Bath just has a feeling

‘The pandemic saw a shift in the Bath property market; people were seeking outside space and people were looking to move out of cities. Since the start of the year we are starting to see these movers wishing to return to the city they loved. The fear of lockdowns has eased and there is a big desire to have those fantastic transport links. Since January we have seen a 13% increase in buyer activity.

‘Historically Bath has always attracted London buyers who have been keen to still live in a city, but one that was commutable and also offered a different kind of lifestyle. The low crime rate is also an attraction for those looking to move out of the capital.

‘The market has gone back to pre-pandemic levels, not the crazy pricing we have seen over the last couple of years. It’s a price-sensitive market, one where you need to make sure that your property is priced correctly and is presented to a high standard should you wish to sell.

It was only the beginning of the year when Sharon joined The Apartment Company, and already she is making her mark. As she is now settling into her new role, we felt it was time to get to know our new Sales Manager, Sharon Hill.

Born in Devizes in Wiltshire, she started her professional career in estate agency as a trainee negotiator in Bristol. A mere three and a half years later she was already running her own office for a corporate brand, where she stayed for 15 years. It was during this time that she also had her beautiful family, three boys, and so began her many hours of standing on the sideline of football pitches, and endless washing.

When she began to get itchy feet, she decided to take the leap and experience being a self-employed agent, which she did for the next 18 months until the chance to work with a Bristol independent estate agency arose. After four years she felt she was ready for a new challenge; this led her to an opportunity to join The Apartment Company.

‘The unique USP of The Apartment Company extremely interested me. There is nothing else offering such a service. I knew Bath very well and I was excited to get to know it in a work capacity and discover parts of the city I had never ventured before. Bath just has a special feeling about it: it’s beautiful, small, extremely accessible and blessed with a wealth of bars, restaurants, shops, schools and green spaces. It is a place where you always feel safe and secure.’

‘We have seen a rise in the number of enquiries from buyers seeking holiday lets for Airbnbs. Some leases allow holiday lets, some don’t. Properties between £220,000 and £320,000 that can be used as a holiday let and have strong yields are flying out, as they can be very lucrative. On the flip side we are seeing firsttime buyers deciding to hold on to see what the year brings with regard to interest rates in the autumn.’

‘The sales and the lettings team work cohesively. Should an investor be seeking to reduce their property portfolio, the sales team and I are on hand to sell their investment. We have recently sold a couple of properties to an investor which are now being managed by Nicola and our lettings team. This strong unified approach ensures that all The Apartment Company clients receive a smooth high-quality service, be that for investment, tenancy or sale.’

Sharon’s advice for sellers – to succeed in this market you must price it right.

Sharon’s advice for buyers – work with an estate agent that has the expertise in selling the type of properties you wish to buy, and in Bath’s case for apartments, that can only be The Apartment Company.