“High-pressure, pushy sales no longer work.”
That’s the view of a director at The House Group, who says changing customer expectations are forcing estate agents to rethink how they win instructions and build long-term client relationships.
The agency, which operates across Wiltshire, Gloucestershire and Hampshire, believes buyers and sellers are increasingly looking for advisers rather than salespeople, with trust, communication and local expertise now carrying more weight than traditional hard-sell tactics.
Ross Sutton said: “People can see through it [the hard sell].”
“What clients want – and what good agents want – is honesty, genuine relationships, and someone who is actually there when you need them,” he continued.
The House Group has expanded its services with the launch of a dedicated lettings division.
The move follows the company’s earlier expansion into property auctions and broadens its offering beyond residential sales.
The new lettings business will be led by Tom Smith, who has more than 15 years’ experience in lettings and property management across Swindon and the surrounding area.
Smith said: “People work with people.
“The days of purely transactional business are gone.
“For me it has always been about honest conversations, building genuine relationships, and giving people confidence that you are there when they need you.
“Joining The House Group felt like a natural move – the values are a perfect match.”
The new lettings service offers three tiers: Introduction Only, Rent Collection, and Full Management.
Comments (1)
This is rather stating the obvious – people hate the traditional estate agents and understandably so with their pushiness, lies and overvaluations. People buy from people. As the BBC’s Panorama and Radio 4 Here and Now programme stated last July go for a local, independent, honest agent who cares and has the sort of customer service sellers deserve in 2026. Which isn’t the High St agents.