In this week’s Natter, I carry out a Q&A with Lisa Knight, who has taken the impressive journey from barmaid to...
Archive
09 April 2022
From: Features

The UK’s largest property auctioneer says that there is now clear evidence of the impact the pandemic has had on the...
25 January 2022
From: Breaking News

As a character from a fairly well-known TV show once said, winter is coming and we’re all contemplating where 2021 has...
23 October 2021
From: Features

In this thought leadership article, Videosign CEO Steven Tallant looks at electronic signatures and conveyancing and whether the time is nigh for the...
16 October 2021
From: Features

The Crown Prosecution Service has joined in the criticism of unemployed estate agent Lewis Hughes, who last week admitted a count...
04 August 2021
From: Breaking News

Agents have been told in new government guidance that the liftings of some Covid restraints in wider society “does not mark...
26 July 2021
From: Breaking News

Regional hybrid agency Hortons says its repaid its £50,000 bounce back loan at the earliest opportunity - because the industry has...
23 July 2021
From: Breaking News

It may be ‘Freedom Day’ but it looks certain that many estate agents will still wear masks in offices today and...
19 July 2021
From: Breaking News

New guidance has been issued to agents as the government confirms that most remaining Coronavirus restrictions are to be lifted from...
13 July 2021
From: Breaking News

Agents are to be told this week that employees can drop face masks, social distancing and other workplace measures put in...
12 July 2021
From: Breaking News
03 July 2021
From: Features

It’s now over a year since the property market officially reopened after an unprecedented two-month shutdown at the height of the...
22 May 2021
From: Features

Propertymark has produced a new guide for estate agents in the wake of the latest step on the roadmap out of Covid...
19 May 2021
From: Breaking News

Propertymark Qualifications is reporting a surge in exams being taken and booked as restrictions ease allowing test centres to reopen. Since they...
05 May 2021
From: Breaking News

Local elections rarely set the pulse racing and this year’s poll on Thursday faces a similar problem. But this time, it’s a...
01 May 2021
From: Features

As an estate agent, you should of course be performing robust Know Your Customer (KYC) checks as part of your Anti-Money...
01 May 2021
From: Features

The last property event I attended in person – and I think the last physical property event held all told –...
10 April 2021
From: Features

Data from agency Knight Frank suggests the number of UK exchanges last month was the highest in 10 years - well above...
08 April 2021
From: Breaking News

There’s been a drop of no less than 16,000 in the number of physical viewings over the past year thanks to just...
07 April 2021
From: Breaking News

The Chancellor’s recent announcement that the stamp duty holiday would be extended for another three months was undoubtedly great news for...
27 March 2021
From: Features

Following the fluctuation of the property market during the UK’s first national lockdown, the industry was given a lifeline by the...
13 March 2021
From: Features

The Prime Minister this afternoon stated that lockdown will remain in effect until early March at the earliest. He told the House...
27 January 2021
From: Breaking News

Zoopla's latest figures suggest 70,000 transactions are likely to miss the stamp duty holiday deadline of March 31. And the portal says: “The...
27 January 2021
From: Breaking News

Agents are sharply split over how they should operate during the current phase of the Coronavirus crisis. In a poll of almost...
05 January 2021
From: Breaking News

Agents and the housing market in England are still in business even during the third national lockdown which begins on Wednesday and...
05 January 2021
From: Breaking News

The Westminster government has published extensive guidance on the operation of the new Tier 4 Coronavirus restrictions in England. This includes a...
21 December 2020
From: Breaking News

Pressure is building on the government to agree a tapered end to the stamp duty holiday, even if a full-blown extension now...
21 December 2020
From: Breaking News

The housing market is to stay open across the UK, including in the new Tier 4 areas of England. An announcement from Housing Secretary...
20 December 2020
From: Breaking News
Described on this site as a ‘powerful disruptor’ in March 2020, few would deny that the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted on...
16 December 2020
From: Sponsored Content

Here at Giraffe360, the PropTech startup, we have raised a £3.5 million funding round to further accelerate our product development and...
05 December 2020
From: Features

Propertymark is in touch with the government to see how the new Tier structure being introduced on December 3 will affect...
24 November 2020
From: Breaking News

Agents should know in the next 36 hours how new Coronavirus restrictions will affect how they work. The Prime Minister is announcing...
23 November 2020
From: Breaking News

As we embark on another nationwide lockdown, the team at SDL Auctions are keen to help agents ride the storm, beat...
11 November 2020
From: Sponsored Content

While England’s national lockdown exempts the housing market and allows agents to operate normally, it’s not been the same in Wales...
09 November 2020
From: Breaking News

An agency in London which was stung by fierce criticism in the spring lockdown has announced its policy for branch activity...
03 November 2020
From: Breaking News

The housing market is to remain open in the four week lockdown in England. The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government...
31 October 2020
From: Breaking News

2020 has been a testing year right from the start. With Storms Ciara and Dennis causing £184m+ worth of damage to...
27 October 2020
From: PropTech & Innovation

The property market has bounced back with all of the expected resilience and flexibility that is its hallmark since it reopened...
24 October 2020
From: Features

2020 has definitely been a year of change. With little warning, the pandemic disrupted the day-to-day operations of almost every industry...
17 October 2020
From: Features

The only certainty at the moment is ongoing uncertainty. It’s something we’ve got used to in 2020, but it’s still not...
10 October 2020
From: Features

It’s about this time of year, pandemic or not, that agents may be asked one particularly awkward question by a vendor...
05 October 2020
From: Breaking News

The latest government rules combined with the Prime Minister’s recent address to the nation is clear – tougher measures are required...
03 October 2020
From: Features

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has encouraged people to complain if they are unhappy about working conditions and thousands of complaints...
26 September 2020
From: Features

With the high street open again, and the Chancellor’s temporary stamp duty holiday helping to stimulate the market, estate and letting...
19 September 2020
From: Features

When it comes to the future of the property market in the wake of Covid-19, there are two main schools of...
19 September 2020
From: Features

In the week the Nationwide recorded the UK’s highest ever average house price, high-end agency Savills has forecast that prime markets...
04 September 2020
From: Breaking News

Record house prices recorded this week by the Nationwide index are set to go higher still according to a leading agent. Nationwide...
03 September 2020
From: Breaking News

Since June 1, under The Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020, landlords in England have been...
26 August 2020
From: Features

Agents are being advised to operate an appointments-only system if they have offices with only one person on duty during the...
20 August 2020
From: Breaking News

The last few months have been tough for the property sector, and the pressure will continue as estate agents across the...
19 August 2020
From: Features

HM Land Registry customers - including agents and conveyancers - can now manage all of their applications and correspondence including notices,...
14 August 2020
From: Breaking News

The Nationwide says annual house price growth has recovered to 1.5 per cent. Its July house price index says the fall in...
03 August 2020
From: Breaking News

Hello: if it’s Friday it’s charity day and this week we have a special announcement from the industry’s own charity, Agents...
31 July 2020
From: Breaking News

What do General Electric, IBM, Microsoft, and WhatsApp have in common? Yes, they are American companies that boasted revenues of $50...
29 July 2020
From: Features

Can technology bring about the lasting change needed to the property industry? The industry has felt the effect of lockdown and...
28 July 2020
From: Sponsored Content

New guidance on face coverings for agents working in branches, and for those dealing directly with visitors, was issued last evening. A statement...
24 July 2020
From: Breaking News

Conferences, events and awards dinners are a hugely important part of the property calendar, bringing the great and the good of...
18 July 2020
From: Features

Hello and welcome to the end of the week and the prospect of a sunny weekend. We appreciate fund-raising is difficult with...
17 July 2020
From: Breaking News

Wearing a face covering in shops and supermarkets is to be made mandatory in England. Anyone failing to comply with the order...
14 July 2020
From: Breaking News

A property law firm is calling on the government to backdate the stamp duty holiday to include those buyers who completed...
13 July 2020
From: Breaking News

There’s no doubt that Covid-19 has had a huge impact on the UK’s property market, after hundreds of thousands of house...
11 July 2020
From: Features

There are high hopes that the new stamp duty holiday will make an already busy market even busier - but not...
10 July 2020
From: Breaking News

Businesses across all sectors have struggled to adapt to the changes brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic. One group that have bucked...
01 July 2020
From: Features

The return of non-essential businesses to lockdown in Leicester as a result of a localised spike in Coronavirus cases is a...
01 July 2020
From: Breaking News

Buyer registrations and sales enquiries are reportedly back to pre-Covid levels. Completions, however, are lagging behind. This is probably down to...
27 June 2020
From: Features

The Welsh housing market is back in business today - at least in part. Letting and estate agents can reopen their offices...
22 June 2020
From: Breaking News

The property market is used to change, and I’m confident it will bounce back from any lockdown effects. Despite being acutely aware...
20 June 2020
From: Features

The devolved government in Wales - where the housing market is still officially closed - has urged agents to report rivals...
16 June 2020
From: Breaking News

Hello and welcome to Agents Do Charity, our weekly opportunity to salute suppliers and agents fund-raising for good causes. We appreciate how...
12 June 2020
From: Breaking News

The managing director of a Winkworth branch is threatening to report a senior member of a nearby Countrywide office to the...
10 June 2020
From: Breaking News

A survey of estate agents conducted through trade publications has revealed that market uncertainty and the handling of transactions within government...
09 June 2020
From: Breaking News

National property auctioneer Pugh & Co is launching an initiative to partner with estate agents across the UK. Via a new network...
08 June 2020
From: Breaking News

An agent in the unusual position of operating across the England and Welsh border says many of his competitors appear to...
05 June 2020
From: Breaking News

The Property Franchise Group - parent company of six agency brands including EweMove and Martin & Co - says all of...
05 June 2020
From: Breaking News

Social distancing will be part of our daily routine moving forward for the foreseeable future and if you run an estate...
04 June 2020
From: Sponsored Content

The Covid-19 crisis has forced the UK property industry to rethink the way it operates. With little warning, the pandemic disrupted the...
03 June 2020
From: Features

A mystery group, believed to consist of high-level former agents and suppliers, is asking the industry for its feedback on current...
29 May 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

** This Bank Holiday Monday both Estate Agent Today and Letting Agent Today look at how agencies have modified offices and protocols...
25 May 2020
From: Breaking News

** This Bank Holiday Monday both Estate Agent Today and Letting Agent Today look at how agencies have modified offices and protocols...
25 May 2020
From: Breaking News

It’s a Bank Holiday weekend and if you’re taking time off we hope you and your families enjoy a well-earned break. We’ll...
22 May 2020
From: Breaking News

The industry should continue to prepare for large-scale reforms such as mandatory agency training, the licensing of agents and a new...
21 May 2020
From: Breaking News

The Bank of Ireland UK is the latest mortgage lender to resume physical valuations of properties in England, subject of course...
21 May 2020
From: Breaking News

For the coming Bank Holiday on Monday, we’d like to show images of how agency offices have adapted to cope with...
20 May 2020
From: Breaking News

Countrywide has refuted claims that none of its branches have so far re-opened for business but has issued an explanation why...
19 May 2020
From: Breaking News

The biggest awards for the agency sector - The ESTAS - will now be a virtual event on Friday July 3,...
18 May 2020
From: Breaking News

As you know, having professional images of your properties is the best (only?) way to get people wanting to step through...
16 May 2020
From: Features

There’s been a very significant increase in the number of listings carrying virtual viewings, accelerating during the period of the Coronavirus crisis and...
15 May 2020
From: Breaking News

The agency at the heart of a fierce row over staff safety in the lockdown says it's now insisting local managers...
14 May 2020
From: Breaking News

Guidance issued by the government explicitly advises agents, buyers and sellers that more activity should be done online if possible. “The process...
14 May 2020
From: Breaking News

It’s back to work today for England’s estate agents and the housing market - but it’s the start of a new...
13 May 2020
From: Breaking News

The chief executive of NAEA Propertymark says he expects specific government guidance later this week for estate agents to return to...
12 May 2020
From: Breaking News

There’s been a surge in buyers wanting to view properties - but agents must sit on their hands and wait for...
12 May 2020
From: Breaking News

There's widespread expectation that Foxtons’ senior management will face sharp criticism at the company’s Annual General Meeting today. The hottest issue at...
12 May 2020
From: Breaking News

First details of the government’s programme to allow businesses to reopen have begun to emerge - with little comfort for estate...
11 May 2020
From: Breaking News

Details being presented to Parliament today may include information on how agents can return to work in some sort of ‘new normal.’ A 50...
11 May 2020
From: Breaking News

The government has temporarily suspended its official house price index as a result of the Coronavirus crisis. In a long and far-reaching announcement...
11 May 2020
From: Breaking News

There has been much speculation about when agents will be allowed back to work, and what the new office working environment...
09 May 2020
From: Features

Rightmove says it’s to launch its biggest ever national marketing campaign in a bid to kick-start the market once lockdown eases. The...
07 May 2020
From: Breaking News

There’s been a furious response to the agent who appears to have breached government rules by opening his branch to the...
07 May 2020
From: Breaking News

A third of agencies say at least some of their staff will be working from home permanently when the Coronavirus pandemic...
07 May 2020
From: Breaking News

An instant valuation service has launched a new tool aimed at helping agents prioritise leads through prospective vendors uploading photographs to...
07 May 2020
From: Breaking News

An estate agent has reopened his High Street office to the public with social distancing and other safety measures in place. It’s...
06 May 2020
From: Breaking News

Countrywide has added its weight to the campaign asking the government to allow agents to get back to work - and...
04 May 2020
From: Breaking News

Since my last column in April, one could argue that very little has changed for agents in terms of the market...
04 May 2020
From: Breaking News

Housing minister Chris Pincher is drawing up guidelines which could allow agents to return to something like normal working in the near...
03 May 2020
From: Breaking News

The coming week’s stories in the mainstream media - inevitably focused on Coronavirus - will be dominated by two things. Firstly there...
02 May 2020
From: Features

The Kremer Signs company has unveiled a package of products for agents to use in the new era of social distancing. These...
01 May 2020
From: Breaking News

If anyone told us six weeks ago that agents would still be doing such amazing work for their communities during lockdown...
01 May 2020
From: Breaking News

The Mail Online is running a story on estate agents allegedly breaking the lockdown by conducting physical viewings in recent weeks...
30 April 2020
From: Breaking News

The government of one part of the British Isles has produced guidelines for removal firms. Until now, house moving in an era...
29 April 2020
From: Breaking News

Industry supplier epropservices has created a new virtual valuation platform to help the industry operate during the lockdown and social distancing...
29 April 2020
From: Breaking News

A six-point guide is to be issued today to agents reopening offices when the government gives the go ahead, possibly in...
28 April 2020
From: Breaking News

There’s going to be a 35 per cent drop in the number of new homes delivered this year because of the...
28 April 2020
From: Breaking News

At the moment, it somehow seems like tempting fate to think too far into the future, especially in terms of the...
25 April 2020
From: Features

Estate agents in one small part of the British Isles are reopening their offices this weekend. Agents on the Channel Island of...
24 April 2020
From: Breaking News

It may seem a long time since normal trading took place but many agencies are now finding they are picking up...
24 April 2020
From: Breaking News

Hello - yes it’s Friday in case you lost track, and that means it’s Agents Do Charity day: and once again...
24 April 2020
From: Breaking News
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Aside from the obvious health crisis, the current pandemic is proving difficult for the business worldwide. However, despite the increasing contact...
22 April 2020
From: Sponsored Content

A regional agency has thrown its weight behind an independent report which says estate and lettings agents could lead the economy...
22 April 2020
From: Breaking News

Property and construction are amongst the worst hit sectors for businesses in so-called ‘critical distress’ according to figures taken before the worst...
22 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

Rightmove and Knight Frank are today both calling for a series of government incentives to kick-start the market after the Coronavirus...
20 April 2020
From: Breaking News

If it’s really the case that estate agents’ offices could be in the category of High Street premises first allowed to...
18 April 2020
From: Features

Estate agents’ offices will be in the first category of High Street premises to reopen when the lockdown finally ends, newspapers claim this...
16 April 2020
From: Breaking News

The John Bray agency based at Rock in Cornwall typically deals with some of the most expensive real estate in the...
13 April 2020
From: Breaking News

We are still living in highly extraordinary times, perhaps evidenced best by the fact that the Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, was...
11 April 2020
From: Features

New temporary rules have thrown a lifeline to troubled agencies like Countrywide and Purplebricks which may need to raise additional funds...
09 April 2020
From: Breaking News

A leading estate agency says it has observed that some banks previously opposed to accepting remote and desktop valuations have started...
09 April 2020
From: Breaking News

Floorplan and photography supplier FocalAgent is making a free offer to every agent in the UK during the virus crisis -...
09 April 2020
From: Breaking News

One of the first analyses of portal listings since the start of the Coronavirus crisis shows that new listings have plummeted...
09 April 2020
From: Breaking News

One of Britain’s leading agents says online viewing and interest in videos for homes on sale continues to be relatively strong...
08 April 2020
From: Breaking News

I won't be the first or last person to say that society and the property industry in which we operate is...
06 April 2020
From: Breaking News

Based on our historical data over twenty years of nationwide operation and a survey conducted in partnership with YouGov, we estimate...
04 April 2020
From: Features

Purplebricks Local Property Experts are asking sellers who are not allowing agents into their homes during the virus crisis to draw...
03 April 2020
From: Breaking News

One of the industry’s leading automated valuation services says it’s running at approaching 1,000 leads a day for agents even during...
03 April 2020
From: Breaking News

Countrywide has strongly denied claims made to Estate Agent Today that some people have felt obliged to work at an admin...
02 April 2020
From: Breaking News

New guidance has just been agreed by conveyancers on house moves during the Coronavirus crisis. The procedures - made pubic only last...
30 March 2020
From: Breaking News

Where else to start? Since my last Natter two weeks ago, all our lives have changed more than we could ever...
28 March 2020
From: Features

Hello and welcome to the latest Conquering Corona - our guide for agents to get through these challenging times. Please let us...
27 March 2020
From: Breaking News

New sales agreed have already plummeted by 15 per cent and over the next three months there’s going to be a...
26 March 2020
From: Breaking News

The Law Society says there is still some possibility that those home movers scheduled to complete in the near future might...
26 March 2020
From: Breaking News

*** Please see this story for the latest news on house moving, updated 12 noon on Tuesday March 24 *** The property...
24 March 2020
From: Breaking News

A video has been launched this morning explaining how agents can get their sellers and landlords to use iPhones to make...