Press Room

‘‘Record year for property auctioneers in Liverpool’’

Daily Post 20/12/2006

Sutton Kersh report receipts totalling £37m. SUTTON Kersh Auction reported record receipts of almost £37m during 2006 - beating Liverpool rival Venmore by nearly £5m.

The firm also said that three quarters of all the properties that had gone under the hammer during the year were sold.

Their final auction of 2006 at the Marriott Hotel, which raised just over £6.1m, also saw a substantial increase in the individual values obtained for the properties, with Sutton Kersh achieving notable bids and realisations for each lot.

It held seven auctions in 2006 with the following results: February - £5.6m, April - £5.5m, May - £5.1m, June - £4.9m, September - £4.2m, October - £5.3m, November - £6.2m.

One of the biggest attractions of 2006 was the introduction of their new resident auctioneer Andrew Binstock. Originally from London, he began his career in the residential auction department at Allsop & Co, one of London's biggest auction houses, before venturing out on his own.

Mr Binstock's first auction in Liverpool this year achieved marked success, hitting a 90% sales rate, rising to 95% later in the year. He soon became something of a celebrity on the Liverpool circuit, winning them over with his professionalism and entertaining character.

"Liverpudlians like to be entertained and I am amazed how Andrew always manages to squeeze out something extra, over and above the guide price and have the bidders come along afterwards to congratulate him for it." Said James Kersh, director of Sutton Kersh Auctions.

Plans for an expansion in 2007 are under way as Sutton Kersh, in conjunction with Andrew Binstock, launch a new auction house in London and the Home Counties - Sutton Kersh Binstock.

Its first London auction is due to take place on March 22 at the Watford Ramada Hotel, for which it has already built up a substantial catalogue.

Mr Kersh added: "2006 has been a very buoyant year in terms of the auction market: it has continued on a steady path, with steady price rises and steady levels of interest and demand."

"With 2007 being an important investment year, the buy-to-let market as strong as ever, and property continuing to offer an excellent return, we expect next year's results to be even better."