Local estate agent celebrates thirty years of service

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Well known local estate agent Ian Bythell celebrates 30 years at Petty Estate Agents, now Petty Real, later this month. Ian started as a trainee surveyor in Petty’s Commercial division in Burnley in September 1989. The year the Berlin Wall came down, the first liver transplant took place and the year of pro democracy rallies in Tiananmen Square.

Ian said: “It was all a bit of a whirlwind to be honest. I’d just left home, bought a house, got married, went on honeymoon and started my new job all within the space of a month. But I can’t believe that was thirty years ago!”

Ian, who was residential director at Petty and now heads up Petty Real Business Development, has been instrumental in overseeing the company’s recent rebrand and expansion.

Since Ian started his career at Petty there have been massive changes in how we buy and sell our homes.

“The internet and especially social media have transformed our industry as well as our everyday lives. It’s made things easier in some ways but has also presented challenges. Everyone is savvier now when it comes to technology and they expect immediacy. We’ve embraced these changes at Petty and we’ve kept abreast of the emerging technologies whilst still maintaining our customer centered approach.”

Petty celebrated 90 years last year and Ian has been around for a third of that time becoming a partner in the firm in his early 30’s. He is embedded with the local community, playing a large part in local and amateur sports teams and events from being part of Nelson Cricket Club’s League Championship winning team in 1986, as a sponsor and supporter of the extremely successful Pendle Forest Ladies hockey team (Ian’s wife, sister in law, two daughters and niece all play for the club) winning numerous local Badminton leagues, to his charity work for Pendleside Hospice. He was named Male fundraiser of the year at last year’s Corporate Challenge awards evening after personally taking on a number of physical challenges including the Yorkshire three peaks, the Great North Run, Burnley 10k and a 12 hour cycle ride.

Ian champions the area where ever and whenever he can as a great place to live and work. He has often been the driving force in ensuring the Petty name remains the top name in property locally which has seen them winning many regional and national awards over the years.

Ian added: "I truly believe this is the best place to live and work. I love the area and the people. There’s no way I’d still be here after all this time if that wasn’t the case. Last year we celebrated 90 years in business, our success is largely due to the fantastic relationships we have formed and maintained with clients over generations.

"It’s a really exciting time for us at the moment with our rebrand, recent acquisitions and our £100,000 give away. Historically we have advertised offers and incentives but nothing like this before, this could be a life changing amount of money for someone and I’m just pleased to still be here and to be part of it”