Estate Agency Update From Lynne Lancaster
According to the Nationwide, January 2021 saw a house price growth of 1.8%, the highest growth since November 2018. Mortgage lenders are also saying they saw an increase in…

Estate Agency Update From Lynne Lancaster
According to the Nationwide, January 2021 saw a house price growth of 1.8%, the highest growth since November 2018. Mortgage lenders are also saying they saw an increase in mortgage applications and approvals, all of which is encouraging and it doesn’t end there. PFK continue to see new instructions gain an enormous amount of interest and therefore buyer confidence appears to be back! In fact, it would be fair to say that demand is currently outweighing supply as we see people want to move and therefore certainty is definitely replacing uncertainty. The news of the extended Stamp Duty Holiday to 30th June 2021 should also encourage home movers.
PFK are a team of local people who are property experts and our aim is to help our customers on their property journey from beginning to end. We have our own in-house marketing team who are able to provide professional drone videos, photographs and targeted social media campaigns in order to put your property in front of a specific audience and achieve the best results. Quite often our marketing campaigns on social media and to our registered buyers provide us with a list of buyers/tenants before going live to the wider market! However, it is not about selling your property quickly it is about marketing your property right, finding a buyer that suits you and achieving the best price – that is the most important factor! When PFK agree a sale or a rental, we are there with our customers until we achieve signed contracts and this has been especially important within the last year. It was suggested in the last 3rd quarter of 2020 half (52%) of house sales in England and Wales fell through before completion. So, having an agent who is keen to find you the best price and then progress the sale after it is agreed is essential and an important tool in the PFK package. We use our experience, enthusiasm and customer service to make sure there is an end result – we don’t just leave it with the property lawyers, we actively help and assist where we can.
If you are considering selling, renting or buying and you want an agent who is proactive and works for you, then contact your local PFK expert who will be able to assist you in relation to your property journey.
PFK continue to be here to support our customers safely in a way that’s convenient for them. That can be in person, over the phone, by email or via video appointment. We will continue to make sure we protect our staff and customers.
Lynne Lancaster, Head of Estates.
PFK February Newsletter
A very warm welcome to our newly launched quarterly newsletter, which we see as being a vital way of communicating with existing and future clients, and our fellow professionals. Estate Agency…

PFK February Newsletter
A very warm welcome to our newly launched quarterly newsletter, which we see as being a vital way of communicating with existing and future clients, and our fellow professionals.
Estate Agency During 2020 PFK Estate Agents had an exceptionally busy year with both sale & rental of properties.
The start of 2021 saw the unfortunate increase in CV19 cases, new variants and that has led to a reduction in new properties coming to market. However, what we continue to see is strong activity and demand from buyers and tenants choosing to move to our area looking for a better work/life balance, altered lifestyle, retirement or holiday homes. So, we see ourselves in a position of demand outweighing supply and as we start to see cases reducing, more vaccinations take place then more people will have confidence to step into the market.PFK have a team of local people with a huge amount of experience whose aim is to help our customers on their property journey. We also have our own in-house marketing team who are able to provide professional drone videos, photographs and targeted social media campaigns in order to put your property in front of a specific audience and achieve the best results for our customers. Quite often with our ‘coming soon’ campaigns we have a list of proceedable buyers/tenants before going live! So, if you are considering selling, renting or buying then contact your local PFK expert who will be able to explain how they can assist you and what recommendations they would make in relation to your property journey.Instructing an agent is simple but making sure you have instructed the right agent is vital. PFK continue to be here to support our customers safely in a way that’s convenient for them. That can be in person, over the phone, by email or via video appointment. We will continue to make sure we protect our staff and customers and we also believe that the property market in our region will continue to remain active:
Land Agency Following a busy end to 2020, the team at PFK Land Agency are looking forward to an even busier 2021. The preparation for the 2021 grass letting season has commenced to ensure that all arrangements are made for agreements starting in March and April. Grazing licences can be, and in a lot of cases are, renewed each year, particularly where a good relationship is established between both land owner and grazier. PFK Land Agency typically organise more than 250 grazing licences each year with most commencing in April. The team are also looking towards the Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) claim window opening in late March, which stays open until mid-May and allows land owners to claim rural grants based on the amount of land they are in possession of. This is an extremely busy time for the team, given the small window of time that the claims can be made. The selling season for farms and land is also fast approaching, with the spring typically being the busiest time for new listings of land and property. The early months of the year are spent gathering information in preparation for sales, so that listings are launched as soon as they are looking their best in the springtime. 2021 promises to be another eventful year at PFK Land Agency and the team comprising David Stout MRICS, Jo Edwards MRICS, Abi Wass, Jess Knight, Joan Williams and Angela Byrne are very much looking forward to what it brings. We wish all clients past, present and future the best for the forthcoming year and if we can be of any assistance, please don’t hesitate to get in touch on 01768 866611 | landagency@pfk.co.uk Planning & Development Our Planning Specialist, Kayleigh Lancaster, recently celebrated 4 years at PFK. Throughout her time at PFK, Kayleigh has been instrumental in securing planning permission for a wide range of landowners, developers, house builders, businesses, and individuals. Kayleigh’s 2020 highlight was securing planning permission for a new tourism development within the Hadrian’s Wall World Heritage Site. This included the redevelopment of traditional stone barns and the siting of camping pods. Naomi, our Graduate Planner, is currently working on her Assessment of Professional Competence in order to gain chartered membership of the Royal Town Planning Institute. Since joining PFK in 2018, Naomi has begun to build up her own caseload and has been the lead consultant on a wide range of applications and projects. Kayleigh and Naomi are also available to assist with any enquiries about land and development whilst our Land Specialist, Janet Flintoft, is on maternity leave. We are looking forward to welcoming Janet back in the summer. St Cuthbert’s Garden Village Business as Usual All of the Local Planning Authorities in Cumbria have maintained and even improved their services through the transition to digital delivery. As LPAs continue to progress planning applications, PFK Planning and Development are best placed to advise you on any planning or development queries. Please do not hesitate to contact us on 01228 586805, or email planninganddevelopment@pfk.co.uk. |
Lynne Lancaster, Head of Estate Agency, looks ahead to 2021.
In light of the recent lockdown announcement I am sure we are all now considering & contemplating how 2021 will pan out. 2020 was a challenging year for everyone – those…

Lynne Lancaster, Head of Estate Agency, looks ahead to 2021.
In light of the recent lockdown announcement I am sure we are all now considering & contemplating how 2021 will pan out.
2020 was a challenging year for everyone – those who suffered due to the virus, those who lost their jobs/businesses, those on furlough and those who continued to work.
When the property market closed in March 2020 and agents stopped operating, we all tried to predict what would happen on our return. When the market reopened and we saw a huge surge in activity as people reviewed their lifestyles, where they lived, looking for more outside space and homes with suitable space to work from, we were all taken aback and suddenly very busy.
We closed 2020 looking forward to a return in January, new beginnings, helping people move and endeavouring to help those get their sales across the line before the stamp duty holiday comes to an end. However, buying, renting or selling a property is not about a tax advantage, it is about new beginnings, about building a home for one’s self or family and it is about investing in the future.
We have outstanding NHS personnel and medical scientists putting us well on the road to Covid recovery and we now know that the Brexit trade talks have come to one resolution or another. So, as government guidelines allow Estate Agents to work in this lockdown and buying, renting or selling can continue, PFK are here to support our customers safely in a way that’s convenient for them. That can be in person, over the phone, by email or via video appointment. We will continue to make sure we protect our staff and customers as best we can and we also believe that the property market in our region will continue to remain active through 2021.
Take care, stay safe and contact PFK should you have any queries in relation to buying, renting or selling in Cumbria.
Lynne Lancaster – Head of Estate Agency