Customers put Countrywide on ESTAS shortlist again

The shortlist comes off the back of Countrywide plc’s significant investment in a customer focused employee programme called ‘Hearts & Minds’, to continually improve its service and ensure its approach and methods of communication are aligned with its customers.

The ESTAS determine the best estate agents in the country through research carried out among customers who are asked a series of questions about the service they have received from their agent. A total of 32,000 questionnaires were completed by customers during the competition.

The regional and national winners will be announced by TV property expert Phil Spencer in front of 600 of the UK’s top estate and letting agents at the 11th annual ESTAS ceremony at the Hilton Park Lane, London, on May 9.

Robert Scarff, managing director of Estate Agency at Countrywide plc, said: “We are absolutely delighted to be shortlisted for the ESTAS 2014. It means so much to us as we know it is our customers who have put us on the list.

“We take our levels of customer service very seriously because we know customers have a choice and customers are the lifeblood of our business.”

Selling or buying a house is the largest financial transaction most people will ever undertake.

Consumer research cites moving house as one of the top five most stressful life events, so it is important for consumers to choose the right estate agent.

The benefit of choosing an estate agency, such as RA Bennett & Partners, which is part of the largest estate agency network operating more than 1,300 associated branches across the UK, is that the customer inevitably has access to more buyers and therefore a better chance of selling their house quickly and at a good price.

A High Street estate agent will have locally based people who can visit the homeowner at their convenience and provide accurate up to date advice on local market conditions and the right asking price at which to pitch the property.

It is also important for an estate agency to have a good online presence, as this is where many buyers begin their property search.

Rachel Hatton, executive branch manager of the Leamington branch, said: “We invest millions of pounds a year on behalf of our customers in our online service, www.propertywide.co.uk and other property portals to ensure maximum exposure, as an extensive internet presence will inevitably have access to more buyers.

“An agent that relies on simply “introducing” viewers cannot expose a property fully to the market and their customer can therefore never be certain that they have achieved the best price from the best buyer.

“A saving of 1 per cent on the estate agency fee isn’t so beneficial from a financial perspective when the property has been undersold.”

RA Bennett & Partners in Leamington and Warwick have had busy starts to the year, seeing more activity in the local housing market in the first few months of 2014 than when compared to the same period in 2013. The team expect this increased level of activity to continue well into the spring, which is traditionally one of the busiest periods for the housing market.

Ian Whitfield, senior branch manager in Warwick, said: “The warmer sunshine and longer days traditionally attract more buyers to the market, so it is clear to see why spring is seen as the ideal time to sell your home. Buyers and sellers are more optimistic about the housing market conditions, and properties that are correctly priced and pro-actively marketed are selling well.

“We expect these next few weeks to be a busy period for us and we are looking forward to helping more people to move home.”

If you are thinking of selling a property and want further information about the local housing market or would like to arrange a free market appraisal, contact the team at RA Bennett & Partners in Leamington on 01926 427988] or Warwick on 01926 493142 or visit www.propertywide.co.uk

Pictured: The R A Bennett team in Leamington.