ABSOLUTELY Property
IN THEIR OWN
WORDS ROSIE DODD & JAMIE HOPE Sales Negotiator and Director of Sales at Maskells Photography: Rebecca Noonan
ROSIE DODD
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y father worked in commercial property so since I was little the industry has always been something that I have been aware of. The inaugural ‘take your daughters to work day’, which my school actively encouraged, gave me my first taste for the fast moving sector of bricks and mortar. I quickly discovered that, being a people’s person, residential rather than commercial property was the right path for me and I much prefer the emotional attachment residential property brings compared to that of the commercial kind. There is nothing more satisfying than getting to know your client, understanding their property and finding the perfect buyer for it. It is amazing how many good friendships you can also gain as a result. Saying all this, I don’t think this would be possible in any location, the Royal Borough is certainly the pinnacle of this type of experience and I just love the atmosphere, charm and heritage it has to offer. Having grown up spending a lot of time in the area whether it be shopping, or enjoying the museums, restaurants and nightlife in K&C, I still love getting the opportunity to actually go through doors I must have walked past a million times and discovering the treasures behind them. That’s where Maskells has allowed this to happen. We are the oldest independent estate agency in Chelsea and the knowledge that the office holds on the properties in the area is unrivalled. I am lucky that I work with such a friendly and professional team too, unusually we aren’t on individual commission, which means we work together very closely as a team with our clients at the forefront, which for me, always leads to a happier outcome on all sides. Even better than that, we have a terrace at the office which is popular with clients (and other agents!) for drinks in the summer…! You know where we are!
JAMIE HOPE
‘‘
M
y PA will be in touch” the buyer said to me whilst walking out of an early morning viewing. Having spent no more than 4 minutes in the house, this gentleman was whisked off to the airport and bound for New York. An hour later, my phone rang and his PA submitted an offer well in excess of the £5m asking price. We exchanged contracts before his plane landed in New York. Life is not always as exciting as this in central London Estate Agency, but it can be edge of the seat stuff. Having spent a number of years as an Estate Agent in this area, I have learned that the market here is intricate; a successful agent must be dynamic and able to think outside of the box in order to find solutions for clients and buyers alike. The market and demographic are evolving and we must evolve also in order to be able to offer the best possible service for our clients. Building and maintaining trusting relationships are a cornerstone of this industry and this is something that is extremely important to me. Every client is different and every property is different, which means that we must be able to adapt the service we offer to meet a client’s needs. Something that is not often spoken about is the relationship between the vast majority of Estate Agents in this area – we all get on very well. I work hard at getting to know other agents well, as this a great asset when looking for property for buyers, especially as quite often, the best properties never reach the open market. I could not imagine working in a more interesting and dynamic part of London with such a rich history. We pride ourselves in doing things slightly differently at Maskells so if you would like to know a little more, our door is always open, as is our roof terrace on a sunny day. .� 020 7581 2216; maskells.co.uk
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