Senior agents from big chains take up cut-price franchise offer at EweMove

| Rosalind Renshaw

Prospective EweMove franchisees are inquiring at the rate of 900 per month – and among them are agents employed by some of the big firms.

Recent new franchisees who have signed up include senior people from Countrywide, Romans, Andrews and Whitegates. Some are said to have been made redundant, while others have left voluntarily.

‘Head shepherd’ Glenn Ackroyd said: “We have had to triple the size of our franchise department.”

The firm – now part of The Property Franchise company and a sister firm to Martin & Co – recently cut the cost of entry to experienced estate agents.

They pay £1,950 plus VAT, against £19,950 plus VAT.

Ackroyd said that in seven consecutive days a fortnight ago, seven new franchisees signed up.

EweMove currently has 102 live franchisees, with five due to launch imminently “and a large pipeline” which consists of both experienced estate agents and people from other walks of life.

Ackroyd said that the reduced price offer to experienced estate agents is likely to run for the whole of this year.

The network currently has 961 properties available for sale, 131 to let, and 1,293 properties under management.

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32 Comments

  1. Chads62
    February 22, 2017 at 07:33

    102 live franchisees but 900 franchisee enquiries per month

    ba-ba-baaaaaaamy

    I think someone is trying to pull the wool over our eyes.

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    1. Bless You
      February 22, 2017 at 13:04

      If online agents were that clever they would realise they are flogging a dead housing market.

      What other industry is there that they can go and rip off instead.

      .i hope media sees proof of these 900 people a month… #fakenews

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  2. smile please
    February 22, 2017 at 07:35

    961 ÷ 102 = 9.4 average number of properties available per bedroom sorry, agent.

    Lot of agents struggling to pay a mortgage?

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    1. Chads62
      February 22, 2017 at 08:05

      But looking on ewe move website and franchiseinfo website a handful of their franchisees claim to have picked up massive amounts of properties both for sale and to let making the balance of properties divided by remainder of franchisees even smaller.

      Report
    2. ringi
      February 22, 2017 at 09:02

      How many of the franchise have been going for more then 1 year?    I think you should only look at the stats for franchise that have had time to find customers.

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      1. smile please
        February 22, 2017 at 10:15

        More than happy if Glenn will release the numbers.

        While he is at it disclose the take home earnings (after running costs) of the agents who have been operating over 1 year.

        How many earn in excess of £100,000 ?

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  3. IndAgent
    February 22, 2017 at 08:09

    Ah… so 893 mislead folk quickly found out that turnover is not the same as net profit.

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    1. ringi
      February 22, 2017 at 09:05

      They have only had this number inquiring since the start of the year, give them time to turn some of them into franchises.    However you can assume that a lot of the inquiring was from people like me that just wanted to know what the deal was…..  (So I know how much I could get knocked of the standard price if I ever use one of their agents.)

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  4. AgentV
    February 22, 2017 at 08:12

    So what does EweMove do or offer any different to other agents?

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    1. mrharvey
      February 22, 2017 at 08:27

      It’s hybrid. Benefit for franchise owner is no staff costs and no office overheads. Uses a system that helps the agent progress deals automatically so they can work on business generation. Pretty nifty tbh and I think the sheep puns undermine a growing business in a growing sector.

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      1. AgentV
        February 22, 2017 at 08:43

        So a new software system to help improve efficiency, progress sales, and generate new business for independents could be popular then? Do you think so?

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        1. mrharvey
          February 22, 2017 at 08:47

          Nobody says no to more business, better efficiency and sales progression, especially an independent.

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        2. ringi
          February 22, 2017 at 09:09

          And call center with operators that input leads into the software.   And call center + on-line to book viewings.   And centro admin staff to deal with repairs on rental properties.

          So no need to employ staff, however also lower returns due to EveMove taking a lot of the profits.

          PS, I Like the EveMove brand, as it is different therefore people will remember it.

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          1. smile please
            February 22, 2017 at 10:20

            So who is inputing the leads into software and running call centers? – Robots?!

            Where does the experiance of selling and negotiation come into it?

            This is where onliners fall down and cost their clients money.

             

            If you call up and book (or book online) a view on property A – You are not sold properties B,C or D.

             

            You call one of my offices (or book online) a viewing on property A – You will be sold the benefits of B,C and D and you will most likly view.

             

            Anybody who has been in the “Game” more than 12 months can tell you buyers renters often buy rent the property they had no intention of viewing.

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            1. ringi
              February 22, 2017 at 11:14

              The call canter is run by admin staff paid for as part of the franchise fee.
              Once a viewing has been booked there is nothing stopping the agent turning up at the viewing with details of other properties that may be of interest to the buyer/renter.   Likewise there is nothing stopping the agent phoning up the buyer/renter and talking to them about what their requirements are etc.
              However the call center saves the agent having their own staff dong little more than message taking.    It does not stop the agent going beyond the basics and doing a good job for his/her clients.  (The skilled agents gets to spend most of his/her time using their skills rather than sitting at a desk ready to answer the phone.)
              Like any franchise, the franchisee that goes beyond the minimal that is required by the system is the person that is successful.   No different to the member of staff in a cooperate agent that goes beyond the minimal required to keep his/her job, and therefore gets better results, apart from with a franchise more of the reward flows to the person that did the “beyond the minimal” work.

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  5. El Burro
    February 22, 2017 at 08:22

    Agents just acting like sheep. Personally I don’t give a flock.

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  6. AgencyInsider
    February 22, 2017 at 08:48

    I now we are a sceptical bunch on PIE and that any new initiative or claim soon has its bones picked clean by a flock of marauding analysts and pedants. Often rightly so.

    But wouldn’t it be refreshing to once in a while embrace a good news story and simply wish its subject well?

    Good luck to them and good luck to all those who are pinning their futures on making it work. Unlike certain other entrants in the market this one at least seems reasonably honest.

    There. I feel better for that. And no, I don’t have any connection to Ewe Move.

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    1. IndAgent
      February 22, 2017 at 08:54

      Im not so sure. Their claims of earning six figures seem quite far fetched especially if you look at companies house and their stock numbers.

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    2. smile please
      February 22, 2017 at 09:29

      I agree AI – I am usually one of the first to snipe down a “Game changer”

      However, as IA points out some of the claims are outlandish.

      I assume you own an agency? – You will know the advertising burn you need, the basic overheads needed, the time you need to progress a sale (properly) and the all important experience.

      You know how long it will take to bank money.

      You will also know running costs and a living wage the number of units or commissions needed.

      You will also know if you had the money to keep yourself afloat for 9 -12 months living (plus running costs) and you had experience and you were a good estate agent. You probably would not look at franchising in general (not just EWE MOVE).

      So you are left with bedroom billys (which most seem to be) fitting it around their daily chores, which in my opinion shows a lack of respect for sellers.

      or

      People who have saved and like the idea of running their own agency but ultimate fail as they do not have the funds.

      I wonder how many of the 102 “agents” earn in excess of £30,000 (what a senior neg could earn employed) – And when i say earn i mean after running expenses.

      I would guess around 1 in 12

       

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  7. Philosopher2467
    February 22, 2017 at 09:11

    Ambitious claims of future success are normal when launching a venture and I genuinely wish those well who embark on being self employed. Those of us that have taken that step know that it is a proper ‘leap of faith’ in ones own ability. Those that have ability will succeed to whatever level their talent, commitment and effort create. My words of caution are; ensure that the vehicle you use is one that provides support in terms of systems and practices to the hard work you inevitably have to put in to do well, and they are not looking to make a quick killing at your expense. Very best of luck!

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  8. ringi
    February 22, 2017 at 09:18

    As a Landlord I used to think EveMove was a safe option, as they mostly took on large experienced landlords to become their agents.   Hence they had people that cared about tenants and keeping tenants for a long time.   For example when they first started they visited all tenants in their current homes to see how they lived before agreeing to rent to them.   They also tried to get tenants that were not rich enough to buy their own homes so they remained for a long time.
    Now they seem to be going for people that mostly care about selling housing and charging landlords to find new tenants – hence not very interested in keeping tenants for a long time.   For me they become no better than the other brands as soon as they started to sell homes…..

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  9. AgentV
    February 22, 2017 at 09:48

    INDEPENDANT’S DAY

    Does anyone want to join me on a new Venture on today 22nd February 2017?

    From now on lets call today ‘Independent’s Day’ the same day when there is due to be an announcement from NASA at 6 tonight….. speculation on which suggests there may be a discovery of signs of the possibility of alien life on an exoplanet from the Space Infrared Telescope Facility (Spitzer)!!!!!

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    1. AgentV
      February 22, 2017 at 09:51

      By the way, the mis-spelling of Independent was deliberate to attract more attention!

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  10. StatementOfFact
    February 22, 2017 at 10:05

    I don’t believe for a moment they are getting 900 enquiries a month. 30 a day on average. At that rate every estate agent in the country would be enquiring on an annual basis.

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    1. ringi
      February 22, 2017 at 11:18

      They only started hitting every member of staff of every agent with lots of marketing etc at the start of this year.     Therefore I can believe their 900 enquiries a month.   I also expect that most of the enquiries don’t get past someone downloading the document that explains the setup.

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  11. PeeBee
    February 23, 2017 at 00:09

    I’m confused…

    “Ackroyd said that in seven consecutive days a fortnight ago, seven new franchisees signed up.”

    That’s forty-nine new franchisees, isn’t it – seven times seven?

    Or is it just seven?

    Or is there another ‘statistic’ that fits the bill?

    When do these (insert appropriate number) ‘franchisees’ get let loose on the unsuspecting public?

    “‘Head shepherd’ Glenn Ackroyd said: “We have had to triple the size of our franchise department.””

    So… is that THREE people now where there was only one before? Six where there were two?  Or three hundred because the ton already on the job can’t cope with 900 new applications every sixteen minutes?

    Or is that someone else’s statistic for something else?

    NOW do you see why I’m confused…?

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    1. PeeBee
      February 23, 2017 at 09:39

      Someone gave a sheep the ‘dislike’ button?

      Ewe no likee my comment?

      How’s about ewe debate it, then?

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  12. growingstock76
    February 23, 2017 at 08:12

    I personally wish them all the best of luck. How many of us have worked for a big firm, worked stupidly hard, hit every target except one and been bollocked for it?

    anyone brave enough to get out, work hard & make them self money deserves the chance.

     

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    1. PeeBee
      February 23, 2017 at 09:35

      growingstock76

      Who’s to say that b0ll0ckings aren’t getting handed out at this ‘big firm’?

      Report
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