Joan reflects on 45-year property industry career

Joan Muir, who is residential lettings manager at Harwood The Estate Agency, in Wellington, has been looking back on her career in the property industry and how the market has changed significantly since she first started.

She said: “I remember when I used to type out the sales particulars on a stencil and then run them off with a hand-operated Roneo which took forever. A little later on, when details progressed, I would spend hours sticking photographs onto particulars.

“I always had a thirst for knowledge and was not content to be a sales receptionist. At that time estate agency was very much a ‘man’s world’ and unheard of for a lady to go out and value property. I did have a very modern forward-thinking employer who encouraged me to learn and invited me to go out on valuations with him.

“This culminated in my becoming one of the first lady valuers in Shropshire and at that time I then became a Fellow Member of the National Association of Estate Agents. I also served on the Shropshire Branch of the National Association of Estate Agents in the role of secretary for a number of years.”

Joan added: “Over the years I also became heavily involved in the rental side of the business and in the last 15 years have mainly concentrated on this aspect.

Contacts

“I have worked for a number of Telford and Wolverhampton agents during my career, but mainly for Harwood Estate Agents where I returned some five years ago to take up the position of residential lettings manager for Wellington.

“With my local knowledge of the market and my contacts with people within the Telford area, over the years I have built up a very strong managed rental stock with the Wellington office.

“I am pleased to say that I have a very happy professional working relationship with my landlords and tenants and look forward to continuing to increase this side of the business."

Dean Millington, director of Harwood The Estate Agent Wellington, said: “Joan and I have worked together for the past 20 years. Although Joan has left Harwood previously, she has always referred to Harwood with passion and considered Harwood as home.

“Within the property industry Joan is a truly unique individual with an immeasurable wealth of knowledge, experience and commitment collated over many years of dedicated service to ensuring the very best client care

“I know our clients have absolute faith in Joan and in Joan I trust implicitly.”