Pring's Blog

Feb 2014 X marks the spot!

There isn’t a road in Nailsea that starts with an “X” or a “Z” but if there WAS, I’m sure I would have sold a house there! I was looking at the road map of Nailsea on my office wall the other day and it struck me that I couldn’t find a road that I hadn’t sold a house in! Doesn’t that seem an incredible thing! Mind you, I have been selling homes in Nailsea for 32 years now, since I was 18. I have carried out probably tens of thousands of property valuations with the total number of houses I have sold now well over 4,000 so maybe it’s not surprising after all. It did make me think though, that when the population of Nailsea is circa 20,000 and with an average of 4 people in a household, I do reckon that I have been an influence one way or another on a lot of people in this town over the years. And do you know what, I LOVE that!

Every road that my eyes wandered over brought back memories. Every time I’ve effected a house move for someone individually or as a family, I’ve changed lives…and in an overwhelming number of cases it’s for the better. I can’t tell you the amount of “job satisfaction” I get from that – it’s impossible to describe what an amazing feeling it is. From first time buyers starting out, newly weds setting up home together, families with growing children needing more space, school movers and career movers to retired people trading down to release equity for a better retirement…there’s nearly always a positive reason why someone moves house – and I get the benefit of the “glow” that goes with it!

Even with the occasional house move that is forced for a sad reason, there is invariably a positive outcome – it sometimes just takes longer to realise that. New beginnings come from every situation and sometimes those house moves can give the greatest satisfaction!

So, back to my map – X’s all over it! Not only have I sold in every road in Nailsea, as far as I could see, there are some instances where I have sold every house in a particular road…or area! For example, I was the selling agent for Bryant Homes at The Elms and I ran the site office there. From 1996 to 2004, we sold every single one of the 300 + houses on The Elms. Since then I have sold many of them when the original buyers have moved on, so it can reasonably be said that I have been involved in the sale of every single one of them…at least once! No one in Nailsea has more experience and in depth knowledge - I even still have all the original sales brochures for every house on the development. And not just The Elms; I have original sales brochures for many of the developments in Nailsea spanning the last 30 - 40 years, including the prices achieved! Some of them make for very interesting reading!!

What that does lead to is a sum of local knowledge and expertise that is hard to beat in Nailsea. It is immensely satisfying when someone stops you in the precinct or on the High Street and chats about how they love living where they do and “It’s fabulous how it all worked out in the end”. Someone stopped me in the supermarket the other day and said “Hi Steve, you sold us our house 20 years ago when my son was just 3 years old. He’s 23 now and looking for his first house – keep an eye out for him please”. I tell you, you can’t buy the sense of satisfaction or pride that goes with that! Just this morning I had an email from a chap that simply said, “Hi Steve. Hope you are well. You sold me my house in X road 10 years ago – can you give me a quick valuation please. Andy”. Now even “I’m” not THAT good! When I discovered the surname though, I remembered him and his house and of course, I was able to help. However, what I was really chuffed about was that even though I hadn’t spoken or seen him for 10 years, I must have made a really good impression for him to think that I knew precisely who he was “from Andy”!

So, as technology moves on and all estate agents have access to the same property websites and advertising in which to promote your home for sale, you have to ask yourself what differentiates one estate agent from another. And when it comes down to it, the question you REALLY need to ask yourself is, “Who do you want to represent you and help you effect the biggest single financial and possibly emotional transaction in your life”? Well, the saying is that it takes a lifetime to build a good reputation and a moment to destroy it. I live, work and breathe this lovely town of ours and I have nowhere to hide if I don’t work hard to do the absolute best that I can to get it right, whilst treating everyone with respect, integrity and good humour. And after 32 years, as far as MY reputation goes, X marks that spot too!