Letting & Estate Agent Podcast

What can being the eldest of 38 children teach you about estate agency? Rachel Ollington shares how growing up in a foster family shaped her understanding of people, homes and empathy. We explore why understanding clients' emotions can transform relationships and deliver better outcomes in property.

Did Ian Macbeth sell his soul when he sold Avocado Property? In this episode, Ian shares the realities of exiting a business, tackling burnout, navigating the UK property market, and why prioritising family and wellbeing became the smartest decision of his career.

Here are the UK property market stats for week 27, week ending 12th July 2026.

Are self-employed estate agents being set up to fail? Lucy Joerin joins me to discuss whether agency models focus too heavily on sales and not enough on business skills. We explore mentorship, mindset, delegation and the realities of building a sustainable, profitable estate agency business.

Letting agency coach Rachel Ollington shares three simple ways to win more landlords: attend local networking events, use branded clothing to spark conversations, and tap into referrals from existing contacts. Learn how to raise your profile, build trust, and grow your portfolio.

Is buying your first home really harder in 2026, or is the media missing the bigger picture? I'm joined by Stuart Dare, former CEO of Connells Mortgages UK and now CEO of Nexpad, to unpack affordability, deposits, house prices and why monthly payments matter more than headlines.

Who wins in the IAD - Avocado marriage? I'm joined by Lee O'Brien, Mike Robson and Ian Macbeth to explore what IAD's acquisition of Avocado Property means for agents, from improved earnings and enhanced marketing support to preserving culture, branding and growth opportunities.

47,000 Fewer UK House Sales Agreed Than in 2025 UK house sales agreed are currently 6.8% behind 2025 year-to-date levels, equating to around 47,000 fewer sales. That is the headline the doom-mongers will grab. Yet the wider picture is far more balanced. Sales agreed remain 44,000, or 7.3%, ahead of pre-Covid levels, and 62,000, or 10.3%, higher than at the same point in 2023. So yes, the market has cooled compared with the unusually strong conditions of 2025. However, it is not collapsing. The real story is that the market remains active, but buyers have more choice, sellers face more competition and realistic pricing matters more than it did a year ago. The danger is not the market itself, the danger is interpreting one negative comparison without looking at the longer term context. Here are the property market stats for week 26, week ending 5th July 2026.

In this episode, I speak with estate agent, franchise owner and coach Lucy Joerin about why consistency beats talent in estate agency. We explore the habits, discipline and daily actions that drive long term success, market share growth and a sustainable property business.

In this episode, letting agent coach Rachel Ollington reveals why many landlords still choose let only services. We discuss agent communication, compliance risks, service boundaries, and how agents can better demonstrate the value of professional property management.

Why do mortgage arrangers and valuers often clash in estate agency? I speak with Stuart Dare about communication breakdowns, branch culture and the “feed me” mentality. We explore what sets top advisers apart and why strong partnerships between valuers, negotiators and mortgage consultants are vital in today's property market.

Why do estate agents overvalue properties, and what damage does it cause? I sit down with Charlie Lamdin to explore the pressures behind overpricing, its impact on sales and client trust, and why a process led approach often delivers better outcomes than chasing unrealistic valuations.

UK Home Sales Slide 9.4% in June Across the first four full weeks of June 2026, 99k UK homes sold subject to contract, were down 9.4% on the same period in 2025 (109k). For context before all the doom mongers get on their high horses … 103k in June 2024 92k in June 2023 So, the headline numbers are as follows …

Why haven't buyers' agents taken off in the UK, and could that be changing? I spoke with Daniel Clarke about affordability, flexible models, collaboration, and conflicts of interest, exploring how better support and smarter data could reshape the buying process and reduce fall-throughs.

Estate agency coach Rachel Ollington joins me to discuss mum guilt, balancing family life with a demanding property career, and the pressures working mothers face. We explore support systems, career ambition, and why raising independent children can be an unexpected benefit of business success.

Why are mortgage lenders pulling deals with little warning, and what does it mean for buyers, brokers and the wider property market? Stuart Dare joins me to discuss growing market volatility, rushed decisions, late night deal chasing, and whether lenders are doing enough to support customers and brokers.

Women in property networking groups are growing rapidly, but are they creating real change? I speak with Annalese Walmsley about maternity policies, leadership, pay gaps and whether the property sector needs deeper cultural reform beyond events and networking.

UK Home Sales Slide 10.4% in June as Every Region Falls Behind 2025 Week 24 has delivered a noticeably softer picture for the UK property market. Across the first three full weeks of June 2026, 75k UK homes were sold subject to contract, down 10.39% on the same period in 2025. That represents 7.8k fewer sales agreed than the 82.8k recorded during the first three full weeks of June last year. With every UK region reporting a decline (full breakdown of the regions below), it would be wrong to pretend that the market has not become more challenging. Yet the comparison needs context. The first 3 weeks of June in 2024, 77.8k homes went sold STC, down by a more modest 2.8k sales, or just 3.8%. Also, when compared with 2023, the picture is stronger. Just 70.2k homes were sold STC during the equivalent period that year, meaning 2026 is ahead by 4.8k sales, an increase of 6.45%. So, UK home sales have undoubtedly lost momentum compared with an unusually strong June 2025. However, this is not a market that has stopped. It is a market operating below last year's peak, broadly alongside 2024, and still comfortably ahead of 2023. Regional Breakdown below Detailed breakdown of the main stats

House price indexes may be misleading agents and buyers. In my chat with Daniel Clarke, we explore how national averages mask local realities, with conflicting data from Rightmove, lenders and the Land Registry. The message: broad stats fall short, local insight matters most.

Can estate agents earn more by focusing less on listings? I spoke with Charlie Lamdin about Best Agent and how better incentives, prepared sellers, upfront information and a smoother transaction process could boost fees, improve service and deliver faster completions across the UK property market.

Why do some valuers excel at winning instructions but struggle to book mortgage appointments? I'm joined by Stuart Dare from Nexpad to explore the growing divide between estate agency and financial services, covering KPIs, vendor care and whether valuers are simply being asked to do too much.

Why does so much PropTech fail in estate agency? In this podcast, I chat with Annalese Walmsley about tech fatigue, AI hype and why adoption matters more than flashy features. We also explore onboarding, training and smarter tech decisions for estate and letting agents.

Your Weekly UK Property Market Update

Are you missing easy lettings income? Lettings coach Rachel Ollington shares three practical ways to increase revenue from your existing portfolio, convert more landlords to fully managed services, and unlock opportunities through better communication, fee reviews, and smarter client nurturing.

Are estate agents pricing themselves out of the market? I sat down with Daniel Clarke to unpack overvaluing in the UK property market. Inflated prices may win instructions, but they deter buyers, stall sales, and create unrealistic expectations. Honest pricing drives demand, competition, and better results.

Why are so many estate agents focused on chasing the next instruction instead of building long-term value? I sat down with Stuart Dare from Nexpad to discuss referrals, repeat business, databases, mortgage services, and why agents may be missing tomorrow's opportunities by focusing only on today's listings.

Mum guilt in estate agency: real issue or outdated expectation? I'm joined by Annalese Walmsley to discuss ambition, motherhood, flexible working and the judgement working mums still face. Honest, insightful and essential listening for anyone in property leadership and culture.

UK Property Market Weekly Update for Week 22 of 2026 The residential property market industry's weekly reality check on what is really happening in the UK housing market. Week 22 is the week ending 7th June 2026. Headlines show sales agreed are down 8.9% for the first week of June, compared to the first week of June 2025. Regional Breakdown below

Can a 95% exchange to listings ratio really be achieved? I'm joined by Charlie Lamdin of Best Agent to discuss creating buyer competition, reducing fall throughs, improving conversion rates, and challenging traditional estate agency thinking to achieve faster sales and stronger results.

Corporates, mortgages and the future of estate agency. I sit down with Stuart Dare from Nexpad to discuss FS pressure, branch vs head office realities, and how AI could transform compliance, conversations and negotiator roles across the UK property industry.

House price doom-mongers are back, but are they helping? I spoke with Daniel Clarke from Home Buyer Agency about market predictions, missed forecasts, and buyer hesitation. We unpack why real data matters more than headlines, and how fear can cost buyers opportunities in today's market.

Is there really an estate agency clique? I chat with Annalese Walmsley about visibility, influence and breaking into the UK property industry's “top table”. We discuss personal branding, LinkedIn, imposter syndrome and how agents can stand out by showing up consistently and adding genuine value.

The self employed estate agency model sounds appealing, but what's the real cost? Gareth Overton of Henry Adams shares honest insights on agents going solo, why some succeed, many struggle, and how earnings, workload, and timing shape success in today's property market.

AI in estate agency is no longer hype, it is shaping decisions that affect client service. I speak with Ric Iannucci-Dawson about its rapid rise, risks of bias, and the balance between efficiency and fairness. If you are using AI, this matters.

Why is vulnerability becoming a superpower in the UK property market? I sat down with Annalese Walmsley from Kotini to discuss trust, authenticity and why genuine human connection matters more than polished branding. A powerful conversation on vulnerability, business, mental wellbeing and building trust across the property industry.

Is 2026 really a buyer's market? I speak with Daniel Clarke about UK housing, revealing no single market but hyper-local conditions. We explore misleading headlines, London disparities, demand versus stock, and why smart pricing matters when navigating buyer, seller or balanced markets.

UK Property Market Weekly Update for Week 20 of 2026 “The UK Property Market Stats Show” is the residential property industry's weekly reality check on what is really happening in the UK housing market. Hosted by Christopher Watkin, this week's show covers Week 20 (ending 24th May 2026) with guest Bryan Mansell. The 60 minute YouTube show is split into two parts. Part 1 analyses live UK property market data from the last week, cutting through doom headlines and outdated indices. Part 2 deep dives into a local market, this week Crystal Palace, examining estate agent performance, market share, overvaluing, exchanges, fall throughs and time to sell. In essence, it combines national market insight with local analysis to reveal what is really happening behind the headlines. For estate agents, it is part market intelligence, part thought leadership and part uncomfortable truth. The You Tube Link …  https://youtu.be/pRxnbuAoDB0

In this interview, Gareth Overton of Henry Adams shares how to lead a 10 branch estate agency while preserving culture. We discuss people first leadership, recruitment, marketing, and adapting locally; highlighting why strong teams, not spreadsheets, drive long term success in the UK property market.

The safety net every UK estate agent should know. I spoke with Sarka Wilde about The Propertymark Trust, a charity supporting agents and their families through financial hardship, mental health challenges and more, funded by agents, helping agents when it matters most.

Is Build to Rent quietly reshaping UK lettings? I spoke with Ric Iannucci-Dawson about its growing impact. As developers retain more stock in-house, agents may face tighter supply. We discuss risks, opportunities, and how smarter CRM data can give agents a competitive edge.

I'm joined by Ian Wilkinson to explore how winning instructions starts before the valuation. We discuss standing out to sellers, the power of pre-valuation calls, and why communication beats price. If you want more listings without competing on fees, this is worth a listen.

UK Property Market Weekly Update for Week 19 2026 The UK Property Market Stats Show is the estate agency industry's weekly reality check on what is actually happening in the UK housing market. This week's show covers Week 19 (Week ending Sunday, 17th May 2026. Hosted by myself, Christopher Watkin, and joined by a different leading thought leader of Estate Agency industry (this week it is the brilliant Simon Gates), The show is approximately 60 mins and split into 2 parts Part 1 of the show looks at national UK housing market statistics, looking at .. It cuts through the BS & doom headlines and lagging house price indices by analysing live week by week property market data, including: * New listings * Homes sold STC * Sale Fall thrus * Exchanges * Over valuing * Price reductions * Stock levels * £ per square foot house price trends Unlike Land Registry data, which can be 8 to 10 months old, the Stats Show focuses on what buyers and sellers were doing last week.. Part 2 deep dives into a specific town or city (this week Scunthorpe), analysing estate agent performance, market share, overvaluing, exchanges, time to sell, fall throughs and other local market trends In a nutshell, the show combines weekly national property market insight with local deep dives into individual towns and cities, exposing what is really happening behind the headlines. For estate agents, it is part market intelligence, part thought leadership, and part uncomfortable truth. The Stats ... Important Note - Week 18 (the week before) was a bank Holiday week, so numbers will be artificially lower than normal for week 18 because of that

Managing a multi-generational estate agency team isn't easy. In this chat with Gareth Overton, we unpack differing expectations, leadership approaches, and the value of collaboration, visibility, and better training in today's property market. A must listen for anyone building or leading a team.

I sat down with Sarka Wilde to answer a question many agents quietly ask: is it worth the cost? We explore the real value, from legal support to training and events, and whether Propertymark is being overlooked in today's market.

Alto under fire or staging a comeback? I spoke with Ric Iannucci-Dawson about its journey from preCovid praise to concerns over service, visibility and contracts. We explore agent frustrations, post-Zoopla strategy shifts, and whether new leadership and AI led improvements can truly rebuild trust.

I sat down with Ian Wilkinson of Agent MXM to explore why fresh agents often outperform seasoned pros. We discuss mindset, fear of rejection, and why embracing “no” can drive growth and shift how you approach success in property.

UK Property Market Weekly Update for Week 18 2026 Headline - Everything in the UK Property market moving along quite nice despite all the **** hitting the fan at home and abroad Headline Scores on the Doors …

From paper rounds to property powerhouse, what can agents learn from Gareth Overton? We explore resilience, winning and losing valuations, mindset, leadership, and navigating downturns, offering a grounded, real world view on succeeding and staying relevant in today's property market.

Firewalking might sound extreme, but it reveals powerful lessons for estate agents. Sarka Wilde shares how mindset, resilience and handling fear influence fees, listings and confidence. Shift from scarcity to abundance thinking and learn to present your value with conviction to win more business.

Are agents helping clients move or protecting egos? With Keira Evans, EA Masters 2025 Best Branch Manager, we unpack overvaluing in UK property, fear of rejection, and why honest valuations matter. Overpriced homes sell slower, fall through more, stall moves.

I sat down with Ian Wilkinson to unpack a major frustration in today's property market. It's not just chasing buyers, it's about early discovery and better communication. We explore building stronger relationships, improving feedback, and why poor communication often costs agents listings.