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Guides & Tips - Features

OTHER GUIDES & TIPS

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Simple tips to take professional property photos

Getting your property marketing right is vital, and the starting point...

Eastern promise! Focus on Derbyshire, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire

The East Midlands, which consists of several areas including Derbyshire, Leicestershire,...

How will the coronavirus affect estate agents?

The coronavirus outbreak has highlighted once again how fragile and interconnected...

LATEST GUIDES & TIPS

How a Facebook group spearheaded a fight for change

Liz Morrell meets Women in Estate Agency’s co-founder Liana Loporto-Browne Liana Loporto-Browne,...

Labour - The Housing Policies Coming Our Way Soon

You don’t have to be a mind-reader to believe there will...

EPC targets come back, all is forgiven

April 22nd marked ‘Earth Day’, yet it seemed to pass relatively...

Features

How a Facebook group spearheaded a fight for change

Liz Morrell meets Women in Estate Agency’s co-founder Liana Loporto-Browne Liana Loporto-Browne, managing director of LB Residential, fell in love with the property market at a young...

Labour - The Housing Policies Coming Our Way Soon

You don’t have to be a mind-reader to believe there will be a large majority Labour government by the end of this year. This week’s local...

EPC targets come back, all is forgiven

April 22nd marked ‘Earth Day’, yet it seemed to pass relatively unnoticed within the mortgage market. While the market was once abuzz with talk of green mortgages...

Agents should embrace change for everyone's benefit, says Propertymark's Jason Lee

Agents should be regulated to achieve the training and education they need to improve the property market as a whole, says Propertymark’s Head of Commercial, Jason...

Estate agents and money laundering - the need for vigilance

For most of us, estate agents are key when it comes to the biggest sales and purchases of our lives. With the average price of a house...

Property Natter - Here comes Summer.... or maybe Autumn?

We all know that first-time buyers have had a tough time of it lately. Mad mini-budgets resulting in higher interest rates and the cost-of-living crisis have...

Renters Reform? What about the tax bill?

There was a long-awaited return to the House of Commons this week when the Renters (Reform) Bill finally rose to the top of the political agenda...

Clarity needed on Leasehold and Freehold Reform Bill report

Last weekend a story by The Sunday Times’ Deputy Political Editor indicated that the Government is proposing implementing a £250 cap on all existing ground rents...

Trade and representative bodies launch fifth iteration of the BASPI

Trade and representative bodies representing the legal, surveying, estate agency and property management sectors, including the Conveyancing Association, have launched the fifth iteration of the BASPI...

London has lowest level of tenanted properties for buy-to-let investors

The latest research by London lettings and estate agent, Benham and Reeves, has revealed that while a rental property with a tenant already in place may...

Industry Views - Airbnb Crackdown - this time it's not just Michael Gove...

It’s tempting to think that Michael Gove’s proposed clampdown on Airbnb-style short lets is a uniquely British form of small-mindedness, part of the current government’s haphazard...

The scandal of empty homes as councils stand to make additional £540m

Councils across England could make an additional £540m a year in council tax on empty homes after new rules came into force at the beginning of...

Expert tips on how conveyancers can mitigate risk of negligence claims

The vast majority of negligence claims against conveyancers are for relatively low sums of money, but the financial and reputational costs for dealing with them can...

Tax-Free Childcare info for self-employed property professionals

The new financial year is often an opportunity to get organised for the year ahead. For self-employed property professionals who are parents, juggling the demands of...

Guarded support for Labour's 'grey belt' plans

Keir Starmer set out Labour’s policy for housebuilding this week and targeted ‘ugly’ parts of the Green Belt. It will be a requirement under a Labour government...

Property Natter - Buyers 'tak' the high road to stronger market

When we talk in general terms about the UK housing market, we tend to draw a picture of generality. Facts and figures have been averaged out and...

Why we must stop favouring first-time buyers for housing delivery

The plight of the nation’s first-time buyers may be the focus when it comes to government housing initiatives, but our latest research shows that it’s second-time...

The true cost of green space premiums faced by dog-owning house-buyers

Dog-owning house buyers who want to live in areas of abundant green space in which to walk their four-legged friends are facing house price premiums as...

Are property firms strengthening financial crime measures with comprehensive business checks?

Regulated firms across all sectors will be well aware of Know Your Customer (KYC) checks and their importance in combatting financial crime and money laundering. Alongside...

Key actions conveyancers must take to protect against fraud risk

Fraud poses a significant challenge for residential conveyancers, with criminals often attempting to exploit the transaction process for money laundering purposes. The consequences extend beyond dissatisfied clients...

£50bn price tag for London's empty homes

Southwark, Barnet, Camden, Croydon and Newham are the top five London boroughs with the highest number of vacant properties amid a worsening shortage of homes in...

Industry Views - Purplebricks Is Right - We All Need A BS-Tester

Who says irony is dead? That Purplebricks, of all agencies, should promote the idea of a ‘BS-Tester’ to identify false promises by agents, will be an irony...

Potential ticking time bomb for retrofit complaints awaits

The term ‘time bomb’ is sometimes overly used in the housing market, and while it has been linked to many things over the years, I fear...

Price hikes and fake images - Six red flags to avoid a rental scam

2023 was the highest year on record for ‘rental scam’ searches in the UK, with an increase of 11% from 2022 to 2023.  In 2022 and 2023,...

Material Information Guidance - Is compliance a legal obligation?

In his third and final article in this 3-part series, David Beaumont looks at the legal statues of Material Information Guidance.    As those of you that...

Speeding Up Conveyancing: Insights at The Guild Conference

In a recent panel discussion at The Guild of Property Professionals' conference I highlighted the pressing challenges faced by estate agents in the UK, particularly concerning...

Property Natter - An Englishman's home is his castle.....more or less!

Interesting report this week in Estate Agent Today on an analysis by the Resolution Foundation thinktank which suggests that the UK’s housing stock is the worst...

How Much Will Mortgage Rate Hikes Affect the UK Housing Market?

Borrowers are currently rolling off relatively favourable two-year fixed-rate deals agreed at the start of 2022, but the pain from higher rates will reduce as the...

Optimism in residential housing in Scotland as the market proves its resilience

Stress tests are a valuable tool for measuring resilience and the Scottish residential property market was put through a fairly gruelling time last year with hikes...

The art of negotiation in a buyer's market

Many agents may perceive that the need to negotiate only comes into play at the point of offer if a property has potential issues. Moreover, many...

Material Information Guidance - Is it Actually Material?

In this, the second of a three-part series, David Beaumont continues his critique of the new Material Information Guidance. There are 21 areas listed in the guidance...

PR power: Top tips to launch successful campaigns

The world of PR can feel like a crowded marketplace, where shouting your message the loudest doesn't guarantee anyone hears it. Also, it’s a marketing approach...

A Property Tale For Our Times - and it doesn't end well

If you want to hear of a tale for our industry’s times - featuring housing shortages, planning disputes, rampant  inflation and local authority inertia - look...

Safe in their knowledge... PayProp celebrates its 20th anniversary

To commemorate PayProp’s 20th year in business, Estate Agent Today’s Lee Dahill took a walk down memory lane with Neil Cobbold, UK managing director of the...

Material Information Guidance - A Critical View

In the first of a short series of articles, David Beaumont, managing director of Compliance Matters, casts a professional eye over the new guidance. The Consumer Protection...

How estate agents can help win the war on financial crime

Financial crime within the property sector is on the rise and the stats are alarming. According to data from Apex Bridging, there were a total of...

The NPPF, 'Beauty' and 'Gentle Density'

Both 'beauty' and ‘gentle density’ are central themes of the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF).. The notes which accompany the NPPF state that the Government will deliver...

UK BTR sees record growth driven by surge in Single Family Housing

Global property consultancy Knight Frank has launched its latest UK Build to Rent Market Update, revealing that investment in the UK BTR sector hit a new...

How technology can create more certainty amidst the chaos of chain breaks

The ripple effect of a property sale that falls through is, without exception, one of the most frustrating and disappointing events in the home-buying process: not...

Better news for economy gives confidence boost to property market

The best news for the property sector to come from Chancellor Jeremy Hunt’s Spring Budget statement came not from any fiscal measure or intervention scheme, it...

Property Natter - Inspiring and uplifting - but the challenge goes on

As most of the regular readers of this column will know (and because I’m not shy about admitting it) – I’ve been around a while. As a...

What would a real property industry Budget look like?

The Spring Budget last Wednesday rounded out to be mostly a disappointment for the property industry, but it was also perhaps an unsurprising one given the...

The 'personal agent' - threat or opportunity?

Any estate agency will have noticed the rise of the “personal agent” in the industry, with interesting propositions from eXp, The Property Experts and TAUK as...

The impact of abolishing Multiple Dwellings Relief on Housing

Today, I am reflecting on the Chancellor’s surprise Spring budget decision to abolish multiple dwellings relief for Stamp Duty Land Tax – which applies when buyers...

It's time agents took a leaf out of Amazon's book

Last year was not one for the faint hearted. Now, at last, the market appears to be experiencing a gradual uptick. Recent data indicates a 13% increase in...

Common Pitfalls: Avoiding Fines in UK Property Transactions

As you begin the process of property transactions in the UK, it's important to understand potential pitfalls that may result in fines. Here are some common...

The importance of open data for building a fully digital property market

The property market is awash with data. A quick Google search and any prospective buyer can find property prices, listing history, EPC information, and more without...

Landlord Licensing - Time to stop the councils

It’s time to abolish what is colloquially called Landlord Licensing. If you’re a casual reader and perhaps not in our industry, a quick definition: by ‘landlord licensing’...

Economy brightens Budget gloom for property professionals

Following the disappointment of his Autmn statement, many property professionals were hoping for a kick-start to property sales in Jeremy Hunt’s Spring Budget. Hopes of a radical...

Pros and cons for the PRS in Hunt’s 'small beer' Budget

Now the dust has settled on what many described as an ‘underwhelming’ Budget, we take a look at what two business leaders working in the Private...

International Women's Day: the Importance of a Supportive Workplace

As the Group HR Director of LRG – an organisation of over 3,000 employees – and perhaps more importantly, as a parent, I am very much...

In the Presence of proud property professionals...

In celebration of International Women's Day, Tunbridge Wells property services company Presence & Co. proudly spotlights the exceptional achievements of our female workforce within the dynamic...

Why being over-ambitious with your asking price can net you less overall

The CEO of leading Scottish property portal ESPC, Paul Hilton shares why a discerning pricing strategy can improve the prospects of your property sale. When it comes...

The need to fill the void in the aftermath of Help to Buy

As the Budget approaches and the housing crisis intensifies, it is important to consider what the Chancellor could – and should - do to support those...

Property Natter - Business as usual with the new normal....if the price is right

I was chatting to a genuine city gent the other day (someone who has enjoyed a career in suits, ties, shares and spreadsheets) and, among other...

For long-term growth, join the culture club

“I like finance. I find it intellectually interesting – there’s lots of numbers and that’s great.” That sentence coming out of the mouth of successful asset manager...

Why being over-ambitious with your asking price can net you less overall

The CEO of leading Scottish property portal ESPC shares why a discerning pricing strategy can improve the prospects of your property sale. When it comes to selling...

Government's leasehold reform proposals come under the spotlight

The complexities of the government’s leasehold reform proposals affecting millions of homeowners came under the spotlight at a seminar organised by Coventry and Warwickshire’s law firm...

Property expert slams 1% mortgages as Government considers introduction

The Government’s proposal to introduce a new 1% deposit mortgage scheme to help young people onto the property ladder is unworkable in practice and could saddle...

Industry Views - HMRC Hypocrisy - 'Business' As Usual

When is a landlord a business, and when is (s)he not a business? I’m not referring to landlords who have gone down the road of incorporation, which...

More than 3,000 estate agents at risk of fines and prison for failing to register with HMRC for AML supervision

Digital compliance specialist SmartSearch can help estate agents comply quickly and efficiently Around one in five estate agents are not registered for money laundering supervision, putting themselves...

Are Leaseholds Becoming The Best Option for First-Time Buyers?

Dave Sayce, Founder and Managing Director of Compare My Move, reflects on the legal changes that will make leasehold purchase more attractive. The way we buy property...

London house prices fall by up to £236,000 in a year

Our latest research has revealed London’s six best performing boroughs when it comes to positive property price growth. But a wider trend of house price depreciation has...

How can I help my loved one get on the property ladder?

Compared with a decade ago, today's first-time buyers are older, more likely to buy with a partner and more likely to have dependent children. This highlights...

Property Natter - When Angels rose from the ashes (part ll)

In my last Natter, I recounted the story of how Angels media bounced back from the 2008 financial crisis by launching our ‘Today’ titles. But I...

Warm words and cold comfort on the menu for Budget Day

Last weekend, Levelling Up and Housing Secretary, Michael Gove wrote in the Sunday Times that the nation’s housing crisis was so bad for today’s young adults,...

Take advantage of a better market

Reading the news on Estate & Letting Agent Today every day (as I’m sure you all do, too), there appears to be some quiet optimism that...

Redefining retirement living: is the rental model the answer?

Britain is in the midst of a senior living housing crisis – according to CBRE, an undersupply of 614,000 mid-market senior living units nationwide to be...

What's Happening With OnTheMarket and Zoopla? (Again)

Back in 2013 the posh head of PR of a posh estate agency took me to a London restaurant (yes, posh) and laid it on the...

Making history fit for the future

From medieval castles to Elizabethan manor houses, Georgian townhouses and Victorian terraces, the UK’s historic buildings are central to our country’s identity and economy. And yet,...

If lettings are to be dominated by mega-business, what about us hard working independents and our customers?

On the 24th of January, Adam Walker wrote a very interesting piece about the consolidation of the lettings industry where he forecast “that within the next...

Why new build properties may be best for first-time buyers

After years of saving, hard work, and market watching, being able to view and make an offer on a property is a long-awaited accomplishment for first-time...

Utilising Our Land - Food vs Energy Production

Land is our greatest resource: one that has considerable potential to address society’s challenges. So, determining how land is used is a significant responsibility. Recent events including...

Material Information: How can Estate Agents Capitalise on the Opportunity?

Following the release of Material Information Parts B & C, iamproperty’s Product Manager, Tania Bonesi, shares insights on how Estate Agents can capitalise on the opportunities...

Agent Tim's top tips for going it alone

Five years ago, Lettings expert, Tim Lawler, wrote an article for Estate Agent Today charting his early experiences of setting up his own business with the...

When Angels rose from the ashes...

In 1999 (yep) I set up some websites thinking I could generate leads from everyone in the world. I had an estate agency and was a...

Are estate agents too trusting of long-term clients?

There’s no question that trust is the bedrock of any longstanding client relationship. It is built on delivering on your promises and constantly proving your worth....

Cohabiting as a couple - what happens to the house if we split?

There are several pros to cohabitation, and it’s always a wonderful experience when you’re handed your set of keys as a couple to your new home...

How can I help my loved one get on the property ladder?

Compared with a decade ago, today's first-time buyers are older, more likely to buy with a partner and more likely to have dependent children. This highlights...

Industry Views - Why Are Housing Ministers So Mediocre These Days?

Sir Simon Clarke’s call for Rishi Sunak to be ousted from Downing Street may well express what many of his MP colleagues believe. But it doesn’t mean...

Agents - here are our top 10 tips to make 2024 your best year yet

The most successful agents are typically those who invest in self-improvement. Whether it's staying abreast of changes in social media, experimenting with scripts / objection handling,...

Batten down the hatches: water leaks most common property emergency

Leaks and water-based issues are more likely in rental properties than any other type of emergency, according to data we gathered from over 170,000 properties for...

Tax deadline looms for self-employed property professionals

Calling all self-employed property professionals! With only one week to go until the 31 January self assessment deadline, the 3.8 million people yet to file their tax...

UK watching as EU house prices respond to green measures

While our own Government continues to tentatively encourage homeowners to carry out energy-efficient measures, they will no doubt be eagerly watching what is happening across the...

How orchestration creates the digital backbone of the property market

The emergence of the Digital property market represents the most profound shift for the industry itself since the advent of the internet. We’re moving away from...

Property Natter - Marching bravely forward with eyes fixed firmly on the past

Everyone’s a pundit these days, aren’t they? And January is pundit season – when a New Year starts, out come the predictions. And the property market is...

Sellers shouldn't wait for Spring to list their homes

Paul Hilton, CEO of leading Scottish property portal ESPC Homeowners who are considering moving on to a new property in 2024 are in a powerful position to...

Another year of change? How property law will evolve in 2024

Yulia Barnes is founder and managing partner of Barnes Law   2024 is set to be another significant year for the property sector, with many legislative changes,...

AI's thrills and cyber-security's chills

The property industry is no stranger to shifts in the technology landscape. The past year in particular saw rapid growth in technology developments, many of which will...

Estate agent best practice conveyancing guide updated

The Conveyancing Association (CA) - the leading trade body for the conveyancing industry – has announced an update to its Estate Agent Best Practice Guide. The Guide,...

Transform your brand narrative with PR

In the competitive and dynamic landscape of the property industry, where every brand vies for attention, it’s vital to distinguish yourself. Your brand is not just...

Mr Bates, the Post Office, and Property Industry Marketing

Like so many I’ve been infuriated by the injustice meted out to sub-postmasters and postmistresses over many years.  I was aware of it all, and annoyed by...

Will housing be a major battleground in the 2024 general election?

After months of negative messaging and anti-development sentiment, espoused both nationally by the Government, and locally during May’s local election campaigning, you could be forgiven for...

2023 - That was year that was...

As Conveyancers we operate in such a volatile market, where government economic policy can and has repeatedly made our professional lives a misery.  The seasonality of...

The Unrealised Potential of Shared Ownership

In the current challenging market, housebuilders are increasingly looking for novel and engaging means of marketing to achieve the necessary supply/demand balance. But providers of shared ownership...

Property Natter - New beginnings and cups of kindness

Let’s start at the very beginning - Happy New Year. Now, let’s give thanks to the guy who made January 1st a very good place to...

Why community work is good business for estate agents

As 2024 progresses, I expect to see an increase in the role that estate agents play in local communities. Once perceived solely as intermediaries in property...

Troubled town halls face even tougher times

The news in September that Birmingham City Council (‘Europe’s largest local authority’) had been forced to issue a Section 114 notice sent out a message that...

Brighter start to the year for developers

Chris Hemmings, Parter in Carter Jonas’ Planning & Development team We’re confident of a better start to 2024 than 2023. The news that inflation is beginning to come...

Crystal Balls - Who Knows What's Happening In 2024?

The last thing you want as we rake through the dying embers of 2023 is a journalist’s prediction of what’s going to happen next year. There are...

Tardy Renters (Reform) Bill is running against the clock

As the world marches relentlessly forward to 2024, the government’s flagship legislation for the private rented sector (PRS) remains in limbo. This time last year, it had...

Why agents must closely monitor their local market to be successful in 2024

We’re now just 2 days away from the end of 2023 and what a year it’s been for the property industry. It began and continued with...

Will cities see an urban renaissance through 'gentle density'

The debate over the Green Belt, and the newly branded ‘grey belt’, has made the headlines a lot recently and will remain at the forefront of...

New developments look set to catch election fever

Landowners seeking to sell their land for development will have to adjust their expectations as the market, the planning system and the cost development will have...

Streamlining of local plans presents the solution to addressing housing need

The Government recently consulted upon a revised approach to local plans. Throughout the consultation document, frequent use is made of the word ‘streamline’ and its derivatives:...

Property Natter - What a difference a year makes

As 2023 trundles towards the buffers and we look forward to our Christmas break, it is something of a seasonal phenomenon that a steady stream of...

Happy returns - top tips to get set for the tax deadline

There are now less than 40 days until self-employed property professionals will need to submit their self-assessment tax return, and pay the tax they owe. A recent...

Tim Foreman, Managing Director of Land and New Homes, Leaders Romans Group (LRG):

New homes – we need more in ‘24 2023 was a year which saw the 'need to moves' active in the housing market while the 'want to...

From estate agent to surveyor: how I made the switch

The end of the year is always a time of reflection around careers and whether we should pursue pastures new. I made the leap from corporate...

Who have been the winners and losers in housing for 2023?

This year has seen an ongoing cost-of-living crisis, fluctuating mortgage rates, rising rents, and the threat of falling property prices. Although average prices rose very well through...

2024 auction predictions - looking beyond interest rates

In assessing the outlook for property auctions in 2024, it's crucial to look beyond interest rates. The real driving force behind the current state of the...

The Housing Market and the Election - Does It Matter Who Wins?

The factor most likely to influence the housing market next year is entirely outside the industry’s control: the General Election. Knight Frank has been talking up its...

Energy efficiency remains priority for housebuilders

While Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, may have announced a u-turn on Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) plans in September, we continue to see developers leading the eco...

Michael Gove's Long-term plan for housing

In July the Government committed to ‘a new era of regeneration, inner-city densification and housing delivery across England, with transformational plans to supply beautiful, safe, decent...

Time to stop wading through treacle: General Election must prioritise property digitisation drive

The 2023 Autumn Budget, amongst its considerable 110 growth measures, contained an important announcement for the property sphere, with £3 million pledged to “improve the home...

How managing your pipeline can help to increase market share

Despite the somewhat challenging year, we have seen many agents we work with continuing to flourish. We support hundreds of agents across the whole of the...

5 Proptech Predictions for the Private Rental Sector in 2024

The private rental landscape has been undergoing a profound transformation, with technology playing a pivotal role in shaping the way tenancies are managed. Letting agents, in...

Building a truly digital property market in the UK

Go back a hundred years and property transactions were a much simpler affair. A group of people could get together in a room and exchange physical...

Property Natter - Please don't snatch defeat from the jaws of victory

So Christmas is coming – soon. Traditionally a time for reflection on what’s past and prediction on what’s to come. Last week there was a glimmer of...

Rising fraud in the lettings industry: why we need faster and more accurate referencing solutions

Fraud in the lettings industry is reaching unprecedented heights. Now, more than ever, there is a need for a revolution in tenant referencing and affordability assessments...

The housing market needs a real plan for growth

There has no doubt been many commenting on Chancellor Jeremy Hunt’s recent Autumn Statement held a couple of weeks ago. We are a country, and an...

Are industry awards worth winning?

TV presenter Phil Spencer announced the winners at the 20th ESTAS Awards in October As most of you will know The ESTAS Awards, which celebrated their 20th...

The housing market needs a real plan for growth

There has no doubt been many commenting on Chancellor Jeremy Hunt’s recent Autumn Statement held a couple of weeks ago. We are a country, and an...

CTS Cyber Attack: 'What lessons need to be learned?'

This week saw around 80 conveyancing firms across the UK paralysed by a service outage caused by a ‘cyber incident’ on their shared IT provider, CTS,...

Housing Ombudsmen - our industry's new growth area

It may be a measure of the government’s incompetence in the area of housing that two recent major announcements were sorely mishandled in different ways. The first...

Letting agents share how they speed up property visits

Property visits remain one of the greatest time intensive activities for the letting agent. From prospecting visits, show rounds, inventories and check-ins to interim property inspections,...

January's instructions are won in December, but how do you secure them?

It’s not uncommon to see a seasonal slump around December and the Christmas period. Last year, Propertymark reported an average of just 39 people registering per...

How a winning mindset can drive your success

Synergies between sport and business have long been compared, particularly in the highly competitive world of property. Athletes and those involved in elite sport, from managers...

Why property firms should prioritise open banking in 2024

SmartSearch looks at the importance of incorporating Source of Funds checks into KYC processes It is no secret that the UK property market is a prime target...

Property Natter - I feel the need. The need for speed-ier house purchases

It was actor Charlies Sheen who said: ‘I have one speed. I have one gear. Go!’ The same might not be said about the time it takes...

What do the super-rich look for in a new home?

Swimming pools, both indoor and outdoor, his and her bathrooms, accommodation for staff, and endless tech-powered gadgets are just some of the luxuries sought by wealthy...

Revolutionising leasehold -the road ahead for owners and managers of blocks of flats

The United Kingdom stands on the precipice of a historic overhaul in property ownership. With the King's speech unveiling the anticipated leasehold reform, an age-old system...

Will streamlined planning create the 'new pipeline of rural housing'?

There has been much barn conversion activity in recent years perhaps as a result of the change in farming methods making more barns redundant, but also...

The Hunt For Tax Cuts - An Autumn Statement Preview

As sure as night follows day, so our industry sets out a wish list of tax changes which it hopes the Chancellor will agree with at...

Chancellor should provide targeted support to both landlords and tenants, says industry expert

When Chancellor Jeremy Hunt gets to his feet on Wednesday to deliver his Autumn Statement, he should consider offering support to both tenants and landlords. While rising...

Top tips to promote the real value of your letting agency

The role of a residential landlord has changed considerably over the years. What was once a relatively straightforward means of generating income from property has become...

Who have been the winners and losers for housing in 2023?

By Kevin Shaw, National Sales, Managing Director, Leaders Romans Group This year has seen an ongoing cost-of-living crisis, fluctuating mortgage rates, rising rents, and the threat of...

Property Natter - Going for growth? United we stand...

It was US disability rights advocate, Helen Keller, who said: ‘alone, we can do so little, together we can do so much.’ Just think about that for...

Leasehold Reform - Government must get the balance right

Three members of the Association of Leasehold Enfranchisement Practitioners take a brief look at some of the trials and tribulations awaiting the new legislation as it...

How to make the most of your marketing spend this Winter

As we enter the winter months and a traditionally quieter time for the property industry - agents are still contending with challenging conditions in the market....

Winter warning over Japanese Knotweed

Homebuyers viewing properties during the winter months should be extra watchful for signs of invasive Japanese knotweed, which dies back in late autumn and becomes more...

Industry Views - Are Social Housing Landlords Worse Than Buy To Let Amateurs?

If you’ve paid even scant attention to Landlord Today or other trade titles, you’ll be familiar with the headlines about rogue operators. There seems the occasional harsh...

Will the Renters (Reform) Bill really reduce homelessness?

By Neil Cobbold Recent data from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities show that 24,260 households served a valid Section 21 notice were due council...

Commercial to residential - a growing opportunity

Paul Johnson, Head of Corporate Sales at Leaders Romans Group (LRG) Commercial property has historically been viewed as the more profitable asset class but more recently, residential...

The stress-free guide to Self Assessment

By Jashoda Pindoria, Head of Self Assessment Operations, HMRC Self Assessment need not be daunting with HMRC’s simple steps on getting started. Many estate agents, letting agents...

Understanding professional indemnity claims in letting agent services

Why professional indemnity claims are on the rise In today's volatile economic landscape, the uncertainty faced by landlords and tenants has reached unprecedented levels. Letting agents, the...

Safestyle's Halloween Horror

On Halloween eve, Safestyle decided to give everyone a real fright and announced the company had gone into administration. This has made over 600 people redundant...

Property Natter - Estate Agency…it’s a people thing

You’ll know by now that I’m a fully signed up member of the PropTech fan club. And I’ve had an exciting week with friends and colleagues...

What’s behind Scotland’s speedy home sales?

Simon Jackson is Managing Director of SDL Surveying If we look at the latest data, it looks like there is something of an anomaly in the Scottish...

How trading down can help save you money and live a little

By Kevin Shaw, National Sales Managing Director, Leaders Romans Group As the cost-of-living crisis continues to impact the UK, many of us are looking at where we...

The Increasing Value of Natural Public Spaces in Urban Design

Over a hundred years before the climate emergency became a global concern, it was recognised that, ‘He who plants a tree, plants a hope’. Today that mantra...

Are passive houses the future of sustainable homes?

By Alan Siggins, indoor ventilation expert and Managing Director of Airflow. Whilst the UK’s focus on Net Zero and green efforts may have faltered in the last...

Will OTM replace Rightmove?

By Simon Shinerock At the time of writing, Rightmove had a market capitalisation of just under £4 billion, down almost 15% on the news OTM is subject...

Wrong To Buy - our worst ever housing policy

What a waste. Islington council announced in recent days that it will buy back 310 ex-council houses this winter, to add to the 140 or so it...

Tenants need choice when it comes to spiralling rental costs

An opinion piece by Sam Reynolds, CEO of Zero Deposit Just weeks ago, the Bank of England brought a halt to its aggressive attempts to manage inflation...

In an uncertain property market, new homes sales are relatively successful

After a steady increase in mortgage rates, concerns about house prices have been rising too. The Financial Times reported in mid October that UK house prices...

AI reshaping industry but won’t replace agents, says expert

Artificial Intelligence (AI) capabilities are constantly developing, helping to improve efficiencies across all sectors and disciplines. Recent data* highlights that the average conveyancing firm saves 115...

Check-Out the Long-Term Benefits of Check-In Reports…

Hands-up who likes doing check-in reports? These start-of-tenancy reports may not be the most popular of activities for the letting agent at a time when there...

The cost of living crisis highlights the need for a choice of rental deposits

As the UK economy faces a period of uncertainty characterised by a cost of living crisis and soaring inflation rates, many individuals and families are experiencing...

Property Natter - Prime suspects in a same-day delivery world

Proptech – it’s a people thing. It might seem like a strange thing to say but the best of tech is a ‘people thing’. Now why would I...

Party leaders quiet on PRS at conferences

Housing supply rather than the private rented sector (PRS) made the headlines during the Conservative and Labour Party conferences this year as the main parties committed...

Misleading information is No. 1 complaint, says PRS boss

Despite the announcements, the publicity, the guidance and the acres of website information, the most common complaint surrounding house sales is about misleading information in the...

What do buyers and sellers really want from their estate agent?

The stats on the slowing market are widely known, but a slowdown is by no means doom and gloom – it’s an opportunity for estate agents...

Navigating the Proptech landscape

Charlotte Jeffrey-Campbell, director of The Able Agent Given our focus is centred around helping to drive long-term professionalism across the industry, one of the areas we...

Making buildings better: An insider's view into how surveying evolves in a challenging market

 Hilary Grayson is a Director at Sava focusing much of her time on the development of new qualifications to enhance skills in the housing sector.  She...

Michael Gove’s Wasted Opportunity

Talk about a wasted opportunity. The Conservative party conference - just finished, and possibly the last one before a General Election - would have been the perfect...

Are UK agents the poor relation when it comes to global commission rates?

UK estate agents are paid one of the lowest commission rates in the world, according to a spokesperson for a leading brand. Alice Watson-Smith, Managing Director of...

Five top tips that will add value to your home

Adding value to a home can be the difference between a quick, successful sale and waiting months for the right person to snap it up. Across...

Thriving in tight times: cost-efficient marketing strategies for estate agents

In today's world of rising costs and economic uncertainty, estate agents are seeking innovative ways to maximise their resources while delivering exceptional service. The key to...

What estate agents really seek from industry technologies

In the property industry, technology must work in a way that is right for agents, helping to free them up to do more of the things...

Storm blows in reasons to be cheerful

As much of the country battened down the hatches for the first storm of the season, there may have been a temptation to regret the passing...

Energy upgrades; down but not out

While some landlords may have breathed a sigh of relief following Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak’s announcement on energy upgrades, I suspect there were others left scratching...

SmartSearch launches innovative new solution to help estate agents and conveyancers detect dirty money

Leading digital compliance firm SmartSearch has launched an innovative new solution to help professionals working within the UK property sector to detect and prevent money laundering. The...

Would new Permitted Development Rights mean more houses?

The Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities (DLUHC)  was this week due to conclude its consultation on proposed changes to certain Permitted Development Rights (PDR)...

Is Government Back In Love With Renting?

After years - indeed a decade - of anti-rental sector policy and rhetoric it’s difficult not to see recent days as a victory, of sorts. The Renters...

Have mortgage rates peaked?

Since the Bank of England base rate started making large jumps around the middle of last year, mortgage rates have increased significantly from the historic lows...

The evolution of BTR: from city blocks to suburban communities

Build to Rent (BTR) is the UK’s fastest-growing sector and this trend looks set to continue throughout 2023 and beyond. The British Property Federation (BPF)'s Build...

Detached Houses Surge in UK Property Prices

A recent analysis of the UK property market by Zoom Property Buyer reveals that detached houses have seen the most significant rise in prices, with an...

Why direct mail should be at the forefront of your marketing mix…

Tangible, tactile, and tested. Those are the three words that Royal Mail used to describe direct mail marketing campaigns. Despite living in an increasingly digital world, direct...

Should landlords receive BTL mortgage support?

To help or not to help: that is the question the government is facing with regard to under-pressure private rented sector (PRS) landlords. Interest rate rises and...

Property Natter - Ready, steady, go?

Funny how time flies faster as you get older and I’m reminded that next week, (23rd September, to be precise) it will be a year since...

The graft before the glamour at the ESTAS 'Big Day', 2023

The ESTAS team and I are now on the final countdown to Friday 20th October.  Having run the event for twenty years now, the team and...

Are 'doorstep communities' the answer to better urban living?

Twenty-minute neighbourhoods, 15-minute cities, low traffic neighbourhoods, walkable neighbourhoods: these concepts are suddenly everywhere. They boil down to a simple idea: that services and amenities needed...

Estate agent's guide to spotting title-related issues and what to do about them

As an Estate Agent it’s important to be able to interpret and understand the information that a Title Deed document presents to you, and how it...

Party Time - housing policies from Labour, Tories and the rest

And suddenly it’s autumn. It’s just six weeks before the clocks change, days are getting shorter and - the real sign - the party conferences are...

Could stricter regulation mean higher fees? A marketer explains….

I'll start with a confession. I am not an estate agent - I'm a marketer. But since I joined the industry in 2016, I've made it...

What should agents be doing to stay compliant with AML regulations?

As money laundering compliance marks its twentieth year, more and more estate agents are being fined for breaches of HMRC’s ID and AML regulations, with £3.2m...

How do tenant and landlord rights vary around the world?

When moving abroad, many people weigh up the pros and cons of renting or purchasing their own property.  In its new survey, Your Overseas Home discovered that...

Property Natter - Oh brother, where art thou?

I sometimes wonder just how far our national obsession with buying our own homes will stretch. First-time buyers are prepared to save for years for their ever-more...

Housing outlook remains positive, unlike England’s rugby chances

If, like me, you’re an ardent England rugby fan or indeed a fan of rugby in general, you’ll be counting down the days until the eagerly...

Check-out Report Shortcuts Every Letting Agent Should Know

The end of a tenancy can be busy and stressful. As the letting agent, you’ll have many plates spinning to move the current tenant out, get...

Expert reveals the risks of getting home insurance in high-risk flood areas

It’s no secret that sea levels are rising, leaving millions of homes at risk globally and according to a recent report, over 200,000 homeowners in England...

Is the government changing its tune on landlords?

I recently wrote that the long-gestating Renters Reform Bill, finally introduced in Parliament back in May, could be poorly timed, both in terms of its impact...

Why is an estate agent called Head of Constellation?

When it comes to plain English, we in the property world are our own worst enemies. I don’t just mean the cliches - the “nestled in” and...

Why we need a reasoned approach to Green Belt release

Keir Starmer’s announcement about building on the Green Belt attracted some contentious headlines. It immediately thrust housing and planning into the centre of the political battlefield....

New figures highlight estate agents’ money laundering failings

For most people, buying a house or flat is the largest financial commitment they will ever make. Which is why many of us have spent many,...

Property Natter - The long arm of the law that changed the property market

It was a genuine pleasure to read this week about Yorkshire estate agent Ian Bradbury who clocked up 40 years selling houses in and around his...

Soon-to-be President Trueman will have her sights set on twin targets

Andrews Lettings Director Angharad Trueman has identified two priorities for her forthcoming term as President of the Association of Lettings Agents. Known by the nickname, ‘Harry’, she...

How to successfully grow a property team

At a recent Women in Residential Property Group online coffee morning, I was given the opportunity to lead the session, gaining insight and support on the...

Will housing be a major battleground in the 2024 general election?

After months of negative messaging and anti-development sentiment, espoused both nationally by the Government, and locally during recent local election campaigning, you could be forgiven for...

Who Has The Energy To Reform EPCs?

There is much debate about energy efficiency right now and about expected changes to minimum EPCs for private rental properties and ultimately the wider housing stock. But...

The land industry must separate itself from politics

The process from a Local Plan allocation to a digger on site typically stretches beyond the length of a five-year political term, and yet it is...

Selective Licensing: What you need to know

In recent years, the UK private rented sector has witnessed a significant increase in government regulation aimed at raising standards for tenants and improving management of...

Spread a little positivity,' says lettings chief

A cost-of-living crisis, higher interest rates and an increase in bureaucratic regulation might point to a bleak future for the lettings industry. And stories of an exodus...

Property Natter - 'Swipe right for business revolution'

After a bumpy six months media-wise, I was fascinated to see that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle chose a tech-based project to make their first public...

Is the rental market still profitable?

Over recent years, as successive governments have tightened lettings legislation and increased the tax burden on landlords, some with investment properties have reduced their profits. And...

The UK regions with the highest and lowest average first-time buyer deposits

The property market is unstable at the moment making it increasingly difficult for first-time buyers to get on the ladder. As a result, experts at Confused.com mortgages...

AI-driven CRM systems: transforming the property industry

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is already being used by the property industry and its impact is only set to grow. But while new technology can be intimidating,...

Are UK homeowners still wanting to move?

Open Property Group has carried out research which looks into where UK homeowners are moving to and if there is a pattern between homeowners moving out...

Answers on a postcard please, Minister

Housing Minister Rachel Maclean MP is probably looking forward to her summer break this year. But wherever she's going and whatever she's doing it’s likely that she'll...

Whatever Happened To Good Councils?

Like most parts of the UK, the one I live in has a bit of a beef about parking. More precisely, the lack of parking. A residents’...

'Live board revolution can generate leads for £1', says Agency Express boss

A QR code on a sales board can land agents multiple leads at around £1 each, says Agency Express managing director, Ben Brookes. In an interview with...

Introducing BTR Suburban Communities

Andrew Jones, Group Director, Corporate Lettings & Build to Rent, Leaders Romans Group (LRG) In the past 10 years, the Build to Rent (BTR) sector has grown...

One in 10 who have home renovations aren't happy with the outcome

An improvement is defined by the Cambridge dictionary as ‘an occasion when something gets better or when you make it better’.  So, when you improve your...

EPCs not the sole driver of house prices

As the Governor, Andrew Bailey, announces his plans to install heat pumps at the Bank of England, we are increasingly hearing that properties with better energy...

Property Natter - No more working for a week or two....

‘Schools out for Summer’ as the Alice Cooper song goes and the kids are not the only ones looking forward to their sunshine break. The Honourable and...

Money-saving hacks to help you cut costs on home insurance

According to research, the average cost of home insurance was £300 in 2022 – a record low. However, this could increase in 2023 due to a...

Can public private partnerships help address the shortage of rental homes?

A recent poll of 11,000 private renters by SpareRooom reveals that 81% spend more than 30% of their take-home pay on rent. Furthermore, the percentage of...

Michael Gove has finally done something sensible

It’s not a sentence that I thought I would be writing, but Housing Secretary Michael Gove has indeed finally done something sensible. After several career catastrophes -...

Upfront material information is a huge opportunity - here's why

Parts B and C of Material Information guidance are on the horizon and expected to come into play this autumn. I caught up with Beth Rudolf, Director...

Renting out your holiday home? Here's how to protect it

According to the latest English Housing Survey, there were 495,000 second homes in the UK in 2018/19 – a figure said to have risen by 40%...

The property industry must pull together to stop from falling apart, industry report reveals

Now more than ever, property professionals across the sector need to pull together and collaborate more closely to make business gains, according to the ‘Back to...

Estate agents need to know: How can digital ID tools help you with AML?

Tackling economic crime is part of the day job for estate agents. But how can the latest digital ID tools help estate agents fulfil their anti-money...

Property Natter - The good, the bad…and the ugly

Interesting news from Leaders Romans Group (LRG) this week when they revealed sales figures across the group for June. Nationally, sales figures were up by 11% month...

Slowdown in housebuilding will lead to chronic lack of supply, warns RSM UK

The UK is heading for a further drop in housebuilding, according to the latest Purchasing Managers Index data by S&P and the Chartered Institute of Procurement...

Renters Reform: a mistiming in regulatory direction?

The long-awaited Renters Reform Bill was finally introduced in Parliament in May, but is it really good news for tenants? Several agencies have already reported in...

Education changes mindsets to the power of upfront material information

Fortune favours the brave, as the saying goes. So, when you consider how upfront material information can and does make the property transaction quicker, smoother and...

Stamp Duty - it's time for the industry to box clever

So much has changed in the world of property of late that it’s easy to be behind the times - and that certainly applies to the...

Don't fall foul of these laws of nature

Whether at home or abroad, here are some top tips to prevent homeowners from breaking common garden laws and rules this summer – and avoid hefty...

New Data Reveals Regions Defying The House Price Drop

Our data shows vast regional differences in current house prices and many areas are defying the current overall national dip. The study compared average sales values in...

Biometric Checks: Adding Some Magic to KYC and AML Compliance for Estate Agents

Step right up and witness the extraordinary world of Estate Agents as they embrace the power of biometric checks, turning the mundane tasks of customer onboarding...

Now is the time for the Government to resurrect help to buy

With the Bank of England’s rate rise to five per cent, soaring rents, and the cost-of-living crisis, now is the time for the government to resurrect...

Property Natter - This is a time when PropTech means business

Well as week’s come and go, this one’s been a bit of a downer but it is always worth remembering that they do just that –...

Don't be the restaurant that doesn’t turn the a/c on in the summer…

It’s a brave business owner who actually invites criticism.  I speak from the personal experience of asking the opinions of the great and the good of...

Estate Agent Daniel sees opportunity in the tough challenges ahead

There’s never a perfect time to set up in business, but many might think now is exactly the wrong time to launch a new estate agency. What...

How title insights can sharpen your selling process

Ever taken on a property where the sale has got tangled up in problems arising from the title register? It’s a stressful situation for you and...

How to navigate the tough market to your advantage

This May, we saw almost twice as many properties listed for sale across the UK than there were in May 2022. With sellers’ high price expectations,...

Upfront Material Information boosts house sales

When it comes to the usage, and benefits of, providing upfront material information to all those involved in the home buying process, we often get asked...

ULEZ is going to change estate agency as well as traffic

Just because you don’t live in London - and of course the vast majority of people don’t - doesn’t mean you’ve escaped the hot air being...

Crowning glory for Americans is a 'mini-castle' in Hampstead

Old Conduit House in Hampstead Village, a beautifully restored Gothic Grade II* Listed 5,054 sqft (470 sqm), six bedroom home, built in 1864–1865 in the style...

9 Questions To Book More Valuations

As we move into a more challenging market this summer with interest rates still on the rise, house prices relaxing and many buyers and sellers questioning...

Property Natter - ValPal AI launches revolutionary tool for property professionals

ValPal has announced an advanced AI technology tool designed to help agents generate property profiles in a snap. With ValPal AI, property agents will no longer have...

Property industry needs to improve the well-being of its workers to thrive, according to research report

The well-being of property industry professionals has taken its toll with the economic downturn and cost-of-living crisis, with over a third threatening to quit the sector...

How to use data to accelerate your success

By Michele Gettins, Chief Marketing Officer at iamproperty Data is a powerful tool and understanding how to successfully identify and utilise reliable and relevant data to your...

40-year mortgages - should you consider one?

It’s a tough old road for today’s first-time buyers, with house prices and mortgage interest rates much higher than they were as recently as three years...

Renters' Bill - great reform or act of sabotage?

The proposals to shake the Private Rental Sector (PRS) to its foundations will, depending upon your political persuasion and housing status, be the greatest victory for...

Property Natter - See a purse and pick it up and all the day you’ll have good luck

Great story this week about the estate agent in St John’s Wood who found a purse in the back of a London cab. Jason Goldstone, a director...

How the circular economy can defend the holiday let industry

Sustainability has become a watch word for businesses the world over but there’s one element of this equation that is too often ignored — and it...

Is your letting business still compliant?

Following publication of the Renter’s Reform Bill and the media coverage surrounding it, many agents and their landlords will understandably have concerns about the effects of...

An Englishman's home is his castle he can buy for less than a London terraced house

Market analysis by estate agent comparison site, GetAgent.co.uk, reveals that Homebuyers can buy a fort for the same price as a Kensington flat as the nation’s...

Act now - don't delay extending your lease

Real estate consultants SHW is advising leaseholders not to wait to extend their lease. The call follows the start of the Government’s rollout of leasehold reforms. Marie Bultitude,...

Money saving tips for movers as costs rise 24%

The cost of moving home has soared in the past year, new figures reveal. According to new data compiled by insurers Admiral the total cost has soared...

What we can learn from Coca-Cola and how we can apply it to the property industry

One of the most valuable, most successful and most recognisable brands worldwide is Coca-Cola. And we have all wondered, at least once, what makes Coca-Cola a...

Why a traditional KYC approach is no longer fit for purpose for property firms

Amidst mounting regulatory pressure and the escalating threat of financial crime, property firms must embrace innovation to protect themselves and their clients. Making the switch to...

The secret to successful Facebook ads for estate agents

Facebook ads are one of the most cost-effective forms of online advertising. A little budget goes a long way on Facebook, which is why so many...

Property Natter - They do it with mirrors...

Sleight of hand, optical illusion, card up the sleeve – we all love a good conjuring trick, don’t we? And they say politics is a bit of...

Don't be fooled...'customer experience' isn't a replacement for 'customer service'

The phrase ‘customer experience’ is bandied around a lot these days, so much so that it’s sometimes easy to think that ‘customer service’ now all feels...

Tackling fraud in the current climate - what’s the reality for agents?

Property fraud is a significant risk for agents, particularly as fake IDs become increasingly prevalent, and the economic climate remains challenging. So how are agents responding? Recent...

Finding relief from client money anxiety

Letting agents are between a rock and a hard place when it comes to opening a client account and getting Client Money Protection (CMP) coverage. CMP...

Why estate agents need to instantly respond to every new enquiry 24/7

With rising mortgage rates and the cost of living expected to be the biggest cause of a slowdown in the housing market, fewer people can afford...

It's time to turn fear of change into fuel for material information success

Upfront material information is now firmly on the property industry’s radar, with Trading Standards CPR regulations expected to move towards disclosing features such as flood risk,...

EPCs - chaos, confusion, and cost - an energy assessor speaks

All landlords need to have an Energy Performance Certificate (EPG), with few exemptions. As a property writer, landlord and Domestic Energy Assessor, I like to think...

Property Natter - Fancy that! First time buyers drive recovery

As Tennyson once observed…’.In the Spring, a young man’s fancy turns to thoughts of love…’.but not really. At the moment the fancy of young men and...

Could your company culture withstand a crisis?

The UK is on its rear - fact. Whilst many were breathing a sigh of relief after surviving a global pandemic, along comes the cost of...

The laborious legislation that continues to threaten the PRS

Landlords are exiting the market in droves. According to an accountancy firm who analysed HMRC data, 70,000 buy-to-let landlords left the sector in 2022, taking more than...

Should buying a property be as quick and as easy as buying a car?

Yes it should….and we’re getting closer. Where there’s no chain involved, here at AVRillo, we can be ready to exchange contracts in 4 to 8 weeks on...

Agents face a 'perfect storm' for money laundering

Recent research estimated that up to £100 billion is being stolen in the UK each year, with much of it due to companies’ anti-money laundering (AML)...

Buyers building homes and communities using 'sweat equity'

An award-winning charity will cut the cost of homeownership in Wigan by up to £10,000, by offering buyers the chance to save by working on the...

Net-zero for lettings: a zero-sum game for landlords?

Landlords are now quite accustomed to the challenges of operating in a market where they are often perceived as the antagonist in a political tale as...

10 reasons to ditch paper-based tenancy documents

Despite most businesses across industry now adopting some form of digital alternative to traditional work methods, many in the private rental sector are still relying on...

Spring 2023 – what’s in and what’s out in the housing market

THE PROPERTY market continues to hold pretty firm - despite fears voiced by many that 2023 would herald a crash in prices.  In fact, one recent report...

Property Natter - No dire straits…but no money for nothing, either

The RICS Residential Survey Report for March caused a bit of a stir this week – despite the fact that it announced everything we already knew. It...

Section 21 use ‘ overstated’, according to LRG research

A controversial change due to be brought about in the proposed Renters’ Reform Bill is the abolition of Section 21 ‘no fault evictions’: it is this,...

Help to Buy: Equity Loan ending - what help is available?

For just over a decade, the Government has operated ‘Help to Buy’ schemes in England. The first of these, ‘NewBuy’, which ran from 2012 to 2015,...

Revealed – what estate agents need to know to succeed at compliance in 2023

The dreaded ‘C word’ – compliance – has been facing Estate Agents for years now and it’s not going anywhere. Looking ahead at what’s to come on...

Upfront information is here and now - digital conveyancing is next!

Last week was the first ever National Conveyancing Week, which I hope registered with agents and perhaps you even took up the offer of your local...

Summer presents challenges for businesses in the property sector - here's how to navigate them and avoid a legal headache

THE grounding of foreign travel during successive lockdowns meant many employers were saved from the stress of dealing with holiday requests from staff looking to head...

8 common survey issues and how to resolve them

As an estate agent, you know that securing the sale is just step one of a successful journey. But with issues uncovered by surveys threatening to...

Why material information does and should matter to you

According to the recent industry research report ‘Back to the Future’ from tmgroup, mio and CDS 40% of property transaction delays are blamed on managing enquiries...

Property Natter - Damned if you do and damned if you don't

  It's not often that I have sympathy for our glorious leaders – those who set the rules by which we all live. But I have to admit...

Planning to address women's fear of crime

Recent tragic deaths of women walking home alone, notably Sarah Everard, have highlighted the need to address gender inequality in the city. In exploring the potential of...

The rise of Estate Agent influencers

From Million Dollar Listing to Selling Sunset, we’re used to seeing real estate reality TV in full force on Netflix. Whilst the dramatic, and sometimes cheesy...

Only 41% of homes in England meet recommend energy rating

New 2023 research from Open Property Group found that just 41% of homes in England meet the recommended Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating of ‘C’ or...

A Letting Agent's Guide to Avoiding Garden Disputes

As the first signs of spring begin to appear, we look at how letting agents and landlords can start the season right to avoid garden related...

Planning and Net Zero – the need for political change

In November, research conducted by The Housing Forum's Futures Network unearthed concern with the potential to meet the requirements set out in the Government’s 2025 Future...

Light-touch Budget is no bad thing for the housing market

When Jeremy Hunt sat down in the Commons after delivering his first Spring Budget, I imagine there were many who felt more than a tinge of...

Three ways to win instructions from withdrawals

Did you know that 46% of withdrawn properties will return to the market within 24 months? Here are 3 steps showing how you can easily win...

PropTech Leader who’s been at the cutting edge for 25 years

Deepak Chandrababu is no stranger to problem-solving. He’s been doing it for 25 years. As Chief Operating Officer of Technology Blueprint Ltd. (TBL), he has helped the...

Property Natter - Memories of times past while marching bravely forward

I’ve found myself in contemplative mode this week, looking forward to the future and remembering times past. In the immediate future – on Wednesday, in fact –...

Will Jeremy Hunt play the good Samaritan for the PRS?

So next week we get to know how high housing is on the Government’s list of priorities. As we wait to see Chancellor Jeremy Hunt’s smiling face...

A letting agent’s guide to avoiding garden disputes

As the first signs of spring begin to appear, we look at how letting agents and landlords can start the season right to avoid garden-related disputes. Year...

Gender inequality across the property industry is too big to ignore

According to Women Count 2022, an Insights report from The Pipeline, women still face entrenched systemic barriers on their route to the top despite having more...

Repossession fears over new MoJ numbers

ANY REPOSSESSION is a tragedy for the person involved, and latest figures indicate the number of victims falling victim is currently rising fast.  New data reveals repossessions...

Do you have a plan of action for the year ahead?

With no ease up on the cost of living crisis, understandably many agents’ primary concern is whether or not their tenants can afford to pay the...

Lettings crisis: what does this mean for UK letting agents

Listings are down, mortgage rates are high, regulations are becoming even more complex and already stretched tenants are feeling the effects of the market crisis once...

Landlord rental portfolio expenses revealed

Analysis by professional cash buyer and portfolio landlord, Landlord Buyer (part of Open Property Group), has revealed what costs make up most rental property expenses. Using the...

Agenda-setting campaign exposes AML loopholes

SmartSearch, the UK’s leading provider of digital compliance, has published an agenda-setting whitepaper to highlight the anti-money laundering shortcomings and sanctions loopholes which continue to allow...

Property Natter - It’s not what you know…it’s all about connections

I don’t want to frighten any professional scribblers and wizard wordsmiths out there, but as a matter of geeky interest, this week I asked the new...

Revealed! How movers feel about the home-moving experience

Award-winning sales progression platform mio has uncovered the home moving experiences of nearly 200 movers and evaluated what this means for Estate Agents and Conveyancers. The...

What do the new fire regulations mean for you

From the 23 January 2023, the Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022 came into effect for multi-occupied residential buildings. This is what you need to know. Why have...

Celebrating LGBTQ+ people in the workplace this LGBTQ+ History month

By the Co-founders of Freehold; David Mann MBE, Partner at Tuffin Ferraby Taylor and Saleem Fazal MBE, Real Estate Partner at Taylor Wessing This February marks 19...

Vaboo’s top 10 tips to attract and retain more landlords

Vaboo is a Customer Engagement and Reward Platform enabling Tenants and Landlords to give their insights into the relationships that matter to Letting Agents this February. With...

What is material information and why should you care about it?

Over the last few years, the property industry has been focusing on the need to provide more information to buyers ‘up front’ - in other words,...

Lettings in the spotlight as current and future regulations hit the headlines

We’re only in February and it’s already clear that this year will set the future direction of the private rented sector (PRS) in England. With the...

What is keeping estate agents awake at night in 2023?

Two of the biggest challenges facing the property industry right now are fraud and money laundering. The scale of these activities is often spoken in hushed tones,...

Property Natter - Incoming! It’s hard work to figure out the housing market

Lies, damned lies, and statistics this week. I don’t know about you, but sometimes I feel as though I’m being bombarded with information - Data Missiles...

Homeowners driving Google search surge for cost saving measures around the home

The rising price of fuel and the wider cost of living crisis are causing significant concern and stress for UK homeowners who are also contending with...

UK Government has vowed to use ‘all the tools’ to expose the ‘criminals and corrupt elites’ using the UK property market to clean their dirty cash

AML experts SmartSearch warn estate agents that, with so many firms still hiding behind ‘opaque corporate structures,’ proper due diligence has never been more important More than...

Short term rental sector creates jobs boost, says report

The growth of the short term rentals sector has helped to create an economy featuring several new types of jobs that benefit local communities and fit...

How Technology Will Open Doors in 2023

For agents who take full advantage of new developments in technology in 2023, it’s a chance for them to move ahead from their local competition. My prediction...

2023 – and the year of the digital?

We are now well into 2023 and, while there have been a huge number of steps taken towards a digital future for the property market in...

Five reasons why 2023 might be the right time to invest in buy-to-let

Every year, those thinking about investing in property for the first time and even current landlords ask themselves whether it’s the right time to expand their...

Property expert reveals the 3 most powerful ways to add value to your home

The cost of living crisis in the UK has majorly impacted thousands of peoples’ plans to move home, with mortgage lending in November of last year...

Property Natter - When the going gets tough, agents get growing

One of the nice things about this time of year is that slowly, ever so slowly, we begin to emerge from the gloom of winter. The...

Affordable homes preaching to the converted

Should commercial properties be converted into homes? I think so. I don’t mean the upscale barns becoming large houses, or the fashionable churches converted to apartments. I...

How much does it cost to move abroad

When Winter stabs its icy fingers at us Brits our thoughts tend to turn to sun-kissed beaches, the lapping Mediterranean and those colourful little drinks with...

Keyhive - It was lost but now its found

It used to be that you couldn’t leave home without two things. Your wallet and your keys. Time has moved on a little – your mobile phone...

It was lost but now its found

It used to be that you couldn’t leave home without two things. Your wallet and your keys. Time has moved on a little – your mobile phone...

Outbound vs inbound marketing - where should I spend my money?

Outbound and inbound marketing have many elements in common, but they’re still very different approaches within your marketing strategy to achieve your objectives. In both cases, the...

Some top tips for saving for a deposit

Some top tips for saving for a deposit If you’re a first-time buyer - or even if you’re taking the next step up the property ladder and...

Will the post Christmas boom materialise this year?

If early indications are to be believed. Yes! 2022 was the year that offered so much at the start and then hit some bumpy waters around September....

Rental Crisis - Time To Blame The Real Culprit

If journalists believed everything they received in their inboxes, you’d be forgiven for thinking the private rental sector was a shiny, classless tenure enjoyed by the...

Merger and acquisitions become more popular in times of uncertainty - here's why

With the property market showing signs of a slow-down and the economic outlook rather uncertain, we spoke to Lucy Noonan, founder of Atomic Consultancy, to discuss...

Property Natter - 2023? Keep calm and carry on

Happy New Year, to you all. Now that we’re all back in harness and Christmas feels like a long-distant memory, I thought it might be a...

Growing Your Lettings Business in 2023

As another year ends it is essential to take time and reflect on what you have accomplished over the last 12 months and what you might...

Our Oldest House Price Index - happy birthday Halifax

Readers of a certain age may remember 1983. The Space Shuttle Challenger made its first flight, Neil Kinnock was elected Labour leader, and the dreadful Nazi war...

Top 5 marketing trends in the property industry for 2023

As we’ve mentioned in other blogs, even though we’re going through uncertain times, this is the right time not only to keep your marketing activity, but also...

Revealed: The Top Trends For 2023 Auction Market

Consumer demand for auction can no longer be ignored. Month after month this alternative method of sale sees increased uptake as the property market continues to...

Discover Why YouTube Ads to Grow During 2023

Being owned by Google, YouTube is the world’s 2nd largest search engine, you can find all the logical reasons online, just google it!!  YouTube is enabling agents...

Are Pre-Check-Out Reports Worth the Time and Effort?

Most letting agents are already carrying out inspections for check-in and check-out reports (hopefully). Some are going further and conducting interim inspections. But how many are...

Five key ways that estate agents should be using social media in 2023

Estate agents have the challenging job of creating relationships and trust with their customers, who will make crucial life decisions such as purchasing a new home...

There are reasons to be optimistic in the second half of 2023

Usually, I enter January with a spring in my step - optimistic about what the future holds.  Two years ago, after the doomsday predictions of the pandemic,...

Think safety – what lettings staff and clerks need to know about lone working

Inventory clerks and letting agency staff have been warned to put safety first when lone working or entering tenants’ properties for mid-term inspections or rental term...

Everything You Need To Know About the 2023 Housing Market

New year, old worries: what’s happening in the housing market? We’ve asked experts and collated forecasts, 15 in total. On the one hand there’s unanimity - just...

Property Natter – the five biggest property moments of 2022

As we get ever closer to 2023, this final Natter of the year is dedicated to the five biggest property moments of 2022 – and it’s been...

What To Expect from the Property Market in 2023

Over the later part of 2022, we have experienced unprecedented economic and political turmoil, which will remain as we head into 2023. And with that, it...

6 tips to protect your properties from winter blackouts

When the weather turns like it has, we use more energy to keep our homes cosy. However, this places increasing strain on the nation's electricity supplies,...

Why you need a contingency plan within your marketing strategy

What are you going to do when something unplanned, unexpected, and unpleasant hits your brand and business? There’s no point avoiding it - It happens every day...

2023 - this is what’s going to happen

Is it really just a year ago that we were nervously wondering whether yet another Christmas would be Covid-affected? Little did we know then, that we were...

Is your tech strategy ready for 2023?

You are aware of the business benefits of digital transformation. You understand the need for your estate agency to leverage technology to drive competitive advantage. You know that...

When the going gets tough, focus on your leaky bucket

As economic signs increasingly point to a contraction in the property market, competition for new business will inevitably heat up. But with fewer properties coming to...

Opinion - what will 2023 bring for the property market?

As we move closer to the end of the year, we invariably begin to think of what 2023 will bring, how we might adapt to a...

Conveyancers - why preparing for the worst is a wise move

A report earlier this month warned that conveyancing firms should stress test their businesses for a sharp decline in work volumes. These businesses play a vital role in...

Autumn Statement - is it the start of a new chapter?

The latest measures for property the Chancellor included in his Autumn Statement may not have been dramatic, but has it given the industry the time it...

Thinking of selling your lettings agency? Here’s what you need to know!

We spent some time with Lucy Noonan, Founder and CEO of Atomic Consultancy, to pick her brains about the many moving parts of the selling process. From...

The 4 Most Common Mistakes Estate Agents Make Running Google Ads

Inside this short article, my goal is to simply highlight the four most common mistakes l see from reviewing agents' Google Ad Accounts. Being ex-agents ourselves, we understand...

Avoiding the threat of fines: what’s often missed in the AML process

HMRC has fined estate agents over £500,000 for anti-money laundering (AML) breaches in the past two months. Yet despite property managers being aware of the threat...

Why estate agents need to be aware of social housing fraudsters

In this guest feature, Dillon Darbar, counter fraud manager at Network Homes, sets out why estate agents need to be aware of social housing fraudsters. For social...

Online Estate Agents - the new dinosaurs of house selling

I’ve just read an article saying that this is the time of the online estate agency. The time in question is, of course, the cost of living...

Property Natter – is this the end for fixed-fee online estate agency?

Aside from all the news surrounding the Autumn Statement this week, which will have a significant bearing on the property market – from possible price falls...

Autumn Statement - what did our panel of property experts make of it?

The property sector braced itself for the chill wind of Chancellor Jeremy Hunt’s Autumn Statement this week. His pre-Budget comment that he had some ‘eye-wateringly tough’ decisions...

Are new EPC regulations viable for landlords in the current climate?

In this feature, Jonathan Daines looks at how landlords can do their bit to make the rental market greener. Global leaders have recently been gathered at COP27...

Energy crisis: Three tips for helping your tenants with the cost of living

With the sudden rise in energy prices in the last few months, many tenants will be feeling the pinch. Combine this with general cost of living...

Q&A - meet the lettings professional doing his bit for army veterans

The property industry often gets a bad rep, despite all the work that agents and others in the sector do for good causes. One of the...

Reinvent then rent: could old commercial buildings boost rental stock?

In this guest piece, Andy Jones, Corporate & Build To Rent Director at LRG, looks at whether commercial property can help solve the housing supply crisis. Available rental...

Elon Musk and Blue Ticks - why Twitter matters to the industry

I’ve been on Twitter for a decade and have 23,500 followers - a gratifying number and of those a couple of hundred are ‘blue ticks’. For the...

Protecting your clients and your business

With the reported increase in agency staff turnover we thought it would be a good idea to look at how you can continue to protect your...

RIP Help to Buy: what comes next?

In this guest feature, Ben Bailey, CCO at Even, a mortgage lender for first-time buyers launched this year, provides commentary on the end of the government's Help to...

Property Natter - day in the life of a NTSELAT policy manager

Given their leading role in the recent upfront information revolution, interest in the work of the National Trading Standards Estate & Letting Agency Team (NTSELAT for...

The importance of recognising sales progression talent

The sales progression function is what binds the whole property transaction together and the importance of effective sales progression in the property market, led by talented...

Landlords prepare to be buy-to-let losers

Mortgage rate hikes have already halved landlord profits according to latest research, and a base rate rise to 2.5% will see many returns turn negative. With...

Agents must take AML seriously after huge HMRC crackdown

Dozens of estate agents have been fined a combined total of £519,645 for failing to meet their obligations under anti-money laundering rules, and AML firm SmartSearch...

Opinion: Boards ARE still relevant!

The For Sale board is one of the oldest marketing tools available to agents, but it is still considered one of the most important, even in...

Michael Gove 'gets it' - why his return is good news for the industry

Recent political changes – and there have been quite a few in recent weeks – have brought about something of a ‘back to the future’ feel,...

Housing Under Rishi - don’t expect much (but be grateful for that)

And…breathe. For a while back there, the only certainty for the housing market was uncertainty. That isn’t to say the election of Rishi Sunak as Prime Minister is...

Conveyancing needs its digital enablement moment

Conveyancing is an integral part of the house buying and selling process. But it is a slow process, with the length of time required and the...

Q&A with HBSG's Maria Harris - are digital mortgages the future?

With reform of the home buying and selling process as crucial as it's ever been, and disrupters like Coadjute and PEXA increasing their influence in the...

Property Natter – property is holding its own despite the turmoil

I can’t really write about anything else this week, can I? Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you will have seen that Liz Truss resigned...

Problems setting up a client account? Here's what to do

Over the last few months, The Letting Partnership has seen an increase in calls from agents who are struggling to open a client account or have...

Revealed - what you need to know about mortgage rates

With UK interest rates on the rise, following the mini-Budget announcement (now since almost entirely reversed), and several lenders pulling mortgage products, homeowners whose contracts are...

The value of property marketing in a changing market

It’s the oddest thing. Surely, the most fundamental requirement of an estate agent having won an instruction, is to get it noticed by the best buyers...

Going digital is the answer to sector compliancy woes

If recent headlines are anything to go by, estate agents and the wider property industry are not just feeling the heavy burden of compliance, they’re buckling...

If You Think Truss Is Bad, Look At The System...

How did the housing market transform from incredibly strong - almost too strong - early in the year, to a situation where the industry and public...

Four compliance findings from the English Private Landlords Survey

Are landlords following the law? To answer this question, the Government grouped answers from its English Private Landlords Survey 2022 according to their similarities. Through this,...

Revealed - how to avoid disputes at the end of tenancies

Letting agents and landlords who know how to avoid deposit disputes at the end of a tenancy can save time, money, and unnecessary hassle. Although deposit disputes...

Property pros invited to reflect on their successes and challenges

For the third year running, mio, tmgroup and Conveyancing Data Services (CDS) are inviting property professionals to share their successes and challenges from the year, as...

Now automation can help protect the property market

Over the last five years, the Government has introduced a range of measures to regulate the property market, particularly in the PRS sector. Potential further legislation is...

Market lowdown - less scaremongering and more straightforward, please

First-time buyers and homeowners seeking to sell alike are worried and confused about the current state of the housing market. With the average five-year mortgage rate hitting a...

Property Natter – why brand reputation is more crucial for smaller firms

In tougher times – as is the case now, post-Covid, post-Brexit, cost-of-living crisis, war in Ukraine, etc – reputation and consumer trust becomes more important than...

Why people want plain speaking and clear comms in times of trouble

It’s fair to say that ours is an industry which has a language of its own, and often revels in the technical, the acronyms, abbreviations, and...

Getting Britain moving? Truss needs to do much more to reassure property market

As I watched Liz Truss take to the stage at this week’s Conservative Party conference, my eyes were drawn to the sign behind her. “Getting Britain Moving,” it said. Great, I thought....

Facebook ads – what the new updates mean for agents and how to manage them

Is Facebook giving you a headache? If you’re in the property sector, you’re not alone! From the Cambridge Analytica Scandal to Meta Business Suite, Facebook has...

Poor Liz and Kwasi. What Do They Do Now?

Who would be in the shoes of Liz Truss and Kwasi Kwarteng? I don’t mean who would like their power, pay and perks: quite a few people...

Digital transformation: five tips for success

Digital transformation is not a new concept. It has been around for many years in various forms and across multiple industries, and the property industry is...

Is the game over for traditional learning methods in the property industry?

A recent study conducted by the Technical University of Denmark reported that the attention span of people around the world is diminishing due to the amount...

Experts share secrets to successful learning and development for property pros

Over the last two years, the property industry has experienced unprecedented change through shifting market conditions and new regulations around compliance. To remain ahead of the curve,...

Property Natter - how can agents combat the cost-of-living crisis?

The worst cost-of-living crisis in generations is everywhere we look and agents – and the property industry more widely – are certainly caught up in it...

Estate agents and conveyancers - Same frustrations. Different jobs.

One of the particular characteristics of the property market is how it brings contrasting professions together. From estate agents to conveyancers, mortgage brokers to lenders, and...

Insight: ministerial changes have slipped under the radar

There has been an understandable focus on things other than Government since the death of Queen Elizabeth was announced, but Prime Minister Liz Truss did appoint...

Agents who stand out online will succeed in a slowing market

After two years of extraordinary activity in the housing market there are signs that the clouds are gathering as RICS reports the third month in a...

Low-cost marketing can produce high rewards, say TVPN

Many experts are predicting that house price growth will slow for the remainder of the year as the cost of living crisis begins to bite. But...

Analysis: What did Boris Johnson do for the UK property market during his 3 years as Prime Minister?

Time is up for Boris Johnson's tenure as Prime Minister and leader of the Conservative Party, serving 3 years and 44 days in the top job....

How we created an industry-leading culture of innovation

In a recent McKinsey poll* 85 per cent of people said that fear of criticism, fear of uncertainty and fear of a negative impact on their...

The Holiday Home Debate - a possible solution

The current period of national solidarity over the death of Queen Elizabeth II has embraced the world of property as it has much else. The near-constant sniping...

Property Natter - why housing must always have a seat at the top table

First off, my own quick tribute to the Queen, who died on Thursday afternoon aged 96. Despite her age and declining health, it still came as...

How estate agents can show they're serious about cutting their carbon footprint

Amid a cost-of-living crisis, not to mention the uncertainty of a post-Covid economy, real estate businesses across the UK don’t have their problems to seek. But there...

Brand marketing and personal marketing – why they go hand in hand

Brand marketing and personal marketing very often work well together and with the help of a robust marketing strategy they can be used to improve the...

Insight - buy-to-lets failing to beat inflation

As inflation passes the 10% mark, it’s no surprise that many landlords are hurriedly reviewing the health of their buy-to-let portfolio. You could argue that it’s still...

Property forecast: Demand remains strong despite UK inflation 

Many first-time buyers and homeowners are becoming more cautious of the property market. The cost of living crisis, combined with rising interest rates and changes to...

Why a zero tolerance policy to abuse is vital in this challenging market

As the summer draws to a close, and we begin to move towards the final few months of the year, I’m not sure anyone working in...

What do we do about a problem like Airbnb?

Some people will say: What problem? But they are getting fewer as the detrimental effect of increasing numbers of short lets on supply for long term renting...

What do tenants want from a rental property, landlord and agent?

Tenants are becoming more discerning – not just about the properties they choose to rent but who they rent from too. With the increased media coverage on...

House prices hit sixth consecutive high - will the market ever cool off in 2022?

In this guest piece, Kevin Shaw, National Sales Managing Director at Leaders Romans Group, looks at whether house prices will start to cool off in the remaining months...

Market insight: Buckle up, but keep perspective

As uncertainty, apprehension and anxiety increasingly infiltrates every aspect of our professional and personal lives, to ‘keep calm and carry on’ can demand Herculean effort. In...

Property Natter - a day in the life of a mortgage broker

In this latest Day in the Life of...Natter, I get an insight into one of the most vital cogs of the home buying and selling machine...

A Day in The Life of a Regional Construction Director

Last weekend, Nat Daniels' latest Property Natter column focused on the average day in the life of a conveyancer. In this feature, Mike Mulligan, from property developer...

Dear New Prime Minister - here's your housing to-do list

We are only a fortnight away from having a new Prime Minister, following a contest in which housing has played a small-to-non-existent part in policy debate. When...

4 key findings from the English Private Landlord Survey

On 23 June 2022, the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) released its English Private Landlord Survey, the first in 3 years. Here are...

Property Natter: a day in the life of a Conveyancer

In a welcome return to a favourite series of mine - and a timely one at that, given the current back and forth swirling around between...

Does it really take a war to improve AML checks?

It’s taken Russia’s invasion of Ukraine for the UK to finally take a much-needed step in the right direction to stop the flow of dirty money...

Video interviews versus podcasts - what do you need to know?

In recent years, we’ve witnessed a massive influx of channels for media consumers – two of the biggest of which are video interviews and podcasts. While the...

Revealed: the importance of personal content on social media

What do Tilly Ramsay and Kim Kardashian have in common? Other than both having well-known fathers, they’ve both also mastered the art of growing their personal brands...

Exclusive Q&A with PEXA - what is its role in the UK?

It was announced back in February this year that PEXA, the Australian FinTech/PropTech that enabled the world’s first fully digitised property settlement process, would be aiming to...

Conveyancing - Time for a Rethink?

Another piece about conveyancing? Seems like it's been a bit of free-for-all in the last couple of weeks on the woes of conveyancing - various solutions have...

Opinion: how can the UK adapt and prepare for future heatwaves?

A few weeks ago, we saw widespread disruption due to record breaking 40°C heat in the UK. The extreme temperatures caused issues for transport, including cancelled...

Purplebricks, Liz Truss and George Orwell - double-think about it

Double-think, for those who have not read George Orwell, is when people are expected to accept two conflicting beliefs as truth, even though one or both...

What could a digitally enabled future look like for estate agents?

For years now estate agents have been on a journey from digital infancy to digital maturity. But what does the future look like for digitally enabled...

How to prepare for the Fairer Private Rented Sector Shake-Up

With the government releasing details on the Fairer Private Rented Sector, landlords and letting agents are looking for ways to maintain their properties and manage their...

How to meet consumer demands in an evolving property market

Thanks to a relentless market, the property market has enjoyed a purple patch over the past few years. But now that the landscape is slowing and...

Property Natter – is LinkedIn something agency can no longer ignore?

For some time, LinkedIn was seen – fairly or unfairly – as stodgy, dull, corporate and formal. The uncool uncle to the likes of Facebook, Twitter...

How to catch up on interim rental visits efficiently

Interim rental inspections have taken a hit over the past two years and letting agents are now wading through their backlogs of interim visit reports. Here,...

Opinion - there is hope for a better conveyancer-agent relationship

The relationship between estate agents and conveyancers is undoubtedly a complex one and has certainly had ‘its moments’ over the years, and no doubt will continue...

Revealed - The Benefits of Outsourcing!

You may be thinking that cost and hassle outweighs the benefits of outsourcing, but read on, you may be surprised! The last few years have seen a...

The Conveyancing Crisis - how can we fix it?

There has been so much coverage recently over how painfully slow conveyancing is at the moment - 18-20 weeks is now a typical transaction time (longer...

Rishi-Tweedle-Dum and Liz-Tweedle-DumDum

When it comes to housing policy, the Conservative MPs have given their party a choice between Tweedle Dum and Tweedle DumDum. Rishi Sunak and Liz Truss may...

Insight - why hybrid presentation is key to the future of agency

Recent statistics published by the government’s Business Insights and Conditions Survey revealed the extent to which many real estate businesses have embraced new ways of working. It...

Property Auctions on the Rise – Five Common Property Auction Misconceptions

With so many benefits including lower fall-through rates and quicker sales, it is no surprise that selling a property via auction continues to rise in popularity....

Revealed – UK-first PropTech launches agents need to know about

Automation is the direction the industry is moving in and it’s gathering pace every day. Forward-thinking agents are using automation and tech to do the time-consuming...

Tech and innovation can help tackle the challenges conveyancing faces

The current challenges facing the conveyancing sector have put the industry in the spotlight. Here, property expert Colum Smith, Chief Vision Officer for law firm Taylor...

Property Natter – why is the property market joining the podcast party?

If there’s one thing that received a boost as a result of Covid and lockdowns, it’s podcasts – which reached whole new audiences as people sought...

Three regulatory updates agents need to know about in 2022

A wide range of upcoming legislative changes will affect the private rented sector. From new carbon monoxide alarm regulations to renters reforms, agents should make plans...

Exclusive - what makes an agency industry leader tick 

People in prominent positions in the housing industry aren’t always perfect role models. After all, Chris Pincher was housing minister for two years. But the CV of...

Opinion - government mortgage plan could mean more inherited debt

There’s talk of 50-year mortgages being introduced, loans that, along with the property they finance, could be passed to the next generation. But when we already worry...

How to get the best return on investment from Facebook ads

Facebook has been a platform which has opened the door to those looking to advertise their services in exceptional ways. Digital ads allow you to reach...

Revealed - top five social media tips for estate agents

A client called asking for advice on their social media marketing strategy. They’d thrown a lot of budget at it, but for little obvious reward. This is...

Why everyone in the property industry must focus on supply

Anyone working in the property market should have at least one eye on supply. Of course, it’s a constant issue for estate agents but also all...

Property Natter - why conveyancers should charge more for a better service

The ongoing debate about how to boost agent and conveyancer relations, and improve the homebuying system for all, continues to rage, with too much tit for...

Student accommodation: how to manage mass check-outs without a mess

As the mass student exodus from rented accommodation begins throughout the UK, Richard Abbots of Inventory Hive offers advice on how to manage multiple check-outs to...

More upfront information when buying a car vs buying a house! Is it time for change?

I look back on when my dad helped me buy my first car and shared his pearls of wisdom on what to look for and where...

Cost of living crisis makes simple bills more crucial than ever for agents

Unless you have been living under a rock since the end of last year, you won’t need to be told about the cost of living crisis....

Why free online logbooks are little more than Dropbox

There have been many articles about ‘digitising upfront information’, following the publication of DLUHC’s Levelling-Up white paper and National Trading Standards initiatives. There is no doubt...

Opinion: Bank of England rate rises are nonsense and will increase inflation

The Bank of England’s continued rise in interest rates – the latest being a shift up to 1.25% - is, in my opinion, inflammatory nonsense. Trigger...

Slowdown or house price cliff edge? It's too early to tell

Right now, one topic seems to be dominating talk in the industry. Everywhere I go people tend to quiz me about the same issue in relation...

Why haven't politicians listened to our industry?

It’s often fashionable to criticise trade bodies and official groups, but right now I think that’s absolutely inappropriate. In well over 20 years of writing about the...

Opinion: Fairer lettings are not a horror story

The government’s Fairer Private Rented Sector White Paper has initially caused some consternation and a strong adverse reaction from some within the residential lettings industry. Among the...

Property Natter - do agents need to worry about the metaverse?

Between you and me, dear reader, I had little to no idea about what the metaverse was before researching it for this article. If you’re the same,...

Time is running out for legacy customer checks

As another round of property firms is fined, named and shamed for breaching anti-money laundering rules, it feels like the road is running out for those...

Expert Analysis: How safe are homes 5 years after the Grenfell Tower tragedy?

It’s the fifth anniversary of the Grenfell fire tragedy, but are high rises any safer today than they were then? On 14th June 2017, 72 people died...

Why your agency needs a holistic digital transformation strategy

The digital transformation of the property industry is not a new chapter, but an ongoing journey in which the winners are those who are quick to...

How to handle the needs of older renters

Rising property prices in the UK mean that occupiers are renting long past their forties. According to the government’s last English Housing Survey, around 371,000 people...

Why are landlords so unpopular?

This question is not as flippant as it sounds because over recent years the status of the private landlord has taken a monumental plunge. But why? Readers...

The art of collaboration - why it can help benefit the home buying and selling process

If there’s not a book called ‘The Art of Collaboration’ then there should be. Update: a quick Google search shows there are a lot of books...

Video tours? I don’t see it myself!

There was an article in Estate Agent Today recently that suggested only four per cent of properties on Rightmove and Zoopla featured a video tour. Sourced from...

Are we ready for the PropTech metaverse?

In this article, Kristian Stott, Head of New Business at iamproperty, analyses the digital revolution in our lives and in property and why we still need to think...

Why fraud becomes a major problem in rentals during a UK recession

We are all acutely aware of the surge in demand for rental properties in and around the capital in the months since the Coronavirus restrictions lifted....

Agents - it's time to get clever with property tech

Estate agents use property technology each and every day for residential property transactions, but is there more they can do with it to optimise fast and...

Agents and conveyancers should ditch the screen - here's why

For years, the issue of phone etiquette created tension between estate agents and the legal profession, the former claiming lawyers won’t talk to them and the...

Property Natter: ‘the only way to bring about change is to be proactive’

In this latest ‘Women in Property’ edition of the Natter, I check in with Collette Allen, who was recently appointed as Chief Operating Officer at leading...

Agents doing what they've always done cost viewings

There are many myths about using virtual tours to sell or let properties. The most common perceptions are that virtual property tours are time-consuming to produce...

Top tips for reducing carbon footprint in lettings

With Earth Day in April and Environment Day looming in June, all businesses and individuals are becoming more aware of their impact on our planet. Lettings...

Tech can help agents expand and improve their bottom line – here’s how

Technology can be utilised to grow and advance a company's income. That’s not a new or controversial statement, but here I aim to set out why. In...

Industry Views - Michael Gove and His Dead Cat

In retrospect, it was perhaps inevitable that the infamous dead cat would come into the debate over government housing targets and planning reform. For those unfamiliar with...

Is it time to do the world a favour?

Estate agents are in a unique position – we handle the meeting of people’s aspirations probably more than any other profession. But we may be about...

Tech Talk: Property experts explain Material Information shake-up

Next month will see new rules around upfront Material Information for property sales and lettings come into force in the UK in what will be a...

Property Natter – will the challenger banks ever become major lenders?

Many people in recent years will have become familiar with challenger banks such as Monzo, Starling and Atom. Many will have accounts with these platforms, which...

The Renters' Reform Bill is back on the table - here’s what we need to see next

After years of delays and upheaval, the Renters' Reform Bill finally appears to be back on the agenda, in an effort from ministers to deliver on...

The identity revolution is here…how will agency be affected?

Just this month, the Government Property Agency kicked off its search for a digital chief to lead its 10-year technology journey, influence direction across a wide...

Extending Right to Buy won’t fix the housing shortage

Prime Minister Boris Johnson recently announced that he is considering extending Margaret Thatcher’s Right-to-Buy scheme, that gives council tenants the chance to purchase the council property they...

Agents - give yourself a Mental Health Day

With this week being Mental Health Awareness Week, Sam Hunter - COO at Homesearch and a keen mental health advocate - outlines what agents can do...

New material information rules will benefit consumers and agents

Millions of people use online property portals every year to conduct their property search, whether it be for sales or for lettings. One of the base...

Why speedy transactions could be leaving the door wide open to fraudsters

In this guest piece, Colum Smith, a property expert at law firm Taylor Rose MW, sets out why speedier transactions could actually be more susceptible to...

Right To Buy - what on earth is government playing at?

What a difference two months and some local elections make. Cast your minds back to March 9 and the annual report of the Chartered Institute of Housing....

Insight - is it Time to Stamp Out SDLT?

Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) has long been the bugbear of many property transactions. Even the very wealthy will lose interest in pursuing their dream home...

Property Natter – the who’s who of the industry

The property industry is fortunate in including many great people, doing great work across a range of businesses – from traditional agency to PropTech, and consultancy work...

Collaborative Conveyancing - is this the panacea to the home moving process?

I attended a forum in London a couple of weeks ago, which for the first time brought estate agents and conveyancers together on one platform to...

Leasehold reform - what do agents and conveyancers need to know?

You will hopefully have seen that the Leasehold Reform (Ground Rent) Act 2022 has now received its Royal Assent, meaning it has passed through Parliament and...

Busy sales market - how can agents help sellers take advantage of this bonanza?

April looks set to go down as the busiest month for house sales of the year.  And with record numbers of properties predicted to go onto the market...

Letting agents – why reconcile your client account?

Accountancy terminology can be a turn off to many business owners, understandably so given that the majority aren’t working in lettings to show off their accounting...

Q&A - how can agents and conveyancers work better together?

In this Q&A, I catch up with Jesper With-Fogstrup, chief executive officer of Smoove (formerly ULS Technology until a very recent rebrand), for his thoughts on...

Why Rental Reform Is Becoming More Important By The Day

It’s easy to overestimate the importance of something in one’s own industry or work, but there seems good reason for believing that the Rental Reform White...

Proptech and the future of the UK’s economy and property market

Although Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak’s Spring Statement did not include many announcements regarding housing, it did provide a good idea of the direction of...

Q&A: What do new material information rules mean for estate agents?

From the beginning of April, long-awaited rules from the National Trading Standards Estate and Letting Agency Team (NTSELAT) came into effect. Under the new rules, estate...

Client money and the regulation governing it is changing

PayProp’s recent Rental Confidence Index survey polled property professionals about their biggest concerns for 2022. Unsurprisingly, new regulations were a top three worry, along with portfolio...

Property Natter – from barmaid to branch manager to Countrywide’s top negotiator

In this week’s Natter, I carry out a Q&A with Lisa Knight, who has taken the impressive journey from barmaid to branch manager to one of...

How to Prove Your Rented Property is Safe for Habitation

As amendments to smoke and carbon monoxide alarm legislation loom for rented properties later this year, we look at how inventory reporting is critical for demonstrating...

The biggest problem with PropTech? All the choice it offers!

Technology developed for the estate agency industry has advanced and expanded seismically over the past decade as software vendors develop their platforms to address the growing...

A smart acquisition: Vouch and Goodlord 18 months on

In July 2020, two leading lettings technology disruptors - Vouch and Goodlord - announced that they were going into partnership. Now, 18 months on, they look at...

Over And Out - An Editor Departs…

For the record, this isn’t my last Industry Views for Estate Agent Today, although by the time you read this I'll be handing over to my successor...

Rental reform - why it'll make inventories more important than ever 

In this weekend feature, inventory expert and chair of the AIIC, Daniel Evans, sets out why rental reform changes will make inventories more important than ever. The...

Upfront Information - Light at the end of the Tunnel? 

They say that in fashion, if you wait for long enough, clothes that are hanging at the back of your wardrobe will come back in vogue....

The death of data migration – is there a solution for agents?

One of the most valuable assets to any company is the data it stores. According to a recent study completed by Markets and Markets, the global...

Interview with eXp's Glenn Sanford - 'some agents will always prefer self-employed'

The self-employed model, after years of not really catching on fully, was given a major boost by the pandemic and the sudden need for everyone to...

Energy squeeze threatens financial nightmare for tenants and landlords

It’s not an easy time for many renters (and homeowners). The cost of living is going up across the board for residents all over the UK,...

The real life horror behind the drama - why we must be on our guard against fraud

In a new column, solicitor Colum Smith, an expert in combating fraud at Taylor Rose MW Solicitors, explains why those looking to capitalise on this year’s...

Unlocking £4.5bn of tenancy deposits is the key to the cost-of-living crisis

Earlier this month, the government’s energy regulator Ofgem announced a record 54 percent increase to the energy bill price cap. Combined with the consumer price index...

What can estate agents learn from tech companies?

When was the time you actively learned something new from your clients or competitors? If it’s a difficult question to answer quickly, you’re not alone. A lot of...

The Coming ‘Budget’ - What’s In Store For Agents?

If you want to sex-up the Chancellor’s financial statement scheduled for lunchtime on Wednesday, you’d call it a Budget or a Mini-Budget. But it’s not that...

Client Accounting – Why Outsource?

In this guest feature, Chris Mason, Operations Director at The Letting Partnership, outlines why agents might want to consider outsourcing client accounting. The two main reasons that an...

Estate Agent Today: as one great era ends, another begins

This week, you will have all seen the sad news that Graham Norwood is stepping down as editor of Estate Agent Today from the beginning of...

How to attract high-value landlords using a data-driven approach

A shift is occurring in the rental market across the UK. The Government is planning to reform the sector with increased regulation, while the Renting Homes...

Insight - how do you solve a problem like conveyancing?

Those aficionados of the Sound of Music will recognise the tag line above. It came to my mind when thinking about how a billion pound industry...

From Poacher to Gamekeeper - Levelling Up from Agent to Developer

The path from agent to developer is not easy, but it is a relatively straightforward one, if you are willing to learn and adapt your skillsets. Many...

Property Natter: agency with a new concept and terrific fundraising

As regular readers will know, I like to use this column to shout out about the independent agents who are the bread and butter of our...

How agents can benefit from great visual content in seconds

We know from our customer research that being able to showcase property that looks the best it can online is the key to winning more instructions,...

Will ‘upfront information’ go from buzzword to conventional practice in the year ahead?

Of the many industry buzzwords, I suspect “upfront information” was up there as one of the most widely used in 2021. Whether a PropTech announcing an...

Predictions 2022 - an interview with Simon Shinerock

Peta Milne, founder of Instagram growth and PR service Monimo, and a content writer at Choices Estate Agents, recently sat down with Simon Shinerock - the...

Will The Lights Go On Again In Central London?

Almost exactly a decade ago I wrote a blog on the back of a spate on mainstream news stories about prime central London’s infrastructure withering away. That...

Going paperless - simplified eSignature experiences made for agents

For all sales and letting agents, accelerating your business to new heights is a number one priority. You can’t be losing time and money whilst compromising on...

Affordability is the issue of the rent control argument

The hot topic of rent controls has remerged in recent weeks, with passionate voices on both sides of the argument speaking strongly for and against the...

Opinion: The property sector should take action now, not wait for the Economic Crime Bill

The outcome of the Ukraine crisis is far from certain, but one thing has become abundantly clear. The long-overdue Economic Crime Bill is vital if the...

Property Natter – meet the blockchain network quietly taking agency by storm

Until a few years ago, you would have been forgiven for not knowing who or what Coadjute was. But the company, founded in 2017, has in the...

Q&A with the RLBA - what are property logbooks and why are they important?

In the last two years digital Property Logbooks for our homes have moved from concept to reality with almost a quarter of a million homes in...

An outlook for the rental market in 2022

The rental market is recalibrating after Covid, and this is evident in the latest data from Zoopla’s rental index. For 18 months after the start of the...

Short term lets - what’s the extent of the problem?

Timothy Douglas, Head of Policy and Campaigns at Propertymark, analyses the impact that the lack of available data is having on the rental market in communities...

A Lesson for Agents from the Ukraine Crisis

If the UK and its allies have been played by Russia over the Ukraine ‘invasion’, and it’s beginning to look that way, one silver lining could...

Agents - how to spot and stop fraud

Alexander Siedes, CEO of Homeppl, reveals the top five ways people try and commit tenancy fraud and how to spot and stop it. Tenancy fraud is a growing...

Property Natter – events for agents to look out for in the first half of 2022

Property events and functions are now back in full swing, with 2022 likely to be the first ‘normal’ year for this sort of thing since the...

Cyber-security in 2022: what do agents need to know?

I’m sure most readers would agree with me that cyber-security is vitally important for almost any business, particularly those businesses like estate agencies that manage large...

Insight - an estate agents’ guide to AML

The UK property industry has long been a target of fraudsters due to the low levels of transparency and the fact that companies can purchase properties,...

Knowledge is power - why PDTF is a positive step forward for buying and selling

‘Knowledge is power’ goes the old saying, and one variation on that theme is a quote from academic, Robert Boyce, who said, and I think this...

How the property sector must adapt during the year ahead

If 2020 was the year of survival, then 2021 was about the post-Covid boom. The impact of the pandemic on the property sector continues to be...

Going granular - why digging deep into residential property data is a must

With the new year in full swing, agents around the UK are likely to be making changes to the way they conduct business to make sure...

Achieve excellent sales and lettings performance with PropTech

MRI Software explores the use of PropTech to enhance the performance of the sales and lettings processes and how to select the right software for your...

HS2 - is the Midlands likely to benefit more than anywhere else?

As debate rages over levelling up and a north/south property divide, in the first of a new monthly column, property expert Jonathan Rolande suggests why the...

2022 - agents can benefit from planning ahead and having a plan B in mind

Without doubt, 2021 was an exceptional year in the property market, with the stamp duty holiday and favourable market conditions helping to fuel record high levels...

Interest Rates - Do They Matter Any More?

Here’s the odd thing about interest rates - we all care about them, but they don’t directly affect that many people any more. This week’s Bank of...

Data holds the key to the property market's evolution – here's why

Data, when used to its full potential, holds the key to the property market’s growth. The reason for this is the more relevant information any business...

The cold facts about winter property checks

Property checks can be the bane of a letting agent’s life if left unchecked. Throw in the winter weather, and you’ve got a whole host of...

One year on, my perspective on running my own partnership

In this piece, Leanna Donkin from house. partnership reflects on what the last year has brought for her after a leap of faith that led her...

Insider insight - what does a really good inventory actually involve?

In this weekend feature, inventory expert and chair of the AIIC, Daniel Evans, sets out what a really good inventory should include.  Ensuring that tenancies are as...

Property Natter – the agency helping homeless people move closer to their own home

Our Agents Do Charity column each Friday does a fantastic job of highlighting the amazing charitable work of agents up and down the country, but this...

We survived 2021, so what has 2022 in store for estate agents?

With the drastic changes enacted on the industry over the past two years thanks to the pandemic and political events such as Brexit, it’s more important...

Let the good times roll – PayProp predicts continued lettings strength in 2022

The lettings sector looks set to steam ahead in 2022 after a record-breaking 2021, despite the financial and mobility challenges of Covid. Meanwhile, UK PropTech investment soared,...

How to prepare for lettings in 2022 and beyond using PropTech

In this guest feature, James Dilgul, Head of Marketing at Fixflo, the market-leading repairs and maintenance management software provider, looks at how the use of PropTech can...

Boris Johnson’s Successor: what next for housing policies?

Will he stay or will he go? You don’t need me to say who ‘he’ is - it’s the only story in town. If Boris Johnson does...

Get ready: Blockchain is coming to a property transaction near you

Imagine a world where you, as an agent, could focus on what you do best. Building and managing relationships, showing properties, negotiating, and getting your clients...

A day in the life of a Sales and Investment Consultant

From first-time buyers to serial investors, no two days are ever the same for a Sales and Investment Consultant at Walton Robinson. The Newcastle-based sales and lettings...

Property Natter – my predictions for the property market in 2022

As this is the first Natter back since the Christmas break, I should like to first wish all our readers a very happy new year and...

Covid-19 – Can you create property management visits safely?

When we all thought that the Covid-19 pandemic was coming to an end, the virus decided to throw another curveball and throw in a new, more...

The rise of outsourcing in Estate Agency

The last two years have been dramatic and decisive for many people and many businesses. Both have reassessed their work approaches and it has created the...

Revealed: the hidden threat to 2022’s housing market

At the risk of mixing my metaphors, any mention of energy has become something of a blue touch paper in the trade press of late. The most...

New Year Message - ‘Breaking Through in 22’

The past two years have been a whirlwind of change, challenges and chance. The main catalyst has clearly been the pandemic which has accelerated trends already...

Is it time to reform the tax we all love to hate?

As we slide into Christmas, with the busiest levels of house buying since 2006 and activity still buoyant, I don’t think anyone would argue with me...

Property Natter – the A-Z of property for 2021 

It really is beginning to look a lot like Christmas – just a week to go now. Presents all wrapped and ready to go? Or time...

A 9 to 5 estate agent…dream on!

There’s lots of talk of people moving over within estate agency to be self-employed so they can chase the dream of a higher income while working...

Mortgage trends and interest rates - what could happen in 2022?

As 2021 draws to a swift close, there is much speculation about what 2022 will have to offer. Despite the emergence of the Omicron variant, which has...

Leasehold is here to stay - so here's what is being done to help

Leasehold, quite rightly, remains not just an emotive topic given what has happened over the past decade, but it’s very much an ongoing issue to be...

From agency to software guru: meet MRI Software’s new Agency Solutions expert

MRI Software’s newest Agency Solutions expert, Michael Connolly, made the leap from working on the front line of an estate agent to helping other agents transform...

Keeping pace with the property boom - effective communications are critical to real estate operations

As the UK housing market faces an ongoing boom, there’s one profession that’s certainly rushed off its feet — estate agents. Stamp duty breaks and a...

Identity theft and fraud - how it happens and how to prevent it

The Covid-19 pandemic has had a huge impact on all aspects of our lives, but undoubtedly one major negative side effect has been a drastic rise...

Six Things We DIDN’T See In 2021

We all know what did happen in 2021 - Covid and more Covid, the stamp duty holiday frenzy, a soaring rental market, the race for space,...

Are reservation agreements the future of agency? These agents think so!

You’ve heard me bang on about the wonder of reservation agreements for some time now, but it’s definitely the case that it holds more credence if...

Revealed – how fraudsters scam agents

With tenancy fraud on the rise, landlords are increasingly wary. So, they want to work with agencies who do everything they can to accurately identify tenancy...

Are you fit to fight financial crime in property transactions?  

I’ve worked in financial crime for the past seven years, beginning my career as a white collar crime litigator in a law firm. I know that the law evolves slowly, setting new...

The presents agents need for Christmas to improve their business in 2022

With 2022 swiftly approaching, businesses in the property industry are likely to be reflecting on the trials and tribulations that have occurred over the past 20...

How my predictions on agency and PropTech from recent years have come true

The last 18 months have been full of ups and downs, but the property market has coped remarkably well during the pandemic – in part thanks...

Countdown to Christmas: Letting agent's guide to a stress-free holiday

While the Christmas season is usually heralded by an influx of terrible Christmas adverts, the launch of Starbucks’ gingerbread lattes, Adam from accounts getting a bit...

Build To Rent - why is it so cold and unfriendly?

Let’s begin with total transparency from this author: I believe there’s a place for Build To Rent in the wider portfolio of UK’s lettings market. I’m...

Are your property inspection reports up to scratch?

I am often guilty of this myself, where I think I am the bees’ knees in all walks of life; whether I think I am good at...

Improving the home buying and selling process - what's the latest?

Despite the progress made in so many areas, particularly in terms of leasehold reform – although we are calling upon the Government to deliver on the...

Why trust is the strongest tool for agents in 2022

Trust has always been vital for building and nurturing good relations between an agent and their customer. Maintaining trust will keep your customer engaged throughout their...

Agent insight - why I moved from traditional agency to the hybrid model

Guy Leaning, a former high street agent who has now moved into working in the hybrid model of agency, outlines why he's made this shift. The property...

Bounce-back - why rental demand is swinging back into city centres

Just as city centre traffic is reminiscent of life before the pandemic, the rental market in central zones of UK’s largest cities has also bounced back...

Challenges facing the housing market in 2022

It’s been a busy and arguably fruitful year for the property market, with an eager consumer base pushing forwards with their house buying, especially with the...

Agents - time to make the switch to EV

The phrase ‘time is money’ is particularly pertinent for estate agents. Since the stamp duty holiday ended, the forecast drop in activity has not come to...

How PropTech Can Help You Win More Instructions

PropTech has seen a surge in uptake over the last few years for several reasons – be it the Covid-19 pandemic forcing people to avoid physical...

The EPC - how it’s defied sceptics, critics and Brexiteers

I’ve never written the three letters ‘EPC’ more often than I have in the past week. Law changes for the private rental sector hinge on minimum EPCs,...

Where is all the stock? How can you get in touch with it?

We have been speaking with many agents over the past months and the story appears the same with them all. There is a serious lack of...

Property Natter - checking in with some of the ESTAS' biggest winners

A few weeks ago the ESTAS took place at the Grosvenor House hotel in London - the first chance for many of us to be back...

Lettings Agents and the Green Agenda - why it pays to go eco

In this article, the team at The Lettings Hub - which aims to offer tech-driven solutions for the rental market - outline the case for letting agents...

Budget 2021 aftermath - did the chancellor target property for tax revenue? 

In the Autumn Budget on Wednesday 27 October, very few impending tax hikes were revealed by the Chancellor Rishi Sunak – going against the grain of...

360° virtual tours vs video walk-throughs

Virtual tours are becoming an increasing necessity for agents when listing properties for sale or let. Covid has of course accelerated this trend by way of video...

Property appliances – aftercare, not after-thought

With quality built into every stage of the production process of Bosch, NEFF and Siemens appliances. From the initial design phase, through to production and aftercare, quality...

Autumn Budget: will Sunak’s pledges create opportunities for agents in the new-build sector?

At first glance, Rishi Sunak’s Budget speech earlier this week didn’t offer much from a property perspective. But digging down a little bit deeper there are a...

Sustainability and automation – how can agents reduce their carbon footprint?

We have all heard the terrible forecasts and listened to Sir David Attenborough’s speeches on the environment and the “we still have time to act” message...

Booming opportunity: how technology can empower finance teams to do more

In this op-ed, Warwick Haycock, accounting software specialist at The Access Group, looks at how the use of tech can empower finance teams to do more. The...

Lies, Damned Lies, and House Building Targets

We’ve probably all learned to be a little less cynical about politicians in recent weeks, given the tragic events. We perhaps now have a greater understanding...

Why the UK property market is at the centre of global tax avoidance and financial crime

The Pandora Papers - the biggest ever leak of offshore data - has revealed that the UK’s property market is being abused to the tune of...

Revealed – what is the state of the rental market today?

In the UK, 3.5 million households — which is over one-third of UK households — are either privately or socially rented, according to Statista. This massive...

How to promote fruitful relationships with your local conveyancers

As you are no doubt aware, building mutually beneficial relationships with conveyancers in your local area can not only make your job easier, but help your...

Could tech be the answer to inflated timescales (and tempers)?

With soaring property prices, supply continuing to be outstripped by demand and overworked and overtired industry professionals; we’re seeing the sector reach fever pitch . Lorraine Richardson,...

MovePal - a cautionary tale for agents

I’m going to declare upfront that, as an investor, I have a financial interest in the success of MovePal but I also need to say that while I’m...

What Every Letting Agent Should Know about the Economic Crime Levy (ECL)

Disclaimer: This article is intended for information only and does not constitute legal advice. As part of its 2020 budget, the UK government announced a new Economic...

CRM software: An essential tool for rental demand

There is no denying that managing properties is labour intensive. As real estate agents you are responsible for administering and addressing many requests received by landlords...

Rental Sector Enforcement - time to pull our fingers out

Within weeks the focus of the industry will be on the White Paper to be issued on rental reform before Christmas. Let’s temper our expectations from the...

Is your business ready to offer the best digital experience to your customers?

In this thought leadership article, Videosign CEO Steven Tallant looks at electronic signatures and conveyancing and whether the time is nigh for the industry to embrace digital innovations. Big...

Laying out a welcome mat for Airbnb - a breath of fresh air for deals

There are plenty in the estate agency and lettings world who don’t like the concept of Airbnb and similar enterprises. But they could be wrong in their...

The Modern Method of Auction is fast, transparent and the future

The Modern Method of Auction (MMoA), also known as Conditional auction, can sometimes get a bad rap. However, much of the negativity around this method of...

How technology can shape the customer experience beyond 2021

2021 redefined what it meant to offer exceptional customer experiences for consumers across multiple industries, but particularly for the residential property industry. As consumer priorities and...

Revealed: what to consider before setting up your own agency

Many agents working in the industry, whether for large corporates or smaller independents, might one day have ambitions to branch out on their own and do...

How the 2021 consumer will impact the residential property industry

The property industry and its many stakeholders are key participants in a global digital transformation that has been underway for quite some time. Telecommunications technology such as...

Will online agencies take over, or do we still need face-to-face contact?

Like most industries, estate agency is changing. A general trend to a more hybrid model, accelerated by the pandemic has resulted in online agencies taking a...

Locked or open-door policy - has Covid changed the way offices operate forever?

In this piece, Tom Davis, press officer at Propertymark, explores the debate surrounding a locked or open-door policy, and whether the pandemic has caused a shift...

Alto Q&A - behind the scenes of a growing agency, with a family ethos at heart

Luke Thirkettle heads up the lettings division at Stratfords, a single-branch lettings and sales agency based in Milton Keynes. Here, he speaks to Zoopla about the logistics of...

Why agencies should be careful when agents use personal phones for business

Estate agents, even before Covid-19 reared its ugly head, were flexible, hybrid workers. It is a job that requires a significant amount of time out of...

A Taxing Time: the property industry is set for increases

By the time I next write this column, we’ll be just days before the next Budget and Autumn Statement. So I’ll get my prediction in now...

Preparing for 2022 – How current trends will affect estate agencies

As we move into the autumn of 2021, what the coming year has in store for estate agents is something we all need to be thinking...

By jove, Gove is off at full steam ahead!

There’s good news and bad news from the shake-up in government ministers and ministries that was presented to the nation last week. First the good news: Christopher...

Reservation agreements – they have been here all along

In this guest editorial, experienced property solicitor Lorraine Richardson argues that reservation agreements - designed to reduce the number of fall-throughs in the market - are already...

How estate agents can optimise their workflows with conveyancers 

The recent stamp duty holiday and the subsequent conveyancing logjam this triggered has acted as a wakeup call for the industry. This is even more the...

Property Natter – how can estate agents improve their green credentials?

As we motor towards the next major global climate change conference – the UN’s COP26 being held in Glasgow from 31 October-12 November – sustainability and...

How affordable is it to buy a new-build house?

Affordability has always been a hot topic when it comes to the property market, and this is doubly true for first-time buyers looking to get on...

Part exchange – why agents should be including it as part of their pitch to developers

It’s certainly the case that awareness of part exchange isn’t very high in the property and agency world, despite the potential advantages it offers. Agents could be...

360° virtual tours require GDPR and CPR compliance

As virtual tours start to get even more popular, and in some cases become the norm for the majority of letting agents, it begs the question...

Three ways to prove the value of your fees in a competitive market

With the competition for new listings between agents as fierce as ever, it can sometimes feel like a race to the bottom when it comes to...

How estate agents can ensure success in the fourth quarter of 2021

The worst of the Covid-19 pandemic appears to be firmly in the rear-view mirror as we move into the last quarter of 2021. Still, for many...

How can letting agents help tenants with rent arrears?

Almost a million tenants have built up rent arrears since March 2020, according to research by National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA). The alarming statistic is part...

Q&A – why pre-tenancy management should be a must for agents

Agents are always on the lookout to save time and money wherever they can, to improve, streamline and enhance their business. And that is what Let Alliance...

Property Natter: talking the secret to good photography and working for Foxtons

Good property marketing photos have arguably never been more important in an increasingly visual and tech-led world. We saw just the other day how the over-use...

Alto Q&A - how changes made during lockdown set this agent up for success

What estate agency is going to look like in the post-pandemic world, and what the role of the physical branch will be, continues to split opinions. However,...

City exodus: will the return to the office see a reversal of activity?

2020 gave rise to an exodus from the city as work from home became the mandated norm for large swaths of the population, leading homeowners and tenants...

Tenant referencing - how digital should your agency go?

Over the last three years there has been a quiet revolution in the tenant referencing market. Starting with the 2019 tenant fee ban in England and...

Avoid sleepless nights by choosing the right sales and lettings software

We are living in the age of information. Our working and personal lives are underpinned by software, data and technology to an extent that few could...

Interview: experienced agents show increased appetite for training and qualifications

Since the announcement of the Regulation of Property Agents (RoPA), an increasing amount of Principle, Partners and Directors (PPD) from the sector are stepping up to...

Rent Controls - It’s Back To The Future

Few political policies have such a ring of the past as rent controls - they were last seen in this country in a time when ‘controls’...

How using the right tech can help to transform an agency’s business

Tech, as has been shown more than ever during the pandemic, can be a wonderful thing – bringing people closer together, providing entertainment, making life more...

Opinion: Do 360 virtual tours impact leads?

360 tour technology company Made Snappy has grown rapidly over the past 18 months and whilst many agents have grasped the benefits of 360 tours, some...

Property Natter - will UK agents ever be seen as true professionals?

There are some parts of the world, including in both the Northern and Southern hemispheres, where estate agent isn’t seen as a dirty word or a...

Agents – back to the office, please

There’s a lot being said about how the workforce will operate in the post-pandemic world. We’re still largely remote at Homesearch but as we move closer to ‘business...

OTM reconciliation - why I've decided to join a portal I previously criticised

Things can change. For those who remember, it’s no secret that I became one of the industry's strongest critics of OnTheMarket (OTM). My reasons boiled down to an inherent...

Sector reform - stamp out this market malaise

Every so often it comes around – the argument that stamp duty should be reformed/removed/replaced (delete as appropriate). But why? Where’s the benefit? We all know that...

Revealed - What Agents Should Watch For This Autumn

I’m sorry to break this to you but in 10 days’ time it will be autumn - and we will have had the last Bank Holiday...

Look After Your Team. Or Someone Else Will

Like most aspects of life since the pandemic hit, the employment arena has been hit hard. But not just with uncertainty and hardship for many sectors...

How to minimise pandemic disruption in your estate agency

Last month it was reported that up to 500,000 people had been ‘pinged’ by the NHS in a week. While the so-called ‘pingdemic’ may now be...

Property Natter – has Purplebricks dealt a fatal blow to the self-employed model?

One of the biggest trends since Covid, in the property world and elsewhere, has been a shift towards more hybrid, flexible models of working. Some agents working...

Admin staff: the cornerstones to an effective agency

Admin teams in most businesses are often the lynchpins that ensure compliance and deal with issues in order to keep the cogs in motion to meet...

Insight - Is The Resi Market About To Turn?

Following a month in which the number of property transactions was the highest since records began, it might seem a little premature to be worrying about...

Fixflo and MRI – A shared philosophy makes for a strong partnership

Guided by our philosophy of being open and connected, at MRI we are constantly evolving and developing relationships and partnerships with other solutions providers to ensure...

This is what the market will do after the stamp duty holiday (maybe)

There’s already plenty of talk about autumn - depressing huh? - with agents pondering how the housing market will respond to the end of the stamp...

Can landlords and agents take photographs during property inspections?

Taking photographs or video footage during a routine property inspection can be a contentious subject. While landlords have every right to know how the property they...

Rents in your region, how do yours stack up?

Since 2017, The DPS has used the data we collect to track the rental values of properties across all regions of the UK to produce our...

Property Natter: half-year review – what has 2021 brought so far?

Well, we’re technically more than halfway through the year already, but we’ll let that slide. And what a year it’s been so far, with the launch...

Market tectonics: will activity shift from sales to lettings?

The stamp duty holiday came and went with much fanfare. For many buyers it represented a rare opportunity to make some savings on the purchase of...

Could the MMoA offer the post-Covid solution that agents need?

Some 18 months on, we’re only just beginning to understand the impact of Covid-19 and how it’ll shape the future economy and the UK housing market....

Revealed - how automation can help agents keep their businesses fully secure

A recent news story will have set alarm bells ringing for agencies up and down the country, when it was revealed that a former employee of...

Why it pays for landlords to have a property manager

Around 2.66 million landlords were operational in Great Britain in 2019, according to data estimations previously released by Hamptons International. Of those 2.66 million or so landlords,...

Post stamp-duty - keep the home market’s fires burning

Remember the early days of lockdown when there was a general panic? Perhaps the hot demand for toilet rolls was a sign of things to come in...

Zoopla - why the property market won’t lose momentum in 2021

Zoopla data has confirmed that buyer demand started to moderate in the months prior to the initial stamp duty holiday tapering off, on June 30. Despite this,...

Is This The Alternative To Stamp Duty?

There’s gathering momentum to do ‘something’ about the unfairness of council tax and stamp duty. This isn’t new in principle. Agents have for years been advocating the...

Now is the time for agents to educate buyers and sellers more than ever

The first stamp duty holiday deadline has now passed, and we can all sigh a slight relief after the sheer numbers we’ve all seen transact. Much was...

Agents – breaking habits to deliver different results

It’s a big ask to expect anyone to suddenly change what they have always done, particularly if their results have proven to be of great benefit...

An interview with Ben Ridgway, Managing Director of iamproperty

Ben Ridgway gives his views on the current market, material information and PropTech for agents. What is your current view of the market? I think there was...

The post-Covid outlook: what next for the lettings market?

Our long-awaited ‘Freedom Day’ approaches. From Monday all of the restrictions, introduced since the Covid-19 pandemic made an impact across the world back in 2020, will...

Property Natter: how can agents ensure they don’t suffer costly missed opportunities?

Let it never be said that this column isn’t here to help out agents directly. In this week’s Natter, I speak to my colleagues in The...

Transactions time – how long and how much of a difference can agents make?

Anyone working in residential property knows it is taking longer and longer to get from SSTC (sold subject to contract) to exchange. It was a problem...

The Holiday Home Debate - Don’t Let Politicians Get Away With It

At first sight it’s a tough ask to defend holiday homes when there’s evidence that many who want to buy can’t, because of high prices driven...

We could see more chains breaking down – why agents need a plan B

By any measure, the housing market has been unprecedently busy in recent months, fuelled not just by the stamp duty holiday (and potentially sizeable savings for...

Avoiding Future Logjams - How to Remove Roadblocks to E-Conveyancing

The race to complete home sales before the stamp duty holiday came to an end on June 30 has created what some are calling ‘the biggest...

Property Natter – why OTM’s Jason Tebb shows the importance of good hires

In the world of football – very topical at the moment, as we all enjoy the Euros – there is an ongoing debate about whether it’s...

Zoopla Q&A – products, user experience, market momentum and the vision

Back in April, leading portal Zoopla launched a new multi-million-pound marketing campaign, its biggest ever, to help agents capitalise on the buoyant housing market. This included a...

As buyers race to save, agents should focus on sales, not compliance

The property market was expected to struggle to recover after the first lockdown, but, thanks to the stamp duty holiday and the launch of a new mortgage...

Crazy times, hazy memories - looking back at more than 35 years in the industry

There are just three working days until the end of the stamp duty holiday for most buyers. That’s not even enough time for a quick round of...

Exclusive: interview with Angela Davey, ARLA Propertymark's President

Last weekend we spoke with Liana Loporto, NAEA Propertymark’s president, in an exclusive interview. Here we follow that up with an exclusive chat with Angela Davey,...

Book Review: The Ultimate Property Listing by Neil Whitfield

I recently saw a fly-through video for a home on sale for well over £2m. The imagery was good (made better by the spectacular house) but the...

PropTech and the future of remote working

Working from home used to get a bad rap. With the phrase mocked as ‘shirking from home’, homeworkers were often seen as lesser employees by colleagues...

Pattinson move to Openview to achieve true, advanced automation

The Oxfordshire-based PropTech founders and software developers of Openview, today announced they have welcomed Pattinson Estate Agents to their list of clients.   Peter Grant, Managing Director, said: “Pattinson had reached a point...

Property Natter: how tech-led will estate agency be in 10 years?

Around 18 months ago, just a few months before the pandemic hit, I did a Natter with the team at software company VTUK about a new...

Exclusive: interview with Liana Loporto, NAEA Propertymark President

In the first of a two-part special with the presidents of the UK’s largest property trade organisation, we carry out an exclusive interview with Liana Loporto,...

Can the property market sustain its current momentum?

The property market is currently in a unique position where the number of house hunters looking for their next home is significantly outweighing the number of...

Could an adjustment to BTL Stamp Duty improve the lettings market?

The Stamp Duty holiday has been very beneficial for hundreds of thousands of buyers looking to take advantage of savings, even as the final scramble looks...

Reviving the High Street – why a hybrid conveyancing offering is needed

“A hybrid offering, which serves customers of all needs and capabilities, is what we should all be working towards.” Following Aconveyancing opening the doors to its first...

30 and going strong - Q&A with Michael Jones as firm reaches milestone

Michael Jones & Company celebrates its 30-year anniversary this year and, in an effort to both celebrate the work of local independent agents with longevity and...

Housing Market Frenzy - It’s Not Just Britain, You Know…

Right now it seems that another day means another house price record, an all-time high for transactions, and a conveyancing log-jam the like of which we...

Buy-to-Let: is the outlook improving for landlords?

There are an estimated 2.7 million landlords in the private rented sector (PRS) providing rental accommodation to multiple generations of tenant, a highly vital role in...

Agents – getting to know you, getting to like you…

A recent survey run by mio revealed that almost 50% of home movers selected their estate agent because they liked them. Below, I explore how to...

The Cladding Scandal – what do you need to know?

The Grenfell Tower disaster in June 2017 exposed the dangers of inflammable cladding on residential tower blocks, and what has come to be known as The...

Revealed: how digital innovation is transforming estate agency

The growth of the internet and technology has transformed virtually every aspect of our lives, including how we approach the property market, with many now favouring...

Property Natter: talking Brexit, Covid, USPs and mews homes with Lurot Brand

Independent agents come in all shapes, sizes and looks, many with their own USPs and little quirks. It is this variety that makes the property industry...

Book Review: The Keys To The Capital by James Macleod

Books about property are, relatively speaking, commonplace - books by estate agents are far less so, hence the interest in The Keys To The Capital. It’s by...

Is a fully-digital home moving process right for the property industry?

Tech is a fantastic enabler but should never be a complete replacement for the human interactions that add real value to the moving journey, in my...

How Open Banking will transform the lettings industry

Banking has gone through radical changes in the past few years, in step with technology and the sheer amount we can now do online. This revolution...

Agents - solve this problem to win the busy market

Before you read on, ask yourself, how many times did you hear “we want to move, but just we can’t find anything we like” from would-be...

Cutting through the noise – evaluating the volume of estate agent partnerships

We recently conducted a survey and discussion session with estate and lettings agencies called Agency panel - Cut through the noise and get to the point!,...

What could the Planning Bill mean for the property market?

The Planning Bill, which will introduce changes to the planning system in England, was announced last week in the Queen’s Speech. Whilst this has arguably been...

Propertymark: your voice matters, make sure it’s heard

In an industry which is faced with constant changes in day-to-day practices and even more so given the Covid terrain which agents now have to navigate, no-one...

Q&A with Jerry Walters – why the AML clock is ticking for letting agents

With property fraud on the rise and an ever-increasing number of transactions taking place in the lettings sector, having strict anti-money laundering (AML) processes and protections in...

Property Natter – 5 ways estate agency has changed since May 2020

It’s now over a year since the property market officially reopened after an unprecedented two-month shutdown at the height of the first wave of Covid-19. What a...

Two years on - how can agents comply with the Tenant Fees Act?

It’s nearly two years since The Tenant Fees Act came into force for tenancies in England. On 1 June 2019 it became illegal for landlords and...

Is the tide turning for the lettings industry?

It’s been quite a week for the rental sector. Lettings agents and landlords have had such a torrid time in recent years that it’s easy to exaggerate...

The leaky bucket of estate agency and how to fix it

Gathering and analysing feedback at all stages in the customer journey is highly important. So, where do we begin? For many estate agents, one of the primary...

PropTech revolution: how will the sector look in 2025?

Over the next few years, the property sector is set to change for the better – all thanks to PropTech. While the industry has lagged behind others...

Quarterly legal and compliance updates for letting agents

On 28 April 2021, Fixflo ran the first in a series of quarterly legal update webinars with David Smith, Partner at JMW Solicitors, to update agents...

What should agents do with cool customers in a hot market?

Property owners who play it cool when it comes to marketing their home find their frustration soon becomes overheated. The constant we hear from people planning to...

The future of the tenant experience

The last 12 months have heralded significant change across the property market and indeed we could argue across all markets in one form or another. But...

Is flexibility key in auction partnerships?

Whilst it was once seen as a way to sell niche or run-down properties, auction is now a mainstream method of sale widely relied upon by...

Vote, Vote, Vote - Housing and the 2021 Local Elections

Local elections rarely set the pulse racing and this year’s poll on Thursday faces a similar problem. But this time, it’s a series of votes so extensive,...

The reality of RoPA – an alternative view on estate agency regulation

We have more regulations controlling the sector than ever before and we have more ‘regulators’ involved in controlling the sector than ever before, so logic says...

What would you do with an extra 6.5 hours a week?

You could make about 65 more cold calls, or hold 13 more viewings, or you could take a power-nap every day of the week. Unfortunately, there are...

Estate agent case studies: ‘abandoning the corporate world for the new’

Keller Williams now boasts 377 estate agency partners across the UK - agents that have set up and run their own businesses with the support of...

Online KYC checks help estate agents battle rising fraud

As an estate agent, you should of course be performing robust Know Your Customer (KYC) checks as part of your Anti-Money Laundering (AML) compliance. But the steady...

Changes to the moving process that agents and consumers want to see

The private treaty process has been in need of modernisation for a long time. When we open an account with a new bank, we can take...

Change is coming – how can we improve the homebuying process?

With property transactions taking longer than ever and many people operating at capacity, it is easy to overlook the progress made, in the last year, to...

Property Natter: why agency must never become a closed shop

The biggest news story in town this last week – which has brought people who don’t usually like or watch football into discussing our national sport...

Ten useful tools to aid end of tenancy deposit deductions

The TDS annual review 2020 indicates that deposit disputes have remained low over the last year, at around 1%. This is great news for the industry,...

Why the pandemic should not be the end for physical agency offices

I was not surprised when I came across an industry article recently citing that over half of home buyers never visit their estate agent’s office. Considering the...

Should agents track the Covid testing and vaccination status of staff?

Potential house buyers may be fine with virtual tours during lockdown periods, but as the country opens up, people are going to want to hear how...

PropTech: What are the biggest questions on Apps vs APIs?

In my previous Estate Agent Today feature, I endeavoured to explain the key differences between APIs and Apps, to help improve agent understanding of the two. But...

Revealed - the thinking behind Zoopla's new look, features and functionality

As the property market continues to boom, competition between portals such as Zoopla, Rightmove, OnTheMarket and Boomin has been hotting up this spring. Earlier this week, Zoopla...

Prince Philip: how the property landscape changed during his century

For many, the funeral of HRH Prince Philip will be a solemn affair, while for some it will also be a cause for remembrance - perhaps...

Virtual viewings and personal data – what do agents need to know?

If someone broke into your house and took a video of lots of personal information, like photos of family and pets, copies of bank and insurance...

Apps vs APIs: Which is best for agents?

Have you found yourself asking the question: “what is the difference between an API and an App?” No doubt we are all familiar with Apps, as anyone...

Property Natter - will there be live property events this year?

The last property event I attended in person – and I think the last physical property event held all told – was the NAEA Propertymark conference...

Why direct mail has never been more effective

We’ve all spent the past nine months adapting to a more digital way of life. Whether that’s been working from home, Zoom calling friends, shopping online...

Property market evolution - it’s a balancing act for all of us

The UK property market is always evolving but never as quickly as it is now. Traditional estate agents are seriously questioning the need for their swanky...

Boomin - What’s the verdict?

The launch of Boomin has been and gone with, perhaps, something less than its expected fanfare of publicity. Of course there are the prime time TV advertisements...

Will digital transformation be the glue binding agents and conveyancers?

We are just over one year on from the day our lives truly changed, when the UK went into its first lockdown due to the global...

No short-term lets regulation for now - what could this mean for the PRS?

Licensing of the short-term lets sector in Scotland was due to be introduced next month. However, it was recently announced that the application for licensing has...

Multiple Dwellings Relief – what do property agents need to know?

Estate agents play a key role in identifying tax savings that can benefit all parties. If a purchaser can benefit from a reduced Stamp Duty Land...

Starting a business? Sage advice proved to be worth acting upon

It’s 12 years since we opened our doors with the Fine and Country estate agency in Drayton on April 1 2009. The date was not lost on...

PRS policy chat - what's next for agents and landlords?

Earlier this month, Fixflo held a webinar with David Cox, legal and compliance director of Rightmove, to discuss key government policies affecting the private rented sector. The...

One year of Covid-19 – How have estate agents coped?

With March marking one year since the beginning of the first national lockdown across all four nations of Britain in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the...

Take our 2-minute survey! We want your views on the industry

We recently launched our state of the property nation survey – a two-minute poll designed to give estate and letting agents in the UK a better...

Spring lettings market update – Pets, eviction ban and landlords selling up

Unsurprisingly it’s been a busy few months in the property market so far this year, and a busy few months in the lettings market to say...

Purplebricks - Is it joining the establishment?

Purplebricks is now part of the mainstream landscape of British estate agency. There - I said it. An agency whose whispered name would previously provoke high blood...

Have tenants in arrears? You need to be aware of this new law

From 4 May 2021, your agency could be blocked from charging late fees, compounding interest on missing rent and taking any enforcement action over debts, thanks...

Stamp duty holiday: could the market be more vulnerable to fraud?

The Chancellor’s recent announcement that the stamp duty holiday would be extended for another three months was undoubtedly great news for the property market. The stamp duty...

Is flexibility the future of estate agency?

The events of the last 12 months have potentially shaped the future of our sector for years to come. There has been a lot of disruption in...

Why top customer service is more important than ever in 2021

Later this year, on October 22, the ESTAS 2021 will take place in London. The glittering ceremony will welcome property professionals from all over the country...

Property professionals welcome digitisation to better manage transactions

The findings of the new ‘Thriving in a Pandemic’ report, recently published by tmgroup and mio, have highlighted that the market has not been able to...

Property Natter - is working from anywhere the future for UK estate agency?

One of the biggest trends in recent times, as a direct result of the pandemic, is the concept of working from anywhere. Many of us, of course,...

Stamp duty holiday: how to keep your chain intact

Following the fluctuation of the property market during the UK’s first national lockdown, the industry was given a lifeline by the government through the introduction of...

Why every day is Women’s Day here!

You could be forgiven for overlooking International Women’s Day on Monday. Well, almost. Focus was instead turned to the first day back at school for millions of...

The property sector needs to keep up with changing consumer behaviour

Last year saw a monumental shift in almost every aspect of our lives: not least the way we work, socialise and communicate. One area which has seen...

Why do over 50% of instructions sell with the second agent?

Recently I heard the stat that over 50% of property is sold with the second agent, which was backed up by some industry leaders and, looking...

Managing high enquiry volumes and making hay while the sun shines

The property sector is in the middle of a boom and demand is high. Last week’s announcement that the stamp duty holiday will be extended is...

Call My Agent! Celebrities find it’s not so easy to sell and buy homes…

One of the biggest TV hits of lockdown has been the Netflix show Call My Agent! It’s a surprise success, perhaps, because it deals with the rarified...

eBay and Amazon use omnichannel marketing - why don’t you?

As a property agent, fancy marketing terminology such as ‘omnichannel’ might not hold too much interest for you right now. We’re in the middle of one of...

Letting agents unite to support others during the pandemic

It might be tempting during the pandemic to focus simply on the business, yet many agents have been turning their attention outwards to see how they...

Property portals – how is the latest tech improving ROI for agents?

When I joined Zoopla, I took the same approach that I always take whenever I enter a new sector: I was determined to get out there...

Property Natter - are virtual viewings now absolutely integral for agents?

Pre-pandemic, virtual and video viewings were a nice little add-on for some agents, but they were far from universally used and certainly weren’t mainstream. On one level,...

Honesty – and a leak - see the property market through ‘crisis’

Honesty is a concept that journalists will tell their readers is non-existent for estate agents. Yeah, right! But as the end to the stamp duty holiday...

Five questions to ask your competitors' vendors (and when to do it)

We know the industry-wide statistic that more than 50% of all vendors end up selling with the second (or sometimes third) agent they work with, so,...

Propertymark latest - “We have no further comment”

When it comes to communications, Propertymark could do with a lot fewer confidentiality agreements and a lot more transparency. And I bet the organisation would get...

How to ensure your letting business remains compliant

Being a letting agent today means keeping up to date with the long list of rules and regulations governing how a property may be let and...

Revealed - Key challenges to agency businesses in 2021

Fixflo’s webinar on February 9 saw an industry panel debate 2021’s threats and opportunities for letting agents. The panel discussed a range of challenges brought about by...

How is the property market coping with the third lockdown?

We’re now well into the third national lockdown and as the nation’s thoughts start to focus on how and when we’ll be exiting, it’s interesting to...

Revealed - the most commonly misunderstood deposit protection terms

Knowing adjudication terms and phrases can make all the difference in a deposit dispute. The DPS has been helping landlords and letting agents identify how they can...

Revealed: what are the latest rental trends as we move through 2021?

As we move towards the one-year anniversary of the beginning of the first lockdown, it is a good time to reflect on the trends we are...

Property Natter - ‘I work for myself, not by myself’ – a self-employed agent’s tale

In this week's Natter, I focus on the inspiring story of Clare Hughes, who has bounced back in the last 12 months from life-saving surgery on a...

It’s time to stamp on stamp duty speculation

You can always tell when Budget day is approaching. There’s lots of comment from every imaginable quarter about what the Chancellor of the Exchequer should do, how...

What to consider when buying or selling an estate agency business

Estate agents might be expert at advising on buying and selling properties on their books but when it comes to buying another estate agency or selling...

Why automation could improve enforcement of PRS regulation

It’s now more than a year since the government offered an additional £4 million to councils to combat rogue landlords. At the time, Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick...

Three reasons why you should embrace omnichannel marketing

Let’s address the elephant in the room first - the property sector and how we market properties is changing. Gone are the days where the only way...

Has the Stamp Duty Holiday extension campaign worked?

There is no scientific formula, no list of must-have elements in a successful campaign. That’s especially the case for a campaign involving the property industry which -...

How is tech changing the role of letting agents for the better?

Since the outbreak of the pandemic, we have all seen a dramatic change in that way that we live and work, and this is no different...

Exchanging during lockdown – How to progress your pipeline

We are now over four weeks in to our third national lockdown in the UK. Although the property market remains open, with viewings and home moves...

Property Natter – will 2021 be the year of the merger?

At the back-end of last year and the start of this, the biggest news stories in town – besides debates over the stamp duty holiday, the...

Why 2021 is the year agents should move away from being technologists

Technology has advanced in leaps and bounds in recent years, undoubtedly improving many parts of the moving process for both estate agents and consumers. However, as the...

What will the lettings industry look like in 2021?

As part of our third PayProp Special Report on COVID-19 rental arrears in the UK, we surveyed over 600 agents, tenants and landlords from across the...

Is letting properties sight unseen the future of the rental market?

The ongoing Covid-19 pandemic has changed the way we evaluate our lives and, looking more specifically at the property market, it has had a huge impact...

Do you know what tenants want in 2021?

As we now find ourselves in the UK’s third national lockdown in 10 months, what tenants want, and need from their properties, is inevitably changing. Many people...

What is happening to house prices during the third lockdown?

Homeowners staying at home during another lockdown are doing more than sharing memes of groundhog day or doing family quizzes on Zoom. They are shopping -...

Better communication will be key for agents now and in the future

There is little doubt that the last year was one which none of us will easily forget both personally and professionally. Every aspect of life has...

Handle with care – why 2021 is the year to look after your leads

The last few months have seen property agents work hard to continue delivering quality client communications and maintain an increasingly digital presence in the face of...

Why don’t agencies list on the stock market anymore?

There’s been a flurry of recent activity involving agencies quoted on the London Stock Exchange: Hunters, The Property Franchise Group and Countrywide are obvious examples. They are...

What can estate agents learn from retailers?

If your house is anything like mine, the postman has a path beaten to your door over the last nine months. In 2018, it was predicted by...

Here we go again! What does lockdown 3 mean for the market?

Well, what a start to 2021! None of us thought things would change as the clock struck midnight on New Year’s Day. However, I think it...

Is the property industry at a crossroads?

The property market became somewhat fractious during 2020. After receiving a much-needed boost with the promise of stamp duty relief, things got really busy.  Unfortunately, the timing...

Property Natter: exclusive Q&A with Tim Balcon, Propertymark’s new CEO

Propertymark, the overarching body aiming to bring five different associations (ARLA, NAEA, NAVA, ICBA and APIP) into a single brand, was launched in February 2017, but...

Why Facebook is a great alternative to property portals

While the property industry has suffered far less than other sectors during the past year, it would be short of the mark to call 2020 anything...

Could autonomous transportation affect the property market?

In the not-too-distant future, it will be possible to order a driverless car to collect you and then drive you to a location of your choice....

Stamp duty holiday extension - This horse ain’t dead yet

Just a week ago, I thought it was all over. Christmas and New Year had gone, as had the passionate calls for the stamp duty holiday...

The PropTech revolution is re-invigorating the rental market

There’s no doubt that the property market underwent a tumultuous year in 2020, where efficiency was required more than ever. Since the outbreak of the pandemic, forward-thinking...

How to make process optimisation your New Year’s resolution

January presents an opportune time for agency leaders to resolve and plan for resilience, performance and growth in 2021. With most of the team taking time off...

Property Natter: backbone of our industry – Aspire-ing and roaring to greatness

Firstly, Happy New Year – here’s to 2021 being less chaotic than the last! In the final part of our series on local independent agents – for...

You guessed it…10 things to watch for in 2021

Here’s hoping you managed to have as good a Christmas and New Year as Covid rules allowed. Journalism in early January is usually at a loss. Nothing...

2021 preview – what do letting agencies need to prepare for?

As we approach the end of the year, there is no doubt that it has been a turbulent 12 months for all involved in the lettings...

Property Natter - backbone of our industry – the London way

Many independents will be based in the capital, but given its size and breadth they may get drowned out even more than regional operators. In an effort...

How can PropTech adapt within an uncertain market?

Ever since the initial ripples of innovation in the 1990s, PropTech has proceeded to reshape our market beyond recognition; going on to disrupt our traditional business...

Banking barriers for start-ups and how to overcome them

Start-up letting agents looking to enter the market are finding it increasingly difficult to set up in business as banks point blank refuse to open client...

Sell high, sell fast - selling for the best price with home staging

The importance of marketing properties is something that is often undervalued. Big budgets are dedicated to selling everyday items such as food or clothing, but the...

2020 review - property market survives everything that’s thrown at it

Well, what a year it has been for everyone, including the property market. I don’t think there’s anyone out there who could’ve predicted everything that has...

Is it time to allow tenants to keep pets?

This is a time of year when many people consider buying a pet as a present but for the millions of people in the private rented...

Corona kindness - the best of agency in 2020

The industry seems almost back to normal. Not the ‘new normal’ we spoke so much of a few weeks and months ago, but ‘normal normal’ - talk...

What leaving the EU means for anti-money laundering legislation

The coronavirus pandemic has somewhat eclipsed Brexit this year – which is no mean feat. Cast your mind back to pre-Covid days, and you may remember...

Indoor air quality and the Homes Act – what are the challenges?

The Homes Act requires landlords to consider whether their tenants' indoor air is safe. Five key air contaminants are listed in the legislation, and though they...

How can letting agents reduce deposit disputes?

Deposit disputes can be time-consuming and difficult for all parties involved whether it be a letting agent, landlord, or tenant. Although at times deposit disputes are necessary,...

Property transaction delays - where ARE the searches?

Delays with the return of property searches is one key factor for sales taking longer to complete. As conveyancers start to warn home movers that completion before...

Property Natter: the backbone of our industry – charity, Cornwall and family!

Welcome to part three of our ongoing series on local independent agents, as we seek to give this all-important part of the market the limelight it...

Change what you’re doing to complete sales before March 31

‘Many are in complete denial about the time it takes and still think it’s eight to 10 weeks.’ I won’t tell you who wrote the above, or...

What should agents look for in a software provider in 2021?

If this year has taught us anything, it's that estate agents need their software provider and specifically their CRM, to help them adapt quickly in a...

Are you prepared for a seasonal upswing in missed rental payments?

It’s that time of year again. Black Friday has been and gone and the run-up to Christmas is well and truly under way. While agents and landlords...

2020 - The year of Boomin?

The agency industry may look back on this year and say: “Well...to be honest we didn’t really see it coming.” No, no, not THAT. Of course no...

What is blockchain and can it really help estate agents?

Property sales take a seriously long time to complete. There are a number of reasons for this, although often delays are avoidable, some are inevitable. With so...

Rural property benefits from Covid-19 and the property use revolution

The secure Conservative victory in the 2019 General Election meant the property market in the sunlit uplands was set for a boom. But, like many other sectors,...

PRS regulation - could more authorities follow the lead of Westminster?

Back in September, Westminster Council launched a new strategy to help 'protect tenants' and 'ensure they live in good-quality and well-managed properties'. The London authority has the...

Why agents were in a stronger position to deal with Lockdown 2.0

As what now seems like a common occurrence everything has changed again since I last sat down to write about the industry, as we were plunged...

Money in the bank – how can agents insulate their pipelines?

You probably don’t have to listen closely to hear estate agents across the country starting to cheer. It’s been a big few months of deals being...

Property Natter - backbone of our industry: Golders Green to South Coast

As regular readers will know, the Natter kickstarted a series last time out zoning in on local independent agents – the backbone of our industry –...

Is a collaborative conveyancing solution the answer?

Searches that are bound by the Search Code, protecting the seller, buyer and lender, are property and not client specific. As such, it doesn't matter who...

The push me, pull you of estate agency

Newspapers are pushed through the door, whereas websites have to pull in visitors - it’s a simple but fundamental difference with vast implications for agency marketing. Newspapers were like...

Keeping the market moving is vital for more than just the economy

Tenants, landlords, agents, and house buyers all breathed a sigh of relief on Halloween when the government announced that home moves can go ahead despite the...

How the shift to digital can improve your client experience

It’s no secret that the recent pandemic has forced more businesses to operate remotely, but the shift for estate agents has been rather dramatic. While some agents...

Joe Biden’s housing market - well, it’s just like over here…

With a new President elected and the old one reluctant to move out, this is a good time to see how the United States’ housing market...

A rare shining light: property must be protected and allowed to flourish

Watching the government’s surprise press conference a couple of weekends ago the message was clear; we were heading into a gruelling and absolutely necessary second period...

What lessons did agents learn from the first lockdown?

The second England-wide lockdown is here. The good news is that this time round, the property market remains open for business, but sales and letting agents...

Top 10 things to consider before picking rental payment PropTech

According to the annual Property Week PropTech survey, almost 48% of property businesses had tested new technology because of the COVID-19 pandemic. If your lettings business is...

The importance of data from an agent’s perspective

Many agents are brilliant at giving a personal touch and are professional in the way they treat customers, but I would challenge more agents to begin...

Property Natter - spotlight on independents: the backbone of our industry

Firstly, let’s get the obvious out of the way. Lockdown 2, as it’s being known, is now with us, but fortunately for all of us in...

Lettings 2.0 - technology alone isn’t the answer

The UK lettings market is no stranger to technology. But only a few of the early initiatives have remained, and landlords are faced with a mishmash...

Four revenue generation tips for letting agents

What are the best ways for a letting agency to generate additional revenue and stay ahead of the competition? Management fees are a crucial source of income...

The small things agents can do to reduce consumer stress

Purplebricks recently launched a meditation service to help buyers and sellers manage stress. You might disagree with the idea, but moving home is stressful. I know because...

Does experience still count in estate agency?

“I’ve got 47 years of experience as an agent. Do I still have to get a qualification?” asked one attendee at a webinar on regulation this...

Renters' Reform Bill delay - what does it mean for the lettings market?

Housing Minister Christopher Pincher announced that the introduction of the Renters' Reform Bill will be delayed for an indefinite period due to the impact of the...

How can we ensure the second half 2020 doesn’t become a blip?

Recent figures emanating from the mortgage and housing market suggest that – since lockdown was ended in mid-May – transaction levels have been strong and that...

Common sense tips for dealing with student tenants

Clear communication and common-sense actions by landlords, letting agents and students at the start of a tenancy can drastically improve the chances of a smooth check-out...

Getting PropTech for free? It's probably because you're the product

The proliferation of free and accessible digital services has - at face value - brought us many great things: same-day deliveries, numerous social media platforms, and...

Market analysis – why it’s all change in the rental sector

It’s no surprise to hear that the property market has seen a lot of change across 2020, with ups and downs galore, and the lettings market...

Property Natter: why diversification is the spice of life for agents

The property market has bounced back with all of the expected resilience and flexibility that is its hallmark since it reopened in mid-May. Agents have coped well...

Lettings in 2020 needs a gamechanger - could this be it?

There is no doubting that 2020 has been a challenging year for all industries, with the lettings market being no exception. Following the seven week shut down...

Six ways innovation is transforming the lettings sector

Tenant enquiries and property viewings unsurprisingly slowed this spring, due to the necessary government restrictions brought in to manage the pandemic. But the lettings market didn’t...

Conveyancing: these two things can facilitate superior handovers

The Stamp Duty Land Tax holiday has been a hot topic of conversation for many in the residential property industry – but are there stormy skies...

Latest legislation – how can agents and landlords be compliant?

In recent years, the extent and role of the private rented sector (PRS) in the housing market has seen significant changes. The sector has grown considerably, with...

Revealed - the ‘so what’ of software integration

Integration, collaboration and connected platforms – some great buzzwords, but what do they actually mean and do they really help agents? One thing’s for sure… just talking...

Book review of ‘Parasite - The Secret Diary of a Landlord’

Book review by Graham Norwood, editor of Estate Agent Today, Letting Agent Today and Landlord Today. If a letting agent wants to persuade a reluctant landlord to...

No more Mr Bad Guy: the image of agents is getting a makeover

Lawyers, politicians, bankers, insurance sellers – no matter where you go, there are some professions that are just always going to be unpopular. And there’s another...

How to make client accounting software migration a breeze

When letting agents are preparing to migrate from one piece of client accounting software to another, it can sometimes seem like an intimidating process. While there can...

Electronic signatures are helping agents to weather the 2020 storm

2020 has definitely been a year of change. With little warning, the pandemic disrupted the day-to-day operations of almost every industry around the globe, forcing them...

PRoperty Public Relations tips that work

I wanted to take this opportunity to write an advice piece on what we here at Angels Media have found important when planning public relations (PR)...

Property Natter – five ways to enable your agency to thrive this winter

The only certainty at the moment is ongoing uncertainty. It’s something we’ve got used to in 2020, but it’s still not ideal. At present, no-one can say...

Referral fee transparency shows why panel management is outdated

The latest review by the National Trading Standards Estate and Letting Agency Team into referral fees places the outdated practice of panel management further under the...

Single view of the chain - what does it mean for agents?

In early September, mio achieved an industry first with the release of the mio chain view API. Now, all the parties involved in a sale or...

Could employee ownership be a good option for estate agencies?

In July, here at Environet UK, we transferred 100% ownership of the company to our employees, in the form of an Employee Ownership Trust (EOT). The EOT...

Electrical checks: rules for new tenancies vs existing tenancies explained

The Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020 have been in place for several months now. While letting agents and landlords will be...

How to carry out check-ins and check-outs in a Covid-compliant way

The latest government rules combined with the Prime Minister’s recent address to the nation is clear – tougher measures are required to control the spread of...

Landlords - shout louder about the good you’re doing!

We all know what the problem is, but what’s the solution? The problem is that landlords, thinking they offer a valuable service to tenants, have become unfairly...

Property Natter: why didn’t Foxtons’ American dream work out?

Recent Natters have explored the differences between the UK and American models of agency, and why Purplebricks failed to make a mark in both Australia and...

Safety in agents’ offices: understanding the law on whistleblowing

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has encouraged people to complain if they are unhappy about working conditions and thousands of complaints across a variety of sectors...

How will the end of the furlough scheme affect the rental market?

The Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, better known as the furlough scheme, was introduced by the chancellor Rishi Sunak in March to help employers deal with the...

Why generating and nurturing leads is more important than ever

Seller and landlord leads are what makes estate agency tick. Without them, new business is nowhere to be seen and you are likely to soon run...

The PRS is broken - here’s how to fix it

The pandemic and the way the government has reacted to the private rental sector (PRS) has got me thinking about the wider issues affecting the market...

Tips for growing your management portfolio in uncertain times

Despite the recent effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, there is still much opportunity in the market for letting agents to grow their portfolios. September statistics from the...

Safety first: five-step risk assessment for agents’ offices

With the high street open again, and the Chancellor’s temporary stamp duty holiday helping to stimulate the market, estate and letting agents should have already introduced...

Is the property market more than on the road to recovery?

I’m sure I speak for most in the property industry when I say that back in March and April I had huge worries about how the...

Effective signage is key to rebuilding customer confidence in the market

When it comes to the future of the property market in the wake of Covid-19, there are two main schools of thought. The first predicts a housing...

Three ways estate agents can create a virtual tour

Across the UK and Europe, lockdown measures are changing and the markets are kicking back into life as we grow accustomed to the new normal.  However, for...

Insight - what’s really going on in the property market?

If you’re in any way connected to estate agency all it takes is a quick glance at Facebook or LinkedIn to know that agents across the...

Property Natter: why haven’t the Big 4 tech firms got involved with property?

For a number of years now, predictions have been made that one of the major tech giants will eventually enter the UK property market to grab...

Remain vigilant with client money as we return to the office

The letting industry has come a long way over the past few years, embracing regulation and taking pride in doing good work in the field of...

Autumn 2020 - seven things to watch

It’s no surprise the mainstream news remains dominated by coronavirus - not so much the actual effect of it right now, but more the fear of...

Navigating through the Covid crisis and beyond with AI

There will not be a single business within the property sector that did not start the year in vastly different circumstances to the ones we now...

How will new mandatory survey standards improve the moving process?

From December, the new RICS Home Survey Standard will become mandatory for all RICS professionals undertaking home surveys. The below article explains its ambitions and how it...

Property Natter - perception vs reality - why do agents have a bad rep?

It’s fair to say that UK estate agents don’t have the best of reputations, often featuring in the lists of the top 10 most hated or...

Agents will be crucial during extended eviction ban

The ban on evictions was due to end earlier this month, but following a last-minute U-turn from the government, it has been extended by another four...

A guide to commercial mortgages during the Covid-19 pandemic

With access to finance being such a hot topic at the moment, more and more estate agents are turning to commercial mortgages. Whether that’s to expand and...

Explained for agents - Electrical Safety Standards Regulations

Since June 1, under The Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020, landlords in England have been required to have the electrical...

Countrywide - 10 own goals in five years

Hindsight is 20-20 vision, of course, and we can all see things we did ‘then’ that we would not do ‘now’. And it’s easy to criticise...

Letting agents still struggling to open bank accounts

Letting agents are struggling to open new bank accounts and even large established letting agents with a long history of trading are reporting that banks are...

How could the recession affect the property market?

It was officially announced last week that the UK is in recession for the first time since 2009, and although this has come as no surprise...

AML checks for estate agents who don’t have time for compliance

The last few months have been tough for the property sector, and the pressure will continue as estate agents across the country work tirelessly day and...

Property Natter – what does agency look like Down Under?

In my last Natter, I explored the differences between estate agency in the UK and the US with the help of Harry Wilson from Stoke-based Sky...

Revealed: What today's renters want, need and expect

Life as we know it has changed – for everybody – and what tenants want, need and expect in this post-pandemic world has changed too. Even before...

The true benefits of virtual property marketing

It has been three months since the property market was given the green light to reopen. During this time, we have seen a continued rise in...

Deep Dive: what did the Zoopla Rental Market Report reveal?

The Zoopla Rental Market Report, published this week, mentioned a two-speed rental market, but what does that mean? We are seeing two trends emerging in the rental...

Rightmove has nothing to fear but Rightmove itself

It must have been a close thing on Friday as to whose faces were looking the most glum - those at the Say No To Rightmove...

Why diversifying into auctions can boost post-lockdown cashflow

Following the easing of lockdown restrictions on England’s property market in May, NAEA Propertymark reported a sharp increase in business for estate agents. Its research found...

Property Natter - what are the differences between UK and US agents?

We have had a special relationship for many years and are bonded as countries in many ways – historically, politically and culturally. But the US and...

Estate agents – here’s your cheat sheet for the next 90 days

One of the main points I’ve had reinforced to me from agent after agent over the last year of hosting a podcast all about estate agency,...

Sales progression – who should be doing it?

“Many hands make light work” – Does John Heywood’s old English proverb from the 1300s apply to modern approaches on how agents should best approach managing...

Covid-19 is speeding up PropTech - what are you waiting for?

What do General Electric, IBM, Microsoft, and WhatsApp have in common? Yes, they are American companies that boasted revenues of $50 billion plus in 2019. But...

Regulation - is there a better way of becoming a better industry?

If a week is a long time in politics (an old phrase, for younger readers), then a year is a very long time in the agency industry,...

Code of Practice marks welcome progress for RoPA recommendations

Earlier this month, it was revealed that property industry bodies have joined a new Code of Practice Steering Group to enact one of the Regulation of...

Stamp duty holiday: the first change to benefit landlords in years

As expected within the property industry, the Chancellor announced a stamp duty holiday in his Summer Statement. This now means that the lower stamp duty threshold...

Celebrating the different side of estate agency

Difference should be celebrated. But in our industry it rarely is. I was on the board of a large corporate where the CEO published a set...

Property Natter: what will property conferences and events of the future look like?

Conferences, events and awards dinners are a hugely important part of the property calendar, bringing the great and the good of the industry together to network,...

Heard the one about the agent, the conveyancer and the surveyor?

Emma Vigus, managing director of sales progression platform mio, in discussion with key suppliers in the residential property industry on operating conditions and the tools that...

Electrical checks - clarity and efficiency are crucial for compliance

The Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020 - which require increased electrical testing in rental properties - were introduced on July...

Agents can sell properties at record speed with this key combination

There’s no doubt that Covid-19 has had a huge impact on the UK’s property market, after hundreds of thousands of house sales were put on hold...

Upfront property information – we need to stop ‘going round the houses’

At a recent Conveyancing Association webinar focused on the provision of upfront information in the property sale process, there was a telling comment made which perhaps...

Sunak’s stamp duty holiday was never going to be enough

You have to feel for Rishi Sunak - well, at least a little. Leave to one side that he carries more presentational skills, authority and dignity than...

Fall throughs – the impact and the solutions revealed: Part Two

In the second of a series of articles, Emma Vigus, Managing Director of mio, the Estate Agents Sales Progression platform, explores the impact of slow transactions...

Property Natter – who are the industry’s major trade bodies?

They are the names we hear about often, pushing for this or seeking clarifications on that. They are the representatives of the industry, the main voice...

Property supply and demand - what's the latest and what's in store?

We recently issued our Zoopla House Price Index, which analyses the latest real-time trends from the sales market. In our analysis, we reported that: • Just six weeks...

Fall throughs – the impact and the solutions revealed

In the first of a series of articles, Emma Vigus, managing director of mio, the estate agent sales progression platform, explores the real impact of slow transactions...

The fraud risks facing the property sector as a result of Covid-19

Businesses across all sectors have struggled to adapt to the changes brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic. One group that have bucked the trend to benefit from...

Jenrick - Why his scandals matter to agents

It may be that by the time you read this it’s all over for Robert Jenrick, the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government. By...

Sales progression – Why? How? Let’s get better

With three months of lockdown behind us, commission income is vital, and sales progression is more important than ever. Emma Vigus, Managing Director of mio, discusses the...

How to avoid delays as the property market recovers

Buyer registrations and sales enquiries are reportedly back to pre-Covid levels. Completions, however, are lagging behind. This is probably down to the market cessation, but ongoing...

Start-ups saving letting agents time and money will thrive

As we adjust to a life post-Covid-19, letting agents, landlords, and tenants are thinking - ways to speed up the process from first viewing to a...

Property Natter - the property industry should track Zoom’s phenomenal growth

“Let’s Zoom later”, “are we Zooming in the morning or afternoon?” “Yeah, I zoomed the client earlier” – variations on these phrases are something we have...

Agents continue to adapt as property market bounces back from lockdown

The property market is used to change, and I’m confident it will bounce back from any lockdown effects. Despite being acutely aware of everything that has been...

Losing control of client money poses serious risks for letting agents

Most letting agents don’t set up a business to become accountants but losing control of client money poses serious risks for letting agents. Imagine running a letting...

Horses for courses - the rise of the personal agent

The phrase ‘game-changer’ has been hugely overused. But when applied to how Covid-19 is changing the way estate agents will work in the future – it’s...

The single version of the truth - myth or reality?

Imagine a Zoom call where ten people are discussing the same topic, but everyone speaks a different language and has a different understanding of the subject. This...

Why every political party is pro-tenant, anti-landlord

Back in the day, party politics and the private rental sector used to be straightforward. Conservatives were pro-landlord, Labour were pro-tenant, while the Lib Dems were as...

Technology is central to solving property’s mismeasurement issue

To most people, purchasing a home is the single most significant financial commitment made across a lifetime. Given the impact and gravitas of the decision, it...

Charity connection brings meaning to fast-growing processor of rental transactions

Covid-19 has placed a spotlight on the impressive variety of fundraising platforms and technologies available – and not often in places you’d expect, as is evident...

Tune into consumer behaviour to accelerate business recovery

It’s official – the property market is back open for business. Estate agents have started to unfurlough staff and many are making their way back to...

Property Natter – who are the challenger portals?

The only story that has come remotely close to pushing coronavirus – and its various knock-on effects – off the top of the property news agenda...

20 Years of LonRes - The changing face of prime central London

How prime London has changed. In 2002 work began on The Knightsbridge. Located within a stone’s throw of Harrods and a near-neighbour of the five-star Mandarin Oriental...

Downturn’s silver lining: our two cents on the property market

There’s no doubt we’re in a less-than-rosy phase of the property cycle. This, however, is not another doom and gloom piece: we want to talk about...

PropTech is the key to dealing with post-lockdown surge

The Covid-19 crisis has forced the UK property industry to rethink the way it operates. With little warning, the pandemic disrupted the day-to-day operations of estate agencies...

The three key factors influencing the UK property market

The outlook for the housing market is still taking shape, but here I take a look at three market indicators to watch. From buyer sentiment to Bank...

The property industry needs to prioritise mental health more than ever

Last week was Mental Health Awareness Week, and there is a great deal of positive things to be said about a programme of promotion that puts...

'No DSS' lawsuits - what do letting agents need to know?

Over the last few years, there have been a number of high-profile court cases in which renters took action against letting agents for refusing to show...

Dominic Cummings - lessons for the agency industry

Dominic Cummings has been at worst a cause of huge anger to a nation that’s already extremely anxious. At best, he’s been a source of light relief...

Estate agency post-Covid-19: more evolution than revolution

The Covid-19 crisis hasn’t caused the revolution it has been reported to have. Despite the challenges it has brought, fundamentally, the inherent nature of estate agency...

Property Natter - what happened when big lenders had their own estate agencies?

All my recent Natters have been focused on one particular topic, the coronavirus crisis, for obvious reasons. But there has been a greater sense of some...

How’s the housing market? Ask again in September…

Rightmove has taken the unusual step this weekend of issuing its usual monthly asking price index on a Saturday instead of a Monday - and, even...

How can estate agents take professional property photos themselves?

As you know, having professional images of your properties is the best (only?) way to get people wanting to step through the door. Whether your clients are...

The two most expensive mistakes the property sector is making right now

The fallout from Covid-19 has hit everyone hard. With breaking news today that agents are able to look at how to reopen, they are having to...

Property Natter - what will agent offices look like post-lockdown?

There has been much speculation about when agents will be allowed back to work, and what the new office working environment will look like. EAT editor Graham...

What happens after the Tenant Fees Act transition period ends?

In these unprecedented times, Tenancy Deposit Scheme (TDS) aims to reassure letting agents, landlords and tenants on any legislative changes, relating to tenancy deposit protection, that...

Three reasons why estate agency should be first out of lockdown

The coming week’s stories in the mainstream media - inevitably focused on Coronavirus - will be dominated by two things. Firstly there will be debate about how...

Sales progression: We need to talk about speed

Buying and selling a house is often referenced as being one of the most stressful life experiences that we can go through as adults. Many sales go...

Agents - this is why buyers aren’t seeing your print ads...

We all know the world has gone digital—nothing new there. Every time you jump online, you’re one of 4.5 billion internet users. Why, then, are many agents...

Property Natter: a week in the life of…agents in lockdown!

Lockdown measures are still in place for another two weeks, at least, with the possibility of them being extended beyond that. Which means the new normal...

Reducing the time between sale agreed and completion will be key post-lockdown

At the moment, it somehow seems like tempting fate to think too far into the future, especially in terms of the property market being allowed out...

Will coronavirus affect attitudes towards referencing and rent guarantee products?

One of the most important aspects of being a successful and profitable agent is selecting the right tenants. The industry manages this by conducting thorough referencing and...

Change - The key to unlocking demand after the lockdown

If it’s really the case that estate agents’ offices could be in the category of High Street premises first allowed to open as the lockdown relaxes,...

Why working from home isn’t always all it’s cracked up to be

Let me start by wishing everyone well in these uncertain and precarious times. I truly hope you, your families, friends and colleagues come through this test...

The final stages of Section 24 – where does this leave the PRS?

This month saw the introduction of the final stages of the Section 24 tax changes, first introduced in April 2017. Whereas buy-to-let investors could once deduct all...

Technology and service are the future of the property market

The last five years have seen unprecedented changes to the property market and agents and their clients have never faced such enormous challenges. The systems and methods...

Property Natter – doing our bit to help the industry through this crisis

We are still living in highly extraordinary times, perhaps evidenced best by the fact that the Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, was in intensive care for three...

Home is a shelter from storm – all kinds of storms

Just a month ago our homes felt, for many of us, to be a mere pitstop on a centrifuge of work, school, sport and ballet runs. Reading...

Remote viewings – how does the latest technology look?

In this time of economic uncertainty, more and more people are becoming unwilling to leave their homes, yet you and your estate agency need to keep...

The coronavirus impact - one month in

As the impact of coronavirus unfolds, we are in constant conversations with customers to understand the challenges they’re facing and to ensure we’re making the best...

Property TV ads – the winners and losers revealed

Due to the current Coronavirus pandemic, we are all being told to stay at home as much as possible to contain and flatten the spread of...

It’s 2024: what will the industry look like, post-Coronavirus?

There’s a sense that we really are on the verge of a huge change in the industry. It’s too early to be sure, of course: we are...

Why Open Banking is the future of rental payments

Much like PropTech, Open Banking has been used as a buzzword in recent years. However, when it comes to the rental sector,  particularly when we consider...

Agents beware - buyers shoulder Japanese knotweed risk following TA6 changes

Based on our historical data over twenty years of nationwide operation and a survey conducted in partnership with YouGov, we estimate that 4% to 5% of...

Planning for post-lockdown - how to hit the ground running

Over the last two weeks we’ve seen the country come to a standstill and the property market effectively put on ice until we are out of...

Open letter – why agents need lead generation to help them through the crisis

In response to the current coronavirus pandemic, which is having such an impact on all parts of life, including the property industry, steps are being taken...

Property Natter – how is the industry coming together during self-isolation?

Where else to start? Since my last Natter two weeks ago, all our lives have changed more than we could ever have imagined in such a...

Enough is enough – an alternative view on portal subscription fees

It’s time to draw a line in the sand and condemn our rival portals for their current charging structure. Little will change moving forward as the...

First-time buyers shun Shared Ownership for Help to Buy

New research of the buying habits of first-time buyers in the UK we’ve undertaken here at reallymoving.com shows that Shared Ownership is a comparatively unpopular option...

How one country’s housing market is reacting to the virus

The extraordinary past week of anger over portals’ fees plus early-warning statements like that from Foxtons indicate the anxiety in the industry as Coronavirus shuts down...

Why negative reviews are the secret to success for agents

We all know how stressful buying a home is, whether it’s your very first step onto the ladder or your final family home. It’s a long, expensive...

Property Natter - the do’s and don’ts of starting an agency in your twenties

There’s been a huge change in the way estate agencies operate in recent years, with far more focus on marketing properties online and across social media. Therefore,...

LonRes at 20: the lightbulb moment behind one of the first PropTech firms

The lightbulb moment for LonRes was born out of sheer frustration. I’d just missed out on a deal and the postman was entirely to blame. At the...

Standardise processes across multiple branches in 3 easy steps

Your business may be growing quicker than you could ever imagine which is great when it comes to raising brand awareness. However, with multiple branches, is...

Intu the unknown - Could shopping centres become homes?

It may be that we’re facing another year - make that yet another year - of disruption in the housing market. Coronavirus may lead to significant changes...

How will the coronavirus affect estate agents?

The coronavirus outbreak has highlighted once again how fragile and interconnected our societies have become. We don’t know yet how dangerous Covid-19 is, but what we do...

Electrical checks – how to get ahead of the current

By now, most letting agents and landlords will have heard about the draft legislation laid in Parliament concerning a mandatory minimum electrical safety standard (ESS) for...

‘Agents will be a big part of Zoopla’s growth’ - Q&A with Charlie Bryant

More than 18 months on from the acquisition of ZPG for £2.2 billion by Silver Lake Partners, a US private equity firm specialising in technology investments,...

Property Natter – how did agents advertise in the pre-portal days?

In the last few Natters I’ve focused on the slow death of local newspaper advertising, and how many agents are now looking for modern alternatives to...

Uncle Sam vs Blighty - Two countries separated by a common language

The Atlantic Ocean is a vast space – some 4,000 miles eastwards across from the USA until land is met again. 4,000 miles sounds a lot...

The future of renting for property service providers

The property management industry is evolving at a rapid pace, thanks almost entirely to the rise in PropTech. Hundreds, if not thousands of software products are being...

Short lets - should there be selective bans?

There’s something of a conspiracy of silence over the problem of short lets. That is a stark claim but many siren voices demanding regulation of buy-to-let are...

A new Housing Minister - what does it mean for the PRS?

Earlier this month, Boris Johnson carried out a reshuffle of his cabinet, telling ministers they must 'repay the trust of those who voted for us in...

Agents - please don’t leave a message after the tone

Why should agencies leave voicemail in the last decade and make 2020 the year to invest in a more modern solution? Voicemail has been a firm fixture...

Brexit transition period: change, or just more of the same?

Despite still being in the transition period after leaving the EU on January 31, we are seeing an upturn in the market. Boris Johnson thinks that the...

Embracing the self-employed model – an agent’s view

The landscape of the estate agency market in the UK is evolving to reflect changes in the way we live our everyday lives. Service and personal relationships...

Property Natter – who will be the property disrupters of the 2020s?

The 2010s were a good decade for disrupters. Early on, Airbnb and Uber shook up the holiday lettings/hospitality and traditional black cab/minicabs industries respectively, while just...

Mandatory qualification legislation - an educator’s view

As residential sales and lettings professionals we are conditioned to adapt to change, it’s the nature of the profession. However, developments in government, and publication of...

How can estate and letting agents do simple charity work?

At Agents Giving, we work with estate and letting agents and suppliers across the UK to encourage, support and promote your fundraising activities. So if you are...

30% Discounts: good idea but...er…how will they work?

Not for the first time, a government policy on housing ends up begging more questions than it provides answers - but even so, I’m happy to...

It's time for agents and politicians to get behind Reservation Agreements trial

Now we’re well into the second month of the year, we have reached a crucial point in the ongoing plans to improve the homebuying and selling...

How can agents keep up with the ‘on-demand’ economy?

The ‘on-demand’ economy is reshaping our world. The way we order food, get around, and even access healthcare has changed irreversibly as new technology increases the...

Property Natter - is local property advertising now yesterday’s fish and chip paper?

For a very long time, it was one of the best ways – if not the best way – of generating interest in a home for...

Lifetime deposits – what are the potential challenges and benefits for lettings?

Last November, as part of the Conservatives’ general election campaign, Boris Johnson made a surprise announcement that his party would introduce lifetime deposits for renters if...

Two-tier system can produce winners if landlords are prepared to move

After a challenging period for the UK property market, recovery is very much on the cards and the end to uncertainty over Brexit augurs well for...

How to make your customer journey count

Understanding the customer journey plays a huge role in the success of any estate agent. From that very first viewing right through to securing that sale, your...

Brexit challenges for agents and the property industry

Suddenly Brexit Day is nearly here. It may have taken three and a half years from the Referendum but the UK will, within days, be outside of...

A fundamental misalignment of interests between agents and portals

Property portals generate revenue from estate agents regardless of the outcome of the transaction. This relationship has resulted in a fundamental misalignment of interests between listing...

48 hours with...the largest estate agency in the world

'It's a recipe, not a menu' is a mantra championed by a host of Keller Williams' millionaire estate agents. But what are the ingredients and method to...

How digitisation will change conveyancing – for the better

In the field of conveyancing, there’s a new dynamic at play. And that dynamic is customer-driven and customer-focused, using digital technology to improve and enhance the...

The six crimes of modern-day call handling

Six common ‘crimes of modern-day call handling’ are blighting UK estate and letting agencies and hampering their growth, reputation and profitability. These mistakes can have serious ramifications...

Why pent-up demand will drive the property market this year

As I look towards this year, I am sure that my thoughts are the same as many within the industry. I am not completely sure what to...

2020 - the year of Airbnb, and the opportunity for agents

Over the past decade, the short-term rental industry, now eponymised by Airbnb, has experienced meteoric growth. This has been driven by the rise and proliferation of online...

Countrywide, two years after Platt - time for the last rites?

In six years of editing Estate Agent Today, some of my most dramatic moments have been covering the troubles - some would say the car crash...

Fifth Anti-Money Laundering Directive: time to check your compliance

Yesterday (January 10 2020), the Fifth Anti-Money Laundering Directive (5AMLD) became law. It forms part of ongoing international efforts to tackle corruption and is the latest...

How can agents build an inclusive rental society and trust with tenants?

We are facing a new world in the lettings industry, with the proportion of households in the private rented sector (PRS) to rise to 22% by...

What next for property in 2020?

After a year dogged by Brexit deadlock, political turmoil, and slow growth, estate agents’ confidence in the property market hit a historic low in 2019 as...

Property Natter: the most revolutionary software product on the market?

First things first, a big happy New Year to everyone. Welcome to 2020! It looks set to be another interesting year in the property world, and...

Bah Humbug - Do we do too much for first-time buyers?

There are reasons to be optimistic that a majority government will improve the housing market, simply by ending political and economic uncertainty. But I want to risk...

Five things to watch for in 2020

A new year dawns - but will 2020 bring new change for the agency industry now that the market appears to have been reinvigorated by the...

New on the block - how interest in block management is evolving

It's been two years since the SDL Group launched its franchise block management business, SDL Property Partners, the first of its kind in the UK. We set...

Property Natter: let’s talk about conveyancing

It’s one of the most crucial aspects of the homebuying and selling process but is too often bogged down by frustrating delays and complications, and also...

Market analysis – what did we learn in 2019?

When looking back on the property market this year, the main message we can take is that it has remained extremely resilient in testing times. The market...

Be kind to your mind - talking anxiety in estate agency

Our mental health affects how we think, feel and act. It affects how we handle anxiety, relate to others and impacts our decision making both at...

Delivering client care with a wow – the case for outsourcing

Outsourcing important business functions such as marketing, HR and IT to attract cost savings, leverage expertise and gain greater competitive advantage is commonplace among estate agents. However, until...

The government’s PropTech plans have the potential to be good news for agents

In the firmest sign yet that PropTech has entered the mainstream, Housing Minister Esther McVey recently launched an expert advisory council that the government says is...

What does the new RICS Home Survey Standard mean for agents?

As part of its commitment to promoting and enforcing high standards, RICS has launched its Home Survey Standard, which will become the mandatory best practice benchmark...

The PropTech Revolution: Three Pillars of Digital Transformation

When we launched Reapit’s Foundations Platform as a Service (PaaS) in November, it may have seemed like a recent development in our company. Truth is, it...

Property Natter: what has the last decade meant for the property industry?

Yes, believe it or not, we’ve nearly reached the end of a whole decade. And what an eventful decade it’s been. We’ve had Trump, Brexit, England success...

General election 2019: The housing crisis remains a top issue

With Brexit still unresolved, the domestic agenda has been pushed from the headlines by the seemingly overwhelming public and political discord over our future relationship with...

Anti-money laundering – acting on your suspicions

The Fifth Money Laundering Directive becomes law in the UK on January 10 2020, strengthening the responsibilities placed on private companies like estate agents to spot...

DPS adjudication case study: Do tenancy breaches lead to a full claim?

The Deposit Protection Service (The DPS) keeps deposit money safe for letting agents, landlords and renters during the course a tenancy. Its free, government-accredited custodial tenancy...

Will flight-shaming kill the overseas holiday home?

There used to be a consolation for some estate agents at this time of year - while it was wintry and quiet in Britain, they could...

A winning combination: pick ‘n mix the best practices from Australia

The Australian agent is a very different beast to his or her British counterpart - and it’s not just because we live in houses on stilts,...

Property Natter: Day in the life of a London sales director

In the latest part of the Natter’s ‘day in the life of’ series, I catch up with Chris Osmond, sales director at London agency JOHNS&CO –...

Here’s why agents need to keep a keen eye on the Christmas Prize

Property voyeurism and the festive season have long been bedfellows for many Brits. The heady combination of over-indulgence and regret, close proximity to distant relatives, and a...

Why is compliance a growing issue for letting agents?

It’s been clear for a while that the additional regulation landlords and agents are facing has helped professionalise the private rental sector (PRS). However, increased legal...

Training - how can you be the best estate agent?

Here at sales progression and communication tool mio, we recently caught up with Sarah Edmundson, co-director of The AllStars Group, the nationwide provider of estate agency...

Technology can give letting agents new life instead of a slow death

No one would argue that unfair fees and practices by rogue landlords is a problem that should be ignored, but the government seems to be taking...

Election preview - what are the key issues for agents?

In just over two weeks, the UK population will head to the polls for the fourth general election since 2010. Of course, this election comes in unusual...

Agents - what do YOU want to know about the portals?

Problems with relationships are usually helped, if not always resolved, by people asking straight questions and getting straight answers. That’s what we want to help achieve between...

The changing profile of first-time buyers

Recent Zoopla reports stating that first-time buyers are deciding against purchasing one-bedroom flats came as no surprise to me, or I’m sure anyone else working in...

Why agents need to embrace the incremental revenue

It’s easier than you might think. For any agent the challenge of making a business successful is hard work with the focus on maintaining good stock levels,...

Property Natter: do agents need to adapt to modern communication methods?

As we know, the world’s moving very fast and how we communicate now is drastically different to even 10 years ago. In all likelihood, it will...

Why you should donate your unwanted coats to charity this winter

Last winter, Agents Giving had a fantastic response to our Winter Coat Drive, which saw the collection of more than 1,500 bags full of unwanted coats...

The next generation of renters - are you ready to find them a home?

You don’t need to go far to find news about the UK lettings market. From the banning of tenant fees to proposed new changes from MPs,...

Is this how Reservation Agreements will work?

Reservation Agreements are the subject of the moment in the agency industry. The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government is to pilot them in a fairly...

Why it’s time to unify your communications

You’ve probably heard about unified communications (UC) before. But why are your competitors and other organisations moving towards centralised comms platforms? What are the benefits? ISDN’s days are numbered Chances...

Property Natter - shining a light on agents doing things differently

This week’s Natter is dedicated to three contrasting agencies doing things differently, from a recently established hybrid to a design-led, Insta-friendly company and a small, family-run...

Community-based letting agencies have a future in physical form

The phrase ‘death of the high street’ can be found in nearly any publication in any given week. And for fair reason: the shops with which...

A focus on professional development could improve our industry

Being a market leader means staying on top of industry trends. The more aware you are of what's happening in the market, the better equipped you...

Section 8 and safeguarding landlords’ rights - what agents need to know

In recent months, we’ve seen headlines dominated by changes to tenancy rules, government consultations and more than a few scare stories. Landlords could be forgiven for feeling...

Boris and the house moving process - O Lucky Man!

There are many adjectives that can be applied to Boris Johnson, probably very few of them complimentary, but there’s one that is undoubtedly true: ‘Lucky’. His timing...
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