David Maslen hopes the public image of estate agents will improve following his company's award for best practice.

After only six months of preparation and at the first attempt, the Brighton-based estate agency David Maslen has achieved an Investor In People (IIP) award.

The firm, founded three years ago, becomes the second residential property firm in the city to reach the standards demanded by assessors.

Mr Maslen said: "As a relatively young business, we know how important it is to recruit and retain high-calibre staff who have the skills and motivation to provide the service our clients expect and deserve.

"Estate agency is a profession that is often undervalued and misunderstood, partly because we don't market ourselves properly.

"Very few members of the public know the extent of the service we provide and we need to communicate this more effectively.

"One of the many advantages of IIP accreditation is it reinforces our professional standing by building staff skills and giving them the confidence to learn new ones."

Mr Maslen said the property market had regained most of the ground it lost following the September 11 terror attacks.

He said: "The immediate effect on property sales was noticable but it only lasted for a short time. Activity is still a little down on what it was but it is growing.

"There are fewer buyers around but they are serious buyers. In the longer-term, there will be growth in the property market next year at a sustainable and sensible rate."

Sales negotiator Nick Wall is a key beneficiary of the firm's IIP philosophy.

He has been with the firm since it started and has now been awarded a Level Three National Vocational Qualification.

He said: "I was given the time I needed to study for the qualification, both at home and at work.

"Fundamentally, the course taught me to look for different way of doing things - not only in communication and selling skills but also property valuations, sales negotiation and professional liaison."