December 2007 / January 2008

Time to celebrate for FBM and Gibbs Gillespie

FBM Estate Agents of Pembrokeshire and Gibbs Gillespie of Middlesex took the main prizes at the Home Sale Network’s 14th annual conference and awards ceremony.

FBM took the Cartus Cup as the Network’s estate agency of the year, while Gibbs Gillespie, Cartus Cup winners two years ago, took the Masters Cup, a 'champion of champions' prize open only to former winners of the Cartus Cup and its predecessor, the Cendant Cup.

FBM show their delight at winning the Cartus Cup.

In total, 15 awards were presented at a glittering, black tie dinner held at the Birmingham Hilton Metropole — venue for the Network’s very first annual conference in the early 1990s.

It followed the 2007 Home Sale Network Conference and exhibition, which has become Europe’s largest estate agency event and saw a record 610 delegates attending.

FBM, who have offices in Tenby, Haverfordwest, Narbeth, Pembroke, Milford Haven and Fishguard, received their Cartus Cup prize from the ceremony hosts, broadcaster and comedian Rob Brydon and Miss Birmingham 2006, Emily Hilton.

As part of the prize, FBM also received an all expenses paid ticket to Cartus’ International Broker Conference which is being held in Dallas, Texas, in April 2008.

Meanwhile, North Somerset estate agents Heritage were celebrating at the double, as they took home the PR and Marketing Award and the Category D Referral Award, while staff from 18 companies throughout the Central Region picked up the Best Network Region Award.

Chancellors, Cartus Cup winners in 2006, won the National Referral Award; Hunters Fletcher Bull, with offices in Ripon, Knaresborough and Boroughbridge, were presented with the Quality Supplier Award and Devon-based Maitlands won the prize for Best Newcomer.

Pygott & Crone from Lincolnshire won the Live Conveyancing Award; and West Midlands’ Oliver Ling won the V5 Referral Award.

Speakers at the conference included economist Dennis Turner and ‘Mr Real Estate Advertising’ Ian Grace, who flew in from Australia to attend the event, which also featured six Masterclasses on the very latest in employment law, estate agency websites, Home Information Packs in practice, building a winning sales team, advertising that sells and winning property photography.

The HIPs in practice Masterclass featured industry figures including Simon Bradbury, a partner in Thomas Morris estate agents; Graham Harrison, managing director of Webbers; Matthew Moore, a partner in estate agents Edwards Moore; Andrew Lock, from the Communities and Local Government department and Rob Sendall, founder of The Live Organisation, with Home Sale Network’s managing director Richard Tucker chairing the debate.

Sandie Van de Velde from Heritage won the top prize, a brand new Mini One, in the Network’s referral prize draw, held for the second year.

The Conference’s annual golf championshhip, held on the Brabazon course, involved 61 golfers. Andy Blacklock from Maitlands took the individual prize, with the team award going to Kevin Ash, David Curwin, Simon Berry and Russell Patterson from Hunters, West Midlands.

A charity auction and raffle at the awards dinner raised more than £7,000 for the Make-A-Wish Foundation, which grants wishes to children and young people fighting life-threatening illnesses.

Network managing director Mr Tucker was delighted to say: “The standard of all our Award winners was extremely high and is a clear reflection of the quality of Home Sale Network members.”