Help for property buyers in Monmouthshire and South Herefordshire

Frustrated house purchasers looking for property in Monmouthshire and South Herefordshire can now cut out much of the hard work by contacting Stacks Property Search’s new office covering the area.

Poacher-turned-gamekeeper Anthony Clay is joining Stacks Property Search, bringing with him extensive knowledge gained in his over thirty year career in the sales market, chiefly with Knight Frank and more latterly a consultancy role with Fine & Country. 

Anthony says, “I’m looking forward to the change or perspective, and to helping buyers navigate their way through the market. It wasn’t long ago that using a buying agent was considered rather avant-garde. While buying agents have become increasingly mainstream, they’ve never been so much in demand as over the last year when the market has been so difficult. For buyers, having a buying agent working on their behalf is more valuable than ever before.

Anthony brings to Stacks extensive knowledge of the Monmouthshire and South Herefordshire property market together with numerous valuable contacts and an in depth understanding of all the processes involved in the sale and purchase of residential property, from cottages to castles.

He was brought up in Monmouthshire, served in the army in his twenties, is a former High Sheriff and sits as a community counsellor. James Greenwood, MD of Stacks Property Search says, “I’m delighted Anto has decided to switch to the buying side of the business and to join us. He will cover a wide geographical area including Monmouthshire, South Herefordshire and West Gloucestershire, and will be a huge asset to the Group.”

Anthony Clay says, “The beautiful countryside of Monmouthshire and South Herefordshire is a target area for a range of buyers looking for the ideal place to live and where there is perceived value compared to, say, the south-east. The most obvious are the commuters to Cardiff and Bristol who need to be within range of the M4 so look in the in the area bordered by Monmouth, Abergavenny, Usk and Chepstow, with access to some excellent schools. Retirees and downsizers are less restricted and can look further afield to villages such as Crickhowell, Grosmont and How Caple, whilst The Brecon Beacons and Black Mountains are popular for holiday cottages”. 

“Nearly everywhere works well for farms and equestrian establishments, though narrow lanes must be taken into account! As everyone knows the market has been frantic with the usual quantity of stock chased by far more buyers. The tide is receding somewhat, but it is still vital to be well prepared.”

James Greenwood says, “Over the course of the last year, 40% of the properties we have acquired for clients have not been publicly available. And nearly half of the properties we’ve acquired have been through the ‘best and final’ process’.

“The post-offer elements of a purchase are becoming more and more complicated. 45% of transactions don’t conclude once an offer has been accepted – we have a success rate of well over 95%. The idea of relying on the selling agent as the purveyor of professional information is wrong – they are there to represent the seller. Negotiation is about information. We assemble vast amounts of information about the property and the market that allows us to negotiate effectively, and gives the transaction the greatest likelihood of concluding. 

“We have more and more negotiation-only clients – those who have found a house but want us to establish what the price should be and navigate the conveyancing process, particularly the case with complicated country house purchases. 

“Lockdown restrictions have of course meant that having feet on the ground is a greater asset than usual, but of equal benefit is what we bring in terms of acting competitively, quickly and decisively in such a market.”

Anto Clay can be contacted on 07771 885985 / antoclay@stacks.co.uk

Stacks Property Search: 01594 842880 / www.stacks.co.uk