Purplebricks chief executive Michael Bruce is to speak alongside eMoov founder Russell Quirk in a debate to be held at the National Association of Estate Agents’ London Forum next month.
The ‘High Street v Online’ debate panel is completed by NAEA president Martyn Baum. The official announcement of the debate says, perhaps ironically, “questions from the floor will be encouraged.”
The Forum, to be held at London’s Lancaster Hotel on February 23, has other sessions including one led by Nigel Kirby, deputy director of economic crime command at the National Crime Agency - he will be speaking on money laundering and financial crime.
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This is what you call news??
Seriously?
Why have a debate? Why does there have to be one type of agent and none of the other? Why do people CONSISTENTLY suggest that online with do away completely with High Street, and others suggest that High Street will never die at the hands of online?
Surely there is room for everyone, and both models suit different people who want different levels of service.
If someone wants to simply list their house and deal with it themselves, that is fine. It's no different from when people used to daub their phone number and "House 4 sail" on a piece of plywood.
Conversely, some people want to hire estate agents to deal with the bloody lot, just like when they hire a cleaner instead of getting their wife to do it, or go to starbucks instead of - er - getting their wife to make them a brew.
Seriously, what is the obsession with "one or the other", here? The CONSUMER will decide. Not Bruce, or Shinerock, or Quirk, or whoever is in charge of Countrywide this week. Get a grip. We're meant to be professionals.
Interesting points, Elpus. I agree that the need for this so called debate is fast disappearing. I do however find it interesting that the NAEA wants to schmooze and give airtime to online agents like Purplebricks and emoov yet in the past has endorsed a portal which prohibits these agents from joining. I find the crossed wires very confusing, there is no clear message. If the NAEA wants to promote both business models - which is fine - then it must endorse things that have the polar opinion.
Spot on. There is room for everyone and these debates just encourage division. Having said that, it should still be interesting and entertaining, although whether Mr Quirk (or Mr Bruce for that matter) need any more minutes in the limelight is up for some debate.
A little sexist with your comments there Lord Elpus?
Other than those remarks I do happen to agree, there is certainly room for both models in the industry, without them both having to keep wrestling each other about it.
Not intended to be sexist, however intended to add a little humour Anna. I'm the least sexist person on the planet - however being a woman, you won't understand ;-)
It will be interesting but as others have said we have seen this 'debate' many times before already. This one in particular sounds a little like the one at the PropTECH conf last year.
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