BREAKING NEWS – top 5 stories 19/02/2021

Estate Agent Networking Breaking News

GARY BARKER BECOMES GCTO OF CONNELLS (COUNTRYWIDE)

Gary Barker who I am lucky enough to know has been revealed as the Group Chief Technology Officer of Connells, which having acquired Countrywide will mean he will have a large job on his hands. That said he exactly the right man to do that job.

I had actually put in print some time ago that Gary Barker would be an excellent choice as CEO of Countrywide, which of course is now Connells. The point being that someone of Gary’s calibre, understanding the macro and micro landscape of tech in the real estate space, and what a profit looks like as he guided Reapit yearly into big EBITA million-pound increases – would be a huge asset. As the new GCTO in many ways this is the most important role, as agency competes against the backdrop of the 4th industrial (tech) revolution and consumers do things digitally.

DEXTERS GETS CASH INJECTION TO GROW

The Founder and Chairman of Dexters – Jeff Doble has just announced via a city trading announcement that via Oakley a private equity company further funding will be made available to grow the company by in excess of 60 branches.

Dexters continues its huge growth in the London sector, this extra investment is a shrewd move by the founder and Chair Jeff Doble, we have been watching his company’s business strategy for some time, and it shows that a forward moving policy, whatever the market conditions is always the right one. No doubt the lettings arm of the operation will continue as well.

CHESTERTONS OPENS UP IN … MOROCCO

Based in the capital Rabat, the company will service the surrounding areas of Tangier, Casablanca and Marrakech, the Chief of International Operations Gavin Vercoe, commented that, ‘This year is set to be an incredibly important one for our global expansion, and we are proud to make this step into a new region of the world through Chesterton’s Morocco’.

MAYBE BEING A HIGH NET WORTH INDIVIDUAL IS NOT ALL IT IS MADE OUT TO BE

Increasingly the HNWI tribe are being heralded as the group to be seen with and move in their circles, but a recent report by a specialised lender who arranges mortgage finance, has revealed that a fifth of these type of HNWI clients are unable to raise housing finance.

Which proves that in times of austerity, having money on paper is maybe not as good as having a PAYE position, though maybe not so many flights on private jets.

HOUSING MARKET FALLS SILENT WAITING ON STAMP DUTY CLARIFICATION

The housing market remains muted with little stock coming on due to uncertainty over the SDLT holiday. For some the 3rd of March – when the Chancellor speaks can not come quick enough.

Andrew Stanton

CEO & Founder Proptech-PR. Proptech Real Estate Influencer, Executive Editor of Estate Agent Networking. Leading PR consultancy in Proptech & Real Estate.

You May Also Enjoy

Breaking News

UK house prices sit above pandemic market peak

The latest research from Yopa has found that, six years on from the first Covid lockdown (23rd March 2020), the average UK house price remains 1.7% above the peak reached during the pandemic property market boom, despite the more subdued market conditions seen since. Yopa analysed* average house price data at three key points in…
Read More
how to present your property for sale
Breaking News

Energy efficient upgrades now an essential home feature

Savers with student loans put away £2k less per year towards a house deposit than those without 44 per cent of those with student loans say the debt makes it harder to be financially stable, with 41 per cent saying their repayments make it harder to save for a home Barclays Mortgage data shows the…
Read More
Breaking News

Inverclyde crowned Britain’s most affordable place for first-time buyers

Inverclyde, Burnley and Hartlepool amongst most affordable areas in Britain Kensington and Chelsea, Oxford and Cambridge least affordable North has smallest gap between least and most affordable areas in the region while London has largest Around 70% of local authorities have seen an improvement in affordability over the last year, with Islington seeing biggest improvement…
Read More
Breaking News

Fewer than 3% of London rental homes available

The latest research from Benham and Reeves has found that fewer than 3% of London’s private rental homes are currently available to tenants, highlighting the severe lack of supply across the capital at a time when further legislative changes could place additional strain on supply within the sector. Benham and Reeves analysed current rental market…
Read More
Adding second coat of varnish floor boards
Home and Living

Cottagecore Design

The term “cottagecore design” has risen by 100% since November 2025, with the term “cottagecore” itself now getting nearly 10,000 searches (9,900), according to Traditional Beams. Cottagecore refers to an aesthetic that romanticises simple, rural and sustainable living, popularised on platforms such as Instagram and Tiktok, and embraces a cosy and pastoral lifestyle. However, while…
Read More
Estate Agent Talk

Property specialist predicts spike in traditional interiors after Bridgerton hit

With Bridgerton Season 4 debuting with an impressive 39.7 million views in its first week on Netflix, property specialist predicts that traditional interiors will be the biggest renovation trend of 2026. Mitchell Martyn, Property Finance Specialist at Pure Property Finance, predicts that the appetite for traditional, heritage-inspired interiors is set to surge once again. As…
Read More