Agencies & People
News covering the businesses, activities, people and personalities in estate agency and letting agency and wider residential property industry.
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HouseSimple’s new #whosderek TV ad wins online praise
Not many estate agents venture into the expensive world of TV advertising, and even fewer make much of an impression with the public. But online estate agent HouseSimple appears to have cracked it with its new ‘Who’s Derek?’ campaign, which warm-heartedly embraces the unfashionable name of Derek. Its hilarious 30-second advert, which as well as underlining the speed of its sales and taking a pot-shot at Purplebricks’ fee structure, has been met with mirth and approval online from members of the public. The TV campaign has also been backed by HouseSimple with an offer to sell anyone’s home for free if they are called Derek, dropping its usual £995 ‘no sale, no fee’ charges for the dwindling number of Dereks in the UK if they sign up before the end of June. “For all those Dereks out there who dream of one day seeing their name rise to prominence again, we’re delighted to do our little bit to help raise their profile,” says HouseSimple CEO Sam Mitchell, who previous role was Head of Lettings at Rightmove. His PR stunt may be counting on the unpopularity of the name Derek to prevent too many people taking up the firm’s free offer.…
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Independent estate agents now only half the industry, claims Belvoir
UK's largest franchising agency makes claim as it suggests many are "struggling" as tenant fees ban looms.
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UK’s first council-owned online letting agent launches
The outsourced housing department of Brent council has launched its own online letting agent for the private rental market.
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Leading estate agent changes website after complaint to advertising watchdog
Edinburgh-based MOV8 agrees to amend copy after complaint that its fixed estate agency fee claim may have been misleading.
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Humberts is saved! Holiday firm snaps up ailing agency for undisclosed sum
Read how ailing agency Humberts has been saved after it was bought by UK and US holiday firm Natural Retreats for an undisclosed sum.
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SVA sells 90% of lots
SVA Property Auctions, Scotland’s independent property auction company, sold 90 per cent of the auction lots at its March auction raising £4 million from 31 lots.
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A tale of two agents: Hunters celebrates as Foxtons sinks
Two leading estate agents have released their latest trading statements over the past 24 hours but as performance goes, Foxtons and Hunters might as well be on different planets, their results reveal. Hunters this morning reports that its franchised sales and lettings business is in rude health. Chairman and MP Kevin Hollinrake will say at the firm’s AGM later today that the company has already seen 12 new branches join its network and that there is a strong pipeline of sales including increased instructions during the first four months of this year, up by 5.4% year-on-year. He also says the first half of the year is shaping up to be “better than anticipated” and that its customer service approval rate has increased to 96%. Foxtons At the same time Foxtons has also released its latest trading statement, which paints an entirely gloomier picture – even though both companies are competitors in many parts of London. At its AGM yesterday the company revealed that its sales, lettings and mortgage businesses performed worse during the first quarter of 2018 than the year before, warning that “conditions in the London property market remain very challenging with sales volumes lower than the year before”.…
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Martin & Co franchisees rebrand in Gloucester
Peter and Rani Grieves took on RMC Hardcastles at the end of last year, their fourth acquisition...
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Variety the key as Emson grows
Clive Emson Auctioneers is cataloguing 150 lots for its Spring sale.
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London letting agent LiFE Residential invests again in proptech
The agent says GetRentr can help it lighten the 'massive burden' of managing licensing requirements in London and in return it has backed the company financially.
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