The Countrywide name is set to disappear from the stock market in a week’s time - and may soon be gone...
Archive

This time out, I’m in conversation with one of the big three established portals. Since it was founded in 2007, Zoopla...
04 February 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

Here’s hoping you managed to have as good a Christmas and New Year as Covid rules allowed. Journalism in early January is...
02 January 2021
From: Features

Purplebricks has named a new non-executive director - and currently she has 36 other company directorships or partnerships to her name. Elona...
28 September 2020
From: Breaking News

Share prices for many quoted estate agencies and property portals fell in trading as fears grew about Coronavirus. London-focussed agency Foxtons was one...
22 September 2020
From: Breaking News

For a number of years now, predictions have been made that one of the major tech giants will eventually enter the...
12 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

Is Countrywide finally on the road to recovery? Its share price has risen 125 per cent in the past three months; much of...
12 August 2020
From: Breaking News

“Let’s Zoom later”, “are we Zooming in the morning or afternoon?” “Yeah, I zoomed the client earlier” – variations on these...
20 June 2020
From: Features

The brothers who founded Purplebricks - Michael and Kenny Bruce - have returned to the agency industry for the first time...
09 June 2020
From: Breaking News

The founder of OnTheMarket has revealed why the portal floated on the stock market and why Ian Springett was the right...
20 May 2020
From: Breaking News

The Say No To Rightmove campaign, which expects to have some 3,000 offices signed up by the end of the month,...
24 April 2020
From: Breaking News

The extraordinary past week of anger over portals’ fees plus early-warning statements like that from Foxtons indicate the anxiety in the...
21 March 2020
From: Features

Countrywide shares fell by just over 30 per cent yesterday as the stock market blood-letting continued for property stocks. The value fell 30.86...
18 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

Countrywide’s share price has dived over 50 per cent during the course of the day, following news of LSL pulling out...
16 March 2020
From: Breaking News

Purplebricks faces an imminent takeover bid following the collapse of its share price, predicts a leading industry analyst. Andrew Stanton has already...
16 March 2020
From: Breaking News

Almost all quoted agencies and portals have suffered as a result of stock market investors being spooked by Coronavirus, with some...
13 March 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

It’s been revealed that under takeover rules, LSL Property Services and Countrywide have until March 23 to make merger or takeover...
25 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

An outspoken industry commentator says some of the country’s leading agencies are failing because they’re not actually run by experienced agents. Russell...
03 February 2020
From: Breaking News

Zoopla has revealed large growth in agency membership and visitor figures for 2019. Since being bought by US equity firm Silver Lake,...
15 January 2020
From: Breaking News

In six years of editing Estate Agent Today, some of my most dramatic moments have been covering the troubles - some...
11 January 2020
From: Features

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

For the stock market generally, 2019 has been a positive year - but a few high profile agencies and associated companies...
30 December 2019
From: Breaking News

The financial consultancy advising OnTheMarket says the portal company will be in profit by Easter next year. “We now expect OnTheMarket to...
24 December 2019
From: Breaking News

A high-profile investment advice service says as OnTheMarket nears two years listed on the stock market it “has yet to deliver...
13 December 2019
From: Breaking News

The Great Debate over the charges levied on agents by portals and the huge profits that Rightmove and Zoopla make has...
20 November 2019
From: Breaking News

OnTheMarket has this morning posted its latest results to the stock market. The portal reports that 2,346 branches had converted to full-paying...
10 October 2019
From: Breaking News

The share price of the UK's largest estate agency remained steady yesterday following its appointment of a new chief operating officer. Countrywide...
09 October 2019
From: Breaking News

Welcome back to Property Jobs Today - your Monday roundup of all the latest employment news from the industry. If you have...
07 October 2019
From: Breaking News

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

The Purplebricks share price dropped by 1% to 108p yesterday as investors prepare for today's Annual General Meeting. The hybrid agency's market...
03 October 2019
From: Breaking News

It never rains but it pours. And that’s certainly been the case for the online estate agency sector in the last...
03 October 2019
From: Features

Purplebricks’ recent strong share price rise is not a good sign for the agency but an indication that it may be...
10 September 2019
From: Breaking News

The former Countrywide chief executive Grenville Turner says it is an option for online estate agency Yopa to go to an...
23 August 2019
From: Breaking News

A free-to-list property portal says that contrary to opinion within parts of the agency industry, the more portals there are the...
15 August 2019
From: Breaking News

Now could be the time to buy shares in Purplebricks and Foxtons if one stock market pundit turns out to be...
12 July 2019
From: Breaking News

The new chief executive of Purplebricks believes hybrid agents could win '20-30% market share' in the UK. Vic Darvey, who replaced Michael...
04 July 2019
From: Breaking News

An interesting analysis of Rightmove’s performance on the stock market has led to questions about the long-term profitability and viability of...
20 June 2019
From: Breaking News

We like a good video here at Estate Agent Today, and we know our industry can take a joke even if...
10 June 2019
From: Breaking News

It appears that at least three Countrywide brands are undergoing branch closures as the company’s cuts continue to bite. Estate Agent Today...
31 May 2019
From: Breaking News

Estate Agent Today understands that Countrywide has started a programme involving branch closures and redeployment of staff. Unlike other branch closure programmes by...
10 May 2019
From: Breaking News

Following yesterday's surprise news that founder Michael Bruce is leaving the business and its Australian operation is closing down, Purplebricks encountered...
08 May 2019
From: Breaking News

Another bank has slashed its forecast for Purplebricks, citing concerns over its the long-term viability of its international activities in particular. As...
03 May 2019
From: Breaking News

A PropTech analyst insists that the tumbling share price of Purplebricks on the London Stock Exchange does not indicate that the...
23 April 2019
From: Breaking News

The Daily Telegraph has gone public with City speculation that Chicago-based real estate consultancy JLL may be interested in buying Savills. Both...
15 February 2019
From: Breaking News

Alongside hundreds of agents and suppliers, I recently attended the Guild of Property Professionals’ annual conference. As ever, it was a great...
26 January 2019
From: Features

Former Emoov chief executive Russell Quirk has made his first on-the-record comments about the factors behind the dramatic collapse of his...
14 January 2019
From: Breaking News

As 2018 ticks away and 2019 beckons, it’s time for everyone at Estate Agent Today to wish you, your family and...
31 December 2018
From: Breaking News

Countrywide’s share price fell to its lowest-ever level yesterday - evidence that it’s not just online estate agencies that are having...
05 December 2018
From: Breaking News

As scary Halloweens go, yesterday was quite a shocker for Britain’s online estate agency sector - and not in a good...
01 November 2018
From: Breaking News

Purplebricks’ share price dropped yesterday to barely over 200p - its lowest level for some 18 months and reflecting a near...
10 October 2018
From: Breaking News

OnTheMarket plc, the company which operates the OTM portal, gives its first formal stock market figures tomorrow morning, for the six...
10 October 2018
From: Breaking News

Zoopla Property Group's founder and chief executive, Alex Chesterman, is to step back from day to day operations at the end...
07 September 2018
From: Breaking News

Franchise giant Hunters has reported its latest results to the city, showing impressive growth despite a slow-moving property market. In the six...
07 September 2018
From: Breaking News

One of Countrywide's major investors has significantly reduced its holding in the troubled estate agency group. Oaktree Capital yesterday lowered its stake...
04 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
11 August 2018
From: Features

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

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

As you probably know, I have been no fan of OnTheMarket (OTM) over the years. You may see this admission as...
20 July 2018
From: Features

Foxtons share price hit a new low yesterday, dropping to only 46p early in the afternoon: it eventually closed narrowly up...
19 July 2018
From: Breaking News

Peter Long, executive chairman of Countrywide, has resigned from another boardroom to focus on saving the troubled estate agency. Long has chosen...
18 July 2018
From: Breaking News

The German publishing company Axel Springer has increased its stake in Purplebricks to 12.5 per cent - and says it may...
09 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

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

OnTheMarket now has listing agreements with over 9,000 estate agency branches - that's another 500 or so since its previous release...
14 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

Property portal OnTheMarket has announced that it now has listing agreements with over 8,500 estate and letting agency branches. It says that...
30 May 2018
From: Breaking News

Zoopla Property Group (ZPG) has confirmed that it expects its sale to Silver Lake to complete in Q3 2018. As part of...
24 May 2018
From: Breaking News

A study of estate agencies and portals floated on the London Stock Exchange suggests that digital companies have shown much better...
18 May 2018
From: Breaking News

Sky News says online estate agents Emoov and Tepilo are in talks about a merger - and if it happens the...
10 May 2018
From: Breaking News

An online question-and-answer article with OnTheMarket chief executive Ian Springett has suggested that its focus of criticism may be shifting from...
10 May 2018
From: Breaking News

Ever wondered what it’s like to be on the frontline of property journalism? Well, wonder no more, as our very own...
05 May 2018
From: Features

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

Foxtons says its long-term branch expansion programme is now “largely complete” and it is shifting its attention to using technology to...
05 April 2018
From: Breaking News

OnTheMarket has this morning issued a statement claiming that its portal traffic reached circa 12m visits during March - more than...
04 April 2018
From: Breaking News

As always seems to be the case with Purplebricks, the hybrid agency has had a good week...and a bad one. Undeniably impressive...
31 March 2018
From: Features

The share price of OnTheMarket slipped again on Friday - down around five per cent on the day and ending at...
26 March 2018
From: Breaking News

Purplebricks’ share price dipped below the psychologically-important 300p mark yesterday - its lowest performance since spring last year. It’s the latest development...
21 March 2018
From: Breaking News

In an exclusive and candid interview with Estate Agent Today, Countrywide chairman Peter Long has admitted that the company had been...
08 March 2018
From: Breaking News

Why I won’t buy Purplebricks shares and why if I had any, I’d sell fast… In its latest adverts, Purplebricks attempts to...
13 February 2018
From: Features

OnTheMarket has finally completed its stock market float, with less capital raised, at a lower than planned valuation and, as I write,...
09 February 2018
From: Features

All eyes are on Agents’ Mutual’s first day of trading on the London stock exchange - just over five years after...
09 February 2018
From: Breaking News

Most listed agencies and portals suffered share price falls yesterday, creating a challenging landscape for Agents’ Mutual which launches on the London stock exchange...
07 February 2018
From: Breaking News

Alison Platt may have been ousted but Countrywide appears not to be out of the woods yet as its share price...
01 February 2018
From: Breaking News

Whatever else you say about OnTheMarket, you can’t say it’s not consistent, consistent in treating its core membership shabbily. We already know...
29 January 2018
From: Features

Agents’ Mutual has released more details of its float on the stock market, which begins on February 9 with a placing priced...
26 January 2018
From: Breaking News

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

London’s prime central market is turning around at last according to the chief executive of Belgravia estate agency Henry & James. James...
24 January 2018
From: Breaking News

Who says things slow down before Christmas? The opposite appears to be the case, at least when it comes to the...
21 December 2017
From: Features

Here it is - the industry’s verdict on the latest set of figures from Purplebricks. The agency doesn’t play by any of...
15 December 2017
From: Breaking News

Both Purplebricks and OnTheMarket are keeping their powder dry on speculation that that hybrid agency is going to list on the...
12 December 2017
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

Financial analysts over the weekend have been giving their view on Purplebricks, which later this week issues its figures for the...
11 December 2017
From: Breaking News

Franchise agency Hunters has signed up to the OnTheMarket portal. This comes as speculation mounts that an announcement is imminent on stock market...
01 December 2017
From: Breaking News

As we hurtle towards the end of 2017, it’s time to reflect on the year that’s just been. Even better, this property-based...
25 November 2017
From: Features

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

Agents’ Mutual is officially making no comment on the timetable for the company flotation but speculation within the industry is mounting...
12 October 2017
From: Breaking News

Investec Asset Management has bought a 5.6 per cent share in Countrywide, having had no previous involvement in the troubled estate...
05 October 2017
From: Breaking News

Sky News says the online estate agent eMoov is drawing up plans to float on the stock market. Sky has been well-informed...
12 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

Let’s be honest - few people saw this coming. The 89 to 11 per cent majority amongst Agents’ Mutual members for...
08 September 2017
From: Breaking News

One of the country’s leading property-technology experts says the way in which the Agents’ Mutual stock market flotation proposal has been...
08 September 2017
From: Breaking News

easyProperty has unveiled details of its relaunch, declaring itself to be the UK’s second largest hybrid estate agency - second only...
07 September 2017
From: Breaking News

The industry today awaits the result of Agents’ Mutual’s formal Members’ Court in which agents will vote on the organisation’s proposed demutualisation and...
06 September 2017
From: Breaking News

The growing anger of some OnTheMarket member agents about the portal’s parent company proposal to float on the London Stock Exchange...
29 August 2017
From: Breaking News

Countrywide’s share price hit a record low during trading yesterday afternoon when it dropped to 137.75p, having opened the day at...
25 August 2017
From: Breaking News

Before we go any further, assuming you are an Agents’ Mutual member, let me ask you a question. If you had...
24 August 2017
From: Features

A leading business consultancy which advises clients on investments has refuted a claim by a prominent media analyst that it is...
24 August 2017
From: Breaking News

The investment consultancy chosen by Agents’ Mutual to advise on its float plans - Zeus Capital - is the same one...
22 August 2017
From: Breaking News

The roadshow of presentations of Agents’ Mutual’s plans to float on the stock market have just passed the half-way mark. Remaining sessions...
18 August 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

Agents’ Mutual has confirmed that it requires 75 per cent of the votes of member agencies to pass its proposals to...
10 August 2017
From: Breaking News

ZPG has stepped into the escalating dispute between portals by revealing record figures on new leads - two hours before the first...
08 August 2017
From: Breaking News

The first two meetings in a roadshow which OnTheMarket has organised for local member agents take place today - another 18...
08 August 2017
From: Breaking News

The head of a regional portal in the north of England has welcomed the likely demise of the controversial One Other...
08 August 2017
From: Breaking News

There has been a sceptical reception from City analysts to Agents’ Mutual’s decision to restructure and float on the stock market...
07 August 2017
From: Breaking News

Agents’ Mutual has confirmed that it proposes to form a new company, OnTheMarket plc, to list on the AIM market of...
04 August 2017
From: Breaking News

Purplebricks’ share price this afternoon dropped to a recent low of 406.50p before recovering to close down about five per cernt...
02 August 2017
From: Breaking News

Humberts has announced new overseas investment as it continues to shift emphasis away from its past rural-only outlook. The investment news came...
19 July 2017
From: Breaking News

Few things provoke argument within the industry more than the online v traditional agency debate - and within that debate, nothing...
30 June 2017
From: Breaking News

The share price of hybrid estate agency Purplebricks dipped yesterday after it announced its US expansion will begin in California. Purplebricks' share...
15 June 2017
From: Breaking News

To give you a nice distraction from the post-election madness, here’s an interview with Charlie Wright, founder of CIELA (or The...
10 June 2017
From: Features

First time buyers who were supposed to be helped by the high-profile Help To Buy ISA have in fact found it...
24 May 2017
From: Breaking News

The Property Franchise Group says it has seen 13 consecutive years of growth for the five High Street brands within its...
02 May 2017
From: Breaking News

By Wednesday April 19th, a UK citizen, on an average income, had earned £7,789 from their day job so far this...
22 April 2017
From: Features

Hunters has told investors that its revenues rose 15 per cent to £13.8m in the year to the end of December,...
13 April 2017
From: Breaking News

The Charter for Independent Estate and Letting Agents has started its ‘pre-launch’ membership drive - and says it ultimately want to...
04 April 2017
From: Breaking News

A City consultancy has noted every property advertised on Rightmove in recent months and will track them throughout 2017 in a...
24 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

Over the past two decades, investing in buy-to-let has been a relatively easy way to make money, which is why so...
25 February 2017
From: Features

The Purplebricks stock market bull run took yet another huge leap forwards yesterday with its share price up 20 per cent...
24 February 2017
From: Breaking News

Zoopla Property Group’s £120m purchase of Hometrack, announced yesterday evening, is part of its aim to create “the UK’s most valuable...
01 February 2017
From: Breaking News

The stock market appears to be continuing its love affair with Purplebricks, as the hybrid agency share price rose once again...
27 January 2017
From: Breaking News

The rental market has had to face a raft of changes over the past year, including the introduction of the 3% stamp...
14 January 2017
From: Features

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

Share prices for both Foxtons and Countrywide took a significant tumble yesterday as news of the ban on letting agents’ fees...
24 November 2016
From: Breaking News

Some sectors of the industry have been giving their initial reactions to the shock Donald Trump victory in the US presidential election. Camilla...
09 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

Buy-to-let landlords may have failed in their recent legal battle against planned government tax relief changes for buy-to-let homes set to...
14 October 2016
From: Features

The huge rush to acquire buy-to-let property in the first quarter of the year ahead of the stamp duty change deadline...
09 September 2016
From: Features

For many people buy-to-let continues to look an attractive income investment at a time of low saving rates and stock market...
26 August 2016
From: Features

The chief marketing officer of Purplebricks, Joby Russell - who in the recent past has described the hybrid as “the UK’s...
26 July 2016
From: Breaking News

It’s over. A win is a win, whichever side you backed. It’s true that everyone seems a lot less happy than...
01 July 2016
From: Features

As post-Brexit referendum vote shockwaves continue to reverberate around stock markets and currency exchanges, many publicly-quoted property companies took a hit...
28 June 2016
From: Breaking News
09 June 2016
From: Sponsored Content

An investment consultancy has issued a note to investors, advising them not to buy shares in Purplebricks. Jefferies – the firm which...
01 June 2016
From: Breaking News

The only way Purplebricks' dominance of the online agency sector can be challenged is via a merger between competitors or another stock...
27 May 2016
From: Breaking News

Several stock market analysts have published reports on Zoopla's half-year trading statement released yesterday. Anthony Codling of Jefferies – the firm which...
26 May 2016
From: Breaking News

The respected investment advice website Motley Fool has poured cold water on the stock market fortunes of Purplebricks, despite a huge...
11 April 2016
From: Breaking News

Countrywide's chief information officer Oliver Skagerlind this morning joins online agency easyProperty as de facto number two to chief executive Rob...
04 April 2016
From: Breaking News

Despite being round the block quite a few times in the property world, it was only in 2008 that the importance...
25 March 2016
From: Features

Hybrid agency Purplebricks has launched a recruitment drive for what it calls ‘local property experts’ in 17 parts of the country...
23 March 2016
From: Breaking News

An estate agent is suing his former employer for £500,000 after he believes he was unfairly dismissed. Abdul Samad is taking legal...
15 March 2016
From: Breaking News

Financial analysts at City consultancy Jefferies - which helped Countrywide float on the stock market - say 2016 is a key...
26 February 2016
From: Breaking News

The amount of column inches taken up by ‘property’ is at an all-time high. In my mind there are two major contributing...
20 February 2016
From: Features

It’s certainly been a rollercoaster ride but the latest closing share value of Purplebricks, which floated in mid December, is now...
09 February 2016
From: Breaking News

A newspaper article claims that Rightmove and Zoopla are “awash” with what it calls “the unofficial resales of flats in developments...
02 February 2016
From: Breaking News

High profile stock market commentary website Motley Fool has given Zoopla a strong endorsement on the eve of the first anniversary...
26 January 2016
From: Breaking News

Purplebricks, the online agency that floated a month ago at 100p per share, was yesterday down to 75.0 at one point...
20 January 2016
From: Breaking News

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

There has been more volatile stock market trading for some of the industry’s highest-profile agencies. Countrywide - whose chief executive Alison Platt...
15 January 2016
From: Breaking News

It’s time to take a pause, to reflect and put into context—and what a year it has been for our industry...
24 December 2015
From: Features

The first online agency to list on the UK stock market - Purplebricks - has enjoyed a volatile first day of trading. The...
18 December 2015
From: Breaking News

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

In the week that Purplebricks floats on the stock market, rival agency easyProperty says it will not list for two years...
14 December 2015
From: Breaking News

Purplebricks has launched in another region of the UK as speculation continues over the date of its expected flotation. It has now...
24 November 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...
13 November 2015
From: Breaking News

Knight Frank is the latest estate agent to admit that the prime London sales market is “subdued” - and it blames...
08 September 2015
From: Breaking News

OnTheMarket has made a defiant response to news that Zoopla is growing both its estate agent membership and its property listings...
13 August 2015
From: Breaking News

Shares in Foxtons start the week at 244 after staging a dramatic stock market recovery following a poor set of figures. The...
03 August 2015
From: Breaking News

Hunters, the franchise chain with over 150 branches and now established as the UK's sixth largest estate agent, could be valued...