Acquisitions
Belvoir owner buys local independent firm after founders retire
Founders of Hennings Moir step down after 35 successful years
News
Acquisitions
Live chat provider for estate agents acquires mystery shopping business
Yomdel acquires mystery shopping and competitor analysis provider 360 Perspectives
Agency
EYE NEWSFLASH: Countrywide issue their ‘back to basics’ recovery plan
Shares plunge as Countrywide issues profit warning – £20m plummet in EBITDA
Politics
Tories ‘will lose next election because of growing number of renters in marginal seats’
Government will have to reverse falling levels of home ownership if it is to win next election
Agency
Our business in Australia is set for 138% growth this year despite bad market, says Purplebricks
Purplebricks says it is continuing to recruit in Australia – while traditional agents make 'substantial redundancies' in declining market
Lettings
Agents warn on plummeting rental supply as number of landlords quitting sector hits a high
Record proportion of agents see more landlords driven out by government interference
Finance
Winkworth to return £1m of surplus funds to shareholders
Winkworth shares shoot up after announcing that 'excess capital' will be returned to investors
Agency
Savills snares one of top names in estate agency to lead sales drive
Former director of Marsh & Parsons joins Savills
Politics
New homes must be beautiful if people are to accept them, says think tank
Call for new homes to be much better designed – with local people having input
Finance
First-time buyers are saving for mortgage deposits faster thanks to slowing house price growth
A single first-time buyer can now build up a mortgage deposit six months sooner on average
Agency
Home buyers reveal lack of trust in estate agent conveyancer referrals
Timely research shows lack of faith in agency conveyancer recommendations amid industry regulator's scrutiny
Agency
Online agents ‘will only succeed if they are better and not just cheaper’
HouseSimple boss forecasts that a third of high street branches will close, with online agents growing market share in their place
Agency
Shameful case of agent who cheated elderly landlords out of rent ends in expulsion by Ombudsman
Two agents expelled from Property Ombudsman after failing to pay up as ordered
Agency
As property market slows in Australia Local Property Experts ‘query the business model’, claim
Australian CEO of Purplebricks says business is doing well but admits departures of some local agents
Other News
Better later than never? Property market springs back to life in May
Wales leads the way as all UK regions saw sales rebound last month
People
Connells boss voted one of the UK’s top 50 CEOs – by his own staff
David Livesey earns 84% approval from his own staff
Finance
Countrywide and Foxtons shares both fall for a second day
Another bad day on the stock market as investors worry about Foxtons and Countrywide – and a fall also for Purplebricks
Politics
More than one million last-time buyers hit by lack of housing stock
Over a third of pensioners planning to downsize say they will not be better off
Compliance
Agents displaying tenancy deposit scheme logo might not actually use the service at all, confirms DPS
Deposit Protection Service says it is responsibility of landlord to check agent is compliant
Lettings
Government to review selective licensing as it unveils new guidance for HMO properties
Clock ticks down towards extension of mandatory HMO licensing