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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Picture of the week: It’s like a Tardis outside
PICTURE OF THE WEEK. No agent would say taking pictures of properties is easy. Bad weather, poor light, impossible angles, uncooperative vendors, untidy rooms. They can all conspire to make presenting many homes a challenge. And then there are the problems of marketing new homes. Developers are super keen to have them sold as soon as possible, and ideally before they’re finished to keep their balance sheets healthy. This was the problem faced by an agent in Kings Lynn who, on arrival on site, found a huge portable toilet in front of the property and, given the day’s busy schedule and its weight, had no choice but to snap – we assume. The resulting photograph did not go unnoticed online. A local fitness trainer and, presumably house hunter too, spotted the photo on Rightmove and alerted The Negotiator via Twitter. For those who can see past the oddly Tardis-like urinal parked in the drive, agent William H Brown is selling a brand new three bedroom semi for £177,500, part of a development of 14 similar homes near in the northern outskirts of Kings Lynn marketed squarely at first time buyers.
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Agent makes lone stand against landlords who advertise direct on property portals
Newcastle-under-Lyme letting agent Rocket Homes Rentals has locked horns with the two largest property portals over listings by two local student lettings companies. It says they are advertising on the big portals even thought they are landlords who only market their own properties. Hybrid agent/landlords like these are springing up across the UK at the moment to enable a single landlord, or group of landlords, to bypass letting agents entirely and advertise their properties to rent directly on the large portals. Rockett Home Rentals, which has a single branch in Newcastle-under-Lyme but covers Crewe, Stafford and Stoke on Trent and has been in business since 2003, says its two rivals are advertising on Rightmove and Zoopla. “I’ve talked to both portals and no matter how they want to dress this up, they seem happy to let these ‘agents’ list because they have paid money and that’s it, regardless of how their business works,” says director Bill Rockett (pictured, below) “The only properties they have are the ones they own – they’re not an agent for anyone and they don’t service any customers except themselves. “It worries me that in the small area around my business I’ve seen ‘agents’ like this…
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“Sexist” Marsh & Parsons ad to be withdrawn after complaints to ASA, and Twitter backlash
What was supposed to be 'tongue in cheek' ad goes awry for LSL-owned London agent.
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Expanding Belvoir group gathers for conference and awards at stately home.
Business is clearly doing well at franchise operation Belvoir. The company has just held a very posh conference and awards bash at a stately home in Oxfordshire, with 32 gongs up for grabs and a new Mini for the raffle winner. All companies need a little team building activity and arguably, franchised businesses need it more than others as they know they are part of something big – 300 offices across the UK – but running their own business within the group. This event obviously made everyone feel very much part of a team, with a full day conference with a range of key note speakers, Dorian Gonsalves, COO, said, “this year our keynote speakers were simply outstanding. “The theme was ‘What If’ and we chose this because we wanted to give our franchisees innovative and inspirational advice that will help them to provide their clients with world-class levels of customer service, which will really take their businesses forward to the next level.” The 2017 Belvoir Conference was held at Heythrop Park in Oxfordshire (pictured, below), followed by a black tie champagne dinner. Comedian and author Gyles Brandreth (pictured, left), provided after dinner entertainment and also hosted the awards. “The evening…
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SVA Property Auctions first 2017 sale
SVA Property Auctions, Scotland’s independent auction service, will put 21 lots under the hammer on 1st March at the Edinburgh Marriott Hotel, coming from as far north as Sutherland to Peebles in the south.
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Cheffins to auction major estate
The estate of Keith Leonard, a well-known character in the Ely and Soham area, is coming to the market in the first time in three generations.
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Auction House Beds & Bucks’ new website
Auction House Beds & Bucks has launched its new eye-catching website at www.auctionhousebb. co.uk.
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Martyn Gerrard laments “overreaction” to ad that ASA wants taken down
An estate agency asked to remove a poster advert from an Underground Station in north London by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) following a complaint from the public has hit out against the decision. David Smith (pictured, below), who is Marketing and Compliance Director at 14-branch Martyn Gerrard, says that although in the “strict interpretation of the rules” the ASA code means the complainant is technically correct, he wonders is this is “really the sort of image they had in mind when they devised their rules? I very much doubt it”. “We were quite surprised to receive the letter from the ASA,” he told The Negotiator. “This particular advert was on an underground station platform and had been up for over a year.” The ASA rules say an advert can’t condone or encourage an unsafe practice or show anything that will result in physical, mental or moral harm. The ASA wrote via email to Martyn Gerrard on 10th March and in his reply to them David agreed to take the advert down, as we reported yesterday, but highlighted his disappointment with the request. He wondered if the complaint may have come from a “vexatious competitor agent” rather than a concerned…
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SDL launches in the North West
SDL Auctions, one of the UK’s largest auction networks, is to hold auctions at Bolton’s Macron Stadium with the first date set as Thursday 30th March.
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Auction House London partners with Countrywide A new partnership deal means that Auction House London will now sell all future auction properties listed by Countrywide in the capital.
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