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.
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