Our Team

When David and Valerie started the business 30 years ago they had the simple yet very clear goal of giving people expert and honest property advice. That commitment to the client has been recognised year in year out as Claytons are named the Top Selling Agent in Watford.* Born and bred in Garston David has been in the estate agency for nearly 4 decades and there’s hardly anything he hasn’t experienced during this time. David said: “I love the competitive nature of the business and getting to meet people from all walks of life. I’m passionate about giving people straight forward advice. We’re not your stereotypical estate agents and that’s something we’re all proud of.” The father of three dreamed of being an airline pilot when he was a lad but is delighted to enjoy a career helping people find their dream home. The best compliment David has ever received was when a delighted client told him ‘you don’t look or act like an estate agent.’ David’s Top Tip: “Getting the price right on your property is all important and listen to your agent’s advice.” * Rightmove.

Valerie and David Clayton opened the doors to their office in 1993. Valerie’s been in the industry for 30 years and during that time she has developed the patience of a saint and the diplomacy of Henry Kissinger. Valerie who has lived locally for many years said: “Buying or selling a home is stressful and we’re here to help people make the transaction as smooth as possible. “It’s a great feeling when you know you’ve helped a family find their dream home. One of my best ever experiences here was when a Dad bought a house as a surprise for his family. They’d been living in tiny, rented accommodation and the new home was spacious allowing the children to all have their own bedroom. “Keeping it a secret was difficult but seeing the family’s joy and happiness when they collected the keys to their new home was so emotional and made it all so worthwhile.” If a career in estate agency hadn’t gone so well Valerie would have like to work with deaf children as a teacher. Valerie’s Top Tip: “Play safe and don’t start buying furniture or dreaming of your new home until you’ve exchanged contracts.”

Kevin Anderson brings 23 years of sales expertise to the team, having grown up and lived locally for 28 years. Now residing near Warner Bros Studios, Kevin balances his professional life with a love for golf and cheering on Watford FC as a proud season ticket holder. When he’s not at work or on the golf course, Kevin enjoys spending time with his wife, two teenage sons, and their energetic Cavapoo, Casper. His deep industry knowledge, combined with his local roots, makes him an invaluable asset to the team.

Ross fits into Claytons purrfectly. A proud cat dad to Nacho, he grew up in Leavesden and has spent the past six years building his career with a leading corporate agency in Watford. Widely recognised as a rising star in the estate agency world, Ross brings energy, expertise, and fresh ideas to our team. Engaged and full of drive, he’s the lifeblood we’ve been looking for to help take Claytons into the future.

Tracey moved to Garston when she was four and was 'Head Girl' at a local secondary school that several Claytons team members attended (Francis Combe). At Claytons however she is the 'new girl', joining us earlier in 2021. This is not Tracey's first time at an estate agents though as she worked with David and Bev at Weller Hill & Hubble in the 1980's. Tracey places a great deal of importance on customer service and always makes every effort to ensure that our clients queries and requests are dealt with in a thorough and professional manner. In 2008 Tracey and her husband left Watford to 'live the dream' in Cyprus where she worked for a solicitor, giving her valuable experience which really helps in her current role when chasing sales queries (and probably a year-round suntan).

Coral has headed up the Claytons rentals team for the past 15 years and prides herself on being professional, punctual and efficient, all key qualities in the fast-paced world of lettings. Coral says: “We have several hundred clients on our books so time flies in this job. There's always something to do and I love it. In the lettings department our role is to liaise with landlords and tenants and ensure that both sides are happy and that communication is clear.” “The most important part of what we do is getting the right tenant together with the right landlord. We're kind of like 'property matchmakers' in that respect!”

Debbie is the 'life and soul' of the Claytons office and her cheery disposition and helpful approach are backed up with a real sense of efficiency when it comes to 'getting the job done'. Whether it is answering queries, booking appointments, gathering property feedback or dashing around the area conducting viewings Debbie can be relied upon to carry them all out in her usual effective and 'down-to-earth' fashion. She says: “With multiple viewings every day I often feel like the cartoon character 'Roadrunner'!” Debbie has lived in the area for over 35 years, and that combined with the many (many) properties she has conducted viewings at mean that her local knowledge is second to none. Debbie enjoys the close-knit team atmosphere at Claytons. “Working in our office is great. Everyone chips in and we work well together to benefit our clients by providing genuine care, excellent service and expert advice.”

Laura joined Claytons 7 years ago but is still described as 'the baby of the office' (though that probably says more about the rest of us!). Having lived in Watford her whole life she has excellent local knowledge really pays off when dealing with people who are new to the area. The mother of three said: “I really love this job because it is rewarding and challenging at the same time.” “It's the most varied role I've ever had. One minute you're solving maintenance issues, the next you are reviewing legal documents, checking identifications and interviewing applicants.”

Andrea is a real team player with a laser-sharp eye for detail who has been an important part of the Claytons team for 17 years. Despite the hustle and bustle of our busy office she is always highly organised and super-efficient, qualities that are appreciated by her clients and colleagues alike. Andrea, who has lived in and around Watford all of her life, really values and enjoys the genuine team atmosphere at Claytons. She says: “It's important to be adaptable. We all chip in, and although mainly office-based I've been known to accompany viewings if required.” “It's great that we get so much return business and that is testament to how we look after people.” “Caring is our ethos and is the reason why people like Claytons. We give them our time and attention and and that really makes us stand out from the competition.”

Dave joined Claytons over 6 years ago but that isn't the first time he met Managing Director David. Dave recalls: “David and I both started at a local secondary school (Francis Combe) on the same day, we were in the same form class and have known each other ever since.” Before joining Claytons Dave enjoyed a varied career including such highlights as managing what was at the time the largest high street sports shop in Europe, running the production side of a company producing teletext services and websites for broadcasters and more recently over 10 years in the IT industry. Dave enjoys being busy (which makes Claytons a great place to be!) and really appreciates the sense of 'team' that everyone working at Claytons generates. “I really like having the opportunity to share a lifetime's knowledge of the Watford area and use it to match the things that are most important to our clients to the right properties and locations.” Dave enjoys movies and, pandemic permitting, attending the recordings of a variety of TV shows.

Helen is the office's mother figure and has worked at Claytons for over 25 years. With two grown-up children of her own she prides herself on being caring and personable and will always go the 'extra mile' to help clients and colleagues alike. In fact if Helen had not created a successful career in estate agency she would have liked to be a nurse. Helen said: “My role involves making appointments, answering queries and accompanying people on viewings. I love my job as I am chatty by nature and my daily tasks give me plenty of opportunity to do this!” “Here at Claytons we get a lot of repeat business and I really believe it's because we look after people well. The advice we give is always genuine. We have a loyal team, hard working and caring.”

Maggie's 'no nonsense' approach to getting things done, combined with her friendly and helpful nature, is a real asset in the often hectic environment of the Claytons office. Maggie began life in the 'highlands' of Scotland (OK, Glasgow...) but has now lived in the area for over 30 years. She has been part of the Claytons team for 16 years and believes it is “A special place to work”. She says: “I really believe we are different from other estate agents We're not about the 'hard sell', I think we're better listeners and people often say how nice it is to deal with us.” Maggie adds: “For many of us at Claytons our local knowledge is based on living here and bringing up children in the area. It's another reason why Claytons have such a great reputation locally. It's a team, an amazing one!”