2020 has been a year like no other. With so much unexpected change, disruption and ongoing uncertainty, many of us are being forced to look inside ourselves and deeply reflect on our lives, both at home and at work. Big and important questions are bubbling up to the surface such as “where am I going?” and “what truly matters to me and why?”. This year has certainly brought my core values into much sharper focus than ever before: there’s nothing like a global pandemic to help you appreciate the value of health, family and community! Yet this year has also taught me about the importance of relating to others from a place of compassion and empathy and my desire to build a business based on transparency and integrity. I’ve seen the value of openly facing uncomfortable conversations in the present to avoid future difficulty down the line – an approach that particularly holds true during the survey and valuation process.

To help you get to know me better, I’ve set out my core values below and described how I translate these into my personal life and professional practice.

1. Health

Without health, we cannot work or relate with each other. Early on in my career, I qualified as a personal trainer since I believe that good physical and mental health helps us to proactively manage all aspects of life. Now, from cycling to yoga to conscious dancing, I strive to bring balance and awareness into all that I do. I also believe that healthy buildings are the foundation of healthy homes and investments, and am sensitive to the mental health considerations that come with buying a property, such as stress and anxiety. This is why I always aim to answer my clients’ questions thoroughly and give them the peace of mind they need to move forward with confidence.

2. Responsibility

I recognise and appreciate the range of responsibilities that come with working as a chartered surveyor. Helping people make significant decisions about whether a property meets their needs or not is a big deal and I take my professional responsibilities seriously. As a RICS chartered surveyor and registered valuer, you can be safe in the knowledge that my independent surveys and valuations deliver credible and high-quality reports to the highest global standards in property valuation.

3. Family & community

I deeply value my role as a husband, father and member of my wider community and believe that just like my garden, we’re an interconnected ecosystem that needs to help and support each other now more than ever. I’m a natural networker and take pleasure in connecting people across all aspects of my life: I attend a weekly BNI (Business Network International) networking group to keep meeting new people and keep evolving my ideas. Having worked as an estate agent for 15 years, I also have a wide range of highly competent trade contacts that I connect my clients with, so they can get any required work done quickly, simply and professionally.

4. Compassion

I understand that buying a property is not just a cold financial transaction, but an important emotional journey and one of the biggest decisions most people will ever make. That’s why I strive to be open hearted, empathic and use my self-reflective and observational skills to stand up and speak the unspoken on behalf of my clients and, when necessary, to ask the difficult questions. My approach is never to blame or shame when conducting surveys and valuations, but to acknowledge the fears and anxieties that can exist on both sides of a deal. By consciously bringing to light any underlying issues with compassion and sensitivity, I aim to remove the obstacles that are preventing you from moving forward with your property goals.

5. Fun

Buying a property should be fun! I delight in seeing my clients’ excitement at finding the right residential property or the investment of their dreams. And as a chartered surveyor and valuer, my aim is never to dampen down this excitement but to help people secure a property at the best condition and price for them. I believe a good sense of humour is vital during the purchase or sale of a property: during my 15 years as an estate agent, I often brought buyers and sellers together over a cup of tea to talk about the neighbours and the joys and quirks of the local area. That way, if a solicitor was dragging their heels, things were still able to move forward with ease.

What are you 5 core values and how do you integrate them into your own work and life? Drop me a comment below to share.

Speak soon! Roo

If you would like to plan and discuss a residential survey or RICS property valuation call me on 07957606886 or email roo@rmsurveyors.co.uk.

What truly matters? Integrating our core values into work and life