Having worked in the property industry for around 20 years and fed up of feeling unappreciated and under valued by my employer at that time I knew I had to make the break and do something for me!

I knew I still loved doing what I do, and doing it well, but also knew I could never afford to set up my own estate agents. So, I looked into the possibility of an estate agent franchise and was surprised to learn that a few agents are now offering this. I found 4 or 5 potential estate agents but after some research and a few phone calls I narrowed it down to just 2. Further researching into these 2 companies they both seemed to be pretty good prospects, however, I preferred the Open House branding, the bright, vibrant colours which really stand out. Their website looked slick and they seemed to be really switched on and knew exactly what they were doing, everything was really professional which was appealing for me. A few more phone calls and it soon became clear that Open House were the front runners and would be the ones that I would choose if I were to take the plunge and do this!!

Right from the start, from the initial phone calls with Alex, one of the directors, I was impressed with Open House and the information that was provided which was comprehensive and informative. I had loads of questions, having never worked for myself before I didn’t have a clue! There were a lot of phone conversations and emails, nothing was ever too much trouble and there was never any pressure put on me. It was a huge decision for me and pretty scary doing it on my own too! But, after much deliberation I decided to take a leap of faith and go for it! What did I have to lose?

I attended the training week in October 2018, everyone was brilliant, especially Dan. Not only was the training extremely valuable but the ongoing support from Open House is superb. Its reassuring knowing that there is always someone at the end of the phone should I need it.

I never dreamed I would ever be able to run my own estate agency, but by becoming an Open House franchisee this was made possible.

Since joining Open House I have made some great friends as the support isn’t only from Head Office but also from the other franchisees of which there are now well over 100 of us. I also now have a far better work/life balance which was something I have never had before. Like everything in life you only get out of it what you put in! Its up to you how successful you become. But, for me this has been the best decision I have ever made, my only regret is that I didn’t do it sooner! I love my job, the freedom I have to do my own thing and to be my own boss and I love being part of the Open House family!