Industry Interview: Sarah Beeny, Founder of Tepilo.

What made you come up with the idea of Tepilo?

The idea for my online estate agency grew from my astonishment at how much ‘traditional’ high-street estate agents were charging to do things that vendors could do themselves, and in fact, do better! For example, who can give as thorough and detailed information on a property and area when conducting a viewing as the vendor themselves?!

I think selling a home and the words ‘Estate Agent’ had grown to have connotations of negativity and fear. I wanted to change the face of estate agency and make the process fair, affordable and as stress-free as possible, whilst also maintaining a strong sense of support and personality.

Within the industry, there is a debate whether online agents are in fact actually Estate Agents at all, what’s your thoughts on that?

Just because we’re online doesn’t mean we’re not just as good and if not better than the high-street agents! The Tepilo team are experienced, fully trained and dedicated to giving our vendors the best (24/7) support and sell their home at the best price as possible.

How important do you feel social media is and will be to the estate agency industry?

Social media is a very focal point of most people’s lives these days and seldom an hour goes by where your Twitter feed isn’t refreshed.. So of course it’s an important factor. At Tepilo we use Instagram to communicate what I like to call our ‘Tepilo Property Porn’ and Twitter, Facebook to communicate any news and updates from Tepilo, as well as general property news which we think our audience will find relevant and interesting. They’re also fab platforms to quickly and publicly respond to any consumer questions and queries.

Innovation in Estate Agency we strongly support and showcase on our website, is innovation key to Tepilo’s future ongoing success?

Of course. We’re constantly discussing our next steps and ways to improve, and always encourage feedback from users of the site/process as well as our staff.

We consistently work to think outside of the box and develop the system towards the needs and wants of our vendors, and this will always be at the forefront of our processes. In fact, keep an eye on the site as you never know, new things might just be on the horizon.

 

Thank you Sarah for answering our questions!

Find out more about Tepilo by following them on Twitter here @Tepilo or visiting their website: www.Tepilo.com

Christopher Walkey

Founder of Estate Agent Networking. Internationally invited speaker on how to build online target audiences using Social Media. Writes about UK property prices, housing, politics and affordable homes.

You May Also Enjoy

Estate Agent Talk

Hertfordshire emerges as strongest performing London commuter county

New research from UK Property Development reveals that while London property prices fell by more than -3% in the past year, prices in some of the capital’s surrounding counties have enjoyed positive growth, none more so than the premium commuter county of Hertfordshire.   In the past year, London’s average house price has fallen by…
Read More
Estate Agent Talk

Second homes losing appeal among the rich

New Survey Reveals Ongoing Maintenance Is the Biggest Barrier to Second Home Ownership   62% say upkeep and hassle would stop them from buying a second home, even if money were no object   A new survey conducted by luxury co-ownership platform Equity Residences has revealed that the practical realities of owning a second home…
Read More
Letting Agent Talk

How to build a property portfolio with buy-to-let mortgages

One of the reasons property is such a popular asset choice for investors is that you don’t need to invest all the money yourself; you can leverage funds from the bank. Here’s a very simplistic example of how borrowing via a buy-to-let (BTL) mortgage allows you to multiply your returns versus owning a property all-cash:…
Read More
Home and Living

2026’s Fastest-Growing Bathroom Trend Is the Wet Room

“Wet rooms have become one of the standout bathroom upgrades of 2026, moving from luxury extra to everyday renovation choice as more homeowners prioritise space, style and easy cleaning. The momentum is only building as spa‑style bathrooms stay in demand.” “Wet rooms used to be a niche request,” says Ant Langston, Marketing Manager at Heat…
Read More
Home and Living

Homebuyers could cut energy bills by £400 a year

As the energy price cap keeps rising, the latest research from Yopa reveals that buying a new-build home could save homebuyers as much as £450 a year on their energy bills. With the energy price cap forecast to increase again over the coming year, many households are preparing for further pressure on their finances as…
Read More
Breaking News

Zoopla House Price Index Reaction

The latest index from Zoopla shows that: – First-time buyers are targeting homes worth £10,000 more than a year ago, with average prices up 4.3% to £254,750 – nearly 3x the rate of UK house price growth There are 6% fewer first time buyers in the market than this time last year, but those that…
Read More