by Samantha Jenkins
Halifax Property Services is hoping to build up a new area of auction business – holiday homes in France.
At its latest round of sales in Bristol, Cardiff, Southampton and Plymouth, Halifax offered three houses in France. Although one lot was postponed until February and the other two failed to sell, auction manager Andrew Pink said he was nevertheless very encouraged by the level of interest in the properties.
“We had a lot of interest and a dozen viewings on one of the properties,” he said. “For that number of people to be bothered to get on a ferry to view a property is, I think, quite good.”
Having successfully disposed of one French property at its July sale, Pink said that Halifax was keen to overcome “teething problems”, such as the translation of special conditions of sale into English.
“We now have contacts with various notaries in France,” he said. “It would be nice to put together 20 to 30 lots per auction in the Brittany and Normandy areas, where there is good access to ferry ports. To go further afield would be more complicated.”
Overall, 75% of the 160 lots sold for £3.47m, with properties in need of modernisation attracting the most attention.
“Demand for these properties is virtually insatiable,” said Pink, describing the sale of The Priory in Wolston, Coventry, as the star lot. Guided at £250,000-plus, the property was fought over by bidders before being knocked down for £326,000.
“Three people were slugging it out the whole way and it came down to the last £1,000 in the end,” said Pink.
