Archive

New homeowners are being warned about cold calls from scammers advising them to make speculated stamp duty refund claims. The warning comes...

Estate agents use property technology each and every day for residential property transactions, but is there more they can do with...

Property data company Dye & Durham has promised to “work collaboratively” with the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) after the watchdog...

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has warned that it may block the merger of two property search firms as it...

Buyers are being urged to ditch their laptops and hit the streets to find a property. The property market is currently hampered...

Millions of people use online property portals every year to conduct their property search, whether it be for sales or for...

Mortgage search platform Twenty7Tec is predicting there could be one million searches for home loans this month. The technology company, which lets...

Buying agency Stacks Property Search is reporting g rising buyer demand for wrecks requiring significant levels of renovation. The agency says that...

Property searches are not showing up some new road schemes because they are classified by local councils as planning consent for...

The National Trading Standards Estate and Letting Agent Team has released background information on how it came to make changes to...

Trading Standards and the government have jointly announced compulsory new data which must appear on property listings. A property's council tax band or...

There’s been huge sale price inflation in the rarified high-end country estate market according to a buying agent. Jess Simpson, who runs...

This is our first Property Jobs Today column of 2022 and it’s testimony to how busy our industry is right now...

With the drastic changes enacted on the industry over the past two years thanks to the pandemic and political events such...

PropTech firm CoreLogic UK has acquired the property search and marketing platform Rummage4. Rummage4 was founded in 2015 by agent Robert May...

Government regulation and reform of house buying should see the process made faster and easier in 2022, it’s been predicted. Lloyd Davies - managing...

Dog facilities - even separate rooms for them - are now a major factor on the ‘want list’ for growing numbers...

We have been speaking with many agents over the past months and the story appears the same with them all. There...

A property specialist is warning about “modern day ambulance chasers” who try to convince buyers they have paid too much stamp duty.  “An increasing...

Another market snapshot has identified low supply as the chief characteristic of the sales landscape this autumn. Landmark Information Group’s latest Property...

One of the country’s leading buying agents has set out what’s hot and what’s not in London’s housing market as it...

As we move into the autumn of 2021, what the coming year has in store for estate agents is something we...

Industry-wide adoption of Unique Property Reference Numbers could be one step closer after an announcement by a major trade body. The Conveyancing...

Representatives of Rightmove, Zoopla, OnTheMarket, Boomin and OneDome portals are to be quizzed in an industry Question Time session next month. Russell...

It’s a big ask to expect anyone to suddenly change what they have always done, particularly if their results have proven...

Two of Britain's largest agency groups have sold their stakes in a property search firm. Both LSL and Connells have announced the sale...

There may well have been times in recent weeks when any agent would have been forgiven for wanting a break -...

Boomin says it’s going to “reinvent the YouTube channel for property.” The portal’s new YouTube channel has gone live with five unique...

Three of the leading portals have made major announcements as the fierce rivalry between the big players continues apace.  Firstly Zoopla claims its latest...

The controversial demands of Trading Standards for more “material information” to be provided upfront in property details have been criticised by...

Changes to the way the property market operates over the last year - with increased flexibility and remote interactions - has...

It’s hard to remember a time at any point in the last 20 years when agents have been looking for a...

Rightmove and Zoopla have both made PropTech announcements as the scramble to retain and win agents continues. Rightmove’s draw-a-search tool has been...

A leading buying agent says the phenomenon of ‘buying unseen’ is the most dramatic property trend to have emerged from the...

National Trading Standards wants agents, portals and industry groups to come up with ways to provide basic essential material information ‘upfront’.  The National...

We’re officially transitioning to summer – marked by the clocks going forward and warmer weather – just as restrictions start to...

Today is the day that non-essential retail reopens as part of the government's roadmap out of lockdown. For the majority of the...

With increasing numbers of portals battling for membership and revenue, Zoopla has revealed that all Carter Jonas’ residential branches will list until...

The UK property market is always evolving but never as quickly as it is now. Traditional estate agents are seriously questioning...

With March marking one year since the beginning of the first national lockdown across all four nations of Britain in response...

The London housing market is enjoying the end of the lull before the storm, according to a leading buying agent. Sara Ransom...

Properties are currently taking 29 per cent longer than average to sell once under offer, according to research by a home...

Homeowners staying at home during another lockdown are doing more than sharing memes of groundhog day or doing family quizzes on...

Free-to-list portal One Dome has launched a dedicated New Homes section - in line with the longer-established paid-for portals - and...

The property market became somewhat fractious during 2020. After receiving a much-needed boost with the promise of stamp duty relief, things...

While the property industry has suffered far less than other sectors during the past year, it would be short of the...

Hello and welcome to the first Property Jobs Today of 2021 - we’re less than a fortnight into the New Year...

Over the last 20 years, the growth of online property portals – including Zoopla, Rightmove and PrimeLocation – has transformed the...

A trade body has called on House Secretary Robert Jenrick to intervene over the growing problem of delays in councils providing...

Zoopla saw a record 70.5 per cent increase in traffic on Boxing Day as signs suggest the pre-Christmas boom is set...

99Home, the agency that describes itself as the country’s fifth largest hybrid, has teamed up with the Mortgage Advice Bureau. MAB will...

The industry seems almost back to normal. Not the ‘new normal’ we spoke so much of a few weeks and months ago,...

Delays with the return of property searches is one key factor for sales taking longer to complete. As conveyancers start to warn...

Searches that are bound by the Search Code, protecting the seller, buyer and lender, are property and not client specific. As...

Hello and welcome to the latest PJT, your opportunity to catch up on who’s moving where in the agency and supplier...

Many agents are brilliant at giving a personal touch and are professional in the way they treat customers, but I would...

Purplebricks recently launched a meditation service to help buyers and sellers manage stress. You might disagree with the idea, but moving...

The Covid-19 pandemic has impacted the way every industry operates and the property sector is no exception. Following an enforced seven-week...

With many transactions now delayed by up to three weeks by slow searches, a body representing local search providers is urging...

Propertymark, which will from later this year combine both the National Association of Estate Agents and the Association of Residential Letting...

A highly-experienced former Savills agent has launched his own buying agency focusing on the prime country market in Surrey. The new company,...

For a number of years now, predictions have been made that one of the major tech giants will eventually enter the...

Estate agents are increasingly using low-key ‘grey’ marketing to avoid too many prospective buyers swamping them when homes go on sale. That’s...

A new portal launches today with 100,000 listings and a pledge to target buyers largely ignored by established websites - investors. It’s...

A leading buying agency is warning sellers and buyers not to jump the gun and abandon London in the belief that...

It has been three months since the property market was given the green light to reopen. During this time, we have...

Another new PropTech platform claims it can streamline the completion process - this time by coordinating the work of estate agents...

In the second of a series of articles, Emma Vigus, Managing Director of mio, the Estate Agents Sales Progression platform, explores...

Agents have spoken out angrily against any uncertainty in the market caused by government leaks about future stamp duty changes. In recent...

A survey of 2,000 prospective movers by Zoopla shows the vast majority still intent on buying - but younger purchasers’ plans...

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

There’s been a very significant increase in the number of listings carrying virtual viewings, accelerating during the period of the Coronavirus crisis and...

Guidance issued by the government explicitly advises agents, buyers and sellers that more activity should be done online if possible. “The process...

A trade body has reported some council search departments to the government for refusing to provide email details and forcing search...

Just a month ago our homes felt, for many of us, to be a mere pitstop on a centrifuge of work,...

You know the old saying - a dog is an agent’s best friend?  Well that’s clearly true for this trio of agencies...

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

Late last year a buying agent at Stacks Property Search and Acquisition set up a village Good Neighbour Scheme with her...

Hello: so much has happened since the last Conquering Corona column . Before we get on with it, a reminder to...

A trade group wants councils and search companies to co-operate more closely during the virus to minimise delays to the remaining...

Prominent agency industry analyst Anthony Codling is asking agents whether the board of OnTheMarket did the right thing by firing Ian...

Buying agents are making waves about the hit on asking prices suffered by properties that have been flooded or are at...

New research shows that 77 per cent of consumers use portals to conduct property searches - meaning, surprisingly, that almost a...

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

Property portals generate revenue from estate agents regardless of the outcome of the transaction. This relationship has resulted in a fundamental...

Bristol is the location outside London most searched for on Rightmove this year, by both buyers and renters. The average asking price...

The Council of Property Search Organisations has named three industry figures as members of its newly-formed compliance committee, set to regulate...

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

OnTheMarket’s TV advert, promoting its ‘New & exclusive’ feature, will be back on screens from Boxing Day ahead of what it calls a...

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

A trade body has sharply criticised HM Land Registry for its slow progress on digitising local searches after a promising start...

Prospective property buyers have been provided with several reasons why they should stop delaying purchasing decisions due to Brexit uncertainty. Buying agency...

Picture this: You have finally pushed that sale or purchase through, which means your client is over the moon and happy...

A London estate agency says one of its buyers wants to delay completion until November 1 “just in case stamp duty...

Carl Hemming, Director from Ginger in Balsall Common explains how mio has quickly proven to be a cost-effective way to simplify...

Traditionally speaking, users who are looking to buy, rent, or sell their property to customers on an international basis have been...

A trade association of agents selling properties overseas has launched a new feature which it claims will give buyers greater security...

The founder of Zoopla has explained how the portal got its name and branding, and the philosophy behind it when it...

A buying agent has revealed how she advises potential clients to use portals when looking for a property to buy -...

In today’s crowded property marketplace, the needs of tenants have changed. With a greater emphasis on quality of living, tenants are increasingly...

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

One of the largest investors in Purplebricks has now joined forces with an off-shoot of luxury car firm Porsche to launch...

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

Two 'challenger portals' have revealed major new services this morning as they fight to take on Rightmove and Zoopla. OneDome, the new...

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

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

At the end of January the Asian PropTech company PropertyGuru announced the imminent launch of beta-phase testing of its cutting-edge new product, PropertyGuru Lens. This...

The British Property Federation has made an outspoken intervention into the Brexit debate, telling politicians that No Deal is the worst...

With far-reaching reforms of conveyancing and other aspects of house buying high on the government’s agenda, a trade body has revealed...

If you want an engaging page-turner novel for cold winter evenings, my recommendation is Our House by Louise Candlish, a bestseller...

A new report from Zoopla claims very nearly a third of buyers want to know the street - or even the...

Every day thousands of estate agency boards are erected across the UK. Even in the digital age the board remains one...

A survey of 6,000 members of the public and 660 estate and letting agents has revealed some striking findings about how...

It’s been an interesting week of contrasts when it comes to online replacing ‘the old school’. Data from that clever consultancy The...

With portal rivalry hotting up again, Zoopla has announced that with immediate effect it’s removing all non-property related adverts from all...

One of the country’s top buying agents says he expects 2019 to be a much better year than 2018 as Brexit...

To say legendary ZPG founder and CEO Alex Chesterman left big boots to fill when he stepped back from day-to-day operations...

Artificial intelligence (AI) is playing an increasingly important role in our lives – from virtual assistants such as Amazon’s Alexa and...

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

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

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

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

OnTheMarket has this morning announced that franchise giant Belvoir will list all of its 300-plus branches on the challenger portal.  This includes...

The culture of impatience and instant gratification has a lot to answer for. It has forced the hand of the property...

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

Welcome to this week’s Property Jobs Today - and as ever we have a breakdown of key moves within our industry. To...

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,...

There have been two stories dominating the PropTech headlines over this past week. As WeWork places a gentle arm around the...

London estate agency Kay & Co says it is targeting Chinese buyers following research data produced by a portal. The China property...

Coming into force on May 25, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) - which replaces the Data Protection Act 1998 -...

An umbrella body representing search organisations says searches “are very rarely the cause of delays” in transactions. The Council of Property Search...

In the modern marketplace – where people live their lives on their smartphones and tablets, social media has a bigger influence...

As the Easter sales weekend kicks off, the head of a prominent buying agency says estate agents confuse the true valuation...

A buying agent says a higher proportion of Britain’s rarified country estates market is now being sold off-market. Jess Simpson, an ex-Savills...

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

The printing industry is in the midst of a decline as digital products and services displace printed materials, which is why...

Hello and welcome to our first Property Jobs Today, a weekly round-up of key job moves within estate and letting agencies...

Asking prices are being cut more heavily than at any time in the past six years says Zoopla.  It says just over...

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

The ZPG app for mobile users of the Zoopla and Primelocation websites has now been downloaded more than 10m times. ZPG launched...

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

House hunters in the UK are the global leaders in online property research according to a new study from HSBC.    The bank...

Being a leading world-class city comes at a price – they are the most expensive for occupiers and the most lucrative...

One of the country’s leading buying agents says over six million people are living in the wrong property because they are...

The sealed bids process - where purchasers submit their final offer by a specific time and date - should be more transparent,...

Estate and letting agents' property descriptions are becoming increasingly likely to appear in keyword searches, according to a web marketing expert. Director...

What does it say on your business card? Peter Mansfield, Group Chairman, The World Property Network, www.twpn.com  and TheWorldPropertyNetwork.com                                  What is The World Property Network...

A controversial new search engine claiming to be in the later stages of development is seeking investment from estate agents, corporates...

Purplebricks has stepped up its attack on what it calls “Britain's antiquated method of buying and selling homes” by describing it as...

Over 60% of UK consumers think that Estate Agents’ Photos Are Very Poor To Average A recent survey* by dedicated property photo...

Purplebricks has issued its second statement to the City on successive trading days - and its share price has risen by...

The board of Purplebricks has issued a statement to the City saying it has no idea what lies behind the soaring...

The stock market appears to be continuing its love affair with Purplebricks, as the hybrid agency share price rose once again...

Following the election of Donald Trump, there has been a rise in the number of United States investors searching for property...

In the world of property and estate agency, competition is always fierce. It’s the same when it comes to your website....

Rightmove has employed jClarity, a ‘performance tuning specialist’, to improve the search facility on its applications. A statement from jClarity on the...

All estate and letting agents now have a website – but just how effective is yours? Your 'virtual shop window' is now...

A campaign organisation is asking estate agency group Fisher German how professional assistance it is giving to fracking development can be...

The National Trading Standards Estate Agency Team has followed up the recent announcement by The Property Ombudsman to counteract portal juggling by...

The phrase 'well-appointed' is commonplace in many property descriptions, but do 'well-appointed' homes really have more features than those that are not? Well,...

Stacks Property Search & Acquisition has become the first independent buying agency to become a member of the Royal Institute of...

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

Almost three in 10 buyers have seen their house purchase fall through after making an offer - typically leaving them almost...

A significant number of properties are coming to market as a result of separations which don't involve divorce, according to a...

A digital marketing agency says it has identified ‘top key phrases’ used by would-be buyers when they begin their property searches...

The government - which controversially launched consultation on its stamp duty surcharge between Christmas and New Year - has now used...

I recently read an article in City A.M. titled: ‘Five ways we will be buying property in 2025’ – it makes...

Agents' boards get a lot of stick. Many see them as stains on the landscape, some see them as useless in...

OnTheMarket, the property portal founded by Agents' Mutual, has announced its launch in Northern Ireland. The website is aiming to go head-to-head...

Here’s a story with more than a little in common with Britain’s own property portal wars. A long-running legal saga between Danish...

A new property search engine has spilt (or should that be spilled?) the beans on estate agents (or perhaps estate agent’s)...

A property statistician says portals may be inaccurately reflecting prices in some areas because of possible double-counting of properties listed with...

Research conducted for Zoopla Property Group claims its own Zoopla portal has a higher level of ‘spontaneous awareness’ than Rightmove amongst...

Agents’ Mutual, the parent company of OnTheMarket, has released another testimonial from one of its directors striking the same tone as...

A body that regulates property searches has criticised some councils for providing “very poor service” which delays transactions. The Property Codes Compliance...

The major property portals are “way behind the market”, don’t carry all homes that are for sale, and have such varied...

An OnTheMarket director says his portal can still challenge Rightmove - despite record figures from Rightmove itself. As we reported yesterday, Rightmove says...

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

This week, SearchFlow launches it new brand. Group Marketing and Communications Director, Maud Rousseau discusses the ethos behind the new brand...

South of England agency chain Andrews has launched a new app and website as part of its brand-refreshing programme for 2016.  The...

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

No sooner was Halloween done and dusted than attentions turned to Christmas: shops were dressed with festive decorations; town centre lights...

The possibility of the Land Registry being amongst £4.6 billion of public assets earmarked for privatisation has provoked protests across the...

Research commissioned by Zoopla claims it remains the property portal in the UK with the highest spontaneous national consumer brand awareness. The...

The consumer is King and to protect sellers and buyers' best interests estate and letting agents have to operate in the...

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

The website of Country Life, the iconic rural pursuits magazine, is using OnTheMarket to provide its property search tool. The magazine -...

Knight Frank says the summer is likely to be busier than expected for the sale of prime property as a result...

A review of 30 prominent property sales websites undertaken by a digital marketing company demonstrates, perhaps predictably, a huge lead for...

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

Stacks Property Search, one of Britain’s largest buying agencies, has entered the debates over portals and the use of DIY house...

A new portal aimed at investors looking to purchase buy-to-let property has reported that it has thousands of listings from agents...

One of the UK’s best-known buying agencies has launched a recruitment drive to boost its London operation.  Stacks Property Search, the UK’s...

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

If it is true (and who would doubt it?) that 90% of property searches start online, then how does this affect...