Phil Richardson

Created in 1999 by Jon Clayson, who’s vision was to create a property business unlike any other. Having been disappointed by his own experience whilst working within other property agents, Jon wanted to offer a service that was set apart from the competition and truly practised what it preached. Placing the emphasis on creating an open and honest relationship with all its clients, without exception. This approach has created a client base that has continued to grow the business through both returning themselves and by recommendation, time after time. Jon’s aim was to build a business where each client received a service totally tailored to their needs and his customers are named not numbered. This ethos has operated throughout the intervening years first from the office in Keymer Road and latterly the larger offices in Church Road.

Hunters’ current offerings extend to all areas of Estate Agency including Property Sales, Rental, Mortgage Services and Block Management, giving individual advice and solutions as part of our one stop property operation. With a truly personal approach specifically designed to give clients a first class and stress free experience, based on their professionalism and knowledge, making them different to the other ‘conventional’ property companies in the market place.

Now that they have successfully operated from Burgess Hill for many years, created an excellent reputation and huge customer base, and survived several periods of recession whilst many agents have fallen from the High Street, the Company has taken the decision to expand in to Haywards heath. With clients based throughout the Mid Sussex area with sale and rental properties as far afield as Balcombe, Newick, Pycombe and Sayers Common the decision to expand here makes total sense.

The Hunters team are delighted to announce the opening of their new branch at 141 South Road, RH16 4LY. This location, which is just off Muster Green, is perfect as it highly visible and amongst some of the other agents in the town. From here they will be extending the area they cover out to surrounding villages such as Lindfield, Cuckfield, Handcross, Ardingly, Wivelsfield Green etc. to name a few. As always the aim is to offer excellent customer service and the unique Hunters approach in a more efficient and focused way to the northern reach of the Mid Sussex area.

Hannah McLennan

Linked with the Burgess Hill Office via data systems and staff, the new office will offer all elements of the Hunters business through, knowledge, experience, best agency practice and business integrity.

Haywards Heath will be headed up by Phil Richardson who comes from a varied career background in public service and commercial environments reaching senior management in several positions. He has an extensive background in property and has been associated with Hunters since 2004 working in several positions as full time, part time and in a consultancy role latterly.

Hannah McLennan who worked in a busy national estate agent as a negotiator until she was head hunted by a national builder to take over their flailing site. Hannah turned it around and sold all of their remaining properties within no time. Her new homes and part exchange experience will be invaluable to the growth of Hunters across Mid Sussex.

Burgess Hill Office

The Team at Hunters are very excited to announce that we will shortly be opening a new branch of Hunters which will be covering  Haywards Heath and the surrounding villages. We are currently refurbishing our new premises, the design and style of which is totally unique to us. We will be really easy to find as we are opposite Zizzi’s and next door to the Nizam (so at the Muster Green end of South Road click here for a map).

We will be bringing with us our individual style and different approach which has grown over the years and proven to be very successful  within our Burgess Hill property sales and lettings business. This approach is wholly centred on delivering an excellent experience for our customers – all offered in a genuinely enthusiastic desire to get the best for our clients and we have many many happy clients who vouch for this.

The refurbishment is going to take around another 4 weeks or so and we are aiming to open early March 2012. We are currently recruiting for one new member of staff, which you will appreciate is not easy simply because we insist on a very high desire to offer the best level of customer service and keenness to exceed. So far we have met and spent a couple of days with two very good applicants who show some real promise, but that makes it even more difficult!!

We very much look forward to being in Haywards Heath and can’t wait to open. We will update our progress as it happens so watch this space!

If you have been considering moving, or are currently unsuccessfully trying to and are thinking of a fresh approach, then please give us a call as we have already started our property register for Haywards Heath and the villages. Our new number will most likely be 01444 440400, but we can’t confirm that for a week or so, therefore, in the meantime please call using our other office number 01444 254400 and ask for Phil or email him at phil@hiea.co.uk

We really do look forward to meeting you.

• are different!
• care!
• ‘go the extra mile’

OK, it goes on a bit but there was just so much good stuff to put in. What do you think?

If the answer is YES, then please do give us a call because there is absolutely no doubt that the local mid Sussex property market is returning some of the best yields we have seen for a long time.

Over the last few months we have managed to secure quality tenants for almost all of our properties within days of their availability and we do not have enough new rentals to replace them. We are fast becoming a victim of our own success with rental values at the highest they have been for a long time.

We can also offer you advice on the financial aspect, free of charge, and have become quite specialist in this area. There are some excellent purchases available and waiting to be snapped up, some great mortgage deals available, and despite the negative press, lenders DO want to lend if the opportunity presents itself.

We work closely with a firm of Independent Financial Advisors called ‘Mortgage Advice Bureau’ and are now able to help with every aspect of financing properties. Call Simon Pugh on 01444 254422 to find out more.

AND FINALLY…….

If you have a property you are thinking of renting or trying to rent without success, please call us. !!!! We cover everywhere from Handcross to the North, Chailey’s to the East, Pycombe in the South and Twineham / Cowfold to the West. If you have a property anywhere within that area we will most definitely be able to help you. We are always professional, honest and thorough and our fees are competitive. Certainly our current clients believe we are definitely ‘value for money’

Please call us on 01444 254400 and choose option 2 if you would like to chat with our rentals department or email lettings@hiea.co.uk

My next step within the business will be to learn more about the sales progression side (the bit the solicitors do) This is an essential part of what an estate agent does to make sure everything runs as smoothly as possible for both the sellers, and the buyers. The main role estate agents play in the sales progression process is staying on top of the solicitors making sure everything is done, and helping co-ordinate exchange and completion dates up and down the chain. To help improve my skills in this area I will be going to a course in London to refine my skills and gain some theory based knowledge about the conveyancing practices.

Any feedback, advice or expieriences would be greatly apprieciated!

I look forward to hearing from you

Phil Richardson

Looking for an Estate Agent?

Then look no further than Phil Richardson and his excellent team at Hunters. Phil sold my first house in four days. He sold my second house in TWO AND A HALF HOURS! Sound like magic? Yes it is, but the magic is borne out of the hard work and professionalism that are the hallmarks of the service Phil provides.

Motivated by his genuine love of people and the pride he takes in getting a job done as efficiently as possible, Phil goes the extra mile to ensure a perfect match between client and new home.

Unfailingly courteous and friendly, he always returns calls and gets back to you with requested information. And no question or request is too silly!

Statistically, moving house is up there with divorce on the stress scale, but Phil will take the worry out of the experience, smoothing the processes to the very best of his ability and making sure you understand what is going on every step of the way.

Phil’s positive, upbeat approach, coupled with years of experience and rock solid real estate knowledge, make for a unique combination of professionalism and reliability.

Thank you Phil for taking such good care of me!

Jane Aylott, Burgess Hill, March 2011

Regularly it is necessary to be at the desk well before opening times, as often the phone is so busy throughout the day that preparation and planning takes second place to response for customer needs.

I usually take this time to prepare for the market appraisal and valuations occurring throughout the day. These can take the guise of many things,

• We have the amicable divorce valuation. Is there ever such a thing? Difficult to please either party here as often one wants high and one wants low for obvious reasons. You can often find yourself offering almost a social worker type stance. The key aim is always remain detached and most definitely don’t take sides. It amazes me how a divorcing couple will suddenly side together against a common foe.
• The probate valuation, usually at a time of great sadness having lost a relative for the parties requesting it, they are an opportunity to assist with the process that needs to be adopted, timescales to be met and ultimately remove as much stress as possible at a difficult time for the potential vendors.
• The ‘Ego’ Valuation. ‘We bought it a year ago and have done so much to it’ Why isn’t worth another £50k. Always so difficult to judge. Honesty has to be the key and boy do you need to be a politician. The new kitchen may be lovely but not sure why you picked red door fronts. Worse still is the convincing that the £20k conservatory that has removed the whole garden doesn’t really add a lot to the ultimate value.
• The secret reason for valuation. Some customers will conjure all sorts of excuses for requesting the appointment. Often it will change from the initial call, through the appointment and vary again when you follow it up. I promise that we are not there to pry or judge but actually understanding the customer requirements goes a long way in giving an accurate valuation taking account of the current or future market place. It depends on what you require and speed that you require it.
• The standard for sale valuation. Bread and butter for the estate agent. Usually in competition with several others. It is our platform for the business. My view is offer genuine advice, don’t over promise and under deliver, price it at a level that will sell. The perception of Estate Agents is understandably not the best. We have the chance at these appointments to show the good side, the professional side. My advice would be to the customer, look beyond the sales pitch and select the agent not for the highest price but the confidence you feel that they will deliver for you.

Well, we arrive at 0845 and the morning meeting takes place. This is the opportunity to set targets, review the previous day, focus on the priorities and look at providing the best service to the customers in how we will use the day ahead.

Most times the phone will start close to or just before 9am: Applicant Registrations – these will come from numerous sources. Internet advertising will generate enquiries to call back, some will call direct to register prior to going on the market to search what property is available, the newspaper, the walk in customer, all get registered for new properties. We will assist with their financial services enquires and needs. After all, few people have the finance to buy without a mortgage.

Invariably there will be measure ups to be done. The property is instructed for sale and this is the time to record all the detail, take the photos and prepare it for marketing. Having done so, advertising is prepared, brochures printed, photo cards prepared and ultimately the details are marketed to all people registered as interested in that specific type of property.

At any time there will be over 20 current sales being progressed to completion. It is necessary to maintain control of where each one is in the sales process. Assist solicitors with enquiries, update vendors on the situation, respond to survey requests and the subsequent post survey issues. Additional specialist contractors may have to explore damp issues, check timber for wood worm or just explain in plain simple English what is being reported in the survey. We will deal with additional property negotiations for carpets and curtains and such like. Primarily in the sales process it is about communication of the facts and managing expectations, ensuring that move dates are co-ordinated and often just being on hand to remove the stress of the buying and selling process.

In an average day we will conduct up to 10 viewings each. Some days are quieter and particularly weekends are busier. When quiet the time is taken to use the system information to match buyers to property and generate further viewings. This matching process is continuous and either manually conducted with telephone enquires out to the buyers or automated where brochures and e-mails are sent.

Like any job there will always be the dreaded administration to be managed. A small but essential part of the day. Newspaper advertising, contact letters, post valuation correspondence to list a few.

All in all, it is rare that the clock gets watched. Often the day will run through the normal home time. For me the servicing of customer needs is the focus. This may be buying, selling, mortgages, renting, investing. It is fair to say that dull days are few and far between and the general frenetic level of activity is what makes a day in this life so rewarding.

Houses

WANT TO BUY BUT DON’T KNOW WHERE TO START?
WORRIED ABOUT THE PROCESS, DEPOSIT, LEGAL SIDE?

COME ALONG AND MEET THE TEAM ON 28TH MAY AND WE WILL MAKE IT EASY FOR YOU.

Trying to get on the property ladder can be a daunting and potentially difficult process.  Hunters Estate Agents will be running a First Time Buyers Day workshop on the 28th of May 2011. The day will be a great opportunity and one not to be missed, to ask any questions you may not have had the chance to ask before. Available to you will be the whole Hunters team, including our Independent Financial Advisor, surveyors, and lawyers. Get adviceabout the property market, how to get a mortgage and the best type of property to suit your needs. Go on, what have you got to lose, it may be that first step to owning your property. We look forward to seeing you there!

Flats

SATURDAY 28TH MAY, HUNTERS ESTATE AGENTS, 5 CHURCH ROAD, BURGESS HILL, ALL DAY – JUST DROP IN AND SEE US.

EXCLUSIVE MORTGAGE PRODUCTS AVAILABLE WITH ONLY 5% DEPOSIT REQUIRED.

In order to assist you, we have decided to run a First Time Buyers Workshop day and invite you into the branch for an informal chat.

To make the opportunity of value to you all the staff will be on hand to assist in any way possible.

Our mortgage Advisor has some exciting new deals available specifically for First Time Buyers, some of which even explode the myth regarding levels of deposit required. A recent innovation in the mortgage market is 5% deposit and vendor gifted deposit mortgages. He will be happy to advise on the best way forward to suit your personal circumstances.

It is intended to have available surveyors, legal convenyancers and of course all the skills brought by the Hunters Team.

Please feel free to drop in at your convenience. We will be open between 9am and 5pm on 28^th May 2011.

Come along and ask any questions you have always been afraid to ask. We will explain all the processes in simple and easy to understand, jargon free language and hopefully we can assist you in taking the first steps to property ownership.

If the answer is YES, then please do give us a call because there is absolutely no doubt that the local mid Sussex property market is returning some of the best yields we have seen for a long time.

Over the last few months we have managed to secure quality tenants for almost all of our properties within days of their availability and we do not have enough new rentals to replace them. We are fast becoming a victim of our own success with rental values at the highest they have been for a long time.

We can also offer you advice on the financial aspect, free of charge, and have become quite specialist in this area. There are some excellent purchases available and waiting to be snapped up, some great mortgage deals available, and despite the negative press, lenders DO want to lend if the opportunity presents itself.

We work closely with a firm of Independent Financial Advisors called ‘Mortgage Advice Bureau’ and are now able to help with every aspect of financing properties. Call Simon Pugh on 01444 254422 to find out more.

AND FINALLY…….

If you have a property you are thinking of renting or trying to rent without success, please call us. !!!! We cover everywhere from Handcross to the North, Chailey’s to the East, Pycombe in the South and Twineham / Cowfold to the West. If you have a property anywhere within that area we will most definitely be able to help you. We are always professional, honest and thorough and our fees are competitive. Certainly our current clients believe we are definitely ‘value for money’

Please call us on 01444 254400 and choose option 2 if you would like to chat with our rentals department or email lettings@hiea.co.uk