A Day in the Life of a…

Property Negotiator

Are you thinking of a career in Property Negotiation? But wonder what the next step is? With such a broad range of possibilities on offer, what's right for you? To help you decide, we're taking a look at what's out there and the people who are doing it.

Position: Property Negotiators

Location: Office and Field Based

What does the role of a property negotiator really involve? Our Negotiators are responsible for registering and qualifying applicants, conducting viewings on properties, extracting offers and closing deals. One of our negotiators gives you an inside view of the role.

The day starts in the office at 8:40am The General Manager of the office holds a briefing to inform the negotiators of any new properties, news or changes that you need to be aware of. Then the great balancing act begins. You must be available to handle visits and phone calls from applicants (people who want to buy or let a property) and clients (the person selling the property or the landlord of a rental property); but you should also be out showing applicants suitable properties. Each day will require you to play both roles and remain at all times efficient, helpful and professional.

The morning is the most effective time to make phone calls, so the time after the briefing is spent contacting solicitors and establishing what stage each of the property sales has reached or, in the case of lettings, liaising with landlords and tenants to finalise the lettings contract. Contacting existing applicants on a regular basis and registering new applicants is extremely important. Each member of the public who registers as a buyer or tenant needs to be informed immediately of any new properties that meet their requirements. Making appointments to view the properties is crucial. Each negotiator has to fill their diary with appointments to introduce new buyers and tenants to their properties. These viewings take place throughout the afternoon and into the evening. Fewer viewings, fewer sales - it's as simple as that.

The viewing is the time when your interpersonal skills really come into play. You must create a rapport with the applicant in a short period of time, getting to understand their needs and tastes.

Because viewings are so important you'll spend large amounts of the day out and about, but you must be available for calls about other properties as well. That makes transport and on-the-move communications vital. In addition to your direct phone line in the office you'll be armed with a mobile phone and hands-free kit so you can be in touch at all times.

You'll also have a car so you can get to and from viewings quickly and safely, with a client or applicant as a passenger. There's nothing like the buzz of a frenetic afternoon, with a stream of interested applicants wanting to view your properties.

Once an offer from an applicant has been agreed by the client you will take the responsibility for seeing the transaction through to an exchange of contracts. This means liaising with solicitors, surveyors and financial advisors. In the case of lettings, you will liaise with the landlord. Taking a property from the viewing all the way through to the day a person moves into their new home gives you a real sense of achievement.

At Foxtons there is a real work hard, play hard ethic. Every Friday afternoon is energetic as everyone attends the weekly sales meetings where everyone's achievements are reviewed. This meeting is dynamic and gives you the real opportunity to be proud of your work and celebrate what you've achieved. The top performers receive champagne, money prizes and a sports car to drive for the weekend. It also brings closure to the week and allows you a fresh start to really focus on the week ahead. In addition to the weekly rewards there are also dinners and parties to attend for high achieving offices, and quarterly trips to amazing destinations around the world. In the last year we've been on safari in South Africa, skiddoing in Reykjavik and skiing in France.

Career progression at Foxtons is meritocratic and not dependent on your age or length of service. If successful, you can quickly progress through the different ranks of commission rates (11% to 20%) and company cars (Branded Mini Cooper through to a Supercar - any car of your choice up to £40,000!). As well as the rewards, there is also a chance to progress vertically from a negotiator to a Rare Negotiator and then onto a Sales or Lettings Valuer. After that you could become one of our Sales or Lettings Managers, responsible for a team of negotiators and the overall performance of your department. Alternatively, you could move laterally to one of the many in-house departments at our Headquarters. Foxtons does as much as possible in-house so you would be surprised how many roles are available.

Thanks go to Foxtons for giving us A Day in the Life of a… Property Negotiator. If you would like to find out more about the opportunities within Foxtons please click here.