Love is in the area: why specialist estate agents are the perfect matchmakers

You’d be forgiven for thinking that many of London’s estate agents are strictly about business when it comes to working with clients. Perhaps you’ve had a bad experience with an agent in the past and you felt they’d do just about anything to get you to sign on the dotted line, hand over your dough and take the keys out of their hands.

That ultimately might be how an estate agent makes money, but there are some specialist agents out there, dedicated to a specific area, which operate a little differently. First of all, they care; about the house-hunters, about the homeowners, and about finding the right properties for the right people.

Essentially, a specialist estate agent is a matchmaker. They’ll tailor their service for each individual, ensuring a unique and personalised service that ultimately results in clients finding their dream properties and falling in love.

An organic matchmaking process

However, specialist estate agents are not Cupid. They won’t “shoot you with an arrow” and essentially trick you into loving a house. That should happen organically, through the agent’s research, hard work and passion for great service.

David Myers, Sales Manager at Kubie Gold, believes that buying and selling property should be a personable experience.

“There’s nothing more rewarding for us than witnessing the moment a client truly falls in love with a property we’ve shown them. It’s because we go the extra mile to find potential dream homes for individual clients, so before we’ve even taken them to see a place we have a great idea that this could be the one,” he says.

“It’s wonderful when that hard work pays off.”

Of course, by focusing only on a particular area of a city, an estate agent can provide a more specialist service. If you know an area like the back of your hand, it seemingly makes the matchmaking process far easier.

“As Kubie Gold only operates in North-West and Central London, we’re able to instantly paint a picture in our heads of which properties and which areas would best suit a client,” Myers says.

“In any business it’s important to know your product. In our case, our product is not only the property that we are selling but also the area itself. Prospective purchasers and tenants sometimes ask unusual or unexpected questions about the local area, and being in a position to quickly answer them can put a client’s mind at rest.

“The areas we work in – from Marylebone and Maida Vale to St John’s Wood and Camden Town -are all incredible multi-cultural communities. We’re extremely passionate about helping people, be it foreign investors or UK buyers, find the best possible property in what is essentially a financial safe-haven.”

‘The best firms go out of their way to help’

For clients to feel comfortable throughout the buying process, Myers stresses, there is simply no room for the hard-sell. Instead of pressuring purchasers to make or accept an offer, it’s a bespoke service based around honesty and reliability which separates specialist agents from your run-of-the-mill firms.

“We promise a service where clients are never frustrated by a lack of feedback or poor communication. Our clients walk away ecstatic from the buying or selling process because they’ve been treated with care and consideration, and ultimately the outcome is what they hoping for,” Myers states.

At the end of the day, an estate agent should make life easier for clients. From obtaining references, organising inventories, cleaning, rent collection and handling day-to-day operations, a specialist agent is never too busy to take your call. As Myers points out, it’s this approach which encourages clients to come back to Kubie Gold time and time again.

“Whether a client is looking to add a new property to their portfolio or is simply seeking advice and assistance regarding a property they already have, the best firms go out of their way to help.

“This is what really separates Kubie Gold from other firms – our relationship with clients doesn’t end once a transaction is complete. It’s often just the beginning.”

Words of advice

So, as factors relating to the London house market fluctuate, what advice does Myers have for prospective buyers/sellers?

“I’d always advise clients to move with the market and keep an eye on the big picture,” he says. “If you believe you’ve found your dream property but are weighing up the costs, ask yourself ‘Is this my ‘forever’ home?’ If the answer is a resounding yes, then commit and don’t look back!”

“With the right property firm in your corner, you can always rest assured that you’ll be in good hands.”

And how do you know you’re working with the right property firm? It’s easy – they’re the one that cares.