Nick Karamanlis has a 20-year track record in property sales including stints at major independents in London including running a 100-staff team as a sales director. So why has he joined brokerage Moveli as a ‘lone wolf’?

“I used to have my own business before joining Moveli and just to switch on the lights every month was £20,000 and, together with silent partners who I didn’t see eye-to-eye with, this led me by necessity to consider the broker approach – so I sold a few properties that way and it’s taken off from there,” he says.

“My accountant said to me recently that I really don’t have many outgoings and told me to spend some money – it’s stress-free as such compared to running your own agency. And so far it’s worked out – I’m told I’m one of the top 5% of brokers in the UK in terms of income.”

Do you work in just one area, like a traditional agent?

“No, although I’ve always had an affinity for Hackney and Bow in East London, but since joining Moveli and becoming a broker, I decided to branch out to where I live – Woodford – but really I don’t have ‘a patch’ anymore and just sell homes wherever I can,” he says.

“I’ve done sales in Epping and Faydon and I’ve outperformed some of the agents there.”

Is estate agency changing?

“Yes, before becoming a broker I’d done 20 years in traditional agency including being a director at Stirling Ackroyd, and I also after that worked at Yopa just because I wanted to experience something different – and having tried both I think the broker model is the best way now,” he says.

“But it can be hard work –  not that many brokers make good money all the time, but often they also motivated by the need to exit the corporate estate agency world.

“Good  brokers who work hard can earn very well but there are many atr other brokerages who don’t so you’ve go to be careful who you work for.

“And while you might have been a good agent within your branch, now you’ve got to go out and get the work, rather than relying on a high street brand to drive the instructions. That’s where some brokers get caught short.”

Will Britain’s property industry go the American, broker-led way?

“Yes, I think we’re ten to fifteen years behind the US, where they’ve got it right where it’s more of a personal service – people choose people when you’re doing valuations visits, not necessarily brands, remember,” he says.

“But it’s a big change to be working from home – there’s no office camaraderie but then again there’s no commute, so something must be attractive as we’ve taken on 27 brokers alone this year, and some 67 in total now.

“And in my view the corporates don’t do the basics right anymore – too many junior and inexperienced people – for example one big-name agency branch I know doesn’t give feedback to vendors about viewings – which is crazy.

“They take on too many listings and then, at a two-person branch, can’t deliver the level of service needed to retain clients.”

Where do you find your prospective buyers?

“Well some are personal referrals, some via social media and a few via the Moveli network, but really it’s the portal leads that still dominate,” he says.

What’s your advice for anyone considering being a broker?

“Remember it can be a massive rollercoaster with good days and bad days but aside from the hard work, it’s got to be fun too and interesting, but the one thing I love about my job now is that I can do whatever I want whenever I want, and that’s important.”