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Retired Agent

Retired Proprietor

6901 Profile Views

About Me

I'm retired from the 'sharp end' of the PRS but still follow what's going on.

my expertise in the industry

Used to run a lettings agency and residential lettings training company but retired in 2014

Retired's Recent Activity

Any agent that has to boast about it's prowess is best avoided.

From: Retired Agent 26 May 2021 21:32 PM

Who is/was Thangam Debbonaire? Sounds like a 1960s pop group! Now replaced by Lucy Powell (who she?). What can she say that gets her noticed? Absolutely nothing. So EAT seems to think we are really interested in this "NEWS". I think not.

From: Retired Agent 10 May 2021 13:39 PM

No He's definitely not the person to be leading Propertymark. After having seen the interview he doesn't come across with any particular foresight for the organisation in his assessment and as James has said it's full of guff. It's the sort of reply you get from politicians when you need a decent analysis. Graham Norwood was just too kind, a bit like Oprah.

From: Retired Agent 28 March 2021 18:10 PM

The Purple Bricks advert on TV is really NOT FUNNY but stooopid!

From: Retired Agent 25 March 2021 18:49 PM

The new CEO wants to engage more with the membership. AFAIK that's what the previous CEOs have all said. PBK was easily the best at doing that, so I hope Nathan is true to his word. There is still however a crisis that nobody seems to want to acknowledge and even less, share it with anybody. PM is very protective of its image and closes ranks when the sh*t hits the air conditioning. It has always been thus.

From: Retired Agent 25 March 2021 18:44 PM

Most large agencies lose their customer focus fairly quickly as it's too profit driven. Small personal local estate agents nearly always trump the large 'brand' name. Countrywide was just too big and impersonal - and not very good at that. I always want to deal with the Chief Engineer, not the oily rag who doesn't have any company loyalty.

From: Retired Agent 18 March 2021 18:55 PM

In the latest Propertymark Magazine I received in the post today the CEO (T Balcon) asks for members to tell their Local Representative what they really think about the organisation. Answers on a postcard! There wasn't much in it to be honest that was worth reading and it's on very thick paper - why?

From: Retired Agent 18 February 2021 18:49 PM

How about fleecing them too?

From: Retired Agent 18 February 2021 18:45 PM

Tim Balcon probably hasn't had enough time to get to grips with all these resignations. He doesn't have the "right" background for property matters and I would think he might give up the ghost within 12 months if things don't improve soon. Things will be a lot more serious at the coalface than what the public and members are being told. Just like mushrooms!

From: Retired Agent 16 February 2021 14:28 PM

The new CEO doesn't come across as very "dynamic" but I will wait and see. I became a member in 1979 and a Fellow in 1987; passed my CRLM in 1999 and graduated in Business Property Management in 2003, and am now a retired Fellow although my main business was residential lettings and management. I don't really care anymore but Richard Copus knows his stuff and should be listened to. There is no other Professional body for Estate/Letting Agents of any similar standing. The training courses are generally good although many are cancelled if they are not in main centres through lack of numbers. You generally have to travel and perhaps stay overnight. City courses are often oversubscribed but not those elsewhere. The RICS is for surveyors rather than agents and should not be directly compared. Propertymark has a big problem with the ever changing number of Housing MInisters as they often have to repeat everything they have discussed with a Minister only to find he or she is moved after 6 months and the cycle begins again. Housing is low priority in Government despite what they say, and since George Osborne was Chancellor, landlords have been kicked about everywhere as they cow-tow to tenants supposed needs and then wonder why the PRS has 250,000 fewer units to let. UC is virtually impossible to obtain for under 35s if single so it's a recipe for homelessness methinks. They don't think it through. Sorry I went off at a tangent somewhat.

From: Retired Agent 25 January 2021 15:50 PM

Connells believes............that taking over Countrywide will enhance their standing? I'm not so sure.

From: Retired Agent 31 December 2020 18:05 PM

If you can't use words how else can you describe anything? Semaphore doesn't work on this site! Tee-Hee. Merry Christmas.

From: Retired Agent 21 December 2020 17:52 PM

Nobody seems to have mentioned that the Stamp Duty holiday will end in the Spring of next year, which might well put a check on market values, so valuers are just being cautious. If they are slap-happy with values now, then they might be criticized again! They just can't win. Also I detect a bit of angst in that agents commission is being potentially lost which is what this is really about.

From: Retired Agent 19 October 2020 18:16 PM

We get the usual platitudes when somebody new joins an organisation, but are they up to the job. When Hugh DH, Peter BK, and Mark Hayward were appointed everyone knew who they were. The same went for David Cox. I have no idea about these two so we'll just have to wait and see. As Chris Hamer is also standing down I'm concerned that 'fings aint wot they used to be'.

From: Retired Agent 24 September 2020 17:59 PM

25 Instructions a day and NO VIEWINGS! A non-news story. If you are wanting to put your property on the market then just wait until the fog clears. Simples!

From: Retired Agent 24 March 2020 18:43 PM

Altogether now sing........"Aaaaarrn the Market"

From: Retired Agent 10 March 2020 18:51 PM

FFS, these arguments have been had since RM were the dominant platform, and they'll never go away. If you don't think RM is decent value (probably not!) just leave. Simples. As has been pointed out OTM and Zoopla are a lot less. It should be easy to convince sellers that RM is not essential, and all costs have to be passed on to the consumer. ½% on their commission should put 'em off!

From: Retired Agent 28 February 2020 18:58 PM

Will those of you who don't feel they need to take an exam stop bleating. Too many estate agents and particularly letting agents are woefully lacking in knowledge, and bumble along day-to-day until the excrement hits the air conditioning. You'll soon find out how much you do or don't know.

From: Retired Agent 30 January 2020 17:10 PM

Who reads the Grauniad? It's a leftie rag!

From: Retired Agent 13 September 2019 18:55 PM

Neil Woodford must be relieved, even if he's withdrawn quite a bit recently. Bull or Bear?

From: Retired Agent 17 June 2019 20:04 PM

When I used to conduct training courses for agents, one said to me one day "The more I learn, the easier my job becomes". It has stuck with me for the best part of 25 years.

From: Retired Agent 17 June 2019 20:00 PM

They'll still be obsessed with Brexit to enact any 'meaningful' legislation, and there will probably be a general election to get in the way too.

From: Retired Agent 28 May 2019 09:20 AM

'Bollocks to blaming Brexit' would make a good car sticker on Foxtons vehicles eh?

From: Retired Agent 21 May 2019 18:52 PM

Well we all think we have the answer, but sadly we don't. All we seem to agree on is that Governments past and present have a poor understanding of the PRS. There will always be tenants who feel aggrieved, don't look after properties, don't pay the rent, and landlords who ignore the laws pertaining to HMOs. Governments are nearly always reactive rather than pro-active, and no matter how much the professional bodies try to guide them away from their foolhardy ways to get tenants to vote for them which is what it's nearly all about, the PRS suffers generally. It's true that the number of rental property is diminishing and will probably continue to do so.

From: Retired Agent 13 May 2019 19:13 PM

It's lack of Government understanding, BUT it could be a lot worse (e.g. J Corbyn). The number of BTL Properties will become fewer and the rents will become higher. As Housing Ministers are churned regularly, they just follow their brief without really understanding what it's all about. The Treasury has far more input on the PRS. After Brexit, whoa! - don't count on it happening on Haloween as there's sure to be a scare - we'll still be suffering just the same and the excuse will look as pathetic as it does today.

From: Retired Agent 03 May 2019 18:54 PM

Look! Estate/Letting Agents completely ignore the Planning requirements concerning for sale/to let boards so I don't hold out much hope for this to be any more effective.

From: Retired Agent 23 April 2019 19:26 PM

I see plenty of PB signs up in my area but haven't yet seen a SOLD for ages. Sometimes a local agent has a sold board next door, and then takes over from PB and then hey presto, another one sold!

From: Retired Agent 23 April 2019 19:23 PM

If Foxtons charges 3% commission then my advice would be to go elsewhere. You could for instance use Purplebricks. Oops, sorry they prefer their money up front.

From: Retired Agent 08 April 2019 15:08 PM

Who remembers Tepilo now?

From: Retired Agent 05 April 2019 15:59 PM

Before you get smug about an online agency failure even though they probably deserved it, whose turn is it next? High Street agents aren't having the best of times either?!

From: Retired Agent 03 April 2019 18:29 PM

Unfortunately not enough business to go round, and others will surely follow in the next 12 months. It's tough out there!

From: Retired Agent 01 April 2019 14:22 PM

Ah good old "fake news" Must have been talking to somebody at the White House. Why is it that when caught out companies say "We take the XYZ of complaints extremely seriously" when what they really mean is they just deny whatever is the temporary problem and move on hoping nobody remembers.

From: Retired Agent 31 March 2019 22:22 PM

It's Chris Anderson at Anderson Lettings in Leicester. Bloody good agents they are too!

From: Retired Agent 28 March 2019 09:58 AM

I can see NAEA Propertymark tearing out their hair at yet another (knows-nothing-about-the-subject) Housing Minister appointment. The frequency with which they change usually means their having to start at the beginning explaining their concerns speaking V-E-R-Y S-L-O-W-L-Y so that they can learn what they need to know. It's a bit like teaching Japanese from scratch I suspect.

From: Retired Agent 10 July 2018 08:32 AM

Just so you know that "no experience necessary" can fall flat on its face. I asked an agent to value my deceased Mother-in-Law's bungalow in order to rent it out, only to find that two weeks previously he had been working as a Production Assistant at the Daily Mail. He was sent on his own and the ARLA Registered Agent considered this to be a professional approach. No, it wasn't.

From: Retired Agent 24 April 2018 17:54 PM

Hands up all those who remember last year's winners (unless you were one of them). Me neither.

From: Retired Agent 20 April 2018 19:33 PM

I've always been in favour of estate agents gaining a recognised qualification. Those who have taken the Propertymark NAEA/ARLA Technical Award will tell you how much they didn't know before they studied the curriculum.

From: Retired Agent 18 April 2018 08:42 AM

Perhaps a few sellers should be contacted to inform them of such tactics being employed by their agent when they should treat all buyers equally?

From: Retired Agent 21 March 2018 19:09 PM

An observation: If you use an online agent then it's highly likely you will meet the eventual buyer beforehand, because you will be err......conducting the viewings, yes?

From: Retired Agent 20 March 2018 22:33 PM

Online agents appear to be most successful when they don't have to do much work in order for a sale to reach completion. Such as cash purchaser with no sale to rely on in order to go ahead. Simples!

From: Retired Agent 27 February 2018 21:07 PM

Action can be taken against agents who overvalue, after a sale has been completed in just the same way as if it's been undervalued and then the buyer immediately re-sells at a good profit. I'm not too interested how it's done as I'm no longer in the business. All agents recently e-mailed me asking if I have looked at my recent 'rating' on their site. I've not been in business for the best part of 10 years but they still can't seem to remove me from their database. P.S. I have purchased a property through Housesimple and have no complaints so there are online agents who do try and do a decent job.

From: Retired Agent 17 January 2018 19:05 PM

Is this the same Chris Wood who was subject to NAEA disciplinary proceedings some years ago?

From: Retired Agent 13 September 2017 08:20 AM

Just watched Michael Bruce waffle his way through an interview on Watchdog. What a pathetic response to justified criticism. Looked very nervous appearing on TV. Expecting sellers to enter into a loan agreement which apparently was very unlear on their website; he says it's very clear. Pity non of the punters seemed to notice. Also exaggerated number of listings and probably sales success claimed of 92% is a bit far fetched.

From: Retired Agent 02 August 2017 20:20 PM

So called experts are invented to get predictions wrong so why should this sort of 'news' item be any different. And why are we being "warned"? Best to discount it.

From: Retired Agent 04 November 2016 10:44 AM

Remember the young girl who during the school holidays befriended blokes who were working on the new build site next to her home? Well, she was there so often they thought she should become one of the workers so let her undertake fairly simple tasks like making the tea etc. They paid her a few quid out of their substantial wages and suggested her mother open a savings account for her. This she duly did and her mother accompanied her to the local post office to open a savings account. The kind man at the Post Office asked her how long she had been helping out at the building site and she said three weeks. He then asked her if she would be working there the next week, and she said that depends.....she hesitated, and then the man said to her, depends on what? She said "Well, it depends on whether those w****** at J****** remember to deliver the f****** bricks on Monday"

From: Retired Agent 26 August 2016 19:05 PM

As soon as the guy has his feet under the table he'll be moved on. The Housing Minister Portfolio requires a great deal of understanding and application and short-term appointments are generally a waste of time. I also wish MPs would desist from mentioning the 'affordable homes' mantra, because it is a meaningless soundbite.

From: Retired Agent 19 July 2016 08:59 AM

I can see who is going to benefit the most out of this scenario - the lawyers!

From: Retired Agent 19 July 2016 08:51 AM

£80 to give to a telegraph pole. How does it intend spending it?

From: Retired Agent 16 February 2016 09:51 AM

Err.............who cares? Property sells and buyers find the property they want somewhere online from one portal or other. It's like little boys willy waving!

From: Retired Agent 21 January 2016 11:34 AM

If Neil Woodford whose investment strategy has proved to be uncannily good over the past decade, and who has invested funds heavily in Purple Bricks, thinks this is a good investment, then I for one am sure he knows what he is doing.

From: Retired Agent 18 January 2016 09:20 AM

I came across House Simple when I bought a house in Hampshire in 2013, and I have to say they were very good. Apparently the seller paid under £400 commission, so he did quite well too. Negotiations were professional and the transaction went smoothly. I would definitely use them to sell, but as I intend living here until the wooden box beckons, (or the home for dribblers) so it might not arise!

From: Retired Agent 25 November 2015 09:46 AM

Rymans report a large increase in the sale of brown envelopes. Now that might be a story!

From: Retired Agent 24 November 2015 09:57 AM

You could do worse than read the last two issues of "Private Eye" where is shows the difficulty of tracking down the real owners of many London based properties.

From: Retired Agent 23 September 2015 20:50 PM

The NAEA doesn't have 14,600 members but NFOPP does

From: Retired Agent 14 September 2015 17:44 PM

Who the hell cares? It's not important.

From: Retired Agent 07 September 2015 13:33 PM

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