Accord Sales & Lettings - Selling and letting homes in Havering

Accord Sales & Lettings - Selling and letting homes in Havering Family run estate agency proudly serving Romford, Hornchurch & Upminster since 2008
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Accord is an independent family run estate agency with offices in Romford and Upminster offering property sales, residential lettings and management throughout Havering and surrounding areas. Accord are proud to provide a friendly, helpful service based on sound knowledge and experience. We understand that effective communication is vital and we are here to guide buyers, sellers, landlords and ten

ants alike through the complicated sales and lettings processes. To provide our clients with total peace of mind, Accord is a fully Licensed Member of the Association of Residential Letting Agents (ARLA) and the National Association of Estate Agents (NAEA) and are regulated by The Property Ombudsman Scheme.

☀️Everybody means to move in the summer holidays. Then the chain slows down, or the right house appears in the second we...
04/09/2026

☀️Everybody means to move in the summer holidays.

Then the chain slows down, or the right house appears in the second week of term, and suddenly you are moving with a maths test on Thursday.

It happens constantly, and it goes fine. A few things genuinely help👇

🏫If they are changing school, apply early. A mid-year move means an in-year admission through the council, and the year group you need can be full even when the school has space elsewhere. Have a real second and third choice.

⏰Drive the new school run at the actual time. Twelve minutes at 11 am is forty at 8.30.

👕Pack uniform, PE kit and school shoes in one labelled bag and keep it in the CAR, not the van.

🛏️Set up their bedroom first. Before the kitchen. Before the telly.

🔄Keep the routine boringly identical. When the building changes, the rhythm should not.

And let them be cross about it. They are allowed. ❤️

Moving soon? Send us a message, and we will talk about timings. 💬

03/09/2026

This is Mr & Mrs colleagues edition and it did not go smoothly.

There were arguments about who remembers the most random details, disagreements about who actually switches off from work, and a deep dive into the difference between knowing local gossip and knowing local history.

Sharon came up.
Of course she did.

The one thing we can agree on:
Amanda works seven days a week, whether she means to or not.

If you've ever worked in a small team where everyone knows each other a bit too well, this one will feel very familiar.

Have a watch and let us know which one of us you think got it right.

🌲 "Could we still be in by Christmas?" We get asked this every September. The answer is yes, but the maths is tighter th...
02/09/2026

🌲 "Could we still be in by Christmas?"

We get asked this every September. The answer is yes, but the maths is tighter than most people think.

⏰ Two clocks are running. Finding a buyer averaged 62 days in June 2026 (Rightmove). Then conveyancing takes another 12 to 16 weeks (HomeOwners Alliance). That is five to six months from listing to keys. 🔑

So how do people still make Christmas? Price. 🏷️

Rightmove found that homes that sold without a price reduction took 36 days to find a buyer. Homes that needed a reduction took 127 days. Same market. Same buyers. The difference was the asking price on day one. 🎯

🔑36 days from early September gets you a buyer by mid-October, and completion just before Christmas.

⚠️ 127 days gets you a buyer in January.

An optimistic price does not buy negotiating room. It buys four months of silence.

Thinking of selling this autumn? Send us a message. 💬

01/09/2026

The Biggest Mistake Sellers Make Before Choosing an Agent

Most sellers ask estate agents the wrong question before they sign anything.

"What price can you get?" is understandable, but it's only half the story.

The question that actually matters is:
"How are you going to achieve it?"
What's the marketing plan?
How will buyers be qualified?
What happens when something goes wrong?

Anyone can quote a big number.
What separates agents is what they do next.

That's also why we always encourage sellers to read contracts carefully and be wary of long tie-ins.

An agent who's confident in what they do doesn't need to trap people in small print.

If you want honest advice before you make any decisions, we're always happy to talk.

"We have been thinking about getting a dog. Would that be OK?" 🐶Since 1 May 2026, landlords cannot just say no. Here is ...
31/08/2026

"We have been thinking about getting a dog. Would that be OK?" 🐶

Since 1 May 2026, landlords cannot just say no. Here is what the rules actually say👇

📝 The tenant asks in writing with a description of the pet. You have 28 DAYS to reply in writing. Ask for more information, and you get the rest of the 28 days or an extra 7, whichever is later.

🚫Fair reasons to refuse: another tenant has an allergy, the property is too small for the pet, the pet is illegal to own, or your freeholder says no.

❌Not fair reasons: you do not like pets, you have had trouble with pets before, or a previous tenant's pet damaged the property. That last one catches a lot of landlords.

💡And the myth worth knowing: consent is NOT automatically granted if you miss the deadline. Government guidance says the tenant can apply to the court instead. That is worse.

💷You also cannot take a bigger deposit for a pet any more. Your inventory and your insurance are doing that job now.

Got a request you are unsure about? Message us before the 28 days run out. 📩

30/08/2026

What are most agents getting wrong about AI?

Estate agents fall into two camps with AI:
Those who've never heard of it, and those who think it'll do everything for them.
Neither is right.

AI can genuinely help your business.
But it can't replace the people in it.
And it's only ever as good as the information you feed it.

We've all seen property descriptions so generic they could apply to literally any house on any street, that's what happens when AI is used badly.

We use it, but we train it properly, check it, and make sure what goes out is actually accurate.

Technology should improve your standards, not lower them.

🏠Estate agents do not always have the best reputation, and it is worth being honest about that. In its 2025 Veracity Ind...
28/08/2026

🏠Estate agents do not always have the best reputation, and it is worth being honest about that.

In its 2025 Veracity Index, published in December 2025, Ipsos found public trust in estate agents fell by five points on the year. 📉

So how do you find an agent you can actually trust? Judge every agent by the same measure.

What you should always expect:

📊Honesty about price and value, backed by evidence
📝Clear fees, in writing, before you commit
📞Regular, straight communication
👀Accompanied viewings and honest feedback
❤️Your interests put first

What you should never accept:

⏰Being pressured or rushed
💷An inflated valuation to win your business
⚠️Hidden charges that appear later
🔄Being passed from person to person

Watch how an agent behaves before you sign, because that is how they behave after. And look for independent accountability: it counts for far more when someone other than the agent has checked. 🔍

That is why we chose to join the Ethical Agent Network. 🤝

27/08/2026

A property with polystyrene ceiling tiles is an immediate red flag and not just for the reason you'd think.

This one gets into some genuinely useful territory:
What I would do if I wasn't in property (gardening, but only in decent weather)
Why technology will never fully replace the human side of moving home

And most usefully, the one question every seller should ask before signing anything with an estate agent.

That last answer alone is worth three minutes of your time.

💷Choosing an estate agent on the lowest fee? It is tempting, but it can be the most expensive decision in your whole sal...
26/08/2026

💷Choosing an estate agent on the lowest fee? It is tempting, but it can be the most expensive decision in your whole sale.

Why some agents charge far less: usually a high-volume model. That can mean less marketing, fewer accompanied viewings, less experienced negotiators, and less chasing of your sale to completion.

What a low fee can really cost you: the agent's job is to get the highest price and get the sale over the line. A weaker result on either dwarfs any saving on fees.

What you are actually paying for:

📊Accurate, evidence-based pricing
🎯Marketing that reaches the right buyers
👀Accompanied viewings and honest feedback
💷Skilled negotiation (where the money is won)
🤝Sales progression that stops deals falling apart

How to choose: look past the highest valuation and the lowest fee. Ask for evidence of results, judge their communication from day one, and be wary of a high valuation with a thin justification. 🔍

Selling locally? We are happy to give you an honest view, no obligation. 🏡

25/08/2026

Why Good Property Management Is About More Than Collecting Rent

If someone describes property management as "just collecting rent," they're not doing it properly.

Good management is about catching small problems before they become expensive ones.
Regular inspections.
Clear communication.
Maintenance dealt with quickly.
Paperwork that's always current.

hose things protect landlords, keep tenants happier, and stop a perfectly manageable situation from spiralling.

Poor management tends to go unnoticed until something serious happens, that's when landlords suddenly discover months of ignored repairs or documents that aren't fit for purpose.

The difference between reactive and proactive management is enormous.

If you're not sure which category yours falls into, it's worth finding out.

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Romford

Telephone

+441708748956

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