At the age of 24, I moved to North Devon and started my first job with an expanding young firm of Estate Agents and covered 4 offices. At 26, I progressed to a larger and well established multiple office operation of local Estate Agents and covered 4 offices. At 28, I joined North Devon's largest firm of Estate Agents, who were then owned by a well known Building Society, Until the Estate Agency business re-emerged in the mid 1990's returning to their old name, they then re-established themselves as the market leaders in the North Devon property market, during this time I covered 7 offices.

Financial Services background

During my time as an estate agent I was also involved in the financial services part of the business. At various stages in my career I represented a selection of well known Life Insurance companies such as Legal & General, Standard Life and Provident Life. During this time I was qualified at different times to offer financial advice under both LAUTRO and FIMBRA. Please note, I am no longer a financial adviser, however I have an understanding of the financial market.

The Property Market

The marketing of property changed dramatically during the late 1990's after the boom bust of the 1980's and early 90's. Estate Agency became more progressive as did the technology associated with it. Before long the North Devon property market had moved a long way in a very short period of time and so had the marketing. Colour advertising in the local press, full colour property particulars, digital cameras, the use of the internet for marketing and e-mail for communication and improved mobile phone services to mention just a few strides forward. A few estate agents had changed hands and merged and buyers from out of the area had discovered in ever increasing numbers how beautiful North Devon is as a place to live, no longer just as somewhere to retire to but now somewhere to bring up the family or try your hand at becoming self employed with lower housing costs..

It was now time to use my experience and expertise acquired over the last two decades to create a new force within the North Devon property market. I knew the area and the people in the industry, the property associated professionals also knew me as did the local solicitors.

Qualification by Experience

By the time I left my Management position in estate agency at the age of 36. I had worked within or managed estate agency offices in Barnstaple, Bideford, Braunton, Ilfracombe, Launceston, Lynton, South Molton and Torrington. I worked with lots of individual estate agents who are still in the profession today. I sold thousands of houses worth millions of pounds; I dealt with thousands of applicants ( potential home movers ). I have seen why many sales have gone through to a successful conclusion and why others have fallen through unnecessarily.

Academic Qualification

I am a qualified with Distinction as a 'Fellow Member of the Institute of Sales and Marketing Management' (FInstSMM.).

A New Beginning

It was time to venture into the world of the Property Consultant and create a new roll for myself, without increasing the cost to the home moving process. I decided Estate Agents would pay for quality instructions from committed home movers wanting to sell. After a lot of an Estate Agents time is spent encouraging would be clients to sell their properties. This involves lost of visits to properties that they won't get to sell but another agent will. On average an estate agent is usually one of between three to ten agents that may visit any one property before the owner elects their chosen agent, this may even be over a period of time.

Therefore if an Estate Agent looks after me and my clients they could receive my instruction to make an appointment to visit my client at their property and if the client is happy with the agent they convert the visit in to an instruction to sell a house. This is of course is much more satisfying to the agent not to mention a lot more cost effective to them. This in turn means they can afford to pay my fee out of their sales commission.