Archive

There has been an understandable focus on things other than Government since the death of Queen Elizabeth was announced, but Prime...

There’s talk of 50-year mortgages being introduced, loans that, along with the property they finance, could be passed to the next...

The government’s Fairer Private Rented Sector White Paper has initially caused some consternation and a strong adverse reaction from some within...

There was an article in Estate Agent Today recently that suggested only four per cent of properties on Rightmove and Zoopla...

Estate agents are in a unique position – we handle the meeting of people’s aspirations probably more than any other profession....

There’s lots of talk of people moving over within estate agency to be self-employed so they can chase the dream of...

There are plenty in the estate agency and lettings world who don’t like the concept of Airbnb and similar enterprises. But they...

There’s good news and bad news from the shake-up in government ministers and ministries that was presented to the nation last...

Every so often it comes around – the argument that stamp duty should be reformed/removed/replaced (delete as appropriate). But why? Where’s the...

Remember the early days of lockdown when there was a general panic? Perhaps the hot demand for toilet rolls was a sign...

There are just three working days until the end of the stamp duty holiday for most buyers. That’s not even enough time...

Property owners who play it cool when it comes to marketing their home find their frustration soon becomes overheated. The constant we...

It’s 12 years since we opened our doors with the Fine and Country estate agency in Drayton on April 1 2009. The...

You could be forgiven for overlooking International Women’s Day on Monday. Well, almost. Focus was instead turned to the first day back...

Honesty is a concept that journalists will tell their readers is non-existent for estate agents. Yeah, right! But as the end...

You can always tell when Budget day is approaching. There’s lots of comment from every imaginable quarter about what the Chancellor of...

The debate over whether For Sale boards remain a valuable source of publicity has been in the headlines of late -...

If you thought Christmas Eve meant no more news in terms of industry movers and shakers…well, think again - we’ve one...

It was interesting to see the recent story on Estate Agent Today about OnTheMarket (OTM) raising its fees after signing up...

So at last someone has woken up to the fact that Purplebricks needs to be clearer about how it charges for...

There’s a distinct sense of déjà vu over the debacle of OnTheMarket. I avoided joining two years ago because I couldn’t see...

It’s traditional for estate agents to support each other when they come under attack from the press or public. After all,...

Great Expectations was a fantastic novel-cum-social-history written by Charles Dickens, who once lived in my adopted home city of Portsmouth. But these...

It’s easy to be dismissive of the value of local newspapers for advertising residential property but things are never as straightforward...

The guys at Which? are at it again, all over estate agents like a rash for “over valuing” properties so they...

There’s no need to worry but...er....there are only three weeks to go until Christmas. With traditional feelings of goodwill at this time...

As circus performers, most estate agents would fail. Some of you might find that difficult to comprehend. After all, many uninformed members...

It’s curious how gloom, gloom pre-Brexit Britain’s property market has gained a much brighter outlook now that the result of the...

As I sit here writing this on the Glorious 12th, I realise I’m going on about my favourite grouse – agents...

It’s a familiar theme – kids doing charity trips and needing sponsorship or raffle prizes to help fund their fares. If we...

So we now have a new 'official' index of house prices, and much good may it do us. For the chattering classes...

The glorious thing about the referendum on our EU membership is that four weeks today it will all be over –...

When a potential buyer comes into the office and says they want to view a property on your books, the natural...

The property market is racing ahead, but not everyone who wants to be part of it appears to want to keep...

Life is getting pretty frustrating for estate agents, and not just because getting houses onto the market is such an uphill...

My suspicion in my December Industry Views column that the Chancellor, George Osborne, holds certain types of property owners in contempt...

I’m sure I’m not the only estate agent confused by the Government’s approach to residential property ownership. Many of the current ministerial...

News from the Halifax this week that the combined values of the residential properties in London amounts to £1.13 trillion, virtually...

It’s interesting to read of plans to debate which business plan really is best for the customer, online or traditional estate...

It was interesting to see the report on Estate Agent Today about the meeting between London estate agents, NAEA, and HMRC. No,...

It’s always interesting when Which? produces a report that includes estate agency. It asked 1,990 people their views on buying and selling...

Competition is hot among home buyers in my part of southern England to take ownership of properties that come onto the...

What do we actually do as estate agents to serve our wonderful public? Some might think we go out, value houses, advise...

The Conservatives’ election victory came as a surprise, so much so that television pundits spent all night after the vote rubbishing...