Things People Hate about Estate and Letting Agents

April 24, 2016

Morning

I’ll make this brief. I’d like to talk plainly with you.

Our profession of estate and letting agency is getting a lot of bad press lately. People don’t like us – some even hate us. If we all sit around waiting for someone else to solve the problems, things will go from bad to worse.

The online agents and hybrids, if we are not careful, will slowly eat into our market and in 20 years time .. high street agency will have gone the way of insurance brokers and travel agents.

Some scoff and say they don’t offer a great service .. but you ask most people and they will say we are all rubbish at giving service.

Don’t think you are big enough to survive .. try telling the employees of Leeman Brothers, Nokia, Woolworths, C&A and Comet that!

Everyone thinks all agents are the same … we have become commoditised .. interchangeable … so can you blame a homeowner, who perceives us to be the same, not to pay you 1.5% when they only need pay £800 to Purplebricks, EMoov, EasyProperty .. for what they believe is the same service.

So instead of talking, I am showing you what needs to be done.

It won’t be easy, but nothing worthwhile ever is.

This 4 min video will give you an idea of just some of things the High Street agents amongst you should be doing to counteract the threat… because it is a threat

One final thought ..

I am not a pessimist. I believe that the problems UK High Street Estate and Letting Agency is facing can and will be solved with less gloomy talk and a bit more dedication.

…. because if we do this, together, we can change the way the British perceive Estate and Letting Agents and make the profession one people look up to, one that you can be proud of and not expect snide remarks, but respect and admiration.

kind regards

Christopher

PS If you would to join myself and the 240 other UK estate and letting agents on this mission to change the face of UK estate and letting agency .. then join our Facebook group ‘Landlord Farming Club‘.

 

 

Christopher Watkin

I teach, guide, support, mentor, consult, counsel, partner many hundreds of UK Estate and Letting Agents in their quest to grow their estate and lettings agencies business. Old school techniques of touting, landlords wanted leaflets, ring us for a free valuation, we have sold this in your street leaflets don't work anymore. There are too many competitor agents .. meaning cheap fees are epidemic, overvaluing is almost a norm to get the stock and don’t even mention about the online/hybrid threat. So a few years ago, I set about looking around the UK and spotted that certain agents (not many mind you) in certain towns were still seen as the ‘go to person on property’, the person the newspaper editor rang up every week for a comment and I looked at what they did and they were doing some thing quite remarkable…. Only one thing but they were doing it so well .. and reaping the reward in terms of decent listings and decent fees, happy staff, decent sales pipeline and exchange income, managed lettings portfolios in the many hundreds .. but more importantly, they really enjoyed the job… they enjoyed getting up in the morning and people looked up to them Over 400 agents around the UK are on a mission to change the way our Estate and Lettings agency profession is perceived and looked upon, doing it town by town, city by city. I guide these 400 agents, teach them, mentor them and support them to be seen in a different light, to be seen as the ‘go to person for property’, actually be the ‘local property expert’ and prove it. Christopher Watkin 07950 147 572 christopher@christopherwatkin.co.uk

You May Also Enjoy

Estate Agent Talk

What does latent defects insurance cover?

When a building is insured during the construction phase, coverage doesn’t necessarily end once the final brick has been laid. Failures and problems with design and workmanship can go unnoticed for several months or even years, leading to larger issues while someone occupies the building. Fixing such large structural defects can be extremely costly, so…
Read More →
Breaking News

Breaking Property News – 24/04/24

Daily bite-sized proptech and property news in partnership with Proptech-X.   Smart Spaces delivers the world’s first implementation of HID’s mobile credentials in Google Wallet at Workspace Mobile access control integration makes entry to The Light Bulb building effortless for customers London, April 23, 2024 – Smart Spaces announces today that it has partnered with trusted identity provider,…
Read More →
Love or Hate Rightmove
Breaking News

An average rate of 6% for the first time since November – Rightmove’s weekly mortgage tracker

Headlines The average 5-year fixed mortgage rate is now 4.89%, up from 4.45% a year ago The average 2-year fixed mortgage rate is now 5.29%, up from 4.75% a year ago The average 85% LTV 5-year fixed mortgage rate is now 4.82%, up from 4.42% a year ago The average 60% LTV 5-year fixed mortgage rate is now 4.36%, up from 4.15% a year ago The average monthly mortgage payment on…
Read More →
Property for sale
Estate Agent Talk

Understanding Property Valuation: A Simple Guide

Ever asked your self, “How a amazing deal is my house simply simply well worth?” Whether you’re thinking of promoting, thinking of searching for, or just simple curious, identifying a property’s rate can experience like navigating a maze without a map. Yet, do not agonize. This sincere guide will stroll you via the necessities of…
Read More →
Love or Hate Rightmove
Breaking News

Aberdeen is cheapest city to be a first-time buyer

New analysis reveals that Aberdeen is the cheapest city to be a first-time buyer with an average asking price of £102,602: The average monthly mortgage payment for a first-time buyer in Aberdeen is £406 per month, assuming the buyer has a 20% deposit, and a mortgage term of 35 years Data from UK Finance shows…
Read More →
Breaking News

Breaking Property News – 23/04/24

Daily bite-sized proptech and property news in partnership with Proptech-X.   Agents urged to review AML policies following recent HMRC fines Recent substantial fines issued by HMRC are a harsh reminder to agents to ensure that their Anti-Money Laundering (AML) policies are up to date, and they have control testing in place. This is according…
Read More →