Is the Conveyancing Process Broken in the UK? Here’s What Estate Agents Need to Know.

The conveyancing process in England and Wales is causing serious frustration for estate agents, and it’s impacting more than just timelines. In this episode, John Newhouse, award winning estate agent from Roseberry Newhouse in Teesside, explains how the process is now taking an average of 20 weeks to complete, far beyond the old standard.

John breaks down why these delays are happening and how they’re affecting both business cash flow and client relationships. He shares his thoughts on what could help move things along faster, including the potential of "sale ready” packs and reservation agreements. It’s clear that the sector needs to work together more effectively to speed things up, but how can estate agents make a difference right now?

If you're tired of seeing sales drag on for months, this conversation is a must listen. John’s insights could be the key to improving your own sales progression and offering a smoother experience to your clients.

Listen to find out how you can help shake up the system and make the process work better for everyon involved.

Ian Harris is the NAEA Propertymark Vice President and the Regional Sales and Marketing Manager for Watsons Residential Sales in Norfolk. In the winter of 2024, he dropped by the WatkinSofa to chat about Mental Health in Estate and Letting Agency.

If you're involved in a merger or acquisition in the estate agency world, you don’t want to miss this insightful discussion with Jayne Twiddle from TAUK, York. With her experience as a former National Ops Director at Hunters and a strong focus on building self-employed estate agency teams, Jayne highlights the key mistakes businesses often make during takeovers—especially when it comes to staff communication. In this video, Jayne shares valuable tips on how to engage, listen, and support your team during these transitions to avoid losing key talent and ensuring long-term success. Tune in for practical advice on navigating mergers and acquisitions from someone who’s been on both sides of the process!

Ben Marley, a very well known figure in the UK Estate & Letting Agency community with senior roles at FixFlo and most recently at the ESTAS, has decided to start his own business at GeoCale, a service that helps Estate Agents rank highly on Google when homeowners search for Estate Agents. He dropped by the WatkinSofa in the Autumn of 2024. In this episode, Ben talks about GeoCale and being the number one Agent on Google.

Stop Apologising for Your Fees: How Estate Agents Can Command the Value They Deserve!

As an estate agent, do you find yourself constantly justifying your fees? It's time to stop! In this episode, Steph Walker, boss lady of TAUK and self-employed estate agent expert, explains why estate agents shouldn’t apologise for the value they provide.

Steph dives into the key issue: fees. The truth is, most clients aren’t just shopping for the cheapest option—they want value and expertise. Armed with insights from the Property Academy's annual vendor survey, she reveals why clients are willing to pay more for a top-tier service.

What’s covered in the episode:

- The surprising truth about how clients really view fees.

- Why being selective about your clients is crucial for success.

- How to talk confidently about fees without compromising on value.

- Why the self-employed agency model is changing the game.

- A little humour goes a long way—Steph’s tips for negotiating fees with confidence.

If you're ready to stop undervaluing your service and start attracting clients who truly value what you do, watch this video! Let us know in the comments what your thoughts are on fees—do you still find it hard to charge what you’re worth?

Are Estate Agents Using AI All Wrong? Here’s What You’re Missing!

In this episode, estate agent expert Toby Martin opens up about the crucial ways AI is being misused by estate and letting agents across the UK. While many are relying on AI for basic tasks like brochure writing, they’re missing out on its true potential. Toby reveals how agents can take AI to the next level by personalising it to match their brand voice, ensuring they stand out in a crowded market.

AI isn’t just about creating generic content, it’s about using the right tools to analyse data, improve team performance, and even transform your entire marketing strategy. With AI, you can teach it your tone, your company’s history, and more, making it work for you, rather than just blending in with everyone else. Toby shares simple steps to get started, including some easy to use resources that can help you harness the full power of AI today.

Ready to unlock AI’s potential for your agency? Listen to this episode and join the conversation in the comments below, don’t forget to like and share!

Maxine Fothergill is the MD of Amax Estates & Property Services Gravesend, Past President ARLA PropertyMark, Columnist for Property Investor News and published book author of “How to Become a Successful Property Investor”. She dropped by the WatkinSofa in the late Autumn of 2024 to chat all things property as well as how to become a successful property investor.

Ben Marley, a very well known figure in the UK Estate & Letting Agency community with senior roles at FixFlo and most recently at the ESTAS, has decided to start his own business at GeoCale, a service that helps Estate Agents rank highly on Google when homeowners search for Estate Agents. He dropped by the WatkinSofa in the Autumn of 2024. In this episode, Ben talks about whether or not experience will get Estate Agents more listings.

How to Boost Your Listings with Local Property Market Expertise!

Want to become the go to property expert in your area and boost your listings? In this episode, I’m joined by John Newhouse, the winner of Best UK Estate & Letting Agent 2025 at the Best Estate Agent Guide, who shares how my services have helped his agency, Roseberry Newhouse, stand out in the competitive Teesside market.

John explains how we provide them with valuable, hyper local property data, covering everything from average house prices to market trends for specific postcodes. With this information, they can position themselves as the local property market guru, creating engaging blog posts and social media content that attract attention.

Key takeaways from this episode:

🏡 How using tailored property data can boost your authority in your local market.

🏡 The power of regular blog posts and social media to engage clients.

🏡 Why local property knowledge is the key to winning listings, (36% of homeowners choose agents based on local expertise!).

Listen now to discover how we can help you become the property expert in your area and win more listings. Don’t forget to like, comment, and share your thoughts!

Kirsty Franks is the fractional marketing director for the Property Franchise Group, and also boss of Frank Marketing, a firm that helps big or small estate agents with their marketing. In the winter of 2024, she dropped by the WatkinSofa to share the 3 biggest mistakes that Estate Agents make with their marketing.