If you looked at my diary at the start of any given week, it would probably look organised. By Monday lunchtime, it rarely is.
That is the nature of life as a Property Finder at PLG. Plans shift. Viewings move. A property that looked promising is gone before you can get to it. A new instruction comes in and suddenly you are rerouting from Essex to Norfolk, or staying around London because something might come up the next morning.
On average, I cover around 35,000 miles a year. Some weeks that means long motorway journeys. Other weeks it is multiple viewings across one city. It is reactive, fast-moving and sometimes unpredictable. But that is exactly what this role requires.
Because when a property is right, it does not wait.
Seeing What Photos Don’t Show
One of the most common questions I am asked is why someone from PLG physically visits properties rather than relying on listings, videos or virtual tours.
The answer is simple: they never tell the full story.
Wide-angle lenses disguise narrow hallways. Floor plans do not show subtle level changes. Estate agents are selling a property. We are assessing whether it can genuinely work for someone with complex needs.
The first things I look at are access and flow. How do you get from the driveway to the front door? Are there steps? Is there space to ramp without affecting the pavement? Is there a porch that creates a double threshold? What happens when you turn into the hallway in a wheelchair? Can you manoeuvre into the bathroom on a right angle?
Sometimes a property looks ideal online. Then you arrive and immediately see something that changes everything. A steep hill. A terraced garden. A hidden level change between key rooms. If you cannot access the home safely and practically, nothing else matters.
Other times, you walk in and know straight away that it could change things for a family. Those moments are rarer, but they stay with you.
It Is About People, Not Just Property
Before joining PLG, I worked as a prison officer in a therapeutic community, facilitating group sessions and working closely with individuals navigating very complex histories. It was challenging work and often confrontational.
A psychologist once told me that my understanding of people was a gift. That comment has stayed with me.
This role demands exactly that.
When I walk into a property, I am not just thinking about walls and measurements. I am thinking about the person who will live there. Their mobility. Their care team. Their family dynamics. Their routines. What happens on a bad day, not just a good one.
I have worked with families who are desperate to move because their current situation is unsafe or deeply uncomfortable. I have seen clients grow frustrated when good properties are lost to the speed of the rental market. I have also stood in empty bungalows that, with the right adaptations, will give someone independence and dignity back.
Those are very different emotions to navigate.
Sometimes I have to slow clients down when they want to push forward with something that is not quite right. Other times, I am the one urging speed because we know this is the opportunity.
Balancing that takes judgement, honesty and calm communication.
The Reality of the Rental Market
Rental searches are particularly time sensitive. You are competing with a fast-moving market, and you are often having to educate agents and landlords about what we do.
Many landlords understandably hesitate when they hear words like “wet room” or “through-floor lift.” Part of my job is explaining the process, outlining reinstatement clearly and reassuring them that this is a professional, well-managed tenancy.
There is also a misconception that our clients are risky tenants. In reality, they are often more financially secure than the average applicant. But unless that is explained properly, it can be misunderstood.
Being present at viewings is not just about assessing suitability. It is also about building trust. You are representing the client and making the case for why this tenancy makes sense.
The Space Between Viewings
Spending so much time on the road gives you perspective.
Yes, it can be solitary at times, but I see that as space rather than isolation. It is time to process what you have seen, reflect on conversations and think ahead. You move between very different situations in a single week. That space allows you to reset and approach each client with clarity.
And it reminds you how important this work is.
It is easy, in any job, to get caught up in your own pressures. But when you step back and look at what many of our clients are navigating, it sharpens your focus. Our job is to improve their day-to-day lives. Sometimes temporarily. Sometimes permanently.
That perspective keeps you grounded.
When It All Comes Together
There are moments that stand out.
Returning to a property months after viewing it and seeing how the architectural team has transformed it into a fully adapted, thoughtful home. Watching a family move into a space that finally works for them. Seeing stress lift slightly because something practical has been solved.
You remember the first viewing. The doubts. The discussions about whether it could work. Then you see the finished result and think, yes, this is why we do it.
Those moments outweigh the long drives and the constant diary changes.
Why This Role Fits
If I had to describe my role in simple terms, I would say it sits at the forefront of what PLG does. I get to meet clients face-to-face and see properties firsthand. I assess the reality on the ground before decisions move forward.
It requires decisiveness, empathy and resilience in equal measure.
My previous career taught me how to have difficult conversations and read situations quickly. This role allows me to use those skills in a very different way. Instead of confrontation, it is collaboration. Instead of managing conflict, it is helping create stability.
For me, that is the difference.
Life on the road is rarely predictable. But when the right property is found and you know it will make a genuine difference, the miles feel worthwhile. And that is what keeps me going.
