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Adlington Retirement Living launched Adlington Estates in 2023 to support homeowners and their families wishing to sell an Adlington Retirement Living apartment. Adlington Estates is managed by Tim Crichton, who was appointed to the newly created role of resales manager.
Managing the resales of pre-loved apartments across the Adlington portfolio, I provide a tailored marketing strategy for each client and manage the entire process, from taking photographs and writing descriptions to conducting tours of the communities and apartments.
Touring the entire community is crucial because the apartment is just a small part of what retirement living offers. My job is to help potential homeowners to understanding Adlington life and how it can benefit them.
Additionally, I manage all aspects of the estate agency process, from negotiating and handling the conveyancing process with solicitors to ensuring a smooth completion and move. The goal is to make everything run as smoothly as possible for everyone involved, making a potentially stressful process as stress-free as possible.
In traditional estate agencies, you might value a four-bedroom detached house one day, and a three-bedroom 1930s semi the next. The retirement sector within traditional estate agencies is tiny; out of 100 properties on the market, maybe one or two are retirement apartments.
Traditional estate agents often lack an understanding of retirement living. When they enter an Adlington Retirement Living community to sell an apartment, they might take the lift, head straight to the apartment and just show the living room, kitchen, and bedroom, which potential buyers already recognise. What they don’t explain is how the restaurant works, what activities are available, and what it’s like to live in the community. This lack of understanding can worry potential homeowners, especially in retirement living, as unanswered questions can create unease.
Knowledge is critical in this role. Our job isn’t to persuade anyone to buy a retirement property, but to answer questions and provide reassurance. Once people feel reassured, they often realise that retirement living is ideal for them.
The traditional estate agency structure doesn’t suit retirement living. Typically, the branch manager or their deputy values the property and pitches the business, but they don’t handle the viewings. The least experienced team member often manages viewings, which can be daunting when they walk into a busy community full of staff and residents. This can drain their confidence, and they might not be able to answer all the questions.
Every day is different, and every person I meet is unique. I enjoy adapting to different situations, whether supporting someone through a difficult time when selling an apartment or helping a new homeowner who’s excited about moving in.
Continuous learning and improvement are also fulfilling aspects of my job. Since launching Adlington Estates 18 months ago, I’ve been delving into the retirement living sector and soaking up as much knowledge as possible. Discussing Adlington life and properties for eight or nine hours a day is something I love, and the constant opportunities to learn make every day interesting.
After 10 years with my previous employer, I’d been approached by many recruiters, but was content with my job. However, the opportunity to launch Adlington Estates intrigued me. The chance to start something from scratch and take ownership of it, supported by a strong leadership team, was a massive opportunity.
I was particularly impressed by the fact that everybody at Adlington focused on what’s best for the potential homeowner and improving their life. That aligned with my values.
Many estate agents are driven by league tables and upselling services. Adlington’s approach is centred on the customer’s journey and using our expertise to make the process as stress-free as possible. That’s the top priority, and everything else follows on from that, which is fantastic.
The biggest challenge as an estate agent is juggling multiple tasks, dealing with sellers, buyers, solicitors, marketing, and coordinating with colleagues at each community and our head office. To stay on top of things, I’m super organised, with a spreadsheet for everything, which keeps me on track.
Communication and managing expectations are crucial. If a proposed deadline can’t be met, I provide a realistic timeframe and maintain regular communication. A lot happens in the background, so keeping buyers and sellers informed is important. If they’re kept up to date, they’re reassured. Lack of communication can lead to worry.
Making myself available to customers for reassurance is essential. Clients always have my mobile number, and I communicate with them via their preferred method, whether it’s text, calls, or emails. I maintain a great work-life balance, but I tell clients they can contact me in the evening if they have a quick question to put their mind at ease.
Visiting our communities and seeing the happiness of homeowners who’ve moved in gives me the most satisfaction.
Last week, I visited The Cottons in Ramsbottom, where a lady I sold an apartment to a few months ago told me that she thought it was brilliant, that she’d made so many new friends, that she’s always busy now, which is so different from sitting alone in her house. She said it’s the best thing she’s ever done.
Seeing the positive changes in people’s lives, forming new friendships, and engaging in community activities means a lot to me.
The experience I’ve gained helps me make the process as smooth as possible. Being an expert and always being honest is crucial.
Estate agents sometimes have a bad reputation for overpromising and underdelivering. I strive to exceed expectations and always deliver on my promises.
It’s important not to fall into the trap of telling people what they want to hear. Sometimes, bad news must be shared, but it can be done sympathetically, followed by finding a solution. Open and honest communication with the seller is crucial.
I’m always looking for ways to improve the experience for our customers.
You can read more about Adlington Estates in this section.