Richard Stubbs was brought up in a surveyor's family, trained as a quantity surveyor but didn't like working in the City. He took a negotiator's job in an Ashford Estate Agency and surprised everyone by being rather good at it. In his 'thirties he became a Christian and got involved in the local church.

It was a long time before he decided to start on his own - too busy being a Dad - but in 1989 he took the plunge and immediately found it a real delight to work for himself. He also found a little time for flying, playing contract bridge and golf. Doesn't get enough time off for practice, that's his main problem. That's because he's dedicated to the business and doesn't like to leave anything unfinished. Next year, perhaps.

Allan Howland has joined us from a distinguished career in professional companies as diverse as Hamptons International to Carson and Co. Allan is here to manage the further streamlining and upgrading of our sales service whilst tuning up lettings and generally making us even better.

He's already introduced several new measures to ensure faster sales and even greater customer satisfaction. We are now starting to concentrate his efforts at gaining more instructions to replace the houses we're selling so quickly.

Allan's married with a wife and three sons and, like Richard, is a Fellow of the National Association of Estate Agents. (FNAEA)

Frances is usually around somewhere - showing various properties to various people, doing some of the the book-keeping and accounts or out and about taking pictures. She plays reasonable golf and takes an interest in all things "property": She also writes most of the cheques and pays the bills!

Her main "hobby" is Besom, a charity based in Egham which helps people in crisis by finding furniture and such. So she's part of a top team wherever she goes.

Frarnie is a very good judge of character and capable of doing several things at once - (How do they do that?)

She married Richard in April 2006.

Lisa Murray is probably the most experienced sales administrator in the area - we were delighted to obtain her services at the start of 2007.

Lisa is also extraordinarily cheerful and is a highly competent negotiator so as well as finding you a buyer, she'll make sure the sale goes through with the minimum of fuss and invariably with a smile. And there's not many agents that can manage that.

Her hobby seems to be travel. She thinks nothing of popping over the pond for a long weekend skiing and she seems to pop off regularly to various exotic destinations.

Sandy is married to Allan and is our lettings administrator. She does all the banking and the bill-paying on the Lettings side. She has trained with us and now liases with the software company and is involved more and more with the lettings side - as well as helping out with sales from time to time when Allan's team gets really busy.

Expect to see her more and more as she broadens her horizons and her sphere of influence.