“The proof of the pudding is in the eating” – First used in this form in 1605 in William Camden’s Remaines of a Greater Worke : Concerning Britaine but possibly dating back as far as the 14th century, this well known proverb definition is “the real value of something can be judged only from practical experience or results and not from appearance or theory”. Given the age of the proverb, the pudding in question was a savoury one.
Alongside our last post on the general performance of the Bath property market in 2017, we’ve also been focussing on our own activity over the same period to see what we can improve on for next year. Using unfiltered data from Rightmove on instructions and sales agreed across the whole of the BA1 and BA2 postcodes (all price ranges and house types included), we have been comparing our results to those of other agents in Bath. Each individual set of results is useful in its own right but cross referencing the two shows a much more important point;
Choose an agent that actually sells, not one that just markets your home
Lots of agents will fire out marketing material using Rightmove data to show they are 1st in the area for this or that but these kind of results can sometimes be carefully filtered and are often showcased in isolation.
From an agents point of view, it is no doubt gratifying to be able to say “we’re the top at…..” but is this really useful to an owner looking to identify the best agent for them? If one agent is taking on more new property than anyone else or has the most property available on their books, does that mean they are the best choice for you?
The proof of the pudding in estate agency is whether or not an agent sells their clients homes.
As a small independent agent in a big marketplace, we know we’ll never have as many properties as some other agents and we’re realistic enough not to aspire to always be 1st at everything. We’ll settle for actually getting on and doing what our clients want from us – doing our best to sell their home efficiently and without fuss.
Have a look at the two sets of results below and see what you think.
Proof of the pudding – New instructions per agent in BA1 and BA2 from Jan 1st 2017 to Dec 13th 2017
Proof of the pudding – Sales agreed per agent in BA1 and BA2 from Jan 1st 2017 to Dec 13th 2017
For more of our articles or information on our services, visit our main website or follow us on Facebook
