Buyers from Ireland push prices up at Sherborne auction

Symonds & Sampson’s collective auctions see £3.6 million of properties sold under the hammer across Dorset, Somerset & Wiltshire during the month of October.

Auctioneer Mark Lewis was especially pleased with the work of his colleagues across the firm “We had 12 offices involved in the lots so we needed a lot of feedback and liaison from everyone but we are very lucky to have so many experienced, focused and dedicated staff and partners who were able to ensure as many people as possible were primed and ready to compete for the lots.

“It was interesting to see so many London buyers contesting for the properties especially in the Beaminster/West Dorset area and I think the draw of the coast and liveliness of Bridport is a big focal point for people.

Notable prices from Sherborne were:

Land at Portland sold to Portland Bird Observatory and Field Centre. £20,000 acre.

Building projects: A lovely development site for a 3 bedroom house at South Barrow South Somerset sold for £166,000. A barn for conversion at Sutton Mandeville near Salisbury created great interest and is situated along a no through road and in an area of outstanding natural beauty. It sold 25% above guide at £188,000 to a London couple.

Investments: a one bedroom flat in Bridport sold for £75,000 and a mixed use shop with offices in Dorchester sold for £175,000.

Properties for updating: A house in Yeovil suffering from structural movement sold for £118,000 to a family from Worcestershire, a 3 bedroom pre-reinforced concrete house in Dorchester sold for £146,000, 62% above guide. A pretty terraced cottage sold 45% above guide to a family bidding in Ireland. A grade 2 listed detached cottage in Winterborne Stickland had been on the market for some time with a local agent at £275,000 but they failed to sell it. We were delighted to see the hammer fall, after 28 bids for £288,000 proving the strength of our auctions.

Properties for renovation: The most interest was reserved for two properties marketed by our Beaminster office. Higher Green had attracted 65 viewings and the sale price was £330,000, 46% above guide.

Whitecross Farm, (pictured) a semi-detached cottage with 7 acres in Netherbury had 66 viewings with 31 people registering their interest online and after 28 bids the gavel fell at £360,000, 44% above guide.

Symonds & Sampson will be holding a sale on 14 December at Sherborne and entries are invited for 2019. Please contact Mark Lewis 01258 473766 to discuss whether auction could be the way for you to sell your property in 2019.