A new chapter for Olivia Louise...
Hello, I'm Rachel, proud Founder and Director of Olivia Louise Estate Agents Ltd.
And after many years of working in property, building a business I am incredibly proud of and surrounding myself with a team who care as much about our clients as I do, I thought it was time we started telling you a little more about what goes on behind the boards, the beautiful photography and the “SOLD” signs.
So, welcome to the very first Olivia Louise Property Journal
This is something I've wanted to introduce for a while. Not because the internet needs another estate agent blog telling you the same five things you already know about selling your home; but because property is so much more interesting than that.
It's about people, decisions, emotions, negotiations, opportunities, homes and sometimes quite a lot of hard work behind the scenes that you never see. And that's exactly what I want this journal to share.
Why now?
Olivia Louise has grown because of our clients, our reputation and, above all, our belief in doing things properly. We are an independent, female-led estate agency based in Cardiff, covering Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan.
We are boutique by nature, but ambitious by choice.
I genuinely believe there is a huge benefit to working with a business where your property isn't simply one of hundreds of listings being processed through a system. We work with motivated vendors who understand the value of what we do; and in return, we give their property our attention, our expertise and our energy. We don't believe in listing and forgetting.
We believe in actively selling.
What does that actually mean?
It means understanding the person behind the property. Why are they moving. What matters to them. What are they hoping to achieve. What does the property need to achieve. And who is the person most likely to fall in love with it.
We don't simply wait for buyers to appear. We have an established database of buyers, and we actively speak to them about their needs, timeframes and future plans.
Often, we introduce them to properties they hadn't considered! A different location. A different style of home. A different price point… our little “wild cards”, as we like to call them; because sometimes the right house isn't the one someone initially thought they were looking for.
That's where having people who actually know their buyers can make such a difference.
Beautiful marketing, with a purpose
I'm incredibly passionate about property marketing. And yes, I want our properties to look beautiful. But beautiful marketing isn't simply about making a house look pretty on Instagram. It's about understanding what makes that particular property special and making sure the right people see it.
Professional photography. Professional video. Carefully considered social media campaigns. Beautiful presentation. Thoughtful property descriptions. And a marketing strategy that is created around the individual home rather than simply putting the same formula around every listing. We genuinely care about this.
Because when someone is trusting us with their home; whether it's a £300,000 family property or a £2 million home, we believe it deserves to be presented properly.
And then there is the part of selling that really matters... Negotiation.
Marketing can create attention. It can create viewings. It can create excitement. But ultimately, somebody has to negotiate the deal.
Our current sales performance shows an average of 4.81% above our clients' original asking prices. We are incredibly proud of that figure. Not because we believe a percentage tells the whole story, it doesn't. But because behind that number are conversations, persistence, experience, buyer psychology and a genuine understanding of our clients' objectives.
Rebecca, our Branch Manager in particular, has developed a fantastic reputation within our team for her approach to negotiation. She works hard to understand both sides of the transaction and, importantly, to make sure buyers understand the full opportunity of the property they're considering. Because a successful sale isn't simply about getting someone to make an offer. It's about achieving the right outcome and getting everyone through to completion. And here high standards run through the tapestry Olivia Louise.
My team matters enormously to me.
One of the things I am proudest of as the founder of Olivia Louise isn't a particular property we've sold or a particular figure we've achieved. It's my team. I've built this business because I believe passionately in the service we provide, but I also know that a business is only as good as the people representing it every day.
I care enormously about the people who work alongside me. I want them to be proud of what we do. I want them to feel valued. And I want our clients to feel that care in every interaction they have with us.
Communication. Transparency. Attention to detail. Doing what we say we will do.
And, when something doesn't go according to plan; because in property, things occasionally don't, as a team we get stuck in and find a way forward. I assure you, we work hard, really hard. And we mean every bit of what we say. I truly believe that everyone deserves the service they have been promised. And we deliver it.
So... It feels rather fitting that this first journal begins at the same time as another milestone for Olivia Louise.
October marks two years since Rebecca joined me, and she is now heading into her third year with the business. And today happens to be her birthday too.
So, while this isn't a blog about birthdays, I couldn't let this first edition pass without dedicating a part of it to her… Rebecca, I am incredibly proud of what we have achieved together over the last two years.
I am proud of the experience, passion and determination you bring to Olivia Louise. I'm proud of the way you care about our clients. I'm proud of the way you approach process and strategy for the business. And I'm particularly excited about what we are going to achieve together in the years ahead.
So, happy birthday Rebecca; and happy two-year anniversary with Olivia Louise. Here’s to many more work anniversaries and birthdays together!
What can you expect from the Olivia Louise Property Journal?
Quite a lot, hopefully! Every week, we'll be sharing our thoughts, knowledge and experiences from the Cardiff and Vale property market.
We'll talk about:
Selling your home; including the things that genuinely make a difference.
Property values; and why a good valuation is about much more than simply producing the biggest number.
Marketing; what works, what doesn't and why presentation matters.
Buying; including the things buyers should consider beyond the obvious.
Negotiation; because an offer is only the beginning of an important conversation.
Cardiff and the Vale; the areas we know, love and work in every day.
And we'll share some of the stories from behind the scenes too. The properties that challenged us. The properties that surprised us. The buyers who changed their minds. The sellers who thought they couldn't move. The sales that required determination. And, inevitably, some of the more entertaining moments that come with working in property! Because we take what we do seriously… But we don't think everything has to be serious – it’s all about balance!
Cardiff, the Vale & and plenty more to come
From Canton, Cardiff Bay to Fairwater and Llandaff; Wenvoe, Barry, Sully Penarth and Dinas Powys to Cowbridge and Peterston-super-Ely; Danescourt, Creigiau, Pentyrch, Llantrisant and Caerphilly, we are proud to work across Cardiff and the Vale.
And, if we're being completely honest, we'd love to see even more of our boards across these communities. Not because we want more properties for the sake of having more properties.
We want to work with more homeowners who value the kind of service we provide. Our ambition isn't to become the estate agent with the most listings. It's to become the estate agent people want to instruct when they know their home deserves more.
And if you're thinking about moving...
Perhaps you're ready now. Perhaps you're six months away. Perhaps you've been thinking about it for two years. Perhaps you're currently with another agent and things aren't going as you'd hoped. Or perhaps you're simply curious about what your home could realistically achieve.
Whatever stage you're at, we're always happy to have an honest conversation.
We don't believe in inflated valuations just to win instructions. We don't believe in listing and forgetting. And we know first-hand that choosing a smaller, independent estate agency means receiving a smaller service!
We believe it means receiving more attention.
More communication. More care. More accountability. More thought. And ultimately, more of the people behind the business working for you. Because your home isn't just another listing. It's your home, your future. And your move matters. So, welcome to the first Olivia Louise Property Journal.
We're looking forward to bringing you property insight, local knowledge, honest conversations, beautiful homes, a little bit of humour and plenty of stories from the world of Cardiff and Vale property.
And most importantly, we're looking forward to sharing what makes Olivia Louise, well Olivia Louise.
Thank you for your time and joining us on our journey!!! Here's to the next chapter.
Rachel
Founder & Director
Olivia Louise Estate Agents
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