“Property comes up and goes down,” she says. “A lot of people don't quite understand what a rollercoaster ride one is always on with property. And there isn't such a thing as a national house price - everything is linked to what's going on in your local area.

“But Location, Location, Location isn’t just a story about property over 10 years. You have to bear in mind that a lot of the show is about analysing people and their emotions and what makes them tick and what makes people pick the houses that they pick. It's not about the house. People's decisions are based on so many other things.”

Kirstie insists that she and Phil often find the right property for the right people.
“We've got an extraordinarily good strike rate,” she says. “The number of times we actually get houses for people is very high; and we've also got a very good track record in that we're way below the national statistics on divorce. Remarkably, few of the couples who have come on the show have subsequently separated...”

So what have been the high points for Kirstie? “I think finding homes for people who really needed help to find them, and really loved what we found,” she says. But she still can’t quite believe she’s become a household name. “I sometimes feel like I'm still on the lookout for proper work. So the idea of it having been going for 10 years is extraordinary.”

Need some advice about what could be the right property for you? Don’t hesitate to give us a call.

1st Call is a fresh thinking estate agent, and one of the Southend’s leading companies.

Here we have a simple philosophy which has been used as our business model since the doors opened back in 2007. This is to provide excellence in everything we do, and 1st Call has a diverse training structure which keeps customer service at the heart of our culture, both embedded in the business through a daily management system and driven from the top.

We employ non-negotiable standards at the heart of the organisation to set the minimum benchmark, but we as a company always aspire to do better. We have excellent initiatives in place to measure successful customer service, which take into account the individuals who are delivering results as well as the clients feedback.

"1st Call has a  diverse training structure which keeps customer service at the heart of our culture"

We also see the importance of Directors being available and taking a hands-on approach, recognising that the public have a wide choice of agents all striving to deliver exceptional levels of service. 1st Call’s authority on developments within the local property industry and local knowledge, along with our monthly market report have been regarded as excellent and a real separation from, not only local companies but also on a countywide level by our judges at this and last years Business Award events. Best practice is shared regularly, with many examples of improvement in the business being the result of customer feedback or staff suggestions.

"We advertise  on over 20 different property related websites and also use other online  advertising platforms such as Facebook and Twitter"

Our World is ever changing and how we promote property to a wider audience has changed too. Many marketing niches are being created for estate agents and at 1st Call we welcome any new product or service which we feel may assist us in advertising to the best and widest market. Our online advertising is seen as one of the most prominent in the area. We advertise on over 20 different property related websites and also use other online advertising platforms such as Facebook and Twitter to encourage more visitors to our website and properties. The days of people looking in the local paper for a wide range of property are coming to an end with property portals allowing virtual tours, floor plans and an array of images and room sizes at our customers fingertips. We feel our marketing should be directed towards these motivated buyers and tenants who also enjoy a far more measurable experience.

• "I wanted to write a personal note to you and your staff to say thank you for your exemplary service which you have provided me with. Each time I call in at your office or contact you over the phone I am always greeted warmly and dealt with efficiently. If I have ever had a problem or needed to know any information, both you and your staff have always delivered the highest standard of service and resolved any questions or queries which I have had. Since we started using 1st Call over 2 years ago we have only ever experienced a quality proactive approach to everything we have passed over to you in this time. Your hard work and team effort should be acknowledged by other agents locally. I have always recommended 1st Call to friends and work associates and will continue to do so in the future. Thank you again for all your efforts." Mr G S Mason
  
  

• "I would like to thank the 1st Call team for their excellent continued service in letting my property for the last 18 months. My property has been let promptly and without any stress. I would definitely recommend!" Miss P Boulton - Landlord



• "I have been wanting to write to you with regards to the service which my partner and I received from one of your team members - Rob. We have been in our new home for a week now - apologies for the delay in my writing this - it's been a hectic week, I'm only just back at work today with access to email. We first spoke with Rob about 7 weeks ago with regards to one of your properties - Since then, up until moving in recently, he has provided us with an excellent service. We had lots of questions regarding our new property which meant we were in contact with Rob for a large amount of time via telephone and email - he always responded quickly and efficiently even when he had to contact 3rd parties to obtain answers. I would like to commend him on offering such a great friendly service. This compliment extends to the rest of your team - in Rob's absence we have often spoken with others who have been equally as efficient - always passing on correct information when requested. It's been a pleasure to deal with such a friendly, reliable company - I would definitely use 1st call again." Sally-Anne and Michael