Stones Young

Stones Young, estate agents in Blackburn, Clitheroe and the Ribble Valley

Stones Young is an estate agency with a presence in Blackburn, Clitheroe and the Ribble Valley, extending its activity to nearby areas. It presents itself as a local agency and has accumulated several industry awards: the team at its two offices has received Gold awards in both the sales and lettings categories of the British Property Awards for several years, and the firm has been recognised by EA Masters as being in the top 3% of agents nationwide, based on marketing, service and results.

Property sales and vendor acquisition

The company supports sellers from valuation through to signing and handing over the keys, including viewings, price negotiation, paperwork and coordination with the buyer. It offers a free, no-obligation valuation, with advice on price, market conditions, property presentation and marketing strategy, as well as comparable evidence of completed transactions in the area. Marketing materials include brochures, written descriptions, 360-degree virtual tours, floor plans, professional photography and drone footage. Properties are listed on its own website and on portals such as Rightmove, Zoopla, Prime Location and On the Market.

The agency also handles the sale of high-end properties under the Prestige Homes banner and offers an auction service. For those still in the decision-making phase, the firm states that it does not consider it a waste of time to attend to clients who may not move for months.

Lettings and property management for landlords

In the lettings area, Stones Young advises landlords who want to put their property on the market and tenants looking for a home. The website brings together letting guides, a rental yield calculator, information on management fees and market data, such as periodic analyses of the rental market in the BB1 postcode and the Great Harwood property market (BB6 7). It also publishes regulatory updates, including the new national landlord registration scheme announced as part of the renters' rights reform.

Financial and advisory services

The agency complements its estate agency activity with financial services: mortgages, insurance and protection; inheritance tax, wills and power of attorney; and pensions, savings and investments. For buyers, it offers mortgage repayment and stamp duty calculators, and for tenants a rent affordability calculator.

Structure and team

The firm has two offices and a stable team that lives in the area. Management is led by Nigel Stones, Rachael Stones, Jo-Anne Blow and Phil Young, with long careers in the sector. The staff also includes sales, lettings and branch management roles, among them Jack Stones (sales manager), Sarah Fielding (Clitheroe branch manager), Nick Lyddon (Great Harwood branch manager and head of lettings) and Mark Winckley (assistant manager in Blackburn). The company highlights that all team members are aware of the status of each property, so clients can receive up-to-date information even if their usual contact is unavailable.

Local involvement

Stones Young sponsors local sports clubs, such as Clitheroe and Salesbury cricket clubs, Wilpshire Golf Club, Blackburn and Clitheroe rugby clubs, Salesbury and Ribblesdale bowling clubs and the Blackburn Youth Darts Academy. It also participates in the Ribble Valley Music Festival and the Ribble Valley Business Awards, and has raised funds for local organisations such as East Lancs Hospice and Blackburn & Darwen Youth Zone.