Sinead Beggan and Jillian McGuirk went to secondary school together, rose to senior positions in one of the country’s biggest estate agencies together, and then left and set up an agency of their own – together.
They also shared a vision: to develop a customer-centric estate agency focused only on Dublin south city and county. Based in Terenure village, McGuirk Beggan Property was set up in 2010.
Beginning in the depths of the financial crisis proved a smart move.
“We’d sold thousands of houses in our careers by that stage,” says McGuirk, “so that side of things was no problem. But what the recession did was give us time to get to grips with the practicalities of running a business.
“In our previous roles, everything from sorting VAT to ordering brochures to making sure there’s enough milk in the fridge was done for you. With your own business, you do everything yourself.”
Starting up in a recession is also the definition of optimism, and theirs captured the attention of an RTÉ afternoon show, which televised their progress during the first six months.
That led to requests for the pair to sell houses the length and breadth of Ireland, but they held firm. Their “USP”, or unique selling proposition, remains the deep knowledge they bring to bear in the local market of south Dublin.
“We didn’t set out to be the biggest agency in Dublin,” says Beggan, “but to do the best work we could do. Everything we do is service and results oriented.”
Putting people first
From the outside, one estate agency can look pretty much like another. Not so, they say.
“For a start, this is a sector in which communications have traditionally been very poor,” Beggan says. “We’d often be chatting to viewers at a property and asking them how they are getting on with the sale of their own home, and they’ll tell us they don’t really know because they haven’t heard from their own estate agents about what’s going on.”
The women have always railed against poor treatment of both buyers and sellers.
“You’re talking about someone who has found the house of their dreams and really wants to buy it, but is left in the dark about what’s happening with the sale of their own house,” says McGuirk. “That’s really disappointing for them because they just can’t move forward with their plans.”.
When you deal with McGuirk Beggan Property, you deal with the principals.
"With a bigger estate agency," explains Beggan, "you might meet with a manager only to be handed over to a junior level negotiator thereafter. The person you originally engage with may not actually be the one who you end up dealing with for the sale – it's just how it's done. With us, people get us: negotiators with 25 years of experience each, and all the knowledge and experience that comes with that.
“People assume that the best estate agent to go with is the one with the most boards. It’s not necessarily the case, because it’s not the board or brand that will sell your property. It’s the professional dealing with the negotiations who will determine your experiences good, bad or indifferent.”
Open and honest
Effective negotiation is an invaluable skill. According to Beggan, “It’s about dealing with people honestly, fairly, with kindness and empathy, whether you’re selling a house or meeting us at a viewing.”
In fact, much of their business comes from people they’ve met at viewings, who remember how well they were treated at what is an emotional time.
“People have told us they came to us because they remembered us for having been so honest with them, that they always knew where they stood. That’s really important to us because integrity is everything in this business.”
Trust is vital, she adds. “If it’s not there, people worry about things like whether they are bidding against themselves. They fear they are not getting the full story, and that’s a terrible feeling. We believe in giving the full information at every stage, to help people make an informed decision. It’s what we’ve built our business on.”
Whether buying or selling a house, it’s is the biggest transaction most of us will ever undertake, and a hugely emotional one. You need to trust the people you are dealing with.
All kinds of scenarios
Beggan and McGuirk have experienced every conceivable sales scenario over the course of their careers. “We approach them all with empathy,” says McGuirk.
In some cases, people are selling the house they grew up in after the loss of a parent.
“That’s not just a house, that’s all their Christmases, all those cherished moments together, and everything that house represents. You can’t rush them, you have to remember what they are going through,” she explains.
“We’ve also managed sales for people who have separated but are still living in the house together, it’s imperative to deal with both parties equally and fairly in what is a uniquely stressful time.”
Supporting sellers
When Covid hit, virtual viewings became the order of the day. But the appetite for property in their area only grew, says Beggan.
“The pandemic forced people to look at their living spaces and recognise the need for their home to be multifunctional, both a place to relax and a place to work.”
Shortage of supply is a huge issue, however, both locally and nationally.
“Many people want to trade down but are afraid there is simply nowhere for them to go,” says McGuirk. She believes dedicated developments for older people, which would enable them stay in their local community, would help enormously.
It is terrifying to put up that For Sale sign, but it's also the first step that needs to be taken
“So often we meet people who haven’t been upstairs in their own home for years, because they can’t,” she explains. “They would only love to move somewhere smaller and more manageable but are afraid, because where do they go?
“We need the government to encourage the kinds of developments we see in places like Florida and Australia...We see there is a need and demand for these types of developments here, which would also in turn help families who want to trade up in these established areas.”
For younger people looking to trade up, putting their home on the market is daunting, too.
“It is terrifying to put up that For Sale sign,” McGuirk says, “but it’s also the first step that needs to be taken. It is unlikely an agent will be able to engage with your offer on your dream home unless you are in a sale agreed position.”
“With the right support working on your behalf such as experienced agents like ourselves, we are the right choice to help you get that dream home”.
Would you like to know what your home is worth in 2021?
McGuirk Beggan offer a free no-obligation valuation in which they will talk you through all your options moving forward. Call 01-4190600 for further details
Updating your Local Property Tax valuation
The next valuation date for LPT is November 1st, when you are required to self-assess the value of your property on the date. This will will determine the amount of LPT you pay for 2022 and for the three years from 2023-2025. If you require an updated valuation, contact McGuirk Beggan on 01-4190600.
To find out more about buying or selling with McGuirk Beggan Property, visit mcguirkbeggan.ie