A group of independent estate agents came together at the first meeting of the North East Agents Marketing Group (NEAMG).
The companies, representing some 150 offices, ranged from newly established one-office practices to firms established for more than 25 years with over 15 offices.
Agents travelled to the meeting, sponsored by Agents’ Mutual, from Durham, Newcastle, Northumberland, Sunderland, Teesside and the Tyne Valley.
Property portals and newspaper advertising were among the topics discussed.
Julie Emmerson, Agents’ Mutual account manager for the north-east, attended part of the meeting to provide a presentation and question and answer session on the new property portal.
The group says its next meeting will be on September 10 and it will be seeking sponsorship of the event by an industry supplier.
Late last year, it was reported that a group of over 30 independents in the north-east had been assembled, committing themselves to gold membership of Agents’ Mutual.
Comments (29)
The guys in the north east although well organised and having meetings etc are counting on one thing , their ability to remove their stock simultaneously from on e or the other offer less choice to their consumers . They are hoping that if they say "nobody advertises there anymore " the public will just go oh ok then . they are forgetting that this is a service industry and I think they will see a backlash through numbers. No-one is Ok with the " it'll be big next year , we're all supporting it " … Simple fact is that they want to sell their house NOW … And an agent who stays on both portals in a market like this will be flogging the back end of it … And probably winning the vast majority of sellers who actually want to sell their house … Might actually opens branch up there.. Get some leaflets printed
Hi danny – and welcome to this thorny debate!
You are singing from a very similar hymn book to that which I and a few others have been from 'day 1'.
What I find interesting is that previous arguments put forward by myself, 'ampersat' and several others as to the potholes in the entire AM road to UK portal supremacy have previously been dismissed as ******* – but now are coming through as their actual manifesto! Phrases first coined by ampersat such as 'fee erosion' have previously (and not TOO previously, might I add…) met with scorn from posters who have now adopted them as their own justification for the movement, as can be seen above.
ampersat fired the first volley in this respect – and that was, from memory, well before AM was even mentioned in dispatches on sites such as EYE – and at a time when I was on the skirt of Agency, looking in, rather than now when I am back on the coalface.
As I see and read it, his vision of what was coming was clear and accurate.
(…and, before anyone types it in bold, caps, and large font – NO – I am NOT 'ampersat'!).
I don't have his immense depth of knowledge of the subject – I just happen to agree wholeheartedly with his take on the matter.
And, 'MATTER' it does. Massively. But you will go down, as we do, as Negative Nigels.
Hi Robert
This has basically been highlighted in an article today on EYE, following a story ran in the Daily Telegraph where Mr Springett gives his reasons for not allowing Online Agencies to become AM Members – calling them 'parasites'.
His most interesting quoted statement is "This is a bet on the future of high street-based estate agents”.
Above, you talk about "threats" (but threats to WHAT, I wonder?). Are you effectively saying that AM have identified over 1000 of these above-mentioned "high street-based" agents as 'threats' to something, and thereby removing their eligibility to have AM Membership? WHY? (I am neither of the categories you quote, by the way – but see no 'threat' from either of them…)
What next I wonder? Sock colour, perhaps?
Now THAT WOULD have been a winning decision…
"The companies… ranged from newly established one-office practices…"
Erm – yet there's a mahoosive song and dance being made on here about Member Agents being those that are the most professional in their operating areas –
"…most professional agents are moving on to AM to get the next competitive edge."
"…it has not only become a vehicle to keep portal fees down, but also the site of the "professional agent" bearing in mind they have categorically refused to accept "online listers" and "personal,private listings"…. and that the listings will be of a high standard from professional agents."
"Or been persuaded by pro AM comments… it is the way forward for proffessional agents?"
yada… yada – shovel some more ******** on the fire, dear – it's getting chilly.
HOW then can these 'new kids on their respective blocks' fit in with all the ardent supporters' shouts of AM being the site where ONLY the best of the best will be advertising?
Lets face it – ANY subscription (that loosely fits the mould…) is going to be warmly welcomed – it's a Numbers Game AM is playing… nothing more.
I understand that SpicerHaart have signed up, 'Professional Agent' and 'Spicer Haart' are not words that fit comfortably in the same sentence for me!
You're bang on the nail with your comment about a 'numbers game' Peebee!
The public clearly peceives Spicer Haart group as "professional" …just look at their profits last 12 months….I've not commented as much on this article as others as I think that most people here have had their say and made their position clear regarding this matter.Things are now really moving on. In closing I would just like to remind agents that when Zoopla/Findaproperty/Primelocation were all separate and Rightmove lead the way, agents felt they had an edge on their competitors if they could put their clients property on not only Rightmove but the new kids on the block ZOOPLA etc as well. The public felt that they needed to be on Rightmove, but didn't want to miss out on having their property on a new site. That gave the agents that were on Zoopla AND RM a clear advantage….I believe that advantage will be transferred from Zoopla to AM …..just so long as not everyone joins at the beginning.
Not entirely sure what the public perception of Spicer Haart is, Wilko, but of course, it's other agents that are the gatekeepers here, so I for one think there is some milage in Peebee's statement, and Agents Mutual want their financial muscle!
Thanks for the vote, Hound.
I honestly hope I'm completely wrong in all this.
I don't think you are quite right on that score Peebee, by my reckoning I can see about 1200 good solid firms that seem to come under the category of "threats" those being MLS and Franchises. I can understand AM not being too keen on the PIA, looky likey agents, but both the affinity groups and franchises have a lot of professional body members who are no more of a threat than any other competitor. I have to say that for both NAEA and ARLA to be supporting a project that is seeing some of its own members as a threat is somewhat perplexing. I
Having been personally the victim of the previous (late 90’s) attempt to control which software was and wasn’t acceptable to certain portals it is a bit sad to see that the software suppliers are also listed in the threats category. I am sure once the question is asked there is a reasonable explanation it will all become clear.
Thank you marchH
To Paull: try ian.springett@agentsmutual.co.uk. He would love to hear from you !
Does anyone have an email address for Agents Mutual?
I was at the meeting and was very pleased to hear some of the comments around the table; the Agents being so opposed to RM & Z !
I think the long term aim of all traditional estate agents is this one portal (AM). I feel that the success of the duopoly has been brought about by the pushing of these portals by the agents that advertise on them.
The internet changes at a remarkable pace, and if all Agents in the UK get on board, commit to not advertising on the other portals whilst educating their clients of the new website, I think the RM & Z could crash within months with little or no effect on our business ! Property buyers and tenants will simply look where the properties are advertised !
A good use of social media and agents pushing the new site is the way forward, the sooner we can push AM, the better in my opinion.
Couldn't agree more!
'The internet changes at a remarkable pace, and if all Agents in the UK get on board, commit to not advertising on the other portals whilst educating their clients of the new website, I think the RM & Z could crash within months with little or no effect on our business ! Property buyers and tenants will simply look where the properties are advertised !'
Interesting comment, and indeed correct that the internet changes at a remarkable pace, but the other side of this coin is that now, the majority of clients find agents via the internet, so they have to find us before we can 'educate' them, so how's it going to work? we get an enquiry from one of the big two, and then tell that client not to look there any more?
Whilst I'm no fan of paying the bill for Rightmove or Zoopla, I have no complaints with what it actually achieves for me. I'm hoping that most of the agents in town sign up with Agents Mutual, when they go out on a valuation and tell their prospective vendor that they are going to put their property on a portal they've never heard of, and I'm telling them I'll put their property on the two that EVERYONE has heard of, I wonder what the prospective vendors reaction will be.
Your prediction of a Rightmove/Zoopla crash I suspect is well wide of the mark. I've not got a crystal ball, but I think that a more likely scenario is that those agents that stick with Rightmove/Zoopla will get the bulk of the instructions once Agents Mutual lauches and their members come off whichever portal they choose, and the Agents Mutual launch will be be the damp squib.
Has it actually occured to anyone that the lauch of Agent Mutual could be handing the corporate boys a huge marketing opportunity?
I wonder if those 150(and growing) agents in the picture above are are also talking about the numerous ways to combat those agents who want to slag off AM agents on a valuation?! I've already got some great ideas up my sleeve that will make you non AM agents (who are all on their own) lose out on every val to me as an AM agent.
You'll notice Paul, that my post says my competitor will tell the prospective vendor what they will do, and I will tell the prospective vendor what I will do.
Should we be concerned about the number of times there have been references in your posts on here to 'slagging off'? I trust this is not a case where that well known phrase about pots and kettles would apply?
Are you going to tell them how much cheaper Agents Mutual is for you? And what are you going to tell them when they tell you they've never heard of it?
Now, now, Hound – you know fine well we're not allowed to say such things!
Consider yourself told off! 😉
No "pots and kettles" my end Hound. You started it it was just returning the favour
😉
It is agents and nothing else that made RM and Z succeed: by listing their stock and promoting at every opportunity. Now those same agents can, and will, do the same for AM. Why? Because there is a movement; a movement caused by nothing but the sheer and ruthless greed of the former two. Agents are now uniting, fighting back, in the guise of Agents' Mutual.
You've obviously forgotton Ian Wright very quickly, MF, so a quick history lesson for you.
It was a group of 4 corporates that started Rightmove, and they threw a huge advertising budget at it. It was public awareness from the television coverage, newspaper campaign etc etc , NOT the agents that made Rightmove succeed.
There is a large number of people falling into the same trap here, we pay the portals to advertise us and our stock, not for the privilage of promoting them!
RM & Z – do you get it now? Your arrogance and greed has brought about this incredible story of unity amongst estate and letting agents (aka your customers/source of income), not to mention the birth of Agents' Mutual.
Does any one know if AM plan to organise similar meetings in other parts of the country?
Yes gth Taunton are organising a meeting in the Taunton area for this Thu June 12th at 6PM. As an independent I have been objecting to AM telling me how to spend on my marketing …. but equally am fed up wiith the very excessive Rightmove fees. Even Zoopla in shares issue blurb about themselves admit that their profit to cost ratio is huge and they cost about 20% of what Rightmove charge me. But, the hard part is that several prospective clients do ask whether or not one advertises on Rightmove so AM will need one hell ofa marketing campaign to help us get over that hurdle.
Agreed and I am starting to feel the same level of frustration.
I'm minded to try and organise a meeting amongst local independents in my area but, even if I can achieve this, I do feel that AM should be on to top of this. Ultimately my concern is not really who ditches whom but which agents within my areas of operation do not take up the AM proposition at all
What we are now seeing for the first time EVER is estate agents working together on what is the same common goal. We all advertise our properties online and mostly all on rightmove and Zoopla the problem is the stranglehold these two companies now have on the industry that's helping to cause not only fee erosion but also allow online agents to piggy back on the traditional model.
Over the coming months these meetings will become the norm across the country.
Hang on a minute Paul, last week I got accused (by Wilko) of being King Canute for suggesting it is agents use of the Duopoly that is facilitating the fee erosion and under my previous moniker was told that no way do the Duopoly simply hand out the data that makes passive intermediary Agents [as opposed to professional Estate Agent without an Office], one of the causes of fee erosion, viable.
Up till now your stance has been that Agents Mutual was all about controlling portal subscriptions and now you are simply stealing the arguments and points that I have been making since October 2012. Don't get me wrong I am genuinely pleased that what I have been saying all along is being recognised as correct.
I joint agents mutual because I feel that traditional agency should remain and some of the other alternatives are not good for the consumer or the industry. The escalation of our fees has been due to the duopolys ever increasing demand from profits.
Hello Paul, I have unquestionable passion for traditional Agency and in nearly 30 years have only come across a couple who do not typify Estate Agents as popular and respected members of their individual communities. If the likes of the House Price Crashers and now Generation Rent would disregard the notion spurious cliché that Estate Agents are all spivs and chancers, there is every chance they will get the help and advice they need.
Rightmove and Zoopla have hiked their fees beyond palatable and justified limits for one reason, they are taking advantage of the reliance many agents now have on applicants being delivered to their desktop. That isn't what I regard as traditional agency but it is one of the causes of fee erosion; delegating the job to the portals. That doesn't mean taking properties from the portals but handling the enquiries they generate in a different way.