(NATIONAL - Issue 1)

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Reputation

The Estate Agent Magazine Helping sellers & landlords choose the right estate agent Tips on ‘Pricing it Right’

MEET Greg Barnes

Things to consider when choosing an estate agent What are the qualities of a

successful estate agent?

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Preparing your home for sale/letting

Meet Jaimie Beers

Meet Andy Davies

Get an insight into the thoughts and views of a successful estate agent

Get some tips and advice directly from an experienced estate agent

Every home is unique Check out some tips in getting your home ready for viewings

Reputation The Estate Agent Magazine - 2022

“All rights reserved” ©

PRICING IT RIGHT

Do your own research Use a property portal and try and nd some comparable properties on the market or recently sold/ let. However, this is ONLY a guide, as market conditions vary and no two homes are identical.

You will also need to take into account that the ‘asking price’ is not the ‘sold/let price’.

Pro Tip Call in an expert This is the best option. Agents sell/let homes for a living. An experienced local estate agent will be able to guide you on a price range & should back that up with comparable sales/lettings.

Priced too high?

You may not attract as many buyers/tenant viewings and may stay on the market longer, this may lead to potential buyers/tenants thinking there’s something wrong.

On rare occasions, you might nd a buyer or tenant who really wants it.

You also have more room to negotiate.

Priced too low?

You may sell/let it faster but your goal would be to get as much as you can. Look for a happy medium. There is a misconception that if you receive an asking price offer early on, that you’ve priced it too low. In many cases, it simply means you priced it right.

Remember, the right estate has the skills to negotiate the highest price for your home.

If you require help choosing an estate agent, you can use our free concierge service, contact us at valuations@viewagents.com and we’ll help you choose an estate agent

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Contents 2

Pricing it right

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Meet Greg Barnes

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Preparing your home for sale

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Meet Jaimie Beers

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Role of a seller

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Meet Andy Davies

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Area Spotlight

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Choosing an estate agent

8 Meet Jaimie BEERS Preparing your home for sale/letting

From the CEO We are excited to bring you this edition of View Agents Reputation Magazine. We hope we can offer home sellers and landlords some additional information in helping them select their next estate agent.

Domenic Versace

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Human VS Technology.

Prop Tech expert, Simon Whale, delivers a very insightful perspective on how Thetechnology Role ofisashaping Seller the real estate industry

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CEO View Agents

What is View Agents?

For home sellers & landlords We help sellers and landlords search and choose an estate agent to sell, let or manage their home. Visit viewagents.com For estate agents View Agents is a reputation management platform speci cally for estate agents.

Helping estate agents Collect, Manage & Promote reviews & reputation. Our goal is to help agents grow their business by improving their online reputation.

CHOOSING the right estate agent

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ARE YOU AN E S TAT E A G E N T ?

kerfuffle.com CONTRIBUTORS

Interested in your own reputation magazine?

Get in touch sales@viewagents.com

© 2022 rights reserved”

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“All

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..we work hard on engagement and communication to ensure we deliver..

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Breckon & Breckon (Letting & Management) Twining House, 294 Banbury Rd

MEET GREG BARNES

Summertown, OX2 7ED breckon.co.uk 01865 201111 How did you get into real estate? Do you remember your first day?

Having started my career at 16 in banking, I took the bus home past a large agency branch which looked pretty impressive at night with the team still there on the phones and I thought ‘I’d like to be in there’….not quite sure why as it was pretty late in comparison to my working hours, so I applied and that was the beginning. A year later I was sat in that very branch!

What is the best thing about being an estate agent?

SUMMERTOWN

OXFORD Keen cyclist, although the word keen may be exaggerated having not ridden for some months.

Rugby fan.

The relationships; both client and sta . Seeing teams develop and being part of a client’s property journey and being able to advise and create long term relationships.

What attributes makes a good estate agent?

Being able to listen and have a genuine interest in people – everyone is on a di erent journey.

What are some great questions a seller and a landlord should ask you on a listing presentation?

Why you?

How will you promote my property?

Are you a PropertyMark agent?

Greg Barnes

How are you set up to deal with managed properties?

Managing Director (Letting & Management) greg@breckon.co.uk 31 years estate agency experience Quali cations: MARLA, FNAEA, Advisory board member at ARLA Property Mark

What do you recommend to sellers and landlords in preparing their home for sale / for viewing?

Attention to detail; x those things that need xing, clear away those things you’ve been meaning to clear away for ages and make sure your property is looking its best; this applies to letting or selling.

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What do you recommend that a seller or landlord should do prior to calling in an estate agent for a valuation?

Research; ask friends for recommendations, look at reviews sites, look at agency websites and try and get a feel for the type of agent you want. The quick and simplest way to get in touch is often by email, but try and call as you will get a good impression from how that is dealt with.

What makes your branch di erent from your competitors?

Our clients are the sole focus and we listen. Providing the best customer service is somewhat of a cliché, but we work hard on engagement and communication to ensure we deliver.

What constitutes a great property marketing campaign and how do you execute it?

Think di erently; concentrate on presentation and then where you place it. Video content and social media are a must if you are looking to create a campaign.

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What is the best way of valuing a home?

Thinking of selling or letting your property?

CLICK HERE

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TO BOOK A FREE, NO OBLIGATION PROPERTY VALUATION

What are the challenges when negotiating between seller/buyer & landlord/tenant?

Finding common ground; often there is a natural ‘meeting of minds’ but that’s the art of negotiation, nding that common ground and try and avoid getting principles involved as that often creates rocks that can’t be moved.

What are some COVID-19 practices you have introduced?

At the start of Covid we set up ‘SafeMove’; our internal policy and procedures for the safety of our staff and the general public.

Prospective applicants were screened and our of ces were quickly rearranged to accommodate social distancing along with remote working. While now second nature, it was at the time a huge task and one which we needed to make very quickly.

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Preparation; spend time researching and be aware of what is happening locally. There are a multitude of products in the market that provide some really powerful information. Look at what you are presenting; is it good enough?

Providing the best customer service

What are the key aspects when negotiating a house sale/let?

Be open, be fair and listen to the needs (or wants) of both parties.

think differently

Do you like sellers/landlords (tenants) to be home when viewings are conducted?

Some do, some don’t. I personally feel it is better if owners or tenants are not at home; partly due to the viewer feeling a little more uncomfortable as they are invading their space, but also it’s important to still maintain Covid policy. It also creates a feeling that the space is smaller than it is with 4+ people in each room.

How important is having a good reputation in this industry?

Critical; in fact reputation is important in any business.

Clients understandably want to use people they can trust.

What is your favourite part about the area/ community where you work?

We are based in Oxford, a beautiful city, so are very fortunate.

There is a real community spirit and strong B2B connections with a real sense of purpose; it’s a great place to work.

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top tips to 8 prepare your home for selling/letting

Your home needs to be well presented, ideally, look better than the competition, and have a neutral theme to appeal to more buyers/tenants tastes ‘Your goal is to present a tidy house that’s lled with natural light, feel spacious and practical' In fact, in most cases, to make your home appealing, you don’t need to spend loads of money. Some simple changes can make a big difference between your home sitting unsold until you eventually reduce the asking price or your home selling almost immediately for the full asking price.

5. Smells sells!

Research suggests that smells in uence buyers, therefore use this to your advantage. Placing fresh owers in the kitchen and/or scented candles such as vanilla or cinnamon and even ‘cake baking’ smells have an impact. However strong or over-powering smells will put off potential buyers such as: pets, bins, cooking & smoking. Remember to air the house before each viewing.

PRO TIP

6. Back to basics Buyers want to visualise your home as their home. The function of some rooms can change; a spare room used for storage can become the of ce or a second TV room. Certain rooms hold a greater perceived value, think about converting rooms back to their original use. Remove furniture that looks too big for the room; clutter that isn’t essential to the function of the room will free up valuable space and help make your house looks bigger.

Consistent light ttings, ooring and curtains also help.

Think of it as a business transaction, where you are making business decisions.

1. Deep clean the house Make sure it’s done properly, if you do, then you are already a step ahead of your competition. Include dusting, carpets & garden if you can afford it. Try your best to keep it clean & tidy until sold or let!

2. De-Clutter Have a clear-out. This will make your home look larger and a place that buyers or tenants can imagine themselves living in.

Make sure there is a clear ow when walking around your home.

Try doing a walk-through, as though you were on the viewing.

3. Complete outstanding DIY Small jobs left undone make a huge difference to the potential buyers/ tenants. When they can see you care and look after your home they may offer you more as they can see additional value.

4. First Impressions DO count!

7. Depersonalise your home Think of your home as a show home. These are effective sales tools as they are always anonymous. Buyers/ tenants want to imagine themselves living there, creating their own story. This can be dif cult if overwhelming evidence of you or family are everywhere. Remove some family pictures, trophies, children’s artwork. Your house needs to look lived-in without looking like anyone actually lives there.

8. Neutral tones

Potential buyers/tenants will be judging your house even before they knock on your door! Make sure that the external appearance

Natural light is great, bright rooms appear more spacious than dim/ dark ones. If necessary, use table lamps in rooms that need

is well-maintained and cared for; the outside needs to look as great as the inside. This includes the garden, driveway etc -a tidy, lawns mowed, litter removed and so on. Walk up & down your street and compare it to your neighbours.

a little lift. Colour is personal, it’s best to go with neutral colours instead of highly individualised interiors. Creating a blank canvas helps buyers imagine how they would live in it and it will appeal to more tastes.

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“ Motivation, ability, need.

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Madley Property 2 Plough Way, London SE16 2EU madleyproperty.com jaimie@madleyproperty.com 0207 378 0644

S U R R E Y Q U AY S

LONDON How did you get into real estate? Do you remember your first day?

I had worked in sales overseas and a client suggested that I go to London to work in high-end property as she thought I would be good at it and turns out she was right! I do remember my rst day, back then training was done very much “on the job” and it was very much a sink or swim environment. I ended up jumping straight into viewings and getting deals up and running straight away. Luckily, the rst company I worked for was one that gave me the ability to learn various areas of central London and get involved in off-plan sales and investment based deals from the outset.

What is the best thing about being an estate agent?

The best thing about working in Estate Agency is that in London, you really feel that opportunities are limitless and that as long as you are willing to put the effort in and have honed your skills, your rewards can be huge. I’ve been so lucky to work in such a dynamic estate agency environment from the outset of my career, dealing with an amazing calibre of property and client.

What attributes makes a good estate agent?

You need to be extremely resilient; you have to be willing to be in for the long haul as there are no short cuts to doing the job well.

A very high degree of people skills is a must, and we always look for a drive to deliver something beyond the ordinary in anyone we hire.

How important is having a good reputation in this industry?

Reputation is everything in any industry and Estate Agency is no different. We are being trusted by our clients to either manage the running and income of their most valuable assets or to deal with the sale of that asset. Buyers and tenants are putting their trust in us to deliver. The best way we can reassure these parties is to have a good track record of performance and a history of happy clients.

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rust is key for “Tany transaction

MEET JAIMIE BEERS

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What are some great questions a seller and a landlord should ask you on a listing presentation?

I think expectations are vital and making sure that a landlord or vendor is going to get the service and results they not only expect but that they need from the process. We like potential clients to engage as much as possible and a big part of our job is to make sure they understand the process and how we can achieve the goals we need to and if their expectations are in line with the possible. We also always encourage clients to look at our reviews to make sure they not only hear things that we say about ourselves but also what others say about us.

Do you like sellers/landlords (tenants) to be home when viewings are conducted?

Ideally, we like to be left with the buyers or tenants as sometimes people can feel uncomfortable or awkward commenting openly on a property when the owner or landlords are at home. We like to really understand what our applicants want, and having open and frank conversations about what they like or don’t like is a key part of this, and it can’t always happen in front of vendors or landlords due to human nature.

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..always being clear & fair with everyone involved..

What are the key aspects when negotiating a house sale/let?

Given today’s landscape of ground rents, cladding and lease terms, I think it’s vital to give the right information at the outset, that way there are no stumbling blocks midway through negotiations that could have been avoided. Other than this, it’s experience, a cool head and always being clear and fair with everyone involved.

“Reputation is everything

What do you think of the estate agency phrase ‘People Not Property’?

Whilst I am not generally a fan of these type of phrases, it’s very true. Whilst the properties are the stock that we deal with, it’s the people and moreover the relationships you build with people that make things happen. Trust is key for any transaction and property transactions are one of the most stressful there are to deal with as it involves people’s homes, a large sum of money and numerous parties. To build a solid relationship, it needs to be founded on trust and the only way to do that is via good people.

What are the challenges when negotiating between seller/buyer & landlord/tenant?

Setting expectations for both sides is key and it is clear that if this is done correctly and handled by a skilled person the challenges are not great.

How much of a team effort is it when selling or letting a home?

As I mentioned earlier, the process includes a number of people, not just the agent, but our view is that the agent is the glue that bonds the deal together. Agents are the driving force behind its tempo and the oil that greases the wheels when needed or when things become stuck.

What constitutes a great property marketing campaign and how do you execute it?

I think what constitutes a great marketing campaign is making sure that all parts of the process are cohesive. It starts with an in depth understanding of the property we are marketing. Then presenting the property as attractively and accurately as possible and making sure that information is presented to as many potential buyers and tenants as possible, in an easy to access and digestible format. Then making sure the leads and enquiries are dealt with by talented sales people who also apply the same level of diligence, so that all the information potential buyers and tenants need is on hand to allow decisions to be made. It’s also vital that the client feedback loop with the correct content and data is in place, this means that the progress of your campaign can be monitored, discussed and adjusted if needs be. A great marketing campaign must go way beyond simply putting a property on a portal.

Thinking of selling or letting your property?

CLICK HERE TO BOOK A FREE, NO OBLIGATION PROPERTY VALUATION

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IT’S NOT EVERYDAY YOU SELL YOUR HOME. HERE ARE 3 TOP TIPS TO HELP YOU UNDERSTAND YOUR ROLE AS A HOME SELLER

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Viewings

Most home buyers will look at several homes before buying one.

You will have competition. Ask your estate agent what they think you need to do to your home prior to the rst viewing.

Keep it clean and tidy. There may be occasions where the agent will call you at the last minute for a viewing, where possible be exible.

As you will be having potential buyers walking through your home, keep all valuables in a safe place and out of view. If you have pets, it would be advisable to keep them outside as there may be buyers who may not feel comfortable around pets, especially if the potential buyers have children with them. If you have kids toys or obstructions around the house, make sure it is safe to walk around.

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PRO TIP

Communication

Always keep the agent up to date on any changes. For example, if you go away for the weekend or you go away on a vacation. This will help the agent if there is a last-minute viewing and they’re trying to get a hold of you.

In this situation, it may be advisable to leave a spare key with the agent.

If you are planning a family event and you do not want the agent to conduct a viewing, try and give the agent plenty of notice.

If you make any changes to the property let your agent know. For example, if you install a new boiler or you x a leaking roof. This will help the agent when asked speci c questions by a buyer.

The key to any successful sale is open communication

Ask the estate agent whether it’s best you remain in the home whilst they conduct the viewing. If you do remain home, allow the agent to do their job, they are the experts. Unless the agent asks you to, don’t walk around on the viewing with them, it may make buyers uncomfortable.

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Negotiating

Most home sellers have an emotional attachment to their homes.

Potential buyers won’t have that attachment, to them, your property is seen as a piece of real estate.

Therefore, if the agent submits a low offer, don’t take it personally.

The negotiation for your home can vary widely. In some cases the negotiation is straight forward or take weeks of back and forth negotiations. Always keep an open mind and remember that an experienced agent will know how to negotiate for you.

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Role of a SELLER

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38 High Street

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Walton-on-Thames KT12 1DE 01932 221331

WA LT O N O N T H A M E S

SURREY

jamesneave.co.uk

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I love helping people

How did you get into real estate? Do you remember your first day?

Back in collage I was due to go to university to study economics.

A work experience placement cancelled short notice and I ended up doing a week at a Mann & Co of ce in Woking as an Estate Agent. I loved it and decided that university wasn’t going to be for me. I started interviewing for Estate Agency jobs and a week after my A Levels nished, I started working for James Neave (the Person) within what was then a Bairstow Eves franchise of ce. My rst day was full of nerves but good fun, I worked along side a chap called Steve who was a great agent and full of beans and energy. I managed to agree 3 or 4 sales in my rst couple of weeks under Steve’s guidance, it was a really busy market at the time.

What is the best thing about being an estate agent?

MEET ANDY DAVIES

I love helping people. Our whole ethos is built around helping our clients, and helping each other to become better every day.

What makes your branch different from your competitors?

Highly ef cient and effective marketing plan for our clients’ properties, which is proven to give great success.

We are a full service estate agency so our clients get full support / contact (24/7) from day one to move day with a personal advisor and full team back up support.

What attributes make a good estate agent?

Communication Organization Being able to admit when you are wrong

I am a family man, happily married with four young children.

I am a big sports fan, especially football.

I am a keen runner and have lost around 6 stone in weight across the last few years so feeling a lot healthier these days!

Managing Director 19+ years estate agency experience andy@jamesneave.co.uk

Work ethic Honesty What do you recommend to sellers and landlords in preparing their home prior to marketing?

Preparation is really key to get a property looking great for photos etc. Equally we always tell clients not to strip the life and soul out of the home. So work with what you have and try to present it in the best way possible. Often its not worth spending loads of money on your home if you are about to sell it but we’ll always give guidance on any cost effective jobs that could be done to increase value and saleability.

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James Neave Estate Agents

Do you like sellers & landlords to be home when viewings are conducted?

In an ideal world we recommend owners / landlords not to be home for initial viewings. We nd applicants relax more and we get better buying signals that we can respond to try and help the process along. Some buyers / tenants are really inquisitive in which case a second viewing with the owners present can be really useful.

What are the challenges when negotiating between seller/buyer & landlord/tenant?

Managing expectations. Communication is key and you’ve got to be able to give your clients the right advice (tough conversations when needed) but equally respect that it is their home and always their decision as to what to do. Always give the right advice and guide them through the process.

What constitutes a great property marketing campaign and how do you execute it?

Listen…. Make sure you are working for your client and their best interests, not yours! Negotiation needs to be thought through, we are not just there to pass information between parties, we need to give guidance to our clients in terms of how to proceed and what to do next, to try and maximise any offer.

How much of a team effort is it when selling or letting a home?

At James Neave we are massively team focused. We cut all the ego out of our business years ago and we reward our team with team commissions and team driven targets. This means we can focus massively on what is the best outcome for our clients rather than be ego driven and what is better for negotiator A or B.

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Make sure you are working for your client and their best interests, not yours!

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we are massively team focused

What are the key aspects when negotiating a house sale/let?

Our campaigns start immediately as soon as we receive formal instructions and way before we hit the online portals. During the initial period where we are getting professional photography undertaken we are marketing directly to our buyer / tenant database and via our social media channels. We nd some of our hottest viewings come from these initial marketing sources and buyers / tenants love the opportunity to get in rst before the online portal launches. We only launch online once we have everything looking perfect (photos, brochures, 360 tours etc). We utilise social media marketing across various platforms; Facebook, Instagram, Google etc and nd this to be a really productive lead source.

What is the best way of valuing a home?

I think it is vital to do your research on every property, however straight forward it may seem. You need to know what has sold locally that is comparable and what is on the market that will be immediate competition. An understanding of the seller’s situation and desired timescales etc will also help you give them the right advice in terms of marketing strategy.

Thinking of selling or letting your property?

CLICK HERE TO BOOK A FREE, NO OBLIGATION PROPERTY VALUATION

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AREA SPOTLIGHT WALTON ON -THAMES SURREY Walton-on-Thames is a market town on the south bank of the Thames in the Elmbridge borough of Surrey, England.

The town itself consists mostly of af uent suburban streets, with a historic town centre of Celtic origin. It is one of the largest towns in the Elmbridge borough, alongside Weybridge.

AVERAGE HOUSE PRICE (SALES)

£620,000 AVERAGE HOUSE PRICE (LETTINGS)

£2,090 P/M

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Interesting Fact Walton appears in the Domesday Book of 1086 as "Waletona". The settlement was held jointly as overlords in the feudal system by Edward de Sarisber (Salisbury) and Richard de Tonbrige. Its Domesday assets were: 6 hides; 1 church (St. Mary's), 2 mills worth £1 5s 0d, 1 shery worth 5s, 14 ploughs, 40 acres (16 ha) of meadow, supporting 50 hogs.

It rendered £28.

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What is the best way of valuing a home. What steps do you take?

It’s very much on a case-by-case basis, but generally just a general de-clutter. Rooms look at their best when there’s a small amount of furniture in then. Feel free to dump the junk in the garage.

do you qualify a prospective buyer or tenant?

Motivation, ability, need.

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Choosing an Estate Agent

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For most of us, our home is the most expensive asset we will ever own. Therefore, it’s important to choose the right estate agent and know you’re in safe hands.

1. Not all estate agents are the same Choosing the right estate agent is a very important decision, there is a difference between all estate agents. Carry out your due diligence before choosing, here are some examples of how estate agents may vary: • Levels of service • Marketing ability • Knowledge / Experience • Professional bodies & quali cations • Fees • Track record

2. Do your research View Agents has over 17,000 estate agents listed and over 350,000 estate agent reviews. It is a comprehensive estate agent search platform, helping you compare and choose.

We advise you to invite more than one agent, so that you can get a good understanding of what makes each agent different.

If you have dif culty choosing, email us at valuations@viewagents.com and we can recommend them to you.

3. Ask questions & feel comfortable In some cases, a home sale can take several months from listing presentation to completion. Therefore your relationship with your chosen estate agent is important. You need to feel comfortable communicating with them and make sure you ask plenty of questions.

Remember, if your property is being let and then managed by an agent, then that relationship may last several years.

4. Select an agent to sell or let/manage your home Once you’ve weighed up all your options then you will need to select an agent. The agent will then place your property on the market and the marketing process will begin. Good luck!

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By choosing the right estate agent you could sell or let your property faster and for more money Visit viewagents.com to choose your next estate agent

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