Ashleigh Sundin has 39 years’ experience in the estate agency sector and for the last 15 years has been the driving force behind Sanderson Young’s exclusive Rare! Brand as branch manager.
Here, Ashleigh tells us more about her long-established career in property, the service Rare! provides and why it’s unique in a crowded residential property market.
Please tell us a little bit about your career to date and how you came to head up the Rare! office
I joined Dudley Charlton, which became GA Property Services, as a junior negotiator in 1985 and haven’t looked back! I very soon realised that estate agency was the career for me and knew that it would be a lifelong passion. I joined Duncan and the Sanderson Young team in 1999, working alongside Hazel Ross, the manager of Rare!, gaining the experience I needed to take over from her when she retired.
Tell us more about the Rare! brand and how it differs to other agencies
Rare! handles properties with a minimum value of £850,000 and was launched 23 years ago. There was a definite gap in the market to focus on luxury residential housing across the region and at the time we were the only estate agency to do that, from the Scottish Borders down to Durham/Teesside.
Can you expand on the Rare! service and what it specifically provides clients?
Rare! is a highly personalised and bespoke service, building relationships, combining our vast experience and expertise, tailored to meet each client’s specific property needs – there’s no nine to five, we are here 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Many of our clients aren’t looking for an estate agent to heavily market their homes via online portals and for sale boards. They want to work with a trusted and knowledgeable agent who understands their unique needs and respects their wishes of discretion in finding a new home. Our knowledge of the business community also means we know which companies to recommend when our clients need a particular service.
What does a day at work look like for you? I can only assume that not every day is the same.
Correct! A typical day for me is very varied and can include going out with Duncan on a valuation anywhere in the North East, accompanying a prospective buyer to view a property, and negotiating offers to get the best price for my clients. I have even helped an elderly couple who were struggling to pack boxes the night before they were due to move out!
What’s your favourite aspect about working within Rare!?
Matching a buyer to a very special house. I remember a particular property in the suburbs of Newcastle which was the dream home of the person who bought it as he used to deliver newspapers to it when he was a little boy.
What does 2024 hold for the Rare! market and how has this evolved over the last few years?
We have fresh new challenges and peaks to climb this year when pre election will see confidence improve and the economy boosted as utility costs drop alongside inflation and interest rates. Holiday homes may be more challenging but the ultra high end value market is still rising and I know at £8.5 Million, our most valuable private residential dwelling will launch “off the market“ very soon and I’m confident it will be snapped up by one very lucky buyer.
What has been your greatest achievement to date and what do you owe your successes to?
Helping to build the reputation and tremendous service that Rare! offers. As to who do I owe my success to, that has to be Duncan and the team I am fortunate to work alongside as they’re all extremely supportive in what can sometimes be a stressful industry.
And finally, how do you switch off when you’re not at work?
Favourite restaurant – Osters on Gosforth High Street
Favourite film – Gladiator
Favourite walk – Longsands
Favourite place to holiday – Greek islands
Favourite way to relax – Having a massage
Favourite TV – Grey’s Anatomy
Favourite podcast – Chris & Rosie Ramsay
Goal for 2024 – Now that I’m an empty nester, I’m going to take the big step of dating