We live, it seems in a casual age.
The new entrepreneurs aren’t suited and booted but are often teenagers setting up technology companies from their bedrooms wearing pyjamas.
Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg is often seen at annual general meetings in a t-shirt and jeans while the late Apple founder Steve Jobs was rarely seen outside of a polo neck.
Michael and Kenny Bruce are often shown in their Purplebricks in a jacket and trousers without a tie. But does that mean agents, whether male or female, can ditch their business attire?
Do women need to be in high heels? In May a receptionist was controversially sent home from accountants PwC for not wearing high heels, but should agencies have a strict dress code for men and women?
Ultimately it is people who sell houses so you are less likely to make a positive lasting impression if you host a viewing in ripped jeans, but is smart business attire still necessary in 2016?
John Newell, director of Kingston Newell Estate Agents told his local newspaper the South Wales Argus last year, “I always wear a shirt and tie both when in the office and at client’s homes.
“I think what you wear when interacting with your clients does reflect the professional approach of your business and its services and, I insist that my team also present themselves in this manner and we have had good feedback over the years regarding this. I appreciate that more men choose not to wear ties to work these days and I respect their decision not to do so. A definite no-no for attire at Kingston Newell would be jeans or casual wear when attending viewings and valuations.”
Norwich agents Abbot Fox say on their blog, “There is a fine line between the smartly dressed professional that appears respectable, trustworthy and someone you would like to business with and the salesman wearing his shiny suit. There is a stereotypical viewpoint that a shiny or slick suit reveals an aura of untrustworthiness in the agent, so take care when selecting your suits.
“We are not just talking about the suit you are wearing. Arriving promptly and leaving enough time to prepare for house viewings in a cleanly washed car can make all the difference in impressing your clients. Other forms of communication are also important, such as emails, phone calls and text messages, ensure that you are punctual in your grammar, as it is all part of your personal brand.”
At a time when properties are sticking for longer on the market, could your dress sense make the difference?
At least not everyone has resorted to dressing as a panda to sell a property yet.
Was discussing this the other day, it appears more and more Agents are going for the more smart casual look, which I’m still unsure about.
Some people look like they’re dressed up ready for a night out, rather than to value someones house.
All depends on the style.
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I wear a 3 piece suit every day – this is what I am comfortable wearing and selling in.
I have a spare in the office for those inevitable incidences of slipping on decking/grass
Although I wouldn’t expect everyone to wear the same, firstly it has to be comfortable, it has to give the right impression and more importantly whatever you have on has to be clean, pressed and fitted. Plus general presentation of the person in the outfit is just as important as the outfit itself.
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a 3 piece?
Fancy a game of snooker, Clark?
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Grammar police:
“Other forms of communication are also important, such as emails, phone calls and text messages, ensure that you are punctual in your grammar, as it is all part of your personal brand.””
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We dress very smart during the week and on Saturdays for market appraisals, however, for Saturday viewings we dress smart casual. We find our viewers like the more relaxed approach on Saturdays and it seems to get strong results with offers. We have found this is a good balance but we do have to maintain the smart casual boundary and not let it slip into t-shirts etc.
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I wrote a blog on this very subject in June 2011 – Is the sharp suit dead? http://bit.ly/u6KyyG
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3 piece suit…come on its 2016, smart casual is the way forward, the problem is some people just dont know how to dress!
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Suits for the boys and Smart Business Dress for the girls, for us, I believe we are a professional industry and should dress to reflect this.
However I do like some of the polo shirt approaches used by some of the Americans in the summer.
Each to their own..
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Some folk can get away with PJ’s and onesies!
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A tie is definitely not necessary. In fact there are phycological reasons why a client actually feels more comfortable when talking to soebody without a tie. I suppose the people that can’t get their head around an Estate agency office without a tie are the same people that cannot understand that Estate Agency and the world has moved on from 80s.
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I so want to drop the tie too nextchapter
But I don’t want to give the wrong impression neither.
To tie or not to tie, that is the question Yorick.
Innit?
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we have a listed office with no air con so in the recent hot weather, I have allowed my staff to go “tieless”.
I cant say we have had any negative feeedback from clients. I’m now thinking about adopting a more casual dress code permanently. With respect to Clarkuk, I think the days of the three piece are well gone.
sharp suit = salesperson = dont trust them!
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Suit is what I feel comfortable in
I’ve never had anyone say they don’t trust me. And feedback always comes back saying I’m top of the tree.
I could go more casual but why would I when what I do works.
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People buy people!
I never heard of anyone being knocked for being dressed smartly, I have heard many times of how scruffy some are and gave the wrong impression, just like going for a job interview…….. isn’t that what you are effectively doing to get the business? If you can get away with it fine but if you look like an old fart or worse still a rent boy ……. White socks a definite no no.
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