WHILE the recent trend has been towards booking, buying, selling and communicating online, in certain sectors, people are realising and appreciating the benefits that a personal service provides over and above that of the internet alone.
In the estate agency sector this has certainly been seen, vendors who have relied solely on internet services to sell a property have missed out on a number of potential buyers who would have been introduced or found through a quality high street estate agent. The result of this has seen vendors selling themselves short on exposure and ultimately the sale price.
At James Anthony Estate Agents, the shift back towards the physical estate agent that can provide a quality service has been evident. The experienced team of property professionals at James Anthony Estate Agents have guided both buyers and sellers through the process of moving, ensuring they get the best possible outcome from their house move.
James Keegan, Director of James Anthony Estate Agents said: “What we have found on many occasions from clients who have put their faith in online agents or low cost high street agents, is that what they receive is completely different from what they expected to receive. The levels of demand for their home is low, the price received on valuations is not accurate and service levels are poor.
“The price they are paying becomes irrelevant if the agent cannot deliver on what the client needs. The only part that is not quickly forgotten is that the fee is paid up front before marketing begins, some clients are having to pay this fee and then switch to our service to achieve the best price and a sale. We have also found a substantial proportion of these clients have been under offer at below market value on several occasions where buyers have not been financially qualified and cannot complete on the purchase.
“The service and knowledge a quality high street agent provides is being highlighted. As more people want a stress free, informed move with a physical person who they can communicate with daily and are local to their house.”
Based in Northampton and founded by James Anthony Keegan in 2012, the firm covers Northampton and the surrounding villages. They are also part of the Relocation Agent Network, created to connect select estate agents across the country to make relocating an easier journey for clients moving to a new area.
James explained: “I gained my experience working in large agencies and from that I identified methods I thought were good practice for estate agents to operate within, and methods which had less success and less transparency. When I started my own company, I used the knowledge I had gained to create a service that combines all the best aspects of estate agency.
“Over the past few years I’ve built a team that has the experience people need when they are buying or selling a house. I pride myself that we are transparent, ethical and have the local knowledge people require.
“Searching for properties online is easy, but when you have an agent who knows exactly what you are looking for, who is actively looking for the right property to fit your needs, or the right buyer for your home, a good local agent is worth their weight in gold. In estate agency communication is the key – you need to be on the ground, an expert in your field and passing that knowledge on to clients.”
James Anthony Estate Agents provides buying and letting services and has recently established both land and new homes departments. Its inclusion in the Relocation Agent Network is a testament to the firm’s growth and success.
James added: “Mystery shoppers visit independent agents to assess their services and only one agent per area is invited to become a member. The network not only assists in relocating people out of Northampton, our vendors receive more potential purchasers from outside the town through the network of 650-plus other agents”.
Find our more about James Anthony Estate Agents on www.jaea.co.uk or call 01604 750228.