Where to begin, 2020 has been a very strange year and for some it’s sadly been the worst year possible; people are facing huge disruptions and changes to their lives which none of us could have predicted. If we go back to 12 months ago, I don’t think any of us could have even imagined where we’d be now, in and out of lockdown and not knowing what the future holds…
For many businesses 2020 has been a hard year for them, facing months of not being able to trade and with the restrictions currently in place even when open most businesses are looking at largely reduced capacity meaning ultimately reduced income and trying times ahead. Estate Agents initially closed up shop just like everyone else when the lockdown was announced on 23rd March and the market essentially ground to a halt. Without being able to conduct any appointments including viewings, valuations and all other important stages of the house buying process we were all left motionless… however this was 100% the right thing to do in order to make a change and fight the virus.
During the lockdown we carried on working in the background from home and took the time as an opportunity to reflect on ourselves, iron out the creases and make sure that when we do return to our offices, we hit the ground running and are more streamlined than ever. Part of this included the introduction of Video Tours, something which we are very proud of as we designed, created and perfected them ourselves. The quality of our video tours is something which we have received many compliments for and they were instrumental in securing a large number of lets and even a handful of sales before the lockdown restrictions were lifted for Estate Agents in May.
Thanks to our preparations, the week we reopened we were inundated with potential buyers and vendors looking to sell their homes; and after just 5 days back in the fold we secured some 15 sales on properties ranging from £100,000 all the way to £500,000… it was fantastic! This initial flurry did not stop, and honestly has not stopped yet. Every week we are securing more sales than ever, the prices we are achieving for our clients are higher than ever and we’re seeing record breaking achievements across the board and in all areas of Plymouth.
In order to thank our wonderful NHS and other key workers who were out there face to face with the virus whilst we were safely in our homes, the managers and directors of Cross Keys decided to implement a discount on our sales and lettings fees of a 50% reduction for NHS and keys workers as a huge thank you from all of us; this deal was to last until the end of 2020 and is potentially going to be extended into 2021. This has been a huge part of our success this year and we are thrilled that so many people have benefitted from something which we are very proud to offer.
As 2020 draws to a close most of us are looking forward to Christmas and the new year with optimism and are also looking forward to leaving what has been a tough 12 months behind us. So on behalf of all of us here at Cross Keys, we’d like to thank our clients both old and new for your continued support; and we’d like to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. We are looking forward to working with you all in 2021 and for many more years to come!
