Archive

In my last Natter, I explored the differences between estate agency in the UK and the US with the help of...

A leading expert on estate agency and the housing market in Australia has lifted the lid on how Purplebricks failed down...

We have had a special relationship for many years and are bonded as countries in many ways – historically, politically and...

Conferences, events and awards dinners are a hugely important part of the property calendar, bringing the great and the good of...

The industry’s first virtual awards event has taken place with hundreds of agents participating courtesy of YouTube. Winners of the prestigious ESTAS...

They are the names we hear about often, pushing for this or seeking clarifications on that. They are the representatives of...

“Let’s Zoom later”, “are we Zooming in the morning or afternoon?” “Yeah, I zoomed the client earlier” – variations on these...

The only story that has come remotely close to pushing coronavirus – and its various knock-on effects – off the top...

All my recent Natters have been focused on one particular topic, the coronavirus crisis, for obvious reasons. But there has been...

There has been much speculation about when agents will be allowed back to work, and what the new office working environment...

Lockdown measures are still in place for another two weeks, at least, with the possibility of them being extended beyond that....

It may seem a long time since normal trading took place but many agencies are now finding they are picking up...

The government is being urged to allow estate and lettings agents to return to work as soon as possible when the...

We are still living in highly extraordinary times, perhaps evidenced best by the fact that the Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, was...

Where else to start? Since my last Natter two weeks ago, all our lives have changed more than we could ever...

There’s been a huge change in the way estate agencies operate in recent years, with far more focus on marketing properties...

Analysis by an online valuation and lead generation service shows that requests from prospective sellers and landlords are increasingly happening in...

The ESTAS today reveals its shortlist for the 2020 Awards which includes the Zoopla Xcellence Award - a special category that celebrates...

In the last few Natters I’ve focused on the slow death of local newspaper advertising, and how many agents are now...

An online valuation service says the number of leads it generated for agents in January was over double the figure in...

The 2010s were a good decade for disrupters. Early on, Airbnb and Uber shook up the holiday lettings/hospitality and traditional black...

Now we’re well into the second month of the year, we have reached a crucial point in the ongoing plans to...

For a very long time, it was one of the best ways – if not the best way – of generating...

It’s back - the five-a-side football tournament which made its debut last year with teams from the property sector makes a welcome return...

'It's a recipe, not a menu' is a mantra championed by a host of Keller Williams' millionaire estate agents. But what are...

Following on from the second half of the last decade, the first few weeks of 2020 have been a bit mad...

First things first, a big happy New Year to everyone. Welcome to 2020! It looks set to be another interesting year...

Here it is - the start of a new decade, a moment for resolutions and remembrance, and the last Bank Holiday...

This is our last edition of Estate Agent Today until Friday December 27 and everyone at Angels Media, EAT and the...

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

We’re back to our Christmas celebration photographs, and with the holiday break just over a week away here’s a reminder that...

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...

In the latest part of the Natter’s ‘day in the life of’ series, I catch up with Chris Osmond, sales director...

It’s beginning to look a lot like…we’re running a very popular service for agents, as we’ve been inundated with more fund-raising...

As we know, the world’s moving very fast and how we communicate now is drastically different to even 10 years ago....

This week’s Natter is dedicated to three contrasting agencies doing things differently, from a recently established hybrid to a design-led, Insta-friendly...

Yopa – launched in 2015 as part of the new breed of hybrid operators seeking to shake up the industry –...

England rugby fans will have been disappointed to find out that Saturday's planned World Cup group stage clash with France in...

The ValPal Network, which consists of over 800 agency brands with more than 4,000 offices, has launched a new product which...

In a revival of the Natter’s day in the life of series, I catch up with Rajeev Nayyar, managing director of...

How can estate and letting agents nurture leads who aren't ready to sell or let a property instantly? It's a question many...

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

Former Purplebricks chief executive Lee Wainwright says the problem for estate agents maintaining a strong level of fees isn’t competition from...

They will be the doctors, lawyers, teachers, thinkers, leaders and captains of industry of the not too distant future, but is...

Richard Rawlings’ annual roadshow opens on September 3 with the first of 17 stops across the UK, each giving a three...

The teenage daughter of the co-founder of telephone answering service Moneypenny has been found dead on holiday on Mallorca. Sky News reports...

With the often negative portrayal of agents in the media and popular culture, you might ask yourself why anyone would want...

Nicky Stevenson has had a very varied and interesting career in property. She started out as a lettings negotiator for Nicholas...

It’s now more than three years since the EU referendum result in June 2016, and we’re still no clearer on when...

In the second part of my exploration of startups, I talk to a number of people with lived experience of creating...

All the most successful startups of recent years – from Airbnb and Uber to Just Eat and Deliveroo – have melded...

My experience in marketing over the last 10 years has been an interesting journey, however I don’t want to bore you...

In the first Q&A Natter for a while, I catch up with Angelica Donati - CEO of Donati Immobiliare Group, PropTech...

Hello - it’s that time of the week again when we celebrate the agency industry’s fantastic fund-raising. We were delighted that our...

Estate Agent Today has been named Property Trade Magazine of the Year 2019 at the annual Property Press Awards. It fought off...

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

So far in our contribution to the campaign to replace leasehold with commonhold we have outlined the stories of some of...

Whether you love or hate it, Purplebricks has undoubtedly left its mark since arriving on the scene in 2015 – much...

Hello and welcome to this week’s ADC - yet more examples of stupendous fund-raising by our industry (and a lot of...

Landmark Information’s online valuation tool SmartVal is being retired by the company, with agents who use it being advised to switch to...

During our school days, most of us did that task where we imagined and drew the homes of the future, but...

Hello and welcome to another one of those great long weekends that come along often at this time of year -...

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

Two of the PropTech sector's highest profile digital marketing suppliers are integrating in a bid to help agents nurture the leads...

The leasehold scandal has received plenty of press coverage, with horror stories of people living in homes that are impossible to...

When you think of the best ad campaigns – from moustachioed opera singers and talking meerkats to millions of bouncing balls...

Four high-profile industry figures have sent an open letter urging agents to think about what they call “smarter marketing” in a...

As the clock ticks down and Britain’s future gets ever more difficult to predict, one of the few certainties to cling...

For many years, the majority of agents have stuck to the tried-and-tested 9am-6pm opening hours framework. But is this now changing,...

The best suppliers to the estate and letting agent sector for customer service have been announced by the ESTAS in the...

Instagram (or, as the younger generation would have it, Insta) is, by any measure, massive.  Only launched in October 2010, it’s a...

Estate agents and property firms are being invited to take part in the inaugural Property & Construction leg of an event...

With the home buying and selling process firmly on the news agenda of late – everything from a possible ban on...

Who are you? I’m the Director of Sales for both the well-known industry leading Today publications and The ValPal Network. Leading publications: Estate...

Kit Malthouse has been making headlines this week, but – in keeping with his tenure as Housing Minister so far -...

Agents need to focus on more targeted marketing using a mix of traditional and modern methods to optimise their position in...

I don’t think I can add anything more to the excellent 2019 pieces we’ve seen on EAT in recent weeks –...

Still recovering from Christmas and New Year? There’s no shame in that - the agents’ fund-raising season resumes in earnest in...

Everyone at Estate Agent Today wishes all our readers, agents and suppliers to the industry, a peaceful and loving Christmas. If at...

Today we finally bring the curtain down on our terrific gallery of Christmas photos that agents and suppliers have kindly sent...

Another year is nearly done – and what an eventful year it’s been. We’ve had more than our fair share of breaking...

As we near the Christmas break so it’s time to put our feet up for a moment and celebrate another year. What better...

There are only a few days left for agents, brokers and suppliers to enter the ESTAS 2019 - closing date is...

Hard not to mention two major breaking news stories of recent days; one directly affecting the property market and one which...

The HomeOwners Alliance says a hack on its IT infrastructure was “a professional attempt at deception” by people who uploaded 5,000...

Agents should be on the alert after what appears to be the hacking of the email account of the consumer group...

Every other advert on the TV is featuring Santa Claus, snowmen or reindeer, the tinsel, trees and decorations are out in...

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

The ValPal Network, an automated valuation system, has for the first time provided over 100,000 leads to agents in just one...

It’s the most obvious visual medium high street agents have at their disposal, and for many decades has been absolutely pivotal...

No, I haven’t lost the plot. Such a thing exists – and if you’re familiar with North London, there is a...

Almost one in five online sales valuations generated by The ValPal Network over a two-year period resulted in a completion with...

Google celebrated its 20th birthday last month. Yes, it might be hard to recall a time when it wasn’t integral in...

Landlords and letting agents might feel they’ve taken a bit of a battering from the government in recent years – and...

Fake news has become the popular catchphrase of a certain orange-tinted president in recent years. And everyone, from tech giants like...

Out and about recently, I got to thinking: how often do I actually have the call for cash anymore? Or, for...

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,...

Next week ludlowthompson celebrates its 25th anniversary. Here, I catch up with Stephen Ludlow, co-founder and now executive director of the...

First things first, I have to mention the World Cup. The dream is over, football’s not quite coming home (not until...

A property software guru says he wants PropTech firms to join with him in an ‘open platform’ which would allow smaller...

Cast your mind back to July 2008 – Gordon Brown was Prime Minister, the Euros were in full swing in Austria/Switzerland...

Estate Agent Today is 10 years old this weekend. We hope you’ll agree that’s a cause for celebration and a great...

The former managing director of Foxtons, Peter Rollings, has spilled the beans on what it was like working at the heart...

Peter Rollings is one of the most respected and best-known figures in property, having helped to rapidly grow Foxtons (where he...

Last time out I looked at the growing importance of content, social media and design – but these should only form...

As we move towards another Bank Holiday Weekend, there is no shortage of phenomenal fundraising efforts from those in our industry.  If...

As promised a few weeks ago, this week’s Natter concentrates on the importance of content, design and social media, three easily...

Graham Norwood has scooped two accolades in the prestigious Property Press Awards for his work on Estate Agent Today and Letting...

Ever wondered what it’s like to be on the frontline of property journalism? Well, wonder no more, as our very own...

Maplin, Toys R Us, Carpetright, Warren Evans – what do they have in common? All are well-known high street chains that...

The Future: PropTech conference takes place in under a fortnight’s time on May 2 and over 1,200 delegates have now been...

It’s under two weeks to The ESTAS 2018 held in London on Friday April 20. It’s the biggest and best bash in...

With the rise of Purplebricks in recent years, many will be eager to know what the hybrid agency’s Local Property Experts...

For part two of the 'Day in the life of' series, I spoke to Peter Kavanagh, who first joined Romans in...

One of the most important aspects of running a successful estate or letting agency is being able to generate new business...

In the first of an ongoing series exploring the people who make the property industry tick, I catch up with James...

The provider of an automated valuation system has introduced a new feature to allow agents to amend the valuation if there...

The death of traditional TV – where viewers sit down together to watch shows at defined times – has been much...

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

Purplebricks’ new UK chief executive officer, Lee Wainwright, is to address a major industry conference in May - his first address...

In recent years January has become the month of detoxes, fad diets, health kicks such as Dry January and Veganuary, and...

Oh we do love a busy Agents Do Charity page, and this week’s is busy indeed - thanks to everyone for...

The ESTAS Group has announced record entries for its 2018 estate and letting agents awards.  The national award scheme - which recognises...

After the fun and over-indulgence of the festivities, most of us are now back to the world of work. And, with...

We would like to take this opportunity to provide a clarification to a newsflash sent by Property Industry Eye on January 1.  The...

So here it is … a very Merry Christmas from Estate Agent Today and Angels Media, with our very best wishes...

Another new year is nearly upon us and, once we’ve got the season of mince pies, mulled wine, pigs in blankets,...

As we hurtle towards the end of 2017, it’s time to reflect on the year that’s just been.   Even better, this property-based...

Winter seems to be firmly with us now, if the plunging temperatures are anything to go by. After a ridiculously mild...

The industry appears to be embracing this year’s Halloween celebrations like never before - tomorrow’s the big day but we’ve got...

Crowdfunding is nothing new. As I pointed out in a previous Natter, it dates back centuries, playing a part in the...

A breakdown of data from over 4,100 agents has revealed that it takes on average 201 days to move home, from...

It’s been a big week for property news - controversies surrounding Purplebricks, merger discussions between big franchise operators, and another government...

This is a final call for estate and letting agents to have a say on what may be one of the...

As we outlined in our EAT and LAT stories earlier this week, we (Angels Media) are seeking responses from estate and...

They say presentation is key (something that Theresa May now knows all too well after her calamitous conference speech). But equally...

Angels Media and a property technology consultancy are joining forces to conduct the first-ever survey into how agents and other property...

As those of us in the industry know, there is a fine balance to strike between disruptive technology – and the...

The ValPal Network is launching a new tool for its 4,100 agent users - an area barometer which reflects the buoyancy of...

How has the world of estate agency changed in the last few decades? That’s the question this week’s Natter is going...

Estate agency James Pendleton says it wants to give its clients more digital advantages without becoming an online operation itself -...

The Guild of Property Professionals has launched a partnership with the ESTAS Group, which runs the customer feedback platform and customer...

I’ve been in France for the past few days and depending on your viewpoint, I made a spectacularly good or singularly...

In this week’s Natter I’m going to get all political. Don’t worry, I won’t be giving my opinions on Brexit, Trump...

Are you protecting your data right? This may sound like the sort of direct warning you get from cold callers or...

Property has been changing hands for centuries, but when did estate agents as we know them today – with their branches,...

The highly-popular FUTURE:PropTech conference, regarded as the leading event for showcasing and debating industry technology, has been confirmed again for next...

I would argue the property industry is fundamentally inefficient. Much of that inefficiency is now being handled by PropTech companies and...

We’re already more than halfway through 2017 and, against all the odds, it’s pushing 2016 close in terms of eventfulness and...

The managing director of ZPG Property Services says his firm will never ‘go around’ an agent in order to directly work...

Mark Goddard was the founder and CEO of The Property Software Group (PSG), a property software solutions firm established in 2007,...

Analysis of over 120,000 sales valuations has revealed some of the UK's most expensive and cheapest property regions. Central London's 'W' postcode...

To give you a nice distraction from the post-election madness, here’s an interview with Charlie Wright, founder of CIELA (or The...

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

Graham Norwood, who edits Estate Agent Today and Letting Agent Today, has won the title of Social Media Influencer of the...

The best estate and letting agents in the UK were recognised at the prestigious ESTAS luncheon and ceremony, which was held...

There are only a few days to go before The ESTAS - the biggest event in the awards calendar for agents,...

It’s that time of year again – peak conference/event season. And, while Brexit and a shock snap general election are dominating...

Purplebricks' share price moved up over two per cent yesterday on the strength of its latest trading statement - but its...

A record number of over 300 agents have so far signed up for next week’s FUTURE: PropTech conference, the largest event...

One of the biggest days of the year for agents takes place just two weeks tomorrow when The ESTAS take place...

The new chief executive of the Guild of Property Professionals has accused some online agents of carrying out “aggressive” marketing campaigns...

Legal Eye has been announced as the latest organisation to support the new customer service awards for the conveyancing sector launch...

Good wishes for a happy Easter for everyone in the industry from Estate Agent Today, and from our publisher Angels Media. Our...

In this Natter we have an exclusive interview with David Cox, CEO of ARLA Propertymark and one of the best-known figures...

It’s been revealed that next month’s Future: PropTech conference will feature a debate between ‘technologists’ and ‘traditionalists’ over the future of...

For my latest Property Natter I have sought the opinions of two well-known property consultants - Michael Day, managing director of...

Estate Agent Today and its sister publications published by Angels Media feature strongly on the long-list for the 2017 Property Press...

The ESTAS has announced its final - and to some its most prestigious - shortlist for this year’s awards.     The People...

Only one in nine customers of estate agents regard face-to-face contact as the most important element of the process to determine...

The ESTAS Group has revealed the shortlist for its 2017 awards - and has announced that this year has seen a...

Organisers of the Future:PropTech2017 conference on May 4 have revealed new sponsors involved with the event - including Angels Media, publisher...

Excuse the puntastic (or not) title, but as you’ve no doubt already deciphered I took a trip northwards a couple of...

James Dearsley, founder of The Digital Marketing Bureau and arguably the best known figure in the fast-emerging property technology sector, is...

Reapit, the provider of CRM software to much of the estate agency industry, has become one of the partners for the...

Instant gratification is nothing new. It’s been around for millennia. It’s an in-built survival instinct for humans – that want, that...

One of the country’s leading estate agency consultants and trainers, Richard Rawlings, this week embarks on a six-week tour of the...

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

This is the final Estate Agent Today until Tuesday January 3 2017, so everyone at Angels Media sends all good wishes for...

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

Carpe diem, seize the day – whatever you call it, it’s something all of us in the property industry should be looking...

What a mad, bonkers year it’s been. We’ve had, in no particular order: Trump, Brexit, Leicester winning the Premier League, a...

The industry has reacted angrily to the Chancellor declining to change stamp duty despite pleas from agents and suppliers ahead of the Autumn...

Good branding is absolutely crucial to any successful business or product, even more so in a world of social media, instant...

Facebook is a difficult beast to tame. You have 2,000 followers, but your most recent post was only seen by 200 people....

It’s all been kicking off in recent weeks, hasn’t it? Marmite wars, the endless Trump v Clinton debate, Samsung phones blowing...

The ESTAS Group, which already runs the largest award scheme for the estate agency industry, has launched new awards for the...

In recent weeks I have been carrying out question and answer sessions with some of the key figures in the property...

One of the great events of the agency year is the Agents Giving Ball, hosted a few days ago at The Lancaster...

This week we have the Head Shepherd of EweMove, Glenn Ackroyd, in the hotseat. He’s been co-owner of EweMove Sales and Lettings,...

A fantastic exclusive this week as I carry out a question and answer session with one of the leading names in...

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

It’s easy to forget, but there was a time when the internet didn’t exist. When the idea behind the world wide...

Summer finally arrived, the transport system (as always) went into meltdown, everyone complained that it was too hot and the sun...

Analysis of data from some 2,100 estate agents suggest that the single busiest period for prospective vendors seeking an automated valuation...

As promised, this week’s Natter is dedicated to a question and answer session with Peter Brodnicki, the man who has been...

The joke doing the rounds last week still seems to be just as relevant this week: “the only man with a...

The Property Professionals Support Centre, set up earlier this year to provide compliance advice and training, has launched a free compliance...

Angels Media, publisher of Estate Agent Today, is delighted to welcome on board one of Britain’s top property industry journalists, Marc...

A few of our Industry Views pieces this week focus on the upcoming EU referendum. I don’t think I can add...

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

Last time out I spoke about the beginnings of a PropTech revolution, with two major London-based events in the offing over...

On Tuesday we managed hail, snow, rain, sun and a chilly wind all in one day. Whatever you want to say...

It’s London Marathon weekend and while plenty of agents do great charity work in other ways, this event is always a...

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

The organisers of The ESTAS 2016 have issued a guide to the event, which takes place in a week’s time in...

Storm Katie (makes it sound so harmless when they give it a name like that, doesn’t it?) might have given the...

Software. You might not give it much thought a lot of the time, but it’s an absolutely crucial part of how...

A record 30,000 surveys have been submitted to the organisers of The ESTAS awards on the performance of estate and letting...

Estate agents with a difference, a twist, a unique selling point, whatever you want to call it, seem to be becoming...

Marketing and property often go hand in hand. But from time to time you might come across certain marketing terms that...

First of all, welcome back everyone. Hope everyone had a great and relaxing break for Christmas and New Year. (Is anyone...

Right, so it’s one more week till Christmas and two more weeks until we head face first into 2016. Both these...

Thanks yet again for the latest batch of festive photographs sent by agents - we’re really delighted so many of you...

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

An interesting story caught my eye a few weeks ago. A man from Lytham St Annes in Lancashire attempted to sell...

Someone told me the other day that it’s now only seven Mondays till Christmas. Now there’s a scary thought. Best get...

I’m writing this from the brand spanking new Center Parks in Woburn Forest. Set within 365 acres of lush Bedfordshire forest,...

If it’s Friday it must be Agents Do Charity. Our industry does great work all year round, of course, but as...

Well, the hosts have left the party early. England have crashed out of their own Rugby World Cup after a demoralising...

There’s been a lot of talk lately about artificial intelligence (AI). We’ve seen it feature prominently this year on film (in...

We’ve enjoyed a bit of an Indian summer this week. Not sure it makes up for one of the coldest and...

Public relations is big business these days. Whole companies are set up purely to provide this service. Major corporations have in-house...

So, has everyone been enjoying the fine summer weather we’ve been experiencing? Oh, wait…fear not, I will attempt to inject a...

The ESTAS, the longest and largest awards ceremony in the residential agency industry, has outgrown its old venue and is moving...

The rising phenomenon of agent-rating and review websites is a topic that seems to have caused considerable division and controversy among...

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

Hello and welcome to my brand new blog! Every month I’ll be giving you an insight into the varied, exciting and...

Watch the latest weekly video roundup of news from Estate Agent Today and Letting Agent Today, featuring stories on a London...

Watch the latest weekly video roundup of news from Estate Agent Today and Letting Agent Today, featuring stories on the effect...

There’s been a remarkably positive welcome from across the industry for the new Today websites unveiled this week for Estate Agent...

Thanks to everyone for keeping our readers updated on what’s happening in the world of estate agency charity fund-raising. If you want...

Thanks to everyone for keeping our readers updated on what’s happening in the world of estate agency charity fund-raising. This week’s updates...