NAEA
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Agencies & People
Exposed agents to be investigated
The National Association of Estate Agents (NAEA) has condemned the estate agents exposed in a Channel 4 documentary last week for offering to help foreign criminals launder money through high-end properties in London. Five London based estate agents were named by the Russian anti-corruption campaigner, Roman Borisovich, and Ukrainian investigative reporter, Natalia Sedletskan, posing as Boris and his girlfriend. The couple viewed five properties in the capital where agents stood to earn in the region of a reported £65,000 to £315,000 in commissions. Mark Hayward, Managing Director of National Association of Estate Agents (NAEA), said that the exposed agents had tarnished the reputation of the industry in the public eye and has now launched an investigation into the issue. Hayward (left) said, “We do not condone the behaviour of the agents in the documentary From Russia With Cash and it is regretful that a small number of negligent agents tarnish the reputation of the industry as a whole. All agents should know that they have a responsibility to report any potential money laundering activities to the National Crime Agency and failure to do so, or to enable such an action, is a criminal act. “We take a dim view…
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Associations & Bodies
Countrywide teams up with NAEA to increase membership levels
Countrywide plc and the National Association of Estate Agents (NAEA) have announced a new landmark partnership which will see Countrywide’s customer facing estate agents invited to become members of the NAEA. The agreement makes Countrywide the first national estate agency network to officially adopt such an undertaking, offering employees the opportunity of high level training alongside their nationally recognised qualifications. The move is sure to gain the approval of many leading qualified trainers, including Tony Lynch (left), a coach at Keep Thinking Big. He points out that estate agents are no different to any other profession when it comes to the need to update skills and techniques. He commented: “We all need ongoing training in order to become better tomorrow than we are today.” He highlights various skills, such as listening, connecting and becoming a ‘master’ at questions that unlock the doors of opportunity as all being learnable skills, as being “imperative for the successful estate agent”. Lynch also pointed to “attitude” as a key component when it comes to training and learning. “If a team understands the importance of training and have a hunger for becoming the best they can be, then the ingredients are set for a huge…
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Housing Market
Property demand continues to soar
With uncertainty regarding the outcome of the general election over, demand to buy and rent property rose sharply in May, according to the National Association of Estate Agents (NAEA) and the Association of Residential Letting Agents (ARLA), but property supply is not keeping pace. The NAEA report that demand from buyers hit an eight-month high last month, with 383 house hunters registered on average per branch in May, up from 344 in April, and the highest number recorded since September 2014, when 406 house hunters were registered. The supply of properties coming onto the sales market also rose in May with 46 houses up for sale per NAEA member branch, compared to 43 in April, but remains well below the level needed to help meet rising demand levels. Nevertheless, this led to a marginal rise in the number of sales per member branch, with nine sales agreed in May, compared to eight in April. Mark Hayward (left), Managing Director at NAEA, said that the increase in the volume of house-hunters searching for homes was owed to a rise in confidence following the certainty that the outcome of the General Election delivered. He commented, “The housing shortage will not be solved…
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