The extraordinary consolidation in the estate agency industry continues apace today with two of the biggest deals reaching critical points. Firstly Hunters’...
Archive

It's been confirmed that Foxtons has bought rival London-focussed agency Douglas & Gordon. In a trading statement this morning Foxtons tells its...
02 March 2021
From: Breaking News

Rightmove has revealed its figures for the full year 2020 - down in terms of profit and revenue because of the impact...
26 February 2021
From: Breaking News

An open letter from Boomin chief executive Michael Bruce shows how fierce the competition is going to be in the portal field...
26 February 2021
From: Breaking News

OnTheMarket says it’s going to increase investment in new products and services, and invest further in ‘internal website development resources’. In a...
23 February 2021
From: Breaking News

Foxtons is in talks to takeover rival London agency Douglas & Gordon. A statement from Foxtons to shareholders this afternoon says: "Further to...
22 February 2021
From: Breaking News

Countrywide shareholders have overwhelmingly backed the offer by Connells to buy the company. At a special virtual AGM today 99.58 per cent...
15 February 2021
From: Breaking News

At the back-end of last year and the start of this, the biggest news stories in town – besides debates over...
30 January 2021
From: Features

It now looks likely that Hunters will be taken over by The Property Franchise Group after several months of talks, subject...
28 January 2021
From: Breaking News

Connells, which already has the explicit support of a majority of Countrywide shareholders for its takeover of the company, has now...
26 January 2021
From: Breaking News

Countrywide shareholders will next month have the opportunity to vote on the Connells bid to purchase the troubled estate agency group. The...
25 January 2021
From: Breaking News

There’s been a flurry of recent activity involving agencies quoted on the London Stock Exchange: Hunters, The Property Franchise Group and...
23 January 2021
From: Features

The speed and success of the Coronavirus vaccine programme holds the key to the housing market rebounding in the second half...
15 January 2021
From: Breaking News

Connells has cemented its takeover of Countrywide - it now has backing from over 52 per cent of shareholders. In a statement...
08 January 2021
From: Breaking News

Countrywide’s former management seriously damaged the company’s share value and status by adopting a flawed business plan - and then executing...
06 January 2021
From: Breaking News

In a dramatic New Year’s Eve statement on the London Stock Exchange, Countrywide has agreed the terms of a recommended offer...
31 December 2020
From: Breaking News

ZPG, parent company of Zoopla, is to buy another comparison website business, in addition to running its existing Uswitch service. Insurance group...
30 December 2020
From: Breaking News

Hunters has agreed to extend the deadline for talks about a possible takeover by its rival, The Property Franchise Group. In early...
30 December 2020
From: Breaking News

Purplebricks says it’s to continue to test new pricing models next year - and has not ruled out completely moving away...
15 December 2020
From: Breaking News

Revenues have slumped by 18 per cent at LSL Property Services, the corporate which boasts Your Move and Reeds Rains and...
14 December 2020
From: Breaking News

Foxtons has this morning reported to shareholders that its sales revenue has improved - although both mortgage and lettings revenue have...
11 December 2020
From: Breaking News

The saga over the future of Countrywide continues with the company urging its shareholders to take “no action” over the latest...
08 December 2020
From: Breaking News

Connells has this morning made a dramatic improvement in its bid to takeover Countrywide. It has increased its cash offer from 250p...
07 December 2020
From: Breaking News

The private equity company which wants to take control of Countrywide has issued a statement saying it now has the support...
04 December 2020
From: Breaking News

Countrywide has this morning rejected an £80m offer made for it by Connells Group. On November 23 Connells announced that its due...
02 December 2020
From: Breaking News

Criticism of the management of Countrywide has reached new levels of derision as the mainstream media have attacked the chaos surrounding...
27 November 2020
From: Breaking News

A statement this morning from Countrywide's board says both its executive chairman and its group managing director are leaving the company. It...
24 November 2020
From: Breaking News

Connells has increased the temperature in its bid for Countrywide with a surprise statement this morning outlining risks run by Countrywide if...
23 November 2020
From: Breaking News

Various investors in Countrywide have submitted early online paperwork to The Panel on Takeovers and Mergers - the red tape required to...
11 November 2020
From: Breaking News

Countrywide shares soared yesterday, rising 47 per cent on the previous close at one point as investors relished the prospect of...
10 November 2020
From: Breaking News

Connells has issued a counter statement to this morning’s announcement by Countrywide that a possible takeover is underway. At 7am Countrywide revealed...
09 November 2020
From: Breaking News

It’s been announced this morning that Connells is in takeover discussions with the troubled Countrywide agency group. Countrywide has given Connells until...
09 November 2020
From: Breaking News

Foxtons has announced that its remuneration policy for senior management is to stay unchanged - and it says a voting problem...
09 November 2020
From: Breaking News

Countrywide is to hold a special general meeting on November 18 to consider its future ownership and structure. Last month Countrywide group...
02 November 2020
From: Breaking News

Purplebricks has issued a statement to its shareholders saying it’s ‘never been more relevant’. However, the expected radical change to its fees structure appears...
02 November 2020
From: Breaking News

One of Countrywide’s largest shareholders has come out against a £90m investment package in the company proposed by a private equity...
22 October 2020
From: Breaking News

The troubled Countrywide group has announced a £90m investment by Alchemy Partners, a private equity company that specialises in investing in...
22 October 2020
From: Breaking News

OnTheMarket’s acting chief executive says the portal will embrace more social media and innovative marketing strategies in the coming period. Yesterday the...
14 October 2020
From: Breaking News

OnTheMarket’s latest trading update shows a significant rise in revenue but agency branch membership numbers stalling. Revenue was up 28 per cent...
13 October 2020
From: Breaking News

In July, here at Environet UK, we transferred 100% ownership of the company to our employees, in the form of an...
07 October 2020
From: Features

Franchise network Hunters has recorded strong figures for the first half of 2020 but a trading statement reveals the measures it...
30 September 2020
From: Breaking News

OnTheMarket has this morning announced record leads during August, beating July’s previous record. The portal generated over two million leads in August, an...
10 September 2020
From: Breaking News

Two City consultancies instructed by OnTheMarket have talked up the company’s fortunes after the appointment of its new chief executive. Shore Capital, which in...
02 September 2020
From: Breaking News

There’s been a surprise appointment as OnTheMarket chief executive. Instead of popular acting CEO Clive Beattie - who had made it known...
01 September 2020
From: Breaking News

Hindsight is 20-20 vision, of course, and we can all see things we did ‘then’ that we would not do ‘now’....
22 August 2020
From: Features

Countrywide has rejected a claim by one of its biggest shareholders that it does not engage with investors over future strategy...
20 August 2020
From: Breaking News

One of Countrywide’s biggest shareholders has written a second letter to the company to demand bold action to save the agency...
19 August 2020
From: Breaking News

It must have been a close thing on Friday as to whose faces were looking the most glum - those at...
08 August 2020
From: Features

Rightmove’s new chief financial officer has a basic salary of £390,000 plus bonus options coming to a potential total of £1.75m. Alison Dolan has...
04 August 2020
From: Breaking News

The new portal OpenBrix, which is powered by Blockchain, has revealed its fee structure ahead of its formal launch on September...
04 August 2020
From: Breaking News

Purplebricks says changes to its fees structure - possibly becoming less reliant on controversial upfront charges - has been delayed until...
03 August 2020
From: Breaking News

A statement by OnTheMarket this morning reveals that as of the end of last month it had a record 14,000 advertisers...
30 July 2020
From: Breaking News

A trading statement from Foxtons this morning reveals that 85 per cent of staff are now off furlough, and that the...
28 July 2020
From: Breaking News

There appears to have been a small shareholder rebellion at Countrywide’s annual general meeting over the company’s remuneration of senior management. No...
30 June 2020
From: Breaking News

Savills has revealed the measures it has taken to mitigate the impact of the Coronavirus on its activities and balance sheet. The...
26 June 2020
From: Breaking News

The Say No To Rightmove campaign says the portal has merely kicked the fees can down the road, deferring a long-term...
25 June 2020
From: Breaking News

The only story that has come remotely close to pushing coronavirus – and its various knock-on effects – off the top...
06 June 2020
From: Features

Troubled estate agency group Countrywide has invited shareholders to submit questions to the company ahead of its AGM later this month. Countrywide...
02 June 2020
From: Breaking News

New figures released by Foxtons this morning show a collapse in commission income to the agency during the Coronavirus period. Sales commissions...
26 May 2020
From: Breaking News

All my recent Natters have been focused on one particular topic, the coronavirus crisis, for obvious reasons. But there has been...
23 May 2020
From: Features

Countrywide says it is pursuing the businessman who failed to complete on the purchase of the troubled agency’s commercial arm, Lambert...
21 May 2020
From: Breaking News

Rightmove has confirmed that its group finance director is to step down at the end of next month. Robyn Perriss is retiring...
21 May 2020
From: Breaking News

Foxtons - which has recently closed branches and furloughed staff - has described a shareholder rebellion over senior management bonuses and pay...
14 May 2020
From: Breaking News

House builder Taylor Wimpey says its reopening show homes and sales centres next week, but for pre-booked appointments only. In a message...
14 May 2020
From: Breaking News

Rightmove’s shareholders appear to have been generally unmoved by the string of protests against the portal in recent weeks. At the portal’s...
05 May 2020
From: Breaking News

Rightmove has announced that it’s eligible to access the government’s Covid Corporate Financing Facility - the major loan facility made available to some...
28 April 2020
From: Breaking News

Gareth Samples has been confirmed as the new chief executive of The Property Franchise Group, stepping into the role on Thursday...
28 April 2020
From: Breaking News

The company at the centre of a controversy over estate agents’ business interruption insurance says its core package does NOT cover...
23 April 2020
From: Breaking News

Foxtons' Annual General Meeting next month is to be held virtually, meaning voting will be electronic. A feature of last year’s AGM...
21 April 2020
From: Breaking News

Foxtons says it’s furloughed 750 staff and asked high paid staff earning over £40,000 to take a 20 per cent pay...
17 April 2020
From: Breaking News

Purplebricks chief financial officer James Davies has resigned. His place has been taken by Andrew Botha, who has joined from the online...
17 April 2020
From: Breaking News

OnTheMaket has this morning announced a raft of what it calls ‘mitigating measures’ to help it survive the Coronavirus crisis. These include...
15 April 2020
From: Breaking News

Individual franchisees operating under the Winkworth banner are receiving what the company calls “comprehensive help” on a range of issues, including...
07 April 2020
From: Breaking News

Savills has withdrawn its planned dividend to shareholders but says it could declare an "enhanced" payout at an unspecified later date. Only...
02 April 2020
From: Breaking News

Yet another one of the giants of our industry, Hunters, says it’s taking “appropriate measures” to safeguard the firm in the...
31 March 2020
From: Breaking News

Rightmove has this morning told its shareholders it is “taking appropriate measures” to shore up the company. It gives no indication of...
27 March 2020
From: Breaking News

A senior figure in the industry has spoken out against the shock sackings and branch closures announced by Spicerhaart. Jon Cooke, chief...
21 March 2020
From: Breaking News

The two major portals have unveiled their discounts and deals for agents facing a dramatic loss of business because of the...
20 March 2020
From: Breaking News

OnTheMarket this morning announced what it calls “a payment support initiative” for those agents paying full-price membership. It’s for three months and...
19 March 2020
From: Breaking News

It's been revealed this evening that Bruce Marsh, who was to become Countrywide's chief operating officer, is now not going to...
17 March 2020
From: Breaking News

In a very brief announcement to the City and to its shareholders this morning, LSL Property Services made clear that it...
16 March 2020
From: Breaking News

Countrywide has revealed a major hold-up in its supposedly "vital" sale of its commercial arm - and it is now seeking...
11 March 2020
From: Breaking News

LSL Property Services says the Coronavirus crisis has led to a softening of "lead sales indicators" - and it warns of...
10 March 2020
From: Breaking News

More than 18 months on from the acquisition of ZPG for £2.2 billion by Silver Lake Partners, a US private equity...
29 February 2020
From: Features

Rightmove has released another stonking set of results - but there are signs that some agents are defecting from the ever-more-expensive...
28 February 2020
From: Breaking News

Foxtons is warning that 2020 will be yet another difficult year for the agency despite the so-called Boris Bounce helping the...
28 February 2020
From: Breaking News

Rupert Sebag-Montefiore has this morning been named as a non-executive director of OnTheMarket. He will also serve as chairman of the portal’s...
27 February 2020
From: Breaking News

Both Countrywide and LSL Property Services have submitted early online paperwork to The Panel on Takeovers and Mergers, an independent body...
26 February 2020
From: Breaking News

Countrywide and LSL Property Services have this morning confirmed that talks are underway about a possible mega-merger. This confirms the speculation yesterday that...
24 February 2020
From: Breaking News

Countrywide is remaining silent over the stalled sale of its commercial arm. The troubled agency group’s share price dropped over 3.5 per...
18 February 2020
From: Breaking News

Countrywide is declining to explain why due diligence on the sale of its commercial arm did not catch a problem which...
11 February 2020
From: Breaking News

Countrywide has revealed a mysterious delay in the sale of its commercial arm, Lambert Smith Hampton - a sale considered crucial for the...
07 February 2020
From: Breaking News

OnTheMarket claims its visitor total last month exceeded 30m, a new monthly record and an increase of some 28 per cent...
06 February 2020
From: Breaking News

The Hunters franchise group says it’s now the third largest agency in the UK, and it promises to reveal a major...
31 January 2020
From: Breaking News

Foxtons's trading statement this morning reveals another huge slump in sales - but no new announcement about future branch closures after a spate...
30 January 2020
From: Breaking News

LSL Property Services, which embarked on a significant branch closure programme last year, has reported a 16 per cent slump in...
28 January 2020
From: Breaking News

Winkworth says it’s achieved a big jump in London sales market share despite “an uncertain and difficult year that was dominated...
16 January 2020
From: Breaking News

The Property Franchise Group - which operates five High Street agency brands and the EweMove hybrid - has set up a...
15 January 2020
From: Breaking News

Savills says the decisive General Election result appears to have suddenly turned the market around and gave “a strong close to...
14 January 2020
From: Breaking News

Purplebricks is not revealing details of the different pricing strategies it is testing “in the field” early this year. Last month the...
06 January 2020
From: Breaking News

Rightmove has announced the start of a two-month share repurchase programme - a way of buying its own stock back from...
03 January 2020
From: Breaking News

Countrywide’s share price yesterday went from little over 7p to 360p in one fell swoop. Is it the end of uncertainty about...
31 December 2019
From: Breaking News

A new year dawns - but will 2020 bring new change for the agency industry now that the market appears to...
28 December 2019
From: Features

Countrywide's senior management has won overwhelming backing from shareholders for its strategy of selling its commercial arm and consoliating its shares. Today's...
27 December 2019
From: Breaking News

Countrywide's senior management has won overwhelming backing from shareholders for its strategy of selling its commercial arm and consoliating its shares. Earlier...
27 December 2019
From: Breaking News

OnTheMarket has this morning announced it has raised £3.4m through a placing of shares. It has placed 4,857,143 new ordinary shares at a...
23 December 2019
From: Breaking News

A statement made by Purplebricks in its trading statement yesterday appears to fly in the face of statements it has made...
13 December 2019
From: Breaking News

OnTheMarket’s TV advert, promoting its ‘New & exclusive’ feature, will be back on screens from Boxing Day ahead of what it calls a...
11 December 2019
From: Breaking News

OnTheMarket has this morning announced that as of December 2, over 3,000 more offices had been signed under new paying contracts...
10 December 2019
From: Breaking News

We recently asked readers for their questions to the portals - the questions they couldn’t really ask their local reps, but...
09 December 2019
From: Breaking News

A new portal claims it will do what OnTheMarket failed to do, and offer an agent-led operation charging every agency branch...
04 December 2019
From: Breaking News

Countrywide has this morning revealed that its special general meeting of shareholders to agree the sale of its commercial arm will...
03 December 2019
From: Breaking News

Rightmove has this morning named Andrew Fisher as its non-executive chairman, stepping into the role on January 1. He succeed Scott Forbes,...
22 November 2019
From: Breaking News

The Property Franchise Group has issued a trading statement that is upbeat on lettings but warns that the sales market has...
21 November 2019
From: Breaking News

Purplebricks is to give its next trading update on General Election day, December 12, when it will tell shareholders the details...
19 November 2019
From: Breaking News

The big question for the industry at the moment is the cost and future of portals. This is especially key for agents...
15 November 2019
From: Breaking News

Troubled London estate agency Foxtons says it has rewritten its remuneration policy for its senior management following a shareholder revolt at...
14 November 2019
From: Breaking News

Rightmove has announced that Robyn Perris is to step down as finance director next year after 12 years at the company. During...
12 November 2019
From: Breaking News

Purplebricks has this morning released a brief and relatively downbeat trading statement to the City and its shareholders. The statement applies to the...
07 November 2019
From: Breaking News

Countrywide has declined to comment on circumstances surrounding today’s Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors disciplinary meeting about diverted funds. One of RICS’...
30 October 2019
From: Breaking News

The chief executive of Purplebricks UK says the struggling hybrid agency is definitely not for sale, despite recent sales of stakes...
21 October 2019
From: Breaking News

News broke last weekend of a further online estate agency casualty as letting agent Upad announced on its website that it...
17 October 2019
From: Features

Purplebricks' senior management avoided a shareholder revolt yesterday during the company's Annual General Meeting (AGM). Last weekend, it emerged via the Sunday...
04 October 2019
From: Breaking News

Purplebricks is reported to be facing a shareholder revolt this coming week at its annual general meeting because of bonuses paid...
29 September 2019
From: Breaking News

London agency Foxtons has announced some management changes - the first since a shareholder revolt at the firm’s annual general meeting...
27 September 2019
From: Breaking News

All eyes will be on Purplebricks today to see if there is further development in what some believe is a long-term...
20 September 2019
From: Breaking News

Troubled star fund manager Neil Woodford has sold another slice of his share in Purplebricks, prompting further speculation about the future...
19 September 2019
From: Breaking News

Winkworth’s trading statement for the first half of 2019 show the company’s revenue and pre-tax profit both dipping slightly - but...
12 September 2019
From: Breaking News

It’s been quite a week for news so you might have missed this story - there is yet another boost for...
31 August 2019
From: Features

OnTheMarket TV adverts return on Monday with what the portal calls “a refreshed version” giving more prominence to its ‘new and...
30 August 2019
From: Breaking News

Countrywide’s branch closure programme, shrouded in secrecy even to shareholders, may have involved shutting 250 offices according to an insider. The individual...
14 August 2019
From: Breaking News

A newspaper claims that a crowdfunding site used by some estate agencies and other property industry companies has suspended trading on...
12 August 2019
From: Breaking News

Savills, once a safe bet for year-on-year growth, has seen its underlying UK residential profits plunge 44 per cent with economic...
09 August 2019
From: Breaking News

Countrywide has told Estate Agent Today that it will not be releasing any figures on the branch closure programme it introduced...
01 August 2019
From: Breaking News

OnTheMarket has applied to the London Stock Exchange for the release of over a million new shares to agents who have...
31 July 2019
From: Breaking News

A note sent out by OnTheMarket chief executive Ian Springett has suggested that the way estate agents work may directly lead...
30 July 2019
From: Breaking News

Nicky Stevenson has had a very varied and interesting career in property. She started out as a lettings negotiator for Nicholas...
27 July 2019
From: Features

Foxtons’ sales slumped another 10 per cent and its total revenue dropped another 3.5 per cent according to figures released this...
26 July 2019
From: Breaking News

Belvoir, the UK's largest property franchise, has changed its name - at least slightly - from Belvoir Lettings to Belvoir Group. In...
22 July 2019
From: Breaking News

Shareholders at today’s annual general meeting of OnTheMarket will hear the latest conversion figures showing how many agents on free or...
16 July 2019
From: Breaking News

The next key date to measure the progress of Countrywide’s controversial Back To Basics programme is at the end of this...
11 July 2019
From: Breaking News

Purplebricks has revealed its annual results for the year ending April 30 2019. The hybrid agency has posted an operating loss of...
03 July 2019
From: Breaking News

In the second part of my exploration of startups, I talk to a number of people with lived experience of creating...
29 June 2019
From: Features

OnTheMarket chief executive Ian Springett says rival portals may want to “interfere” with his aim of converting agency members from free...
18 June 2019
From: Breaking News

Figures released from OnTheMarket this morning suggest that its conversion programme for agents shifting from free deals to paid membership is...
13 June 2019
From: Breaking News

Emoov and Countrywide: what a pair, observers might say. They present a tale of two failures - although, in the case of...
08 June 2019
From: Features

OnTheMarket claims monthly visits to its website hit a record 25.4m in May - but the portal’s latest update gives no...
07 June 2019
From: Breaking News

A writer for the influential financial publication Money Week says investors should “steer clear” of Foxtons - at least for now. Sarah...
04 June 2019
From: Breaking News

Countrywide’s shares took another battering yesterday as they plummeted below the psychologically-painful 5p mark - reflecting a 95 per cent loss of...
30 May 2019
From: Breaking News

The Annual General Meeting of Foxtons shareholders in London has seen a dramatic rebellion against bonuses for senior management. There were 14 resolutions put...
21 May 2019
From: Breaking News

Foxtons has warned shareholders and the City that sales volumes are at a “record low” and that the agency suffered another fall...
20 May 2019
From: Breaking News

My article last week has sparked some really great engagement, which I’m delighted about! Thank you to everyone who commented or dropped...
01 May 2019
From: Breaking News

It’s not often we can enjoy beautiful sunshine on bank holidays, but I suppose this one was a particularly blessed weekend,...
24 April 2019
From: Breaking News

The chairman of franchise giant Hunters says his company’s purchasing power is such that it secures 60 per cent discounts from...
05 April 2019
From: Breaking News

OnTheMarket has applied to the London Stock Exchange for the release of shares to agents signing long term deals with the...
02 April 2019
From: Breaking News

More than 800 property transactions fall through daily, which can have repercussions both practically and financially, as agents fail to get...
30 March 2019
From: Features

Many estate and letting agents are receiving more leads through OnTheMarket than through Rightmove, the challenger portal claims - and it...
28 March 2019
From: Breaking News

Savills has this morning talked up its investment in onliner Yopa, which it claims is the sixth largest estate agency in...
14 March 2019
From: Breaking News

Countrywide's report to shareholders this morning warns that the residential market is heading for a difficult 2019 which may hit the...
07 March 2019
From: Breaking News

Rightmove has this morning given its 2018 report to shareholders, laying bare the huge financial wealth of the company which dominates...
01 March 2019
From: Breaking News

Purplebricks’ eye-watering share price fall yesterday was greeted with widespread satisfaction by property professionals outside the online sector. The agency’s share price...
22 February 2019
From: Breaking News

Purplebricks has this morning warned investors its foreign activities are not going as well as predicted - although it insists it is...
21 February 2019
From: Breaking News

Interesting news this week from South Africa where the PropTech startup, Flow, has raised R20m in the country’s 'biggest PropTech seed...
20 February 2019
From: Breaking News

The government has launched an official consultation about a new stamp duty surcharge - the long-awaited additional one per cent for...
12 February 2019
From: Breaking News

The Property Franchise Group says its online/hybrid agency EweMove traded profitably throughout last year and will show “a significant improvement” over...
06 February 2019
From: Breaking News

A major restructuring of LSL Property Services has just been announced to shareholders, with substantial numbers of branch closures. The statement says...
05 February 2019
From: Breaking News

The former chief executive of Emoov says he has the answer to Foxtons’ current downbeat performance - it should exploit its...
05 February 2019
From: Breaking News

OnTheMarket says it now has listings agreements with more than 12,500 estate and lettings agency branches. In a statement to shareholders and...
05 February 2019
From: Breaking News

Franchise giant Hunters, which started 2019 by announcing two new branches, is to open another four next month after an upbeat...
31 January 2019
From: Breaking News

Connells’ brand Gascoigne Halman has lost its appeal against OnTheMarket. Gascoigne Halman challenged OTM’s old ‘one other portal’ rule at the Competition...
25 January 2019
From: Breaking News

LSL Property Services - parent company of Your Move, Reeds Rains and London agency Marsh & Parsons - has given a...
22 January 2019
From: Breaking News

Savills’ residential business grew market share last year in the UK despite what it calls “challenging conditions.” In a trading statement to...
16 January 2019
From: Breaking News

Kenny Bruce, one of the founders of sector-leading online agency Purplebricks, has sent his good wishes to Russell Quirk, who founded...
15 January 2019
From: Breaking News

Purplebricks has revealed that it’s given its new global chief operating officer 700,000 shares - valued at around £165p each that...
09 January 2019
From: Breaking News

UBS, a Swiss multinational investment bank and financial services company based in Zurich and Basel, now owns approaching 10 per cent...
04 January 2019
From: Breaking News

Rightmove has launched a share buy-back programme to run until late next month, February. Companies buy back their own shares to keep up...
03 January 2019
From: Breaking News

OnTheMarket had told its shareholders this morning that it now has over 12,000 branches listing and is offering share incentives to...
13 December 2018
From: Breaking News

The Times reports that crowdfunding investors are considering legal action following the collapse of Emoov. The investors in question appear to be some of...
10 December 2018
From: Breaking News

The head of the portal PropertyMutual has accused Rightmove, Zoopla and OnTheMarket of being “corporate dinosaurs” and has called on agents...
10 December 2018
From: Breaking News

Emoov has this afternoon appointed administrators as a result of not being able to secure a buyer - the move had...
03 December 2018
From: Breaking News

OnTheMarket chief executive Ian Springett has told an agents’ conference of the strategy for his service - including a prediction that...
26 November 2018
From: Breaking News

However mild the weather may have been for most of us, it’s a cold autumn for the online estate agency market...
10 November 2018
From: Features

Purplebricks says it has seen year-on-year revenue growth of about 20 per cent despite what its chairman calls “a challenging UK...
06 November 2018
From: Breaking News

Countrywide has given Estate Agent Today exclusive details of progress on its Back To Basics programme as it seeks to recover...
31 October 2018
From: Breaking News

OnTheMarket’s trading figures for the six months to the end of July show, as predicted, losses while the company is building...
11 October 2018
From: Breaking News

Foxtons says its use of technology allows it to increase the reach of its branches - and claims this is behind...
10 October 2018
From: Breaking News

Countrywide has announced the appointment of a new board member with “substantial restructuring and turnaround expertise.” Mark Shuttleworth became a non-executive director...
04 October 2018
From: Breaking News

OnTheMarket has this morning announced that it now has signed listing agreements with more than 11,000 estate agency offices - over...
02 October 2018
From: Breaking News

Hello and welcome to this week’s Agents Do Charity - another chance to hear about the remarkable fund-raising done by our...
28 September 2018
From: Breaking News

Emoov’s founder Russell Quirk has outlined how he would help Britain get out of its current housing crisis to a Labour...
24 September 2018
From: Breaking News

Shareholders in the ailing Countrywide agency group appeared to remain largely indifferent to the news that their executive chairman Peter Long...
20 September 2018
From: Breaking News

The number of new franchise applicants reported by Winkworth in the first half of the year rocketed 135 per cent -...
13 September 2018
From: Breaking News

EweMove is the country’s fifth largest online agency group based on transactions, and continues to make a profit according to its owner,...
12 September 2018
From: Breaking News

Following the first day of trading its new shares yesterday, Countrywide's share price finished at 12.52, down almost 4%. The new shares were...
31 August 2018
From: Breaking News

Countrywide may have enjoyed the overwhelming support of its major institutional shareholders for its controversial rescue plan, but the wider financial...
29 August 2018
From: Breaking News

Countrywide’s embattled management leaders have been overwhelmingly backed by shareholders in their bid for additional funding. A General Meeting of shareholders was held...
28 August 2018
From: Breaking News

Yopa, which says it is the second largest hybrid agency when measured by listings, has received a major new £20m investment. Savills -...
28 August 2018
From: Breaking News

Countrywide’s eagerly-awaited General Meeting for shareholders takes place today and is widely expected to back the ailing agency group’s controversial rescue...
28 August 2018
From: Breaking News

Countrywide’s share price defied the expectations of some analysts and rose over six per cent yesterday with the company moving from...
23 August 2018
From: Breaking News

In yet another statement to the London Stock Exchange and shareholders, Countrywide says its last-gasp £140m fund-raising is likely to be...
21 August 2018
From: Breaking News

Countrywide appears to have backtracked on a move which could have seen its three most senior executives receive some £20m in...
20 August 2018
From: Breaking News

Welcome to this week’s Property Jobs Today - and as ever we have a breakdown of key moves within our industry. To...
13 August 2018
From: Breaking News
11 August 2018
From: Features

We may be well into August but there’s little sign of a holiday for our industry, with a string of big...
06 August 2018
From: Breaking News

It was interesting to see the recent story on Estate Agent Today about OnTheMarket (OTM) raising its fees after signing up...
04 August 2018
From: Features

Small print in the Countrywide rescue plan announced yesterday spells out in stark terms what could happen if the company’s bid...
03 August 2018
From: Breaking News

Countrywide's share price has dropped sharply following the announcement of the company's rescue plan - but the firm itself says this...
02 August 2018
From: Breaking News

There have been two stories dominating the PropTech headlines over this past week. As WeWork places a gentle arm around the...
01 August 2018
From: Breaking News

‘Up’ is the key word in Rightmove’s figures for the first half of 2018, released to the City and to shareholders...
27 July 2018
From: Breaking News

The agonisingly painful decline of Countrywide continues, with no one sure whether it is the darkest hour before the dawn or...
25 July 2018
From: Breaking News

Countrywide, the troubled estate agency group thought by some to be near collapse, has delayed issuing its interim figures which were...
24 July 2018
From: Breaking News

It’s being suggested that Countrywide’s rights issue, previously expected to be announced this week, may now be delayed. The Times says the...
24 July 2018
From: Breaking News

At least one estate agency appears to be doing better than expected in the current challenging market - Hunters says sales...
24 July 2018
From: Breaking News

Countrywide has not made any official statement about speculation over the weekend that it was about to seek an additional £100m investment. Estate...
23 July 2018
From: Breaking News

It’s being reported this morning that Countrywide will seek new investment of over £100m, probably in the next few days. The Sunday...
22 July 2018
From: Breaking News

The stock market and at least one City analyst have shrugged their shoulders at the claim by Purplebricks that it is...
06 July 2018
From: Breaking News

Purplebricks says it enjoyed an 81 per cent growth in revenue in the UK the year to the end of April and...
05 July 2018
From: Breaking News

So here’s the thing. It’s summer - not much going on, school holidays about to start, industry publications filling out space...
30 June 2018
From: Features

High-end housebuilder Berkeley Homes says “macro and political uncertainty, including Brexit” is leading to some developers previously building in London to...
22 June 2018
From: Breaking News

OnTheMarket has announced to the City and its shareholders that it’s to reveal its annual results tomorrow - the first such...
06 June 2018
From: Breaking News

A recent holiday in the US gave me an opportunity to catch up with property news over there - and surprisingly,...
02 June 2018
From: Features

Foxtons has this morning given a gloomy trading update to the City and shareholders. In a statement issued at 7am it says:...
17 May 2018
From: Breaking News

OnTheMarket says it has now struck listing agreements with 7,500 agency branches, adding over 2,000 branches since floating on the London stock...
02 May 2018
From: Breaking News

LSL Property Services has issued a warning that market conditions are softer than expected so far in 2018 and that transaction...
26 April 2018
From: Breaking News

Purplebricks has issued a statement saying that 99.98 per cent of its shareholders have backed the new investment to expand its...
18 April 2018
From: Breaking News

Winkworth, the agency which released its 2017 results this morning, says the franchise business model it supports is more resilient than others...
28 March 2018
From: Breaking News

As noted in Estate Agent Today’s news pages, OnTheMarket’s (OTM) recent dire share performance (at time of writing the price is...
27 March 2018
From: Features

High-end international estate agency company Savills claims Yopa, in which it has invested substantial sums, is now the UK’s 10th largest...
16 March 2018
From: Breaking News

Savills has reported good figures for 2017 although most of its strongest performance was outside the world of residential property. In a...
15 March 2018
From: Breaking News

OnTheMarket says estate agencies with some 1,000 offices have joined the portal in the five weeks since it floated on the...
14 March 2018
From: Breaking News

The troubled Countrywide group has this morning revealed its recovery plan to get - in its words - ‘back to basics’...
08 March 2018
From: Breaking News

Foxtons has reported its 2017 figures to shareholders and the City this morning and as expected they show sharp falls in...
28 February 2018
From: Breaking News

Rightmove says its commercial property side is “continuing to gain momentum” with 650,000 leads generated for customers in 2017. Perhaps with an...
26 February 2018
From: Breaking News

Rightmove has reported another very large leap in revenue in 2017 and a modest rise in agency and new home customers...
23 February 2018
From: Breaking News

OnTheMarket has told the City this morning that it has already signed up 81 new listing agreements by 5pm yesterday, completing...
16 February 2018
From: Breaking News

City broker Jefferies is warning that Countrywide’s earnings as calculated through the EBITDA measure could drop to as little as £50m -...
15 February 2018
From: Breaking News

Countrywide has made a brief announcement to shareholders about amending its credit facility with lenders to help it turn the business...
05 February 2018
From: Breaking News

There was confirmation this morning, as expected, that Countrywide chief executive Alison Platt has quit - but so far there is no...
24 January 2018
From: Breaking News

Countrywide appears to be in turmoil with Sky News reports that board members are discussing trying to get rid of controversial...
23 January 2018
From: Breaking News

It is now an industry truism to say that Alison Platt has transformed Countrywide - but recent evidence, and now doubt...
23 January 2018
From: Breaking News

Sky News is this evening reporting that Alison Platt, the chief executive of the troubled Countrywide agency, may soon be leaving...
22 January 2018
From: Breaking News

The Countrywide chief executive, Alison Platt, is said to have warned staff that the reaction from the markets and shareholders to...
22 January 2018
From: Breaking News

Shares in troubled agency group Countrywide have fallen to their lowest-ever level of 106.40p in trading this morning. Yesterday shares fell a...
19 January 2018
From: Breaking News

With the year in full swing we have some more heroic fund-raising and grant-giving stories to tell this week. Thanks so much...
19 January 2018
From: Breaking News

Franchise giant Winkworth has told its shareholders that its revenues for 2017 are likely to be less than five per cent...
18 January 2018
From: Breaking News

The business editor of right-wing political weekly The Spectator has made an attempt to defend the controversial £109m bonus paid to...
08 January 2018
From: Breaking News

OnTheMarket has announced some details of its IPO and the launch of its stock market flotation - but it has given nothing...
11 December 2017
From: Breaking News

LSL Property Services - which includes Your Move, Reeds Rains and other high street estate agencies - batted away any housing...
30 November 2017
From: Breaking News

ZPG has revealed its 2017 annual report this morning with a stream of records - 648 million visits to portals, revenue...
29 November 2017
From: Breaking News

ZPG is refusing to increase its rejected bid to buy comparison website GoCompare. Earlier this month GoCompare turned down an unsolicited takeover offer...
24 November 2017
From: Breaking News

Belvoir has this morning withdrawn its merger offer to The Property Franchise Group, after some weeks of talks. As recently as Tuesday,...
16 November 2017
From: Breaking News

Belvoir has revealed that it has won the backing of a minority shareholder in The Property Franchise Group to resume merger...
14 November 2017
From: Breaking News

Chris Bell, a former chief executive of bookies’ organisation Ladbrokes, has been named as the non-executive chairman of Agents’ Mutual as...
03 November 2017
From: Breaking News

The latest volley in the war of words between Belvoir and The Property Franchise Group has been hurled - this time...
01 November 2017
From: Breaking News

Statements from The Property Franchise Group and Belvoir continue to ramp up the war of words between the two agency groups...
20 October 2017
From: Breaking News

Belvoir has announced that it has made an approach to The Property Franchise Group regarding a possible merger. In a statement to...
19 October 2017
From: Breaking News

Investment website The Motley Fool says comparisons between forecast and actual profits reported by Purplebricks suggest the company’s position isn’t -...
02 October 2017
From: Breaking News

Purplebricks' latest trading statement, issued this morning, claims "good progress" and says its revenue in the UK for the first half...
29 September 2017
From: Breaking News

An early Gold member of OnTheMarket is making a last-ditch bid to stop its parent company, Agents’ Mutual, from floating on...
11 September 2017
From: Breaking News

LSL Property Services has announced that it has invested £20 million into hybrid agency YOPA. News of the investment broke on Friday...
04 September 2017
From: Breaking News

The stock exchange seems to be on everyone’s lips at the moment. There’s Agents’ Mutual seeking to float on the Alternative Investment...
12 August 2017
From: Features

No one can say Agents’ Mutual has failed to provoke debate within the industry. The project was the centre of fierce argument...
11 August 2017
From: Breaking News

The police are investigating a quick sale company after a claim by an individual that he received less than half of...
11 August 2017
From: Breaking News
04 August 2017
From: Features

The share price of beleaguered hybrid agency Purplebricks has recovered some of the ground it lost earlier in the week after...
04 August 2017
From: Breaking News

Agents’ Mutual (oops, that name might need to change…read on) has been touting its recent legal victory and is about to...
03 August 2017
From: Features

After a roller-coaster day on the Stock Exchange yesterday, Purplebricks has sought to defend itself against further possible share price losses...
03 August 2017
From: Breaking News

LSL Property Services - owners of Your Move, Reeds Rains and Marsh & Parsons amongst estate agency brands - has enjoyed...
01 August 2017
From: Breaking News

In its latest report to shareholders, Rightmove has revealed yet more growth in agent numbers, traffic to its website, revenue per...
28 July 2017
From: Breaking News

Countrywide says the roll out of its online sales and lettings service is on schedule to reach 50 per cent of...
28 July 2017
From: Breaking News

Foxtons has reported its half-year figures for the six months to the end of June and, as expected, they show how...
27 July 2017
From: Breaking News

Foxtons - a company seen by many as a barometer of the London housing market - is likely to face a...
10 July 2017
From: Breaking News

Agents’ Mutual says it will be seeking to recover costs and compensation for losses incurred after what is widely seen as...
06 July 2017
From: Breaking News

Two of the most influential figures behind the PropTech sector have run a microscope over Rightmove’s business model and technology -...
22 May 2017
From: Breaking News

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...
20 May 2017
From: Features

Lomond Capital has purchased a majority stake in one of the south coast of England’s major estate and letting agency groups,...
02 May 2017
From: Breaking News

Countrywide’s Bairstow Eves brand has launched a series of video guides for customers using their £995 online agency service and for...
27 April 2017
From: Breaking News

A London investment broker says Purplebricks’ share price - currently around 300p - could rise another 50 per cent or more...
25 April 2017
From: Breaking News

Foxtons has received lavish praise from investment consultancy Jefferies despite long-term share price worries reflecting its mixed performance in the troubled...
20 March 2017
From: Breaking News

Countrywide has successfully placed 21.6m shares to institutional investors at the competitive price of 175p per share - allowing it to...
10 March 2017
From: Breaking News

It's been revealed that Countrywide has lost 200 branches in its reorganisation - that's around 20 per cent of its branch...
09 March 2017
From: Breaking News

Foxtons' figures released to the City this morning confirm a huge slump in sales in 2016 - and even lettings revenue...
08 March 2017
From: Breaking News

LSL Property Services - which owns high street agency brands Your Move, Reeds Rains and Marsh & Parsons - is the...
08 March 2017
From: Breaking News

Martin & Co wants its shareholders to agree that the firm’s name should be changes to The Property Franchise Group. A note...
24 February 2017
From: Breaking News

Purplebricks has raised £50m through a share issue to fund expansion into the United States later this year. In an announcement to shareholders...
23 February 2017
From: Breaking News

Rightmove secured over 131m visits last month, an all-time high for January. The 131m total was some three per cent above January...
20 February 2017
From: Breaking News

The fledgling organisation seeking to represent independent estate agents has issued a lengthy statement setting out what it calls ‘rules of...
30 January 2017
From: Breaking News

Rightmove’s web traffic between Boxing Day and the end of last week is up five per cent on the same period...
16 January 2017
From: Breaking News

The flexibility of Foxtons’ business model - especially its ability to control headcount, including the number of agents it employs -...
12 January 2017
From: Breaking News

Foxtons has revealed that in the final quarter of last year its revenues were only £26m - down a quarter on...
11 January 2017
From: Breaking News

Lambert Smith Hampton, the commercial arm of Countrywide, is to be put up for sale. LSH is one of Britain's oldest and...
15 December 2016
From: Breaking News

A housebuilder that has in the past profited from its concentration on high-end London schemes says demand for its units is...
05 December 2016
From: Breaking News

It’s a tale of two estate agencies - Britain’s biggest, seemingly in trouble, and the second biggest, winning a seal of...
30 November 2016
From: Breaking News

A trading update released by Countrywide this morning shows a 29 per cent slump in London exchanges in the third quarter...
24 November 2016
From: Breaking News

Although Brexit, portal juggling and portal wars have stolen property industry headlines in recent months, there's been one story almost constantly...
05 November 2016
From: Features

In recent weeks I have been carrying out question and answer sessions with some of the key figures in the property...
14 October 2016
From: Features

An equity specialist has warned that shareholders may now choose this is the time to sell their stakes in Purplebricks because...
06 October 2016
From: Breaking News

Hunters has delivered an upbeat report to shareholders, claiming income up 42 per cent in the first six months of the...
09 September 2016
From: Breaking News

Savills residential fee income rose 10 per cent in the first six months of 2016 but the firm warns that it’s...
09 August 2016
From: Breaking News

The high-profit property crowdfunding site Property Partner has laid off 13 of its employees - equivalent to around 29 per cent...
21 July 2016
From: Breaking News

The Financial Times is reporting that a shareholders’ rebellion may be on the cards at Foxtons as some with a stake...
10 May 2016
From: Breaking News

Straightforward money laundering customer due diligence (CDD) is a worry for agents, but then also having to identify beneficial owners and...
23 April 2016
From: Features

One of the leading financial advice websites in the country has said that Rightmove’s “significant market share” and “insanely high margins”...
05 April 2016
From: Breaking News

What Countrywide are getting at is that they want to think more like retailers to engage better with customers. If this is...
01 April 2016
From: Features

So this is Easter - a busy time for many agents although once again the industry has shown its compassionate side...
25 March 2016
From: Breaking News

Controversial online estate agent and industry commentator Russell Quirk has hit out at the fee structure of traditional agents, claiming it...
21 March 2016
From: Breaking News

Birthdays aren’t just something for family and friends to celebrate. Businesses too can justifiably use these milestones to remember their roots and...
27 February 2016
From: Features

Do you remember Martha Lane-Fox? She was the poster girl for lastminute.com and an icon of the dot.com bubble that ended...
15 January 2016
From: Features

Foxtons has started a buy-back of shares from its investors - a way of rewarding shareholders after what has been a...
17 December 2015
From: Breaking News

Online estate agency Purplebricks is reported to be preparing a stock market listing valuing it at close to £250m. The company is...