This article is sponsored by FSS.

Feather Smailes Scales (FSS) have become the first Harrogate estate agent to launch a ‘plant a tree’ scheme to help combat climate change, ahead of next week’s COP26 Climate Change Conference.

For every for sale, to let or auction board put up, FSS will plant a tree. So when your for sale sign goes up, you’ll know that somewhere in the world, a new tree is growing too, and the planet is a little better protected.

Harrogate’s leading estate agent have joined forces with a tree planting agency to ensure that they do their bit for our world.

The trees will be planted as part of a wider project to support communities in poverty and increase biodiversity in Madagascar, Kenya, and Haiti. Not only will the trees themselves help the planet, but the planting projects also help grow the economy and offer employment opportunities in these low-income communities.

Simon Croft is a partner at FSS. He said he hopes thousands trees will be planted under the company’s scheme:

“We are all much more aware of the need to be greener, as such all of us at FSS wanted to contribute to reducing our carbon footprint.

 “We are conscious of numerous things we can do to help, such as staycations, recycling, sustainable energy, or greener cars – and they all have divergent arguments as to how green they actually are! 

“To try and improve our green footprint as a business, we have decided to plant a tree for every single board we place on property or land we have for sale or to let, across sales, lettings, auctions and commercial property.

“Trees are without doubt the lungs of the earth and are essential to our future wellbeing on this wonderful planet.

 “We feel the physical planting of a tree couldn’t be more demonstrative of our wish to improve the environment.

 “So you know whenever we are instructed, you are also helping to help us save our world!”

FSS, the only fully comprehensive property agent in the district, offers a range of services, including sales, lettings, surveys, auctions, valuations and commercial offerings.

FSS Property are leading the way with combatting estate agents’ carbon footprints.

Anyone who instructs FSS to sell, let or auction their property will have a tree planted on their behalf! You can follow how many trees the company has planted by checking the tree-counter on their website.

Find out how FSS can help sell or let your property, and have a tree planted on your behalf by visiting the FSS website.

This article is sponsored by FSS.

When Adam Crawfurd-Porter took on a week’s work experience at FSS in February 2013, he was a nervous teenager in his final year of school at St Aidan’s in Harrogate. Little did he know, 8 years later, he would still be with the firm – supported every step of the way in his ambitions to become a fully qualified RICS Chartered Surveyor. 

FSS understand the importance of continued development and will always prioritise the care of their team. They consider opening doors and supporting personal growth as a necessity. To maintain their high standard and trusted values, FSS will always look after the next generation of property experts.

Adam’s journey

When an ‘office junior’ position came available, Adam began working on reception for FSS, learning the ropes and getting a true feel for the company’s ethos whilst experiencing the 5 disciplines that FSS specialise in. 

After Adam expressed his interest in this area to the FSS team, company partners Richard Smailes and Simon Croft enrolled Adam in a correspondence course, and in May 2019, Adam completed a degree in Estate Management.

But it did not stop there, as Adam’s work ethic, dedication and conscientiousness lead the FSS partners to promote him into the management team.

With a qualification in Estate Management and a senior management role at FSS, Adam knew his career was heading in the right direction, the next stage being to qualify as an RICS Chartered Surveyor. With continued support from the partnership, Adam started the APC training programme (Assessment of Professional Competence). Whilst working full time, Adam continued his studies and the ‘day job’, then sat the final interview in May this year. 

Adam Crawfurd-Porter is now a qualified RICS Chartered Surveyor, which he achieved with superb commitment to simultaneous study and work.

Adam (second right) with FSS Partners Richard Smailes, Dan Brumfitt and Simon Croft

Adam said:

“I always thought of myself as a ‘people person’, but when I first started at FSS I found it quite intimidating and perhaps went into my shell a little bit, however over time FSS really helped build my confidence. The distance learning alongside the practical experience really helped develop me into the person I am today.

“I am delighted to finally qualify as a chartered surveyor and would like to thank Simon, Richard and Dan for their thorough support throughout, without which none of this would have been possible. I can now concentrate solely on offering my clients, both new and existing, the professional service that we at FSS pride ourselves on.”

 Supporting members to reach their goals is something that FSS are delighted to do. Richard Smailes, partner at FSS, said:

“It has been an absolute pleasure watching Adam develop both personally and professionally over the past 8 years. We are so pleased to have been able to give him the support and experience he needs to progress his career with us. I take my hat off to him, he had a clear goal, he worked extremely hard, and he got there. A huge congratulations to you Adam Crawfurd-Porter”.

Simon Croft Partner at FSS added:

“Watching his talent flourish from a slightly nervous schoolboy into a consummate professional has been fabulous and of course he now knows our clients well and fits in with the team here at FSS due to the knowledge he’s gained over the years”.

FSS continues to set an industry standard when it comes to supporting growth and education within the property world, and Adam’s journey is testament to the company’s commitment to opening doors for the younger generation into the property industry.

Estate agents in Harrogate experienced a “crazy rush” to complete home purchases this week before the end of the stamp duty holiday.

One estate agent told the Stray Ferret yesterday was their busiest day in the last two years while a property expert said the government should have never imposed the holiday.

Completion day is always fraught for prospective home buyers and sellers. However, many will have been particularly nervous this week with £15,000 in stamp duty savings on the line.

From today, the tax free threshold falls from £500,000 to £250,000 and will drop again to the usual rate of £125,000 on October 1.

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Richard Smailes, a partner at Feather Smailes Scales, told the Stray Ferret:

“There was a mad rush to get everything completed by the end of play yesterday. We are still seeing plenty of interest and demand.

“Just because the deadline has gone it does not mean that the reasons for moving have gone away. People want more from their homes because they are spending more time there.

“FSS was very busy yesterday, we had an awful lot of completions on the books. We were geared up for it but it was our busiest day in the last couple of years.”

Harrogate Borough Council has also experienced a surge in search requests in recent months.

The local authority has struggled to cope with the demand at times but the situation has improved and the average wait is currently three weeks.

Alex Goldstein, an independent property expert in Harrogate, told the Stray Ferret:

“I said from the outset that we did not need the stamp duty holiday. We already had a very strong market before the tax break came into play.

“So what we have seen over the last year is prices go up significantly in the area. It seems the stamp duty was just added as part of the price of the property.

“This is what happens when the government tries to intervene in the market, it just creates a bigger problem for people.”

What has been your experience? Reach out to tell us your story by sending an email to contact@thestrayferret.co.uk.