Meet our Manager - Dan

Dan needs no introduction to some, he has been in and out of properties in St Helens for well over 10 years now and has built up some strong relationships with people in the industry as well as the St Helens public. Having worked for a couple of competitors before, gaining vital experience in the area as well as his NFOPP qualifications along the way, Dan is arguably the most experienced Estate Agent in the area. He has featured on television programmes, being a Homes Under The Hammer regular along with Gameshows such as Davina McCalls The 100k Drop, and National Lottery In It To Win It under his belt, you may have seen him without actually realising!

Dan joined Aspire in February 2017, and has overseen the growth of the company. From its Rainford beginnings 6 years ago before Dan was on the scene, Dan and his team have built it to where it is now with both St Helens & Rainford offices prospering, We begin an informal chat with Dan, to find out his likes, dislikes, industry favourites and memories, and hit him with everyone's favourite... The Quickfire Quiz!

Q:So, Dan, tell us a bit about yourself...

D: Well, where do i start? I actually fell into this industry by complete chance, which not a lot of people know. Believe it or not, i was actually on course to be a pilot! I was mid way through my A Levels, and my nan spotted an advert in the Newspaper for a "part time estate agent" which She felt would fit in well with my studies. So she called me up, little did she know i was about 6 Fosters deep in the Counting House Pub, coincidentally directly opposite Venmore Thomas & Jones (now John Brown) and told me. So with my beer armour on, i waltzed into Venmores and enquired. I was whizzed upstairs for an interview, the MD hired me on the spot, and the rest they say is History!

Q:Do you regret not becoming a pilot? D: At times, but i was a young kid earning decent money in the peak of the market. When the recession hit, then i did wish i had gone down the pilot route as i was on an £8000 (less than minimum wage at the time) basic and earning no commission with a mortgage to pay, but looking at the bigger picture where my life is now i wouldn't change a thing.

Q: What are your favourite past times?

D: I live for my Rugby and 8 ball Pool. This may not go down too well, but i am a huge Warrington fan. I have had some stick over the years from all of the Saints fans around here, but we are slowly clawing back some of the embarrassment of the past 20 years! I also play rugby still, although as i get older it takes a good week to recover! I proudly play for my local team, Newton...but it is Rugby Union not league! I am also the Chairman of my local pool league, Earlestown, and i play for Cheshire County too. I am a huge family man, i have three wonderful sons who keep me busy too, they are yet to properly take up sport but my eldest has recently got into Cricket for Earlestown Cricket Club, and my younger two i doubt will be far behind him. Q: Tell us your favourite House that you have ever sold?

D: As much as i'd like to name drop, I cant breach GDPR and name names, (always the professional) but i did sell a Manchester United players property back in the day. That was some house! You name it, it had it!

Q: Ok, lets hit you with some property questions. Have you ever been scared in any properties?

D: Oh yes! There are a few i could name, when you just feel like someone is watching you and it goes icy cold, but you try to tell yourself its your mind playing tricks on you. However, THE one that stands out was an old cottage on Higher Lane in Rainford. I will never, ever, EVER forget it. I will quickly add that its now demolished, but around 2015 i took on a cottage that was surrounded by 7 foot high overgrown gardens. So, approaching the door, an old churchy style door, its a bit dull and eerie. Nevertheless, in i go. The house is TOTALLY empty, aside from a commode and a piano in the lounge. Pitch black, just sprinkles of light through the gaps in the overgrowth in certain rooms. Each door i went through, it felt as though someone would be behind it, but just an empty room. I then close the doors behind me as i exit the rooms, and as i am back in the little hallway, the LOUDEST bang you have ever heard smashed the ceiling above my head. I bolted!!! The house was totally empty, all doors and windows closed and secured, and even as i say this now i get Goosebumps as there was literally nothing that could have made that noise. Nothing. I am not ashamed to admit that i would not go back!

Q: Sounds scary!

D: Definitely. I still to this day can't explain it. Q:What is the best thing about being an Estate Agent?

D: No two days are the same. It sounds a cliché but getting out and about meeting people, 99.9% are lovely and sometimes its easy to forget that every house is actually a home, their safe place, and there is so much emotion involved. This is something i never take for granted, so doing the best job possible for people; seeing them so happy taking what is one of the biggest steps in life and knowing I was a part of that happy (yet stressful) journey is a great feeling. Q: And the worst...?

D: Being blamed for something out of my control. Usually, the most earache we get as agents is when the sale is agreed and going through. We get all of the frustrations, ear bashings, you name it we get it, but in truth they are paying their solicitor to do this part of the job yet we always get the line "We are paying you to sell our house, you need to sort this!" When in fact I have actually done my bit by finding you a buyer... you are paying your solicitor to do the legals not me! Of course you cant say it at the time as deep down they know its not us, all you can do is help navigate it and advise on what to do next.

Q:Who is your biggest rival out there at the moment?

D: I won't say the company, nor will i say a surname as there are a couple with the same name so it keeps them guessing, but young Jonathan, he knows who he is. Its like going against a young version of myself, but the lad is far better looking than i am unfortunately!

Q: Best Estate Agent you have worked with?

D: There's a couple, Sinead here at Aspire is fantastic. Her all round game is phenomenal, She really cares about clients and has time for everybody, and i have never seen as many Thank You cards in my life that Sinead gets. Stacey Molyneux too, determined and hard working, when Stacey started under my wing she just absorbed everything like a sponge and then put her own stamp on how She works and its great to see her doing well too.

Q: What annoys you most in the property industry?

D: Apart from my colleagues having fish for lunch and stinking the whole office out (Yes Sinead and Nicola Campbell, I'm talking about you two!!!) the biggest annoyance are Online agents!! People see their adverts on TV and just go straight with them, little do they realise that you have to pay these guys no matter what! Whereas us High Street agents are No Sale No Fee, these onlines usually aren't. So if they don't sell your home, you have lost your money then have to also pay someone like us too to find you a buyer once they have failed, all the time your property depreciates in value! In the South of England where property prices are double what they are here, these online agents do save you money, no doubt about that, but "Up North" their fixed fees are so, so similar to ours, often they are actually more expensive, so why people pay them upfront is beyond me. You wouldn't pay a builder, or buy a car without testing it first would you? So why people do it with their most expensive asset is lost on me. Hopefully enough people read this and think twice!

Q:Funniest Colleague Past Or Present?

D: Back in the day, Luke Creasey from my early Bridgford's days. One of those guys who is just instantly funny, even when he is trying to be serious! In my Ashtons days, we had a cracking team of myself, Matt, Simon & Stuart, we were all of the same ilk and coming to work was just fun. Don't get me wrong, it is still, but i think everyone out there has their favourite work buddies that they have worked with over the years and those three are mine as we grafted but it just felt like we had this bond that i haven't had before or since.

Q: If you could pick one colleague past or present to spend an afternoon in the pub with, who would it be and why?

A: Haha well there are a few for this. Estate Agents like a good drink let me tell you! But probably John Derbyshire, i think he's a teacher now but he was a good mate and we used to have a great craic, at Bridgfords in Fearnhead we used to have Jenerics Chinese Takeaway opposite us, and Ladbrokes bookmakers, so late night Thursdays in work we used to always get Chinese for our tea, Saturday we would work until 3pm, hit the bookies for our football bets and then taxi into Stockton Heath to watch the scores and a few drinks. One night we carried on into the late hours, and i nearly died when Johns chat up line with a young lady was just giving her his business card, i still laugh now when i think about it. He was and no doubt is still a top guy and as cheeky young lads i have fond memories of our Saturday afternoons! So to answer your question, one like that. I would love an afternoon with so many people though from the past, Mikey Foreman, Andy Moulds, Phil Bull, Jon Worker, Kelly, Kris, Steve & Ben, there's loads that I owe a pint to as they have all contributed to so much to my life without even realising it, and none more so than my current Directors, but i see them daily i guess and we will be having a Christmas catch up in the next few weeks! Sorry i rambled a bit there lost in my memories! I'm enjoying this!

Q: Funniest moment?

D: In the job? There is loads. You could literally write a book doing this job, daily. Property wise though, the funniest moment was when one of my colleagues got caught short and needed the loo (and not for a number one!) on a viewing. He didn't realise that the water had been drained down, so the toilet wouldn't flush. You can imagine the chaos and hilarity that ensued! He couldn't find the stopcock, and i refused to ring the owner and ask so he had to, and its the most toe curling phone call i have ever heard! Thankfully, the owner found it as hilarious as we all did in the office!

Personally, and it is a good job i don't take myself too seriously, as this is a more funny moment at my expense... I went on a Gameshow, that no ones ever heard of may i add, called Two Tribes. It was hosted by Richard Osman who is everywhere at the moment, and i was the first in line to be hit with a question. Being the seasoned professional, or so i thought, i expected to smash it. But unlike what i had experienced before, where everything is edited post production, this was live, and a HUGE gong noise went off, the lights all went off and the spotlight dazzled me, meanwhile Richard Osman asks the question in his booming voice "What fruit is the main ingredient in a Banoffee pie?" And in all of this confusion, do you know what i said? I said "Apples". I died inside immediately. I knew straight away what i had done, and it haunts me. Every one of my friends seeks every available opportunity to mention it, and even though its 7 years ago it still haunts me to this day! No one remembers that i actually did smash the show and get to the final, yet all they remember is Banoffee Gate!

Q: What are your plans for the future?

D: I just want to see Aspire blossom and keep moving forward. We are only 6 years old, and are a local, family run business. Some days it is so hard fighting against the big boys with money flying everywhere. This past two years we have massively closed the gap on them, on a service level we are miles above all of our competitors, and our sales success rate from listing a house to selling it according to Rightmove is the best percentage in the area. We just need to find a way to show the public that and get them to come to ourselves so they can help us grow. We price match anyone, we don't charge extortionate fees unlike some, and we dont charge any hidden add ons either unlike others. At the end of the day, using them and paying over the odds is just throwing unnecessary money away that could be better spent on your new home, whilst funding the owner of that agents next new Ferrari purchase. To us, its much more than that, it really is just a local business doing their best for themselves but also their clients, not their own pockets. So hopefully the public continue to get wind of this and put their trust in us to get them moving! We really are the best!

Q: Thanks so much for taking the time to speak to us today, are we ok finishing with the Quickfire Quiz? D: Yes, hit me with it!

Q: Ok, lets go! Favourite TV Programme? D: Game of Thrones

Q: Favourite Film?

D: Oooh Good one! Gladiator or The Replacements. Depends what mood i am in!

Q: Favourite ever rugby player?

D: Lee Briers & Alfie Langer

Q: Favourite pub?

D: The Griffin in Earlestown

Q: Favourite Holiday Destination?

D: Loved Vegas, but Cyprus i think!

Q: Tea or Coffee?

D: YORKSHIRE TEA!

Q: Chocolate or Crisps

D: Cadburys, only ever Cadburys!

Q: Football or Rugby

D: No contest, Rugby.

Q; Steak or Salad D: Is this even a question?! Steak!

Q: Coke or Pepsi?

D: Pepsi

Q:Indian or Chinese?

D: Indian

Q: DC or Marvel?

D: Marvel!

Q: Night In Or Night Out?

D: After this year, night out!!

Q: Beer or Wine?

D: Fosters, end of.

Q: Dan thanks again for your time, we hope to see you soon!

D: Anytime, thanks for taking the time to speak to me!