The Business Exchange Swindon & Wiltshire Edition 41: Feb/March 2019 | Page 30

Swindon housing market remains buoyant in face of economic uncertainty Fears that the housing market is bottoming out due to economic uncertainty, fuelled by Brexit, are likely to be unfounded in Swindon. Serena Robson and Iain Mason “There was no sign of any imminent slowdown in the housing market in the Swindon area, despite reports to the contrary.” That’s the view of leading professional services company Optimum, whose conveyancing team have been taking the temperature of the local housing market and see only a bright future ahead. Indeed, a new member of the team has been welcomed – Serena Robson – who will be handling residential conveyancing. Iain Mason, Head of Legal Property Services at Optimum, said there was no sign of any imminent slowdown in the housing market in the Swindon area, despite reports to the contrary. “You just have to look at all the housebuilding that is going on in and around Swindon, for example, at Badbury Park and Wichelstowe, and slightly further afield at Filands in Malmesbury,” he said. “The local picture looks healthy. There will always be naysayers and doom-mongers who predict a crash, but at the end of the day, we are a small island nation with an increasing population, and people need places to live, so the housing market in the long-term should prosper. “There are also some commentators who believe Government schemes, like Help to Buy, may have artificially inflated house prices, but we don’t see much evidence of that. These types of schemes are a great way of helping people get onto and to progress up the housing ladder.” Serena, joins the Optimum team after working for more than ten years at law firm Clark Holt, where she worked within the real estate department, and was also assistant practice manager. Prior to that she was a legal secretary. She had an earlier career in London working for camera manufacturer Olympus as a divisional coordinator, but switched to law when she relocated from London to Swindon. “I’ve joined Optimum because here I will have the opportunity to concentrate solely on residential conveyancing, as I really enjoy the client interaction,” said Serena. “I also plan to complete my licensed conveyancer qualifications, which I am partway through.” Iain added: “It’s great to have Serena on board. She’s very experienced and will be a real asset to the team, as our client base for residential and commercial conveyancing is growing all the time.” Optimum Professional Services brings accountancy and legal services together under one roof, to provide a convenient and expert service for people and businesses. The accountancy team, headed by account directors Jon Lacey and Michael Blaken, offer business development, accountancy, payroll and bookkeeping. The legal team, headed by Iain, deal in all areas of property law, wills and probate. Also joining the Optimum team recently are Rebecca Little, who takes charge of the bookkeeping department and Anne Bluh, who heads up payroll. To chat to the team about any accountancy, conveyancing, wills or probate matters, email [email protected], phone [phone] or visit www.optps.co.uk REFRESH & RENEW WITH HAWKER JOINERY The firm specialises in handmade and bespoke projects including windows, staircases, cabinetry and doors. Over the years Hawker Joinery has built strong and lasting relationships with aspirational home owners, contractors, architects and developers. However, the company is not being complacent and is seeing its centenary year as a catalyst for growth and development. It has just invested in a new headquarters and sales office in Bath and commercial director, Mitchell Thomas, based in Swindon, is ready to take the business into the future, building on Hawker Joinery’s reputation in Wiltshire and beyond. Mitchell Thomas said, “As a company we are unique. We do not have a catalogue or produce standard joinery. And unusually for this trade, all our joinery can be fitted by ourselves, in your home or premises. If you want a non- standard door or sliding sash windows to match your existing ones, then we’re the people for the job.” Hawker Joinery works predominantly in the period property market. Mitchell continued: “If you live or work in a Listed Building, then the Conservation Officers will insist on replacement windows being hand-crafted in wood to match the traditional style. This is our speciality.” And although much of Hawker Joinery’s work is steeped in history and traditional practice, it is passionate about being a modern firm with a strong green ethos. Its sustainability and environmental policy means that they only use FSC certified 30 timber, and are part of a system that supports sustainable forest management to avoid forest degradation. In using FSC timber it also protects the human aspect of the process, addressing a number of relevant issues including labour exploitation, discrimination, forced labour, child labour and human trafficking. Mitchell added, “We also choose the timber types that have less carbon footprint from seed to manufacture in our workshop. And we take great care in making a product that will last with less ongoing maintenance; we can offer a window with a sustainably sourced timber and a paint coat that lasts 12-15 years.” Hawker Joinery prides itself on providing a quick turnaround on quotations, with many delivered within 48 hours. You can request a quote online using their quick and easy form - even being able to upload images of the project or piece you’re enquiring about. Visit Hawker Joinery online: www.hawker-joinery.co.uk or call 01225 858233 Handmade for Bath since 1919 Windows, Doors, Staircases, Cabinetry, Orangeries 01225 858233 · [email protected] · hawker-joinery.co.uk Head Office & Sales: Sedan Chair West, Queens Parade Place, Bath, BA1 2NN Workshops: Unit 1, Vallis Mills Industrial Estate, Frome, BA11 3DT Hawker Joinery Ads – Bath.indd 2 Hawker Joinery is the oldest established joinery business in the area celebrating 100 years in business in 2019. 09/11/2018 15:49 @Hawker_Joinery THE BUSINESS EXCHANGE 2019 Handmade for Wiltshire since 1919 Windows, Doors, Staircases, Cabinetry, Orangeries 01225 858233 · [email protected] · hawker-joinery.co.uk