Connells’ Chairman Stephen Shipperley (pictured), one of the industry’s most experienced and successful estate agency seniors, retires at the end of the year.

This follows a 45-year career at the firm, which he joined as an 18-year-old in 1977 as a Trainee Negotiator at Connells’ Aylesbury branch, before becoming Branch Manager at Connells High Wycombe aged 21 – the High Wycombe branch would become the most profitable branch in Connells for much of the 1980s. Stephen rose through the ranks, becoming a Director in 1988 and Chief Executive in 1990, and Connells Group Chairman in 2008.

Are you still confident that acquiring Countrywide was the correct strategy for the Group for the next decade?

The acquisition of Countrywide was us being opportunistic. We had looked at what they had been up to for a couple of years prior and disagreed with the way they that they were doing it. We thought it was too good an opportunity to miss. A lot of the business was in good shape – we thought the timing would be awful with Covid but it turned out to be the opposite. It was a great acquisition and I would do it all again without hesitation.

In the 45 years that I’ve been in business we have always had disruptors but at the end of the day technology and money only do so much for you.

In a straight scrap great people will always win hands down.”

In a straight scrap great people will always win hands down. But good people need a clear definition of what the business is about. People might look at Connells as being a boring model but it’s a successful one in which we diligently apply our principles.

Is Rightmove good or bad for the future of local estate agents?

A huge amount of stuff gets blogged about Rightmove. Had it not been Rightmove it would have been someone else. All it has done is taken the place of local newspaper groups.

When I was running a branch I had no alternative but to spend £2,500 a month with the Bucks Free Press. If you want to be a competitor then you have to be on Rightmove. There’s no difference from advertising in local newspapers from a cost point of view. We used to spend a whole day scurrying around and getting the right polaroid pictures and copy together then that would inevitably be wrong or set out wrong. Rightmove by comparison is so much easier!

What needs to happen to increase the quality of advice given to house sellers and buyers?

Our strategy around people has always been to recruit the best, train them well, give them opportunities and not lose them. We train the living daylights out of people. I’m a great believer in education development and giving people the right to fail.

The skill in being a good employer is giving people the opportunity to pick themselves up when they fall.”

The skill in being a good employer is giving people the opportunity to pick themselves up when they fall. There should be standards of competence in estate agency recognised by external qualification – I’m a great fan of that.

What influence have you had over low-cost conveyancing?

Conveyancing Direct is part of the Group and we put around 15% of our business through it. With conveyancing there is an issue around efficiency of process. Technology is invariably part of the solution but there is an issue around quality and quantity of people in that business. Put yourself in a conveyancer’s shoes – getting one deal a month at £1,000 is not going to get you far but 10 cases at £800 develops flow.

I look at what we do, we don’t price cut we price competitively. We’re certainly not cheap but by the same token we’re not premium either. We’ve certainly been innovative – we introduced no sale no fee and also fixed pricing. We have brought pricing into the 21st Century but clearly there’s a balance – it’s a dynamic that changes.

What was the proudest moment of your career?

The proudest moment of my career was the MBO in 1996 – we got our timing spot on although the recession in the 90’s was tough.

The proudest moment of my career was the MBO in 1996 – we got our timing spot on…”

We’ve been through all sort of markets – people always adapt to the new normal. It’s the right time to retire for all the different reasons – in many ways I wouldn’t wish a more difficult market on anyone. It’s not easy anymore and you have to continue to focus.

What advice would you give to someone joining Connells today?

My advice would be not to turn up in platform shoes! On my first day my boss David White sent me to Clarks to buy a pair of sensible shoes.

My advice would be not to turn up in platform shoes!”

I had gained a place to read history at Oxford but I wanted to work. My Dad wasn’t happy but said if you’re going to get a job make sure you find a career where you are happy going to work.

I saw an advert in the newspaper for Connells looking for a negotiator. I met David White and Eddie Moss and after spending 30 minutes with them I’d found them so charismatic and so electric that I could see that’s what I wanted to do and couldn’t see myself doing anything else.