JW Wood is celebrating 20 years of national connections this year. The County Durham & Darlington based estate agent is a founding member of Relocation Agent Network, a national network of independent estate agents across England, Scotland and Wales, which is currently celebrating its 20th anniversary.

When Relocation Agent Network started in 1994, the property market was in a very different place. According to Nationwide Building Society, property values have risen by over 230% in the last 20 years, so a house that cost £70,000 back then would be worth over £231,000 today.

Who is Relocation Agent Network?

When Cartus – the premier provider of relocation services – launched Relocation Agent Network, the idea was to create a UK network of ‘Local Experts’ that would guide relocating employees and their families through the home buying and selling process. Today, that ‘Local Expert’ ethos still remains, as just one estate agent in any given area is invited to join, with JW Wood being County Durham and Darlington’s selected agent for the last 20 years.

Helping Relocating Customers

In addition to helping Cartus move families, Relocation Agent Network members also help their own relocating customers via a unique referral service. Known as the ‘Referral Network’, the service sees each estate agent work together to help relocating customers move from one location to another. As part of this service, Geoff Graham and other Network members can provide their relocating customers with local area information guides that include local property prices, transport links, even data on school catchment areas.

Geoff Graham said, \"We’re delighted to be celebrating 20 years with Relocation Agent Network and 20 years as County Durham & Darlington’s appointed Local Expert. As a member of the Network, we have access to potential out of town buyers moving into the area, providing an additional channel of buyer to our home selling customers. Contact us today, as a founding member of Relocation Agent Network, we have the local expertise and national connections to help you move into and out of the area. Visit jww.co.uk to contact your local office and for more information.

With the help of its member estate agents, like JW Wood, Relocation Agent Network has achieved many accolades throughout its 20-year history:

• Since 1994, Network members have helped customers sell more than £1.2 billion worth of properties.
• In the last 10 years over 110,000 people have moved home through Relocation Agent Network’s ‘Referral Network’.
• With the help of generous members like JW Wood, in the last decade Relocation Agent Network has raised over £51,500 for charitable causes. These include the NSPCC, ChildLine, Help for Heroes and Make-A-Wish Foundation.
• Ensuring member estate agents continue to provide the best service possible, in the last six months alone, over 500 hours of customer service training has been conducted by Relocation Agent Network.
• The Network team hosts 52 regional meetings annually, across the UK, each one attended by local members, including JW Wood. Regional meetings provide the opportunity for regional initiatives and industry discussion.
• From Blackpool to Brighton, Manchester to London, the Network has hosted 20 successful national estate agency conferences across the UK, every year since its inception.

Managing Director of Relocation Agent Network, Richard Tucker said, “It is fantastic to be celebrating 20 years of Relocation Agent Network as well as 20 years of excellence in estate agency, a reputation that has been forged by members like JW Wood, who have been with us since the start. Each one of our members, including JW Wood has been specially selected to represent us in their local area, based on their local knowledge and – above all – the customer service they provide. 20 years is a significant milestone in Relocation Agent Network’s journey and I look forward to celebrating the next 20 years of achievement.”