Thrilling News For Spencers Agents!

Thrilling news for Spencers Agents!

We are delighted to inform our clients, customers, and friends that we have completed the sale of Spencers Agents to a trust to form an EOT (Employee Ownership Trust). We understand that we are the first estate agents in Sheffield to take this road and are pioneers for the company’s employees to take ownership of the company under the newly formed trust.

There are so many exciting reasons why an EOT is a good idea, and the lovely people at Hawsons Accountants and Knights have been incredible at guiding us through the process, and at advising all employees on their exciting future as owners of the company.

When you own and run a company as a sole director, there must be a clever exit strategy in mind, even if it is for ten years down the road, as ultimately you are solely responsible for all of the employees, their families, and their mortgages, so you can’t just decide to lock the door one day and walk away.

The truth about our team at Spencer is that all the people here care as much as I do, and this way they can really be part of the future of the company, and can reap any rewards for their loyalty and commitment to us as a family.

For our clients, this means that absolutely nothing changes, there won’t be a new fat cat company taking over and making changes, or increasing fees and prices, we will continue in exactly the same way as we have always done, the only difference being that when a sales caller asks to speak to the owner of the company, then they already are!

The structure of the new company sees me, Nicola Spencer, remaining as the Managing Director of the company and will still be at the helm. The success of the company means more than ever to me and more than ever to the team here so we are expecting an even brighter future.

If you would like to consider the EOT option for your company, we very highly recommend Scott Sanderson of Hawsons, and Paul Trudgill of Knights, who gave clear and reassuring advice right the way through the process.

Thank you to everyone involved and congratulations to the new staff who have officially adopted Spencer – long may the company continue to thrive and grow. 

www.spencersestatagents.co.uk 

Hawsons

Knights

NEW Blog about our Wonderful Endcliffe Park by our gorgeous Khloe #spencer #sheffield

 New Blog by our Gorgeous Khloe.....  

‘The Endcliffe neighbourhood is located on the south west side of Sheffield, home to the beautiful Endcliffe and Bingham parks and has an array of exciting places to eat, drink and shop. Endcliffe park opened its gates in 1887 in celebration of Queen Victoria’s Jubilee and is one of the hottest spots for family outings, parking it up with friends, it’s also a gateway to Sheffield’s Peak District National Park. If you fancy a drink or bite to eat, in the heart of the park is the iconic Endcliffe Park Cafe, open throughout the year and serves delicious, locally sourced food and Fairtrade teas and coffee. 

If you’re making your way from Endcliffe Park up to the Peaks, there’s plenty to see and do on the way, such as taking a well-deserved pitstop and the Forge Dam Cafe. Or, further along the trail to the Peaks, you could spend the day visiting the hugely popular Mayfield Alpacas Animal Park, who offer a range of fun and educational events such as Alpaca Treks, feeding Meerkats and other animal experiences (IG, @mayfield_alpacas_animal_park). 

Just a short walk from the park, you’ll find Hunters Bar, Ecclesall Road and Sharrow Vale on its doorstep. One of my favourite things to do on the weekend is to wander through the local area as there are so many unique and independent shops and places to discover. Anything you could want or need; you will be able to find here. One of my favourites (even just to window shop) is Pete McKee’s art gallery (IG, @petemckee), which sees visitors from all over the world. If you don’t know who Pete McKee is, you should get to know! Born and bred in Sheffield, Pete McKee is world renowned for his unique illustrations that embody Sheffield’s rich history and culture. 

In the evenings, there’s plentiful bars and restaurants to choose from; I’m still working my way to visit them all after living in the area for nearly five years! However, one place I find myself visiting again, and again… is The Lescar pub, located in Sharrow Vale (IG, @thelescar). The interior design is traditional with modern features, in the winter their open fire heats the entire pub which makes it the perfect cosy spot to meet up with friends and family. In the summer, there is a gorgeous courtyard area where you can enjoy your food and drinks in the glorious Sheffield sun. They also host weekly live music and comedy performances, which is a great opportunity to support and check out the local talent.

For these reasons to name a few…  the Endcliffe neighbourhood is one of the most sought-after areas to live in Sheffield. With its close proximity to both Universities, being in the catchment area for some of Sheffield’s best schools and City centre, it’s the idyllic location, whether you're a student, young professional, couple or family.’

Nether Edge and Abbeydale, #Sheffield - we talk about why this area is so great! #Spencer

 

We are back blogging! Sorry to have been missing for a while! 

It’s no secret that Spencer loves Sheffield but let us tell you about why we love Abbeydale & Nether Edge.

 

Abbeydale & Nether Edge offer something for everyone with super popular residential areas providing an enormous range of property, outstanding schools, shopping and a fabulous lifestyle to boot.

In this vibrant area of S7 there’s a whole host of pubs, bars, restaurants & takeaways to suit every palate. Particular favourites in our office are Bench, The Broadfield Pub, Two Thirds, Picture House Social and Forge Bakehouse to name but a few.

 

Of course there is also the Antiques Quarter to potter around and get lost in corners of, looking for a quirky piece of furniture or a trinket for your new home. If that isn’t your thing then there are plenty of charity shops, independent shops, artisan bakers, international supermarkets, health food shops and florists to keep you entertained.

As well as shops, you’re spoilt choice for green spaces to visit in the area. You can entertain the kids in Broadfield Park, Mount Pleasant Park or Chelsea Park or go for a stroll in Brincliffe Woods, which are part of the Round Sheffield Walk.

There are plenty of events in the area to take part in too! Nether Edge Neighbourhood Group is a well established friendly organisation that is responsible for the quarterly Farmers Market, the annual Nether Edge Festival, Open Gardens and much, much more.

When it comes to schools Nether Edge Primary, part of the Mercia Trust, is an outstanding primary school based on Abbeydale Road along with Mercia Academy further up the road in Bannerdale both of which are incredibly popular with families in the area.

 

If you’re looking for somewhere to live, the area has everything from apartments, terraced houses, Victorian villas to new build detached properties, something for every budget and every taste. What more could you want?!

Christmas Opening Times 2021 - Spencer. Sheffield

 

Christmas Opening Hours

Christmas Eve 8:45am – 12 noon

Closed 25^th – 28^th December

Open 29^th and 30^th December 8:45am – 3pm

New Year’s Eve 8:45am – 12 noon

Closed 1^st – 3^rd January 2022

Open as usual 4^th January 2022

We are hoping this year to have a little bit of a break over Christmas after what has been a super busy and stressful year, so please find attached our opening times over the Christmas period. If you are a tenant and have an emergency over the Christmas period, please call the out of hours emergency number*. 

We hope that everyone has a restful break and manages to get to see loved ones over Christmas and New Year and we wish you a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. We hope that 2022 brings more time with family, and that everyone stays happy and healthy. 

*Please be aware of what an emergency is, you wouldn't believe some of the calls we have taken in previous years, like the tenant who wanted a tenancy extension and decided to call the emergency line on Christmas Day..... In the event of a fire, break in, or other such emergency, please call 999. For hot water and heating problems you may need to use your initiative to a certain extent and should have a back up electric heater. For flooding, you may need to isolate the water so make sure you know where your stop cock is. If you have a power cut, please check the National Grid website first to see if it is an outage in your postcode area. As much as we will always try to help with any problems, not everything can be fixed on the day over the Christmas period. You will be calling a member of the Spencer Team so please think about whether you can handle your emergency over a short time until we reopen and can get contractors to you.

Thank you.

Seller's Market - when will it slow down? #Property market - #Sheffield

Book your Free Sales Appraisal Now! 

You’d be forgiven for thinking that the Autumn and Winter are not normally ideal times to be selling your home but did you know that the market in general and, especially here in Sheffield right now, is experiencing one of the busiest markets ever seen before? The demand for properties across the board is at an all-time high and with so few properties available on the open market it’s resulting in record sales prices being achieved. The reasons for the historic levels of demand are unclear but it’s plausible that interest and mortgage rates being lower than ever before and the likelihood of these increasing at some point in the next 12 months is a key factor in buyers wanting to secure a new home as soon as possible.

If you’re considering selling or moving home in the next 12-18 months perhaps it would be a good idea to make that move sooner rather than later. We’re finding that many of our vendors underestimate just how much their properties are actually worth so having a valuation may mean you can actually afford to make your next move sooner than you thought.

 

One thing is certain in that it’s a sellers’ market so if you want to move home, having a property in a popular area that would sell quickly simply isn’t going to allow you to compete. The majority of our sales are to people who have already sold subject to contract and are just waiting for that perfect property to come along. There’s no need to worry about being forced out of your home or having to rent something in the interim as most, if not all buyers are fully aware of this crazy market and are prepared to give our vendors weeks and months to find something suitable to buy themselves. Some of our clients have been able to move by taking advantage of our ‘ready to move’ service where-by we arrange for a photographer and floor plan people to get all of your marketing material ready in anticipation of you going to market when the time is right for you. At a small cost this can be easily arranged and by saving you the time it normally takes to get ready, can be the difference between you securing your dream home or not.

 

If you would like to arrange a valuation we can normally accommodate this six days a week and an average appointment will take just 45 minutes – 1 hour. We can then give you all the information you may need to help you when you’re ready.

 

If you’re interested please either reply to this email or call 0114268 3682 to make a convenient appointment

ARMA and the EWS1 Saga #Sheffield #PropertyBlog

 

Although the horror and tragedy that was the Grenfell tower disaster is now over four years ago, the ghostly remains of its tragic legacy will unfortunately continue to haunt many people throughout the country for the foreseeable future.

The crack down on dangerous and combustible cladding has left many flat owners up and down the country feeling very nervous and worried about the prospect of unaffordable and spiraling repair bills for works that they simply do not have the money for, leaving many with potentially worthless properties.

Although the Government is indeed starting to tackle some of the issues that have been presented by events in 2017, the guidelines remain murky and many people are finding that they are now falling in- between the gaps in the legislation. In a nutshell, buildings higher than 18m / six storeys need a satisfied ESW1 for selling / re-mortgaging purposes.

The biggest cause of concern for us as Estate Agents seems to be the buildings that fall below the threshold. Although not a legal requirement for all residential buildings to have a satisfied EWS1, for buildings below this height, it is now becoming more and more frequent for mortgage companies to request one before agreeing to lend. It seems that there is a lingering sense of nervousness within the industry that nobody wants to have a repeat of the disastrous events that happened in North Kensington on their watch. 

This is an ever-increasing problem and it’s something we have now had first-hand experience at a site we manage at Kelham Island. Fortunately for us (and the owners), we have now received a satisfied EWS1 on all the blocks, with not a single remedial piece of work needed. The sense of relief was palpable from all corners of the development, including in our office too!

This situation will continue to rumble on and on for the foreseeable future and I am sure there will be many twists and turns in this long, drawn out saga that are yet to come. However, it is encouraging to see the Government starting to sit up and realise that there is a problem with fire safety within high-rise buildings in the UK.

The problem remains however, in that too many leaseholders are now feeling abandoned by the lack of clarity as to what they legally need to do and what they are obliged to do. This overlapping is something that needs straightening out by all the relevant financial and government bodies soon, otherwise there will be plenty more leaseholders becoming increasingly desperate in the next few years. 

We, at Spencer, have recently become ARMA members, the recognised regulated body for block management and have grown in experience on block management over the last seven years since we opened the department. We manage various blocks city-wide now within our geographical patch and are interested in more blocks should you wish to consider us for your management. 

Contact Tom or Lynn by emailing block@spencersestateagents.co.uk 

Spencer Opening Times - Xmas 2020

 

Spencer Christmas Opening Times 2020

Christmas Eve 24^th December – CLOSED

Christmas Day 25^th December – CLOSED

Boxing Day 26^th December – CLOSED

Bank Holiday Boxing Day 28^th December – CLOSED

29^th December – Open 10am – 3pm

30^th December – Open 10am – 3pm

New Year’s Eve – CLOSED

New Year’s Day – CLOSED

4^th January 2021 – Business as usual

 

Merry Christmas!

We are all a little pleased to see the back of 2020 but some lessons have been learned; appreciate what you’ve got, remember life is short, love those in your circle, appreciate your boss, inhale the time you get with loved ones, only teachers can teach our children properly, the NHS is our saviour, never underestimate how privileged we are if we are loved, have a roof over our head and have food to eat, travel is a luxury and appreciating where we live should not be taken for granted, hairdressers are a necessity, sport is more than just a game, it’s a way of life, in hot water we realise how strong we can be, it does take a village to raise children, our elderly should be protected and nurtured, life is precious, remember that everyone is trying their best.

Looking forward to a happy and healthy 2021!

Have fun in your Xmas Bubbles!

#Covid19Update Offices are CLOSED - All staff working safely from home #spencers #sheffield #wearespencer

Dear All,

Our offices are now CLOSED but staff are ALL still working from home. Our phone lines are still open diverted to all staff, we are conducting valuations via video phone, and all urgent repairs are being undertaken as safely as possible by contractors.

If you have an urgent issue please call us on 0114 2683682 during work hours or my personal mobile number is 07770 768896 if you want to call me, Nicola. We are all working on safe ways to continue key handovers for completions, check outs, check ins, and urgent maintenance. 

My own personal circumstances are that my mum has cancer, my dad has serious heart issues, I have five-year-old twins, and a 94 year old grandma with dementia, all who I am shopping for and trying to keep safe. I am sure you all have similar stories and you will want to keep your people safe, just as I am trying to keep mine safe too.

I would like to personally reassure all our tenants, clients, vendors, landlords, and buyers, as well as future clients, that our business will survive this and that I will do everything that I can to ensure that we are still here on the other side.

Thank you in the meantime for your patience and all of your wonderful messages of support of us at Spencer, we have great staff who are all doing their best for the business, each other, and for our clients, as well as for their families too. These are difficult times but I can promise a “no surrender” attitude to keeping everyone safe as well as to keeping staff and our business running as effectively as possible.

We will maintain our social responsibility throughout this time and will promise our best attention at all times.

Stay safe.

With love and best wishes

Nicola