Successful Estate Agencies Leave Clues

A quick one this week folks as I’m knackered after being a detective for the past couple of days (hopefully more Columbo than Inspector Clouseau).

Several of my clients have been very successful recently at different industry award competitions.

And success leaves clues as I’ve discovered while researching a future article on what makes some agencies do a lot better than others at awards.

The three clients I’ve featured here are all at different levels in terms of size.

One is a single office agency, another has three offices following a rapid expansion, and the final agency has 15 offices spanning four counties and several property disciplines.

They all have very good market shares in their patches, which let’s face it is a lot more important than awards.

And they all do quite a lot of things better, or at least differently from their rivals.

Small examples include:

Single office agency – The first agency I saw using personalised email signatures with a smiling, approachable looking photo of the staff member. And great social media use.

Three office agency – Have a mantra of ‘How will this benefit our clients? The owner is obsessed by learning about anything which can propel his agency forward. And that’s rubbed off on his well-motivated team.

15 office agency – Invest thousands in staff training, getting involved in local community events and never missing a trick to get their brand out there.

And although the above examples are different, and the agencies individual, they are all united by three things.

  1. They all have some sort of newsletter or regular method of staying in touch with precious (not a typo, work it out) clients who they have served in the past.
  2. They pay their bills on time. (I can usually gauge an agency’s attitude to clients by how they treat suppliers).
  3. The heads of all three companies are very decent, hardworking and honest people. Making a mockery of misconceptions about ‘dodgy agents’ which in my experience is a load of old bollocks anyway.

There are loads more things they do that make them great agencies but I’ve got to go now and solve the case of the missing bagel from my office (I really fancied it for lunch and some Herbert has nicked it).

Thanks for reading and here’s to your next instruction.

Jerry

PS: The Earlybird offer on my new Letting Agent Articles (31 great articles to win some landlord love) ends tomorrow at 5pm. To find out more simply ping me your postcode so I can see if your area is still available and I’ll reply with the deal and more info.

Jerry Lyons

You May Also Enjoy

AI in estate agency letting agency property
Estate Agent Talk

AI property search not yet mainstream

The latest research by GetAgent.co.uk has revealed that while artificial intelligence is increasingly being embraced across the property industry, the technology has yet to become a mainstream tool for buyers and sellers when it comes to searching for and marketing homes. GetAgent commissioned a survey* of UK estate agents to understand how widely AI-powered search…
Read More
Breaking News

70% of Britain’s housing market is in recovery with prices trending upwards

The latest research from Yopa reveals that 70% of the British housing market is now in recovery with prices trending upwards following the challenging conditions of the past two years. This is despite the broader national picture showing that average house prices have edged down over the last six months. Yopa analysed six months of…
Read More
Breaking News

Breaking Property News 12/3/26

Daily bite-sized proptech and property news in partnership with Proptech-X.   ‘The actual work, making smart procurement decisions, protecting the owner’s budget was buried under a mountain of emails and calls’ Rihards Trops CEO of TenderPro   Every property manager knows the feeling. You need to find a contractor, get three comparable quotes, coordinate site visits,…
Read More
Breaking News

Renters’ Rights Act already driving surge in tenant complaints

“Renters’ Rights effect” drives unprecedented demand dispute resolution Industry redress scheme flooded with enquiries ahead of Act going live in May   THE IMPENDING implementation of the Renters’ Rights Act has already led to unprecedented demand for The Property Ombudsman’s services, as more tenants seek support to resolve disputes fairly and independently. In the four…
Read More
Breaking News

Rights Act: Key changes renters need to know — new rules start on 1 May 2026

The Renters’ Rights Act is a major overhaul of the rules that govern renting in England, the biggest in decades. Propertymark, the UK’s leading body for property professionals, wants renters to understand what’s coming and how it will affect them. The next wave of changes under the Act will take effect on 1 May 2026.…
Read More
Breaking News

What Would Make Me Stay: How Tenants Are Redefining What Home Really Means

68% of tenants say the single biggest factor that would make them stay in their rental home long term is the relationship with their landlord or agent, above rent levels, location, or the quality of the property itself. That is the headline finding from LRG’s Winter 2025/26 Lettings Report, and it points to something the…
Read More