Tried, tested & trusted across the North East since 1982

Property, handled differently.

Seven branches across County Durham, Sunderland and Hartlepool. Four decades of local knowledge. The technology of a national portal, with people who know your street.

Established 19827 local branchesSales, lettings & auctionsNAEA Propertymark membersThe Property Ombudsman

What would you like to do?

Whether you are moving home, letting a property or looking for a quick, secure sale, start here.

Looking to sell?

Find out what your property could be worth with a free, no-obligation valuation from your local valuer.

Looking to let?

Discover what your property could achieve in today’s rental market, and how we can manage it for you.

Looking to auction?

A faster, more secure route to selling, backed by a buyer reservation fee and a 56-day completion.

Featured properties

A selection of homes for sale and to rent from across our seven branches.

Sell with Dowen

From the first valuation to the day you hand over the keys, you deal with an experienced local team, backed by the systems of a much larger agency.

  • A free valuation from a valuer who sells in your area every week
  • Your home on Rightmove, OnTheMarket, our website and in branch windows
  • Online vendor account: viewings, feedback and offers, 24/7
  • Feedback requested from every viewer by email and text
  • A dedicated sales progression team focused on getting you to completion

Let with Dowen

Dowen manages hundreds of homes across the North East. Choose a tenant-find service, or let us look after everything for you.

  • Free rental valuation and honest advice on achievable rent
  • Tenant referencing, right to rent checks and compliant paperwork
  • Inspections every six months with a report and photos
  • Monthly statements and an online landlord account
  • Deposits protected and client money protected through Propertymark

Tried, tested and trusted since 1982

Founded by Denis Dowen in 1982 and owned since 2020 by long-standing directors John Nicholson and Trudie Bowes, Dowen has grown from one office into seven branches. We have kept the same standards of service throughout.

1982

Established in the North East

7

Branches from the coast to the A1 corridor

10,000s

Homes sold over four decades

100s

Homes under our management

Everything property, under one roof

Sales and lettings are only the start. Our in-house teams and trusted panels cover the rest of your move.

House keys being handed over

Sales

Marketing that reaches the widest audience, with a sales progression team focused on completion.

Period front doors

Lettings & management

Tenant find or fully managed, with inspections, statements and a dedicated portfolio manager.

Auctioneer's gavel

Auctions

Online auctions with iamsold: no commission for sellers and a 56-day completion for buyers.

Signing a contract beside a laptop

Mortgages

Independent advice from our broker panel, and a calculator to see what you could afford.

Signing property paperwork

Conveyancing

Fixed, all-inclusive quotes from our panel of local North East solicitors.

Street of brick terraced houses

Surveys

RICS HomeBuyer reports, building surveys and private valuations from independent surveyors.

Trusted by our customers

Read what buyers, sellers, landlords and tenants say about Dowen, and leave a review of your own.

Sunny street of bay-fronted terraced houses

The people behind Dowen

Experienced, local and easy to reach. Meet the managers, valuers and letting agents in your branch.

Trudie Bowes, Sales Director, Dowen

Trudie Bowes

Sales Director

Dawn Ferguson, Branch Manager, Dowen Sunderland

Dawn Ferguson

Branch Manager, Sunderland

Kelly Gee, Manager and Valuer, Dowen Seaham

Kelly Gee

Manager & Valuer, Seaham

Darren Watts, Branch Manager and Valuer, Dowen Bishop Auckland and Spennymoor

Darren Watts

Branch Manager, Spennymoor

News & advice

Straightforward guides to buying, selling, renting and letting in the North East.

Family moving into a new home

The buying guide

From mortgage in principle to moving day: what happens, when, and what it costs.

New build semi-detached homes

The selling guide

How to prepare, price and present your home, and what to expect after you accept an offer.

Key with house keyring in a front door

The landlord guide

Safety certificates, deposits, right to rent and the rules every landlord needs to know.

Auctioneer's gavel

The auction guide

How online auctions work for buyers and sellers, including fees and timescales.

Find your local branch

Open Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm and Saturday 9am to 12:30pm.

Durham

3b Old Elvet, Durham, DH1 3HL
0191 375 7599

Hartlepool

6 Jubilee House, York Road, Hartlepool, TS26 9EN
01429 860806

Peterlee

1 Yoden Way, Peterlee, SR8 1BP
0191 518 0181

Seaham

25 Church Street, Seaham, SR7 7HQ
0191 581 3355

Sedgefield

41 Front Street, Sedgefield, TS21 3AT
01740 623999

Bishop Auckland & Spennymoor

51 High Street, Spennymoor, DL16 6BB
01388 819900

Sunderland

21 Athenaeum Street, Sunderland, SR1 1DH
0191 514 2299

Not sure which branch?

Tell us your postcode on the valuation form and we will pass you to your nearest office.