An estate agent setting up on his own after a long corporate career says he will ban ten terms which he says are cliches in the industry.
Chris Nathan, who has launched Hound and Porter in Reigate, Surrey, has promised never to use any of the following:
- Bijou
- Stunning
- Vendor
- Amenities
- Instructed
- Literature
- Sought-after
- Compact
- Viewing recommended
- Pied-a-terre
Nathan has yet to produce his own first set of details, so unfortunately we can’t – yet – see his own favoured words.
Nathan, who has 30 years’ experience in the industry after leaving the army, was in charge of the Arun Estates venture Hadleys London.
Despite a lot of noise at its opening last year (see link below), the hub-style office – Arun’s first entirely new brand – shut quietly ten months ago.
Hadleys London covered a large chunk of the Kent and south-east London borders, with its business model including upfront fees.
Nathan was regional managing director of Cubitt and West until July this year.
We wish him well in his new venture.
* EYE would be interested to know: which cliches would you ban?
Comments (18)
In fairness, “viewing recommended” is one of my most hated terms.
Bartender?
Another 2 pints of Hound & Porter for myself and my good friend
…….said Mr Nathan, as he reflected on a busy day at his office.
Best of luck to the chap.
Bit brave press releases saying what the industry is doing wrong when you have no properties to market.
Strikes me as a typical regional manager from a corporate agency. Lot of hot air (just look at the website) and afraid to get his hands dirty and actually go out and find business.
Still time will tell.
Nothing quite like supporting new businesses in a tough economic climate! God help us all if all we can do is criticise.
Disruptor
Gamechanger
Proptech
Portal
I’m looking forward to ‘PeeBeeing’ (credit: Robert May) Mr Nathan’s listings in future to see what cliches he does think should slip through his ban.
Not a bad start from what I can see – no active properties, but 2 glowing Facebook reviews…
…one from a chap, incredibly coincidentally (insert ‘Yeah, right…’ emoji), by the name of Robin Nathan!
God help him…. 🙂
God has a house to sell?
Such intelligent conversation.
It’s called ‘humour’ Olivsper. Maybe try it some time.
Since when was intelligent conversation a requirement?
Heck – I’ve been blagging it on here since day 1 if that’s somewhere in the rules…
Bijou – compact (see below! )
Stunning – drop dead gorgeous
Vendor – trafficker
Amenities – Corner shop
Instructed – proud to bring to market
Literature – printed matter
Sought after – Form an orderly queue
Compact – Good use of space
Viewing recommended – Link to YouTube
Pied a terre – Bolt hole
Ban “Delighted to present”. Of course you’re happy about it (publicly at least).
You’re not exactly going to say “We’re not overly thrilled at presenting this over priced (we just agreed with them), cluttered (too scared to ask them to clean up) and low fee (beat purplebricks, though!) home to market”
Nathan?
Keep this handy
”Oh Dear”
Former Harrison Murray colleagues may remember my aversion to the cringe-worthy ‘boasts’ as in ‘boasts a large living room’. And ‘deceptively’ as in ‘deceptively spacious’.
Haha – he has watched anyone of any quality leave his C&W area and start up on their own. Someone wants a slice of the action now!? If Hadleys sunk with Aruns warchest behind it and him at the helm then I cant see this working at all. Cliches? Really? Is this a selling point?
I enjoy the odd cliché!
Ban jargon not descriptive adjectives. Why restrict your ability to describe something. However many members of the public do not understand things like dependent sale, no chain, chain free, AIP, vendor dependent, ‘what position are you in?’ etc.