WITH COVID-19 bringing normal life to a standstill, Yorkshire's largest independent estate agent is taking a virtual approach to business.

Dacre, Son & Hartley - which has 20 offices, including Bingley, Baildon, Saltaire, Skipton, Keighley and Ilkley branches - launched its virtual valuation service last week, where homeowners use tools such as FaceTime and Skype to show the company’s property experts their homes.

The firm has already been instructed on a number of sales for when the lockdown measures are relaxed.

Patrick McCutcheon, Head of Residential at Dacre, Son & Hartley, said: “The property market will inevitably feel the effects of coronavirus, but we know from everything it’s faced in recent years, that the market is surprisingly resilient.

“Every day brings new information and guidance from the Government, but what is important is that estate agency firms, and the industry as a whole, continue to operate in the safest and most responsible way to ensure ongoing sales proceed, and that new homes are brought onto the market at an appropriate time.

Patrick added: “Even under these difficult circumstances, we have enjoyed a number of successes recently, with our Bingley office negotiating sales on nine homes located throughout the town and in its surrounding villages in the past fortnight, as well as listing nine homes for sale. Our Harrogate office agreed the sale of a four-bedroom detached house at Spofforth, which had a £750,000 asking price, and we won three new instructions in Knaresborough in a three day period.”