Estate agent with the terrier spirit

East Bergholt-based estate agent David Grier is celebrating 20 years working in the village and serving the local community.

The champagne corks popped at The Old Shop where neigbours, other business people and clients who have become friends gathered to celebrate the anniversary and a new lookf or the traditional estate agency.

Among the guests was MP Tim Yeo,

David Grier, wife Lesley and son Aidan are involved in the family business which now has a bold new look, branding and website developed with the help of Simon Isacc of specialist agency Zero Above.

In a bit of fun Simon has used the image of David’s Cairn Terriers, Fred and George in the artwork, and the slogan, “the agent with the Terrier spirit,” also refers to them.

You could say the estate agents have a dogged determination to get the job done.

David Grier said: “I’ve been an estate agent all my working life, since leaving school. For the corporates and then offices further down in Essex.”

Grier and Partners opened in East Bergholt, in the Suffolk/Essex borders almost exactly 20 years ago.

David Grier said: “The estate agency business has changed dramtically over the past 20 years. New technology has made so many differences.

“I remember we had to stick colour photographs to the details, every day, for posting out, and before that we had black and white photographs,

“Now we have email and an interactive website.

“The myHousebook section allows owners, and landlords, to keep in touch with the progress of their property.

“It is important for an agent to keep the client informed, and this helps. It give people informaton.

“It is a big step forward and part of a much improved website.

“There are six of us working in the office now.”

The personal touch was still important in estate agency, he added.

Grier & Partners specialises in village and rural homes, from the border villages and the Shotley peninsula, down into Essex and towards West Suffolk.

“We tend to stick to the more rural villages and the areas which we know well.”

The estate agency business is seeing the results of the new-found confidence in the economy, he said.

“We had a very good end to last year.

“The market is strong however it is being held back by the shortage of instructions.

“It is certainly a good time to sell.”

Grier & Partners The Old Shop, The Street, East Bergholt. Telephone 01206 299222.

www.griefandpartners.co.uk