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All the questions you always wanted to ask an estate agent…

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For this month’s property column Brad and Susie from Meyers are answering their most frequently asked questions (in no particular order!):

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1. When is the best time to sell a property?

Conventional wisdom tells us that the best time to sell a property
is in the Spring – mostly because the longer and warmer days help set the scene for a prospective buyer after a dark grey winter. According to Rightmove, houses put on the market in March took the least days to sell (an average of 57 days). However, there are good activity levels in the housing market all year round.

Ultimately, the right time to sell is when you are ready to move.

2. Do you charge to visit my property?

No. As part of our free, no obligation service we will visit your property and provide you with an expert valuation of your home together with any advice you require. Our fees for selling your home are competitive and will be discussed with you before proceeding.

3. How can I best prepare my property for sale?

The best and most cost-effective ways to prepare your property for sale are to clean thoroughly, de-clutter, deal with any odours, go neutral with your wall colours and ensure the front of the property and garden are well presented.

This list is not exhaustive; however we provide a free copy of our Seller’s Guide on request which is full of lots of hints and tips.

4. Am I required to have a ‘For Sale’ sign outside my property?

No, you are not required to do so. However, they help to advertise your home and we often see sales encouraged by the presence of a board!

5. How long does it take for my property to go to market once I invite you to proceed?

We go entirely at your pace. Provided we are able to arrange a convenient time with you
to send in our professional photographer, we have taken properties to market between 24 to 48 hours following instruction and your approval of property particulars.

6. What about a floor plan?

An accurate and professional floor plan is very important to a buyer. We provide this as part of our service, and our plans also include the gross interior floor space and measurements of each room.

7. Why should we use Meyers over another local or online agent?

Standing out from the crowd of similar properties is vital when you are selling your home and it is equally as important you choose an agent that stands out from the crowded, hard- sell, jargon-filled world of many estate agencies.

Our philosophy is simple. We are friendly, experienced, determined, great value and completely focussed on you.

Please do get in touch for any property advice or a free expert valuation on your home:

Brad at Shaftesbury – 01747 352077 Susie at Blandford – 01258 690553

Hound of the Baskervilles

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Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s most celebrated adventure, The Hound of the Baskervilles, gets a brilliantly farcical overhaul in Lotte Wakeham’s acclaimed production.

World-renowned detective Sherlock Holmes and his colleague Dr Watson are asked to unravel the mystery surrounding the untimely death of Sir Charles Baskerville.

With rumours of a cursed giant hound loose on the moors, they must act fast in order to save the Baskerville family’s last remaining heir.
A hit in the West End, this ingenious adaptation combines an exhilarating collision of farce, invention and wonderfully comic performances to offer a brand-new twist on the greatest detective story of all time. A whodunnit for all ages.

Salisbury Playhouse

Monday 15 – Saturday 20 November

The Unravelling Wilburys Return to Shaftesbury

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The Unravelling Wilburys are the ‘complete package’ with a great combination of brilliant musicianship and tongue in cheek humour. The band play their songs in their familiar country-rock style while stealing a few choice numbers from those famous five icons, Messrs Orbison, Harrison, Dylan, Petty and Lynne. An experience is not to be missed.

Saturday 13 November 7.30 pm Tickets: £18 Under 18s £16

www.shaftesburyartscentre.org.uk

New shows at Shaftesbury Arts Centre

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Julian Richards presents the world premiere of ‘Shaftesbury Abbey – The Movie’
Digging, Dirt, Drama and Discoveries – all will be revealed! The film explores King Alfred’s founding of Shaftesbury’s Saxon Burgh and the history of the Abbey; then follows the story of the SAVED project from geophysical survey to the 2019 season of excavation carried out by local schoolchildren and teams of volunteer archaeologists.

After the screening there will be time for chat and questions.
Tickets: £12 Adults, £10 FoSA and Students,
Bar open from 6.30pm

Friday 19th November at 17:00 and at 19:30

ww.shaftesburyartscentre.org.uk

Groom Required | Milton Abbey School

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Hours Required: Part-time (ideally 21 hours per week term time, 12 hours per week holiday time – exact hours to be discussed and agreed at interview stage)

Rate of Pay: Competitive Salary

Contract Type: Fixed Term Contract (potential to become permanent)

Milton Abbey is seeking an experienced groom to support our yard manager in the provision of care for our student liveries and loan horses. This role incorporates routine equine husbandry and yard maintenance, as well as grooming and preparing horses for ridden work.

There may be some riding available for the successful candidate, depending on experience.

The successful candidate will be required to undertake the following duties:

  • Mucking out/poo picking fields
  • Turning out and catching in
  • Grooming
  • Tacking up, untacking and after-care post-exercise
  • Stable yard and field maintenance e.g. sweeping, weeding
  • Performing health checks
  • Assisting with farrier/vet visits

We are looking for someone who will perform all duties to a high standard, has the ability work well as part of a team, with good communication skills.

The successful candidate must hold a British Horse Society Stage 2 Care (or equivalent) and a Level 3 BTEC Equine Management (or equivalent).

Further details may be obtained from our website or from HR on 01258 880484 or email [email protected].

Applications must be submitted on the School’s application form.  interviews to take place in early January.

Milton Abbey School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children.  The appointment will be the subject of an enhanced disclosure from the Disclosure and Barring Service.

Milton Abbey School Farm Manager Required

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Milton Abbey School are urgently in need of a School Farm Manager and Land Based Studies Technician.

Milton Abbey are looking to appoint a qualified and enthusiastic School Farm Manager to support the teaching and delivery of co-curricular activities in the Land Based Studies Department. The successful applicant will be responsible for the management and maintenance of the School Farm. A passion for high standards of animal welfare is essential and we are very interested in applicants with equine or shoot management expertise, although this is not essential.

The role is full time and all year round. The successful applicant will have experience of managing farm livestock and maintaining machinery. Qualifications in land-based subjects is an advantage, as is licenses for equipment like RTV and chainsaw.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Specific responsibilities include the following, although this list is by no means exhaustive:

  • The daily running of the School Farm including (but not exclusively):
    • the full responsibility for the care and feeding of all livestock and poultry, keeping welfare logs as required
    • administering veterinary medicines as required and keeping records for welfare purposes
    • ordering feed, bedding, veterinary items and consumables as required
    • ensuring the safe storage of farm machinery and equipment, medicines and chemicals
    • working in line with budgetary constraints
  • To contribute to teaching lessons and the delivery of co-curricular activities as appropriate either through assisting and supervising practical work, work experience pupils or sharing technical knowledge.  This may include the completion of witness statements. 
  • Assisting teaching staff in preparation for practical lessons – preparing tools and materials, setting up tasks and clearing away at the end of the lesson.
  • To work with the pupils and staff in the Land Based Studies Department on practical environmental/estate skills work and shoot management work to meet the requirements of the management agreement with Forestry England and the academic curriculum. 
  • Complying with relevant legislation and codes of practice in all respects.
  • To organise and facilitate the movement of livestock on and off the farm including the keeping of accurate records for audit purposes.  Arranging the slaughter of livestock and the sale of farm produce.
  • To organise and facilitate the planting and growing of crops / vegetables including the keeping of accurate records for pupil assessment purposes.  Arranging the preparation of crops / vegetables for sale, and the sale of farm produce.
  • To keep the School farm and stables facilities clean and tidy at all times.
  • To assist with visitor tours of the School Farm and Stables facilities as required. Provide support and liaison as required for department development projects.
  • To carry out paddock and infrastructure maintenance for the farm and stables and assist the Director of Land Based Studies in maintenance planning.
  • To be responsible for the planning and carrying out practical work surrounding the Land Based Studies areas of the School.
  • To keep the Land Based Studies store tidy and maintain and audit stocks of equipment necessary for delivering the BTEC courses.  Ensure that all equipment, manual and motorised, is safe and suitable for use by pupils and staff and arrange servicing/repair as required.
  • Comply with relevant health and safety requirements and assist the Director of Land Based Studies by updating and keeping of records in the Land Based Studies Health and Safety files.  This includes the legionella logbook for the Land Based Studies areas.
  • Provide basic instruction and training to all Land Based Studies pupils in the use of hand tools and motorised equipment such as strimmers and keep records of such training in the Land Based Studies Health and Safety files.
  • To attend department and School meetings and Inset days.  These specifically include a weekly department meeting, the weekly full staff meeting and flagging plus any relevant Inset training sessions. 
  • To occasionally provide cover, where deemed reasonable, for the management of the stables and care of the horses. 
  • Where deemed reasonable, to assist the Estates team with wider estate management tasks.
  • Embark on Continuing Professional Development when the opportunity or need arises and attend Inset training for staff as directed by the Senior Deputy Head.
  • To carry out such other reasonable duties as might be directed by the Director of Land Based Studies, Deputy Head (Learning Development), the Senior Deputy Head or Head.

TERMS OF APPOINTMENT:

  • This is a full time all year-round post to meet department and School requirements.
  • Appropriate training will be provided in support of Continued Professional Development.

Click the link below to download the application form:Application-Form-Milton-Abbey-2021Download

Further details may be obtained from Milton Abbey on 01258 880484 or email [email protected].


Applications must be submitted on the School’s application form. 

Interviews to be held early January.

Milton Abbey School is committed to safe guarding and promoting the welfare of children.  The appointment will be the subject of an enhanced disclosure from the Disclosure and Barring Service.

Seventh year running for local law firm in the Legal 500.

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Blandford law firm Blanchards Bailey LLP has had its place among the elite firms in the South West confirmed for the seventh successive year by the Legal 500, the UK’ independent guide to legal firms and solicitors.

The 2022 edition of The Legal 500 has endorsed the firm in six different practice areas, with 11 individual lawyers receiving recommendations and mentions. Blanchards Bailey has been listed in six categories:

• Agriculture & Estates;
• Commercial Litigation – Dorset, Devon and Cornwall; • Contentious Trusts & Probate; • Employment – Dorset, Devon and Cornwall;
• Personal Tax, Trusts & Probate
• Family.

In addition to the practice accolades, eleven members of the team were all individually recommended for their work. Blanchards Bailey Managing Partner Paul Dunlop said: “A huge thank you to our valued clients who took the trouble to participate in the Legal 500 interview process and agreed to be named – a sure sign of their confidence in the firm. “As a result we have been ranked alongside or above some much larger South West law firms. “The client’s feedback shows clearly our professionalism, exceptional expertise, clear communication skills and supportive nature.”

Alan Horne, Blanchards Bailey Partner and former CEO of the firm felt that the local community was a source of their own and their client’s ongoing success:

“We are proud to primarily employ local people and serve individual clients and businesses in the Dorset community. “The fact that we are thriving is indicative that many local businesses are also serving their communities and surviving these challenging times through a combination of customer service, loyal clients and the sheer will to succeed.”
Blanchards Bailey are headquartered in Blandford with offices in Dorchester, Shaftesbury and Weymouth.

Executive assistant & property manager | Five Bees

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Five Bees require an executive assistant and property manager based near Sherborne in Dorset.

This position offers a variety of tasks and invites applicants who can offer a variety of skills including IT, sound admin skills and strong self management. Flexibility and long term vision and commitment are also key components.

Salary range £23 – £30K dependant on experience

For full job description and to apply please email [email protected]

Gloom to the left, worry to the right…

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It’s been a difficult time over the last couple of months; and there are still many challenges facing both consumers and businesses as we emerge from the pandemic, reflects Dorset Chamber’s CEO Ian Girling

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The last thing we needed as we return to normality was the fuel shortage, brought about by distribution problems due to a shortage of HGV drivers and then compounded by the panic buying that ensued.
This situation was inevitable as soon as the transport minister Grant Shapps appeared on television to say “there is no need to panic buy” which I think was probably the worst thing he could have said; the impact of this was immediate with scenes reminiscent of the fuel crisis so many of us will remember, some 21 years ago.
We are also now facing the unprecedented situation of second hand cars increasing in price due to a shortage in new cars, caused by post-lockdown demand and a shortage of semi- conductors. Autotrader are reporting that used car prices have increased an incredible 24% in the last 12 months, pushing the price of some used cars above the price of a new vehicle. It sometimes feels like we’ve entered the twilight zone.

Energy struggles

Both shortages of materials and rising prices continue to be a challenge for both consumers and businesses. It’s certainly a problem for the construction industry with huge increases in the costs of materials such as timber, and rising energy costs forcing up the very difficult to recruit and this rises to an incredible 92% in hospitality. In the third quarter, job vacancies here in Dorset reached highs not seen since costs of cement and bricks. Many building firms have told me this is a major challenge, and now a quote can only hold for a week at most given the continuing rise in prices. We are also seeing rocketing steel prices. The energy crisis is also a big concern for us as consumers and businesses, and these continued price rises will lead to further challenges in the economy.
The inflation we are seeing will place financial pressure on us as consumers as the true value of our £ diminishes. This in turn will place wage pressure on businesses, another hurdle to overcome for many after the pandemic.

Recruitment woes

Businesses across most sectors are also facing huge challenges around recruitment. A recent national survey reported that on average 77% of firms looking for new people are finding it very difficult to recruit and this rises to an incredible 92% in hospitality. In the third quarter, job vacancies here in Dorset reached highs not seen since 2013 with 22,804 vacancies – a 35% increase on pre- pandemic level (January to March 2020), over 60% up on same period last year and 40% up on 2019. This is the last thing business needs as we try to re- open the economy.

A way forward

As I write this, it all seems a bit gloomy; and frankly we’ve all had enough of bad news. I haven’t even mentioned Brexit… However as we look forward it’s absolutely vital we see strong leadership in Westminster and Whitehall. We need a very clear forward path for our economy – and I don’t think this is evident at the moment. Nationally we are calling on Government for a clear road map for the recovery of our economy and it’s vital the Government focus on these issues that are affecting us all.

by Ian Girling CEO Dorset Chamber