Archive

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

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...

There was a time when the mere mention of the financial services industry brought with it scorn and mistrust. The issues arising...

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

Every estate agency applying to join a new group for independents will be mystery shopped in a bid to ensure it...

It’s a testing time for the property industry, amid Brexit fears, a slowing market and the looming tenant fees ban.  There’s no...

When they first came onto the scene, online-only estate and lettings agents were predicted to swiftly spell the end for traditional...

An estate agency which was set up in south Wales late last year is opening a new branch that it describes...

Regional agency Prospect, which already has offices in Berkshire and Surrey, has opened its 10th office at Farnborough in Hampshire. Last year Prospect...

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

Hello and welcome to this week’s PJT, your weekly chance to catch up on major moves in our industry. Everyone here has...

The ESTAS has released details of those agents and suppliers to the industry who have been shortlisted for the most prestigious...

Competition for landlords will be fiercer than ever this year. Landlords are facing a raft of changes and will likely be...

The former chief information officer of Foxtons has taken a senior position at Hunters. The appointment of Dan Rafferty as Hunters’ chief operating...

Well-known Essex and Hertfordshire agency Mullucks Wells is rebranding as part of the Hunters Group. Mullucks Wells will remain independently owned but...

A new training and development team has been set up by Connells Group. It’s designed - in the company’s words - “to...

We all know the three essential things an estate agent must have on their website include the ability to be able...

He may not yet have had time to produce a Brexit plan but Boris Johnson has at least had a few...

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

A major restructuring of LSL Property Services has just been announced to shareholders, with substantial numbers of branch closures. The statement says...

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

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

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

When it comes to building online reputation, Google is king. It is estimated that over 90% of consumers Google a business before...

Recent years have seen tighter regulation and new legislation hit the lettings industry. Combined with the fee ban, there is no...

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

It is something of an understatement to say that we are in challenging times. BREXIT is unresolved and we wait with...

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

Hello and welcome to this week’s PJT - and while it may be just days to Christmas, there’s still plenty of...

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

The UK renting demographic is diversifying at a rapid pace. While the current market poses many challenges for traditional letting agents,...

PropTech has been mainstream for a few years now, and as more agents are familiar with the range of products and...

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

Who are you and what does it say on your business card? It just says “Agent” for, at the end of the...

One of Emoov’s agents in the field has contacted Estate Agent Today to give an insight into how the agency has...

Agents may sometimes have a tense relationship with conveyancers but admit it - when our legal colleagues are good, they are...

A recent 'red flag alert' report from an insolvency firm warned that the number of real estate businesses defined as being...

One of London’s best known estate agencies marks its 25th anniversary this month, having started with just two branches in one...

A new online agency says it is currently focussing on one large city but will expand to cover the whole of...

It’s been nine years since we created a dedicated team of property receptionists to answer telephone calls on behalf of agents,...

Local business reviews are becoming increasingly important for reputation management, with recent research showing 90% of consumers read online reviews before...

More than half of home owners now use online reviews to choose their estate agent when putting their property on the...

Yopa - the online agency with huge financial backing from Savills - has attracted a Knight Frank agent to become its...

An estate agency comparison website claims the rise of online and hybrid estate agencies has obliged traditional agents to be more...

Viewber has announced that it’s just completed its 35,000th outsourced viewing, reflecting a jaw-dropping 460 per cent rise in just a...

Fresh data from a PropTech firm suggests that 'conveyancer absenteeism' is causing severe delays to property transactions. When You Move reports that...

Some 175,000 pieces of data relating to service in the conveyancing sector have been provided by 7,000 consumers for the second annual Conveyancer Awards...

A new estate agency has opened its doors in North London, despite operating in what it describes as a 'weak' London...

Yopa, which says it is the second largest hybrid agency when measured by listings, has received a major new £20m investment. Savills -...

For too long the private rented sector has been complacent towards customer satisfaction. In the changing rental landscape, the smartest letting...

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

A PropTech firm has adopted the unusual position of claiming some agencies deliberately over-value properties in a bid to win instructions. Agent...

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...

Making my way to our London office on a busy commuter train, my mind got busy thinking about the new do-it-yourself...

The big story to break this week in the property world was the announcement by the new owner of Humberts that...

It’s a highly competitive environment out there, where there's a constant and never-ending struggle that every agency manager, director or owner...

A ‘disruptor’ tech company claims that large numbers of people are dissastisfied with the conveyancing element of house moves, with many...

Who are you and what does it say on your business card? Tom Cummuskey Sales & Marketing Manager … Fast approaching double...

Hello - if it’s Monday, it must be Property Jobs Today, your chance to see a snapshot of the key moves...

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

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

National franchise agency Hunters has announced the opening of its latest branch in the Welsh town of Llandrindod Wells. The agency's third...

Respected industry spokesperson Kristjan Byfield is continuing his fightback against the negative coverage of the agency industry in the mainstream press...

Well last week was interesting. The column about my decision to put the property on with a letting agent went viral.  This was...

It will be 'business as usual' for Humberts following the announcement of its sale to Natural Retreats, says the agency's new...

The Property Ombudsman has issued its annual report for 2017 and there’s good news for the estate agency side of the...

Gone are the days of having to rush back to your office every time you win an instruction to market the...

Hello and welcome to this week’s Property Jobs Today, our weekly feature on who’s moving where throughout our industry. And it’s...

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

The Guild of Property Professionals has launched a series of regional roadshows with a target of enhancing the success of independent...

The final winners’ list for this year’s ESTAS Awards has just been published with the  ‘Best In County’ agents named -...

The Guild of Property Professionals has given details of a strong field of potential winners in this week’s ESTAS awards.  This year...

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

Welcome to this week’s Property Jobs Today, our regular look at key moves inside our industry. Next week there’s no PJT as...

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

Welcome once again to Property Jobs Today, the notice-board for agents, suppliers and other property professionals moving within, out or in...

The troubled Countrywide group has this morning revealed its recovery plan to get - in its words - ‘back to basics’...

A Cotswolds-based agency has expanded to a second office and says it has plans to develop further in the region. Move was...

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

Foxtons has reported its 2017 figures to shareholders and the City this morning and as expected they show sharp falls in...

We think about technology all the time. At least, I do. And there’s nothing left in property that technology hasn’t touched...

Hello and welcome to this week’s Property Jobs Today. If you haven’t caught this feature before, it’s a regular Monday opportunity...

Yopa, the online agency with financial backing from Savills and LSL Property Services, is the latest online firm to launch a...

House Network, which describes itself as the UK’s first online estate agency, is using TV advertising to promote a new "20-point...

A range of factors - including fierce competition under the supplied housing market, rising property prices and political uncertainty – have...

I had an interesting meeting last week with a VR company called Garou. Based in New York, they claim to have...

The ESTAS Group has announced that it now accepts Feefo reviews as part of its agency awards process.  The ESTAS Group’s Estate...

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

Purplebricks has announced that former Countrywide director Lee Wainwright has been appointed chief executive officer of the hybrid agency’s UK operations...

Estate agents are facing the biggest industry changes seen in decades. The rise of online and hybrid agents alongside more traditional...

Well, I don’t know about you but after the holidays I've got an imprint just below my navel where my belt...

Hybrid estate agency eMoov has announced a new hire as chief operating officer with the remit of driving growth.  Guy Halfhead has previously...

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...

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

What does your role involve? By answering my estate agent clients’ telephone calls, I assist in their day-to-day office needs.  An...

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

We recently witnessed the Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) increase the base interest rate for the first time since...

Purplebricks has issued the briefest-of-brief statements to the City and the company's investors to assure them it is "on course". The latest...

Pressure is continuing to build on the government to reform stamp duty in next month’s Budget. Firstly a group of senior financial...

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

There’s much said in the mainstream press about estate agency fees and how costly they can be for consumers. But one point...

In just 10 days time on Friday week the inaugural ESTAS Conveyancer Awards take place.   The organisers have issued a ‘what...

What is your experience in the property industry? I worked in estate agency for 12 years before joining Moneypenny and really enjoyed...

The UK is home to four million leasehold properties in private ownership, according to government figures. The majority of which require...

What does your role involve? As team manager for the property team, I make sure PAs and clients are happy and...

A former Savills agent and a former Sotheby’s and Knight Frank agent have joined forces to launch a new property consultancy...

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

Many industries in the UK are currently facing a tumultuous time as the great unknown of Brexit looms on the horizon...

Hunters’ figures for the six months to the end of June show small rises in income and turnover but a substantial...

Some customers dislike entering traditional estate agency branches, occasionally feeling 'like prey' for sales staff when they enter. This is one of...

The ESTAS Group has today revealed the shortlist for its inaugural Conveyancer Awards.  Over 5,000 customers have completed a survey about the...

Customer service is a definitive priority for prospective borrowers when choosing a mortgage lender.  This is according to a study of over...

When a tenant failed to pay any rent after the first month his tenancy last year, the landlord did not expect...

For the second successive week the Advertising Standards Authority has banned an online estate agency’s advertisement.  Last week it was HouseSimple and...

The chief executive of online estate agency eMoov - which has raised £9m in its latest investment round - says “more...

Even if you didn’t watch it, you’ve almost certainly heard about it by now.  The recent BBC Watchdog exposé of Purplebricks has...

Independent high-end estate agency Galbraith, which operates mostly in Scotland, says local knowledge is key to good customer service - and might...

After a roller-coaster day on the Stock Exchange yesterday, Purplebricks has sought to defend itself against further possible share price losses...

Given the shift change in the estate agent world at the moment, with online models becoming more prevalent (think easyProperty’s £60...

Living next to inconsiderate neighbours can be a nightmare, but letting to bad tenants can prove costly, especially when issues, which...

The fees charged by estate agents receive a lot of coverage in the press - and rarely for positive reasons. Negative...

The Guild of Property Professionals, which earlier this month merged with easyProperty, has now announced a new link up, this time...

An estate agent claims that chain management tool View My Chain has helped his firm to deal with chains involving online...

Any good estate agent knows that they have to be available for customers when they need them. But many forget that...

A one branch independent estate agency has this week launched a fixed-fee sales option alongside its traditional commission-based service. WH Breading, which...

We live in world where the online economy is just as important as the offline economy. Whether your business is online...

Any good estate agent knows that they have to be available for customers when they need them. But many forget that...

The recent rise in consumer complaints against sales and letting agents suggests that there is a general lack of trust and...

Student accommodation is positively luxurious compared with the drafty digs of my student days. En-suites, studio flats, even cinemas in halls...

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

Our recent roundtable on the proposed ban on tenant fees generated ten tips for growing a lettings business. We’re exploring each tip in more...

Over 1,000 guests celebrated the success of the industry at the 14th annual ESTAS awards on Friday. The event, which is sponsored...

Purplebricks has this morning issued its latest trading update, reporting what it calls "strong growth" in the UK and updating investors on...

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

I was recently contributing to whitepaper by a major bank about the future of the property industry and, as I was...

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...

Walk in your customers’ shoes Experiencing your business as your customers do would be our number one rule. How often do you...

A debate on customer service in the agency industry has been arranged for later this month between leading lights from both...

Hunters has boosted its office network over the 200 mark through the acquisition of Besley Hill, one of the longest established...

A survey of over 2,000 sellers who used online agency eMoov reveals that review websites were the overwhelmingly largest driver of...

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

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

Lots of people buy new-build due to the perceived lack of hassle with maintenance, as they are built to the latest...

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

The ESTAS awards have a new main category sponsor - PropTech company OneDome. The OneDome service, launched last month, provides free-to-use information...

2016 has undoubtedly shone a spotlight on the reviews industry and drawn into question the legitimacy of online customer reviews.  Amazon, amongst...

A debate discussing how online and traditional estate agency would develop in the future, organised by City investment consultancy Jefferies, has...

Graham Norwood recently wrote that it’s going to be harder than ever to predict the shape of the property market in...

Online reviews play an increasingly vital role in shaping the decisions of customers. Practically everyone using the internet to compare estate...

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

Conveyancing is the most complained about area of law in England and Wales – accounting, on average, for nearly a quarter...

The ESTAS Group, which runs the national customer feedback scheme and produces the largest annual awards event for the residential agency...

The Apprentice returns this evening on BBC1 at 9pm and, as usual, there’s a property person amongst the 18 hopefuls seeking...

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

Countrywide’s former senior management rejected an invitation to buy 10 per cent of eMoov for £100,000 five years ago, according to the...

Three agents have been announced as winners of The ESTAS Agent of the Month competition for July.   Each secured their success...

It’s a familiar theme – kids doing charity trips and needing sponsorship or raffle prizes to help fund their fares. If we...

A client recently told me how much their estate agency spends on advertising and marketing every year.  It wasn’t pennies, and even...

An estate agency owned by Countrywide has relaunched with what it calls “an innovative, premises-free business model that seeks to redefine...

The Zoopla Property Group have been confirmed as headline partner once again for The ESTAS next year.     The ESTAS is a...

It’s official; the estate agency business is tougher than ever. Contrary to perceptions that may exist amongst observers and even clients, the...

With more house-hunters than ever now starting their search for a new home by typically looking online on one of the major...

Significant national events such as elections and, in this case, referendums bring with them a level of uncertainty.   No-one can predict...

Dear Sales Doctor, I'm aware I sound robotic when qualifying an applicant and don't know how to change it; any ideas? When an...

Some 82% of consumers say they would prefer to work with a 'personal agent' who can manage the whole process of...

Estate agents are being urged to prepare for a surge in enquires after the Bank Holiday weekend. Telephone answering service Moneypenny claims...

Q: What does it say on your business card? Director of Business Development Q: Who are PayProp? PayProp is an automated payment and reconciliation...

Tepilo, the online agency set up by Sarah Beeny, has come out fighting after The Times newspaper accused it of ‘hiding’...

Purplebricks Group has issued a trading statement to the City - with another dramatic revenue increase and a claim that the...

Here are the top letting agents in Britain who go above and beyond to help their customers, as voted for by...

A few years ago one of our property receptionists took a call from a vendor whose husband had passed away.  The client,...

Winners’ reactions and views from a fantastic day of celebration! The Kings Group scooped the gold award for Best Estate Agent in...

The People Awards, which honour the very best individuals in residential agency for 2016, are one of the highest accolades any...

Estate Agent Today can reveal that Bob Scarff, the head of Countrywide’s estate agency business until last May, has become a...

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

Recently, I was speaking to the owner of a chain of estate agents which is thinking of refreshing its company image. They...

This website recently published a piece ahead of the nationwide launch of our new property platform, Be Street Smart.  It explained how...

Who are you? My name is Sham, I am based in the UK and my core experience is in running cross border...

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

Estate Agent Today can reveal that Bob Scarff, the head of Countrywide’s estate agency business until last May, has become a...

If you’re considering using a telephone answering service, what are the types of questions you need to ask, before you commit...

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

Karl Tatler Estate Agents & Lettings - recently annointed at Estate Agency of the Year at the Sunday Times annual awards...

Estate Agent Today understands that one of the country’s most successful marketing experts, Helen Normoyle, is set to join Countrywide as...

The year is already in full swing with some agents on holiday in the next few days - and deserving a...

Countrywide is going to announce “in the very near future” that it is taking a stake in two tech start-up companies...

New partners have been announced for The ESTAS Group's annual awards event taking place in London in April.  The headline sponsor remains...

The City consultancy which advises Purplebricks says the online agency will break even in terms of its month-to-month activities by the...

Wigan-based agent Ashtons has won the latest Estas Estate Agent of the Month title.   The accolade was achieved due to the...

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

Do you remember Martha Lane-Fox? She was the poster girl for lastminute.com and an icon of the dot.com bubble that ended...

Countrywide’s chief executive Alison Platt is to become a non-executive director of Tesco. The announcement by the supermarket to the City this...

A survey of 1,000 members of the public suggests that 60 per cent of people would prefer to buy or sell a...

The ESTAS organisation has announced its latest Estate Agent Of The Month award - and the victor for November is a...

After visiting the Fairfield showroom in the Fleet office, Simon Silby at James Griffin Estate Agents decided to meet with a...

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

It’s rare for an incumbent to pivot to a disruptive business model, even in the face of compelling logic that they...

It will come as no surprise for those who have read the recently published Which? annual customer service survey which polled...

Unbelievable transformation from start to finish Harper & Woods Estate Agents approached Fairfield Displays with an idea of creating a stylish and...

Like many people these days I rarely make a significant purchase without first checking out online reviews.   Whether it’s for a...

Connect branch networks, automate sales and marketing and highlight business opportunities with Rezi’s agile cloud platform Rezi Premium is more than a...

Three agents have been announced as winners of The ESTAS Agent of the Month competition - with Butters John Bee the...

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

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...

Three agents have been announced as winners of The ESTAS Agent of the Month competition for June.   The Tring branch of...

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

The first step is making a commitment to providing good customer service. Then sign up to AgentTracker and we’ll get you...

Agent Tracker has been recognised for its outstanding customer service to its clients by the largest and longest running award scheme...

Q: What does it say on your business card?   The support network for quality agents Q: Who is Agent Tracker?   Agent Tracker...

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

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...

Roy Fuller, owner at Everything Lettings’, says:  for just £25 per week you can have in place our emergency helpline 365...

As the nation finally gets to cast its vote at the polling booths, telephone answering specialist, Moneypenny has reported a dramatic...

The presupposed notion still exists that new online agents are ‘tech savvy’ whilst the seemingly old fashioned high street agents are...

Q: What does it say on your business card? I’m actually new at the company so haven’t got mine yet but when...

Mike Poole was keen to update the window display of his Middlesbrough branch and decided that LED Light Pockets™ were the...

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

There was a whopping 42 per cent rise in referrals to The Property Ombudsman last year according to the annual report...