Availability is Key to Industry

Reigate-based Hound & Porter’s Chris Nathan tells us how being available 7 days a week is all part of the service...

Chris, you’ve been an estate agent for over 30 years; what makes you stay in the industry?

This is very simple – I enjoy helping people. I’ve been lucky enough to have a varied role over the years, as I started as a trainee working my way up. No matter what, I have spent my time either helping the public move or helping my associates through their careers. Overall, it’s been an exceptionally rewarding path for me.

Can you tell us what makes Hound & Porter stand out from the competition?

At Hound & Porter, we tailor our service for the individual. With my little black book of contacts and in-depth knowledge of the area, I am able to offer expert advice on a range of topics and I believe this is what helps us stand out from the crowd.

Additionally, we’re open seven days a week. When I say that you can call me whenever, I mean it (except for the middle of the night, of course). For those who work all week and may only have a free day on Sunday, we can accommodate this – we’re completely accessible and we want to make life easier for our clients.

Throughout the growth of the business, our aim is to build long-term relationships. Our vision is to offer a family-feel approach, maintaining positive partnerships with our customers, so they feel they can always come back to us in the future.

Do you work with new build developers in the locality?

Yes, I meet with new build developers regularly and I have good personal relationships with many builders in Reigate. I feel it’s important for me to build these relationships and also be in-the-know with any new properties coming up in my area that may be suitable for a client. I enjoy working with the boutique-style housebuilders that aim to build homes that are relevant to the requirements of the area.

Will you be able to offer more than the traditional estate agency services to your customers?

We offer a variety of services to suit the needs of the client and crucially, we haven’t pigeonholed ourselves with opening hours. On our website, you’ll see that we don’t have any! We’re open and available all the time. If you contact us, we’re proud to say that we’ll respond to your query and deliver any feedback within 24 hours.

Hound & Porter also offers virtual tours, an innovative concept that is growing within estate agencies but isn’t embraced as much as it should be.

How is the property market performing in Surrey at the moment?

There’s no hiding the fact that we are living through financially difficult and uncertain times. However, it’s crucial to remember that the properties that are marketed correctly will always sell.

Above all, it’s the attitude of the estate agent that will sell the property. More than anything else at Hound & Porter, we’re ultra-positive about Brexit. Over the course of my career I’ve seen three recessions and the financial crash, but from my experience I’ve seen that where there is uncertainty there is opportunity. 

What’s the most useful piece of advice you can offer sellers who are about to put their house on the market?

Ensure to build strong trust between yourself and the estate agent. Success always comes down to a high level of trust and communication. I won’t sugar-coat the next sentence: things don’t always go to plan. Nonetheless, through retaining a respectful relationship and working alongside one another effectively, any problems can always be solved to the best of their ability.

And finally, where do you see Hound & Porter in ten years’ time?

The plan for the business is not substantial growth, but to develop on a small scale. We’re focusing on franchising out locally, and to stretch to people that I know who share the same integral values of the business.

We’re focused on building a small brand that people can trust. I always want to be involved one way or another, even if I’m not out and about and completing valuations in twenty years’ time, I’ll still be overseeing all aspects in the office.