Utterly Indispensable Podcast for Estate Agents

Most training in estate agency exists to stop you going to prison. Very little of it helps you win instructions, progress sales, or actually understand the law you’re meant to be complying with. That’s why this conversation matters. In this episode, I’m joined by Charlotte Jeffrey-Campbell, founder of The Able Agent—and one of the most grounded, no-nonsense voices in estate agency training today. Charlotte has done the job. Lister, manager, trainer, business builder. She’s seen what works, what doesn’t, and why most agents are quietly blagging their way through regulation they don’t fully understand. We talk about: Why qualifications aren’t the enemy—but bad training is What actually happened to RoPA (and why it hasn’t gone away) The dangerous gaps in estate agents’ knowledge (even after 20+ years) Why compliance and business generation should never be taught separately How most agents learn sales progression the hard way… and why they shouldn’t And why “free training” often turns out to be the most expensive option of all This isn’t a scare-story episode. It’s a grown-up conversation about raising standards without killing the soul of the industry. If you want your team to be more confident, more credible, and genuinely expert—not just box-ticking—this one’s for you. Life’s too short for bad training.

Most estate agents think they have a CRM problem.What they really have is a data, discipline, and decision-making problem. In this episode, I’m joined by Mark Hinkins, Commercial Director at Rex, to tear into one of the most uncomfortable truths in estate agency:almost no one is using their CRM properly—and AI is about to make that painfully obvious. We talk about why most agents under-use powerful systems, why moving CRMs is less about software and more about strategy, and how your database is quietly becoming your most valuable asset. Mark shares what he’s seeing on the front line of PropTech, how AI is changing prospecting, pipelines, and productivity, and why agents who “wait and see” will already be too late. This isn’t a tech demo.It’s a reality check. If you’re an agency owner who wants to win more instructions, scale without piling on headcount, and actually work smarter (not just talk about it), this conversation will challenge how you think about CRMs, data, and the future of your business. AI isn’t replacing estate agents.But it is replacing the ones who don’t adapt.

This episode is a proper behind-the-scenes look at how sellers choose estate agents — and why so many get it wrong. I’m joined by Colby Short, co-founder and CEO of GetAgent, the UK’s leading estate agent comparison platform. Over the last 11 years, GetAgent has analysed millions of data points, worked with over 7,500 agents, and helped more than 1.2 million homeowners try to answer one deceptively simple question: Who is actually best to sell my home? We dig into the original insight that sparked GetAgent — a single London postcode where 800 sellers chose 200 different agents, half of whom had never sold a property there — and why that chaos still exists today. Colby explains: Why most vendors confuse familiarity with performance The three metrics that really matter when choosing an agent Why speed to lead wins more instructions than fee discounting The uncomfortable truth about completion rates and unsold stock How GetAgent survives on a pay-on-completion model while many prop-tech firms collapsed Why data without human judgement still isn’t enough This is an honest, commercially grounded conversation about data, cash flow, fees, lead quality, and the brutal reality of running a business where you only get paid if everyone else performs. If you’re an estate agent who believes you’re good — but wonders why the market doesn’t always reward that — this episode will make you think very differently about how sellers see you, long before you ever sit on their sofa.

Most estate agents didn’t get into this business to drown in admin… yet somehow that’s exactly what happens. In this episode, I’m joined by Bronwyn Schmidt, Operations Director at VA Central, to unpack what actually happens when agents stop trying to do everything themselves. We talk honestly about: Why most agents leave outsourcing far too late The difference between cheap outsourcing and building a proper team What tasks VAs really should be doing in sales, lettings and property management Why delegation isn’t about losing control – it’s about structure and trust How VAs and AI work together (and why AI isn’t coming for your job) The broker model, burnout, low fees, and the hidden cost of doing £10-an-hour tasks Why your business doesn’t need to be “perfect” before you outsource Bronwyn brings real-world insight from working with over 200 UK estate agencies, and we get into the practical realities – systems, onboarding, CRMs, productivity, and why your support team doesn’t need to sit in your office to deliver a better service. If you feel busy, stretched, or trapped inside your own agency, this episode will make you rethink how you build your team – and your business. Less graft. Better systems. Smarter growth.

Aarti Patel isn’t just impressive. She’s one of those rare people who walk into your world and remind you what’s actually possible. Her property journey didn’t begin with fanfare. It began with a disaster. The kind of disaster that sends most people off to lick their wounds and mutter “never again.” Aarti did the opposite. She treated it like tuition. Learned the lessons. Then used those lessons as rocket fuel. Today she’s a force of nature — a developer, the mind behind Aarti Auctions, a marketer, a founder many times over, and someone who understands how to carve out a niche so sharp it could take your finger off. She’s used social media to generate opportunity most agents dream about. She’s built partnerships. She’s created momentum from thin air. And she’s done it all with integrity, optimism and a ridiculous level of resilience. Her story is one of reinvention, bravery, and backing yourself even when the evidence isn’t exactly cheering you on. If you want inspiration, you’ll get it. If you want practical insight, you’ll get that too. But above all, you’ll hear from someone who proves — emphatically — that a “Life by Design” isn’t a slogan. It’s a decision. A cracking listen.