People in search of building plots and renovation projects flocked to The Memorial Hall in Sherborne, Dorset on 8th December for Symonds & Sampson’s final auction of 2017. It was a lucky day for one lady – her husband bought her a ‘lot’ as a secret Christmas present.

Auctioneer Mark Lewis said, “As soon as we put the catalogue together I knew that we would receive a great deal of interest for some of the lots and this was a very strong end to the year. We sold 124 auction properties in 2017 and raised the second highest total since 2007 with a record number of people attending the sale room.

Highlights included The Old Thatch, a grade two listed property in Evershot near Dorchester in need of complete renovation, which sold for £118,000 (26 per cent above guide); two flats in Shaftesbury let on assured shorthold tenancies and providing an income of £10,200 which sold for £170,000 a 6 per cent return and a 515sqm piece of land at Dewlish near Dorchester exceeded expectations when the guide of £22,000 was easily exceeded and the gavel fell at £41,000 (86 per cent above guide).