL & RESORT,
HOLLINGBOURNE, MAIDSTONE, KENT
Over 1800 people crowded into the
Ramada to witness the first 86 lots go under the hammer.
The nominations for ‘Best
Unimproved Vacant Residential Property’ included:
n Lot 1,
a mid-terrace house situated in Grange Road, Gillingham in need of complete
refurbishment and restoration, offered with a pre-auction guide price of
£50-60,000. With the accommodation
arranged over the ground and first floors, after fierce competition and over
150 viewings later, the property finally sold at £103,000.
n Lot 3, another vacant house for improvement and modernisation,
situated in a cul-de-sac in Waterloo Place, Tonbridge was offered with a pre-auction guide price of £120-125,000. The three-bedroom mid-terrace property, with
accommodation arranged over three floors, sold for £151,000.
n Lot 13,
another mid-terrace house situated in Great Queen Street, Dartford and again requiring improvement
and modernisation, this time a two-bedroom property sold for £116,000 against
its pre-auction guide price of £90-95,000.
n In the popular village
of Herne, to the south of the A299 and Herne
Bay, 81 School Lane, offered on instructions
from the NHS (East and Coastal Kent), in need of improvement and redecoration,
saw excellent pre-auction activity and sold at £270,000 against its pre-auction
guide price of £220-250,000.
n In
Hythe there were two properties, Lot 30, 22 Palmarsh Avenue, on instructions of the
Executors and offered with a pre-auction guide price of £115-125,000. The semi-detached house with three-bedroom
accommodation, again in need of improvement, renovation and refurbishment,
although having double glazed windows and a gas heating system, sold
exceptionally well, selling at £174,000.
n Also
in Hythe, in Arthur Road, a three-bedroom semi-detached property, having been the
subject of redecoration with double glazed windows and a gas heating system,
sold well at £130,000 against its pre-action guide price of £110-115,000.
n Lot 33, offered on joint instructions from Kent County
Council and Maidstone Borough Council, was 56 Peel Street.
A mid-terrace, three-storey house for total refurbishment and some
repair was offered with a pre-auction guide price of £70-75,000. Again receiving excellent pre-auction interest
with around 100 prospective buyers viewing the property, the hammer finally
fell at £112,000.
n
Offered on the instructions from Shepherd Neame, a
charming cottage, known as Clothworkers Cottage in Sutton Valence was offered with a pre-auction guide price of
£150-160,000. With elevated views to the
rear across open countryside the property in need of refurbishment but with a
gas heating system sold well at £172,000.
n
Offered on the instructions from the Kent County Council, The Lodge in Grayling Court, a detached more modern property situated on the southern
outskirts of Sittingbourne, was offered with a pre-auction guide price of
£215-220,000. Requiring improvement, the
three-bedroom detached property with a hard standing car space and gardens to
the front, side and rear sold, topping its pre-auction guide price at £220,000.
n
Offered on the instructions from Maidstone Borough Council, a semi-detached
property in Station Road, Harrietsham, now requiring improvement and
renovation, sold mid distance between its pre-auction guide price,
selling at £157,500.
n Lot 59,
an end-terrace house in New Hythe Lane, Larkfield again in need of improvement and
refurbishment and situated in a row of similar cottage style properties was
offered with a pre-auction guide price of £85,000 Plus. The two-bedroom property sold for £105,000.
n Lot 63, Greatstone Villa in Dunes Road,
Greatstone was a fascinating art deco house for refurbishment and was
offered with the remains of a detached dilapidated chalet. The Art Deco house required improvement,
refurbishment and renovation and has two bedrooms on the ground floor with one
bedroom to the first floor. Offered with
a pre-auction guide price of £80-85,000, this Lot
certainly tickled the taste buds of the prospective buyers with over 130
prospective purchasers viewing the property.
As they say “value is in the eye of the beholder” and in the auction
room it only takes two to prove the best possible price has been achieved. Greatstone Villa
sold at £182,000.
n In Coombe Valley Road, Dover a terrace two-bedroom house,
requiring improvement, renovation and restoration, although having some double
glazing, was offered with a pre-auction guide price of £55-60,000, but sold in
the room at £70,000.
n In Chatham, catalogued as Lot 67, a
mid-terrace house with red brick ribboning to the
front elevation sold at £90,000, against its pre-auction guide price of
£80-85,000.
n Goudhurst is considered by many to be one of the prettiest
and most sought after villages in the Weald of Kent and 2 Grand View in North Road enjoyed spectacular views to the rear (on a clear
day!). It was offered with a pre-auction
guide price of £220,000 Plus with accommodation
arranged over two floors including two bedrooms and bathroom to the first
floor. Again, with considerable
pre-auction interest, the property finally sold under the hammer at £265,000.
n In the popular village
of Langley and situated
on the main through road, a semi-detached house which although requiring
improvement and redecoration has double glazed windows and radiators. The three-bedroom house, offered with a
pre-auction guide price of £130-140,000 sold under the gavel at £162,000.
n In Ramsgate and offered on instructions of the Executor, two adjoining
properties; one, one-bedroom and one, two-bedroom both in need of improvement
and renovation offered with a pre-auction guide price of £70-80,000. There was a real bidding war for the two
properties in Waterloo Place
as they sold for £120,000.
n In Greenhithe, Near Dartford, Lot
80 was 16 Starboard Avenue, a semi-detached house of
non-traditional construction in need of improvement and refurbishment. The three-bedroom house was offered with a
pre-auction guide price of £80,000-Plus and sold in the room for £112,000.
The nominations for ‘Best
Commercial Lot’ included:
n Lot 4, a freehold commercial/residential investment in Hythe,
currently let at £16,250 per annum and comprising a ground floor shop and
two-bedroom flat on the first floor was offered with a pre-auction guide price
of £185-190,000. The Lot
sold in the auction room for £198,000.
n In Maidstone, Press Print House
in Station Road, a town centre freehold
commercial investment offered with a pre-auction guide price of £265-275,000
and currently let at £22,500 per annum, also included four car parking spaces
off Scott Street. It sold at £312,000.
n Lot 26 self-contained first floor offices in St Mary’s Cray, Orpington comprising four offices and two store rooms with staff
kitchen and W.C. The Lot
offered with a pre-auction guide price of £35-40,000 toppled over its
pre-auction guide price to sell at £41,000.
n Lot 32, offered on instructions of the mortgagees (not in
possession) was 36 Preston Street,
Faversham. A double fronted former Estate
Agency office with car parking to the rear and ground rental income from the
flats above. Offered with a pre-auction
guide price of £100-110,000 the Lot finally
sold at £125,000.
n
Offered on instructions from Medway Council, Shaws
Wood in Strood, is an existing care home nestling on a 1.4 acre site
offered with potential for redevelopment in the future. The land and buildings are currently occupied
under the terms of a 2 year lease from October 2008 at a rental of £1 per
annum. The room saw bidding fly past its
pre-auction guide price of £600-650,000 with several prospective buyers seeing
the potential. The Lot sold for £1 million in
the room.
n Lot 74, offered on instructions from the Kent County
Council, was The Charlotte Centre in St Johns
Road, Margate. An attractive property originally believed to
have been constructed as the laundry and cookery centre and manual training
centre built in 1913. Comprising an entrance hall, five rooms, ladies and gents
W.C. and outside yard area was offered with a pre-auction guide price of
£100-120,000 the hammer fell at £135,000.
The nominations for ‘Best Flat or
Block of Flats’ included:
n Lot 65, three flats in New Cross Street, Margate, requiring total renovation and
offered with a pre-auction guide price of £60-70,000. The property, completely boarded up and
having been vacant for some time, sold in the room at £95,000.
n Lot 77, The Limes in West Street, New Romney was offered on instructions of
the Power of Attorney. The Grade II
Listed premises divided into two apartments one, three-bedroom and one,
four-bedroom were in need of improvement, modernisation and refurbishment. They sold at £160,000 against the pre-auction
guide price of £160-170,000.
n Lot 27 a self-contained flat situated at the top of a
purpose built block close to the town centre of Rainham
in Station Road
and comprised one bedroom. The flat was
let on an Assured Shorthold Tenancy at £5,400 per
annum. Offered with a pre-auction guide
price of £55-60,000, it sold for £65,000.
n
Offered on joint instructions from the owner and Shepway District Council, Flat E, 56 Earls
Avenue in Folkestone, a top-floor West End, Folkestone flat for improvement and
redecoration with a little over 20 years left remaining on the present lease,
was offered with a pre-auction guide price of £20-25,000. It was flat out bidding for this apartment as
the hammer fell at £41,000.
The nominations for ‘Best Other Lot’ included:
n A
block of five garages and forecourt in Willesborough, Ashford, offered with a pre-auction
guide price of £60-65,000 and came complete with planning permission for a
single detached dwelling following the demolition of the garages sold at
£60,000, while the former gent’s W.C.s at Echo Square, Gravesend, offered on instructions from Gravesham Borough
Council, sold at £11,000 against its pre-auction guide price of £2-4,000.
n Whents Farm in Teynham,
Near Sittingbourne,
offered with a pre-auction guide price of £420-440,000 and comprising a farm
and kennel complex including a detached house and converted barn in around 18
acres saw some excellent pre-auction activity and some excellent auction
activity as the hammer fell at £505,000.
For Kent and South East London
properties, please contact Kevin Gilbert, John Stockey,
Ben Snelling and Will Page on 0845 8500333.
DAY TWO – TUESDAY 23 FEBRUARY -
COVERING SUSSEX & SURREY
AT THE HILTON BRIGHTON METROPOLE, BRIGHTON
The Hilton Brighton Metropole was host
to 500 potential buyers crowding in to see the 25 stunning Sussex Lots go under the hammer.
The nominations for ‘Best Auction Lot’ included:
n A
semi-detached house situated in Southdown Road, Newhaven
offered on instructions from East Sussex County Council. The three-bedroom semi-detached house
requires improvement and modernisation and was offered with a pre- auction
guide of £115-125,000 - It sold, after a fierce battle, at £124,000.
n Over 25 acres of mainly
agricultural land and amenity woodland, offered on instructions from Southern
Water, located off Cuckfield Road, Ansty, Near Haywards Heath, sold prior to the auction for an
undisclosed sum but well in excess of its pre-auction guide price of £90-100,000.
n Another Lot, which
was sold prior, was High Street, Selsey, Chichester, a freehold former cinema,
warehouse and store for investment or owner occupation. The former cinema with accommodation arranged
over two floors extended to over 3,300 sq.ft., plus
warehouse to the rear and garage/store, again offered with a pre-auction guide
price of £200-220,000, it sold in excess of this figure as contracts were
exchanged prior to auction.
n A former club and
flat with potential for conversion or redevelopment, known as The Meads Club in
Meads Road, Eastbourne saw excellent levels of pre-auction interest
as it was offered with a pre-auction guide price of £200,000 Plus. In the room and after considerable bidding,
the property finally sold at £261,000.
n Currently Let at
£8,160 per annum, a first floor flat situated in the heart of The Lanes in Brighton, East
Street and comprising one bedroom
with balcony
attracted good levels of pre-auction interest and sold in excess of its reserve
price at £133,000.
n 2.8 acres off Victoria Road, Windmill Hill,
Herstmonceux, Near Hailsham with
instructions received from Southern Water Authority sold at £45,000 against its
pre-auction guide price of £10-15,000.
n A former bus
shelter/police box and former W.C. with potential at Seaside in Eastbourne, offered on
instructions from the Executor, more than doubled its pre-auction guide price
of £15-20,000 as the hammer finally fell at £43,000.
n A
vacant industrial unit for owner occupation or investment on the popular Charleswood
Business Centre in East Grinstead sold
mid-way between its pre-auction guide at £125,000. Lot 107, a town centre Eastbourne
flat for investment or owner occupation again sold mid-way between its
pre-auction guide price of £50-60,000. The
one bedroom flat sold at £55,000.
n Situated in the Old Town of
Hastings, a four-storey, four-bedroom fisherman type cottage/house,
let on an Assured Shorthold Tenancy Agreement at £7,800 per annum, sold at
£140,000 again in excess of its reserve.
n The final Lot of the day, a former garage with planning permission
for residential conversion on Main Road, Hadlow Down,
sold at £106,000. The proposed
accommodation showed two bedrooms on the first floor with the living
room/dining room, kitchen and bathroom/W.C. on the ground floor.
For further information on Sussex
and Surrey Lots, please contact James Emson, Sam Kinloch or Emma Attrell on
0845 6036614.
DAY THREE –WEDNESDAY, 24 FEBRUARY
- COVERING HAMPSHIRE, DORSET, WILTS AND ISLE
OF WIGHT
AT THE RAMADA HOTEL & RESORT,
HOLLINGBOURNE, MAIDSTONE, KENT
With the number of people
attending the Rose Bowl it was almost like match day.
The nominations for ‘Best Auction Lot’ included:
n Lot
113, offered on instructions of the Executors, a two-bedroom house for
improvement in Yarborough Road, Wroxall
which realised £100,000 on the day.
n The open storage
yard and office at Empress Road, Bevois Valley, a single storey brick
built office building with storage yard, offered with a pre-auction guide price
of £25-30,000 realised £29,000 on the day.
n A modern
commercial unit for investment, Currently Let at £4,200 per annum, in Station Yard
Business Park, Teignmouth, Devon toppled past its pre-auction guide price
of £45-50,000 and sold in the auction room under the hammer at £51,000.
n A freehold
commercial/residential former fish and chip shop and two flats in Testwood Road
on the western part of Southampton was offered with a pre-auction guide price
of £180-190,000. The seller was ‘chirpy,
chirpy, chip, chip’ at the price achieved as the hammer fell at £190,000. Some
could add it offered batter value for money?
n Another mixed
freehold commercial and residential investment, this time in Wimbourne Road,
Bournemouth and Currently Let at £15,500 per annum comprising a
ground floor commercial shop and first/second floor maisonette realised
£185,000 topping its pre-auction guide price.
n Offered on
instructions of mortgagees, a substantial semi-detached property located on the
eastern side of Southampton in Spring Road, Sholing and
previously trading as an off-licence, attracted a pre-auction guide price of
£120-130,000. The successful buyer
uncorked £186,000 for the privilege of adding this to their portfolio.
For specific enquiries on
Hampshire, Dorset, Wiltshire and the Isle of Wight properties contact Rob
Marchant or Steven Pozerskis on 0845 6001265.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
And the winners were…. All of the above!
It was, as can be
seen, a hugely successful auction with a wide range of Lots on offer - the
three-day sales
culminated in achieving £11 million and an
overall success rate of 76%.
Similar Lots are now required to satisfy the auction demand.
There is a mixed message on the
housing situation at the moment” said Auctioneer, Clive Emson
“but with the results over the
past three days, of a catalogue of mixed commercial and residential Lots,
there can be no doubt that there is still an
appetite to buy in all sectors.”
With over 2000 people attending over the three days there is
little doubt that auctions are certainly a
worthy alternative to
traditional marketing methods.
Our next auctions
will be held on Monday, 12 April (Hampshire & IOW),
Tuesday, 13 April
(Sussex & Surrey) and
Wednesday, 14 April (Kent & SE London),
The closing date for
entries will be 12 March.
