Tag: property

Venture Properties Co-Owner Celebrates 20 Years In The Industry

By on 17th January 2016in Local Biz

Twenty years after selling his first house, a successful North East estate agent says he still gets the same excited feeling when a sale goes through…

This year will see Venture Properties’ co-owner, Carl Jenkinson, start his 21st year in the industry, and over the last two decades, he has stayed as enthusiastic as the day he began in 1995 – when a three bedroom house could be sold for £35,000.

“It’s surreal how the time has gone so fast, and so much has changed in my 20 years in the industry, but I am still 100% passionate and committed to what I do,” said Carl.

“When I first started, we had no internet and no emails, everything was photocopied and stuck on photos.

“Now we are so much more advanced with technology, which is fantastic, however the job is still the same and still requires the same hard work and dedication.

“When I became an estate agent, I was told good communication, listening to your clients and sound knowledge are the attributes you need to be a success, and this is what I have gone by every day.”

Originally from Darlington, Carl had a passion for houses from a very young age. He found properties intriguing, and realised working in the estate sector was the career for him. As most young starters did in those days, Carl started off as a YTS, and since then has done every job possible in the industry.

Remembering the first house he sold isn’t hard for Carl, as it was a house he has come to know all too well.

He said: “My first sale was in a street close by to our office, and funnily enough, I’ve sold the home many times since over the years.

“The feeling I had back then was amazing, but what’s great is I still get that now. There really is no better feeling than making someone’s dreams come true in helping them secure the home they want.”

In 2008, Carl became co-owner – along with Michael O’Connor – of Venture Properties, which is considered one of the leading estate agents in County Durham, with offices in in Darlington, Cockerton village, Chester-le-Street, Crook, Bishop Auckland and Durham City.

This was one of the personal highlights of his career, despite objections at the time from people around him, due to the state of the economy.

Carl said: “I worked for a corporate from school, and felt there was always more I could do, but had my hands tied.

“I decided to open my own agency in the town, and had already dealt with Michael on sales, and he was in the lettings arm so we decided to collaborate and open a fresh agency.

“People thought we were crazy doing this as the recession had hit, however we had great success in such a short period of time and continue to be on the up.”

With the arrival of 2016, Carl is excited about what the future has in store for both himself and Venture Properties. He is looking forward to more exciting ventures and celebrating his next milestone, surrounded by the team of family and friends who have been with him every step of the way.

For more information about Venture Properties, visit www.venturepropertiesuk.com, or follow them on Twitter.

10 Essential Tips For Selling Your Home

By on 6th October 2015in Lifestyle, Local Biz, What's New?

When it comes to selling your home, small details make a big difference in encouraging people back up the path for a second viewing. Thinking of selling yours? Here are ten tops tips for attracting buyers, courtesy of Estate Agents Brannen & Partners…

 

1. First Impressions

Stand outside your property. How would you rate it? Would it appeal to you as a buyer? Does it need repainting, the garden need tidying, and the path weeding? Initial impressions can stay with a potential buyer long after they’ve viewed a property, so the presentation of the outside is just as important as the inside.

2. A Room With A Purpose

In the current market, a property needs to clearly justify its value if a buyer is to offer anywhere near the asking price. Without expensive renovations or building works, one of the most straightforward ways to validate the asking price is to appraise each room as if it has a price tag attached to it. Some rooms have a much higher value than others, and ‘dual-use’ rooms in particular often don’t appeal.

A dining room may seem charming if doubling up as a playroom, but buyers attribute more value to a dining room than a child’s play area, so try and keep the toys elsewhere. If a spare upstairs room has become a home office, turn it back into a simple bedroom. Buyers rate the number of bedrooms very highly!

3. Let The Air In

Musty-smelling rooms are off-putting and make people want to get out before they’ve even noticed the stunning ceiling rose. Don’t forget to air rarely used rooms… and teenagers’ bedrooms!

4. Lighten Up

If you have a dark room or hallway, make sure all the lights are on. Table or floor standing lights can be particularly effective without emphasising the lack of natural light.

5. Don’t Forget Your Keys

Buyers will be entering through the front door, but they’ll want to see all areas of the property, including outside spaces and garages, so remember to keep all keys with you. A good viewing should be efficient, simple and friendly. If vendors are rushing around the house frantically searching for keys, the viewing can quickly seem disorganised and muddled, sentiments which can easily be applied to the house itself and put the buyer off.

6. Smell Of Success

You shouldn’t underestimate the power of the sense of smell and how it affects our other senses. A home that smells fresh and clean is more important than baking bread or brewing coffee.

7. Window Dressing

People are always drawn towards windows, so make them a real focal point. Apart from ensuring the glass is sparkling (well worth paying a window cleaner), clear junk off window sills and keep curtains pulled well back to make rooms seem lighter and bigger.

 

8. Floor Space

The tidier the better! It’s particularly important to take everything off the floor, as carpet clutter is the quickest way to make a room look smaller.

9. The Pets Have To Go

Remember that not everyone loves your pets as much as you do. Dishes of pet food in the kitchen, especially in warm weather, are a complete turn-off, as are little accidents left on the lawn. Try and take dogs out for walks during viewings, as barking and scratching at doors can be off-putting to someone visiting. Try and remove hair and smells as best you can.

10. Leave People To Browse

Viewers don’t want to be pounced on by owners and over-loaded with information. Allow people to look around the property and ask if they have any specific questions they would like answering.

Getting the basics right will often help make the property more sellable and achieve the best possible price. Don’t worry about spending a lot of money on a property prior to sale, as there’s no guarantee you’ll recoup the outlay, or that it’ll be to any potential buyer’s tastes. Instead, do all the little finishing off bits. Touching up paintwork and neutralising walls from bold colours can often be more cost and time effective, without the hassle.

Looking to buy or sell? You can visit www.brannen-partners.co.uk for more information, or call 0191 2578484 to speak to an advisor personally.

ADVERTISERS