Sunday, Jan 18, 2009
Mwa ha ha ha ha ha ha
BBC NEWS: Addicted to estate agency
"Is Debbie Fortune the bravest woman in Somerset?
She is not tracking Exmoor's mythical Big Cat. She is not trying to tame the cider makers of Huish Episcopi.
No, Debbie Fortune is opening an estate agency.".......
Posted by titaniccaptain @ 12:24 PM (849 views) Add Comment
9 Comments
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1. montesquieu said...
The BBC as usual has missed the real story here. I used to be a local round here, to let me tell you how it was.
There was once a local chain of estate agents, 90 years old as I recall, in North Somerset, called CJ Hole. It was well regarded, well respected family firm. As estate agents go they were pretty fair people to deal with, and I did, on several occasions.
At the peak of the boom in late 2006 CJ Hole got bought by Humberts, who funded this purchase by (you guessed it) debt. When Humberts collapsed as cash flow dried up, the old CJ Hole collapsed with it, removing about half a dozen offices from the area and leaving the area covered by basically just one, very greedy, nasty independent (won't name him here but he has been personally responsibile for ramping the area to a ridiculous degree) ... A few other estate agents on the edge of the area take some properties but it's basically a monopoly.
Needless to say some of these houses (including the one I used to rent before I moved away) have been on the market with this guy for anything up to two years, but sellers don't really have anywhere else to go, who know the area and have a reputation for selling it.
I think if this lady can capitalise on local dissatisfaction with this guy, and trade on her former reputation, she'll be just fine (so long as she isn't worried too much about cash flow in 2007).
She's not mad, I think she's quite shrewd. And look at the press coverage! (love the way she fed the line about how nice the area is to the BBC reporter, who printed it in full).
2. Crunchy said...
Who pushed the panic button in 2009?
Debbie may be more bear than bull.
3. montesquieu said...
that would be 'cash flow in 2009'
4. denzil said...
I've dealt with Fortune on more than one occasion. If you cut her in half she would have Estate Agent and classic EA spin written all around the middle. She has a hell of a lot of connections and in the main is well-respected and canny, which is backed up by the fact that she has managed to get on the BBC, for what is by and large, a non-story.
5. drewster said...
Thanks for the inside info guys - that's why I love this website!
6. Singlespeed said...
No doubt the femail is converse with all the tricks of the trade,at present to reverse a reduced price its "offers in excess of " to get the price
back up ! .This is happening all over folks and don't fall for it !! .
7. paul said...
"by the fact that she has managed to get on the BBC, for what is by and large, a non-story."
Yes, I'm astonished and slightly apalled that this story has gotten any airtime at all. On what basis is this news?
(oh, the lady in question's connections with the BBC - I see).
8. Janart said...
The news interest here is surely that in the midst of all the economic doom and gloom we are being peddled - here is an individual who is realistic, enthusiastic, positive,focused and knows how to provide a quality service against all odds - how many of those do you know? Debbie has a track record in the field which is outstanding and those who have been buyers or sellers with her, as we have over many years in the locality trust and respect her reputation, personal attention to detail and " hands-on " approach which is a rare thing in today's
' virtual ' world. It is more than refreshing to hear that Debbie is back in our midst and firing on all cylinders.
9. Diz said...
Debbie is pure estate agent and I can't knock her for that, unfortunatley the same can not be said for Mark Hayward (her partner?) who seems to like to play at being in the role.