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As part of a new series of articles from Best Property Services. Olivia Best shares with us how her day with the busy family business goes.
"The day usually starts at 7am, when I am woken by a babbling baby from across the hall. No alarm clocks needed when you’ve got an energetic one year old raring to go. The brighter mornings mean we are able to get our dog out for a walk (Rua the irish doodle), who is equally as energetic. We are lucky enough to live beside the beautiful Kilbroney Forest Park where there are endless walks and trails. I can see why Rostrevor has become such a popular area to live, especially for those who love being outdoors.
"I work in a multi-generational property, land and commercial sales & lettings company with my brother Kyle and our father Garry. One morning a week, the three of us meet before the offices open to go over anything that needs reviewed for the week ahead. After that, depending on what day it is, I’ll either be in our Warrenpoint or Newry office.
"Our days are usually a busy mix of viewings, meetings, valuations and photographing properties. I take care of the companies’ marketing, so I’ll be looking at what properties or land we’ll be highlighting that week, what events are coming up, our charity partners, reviewing the website and photography, and analysing our website and social media traffic. No two days are the same in this business, and particularly in sales we get to meet lots of interesting characters from all walks of life with plenty of stories to tell.
"Our clients range from those who are just starting out and buying their first property, to the established family who are selling their beloved home after 20 years. There are the aspiring business owners who have just signed a lease on their new commercial premises with a prospering future ahead, to the long standing farmer who is selling land that has provided not just for him, but for his family for several generations. Buying or selling a property is not only the biggest financial transaction you can make in your life, but can also be the most sentimental. Moving home can be an incredibly exciting time, but depending on the circumstances, it can also be a bittersweet and heartbreaking time. We have to be prepared to navigate all that comes with that, to ensure we fully understand our client and their expectations during the sales process, and to provide the best service we possibly can.
"Sometimes we have people who are moving home from abroad, to those who are simply moving ‘down the road’. Though moving from different places, the goal is often the same - to be closer to family. It’s hard to find a better reason to move than that. Family is the reason this business started and our team are the reason it is still here today. Myself, my brother Kyle and our father Garry all work together with the end goal of making this company the best it can possibly be. We have an incredible team of people here and are lucky to have so many repeat clients because of it.
"One of the favourite parts of the job (apart from having a nosey inside some incredible homes!) is showing people the beautiful area we live in and all it has to offer. We cover counties Armagh and Down, and the coastline from Warrenpoint all the way to Kilkeel. The area stretching from Newry all the way out towards Cranfield shoreline has a wide range of walking trails, hikes, parks and coastal attractions so we’re spoilt for choice in terms of outdoor activities. Carlingford Lough itself is ideal for kayaking, swimming, sailing and paddleboarding, especially in the Spring/Summer months. The Mourne Mountains provide hiking trails suitable for all levels of experience, and nature lovers can explore the hidden forests of Kilbroney Park, where there is no shortage of picturesque trails.
"If we’re not out at viewings, the residential and commercial teams are in the office processing paperwork, on the phone to clients, or writing up valuation reports. The land team, if not out on a valuation or land inspection, are doing similar, or getting the auction room set up for an upcoming sale. If that room could talk, it would have some interesting stories to tell! The last phone call comes in around 5.29pm, then at 5.30pm we close up after a busy day, and head home for the evening, ready to do it all again the next morning :) "
Best Property Services have offices in Newry, Warrenpoint and Dungannon.
