Experience — Volume Builds Pattern Recognition You Can't Fake

Years in the business matter, but raw volume matters more. An agent who has completed a few hundred transactions has seen the exceptions, the surprises, and the deals that nearly fell apart. Nearly 20 years and thousands of transactions across London and surrounding areas means we've worked in every market condition this city has thrown at us — multiple interest rate cycles, inventory droughts, bidding wars, and buyer's markets.

The question to ask: "How many transactions have you personally completed in the last 12 months, in this specific price range and neighbourhood?" Niche volume is what matters — not total career numbers from 1998.

List-To-Sale Performance — Demand the Days on Market Data

Days on market is one of the most honest metrics in real estate. It reflects pricing accuracy, marketing reach, and negotiation skill all at once. Our average days on market sits under 30 days — consistently beating the London & St. Thomas Association of REALTORS® board average.

When you're selling, a listing that sits is a liability. Buyer perception shifts after the first two weeks. Price reductions follow. The final sale price drops. A short days-on-market average isn't vanity — it's evidence of a process that works.

The question to ask: "What is your personal average days on market over the last 12 months, and how does that compare to the London board average?"

Zero Expired Listings in 2025 — What This Actually Means

An expired listing is a failure. Full stop. It means either the property was priced incorrectly, the marketing didn't reach the right buyers, or communication with the seller broke down somewhere along the way. In 2025, we had zero expired listings.

This matters because any agent can get lucky on a hot listing. Consistency across an entire year — across varied price points, property types, and neighbourhoods — is the real test. Zero expired listings means every client who trusted us with their home got it sold.

The question to ask: "How many of your listings expired in the last 12 months? What was the reason?" An honest agent will have a clear answer. Hesitation is a red flag.

We Own the Marketing Technology — Your Listing Isn't Handed to a Template

Most agents outsource their digital advertising to third-party platforms or generic listing syndication services. Your home gets a "Promoted Post" budget and a basic ad template. That's the industry standard.

We took a different path. We co-own Selling Toolz, a real estate marketing software company with in-house Google and Meta advertising specialists. When your home is listed, it's managed by people who run real estate ad campaigns full-time — not by an algorithm that treats your property the same as every other listing on the platform.

The question to ask: "Who runs your digital advertising, and can you show me examples of campaigns for comparable listings?" The answer will tell you immediately whether your home will be marketed or just listed.

Communication & Personal Service — You Work With Us, Not an Assistant

The Realty Firm is one of London's largest brokerages — 100+ agents, built over years of growth. But our personal clients work directly with Ryan and Sandra. Not a junior team member. Not an assistant. Us.

This is a deliberate choice. Large teams can generate volume, but they often create a handoff problem — the agent who sold you on the experience isn't the one answering your calls at 9pm when you have questions about your offer. We don't build our business that way.

The question to ask: "Who specifically will be handling my listing day-to-day, and who will I call when I have a question at 7pm?" Get a direct answer — not a team org chart.

Technology — Operating at a Level Most London Agents Haven't Reached

AI-powered marketing, data-driven pricing strategy, and automated systems for lead management and follow-up — this is no longer optional for top-performing agents. The London market is competitive, and buyers and sellers expect a level of responsiveness and precision that manual processes simply can't deliver.

We've invested heavily in technology infrastructure — both for our own clients and for the agents at The Realty Firm — because the brokerage that adapts fastest wins the most for their clients. That includes AI tools for pricing analysis, automated marketing workflows, and digital systems that give every client a real-time view of their listing's performance.

The question to ask: "What specific technology do you use to price my home, manage my listing, and track buyer activity?" Vague answers about "industry tools" are not answers.

The 6 Questions to Ask Every Agent You Interview

Take this list into every agent meeting. The answers — or the hesitation — will do the work for you.

• How many transactions have you personally completed in the last 12 months in my price range and neighbourhood?
• What is your average days on market over the last 12 months — and how does it compare to the London board average?
• How many of your listings expired in the last 12 months, and why?
• Who runs your digital advertising, and can you show me examples of campaigns for comparable listings?
• Who specifically will handle my listing day-to-day, and who do I call if I have a question at 7pm?
• What specific technology do you use to price my home, manage my listing, and track buyer activity?