Quinn Estate Agents acquires Sawyers & Co

A County Down-based estate agent has acquired the Banbridge-based Sawyers & Co estate agency expanding its portfolio of rental properties and sales listings.

Set up in 2010 by Jonathan Quinn, the business operates from premises in Downpatrick, Banbridge and Ballynahinch and has now acquired Sawyers & Co trading premises which offers street-level office space, which Quinn is now operating from as well as two residential apartments above the unit.

Alongside the business, the agency has also acquired the former Sawyers & Co. trading premises which offers street-level office space, which Quinn is now operating from as well as two residential apartments above the unit.

Following a successful 12 months, Quinn has also acquired similar premises in Ballynahinch which features ground floor commercial space with potential for apartment accommodation and an abandoned bungalow. This is the backdrop for an innovative new service to support home buyers and vendors caught in the property chain.

The bungalow has undergone a renovation to accommodate short-term stays for homebuyers and sellers wanting to complete on the sale or purchase of their property to avoid the transaction falling through.

“It’s a rather unique service,” explains managing director Jonathan Quinn. “Moving house can be a stressful exercise, so we’re keen to ensure a frictionless transition for our vendors and homebuyers. Unless you’re a first-time or cash buyer, you’re likely to find yourself in a property chain that relies on the completion of successive property transactions. Often, there can be a break in that chain for any number of reasons that causes the sale of a property to ‘fall through’.

“We’re renting the property to our clients on a week-to-week basis to help ease the burden of sourcing temporary accommodation. It’s a service that has been extremely well received.”

As a result of the success of the trial in Ballynahinch, Quinn is now investing in the development of a similar short-term let for homebuyers and sellers in Banbridge, thanks to Ulster Bank support.

Ulster Bank business development manager Derick Wilson, added: “Jonathan and the team at Quinn Estate Agents have identified a workable solution to a common problem facing many people in the residential property market. It’s a simple, but extremely effective response.

“In addition, as the past 18 months have shown, the property market operates in peaks and troughs as it reacts to external factors. By acquiring these premises the business has secured new revenue streams from commercial and residential rents that will sustain the business.”