We will challenge the perceptions that people have of estate agents by showing that we can be honest, straight talking and highly professional. We will only employ exceptional people, who will do exceptional things every day.
Our concept is remarkably simple; we will provide you with a dedicated Personal Relationship Manager to guide you through every stage of the process, from marketing to moving. They will handle a limited portfolio, thereby making sure their clients are always treated with respect and courtesy.
The web has revolutionised the marketing of property in the UK and beyond. Over 90% of people now start their search online (source: rightmove.co.uk). An increasing number are now using smart phones and tablets to browse for property. Yet the way estate agents use the web hasn’t really changed at all. So we’re doing something different. We focus on making your home stand out from the crowd, especially online – with professional photography, 3D floorplans, audio tours, film tours and enhanced listings on the main web portals. A fresh approach to online marketing.
Most importantly, we believe in total transparency and an openness and honesty not normally associated with the industry.
The heart of any business is it’s people. We have assembled an all-star team of property professionals, all experts in their field and with an attention to detail and work ethic that surpasses the standard level of estate agency services. Our team are extensively trained and we have a strict code of practice in accordance with the professional bodies which we are members of. Meet our team here.
At Ivy Gate, we operate within territories. A territory is our name for an area which most estate agents cover with an office. Each territory is run by a Personal Relationship Manager, who is responsible for properties in their portfolio that are located in that area. We have separate managers for sales and for lettings. This way, our team can operate more efficiently within a territory and between territories rather than being restricted to operating out of a local office.
We’re members of the UK’s most recognised professional bodies ensuring the highest possible standards. We are members of ‘The Property Ombudsman’ for sales and lettings, and follow their strict guidelines and code of practice. We are also members of ARLA (The Association of Residential Letting Agents) and are fully compliant with best practice for Landlords and tenants.
We have won numerous national awards since we launched in 2013, including the coveted prize of ‘Best Customer Service’ in the UK for a small estate agent, confirming our business as an innovative market leader in customer service delivery. We strive to deliver excellent customer service and exceed our clients’ expectations.
By choosing our enhanced service options, you can have your property photographed by international award winner Constantine Lourdas. With 30 years’ experience in the architectural and commercial property field, we are proud to work exclusively in conjunction with Lourdas photography, offering professional and personalised presentation of our property portfolio.
Practised in contemporary and conventional projects, they create interesting and dynamic images. Using advanced digital equipment, their in-house digital manipulation team can provide images in any format and size and their photographers are fully qualified members of the British Institute of Professional Photography (BIPP).
We understand that every client is different. That’s why we offer three simple service options so you can choose which one is right for you. From a simple listing online for a fixed fee, to a full personal and bespoke concierge style service, we have a structure to suit you. Our three service options are Ivy Gate Lite, Ivy Gate Standard and Ivy Gate Premium. Each one offers a different level of service giving you freedom to choose the service level which works for you.
We’re open 7 days a week from 8am until 8pm. We are used to operating remotely, and can therefore operate out of hours too. Most of our clients and customers use text, WhatsApp and Skype to communicate with their relationship manager. We can provide updates in real time when most other agents are closed. Most of our viewings take place after 6pm, a time when most other estate agents are closed. Our unique business model lets us operate at times to suit our clients.
Most estate agents don’t publish their fees. We believe this is wrong. We make sure that all of our clients know how much they are paying, and what they’re paying it for. Buyers, sellers, tenants and Landlords can see our published fee tables.
Choose your service: SELLING FEES | LETTING FEES | TENANT FEES
We are proud of our business and of our levels of customer service. We always make sure we ask for feedback from our clients, so that we can constantly review and improve our processes. We have been delighted to receive over a hundred 5 star reviews from our clients in 2015.
In an industry blighted by poor service and inconsistent communication, we believe that you should be able to build a proper relationship with your estate agent. We operate differently to most agents; we assign a single point of contact to our clients so that you’re not passed around from person to person when you call.
These relationship managers will know our properties inside out and will therefore be better placed to provide the highest levels of service to buyers, sellers, tenants and Landlords.
We’re not just estate agents, we’re marketing experts. We make sure your property stands out from the crowd, maximising your chances of achieving the best possible price.
Surprisingly, lots of agents still don’t have professional photographs or provide floorplans – do they really think that photos of a badly lit bedroom or a bathroom with the toilet seat up will create the best impression? That’s why when it comes to marketing and exposure, it’s vital that your home appears in the right places in the right way – we concentrate on the things that make a difference.
With over 50% of people now searching for properties on mobile devices, it’s important that an estate agents website is user friendly on devices of all sizes. Our website is fully responsive; which means that our views adapt regardless of screen size. Customers can search for properties easily on desktop, tablet or mobile and our contact forms work seamlessly too. They can view properties, contact us, and even book a viewing or valuation online at the touch of a button. When you choose Ivy Gate, you’re choosing an estate agent who understands the changing nature of property search and how use of technology can simplify the process.
Every agent will tell you they have the best this, the best that. The proof of our success is in our selling and letting conversion data, and in our customer satisfaction score. At Ivy Gate, we love stats. We believe that the best way to communicate our performance is to publish our data for everyone to see. So we do. Below are our performance statistics for selling and letting.
We don’t just put your property on the market, we launch it. Our tried and tested ‘Open House’ launch method has proven highly effective in generating the most interest in your home. Not only is this much more convenient for you than the conventional private appointment method, but this creates the right buzz about your home, as groups of potential applicants can see how desirable your property is.
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