Knowledge of The Local Area is Key to Karltons Independent Estate Agents

Published on: 5 Jul, 2012
Updated on: 18 Jul, 2012

If location is the key factor when it comes to buying a home, then having an estate agent with expert knowledge of a particular area is also vital when selling.

The staff at Karltons independent estate agents. It also has an in-house letting department.

It goes without saying; the staff at Guildford independent estate agent Karltons has an abundance of local knowledge.

Their office at 133 Worplesdon Road was opened in May 2011. The managing director, Jason Mugridge, who grew up in the very same area, having been born in Guildford and went to school in Guildford, has lived in the area all his life. He is the third generation of a truly Guildford family, on both his mother and father’s side.

Jason’s background lies in sales and customer service, with a long interest in the property market and when the opportunity arose to start up his own business, and rather conveniently in the same office his estate agency career began, he jumped at the chance. Happily over the last year business has flourished and grown.

While Jason was building up his client base of both vendors and buyers, he rather cleverly displayed in the office’s window a number of vintage photographs of the area. These interesting images caught the eye of many a passer by and became a bit of a talking point. He says it certainly helped to bring people in through the door.

Now in the window there are, of course, colour photos of the latest properties Karltons is offering for sale or to let. However, some of the fascinating old pictures of yesteryear are on view inside.

Karltons also includes vintage street scene views on some of its promotional leaflets, which have ironically lead to people requesting further leaflets. So look out for one with a 100-year-old picture of a Guildford Road!

Jason’s first employee, Jo Hopkins, another local person, joined to look after the administration, advertising and marketing side of the business. In January, Guildford local Simon Wheatley joined as a property consultant.

Karltons opened their office at 133 Worplesdon Road, Guildford, in May 2011.

Karltons is currently the only estate agent with an office in Guildford north of the A3 to have an in-house lettings department and has built the business marketing properties in this area. They have also sold or let properties in Guildford town centre, Shalford and Godalming.

Jason said: “Being close to London, the Guildford property market is always buoyant. We are always keen to acquire new stock as the area continues to attract professional people who work in London but are looking to buy or let a home and relocate here.”

Jason was very surprised that the first property Karltons let was for an executive via a relocation company.

He is first to admit that the ways in which homes are sold these days has changed in recent times. “People who are buying or selling do not always come and visit us, but they still like the assurance that an estate agent has an office locally as a kind of shop window.”

The office at Karltons operates from Monday to Friday, 8am to 7pm, and Saturdays, from 9am to 5pm with phone calls answered out of hours. However, outside these times appointments are available to meet clients’ particular needs.

Jason also says that if you are having problems selling or lettings your property, or would like to maximise its value, he and his team offer a free consultation service, even if you have not selected Karltons as your agent.

Finally, why the name Karltons? Jason explains that it all comes back to a house name his parents devised. “They came up with the name Carlton Ridge. My mum’s name is Carol, my late father was Tony and my middle name is Carl. So the first part is based on those names. The word Ridge is from our surname Mugridge. And in naming my company, I just altered it a little changing the ‘C’ to a ‘K’.”

Karltons, 133 Worplesdon Road, Stoughton, Guildford GU2 9XA. Tel: 01483 504800.

Website: www.karltons.co.uk