Durrants Charitable Foundation is delighted to have supported the Village Hall Committee at St Margaret South Elmham for a first aid training course.
Village Hall Chairman, Phillip Kidner contacted Durrants to request support so that 12 local residents could take part in a course and learn vital skills that could help the community if needed.
The first air course was run by MJ Training and covered basic first aid skills as well as CPR.
Dominic Parravani of Durrants considers changes in the real estate market as 2021 draws to a close.
It was only as recently as the 1930s that electric light became standard in new homes built in urban areas of the UK. Now, just 90 years later, our fridge-freezers can tell us when we are out of fish fingers. The march of change in materials, technology and taste is as relentless as life itself.
As we look forward to the New Year we all share in the sorrow that the last two years have brought to so many. We also face significant social and economic challenges during this post Brexit, post pandemic and, down-the-line, post fossil fuel era when gas-fired heating will go the same way as gas-fired lighting.
The property market too has seen enormous changes in the past few years, and it will continue to do so as it steadily moves from white hot, Covid-affected panic buying to a more considered mood in the New Year.
The market is in constant flux, just as individuals’ personal circumstances are. Buying a home at any stage of life is usually a thrilling event – if somewhat nerve-racking at times. Moving is often borne of new independence or marriage, cohabitation, birth, career success, fulfilled ambition, or even a fresh and exciting chapter brought on by empty nest relocation.
Whatever changes happen in 2022 we hope they will be good for you, and we stand ready to spread the joy in helping people into a new home and a joyous new chapter of their lives.
Happy New Year.
The canopy was installed in October to enable children to enjoy time outdoors and remain protected from the elements. Fresh air has of course, always been important for children, but the pandemic and the need for social distancing and well-ventilated areas has made this essential.
On Wednesday 10th November our communications manager, Sally Owen went to meet the team at Owlets and see the results of Durrants’ contribution. “Durrants are delighted to support so many local projects that benefit the local community. On a drizzly day like today you can really see how the new canopy at Owlets will be important for both the children and staff here.”
The project was also supported by other generous donors including East Suffolk County Council, The Tudwick Foundation and Alpkit foundation.
“It’s so important for children to be able to enjoy time outdoors, but when the weather is inclement, or even if the sun is too hot, it’s vital to have some shelter to protect the youngsters.” commented Jo-Anne Aulsberry, Manager of Owlets. “We’re delighted with the canopy and are hugely grateful to all our supporters, including Durrants.”
Photo: Presentation of £750 donation from Durrants. Pictured left to right: Jo-Anne Aulsberry, manager of Owlets, Sally Owen, communications manager for Durrants and Sarah Jordan, chairperson for Owlets.
Currently, the Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES) allowed for rented properties are a minimum of an E rating on their Energy Performance Certificate (EPC). The new EPC regulations would mean that from 2025, a rented property would need to have a certification rating of C or above. The changes are being introduced to ensure homes are more energy-efficient and to reduce carbon waste, progressing towards the Government’s net-zero targets.
For some landlords, a low cost change such as increasing loft insulation could be enough to satisfy the required change in EPC level, for others however, this could mean a review of wall insulation, windows, doors etc.
There are grants available for landlords looking to improve the efficiency of their rental property. As part of Durrants fully managed lettings service we ensure all legislation is kept up to date, and work closely with our landlords to ensure properties are kept to the most efficient standard.
If you have a lettings property, give us a call today to see how we could help you.
Durrants have continued support for the local community with the recent sponsorship and support of Wymondham Rugby clubs mini festival.
Durrants have a long history of supporting Norfolk and Suffolk rugby and were delighted to help with the recent two day festival. Durrants managing director Dominic Parravani, who is co-chair of Wymondham Mini said “ We were delighted to welcome over 500 children from 8 different local clubs to Barnard Fields for a wonderful weekend of Rugby. Using funds from our charity foundation were only too happy to support and sponsor the weekend”
Rugby brings together people from all walks of life and is a game that upholds sporting values, friendship and respect.
Dominic Parravani of Durrants compares COP26 and little green men with the November property market.
Many of us will remember childhood comics with little green men warning earthlings that “resistance is futile”. It felt awful to be so helpless.
Yet in Glasgow at COP26, that is just what the scientists are saying. They warn that resisting change will only bring global catastrophe. The experts say that the future is in our hands, but that we must act now.
In a way, selling property is the same. We have experienced an almost unnatural market for the past eighteen months. But things are slowly changing.
The market in some areas is not as gung ho as it was. Multiple full-price bids on properties aren’t as common as they were. Buyers are more relaxed and feel they have more time. And over-priced houses and flats are not receiving quite the high-level interest that they might once have had, especially with the threat of higher mortgage interest rates looming.
For sellers, resisting this turn of events is futile. Keeping a property on the market in the hope someone will pay a premium in all but premium locations is fraught with risk and potential delays.
Just like resisting little green men or global warming, resisting or ignoring market conditions when selling a property is storing up trouble.
With little green men, the laying down of arms is sensible. With global warming, rushing out of fossil fuels and into renewables is sensible. And with property, setting a sensible asking price from the outset, whatever the market, will always mean a faster and easier sale.
Durrants is delighted to bring to the market an exciting development of five brand new bungalows in partnership with Vello Homes.
Development is underway at Church View in the charming village of Chedgrave, near Loddon, providing easy access to The Broads AONB as well as the city of Norwich. There will be a variety of 3-bedroom bungalows each with spacious garden, ample parking and attractive rural views.
Vello Homes has a long history with over 30 years of delivering high quality homes in East Anglia. The company is owned and based in Brundall and specialises in small scale, high quality, bespoke housing developments within a 20-mile radius of Norwich.
“We’re thrilled to be working with Vello Homes on this project.” said Dominic Parravani, Managing Director for Durrants. “There’s great synergy between our two companies; both family owned with our roots firmly in the East Anglian soil and both committed to providing our clients with the very highest standards. We’re looking forward to seeing the development take shape and find buyers for these high spec homes.”
Enquiries for Church View, Chedgrave are being managed via our Southwold office. For further information call us on 01502 723292 or email southwold@durrants.com
On Friday 8th October 2021, after an enforced break due to Covid, the annual Durrants charity clay shoot was held in its usual beautiful surroundings of the water meadows and farmland of Red House Farm, St Margaret- South Elmham by kind permission of Mr Philip Kidner.
Once again this popular event was run to raise funds for the Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution, a national charity that provides local support to farming communities across England and Wales.
Blessed with wonderful weather, fourteen teams came together to shoot two 100-bird flushes, kindly provided by local gunsmiths A Richardson & Sons of Halesworth. BBQ and refreshments were available throughout the day.
Once shooting had ceased, scores were checked and double checked with the winners being announced by Nick Durrant, from Durrants. The winners were James Griffiths and his team from Griffiths and Taylor Structural Engineers.
Dominic Parravani managing director from Durrants said “The day has been a great success. It’s lovely to be back after missing last year’s event.”
The final figure for the funds raised is still to be confirmed, but 100% of proceeds will be donated to RABI.
We’re delighted to introduce our new Residential Sales Manager for Beccles, Lisa Brown.
Lisa has been a valued member of the Durrants team since 2010 holding positions of Senior Negotiator and Residential Sales Manager of their Southwold office. Prior to joining Durrants, Lisa worked, for 13 years, at a well renowned local law firm in their conveyancing department during which time she ran her own caseload.
“I love Beccles, I’m so happy to be back here – it’s where my roots are. Despite the recent pandemic it’s a thriving town with so much going on. Beccles is a wonderful place for all generations to live with the River Waveney right on the doorstep, the beautiful Suffolk Coast just 15 minutes away and Norfolk’s county city, Norwich, just a short drive or bus journey away.”
Dominic Parravani, Managing Director and Head of Residential Sales for Durrants said of the appointment, “Lisa’s wealth of knowledge and experience in the East Anglian property market is outstanding and her rapport with clients has earned her countless testimonials over her years with Durrants. The Beccles property market is incredibly competitive and I know that Lisa and her them will thrive on the challenge.”
If you have a property in or around Beccles and are considering a move, why not get in touch with Lisa and her team for a free, no obligation property valuation. Call our Beccles branch on 01502 712122 or click here to request a valuation online.
We are delighted to announce the promotion of Florence Bond to Residential Sales Manager of our Southwold Office.
Florence joined the Durrants team in September 2017 and since then she has shown total professionalism and dedication as she has rapidly stepped up the career ladder.
Dominic Parravani, Managing Director and Head of Residential Sales commented “From the young person who came to see me for a role we didn’t have and then impressed so much with her enthusiasm, her hard work, her tenacity, her driven pursuit of knowledge and qualifications, her total professionalism and her ability to be continually cheerful and keep me in check! Very proud!”
Florence leads an enthusiastic and professional team of 9 from the High Street office and will have a challenging job ahead maintaining the Company’s leading position in the local property market. Durrants has outperformed all other estate agents in Southwold and Reydon in the last 12 months, completing three times more sales than the nearest competitor and almost half of all residential sales in the area.*
“Working through a pandemic has certainly been a tremendous learning curve. We’ve seen the market change dramatically and the challenges it brought to the property market would have been unimaginable 18 months ago.” said Florence. “I’m really proud of our team and their commitment to what they do. Their hard work and effort are what have built our reputation in Southwold and the surrounding area.”
We wish Florence all the best in her new role and look forward to many more years of success for her and the Southwold team.
Pictured: Dominic Parravani presents Florence Bond with a bottle of Champagne to celebrate her promotion to Residential Sales Manager for Southwold.
Beccles library is a much needed hub for the local community and its team is working hard to bring people back together this summer after the long social separation caused by the pandemic. With an extensive program of events and big plans for future development there certainly is a lot going on.
This summer, children have the opportunity meet alpacas and miniature donkeys, owls and skunks, build their own build feeders, plant seeds and even find gold at the end of the rainbow, not to mention the Lego Club, Forest School and British sign language clubs. All these fabulous and free activities have been coordinated to run alongside the Summer Reading Challenge, a tremendous scheme run annually in libraries across the country.
“Libraries are about far more than books, we are a social care service.” Says Sharon Chapman, Beccles Library Manager. “Visitors to the library come for all sorts of reasons, which could be anything from using our PCs and printing services, attending one of our community group activities or simply just for a chat. We have groups for new parents, families with pre and school age children and for teenagers too.”
“We maintain strong links with all of the local schools. This summer, most of our volunteers have come from Sir John Leman High School, and they will be listening to younger children read as they progress though the Summer Reading Challenge, while also assisting with a very busy schedule of events and activities. We all feel it is vital to present a summer of fun and relaxation for our local community, especially after the horrible year everyone has endured.”
There are grand plans ahead for Beccles Library with an extensive refurbishment of the children’s library planned. The project, the date for which is to be confirmed, will see a total transformation of this area which will incorporate bright colours and appealing graphics to draw young visitors in. There will be child height ‘book boxes’ to promote independent choice, tables and chairs for families to come together for drawing activities and a ‘book nook’ in which to snuggle up and enjoy getting lost in the pages of a book. In addition, there are plans arrange stock and space so that young adults have their own separate area away from the children’s space.
This work is in addition to wider remedial work to the building’s roof, doors and windows which will be funded by owners of the premises, Suffolk County Council, to the value of approximately £250,000.
Durrants Charitable Foundation is delighted to have made a financial contribution of £750 to this wonderful project which will benefit families from Beccles and beyond.
“Bringing the community back together after such a long time apart is tremendously important” commented Dominic Parravani, Managing Director of Durrants. “The team at Beccles Library is doing a sterling job and their passion and enthusiasm is evident in everything they do. We are proud to support this exciting refurbishment project and look forward to seeing it come to fruition.”
Beccles Library Community Trust supports and fundraises for Beccles Library and has been instrumental in sourcing funding for the children’s library project and would be interested in speaking to anyone who is able to support them further. For more information please contact Sharon Chapman on sharon.chapman@suffolklibraries.co.uk
IMAGE: Local children enjoying the Summer Reading Challenge in the library garden.
Finding your ideal home can be a tricky business. Of course it’s essential to have a wishlist to make sure your key criteria are met, but it’s also important to approach your property search with an open mind – your ideal home might not actually look like you think it will.
Choosing a bungalow might not be something you’ve considered, after all, they do have a reputation with some for being only for the elderly; but that’s simply not the case, in fact there are quite a few advantages to owning a bungalow.
Fewer bungalows are being built in the UK yet demand remains strong. This means that bungalows hold their value and can appreciate more than other property types. That said, it is true that, due to demand, bungalows tend to be more expensive per square metre.
Many bungalows were built several decades ago when the need for housing was not as great and space was not at such a premium, so tend to have bigger plots. Outdoor space on bungalow plots typically includes a driveway as well as front and rear garden. In addition to the great outdoor space, bungalows offer more privacy, with neighbouring properties also being single storey buildings that have limited if any view into the neighbouring plot.
As we’ve already mentioned, bungalows are often thought of as for the elderly, and it’s true, they are ideal for senior living, but they’re also a great solution for families. The lack of stairs means there’s one less thing to worry about when there are youngsters toddling about, plus having bedrooms on the same level as the living areas means that children are not too far away so you can easily keep an eye on them. This is also a plus as the kids reach their teenage years and disappear into their bedrooms for hours on end to isolate themselves from the rest of the world.
Let’s face it trudging the vacuum cleaner up and down stairs is a bit of a pain. There’s none of this in a bungalow. With all the accommodation on one level, the housework is a much easier task. It’s also less challenging to carry out regular maintenance work such as cleaning windows, facias, guttering and any roofing work.
As already mentioned, bungalows tend to have larger plots with space to the rear and front of the property, giving greater potential to extend outwards. Bungalows often have large, high unused loft space too which can be perfect for extending upwards – a loft extension can make a fabulous bedroom and even and ensuite.
Due to the age of many bungalows and the typical demographic of bungalow owners (who have often lived in them since they were built), properties that come to the market are often in need of renovation or modernisation. Of course, this can deter some people but it offers a terrific opportunity to create a real transformation and make your mark on the property.
We’ve highlighted here some of the many benefits of bungalow life although, of course, some would argue the disadvantages of living in a bungalow. Some feel insecure sleeping on the ground floor, others don’t like the lack of separation between bedrooms and living areas. Weighing up the pros and cons is a personal choice. But what’s important when conducting a property search is that you check out all the options. You might just find what you’d dismissed as a ‘no’ turns out to be your forever home.
Complete the form below to send a property enquiry. A member of the team will be in touch as soon as possible.
