featured network member
Bassetlaw, North Nottinghamshire
Nicholsons is an independent, family-run estate and letting agency serving Bassetlaw and the surrounding communities of North Nottinghamshire.
From Retford and Worksop to Harworth, Bircotes, Bawtry, Tuxford and the villages in between, the agency combines genuinely local knowledge with a modern approach to selling, buying, letting and managing property.
Nicholsons has built its reputation around three things that can materially change the outcome of a move: price, presentation and market exposure. Properties are supported by specialist in-house media, digital marketing and a proactive approach to finding the right buyer rather than relying solely on the property portals.
The business has also challenged one of the most frustrating parts of moving home: the uncertainty after a sale is agreed. Its SecureMove process brings more of the legal preparation forward and introduces additional commitment into the transaction, with the aim of reducing fall-throughs and helping more clients actually reach completion.
“Buying and selling a home is stressful and unreliable enough. Our job is to reduce that uncertainty, create a better experience and give our clients the strongest possible chance of actually getting the outcome they came to us for.”
MARK NICHOLSON - FOUNDER & CEO
Nicholsons opened in December 2019 as an independent estate agency with an ambition to do things differently in the Bassetlaw property market.
Its launch could hardly have come at a more testing moment. Within months, the country entered its first Covid lockdown and the property market temporarily stopped. What followed, however, was a period that changed both the business and the local market.
As people reassessed where and how they wanted to live, Bassetlaw attracted buyers looking for more space, stronger value for money and access to the towns, villages and countryside of North Nottinghamshire.
Nicholsons developed alongside that changing market.
What began as a new independent agency has grown into a family-run sales and lettings business with specialist people across sales, property marketing, administration and client support.
Along the way, the agency has continued to invest in technology, digital media, data and new ways of improving the moving process — culminating in the development of SecureMove in 2024.
Nicholsons is an independent family business, led by Mark Nicholson and supported by a team that lives and works within the communities the agency represents.
That local connection is important. Every member of the Nicholsons team currently lives in Bassetlaw, with many having spent most of their lives in the area.
But local knowledge is only one part of the proposition.
For sellers, Nicholsons focuses on the relationship between pricing, presentation and exposure. Its in-house media capability allows the agency to create professional photography, video and digital content around its instructions, while social media and targeted marketing are used alongside the major property portals to extend the audience for a home.
For landlords, the business provides lettings and property-management support alongside guidance around compliance, tenant selection, rental performance and the longer-term decisions involved in owning investment property.
And for both, there is an emphasis on what happens after an offer or tenancy application is received.
Nicholsons believes an estate agent’s role is not simply to generate interest. It is to understand who is moving, establish how prepared they are, manage the detail and create the strongest possible chance of the transaction successfully reaching its conclusion.
That thinking sits behind SecureMove: bringing searches, property information and documentation forward, encouraging sellers to prepare earlier and using a reservation agreement once a sale has been agreed.
Where We Work
Nicholsons serves Bassetlaw in North Nottinghamshire, together with neighbouring communities towards Newark & Sherwood and South Yorkshire. It is an area that combines established towns with a large number of villages and rural communities, while remaining exceptionally well connected. Bassetlaw sits between South Yorkshire, Derbyshire and Lincolnshire, with the A1 running through the district and Retford providing direct East Coast Main Line services towards London, York and the north.
In this episode of the Leading Estate Agents of the World Podcast, Mark Nicholson talks about the Bassetlaw property market, changing buyer behaviour and the things sellers should think about before choosing an estate agent.
He explains how Nicholsons has developed its approach around preparation, presentation and understanding the buyer before a property reaches the market.
A major part of the conversation explores SecureMove, the process created to make sales more reliable, faster and smoother by bringing more of the legal preparation forward and increasing commitment once a sale is agreed.
Mark also discusses why sellers should look beyond the highest valuation or lowest fee and instead ask agents about their actual performance, including fall-through rates and how many instructions really make it through to exchange.
The episode provides a strong introduction to Mark, the thinking behind Nicholsons and the agency’s focus on giving clients a better, more certain moving experience.
Who we are
Nicholsons aims to be the most recognised and trusted estate agency in Bassetlaw, providing professional advice, outstanding marketing and a dependable property service.
Nicholsons is prepared to question established estate-agency processes when it believes there is a better way. That can mean using specialist video and social media to create greater exposure for a home or changing the preparation behind a sale through SecureMove.
Moving property creates uncertainty when people do not know what is happening. Nicholsons places considerable emphasis on proactive communication, including dedicated client WhatsApp groups designed to make it easier for clients to receive updates and speak with the team.
Responsibility should not disappear once the property is under offer or the tenancy is agreed. The team is expected to take ownership, remain involved and make decisions with the client’s interests at the centre.
Not every decision should be driven by what is easiest or quickest. Whether advising on price, assessing a buyer, progressing a transaction or supporting a landlord, Nicholsons’ stated principle is to keep the client’s interests at the forefront of the decision.
who we work with
From apartments and first homes to family houses, village property and higher-value homes, Nicholsons works across a broad local market. The strategy begins with accurate positioning, strong presentation and creating the widest appropriate buyer audience.
Bassetlaw attracts people looking for more space, access to countryside and strong transport links. Nicholsons supports families selling and buying together, where securing the right buyer and maintaining the chain can be just as important as finding the next property.
Retford’s rail connections, the A1 and the value available across Bassetlaw attract buyers from both inside and outside the district. Nicholsons helps buyers understand the differences between its towns, villages and property types.
Nicholsons works with landlords who want professional support around rental values, marketing, tenant selection, compliance and the day-to-day responsibilities of letting property.
The agency also supports more experienced landlords and investors who need broader advice around portfolios, acquisitions, restructuring, refurbishment and the longer-term performance of their property.
Nicholsons helps tenants find and secure homes across Bassetlaw, giving registered applicants early visibility of suitable rental property and support through the application and move-in process.
Awards, Memberships & Accreditations
The Property Ombudsman
Licensed member
Leading Estate Agents of the World
Licensed member
Trading Standards
Approved Member
EA Masters — Best Estate Agent Guide
Nicholsons received an Exceptional rating for both sales and lettings in the 2024/25 Best Estate Agent GuideNicholsons is a family-run agency supported by a wider local team across sales, marketing, administration, viewings and property management. Every member of the team lives in Bassetlaw, giving clients access to people who understand the communities and property market they represent.
Founder and CEO
Mark founded Nicholsons in 2019 and leads the agency’s strategy, property marketing and wider development. He has built the business around innovation, accountability and a belief that proactive marketing and communication can produce a stronger, more reliable result for clients.
Administration & Data Analyst
Becki supports the agency’s administration and data processes, helping ensure information remains organised and the wider team can communicate effectively.
Accompanied Viewer
Steve conducts accompanied property viewings, helping prospective buyers understand the home and providing feedback to sellers and the sales team.
Current Listings
Guide Price
£85,000
Flat 9 Birley School Mews 41 Normanton Spring Road, Sheffield, South Yorkshire, S13 7BA
Guide Price
£100,000
16 River View, Retford, Nottinghamshire, DN22 7UL
Guide Price
£475,000
Westbourne Cottage, 2 Mattersey Road, Sutton, Retford, Nottinghamshire, DN22 8PW