A new network has launched, designed to help independents grow their own businesses, specifically by expanding into land and new homes.

The Land & New Homes Network is the brainchild of Kevin Ellis, who ran the new homes department at Romans for 13 years.

He is joined by managing director Ian Stratford, who began his career in independent agency and joins from Relocation Agent Network, part of Cartus.

Peter Knight, one of the industry’s best known figures as the founder of Estate Agency Events and industry charity Agents Giving, is a non-executive director and investor.

The Land & New Homes Network went live this week, offering independents support, training, resources and contacts to develop a profitable new income stream, in a sector traditionally dominated by bigger agents.

Ellis emphasised to EYE that becoming a member will by no means be a postcode shoo-in, and agents will have to prove themselves.

He said: “We’ve tried to be very different from most of the other estate agency networks, and due to the way in which agents are selected, they have to demonstrate some key performance indicators for us which show them as credible to the house builders – as the network is only as good as its weakest link.”

Members will be able to attend regular seminars, the annual conference New Homes Live, plus networking events with developers.

Resources on offer include three years of local planning applications data, marketing strategies and pitch documents.

Members will also have access to a database of developers, and a direct route to agents in other areas for house-to-sell opportunities.

The new network aims to bring non-competing agents together in an alliance across the country.

The launch comes as the Government announces a review into house-building (see next story).

www.lnhnetwork.co.uk