When I joined PLG, I knew I was stepping into something completely new.
I had a rough idea of what the role involved, having worked in agency before, but this was completely different to anything I’d really done previously.
So I didn’t have a big plan for what my first year was going to look like.
I just took each day as it came.
Which, to be honest, is probably how I approach most things in life anyway.
Twelve months later, I’m still surprised by how quickly it’s gone. I’ve learnt a huge amount about property, but I think what I’ve learnt most about is people.
Property Finding Is About More Than Property
One of the things that surprised me most when I started was the pace.
You’re managing different searches, speaking to agents, responding quickly when opportunities come up and trying to keep everything moving for your clients.
But there’s also a huge amount happening behind the scenes.
When I started, I understood property. What I didn’t fully appreciate was everything surrounding accessible property finding.
There are legal teams, Case Managers, Occupational Therapists, architects and lots of other professionals involved in supporting a client. Understanding how all those different pieces fit together has been one of the biggest learning curves of my first year.
It’s made me realise just how much goes into finding a home that works for someone.
You Start Looking at Property Differently
Working in this sector has definitely changed the way I look at property.
I find myself looking at my own house and thinking about things I would never have considered before.
How wide are the doorways? Could someone using a wheelchair actually get around? Where would equipment go? Could someone move between the different rooms easily?
It’s made me realise how much we take for granted in our own homes.
A property can look completely suitable on paper, but once you understand what an individual client needs, you start looking at it differently.
One person might be perfectly comfortable using a stairlift. Another might need a lift. One client might need a dedicated therapy space, while another might need room for hobbies or interests that are important to them.
Even something as simple as a shower can be different.
You can’t just look at a disability and assume you know what somebody needs.
And then, eventually, they were able to move in.
That has stayed with me.
You can explain what we do to someone who has never worked in this industry, but I don’t think you can really understand the difference it makes until you see it.
I’ve also seen during my first year how important suitable accommodation can be in helping someone move forward with their rehabilitation and return home.
Experiences like that put into perspective just how much the right property can matter.
Sometimes the Property You Didn’t Expect Is the One That Works
I’m probably known for picking the ugly houses.
And I do.
But that’s because I’ve learnt not to be distracted by how a property looks when it first comes onto the market.
I’m interested in what it could become.
Could the layout work? Could it be adapted? Is there enough space?
You’re not necessarily looking for the perfect house, although that would be nice. You’re looking for the right opportunity for that particular client.
One of the more unusual searches I’ve worked on involved a client who wanted to live high up in a central London apartment building.
It wasn’t necessarily the most straightforward option from an accessibility perspective, but it was important to the client and reflected the lifestyle they wanted.
Rather than simply ruling it out, we looked at what would need to be considered. We explored the building, its access arrangements, fire safety and how the client’s needs could be accommodated.
It taught me something important.
Sometimes you need to understand why something matters to the client before deciding whether it can work.
The Search I’ll Always Remember
My first ever client will probably always be my favourite.
They were my first proper rental search and the first time I really experienced what finding the right property could mean to a family.
They were going through an incredibly difficult period, with the client still in hospital when we first met.
I remember meeting his wife and how quiet she was. You could tell they were dealing with a huge amount.
Then we found a property.
The property that we found belonged to a former client of ours, for whom we had previously carried out a successful rental search, so it had already been adapted, with a wet room and hoisting equipment on the ground floor, so it was a particularly fortunate find.
As the search progressed, I remember seeing more and more of his wife’s personality come through. She became happier and more confident. You could see what finding somewhere suitable meant to her.
And then, eventually, they were able to move in.
That has stayed with me.
You can explain what we do to someone who has never worked in this industry, but I don’t think you can really understand the difference it makes until you see it.
I’ve also seen during my first year how important suitable accommodation can be in helping someone move forward with their rehabilitation and return home.
Experiences like that put into perspective just how much the right property can matter.
You Get to Know the Person Behind the Brief
A property brief tells you what someone needs, but it doesn’t necessarily tell you who they are.
What do they like? Where do they want to live? What matters to them? What does a normal day look like?
Sometimes it’s those little details that help you recognise when a property could actually be right.
Ultimately, we’re trying to find somewhere that works for that individual person and their family, not simply somewhere that ticks every box on a piece of paper.
Where Does the Positivity Come From?
I’m always complimented on how positive I am by my colleagues at work.
I don’t really know where it comes from. I’ve always been a light-hearted and easy-going person, and I take that everywhere with me.
Obviously, there are times when you have to be serious. And there are difficult days.
But I generally think there’s always a way through something.
If something is within your control, do what you can to put it right.
If it isn’t, and you’ve done everything you can, there’s not much point in letting it consume you.
Things happen.
You work out what you can do next.
Then you carry on.
I suppose that’s probably how I’ve approached my first year at PLG too.
I’ve learnt something new, had plenty of challenges, met lots of brilliant people and occasionally picked an ugly house that everyone else probably wondered about.
But that’s what makes the job interesting. You never quite know what’s going to come through the door next.
One Year In
I started at PLG with an open mind and not much idea of what the next 12 months would bring.
A year later, I understand property finding in a completely different way.
But more importantly, I understand the people behind the property a little better.
I’ve learnt that the same brief can mean completely different things to two different people.
That sometimes the property you didn’t expect can turn out to be the right one.
And that when things don’t immediately look straightforward, there is usually another way of looking at them.
I’m still learning.
I suspect I always will be. But if the first year is anything to go by, I’m very happy to see where the next one takes me.
