Established over 25 years ago, Emma’s Estate Agents is a fully independent, family-run business. You may have heard the term ‘independent estate agent’ bandied about before, but what does this really mean, and what are the benefits of using an independent estate agent?

A Personal Service

Possibly the most important benefit of using an independent estate agent, is that it gives landlords the opportunity to develop a closer working relationship with their agent. Corporate estate agents often have vast, diverse portfolios and a huge number of employees shared across multiple offices. In practice, this often means that they simply don’t have the time to familiarise themselves with you and your property properly. This can easily lead to client dissatisfaction, as needs and expectations can be overlooked. At Emma’s you can be sure that client happiness is our main priority. Similarly, corporate estate agents are often dealing with a number of larger, “high-priority” clients. This can lead to disappointment as clients can be left feeling like they are not a priority. With an independent estate agent, such as Emma’s, this is not the case. At Emma’s, we prioritise building lasting relationships based on trust, honesty, and integrity over profit. As such, we endeavour to keep in regular close contact with all our clients to ensure they’re happy. Nobody wants to feel like they are second-best, and with Emma’s you can be sure that you’re receiving the highest level of service, and that your property is being given adequate care and attention.

 

“We were very well looked after throughout, receiving constant updates, and never going long without a reply to our questions. The benefits of a smaller company really were so apparent.” – Chloe Roberts

 

To give an example, unlike many of the larger corporate estate agents, Emma’s does not use any automated services as we believe that automation erodes the possibility of a close, personal relationship with your agent. Of course, there are benefits to automation when utilised properly. However, from our experience, clients frequently benefit from a more hands-on and tailored approach.

 

“They work hard to ensure that timings are met and understand that every person, property etc. is an individual case, not a one type fits all which again is really helpful.” – Chloe Taylor

 

Intimate Knowledge of Our Portfolio

Similarly, unlike corporate estate agents, independent estate agents tend to have intimate knowledge of their portfolio. At Emma’s, you can be confident that every member of our team will know your property inside out. All our agents carry out viewings, inspections, check ins and outs, and where necessary, deal with potential maintenance issues. As such, all our agents are familiar with our portfolio and are well acquainted with the surrounding local areas.

Local Knowledge

Unlike corporate estate agents, who have multiple offices, wider portfolios and shared employees, independent estate agents tend to have in-depth knowledge of their local area. For instance, Emma’s Estate Agents has been based in Streatham since 1997, and most of our employees grew up in, and live in South London. When it comes to selling or letting your property, the benefits of this cannot be overstated.

Knowledge of the Local Area

When you are looking to rent or buy a new home, it isn’t just about finding the right property, but about finding the right area. In fact, most people who are looking to move or buy are not just looking for a specific type of property but also a specific type of area. But how will they know if this area is right for them? Prospective tenants and buyers often have lots of questions about the local area: Is there a gym nearby? Is there green space? How difficult will my journey to work be from this flat? Does this area have a Starbucks where I can get my morning coffee from? This is why choosing an agent with intimate knowledge of the local area is so important when it comes to selling or renting your property. A knowledgeable agent will be able to sell both the property and the area to potential buyers or renters.

 

“An absolute gem of an estate agents nestled right in the heart of Streatham Hill … They’re a pleasure to deal with, prompt and have a wealth of knowledge of the area and market and people looking to buy, rent and sell! – Dylan Moore

   

Supporting Small Local Economies

independent estate agents, clients can also support small local economies. For instance, Emma’s works closely with several independent local businesses in Streatham and Southwest London.

 

By Imogen Bahl