Hammond Stratford Estate Agents

The Golden Guide put some questions to Eaton-based Estate Agent, Hammond Stratford.

Q. Background - How long have Hammond Stratford been established? Who are your staff, and how big an agency are you?

A. Hammond & Stratford have been established as an independent agent since 2004. We opened our first branch in the market town of Dereham with little more than a couple of deck chairs and a phone, but have seen success through hard work and perseverance, and built our agency into the 6branch operation it is today. This consists of 4 sales branches located in the heart of bustling market towns and villages, a lettings agency in Cringleford, and a Head Office in Eaton. We are proud of our Norfolk heritage and employ local people who both live and work in the areas we cover. Not only do they pride themselves on being able to talk passionately about the benefits of your city, town or village, but they also enjoy helping with a variety of local projects within them. Every year we provide sponsorship to charities, events, schools and other community groups to support our local areas.

Q. Where are you based, and what areas do you cover?

A. We cover most of Norfolk through our network of branches which are situated in prominent high-street locations in Eaton, Hethersett, Attleborough and Dereham. Being positioned in the centre of these towns and villages means we can advertise properties to the local market 24/7, providing great additional exposure for our sellers.

Q. Have you won any awards that you want to mention?

A. We are proud of our teams for achieving the Feefo Platinum ‘Trusted Service Award’ for the last 3 years running, as well as winning gold in the British Property Awards 2021 and 2022. As an independent company, we rely heavily on word of mouth and local reputation, and we’re fortunate to receive an abundance of wonderful 5-star reviews. These are a true reflection of our team’s ability to deliver and uphold exceptional standards of customer service. We were also recently featured in the EDP as one of the first Norfolk estate agents to fully embrace TikTok, with one of our videos going viral and amassing an incredible 700,000 views and counting!

Q. Why should someone wanting to sell their property come to you?

A. Choosing the right agent should be a positive experience. You are entrusting us with the sale of your property and are willing to invest your confidence and time in us. From the very beginning, we will partner with our clients to deliver the service that they want by taking the time to listen to and understand their needs. We embrace creative and high-end marketing methods to showcase the property to the widest audience, whilst keeping sellers informed and involved throughout the process. We offer a wealth of premium marketing tools including professional photography, video tours, 360 virtual tours, drone photography, bespoke brochures, and extensive online coverage across social media and 3 of the main property websites. We also offer accompanied viewings 7 days a week, and a dedicated sales progression team to assist your transaction through to a successful completion.

Q. How quickly do you generally sell homes in the Golden Triangle?

A. The Golden Triangle is seen by many as an aspirational place to live. NR2 is a popular postcode and homes do sell quickly with many properties taking only a few weeks to secure a sale, in some cases we have sold NR2 properties in as little as a few days! The timescale will often depend on the property itself though as each home is different.

Q. Estate Agents tend to have a poor reputation? Why do you think this is the case, and is it wildly unfair?

A. There are many Norfolk estate agents that do a great job, but as with many industries there will often be a few that taint the reputation for the rest. Although estate agents form a part of the service industry, they are one of the few that remain unregulated. However, there are plans to change this so that each estate agent will need to complete specific qualifications to trade. We see this as a positive step forward for the industry which should see a shift in public perception to a more credible, accountable, and professional sector.

In the meantime, there are other credentials you can look out for when choosing an agent. We have memberships with Propertymark, the ICO, HMRC, The Property Ombudsman Scheme and the Trading Standards Institute. These affiliations set a benchmark for agents to ensure they act with honesty and integrity, giving you peace of mind that you’re in safe hands.

The team at Hammond Stratford

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