Archive

To kick off 2021, we have a Q&A with one of the most high-profile – and, it has to be said,...

A £17.8m pre-tax loss has been reported by Yopa in its latest financial statement filed at Companies House. Figures lodged just before...

Purplebricks says it’s to continue to test new pricing models next year - and has not ruled out completely moving away...

The sales market is currently strong but the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors has issued a warning about a slowdown next...

Belvoir has become the latest major agency group to sign up to Boomin as a founder agent.  The properties of all four...

The soon-to-launch Boomin portal has signed up a national firm and now claims to have recruited 40 per cent of the...

A high-profile publicity campaign has culminated in the launch of a new CRM which calls itself as “a transformative new technology, empowering...

As regular readers will know, the Natter kickstarted a series last time out zoning in on local independent agents – the...

The soon-to-launch portal Boomin - set up by the people who founded Purplebricks- has signed another 10 independent agents. They are all...

Asking prices are down for the first time in many months. It’s a small drop - an average of 0.5 per cent...

Purplebricks is the first estate agency in the country to launch a meditation service to ease “the emotional rollercoaster felt by...

The estate agency industry is still under the spotlight for possible illegal price fixing cartels according to the Competition and Markets...

It’s no surprise the mainstream news remains dominated by coronavirus - not so much the actual effect of it right now,...

Hello and welcome to the latest edition of PJT - we know some agencies are reshaping their structures and downsizing but this...

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

An investment adviser says Purplebricks remains “far too risky” for investors even though it now has “a fighting chance of survival”. Rodney...

The new portal OpenBrix, which is powered by Blockchain, has revealed its fee structure ahead of its formal launch on September...

    Purplebricks says changes to its fees structure - possibly becoming less reliant on controversial upfront charges - has been delayed until...

One of the main points I’ve had reinforced to me from agent after agent over the last year of hosting a...

A founder of Purplebricks, Michael Bruce, suggests there was nothing wrong with the controversial Commisery TV ads that contributed to making...

It is widely expected that Purplebricks will shortly reveal the result of an experiment with a number of different pricing strategies. The...

Purplebricks’ sale of its Canadian operation for some £35m begs the question - where can it now recoup some of its losses...

With the UK housing market now largely open - there are still restrictions in some areas on home moves to occupied properties...

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

The Say No To Rightmove campaign has set out strategy suggestions for independent agents facing steep portal bills. A 10-page document reveals...

Two estate agency directors have been disqualified by the Competition and Markets Authority after taking part in an illegal price fixing...

There’s been a strong rebound in demand for homes and an “unprecedented” bounce in new sales agreed according to Zoopla. The portal...

I was asked a question by a German journalist yesterday. What is the biggest lesson German and European PropTech founders can...

A specialist legal advisory service is urging conveyancers to use the reopening of the housing market as an opportunity to increase...

The fast-growing trade group for independent estate agents has launched a partnership with the soon-to-launch Homesearch portal. Of the various free-to-list portals...

There’s been an explosion of anger about Rightmove’s pledge to undertake its biggest-ever marketing campaign - while at the same time...

Industry supplier epropservices has created a new virtual valuation platform to help the industry operate during the lockdown and social distancing...

Savills has kept in touch with almost 2,000 of its vendors and prospective buyers through two mass webinars. Entitled ‘What COVID-19 means...

At the moment, it somehow seems like tempting fate to think too far into the future, especially in terms of the...

An industry stalwart has urged critics of Rightmove to fight for the portal to offer agents a fairer pricing system, not...

Investment bank RBC Capital has downgraded its rating of Rightmove and is warning that the property market is entering a prolonged...

Allsop has staged its first principal residential auction entirely online, and has raised £28m. Some 76 per cent of all lots offered...

The impact of the Coronavirus crisis is going to reduce agents' revenue into the third quarter finishing in late September warns a leading...

An online estate agency which has described the Coronavirus pandemic as “a disrupter and game changer” for the agency industry says...

On April 4, EAT published a piece titled: ‘It’s 2024: what will the industry look like, post corona-virus’. To me, this...

There’s a sense that we really are on the verge of a huge change in the industry. It’s too early to be...

It’s time to draw a line in the sand and condemn our rival portals for their current charging structure. Little will...

A video interview released this morning features the experiences of eight agents who have quit Rightmove in the past two years,...

One of Britain’s most outspoken and high profile agents has quit Rightmove in spectacular fashion, using an open letter to the...

The three leading portals have rejected an appeal to give the industry a payment holiday to help firms through the Coronavirus...

Any bid by Zoopla and OnTheMarket to displace Rightmove as the number one portal in the UK is at best expensive...

Why should agencies leave voicemail in the last decade and make 2020 the year to invest in a more modern solution? Voicemail...

Independent agents in a fast-growing trade body are to be given the opportunity to secure exclusivity on land deals and new...

There’s been an average asking price rise of 2.3 per cent in the past four weeks - the biggest ever increase...

Purplebricks is not revealing details of the different pricing strategies it is testing “in the field” early this year. Last month the...

Rightmove predicts that the price of property coming to market in Britain will rise by two per cent next year. The portal...

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

Purplebricks says it’s put four different pricing strategies into the market with a view to testing them in 2020. In a trading...

Yes, you can promise yourself that you won't eat all the mince pies, or yet another roast potato, nor drink as...

We recently asked readers for their questions to the portals - the questions they couldn’t really ask their local reps, but...

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

Winkworth says the central London market has picked up from its lows of a year or more ago, but warns that...

The Great Debate over the charges levied on agents by portals and the huge profits that Rightmove and Zoopla make has...

The big question for the industry at the moment is the cost and future of portals.  This is especially key for agents...

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

The latest Rightmove asking price index indicates a smaller than usual autumn bounce - that’s a sign, the portal says, of...

A London agent is urging rivals to provide realistic valuations, even if vendors want more and despite temptations to over-value to...

A banking company used by OnTheMarket has issued a note to its investor clients claiming the portal “arguably beats its peers...

OnTheMarket says it will not increase listing charges in 2020 for any agents currently paying full fees, while agencies which list on only...

Purplebricks has revealed it is considering changes to its pricing structure to correct “mistakes” of the past. Chief executive Vic Darvey has...

Seemingly-endless uncertainty over Brexit and now speculation over whether there will be an easing of stamp duty on transactions is making...

The average house price growth across southern cities is running at the lowest level recorded since January 2012, according to Zoopla.  Prices...

The price of property coming to market fell by 0.2 per cent or an average of £656 in the past month...

A survey of property sellers has revealed that 'achieving the asking price' (43%) and 'selling properties quickly' (35%) are the most...

Purplebricks’ former chief executive Lee Wainwright has made a stout defence of the controversial agency’s sales progression process and its local...

The Competition and Markets Authority has provisionally found that four agencies broke competition law by taking part in a price fixing...

With the Tenant Fee Ban obliterating a key income stream, letting agents should be looking at ways they can increase the...

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

I hope you had another wonderful Bank Holiday weekend; only three weeks to hold on until the next one. Personally, it...

OnTheMarket has revealed several agents have signed up to the portal on long-term contracts and stopped listing properties on Rightmove. The agencies...

House prices in 20 UK cities analysed by Zoopla show an average 1.7 per cent increase over the 12 months to...

A new housing market survey paints a bleaker picture than that from Rightmove earlier this week - and instead speaks of...

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

A controversial online estate agency has gone into liquidation two years after describing High Street agents as “smug, suited slime-balls.” BetterMove, registered...

An anonymous estate agent has renewed his attack on Purplebricks after an article in The Times at the weekend. Estate Agent Today...

This article was originally written for City AM in response to an article it published attacking letting agents. See more here.  A...

In another bid to take on Rightmove, OnTheMarket is introducing a new range of advertising products which will enable agents to...

Both major portals have this morning revealed more evidence of a gently slowing housing market. The average time to sell a property...

The latest Rightmove price index suggests that homes are at their most affordable level for some years thanks to wage growth...

Strutt & Parker says transaction levels in Prime Central London, already at a low ebb, plummeted a further nine per cent...

Average prices of flats and houses in prime central London are now the same as they were six years ago; meanwhile...

The former chief executive of Emoov says online estate agencies charge too little, so risk appearing cheap and ineffective to potential...

Gloomy statements from some industry organisations have suggested the market is in trouble thanks to Brexit uncertainty but Rightmove says visits...

As 2018 draws to a close, it is fair to say that stretched affordability and uncertainty over the Brexit negotiations has...

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

Given that online property portals, dominated by a handful of websites, are by far the most popular home search method, it...

Rather like doctors, estate agents are present at critical points in our lives – moving in together, bidding farewell to a...

Sky News says Emoov is to be sold, just months after the controversial online agency merged with Sarah Beeny's Tepilo and the...

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

Transactions in prime central London have dropped nine per cent in the year to the end of August according to Knight...

House prices grew two per cent year on year for September according to new figures - and a senior agency chief...

A competitive pricing analysis undertaken for hybrid estate agency Emoov claims that it sells for an average £6,000 more than rival...

A buying agency says it has secured a prime London property for one of its clients at almost 40 per cent...

Rightmove is reporting a mini-boom as the autumn market gets into gear, with a surge in buyers and a one-month rise...

“Baton down the hatches. Stockpile the food cupboard. Brexit is coming and it’s little more than six months away!” I jest, but there is...

OnTheMarket has seen another increase in listings to more than 10,500 offices, but it is repeating a warning that its free...

Rightmove says the housing market is now into a ‘summer sale’ as newly-marketed property shows an average asking price fall of...

It was interesting to see the recent story on Estate Agent Today about OnTheMarket (OTM) raising its fees after signing up...

Most estate agents have tried to dismiss the impact of the Bank of England’s base rate rise, which came following a...

With the continued indecision surrounding Brexit and the final divorce settlement still months away, it seems property buyers are choosing to...

Figures from Savills suggest that there’s currently an average 1.14 price adjustments per sale across the prime regional markets of the...

Traditional estate agencies should make their work appear more of a luxury and even showcase the prices of individual elements that...

As you probably know, I have been no fan of OnTheMarket (OTM) over the years. You may see this admission as...

The battered prime central London market is now suffering from the UK’s wider political volatility, the lack of stability of the...

Hometrack says other cities are now closing the gap on London in terms of house prices and market value. The latest Hometrack UK...

The average asking price of newly marketed property continues to rise according to Rightmove - and this is despite a dip...

An online question-and-answer article with OnTheMarket chief executive Ian Springett has suggested that its focus of criticism may be shifting from...

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

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

Average prices dropped another 1.1 per cent in prime central London in the year to March according to new figures released...

OnTheMarket says estate agencies with some 1,000 offices have joined the portal in the five weeks since it floated on the...

A former president of the National Association of Estate Agents has attacked “irresponsible agents” for over-valuing asking prices in London in...

Over the last few weeks, mortgage lenders have started to adjust their pricing in anticipation of a further interest rate rise...

Rightmove says it has enjoyed its highest ever monthly number of visitors - 141 million in January. They spent a total of...

OnTheMarket has told the City this morning that it has already signed up 81 new listing agreements by 5pm yesterday, completing...

Leading independent property expert Kate Faulkner says the current row regarding the accuracy of Purplebricks’ sales figures should be the trigger...

Homes for sale in some parts of inner London are seeing price discounts of up to 10 per cent says Hometrack...

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

Online estate agency Tepilo has denied industry speculation that it is to change its fee structure now that it is under...

Global investment bank RBC Capital Markets says OnTheMarket has the potential to undermine the pricing power of Rightmove and ZPG -...

Sellers have launched "their own sale" in response to the stagnating market by slashing asking prices according to Rightmove - but...

Labour MP Justin Madders is working on a Private Members' Bill creating leasehold reform in a bid to help leaseholders who, he...

The fact is that most house hunters simply do not have the time, let alone the inclination, to trawl around properties...

Asking prices have risen by an average of 1.1 per cent or £3,432 in the past month according to Rightmove.  This is...

The Competition and Markets Authority has set out precisely what agents and other companies can and cannot do in the event...

The decision by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) to fine five estate agents for engaging in a price fixing cartel has...

The research director of an investment firm which has advised Purplebricks says the “odd detractor” who doesn’t sell their home does...

A PropTech start-up says its booking, valuation and communication tools will be available free of charge to any agency with fewer...

An online platform that allows the public to compare the services and fees of traditional estate agents in their areas has...

After my article last week predicting that Agents’ Mutual would likely seek to raise external capital, including possibly on the public markets,...

The latest market snapshot by high-end agency Strutt & Parker reveals more bad news for London - despite the agency itself...

With several agent partner programmes available across the country, estate agents can often increase business by offering sales by auction, with...

Facebook has finally released more details about its previously announced plans to build 1,500 homes, 30 miles south of San Francisco,...

Few things provoke argument within the industry more than the online v traditional agency debate - and within that debate, nothing...

A network which helps estate agents win more instructions in the land and new homes sector is launching a lead generation...

A new online estate agency is offering vendors a sales package for just £24.99. MoveSelf, which is based in Manchester, allows vendors to...

This week, the obvious thing to write about would be easyProperty's merger with GPEA. It's such a huge and potentially influential...

A telephone number is more than just a number. To consumers, it gives useful information about the company it belongs to....

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...

Auctions are a great way to sell property competitively, with a wide range of homes often selling under the hammer, and...

Average UK house price growth will reach 2.2 per cent this year, a rise of £4,460 that will see the average...

This week, it would be very easy for me to focus on the startling figures that easyProperty logged with Companies House...

A US technology company is warning that estate agency websites with log-in pages are “at risk of data theft, account takeover...

The average asking price rise for homes coming to the market in the last month has been a chunky 1.3 per...

An estate agency in the north of England has complained to the Advertising Standards Authority about a rival firm’s claims saying...

The rapid growth in popularity of buy-to-let in recent years, fuelled in part by the failings of the pensions industry, has...

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

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

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

Another agency says price reductions of 10 per cent or more are often found in some prime central London areas such...

No longer just a domain for investors, developers and property traders, the auction room is now the preferred option of buying...

There is no doubt that 2016 managed to catch the world by surprise on more than one occassion.  But will 2017 be...

Conveyancers are to be told to publish the charges for their house-moving services in a bid to help consumers and to...

A housebuilder that has in the past profited from its concentration on high-end London schemes says demand for its units is...

Chancellor Philip Hammond caught the lettings industry unaware with an incredulous Autumn Statement.  The buy-to-let sector took a bashing earlier in 2015...

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

Knight Frank has reported a four per cent rise in annual revenues to £461m but a five per cent drop in...

Those working within the UK housing market would have felt considerable worry about the immediate impact of the vote to leave...

Given the uncertainty that shrouded the immediate build up to, and aftermath of, the EU referendum, the current lettings market in...

Countrywide is to offer vendors and buyers a choice of using an online service, a traditional high street branch or a...

A modest 0.4 per cent rise in average asking prices over the past month conceals a nasty surprise for first time...

Over 40 separate estate agencies have agreed to join forces to fund litigation against Agents’ Mutual, parent company of OnTheMarket. The firms represent...

The action group representing rebel OnTheMarket agents says it is considering legal action with a barrister named to lead any possible...

The Motley Fool, a widely-read City investment column, says a Leave vote could result in a fall in housing market transaction...

First time buyers with small deposits are among those likely to suffer as a result of new regulations on credit risk...

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

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

There has been a significant acceleration in house prices in Britain’s big cities with lower-priced locations such as Portsmouth, Nottingham and...

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

Morgan Stanley says fears over a possible UK exit from the EU and other global economic uncertainty could lead to “a...

As we know, the property market in London is notorious for sitting a long way outside the conventions of the wider UK...

An online estate agent who a year ago predicted that OnTheMarket would not survive for 12 months has issued a statement...

An insurance company claims that around 60 per cent of estate agents do not check with their vendor clients about disputes...

A couple behind a new online estate agency want to establish what they describe as a US or Australian-style franchise system...

JLL today opens its eighth residential office in London, this one at at the Riverlight development in Nine Elms.  The office, which...

Mid West Displays have had the recent pleasure of working with Martin & Co at their Witney Office giving their window...

When Governor of the Bank of England, Mark Carney, recently announced that interest rates would have to start to rise sooner...

The chief executive of online agency easyProperty says the money laundering scandal exposed in Channel 4’s ‘From Russia With Cash’ would...

In case we didn’t learn the lesson last time around, we appear to be on the brink of a refresher course...

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

Mid West Displays are excited to share the news that our factory extension is complete. How this affects us? Our production lines have...

Auction house Allsop is launching the country’s first ever online-only auction for new build homes - and claims it's a first. The...

It seems like every day there’s a new article about On The Market. Usually it consists something Zoopla have said, followed...