Estate agents J. R. Hopper & Co has a new base in Kirkby Stephen as it reports house sale prices in the area are up around 10 per cent.
J. R. Hopper & Co was previously based in the town at K.N.S. Financial Planning, but to maintain a high street presence has moved to new premises in partnership with John Andrews Accountants in Market Street.
Sharing the premises, facilities and shop window, the accountancy staff will also provide a point of contact for J. R. Hopper & Co.
Leeselle Wren is heading up the residential sales team in Kirkby Stephen with Alison Taylor, from Appleby, providing viewings cover.
They are backed up by sales and lettings team members from across the firm’s Leyburn, Hawes, Settle and Sedbergh branches.
Leeselle said: “Hoppers is the only agent that recognise that the Dales National Park area is all interconnected, and specialist, and to some extent different to conventional residential towns where most agents are based, such as Penrith, Kendal or Richmond.
“Buyers are coming from out of area, focusing on location, views, lifestyle, and the houses are typically older, with character, and with all the problems highlighted in surveys on old houses.
“Hoppers understands this and help buyers and sellers get through these issues.”
The estate agents, which was first established at Leyburn, has been extending down the Eden Valley and A66 corridor for the last 10 years and now sells houses across the district through Kirkby Stephen, Appleby, Tebay and the surrounding areas.
“The demand for housing in Kirkby Stephen and the whole of the area is always high.
“A quality of life, great schools and communication, coupled with ever improving internet and working from home, will continue to drive demand for both family, retirement, and holiday homes and businesses,” Leeselle said.
She added: “The COVID lockdown has had a very positive effect on demand and prices in the area.
“At the beginning of lockdown — 1st March, 2020 — we had about 35 sales agreed. Seventy-five per cent went on to complete.
“Only nine of those fell through and resold again in the first month after lockdown — May, 2020 — for an average £10,000 more.”
Just over 12 months on, they had agreed 326 sales across the Dales, completed 175 of them, and have approximately 70 sales in the pipeline.
Sale prices have lifted by around 10 per cent.
“The market is very buoyant, and volatile, and it is impossible to predict to within plus or minus 10 per cent what a property will sell for, even for expert agents like us,” said Leeselle.
“Skilful handling of marketing and buyers, ensures that top prices are achieved, and sales are nurtured through to a successful completion, despite the stresses of meeting stamp duty deadlines, and rural issues such as poor surveys, septic tanks and dodgy title deeds.
“The rental market is equally booming, with demand, and rents rising significantly.”
