An agent has sold her home and downsized in order to launch her own business.
Christina Mallinder, 31, has set up Vario, in Norwich, charging from £899.
She previously worked for Arnold Keys and Abbotts before deciding to start up on her own.
She chose the name Vario to suggest a variation from typical estate agency offices, saying she will work flexibly to help customers.
She said: “If there is something I haven’t included in the service that people want, I can build it in. In the past, I’ve sometimes been scolded for taking too long at an appointment but I’d be helping someone to fill in a form or giving them a little extra bit of support.
“I really enjoy that part of the job.
“I really want to improve the experience for our customers.”
She said: “Our industry is one that can potentially make a lot of money, yet it seemed to me the majority of estate agents in the industry get blindsided by this and the potential money they could make and forget that there is a real person or family behind every transaction.
“The idea is to offer something that takes the benefit of the online proposition – a flat fee and a value for money service – but also offers a traditional service that goes over and above the norm.
“For example we’ll help with onward purchases, solicitors and filling in the paperwork. Also home presentation assessments and connections to trades if work is needed to help achieve a sale.
“Our packages are no sale no fee, so customers can choose how much support they need and tailor a service that suits them.”
Mallinder is helped in the office by her dog Marley.
Good luck – keep positive and focused
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Thank you! we will 🙂
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Wish she would value her service at a higher figure.
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Don’t worry PP. The £899 Package is our basic package that offers simmilar service as the onliners.. If customers want a more traditional experience we do charge a percentage on sale package called Vari-Luxe, just like the rest of the high street. After all, you get what you pay for 🙂
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In that case, I hope you can use the £899 figure as a hook from which to upsell to a higher priced package.
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“After all, you get what you pay for ”
So why cheapen your brand and your service with a basic, substandard offering to what your clients will – and should – expect, based upon your website statement that you “set up the business wanting to offer the very best possible service to every client“?
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Because sometimes people will want less support or maybe can’t afford to pay a higher fee. We all hugely value traditional agency and we all should be giving the best service to every client, but not everybody does. Onliners have an offering that people like and use, so we wanted to offer this too, however the beauty of our model is that is someone starts on the £899 and it doesn’t work for them, they can then upgrade to the full traditional model. I don’t think it cheapens our brand at all, but makes it more inclusive and accessible for everyone, what ever budget they have.
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“Because sometimes people will want less support or maybe can’t afford to pay a higher fee.”
Sorry – but neither of those ‘reasons’ cut the mustard. You either offer a standard of service or you don’t. If a customer doesn’t ‘want’ you to support them fully then that is their choice – but you fail in your job if you don’t provide that support.
If a customer cannot “afford” you – then you must question their decision and motivation to sell. A quality Agent pays for themselves.
“…we all should be giving the best service to every client, but not everybody does.”
That is no excuse whatsoever to following the path of those that don’t.
“Onliners have an offering that people like and use…”
NO – onliners have a model that people believe will work for them – generally based upon misleading advertising and claims – but for many it doesn’t work… and in many of those cases they are stuck with an inappropriate service that is nothing but a costly noose around their necks.
“…however the beauty of our model is that is someone starts on the £899 and it doesn’t work for them, they can then upgrade to the full traditional model.”
It could be said that is edging into the realm of ‘bait and switch’ – and that you proceed very carefully in that respect.
I applaud your decision to -go it alone’.
I further applaud the fact that you have self-financed this venture – and I wish you every success.
Just don’t lose sight of your values. Or your value – which unfortunately I would suggest you are already showing signs of.
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“…we all should be giving the best service to every client, but not everybody does.” That is no excuse whatsoever to following the path of those that don’t. – Not at any point have I suggested that I will dilute the service I will give my clients. what I am trying to offer is an agency that addresses and provides the support, what ever a customers need. Needs don’t just fit into a box, they are varied and everyone is different.
NO – onliners have a model that people believe will work for them – generally based upon misleading advertising and claims – but for many it doesn’t work… and in many of those cases they are stuck with an inappropriate service that is nothing but a costly noose around their necks. – Exactly and I agree. The part that isn’t fair is that people pay for the service upfront. I am not offering a bait and switch service by any means. I am offering the tools to support a someone in selling their home whatever support they need.
Surely as an agent, you’ve experienced selling your own home. You can’t sell it yourself because of conflict of interest, so you use an agent, who charges you 1.25% to purely list it online and create a sales memo, you end up doing the rest because you feel you can do it better and it’s your home right?… wouldn’t you then benefit from a more basic service but one where the agent is still motivated to sell your property because they haven’t earned a fee yet?
We all read things differently and perceive things differently. I may have two offerings but I will always put the best interests of my client before my own.
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First of all, congratulations on the taking this big leap of faith and go it alone!
PeeBee sound bitchy in his comments but if you look closely you will see that he has a point.
If you use the cheap flat fee option with deliberate substandard service so that you hook clients to fail and then upgrade them to a standard service, then you will have proven PeeBee right on every point. And you will not be alone, there are plenty of wolves in that field already.
However, looking at how you envisage your business, engage and passionately respond to criticism than avoiding it, I think that you are a goodhearted person with a chance to put value in both models without crossing the line to the rogue side.
The flat fee model is suitable to certain people who are fully capable of doing all agency work themselves and the only thing they need is exposure and leads.
However, there are others who think that they can but are clueless and others who “cannot afford” it and that is why they prefer the cheapest option. Those are the ones who need a proper guidance and advice to take the standard package. And this guidance must be done before they decide on a package, not after they fail on the cheap one.
Your comment “you get what you pay for” is, I think, was well intended but came across as rude and PeeBee jumped on it, rightfully so. Both models require a high standard of service within their respective frameworks. The key is that the clients are clear and fully understand what each model can and cannot provide.
You are a good person and as long as you stick to your values, you will not fail.
I wish good luck and all the best!
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“PeeBee sound bitchy in his comments…”
I ain’t here to flower up reality, Cosmo. I’m actually trying to help the lady understand the vast difference between expectation and reality – and that the recovery process from the latter to the former is a long uphill slog.
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“Not at any point have I suggested that I will dilute the service I will give my clients”
Erm… actually – you have – both above, when you state
“The £899 Package is our basic package that offers simmilar service as the onliners..”,
and also on your website, where the upgrade service is described as
“A refreshingly unique service which offers you the highest degree of support in areas we found customers needed it most!”
“Exactly and I agree. The part that isn’t fair is that people pay for the service upfront.”
I fail to understand how you can agree with me when I was pointing out you were completely wrong with your original statement that you still seem to be standing by – but thanks nevertheless for conceding the point.
“I am not offering a bait and switch service by any means.”
I am truly glad to hear that. I would simply ask have you checked with your local TSO that this is 100% the case? Whether or not you do is entirely your call – but it would be a call you may need to rely on if challenged.
“Surely as an agent, you’ve experienced selling your own home. You can’t sell it yourself because of conflict of interest…”
Of course you can sell it yourself! The Law – EAA1979 S.21 – states that there must be a clear declaration of interest but there is nothing legally stopping an Agent from selling their own property.
Chuffin’ H£11… I certainly wouldn’t want to entrust the sale of my biggest and most personal possession to anyone other than myself, and I would suggest that any Agent that would should pass all of their business to that Agent also.
Sorry – but your example is frankly ridiculous.
“I may have two offerings but I will always put the best interests of my client before my own.”
I am not saying you won’t put your clients’ best interests first – after all, that is the Legislation we must abide by.
I’m saying you should believe yourself to be better than needing to have two offerings – which in real words translates to two levels of service.
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I wish you well Mallinder, I set up independently over five years ago (although we do have a high street office) and have not looked back.
Good luck for the future of your business!
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Thankyou MaryStone! We have a high street office too so can only hope we have the same success you have! Fingers Crossed!
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My concern is that some people will opt for the basic service but will then want some of the other services for free, much like Let Only landlords wanting help when tenants start causing problems or fail to pay the rent. I wish you well
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thank you 🙂
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Good luck Christina; I hope it all goes well for you. Big respect for self financing and going it alone.
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Thank you 🙂
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“I really want to improve the experience for our customers.”
Then you have the opportunity, don’t start off as another apple in the barrel. Best of luck.
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