Leading property sales and lettings business Paul Fosh Auctions is bidding for an even bigger slice of the property action with its latest appointment.
The property business already dominates the sector and is consistently placed at number one in the all-Wales auction sales.
Now, with seasoned property expert Ollie Griffiths at the helm as head of auctions, Newport headquartered Paul Fosh Auctions is looking to boost growth.
Paul Fosh, owner and founder of Paul Fosh Auctions, said: “We are absolutely thrilled to have been able to appoint someone of Ollie’s calibre, knowledge and stature, to this key new position within the business.
“Ollie’s solid experience and exposure in the property business over twenty years provides us with a solid foundation on which to build the next chapter of growth for Paul Fosh Auctions and Lettings.”
Ollie, aged 43, a native of South Wales, with two decades of solid experience in the property sector, has unveiled exciting plans for the future.
Starting as a sales negotiator in 2005 with Countrywide Ollie, from Penylan, Cardiff, worked his way up to sales manager, managing two offices in Cardiff Bay. He was then invited to run Taylors Countrywide’s flagship office in Bradley Stoke, Bristol.
Ollie, who is based at Paul Fosh Auctions headquarters building in the heart of the rejuvenated city of Newport, said: “After seven years working for Countrywide, I moved to South West London, where I ran two offices in Battersea and Clapham for Spicerhaart.
“I was then head-hunted by Jackson Stops to run their Richmond-Upon – Thames office as Director of Sales, which I oversaw for seven years, selling some of London’s finest real estate.
“I moved back to Cardiff six years ago where I set up a brand-new agency in Cardiff as Director for NEXA estate agents after which I was approached by Paul to come to head up auctions here at Paul Fosh Auctions.
“I had been working for myself, sourcing and selling off market investments across Cardiff and South Wales. I have had the privilege of building a large network of clients that I worked with over that time.”
Ollie, a sports science and psychology graduate of De Montfort University, said: “I passed the senior management course at Countrywide in 2009, which allowed me to manage and lead large teams across the group.
“I am a huge sports fan. I enjoy watching Wales at rugby and I am an avid Newcastle United Fan. I enjoy camping trips and hiking, and have recently become a gym enthusiast. In the summer you can find me playing golf at St Mellons Golf Club. I love both playing and watching. One of my dream ambitions is to attend a day at The Masters. I love to travel and visit the Cayman Islands where my brother and his family live.
“I am so excited to have started as Head of Auctions at Paul Fosh, it is an honour to have been picked to oversee such a well-established brand. I am confident that my experience in running large offices and building successful teams, will stand me in good stead to develop an already successful and well recognised auction house in Wales.
“I am excited to be working in such a fast-paced environment, that offers such an unbelievable service to those clients that need it most. Already I am so humbled by the heart-warming stories I have heard and seen, where we have delivered a stunning result for the client under difficult circumstances.
“The team at Paul Fosh from the admin department, to the valuers up to Paul himself, are absolutely amazing. The work and dedication that each of them put into every auction is very impressive.
“The working atmosphere and culture that Paul has implemented over the years, is the most impressive environment I have ever gone into, and I am excited to help build on that so that the staff can perform at their best levels, and deliver even more results for our clients.
“I have huge plans for the department, and I will be looking to grow an already successful business across South Wales and The West. Our growth plans for the company are a high priority, and we have a real desire to move into West Wales, but also improving our market share in our core areas across South and Mid Wales.
“There are so many exciting projects that we will be working on in 2025, from our new Tik Tok series, showcasing the journey of our purchasers, through to our new networking event; just a couple to keep an eye on.
“We also have plans to expand our property sourcing department where we offer a discreet selling and buying process for clients, taking the stress of the process out of their hands.
Ollie, commenting on the market, said: “The property market is certainly on the rise with more confidence streaming back into sales. We’re seeing this with more competition for each lot in the last couple of auctions. As interest rates continue to drop this will alleviate previous pressure on the market, and help increase the number of transactions in 2025.
“One area that continues to be a concern for traditional private treaty sales is the length of time that sales take to progress once a sale is agreed, an average time frame of six months is a real concern for sellers.
“Auctions are fast becoming a preferred option for buyers and sellers, with reserves being met and in most cases being surpassed, and with 28-day completions, traditional auctions are a great way for clients to sell in a timely manner at good price points. “