John Francis Property Auctioneers
The firm John Francis has been trading since 1873, and their focus is on providing customer care by giving sellers and buyers expert advice and service during the sale process so that the whole experience is as smooth as possible.
We have 20 residential offices, 5 Lettings Departments, hold 5 auctions a year and a Commercial Department covering the whole of Swansea and West Wales.
John Francis is a traditional agent who can deal face-to-face with clients but has led the way in advertising properties.
Marketing has changed, and properties are now available on the Internet 24/7, but the Internet can only show the property whereby the skill of a good agent is to sell it.
Combine this with Digital Marketing, and you are assured that if you use John Francis to sell your home, John Francis will target the right buyers for you.
What really sets John Francis apart from the competition is that John Francis has the ability to genuinely market your property through our association with John D Wood in London.
In addition to John Francis’s comprehensive marketing package that John Francis already offers, they now have another level of service to offer, which promises to reach buyers from London.
All John Francis clients benefit from 20 offices offering their property to potential buyers. Sellers and buyers are also assured that they are dealing with Estate Agents that are trained, John Francis encourages all of John Francis Managers to qualify as NAEA Estate Agents and has genuine expert local knowledge on values and marketing.
John Francis carries out auctions, holding 5 auctions yearly at Parc Y Scarlets. In 2017, their results speak for themselves, raising some £12 million in sales value, giving us a success rate of 83%.
These statistics are very proud of. Not many auction houses across the whole of the UK can claim such a high percentage success rate over the year.
The success of John Francis auctions is down to the trust placed in John Francis by many of John Francis sellers, the hard work of John Francis staff and marketing attracting buyers locally and a wide range of buyers attending the auction in ever-increasing numbers.
John Francis Lettings Departments are spread with two covering the whole of the City of Swansea, The Gower and the Swansea Valley; the third, east Carmarthenshire including Llanelli and Ammanford, Carmarthen and the fifth, the whole of Pembrokeshire.
Information on all department properties is available throughout John Francis Lettings’ offices.
John Francis Commercial Department is a specialised department based in Narberth and covers west Carmarthenshire, including Carmarthen Town, Pembrokeshire, Ceredigion, Swansea and the surrounding areas.
A Guide to Buying at John Francis Auction
Details of the John Francis Property Auctions and land to be sold are set out in the John Francis Property Auction catalogue. They are usually available online or on request online to be posted to you.
All lots are sold subject to general conditions of sale. It is most important that purchasers satisfy themselves as to the availability, location, boundaries, conditions and state of all lots before the auction.
Viewing a lot
You must view the properties which interest you as soon as possible. Viewing arrangements for each lot are contained in this catalogue.
Legal Documentation
There are special conditions and general conditions that apply to all lots being offered at auction.
A copy of these should be available within the legal pack for each lot, a copy of which will be posted to the relevant auctioneer’s website as soon as possible.
Instructing a Solicitor
Before bidding at the auction, it is advisable to consult a solicitor/licensed conveyancer to advise you on the general and special conditions of sale, any searches that may be necessary, the Land Registry office copy entries and any other information provided.
John Francis Guide Prices
Most are quoted in the catalogue available from the agency/office concerned nearer the time of the auction. a guide price may change at any time. Lots may be sold at above or below the guide price, and we cannot accept responsibility for their accuracy.
Reserve Prices
Unless stated in the catalogue, all lots are subject to a Reserve price. This is the minimum price at which the seller has authorised the auctioneer to sell. The bidding must reach or exceed the reserve price for the auctioneer to be able to sell.
The reserve price is confidential. It is set by the seller in consultation with the auctioneer before the auction and may be subject to change right up to the start of the auction.
The auctioneer reserves the right to accept bids from the vendor up to and including the reserve value.
Pre-Auction Offers at John Francis
Offers must be in writing and only be considered if the lot has been viewed and the legal documentation is inspected.
Pre-auction bids are based on an immediate exchange of auction contracts upon acceptance by the seller.
Any offer will be assumed to be your best and final offer and the auction house cannot guarantee that you will be invited to increase your bid in the event of an alternative, the satisfactory offer is received prior to exchange.
Finance & Mortgages
It is essential to arrange finance before the auction and for all surveys, valuations and inspections to take place before the bidding.
Unable to Attend a John Francis auction
If you can’t attend the auction, you can bid in two ways (each auction house has its own rules & methods).
Firstly, you can appoint a representative or solicitor to bid for you, and writing and informing the auctioneer is always advisable.
Also, give your representative a letter confirming they are bidding on your behalf.
Proxy Bids John Francis
If you want to bid by proxy on the day of the auction the auctioneer may be happy for you to do so, check in advance with the relevant auction house.
The Auctioneer usually holds a signed contract and deposit cheque at least 48 hours before the auction. Therefore, please get in touch with the auction house immediately to avoid disappointment.
Please contact the relevant Auction house for a proxy bid registration form or use the one shown on the relevant auction house website (the link for this auction house is below) or the one in the auction brochure.
Registering at Auction & Means of Identification
You must register before the auction starts at the registration desk at the auction venue (each auction house has its own rules.
Check in advance what they are). The successful bidder must provide two identification forms (see registration form).
Please note that it is a requirement that you also provide documentation to confirm your name and residential address.
Bidding at John Francis Auction
If you have not bid at an auction before, it is advisable to be present when the Auction starts, listen to the Auctioneer’s opening remarks and follow the bidding in the early lots.
The Auctioneer will indicate from whom the bid has been taken, but it is helpful to the Auctioneer for you to raise your hand or bidding card number clearly when you bid.
If the Auctioneer doubts whether the movement of a head or hand was, in fact, a bid, he will usually inquire, “Was that a bid, Sir/Madam?”
If you are the successful bidder, a binding contract is entered into between the seller and the bidder on the fall of the Auctioneer’s gavel.
You will then be approached by an auction staff member who will escort you to the sales desk. At this point a deposit payment is required, the sum of 10% of the sale price is handed to the seller’s solicitor.
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Disclaimer:
This post is for general use only and is not intended to offer legal, tax, or investment advice; it may be out of date, incorrect, or maybe a guest post. You are required to seek legal advice from a solicitor before acting on anything written hereinabove.
