109 episodes
- Why does it now take around 20 weeks to exchange contracts when it used to take six to eight?
Estate agents blame conveyancers. Conveyancers blame agents. Everyone chases everyone else, the client is left wondering what on earth is happening, and when the sale collapses, nobody gets paid.
In this episode, I’m joined by Silas Lees, CEO of WiggyWam and founder of The Maverick Movement, for a frank conversation about why Britain’s home-moving process has become so painfully slow.
Silas argues that estate agents must accept their share of the responsibility. Too many properties reach the market without the material information needed to complete the transaction, while referral fees have helped turn conveyancing into an unprofitable, high-volume race to the bottom.
We discuss why agents may be sacrificing a £3,500 sales fee for a £300 referral payment, how better upfront information could dramatically reduce fall-throughs and transaction times, and why sales progression should not require endless phone calls simply to discover whether anything has happened.
We also explore whether AI will genuinely improve the home-moving experience or merely allow overstretched professionals to handle even more cases while delivering even less value.
Silas certainly doesn’t pull his punches. But if estate agents want faster transactions, fewer fall-throughs and better fees, perhaps it is time to stop pointing fingers and start changing the part of the process they can control.
Find out more about WiggyWam and The Maverick Movement.
This episode is sponsored by Alto, the all-in-one CRM helping estate agents manage their business, properties and customers more effectively. Find out more at altosoftware.co.uk. - After 35 years in estate agency, Angi Cooney has built a successful business, survived some of the toughest markets the industry has seen, sold both its lettings and sales divisions and supposedly retired.
So, naturally, she started another lettings business and launched a podcast.
In this episode, Angi shares how personal loss changed the direction of her life, why she started C Residential with little more than a name, a logo and an unshakeable belief that it would succeed, and how she built a business known for exceptional service and strong fees.
We also discuss the realities of running an estate agency, the value of lettings, knowing when it is time to sell and the disappointment that people can sometimes bring when you own a business.
Angi also gives her characteristically forthright view on self-employed estate agency, the importance of proper training and support, and why networking transformed her career in her fifties.
Today, through her “Now What?” podcast, Angi is creating space for honest conversations about the moments when life changes and we are forced to ask what comes next.
This is a wonderfully candid conversation about business, reinvention, failure and refusing to sit back later in life wondering what might have happened if you had simply given it a go. - For years we've obsessed over using AI to save time.
But what if that's the wrong question?
In this episode I'm joined by Jaimie Beers, founder of Schutle.com and a former London estate agency owner who successfully built, scaled and sold his own business before moving into .
Jaimie believes the biggest impact AI will have on estate agency isn't writing property descriptions or automating admin. It's changing how sellers and landlords choose an agent in the first place.
We discuss:
Why Google search is already starting to lose its grip.
How AI is changing consumer behaviour.
Why websites are becoming more important, not less.
The difference between SEO and becoming visible to AI.
Why most estate agents are solving the wrong AI problem.
Building a business through the credit crunch, selling at the right time and knowing when to move on.
We also dive into business ownership, the realities of building a successful agency, why office location still matters, and the lessons Jaimie learned from fifteen years growing his own company before selling it.
If you think AI is simply about becoming more efficient, this conversation may completely change the way you think about the future of estate agency.
Sponsored by Alto
Discover how Alto helps estate agents streamline their business with one powerful CRM platform:
https://www.altosoftware.co.uk/
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📅 Book a free strategy call: https://calendly.com/robgraves/strategy-call - Thinking about becoming self-employed? Or already made the leap?
Then this is an episode you shouldn't miss.
Chris Buckler, Chief Commercial Officer at TAUK and founder of The Estate Agency, shares the lessons he's learned from more than a decade building self-employed estate agency businesses. From his early days as a management consultant at Deloitte, to renovating properties, building successful agencies and helping hundreds of agents become business owners, Chris offers an honest look at what really makes the difference.
We discuss why lead generation should always come before everything else, why values matter more than most people realise, what Chris learned from Keller Williams, and why so many agents fail—not because they lack ability, but because they stop doing the activities that built the business in the first place.
We also dive into the future of brokerage models, acquisitions within the self-employed sector, supporting agents through cashflow challenges, and why building a profitable business is far more important than simply chasing turnover.
Whether you're employed, self-employed or running your own agency, this conversation is packed with practical ideas and plenty of thought-provoking moments.
In this episode you'll discover:
Why lead generation is every agent's number one job.
The biggest mistake self-employed agents make after a few months.
Lessons from Keller Williams and Gary Keller.
Why company values—and personal values—shape successful businesses.
The future of self-employed estate agency in the UK.
Why profitable businesses beat impressive turnover every time.
What separates successful brokerages from those unlikely to survive.
This episode is proudly sponsored by Alto – the all-in-one CRM helping estate agents streamline their business, manage every stage of the customer journey and work more efficiently.
Learn more at https://www.altosoftware.co.uk/
If you've enjoyed this episode, I'd love it if you subscribed, left a review and shared it with another agent who'd find it valuable. - What happens after you've achieved what most estate agents dream of?
Dan built a successful multi-branch estate agency, sold the business to Foxtons, took some time out... and then discovered that retirement wasn't all it was cracked up to be.
In this honest conversation, Dan shares the lessons from building and selling his business, why growing bigger doesn't always mean growing more profitable, and why he's chosen to start again in today's self-employed estate agency world.
We also discuss acquisitions, lettings, building recurring income, preparing for self-employment, and why so many agents underestimate what it really takes to build a successful business.
Whether you're thinking about starting your own agency, growing one, or wondering what life looks like after an exit, this episode is packed with practical lessons from someone who's experienced every stage of the journey.
In this episode we discuss:
Building a five-branch estate agency from scratch
The realities of selling to Foxtons
Why bigger isn't always more profitable
The mistakes business owners make as they grow
Why lettings create long-term business value
Starting again in the self-employed model
The importance of collaboration and continuous learning
Why building the business is often more rewarding than the exit itself
🎙 Sponsored by Alto CRM
The CRM built specifically for estate and letting agents.
Want to build a business that's more profitable—and doesn't rely on you for everything?
💼 Join the Key Coaching Business Gym
https://www.keycoaching.co.uk/key-coaching-s-business-gym-1
📅 Book a free Strategy Call
https://calendly.com/robgraves/strategy-call
🏡 Thinking about joining eXp? Let's have a chat.
https://calendly.com/robgraves/30min
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About Utterly Indispensable Podcast for Estate Agents
Welcome to The Utterly Indispensable Podcast for Estate Agents , your go-to podcast for insights, tips, and inspiration in the world of estate agency. Join us as we interview industry experts, successful estate agents, and thought leaders who share their experiences, strategies, and innovative ideas.
Whether you're a seasoned professional or just starting out, our episodes are packed with valuable content designed to help you elevate your skills and enhance your services. Tune in to discover practical advice and fresh perspectives that will empower you to become a top-performing estate agent and take your agency to the next level.
Subscribe now and start your journey towards excellence in estate agency!
#EstateAgency #RealEstate #Podcast #IndustryInsights #ProfessionalGrowth
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