Archive

Property auctions – online or otherwise – can be hugely helpful to sellers, buyers and estate agents. Online auctions, in particular, are...

“It appears conveyancers either aren’t too concerned with PropTech right now, or they don’t yet have all the information needed to...

Last November, as part of the Conservatives’ general election campaign, Boris Johnson made a surprise announcement that his party would introduce...

It's been confirmed that Humberts has been sold for an undisclosed amount to a consortium of franchisees - and that the...

In the field of conveyancing, there’s a new dynamic at play. And that dynamic is customer-driven and customer-focused, using digital technology...

“Give me 100 leads and I will make five-times more good appointments than any AI you put me up against,” stated...

HM Land Registry appears to be making painfully slow progress on digitising land charge search data - contrary to its earlier...

Yesterday (January 10 2020), the Fifth Anti-Money Laundering Directive (5AMLD) became law. It forms part of ongoing international efforts to tackle...

We are facing a new world in the lettings industry, with the proportion of households in the private rented sector (PRS)...

A senior regional estate agent says the appliance of PropTech has helped his company streamline communications, reduce sales times, and generate...

NAEA member agents have delivered a relatively downbeat forecast for 2020 - but the organisation says an injection of digital technology...

It’s one of the most crucial aspects of the homebuying and selling process but is too often bogged down by frustrating...

“There won’t be a single home but millions of different homes”, is one quote.  “There will be an end to gadgets”, is...

A free to list property portal has announced its integration with two leading property management solutions. Estate agents using either Reapit or...

Outsourcing important business functions such as marketing, HR and IT to attract cost savings, leverage expertise and gain greater competitive advantage is...

When we launched Reapit’s Foundations Platform as a Service (PaaS) in November, it may have seemed like a recent development in...

A new tie-up between Coadjute, a network for decentralised workflow and data sharing within the property industry, and banks including NatWest...

The Fifth Money Laundering Directive becomes law in the UK on January 10 2020, strengthening the responsibilities placed on private companies...

The Australian agent is a very different beast to his or her British counterpart - and it’s not just because we...

[Estate Agent Today was ‘off air’ for some of Wednesday and most of Thursday thanks to technical problems - we apologise...

Who are you and what does it say on your business card? My name is Mark Hinkins and I’m a Sales Consultant...

No one would argue that unfair fees and practices by rogue landlords is a problem that should be ignored, but the...

28th NOVEMBER 2019: Christopher Watkin’s recent thought-provoking interview with Dan Marsden sheds light on the property industry today and offers an...

You don’t need to go far to find news about the UK lettings market. From the banning of tenant fees to...

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 National Association of Estate Agents and the Association of Residential Letting Agents have issued their manifesto for next month’s General...

The Australian agent is a very different beast to his or her British counterpart - no surprises there. And it’s not...

Hunters has announced a new branch being opened in Ickenham, part of Hillingdon in north London.  It’s to be the third branch...

Upad, the national online letting agent set up by entrepreneur James Davis has announced that it is “closed to new business”...

I have been banging on about partnerships and collaborations for years now. Whether it’s between two real estate firms, two PropTech firms,...

Case study: Connells reaping the time-saving benefits of new sales and communication tool Since adopting mio in September 2018, Josh Lally, Senior...

London-focussed business-to-business deal data service LonRes has acquired an anti-money laundering compliance consultancy specialising in residential and commercial property. Financial Crime Services,...

In recent years, governments and local councils have sought to change the private rented sector (PRS) to make it more appealing...

Hello and welcome to your regular Monday PJT, the essential guide to who’s moving where in our industry. Everyone mentioned here got...

In a previous Natter, I promised to talk more about CRMs – and here I stick to that promise. Following on from...

HM Revenue & Customs has revealed that the original Emoov online agency has been fined for breaches of money laundering regulations. HMRC...

An estate agent is linking a drop in transactions of as much as 20 per cent with the stamp duty increases...

Professional client account solutions for modern letting agents Letting agents will need to come up with new ways to manage client money...

A PropTech firm is marketing anti-money laundering audit checks for agents to help the industry comply with tighter regulation. Identity verification business...

Former Purplebricks US chief executive officer Eric Eckardt is seeking some £6m in funding from across the world for his latest...

The National Association of Estate Agents has told the government that it wants one single Ombudsman to provide redress across all...

Technology will drive the lettings and property management industry in the future. There is already a plethora of various software and other...

The London market has “plummeted” because almost a third of vendors have cut their asking prices in anticipation of Brexit. Using data...

As the founder of Jupix, I worked in the property industry between 2008 - 2014. I had the privilege to lead...

Have you asked yourself why technology is so important in letting agency today? Just look around and you will know why. Almost...

Who are you and what does it say on your business card? Eric Woodhams F.N.A.E.A. mio Account Manager What is mio and what...

I feel I am in a fortunate position. I have been central to the PropTech movement for a number of years,...

The introduction of technology to an industry can be daunting, due to changes in executing daily tasks, and also a fear...

Estate agents have been urged to ensure they are carrying out an annual independent audit of their anti-money laundering (AML) processes. ID...

  Who are you and what does it say on your business card?             Becky Howes, mio Account Manager What...

Facebook is set to enter the cryptocurrency business with the big reveal of its formal plans scheduled for some point this...

It’s easy to understand why people are hesitant towards processes becoming digital. It is the fear that the digital world is...

A member of a legal information and networking organisation says an online estate agency expects him to do some work in...

In recent years, estate and letting agents have been faced with a series of tough challenges to absorb and react to. There...

Earlier this month we celebrated the 16th annual ESTAS Awards, once again hosted by TV property expert Phil Spencer.  The glittering ceremony...

As we move closer to the halfway point of 2019, property market conditions for agents and their clients remain challenging. Brexit may...

We’ve reached the final instalment of my market transformation do’s and don’ts.  In previous articles, we’ve looked at: Do encourage, don’t deter;...

The UK property market can be seen by criminals as an effective vehicle to conceal the proceeds of economic crime. Criminally...

A survey undertaken by the respected Economist Intelligence Unit and a risk solutions company suggests that estate agency may be one...

Who are you and what does it say on your business card? Jake Gready Managing Director NEXA Bristol What services do you provide? buying - selling...

A London sales and lettings agent has revealed to Estate Agent Today some of the tactics used by his rivals in...

With Easter now upon us (happy Easter, by the way, and hope you’re enjoying the long weekend, the Easter eggs and...

Low risk letting is everyone’s aim, but unless legitimate guidelines are followed it’s difficult to know if a tenant will prove...

It has been a long time coming, but the tenant fees ban, which forbids landlords and letting agents in England from...

The recent ARLA Propertymark conference featured a hugely interesting line-up of speaks and session during a watershed time for the lettings...

UK estate agents charge the lowest commission out of any nation in the European Union, according to a recent study by...

More than 800 property transactions fall through daily, which can have repercussions both practically and financially, as agents fail to get...

One of the industry’s leading compliance experts is to lead a roundtable discussion in May on the anti-money laundering issue -...

To get the absolute most from your estate or letting agency business, it’s vital that you partner with the right software...

Estate agent anti-money laundering (AML) compliance is under scrutiny again following the publication of figures detailing the fines levied for AML...

The Money Laundering Regulations require estate agents to risk assess their business relationships and apply an appropriate level of investigation to...

It’s time, surely, for government to crackdown not just on rogue agents and landlords but on rogue councils that confuse the...

The influential Treasury Select Committee says estate agents should be more closely monitored to ensure they abide by anti-money laundering regulations. In...

The huge £215,000 fine levied on Countrywide for failing to abide by anti-money laundering procedures is a demonstration that estate agents...

Who are you? Mikus Opelts, CEO of Giraffe360 What is Giraffe360 and what does it do? Giraffe360 is a unique digital photography subscription service...

When you recruit a new member of staff, training should be one of your main priorities.  After initial training, ongoing training and...

The Money Laundering Regulations require estate agents to risk assess their business relationships and apply an appropriate level of investigation to...

Another For Sale By Owner website has been launched - this one, apparently, because the founder was “frustrated” with estate agents’...

The Money Laundering Regulations require estate agents to risk assess their business relationships and apply an appropriate level of investigation to...

As an estate agent, you need to be ready to cater for the specific requirements of buyers and sellers, tailoring your...

Formal consultations have started concerning the job losses and branch closures for Your Move and Reeds Rains, revealed yesterday by their...

Purchasing a property. It’s a key life goal that so many Millennials aspire to - yet one that has become frustratingly...

  The National Association of Estate Agents and the Association of Residential Lettings Agents have thrown their weight behind the government’s latest...

One of the largest estate agencies in the Midlands, Newton Fallowell, says it’s made a remarkable £5m in referral fees from...

Our latest case study come from a recent news item to have hit the industry and national press. A disgruntled tenant is claiming...

The government has moved to crack down on money laundering in the UK with a new campaign focusing on the accountancy,...

“Estate Agents must be suffering from supplier fatigue. Where do you even begin? Most agents haven’t got the time.” So started the...

Even with 2019 well underway, letting agents need to keep refining their long-term goals and business targets. For agencies with a...

With the speed of property sales continuing to slow and no end to the sluggishness in sight, it’s time to take...

The government says it will be releasing details of its ideas to revamp redress systems concerning agents and new homes “in...

In the past year it seems every other story has been about PropTech - the big stuff like Purplebricks and the...

There is a perfect storm brewing in the lettings market, and as the saying goes, “you can’t change the direction of...

How will things be done in the future? There’s no knowing, of course, given the many variables at play, but it’s...

Conveyancing regularly adds unnecessary and costly delays to the home buying process and improvement could be far quicker than any efforts...

People now expect a streamlined, digital-first experience from every single service they interact with - and the lettings industry is no...

For any business, regardless of size, age or industry, operating efficiently is fundamental to your success. When faced with challenges like we...

Given that ‘UK buyers are the most digitally active home hunters’, with HSBC’s Beyond the Bricks report stating that 90% of...

Who are you and what does it say on your business card? Marco Ferrara, Director of Tili What is Tili and what does...

Estate agents have been warned that underestimating their legal obligations when it comes to anti-money laundering (AML) could see an increase...

Technology is transforming the way we comply with Anti Money Laundering (AML) regulation. It is providing a consistent approach, reliable outcomes...

In our previous 2 blogs we have covered the definitions of the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations (CPRs) and what the practical...

In 2014 The Properties Misdescriptions Act was repealed and replaced with the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations, otherwise known as...

After gaining my MBA qualification from Edinburgh Business School in 2005, I took careful consideration over my career moves and prospective...

In our previous blog, we looked at the definitions outlined by the CPRs. In our next blog we’ll look at the...

Estate and lettings agency is arguably one of the most fierce, ruthless and relentless industries going. And, with fluctuating stock levels,...

When Oakland A’s, a small-market team, stunned the baseball world 16 years ago by transforming itself into world-beaters on a shoestring-budget,...

Running an effective property business in today’s market relies on the clever use of technology.  The right technology will make your agency...

Hello again from Italy. Only another week or so left out here, working every day from the same table at my...

The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) - which replaces the Data Protection Act 1998 - has now become effective and is...

In a world increasingly obsessed with all things digital, it's no surprise that many estate agents are choosing to experiment with...

The former deputy chief executive at online agency Tepilo is launching a new training, recruitment and consultancy business for estate agents.  Catherine...

Does your company apply adequate customer due diligence measures when carrying out estate agency work?  Does it establish and maintain appropriate policies...

Automated search companies have heaped praise on HM Land Registry following the digitisation of local land charge data - the LLC1...

A PropTech company boss says evidence given to MPs confirms the need to improve anti-money laundering processes through greater automation and...

The Money Laundering Regulations 2017 require estate agents to risk assess their business relationships and apply an appropriate level of investigation...

The Money Laundering Regulations 2017 require estate agents to risk assess their business relationships and apply an appropriate level of investigation...

Chestertons has announced two changes to its management team in order to, in its own words, “help lead the business into...

The Money Laundering Regulations 2017 require estate agents to risk assess their business relationships and apply an appropriate level of investigation...

A new anti-money laundering app has been launched which allows agents to conduct checks remotely.  The app allows access from devices -...

Letting agents are being advised to think seriously about how they can recoup costs to help compensate for the introduction of...

Having recently attended FUTURE: PropTech in London, it struck me just how far the integration of property and technology has progressed...

A property portal that describes itself as free-to-list has launched today, taking the industry by surprise - however, at least one...

Hello and welcome to this week’s PJT - this is the first edition for a fortnight as last Monday was a...

A new online platform claims agents can now offer people a chance to buy a property with, literally, just one click...

There is a common misconception that the private rented sector (PRS) is entirely made up of young professionals and students. While...

That’s it. I’ve given up. The lull has continued and it’s becoming quite a bore.  The price drop hasn’t worked. The revamped...

Floor plan software provider Metropix celebrated their win at The ESTAS on Friday by announcing an upcoming landmark. Having scooped the “Best...

Who are you and what does it say on your business card? Ben Robinson, Director of Agency Services at Landmark What is Landmark...

I have total transparency. I love that.  I know how the portals are doing, I know how many people are clicking on...

I’m writing this a week into my instruction decision. It has been a fascinating journey to date. As I discussed last week,...

A 15-month research project says HMRC should do more to engage estate agents in recognising the importance of complying with anti-money...

To say I had a lot of reaction to last week's column about selling my flat would be an understatement. I've never...

Just like that, the Easter Bank Holiday has come and gone and I find myself now looking ahead to the Summer.  The...

The Guild is offering member agents a service which will allow them to verify the legitimacy of their clients to conform...

A survey suggests that the average fine incurred by estate agents for apparent non-compliance with anti-money laundering regulations is £11,842. Research by...

Neil Cobbold, COO of PayProp, advises letting agents to act now to beat the upcoming letting agent fee ban and discusses...

Three weeks has flown by (I missed an early deadline last week - apologies) and I find myself writing the next...

One day, I’ll sit down to write for Estate Agent Today and I won’t express my dismay at the lack of...

Greetings from Cannes, where the sun is finally shining over MIPIM. I’m sure many of you are out here, too, and...

A compliance specialist company is warning that as it believes relatively few estate agents fully understand their anti-money laundering obligations, firms...

Whether you’re an estate agent, letting agent or property manager, having the right software in place – to enhance, upgrade and...

The National Association of Estate Agents says a new tool just launched will make it easier for agent members to comply...

In a show of changing consumer behaviour in the property market, new research has revealed that digital-savvy movers are favouring specialist...

PropTech has been the industry soundbite for the last couple of years. For many of my fellow agents, I think it’s one...

This week I carry out a question and answer session with one of the most high-profile names in property. Isobel Thomson has...

There was an excellent article, published last week, based around an interview with Chandra Dhandapani, CBRE’s chief digital and technology officer.  The...

For a while now, property and technology have been combining seamlessly to offer the industry innovative solutions to often complex problems....

A major industry supplier has reminded estate and letting agents that they have to check their responsibilities and systems ahead of...

HouseSimple is reported to have secured £20m in growth capital which it says will help it “challenge Purplebricks as the UK’s...

A new EU crackdown on money laundering requires estate agency businesses to adopt a collaborative approach if they are to avoid...

The government's call for evidence from agents and others in a bid to improve the house buying process has pushed some...

Saudi Arabia has announced it’s to build a new mega-city, rising out of the desert sands in the kingdom’s north, adorning...

Last week was MIPIM PropTech Summit 2017 in New York, and it was the most oversubscribed to date - proof of the...

If an industry, which is going through a major change is going to truly implement change at every level, it must...

In his PropTech 3.0 report, Andrew Baum dedicated an entire section to blockchain; it was titled: ‘Blockchain is coming – get...

Having launched 13 years ago, PayProp, part of Humanstate Group, an international private technology services group, has grown into a leading...

When Kenneth Bruce, co-founder of Purplebricks, published an emotional post on social media this week, my first reaction was; what a...

Parliament is sitting again and the entire lettings industry is waiting with bated breath for more detail on the government’s proposal...

If you’re a busy estate or letting agent, you’ll find that it can be quite difficult and time-consuming locating the right...

Once upon a time there were estate agents. That was it. Nice and simple. If you marketed and sold residential property,...

Historically, short-term rentals have been an unattractive business for the majority of estate agents and property managers. Scarcity of demand from tenants...

The government wants the views of estate agents and other professionals affected by anti-money laundering legislation, in a new consultation launched...

That the private rental sector has become the government’s whipping boy for housing problems - landlords in particular, letting agents almost...

The political ebb and flow continues - seemingly with all the subtlety of a Boris Johnson rugby tackle on a 10-year...

The detailed paperwork accompanying the Queen’s Speech includes the Conservative party manifesto pledge to streamline house buying - but gives no...

Since we last spoke, the ESTAS – the biggest and best property awards ceremony in the UK – has been and...

Since the seventies, housing starts and completions across England and Wales have been on a downward trajectory. The long run average...

First impressions are the most important when meeting new people and this is no less true for new customers finding your...

In a week that I am recovering from the exuberance of MIPIM, there are two big pieces of fundraising news that...

It seems prop-tech is exploding at a scary rate, and the latest brands are all trying to grab our attention by...

The Conveyancing Association wants the creation of a ‘log book’ and ‘Home Reports’ for each home on sale - reminiscent in...

The East Midlands, which consists of several areas including Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Rutland, Northamptonshire, Nottinghamshire, and much of Lincolnshire, has an ancient...

Housing minister Gavin Barwell has told the NAEA conference that there is no quick fix for the country’s housing shortage -...

If this past year is anything to go by, outsourcing is firmly on the agenda for estate agents. Rather than being...

Annoying isn’t it. You take on a stunning property, agree a compelling asking price and your Vendor is desperate to get the...

2016 was quite a year – eventful, dramatic, shocking and impossible to predict. In no particular order, we saw Leicester winning...

A post-Christmas treat this week, as I carry out a Q & A with one of the leading figures in property,...

Technology has been continuing to shape the way estate agents manage their customer service offering for years. It’s now a completely...

Only a week to the Christmas break and still our industry goes above and beyond the call of duty to raise...

Countrywide says it is unable to comment on speculation that some Bairstow Eves offices in the south of England have been...

The former Apprentice runner-up Jamie Lester, who at one time ran four London estate agency branches under Haus Properties, says he...

What does it say on your business card? Rajeev Nayyar, Managing Director of Fixflo We’re here to talk about your new product,...

An Essex estate agent who believes he is the youngest in the industry has explained his success to Estate Agent Today...

When a tenant paid his initial one month’s rent in addition to a tenancy deposit in exchange for the keys to...

Who are you? Nick Dyoss, Group Business Development Director, SearchFlow, property intelligence specialists You have a high profile within the conveyancing search industry,...

More estate agents are using – or at least considering using – virtual reality viewings as part of their services. But what...

The key lies in improving your customer experience through technology For Agents, the tremendous growth in online estate agents highlights a strong...

The highest number of second homes in UK local authority areas exist not in the south west, the Lake District or...

Later on, the title of this piece should become clearer (at least I hope so). First, though, a few bits and...

Square foot prices at one of central London’s most controversial new developments - Nine Elms - are down eight per cent...

What is Properstar? Properstar helps UK estate agents cross the chasm from local to global in respect of advertising their properties. Using...

Paying too much every month for your website? Move your website to us and we guarantee to halve your monthly bill I want...

With ever increasing obligations, estate agents know that compliance matters now more than ever.  However, being able to obtain access to the...

How do you want your agency to be perceived? Do your processes reflect both the quality and speed of service you...

After all the recent Whitehall upheaval we can perhaps get back to business; and first item on the agenda seems to...

The high-profit property crowdfunding site Property Partner has laid off 13 of its employees - equivalent to around 29 per cent...

Haus Properties, the high-profile London estate agency started almost five years ago by Apprentice star Jamie Lester, now appears to be...

Nearly three quarters of people who have sold or bought a property deem it more stressful than having a child or...

Plentific - a proptech startup that operates a ‘find a professional’ service - has secured £2m in funding.  The service, which lists...

The old and eternal debate over whether or not tenant fees should be banned continues to rumble on. It’s a major concern...

  Who are you? Carole Marsden   What does it say on your business card? UK Sales Director What attracted you to join SearchFlow?  SearchFlow has...

London transaction data company LonRes and law firm Eversheads are launching an agent-to-agent anti money laundering compliance service for LonRes subscribers.  The...

It’s nearly June – June! – already. Seriously, where has this year gone? This means summer is nearly upon us, with a...

Fraudsters attacking the conveyancing sector, successfully stealing large sums of money from homebuyers, are making national headlines at a depressing rate....

Running a business is not easy, but sometimes it becomes harder because we are expected to modify our behaviour due to...

Finding the right estate agency software supplier can be difficult and time-consuming. It's increasingly important to find a partner that suits your...

This week, as the title suggests, I turn my attentions to the world of deposit protection schemes. Landlords have been legally obliged...

It’s all too easy to look sleazy in the eyes of a sceptical world, and there’s a danger right now that...

Last month the news of the Conveyancing Association’s (CA) newly-launched progression training course for agents and mortgage brokers, reached the news pages...

Research from a residential investment consultancy throws light on the extraordinary large pipeline of new homes to be built in central London,...

An agent has broken new ground by creating an open-plan shop which includes an agency office, a cafe and an interiors...

SearchFlow’s rebrand and positioning as the specialist in ‘property intelligence’ is a response to new technological advancements and the changing market...

Let Mid West Displays get your window in shape! Never underestimate the power of high street presence. Image is everything, and what...

Happy New Year to all those (bet you’re a little bored of hearing that now, aren’t you?) - but we know...

This week, Storm Desmond has left devastation in its wake. Once again, the nation’s attention is drawn to the threat flooding...

The company behind Homeshift, an online tool which helps home-movers, says it aims to build on its current 200 estate and...

It was an end of an era in the property world this week. Christopher Hamer stepped down as the Property Ombudsman...

“Estate Agents have been highlighted by the Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA) as under reporting relative to their vulnerability to money...

A report from anti-corruption campaign group Transparency International says British estate agents reported only 179 suspicions of money laundering in a...

LSL Property Services plc has announced another lettings acquisition, this time in Elgin and Inverness. The agency they have bought, PHP Lettings,...

The National Association of Estate Agents admits that “take up has been low” in its bid to persuade each member agent to...

Countrywide’s management restructuring continues apace with new changes aimed at “leveraging our combined sales and lettings offering through one cohesive retail team”...

An unusual story of hard-to-sell homes has emerged from Northumberland where a kind of new town, established in the 1960s, is...

Rezi’s cloud based SaaS platform seamlessly connects technology and business infrastructures Rezi Enterprise is a sales and lettings SaaS platform with an...

Estate Agent Today understands that the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors wants to become a supervisory body under new laws attempting...

Estate agents want systems that deliver power, speed and mobility. Increase efficiency, reduce admin, offer a personalised service and increase your income...

THE UK housing market is reported to be picking up according to figures this month from the Council of Mortgage Lenders...

Many Councils are now introducing Landlord Licensing within different boroughs, for those that have one of the requirements is a 24...

Channel 4 admits to using what it calls “unusual” secret filming techniques and an undercover reporter posing as a Russian politician to...

In today’s highly competitive market place, no company can afford to miss a business opportunity. Roy Fuller Managing Director at Everything Lettings...

OK, you’re being spoilt. This column is now going to be on a bi-weekly rather than monthly basis. You lucky people,...

When updating you window displays it is important to ask yourself what would make you stop and take the time to...

So spring has sprung and the Hare is on the loose. After a very long gestation period, the Veyo leveret has...

Q: Tell us about Kristina Grimes. I am the Sales Director of Dezrez, one of the leading providers of estate agency software....

www.dezrez.com/rezi Whilst the estate agency market has accelerated over the last ten years, it’s fair to say that technical innovation in the...

Information Works is a one-stop direct marketing solution allowing Clients to select individuals at over 27 million household addresses, create personalised...

Not Invested In Light Panels Yet In this economical climate you might think that investing in new window displays is a...

It’s over at last. But while the property market has been awaiting the outcome of the closest poll in years, many...

Make your market aware that now is the time to make a move. Effectively manage your direct mail and door drop campaigns...

Regents Estate Agents and Mortgages (REM) contacted Fairfield with the intentions of updating their old displays with bright LED Light Pockets™....