By Graham Norwood
Back in the day, party politics and the private rental...
Estate Agent Today - Features > The Big Issues
Consisting of contributions from our Associated Writers, Features covers a wide range of opinions on topics affecting the UK's estate and letting agents. Join the debate by logging-in and leaving a comment.
Features > The Big Issues
Three reasons why estate agency should be first out of lockdown
By Graham Norwood
The coming week’s stories in the mainstream media - inevitably...
Change - The key to unlocking demand after the lockdown
By Graham Norwood
If it’s really the case that estate agents’ offices could...
It’s 2024: what will the industry look like, post-Coronavirus?
By Graham Norwood
There’s a sense that we really are on the verge...
Property Natter – how is the industry coming together during self-isolation?
By Nat Daniels
Where else to start? Since my last Natter two weeks...
How one country’s housing market is reacting to the virus
By Graham Norwood
The extraordinary past week of anger over portals’ fees plus...
It's time for agents and politicians to get behind Reservation Agreements trial
By Nat Daniels
Now we’re well into the second month of the year,...
Brexit challenges for agents and the property industry
By Graham Norwood
Suddenly Brexit Day is nearly here. It may have taken three...
Five things to watch for in 2020
By Graham Norwood
A new year dawns - but will 2020 bring new...
General election 2019: The housing crisis remains a top issue
By Marc Da Silva
With Brexit still unresolved, the domestic agenda has been pushed...
Agents - what do YOU want to know about the portals?
By Graham Norwood
Problems with relationships are usually helped, if not always resolved,...
Is this how Reservation Agreements will work?
By Graham Norwood
Reservation Agreements are the subject of the moment in the...
Party Conferences: what agents should look out for
By Graham Norwood
If you thought - perhaps hoped - that five weeks...
Now is not the time for ‘BoJo Bravado’
By David Westgate
If you’d asked me at the start of the year...
Beyond the headlines - What the new regulator really means
By Graham Norwood
The industry press has given substantial space to recommendations from...
Theresa May’s legacy - how has housing fared under her government?
By Marc Da Silva
Theresa May arrived in Downing Street some three years ago...
Blond ambition - Does Boris Johnson have any housing policies?
By Graham Norwood
Britain lives in fundamentalist black-and-white times - all the more...
What would a Corbyn government mean for sales and lettings?
By Graham Norwood
While media attention has been on Theresa May, Brexit and...
Commonhold in action – one small builder’s attempts to change the system
By EAT & LAT Team
So far in our contribution to the campaign to replace...
The man who polices the agency industry - an exclusive interview
By Graham Norwood
It’s clear that some agents are not fans of Trading...
Impact of the Tenant Fees Act - how can agents cover their costs?
By Marc Da Silva
It has been a long time coming, but the tenant...
Replacing leasehold with commonhold – we’re backing the campaign!
By EAT & LAT Team
The leasehold scandal has received plenty of press coverage, with...
Love or loathe us - Britain’s best agents are the best in the world
By Kristjan Byfield
This article was originally written for City AM in response...
Online agencies: the final curtain call?
By Graham Norwood
It’s been a theatrical week in Westminster with talk of...
What next for property in 2019?
By Marc Da Silva
As 2018 draws to a close, it is fair to...
Is the deposit-free rental model a good idea?
By Marc Da Silva
When renting a property out, letting agents and landlords recognise...
Who comes out on top in the battle of the property portals?
By Marc Da Silva
Given that online property portals, dominated by a handful of...
A quiet Budget – but there’s still enough to keep everyone busy
By Paul Smee
On the face of it, this year’s Budget was not...
Budget briefing - Seven things to watch for today
By Graham Norwood
Perhaps it’s been our pre-occupation with Brexit, or on the...
Don’t be hasty in ditching your high street office
By Richard Rawlings
Several agents have asked me whether they should consider ditching...
Forget narrow demands - Work together for more homes
By Graham Norwood
Any day now we’ll hear the date for the Autumn...
Estate agency – it’s still about interactions not transactions
By Iain McKenzie
Making my way to our London office on a busy...
Government goes on holiday as agents go on waiting
By Graham Norwood
It’s holiday time: schools have broken up, quite a few...
Dominic Raab - another one bites the dust
By David Westgate
Another day, another housing minister – at least that’s what...
Kit Malthouse - We’ve obviously had enough of experts
By Graham Norwood
It may not be a good idea for a journalist...
Property Natter – ten years of Estate Agent Today!
By Nat Daniels
Cast your mind back to July 2008 – Gordon Brown...
Why James Brokenshire must build on Sajid Javid’s pivotal housing work
By Eddie Goldsmith
To say this is a turbulent time for UK politics...
The future for Countrywide - Paul Creffield interview
By Graham Norwood
The rise and fall - and perhaps rise again -...
Vote Conservative...get Labour?
By Graham Norwood
If you want to know whether buy to let, landlords...
Purplebricks is changing: Which way will it go?
By Graham Norwood
As always seems to be the case with Purplebricks, the...
Fast track to franchise success - are you ready to be your own boss?
By Marc Da Silva
For many estate agents seeking to become entrepreneurs, the idea...
It’s time to put an end to the ‘housing crisis’
By David Westgate
At the start of February, Nationwide suggested that the housing...
Property Natter – Q & A with Isobel Thomson, NALS
By Nat Daniels
This week I carry out a question and answer session...
Consultations - Why do so few participate?
By Graham Norwood
It’s no surprise that figures don’t always show the results...
Five things that didn’t happen in 2017
By Graham Norwood
It’s traditional before Christmas to either review the year past...
Property wealth: More bad news for the young
By Graham Norwood
It’s not breaking new ground to say that younger people...
Property Natter: A to Z of the property industry for 2017
By Nat Daniels
As we hurtle towards the end of 2017, it’s time...
Property experts reveal their Autumn Budget wishlist
By Marc Da Silva
The housing industry has set out a list of demands...
Jostling for position: battle of the property portals continues
By Marc Da Silva
The fact is that most house hunters simply do not...
Consultation isn’t a substitute for action
By Graham Norwood
Another week, yet more consultations - the agency industry can’t complain...
Back To The Future: a short history of rent controls
By Graham Norwood
Like many of Labour’s recent policy proposals, its call for...
Property Natter: Why Uber’s troubles are reflected in estate agency
By Nat Daniels
As those of us in the industry know, there is...
Property Natter: estate agency then, now and in the future
By Nat Daniels
How has the world of estate agency changed in the...
Was this the week the agency industry changed for good?
By Graham Norwood
I’ve been in France for the past few days and...
Property Natter: it’s time to party (political-style)
By Nat Daniels
In this week’s Natter I’m going to get all political....
Could tax be the excuse to introduce national private rental licensing?
By Graham Norwood
It’s not just the evenings drawing in that marks the...
Why the stock market likes disruptors
By Graham Norwood
The stock exchange seems to be on everyone’s lips at...
Property Natter - a short history of estate agency
By Nat Daniels
Property has been changing hands for centuries, but when did...
Why the new build leasehold ban is a big moment for our industry
By Eddie Goldsmith
Without wishing to blow our own trumpet at this time,...
London’s prime housing market is no longer roaring
By Marc Da Silva
Being a leading world-class city comes at a price –...
Scrap the bureaucracy and let’s have simple rental regulation
By Graham Norwood
That the private rental sector has become the government’s whipping...
Forget stamp duty reform - There’s a new tax on the horizon
By Graham Norwood
When it comes to provoking anger in property professionals, taxation...
Property needs to rise above politics now more than ever
By David Westgate
“Housing policy should be in independent hands.” That was the conclusion...
Housing industry reacts to shock general election result
By Marc Da Silva
The housing industry has responded with shock, joy, and jitters,...
General election 2017: Facing the UK’s housing crisis
By Marc Da Silva
Theresa May’s call for a snap general election on June...
Reform of buying and selling - The industry should prepare now
By Graham Norwood
The banning of letting fees levied on tenants has dominated...
Why we’re absorbing tenant fees until a decision is made
By Hannah McDougall
In November 2016 when the Autumn Statement was delivered by...
‘Fake agents’ are crippling independents’ reputations and livelihoods
By Charlie Wright
Think ‘fake agents’ are no threat to your business? Think...
Housing policy progress will suffer thanks to snap General Election
By Eddie Goldsmith
Not only did Theresa May stun everyone with her decision...
Stamp duty reform holds the key to meaningful market change
By David Westgate
I wrote last month about how the Government, in introducing...
Two more years of government pain for the industry
By Graham Norwood
My apologies if this causes you to break your Easter...
Property Natter: Q & A with David Cox, ARLA Propertymark
By Nat Daniels
In this Natter we have an exclusive interview with David...
The world is your oyster! Q & A with AIPP’s Peter Robinson
By Marc Da Silva
Peter Robinson, CEO of AIPP – Association of International Property...
Brexit: Housing must not be ignored in the clamour
By Graham Norwood
We’re almost nine months on from the EU Referendum and...
Budget 2017: Pleas for reform fall on deaf ears
By Marc Da Silva
Chancellor Philip Hammond delivered his first Budget this week pledging...
Budget 2017 wishlist: Expectations from the property sector
By Marc Da Silva
Looking ahead to the Spring Budget this week, the Chancellor...
What does the future hold for the buy-to-let market?
By Marc Da Silva
Over the past two decades, investing in buy-to-let has been...
And now for something completely different...Co-Living
By Graham Norwood
We’re used to stories on how the buying and renting...
Portal peace in our time
By Graham Norwood
It’s over. Done. The only ones interested are those with...
Independence may be the undoing of the Independents
By Graham Norwood
The story of the week has been the first steps...
What next for the rental market in 2017?
By Marc Da Silva
The rental market has had to face a raft of changes...
New homes: Sajid and Gavin must do better
By Graham Norwood
Now I’m not one to lose sleep over politicians, but...
What next for property in 2017?
By Marc Da Silva
Following a strong start to 2016, particularly in the lower...
After stamp duty and agents’ fees, it’s time to seize the initiative
By Graham Norwood
Let me set out my stall from the beginning. Firstly with...
The market is dead, long live the market
By Simon Shinerock
Listening to all the coverage of the tenant fee ban,...
Autumn Statement: reaction and what’s next for us?
By Simon Duce
Chancellor Philip Hammond caught the lettings industry unaware with an...
Autumn Statement: The property industry's wish list for Philip Hammond
By Marc Da Silva
It may still be too early to start compiling a...
Will Hammond's property past benefit the future of our industry?
By Rob Clifford
We are now only days away from one of the...
Whither Countrywide
By Graham Norwood
Although Brexit, portal juggling and portal wars have stolen property...
The market is crying out for a positive Autumn Statement
By Eddie Goldsmith
We are now less than a month away from Philip...
2017: If anyone says they know what’s going to happen, they’re lying
By Graham Norwood
I hate to be a party-pooper, but one of the...
Property Natter: Q & A with Russell Quirk
By Nat Daniels
In recent weeks I have been carrying out question and...
30 years after her disappearance, we still have to learn from Suzy’s story
By Lara Wilks-Sloan
Suzy Lamplugh was just 25 years old when she disappeared...
Three months on – which way is the Brexit wind blowing?
By Rob Clifford
Those working within the UK housing market would have felt...
Housing must remain top of the government’s agenda
By Marc Da Silva
With the number of new homes being built across the...
Industry protests work – so keep them up
By Graham Norwood
It’s been a heartening few weeks for those of us...
Property Natter: online agents – where are they now?
By Nat Daniels
It’s easy to forget, but there was a time when...
Little England is out of step – on Right To Buy, at the very least
By Graham Norwood
If you want an indicator that the United Kingdom isn’t...
Does Brexit mean the end of the Northern Powerhouse?
By Marc Da Silva
Plans for the Northern Powerhouse scheme, designed to rival London...
Look what Labour’s Owen Smith has done to me
By Graham Norwood
Older readers may recall a terrific movie called Network where...
The post-Brexit landscape
By Rob Clifford
As I sit and write this piece, even with the...
Six Things We’ve Learned From The Referendum
By Graham Norwood
It’s over. A win is a win, whichever side you...
Post-Brexit blues and what next?
By Simon Duce
Never in my lifetime have I seen so much enthusiasm...
The only certainty is uncertainty. So what next for the industry?
By Graham Norwood
One estate agency leader - you’d all recognise his name...
What will happen to the housing market if Britain leaves the EU?
By Marc Da Silva
The sense of gathering momentum for the Leave campaign ahead...
The current state of play in the property portal market
By Marc Da Silva
With more house-hunters than ever now starting their search for...
Should estate agents vote In or Out?
By Simon Shinerock
I pride myself as a logical person, so much so...
Purplebricks 1, Old-style online agencies 0
By Graham Norwood
Forgive the footballing headline – perhaps inevitable now that Euro...
If your fees are justified, you shouldn't be afraid to publicise them
By Kristjan Byfield
The old and eternal debate over whether or not tenant...
Brexit – does anyone know, does anyone care?
By Colin Shairp
The glorious thing about the referendum on our EU membership...
Education, Education, Education – and renting and buying, too
By Graham Norwood
So what is it with young people failing to stand...
What does Sadiq Khan’s victory mean for housing in London?
By Marc Da Silva
The new mayor of London Sadiq Khan has pledged to...
Hold the front page? Don’t bother – no one reads it any more
By Graham Norwood
I wish it were otherwise, but there’s a crisis just...
London mayoral election: A referendum on housing
By Marc Da Silva
The race to replace London Mayor Boris Johnson has entered...
Seven unanswered questions about the OTM/CMA affair
By Graham Norwood
By accident or design, the PR machine at OnTheMarket was...
Property Natter – why deposit protection schemes matter
By Nat Daniels
This week, as the title suggests, I turn my attentions...
Tax and Buy-to-Let – how short are our memories?
By Ian Wilson
We talk about the unstoppable rise of buy-to-let and forget...
What's going on at Countrywide – will retail work for estate agency?
By Iain White
What Countrywide are getting at is that they want to...
An underwhelming Budget – perhaps that isn’t a bad thing?
By David Westgate
George Osborne has been busy over the last year. First...
Should estate agent boards be banned?
By Robert Nichols
Agents' boards get a lot of stick. Many see them...
You read it here first: What to look for in Osborne’s Budget
By Graham Norwood
When it comes to Budgets and Property, you have to...
P’ing in a storm – why is the industry obsessed with price?
By Carl Brignell
As any marketer will tell you, the marketing mix in...
That referendum: Should agents get off the fence?
By Graham Norwood
And so it begins. Four months and counting before we...
Do tenants want longer tenancies?
By Robert Nichols
Shelter has been tirelessly campaigning for longer tenancies for the...
Property and technology: The birth of the silicon brick?
By Nick Crayson
The amount of column inches taken up by ‘property’ is...
Housing reviews: A little less conversation, a little more action...
By Graham Norwood
As we all know, Peter Redfern is critical to the...
Homes’ horrible histories have little value
By Colin Shairp
Life is getting pretty frustrating for estate agents, and not...
How do you define a landlord?
By Richard Price
I want to take this opportunity to share some findings...
The true cost of bad weather – can you afford to be unprepared?
By Samantha Jones
We’ve been facing some pretty adverse weather recently. Gales, storms...
Agents must make residential vendors aware of stamp duty changes
By Rob Clifford
Predicting how the housing market might play out over the...
Stamp duty and buy to let tax changes: Readers' views put to David Cameron
By EAT & LAT Team
In January readers of Estate Agent Today and Letting Agent...
OTM Fury Road(Show)
By Simon Shinerock
I'm sure most of you have seen, or at least...
Time to analyse OnTheMarket’s first year – But let’s keep it professional
By Graham Norwood
And so it begins. The first anniversary of OnTheMarket’s launch...
Consultation action confirms buy-to-let contempt
By Colin Shairp
My suspicion in my December Industry Views column that the...
The challenge of great recruitment
By Samantha Jones
Over the past six months I’ve noticed a number of...
Online Vs traditional – the battle continues
By Robert Nichols
Online estate agent Purplebricks has now completed its pre-Christmas IPO...
You read it here first – what to look for in 2016
By Graham Norwood
There’s been plenty of forecasting in recent weeks - banks,...
My winners and losers in 2015
By Graham Norwood
It’s time to take a pause, to reflect and put...
Open All (Christmas) Hours: Are you shutting down or gearing up?
By Graham Norwood
The possibility of agents having to keep offices open until...
Is there a gender split in the property industry?
By Cristina Catino
Diversity is a hot topic in offices across the UK...
Why do agents have an unfavourable reputation among the public?
By Robert Nichols
Last week, on the latest series of The Apprentice, Lord...
Property Natter: the end of an era
By Nat Daniels
It was an end of an era in the property...
Property ownership is fine – if it’s on an industrial scale
By Colin Shairp
I’m sure I’m not the only estate agent confused by...
A New Year’s Resolution for every landlord – make someone love you
By Graham Norwood
Once you go beyond the industry’s anger about the Chancellor’s...
Christmas is no time for agents to wind down
By Chris Chapman
No sooner was Halloween done and dusted than attentions turned...
Build To Rent – What we learn from Germany and the US
By Graham Norwood
I make no apologies for returning to Build To Rent,...
Reasons to be cheerful (Even if you’re involved in buy to let)
By Graham Norwood
A reader of Industry Views is unlikely to need converting...
Why audience size and user engagement really matters
By Russell Quirk
Over the past few years Rightmove and Zoopla Property Group...
Agents’ Mutual’s latest ‘letter of intent’: what’s in it for agents?
By Trevor Mealham
The consumer is King and to protect sellers and buyers'...
Can easyProperty find its place amongst the new online establishment?
By Graham Norwood
The big online estate agencies appear to have come of...
Property Natter: the rise of the robots?
By Nat Daniels
There’s been a lot of talk lately about artificial intelligence...
Has Corbyn Labour-proofed lettings?
By Simon Duce
The party's over. It's probably the best double entendre in...
Alex Chesterman Q & A: The Results (Part II)
By EAT & LAT Team
Readers of Estate Agent Today and Letting Agent Today were...
Alex Chesterman Q & A: The Results
By EAT & LAT Team
Readers of Estate Agent Today and Letting Agent Today were...
A call for questions from Alex Chesterman and Zoopla Property Group
By EAT & LAT Team
What will Zoopla Property Group (ZPG) do if it is...
We’re all disrupters now
By Graham Norwood
It’s become almost obligatory for start-ups in many industries –...
HMOs – a boom in buy-to-let or a drain on resources?
By Simon Duce
You can't help but notice that it's back to school...
Say no to George before housing crisis
By John McKay
A new website has been launched to fight back against...
What do portals really cost?
By Simon Shinerock
There has long been the assumption and contention in the...
Manage your landlords effectively as tax changes take hold
By Rob Clifford
Consider the scene. It is July 8th and new Chancellor,...
Landlords' plans will change in wake of tax relief cut
By John Fisher
Wednesday’s budget proved a grim viewing for those who have...
Summer Budget's fiddly tax changes well worth a second glance
By Eddie Goldsmith
This week the Chancellor, George Osborne, delivered the first Conservative...
Crowded house: are you super vigilant?
By Simon Duce
I don't think there is one person in lettings and...
Could cross-party support solve supply conundrum?
By Rob Clifford
Given that I wrote my last article on the day...
Letter from the Publisher: Are brownfield sites the solution to the UK’s housing shortage?
By EAT & LAT Team
There has been much debate in recent years about Britain’s...
A victory V sign to the housing sector?
By Colin Shairp
The Conservatives’ election victory came as a surprise, so much...
The voters have spoken – with confidence
By David Westgate
A little over four weeks ago I was here musing...
Over the next five years, let’s talk - but not to ourselves
By Graham Norwood
So, a sigh of relief. Most agents will be pleased with...
The spotlight on our sector will not diminish, despite the result of the election
By Rob Clifford
I write this article on the day of the General...
Letter from the Publisher: Why it’s harsh to blame gentrification on Foxtons
By EAT & LAT Team
Gentrification is a divisive, provocative issue, but why are estate...
Technology is arming high street agents in the online battleground
By Trevor Youens
The presupposed notion still exists that new online agents are...
'One million landlords exit the PRS' - the headline you don’t want to read
By Simon Shinerock
Ian Wilson, the head of Martin & Co, recently threw...
Letter from the Publisher – What are the challenger parties saying about housing?
By EAT & LAT Team
With another hung parliament looking increasingly likely, the so-called ‘challenger...
Agents must differentiate in an ultra competitive market
By Rob Clifford
No agent reading this will be under any illusions that...
MPs and their own housing policy
By Graham Norwood
It is to the credit of our political parties -...
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