Walter & Mair Country

14/04/2026

It’s easy to think estate agency is just viewings, offers, and sales agreed.

But a lot of it looks like this.

Late evenings, laptop open, quietly reworking how we do things better.

Tonight has been spent refining how we present our properties, testing new video formats, and understanding how platforms like Rightmove are evolving with AI.

It’s also meant rethinking how we send property details out to buyers — not just sending them, but making sure they actually land, get opened, and create the right kind of engagement.

Because the way homes are marketed is changing. And it’s changing quickly.

Buyer behaviour shifts. Attention spans are shorter. The small details — the ones most people never see — are often the difference between a property being overlooked and a property standing out.

So we adapt. Constantly.
Not because we have to. Because our clients deserve it.

𝐼𝑚𝑎𝑔𝑒 𝑖𝑠 𝐴𝐼 𝑔𝑒𝑛𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑑

04/02/2024

World Cancer Day 4 th February 2024

A time to raise awareness of cancer.

To honour the spirits lost to cancer and acknowledge the grief of their loved ones. To show support for and send strength to those currently enduring cancer journeys.

08/08/2023

Calling all Landlords.

Type ‘tenancy agreement’ into Google and you’ll get thousands of results offering free online templates and guides to writing your own rental contract.

So why bother using a letting agent to sort out the tenancy agreement if you can do it yourself? What could possibly go wrong?

Well, quite a lot. Hastily downloading a template from the internet and high-fiving yourself for a job well done could prove to be a costly mistake.

It might not become apparent for months or even years, but if you get into a dispute at the end of a tenancy, or want to regain possession of the property, you could find your contract is worthless.

In this quick read, we look at the dangers of a DIY tenancy agreement.

𝗟𝗲𝗴𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝘂𝗻𝘀𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱
Incorrect legal terms, illogical clauses, confusing wording… all of these can cause problems when a tenant moves out or challenges something in the contract. There have also been many changes to renting rules over the last few years (with more set to take effect soon), which could render your DIY agreement useless.
Using an agent with access to a properly drafted, legally sound, up-to-date tenancy agreement can save you a fortune in stress, hassle and expense in the long run.

𝗢𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗹𝗲𝗴𝗮𝗹 𝗿𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀
At the beginning of a tenancy, landlords must provide the tenant with a number of important documents – not just a tenancy agreement. These include gas and electrical safety certificates and information about the relevant deposit service the landlord uses.
A freestyling approach to establishing a tenancy could mean you fail to get this paperwork right – an outcome that could invalidate whatever tenancy agreement you do have. This means any dispute will be even more protracted and expensive.

𝗡𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗼𝗱𝘀
The same applies to serving notice. If the tenancy was set up incorrectly without all the paperwork provided to the tenant, it could invalidate any notice you serve. Are you up to date with all the recent rule changes to notice periods? An agent definitely will be.

Setting up a DIY tenancy agreement might seem like a way to save money, but in the long run, you could be left seriously out of pocket.

Protect your investment, and let Walter & Mair do the hard work for you. Contact us today on 𝟬𝟮𝟬𝟴 𝟲𝟲𝟬 𝟲𝟲𝟳𝟰.

14/04/2022

Steps to Making a Successful Offer: Tip 2

11/04/2022

Our first ever video together on the steps to making a successful offer.

Our Short clips series on the steps to making a successful offer on the home of your dreams

11/03/2022

𝐃𝐨𝐠 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐟𝐭 𝐀𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐃𝐚𝐲: 𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐨 𝐊𝐞𝐞𝐩 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐏𝐨𝐨𝐜𝐡 𝐒𝐚𝐟𝐞

As a nation of pet lovers, it’s no surprise that dog ownership increased significantly during the pandemic. Unfortunately, so did the number of dog thefts. There were more than 2,000 reported incidents in 2020 and this number is going up.

While dog theft is on the rise, catching those responsible is not. Just 2% of such cases led to suspects being charged in 2020, and concerns have grown so much that the government set up the Pet Theft Taskforce to tackle the issue.

On 14 March, the Stolen and Missing Pets Alliance will hold their annual Dog Theft Awareness Day. So, in this quick read we offer tips to ensure your four-legged best friend is as safe as possible.

𝐀𝐭 𝐡𝐨𝐦𝐞
Letting your dog out into the front or back garden is a necessity, but how often do you check to see if they’re still there? Keep a watchful eye on your pup to make sure they’re safe – especially if they’re in the front garden. It’s also essential to make sure your garden is secure. A bell on the gate is a great deterrent as you can hear if anyone gets in or out.

General home security such as CCTV and doorbell cameras are also helpful.

𝐈𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧
Is your pooch microchipped? If so, make sure the information is up to date, such as a change of address and relevant telephone numbers. The same applies to their collars. Make sure your name and address is on the collar but avoid putting the dog’s name on it as this may help thieves lure them away.

𝐏𝐢𝐜𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐬
We all love a selfie, so take some with your dog to help prove ownership if the need arises. If they have any distinguishing features, take a few pics of those, too.

𝐖𝐚𝐥𝐤𝐢𝐞𝐬
Thieves like routine and if they’ve got their eye on your furry friend, it’s important to switch up the walking route you take, the times of walks, and so on. Consider walking your dog with a friend as two sets of eyes are better than one. Personal alarms are also a good deterrent if you feel your dog is attracting unwanted attention.

If you need to pop into the shops, don’t leave your dog tied up outside. This makes them an easy target for opportunists. The same applies to cars as an experienced criminal can get into the car and sn**ch a lone dog in seconds.

From all of us at 𝐖𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐞𝐫 & 𝐌𝐚𝐢𝐫, let’s keep our pets safe.

02/03/2022

😊

It's definitely not hump day today here at Walter & Mair HQ.

The day has started with us being able to make a donation to a very special cause - Belles of the Ball.

We are part of an extraordinary club, founded by Jerry Lyons. He has a charitable arm of his company called the Karma Club, and every month he donates money to organisations put forward by his members.

In February we put forward Belles of the Ball, having donated to them before, and being big admirers of all the work that Jess Johnson does for the community.

Jerry Lyons and Amanda Jane Bower were thoroughly inspired by Jess and Belles and rather than donating the usual £100, they doubled it to £200, which we have very happily matched.

This morning we donated the money to Belles of the Ball and we know that this money will be put to good use, more than likely funding emergency food parcels.

A huge thank you to The Karma Club, Jerry and Amanda for this very generous donation, and of course thank you to Jess Johnson and her team for all the amazing work that you do in the community. ❤

You can read the story of how and why Belles of the Ball was founded below.
https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=107339490726257&id=107328010727405

Hey, my name is Jess Johnson and I am founder of this organisation ❤️

After reading an article surrounding the pressures young people have today from a generation of social media, pressures from peers and society in general regarding the way they look, weight, hair, make up... not only is this pressure ever increasingly effecting these young peoples mental health, it’s also having a profound impact on those young people who are in hardship or poverty in “keeping up with the Jones’”.

Young people in general are struggling with pressures of society, sexuality, jobs, mental health, abuse, bullying... my aim is to take some of those pressures off one tiny step at a time, to make a small difference in a massive epidemic!

This has all been on my heart a great deal, especially with being a single Mum, I was still living in a homeless hostel when I became pregnant with my son! I also have an 8 year old daughter and already I am watching her confidence wobble hugely concerning about the way she looks.

Also being a homeless young person, living in a homeless hostel and having to deal with the effects that being in that situation can have on a person, from experience I really want to help!

So my launch pad is to have “monthly missions”, there will be a cause and ways we can help with the cause, mostly to educate and donate, for example period poverty, anti-bullying, clothing and food banks, women’s refuges... this month I am focusing on “period poverty”.

I heard on the radio about a charity in Wales who are loaning prom dresses to young women... I would love to eventually do some sort of donation and lending scheme.

Secondly, a team of trained beauticians and hairdressers etc who can donate their time for young women and men that are in need of pampering to make them feel good about themselves who couldn’t necessarily afford hair and make up for prom or even just who could do with some time and pampering given to them...

Thirdly to also have a clothing bank of modern teen clothing where we can offer them out on the group for young people. When I lived in the hostel, I remember we had clothing donations given to us, I’ve experienced first hand what that means and can do to a persons confidence!

This is all very much just the start of what I would eventually like this organisation to become and be. I want it to become an outreach platform, a platform where we can direct young people to help and support and give out a small amount of what is so desperately needed for this generation.

If you would like to get involved then please contact me, like and share this page to spread the word and I will be posting donation requests as we go on ❤️

02/03/2022

𝐒𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐖𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐎𝐮𝐭𝐬𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐲𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐒𝐜𝐚𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐬
Devious fraudsters are hacking the emails of buyers and sellers, sometimes with devastating consequences. A two-minute read.
Hackers and cyber fraudsters went to town in the UK last year, swindling £1.3 billion in just six months – a three-fold increase on the same period the previous year.*
Gangs used all sorts of underhand tactics to separate people from their cash, one of the most ruthless being conveyancing fraud (also known as payment diversion fraud or Friday fraud).
This type of ruse is becoming increasingly common and, due to the large sums of money involved, concerning. In one recent case, a homebuyer sent £640,000 to a fraudster. (Imagine how devastating it would be to discover you’ve sent your life savings to a heartless crook?)

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐲𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐫𝐚𝐮𝐝?
Scammers hack into the accounts of buyers and sellers (and their relevant conveyancing/legal representatives) and follow the correspondence. They wait until the sale is nearing completion, then strike.
The fraudsters send the buyer an email (usually it looks almost identical to the conveyancer’s emails) asking them to deposit the funds in a different bank account.
They may also phone or text the buyer to hurry proceedings along (scammers often strike on a Friday so that they have the weekend to cover their tracks and avoid detection).
While buyers are the key target in conveyancing fraud, the whole business is unpleasant for all involved. If you’re a seller, you don’t want your property sale to get bogged down in a messy fraud investigation.

𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐲 𝐬𝐚𝐟𝐞
• Read all correspondence carefully and look for changes in tone, awkward grammar, a new phone number or name.
• Be suspicious of any change in bank details. Call (don’t use the number listed on the suspect email) to check the authenticity of the message or pay a personal visit before you act.
• Remember: a hacker’s emails can be persuasive and feature the same logo, fonts, and layout as those of the legitimate conveyancer.
• Avoid reviewing emails using unprotected public WiFi systems.
• Don’t be afraid to push back if someone pressures you to act quickly.
• Work with an experienced estate agent who understands the property process and is more likely to notice suspicious activity.
• Trust your instincts.

𝐅𝐨𝐫 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐢𝐩𝐬 𝐨𝐧 𝐛𝐮𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐲 𝐬𝐚𝐟𝐞𝐥𝐲, 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐜𝐭 𝐮𝐬 𝐭𝐨𝐝𝐚𝐲. 𝐖𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐚𝐥𝐬𝐨 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐝 𝐠𝐨𝐨𝐝, 𝐥𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐲𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐫𝐬
*Source: National Fraud Intelligence Bureau

28/02/2022

Unsurprisingly this home is under offer. This home had a bespoke marketing strategy, which meant that our diary was busy before this home was launched on Rightmove and Zoopla.
After conducting more viewings than would normally be humanly possible (we do not use viewing agents), we received offers from 71% of viewers. That's an offer for every 1.4 viewings that we did.

Remarkable homes demand remarkable marketing to achieve a remarkable outcome.

Our role is to make the remarkable happen.

01/02/2022

Not all estate agents are the same. In our experience homes that are presented well in this market are attracting buyers quicker, and achieving better prices (if priced realistically).

What marketing strategy has your agent used?

An uplifting subliminal lifestyle shot taken by our photographer.