Connells says sales market picking up as it reveals increased profits

Estate agency group Connells has revealed a ‘stable’ first six month of the year with revenue up by 4% and profits before tax increasing by £200,000 to £31.5 million. Its half year results have been described by the business as “consistently strong” despite the subdued sales market during the opening months of the year, although Connells says it recorded an up-tick in instructions during June and says there is a more positive outlook for the rest of the summer. “We enter the second half of the year with a noticeably higher pipeline compared to last year and, with the imbalance between demand and supply still the key market feature, our outlook for the rest of the year remains positive,” says Group CEO David Livesey (pictured, left). “The noticeable cooling in the market, as a result of uncertainty “Our performance signals Connells Group’s strength in what has undoubtedly been an unsettled marketplace,” surrounding the Brexit negotiations, was further compounded by the snap general election which did little to boost consumer sentiment. Our breadth of business brought resilience, allowed us to gain market share and consolidate our position as the UK’s most profitable estate agency group.” Connells Group says its 4% increase…