Totally accommodating, Brighton Accommodation Agency
Latest Homes talks to Jay Melton-Ball at Brighton Accommodation Agency
It seems like no time at all since we met with Jay Melton-Ball at Brighton Accommodation Agency’s (BAA) new Lewes Road Office. The relocation from Hanover coupled with re-branding had resulted in a smart new look office that was getting a lot of attention. Smart, Stylish and Eye-catching, the re-brand was a great success.
Catching the public’s attention is incredibly important in this industry, especially when it comes to launching a new product. When Jay was tasked to open a second office, location was of paramount importance. It has long been recognised that commercial properties that sit on road junctions with traffic signals are a marketing gift: what could be better than a captive audience sitting at a red light? That’s why when the site at the corner of Ditchling Road and The Level, one of the main routes into Brighton, became available, BAA jumped on it.
Having seen a rapid expansion in their business in the last year, the Ditchling Road office represented a great opportunity for BAA. Originally the company was focused on Lettings, but Jay saw the opportunity to introduce Sales to the brand, which he has done with spectacular results. Ditchling Road is now home to BAA’s dedicated Sales office, staffed by Jay and his team.
“We are so excited about the way the business has grown and already we are seeing return clients and repeat business. The decision to rebrand a year ago has been a great success and our decision to go for a striking yet smart and classic look has clearly been the right choice.
“The quadrant surrounding the Level and the lower part of Ditchling Road to London Road is a very interesting, and somewhat undiscovered, area with some great properties and beautiful buildings. Being located at the heart of this vibrant area can only be an advantage, but that is not to say that we are restricted to this area – we are getting instructions from across the city at all levels of the market.
“Satisfied landlords have always trusted us to buy and sell for them, but now we are getting clients walking in off the street and asking us to market their property for sale”
“Satisfied landlords have always trusted us to buy and sell for them, and it has long been part of the service that we offer, but now we are seeing more clients walking in off the street having seen our press and marketing and asking us to market their property for sales.
Our reputation as a Sales agent is beginning to equal our reputation as a Lettings agent, and this is very satisfying.
“We are on track to meet our year’s target only six months into our first year which gives us confidence in what we do and how we do it. We know we are very approachable, we always give great advice and are always realistic about pricing properties.
“We are strong believers in having an on street presence, as much as the internet is a fantastic tool, nothing can beat the service you get face to face. Our team here are dedicated to making the selling process as stress-free as possible, and we really value the contact with our clients. We do, of course, utilise the internet to its full potential, our website is very strong and is designed to be intuitive and easy to use. It is constantly updated and we are always looking at ways to improve it, and our wider service to our clients.”
BAA certainly take their business seriously and aim to offer the very highest standards to all their clients. Professional Photography, Energy Performance Certificate and Floor Plans are included in their Sole Agency package (T&C’s apply), and there is a real understanding that today’s market place demands standards that need to be matched and exceeded. BAA are also proud of their status as a local, independent business and pride themselves in recommending local services such as legal firms, surveyors and builders – in many cases clients can walk from BAA’s office to a recommended firm.
The BAA Sales team is staffed by Brightonians, all with specialist local knowledge and a passion for the property industry. This year, the team is taking on new members, and has recently welcomed Lauren Little as a sales negotiator. BAA are also delighted to now be working with Robbie Grice (Mortgage & Lending Solutions) as their in-house independent financial advisor in their quest to make selling and buying as simple and stress-free as possible. The mood is enthusiastic; a really positive outlook. BAA this year have committed to raising £20,000 through their ‘Year of Pain’ – 12 Gruelling events across the year in support of The Chestnut Tree House children’s hospice (www.justgiving.com/baagency). So far, their extreme challenges undertaken by staff, friends and family have raised over £12,000 towards their target.
But charity work aside, how is the property market right now? Jay is happy to give his honest opinion:
“In certain sectors things are looking good, but it’s all about being realistic. There are lots of buyers out there, perhaps more than there are properties to buy, which should be taken as a good indicator that now is the time to sell and meet that demand. Properties close to good schools will always generate strong interest, and there are lots of good schools in Brighton. There have been a lot of people biding their time, waiting for the market to change but the truth is we are achieving good prices for homes from people who really want to move, that is the way that the property market works.”
Jay’s realism and enthusiasm is admirable, and BAA have a clear vision of what they are doing and where they are going, responding to opportunity and sensing a need for a different style of Agency. Combining this with their honest realism, their efforts are producing satisfied customers across the board.
Brighton Accommodation Agency,
85 Ditchling Road, BN1 4SD,
01273 602900
sales@baagency.co.uk
www.baagency.co.uk
