In this latest episode, Simon sits down with Rob Rowe, founder of traditional high street agency, Rowe & Co. Two and a half years into the journey of his rapidly growing business, Rob shares his experience of starting an agency from scratch and explores whether traditional estate agency still has a place in today’s online world.

With more than 25 years’ experience in the Southampton property market, Rob has built his career around delivering a more personal approach to buying and selling homes. After holding senior roles across independent estate agencies, he founded Rowe & Co with a simple vision: to create a seamless, relationship-led experience with one dedicated point of contact from valuation through to completion.

The conversation debates the self-employed model vs the traditional model, why customer experience matters more than ever and what it takes to build a business centred around people rather than process.

In this latest episode, Simon sits down with Brett to discuss the evolving world of town planning, development and the challenges shaping the future of the built environment.

A Chartered Town Planner with more than 23 years’ experience and former regional Chairman of the Royal Town Planning Institute, Brett has worked across both the public and private sectors, bringing a broad and practical perspective to planning and development across the South of England, and beyond.

The conversation explores the realities of the planning system, the importance of strategic thinking in development projects and how good planning can help unlock the long-term potential of places and communities.

An insightful conversation packed with experience, industry knowledge and honest perspectives from the front line of planning and development.

In this latest episode, Simon sits down with Trevor Kearney, founder of The Private Office : Real Estate, to discuss the world of super prime property, relationship-led business and what it takes to build a reputation at the very top of the industry.

With more than 20 years’ experience, and senior roles at both Knight Frank and Savills, Trevor has built a career defined by record-breaking sales, long-standing client relationships and an unrivalled network across the luxury real estate market. In 2024, he launched The Private Office : Real Estate, a brand built around a people-first and highly personalised approach.

The conversation explores the evolution of the super prime market, the importance of trust and reputation and why genuine relationships remain the foundation of long-term success.

An insightful and honest conversation packed with experience, perspective and standout stories from one of the industry’s leading voices.

Following the success of our New Homes Podcast, we’re back with something bigger: the ANTLER InProperty Podcast.

This new series goes behind the scenes with the people shaping property, uncovering stories, challenges, lessons and ideas to inspire, educate and inform. 

To kick things off, Simon sits down with George Long, Sales Director at Buckland Group for a candid conversation on creativity, storytelling, business growth and building brands that genuinely connect with people.

Buckland Group are the long-term investor and landowner behind Welborne Garden Village, one of the UK’s most ambitious new sustainable communities, located north of Fareham

Honest, insightful, and packed with practical takeaways, it’s the perfect start to the series.

In this episode, I sit down with Tim Bishop, Sales and Marketing Director at Morrish Homes, to explore the company’s evolution from a traditional family-run building firm to a thriving regional housebuilder.

Tim shares his career journey, from estate agency to housebuilding, and the strategic partnerships that have shaped Morrish Homes’ success.

Throughout our conversation, Tim discusses the shift from estate agency-led sales to an in-house sales and marketing operation, highlighting the benefits of brand control, cost efficiency, and stronger customer engagement. He also shares insights into navigating the competitive land market, the importance of pricing strategy, and the role of partnerships in delivering large-scale developments.

Sustainability and digital innovation are key themes. Tim explains how Morrish Homes embraces a pragmatic pricing approach, ensuring homes are positioned competitively without over-reliance on incentives. We also discuss how digital tools and marketing innovations are transforming customer engagement in the new homes sector.

Here are just some of the topics covered:

- The transition from a family-run builder to a regional housebuilder

- How strategic partnerships, including with the Duchy, have shaped growth

- The impact of in-house sales and marketing on business performance

- Pricing strategies and how they differ from industry norms

- The importance of digital marketing and customer engagement

Tim offers valuable insights into the ever-changing property landscape, providing a fascinating look at how Morrish Homes is positioning itself for the future while staying true to its heritage. A must-listen for anyone interested in the sales and marketing of new homes!

Another engaging episode not to be missed!

In this episode, I sit down with Julian Rooney, Chief Sales Officer and Co-Founder of Thakeham, to explore the world of strategic land promotion and property development.

With over 20 years of experience, Julian shares his journey from estate agency to building a company with a land bank of over 45,000 units.

Julian provides insights into Thakeham’s impressive growth, the milestones that have defined their journey, and the evolving challenges of the strategic land market.

We discuss the importance of maintaining quality while scaling up and the innovations that have helped Thakeham achieve success, including their adoption of 3D design and sustainability initiatives.

Sustainability features prominently in the conversation. Julian highlights Thakeham's commitment to zero-carbon homes and their groundbreaking partnership with Octopus Energy.

Here are just some of the topics covered:

- The importance of strategic land promotion and its long-term value

- How Thakeham balances scalability with quality and design

- The role of sustainability and innovation in property development

- The customer demand for zero-carbon and zero-bill homes

- Lessons learned in property sales and advice for aspiring developers

Throughout the episode, Julian emphasises the value of hard work, innovation, and putting people first in the property industry. A fascinating discussion for anyone interested in property development and the future of housing.

Another must-listen episode!

In this latest episode, I speak with Cheryl Gibbens, Digital Marketing Manager at Aster Group about the ever evolving world of digital marketing. Cheryl well and truly has her finger on the digital marketing pulse, keeping up to date with the latest trends and digital channels to aid with sales and build awareness for Aster online.  

In this episode, Cheryl and I discuss the subtle differences between digital marketing and traditional marketing, noting how each available channel requires its own consideration when building an effective digital marketing strategy to achieve the desired results.

We dip into the latest trends and the emergence of platforms such as TikTok with the ability to reach and educate target audiences, developments in AI, hesitations surrounding chatbots and even touch on IP tracking (“What’s that?” I hear you asking!).

Throughout the episode Cheryl emphasises the importance of customer service and that in our strive to keep up with digital progression we don’t leave any audience behind.

Here are just some of the topics covered:

- How to select the most appropriate tools, channels and portals to have the optimal impact on sales and enquiries

- What up and coming digital tools are right, and perhaps wrong, for the future of the industry

- How the role of a Digital Marketing Manager differs from that of a Marketing Manager

- Who decides which social media trends are right for the business, and when to let the ‘hype’ remain just that

And much more!

Another great episode, not to be missed!

Building the future

I’m Jasmine, the lead designer at Antler, and I was Antler’s first employee back in 2017.

In the latest episode of the Antler New Homes Podcast we flip things on their head and I put Antler founder, Simon Jenns, in the hot seat. Simon opens up, sharing his journey into the property industry and the experiences that led him to founding Antler, the leading marketing and PR agency for SME housebuilders.

With a family background in property, Simon joined Bargate Homes in their early days, where he focused on growing the brand and formulating marketing strategies to successfully sell many developments off-plan. As Bargate grew to become a leading regional housebuilder and frustrated by the agency support available to him, Simon took the bold decision to leave Bargate and start Antler, with the aim to service solely small and medium-sized housebuilders.

Simon reflects on his journey, acknowledging successes and learning from mistakes, while also expressing excitement about future innovations in the property market.

Simon shares the evolution of marketing in the digital age, particularly focusing on attracting the attention of buyers and marketing strategies to sell properties off-plan. 

Simon also shares:

• What industries could the property sector learn the most from?
• Where housebuilders are missing their greatest opportunities
• How to create supply and demand tension to achieve off-plan sales success
• How to create demand for new homes through exclusivity
• The future of the property industry in a digital era

And much more!

A great episode, not to be missed!

In the latest episode, Simon speaks with Paul Vincent, New Homes Director of Fox & Sons South Division about the role of estate agents in today’s market.

Over the last 20 years Paul has climbed the ranks at Fox & Sons, gaining a vast amount of estate agency and property experience.

In this episode, Simon and Paul discuss the misconception that properties will sell themselves once listed online, highlighting the importance of personal interactions and expertise in guiding potential buyers. 

They delve into changes in the industry over the past 20 years, including the shift towards digital platforms, the portals, adopting emerging technologies like AI and the necessity for effective communication and customer service. 

Throughout the conversation, Paul emphasises the enduring significance of personal relationships, expertise, and adaptability in the new homes sector.

Some of the topics covered:

• Why housebuilders should consider using estate agents alongside their marketing
• What makes a good estate agent, and how should housebuilders choose who to list with
• The difference between estate agency groups like Fox & Sons and self employed agents
• How housebuilders could be making better use of estate agents
• What emerging technologies should estate agents and housebuilders adopt?

And much more!
Another great episode, not to be missed!

We’re back, with season 2! Simon is speaking with Henry Adams Partners, Martin Curry, and Peter Cleveland, who dive into the intricate world of planning, where marketing and branding should play pivotal roles.

Amidst the challenges of planning, there’s a significant demographic already settled in their homes, resistant to change. Yet, there’s also a keen market waiting to be tapped into. The catch? Housebuilders must master the art of brand positioning from the get-go, or risk losing valuable opportunities.

Join us as we explore the power of strategic branding at the planning stage to captivate local communities and the importance of crafting a narrative that resonates with the community to elevate the entire house buying experience. 

Topics covered:

- How the planning process could benefit by bringing marketing teams on the planning journey

- How can community engagement be improved?

- What opportunities there are to help foster relationships with the community?

- How housebuilders should be visualising and marketing the planning vision

A great episode, not to be missed!