Dan Muir, Area Sales Manager, LetsBid Property

Who are you and what does it say on your business card? 

Dan Muir, Area Sales Manager, LetsBid Property

What is LetsBid and what does it do? 

So the short and simple version is we are a Prop-Tech Company offering the mass audience of Estate Agents a corporate-level technology with our Prospecting Tool & the ability to create your own in-house Auction department.

You have complete control over all of this, we just provide you with tools needed to thrive and grow your business.

A couple of things differentiates from the rest – No buyers/Reservation fee but still the ability for our agents to gain their vendors a financial commitment (via our reservation deposit’s), agents having complete control of the Auctions, Our newly released Probate Tool and the fact we offer all of this & more for an affordable monthly subscription.

We empower our agents by working for/with them rather than up against them.

What services do you offer and in what ways do you work with estate agents?

As long side giving the Agents complete control of their Auctions & our Prospecting tool, each Agent is allocated an Account Manager that walks them through the whole process and is easily accessible via call or email if they require any assistance. A lot of the agents we work with have never sold a property by the Modern Method of Auction, so to have that support so readily available can definitely be of reassurance to them. The Account Managers also provide our Agents with tried & tested tips/tricks to help them get the most out of their Canvassing and helping them to win more instructions.

What makes your product different and how does it benefit agents?

Where do I start? Agents given full control of the Auctions, No Extortionate Buyers/Reservation Fee’s (Domino effect, buyers left with less capital which leads to Vendors receiving much lower offers) , Agents can Tout full postcodes (Not split into sections which hikes up the monthly cost massively) and our new Probate Tool (which allows our agents to send letters not only to the property, but to the solicitor dealing with the probate). Our technology provides agents with the best tools available to win more instructions and offer their clients a variation of selling methods. A lot of the press is referring to the Modern Method of Auction as ‘Controversial’ due to the previously mentioned Reservation fees of 4.2%+ VAT , but we feel we have found a fault proof alternative which should change the perception of this very soon.

What is your greatest achievement in your current role and what made it so special?

It’s not been long, but I’d have to say one of my most recent sign up’s – Biggest agent the company has signed up in terms of Reputation and Business. It’s a brilliant feeling when a huge brand like that believe in the service you are providing as much as you do, enough so to sign up.

What is the most satisfying part of your job?

Seeing our Agents garnering successful results from the tools we provide. It’s something I wish I had when I was an Agent that would have saved me valuable time spent and earned me a lot more money! I also enjoy the relationship I build with these people, many of whom I can talk to on a personal level now.

What do you see as the biggest challenge facing estate and letting agents at the moment?

For me – Fee’s. Agents who justify a higher fee based on the service they provide, losing out on the majority of instructions they value due to a competitor charging peanuts/overvaluing the property. Everyone wants a good deal, particularly when it involves the amount of money normally involved in property, but I worry that for the masses. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not advocating for the new normal to become anything ridiculous like 3-5% , but I feel like most Vendors don’t go with the Agent they believe has the best plan to sell their property if the fee is higher than X agent they also had out who is charging the lowest fee.

What is your property prediction for 2021?

I believe the market will level out in terms of price and with 5% deposits returning, we’ll hopefully see a huge increase in the number of FITB getting on the ladder.

Country house or city apartment?  I would have to have both!

This was tougher than expected! I think having lived in both a flat & a house, you can’t beat having a garden on a summers day (hopefully watching England win the Euro’s with friends and family!).

Would you rather be a free-moving tenant or settled owner occupier? 

Settled owner occupier.

What is your favourite room in your home? 

My Bedroom – I’ve got it set up where if I wanted too, I wouldn’t have to leave for pretty much anything! It acts as a home office, a place to relax and most other things you could think of.

Homes under the Hammer or Location, Location, Location? 

My Mum wouldn’t like this answer, but Homes under Hammer. It definitely glamorises the whole process, but as someone who aspires to have my own Property Portfolio, I find myself inspired by a lot the buys and refurbs I see on the programme.