Northfields

PRESS RELEASE: NORTHFIELDS SCOOPS INDUSTRY’S TOP LETTING AWARDS

Northfields has scooped five awards in the Estate Agency of the Year Awards 2010 including the ultimate honour for a lettings business, Lettings Agency of the Year. The awards, the “Oscars” of the estate agency industry, are the longest running and most highly regarded accolades in the profession, championing best practice. The winners were announced on Tuesday 15th June at a glittering awards ceremony hosted by American comedienne, Ruby Wax.

  

As well as the top award for best overall performance, Northfields won the Gold for Best Small Lettings Agency, Silver for Best Property Management, Gold for Best Marketing and Bronze for Training and Development. The judges commented, “For an agency of its size, Northfields’ investment in its staff training, technology and innovation is impressive. It continuously demonstrates an ability to punch well above its weight.”

The Northfields lettings team invests equal time in both landlord and tenant and have implemented innovative ideas to help both. The judges noted, “Excellent communication is key to this business and is shown in every relationship. Both tenants and vendors comment on the team’s exceptional knowledge, dedication and enthusiasm.”

The difference our approach makes is reflected in our figures: 86% of our business comes from personal recommendation, 18% of landlords have stayed with Northfields for over a decade and six out of ten properties are let within 24 hours. This impressive performance is enabling us to open our fifth office in Bayswater, W2 this year, despite the recession.

Proud lettings director Silvia Eldawi comments, “It takes something special to be a member of the Northfields’ lettings team. Our staff are passionate about what they do and I am thrilled that the hard work they put in to helping our customers has been recognised.”

The awards, which are chaired by the Property Ombudsman and have the backing of the Association of Residential Lettings Agents (ARLA), were judged by a panel of highly experienced property professionals. All the judges have seen numerous different agencies over many years, giving them the ability to compare one lettings agency with another.

Northfields, which already has branches in Shepherds Bush, Ealing Broadway, Northfields and Pitshanger, To discuss how we can help you, call our award-winning lettings team on 020 8567 6660.

Northfields Easter Opening Hours

Northfields will be open over the bank holiday weekend as follows:

Good Friday                  CLOSED

Saturday 3rd April           9.30-4.30

Easter Sunday               CLOSED

Monday 5th April             10am-4pm

Northfields would like to wish you a very Happy Easter.  Enjoy the bank holiday.

If you would like to arrange viewings over the bank holiday please call us on 0208 840 6666 or register online here.

Job Vacancies for Lettings Negotiators

Northfields are currently interviewing for lettings negotiators for positions at various office locations. 

Northfields has repeatedly won awards for training and development, most recently in the Estate Agency of the Year awards in 2009. 

The Financial Times also recently featured an article about how we have kept staff motivated.  Click here to read the article.

If you are interested in becoming part of our award-winning team, please e-mail your CV with a covering letter to helen.kennedy@northfields.co.uk

Estate Agency Report Finds Greater Satisfaction with Service

 A recent Office of Fair Trading Report has found that satisfaction with estate agents has improved.

After undertaking a year long study of estate agency, The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) has found that the industry is in reasonably good shape as a whole.

Although, the study reported that a third of sellers were unhappy with their agents' fees, overall most buyers and sellers were satisfied with their estate agent's service.

The National Asscociation of Estate Agent's (NAEA) of which Northfields is a member, has criticised the report for failing to suggest "robust" protection for buyers and sellers.  Peter Bolton King, Chief Executive of the NAEA has said that "The NAEA would like to see a greater level of regulation to ensure that professional, qualified estate agents are not confused with agents that, all too often, fail to meet the basic professional standards we would expect from our members."

The more critical aspects of the OFT's report found that:

• price competition among estate agents is still weak

• existing laws on estate agency make it hard for competitors to use the internet to set up business and drive down prices.

The OFT found there was still little competition between "traditional agents" and the fees they charge to sellers, but pressed the point that it had found no evidence that estate agents colluded locally to keep up their commission rates.

As part of its study the OFT studied internet property sites, price competition between agents, and consumer protection.

"Encouraging new business models, online estate agents and private seller platforms could put useful competitive pressure on traditional models and lead to better value for buyers and sellers," said John Fingleton, chief executive of the OFT.

"The government can help this process by updating legislation and making sure regulation only applies where it is essential to protect consumers."

The OFT said that existing legislation relating to traditional estate agents was "comprehensive and wide-ranging, and that further regulation was unnecessary".  A point of view that is in stark contrast to the point of view of the NAEA, "...once again the OFT has categorically failed to see that better regulation of the home buying and selling market is required. Buying a home is often the largest single transaction of a person’s life and it is disappointing that the OFT has not thought it appropriate to acknowledge that a robust and appropriate level of consumer protection is needed." said Peter Bolton King.

“This is in stark contrast to the views of the Department for Communities and Local Government who are proceeding with the full regulation of lettings agents. This inconsistency is very difficult to understand given that the same agents and firms often deal with both sales and lettings."

At the moment anyone can open an estate agency, without any qualifications or permissions.  If that estate agent subsequently break the laws about describing a property incorrectly, handling a client's money, not declaring an interest in a property, or engage in some other form of dishonesty then they can be banned from trading.  It seems unbelievable that someone must first be taken advantage of, before regulatory bodies can become involved. 

So how do you ensure that you are amongst the 88% of buyers and sellers in this report who were satisfied with their estate agent's service?  Choose an estate agent who is a voluntary member of a regulartory body like the NAEA, the National Approved Lettings Scheme or the Property Ombudsmon.  Better yet, choose a member of those regulatory bodies who regularly wins awards industry awards.  Let a qualified and regulated agent handle the transaction on your biggest asset - your home.  Call Northfields today for your free valuation on 0208 840 6666.

Northfields in the News - How Northfields Keeps Staff Motivated in the Financial Times

Northfields was recently asked by the FT to comment on how we keep our staff trained and motivated, especially in the face of the recent recession.  Our Managing Director, Richard Palfreemen explains "Having been through the last recession, we probably acted faster than other people,” he says. “We have got through it by focusing on training and development, but also by trying to make it fun and buzzy.”  Click here to read the full article.

Feel like working in a motivated environment?  Click here to see Northfields's latest job vacancies.

Northfields triumph at the 2009 Estate Agency of the Year Awards

Northfields received the ultimate industry accolades on  Friday 20^th November by being crowned as winners of three awards at the 2009 Estate Agency of the Year Awards in association with The Sunday Times, held at the Chelsea Football Club’s presentation suite at Stamford Bridge.

 

Northfields were delighted to receive awards in the following categories:

 

• Best Medium London Estate Agency of the Year 2009
• Best Training & Development 2009
• Best Estate Agency Innovation 2009

The judges’ report highlighted “Northfields is an impressive London agency who reacted quickly and decisively to the downturn and knows the value of a happy team who enjoy their work. Constantly embracing new technology and developing an already impressive lettings department Northfields is an outstanding agency which punches well above it’s weight.”

 

The event, now in its sixth year, was this year supported for the first time by The Sunday Times and is widely recognised as the most important in the industry calendar.  The sold out event attracted agents representing over 4,000 branches nationwide and in a sign of improving times for the market, this year received a record number of award entries.  The winners of the 28 categories at the award ceremony were presented with their awards by television personality Penny Smith.

 

Following their initial submissions, each of the winners was subjected to rigorous scrutiny by a panel of independent industry experts and the whole judging process was overseen by the Property Ombudsman Christopher Hamer.

 

In addition to title sponsor, The Sunday Times, the 2009 awards sponsors were also supported by the Property Ombudsman and leading professional bodies the NAEA and ARLA.

 

Peter Knight, Chairman of the event organisers Estate Agency Events was delighted with the 2009 awards, “I hope that our record number of entries this year and the very little time it took for the event to sell out is an indicator that we may have reached the bottom of the slump.  There is no doubt that 2010 will still be a challenging year for our industry and the absolute commitment to excellence that all our winners have demonstrated will be vital for the industry to return to growth and thrive in the future. I cannot commend the examples set the winners highly enough.“

 

The chosen charity for the 2009 Awards was Help for Heroes and the event was addressed by the charity’s Mark Elliott who explained how money raised will go to help the charity’s Launchpad to Life and Combat Stress initiatives which help ex-service people who cannot return to active service and need help re-adjusting to civilian life due to physical or mental breakdowns or injury. Donations on the day raised £5,000 which will be donated to Help for Heroes via the Estate Agency Foundation, an umbrella charity through which agents’ donations go to existing charities that help combat the causes of homelessness. 

We've done it again!

For the second year in a row, Northfields Estate Agents were awarded the most prestigious trophy; Best Independent Estate Agency of the Year at the Negotiator Awards 2009 on Wednesday 11^th November at a glittering award ceremony held at the Hilton Park Lane. 

The panel of eleven judges hand picked from across the property spectrum included Property Ombudsman Chairman Bill McClintock.

 

Clare Bettelley, editor of The Negotiator, says: “We’ve had a staggering response to this year’s event, and the quality of the entries has once again been outstanding. The winners of this year’s 16 categories clearly demonstrated to our esteemed panel of judge’s immense professionalism, financial stability and adaptability to the current market downturn – the key attributes that The Negotiator Awards ceremony has been established to celebrate and reward.”

 

Northfields has been established since 1986 and enjoys a strong market presence in West London. Over the past 8 years they have won an enviable 14 national awards.

Now, having scooped the coveted title for the last two years’ Northfields demonstrate that they are, overall, the most complete and efficient residential sales and lettings agency in the UK, offering a certifiably superior service to their customers across West London.

 

Richard Palfreeman, Managing Director says: “We are delighted to receive this fantastic recognition for a second year running and we owe this award to all our clients, customers, local businesses and the community for their continued support throughout 2009.”

 

For more information about this award visit The Negotiator magazine’s website – www.negotiator-magazine.co.uk. This has more details of the judges, sponsors, pictures and details of all the other finalists shortlisted for the various awards.

What would you do if we handed you £50 right now?

Seriously.  We'd love to give you £50.  And all you have to do is recommend a friend who is in need of our services.  And then we'll give your friend £50 too.

Just fill out this form:  Download It Pays Today, fill it out and return it to us.  It's that easy.

So what would you spend your £50 on? 

Terms and conditions apply.  Please Download It Pays Today for more information or call us on 0208 840 6666 to find out more.

Northfields Estates Shortlisted for Three More Awards in 2009

Northfields Estate Agents are delighted to announce that further to their success last year scooping the prestigious Best Independent Estate Agency of the Year at The Negotiator Awards 2008, they have been shortlisted as finalists for another THREE more awards in 2009.

The nationwide estate agency awards scheme is in it's 2nd year and trophies will be presented at a glittering awards ceremony at the Hilton Hotel in London’s Park Lane on Wednesday 11 November 2009.   

Check out this video of the highlights from last year's negotiator awards:

More than 185 entries were received for the awards, which will hopefully be hosted by top impressionist Rory Bremner again for the 2nd year running.

Clare Bettelley, The editor of The Negotiator, the leading magazine for the world of estate agency, said: “We’ve had a terrific response and Northfields have done brilliantly to get shortlisted from such a huge field. Britain’s estate agents are certainly having a tough time at the moment, but this is an industry awash with talent, entrepreneurialism and creativity, so we’re delighted we’re able to organise a ceremony to reward that firms that are delivering industry best practice”.

The sponsors of the awards include Findaproperty.com, Primelocation.com, Thames Water, My HomeMove, PSG,  SimplyHip, Evolvin, Homelet, the National Association of Estate Agents, The Association of Independent Inventory Clerks and the Association of Residential Letting Agents.

If you want to find out more about the award click here.

Wish us luck!

Lights, Camera, Action! Our Own Branch Manager, Kylie Menz Appears on Property Snakes and Ladders

Our very own Kylie Menz, Branch Manager at our Northfields Avenue Sales Office appeared on Property Snakes and Ladders with Sarah Beeny last night on Channel 4.  The episode focused on three first-time developers who jointly purchased a 5 bedroom property in Brentford and planned to divide it into flats.  The show's producers contacted Northfields to value the property to offer our expert opinion on the property's value after it had been refurbished. 

Kylie says of her experience in front of the camera, "It was absolutely no problem to value the property as I have the experience of doing valuations and selling property regularly in Brentford.  However, talking in front of a camera was a new experience.  The camera crew was fantastic on the day and gave me lots of tips, making the experience really enjoyable for me."

To read about the episode and see the photo gallery click here.   To see the episode in its entirety click here.  Please note that you'll need to click on the episode dated 16 June 2009 and you will need to Flashplayer downloaded on your computer.  If you don't already have it download, download it for free by clicking here.

"The interesting thing is that this episode was shot in November 2008 and shows how quickly the market can changed.  We are finding that there are fewer properties on the market in sales at the moment.  This lack of supply combined with pent-up demand from buyers, particularly for buyers looking to move into certain school catchment areas in time for the start of the new school year, has caused an increase in sales turnover.  We are seeing realistically priced properties being sold quite quickly with increased competition from buyers", says Kylie.  If you have a property is Brentford or anywhere in West London that you would like valued, call Kylie Menz on 0208 840 6666 or click here to request your valuation online.