An estate agent has found a new vehicle for the launch of his hybrid estate agency and is today due to take collection of his new office – a fully-branded mobile sales unit.
Neil Harvey, one of the first Purplebricks Local Property Experts, has just launched The Property Market.
With the business initially covering Kent, the vehicle has full internet access, printer, scanner, desk and meeting area.
Harvey said: “We aim never to miss a buyer or be unable to attend a viewing.”
The facility is to be used to ferry people to viewings, deployed for open house events, and offered to house builders as a temporary on-site sales office at weekends to cover viewings and register new buyers on site.
The Property Market, which will also refer work to local trades and services via its site, charges sellers three standard fees: £599 upfront; 0.5% plus £199 paid upfront; and 0.75% no sale, no fee.
Harvey is a seasoned online property professional.
He joined Purplebricks in January 2014 and took on a territory in Kent, building up to a team of four.
However, he had already registered The Property Market domain name, with a view to launching his own hybrid agent, initially with a view to launching satellite offices within lawyers’ offices.
He said he was close to building the business, but despite various meetings with investors, was unsuccessful in reaching the finances required to launch.
He then met Kenny Bruce, co-founder of Purplebricks, and was offered a territory.
He said: “I had two really good years with Purplebricks and they really looked after me. However, it was still bugging me that I could be doing something myself.”
He left Purplebricks in 2016 to continue building his own platform.
The new business is now live, although the model is different from what was first envisaged.
Harvey believes that the mobile sales unit is a ‘first’ in estate agency.
“We have also done away with traditional suits and have branded jackets, fleeces and polo shirts for the summer,” said Harvey.
He is now going for stage two investment and eventually hopes to sell franchises of The Property Market to cover the UK.
http://www.thepropertymarket.co.uk/
So basically he has a company car, another wheel reinvented
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So what happens if a developer wants this van as his site office…bang goes the chance for other appointments 🙂 Sure if others get sucked in they can buy a van…now lets work out the running costs and purchase costs of a worthwhile office size van…hmmm and then build a fleet…may as well buy an office, or better still, stay on the internet.
Thanks Neil Harvey, you have started my work off with a huge smile
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Believe me – you wouldn’t want to be doing business with a ‘developer’ who would use this as an MSU.
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Plus an Easyproperty franchise (small orange logo on the van). So not totally solo then…
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He’s got his work cut out but good luck to him. Great entrepreneurship, just not sure about the fleeces!
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Anyone remember Channel 4’s Scouse soap Brookside? It reminds me of Ron Dixon’s mobile shop, the ‘Moby’!
It looks a sizeable vehicle. To cut costs further he could add a bed & live in it!
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So where does he stick the fax machine ?
Also any London estate agents remember the Camden bus ?
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Whatever happened to the Camden Bus? It is years ahead of van man.
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Fax machine? I remember those.
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Sounds like a truly classy idea, well until you get a puncture that is?
Can anyone else think of an even better way to cheapen what us professional agents do?
What about walking round town with a sandwich board or a hand cart, maybe ‘fly pitching’? I’ve also heard about these Pyramid schemes, might be worth investigating…..
The fact remains, if someone offered me a Ferrari for a fiver, I wouldn’t think ‘Bargain!’ I’d think why is that so cheap?
High Street agents do need to up their game admittedly but you still get what you pay for!
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“We are looking for Angel investor for stage one, 300k to build platform and first hub. We have stage 2 investor with between £10m and £15m.”
From their twitter feed!
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How do you get a stage 2 investor with millions and miss the first hurdle for a few 100k … 🙂 Oh this idea keeps on making my day!
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‘Ah, good morning Mrs Smith. Thank you for calling us in to value your lovely property.
What’s that? You are only thinking about moving and don’t want to upset your close friend neighbours who don’t know anything about your plans?
Yes, well, I suppose they might suspect something when they see our van on your driveway.
Oh, please Mrs Smith, don’t cry like that. Here, have a tissue…’
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Need somewhere to park it?
http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-71586074.html
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From the details:
“This garage would be useful to store sailing equipment or car etc.”
No.
5h!t.
Sherlock.
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Come to think of it, our board man has a branded van, maybe I could get him to market, attend valuations, list properties, do the photos, speak with the applicant database, organise floorplans and EPC’s, qualify buyers, do sales progression, organise advertising, arrange viewings, attend viewings etc whilst he’s putting up the boards????? Because selling houses really is that easy!
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Seen the ‘What our clients say’ section? – not bad for a business yet to launch. Alternatively just another agent playing fast and loose with testimonials/reviews. We came across a review of a Brighton agent today: a one star on Google saying ‘This agent will waive lettings fees in exchange for 5* reviews’. Do they think no-one – including their competitors – notices (or don’t they care)?
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“No income tax, no VAT, no money back, no guarantee.” Just popped into my head for some reason.
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Just wait until he breaks down and can’t ‘get to work’! Even better, with clients huddled in the back! What a great and personable experience!
This article and his business model screams out to me that online/hybrid has no legs. Or should I say wheels?
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What happens if he needs to do 2 appointments at the same time? Does he take both parties in the van? He may have drive!! boom boom but lacks direction methinks
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