http://www.estateagenttoday.co.uk Daily Estate Agent News Copyright 2009 Estate Agent Today http://www.estateagenttoday.co.uk/i/email/logo.gif http://www.estateagenttoday.co.uk http://www.estateagenttoday.co.uk/News/Story/?storyid=2085&type=news_features People were so impressed by pictures on an agent’s website of its plush offices that they sent in all kinds of personal details, including keys by post. However, they did not know that the offices had been deserted – and indeed, when EAT checked yesterday, the website was still up and... Fri, 03 Jul 2009 07:44:28 GMT http://www.estateagenttoday.co.uk/News/Story/?storyid=2085&type=news_features http://www.estateagenttoday.co.uk/News/Story/?storyid=2084&type=news_features In which our star columnist, Trevor Kent, prompted by EAT’s first birthday, makes a comeback (purely for this week, unfortunately) and in a misguided attempt at gallantry only just manages to avoid comparing the editor to an old banger.  Still, never mind. Welcome back, Big T, and many more appearances... Fri, 03 Jul 2009 07:43:12 GMT http://www.estateagenttoday.co.uk/News/Story/?storyid=2084&type=news_features http://www.estateagenttoday.co.uk/News/Story/?storyid=2083&type=news_features Sold signs have been sprouting across the country, increasing to their highest number since April 2008. According to estate agency sign supplier Agency Express, the number of Sold signs instructed by agents in June rose to the highest level for 14 months, and showed a 19.2% increase on May. Year-on-year, there... Fri, 03 Jul 2009 07:41:31 GMT http://www.estateagenttoday.co.uk/News/Story/?storyid=2083&type=news_features http://www.estateagenttoday.co.uk/News/Story/?storyid=19244548&type=news_feed A commercial estate agent in Cardiff has been named the best in Wales and the West of England, it has been reported.According to the Western Mail, Fletcher Morgan won the accolade at the Estata Gazette's annual awards ceremony.The estate agency topped the list after being voted for by companies in... Wed, 01 Jul 2009 09:28:31 GMT http://www.estateagenttoday.co.uk/News/Story/?storyid=19244548&type=news_feed http://www.estateagenttoday.co.uk/News/Story/?storyid=19244543&type=news_feed The National Landlords' Association (NLA) has warned sale and rent back service providers that they have just four weeks to comply with Financial Services Authority legislation.If they do not they will lose their permission to continue operating.From today (July 1st), sale and rent back landlords have just one month to... Wed, 01 Jul 2009 09:27:29 GMT http://www.estateagenttoday.co.uk/News/Story/?storyid=19244543&type=news_feed http://www.estateagenttoday.co.uk/News/Story/?storyid=2075&type=news_features Happy birthday to us! Today, July 1, Estate Agent Today is exactly one year old. Yesterday, we had 5,354 visitors to the site, reading over 20,000 pages – the monthly equivalent of over 150,000 visitors.  And what a lot you (mostly) have to read about in our colourful new channels. Within the... Wed, 01 Jul 2009 08:08:03 GMT http://www.estateagenttoday.co.uk/News/Story/?storyid=2075&type=news_features http://www.estateagenttoday.co.uk/News/Story/?storyid=2072&type=news_features Transaction levels continue to stay on the floor, the latest mortgage figures have revealed, with what Nationwide yesterday called ‘abnormally low’ levels of stock for sale driving prices up. The lender said prices rose again in June for the third time in four months, going up by 0.9% in June after... Wed, 01 Jul 2009 08:04:35 GMT http://www.estateagenttoday.co.uk/News/Story/?storyid=2072&type=news_features http://www.estateagenttoday.co.uk/News/Story/?storyid=2071&type=news_features Prime London properties rose 1.7% in value during June, Knight Frank has reported, while the most expensive houses – costing £10m or more – rose by 1.9%. The rise in super-prime prices was the first since April 2008. Between April and June, prices in prime central London rose 3.7% ¬– the strongest... Wed, 01 Jul 2009 08:02:13 GMT http://www.estateagenttoday.co.uk/News/Story/?storyid=2071&type=news_features http://www.estateagenttoday.co.uk/News/Story/?storyid=2070&type=news_features Energy efficiency has become one of the most important attributes buyers want from a new home, according to a YouGov survey. It found that buyers wanted a garden or outdoor space first (53%), followed by a garage (47%), while energy and environmentally-friendly features was in third place (41%). The survey, carried out... Wed, 01 Jul 2009 08:00:24 GMT http://www.estateagenttoday.co.uk/News/Story/?storyid=2070&type=news_features http://www.estateagenttoday.co.uk/News/Story/?storyid=19241983&type=news_feed New research suggesting that housing transactions are taking place in the UK without home information packs (Hips) in place is misleading, it has been claimed.According to the Association of Home Information Pack Providers (AHIPP), figures showing that half of all housing transactions take place without Hips, despite regulation making them... Tue, 30 Jun 2009 09:29:01 GMT http://www.estateagenttoday.co.uk/News/Story/?storyid=19241983&type=news_feed http://www.estateagenttoday.co.uk/News/Story/?storyid=2067&type=spotlight Our climate is changing! It has been a pressing issue we are facing over many years and everyone has a moral responsibility in helping safeguard our planet and lead its recovery. Over the last 100 years or so research has shown that changes have occurred to our planets temperature. Planet... Mon, 29 Jun 2009 09:25:07 GMT http://www.estateagenttoday.co.uk/News/Story/?storyid=2067&type=spotlight http://www.estateagenttoday.co.uk/News/Story/?storyid=19239633&type=news_feed Buyers and sellers in the housing market are becoming more optimistic, it has been claimed.According to new research by the National Association of Estate Agents (NAEA), the number of properties being put on the market has increased by ten per cent when compared with figures released six months ago.Meanwhile, the... Mon, 29 Jun 2009 09:25:00 GMT http://www.estateagenttoday.co.uk/News/Story/?storyid=19239633&type=news_feed http://www.estateagenttoday.co.uk/News/Story/?storyid=2062&type=news_features New instructions are likely to fall much further across London and the south, a leading agent has warned, and would-be vendors who are told they will need a HIP are sitting things out. David Adams, head of residential at Chesterton Humberts, said:  “Stock is down across London by 35% year on... Mon, 29 Jun 2009 07:45:55 GMT http://www.estateagenttoday.co.uk/News/Story/?storyid=2062&type=news_features http://www.estateagenttoday.co.uk/News/Story/?storyid=2061&type=news_features House prices fell again in May, according to the Land Registry, while completions in March – the last month for which the data is available – added up to just over 33,000. The Land Registry figures shows the average house price went down 0.2 to £152,497, representing a 15.9% fall since... Mon, 29 Jun 2009 07:45:18 GMT http://www.estateagenttoday.co.uk/News/Story/?storyid=2061&type=news_features http://www.estateagenttoday.co.uk/News/Story/?storyid=2060&type=news_features Landlord Accreditation Wales, the principality’s private rental sector association, has announced that the Cardiff branch of the Northwood lettings group is the first NALS member to join its organisation. Membership of LAW accredits Welsh lettings agents and landlords. In order to qualify for accreditation, agents must be a member of... Mon, 29 Jun 2009 07:44:01 GMT http://www.estateagenttoday.co.uk/News/Story/?storyid=2060&type=news_features http://www.estateagenttoday.co.uk/News/Story/?storyid=19237576&type=news_feed Newman Property Services has won the top award at Fine & Country's annual awards ceremony.The regional awards gathering was held at the Millennium Hotel in Mayfair, and more than 100 estate agencies and property investment franchises took part from all over the world – including South Africa, the Channel Islands,... Fri, 26 Jun 2009 09:59:08 GMT http://www.estateagenttoday.co.uk/News/Story/?storyid=19237576&type=news_feed http://www.estateagenttoday.co.uk/News/Story/?storyid=19237570&type=news_feed The former boss of Apprentice star Philip Taylor is looking for trainees of his own, it has been reported.According to the Northern Echo, estate agent George Robinson is looking for four apprentices to teach about the housing market.Mr Robinson told the news provider: "I would like to hear from anyone... Fri, 26 Jun 2009 09:57:54 GMT http://www.estateagenttoday.co.uk/News/Story/?storyid=19237570&type=news_feed http://www.estateagenttoday.co.uk/News/Story/?storyid=2058&type=news_features Software company Expert Agent has launched the “Expert Agent Index” – a set of statistics, now published online, showing average performance across its 1,100-strong membership. The statistics available for May show that on average, each branch had 56 new applicants, 11 new instructions, 86 new viewings, 13 new offers and 2.62... Fri, 26 Jun 2009 07:57:21 GMT http://www.estateagenttoday.co.uk/News/Story/?storyid=2058&type=news_features http://www.estateagenttoday.co.uk/News/Story/?storyid=2057&type=news_features A ratings agency has warned that 15% of prime mortgage loans are in negative equity, and that the proportion will rise to 34% on the basis that further house price falls are on the way. Fitch Ratings expects a 30% house price decline from peak to trough, meaning that it forecasts... Fri, 26 Jun 2009 07:55:47 GMT http://www.estateagenttoday.co.uk/News/Story/?storyid=2057&type=news_features http://www.estateagenttoday.co.uk/News/Story/?storyid=2056&type=news_features The property drought means that new properties are three times as likely to sell than this time a year ago, says Hamptons. The agents say that in May there was a 40% rise in applicants, compared with May 2008, but a 31% drop in new instructions. In its London offices,... Fri, 26 Jun 2009 07:55:03 GMT http://www.estateagenttoday.co.uk/News/Story/?storyid=2056&type=news_features