A WOKING-born estate agent has returned to the town after living and working in London to open his own branch of a national consortium.

The Woking office of Jackson-Stops opened when pandemic restrictions were eased last summer and already has several properties under offer as well as instructions on large houses and a block of apartments.

The branch is owned by Robert Butterworth, who grew up in Sutton Green and whose parents still live in the area.

Robert worked for Jackson-Stops in London for 10 years, rising from a junior negotiator to middle management in charge of several offices across the capital.

Now in his 30s, he decided to move out of London and said it was a natural step to be back where he grew up and nearer to his parents.

Robert was due to open the Woking office in March last year, but he is a Royal Navy reservist and was called up to help deal with the pandemic.

“I was released in July and this fitted in nicely with the easing of restrictions in August and so I was able to go ahead,” he said.

The office is in a former dental practice in Chobham Road, off Commercial Way.

Although Jackson-Stops is best known around the country for dealing in high-end properties, Robert said his office deals with a large range of homes, including some of the apartment developments being built in the town centre.

“We have started off well and the brand has been well received,” he added.

Robert said that prices are fairly strong and many buyers are looking to act before the stamp duty holiday is due to end on 31 March.

“This provides a significant saving,” he said.

As a naval reservist Robert has attended many of the town centre ceremonies that are held in normal years.

He has a degree in Economics, is a member of the Chartered Management Institute, a member of the Association of Residential Letting Agents and an associate member of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors.

“Woking sets itself apart from other towns by its incredibly fast transport links to central London while offering a rich green scenery, now furthered by the town centre’s extensive regeneration programme,” Robert said.

The estate agents, which was started by Herbert Jackson-Stops in 1910, had a management buy-out in the 1990s and all the offices are now owner-run.

Robert said the Jackson-Stops structure means that each branch operates with the autonomy of an independent agency while offering the marketing and networking power of a national estate agent.

 The Woking office is one of four in Surrey and 43 across the country. 

For more information, call 01483 322135 or email [email protected].