It was summer 2017 and there was a ping from my computer.. an email from the judges of the negotiator awards.
My stomach was filled with butterflies.. I remember thinking.. “Is this the start of something great or a feeling of failure waiting for me in the pit of my stomach.. I took a deep breath and opened the email..
We’d been SHORTLISTED! I couldn’t believe it! I was left gasping for breath.. But then a new level of both worry and excitement came over me.. This would mean going to London for the awards ceremony at the The Hilton in Park Lane!
My mind was flooded with thoughts, “What do I wear to an event as grand as this?” “How do I present myself to others?”, a big one for me was “What if we won? What does that mean for me? Do I need to make a speech?“
I’d never attended an event like this, and being a more logical than emotional thinker, my mind was racing..
Even just by being nominated told me that a website developer & designer had a place within Estate Agency itself. That a specialist within a business could compete with large industry media company’s that supply generic websites to our industry. That a different approach was accepted and it gave me inspiration to be that avatar of change, first with a self-build bespoke website, then a new style of marketing using different technologies…
The wheels of change began to turn and this was just the first spoke in a far larger wheel..
When I talk about a far larger wheel, I’m talking one with five spokes in particular. Five areas of evolution in myself as a website developer and designer from within an Estate Agency since 2017 but also five evolutions in what I consider the future of normality in this industry.
Let me explain,
Before the age of the internet, we relied on the good old newspapers and physical visits to those places we were considering moving to, on top of anything the local estate agent had to tell us. Of course things like broadband speeds weren’t a factor then, however knowing about the quality of the local schools if you’re moving home with children, the average household make up in your chosen area or even something as simple as where the local pub is in relation to the house That information was tough to come by or rely on without a physical visit.
Spoke One: The evolution of property research – Using the power of the internet and the technologies available, we set a course to create a bespoke market data research hub on our website. This facility allows any savvy home buyer or investor the power they need to make a good financial decision by looking into the sales history of their chosen area, the local resident information as well as the facilities and amenities available. This data is then also shown in our advertising on our property portal listings.
Time in the modern age has become a very expensive commodity. Making the time in our busy lives to book viewings only for something to come up and needing to cancel them and then having to wait even longer to book a viewing, then there is the issue of opening hours which generally coincide with working hours, so getting the time to call an agent could also have proved problemetic a number of years ago.
Spoke Two: A twenty four seven Tortoise – We looked into the issue of those who prefer to speak to a member of the team and answered it with the implementation of a 24/7 call service. This means that whether you can’t sleep without getting that viewing booked or want to start your day answering that burning question on the covenant of a property, you can always speak to a member of our extended team, no matter the time.
A photo of a property only ever goes so far. It doesn’t give you a true sense of size or scale. We used to have to rely on those photos in a newspaper or estate agents window in the “hope” it was something we wanted to come and see in person. Only to realise that second reception room wasn’t as big as you had hoped..Then it was potentially that drive home, with your head down, waiting and see what comes up next in the newspaper the following week or checking the windows of other agents with a doubt about when you’ll next get some time off work to come and have the viewing. Sadly, this is still seen today for some.
Spoke Three: Take a Tour with Tortoise – The Covid-19 pandemic made waves in terms of how agents and buyers could work together to get a property sold. Physical viewings came to a standstill for a time due to personal safety issues. Strangely, just before the pandemic, we adopted some new technology to enable us to provide immersive virtual tours. Allowing potential buyers wanting their first look around the property to be able to do so from the comfort of their home.
Do you remember a time where you relied on your local paper once a week for information on new properties coming available in your local area or having to purposely head over to your local estate agents office to look in the window at what was on the market? For some agents they still follow this pattern of relying on sharing new properties in local magazines and posting them up in their shop windows along with a standard advert on the property portals. Serving their purpose but not providing a proper service to their clients.
Spoke Four: Tortoise in the community – We live in an age where data is readily available and plays a key part in a clients journey, whether buying a property or selling one. This is why we decided to launch a space on social media that acts as a hub of local property information, whether it’s about new properties coming to market with ourselves or the latest events in the Peterborough area you can go here and not only ask us as an agent questions about properties, amenities, facilities but you can also ask other members of the local community who live in the area too.
We’ve all been there before, sat in the living room, news on the television while the kids run riot, we look around the room we’re in and wonder. Wonder what could improve about our current living situation. Ofcourse traditionally it starts with ringing the local estate agents and arranging that time and date for an appointment to come and look at the house and give you that all important number. Before that, a conversation with our partners about how we could do with an extra bedroom or a larger garden for the kids. Or perhaps the kids have left home and you look around thinking “this place is becoming alot of work to keep neat and tidy, maybe somewhere smaller would be better.” But the start of our property journey started with a visit from an agent.
Spoke Five: It starts with an online valuation – Not everyone has the time or even commitment initially to look up their local estate agent and get a valuation, maybe it’s just an idea before making the move and want to get an idea where your position in the market is, maybe even considering renting the property instead of selling it. This is why we implemented an online valuation tool. To allow that first point of contact with us as an agent without the worry of commitment. It gives you a better idea what your future can look like when you understand atleast the beginnings of valuing a property.
I imagine now, you have a good idea why a website developer and designer has a place within an Estate Agency. The change that can be brought to an older industry only drives convenience and practicality forward. We got nominated as a finalist because of this drive for change, despite the nerves that came with it. Innovation and evolution make up just a part of who we are as an agency and we’ll only keep growing, making your next step as a property owner more and more simple.
If you want to know more about how these things can help you with your property goals and get started with your very own Race to SOLD, give me Donovan Bell a call on 01733 592020.