The Dundee-based chairman of the national solicitors property network SPC Scotland has tendered his resignation from the high-profile post.
Peter Ryder is also stepping down from his day-to-day role as manager of Tayside Solicitors Property Centre after a four-year tenure in the top job after being appointed managing director of Thorntons Property Services.
He will be replaced in his current role by long-serving TSPC employee Lynne Hill, but his successor at the umbrella body will not be decided until after SPC’s annual meeting in early April.
Mr Ryder, a former senior business development manager with Halifax and director with Tayside legal firm Blackadders, confirmed his impending departure yesterday.
He said the property market in Tayside has come a long way since he joined TSPC during the darkest days of the economic downturn.
“The mood has changed significantly. There was a period of consolidation where people were finding out where the market was going, and there was activity but there wasn’t much,” Mr Ryder said.
“But over the last six to 12 months the market has recovered quite significantly.
“Over the last eight months we have recorded growth in sales in every month. That is the first time we have been able to report that since pre-recession.
“There is far more stability in the market now, with everything selling for around about the home report valuation.”
He said another big factor is that lenders have been “a wee bit more flexible”.
“It has been a difficult challenge, but we have managed the business (TSPC) well over the last four years and we are still financially in good shape.”
Sales managed through TSPC topped £341 million last year a 10% increase in value on the 12 months previous but the average price attained per property in that period dipped from just above £139,000 in 2012 to a little above £136,600.
New manager Lynne Hill will take up her role on March 1 ahead of a managed handover period.
“At the moment things are good,” she said. “We have had the best January for a lot of years, and we expect that to continue.
“We can’t see anything holding us back at the moment. We are getting a lot of property on (the market) and there are more people after property.
“People are more realistic about what they can achieve and are willing to take the market valuation of the property. That has helped things along.”
TSPC chairman Hugh McKay said: “Since being appointed as manager in April 2010, Peter has overseen considerable changes to the systems and processes of the company and his efforts have been of great assistance in ensuring that TSPC remains a dominant force in the Tayside property market.
“He leaves us in a very strong position, and we are delighted to announce that Lynne Hill has accepted the position of manager.”
In his new role, Mr Ryder will lead a team of 34 staff based across Thorntons’ Tayside offices. Joint managing partner Craig Nicol said: “Peter was the natural choice to head up our property division. He brings with him some excellent, creative ideas to lead our estate agency operation through its next phase.”