The Truth About "Local" Estate Agents in Wembley
In this article, we’ll look at why it’s important to know who you’re dealing with when choosing an estate or letting agent.
We love to buy local. We love bread from the local bakers, locally made sausages, or occasionally even a locally brewed pint.
Yes, all the big supermarkets sell those things too. And they do the job perfectly well.
But nothing beats locally made products and services.
It’s much the same with estate and letting agents.
We all do the same job, we sell and let homes, but we’re not necessarily all the same.
Take the agents in the Ethical Agent Network, for example. Which we’re proud to be members of.
EAN agencies are independent agencies owned and run by local people.
Many of these agents live in the area they serve. They employ local people. They send their kids to local schools. They shop at local shops and spend their money at other local businesses. They do work in the local community.
Some agents, on the other hand, are part of massive national agency chains with branches all over the country.
They might have a brand name that suggests local people own them. Like ‘Smith and Jones’ – to offer a fictitious example. But lift the curtain and peek behind it, and you’ll find there is no Mr Smith. And no Mrs Jones either.
Now we don’t doubt for a minute that the agents at these big chains work hard for their sellers and landlords. We even count some of them as our friends.
But there is one significant difference: The really important decisions are made by chief executives and financial accountants who could be based hundreds of miles away. They’ve probably never even been to your area. Chances are, they’ve never even worked in an estate or letting agency branch.
All the dosh goes back to head office. Any profits they make could be paid out to shareholders living who-knows-where. Maybe even abroad.
Often (not always), they’re not invested in the local area, either financially or emotionally, in the same way that independent local agents are.
Just like supermarkets, they have a one-size-fits-all approach. With branches from one end of the country to the other.
But in estate and letting agencies, there isn’t really a one-size-fits-all. No one city, town, village, or street is quite like any other.
The distinction may not always be obvious on the face of it. But it’s actually a big difference.
A bit like the difference between a supermarket sausage and a lovely handmade sausage from the local butchers made just the way you like it.
Now, when choosing a sausage, a loaf of bread or a pint, or even an estate or letting agent for that matter, you have a choice. And it is absolutely up to you which one you prefer.
But when choosing an agent to sell or let your home, we’d strongly urge you to look carefully at who’s behind the brand name. And consider all the good things about using a genuinely independent, genuinely local one.
Note: As members of the Ethical Agent Network, we've pledged never to criticise other agents. This article isn't a criticism of corporate or national agencies, just an observation, and an explanation of why we think independent, locally run, and owned agencies are your best bet.
Estate Agency Done Ethically
Many people don't trust estate agents. We're trying to fix that.
And that's why we are proud to be a member of the Ethical Agent Network (EAN).
It’s an independent body that checks our work against strict standards for honesty, service, and how we look after our clients, colleagues, and community.
We're the only agency locally that's passed the EAN bar, and we're assessed every six months to ensure our standards remain high.
So, when you're ready to sell, seeking to switch agents, or want straight answers to your questions, talk to us.
#AgentsYouCanTrust
