We understand that some people have a pretty dim view of estate agents, and it seems many have a horror story or two to share – us included. But our mission is to change the profession by example…and hopefully end up being a bit less lonely at dinner parties and the school gates. We're kind of a cross between a traditional estate agency and a newer online model. A local agent might rightly claim to have 20 people registered with them who are desperate for a property like yours. But those exact people are getting Rightmove alerts and calling up as soon as the listing goes online anyway. In fact, 97% of people start their property search online, on one of the big portals. So we meet them there, rather than restricting ourselves to one local area. Getting properties sold or let isn’t about adverts in the local paper anymore – it’s all about effective marketing, realistic pricing, taking a tough stance when negotiating, and getting the deal through to completion by being utterly proactive. We rely on repeat custom and word-of-mouth...So we have to be good. Put simply, Fish Need Water is just our attempt to build an agency we can be proud of – a business built on trust, honesty, repeat custom and word-of-mouth. We don’t lie to win new business: we promise a realistic result, and guarantee it. If you treat clients fairly and do things properly, they won’t mind the lack of branded minis or beers in the office fridge.