It is a Cliff

It is a Cliff

A fortnight before Christmas and there are more cliff-hangers than reindeers on Santa’s sledge, let us go through the seasonal pre-Xmas list.

Countrywide PLC – a tug of love between Connells, a proven model of profitability and other factions that ‘have a plan’ but have not had their mettle tested. In truth needing the backing of 75% of the shareholders, this sideshow is likely to run well into 2021.

Brexit … yes, this is also by definition a cliff-hanger, as a likely fudge in injury time is the typical outcome the British public expect, will Boris disappoint?

Portal watch, will Boomin dominate in 2021, does Rightmove feel the hot breathe of ZPG who has increased their market share of new branches, during the pandemic season, or will out of the ranks of the property portal/platform insurgents – a new saviour for the industry gain traction?

Will ‘The Property Franchise Group’ take ownership of Hunters, and if so, who will it most benefit?

As Covid-19 hit Airbnb took a beating, now it is has announced a 30BN valuation ahead of its imminent IPO, do the money men have it right or could lack of freedom to move around the globe/country affect its forward trading model?

The SDLT holiday, will it end in March, or will the band play on and Rishi will extend the good times being enjoyed by those who actually have some inventory to sell?

New CEO Tim Balcon, what shape will he fashion Propertymark into, and will the government become more of a regulating hand than ever before?

How will the government, courts and the PRS sector deal with the backlog of tenancy disputes?

The recent unfortunate redundancies at RICS, is this a sign of the times with digital replacing some of the human element or is it a more fundamental re-structuring?

What master plan has the new CEO Jason Tebb of On the Market got up his sleeve?

But perhaps the biggest cliff hanger is when or if the housing market will run out of steam, judging by the sold boards in my local village and the lack of inventory coming to market – there seems little sign of this at present.

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

First-time buyer enquiries fall 27% as borrowing costs rise

First-time buyer enquiries a quarter lower than last year as higher borrowing costs put moving plans on ice   The gap between housing supply and demand continues to widen as sales slow First-time buyer enquiries are a quarter (27 per cent)  lower than last year in the wake of the the Bank of England’s decision…
Read More →
Breaking News

Homes completing on Friday the 13th sell for less

With Friday the 13th fast approaching, new research from Homebuyer.Agency has revealed that homes completing on the supposedly unlucky date have sold for as much as £24,950 below the wider market median, while properties bearing the number 13 have also consistently commanded lower prices. Homebuyer.Agency analysed Land Registry price paid data across England and Wales…
Read More →
Breaking News

Surrey, Herts & Bucks named most exclusive markets

Surrey, Hertfordshire and Buckinghamshire have been named England’s most exclusive new-build property markets outside London, according to new research from UK Property Development (UKPD), with these counties boasting the highest proportions of new homes commanding asking prices of £1 million or more. UKPD analysed current new-build property listings across England using Rightmove data, before looking…
Read More →
Breaking News

Friday the 13th spooks home-movers

Rightmove analysis reveals that people avoid moving on Friday the 13th, despite Friday usually being the busiest day for home moves Analysis of Land Registry data going back to 1995 shows that Friday the 13th is the quietest Friday for home moves The 13th is also the quietest day of the month for home moves,…
Read More →
Letting Agent Talk

Section 21 reform divides landlords and tenants

Five months after Section 21 was abolished, landlords and tenants remain sharply divided over whether the reform was necessary, but both sides agree that good relationships and clear communication have the greatest influence on how secure a renter feels, according to new research from LRG. The Autumn 2026 Lettings Report, based on responses from 405…
Read More →
to let sign 2025
Breaking News

70% of landlords anticipate rent rise due to Autumn Budget

As landlord exodus threatens rental supply The latest research from LegalforLandlords has found that 70% of UK landlords are considering increasing rents following the Government’s latest property income tax changes, while almost half are considering selling properties or reducing their portfolios, raising concerns about the future availability and affordability of privately rented homes. LegalforLandlords commissioned…
Read More →