Matt Ducker joins SPF from Strutt & Parker in Exeter, where he specialised in security valuations of country houses, farms and estates. Matt has a strong rural background: he is a member of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) and a Fellow of the CAAV (Central Association of Agricultural Valuers), with a degree in Rural Estate Management.
Matt will be based in Bristol and cover the West Country. He joins Mark Ashbridge, who set up the agricultural division at SPF in 2004.
Mark Ashbridge, head of the agricultural division at SPF, commented: "I am delighted to welcome Matt to the team. We are exceptionally busy at the moment, seeing a significant uplift in the number of ‘lifestyle’ buyers – City dwellers without an agricultural background buying land and property in the countryside.
"The agricultural and rural market has also changed dramatically over the past decade with many farms and estates no longer generating the bulk of their income from agricultural commodity production or agricultural rents, and clients often require a mix of residential and commercial funding. Clients demand quality service and access to the best products.
"This is a booming area so we are expanding the department to ensure we can service demand. Clients require the full package; we organise their finance, instruct the valuation and help them find a solicitor and accountant, if required. We handle the entire process, giving them peace of mind and ensuring their application proceeds smoothly."
