Ilkley’s Dale Eddison sees continued growth in rocky housing market

After opening its fifth branch at the beginning of the year, Ilkley estate agents Dale Eddison has appointed 10 new staff and announced a 40% share of properties sold in Wharfedale.

Founded by Bill Dale and William Eddison in 1992, the team of 40 spans five offices covering Ilkley, Otley, Guiseley, Silsden and its latest branch in Skipton, which opened in January.

As a result of the company’s continued growth and expansion, as well as the employment of specialists including a financial services department, residential and commercial teams and experienced sales staff, it is now the market leader of all properties sold in Wharfedale and currently has more than 400 houses on its books with 40% sold subject to contract.

The Yorkshire estate agents’ success was cemented when it was awarded the ‘Best Estate Agent In the UK’ at ‘The ESTAS’ just last week.

William Eddison, who launched with Bill Dale on The Grove in Ilkley in 1992, said: “When we started, Ilkley had just four estate agents and now the town has doubled the competition with agents clamouring for customers.

“Four months after we opened our first branch with just two staff, no stock and lots of enthusiasm, Britain hit ‘Black Wednesday’. Interest rates soared to 15% and the housing market utterly petered out. But through it we learnt how to make sales happen and how to hold them together.

“We opened our Guiseley office with director Jonathan Barraclough and our Otley office with director Gary Shankland in 1995 and then faced the property slump between 2007 and 2012. Our proudest achievement in our 24 years is never to have laid off a member of staff. On the contrary, we have steadily grown.

“Houses are selling faster than they are coming onto the market which puts pressure on prices as people are chasing a reduced number of properties. It’s a recipe for further house price inflation and that’s not always good.”

He added: “After almost 25 years in the local property business we have the knowledge, the roots and the experience that has seen year on year growth in our property portfolio. House buying and selling is an emotive business and we genuinely care about every client we act for. With increasing restrictions on lending from the banks adding to the stress and time involved in the buying process, our focus on customer care is exactly what people, families and individuals need and as such, our awards speak for themselves.”