Was 2020 the Strangest Year Ever For Estate Agents?

11th December 2020

Bust and boom, doom and gloom, good times and bad - after being an Estate Agent for more than thirty years I thought I'd seen it all. Then 2020 came along...

Perhaps one of the strangest aspects of the year was having our whole industry shut down by Government almost overnight. Although other sectors such as hospitality and entertainment were similarly affected, thankfully we were able to get back to work at the start of the summer and deal with the pent-up demand that we always expected to result from this enforced break.

Back to work

One of the core truths of being an estate agent is that at any one time there will always be people who want to sell, buy, rent and let property. Whether that's as a first time buyer, a downsizer, relocation or for any number of other scenarios, the fact is that no matter what the macro-economic picture looks like there will always be personal circumstances behind a move.

Even in the midst of a global pandemic caused by a previously unknown virus this simple fact stays the same, so we knew that the summer was going to be just the start of a very busy period for our industry. However, we also knew it wasn't going to be a return to 'business as usual'.

Changes

We had to make changes to the way we did things, from wearing masks to using social distancing for viewings and valuations, whilst also changing the way we used social media and online tools.

Many people in all walks of life have also taken the opportunity to re-evaluate their situation and decided to make changes. Whether it was working from home for the first time or spending more time in a local area due to social distancing and travel restrictions, new ideas about a life/work balance have become more important due to the strange nature of this year.

The media reported a 'rush to the country' as city dwellers looked for open outdoor spaces and larger indoor ones. Here in Brighton and Hove we have long known that you don't need to live in rural exclusion in order to have that kind of lifestyle. Many new enquiries for homes in our city came from people deciding to move away from London and its suburbs to greener and coastal locations where they can have some outside space to call their own, and of course the Stamp Duty holiday is continuing to be a great help to both buyers and sellers. So it's no surprise that we have been so busy in our three local offices!

New Year, new start

One of our taglines is 'Are You Home Yet?' and that's something that particularly resonates at this time of year. The festive season puts the focus on home, family and friends and thankfully the lifting of some restrictions means that most of us will be able to regain some sense of normality over the Christmas break.

With hopes that next year will see something much closer to the old normal we were happy with before, the effects of this year still mean that many people will be looking for a new home to make their own personal version of a 'new normal'.

As always, the best way to ensure that you find your perfect property is to get the help of a local estate agent who really knows their area and puts people before profit. That's another of our mottos here at Maslen Estate Agents, and we pride ourselves on making sure our clients have our total support throughout their buying, selling or renting journey. We're incredibly proud to be the only estate agent in Brighton to receive the top rating of Exceptional for our sales service in the new Best Estate Agent Guide for 2021, which rigorously assesses over 25,000 branches nationwide with both in depth data analysis of their results and marketing, along with high levels of 'mystery shopping' to help you feel confident that you've chosen the most trustworthy, professional and successful agent in your area.

Whatever you plans for 2021, I wish you a very Happy Christmas and a safe and healthy New Year.

David Maslen M.N.A.E.A., M.A.R.L.A. - Director

Testimonials

  • Paul Wilkinson was extremely helpful and efficient. The only problem was the vendors solicitor and Paul warned me of this. A good transaction all r...

    Mr Lavender Fiveways

  • Nick and Paula are total stars! They were incredibly supportive and present throughout. Thank you!

    Miss O'Haire Hove

  • First class service from a first class team.

    Mr & Mrs English The Ridgway

  • Extremely efficient. Nick and Paula are excellent. The weekly phone calls were much appreciated. 

    Ms Gray Lewes Road

  • I would recommend Maslen to anyone. 

    Mrs Tripp Woodingdean

  • From start to finish the sale was dealt with in a thoroughly professional manner.  

    Mr Gibbs Lewes Road

  • It was an amazing experience, everyone involved were fantastic. 

    Mr & Mrs Knight Woodingdean

  • Please thank Paula at Lewes Road - Excellent service. 

    Mr & Mrs Nuthall Lewes Road

  • The staff were very helpful, an excellent service. I would recommend you to others.

    Miss Hockly Fiveways

  • Very impressive - professional and friendly, both Martin Timms and Paula Carter were excellent at keeping in contact with sensible advice based on...

    Mrs O'Connor Hove

  • Very impressed with all dealings with Maslen. Paula Carter was in particular very knowledgeable and helpful. 

    Mr McBlane Hove

  • Thanks for an excellent service. 

    Mr King Hove

  • Exceptional service throughout the process - should we decide to sell in the future we wouldn't hesitate to use your agency. You're a cut above the...

    Ms Windels & Mr Barham Fiveways

  • The team worked very hard over a long period to ensure my sale went through - excellent service!

    Mr Patrick Gladstone Terrace

  • Excellent Service from start to finish.

    Mr T Mole Cromwell Road

  • Maslens as a whole were really friendly and professional. I have to thank and congratulate Paula Carter for being superb at her job and exceeding m...

    Ms Warren Hove

  • Ben was particularly enthusiastic and helpful. Martin, Paula, Sam and Will are all hard workers.

    Ms Goodey Franklin Road

  • Thank you Maslens, you were all excellent!

    Miss Jasper Taunton Road

  • We were very impressed with the Nick from start to finish. 

    Mr & Mrs Smith Lewes Road

  • Best Agents in Brighton.

    Mrs Field Tarner Road

  • Paul was absolutely brilliant. 

    Mrs Tasker Fiveways

  • Very, very happy we chose you, felt right from the start! Thank you!

    Miss Blackadder Coniston Court, Holland Road

  • Quality advice about when and how to sell, which was spot on. Thank you.

    Miss Coleman Buller Road

  • Very impressed with the service. Sharon Wareham works tirelessly, very professionally and is always there for advice. 

    Miss Matthews Kipling Avenue

  • It was a long, drawn out process that the people at Maslen helped me through, without the impression that it was a chore. So extremely professional...

    Mr McLagan Lewes Road

  • As always, an excellent service. 

    Mr & Mrs Field Lewes Road

  • Paula is amazing!

    Ms Aspnall Gladstone Place

  • Good team. Straightforward. No nonsense.

    Mr Standing Newmarket Road

  • We were delighted with the service received from all the staff with whom we had contact,

    Dr Crichton The Ridgway

  • I found the service to be courteous, friendly and efficient.

    Mr Upton Buller Road

  • I wish we had used you to sell our property! Nice to meet honest people, who are genuinely interested in helping. Very pleased.

    Mrs Porter Taunton Road

  • A very positive experience - I had most contact with the Fiveways office and they were so friendly and helpful.

    Ms A King Balfour Road

  • Excellent service from the Lewes Road branch. Martin Timms secured a quick sale & at a good price & Paula Carter worked really hard to secure...

    Ms Schulte Bear Road

  • Graham Griffin provided us, and continues to provide us, will all-round excellent advice. We trust his knowledge and expertise.

    Mr Blackmore & Ms O'Sullivan Financial Services

  • The whole team were excellent, each one of them felt like family. Sharon had a lot of sorting to do at times but coped very well, a true profession...

    Mr Vernon Woodingdean

  • Compared to your rivals, your service was excellent

    Ms McGrigor Milner Road

  • All agents at Maslen were extremely helpful and polite from the beginning to the completion of sale. 

    Mr Johnson Fiveways

  • Very pleased with the experience. I would definitely recommend you and use you again.

    Ms D Edmonds Horton Road

  • We were very pleased with services provided by the Fiveways office.

    Mr & Mrs Sawyer Shaftesbury Road

  • Very thorough & very informative.

    Mr Michnowicz Waldegrave Road

  • Fantastic service. By far the best agents we have ever used, I cannot recommend you highly enough.

    Mr Field Mafeking Road

  • Superb service as usual, I would always recommend you.

    Ms S Hike Blackthorn Close

  • Already recommended you! Thank you.

    Mr Edwards The Ridgway

  • Sharon and her team could not have done more in what was a difficult sale. 

    Ms Daly Woodingdean

  • Thank you. We found all the staff knowledgeable and really pleasant to deal with. 

    Ms Ansloos Lewes Road

  • Cannot express our appreciation enough of all the efforts made by the Woodingdean team - they were fantastic.

    Mr John Mogridge Woodingdean

  • Sharon was excellent, she kept us informed at all stages and was a really calming objective influence in the process.

    Ms Frederick Channel View Road

  • Service exceeded my expectations overall at all stages of the process - I wouldn't hesitate to recommend you. Thanks. 

    Ms Greene Lewes Road

  • Ben and Paula were calm and reassuring throughout a very difficult process!

    Ms Easterbrook Bear Road

  • A very committed team who made the sale process very easy.

    Ms Rees Ticehurst Road

  • Sharon, Harvey and James were all excellent - very professional. Totally opposite to what I have experienced with other agents. Maslen have restore...

    Ms Lyons Woodingdean

  • Paula's role was brilliant. Having someone office based and available was so appreciated and her promptness an impressive service - every Estate Agent...

    Ms Wynn-Jones Baxter Street

  • You were amazingly helpful throughout - a real pillar of strength with a very difficult sale.

    Mrs Parkin Fiveways

  • All the staff I dealt with were excellent. Sharon worked really hard to complete the sale.

    Mrs Bent Falmer Gardens

  • Thanks David, all very professional.

    Mrs Flowers Foxdown Road

  • The sale was dealt with swiftly, professionally and successfully. Thank you Maslen!

    Mrs Lincoln Hove

  • Hugely impressed with Ben & his team.

    Mrs Mead Upper Lewes Road

  • Excellent communication and advice throughout. It felt very reassuring to be in good hands.

    Mrs Brooker Buller Road

  • Many thanks to Nick. It was an easy process thanks to you! I'm extremely satisfied with how the sale went, great job.

    Ms Mayanobe Aymer Road

  • Very pleased with the excellent service throughout. Professional, friendly, efficient and no hard sell. Achieved above asking price. Thank you!

    Mr Witten Lewes Road

  • Very professional service. Thank you!

    Miss New & Mr Jackson Buller Road

  • I have bought and sold 7 properties, and this was the best experience of an estate agents services I have found.

    Mrs Shepherd Hertford Road

  • A completely painless experience from start to finish. Thank you.

    Mr Woolven & Mrs Bessant-Woolven Lewes Road

  • Thank you for everything!

    Ms Tucker Willow Close

  • Sharon was excellent - kept us well informed, thank you so much!

    Ms Waters Cowley Drive

  • Sharon was amazing! She kept us up to date the whole way through the process. We cannot fault Sharon or the rest of her team. 

    Mr & Mrs Ashley Woodingdean

  • A really good experience.

    Mr Tibble Lewes Road

  • Very impressed with the efficient and friendly service, the staff were a pleasure to deal with. 

    Mr & Mrs Gill Lewes Road

  • We cannot recommend Maslen's estate agents enough.

    Many thanks to Paul, Donna, Janette and the...

    Linda & Les Wigmore Close

  • Brilliant. Well done to Sharon and the Woodingdean team.

    Ms Curtis The Ridgway

  • Very good service and communication. Paula was excellent.

    Mr & Mrs Scarboro 1 Pevensey Road

  • Thank you Paul and Archie, you gave an excellent service, as well as Kelly. I look forward to working with you again. 

    Mr White Fiveways

  • The whole team were very committed from start to finish.

    Mr Pilgrim Lewes Road

  • Our local office manager, Sharon Wareham was warm and friendly and kept us up to date at all times.

    Mr Hope The Brow

  • Very happy with the service we got from you guys, everyone we dealt with was extremely friendly, professional and helpful. Thanks!

    Mr Brown Titian Road

  • Very comprehensive and professional. Nice people to work with and highly recommended. 

    Mr Alderton Ladysmith Road

  • I was new to the area and viewed a lot of properties with a lot of different agents. Maslens were by far the best I came in contact with, so when i...

    Mr & Mrs Heer Lewes Road

  • Best Estate Agents ever experienced - professional, approachable, competent and exemplary. 

    Mr & Mrs Guest Riley Road

  • A good team at Woodingdean helped us through a stressful time.

    Mr & Mrs Penton Sycamore Close

  • Excellent customer service throughout. I will definitely recommend you, and use you again. Thank you.

    Ms Longley Kingsbury Street

  • Paula was fabulous and we felt really informed and supported. 

    Mr & Mrs Walker Lewes Road

  • Great service, always polite and friendly. Excellent contact and info all the way.

    Mr Wells Bishops Road

  • Paula was absolutely amazing!

    Mr & Mrs MacKay Lewes Road

  • Outstanding service from Sharon. James is an asset to Maslens & Harvey was so helpful and polite.

    Ms Cianchetta Selhurst Road

  • Sold within 2 weeks for asking price "excellent!"

    Mr Grundy Bishops Road

  • An efficient, professional and friendly service. Helpful and a pleasure to do business with.

    Mr Beddington Brading Road

  • All very professional, kept updated throughout. Very pleased - Would recommend. 

    Mrs Hammond Hove

  • In February 2016 I was looking to buy and sell very rapidly. Competition among buyers at the time was very high. Sharon @ the Woodingdean branch sh...

    Ms Helen Lyons Woodingdean

  • Very helpful and patient team.

    Mrs Shea Selborne Place

  • The Woodingdean team were very friendly and approachable.

    Mrs Palmer Pitt Gardens

  • First class service. Friendly and professional.

    Mr Thorne The Avenue

  • Excellent service as always

    Mr Field Ringmer Road

  • Harvey was helpful and easily reachable at the beginning of the process and Sharon kept us informed and was always happy to help.

    Ms Murch & Ms Mapa Ticehurst Road

  • Very pleased with the service. Many thanks to Sharon and the boys!

    Mr Flynn Woodingdean

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