The clothes are too tight, the jewellery weighs rather too heavily and the make-up is something that even Katie Price would wince at. And that’s just the men.
Channel 4’s Mega Mansion Hunters has thrust Tyron Ash and his band of estate agency revolutionaries onto our screens and into our consciousnesses over four episodes of toe-curling entertainment as it lifts the lid on Ash’s attempts to take on the establishment. That establishment is the oh so traditional high-end estate agency sector that has, it seems, previously sought to exclude this edgy Milton Keynes lad from their employ. The outcome of his ‘face not fitting’ amongst the upper echelons of the London property scene is that Ash has a point to prove to Savills, Strutts, Knight Frank etc. But the point is not really one whereby he is clambering to prove his prowess to them or us – but, I suspect, he has a point to prove to himself.
Consequently, Ash is a man on a mission. His approach to real estate is to go large. His brash brand is echoed throughout his gang of underlings in that they all hail from the same sartorial school of thought – think Wolf of Wall Street meets Stath Lets Flats – loud and proud ‘elegance’ that sees the girls in semi-naked Playboy Mansion esque attire and Alex, Quas and Brett, the boys, resplendent in Primarni minus the bottom half of their trousers. There must be a knock-off ‘Gucci’ market stallholder somewhere in Romford that’s done very well for himself lately as the official supplier of outdoor slippers to this throng of property wannabees.
This, ladies and gentlemen, is ‘Towie With Tape Measures’.
The deal stats spouted by the team are also large. Bold tales, perhaps some tall ones, of multi-million pound transactions and weekly commissions in the tens of thousands of pounds dominate the narrative and with Quas boasting of earning so much last year, £270,000 to be exact, that we hope one day he may even be able to buy clothes that fit him. Other examples are plentiful with several of the apparent 100 strong agency team laying claim to monthly fee shares of multiple thousands in their first months of working under Ash’s wing – and despite them humbling themselves by insisting on still driving 10-year old VW hatchbacks.
But here’s the thing, chintz aside, I rather admire Tyron Ash. He has re-invented himself from being an incarcerated distributor of Bolivian dancing powder to passionately leading a team of ravenous hustlers in the prime property market. Yes, he’s shameless and as subtle as a pub fight but he is onto something and we should all take note.
When I say take note, I don’t mean to emulate his demeanor or that of his troops (nor, God forbid, their fashion sense) but we should all take note of his way of doing business.
UK estate agency is positively lethargic in its attitude toward finding business. If the ‘phone rings you’ll often answer it and if a portal lead pops into your inbox it just might get a response as much as two-thirds of the time. Our industry as a whole is beset by lethargy and a reactionary culture that is frankly embarrassing when compared to other countries’ real estate sectors and indeed other verticals. The typical estate agency business here leaves tens if not hundreds of thousands of pounds worth of fees on the table because we do not understand lead generation, much less self-generated leads. We do not understand or even attempt to understand lead nurture and the importance of building relationships from a database of potential and past customers. We just can’t be bothered.
Door knocking, hand-written notes to ‘on markets’ and expired listings, networking and leveraging agents’ own contacts are all things that most agencies simply do not do here. Yet in the US and Australia these things are basic – real estate 101 type stuff. Which is why they earn much, much more.
And before you pull your balaclava on and start bashing your keyboard in the comment section to chastise me for being unfair – stop. Because we all know it’s generally true of most estate agency outfits and if you want to crtiticise me on this then go Stateside like I’ve just done and talk to a couple of realtors there before you do. You’ll come back with your foot in your mouth and are astonishingly more sophisticated than us and if you’ve not seen it and experienced it then you really won’t know to what extent that is so.
Tyron Ash is in your face, not to everyone’s taste and has had a lot of stick from the industry and from the conservative-minded public over his pushy tactics. But he’s doing it right.
So before you dismiss him as a caricature estate agent that demeans the industry, consider for a second that going out and grabbing business by actually asking for it is bound to be more successful and rewarding than sitting in a dusty office waiting for the next portal lead to annoyingly interrupt your CandyCrush score.
Is he a joke? Well, I wouldn’t take tailor recommendations from him or his guys that’s for sure. But to ignore this man’s methods and not to learn from them nor to have the balls to use them yourself, would be exactly what he wants you to do. Right now, Tyron Ash has a clear run at the luxury property market and, by my reckoning, will eventually soften his rough edges and become a serious contender against the agencies that he is so determined to beat.
He has an ambitious, aggressive vision that he’s actually doing something about. Don’t underestimate him. In fact, copy him – albeit not his suits.
Russell Quirk is co-founder of property PR specialist ProperPR. The opinions expressed are his own, and no, Tyron Ash is not a client of his.
Presuming they’re one of Quirk’s clients then.
They aren’t reinventing the wheel, if anything they’re sending the industry backwards with their sexism and sleaze. Their only positive takeaway is the focus it’s individual agents get, though they are self employed and incredibly overworked.
No thanks.
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I love the fact someone is doing something different, even if I don’t personally like how this particular company choose to do it.
My biggest concern is the ‘troop’ who have almost certainly been misled. Tyron’s own claimed figures don’t add up by a sizeable margin (reminds me of the Life of Brian sketch where the guy is selling ‘genuine Jesus fingers by the dozen’). Their declared figures to HMRC and Companies House are even lower. Nothing wrong with positive spin, but I think they would have far more credibility if they published accurate data – like how much has their average agent received in the last 3 months – albeit that might not be such a sexy stat.
Sexiest and out dated stereotypes? Without doubt, you won’t find many professionals under 45 years old who’ll disagree.
But differences (with some added honesty) is in my opinion a good thing.
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Few things;
We all know by now that when you have to shout this loud it’s a distraction from what the important things are when running a business. This dude isn’t a business owner, it’s about the show. We all know this, which brings me on to my next point…
Russell, I remember you shouting this loud back in the day as well.
This Tyron Ash approach will attract the young and naive, it’s that simple. His troops, that he doesn’t have to pay unless the money is actually received from a sale will follow blindly to the point that most Purple Bricks agents did too. The model is already out there, it’s no different. Oh, one last thing… would be interesting to know the funding of the business whereby they have all made (apparently) thousands already. Companies house is a good start 😉
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Visionary, with those eyes come on PIE
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A very amusing and thought provoking article Russell
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Does RQ also represent Propertymark? Be interesting to know that it conflicts with their view of door knocking.
Also I recall RQ’s wonderful ‘house price guarantee’ to buyers as a recession loomed, think he phoenixed before a barrage of claims. Innovative!
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Watched the show, it was like the bargin bucket version of Selling Sunset without any truth to it! I’m not sure there are too many credible millionaires that would openly be happy about someone randomly ringing their gate/driveway ring doorbell.
Then they’re faced with seeing someone caked in makeup, fake everything and saying yeah come in sell my house for me for 2% with no experience lol.
One glance @ the Instagram a/c’s and you’ll see half of them can’t spell or construct a sentence. I’ve not met a client with money who isn’t meticulous when it comes to how their prized assets are marketed.
My prediction just like Emoov they’ll go under or break up. Now where’s is my 20p Fredo bar so I can trade it for a Purplebricks share?
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This chap is a complete embarrassment. X con trying to be someone who is a throwback to the 80s
I hear they are looking for a head of HR if anybody is interested
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Not sure he’s really helping improve the country’s already poor perception of estate agents…
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Can anyone tell me if he wears white socks?
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I suspect he wears no socks, velvet loafers with a gold buckle, and trousers that are a couple of inches too short.
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Fair play to the guy – very different to me in terms of look, style and approach (but that’s far from a bad thing!). I think he deserves enormous credit for putting himself out there and overcoming the doubters. I watched the TV series and found myself really liking/admiringTyron and his team who clearly have far more about them than is obvious from a documentary. I also believe I know who some of those who would have been saying that he won’t make it (from a previous connection) but I’m so pleased to know they’re been proved wrong. Good luck and best wishes Tyron and team (not that you need it because you have all the capabilities to do very well)
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[Comment removed as it breached posting rules]
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Someone’s watched to much selling sunset….
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Behind the somewhat colorful image, down to the core there is some very good agency with Tyron Ash
Just to remind people – aesthetics doesn’t correlate with results
My valuers are of a similar ilk, yes toned down a little, but we have complete dominance in market share in a huge patch, because you know what? People are sick and tired of slimy agents in ill fitting suits over-valuing there houses in an attempt to get business.
Sometimes the young gun knows exactly about building a portfolio or the best way to sell your house, don’t write them off, and certainly don’t mock them, because their trousers don’t fit like yours do!
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Do your valuers wear white socks or are they actually market appraisers?
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He is a sleaseball, sexist, uneducated character who is driving standards down in the industry. Read his comments on linked in yesterday the guy can’t string a sentence together grammatically and his spelling is akin to primary education.
sorry, not sorry.
so he gets self lead gen
albiet a bit to aggressive some good tactics if you remove the brashness.
Tyron Ash ladies – put some clothes on and be professional. Some of you look like hookers not hustlers.
Tyron Ash Dudes – if you want to bear children when you grow up you may want to get less tight trousers. Ditch the make up – seriously.
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A quick check on Companies House shows that these people are not making any money!
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It’s like TOWIE, Love Island and Stath got together and gave birth to a bunch of show-off babies, who grew up wanting to be something, by hook or by crook. Property it is then.
The inevitable thing is that the above have all their own audiences and so do these guys. Good luck to them.
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