SPS spreading south

Property SELLING: Shops planned for Yorkshire and Midlands

The Solicitors Property Shop (SPS) is set to move into Sheffield and Barnsley as solicitor property selling efforts continue their march south.

The SPS, which is run by Edinburgh Solicitors Property Centre, already has a strong foothold in the north-east around Newcastle and in June made its first move into Yorkshire when nine firms in Halifax set up a shop.

Plans are advancing fast in both Sheffield and Barnsley for an SPS, but initially they are unlikely to be supported by a city centre showroom as the 25 law firm members in the north-east have in Newcastle.

Instead, the SPS will run a local administrative office and concentrate on helping firms build up in-house property selling operations under the SPS brand.

Properties will be marketed through individual offices, local newspapers and the Internet.

Each firm will pay 165 to register a property, while the only capital cost is fitting out the office and acquiring IT.

SPS representatives will also be meeting with solicitors in Nottingham, Derby, Warwick and Worcester in the coming weeks.

This week, there was a meeting in Truro with around 20 Cornwall law firms, while solicitors in Manchester and Liverpool have also had meetings.

Mark Hepworh of Halifax firm Jubb Longbothams, who co-ordinated the SPS launch in the town, said he is encouraged by the first three months of activity.

'I'm convinced it's the way forward because there are a number of estate agents in local markets which offer packages that include conveyancing,' he said.

Neil Rose