BREAKING NEWS – 5 top stories 09/02/2021

Estate Agent Networking Breaking News

RIGHTMOVE DEFENDS PRICE INCREASES BY STATING IT IS GIVING ENHANCED SERVICES

With even more agents saying they are being faced with a 10% increase in their fees to Rightmove, the portal is now pushing the agenda that they are offering enhanced services to agents.

Having now been contacted by over 300 agents, I think that there is likely to be a re-run of the Say No to Rightmove demonstrations that happened during Lockdown 1.0, with other portals about to launch including Boomin, it is dangerous times for Rightmove to continue with a bully boy attitude, look what happened to On the Market, the moment you alienate agents, they do not come back.

COUNTRYWIDE PLC – SHAREHOLDERS VOTE ON CONNELLS DEAL IN WEEK

The shareholders will vote on the acceptance or rejection of the Connells deal that sirs on the table, if voted through it will create the largest agency in the UK, with a potential market share of 8%. All indicators are that the deal will be waived through, though in these times all that is certain is uncertainty.

BUILD TO RENT SECTOR ESPECIALLY IN LONDON WAS 20% OF NEW HOME BUILD IN 2020

According to research by the British Property Federation, last year 20% of the housing stock erected in London was for tenants, the BPF commented that, the build to rent sector, ‘has shown its resilience throughout 2020, with investors continuing to drive the sector’s growth across every region of the UK.’

NEW HOMES QUALITY BOARD LAUNCHES

The NHQB has come into being, headed up by MP Natalie Elphicke – who will look to uphold the interests of new home buyers, and interesting idea, especially with the cladding scandal in full flow.

NEW INSTRUCTIONS AT A LOW LEVEL

Lockdown 3.0, the SDLT holiday and general uncertainty is closing down activity in the housing market, agents are now furloughing staff, not because the buyer sentiment has reduced, but because there is a lack of inventory to sell. The sooner the chancellor moved definitively one way or the other, so the agents can get on with their trade in peace knowing the direction of travel.

Andrew Stanton

CEO & Founder Proptech-PR. Proptech Real Estate Influencer, Executive Editor of Estate Agent Networking. Leading PR consultancy in Proptech & Real Estate. Want to contact me directly regarding one of my articles or maybe you'd like a chat about future articles? Email me via editor@stagingsite.estateagentnetworking.co.uk

You May Also Enjoy

Breaking News

Breaking Property News 20/12/24

Daily bite-sized proptech and property news in partnership with Proptech-X.   Why estate and letting agents must embrace innovative technology in 2025   As we step into 2025, the UK property market continues to shift, and estate agents face mounting pressure to meet the evolving expectations of buyers and sellers. The days when static images sufficed…
Read More
Breaking News

Breaking Property News 19/12/24

Daily bite-sized proptech and property news in partnership with Proptech-X.   High street Auctions’ initiative launches to revive Britain’s town centres   This month the UK Government rolls out its highly anticipated ‘High Street Auctions’ scheme, a flagship measure of the Levelling Up and Regeneration Act 2023. This initiative grants local authorities the power to take…
Read More
Estate Agent Talk

Moving Up In The World: Finding Your Dream Home

Finding your dream home is one of life’s most exciting and transformative experiences. Whether you’re looking to upsize, relocate, or finally purchase that ideal property you’ve always envisioned, the journey is both thrilling and filled with important decisions. As you embark on this path, it’s essential to plan carefully, consider your priorities, and approach the…
Read More
new build home fronts
Breaking News

These cities are the keenest to move house in 2025

Bournemouth is the keenest area in the UK to move home, with 38,132 average monthly searches for moving-related topics per 100,000 residents. Plymouth is second, with 35,198 average monthly searches for moving, and Birmingham is third, with 35,181. Derry is the least keen area to move house, with only 3,170 average monthly searches related to…
Read More
Love or Hate Rightmove
Breaking News

Number of rental enquiries still double pre-pandemic, as rents predicted to rise 3%

The average number of enquiries sent to agents about each available property they have to rent is still nearly double the level it was in 2019, despite improvements in the balance between supply and demand: Each available property receives an average of 11 enquiries, nearly double the 6 at this time in 2019 This is…
Read More
bank of england interest rate
Breaking News

Response to the Bank of England interest rates decision

Response to the Bank of England interest rates decision, thoughts from the Industry Rates were left unchanged at 4.75% MPC voted 6 to 3 in favour of holding rates flat, with three members preferring to cut rates by 0.25% to 4.5% In the near-term inflation is expected to “continue to rise slightly” The market was expecting rates to remain…
Read More