Symonds & Sampson’s auction at the Digby Hall, Sherborne, on 31 July was a huge success with red hot prices on a very warm day.

Mark Lewis explains, “We had properties on offer in 5 counties, Devon, Dorset, Somerset, Wiltshire and Hampshire and had a terrific response to the advertising including coverage at The London Office.”

Land at East Knoyle which had been planted as woodland with a building was sold prior to the auction at £14,000 per acre whilst 9 acres of land at Hazelbury Bryan sold for £7,900 per acre.  Further land at Milton on Stour, Gillingham, sold for £10,000 per acre.

A derelict cottage at Higher Odcombe near Yeovil sold for £140,000 whilst The Old School House at Milborne St Andrew sold for 37% above the guide at £171,000.  An office building in Wincanton sold prior to auction and a property that had suffered fire damage at Owermoigne near Weymouth sold for £100,000.

A cottage in Thornford was sold on behalf of Sherborne Castle Estates for £41,000 above the guide at £141,000 whilst a former Chinese takeaway with flats in the centre of Yeovil sold for £101,000.  Industrial land and buildings at Bridgerule sold for £200,000.

One of the stars of the show was The Old Bakery at Maiden Newton which was being sold on behalf of Palmer’s Brewery.  With a guide price of £80,000 there was huge interest prior to the sale with 12 legal packs downloaded from the Symonds & Sampson website.  The anticipation in the room was buzzing with unusual bidding from one consortium who bid strongly, stopped, and then bid again.  After 31 bids the gavel fell at £144,000.

This sale took their total for the year to near record levels with 80 properties sold in the first 7 months.