Q&A with Micheal Bolger, Area Sales Manager

Michael Bolger, Area Sales Manager

Tell us a bit about your background?

I was raised in Ireland and came to London when I was 17.  I hoped to make it in professional football and made it as high as the Conference League, now renamed the National League, a division below the football league. Combining football, I had a few very different job roles from working in William Hill to working on building sites, I then settled into a career with Halifax PLC in my early 20s and stayed there for around nine years.  I started as a cashier and worked through their career trajectory right up to being a qualified mortgage and financial advisor. In my early 30s, I changed over to the property industry and have never looked back with 15 years of experience now under my belt.

When did you start at Go View London and how has your position evolved in that time?

I started in January 2015, so ten years is fast approaching.  I joined as a sales valuer and helped with viewings before being promoted to Sales Manager for Ealing. Three years ago, I was promoted to Area Sales Manager to oversee the Acton and Ealing offices.

What is the most memorable sale you have been involved in?

A few years ago, I had the enviable task of getting a three-way chain through where all the properties in the chain were my listings, and so were all the applicants.  A mid-terrace house went to a first-time buyer; that family upsized to a large semi-detached home, and the owner downsized to a large apartment in the area. 

As quite often the case, there is some uncertainty and nervousness at times, and given the number of agents in West London, it’s rare you have a three-property chain you are solely responsible for, so a bit was riding on my shoulders!

What do you like about your role and working in an estate agency?

Managing a team and setting up the week gives you great excitement and responsibility, especially over the last 5-6 years with everything going on politically and in the economy.    Overall, the negotiation element is the aspect that gives me the most satisfaction, especially when you are proposing solutions that allow all parties to move forwarded satisfied, happy and committed to the sale.

What have you learned during your time in estate agency?

Never panic – all issues can be resolved if parties are committed to the process.

What advice would give to someone buying their first home?

Do your research, but don’t necessarily look at the property as needing to tick ten out of ten on the wish list.  Good options can pass you by as you look for perfection, which is hard to attain in property, especially for a first-time purchase. Your first home is not your forever home, the main positives about the property are things that will hold its value for years to come enabling you to sell it – helping towards your next purchase.

What do you like to do away from work?

I love de-stressing in the gym after work and have taken up salsa dancing in the last few years for the cardio side of things; that now takes up a lot of my time and has led to lots of social events and meeting up with a huge number of friends I have built up over the last few years. Food is also a huge part of my life, and I love trying new dishes or eating in some of the best restaurants West London offers.  I’m also a fair-weather golfer looking forward to the spring weather shortly.  

Where do you like to go in Acton and Ealing when not working?

I like trying out new restaurants and bars in the area.  For sporting occasions where you want some atmosphere, I like the set-up at The Castlebar, where the food and service are excellent.  If you find yourself in the heart of Ealing, The Hare and Tortoise for Japanese cuisine or Steak on the Green are great options. Ryans in Northfields is a fun spot for social drinks after a stroll through Lammas Park. Along with Walpole Park, it provides excellent open spaces and activities for the West London community.

Michael Bolger

CeMAPArea Sales Manager

mbolger@goviewlondon.co.uk

Direct Dial: 020 8752 3173