Recruiting a team of experts in all aspects of property sales is just one of the reasons Brand Vaughan sold more properties for clients than any other office in the city in 2013.

Other ingredients in the recipe for success include dedication, research and professionalism.

The firm was established in 2007 by Jason Brand and David Vaughan, a year before the bottom dropped out of the property market, but while others fell by the wayside this innovative and enterprising business steadily built up a reputation for strong sales, reliability and friendliness.

Jason, who is the 2014 president of the Brighton and Hove Estate Agents Association, said: “We had a fantastic 2013 and extended our position as the highestselling office in Brighton, and finished the year winning a gold award for the second successive year in the Sunday Times Estate Agency of the Year Awards.

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“The judges said Brand Vaughan was going from strength to strength and found the response times, quality of information offered and customer care standards truly impressive.”

Brand Vaughan was one of the first independent estate agents in the city to employ its own in house professional photographer who knows how to make a property look its best, and a talented writer who can prepare quality and interesting property details.

Jason said: “Research has shown that professional photography adds thousands of pounds to the sale price achieved. What’s more, our free video tours enable buyers to watch a slideshow of a property’s photos accompanied by a professional narration of its description.”

Professionally written property details have also reaped rewards for the firm, with clients saying how refreshing it is to read about their homes without all the usual clichés.

“Our writers are really committed to getting the story over to prospective buyers and find out something the owner has really enjoyed about living in their home, giving buyers a unique insight into those little touches that sometimes go unnoticed.

“Dull, formulaic property descriptions, may be loved by some agents, but they are loathed by buyers, so they are forbidden here! We’re the first agent in the area to employ professional copywriters whose sole job is to write bright, engaging narratives which bring a property to life so buyers can better visualise themselves living there.”

Property descriptions don’t ignore any negatives that a property may have, in fact they bring it to the attention of buyers.

Jason said: “Imagine a property is on a busy road, which might put off some buyers before they’ve even viewed it. So to avoid this, we mention this ‘downside’ on the property details, giving us a chance to handle any objection and put forward some positives – that the property is less expensive as a result, for example, than it would be if not on the busy road or the owners may use the rear entrance as the main access to the house.”

Figures from the company’s sales over the last four years show that over 60% of buyers were from outside Brighton and Hove, with a significant number from London, so marketing is not just focused on the local area. Details of new properties can be sent to around 1,000 people, and those considered to be ‘hot’ are contacted by phone.

Jason added: “I’m proud of every member of the team who never cease to amaze me with their enthusiasm and commitment.”

The firm’s confidence is evident in the investment it has made in opening an office in Preston Road, opposite Preston Park, which has raised its profile in the area.