Acquisitions
City mulls over Zoopla’s uSwitch purchase and the effect of OTM
Analyst says OnTheMarket getting 66% of market is improbable rather than impossible
News
Agency
Property portals accused of selling data feeds to other agents
Agent says 'low end portals' are selling on property information to competitors
Agency
Mystery continues over Countrywide departures
Heads of sales and lettings leave – but what next?
Finance
Mortgage war steps up another gear with record low rates
But borrowers urged to study the small print
Other News
Picture of the week: Nigel Farage next door to a massage parlour
'Mixed use' property is going under the hammer
Law
A cat scratch – but the real problem is whether deposit covered damage
Inventory noted sofas but not doorposts in property used by 'illegal' cat
People
Shock as two top directors at Countrywide quit
Abrupt departures of Bob Scarff and Nick Dunning
Agency
More agents leave Zoopla to join OnTheMarket – but losses slowing
Analyst estimates total losses now stand at nearly 25%
Compliance
Landlord who was deputy council leader must pay over £13,000 after guilty pleas
Former councillor prosecuted over fire risk HMO
Agency
New service aimed at preventing fall-throughs signs up first agents
Gazeal to pay agents referral fees of £100 and says it will roll out offering to sales with chains
Agency
Foxtons is latest agent to report slide in revenue and profits
First quarter of this year hit by pre-election uncertainty
Other News
Transactions drop across England and Wales, says Land Registry
First-time buyer numbers also slide
Compliance
Buy-to-let author tells advertising watchdog to act over letting agent fees
Best-selling Lawrenson says too many agents still not being clear about their charges
Agency
Marsh & Parsons expands to its 24th branch in London
Rollings says firm is looking to extend its reputation to 'all corners' of London
Agency
Where there’s a good cause – there’s an agent
Special Rightmove fund can help agents with costs of setting up charity events
Acquisitions
Zoopla shares shoot up after buying uSwitch
But Zoopla also announces further agent losses to OnTheMarket
Law
Agent jailed for ten months after hanging on to tenants’ deposits
Judge condemns agent who made 'promises, promises, promises'
Politics
Just 43 homes in London are affordable to first-time buyers, claims Shelter . . .
Across England only one in five homes on the market are within reach for young families
Agency
. . . But Marsh & Parsons says sales to first-timers are ‘flying’
Spike in first-time buying activity means they account for 28% of purchases
Politics
Housing crisis is being over-played says Faulkner
Crisis is not everywhere – and the chatter is deterring people from even thinking about buying