Archive

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

A new ‘robo-adviser’ mortgage service which is backed by LSL Property Services has won another £3.8m in funding from investors.  Robo-advisers provide...

The team behind a new ‘open platform’ targetting smaller agencies in need of Proptech support have revealed a heavyweight line up...

In the past decade or so there has been a movement towards the use of digital signage screens within a number...

Why do we choose to engage with one application more than another, or find ourselves returning to the same piece of...

The buy-to-let sector, which has been under sustained pressure for a number of years now thanks to tax changes designed to...

My eye was caught yesterday morning by news that PropTech company, Agent Software, is claiming that ‘some agencies deliberately over-value properties...

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

When Oakland A’s, a small-market team, stunned the baseball world 16 years ago by transforming itself into world-beaters on a shoestring-budget,...

Running an effective property business in today’s market relies on the clever use of technology.  The right technology will make your agency...

In a world increasingly obsessed with all things digital, it's no surprise that many estate agents are choosing to experiment with...

‘Up’ is the key word in Rightmove’s figures for the first half of 2018, released to the City and to shareholders...

The emerging Proptech platform BestAgent has announced its latest partnership - this one is with sales progression company ViewMyChain. BestAgent, run by...

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

With the shelf life of recent housing ministers being on a par with football managers, it's perhaps little surprise that we're...

A new digital product claims to help agents estimate which of their past customers are statistically most likely to move again...

A property software guru says he wants PropTech firms to join with him in an ‘open platform’ which would allow smaller...

The dream goes on, and as England eases into the World Cup semi-finals, our agents’ reviews of their games continue -...

Reapit has announced that its head of sales, the well-respected and popular industry figure Simon Whale, is leaving the company.  He is...

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

Summer is traditionally the time of the year when the property market slows down, with people going away on their holidays...

ARLA and the NAEA have appointed their new presidents - and as usual they are the presidents-elect, named a year ago. Mark...

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

Clients of software provider Reapit can now integrate with leading sharing and online valuation service The ValPal Network. The objective is to help Reapit...

Having recently attended FUTURE: PropTech in London, it struck me just how far the integration of property and technology has progressed...

The head of eProp Services, parent company of easyProperty, says growth in the online sector is slower than expected - but that...

Many agents are missing out on significant time saving opportunities when it comes to their floor plans say Landmark, parent of the Metropix...

How can you use data to benefit and better your business? It’s something you’ll no doubt have asked yourself down the...

Reapit has announced the acquisition of Resource Techniques in a bid to strengthen its position in the agency software market. Resource Techniques,...

There is a common misconception that the private rented sector (PRS) is entirely made up of young professionals and students. While...

OnTheMarket has announced that industry software company Reapit is introducing a real time data feed for its clients to upload their properties...

Floor plan software provider Metropix celebrated their win at The ESTAS on Friday by announcing an upcoming landmark. Having scooped the “Best...

Who are you and what does it say on your business card? Ben Robinson, Director of Agency Services at Landmark What is Landmark...

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

A BBC Radio 5 Live analysis of online reviews has reignited the argument about the glut of positive reviews for Purplebricks...

One of the industry’s best-known software suppliers Reapit has announced that it’s acquired Pocket Size Media - a firm that provides...

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

Floor plans are an essential marketing tool, which play an important part in helping an estate agent sell a home.  A floor...

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

A technology company says that despite government attempts to eradicate money laundering in property transactions, agents and other industry professionals have been left...

It’s all very easy, talking and evangelising about the use of technology in the property market, but, now that I’m selling...

Three weeks has flown by (I missed an early deadline last week - apologies) and I find myself writing the next...

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

For many estate agents seeking to become entrepreneurs, the idea of starting their own business is undoubtedly daunting, especially when going...

Greetings from Cannes, where the sun is finally shining over MIPIM. I’m sure many of you are out here, too, and...

A PropTech firm claims its new tool gives people the option of running an entire agency...from a phone.  BestAgent, which has built...

A compliance specialist company is warning that as it believes relatively few estate agents fully understand their anti-money laundering obligations, firms...

Firstly, a huge thanks to everyone who shared and commented on my first blog and for all those that emailed me...

A mergers and acquisitions specialist says traditional agencies have been pushed into becoming more innovative by the rise of portals and...

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

In a show of changing consumer behaviour in the property market, new research has revealed that digital-savvy movers are favouring specialist...

Hello and welcome to this week’s Property Jobs Today. If you haven’t caught this feature before, it’s a regular Monday opportunity...

The managing director of property data consultancy Hometrack, Charlie Bryant, is to lead a reorganised property marketing, software and data division...

Having built over 1,800 websites for estate and lettings agents in the last 20 years, it will come as no surprise...

Home movers are opting to use specialist conveyancers over local solicitors, according to new research. Conveyancing software firm InfoTrack says 43% of...

Hello and welcome to the latest Property Jobs Today, our round-up each Monday of key job moves within estate and letting...

PropTech has been the industry soundbite for the last couple of years. For many of my fellow agents, I think it’s one...

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

I had an interesting meeting last week with a VR company called Garou. Based in New York, they claim to have...

ZPG says it anticipates a strong 2018 according to a trading statement ahead of the company’s annual general meeting today. The firm...

There was an excellent article, published last week, based around an interview with Chandra Dhandapani, CBRE’s chief digital and technology officer.  The...

ZPG, which operates Zoopla and PrimeLocation as well as owning the Property Software Group, has signed more long-term marketing deals with a...

For a while now, property and technology have been combining seamlessly to offer the industry innovative solutions to often complex problems....

Virtual Staging is about presenting a property in the most appealing way to potential buyers. Many consider virtual staging is deceiving...

The Charter for Independent Estate and Letting Agents has told Estate Agent Today that it WILL formally launch after all, in...

The former managing director of Countrywide’s estate agency division has joined the board of a PropTech firm wanting to introduce facial...

The short let management company Lavanda - backed by Harry Hill, former chief of Rightmove and Countrywide - has launched software...

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

ZPG has revealed its 2017 annual report this morning with a stream of records - 648 million visits to portals, revenue...

A new software tool claims to be able to verify leads by checking on buyers via social media.  Using Facebook, LinkedIn and...

A firm which offers a white-labelled online estate agency platform which can be used by otherwise-traditional agencies to provide a Purplebricks-style...

News agency Reuters says a top five shareholder in price comparison service GoCompare says the firm should respond “positively” if ZPG...

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

The government's call for evidence from agents and others in a bid to improve the house buying process has pushed some...

We recently witnessed the Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) increase the base interest rate for the first time since...

A roadshow is being launched to help the industry tackle what is being described as “the biggest change to affect estate...

The man seeking to establish the Charter for Independent Estate and Letting Agents says he is hopeful that the fledgling trade...

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

Crowdfunding is nothing new. As I pointed out in a previous Natter, it dates back centuries, playing a part in the...

The death throes of the Charter for Independent Estate and Letting Agents are continuing. A statement by software entrepreneur Charlie Wright, who...

The Advertising Standards Authority has ruled that two TV advertisements for Purplebricks cannot be shown again in their current form because...

There’s much said in the mainstream press about estate agency fees and how costly they can be for consumers. But one point...

After some months of speculation within the industry, high-profile supplier Reapit has confirmed today that it is the subject of a...

The long-running saga of whether independent agents’ group CIELA is ever going to launch appears to be nearing its end game...

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...

One of the most thorough analyses of property portals ever undertaken shows that Rightmove is the world’s most profitable portal company...

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

Online review organisation Trustpilot has issued an open letter regarding its Purplebricks reviews. In it, the review company - which is often...

Let’s be honest - few people saw this coming. The 89 to 11 per cent majority amongst Agents’ Mutual members for...

It’s been quite a week, much of it concerning the technology that increasingly underpins our industry.  A glut of fund-raising and relaunching...

ZPG has acquired Ravensworth, a major provider of print and creative marketing services to estate and letting agents.  Ravensworth, based in Northumberland, specialises in...

Before we go any further, assuming you are an Agents’ Mutual member, let me ask you a question. If you had...

As someone who spends his days peering into the PropTech world, one thing I’ve observed is the way in which certain tech prompts...

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

If you’re a busy estate or letting agent, you’ll find that it can be quite difficult and time-consuming locating the right...

Facebook appears to be interested in entering the sales and lettings world with its first advertising product geared solely towards industry professionals. The...

Mortgage broker The Mortgage Hut has signed distribution deals with Century 21, Taylor Hill & Bond, Aspire Estate Agents and Wayne...

The Competition and Markets Authority has released the full wording on its decision to give the go-ahead to ZPG’s acquisition of Expert...

Reapit has launched a new digital product following agents’ demands to handle an increasing volume of out of hours dealings with...

Industry software company KeyAGENT is giving 200 agents access to a new package allowing them to upload photos and floor plan sketches...

The on-off-on saga of the fledgling trade group for independent agents has taken another twist. The founder of the organisation suggests that...

Foxtons is reported to have teamed up with Oracle to improve its targeted digital marketing and lead generation. Oracle’s Marketing Cloud product...

Our recent roundtable on the government’s proposed ban on letting agent fees charged to tenants generated ten tips for growing your...

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

The managing director of ZPG Property Services says his firm will never ‘go around’ an agent in order to directly work...

The Guild of Property Professionals and Fine & Country have launched a new referral system app which allows its members to...

Mark Goddard was the founder and CEO of The Property Software Group (PSG), a property software solutions firm established in 2007,...

Expert Agent says it is pleased the uncertainty surrounding its takeover had ended but suggests the Competition and Markets Authority’s announcement...

ZPG, owner of digital platforms including Zoopla, uSwitch, PrimeLocation, Hometrack and Property Software Group, has been cleared by the Competition and...

The popularity of property auctions in the UK has increased enormously in recent years, supported by popular TV shows such as...

High profile estate agency Cluttons has returned to marketing with Zoopla Property Group (ZPG).  The firm rejoined the portal at the end...

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

ZPG has published its half-year figures this morning showing a six per cent rise in the number of agents and a...

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

Given that around 95% of property searches now start online, it is more important than ever that an agent has an...

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

Our recent roundtable on the government’s proposed ban on tenant fees generated ten top tips for growing your business.  We plan to...

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

For my latest Property Natter I have sought the opinions of two well-known property consultants - Michael Day, managing director of...

The Competitions and Markets Authority is reviewing the acquisition of Expert Agent by ZPG, parent company of Zoopla and PrimeLocation. A statement...

A software platform offering a hybrid conveyancing and compliance service to agents has been launched following 12 months of testing with...

The ESTAS has announced its final - and to some its most prestigious - shortlist for this year’s awards.     The People...

This week I’m lucky enough to be out here in Cannes as a PropTech Ambassador for MIPIM, the international real estate...

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

One thing that can be guaranteed in the property world each year is a range of conferences and awards dinners. Very...

Zoopla has acquired Expert Agent - the latest of a string of acquisitons by the portal. This follows the portal company's...

Organisers of the Future:PropTech2017 conference on May 4 have revealed new sponsors involved with the event - including Angels Media, publisher...

So, Property Week has announced its Property Awards shortlist for 2017. Looking at the entries for PropTech Company of the Year, I'm surprised...

Estate Agent Today has been told that a deal between the Property Franchise Group and ZPG - the new name for...

It’s over. Done. The only ones interested are those with too much time on their hands. For God’s sake - behind...

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

Legal firm Kirwans have released shocking statistics which state that 70% of eviction notices issued by landlords to tenants may be...

The property marketing company Pelican Media is preparing to launch what it claims is the industry’s first voice control software across...

The story of the week has been the first steps of a trade body to represent independent estate agents - as...

When I read about the possible formation of yet another ‘mutual’ with the aim of furthering and protecting the interests of...

2016 was quite a year – eventful, dramatic, shocking and impossible to predict. In no particular order, we saw Leicester winning...

Online estate agents have been accused to “the callous exploitation of naive sellers” by the software executive behind the idea to...

New software has been devised which can allow users to identify individual properties that have been ‘portal juggled’ - de-listed and...

Zoopla Property Group's estate agency membership grew five per cent and its property listing inventory was up 10 per cent in...

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

What does it say on your business card? Rajeev Nayyar, Managing Director of Fixflo We’re here to talk about your new product,...

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

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

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

Hunters has developed a formally recognised estate agency qualification for its own network of branches.  The qualification - which Hunters claims is...

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

Rightmove has a new board member from the end of this year - Jacqueline de Rojas, the winner of the 2015...

Connells Group is to continue with its experimental ‘live chat’ facility on its website after seeing a significant rise in valuation bookings...

The Jeffries Group, an eight-branch Hampshire-based independent agency, says it is going to leave OnTheMarket.  Although the group’s website and email branding...

One of the great events of the agency year is the Agents Giving Ball, hosted a few days ago at The Lancaster...

This week we have the Head Shepherd of EweMove, Glenn Ackroyd, in the hotseat. He’s been co-owner of EweMove Sales and Lettings,...

Estate agents are to be given access to PropertyBOX – a free floor plan and photo enhancing app. The app comes from...

When marketing a property for sale, there are a number of attributes that buyers and sellers today expect ‘as standard’, but...

More estate agents are using – or at least considering using – virtual reality viewings as part of their services. But what...

Zoopla Property Group (ZPG) has announced that it has invested in a soon-to-launch PropTech startup. The group, which now owns uSwitch and...

This week, tech startup Habito claims to have launched the world's first artificially intelligent 'digital mortgage adviser'.  The robo-adviser takes into account...

Zoopla Property Group is seeking to integrate uSwitch, its price comparison service, with MoveIT, its agents’ platform for ancillary revenue generation. It...

Zoopla Property Group is organising a series of seminars for agent members next month, aimed at promoting products offered by its...

Harmony – it’s not always a word that springs to mind when thinking about the world of work. But if you think...

A data consultancy says it will shortly release the findings of an online survey on estate agents’ concerns over how their...

Paying too much every month for your website? Move your website to us and we guarantee to halve your monthly bill I want...

Whether you work from a traditional office, a coffee shop or a bedroom, one thing's for sure is that these days...

Zoopla is to offer its members a range of options which effectively mean that those agents who wish to can offer...

A conveyancing portal claims it allows estate agents and other parties access to a property transaction to see conveyancing progress across...

Nearly three quarters of people who have sold or bought a property deem it more stressful than having a child or...

Estate agents from around the country are reporting only limited damage to business or prices caused by the Brexit result of...

CRM software provider Reapit, has teamed up with Agency Mentors to provide training programmes for agents.  Reapit says its agent customers who...

‘Digital technology in the property industry is here to stay’ was very much the opinion drawn from the recent FUTURE: PropTech...

Property software supplier VTUK is the latest to warn that a Brexit could have a damaging effect on the supply of...

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

You may have heard a lot about 'the cloud' in the last few years. In fact, it's become a bit of...

A new e-conveyancing platform has been launched in Edinburgh ahead of a roll-out across all of Scotland. This system, Altis, is the...

The old and eternal debate over whether or not tenant fees should be banned continues to rumble on. It’s a major concern...

Several stock market analysts have published reports on Zoopla's half-year trading statement released yesterday. Anthony Codling of Jefferies – the firm which...

Zoopla Property Group (ZPG) has today reported a strong period of growth during the six months to the end of March...

Some 82% of consumers say they would prefer to work with a 'personal agent' who can manage the whole process of...

Last time out I spoke about the beginnings of a PropTech revolution, with two major London-based events in the offing over...

Finding the right estate agency software supplier can be difficult and time-consuming. It's increasingly important to find a partner that suits your...

Who are you? I’m the champion of local owner managed estate agents, leading them in the fight to beat the competition   What...

Agency software company Dezrez says the jury is out on whether Zoopla’s acquisition of the Property Software Group will be considered...

A City analyst says Zoopla Property Group’s conditional acquisition of the UK's largest supplier of estate agency software for £75m may...

Zoopla Property Group has confirmed its conditional agreement to buy The Property Software Group, which it calls the UK’s market-leading provider...

An executive director at hybrid estate agency EweMove has hit out at the government’s apparent support for innovation in the house...

Storm Katie (makes it sound so harmless when they give it a name like that, doesn’t it?) might have given the...

Despite being round the block quite a few times in the property world, it was only in 2008 that the importance...

The days are getting longer, the sun is starting to appear on a more regular basis, Easter is just around the...

Who are you? Montana Hassan Tell us about yourself? I am the Business Development Director of Gnomen, my primary focus is to build strong...

Software. You might not give it much thought a lot of the time, but it’s an absolutely crucial part of how...

The raterAgent website is to use an automatic email generating service to encourage more reviews. raterAgent has teamed up with Reapit to...

Countrywide is to lead a group including Connells and Zoopla in a partnership with the proptech company Fixflo, currently best known...

Only months after the collapse of the Veyo system aimed at creating a conveyancing portal for England and Wales, the Law...

Growth Schedule is incredible FREE software very simple to use that enables Estate Agents to manage their social media accounts from...

We know that many agents will be shutting up shop at the end of today for a well-earned Christmas break -...

Estate agents interested in operating multiple listing services in the UK have the opportunity to meet one of the United States’...

Hybrid online estate agency Purplebricks is expected to start trading on the Stock Exchange on December 17. It has already raised £58.1m...

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

A new website promises ultimately to identify 'mispriced' properties, including those which have the highest probably of being secured at a...

It will come as no surprise for those who have read the recently published Which? annual customer service survey which polled...

PropSpace, an international cloud-based property software firm that has recently launched in the UK, is one of the new sponsors of...

This month it was announced that Landbay mortgage lenders will release a new rental Index, alongside Zoopla and data-modelling experts MIAC.  The...

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

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

Rezi’s cloud based SaaS platform seamlessly connects technology and business infrastructures Rezi Enterprise is a sales and lettings SaaS platform with an...

Connect branch networks, automate sales and marketing and highlight business opportunities with Rezi’s agile cloud platform Rezi Premium is more than a...

Estate agents want systems that deliver power, speed and mobility. Increase efficiency, reduce admin, offer a personalised service and increase your income...

Tips on using digital signage in your window 1. Why digital signage is an asset to your business - Raise the profile of...

Edinburgh Solicitor Property Centre claims to have reached what it calls a “major milestone” in its new e-conveyancing service called Central...

The property at the centre of what has been described as the world’s first virtual open house on Facebook has sold...

Zoopla has launched its Real Time Listings Service, allowing member agents to send updates to property listings on ZPG websites within...

Zoopla Property Group has appointed Vin Murria as an independent non-executive director. Murria, who left her role as chief executive of AIM-listed...

The Advertising Standards Authority has given its backing to an estate agency using Rightmove data to claim it had the most...

Q: Tell us about Kristina Grimes. I am the Sales Director of Dezrez, one of the leading providers of estate agency software....

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...

Information Works is a one-stop direct marketing solution allowing Clients to select individuals at over 27 million household addresses, create personalised...

The presupposed notion still exists that new online agents are ‘tech savvy’ whilst the seemingly old fashioned high street agents are...

Gareth Styles of Grants Independent Estate Agents, Woking writes: When considering opening a new office in Woking Surrey I met with several...

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