Archive

Christmas gets ever closer and we’re delighted that you’re sending in those splendid festive videos and still photographs. Everyone today got in...

Property voyeurism and the festive season have long been bedfellows for many Brits. The heady combination of over-indulgence and regret, close proximity...

A new portal has been launched aiming to take on Rightmove, Zoopla and OnTheMarket in the retirement property sector - and...

There’s bad news peak-time TV shows this evening like DIY SOS and Coronation Street - it looks likely that viewers will...

A prominent agency owner and industry figure has attacked Rightmove for failing to support estate agents and has accused it of...

As we know, the world’s moving very fast and how we communicate now is drastically different to even 10 years ago....

Zoopla says it now offers the fastest listings search of all three leading UK property portals on mobile devices. In turn, it...

OnTheMarket has this morning posted its latest results to the stock market. The portal reports that 2,346 branches had converted to full-paying...

A growing free-to-list property portal says there's never been a better time for estate agents to target foreign investors. Residential People, which,...

How can estate and letting agents nurture leads who aren't ready to sell or let a property instantly? It's a question many...

In the old days an agent would procure clients based upon their position in the high street, the size of the...

Zoopla claims its new app has a huge level of what it calls “user engagement” within a month of launching. It’s hit...

A note sent out by OnTheMarket chief executive Ian Springett has suggested that the way estate agents work may directly lead...

Estate agents are amongst the workers to suffer the worst fall in wages over the past 10 years according to shock...

The PropTech era is changing the way in which employees decide where they are going to work. As CBRE has discovered in...

Friday is Agents Do Charity day and as the country enjoys the delights of Wimbledon and rues the Lionesses' departure from...

In the last ten years Google's revenue, largely from pay per click ads (Adwords), has grown by 527% (Source: Statista). In...

Who are you and what does it say on your business card? That depends on which business card. One says ‘Properganda PR,...

In the second part of my exploration of startups, I talk to a number of people with lived experience of creating...

The free-to-list property portal Residential People says it now has over 740 independent agents in the UK on board - and...

An interesting analysis of Rightmove’s performance on the stock market has led to questions about the long-term profitability and viability of...

OnTheMarket chief executive Ian Springett says rival portals may want to “interfere” with his aim of converting agency members from free...

Theresa May’s ‘hostile environment’ policy that was implemented in 2012 was designed to make staying and residing in the UK as...

OnTheMarket claims monthly visits to its website hit a record 25.4m in May - but the portal’s latest update gives no...

As we move closer to the halfway point of 2019, property market conditions for agents and their clients remain challenging. Brexit may...

The UK property market can be seen by criminals as an effective vehicle to conceal the proceeds of economic crime. Criminally...

Having a responsive website - one which is designed to automatically resize to fit the size of the screen of the...

With Easter now upon us (happy Easter, by the way, and hope you’re enjoying the long weekend, the Easter eggs and...

Four high-profile industry figures have sent an open letter urging agents to think about what they call “smarter marketing” in a...

The founder and former chief executive of Emoov, Russell Quirk, is back in the headlines with a new but until now...

OnTheMarket has stepped up its attack on Rightmove with a stridently-worded email to agents explaining how a drop in leads from...

It’s been revealed that Countrywide has been hit with a £215,000 fine as part of a swoop by HMRC cracking down...

OnTheMarket will be “blanketing the commercial radio landscape” as well as engaging in sports and agency industry sponsorship programmes over the...

Rightmove has this morning given its 2018 report to shareholders, laying bare the huge financial wealth of the company which dominates...

The government’s anti-money laundering campaign Flag It Up has published an A to Z which it claims will help agents understand...

In these tougher times, we recognise that helping agents win new inventory is the key to their businesses.  There were more than...

One of the world’s leading digital analysts has given his latest verdict on the UK portal market and offers a major...

A new free-to-list property portal is launching in the UK, and has a pledge to serve over 20 counties by the...

New figures released this morning from OnTheMarket claim its listing inventory bis now over 80 per cent of the size of...

OnTheMarket says it now has listings agreements with more than 12,500 estate and lettings agency branches. In a statement to shareholders and...

Agents need to focus on more targeted marketing using a mix of traditional and modern methods to optimise their position in...

Every day thousands of estate agency boards are erected across the UK. Even in the digital age the board remains one...

When it comes to building online reputation, Google is king. It is estimated that over 90% of consumers Google a business before...

Rightmove has revealed which day was its busiest in 2018 in terms of page views. It says February 19 was the date,...

Another year is nearly done – and what an eventful year it’s been. We’ve had more than our fair share of breaking...

Zoopla is launching its latest advertising campaign from Boxing Day with ideas from the creative minds behind Wallace & Gromit.  From Wednesday...

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

Estate and letting agents are being warned not to slow down too early in the run up to Christmas as it...

Given that online property portals, dominated by a handful of websites, are by far the most popular home search method, it...

It’s the most obvious visual medium high street agents have at their disposal, and for many decades has been absolutely pivotal...

The government has told the estate agency industry that it has a “moral” obligation to report suspicions about potential money laundering. Figures...

Almost one in five online sales valuations generated by The ValPal Network over a two-year period resulted in a completion with...

One of the brokers working with OnTheMarket says the portal will not be profitable until 2021, but predicts that its target...

More than half of home owners now use online reviews to choose their estate agent when putting their property on the...

Several agents have asked me whether they should consider ditching their high street offices and move to an out of town...

One of the industry’s best respected trainers and consultants has outlined six key reasons why agents should keep offices on the...

The independent Essex estate agency Beresfords is celebrating its 50th anniversary next week - and is doing so in style with...

Fake news has become the popular catchphrase of a certain orange-tinted president in recent years. And everyone, from tech giants like...

A few stories caught my eye this week from China, all of which announce the arrival of cutting-edge technological innovation in...

OnTheMarket has seen another increase in listings to more than 10,500 offices, but it is repeating a warning that its free...

Local media in Huddersfield report that an estate agent smashed into a traffic bollard while four times over the drink-drive limit...

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,...

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

OnTheMarket has now signed listing agreements with UK estate and letting agents with a total of over 10,000 offices - but...

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

The pace of change is extraordinary. As we reach the middle of one conversation, rumblings of the next already begin. I think...

OnTheMarket’s first formal annual figures released since its flotation reveal losses in what it describes as its “transformational year” but also...

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

New data from Haart estate agency suggests that despite many homes sticking on the market, apparently would be buyers are locked...

An online question-and-answer article with OnTheMarket chief executive Ian Springett has suggested that its focus of criticism may be shifting from...

OnTheMarket says it has now struck listing agreements with 7,500 agency branches, adding over 2,000 branches since floating on the London stock...

Maplin, Toys R Us, Carpetright, Warren Evans – what do they have in common? All are well-known high street chains that...

In the modern marketplace – where people live their lives on their smartphones and tablets, social media has a bigger influence...

OnTheMarket has this morning issued a statement claiming that its portal traffic reached circa 12m visits during March - more than...

One of the most important aspects of running a successful estate or letting agency is being able to generate new business...

Rightmove has reported another very large leap in revenue in 2017 and a modest rise in agency and new home customers...

A network of agents representing over 800 brands with over 4,000 branches has announced the launch of a host of new...

ZPG has revealed that it had 58m visits to its property websites, Zoopla and Primelocation, last month. This is 10 per cent up...

The printing industry is in the midst of a decline as digital products and services displace printed materials, which is why...

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

Analysts have given a frosty reception to the announcement by Agents’ Mutual that it is going to float shares priced at...

OnTheMarket has announced some details of its IPO and the launch of its stock market flotation - but it has given nothing...

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

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...

Winter seems to be firmly with us now, if the plunging temperatures are anything to go by. After a ridiculously mild...

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

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

Jackson-Stops & Staff has revealed what it believes to be the main noise problems that deter buyers and distress existing owners. A...

There has been a sceptical reception from City analysts to Agents’ Mutual’s decision to restructure and float on the stock market...

Property has been changing hands for centuries, but when did estate agents as we know them today – with their branches,...

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

The accounts for Agents’ Mutual, parent company of the OnTheMarket portal, show that revenue for the year ending January 31 was...

A City analyst has fuelled speculation that Rightmove has a goal to increase its monthly average revenue from each agency from...

In its latest report to shareholders, Rightmove has revealed yet more growth in agent numbers, traffic to its website, revenue per...

Countrywide says the roll out of its online sales and lettings service is on schedule to reach 50 per cent of...

We’re already more than halfway through 2017 and, against all the odds, it’s pushing 2016 close in terms of eventfulness and...

How many property professionals are truly happy with their revenue? High levels of competition from new market entrants is a significant...

Agents’ Mutual says it will be seeking to recover costs and compensation for losses incurred after what is widely seen as...

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

Berkshire estate agents Braxton partnered with MPL Interiors to increase the size of its Maidenhead High Street office and refit its...

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

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

Estate agents' listings may soon include compulsory information on a location's air quality, the chief executive of NAEA Propertymark, Mark Hayward,...

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

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

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

OnTheMarket has swatted away the latest criticism from a long-term critic, online estate agency head Russell Quirk - although it has...

Rightmove has released its figures for 2016 and as predicted they show the portal streaking ahead of all rivals. It reports record...

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

Zoopla and OnTheMarket have issued their figures for last month’s visits, each claiming their busiest ever January. Zoopla Property Group says it...

Instant gratification is nothing new. It’s been around for millennia. It’s an in-built survival instinct for humans – that want, that...

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

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

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

Rightmove’s web traffic between Boxing Day and the end of last week is up five per cent on the same period...

One of the country’s leading estate agency consultants and trainers, Richard Rawlings, this week embarks on a six-week tour of the...

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

Carpe diem, seize the day – whatever you call it, it’s something all of us in the property industry should be looking...

A single-branch agency operating around Blackpool is offering vendors ultra-low fees if they register their homes for sale online on Boxing...

What a mad, bonkers year it’s been. We’ve had, in no particular order: Trump, Brexit, Leicester winning the Premier League, a...

The mobile apps for Zoopla and Primelocation passed the 8.5m milestone this week, with the former moving into number two spot...

It is fair to say that 2016 is a year full of surprises. Anyone who had the foresight to predict Britain...

It is with no pleasure and a touch of sadness that I took in the significance of OTM's recent performance in...

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

OnTheMarket says it provided “a record number of leads” to its agent members in September - but is not disclosing how...

The National Association of Estate Agents report has batted away an idea which has been resuscitated by the insurance industry, suggesting...

An estate agency in Kent is having to replace its shopfront for the second time in a year. Last week, the shopfront...

The key lies in improving your customer experience through technology For Agents, the tremendous growth in online estate agents highlights a strong...

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

It’s easy to forget, but there was a time when the internet didn’t exist. When the idea behind the world wide...

It’s the height of holiday season but despite the rival attractions of traffic jams and airport delays, many agents are still...

Rightmove says it is confident of keeping on track to deliver its expected results and profits throughout 2016 despite the unexpected...

An online search engine claims it will allow estate agents to “make significant cost savings in advertising portal fees” with the...

Zoopla claims that it has delivered a 40 per cent increase in valuation leads to its agent members in the first six...

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

As we approach another Bank Holiday weekend, estate and letting agents across the country have again been raising thousands of pounds...

OnTheMarket has changed the claims it makes to prospective clients about its stock levels and market share compared to Zoopla, following...

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

It's a high quality RICS approved report, carried out by one of our RICS accredited local surveyors. The RICS HomeBuyer Survey is...

One of the leading financial advice websites in the country has said that Rightmove’s “significant market share” and “insanely high margins”...

Forget the gloomy stamp duty news, or the prospect that a new house price index might revalue house prices downwards, or...

Agents' boards get a lot of stick. Many see them as stains on the landscape, some see them as useless in...

Zoopla Property Group says it has recorded a 61 per cent leap in appraisal leads in February compared to the same...

One of the property portal sector’s leading analysts is suggesting that Rightmove may be about to increasingly involve itself with services...

ValPal is an instant online valuation tool that sits on an agents' site and converts their web traffic into vendor and...

Rightmove’s traffic levels have hit another high with visits in January up nearly 20 per cent on the same month last...

Analysts at German-owned bank Berenberg have done an analysis of visitor numbers for OnTheMarket and Zoopla in January. In a report titled...

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

I'm sure most of you have seen, or at least heard of the Mad Max series of post-apocalyptic dystopian fantasies.  The latest...

South of England agency chain Andrews has launched a new app and website as part of its brand-refreshing programme for 2016.  The...

Rightmove says it enjoyed record traffic over key Christmas and New Year days for both sales and lettings. Page views on both Christmas...

A survey of over 1,000 adults by respected polling company Survation shows little public appetite for the privatisation of the Land...

The possibility of agents having to keep offices open until 7pm from next summer to accommodate late key releases has put...

Zoopla, buoyed by its latest financial figures reported to the City yesterday, now claims that OnTheMarket lost 43 per cent of...

OnTheMartket (OTM) recently wrote to its membership saying how well its doing, how membership has increased beyond expectations and how it...

The Hamburg-based Berenberg Bank is the latest to send a briefing to investors on the so-called portal wars - and while...

An interesting story caught my eye a few weeks ago. A man from Lytham St Annes in Lancashire attempted to sell...

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

OnTheMarket has written to a number of members of the Independent Network of Estate Agents, saying they should remove properties from...

A central London estate agent is in dispute with OnTheMarket over its leads, number of agencies on board, and visits from...

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

Over the past few years Rightmove and Zoopla Property Group (ZPG) have each been spending massive sums on marketing and product...

Well, the hosts have left the party early. England have crashed out of their own Rugby World Cup after a demoralising...

The consumer is King and to protect sellers and buyers' best interests estate and letting agents have to operate in the...

There’s been a lot of talk lately about artificial intelligence (AI). We’ve seen it feature prominently this year on film (in...

The war of words and statistics between rival portals continues apace as OnTheMarket says its visits hit a record last month according...

OnTheMarket has queried the listings inventory detailed in Zoopla’s half-year trading statement. Zoopla Property Group reported that its listings inventory had increased...

OnTheMarket has made a defiant response to news that Zoopla is growing both its estate agent membership and its property listings...

Zoopla is back in business with its trading update to the City this morning revealing that it has a net growth...

So, has everyone been enjoying the fine summer weather we’ve been experiencing? Oh, wait…fear not, I will attempt to inject a...

There has long been the assumption and contention in the industry that portals are expensive. This, however, is not the case. Along...

OnTheMarket has achieved 5.2m visits in July – an increase of 18 per cent on the previous month and ahead of...

Rightmove and Foxtons have reported their half-year figures to the City this morning - and they tell very different stories. Rightmove’s customer...

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

Knight Frank says the summer is likely to be busier than expected for the sale of prime property as a result...

A riposte to Paul Smith's article 'Why Estate Agents Must Stand Up to the Power of the Portals' I just read an...

The abundance of emails you send every day presents a valuable, yet often overlooked marketing opportunity for your agency. With that said,...

Fracking could reduce house prices by as much as seven per cent and make homes harder to sell because of traffic...

The fact that Countrywide, LSL Property and Foxtons have remained loyal to both Rightmove and Zoopla “should mean that OnTheMarket will fail...

OK, you’re being spoilt. This column is now going to be on a bi-weekly rather than monthly basis. You lucky people,...

A new portal aimed at investors looking to purchase buy-to-let property has reported that it has thousands of listings from agents...

The ex-Savills and ex-Romans agent who heads the estate agency Capital & Coastal, Michael Riley has stepped into the row between...

In the latest exchange in the long-running war of words between Zoopla and OnTheMarket, ZPG claims that the new portal is...

OnTheMarket claims it has achieved 10 million visits to the site with 90 million page views in three months. The portal launched...

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

Rightmove is reporting its highest ever average asking price as a result of a slump in the number of homes being...