Staff Reporter
SURROUNDED by 35 years worth of paperwork, boss at Holmes Sotogrande Ben Bateman stands a proud man.
Knocking on the door of 1,500 home sales, the back room of the office gives an insight into the world of Sotogrande property like no other.
With around 3,000 properties on record, the file room at Holmes is a labyrinth of information.
And to most of us the files mean very little.
But to Ben and the team at Holmes they hold the key to their expertise and success.
“We pride ourselves on our market knowledge,” Ben says. “There isn’t another agent who has as much data on Sotogrande’s property market as we do.
“It is very rare to find a house in Sotogrande that we don’t already know about and have a file on.”
The data includes everything about the history of a property, from redevelopment plans to previous sale prices.
And the abundance of data is not just for show, it allows the team at Holmes to understand the market in Sotogrande better than anyone else.
“Knowing the market and the history of Sotogrande is integral to providing the best service for a buyer or seller,” Ben says. “With 35 years of market history we can effectively identify and understand why certain properties and certain areas are worth more than others.”
Set up by his father in 1979, Ben began working at Holmes 15 years ago. Taking the reigns in 2013, Ben’s passion for Sotogrande drives his enthusiasm towards running his business.
“I grew up in Sotogrande, and now I am bringing my family up here,” he says. “There really is nowhere quite like Sotogrande.
“When describing it to someone who has never been before it is hard to portray the magical atmosphere that Sotogrande has.”
He adds: “I get so much pleasure from helping people find their homes and then watching them and their families enjoying Sotogrande for five, 10 or 15 years,” he adds, with a smile.
“It is always sad when families leave, but on the bright side they have loved this place and are now entrusting us to help open the door for a new family to move to Sotogrande.”
• To contact Ben and the team, visit www.holmesotogrande.com or call 956 795 340
