Greg Sloane is the co-owner of Greg Sloane Residential estate agents in Shrewsbury - with his wife Beverley - and he has been selling homes in the town and surrounding villages for nearly 12 years.
HOW IS YOUR JOB IMPACTED BY FLUCTUATIONS IN THE ECONOMY? Hugely - the property market fluctuates with buyer and seller sentiment. When people feel secure about the economy and interest rates are stable, they're far more willing to make a move, and the market becomes noticeably more active.
WHAT’S YOUR VIEW ON HYBRID AND FLEXIBLE WORKING – IS IT STILL NEEDED, OR PRACTICAL? It depends on the job you’re doing. For us, we work very flexible hours (it’s definitely not a 9-5 job) and it’s also not office-based - I’m visiting my clients in their homes, carrying out viewings. It’s a people business and that’s what we love about it.
WHAT IS THE IMPACT OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE ON YOUR BUSINESS? Not huge just yet. Selling a home is built on relationships - with homeowners and buyers - and that plays a huge role in getting sales across the line, but it often takes several months. That is where AI will hopefully make a big difference: on the conveyancing side; if it speeds up the legal transaction process, that will be a very big deal for the industry.
HOW DO YOU HOPE YOUR COLLEAGUES WOULD DESCRIBE YOU? Honest, reliable – and won’t settle for average.
YOUR GREATEST STRENGTH IN THE WORKPLACE? Bev (my wife and business partner) says I’m a people person.
BIGGEST CURRENT CHALLENGE IN YOUR JOB? Dealing with the ups and downs of the property market.
YOUR PROUDEST ACHIEVEMENTS? Building this business (and our reputation) from scratch in a very competitive industry.
PET HATES? Agents who deliberately over-value a property to win the business. It often backfires on the client, especially in tougher markets.
IF YOU COULD GO BACK AND GIVE YOUR YOUNGER SELF SOME WISE ADVICE, WHAT WOULD IT BE? Live life and travel more.
HOW DO YOU RELAX AWAY FROM WORK? The gym, listening to music, a good film or documentary, dog walks, and a pint in the local with friends and family.
FAVOURITE THING ABOUT SHROPSHIRE? Shrewsbury, of course!
SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORM OF CHOICE? Instagram
FAVOURITE MOVIE AND/OR TV SHOW? Interstellar!
EARLY BIRD, OR NIGHT OWL? Early bird.
DREAM DINNER PARTY GUESTS, DEAD OR ALIVE? Robin Williams (the actor/comedian), Stephen Fry, Brian Cox (astronomer), Anthony Bourdaine.
TELL US SOMETHING ABOUT YOU THAT MOST PEOPLE PROBABLY WOULDN’T KNOW. I've had far too many hobbies and interests over the years - and still haven't mastered a single one of them!
AND FINALLY . . . WHAT DO YOU THINK THE NEXT 12 MONTHS HAS IN STORE FOR YOU, PROFESSIONALLY AND PERSONALLY? It's an exciting time. We've recently gone fully-independent as Greg Sloane Residential, and we're growing as a genuinely local, family-run estate agency here in Shrewsbury. Being smaller by design means we can keep the service truly personal and never diluted - every client gets our full attention, not a fraction of it. That's the whole point: proving that not all agents are the same, and that a hands-on, honest approach still gets the best results. Personally, it's about enjoying that journey with Bev and our children, and making time along the way for the things - and people - that matter most.
