Now’s the right time to show some Brexit bottle

On the day after the EU referendum vote I jetted off with the family to Greece. I just fancied somewhere hot and politically stable.

For two weeks I avoided social media like a room full of Russian football fans, swerved the newsstands and switched off totally. Proper jelly head.

I’m now back and having scanned the media, caught up with emails and spoken to several clients one thing seems crystal clear in a bubbling sea of uncertainty. People want and need reassurance.

Not just from the politicians. Boris bottled it, Farage flipped out and David’s done one.

People are interested in hearing from property experts just like you.

I feel strongly that estate agents shouldn’t stand on the sidelines observing a Brexit Black Hole which the media will fill with lashings of doom and gloom (when I was a journalist we lived for these momentous type of events and apocalyptic scenarios.)

But what can estate agents do? The feeling I’ve gauged is that while some agents see years of pain a surprisingly big percentage are seeing it as a chance to establish themselves as their town’s leading property light.

How?

Well the media are still very interested in hearing from property experts. They know a chunk of their readers own homes, want to buy a home or are simply curious about how the bricks and mortar market is dealing with the referendum result.

Why not approach your local newspaper and proactively offer comment and insight? Get on their radar.

Also as anyone who has worked at close quarters with a colleague with dubious personal hygiene – not talking about it doesn’t make it go away.

If you sit on the your hands hoping the fear will dissolve I can pretty much guarantee that one of your rivals (if they haven’t already) will step up and start making statements via the media, newsletters, newspaper adverts etc.

Why not think about focussing your marketing on the must move market? – Death, debt and divorce ain’t going to stop due to the Brexit.

In summary I think it’s going to be an uncertain period, people will worry but I’m a big believer that the opportunities to win new instructions and new business are still out there.

Here’s to your next instruction.

Jerry

PS: In the US recession of the early 1990s Nike and Reebok were pretty much neck and neck. Nike upped their marketing spend while Reebok slashed theirs.

The result?

Nike’s profits rose by an astonishing nine times from what they were before the recession. Reebok have been playing catch up (not too successfully) since.

PPS:  Whatever happens the sun will still shine, the rain still fall and England will still be rubbish at football.

 

Alex Evans

You May Also Enjoy

Breaking News

Propertymark New Builds Pricing Report – Summer/Autunm 2025

Average house prices for new instructions regarding newbuild properties being marketed in the South West have dropped by £33,120 when compared to a year previously in October 2024, according to data from by Propertymark.  Additionally, Yorkshire and Humberside saw a £33,104 drop during the same period for average house prices for instructions relating to newbuild houses.  Throughout the entire…
Read More
Breaking News

How much should landlords earmark for maintenance?

Landlords should earmark a quarter of rental income for maintenance and repairs As the Renters’ Rights Bill is passed into law, increasing the demands and expectations of landlords – not least when it comes to the proper upkeep of their properties – new research from Adiuvo, the UK’s leading provider of 24/7 property management support,…
Read More
Planning disputes on new build land
Breaking News

Developers lose confidence ahead of Autumn Budget

Jonathan Samuels, CEO of Octane Capital, believes that growing uncertainty surrounding the Autumn Budget has left many developers hesitant to progress new housing projects, with confidence falling sharply as fears of new property taxes, rising costs, and ongoing planning challenges weigh heavily on the sector. The latest survey of UK property developers, commissioned by specialist…
Read More
Breaking News

Could the Autumn Budget dent property values?

Autumn Budget uncertainty could see house prices continue to fall The latest research by nationwide cash buying company and quick sale specialists, Springbok Properties, has found that those looking to sell could see the value of their home fall over the remainder of the year, as historic data shows that major fiscal events such as…
Read More
bricks rubble
Breaking News

Westminster Debate Highlights Urgent Need to Tackle Rogue Builders

A Westminster Hall debate yesterday, led by Mark Garnier MP, brought MPs from across the political spectrum together to address the growing problem of rogue builders. The discussion highlighted shocking cases of homeowners losing thousands of pounds, unsafe work being carried out, and rogue traders repeatedly evading justice by exploiting loopholes in the current system.…
Read More
Breaking News

Ombudsman welcomes Renters’ Rights Act implementation roadmap

The Property Ombudsman welcomed the Government’s roadmap for the Renters’ Rights Act 2025 that sets out how the legislation will be implemented. The Government’s announcement today (14 November) follows the Property Ombudsman’s Consumer and Industry Forum on 12 November where Stephanie Kvam, Deputy Director – Private Rented Sector at the Ministry of Housing, Communities and…
Read More