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11.

September

2018.

Award-winning Staffordshire estate agency branches out

P R E S S R E L E A S E

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Date: 11^thSeptember 2018

Award-winning Staffordshire estate agency branches out

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Staffordshire's fastest growing estate agency, which moved from start-up to market leader in less than 12 months, is already progressing plans to open a network of offices across the Midlands.

Based in Stafford, Dourish & Day (D&D) was set up by experienced property professionals Steve Dourish and Jeremy Day in March 2017. The award-winning firm has now opened a branch in Penkridge, creating two full- time and three part-time jobs, andhaveplans toopen further offices shortly. As the business grows, the directors aim to build a network of branches in key locations throughout the Midlands.

Dourish & Day has attracted customers at all levels, from keen first time buyers interested in shared ownership homes starting at £40,000 to buyers looking for executive propertiesin excess of £1 million. Its rapid growth has meant that, in less than 18 months the company has expanded from two people to a workforce of 11 full-time and five part-time staff.

The business also scooped several accolades at the 2018 ESTAs, including Gold for the Best Estate Agency in the West Midlands and Silver in the Best Individual Office in the UKcategory together with a handful of awards of its lettings division.

Director Steve Dourish attributes his company's success to a traditional approach, putting the focus on personal service by experienced staff with a ‘can do' attitude, coupled with quality property marketing through targeted use of social media and online technologies.

The firm is very active on social media, providing property tours on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. It also insists on high quality photography and attention-grabbing property descriptions to ensure that every home is presented in the best possible way.

Steve says: "Estate agency has gone through a revolutionary change in the last couple of years, so we considered long and hard what people want and chose a business model that puts equal emphasis on face-to-face contact and modern technology.

"People lead busy lives and want information when it suits them, but they also value a High Street presence because they like to discuss their requirements in person. Opening a second branch means we can improve our accessibility to buyers and sellers, landlords and tenants."

In the rental sector Dourish & Day has generated significant business through a dedicated lettings division introduced last summer. Importantly, there are no application or credit reference fees for prospective tenants, an approach welcomed by Shelter, the charity that supports people struggling with poor accommodation and homelessness.

Steve adds that the D&D team always looks at the big picture, saying: "For us,estate agency is not just about buying, selling or renting properties, it's about people moving home and putting down roots, so we do all we can to ensure everything runs smoothly.

"Our dedicated sales progression team manages the process through to completion, keeping customers in the loop at all times, and we work with various third parties to resolve any issues quickly and with minimum fuss. We even help our customers to find a removals firmand do whatever is needed to ensure the move takes place."

According to data from Rightmove for homes sold subject to contract, Dourish & Day sold 273 properties between 1 January and 16 August 2018, more than three times the number achieved by its nearest competitor.

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Photo Caption:Jeremy Day and Steve Dourish at the Penkridge office.

About Dourish & Day

Co-directors Steve Dourish and Jeremy Day established Dourish & Day in 2017, having spent their entire careers in residential property in Staffordshire, Shropshire and Cheshire. Thanks to their combined experience and individual areas of expertise, the business has secured a dominant market share in Stafford and the surrounding area as customers benefit from a service that is second to none. Dourish & Day takes a traditional approach to estate agency with a focus on direct contact whilst embracing modern technology. It is an approach that is valued by its customers and helped the firm to win a series of ESTAs - prestigious estate agency industry awards voted for by consumers - in 2018, including Gold for the Best Estate Agency in the West Midlands and Silver in the Best Individual Office in the UK category.

Dourish & Day's social media platforms

Follow Dourish & Day on Twitter -@DourishandDay