Large farm portfolio gains overseas interest

The Bonnyhill Farm Portfolio, located in and around Falkirk and Larbert in central Scotland, represents a significant agricultural asset with a combination of historical importance and operational value. Spanning approximately 513 hectares (1,269 acres), the portfolio included a working dairy, extensive agricultural land, farm buildings, and six residential properties. A noteworthy aspect of the portfolio is its inclusion within the Antonine Wall World Heritage Buffer Zone, adding an additional layer of cultural and historical significance.

Market Offering: The portfolio was brought to market with a guiding price of offers over £8,450,000. Recognising the diverse nature of the assets within the portfolio, the property was segmented into six distinct areas of land, with each being offered as a separate lot. This strategic approach aimed to maximise buyer interest by providing flexibility to potential purchasers, whether they were interested in the entire portfolio or specific segments.

Interest and Marketing: Given the scale and location of the Bonnyhill Farm Portfolio, it was anticipated that the sale would attract significant attention. This expectation was met, as interest was generated both locally and internationally. The appeal of the property was multifaceted: the operational dairy offered an ongoing business opportunity, while the agricultural land and residential properties provided potential for various agricultural and investment pursuits.

Sales Process: Following a 12-week marketing period, which included extensive promotion and viewings, a closing date was set. The strategic decision to market the portfolio in separate lots proved successful, as it allowed for a more tailored approach to different buyer needs. Ultimately, the portfolio went under offer in two separate lots, ensuring the continuity of the dairy operation. The remaining agricultural land, which supports the dairy, was included in the second lot, maintaining the synergy between the land use and the ongoing business activities.

The sale of the Bonnyhill Farm Portfolio is a case study in the successful marketing and sale of a large, multifaceted agricultural asset. The approach of offering the land in separate lots, coupled with targeted marketing that reached both local and international buyers, resulted in a positive outcome. The continued operation of the dairy, supported by the adjacent agricultural land, highlights the importance of strategic asset management in agricultural property transactions.

Local knowledge and market insight produces desired result for client

Our Estate Agency team in Perth was recently entrusted with the sale of two productive farming units located at Bankfoot, offering a unique opportunity for buyers interested in high-quality agricultural land. The properties, North Barns Farm and Coltrannie Farm, were predominantly classified as Grade 3(1) with areas of Grade 2. Given the prime location and the quality of the land, we devised a tailored marketing strategy that capitalised on our local knowledge and market insights. 

North Barns Farm (Lot 1) lies mainly to the east of the A9 and extends to 43 ha (107 acres) or level or gently sloping land.  Coltrannie Farm (Lot 2) extends to 47 ha (116 acres) and is mainly on the west side of the A9.  

Lot 3 is a very traditional stone-built, four-bedroom farmhouse with a surrounding garden, garage and sheds. This lot also included an option to purchase the paddock to the front which would add a further 2.67 acres.  Marketed together with modern agricultural sheds at offers over £1,150,000. 

Leveraging Local Knowledge: Our team’s deep understanding of the local market and buyer behaviour in the Perth area played a crucial role in the sale. We recognised that the timing of the sale would be pivotal. By launching the properties just ahead of the Royal Highland Show (RHS), we ensured that they would not be overshadowed by other farm listings that typically flood the market during this period. 

Strategic Marketing Timing: The decision to market the properties slightly before the RHS allowed us to showcase them on the Bell Ingram stand at the show, a prime opportunity to capture the attention of a wider audience, including potential buyers from outside the local area. This timing also enabled us to create a buzz around the properties, increasing their visibility and desirability. 

Flexible Lotting Structure: Offering the farms as separate lots or as a whole provided prospective buyers with options that suited their specific needs. This flexibility attracted a broader range of buyers, from those interested in expanding their existing agricultural operations to those looking for a traditional farmhouse with potential for lifestyle use. 

After a six week marketing period, during which interest in the properties grew steadily, we set a closing date for offers. This approach not only created a sense of urgency among buyers but also allowed us to manage the sale process effectively, ensuring that all interested parties had the opportunity to submit their best offers. 

The traditional Stone-Built Farmhouse remains on the market, offering potential to attract a buyer with a lifestyle interest or someone seeking a charming rural property. The flexible purchasing option, including the additional paddock, enhances its appeal. 

Mains of Craichie & Land at South Mains

Expert knowledge in Bell Ingram’s Farm Sales team gleans results for our clients

Mains of Craichie & Land at South Mains near Forfar hit the market in Spring 2022 for offers over £7.5million.

The first-class arable farm is complimented by purpose-built farm buildings and two houses with land extending to approximately 262.20 hectares (647.88 acres). The Angus farm was conveniently placed just two miles from Forfar and 14 miles from the City of Dundee.

Bell Ingram’s Farm Sales experts based in Forfar managed the large sale with support from the Perth Estate Agency team. Many of Bell Ingram’s Farm Sales team come from agricultural backgrounds and currently run their own farming businesses. They understand this highly specialist market and the sensitivities involved in selling a large farming business such as Mains of Craichie.

The decision was made to offer the land as a whole or as two lots to generate interest. For offers over £7,500, 000, lot one comprised approximately 534.27 acres of prime agricultural land and main farmhouse, outbuildings and smaller one storey farmhouse.

Lot two comprised the Land at South Mains, which is approximately 113.61 acres of prime arable ground set in three enclosures for offers over £1,360,000.

Our Farm Sales team offer a full range of marketing strategies and create a bespoke blueprint to deliver maximum exposure. This is coupled with our enviable database of farming contacts, which in this case resulted in a large amount of interest in the sale.

After a hugely successful marketing campaign a closing date for offers was set. This resulted in 12 offers for the different lots, however, the sale was concluded as a whole lot for significantly over the asking price – the ideal outcome for our client.

If you are looking for a similar result for your farm, get in touch with our Head of Farm Sales, Malcolm Taylor at malcolm.taylor@bellingram.co.uk, or call us on 01307 462516.  

Our people

Malcolm Taylor

Malcolm Taylor

Senior Partner, FRICS ACIArb
Rural Land Management
Tel: 01307 462 516

About: Malcolm is Bell Ingram's Senior Partner and heads up the company's Forfar office, where he specialises in farm and estate management, including the provision of agricultural rental advice and acting as an expert witness. He is the immediate past chairman of the RICS in Scotland and remains actively involved with the Institution. Malcolm is also head of Lettings within Bell Ingram. Interests: AMC Agent, Corporate Estate Management, Rural Land Management, SRDP Applications, FRICS Registered Valuer.

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    Historic Perthshire Estate Sale

    Property broken into five Lots to achieve best price for client.

    The Brief

    Eastertyre Estate, which centred around a nine-bedroom principal house, parts of which dated back to the 1500s, had been in the same family for a number of generations.

    With outstanding views over River Tay to the hills beyond, the premium Perthshire property also encompassed two detached cottages, grazing land, salmon fishing rights and woodland. Interestingly, the top section of the estate was subject to an SSSI as an important breeding ground for the Northern Blue Damselfly.

    On the death of the last of the family, his Executors asked Bell Ingram to put Eastertyre to the open market and it was launched for sale in springtime 2021.

    Process

    To achieve the best possible outcome for our client, it was decided to offer the estate both as a whole and also as five separate lots – each of the three residential properties (with an area of surrounding land), the hill land with grazing, and the salmon fishing rights.

    This highly successful strategy generated 173 viewings, which required careful organisation by our Agency team as Covid restrictions were still in place!

    It went to a closing date after seven weeks and interested parties were asked to submit two offers each – one covering a complete ‘lot’ and a second offer with their ‘wish list’.

    Outcome

    Fifty offers were received and the Estate was sold in three lots achieving significantly above the initial listing at offers over £1.6 million.

    Eastertyre was a fantastic sale to be involved with and the complexity of the situation demonstrated Bell Ingram’s range of expertise and our ability to add value to your property sale.

    Our sales team can offer a full range of marketing strategies and create a bespoke blueprint to deliver maximum exposure which could result in additional offers and a higher value attained.

    Our people

    Carl Warden

    Carl Warden

    Partner
    Estate Agency
    Tel: 01738 621 121

    About: Carl heads up the Residential Estate Agency division for the company and has a proven track record within the Scottish property sector. He has been marketing property in the Perth and Kinross area for over 35 years and has vast and detailed practical experience and knowledge of selling prime residential property: from period homes to contemporary developments. Carl is well known in the local area, having developed excellent relationships with buyers and sellers. His wider role involves looking after and supporting our Agency teams and colleagues in Oban, Beauly, Ayr and Forfar. Interests: Estate Agency, Market Valuation, Negotiation.

    Get in touch

    We'd love to hear from you, use the form below to email me direct

      Our people

      Moira Webley

      Moira Webley

      Associate, MNAEA
      Estate Agency
      Tel: 01738 621 121

      About: Moira assists Carl Warden in the day to day running of Bell Ingram’s residential business in the Perth office. She has developed excellent relationships with clients, visiting sellers in their properties all over Perthshire and nurturing prospective buyers. Moira came into property sales in 2006, changing focus after many years in the conveyancing department of a legal firm. Interests: Moira is also a member of the Compliance and Audit teams and assists with the day to day management of the Quality Assurance, Health & Safety and Environmental Management systems within the organisation. She also holds her Level 6 Award in Sale of Residential Property (Scotland).

      Get in touch

      We'd love to hear from you, use the form below to email me direct

        Our people

        Johanna Wiseman

        Johanna Wiseman

        Negotiator
        Estate Agency
        Tel: 01738 621 121

        About: Johanna is a highly experienced Sales and Lettings Negotiator with extensive local knowledge who always strives to deliver the best customer service experience possible. Having worked within the estate agency sector for 15 years, she joined our Perth Estate Agency team in 2014 where she assists Carl Warden and Moira Webley in providing a bespoke service for those looking to buy, sell or rent. Johanna holds an ARLA Level 6 qualification in Residential Letting and Property Management. Interests: Estate Agency, Lettings.

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          Article posted on 21/12/2021

          Bandominie Farm, Glasgow

          Multi-service approach achieves record price for farmer.

          Brief

          Located on the edge of the very buoyant Glasgow market, 380-acre Bandominie Farm consisted of a farmhouse with outbuildings, a modern bungalow and a large area of forestry land.

          The owner, who had lived there all his life, occupied the modern bungalow with his own family, while his elderly parents remained in the original farmhouse, which was in need of considerable modernisation and renovation.

          To achieve the best possible price for our client, we advised that breaking the farm into separate parts would be the most lucrative way forward.

          Process

          The first step in this process was to map the property and our in-house GIS Mapping Department was tasked with providing three mapped areas of land – 275 acres for forestry planting, 19 acres to go with the old farmhouse and its outbuildings, and a further 2.5 acres of paddock to be sold with the bungalow.

          Bell Ingram’s Planning Department then made an application to have the Section 75 removed from the farm which allowed us to sell the residential properties separately. 

          The two residential properties were listed at £200k for the farmhouse, outbuildings and 19 acres, while the modern bungalow was put to the market at £250k with the paddocks and two small stables. 

          Outcome

          The attractive sales price, coupled with the lack of available stock in the Glasgow area, generated just short of 200 enquiries which resulted in 121 viewings being arranged in only six working days. A closing date saw both properties sold to the same buyer, achieving almost 25% above their asking price.

          However, it was the Forestry element of the sale which ultimately generated the best outcome. Bell Ingram’s Forestry Department approached their private clients offering the 275 acres for an asking price in the region of £450,000 to £650,000, and our client was rather overwhelmed when a closing date achieved significantly above the asking price!

          Our people

          Carl Warden

          Carl Warden

          Partner
          Estate Agency
          Tel: 01738 621 121

          About: Carl heads up the Residential Estate Agency division for the company and has a proven track record within the Scottish property sector. He has been marketing property in the Perth and Kinross area for over 35 years and has vast and detailed practical experience and knowledge of selling prime residential property: from period homes to contemporary developments. Carl is well known in the local area, having developed excellent relationships with buyers and sellers. His wider role involves looking after and supporting our Agency teams and colleagues in Oban, Beauly, Ayr and Forfar. Interests: Estate Agency, Market Valuation, Negotiation.

          Get in touch

          We'd love to hear from you, use the form below to email me direct

            Our people

            Moira Webley

            Moira Webley

            Associate, MNAEA
            Estate Agency
            Tel: 01738 621 121

            About: Moira assists Carl Warden in the day to day running of Bell Ingram’s residential business in the Perth office. She has developed excellent relationships with clients, visiting sellers in their properties all over Perthshire and nurturing prospective buyers. Moira came into property sales in 2006, changing focus after many years in the conveyancing department of a legal firm. Interests: Moira is also a member of the Compliance and Audit teams and assists with the day to day management of the Quality Assurance, Health & Safety and Environmental Management systems within the organisation. She also holds her Level 6 Award in Sale of Residential Property (Scotland).

            Get in touch

            We'd love to hear from you, use the form below to email me direct

              Our people

              Johanna Wiseman

              Johanna Wiseman

              Negotiator
              Estate Agency
              Tel: 01738 621 121

              About: Johanna is a highly experienced Sales and Lettings Negotiator with extensive local knowledge who always strives to deliver the best customer service experience possible. Having worked within the estate agency sector for 15 years, she joined our Perth Estate Agency team in 2014 where she assists Carl Warden and Moira Webley in providing a bespoke service for those looking to buy, sell or rent. Johanna holds an ARLA Level 6 qualification in Residential Letting and Property Management. Interests: Estate Agency, Lettings.

              Get in touch

              We'd love to hear from you, use the form below to email me direct

                Article posted on 21/12/2021

                C-Listed Fife Coastal Property

                Agency team turn detective to achieve successful sale of home and garden.

                Brief

                We were instructed to market an attractive, C-listed Fife property situated on the Firth of Forth coastal pathway. However, the sale was hampered by the fact that the nearby Estate, and not the seller, appeared to own the title to the garden. Our clients had declined an offer to buy the garden some years before, and when a new approach was made to the Estate, the purchase price had increased greatly.

                .

                Process

                As this point, our Agency team decided to carry out a thorough investigation into the title and purchased copies of the older title deeds from The Keeper of the Registers of Scotland. With a bit of detective work, and a desire to achieve a successful sale for our clients, we were able to establish that the boot was actually on the other foot. If indeed the Estate did own the land, then the obligation lay with them to produce their title and stake their claim.

                Outcome

                Happily, the outcome was that The Keeper accepted that our clients did have ownership and we were able to successfully conclude a sale which allowed them to downsize to a new project further along the Fife coast.

                Article posted on 21/12/2021

                Chesterhill House – Tayport, Fife

                The Fife development opportunity that became an international social media sensation.

                Brief

                Chesterhill House had been uninhabited for 12 years and needed complete renovation. Set in a secluded position surrounded by woodland, the property had a number of desirable architectural features including a rare oval walled garden.  As was common in the late 1800s, successful Dundee merchants would build beautiful houses in an around Newport and travel to and from their businesses via a steamer across the Tay. Chesterhill House was constructed around 1870 for this very reason.

                Process

                Our Perth Agency team were invited to bring this historic and locally well known hidden gem to the open market and our Property Manager, Carl Warden, relished the challenge. In a bold move, in agreement with the client, the property went to the market at offers over £200,000.

                Outcome

                The result was firstly a social media frenzy reaching 121,399 (89,000 in the first 48 hours). This was following by national and international coverage including Scandinavia, Australia and New Zealand and on television news in the US. The resulting telephone enquiries had the Bell Ingram staff working non-stop on the project and after 156 viewers we received 15 Offers on a closing date. The property eventually achieved an outstanding sale price.

                Article posted on 25/05/2020

                Kirk O’Muir – Kinclaven, Perthshire

                Our Perth Agency team sensitively and successfully managed the emotive sale of a family property.

                Brief

                Kirk o’ Muir at Kinclaven was formerly a manse and is category C Listed. Having been a family home within the same family for many decades, the house had been empty and fallen into disrepair. Included in the title were the remains of the A Listed Kirk o’ the Muir Church which once formed an impressive Secession Church – now long disused. Within the grounds are the ruins of the coach house for the Manse.

                Process

                Our Perth Agency team were keen to bring this property to the market. Having been in the same family for so long, it was a very emotive sale for the remaining brothers who had grown up there.

                Outcome

                Kirk o’ Muir generated interest from all over the UK with many attracted by its private and idyllic location. Thirteen viewers vied with each other on a closing date and the property was sold for over the asking price to a family who were keen to make it their forever home too.

                Our people

                Carl Warden

                Carl Warden

                Partner
                Estate Agency
                Tel: 01738 621 121

                About: Carl heads up the Residential Estate Agency division for the company and has a proven track record within the Scottish property sector. He has been marketing property in the Perth and Kinross area for over 35 years and has vast and detailed practical experience and knowledge of selling prime residential property: from period homes to contemporary developments. Carl is well known in the local area, having developed excellent relationships with buyers and sellers. His wider role involves looking after and supporting our Agency teams and colleagues in Oban, Beauly, Ayr and Forfar. Interests: Estate Agency, Market Valuation, Negotiation.

                Get in touch

                We'd love to hear from you, use the form below to email me direct

                  Article posted on 08/11/2019

                  Flocklones Farmhouse – By Invergowrie

                  Timing was everything in the rapid sale of this beautiful property.

                  Brief

                  This original farmhouse dates from the end of the 18th century and was very sympathetically extended in the 1970s and again in 2011. It combined traditional features typical of its time with modern family living.

                  Process

                  Although Easter time has many people’s interest focused on eggs and bunnies, the Perth residential team brought Flocklones House to the market on Easter Friday and arranged one viewing for the next day.

                  Outcome

                  The viewing was a success and a substantial and acceptable offer, well above the asking price, was submitted on Easter Monday.

                  Our people

                  Carl Warden

                  Carl Warden

                  Partner
                  Estate Agency
                  Tel: 01738 621 121

                  About: Carl heads up the Residential Estate Agency division for the company and has a proven track record within the Scottish property sector. He has been marketing property in the Perth and Kinross area for over 35 years and has vast and detailed practical experience and knowledge of selling prime residential property: from period homes to contemporary developments. Carl is well known in the local area, having developed excellent relationships with buyers and sellers. His wider role involves looking after and supporting our Agency teams and colleagues in Oban, Beauly, Ayr and Forfar. Interests: Estate Agency, Market Valuation, Negotiation.

                  Get in touch

                  We'd love to hear from you, use the form below to email me direct

                    Article posted on 25/05/2020