Brand Vaughan celebrate a triumphant year

Brand Vaughan celebrate a triumphant year at the 2014 Annual BHEAA Dinner

Brand Vaughan celebrate a triumphant year at the 2014 Annual BHEAA Dinner
Brand Vaughan have won a second gold award for the Best Small Agency in the South East Region for 2013 in the fiercely competitive National Competition run by The Sunday Times, having only moved up into the bigger category this year!

In 2012, when a single estate agency in Kemp Town, Jason Brand and David Vaughan stood up to well established and respected estate agencies in the South East and with hard work and imaginative marketing stepped up from shortlisted in 2011, to take the Gold Medal in the Prestigious Sunday Times Estate Single Agency Award.

In 2013, not content with resting on their laurels, and having opened a second office in Preston Park, Brand Vaughan went head to head in this demanding competition with a huge number of bigger, multiple office agencies serving the South East region, and after rigorous testing, including secret shoppers, so impressed the panel of 20 judges, all of whom have extensive knowledge of the profession, that the Gold in this larger category was awarded to them in their first year of growth.

This is a remarkable achievement for a developing business which is also the only independent Brighton estate agent to have won the award, and the only agency to have achieved gold medals, back to back, ever, in different but equally challenging categories!

Director Jason Brand, who is also the 2014 president of the Brighton and Hove Estate Agents Association, is greatly enthused, rather than complacent, seeing this as what he calls a ‘golden opportunity’: “We have done well to be awarded a second gold in what is regarded as the most respected awards, especially in a harder category in our first year! David and I are really proud of the way our team have worked together on our successes of 2011 and 2012, and this Gold Award acknowledges our hard work and our great results for clients, but also tests us to see how we can build on this achievement.”

Biddy Burgess, the administrator, who has been with Jason and David from the start of the company in 2007, is in charge of implementing what the judges describe as “a progressive approach to the way they do things”: “I am responsible for putting together all the beautiful property particulars, and I love the look on vendors’ faces when they see their details – they often say they would like to buy the property themselves”

Brand Vaughan’s Brighton office also sold the most properties in both Brighton and Hove in 2013 (source: Zoopla Pro). David Vaughan explains: “Our Brighton office sells the highest volume of property in Brighton – and Hove – because we genuinely love what we do, and both buyers and sellers see that throughout our expert team. We have excellent knowledge of our city and surrounding areas, and we recognise the importance of listening carefully to our clients right from the outset. Our professional copy writers give people a real and accurate feel for the property, very different from the normal ‘estate agent speak’. We also employ a qualified in-house photographer, who shows all our clients’ properties in its best light and recent research shows that high level photography can add thousands achieved for the property.”

Post offer, Brand Vaughan clients have a direct line to Annie Karlsson, based at Preston Park, who keeps careful track of the progress of any sale or purchase, and ensures that there is clear communication between all the parties at all times.

Annie says: “I have established excellent relationships with solicitors, which clients appreciate, as knowing what is happening at any given point is important to everyone. We understand that this can sometimes be a stressful time and at Brand Vaughan, we believe it is part of our job to help your move to go as smoothly as possible, from exciting start to happy finish.”

With their eye-catching informative brochures, which also include detailed floor plans and room dimensions, Brand Vaughan have brought more innovative changes into their marketing strategies, including an audio visual tour of the property being available on the internet and a hugely popular Brand Vaughan website which allows people to search for a property, not only according to its map location size and price, which are important factors, but also enables people to search for properties on the basis of lifestyle priorities – proximity to cafes, parks, the sea, station or good schools for example.

Anthony Davies, a partner based in the Preston Park Office, says: “If you are new to Brighton and Hove, it is crucial to have as much information as possible about the things that are important to you, as it helps you to reach an informed decision about what properties you would like to view, in which area.”

The judges involved in the Sunday Times Competition were impressed that Brand Vaughan have “maintained their excellent standards across the new office as well” and acknowledge that their market share is “impressive in a highly competitive area”, all welcome comments for an agency that has worked long and hard for a good reputation and achieved the best sales figures in the South East for at least three years.

“An agency that knows its stuff” is a direct quote from the current Sunday Times Competition Report, that I would like to put to the directors of this energising agency, but Jason and David are leaving the office for appointments, smiling as they go: “It’s a fast moving market,” they say, “and we want to be out there!”

Brand Vaughan
110 St George’s Road, Brighton, BN2 1EA,
01273 683111
219 Preston Road, Brighton, BN1 6SA,
01273 504441

Brighton and Hove Estate Agents’ Association Annual dinner was held at The Grand on Friday 7th February, hosted by new President Jason Brand, and attracted a record number of 400 guests and raised a huge £5,000 plus towards the Argus Appeal and £2,000 towards Chestnut Tree House for Latest Homes. The auction was conducted by BBC news presenter, Nick Owen Jason Brand, Association President and Director at Brand Vaughan said afterwards: “It was a phenomenal effort all round and we are extremely grateful to everyone who helped and donated gifts to the auction”.

February offer
• FREE ENERGY PERFORMANCE CERTIFICATE
• FREE PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHY
• FREE FLOOR PLANS
• FREE VIDEO TOURS