Industry Interview: Melanie Peters of Waterside Properties in Dorset

Is the way that Estate Agents engage with consumers changing? Is social media, apps and website having a greater importance than leafleting, local newspaper adverts and high street presence?

Social media is certainly a very important way of showcasing individual businesses.

We as an agency have devoted a great deal of time to our Twitter and Facebook profiles during 2016.

I myself have attended ÿ2 courses this year specifically aimed at the use of Twitter and Facebook for business.

We definitely find that most of our clients come to us via the major property portals, as well as our own website.

We still find that local leafleting is productive at getting our name out there.

We no longer advertise in the local press, but continue to advertise in specialist magazines.

We have a high street presence and on the whole I think clients still prefer to deal with agents on a personal level.

What makes a good estate agent and what makes for a good estate agency today?

I think that what makes a good agent is communication!

Active sales progression is required to see a deal through to the end.

Communicating with buyers, sellers, solicitors and other agents is crucial.

Good customer service is also paramount, this is the way to get repeat business and recommendation.

Online / Hybrid Estate Agencies, Brexit, Onthemarket, Trump – Is it still full steam ahead for the UK property industry despite so much changing and happening?

2016 has been a very strange year for estate agencies!

The market for family homes has remained buoyant, throughout the year.

However all the political changes we have seen this year, in particular the change to stamp duty in April, have had an effect on our market.

Our agency specialises in the sale of waterside homes, and it is the investment, second homes and luxury market that has been most effected in 2016.

 

Thank you Melanie Peters for answering our questions! Waterside Properties website can be found here.

 

EAN Content

Content shared by this account is either news shared free by third parties or sponsored (paid for) content from third parties. Please be advised that links to third party websites are not endorsed by Estate Agent Networking - Please do your own research before committing to any third party business promoted on our website. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

You May Also Enjoy

AI in estate agency letting agency property
Breaking News

Can AI-powered search platform push out Rightmove for renters?

Boss of global architecture firm takes on Rightmove with AI-powered search platform where renters describe where they want to live An AI-powered start-up launched by the former boss of a major architecture business wants to disrupt the duopoly of Rightmove and Zoopla by enabling renters to find homes by using normal everyday language – as…
Read More
Breaking News

Midlands sees largest property management fees increase

The latest research from Rushbrook & Rathbone has found that property management fees in the Midlands have increased by an estimated 53.9% over the past decade, the fastest rate of growth across England’s regions, highlighting a widening divide in costs between the North, Midlands, and South. The research analysed average rental values across England’s regions…
Read More
Breaking News

Continued season momentum with applicant demand up for lettings

Foxtons Lettings Market Index – May 2026 Continued season momentum with applicant demand up month on month and supply increasing.   The season’s momentum carried on undeterred. Applicant demand climbed sharply month on month, supply held ahead of last year and the market stayed balanced through it all. Competition eased compared with last year, with…
Read More
Breaking News

Breaking Property News 22/6/26

Daily bite-sized proptech and property news in partnership with Proptech-X.   Eco Approach Collaborate with Leading UK Buy-to-Let Lender The Mortgage Works to Deliver Free Energy Assessments for Landlords Ahead of 2030 Deadline. Eco Approach selected as the expert retrofit partner for a major new energy efficiency pilot. Initiative addresses critical knowledge gap, with 67% of UK…
Read More
Breaking News

How to secure a rented home if you used to pay rent up front

One change that has come into effect under the Renters’ Rights Act (RRA) is that landlords may no longer accept more than one month’s rent in advance of a tenancy beginning. Previously, there was no limit to how much rent tenants could pay up front to secure a property, which was particularly helpful in certain…
Read More
Kerb appeal
Breaking News

Whoever Leads Britain Next Must Focus on Growth, Housing and Opportunity

Neil Louth – Group Executive Director, LRG and CEO, Acorn Group From my perspective, the question is less about who occupies Number 10 and more about what they do once they get there. Whether it is Sir Keir Starmer continuing in office, Andy Burnham emerging as a future challenger, or someone else entirely, the next…
Read More