Archive

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

The introduction of the Propertymark brand as a ‘consumer friendly’ umbrella name for a series of trade bodies has been a...

It’s not just the Cabinet and the government where jobs are in flux - there are plenty of moves to announce...

People now expect a streamlined, digital-first experience from every single service they interact with - and the lettings industry is no...

Not so long ago, the best estate agents were those who did the best work for their clients and therefore built...

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

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

A government minister has told the estate agency industry that it must be more transparent over the issue of referral fees. In...

When Facebook first announced it would be entering the property listings market a few weeks ago it sent shockwaves across the...

With the news that Hunters and Fisher German are the latest agencies to offer online auctions to sellers, is this something...

EweMove is the country’s fifth largest online agency group based on transactions, and continues to make a profit according to its owner,...

Estate and lettings agency is arguably one of the most fierce, ruthless and relentless industries going. And, with fluctuating stock levels,...

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

When you are starting up a new business, it is unlikely that you will already have enough capital to invest. Taking...

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

We are currently engaged in consultations with our members to help to find a practical solution to the concern of the...

Hello and welcome to this week’s Property Jobs Today - a slim edition given how quiet the industry is at the...

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

An agent who is only 20 - and who set up his own firm when he was still a teenager -...

The Advertising Standards Authority says its compliance team is considering its next steps following the refusal of estate agency PDQ Estates...

I loved my Foxtons office. I started in the Battersea branch. It was the old-style office; traditional carpets, actual properties in...

The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) - which replaces the Data Protection Act 1998 - has now become effective and is...

Hello and welcome to Property Jobs Today, the regular Monday round-up of moves and changes in our industry. Do please let us...

Any letting agent appreciates the effort, dedication, and sometimes heartache, that comes with running a business yet equally knows that when...

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

Century 21 UK is slashing the cost of becoming a franchisee for a six week period, cutting the price from £23,500...

Several agencies operating under different brand names in south east England have been retitled under just one, called Alexander & Co.  This...

I have sold hundreds of lettings businesses over the last twenty-five years. Based on this experience, these are the mistakes that you...

Who are you and what does it say on your business card? Awais Ahmad - Founder and CEO of Hystreet (I don’t...

With reports continuing to focus on a slowing property market and an understanding that not enough properties are being marketed for...

When it comes to property, ‘Japanese knotweed’ are the two words most homeowners and prospective buyers do not want to hear.  With...

Land and investment deals achieved by Connells Group in 2017 will add a further 2,750 units to its new homes pipeline,...

And now, as if the friction between property and PropTech wasn’t difficult enough, estate agents are turning on estate agents.  We are...

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

Whisper it quietly, but there seems to be change in the air when it comes to agents recommending lawyers based on...

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

What do you need to know if you are considering selling your sales or lettings business?  Here’s ten top tips to think...

According to The Branding Journal, a brand is “a name, term, design, symbol, or any other feature that identifies one seller's...

Hunters is partnering with a PropTech firm to allow homes on the market and still awaiting buyers to be short-let for...

It’s traditional before Christmas to either review the year past or anticipate the one ahead - but I’m intrigued about what...

James Hillier and Rob Bearsby, who have operated Apex Residential at Bexleyheath in London for the past 14 years, have switched...

The consumer group HomeOnwers’ Alliance says buyers of new build homes should be able to retain 2.5 per cent of the...

A firm that sells homes but also creates operating platforms for other agencies to break into the industry is seeking £450,000 through...

The spread and sophistication of financial crime in the UK in recent years has been unprecedented.  Figures from UK Finance show that...

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

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

Having launched 13 years ago, PayProp, part of Humanstate Group, an international private technology services group, has grown into a leading...

Hunters says it will not be following other traditional-style estate agencies by offering online-only services to sellers - but it will...

Purplebricks has given more details of its activities in the United States, where it is hoping to break into a market...

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

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

One of the country’s leading property-technology experts says the way in which the Agents’ Mutual stock market flotation proposal has been...

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

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...

Giving clients reliable advice when they are buying, selling or letting a home lies at the core of every successful estate...

A major regional agency with offices in Kent, Surrey and Sussex says its new online service - Howard Cundey LIVE -...

Not so long ago, new UK car sales were racing ahead, fuelled by confidence in the economic recovery, but car production...

An insurance provider says small estate agencies are peculiarly vulnerable to cyber attack yet are amongst the least prepared amongst their...

The fledgling trade body CIELA says it is going to institute a kitemark-style service for all estate agents to be able...

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

**The free photography course for estate agents (part one) offer has now expired. It is still available in special circumstances so...

The group seeking to represent independent agents says a recruitment meeting scheduled for tomorrow is carrying on despite growing doubts about...

A trade body which has been founded to represent the interests of independent estate agents has partnered with consumer reviews platform...

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

The man behind fledgling trade body The Charter for Independent Estate and Letting Agents (CIELA) says that public misunderstanding of the...

A distinctive boutique estate agency that describes itself as a hybrid between traditional and online operators, and which set up a...

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

Google, under the command of parent company, Alphabet, has set its sights on building the world’s first digital city, in Toronto,...

Two of the most influential figures behind the PropTech sector have run a microscope over Rightmove’s business model and technology -...

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

Think ‘fake agents’ are no threat to your business? Think again. The rise of online agents - dubbed by some as...

Even some of the most successful professionals from other professions fail to grasp the most important point when it comes to...

Lomond Capital has secured up to £37.5m for new acquisitions of sales and lettings agencies across the south of England -...

Ten years ago this month (April 2007) tenancy deposit schemes were first introduced in England and Wales.  You need to go a...

The National Association of Estate Agents has thrown its weight behind a government move to create a register of overseas companies...

Peter Robinson, CEO of AIPP – Association of International Property Professionals – shines a light onto the international property market. Some UK...

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

One of the most sought-after tools in a marketing armoury is something that money can’t buy. Word-of-mouth recommendations. We are far...

Some big news in the agency world last week won’t have escaped the attention of many in the industry. Last Thursday news...

Business consultancy Jefferies has given a strong endorsement to the digital agency policy set out by LSL Property Services earlier this...

Fledgling trade body The Charter for Independent Estate and Letting Agents (CIELA) has described Purplebricks as the 'biggest enemy currently facing...

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

A leading buying agency says there might be at least one upside to having The Donald in the White House -...

Welcome to February! It means that 2017 is well under way and we’re edging closer to Spring – a time when...

From the outset of any merger, it is vital that each agency understands and can identify its purpose and the USP...

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

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

The East of England, which takes in areas from Hertfordshire to Norfolk, has recorded the biggest hike in property prices over...

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

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

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

Consolidation continues apace amongst traditional estate agents. The raft of pressures on agents is increasing and these pressures have two strong...

One of the founders of hybrid agency Purplebricks says sellers in the UK may never accept the sale of their property...

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

When a tenant paid his initial one month’s rent in addition to a tenancy deposit in exchange for the keys to...

Mid West Displays has established a reputation as a leading manufacturer of window & interior display solutions and products. The LEDMAG...

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

Suzy Lamplugh was just 25 years old when she disappeared whilst working as an estate agent in London in 1986. She’d...

Several estate agencies have announced new appointments and strategic moves - underlying speculation that the housing market remains relatively stagnant. CKD Galbraith, a...

The Jones Robinson Group, a Newbury-based property firm with three branches, has expanded its network by acquiring an agency in a...

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

Fiona Stewart, formerly head of marketing and communications at Strutt & Parker, has taken up a newly created role in the...

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

One of Britain’s foremost PropTech experts says OnTheMarket could still disrupt the portal landscape - but has trust issues following disputes...

With the new Formula One season now well underway, we delve into the fast lane to take you on a whirlwind...

Countrywide's retail chief says the group's new hybrid joint online and traditional project has involved training agents to change the way...

Fraudsters attacking the conveyancing sector, successfully stealing large sums of money from homebuyers, are making national headlines at a depressing rate....

In this business you get used to dealing with regular customer and third-party feedback, input, and (occasionally) complaints.  Much like the agency market...

A property investment firm says a British exit from the EU may cause minimal damage to the prime London market and...

I have spent the last 20 years working within the conveyancing business, alongside estate agents and I can’t help feeling a...

As property ‘experts’, sector know-how and experience sits centrally to everything we do, right? Of course, but it’s certainly not the only...

By accident or design, the PR machine at OnTheMarket was beefed up last week.  Just as well. With the portal still reeling...

One of the directors of Agents’ Mutual, parent body of portal OnTheMarket, has told Estate Agent Today that his firm does...

Having urged agents to think about the full marketing mix and not just price, we must look at our business relationships...

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

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

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

Fine & Country this week opens a new London office in Bow, coinciding with the imminent start of its TV advertising...

At 29, I'm Romans’ youngest senior manager. Last year I was promoted to a regional management position and I now oversee...

We’ve been facing some pretty adverse weather recently. Gales, storms and terrible flooding in parts of the country have upturned the...

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

For the team at Andrews, the new year started a long time ago. Almost two years ago to be precise as...

Earlier this week removal man Matt Faizey had an article published by Estate Agent Today in which he commented about the...

Last week, on the latest series of The Apprentice, Lord Sugar threw his teams into the London property market.  As expected, Twitter...

“Estate Agents have been highlighted by the Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA) as under reporting relative to their vulnerability to money...

As the year draws to a close, awards season is in full flow. It’s a time to reflect on the highs...

We may all be reeling from the surprise Autumn Statement stamp duty shocker but estate agents still find time to do...

Who are you? Colin Breavington What does it say on your business card? Operations Director We hear SearchFlow is expanding next year, can you give...

Estate agents have been accused of flouting the rules by erecting For Sale and To Let signs despite a voluntary ban. The...

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

Headlines across the lettings industry often focus on the behaviour of ‘rogue’ landlords – those that are slow to become compliant...

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

The big online estate agencies appear to have come of age. No, no - I'm not saying they're good, bad, better or...

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

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

Property software firm VTUK has launched a digital security protection service for estate agents.  With a growing industry focus on digital marketing...

An independent estate agent based in Leicestershire has urged agents to play a more active and altruistic role in their community. William...

It’s always interesting when Which? produces a report that includes estate agency. It asked 1,990 people their views on buying and selling...

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

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

It’s been a tough week for the reputation of some estate agents but across the country the industry continues to do...

Who are you? Joshua Rayner MIRP What does it say on your business card? Managing Director of Rayner Personnel & Estate Agency...

A London agent wants a change of emphasis at OnTheMarket, claiming the new portal damages estate agents’ reputations, is low profile...

The National Association of Estate Agents says the agents named in Channel 4‘s From Russia With Cash documentary may have tarnished...

Channel 4 admits to using what it calls “unusual” secret filming techniques and an undercover reporter posing as a Russian politician to...

The internet and rapidly evolving digital landscape has revolutionised the way people buy and sell properties. With some reports suggesting 95 per...

Estate and letting agency review site raterAgent says an analysis of its own website suggests that 17 per cent, or just...

Everywhere we look there’s talk of the high numbers of agents clambering for our attention on the crowded high street. So...

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

A journalist has described the estate agents she has recently dealt with as 'borderline trustworthy' and 'downright agreeable', much to her...

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...

An estate agency says it is returning money to buyers after a newspaper revealed it was demanding would-be purchasers paid the...

I write this article on the day of the General Election so you’ll forgive the political analogies. In particular, how any...

The issue of some estate agents insisting that buyers and/or sellers use a particular solicitor or conveyancer has reared its ugly...

Traditional estate agents are not actually needed to sell a home but merely serve as “reputational insurance” to reassure a buyer...

A firm described as one of the country’s 20 best small estate agencies has closed both of its offices. Estate Agent Today...

Vandals seeking to ‘reclaim Brixton’ have used a road sign to smash the windows of a Foxtons branch on the high...