Archive

The new housing minister has admitted that her party has tried to “put a lid” on house price rises and has...

If you thought - perhaps hoped - that five weeks of prorogued Parliament meant a break from politics, think again: the...

Who knows how long any housing minister will last, especially with a General Election widely expected in the coming months. So Esther...

I remember the day well; the day we all fell foul of addiction, the day our website was launched. Until then, at...

I suspect that at some time we have all rented an Airbnb (I am sitting on the couch of one as...

The head of online agency Housesimple has made another strident attack on the integrity of High Street agents by saying some...

As real estate firms begin to execute their Q3 strategies and think more closely about Q4, there is one major question...

A new industry regulator is likely to be in place within two years according to the chair of the government’s Regulation...

Britain lives in fundamentalist black-and-white times - all the more surprising when the country's most divisive point of contention sits on...

It’s London Tech Week, everybody! The sprawling city-wide event taking in dozens of conferences, events, workshops, panel debates and so on,...

NAEA and ARLA Propertymark have launched an initiative called Propertymark Inspire to promote training and compliance awareness amongst agents.  A statement says the...

The Property Ombudsman says its members must in future disclose referral fees in a bid to make previously-hidden costs open and...

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

“I’m Russell Quirk, and I’ve failed” - with those words, the former chief executive of Emoov has begun to explain how...

It was long awaited, much anticipated and, thankfully, incredibly well attended. FUTURE PropTech 2019 was a big hit and a truly global affair. For...

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

I am writing this as I reflect on a recent trip to Nigeria. I was asked to speak at the country’s...

No, this isn’t about Brexit. But as the saga of leaving the EU is likely to bring about the downfall of...

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

By the time you read this article, I’ll be in Nigeria. My first ever visit to the continent of Africa. Sitting here...

The founder of the Hunters franchise agency group, Kevin Hollinrake - now a Conservative MP - is the latest parliamentarian to...

Three portals are to reveal their thoughts on how their platforms and others are likely to develop at this spring’s annual...

This month’s MIPIM conference in Cannes once again played host to the final round of the much coveted MIPIM Startup Competition.  The...

OnTheMarket will be “blanketing the commercial radio landscape” as well as engaging in sports and agency industry sponsorship programmes over the...

More details are emerging of the first-ever ESTAS conference for conveyancers - the Bold Legal Conference - taking place on the...

A new group called the Federation of Independent Agents has been set up as a network of like-minded independent agents who...

The head of an online agency has accused the National Association of Estate Agents’ conference of being “a sea of old...

Every staff member at a branch of the Connells-owned William H Brown agency has been promoted, after it was voted one...

The dust may have settled on the government’s recent announcement regarding housing and property complaints, but opinion is still split on...

The Property Ombudsman’s annual conference is to hear from the chair of the government’s ‘Property Agents Working Group’ - just days...

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

Outsourcing. Everyone has an opinion on it and there’s a stigma surrounding it in the lettings industry. But get this…letting agents ARE...

There’s been a dramatic improvement in the speed of searches being completed and returned by local authorities, the government claims. Housing minister...

In what promises to be a transformative year for conveyancing in the UK, the ESTAS is joining forces with the well-known...

When it comes to letting a property, it is important that landlords and renters have faith in their agent. The more...

Alongside hundreds of agents and suppliers, I recently attended the Guild of Property Professionals’ annual conference. As ever, it was a great...

Politicians and officials are studying a ‘model’ two page reservation agreement drawn up by a law firm as a possible way...

Fine & Country has revealed that it is the fastest-growing premium agency in the UK. Quoting research from TwentyCi - the business...

It’s been revealed that the National Trading Standards Estate Agency Team is to deliver new guidelines to agents for referral fees...

The government policies and enforcement plans for anti-money laundering measures are set to take centre stage at next month’s annual conference...

Former City analyst Anthony Codling - who is now the front-man for a new property portal - has set out why...

The civil servant leading work to reform the house buying has revealed key areas of government thinking - with a ban on...

It’s time to think about planning the 2019 events calendar. This year, there are more PropTech conferences scheduled than ever before,...

The man who is leading the government’s efforts to reform the house buying process will be one of the speaker at...

The shortlist has been announced for the annual Guild of Property Professionals Awards to be held on January 17 in London.  The...

Fine & Country’s annual conference in the New Year is to have former England rugby player Matt Dawson MBE as the...

Over the past year I've had so many conversations with agents telling me how they feel that offering a premium customer...

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

The chief executive of failed online agency Emoov has been named this week as one of the 500 top “tech influencers”...

In his keynote speech at the recent Negotiator Conference, Professor Andrew Baum sparked debate throughout the property industry. Baum’s speech, which began...

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

East Midlands estate and lettings agency Jackson Grundy has signed up to OnTheMarket. The firm, with its Northampton headquarters, has 10 sales...

OnTheMarket chief executive Ian Springett has told an agents’ conference of the strategy for his service - including a prediction that...

I remember renting flats when I was a 25-year-old negotiator at Foxtons. Many of you will remember my love for the...

The man responsible for defining John Lewis’ legendary customer service, and preserving its Never Knowingly Undersold pledge, is to address the...

“I’ll have a vowel please Rachel….then an award.” The puns are likely to be much in evidence in the New Year when...

This won’t be a long article. Just to the point and hopefully with a nice angle to it.  I get asked at...

A diverse cast-list has been announced for this year’s Relocation Agent Network national conference and exhibition to be staged in London...

I am currently in the back of a taxi. The deadline for this piece is looming and I am desperate to...

A leading London estate agency is reporting a surge in overseas buyers sealing deals ahead of the government’s new stamp duty...

It’s time to sort the wheat from the chaff when it comes to overseas buyers of property. If you listen to Theresa...

Savills is warning that heightened uncertainty around Brexit negotiations will delay recovery in the prime central London housing market for up...

“Do we really need another tax?” - that’s the question from a new buying agency, querying why the government wants to...

The head of a leading Chinese property portal has taken the unusual step of commenting on a British tax policy -...

It seems a lifetime ago but in fact we’re approaching just the first anniversary since the government triggered its Call for...

One of London’s highest profile and most outspoken estate agent chiefs has scolded ‘Maybot’ Theresa May on the day she is to...

The government, which only recently said there would be one Ombudsman covering the entire housing sector, has announced that there is...

The government has used this week’s Conservative party conference to announce a new stamp duty tax of one per cent to three...

Emoov’s founder Russell Quirk has outlined how he would help Britain get out of its current housing crisis to a Labour...

Sales of holiday homes could be hit as a result of a new £560m tax proposal put forward by Labour.  Under the...

DISCLAIMER: The author of this article retains no responsibility for any reader discomfort experienced when recalling the seemingly endless horrors of...

An upcoming event will see a panel of well-known agents and suppliers appeal for better collaboration between industry stakeholders, particularly CRM...

Last week, I wrote about the speed of innovation in the Far East. This week I’d like to do the same...

The team behind a new ‘open platform’ targetting smaller agencies in need of Proptech support have revealed a heavyweight line up...

In what is regarded as his most important speech since becoming housing minister, Dominic Raab has told a conference that it...

What a big week for PropTech! With the very first MIPIM PropTech conference, taking place in Paris today and tomorrow, comes...

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

The pace of change is extraordinary. As we reach the middle of one conversation, rumblings of the next already begin. I think...

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

Countrywide is one of three organisations short-listed for a prestigious ‘Employee Benefits of the Year’ award. The award celebrates in-house staff benefits...

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

Emoov founder Russell Quirk says that in some cases social media might give a more accurate picture of an estate agency’s...

The UK chief executive of Purplebricks says his company has ambitions to roll out its business model all over the world. Lee...

Today is the day. 1,600 people will gather in London for FUTURE: PropTech, an event I have supported when there were...

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

Estate agent licensing will reduce competition, make buying and selling homes more expensive, and add another layer of red tape to...

For many estate agents seeking to become entrepreneurs, the idea of starting their own business is undoubtedly daunting, especially when going...

Have you noticed a new turf war going on on the fringes of the agency world? It’s not a high-profile battle like...

A EweMove branch operating from a franchisee’s home in Staffordshire has taken over the running of a bricks and mortar agency. EweMove’s...

Organisers of the MIPIM conference - primarily for commercial property but with a growing residential presence - are under pressure to clean up...

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

Welcome to the latest Agents Do Charity - your opportunity to let the rest of the industry know exactly what great...

Thanks once again for your contributions to this weekly round-up of agents’ good works; we love covering these stories which show...

NAEA Propertymark is to introduce bursaries designed to support novice staff deemed to be showing exceptional potential to attend the association’s...

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

I have high expectations for this year’s PropTech events and property conferences.  Those that I attended in 2017 demonstrated a real step...

If you were under any misconceptions about how pivotal a role HM Land Registry is going to play in the future...

The story of this week - the ousting of Countrywide chief executive Alison Platt - prompts two key questions. Firstly, who takes...

The Financial Times has identified that 10 of the 21 tables at the notorious Presidents Club dinner last weekend were sponsored by...

It may be a stunt to drive book sales or it may be a true-life expose of what really goes on...

Members of the Relocation Agent Network are celebrating after a successful annual awards event in London, combined with keynote conference sessions...

The housing industry has set out a list of demands in advance of the government’s hotly anticipated Autumn Budget on Wednesday.  Despite...

A large part of the DCLG’s Call for Evidence on the home buying and selling process focuses on the role of...

The Guild of Property Professionals is partnering with the ESTAS to introduce greater customer service elements into its 2018 awards. Gold and...

International property analyst Mike DelPrete has queried the suggestion that Countrywide's online sales option is drawing in additional business to those...

With the Budget just over a month away, the steady stream of ‘leaks’ continues to grow as journalists and the industry...

It has been revealed that the beleaguered government of Theresa May is to hold a summit at 10 Downing Street tomorrow...

The upcoming national conference for the Relocation Agent Network is introducing an innovative format for part of its agenda - speed...

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...

Employment tribunal fees could soon become extinct, after the Supreme Court ruled they were an obstacle to the ‘access of justice’.  Once...

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

A senior figure in Countrywide’s management team is to explain the troubled group’s benefits policy to a conference of other employers. Neil...

And so concludes another party conference season.  We’ve followed the great and the good (both terms are debatable) around Torbay, Bournemouth,...

The Conservative party, in a press statement released to clarify comments made by Theresa May, says the government’s proposed extra £2...

Figures in the property industry have sharply criticised the announcement made at the Conservative party conference to pump an estimated £10...

Simon Gerrard, a past president of the National Association of Estate Agents, has called on the government to switch the burden...

Labour’s shadow housing minister John Healey is reported to be one of a number of prominent front bench opposition spokespeople being...

And so summer draws to a close. The slow, lazy months of July and August have come to pass and the...

With party conference season around the corner and the next Budget just a couple of months away, more industry players are...

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...

It’s not just the evenings drawing in that marks the approach of autumn - it’s also the return to work of...

Shelter, the campaigning charity that has been hugely critical of private landlords and letting agents in recent years, has now launched...

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

Housing minister Alok Sharma has blocked some of his Twitter followers, accusing them of “abusive language”.   Sharma has a relatively modest 9,169 followers...

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

The Connells-owned agency Gascoigne Halman is to make a costs payment of £1.24m within 14 days to Agents’ Mutual - but...

The Connells-owned agency Gascoigne Halman is to make a costs payment of £1.24m within 14 days to Agents’ Mutual - but...

New housing minister Alok Sharma is set to make his first key speech this week, at the Housing 2017 conference in...

The comparison service Get Agent has released the full details of its analysis of the performance of four different online estate...

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...

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...

We’re almost nine months on from the EU Referendum and yet the issue remains the big divide across the nation: an...

This week I’m lucky enough to be out here in Cannes as a PropTech Ambassador for MIPIM, the international real estate...

One thing that can be guaranteed in the property world each year is a range of conferences and awards dinners. Very...

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

Spicerhaart has signed what it describes as one of the world’s top estate agency mentors to work with its teams across...

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

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

Rightmove is teaming up with the National Association of Estate Agents and the Association of Residential Letting Agents to offer what...

First details of the long-awaited Housing White Paper have emerged in stories in newspapers frequently used by government to float ideas. The...

Housing minister Gavin Barwell says the government will provide “substantial investment” to ensure more transparency in leasehold tenure. “We are determined to...

The south’s seaside resorts are stealing the headlines for all the wrong reasons and at the heart of the troublesome issue...

They say you can prove anything with statistics, and 115% of the time I suspect they’re right – that was an...

The National Association of Estate Agents has lured housing minister Gavin Barwell to speak at its conference next month.  Barwell will outline...

1.For those who are not familiar with Properstar yet, how would you summarise your services? Properstar is an online portal that helps...

The Conveyancing Association has revised its wish-list of reforms to, in its words, “ensure fewer delays, a less costly process, and...

Let me set out my stall from the beginning. Firstly with two buy to lets managed by an agency, I understand and...

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

Rightmove’s commercial director Miles Shipside, who makes relatively few appearances at industry events, is to be a speaker at the NAEA...

As circus performers, most estate agents would fail. Some of you might find that difficult to comprehend. After all, many uninformed members...

Relocation Agent Network has ended the year handing out 28 awards to individuals and firms at a gala dinner in London. The...

Auction rooms across the UK are filled with people looking to buy property, from bargain hunters to seasoned investors, ensuring that...

The almost non-stop series of tax changes affecting all aspects of the housing market in recent years looks set to continue...

Some of this week’s headlines - ‘Firms must list foreign workers’ and ‘NHS to no longer rely on foreign doctors’ -...

The government has revealed that its £2 billion accelerated construction fund will be used to guarantee housing schemes, including deals to...

There has been widespread scepticism from many within the industry that the government will miss its latest house building targets, despite...

The government has signalled that it is going to publish a housing White Paper later this year with “significant measures” to...

Speculation was rife over the weekend that the government would today announce major changes to housing policy - possibly shifting the...

The Labour Party claims there has been a strikingly large reduction in the number of under-45s who own a home -...

Who are you? Michelle Farnsworth – Senior Account Manager at LED interior & windows display specialists Mid West Displays.   Where can we see...

With the number of new homes being built across the UK still significantly below the level needed to meet demand, housebuilders...

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

I write this during the week that David Cameron resigned as an MP – it is quite startling how quickly politics...

Conveyancers will debate how various stakeholders – including estate agents – can deliver a more collaborative home moving experience at an...

The credit crunch may have been the economic backdrop against which much of the housing market performance of the past 10...

The results of some interesting research have been revealed - applying to the United States but possibly indicative of how property...

Plans for the Northern Powerhouse scheme, designed to rival London and the South East as the main driver of economic growth...

The Competition Appeals Tribunal which is to investigate a dispute between OnTheMarket and two agencies is scheduled to hold its first...

It has been revealed this morning that OnTheMarket has been ordered to pay £1m into court - three quarters of it...

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

Brandon Lewis, the housing minister, is backing Theresa May as a crowded field of candidates begin seeking support to become leader...

One of London’s most outspoken estate agents claims the prime minister who succeeds David Cameron could appoint a chancellor who will...

‘Digital technology in the property industry is here to stay’ was very much the opinion drawn from the recent FUTURE: PropTech...

The Conveyancing Association is setting up a working group to consider how to increase transparency, cut unnecessary delays and costs, and...

There is a growing potential for property portals to take over the role of estate agents thanks to the vast amount...

Tomorrow, June 8, is the closing date for submissions to the Labour Party’s latest consultation on housing policy: it is seeking...

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

The main debate at this year’s FUTURE: PropTech conference - the industry’s leading technology forum, held yesterday in London - saw...

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

It almost goes without saying that PropTech is a hot topic these days - this year alone we’ve seen multi-million pound...

Countrywide has denied speculation in the industry that the names of its Hamptons International and John D Wood & Co brands...

Estates Gazette has published a candid article suggesting the explicit hiring of prostitutes by delegates to the annual MIPIM conference may...

As any marketer will tell you, the marketing mix in its most basic form is made up of 4 P’s: Price,...

At the end of January I was one of the many people stood listening to the presentation that our co-founder Rachel...

Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron is claiming that the government’s flagship Starter Homes project could allow properties to be bought by...

Estate Agent Today understands that Countrywide's Chief Information Officer is the latest high-profile manager to leave the organisation. Oliver Skagerlind joined Countrywide,...

An international portal consultancy not previously known for its outspoken comments has sharply criticised OnTheMarket for its “protection of the status...

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

What is the biggest change you’ve seen in the agency industry during your time at TPO?  For me, the biggest change has...

We know so many agents do good fund-raising during the festive season - here are just a few who made contact...

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

So this weekend some of us will see our first snow of the season. Harsh weather, Christmas adverts and winter generally...

When it comes to the regulation of the conveyancing industry, this question is a topic of open and ongoing debate. Licensed conveyancers...

Money laundering and the controversies raised by the From Russia With Cash documentary will be amongst the subjects under discussion at...

The founder of high-end shirt manufacturer Charles Tyrwhitt, Nick Wheeler, and the well-known stand up comedian Tim Vine, are amongst the...

A reader of Industry Views is unlikely to need converting to the virtues of buy to let, but anyone involved in...

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

Countrywide says the man charged with planning the organisation’s digital future is to step down - just days after he was...

Property journalists, and more than a few estate agents, are beginning their annual autumn ritual – forecasting what’s going to happen...

The future estate agency model is going to be neither the traditional High Street office nor the online-only alternative - instead...

The government is telling councils to produce local plans for new homes in their area by 2017 – or Whitehall will...

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

Watch the latest weekly video round-up of news from Estate Agent Today and Letting Agent Today, featuring stories on OnTheMarket's venture...

Watch the latest weekly video round-up of news from Estate Agent Today and Letting Agent Today, featuring stories on OnTheMarket's venture...

There has been a mixed response from the agency world to David Cameron's pledge to reform planning, promise that 200,000 new...

One of the industry debates of the year will be held next week when the inaugural FUTURE : Property Tech conference...

The newly-appointed shadow housing minister says his first priority is to arrest the long-term fall in home ownership in Britain. John Healey...

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

The Financial Conduct Authority says it is to hold a review of the mortgage market after last year’s controversial MMR to...

Housing minister Brandon Lewis has been announced as the headline speaker at the Future: Property Tech Conference, taking place in the...

The annual RESI conference, usually dominated by developers and debates over housebuilding totals, is this year to include a discussion on...

Martyn Baum has been appointed as youngest-ever president of the National Association of Estate Agents, with a pledge that he will...

Andy Burnham, one of four candidates in the electioin to become next Labour leader, is the latest prominent party member to...

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...

The Property Ombudsman (TPO) scheme has announced that its first ever conference will take place in October.  ‘Raise Your Standards’ is being...

The government has allegedly ruled out any regulation of estate agents for fear that it would lead to higher fees and...

So, a sigh of relief.  Most agents will be pleased with the election result - even if they are not Tory supporters...