Spring is here and the property market is blossoming. If you’re on the move, David Arnold, partner at Arnold & Phillips which has branches at Ormskirk, Southport and Standish, has five tips for buyers and sellers.

Great British Life: David ArnoldDavid Arnold (Image: Lawson Photography)

1. The right credentials

If you’re looking for an agent to market your property, keep an eye out for which agents are selling in your area: it’s likely they know the neighbourhood well and have potential buyers waiting.

Take a look at their website to get a feel for how they market properties. Do you like their approach?

Arnold & Phillips opened their first branch in 2010 at the height of the recession. It was a risk, but they’ve gone on to open two further branches.

Great British Life: Arnold & PhilipsArnold & Philips (Image: Lawson Photography)

Partner David Arnold, who has been an estate agent for 25 years, says that despite Arnold & Phillips being a relative newcomer to west Lancashire’s property scene, their key to success has been creating a distinctive brand, putting the customer at the heart of the business and taking a creative approach to marketing.

“It was a time when other agents were closing, but we decided to do things differently,” he says.

2. Insider knowledge

Great British Life: Arnold & PhilipsArnold & Philips (Image: Daniel Holdbrook)

Does the agent specialise in the type of property you are buying or selling? Do they focus on any particular areas? An agent’s insider knowledge can be priceless.

“We have a lot of experience, and have had a lot of success with, high end properties around the £750,000 mark – although we have sold a £3m property,” says David.

“We know hotspots such as Aughton, Parbold, Churchtown, Birkdale, Rufford, Mawdesley and Ormskirk very well.”

3. Getting to know you…

Buying or selling a property takes time, especially if you are in a long chain. A good agent will be in touch with you regularly to keep you updated about how the sale is progressing.

“We’re hands on and keep in contact with our clients” says David. “They’ll be assigned an agent to take them through the process from beginning to end. If we’re marketing a property we ensure that we familiarise ourselves with it before we start showing people round.”

4. Not just bricks and mortar

Will your property be marketed to its full potential? Will the brochure entice buyers to look round? Will it be advertised in the right places?

David says that a large part of Arnold & Phillips’ success has come from taking a creative approach to marketing, using stylish photography to produce a snapshot of the lifestyle potential buyers could enjoy.

“It’s not just about a house, it’s about a lifestyle,” says David. “We also create videos for our website, our press advertising is bold and eye catching and every home has a premium listing on Rightmove.”

5. The perfect match

If you’re searching for your dream home, let agents know what you’re looking for so when suitable properties come to market you’ll be one of the first to know.

“Just recently we’ve had properties sell before they’ve even hit Rightmove because we know what people are looking for,” says David.

For more information visit www.arnoldandphillips.com