It may be Christmas Eve, but when Petty’s commit to something, we deliver...so here, as ever, is our weekly blog post (albeit a slightly different one this time around!).
Naturally, I wanted to wish each and every one of you a very Merry Christmas, but I also wanted to give you an insight into our year as well. It’s been quite something! Testing market conditions, operational changes, political turmoil...you name it, 2018 has thrown it at us.
Despite all this, however, I can sit here with hand on heart and tell you we’ve had a great year, and that’s largely down to people like you putting your trust in us. Thank you so much. If you didn’t already know it, our clients mean the world to us and building long-lasting relationships is part and parcel of what we do here.
Our local, knowledgeable, trained, friendly staff members are the other side of our success story, and it’s these hard working, diligent individuals that make Petty’s what it is: an ethical estate agency capable of delivering positive outcomes in an ever-changing market. All this without losing sight of core values such as decency, trustworthiness, loyalty, honesty, reliability, consistency, and conscientiousness. They really are the best team in the area, bar none, so a huge thanks to them is in order, too.
The big change
The biggest change for us as a company in 2018 was the decision to merge our two offices into one, bringing our Buckhurst Hill experts over to Wanstead to create a more dynamic, fluid, dream team that’s capable of efficiently serving both East London and West Essex from one central hub.
As you’re probably already aware, although we take great pride in being a family-run business that cares deeply about traditional values, we’re constantly looking to the future, too. We know the market is changing and we believe this move will ensure we are in the best possible position to serve you, our customers, going forward, whether you are in Wanstead, Buckhurst Hill, or any of the surrounding areas where we have operated in the past.
In short, although 2018 saw us move away from IG9 in the physical sense, we believe the centralisation of our business will actually allow us to serve the West Essex area better, whilst maintaining a strong foothold on the busy London market as well.
From a personal point of view, this has been the best decision I’ve made as director of Petty’s. The team love the close-knit feel of working together and the atmosphere is amazing. Working side-by-side in this way will undoubtedly enable us to take our service to the next level, which is something all businesses should be striving for, in my opinion.
The future is now
As well as the big move, over the last 12 months we have kept abreast of the burgeoning tech side of the industry and implemented systems that will bring our customers an experience that is unrivalled locally. Buyers, sellers, landlords, and tenants alike will all benefit from the changes we have made behind the scenes and we’ll continue to look forward as we move into 2019 rather than rest on our laurels.
In terms of what’s happening front of house, we have recently introduced digital screens to improve the way we showcase our properties and we continue to improve and maintain our new website as well. With better photography and back catalogue of blog posts that is fast becoming a reference point for anyone interested in property, regardless of where they are in the country (I have personally taken calls from people seeking advice in Bournemouth and the Cotswolds just this week), pettyson.co.uk is driving traffic at an impressive rate.
Pair this with our inclusion on popular industry portals such as Rightmove, Zoopla, and OnTheMarket and it’s easy to see why our reach is drawing sellers who recognise the need for such exposure in a trying market.
Politics played a part
In case you missed it, property and politics were closely entwined throughout 2018, for one reason or another. Among the main talking points this year were the introduction of further legislation changes in residential lettings, increased taxation for landlords, and, of course, Brexit.
All of the above have been cause for concern in the industry, with the media broadcasting doom and gloom at every opportunity, but we have, thankfully, ridden out a tough year and look set to start 2019 strongly. While governmental interference hasn’t exactly helped over the last year, it hasn’t particularly hindered our progress either.
Why would that be the case?
Well, in both sales and lettings, I firmly believe that in times of trouble people look for agents they can trust; those who have a proven track record locally and have stood the test of time - agents like Petty’s. We have been operating in E11 for over 100 years and have an outstanding reputation locally, which is something myself and the team are exceptionally proud of.
Obviously, no one knows exactly what 2019 holds, but I’m extremely confident Petty’s will remain the first choice in Wanstead and beyond thanks to our continued commitment to providing a service that is second to none in the areas we serve.
There was a celebration, too!
The other big news for us was the fact that 2018 marked our (myself and Jenny’s) 10th anniversary in charge of Petty’s, and it’s been quite a decade! Taking the reins in the height of the financial crisis back in 2008 was seen as foolhardy by some, but it remains the best thing we’ve ever done and we’re tremendously proud of what we have achieved during our time at the helm.
It must also say something about the way we operate to have survived those early days and still be thriving 10 years later, especially in such turbulent political times and a period that is taking other property professionals to the wall. To say I’m proud of my staff and what they have achieved would be understating things considerably.
Putting together a team that genuinely cares about the people they deal with and seeing them flourish has been extraordinarily gratifying and I can’t wait to see what the next 10 years bring. I’m sure there will be ups and downs along the way, but if the last decade is anything to go by it’ll be an exhilarating ride.
And finally…
With 2018 almost at a close and the review of our year finished, all that remains is for me, Jenny, and everyone here at Petty Son and Prestwich to wish you and your families a very Happy Christmas and a prosperous, healthy, and happy New Year.
As you can probably tell, I’m already looking forward to finding out what’s in store for us in 2019 and I hope you’re as excited about the coming year as I am. As always, you can reach me directly via email or connect with Petty’s on social media.
Oh, and don’t forget to subscribe to our weekly blog posts if you haven’t done so already. You wouldn’t want to miss out on your Monday property mail from us now, would you?
Merry Christmas everyone!
John Wagstaff MARLA, MNAEA
Director
