Regional new homes sales director appointed at Spicerhaart

Victoria Kelly has been appointed to the role in the Midlands for Spicerhaart’s Land and New Homes division. She has 14 years’ experience in the property industry having started in lettings before moving into sales where she eventually specialised in new builds.

Kelly, who was previously a Sales Manager at Countrywide, has bold ambitions to double sales in her region by next summer and work with innovative and exciting new developers.

She said: “My ambition is to double our sales rate by next summer by growing our opportunities and sharing my knowledge with all of our branch network, ensuring they have the right tools and training to be successful. In this current market, it’s all about being proactive.”

“The new homes marketing at Spicerhaart is by far the best I’ve seen within estate agency, particularly our FLINK campaigns. This is a fantastic tool for developers to benefit from, reaching out to buyers who didn’t even realise they were looking for a property.

“I’m keen to grow our business and introduce new developers to the Spicerhaart family. The beauty of our team is that we can bespoke our service to each client’s needs, to provide the best results for them.

“New homes have become my passion and I love the variety of the role, meeting new people, providing great customer service, and the excitement of seeing a site from start to completion makes the job incredibly rewarding.”

Claire Drewett, new homes director at Spicerhaart, added: “It’s fantastic to have Victoria on board – she brings a wealth of experience with her.

“I know she’ll make a big impact in the Midlands and help people find their ideal new home.”

Bidwells appoints new head of rural agency for Scotland 

Bidwells has appointed Jake Shaw-Tan as its new head of rural agency in Scotland.

Shaw-Tan’s background includes heading up the agency department for Galbraith in Ayrshire, where he managed a team handling a diverse portfolio of rural properties, including building plots, country houses, cottages, and farms.

In his new role, Shaw-Tan will focus on expanding Bidwells’ rural agency services across Scotland. A key part of his role will be to enhance Bidwells’ brand awareness in the rural agency market throughout Scotland. He plans to implement strategic marketing initiatives and leverage his extensive network to grow the firm’s client base and transaction volume.

Shaw-Tan said: “The Bidwells brand is exceptionally strong, and I’m eager to build on that foundation in the national rural agency sector. My goal is to showcase our expertise and commitment to delivering outstanding results for our clients. Whether it’s a charming cottage or an expansive estate, we’re here to provide unparalleled expertise and knowledge. I look forward to connecting with property owners across Scotland and demonstrating the positive difference Bidwells brings to rural agency.”

Ralph Peters, head of rural, Scotland at Bidwells, commented: “Jake’s appointment marks an exciting new chapter for our rural agency services in Scotland. His extensive experience, coupled with his client-focused approach and deep understanding of the Scottish rural property market, makes him the ideal person to lead our growth in this sector. We’re confident that under Jake’s leadership, we’ll enhance our service offerings and strengthen our position as a leading property consultancy in Scotland’s rural markets.”

James Sherwood-Rogers to step down as chair of CoPSO

The Council of Property Search Organisations (CoPSO) has announced that long-time chair James Sherwood-Rogers will step down at the end of September.

Sherwood-Rogers commented: “I have been the Independent Chair of CoPSO for over ten years and was one of the founding members of CoPSO back in 2003. The property search industry has seen an incredible amount of change over the period.

“The one constant has been The Search Code, which we at CoPSO devised and implemented in order to create standards for the property information industry, protecting homebuyers and sellers, and the professionals and trades that support them.

“The Search Code enabled the creation of the modern search industry. The first property information standard recognised by the Law Society, RICS and UKFinance, the Code enabled private businesses to deliver a search that was faster and cheaper, but also more reliable then the ‘postcode lottery’ of the slow council search system. It revolutionised the industry and we estimate that over 80% of all searches now go through a Search Code subscriber due to the protections it provides.

“As well as setting standards, CoPSO members have been instrumental in driving innovation, digitising data and processes, improving speed and access to information, lowering costs for consumers, and holding data owners such as local and central government to account for data accuracy, availability and integrity. It is an essential role that I am sure it will continue to play.

“I am proud of what CoPSO has achieved, but it is time to move on, particularly as the demands of other interests put increasing pressure on my time.”

During his time as Chair of CoPSO, Sherwood-Rogers has been a member of HM Land Registry Advisory Committee, the Environment Agency Data Advisory Group, the Local Land Charges Data Digitisation Council, the Home Buying and Selling Group and DPMSG, amongst others, and has been a judge for the Modern Law Conveyancing Awards since their inception in 2016.

Christian Lister, a director of CoPSO said ‘We are extremely grateful to James for his long contribution to CoPSO and the stewardship he has brought to the role of Chair. His extensive experience and knowledge of the property information industry will be hard to replace, and we wish him well for the future.’

CoPSO says it will take time to consider the future role of the chair before looking to make any appointment.