Online Estate Agency – The Rise of The Machine (Interview CEO of emoov)
June 21, 2018
Q: How are things going for emoov in the world of UK Estate Agency? I am sure things are looking very rosy and you will be able to dispel any myths out there that the online estate agency sector is not doing all that well with valuations to sales ratios and are just being held up by big city investments.
The sector has grown by 196% since the end of 2014, according to Rightmove. Our listings are now at an annualised 13,000 making us the seventh biggest estate agency business in the UK. Purplebricks are now in the top three. Therefore how can anyone honestly and with a straight face claim that the new sector is not growing?
The evidence that I see with regard to sales vs listings ratios is that so called online agents’ performance is the same as high street agents. I mean, why wouldn’t it be when we all advertise in the same places? And please, magic applicant hot boxes and exclusive buyers? These relics of the profession are as obsolete as fax machines.
‘Big city investments’ are indeed supporting the new sector. As they are supporting Ocado, Uber, Transfer Wise, Twitter, Snapchat, WeWorks etc etc… So what? The traditional sector is way too obsessed with the profitability of the ‘online’ model when they should be much more concerned about their own.
Q: Though we consumers are shopping more and more online, there is still that slight reluctance to steer themselves away from the high street estate agent – In your opinion, outside of the cost saving opportunity, why should the seller and the buyer look to engage and trust emoov?
24/7 accessibility. More control through technology. Better service. A better price achieved (1% by us on average according to Zoopla stats). Plus the avg £3000 fee saving of course
Q: PropTech is shaking up the industry with many elements of estate agency streamlined thanks to new software, CRM, apps and more – Is emoov an adopter of #PropTech – Maybe you now have your very own #PropTech incubator at your head office?
We don’t operate an incubator. We build our own proprietary software based on customer journey desirability, a quest for cost efficiency and through rigorous testing and evolution. So yes, I guess you could say we are an adopter of PropTech although I’d say that given our unique platform we are actually PropTech pioneers.
Q: I’m a passionate, ambitious and a hard working individual and would love to get in to UK Estate Agency and make myself a good living – What opportunity can emoov give such a person if they are considering becoming a local agent with you?
As a Local Property Agent, the opportunity to work and progress within a company that’s at the leading edge of the industry and is growing fast, always innovating. Earnings are greater than the high street equivalent for those that are prepared to step out of their traditional agency comfort zone.
Q: What is the vision for the next five years?
To cement ourselves as the UK’s best known and loved estate agent and with a 10% market share. And to ensure a profitable return for those investors that have supported us so well.
You May Also Enjoy
UK rents fall for first time on record
Hamptons Monthly Lettings Index – December 2025 Rents end 2025 below where they started for the first timeon record. Rents in the capital return to 2023 levels as five of 11 GB regions see rents fall in 2025 Newly agreed rents dipped by 0.7% across Great Britain in 2025 – the first time rents fell…
Read More 
London boasts most slow-to-sell properties
The latest research from Yopa has found that while the housing market has shown signs of turning a corner since the Autumn Budget, sellers across the more inflated regions, in particular, are still struggling with slower market conditions, with almost one in five homes classed as slow-to-sell found in London. Yopa analysed current market listings…
Read More 
Rental availability rises 25%
Rental availability rises 25% in Q4, pointing to slower tenant movement New analysis from Inventory Base, a leading provider of inspection and compliance technology, reveals that rental availability in England increased by 25% in Q4 2025. While seasonality will have played a role, a 15.4% year-on-year rise suggests a larger-than usual build-up of available homes.…
Read More 
From loft insulation to lower interest rates: How energy efficiency really pays off
Homeowners could cut up to £2,000 a year from their energy bills this Energy Savers Week, by combining targeted home improvements with simple efficiency changes and, in doing so, they could improve their mortgage affordability by qualifying for a green mortgage – further boosting the savings on offer from taking a greener approach to homeownership.…
Read More 
How homeowners can save big by going green
Homeowners could cut up to £2,000 a year from their energy bills this Energy Savers Week (19th-25th Jan), by combining targeted home improvements with simple efficiency changes and, in doing so, they could improve their mortgage affordability by qualifying for a green mortgage – further boosting the savings on offer from taking a greener approach…
Read More 
Largest ever January price jump, as market sentiment rebounds after the Budget
The average price of homes coming to the market for sale rises in January to £368,031, a 2.8% increase from December (+£9,893). This is the largest ever price increase seen in the month of January, and the largest of any month since June 2015: National average property prices are now 0.5% ahead of this time…
Read More