20Little Blue Book - National Edition Your property market insights for 2019/20 - Rightmove Hub

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20Little Blue Book - National Edition Your property market insights for 2019/20 - Rightmove Hub
National Edition

                      19
                      20
Little Blue Book
Your property market insights for 2019/20
20Little Blue Book - National Edition Your property market insights for 2019/20 - Rightmove Hub
Contents                                                                                                 Helping you plan for success in 2020

                                                                                                                               Miles Shipside MRICS
     Sales                                              New homes
                                                                                                                               Commercial Director,
3    New instructions                              27   Can we get to 300k homes a year?                                       Rightmove
4    New seller asking prices                      28   Starts and completions
5    Affordability ratio                           30   Help to Buy completions
6    Property price reductions                     31   Help to Buy purchase prices
                                                                                                         Welcome to the latest edition of Rightmove’s          As 2020 marks 20 years since Rightmove’s
7    Sales agreed and transactions                 32   New homes supply and demand
                                                                                                         Little Blue Book, packed full of property data,       launch, we’ve also taken the opportunity to
8    Time to complete a sale                       33   Market insights for new homes developers         trends and analysis.                                  look back at the last 20 years in property. The
10   Pushing sales through to completion faster
11   Speeding up sales to get the money
                                                        20 years in property                             I’ve seen lots of change in market conditions and
                                                                                                                                                               industry has withstood some major changes
                                                                                                                                                               in that time and shown incredible resilience -
     in sooner                                     35   Introduction from Peter Brooks-Johnson           the industry since I started in estate agency in      adapting to new tech, legislation and a variety
                                                                                                         1978. While some more recent elements seem            of market conditions. We’ll look back at some
12   Make the most of your                         36   Timeline: 20 years in property
                                                                                                         rather fast and furious, the need for housing and     of the key milestones since 2000 and what
     Rightmove membership                          38   How technology has changed estate agency         helping people with it remain relatively constant.    the future might hold.
14   Buyer insights                                39   Advice for agents that stands the test of time
                                                   40   How times have changed for letting agents        In this book you’ll find a combination of             With knowledge comes trust, which all studies
     Lettings                                      41   The Regulation of Property Agents (RoPA)         Rightmove’s extensive consumer reach and              of our industry say is a vital factor in attracting
15                                                      A digital revolution for home builders           unrivalled data, plus key facts from government       new customers and maximising on existing
     Tenant insights                               42
                                                                                                         and industry bodies.                                  business. We hope you’ll find the right balance
17   Available stock                                    and consumers alike
                                                                                                                                                               of valuable facts to ensure you and your teams
18   Asking rents                                  43   The future of customer experience                To keep up to date and stay ahead of the              can communicate to your existing and potential
19   Regional rent increases                            in home building                                 competition throughout the year, you can              customers with confidence and authority,
20   Getting ahead in lettings                                                                           also access Rightmove’s other resources.              to take advantage of the opportunities in
21   Impact of the Tenant Fees Act                      Your local property data                         This includes the new and improved Rightmove          the year ahead.
                                                                                                         Hub, an extensive training resource designed to
22   New revenue and time-saving                   45   Find insights for your region
                                                                                                         cater for all levels, from new starters to partners
     opportunities for letting agents              76   Get the most complete view of the                and directors. There’s also the monthly House
24   Build to Rent key stats                            UK property market                               Price Index, plus your local area competitive
25   How Build to Rent supports housing delivery   77   Useful contacts                                  landscape provided in the Market Share
                                                                                                         Reports in Rightmove Plus.
20Little Blue Book - National Edition Your property market insights for 2019/20 - Rightmove Hub
Sales

20
                                                                                                       New instructions

                                                                                                       Nationally, we’ve seen new listings down 6.3% in the                    New listings YOY change by region / country:
                                                                                                       first three quarters of 2019, compared to the same
                                                                                                       time last year when new listing numbers reached                         East Midlands                              -3.0%
                                                                                                       their highest point since 2014.                                         East of England                            -6.3%
                                                                                                                                                                               London                                    -18.1%
                                                                                                       In London, the drop has been more exaggerated                           North East                                 -3.7%
                                                                                                       where some property owners can afford to wait,                          North West                                 -3.4%
                                                                                                       hoping for a better time to sell.                                       Scotland                                   -2.7%
                                                                                                                                                                               South East                                  -7.1%
                                                                                                       Various factors are at play including ongoing political                 South West                                 -5.1%
                                                                                                       uncertainty, combined with the costs of moving and                      Wales                                      -4.7%
                                                                                                       a lack of suitable property to move to.                                 West Midlands                              -1.2%
                                                                                                                                                                               Yorkshire and The Humber                   -2.1%

                                                                                                       New listings on Rightmove nationally by quarter

The percentage of owner-occupiers
with a mortgage has dropped from 60%
in 2000 to 47%. The overall number of
owner-occupiers has only grown 3.1%                                                                     Q1   Q2    Q3   Q4            Q1    Q2   Q3    Q4            Q1   Q2    Q3      Q4   Q1   Q2   Q3   Q4      Q1   Q2    Q3

in the same time.                                                                                              2015                           2016                           2017                  2018                   2019

                Source: Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government – England - 2000 vs 2018   Source:Rightmove data October 2019. Year on year change Jan – Sep 2018 vs 2019                                         Page 3
20Little Blue Book - National Edition Your property market insights for 2019/20 - Rightmove Hub
New seller asking prices                                                                                                        Affordability ratio

Nationally, the growth in new seller asking prices            Average new seller asking prices nationally                       To work out how affordable it is to buy property,                        Since the latter part of 2017, the affordability ratio
has stalled over the past year, with a current annual         YOY comparison Q1-Q3:                                             we divide the average new seller asking price by                         has been reducing as wage growth has outstripped
rate in Q3 of 0.4%.                                                                                                             the average annual income, giving us an affordability                    the increase in average asking prices. In the first half
                                                                                                                                score. The lower the resulting number, the more                          of 2019, wage growth remained strong, up 3.5%
A more regional picture shows some areas with                                   2018             2019            YOY            affordable it is to buy property.                                        compared to 20181 whilst new seller asking prices
stronger annual growth. The strongest area for                                                                                                                                                           have remained static.
growth in Q3 2019 is the North West, up 3.3% on                   Q1        £300,830         £300,903            0.0%           From 2015 to 2017, new seller asking prices
the same period last year. The worst performing                                                                                 increased at a faster rate than the average income,                      In Q1 2019 the affordability ratio recorded its lowest
region is London, with a drop of -0.8%.                           Q2        £307,662         £307,310           -0.1%           causing the affordability ratio to increase, reaching                    figure for four years, just above the previous low
                                                                                                                                its peak in July 2017.                                                   point of Q1 2015, making the first half of 2019 the
Political uncertainty and sellers waiting for market              Q3        £305,322         £306,418            0.4%                                                                                    most affordable since 2015.
recovery will have contributed to this.
                                                                                                                                Affordability ratio nationally
                                                              Turn to page 45 for more regional insights and see
                                                              Rightmove's monthly House Price Index online.                     (average new seller asking price divided by average annual income) 2
Average new seller asking
prices nationally
                                                                                                                                11.80
                                                                2015        2016          2017           2018           2019

£310,000                                                                                                                        11.60

£305,000
                                                                                                                                11.40
£300,000

£295,000
                                                                                                                                11.20
£290,000

£285,000                                                                                                                        11.00

£280,000
                                                                                                                                10.80
£275,000

£270,000
                                                                                                                                10.60
£265,000

£260,000                                                                                                                        10.40
           Jan     Feb      Mar     Apr      May        Jun        Jul    Aug      Sep           Oct      Nov        Dec                         Q1     Q2      Q3    Q4     Q1    Q2     Q3     Q4     Q1     Q2    Q3   Q4   Q1    Q2    Q3    Q4    Q1    Q2

                                                                                                                                                         2015                         2016                       2017                  2018                   2019

Page 4                                                                                   Source: Rightmove data, October 2019   1
                                                                                                                                    ONS weekly wage report 2Rightmove data October 2019 and ONS weekly wage report                                          Page 5
20Little Blue Book - National Edition Your property market insights for 2019/20 - Rightmove Hub
Property price reductions                                                                                                                       Sales agreed and transactions

When looking at reductions there are two key                           Usually after the spring market, we see more                             The need or want for more space, a new place for a                           Sales agreed change YOY by region / country1:
factors at play – the number of properties that                        properties being reduced and by a higher amount,                         new job, or the other usual life moves, have helped
have been reduced and the amount they have                             but this year we’ve seen the size of reductions and                      sales agreed remain relatively steady (-3.1%)1 despite                       East Midlands                                                -3.6%
been reduced by.                                                       the number of properties being reduced remain flat.                      the backdrop of uncertainty in the first three quarters                      East of England                                              -4.6%
                                                                                                                                                of 2019, compared to the same period last year.                              London                                                       -3.8%
On average, 34.3% of properties have received a                        Could this be a sign that more sellers are taking                                                                                                     North East                                                    2.1%
price reduction so far this year, up on the 32.9%                      their agent’s advice and recognising the need to be                      The strongest areas were Scotland and the North                              North West                                                   -3.1%
across the same period last year. The average size                     more price sensitive from the outset in the current                      East where sales agreed increased 3.7% and 2.1%                              Scotland                                                      3.7%
of reduction from first to last listing price so far this              climate? Perhaps, as the time to secure a buyer                          respectively. The South West saw the greatest                                South East                                                   -4.5%
year has been 6.0%, similar to last year’s 5.9%.                       usually increases post-Spring, but this year has seen                    reduction in sales agreed at -5.8%.                                          South West                                                   -5.8%
                                                                       an unseasonal plateau across the summer.                                                                                                              Wales                                                        -1.2%
                                                                                                                                                Sales agreed are a good indicator of future                                  West Midlands                                                -4.6%
                                                                                                                                                transactions, and over the past few months                                   Yorkshire and The Humber                                     -1.2%
            Use the Best Price Guide in Rightmove Plus to back up a realistic price from the outset.                                            have improved slightly.
            Highlight recent comparable sales and lets, as well as properties stuck on the market

                                                                                                                                                Total sales transactions - annually (HMRC)                                                                  Q1           Q2          Q3      Q4
Percentage of listings that received                                                      2016            2017          2018            2019

a reduction on their first listing price                                                                                                        1.4m

                                                                                                                                                1.2m

36%                                                                                                                                             1.0m

34%
                                                                                                                                                0.8m

32%
                                                                                                                                                0.6m
30%
                                                                                                                                                0.4m
28%

                                                                                                                                                0.2m
26%

24%                                                                                                                                             0
              Jan        Feb       Mar        Apr        May        Jun        Jul       Aug        Sep          Oct     Nov         Dec                          2010          2011          2012         2013          2014          2015         2016          2017        2018        2019

Page 6     Source: Rightmove data October 2019, property listings marked as Under O�er or SSTC. Year on year comparison Jan-Sep 2018 vs 2019.   Rightmove data October 2019, property listings marked as Under O�er or SSTC. Year on year comparisons Jan-Sep 2018 vs 2019.
                                                                                                                                                1
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           Page 7
20Little Blue Book - National Edition Your property market insights for 2019/20 - Rightmove Hub
Time to complete a sale

The average time to secure a buyer has been                Comparatively, the average time from securing a                  It now takes on average                                                        Ensuring every property is correctly priced and
reducing each year since 2011 in most regions,
except for London and the South, which reached
                                                           buyer to completion has been growing for all regions,
                                                           meaning the overall time to complete a sale from first
                                                                                                                            53 days to secure a buyer and                                                  presented well with images and floorplans from day
                                                                                                                                                                                                           one can help you secure a buyer quicker, but how
low points in 2014 and 2016 respectively.                  marketed through to completion has increased.                    a further 111 days to progress                                                 can you get those sales through to completion faster?

                                                                                                                            that buyer to completion
      London      South excl London          Midlands             Wales                North              Scotland                                                                                                       Turn to pages 10 and 11 for tips to
                                                                                                                            (outside of Scotland).                                                                       speed up your transaction times

Average time to secure a buyer                                                                                              Nationally, flats take 12 - 13 days longer to
                                                                                                                            progress from securing a buyer to completion,                                         Total average time to complete from first marketed
100                                                                                                                         most likely due to the extra conveyancing work
90                                                                                                                          that is required on leasehold properties.                                             Average time from SSTC to completion

80
                                                                                                                                                                                                                  Average time to secure a buyer
70

                                                                                                                            178
                                                                                                                                                     167

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           160
                                                                                                                                                                                                               159
60

                                                                                                                                                                                  157
50                                                                                                                   180

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       117
40

30

           2011     2012              2013          2014         2015         2016             2017      2018

Average time from SSTC to completion

                                                                                                                     Days
120

110

100

90
                                                                                                                      0
80

70                                                                                                                           London                     South Excl.                   Midlands                      North                       Wales                  Scotland
                                                                                                                                                          London
60

           2011     2012              2013          2014         2015         2016             2017      2018

                                                                                                                            Source: Rightmove data 2018 matched to HMLR transactions for properties that went on to sell.
Page 8                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   Page 9
                                                                                                                            Time to secure a buyer is measured from �rst listing date on Rightmove to when it is marked as under o�er or SSTC
20Little Blue Book - National Edition Your property market insights for 2019/20 - Rightmove Hub
Guest article: Pushing sales through                                                                           Agent's view: How we’re speeding up sales
to completion faster                                                                                           to get the money in sooner

                     Peter Ambrose                                                                                                  Simon Wilkinson

                     Managing Director,                                                                                             Senior Partner,
                     The Partnership                                                                                                The Wilkinson Partnership
                                                                                                                                    Beds and Bucks

”With deals now taking 15                                 Check all the key aspects
 weeks on average to go
 through the conveyancing
                                                    2     of the lease
                                                                                                               For many agents cashflow and commission are
                                                                                                               fundamental to their business. The time from
                                                                                                               reserving a sale and receiving the money in the
                                                                                                               bank is critical and much can be done to
                                                                                                                                                                       The completed form is emailed to the seller’s
                                                                                                                                                                       conveyancer and they can immediately start
                                                                                                                                                                       to rectify the non-compliances to try and avoid
                                                                                                                                                                       delays later in the process, when a sale is agreed.
                                                    Look beyond just the lease term, in particular, the        enhance this – but what?
 process, it’s vital you do                         demise – ie, does the lease plan match the Land                                                                    The buyers also complete a Declaration of Offer
 everything possible to avoid                       Registry plan? Whilst every lease should have a plan,      This year we’ve been trialling a way to provide         Form and a Chain Form, documents that we’ve
                                                    these can be missing or inaccurate – if so, ask your       buyers and sellers with more information upfront        been using for 20 years, which are sent to both
 those deal-killing delays."                        client to get a new one drawn up.                          using documents from Propertymark, including            conveyancers to help add certainty. Combined,
                                                                                                               a Property Information Questionnaire (PIQ) and          these have helped lead to a fall through rate for
                                                          Get all documentation
                                                    3
Here are three tried and tested steps you                                                                      a more extensive Memorandum of Sale (MOS).              our brand of less than 10%.
can follow to speed up your transaction time:
                                                          in advance                                           The PIQ ensures the property is prepared for both       The new full MOS cuts delays too, not least through
                                                                                                               marketing and for legal sale. The seller can complete   very simple things like getting the buyer’s full name,
     Identify potential ownership
1    issues with the property
                                                    If there are alterations to the property, make your
                                                    clients aware they will need guarantees and
                                                    certificates and to give them to their lawyers early on.
                                                    They will also need to get identification documents
                                                                                                               the form online, or with the valuer who can help
                                                                                                               identify the things that need to be done to make
                                                                                                               the property ‘sale ready’.
                                                                                                                                                                       correctly spelt (checked against their ID) and
                                                                                                                                                                       sending out the Land Registry Title documents
                                                                                                                                                                       and Plan (cost £3).

You can buy the title plan from Land Registry to    for themselves and anyone giving them money, such
check your client owns what they think they do.
Some areas to look out for are gardens, roof
                                                    as the Bank of Mum and Dad, that will need to be
                                                    certified, so ensure they do this in advance.
                                                                                                               ”Since trialling these extra steps, our average time from reservation
terraces and attics. Resolving problems with                                                                    to completion has dropped to nine weeks; six weeks faster than
ownership, especially with leasehold properties,
can take months to resolve, so getting the seller     Visit hub.rightmove.co.uk and search "Peter
                                                                                                                the national average. You can expect a lot more innovation very
to do this in advance can be a huge time saving.      Ambrose" to see his sales progression webinar             soon, and with it, happier buyers, vendors and agents.”

Page 10                                                                                                                                                                                                                 Page 11
20Little Blue Book - National Edition Your property market insights for 2019/20 - Rightmove Hub
Make the most of your                                                                                    Get the edge with exclusive
Rightmove membership                                                                                     online training
As a Rightmove member you have exclusive access to a wide                                                “The Rightmove Hub has proven very beneficial,                   Live webinars with Q&A
range of tools and reports in Rightmove Plus to help you…                                                helping me expand my knowledge and skills
                                                                                                         throughout different areas of estate agency.                     100’s of industry focused videos

                                                                                                         From using Rightmove tools to generate more                      CPD accredited by NAEA and ARLA
                                                                                                         business, to live training webinars, I feel it has kept
                                                                                                         me ahead of my competition in a tough market”                    Interviews with industry insiders
    Uncover hidden instruction opportunities      Turn valuations into instructions
                                                                                                         - Simon Gates, Michael Graham                                    Keep up to date with the latest legislation
    Use the Lead Report to quickly identify       Use the Market Share Reports to
    buyers who also have a property to sell       prove your credibility by printing off a                                                                                Job role specific channels
    and are in your patch. Regularly revisit      market share certificate. Show you’re a
    your Lead Report to check everyone            leading agent for sales/let agreed, new
    has been contacted.                           instructions or available stock.

                                                                                                                                                                   Under the spotlight:
                                                                                                                                                                   Rightmove webinars
    Create evidence backed                        Keep hold of stock

    valuation reports quickly                     Use the Marketing Report to showcase
                                                                                                                                                                   “Webinars are a fantastic resource where agents
                                                  the impact of your marketing efforts. You                                                                        can get involved by voting on polls and asking
                                                  can send vendors a personalised report in                                                                        questions of the speakers, plus it counts towards
    Did you know, if you price a property         just a few clicks.                                                                                               your informal CPD. Each month we invite in guests
    correctly from day one, you’re 40%                                                                                                                             to share their unique expertise on a range of topics,
    more likely to be the agent that sells it?1                                                                                                                    including top picks such as legislative changes,
                                                                                                                                                                   photography tips, marketing insights and ways
    With the new and improved Best Price          Get more interest in every property                                                                              to win more business”
    Guide you can create personalised
    valuation reports, combat over-pricing                                                                                                                         Lisa Gray, Webinar Co-ordinator, Rightmove.
    and demonstrate your proven experience        Use the Property Performance Report to
    at selling or letting similar properties.     quickly spot properties that are missing
                                                  key information or need refreshing.
                                                                                                                                                                   Visit hub.rightmove.co.uk

Page 12                                                                       1
                                                                               Rightmove research 2018                                                                                                            Page 13
20Little Blue Book - National Edition Your property market insights for 2019/20 - Rightmove Hub
Buyer insights                                                We surveyed people saying they were planning to
                                                              buy in the next 12 months to get a snapshot of what
                                                                                                                                       Tenant insights                                                            Could your current tenant be a future buyer? We
                                                                                                                                                                                                                  asked people saying they’re currently renting about
                                                              the current active buyer market looks like.                                                                                                         their home moving ambitions.

     29%      of buyers are buying for the
              first time1                                           1/5        buyers are buying for the
                                                                               second time1                                                    49%          of tenants have been in their
                                                                                                                                                            property over two years1                                    25         months - the average time tenants
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   expect to stay in a rented property1

     42%      are buying for the third
              time or more1                                         1/4       of buyers have lived in their current
                                                                              home for less than five years2                                    1/2        of tenants would like to buy
                                                                                                                                                           but can't afford to1                                              1/3        of tenants have previously
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        owned a property1

     15   years - the average time a buyer has
          lived in their current home2                               9%       of buyers are buying a home they
                                                                              don't plan to live in1                                         49%         of tenants think rents are going up
                                                                                                                                                         in the next year1 (37% in London2)                          2/3       of tenants would consider renting in an
                                                                                                                                                                                                                               area before they buy1 (28% for buyers3)

                                Source: Rightmove consumer survey June 2019. 15514respondents planning to buy in the next 12 months.   Source: Rightmove consumer survey June 2019. 12049 respondents renting privately across the UK.
Page 14                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               Page 15
                                                           2
                                                            4255 respondents who currently own and plan to buy in the next 12 months   2
                                                                                                                                        305 respondents renting privately in London. 35514respondents
                                                                                                                                                                                          respondents planning to buy in the next 12 months.
20Little Blue Book - National Edition Your property market insights for 2019/20 - Rightmove Hub
Lettings

20
                                                                                                       Available stock

                                                                                                       Since 2016, landlords have seen the introduction                     Of the remainder, 24% said they’ll sell some or all of
                                                                                                       of a stamp duty surcharge on "second homes",                         their rental properties and 18% hadn’t yet made any
                                                                                                       a phasing of the reduction in tax relief and more                    future plans1.
                                                                                                       recently the ban on tenant fees.
                                                                                                                                                                            This presents an opportunity for letting agents to
                                                                                                       There was a short-term flood of rental properties                    support landlords as they navigate the ongoing
                                                                                                       throughout 2016 and into 2017 caused by landlords                    changes.
                                                                                                       who bought before the stamp duty surcharge came
                                                                                                       in, but that stock has now dissipated and in Q3 it                 Turn to page 15 for tenant insights you can share
                                                                                                       was 13% lower than Q3 2015, before any of these                    with your landlords.
                                                                                                       changes came in.

                                                                                                       Despite all of these challenges, 58% of landlords say                  Search “landlords” on hub.rightmove.co.uk to see
                                                                                                       they plan to retain or increase the number of rental                   the latest tools to help you attract new landlords
                                                                                                       properties they own.

                                                                                                       Change in available rental stock2                                           Available rental stock             Percentage change YOY

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              20%

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              15%

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              10%

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              5%

The percentage of households renting has                                                                                                                                                                                                      0%

grown from 29% in 2000 to 36%. Over half
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              -5%

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          -10%

of tenants now rent privately compared
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          -15%

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          -20%

to 2000 when two thirds of tenants were                                                                 Q1   Q2      Q3   Q4   Q1       Q2     Q3   Q4   Q1     Q2     Q3     Q4     Q1    Q2      Q3       Q4   Q1      Q2    Q3
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          -25%

social renters.                                                                                               2015                      2016                    2017                       2018                        2019

                Source: Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government – England - 2000 vs 2018                                Rightmove landlord survey September 2019. Sample of 752 landlords. 2Rightmove data October 2019
                                                                                                                                    1
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        Page 17
Asking rents                                                                                                       Regional rent increases                                                                 Scotland
                                                                                                                                                                                                           £707 pcm            2.1%
Outside of London, the average                     Demand has remained strong at a national level.                 Rents have risen steadily over the last few years1.
                                                   We have seen a short-term increase in demand                    Almost half (49%) of tenants expect this trend to
new rental asking price is up                      over the summer months as some tenants waited                   continue over the next 12 months, whilst more
                                                                                                                                                                                                           North East
3.2% in Q3 2019 compared to                        to take advantage of the removal of admin fees.                 than a third (37%) expect rents to remain stable
                                                                                                                                                                                                           £570 pcm            2.1%
                                                                                                                   or reduce2, potentially indicating less scope or
the same period last year, the                     On the other hand, tenants who are looking to                   acceptance of future rent rises with some tenants.
highest rate since 2016.                           rent for a longer-term may choose to stay in their
                                                   existing accommodation to avoid rent increases                  Turn to page 15 for more tenant insights.
In London, the increase in asking rents has been   imposed by new tenancies.
                                                                                                                                                                                                           Yorkshire and The
much steeper, averaging 5.6% in Q3 2019.
                                                                                                                   North West
                                                                                                                                                                                                           Humber £633 pcm     4.2%
That rise has been most noticeable following the              Turn to page 45 to see asking rent and               £703 pcm                          4.1%
introduction of the Tenant Fees Act, with rents               new listing trends for your region
continuing to grow over the summer months.

                                                                                                                                                                                                           East Midlands
Average asking rent per calendar                       2016           2017              2018               2019
                                                                                                                                                                                                           £668 pcm            3.4%
month outside London                                                                                               Wales
                                                                                                                   £673 pcm                          4.3%
£830
                                                                                                                                                                                                           East of England
£820
                                                                                                                                                                                                           £941 pcm            1.7%
£810

£800
                                                                                                                   West Midlands
£790
                                                                                                                   £722 pcm                          4.2%                                                  London
£780

£770
                                                                                                                                                                                                           £2,104 pcm          5.6%
£760

£750
                   Q1                       Q2                   Q3                            Q4
                                                                                                                   South West                                                                              South East
                                                                                                                   £842 pcm                          3.5%                                                  £1,111 pcm          3.4%
                                                                                                                   1
                                                                                                                    Rightmove Rental Price Tracker October 2019. Average monthly asking rent for Q3 2018
Page 18                                                                      Source: Rightmove data October 2019                                                                                                               Page 19
                                                                                                                   vs 2019. 2Rightmove consumer survey July 2019. Sample size 2049 private renters.
Industry view: Getting ahead in lettings                                                                          Agent's view: Impact of the Tenant Fees Act

                    David Cox                                                                                                          Cheryl Burn

                    ARLA Propertymark,                                                                                                 Lettings Director,
                    Chief Executive                                                                                                    The Personal Agent
                                                                                                                                       Surrey

"Prepared agents will see their business flourish as they can prove                                               "Value for money is more important to our landlords than simply
 their worth to their landlord."                                                                                   choosing an agent with the cheapest fee."

The private rental sector is seeing some of its        The Regulation of Property Agents (RoPA), rogue            The idea of the ban, on the face of it, does make a       down in while they see their children through school
biggest changes in recent years, and the pressure      landlords and letting agents database, minimum             little sense. It is true that some agents with a less     but some are now being penalised in the long run
is on for letting agents to adapt and keep aware of    EPC ratings, fire safety and electrical checks             long-term view of their business geared their model       through increased rents.
the future changes.                                    continue to be top priorities for the future too,          towards short term gain with high fees for tenants.
                                                       agents need to ensure that their landlords are             As a result, those agents have seen their profits         We decided the fairest and most sustainable course
2020 will see tenant fees banned on all current        prepared for changes coming to the sector.                 drop and are closing their doors.                         of action was a fractional increase of our landlord
tenancy agreements, not just new ones, so now                                                                                                                               fees. We redesigned our management service to
is the time to prepare to offset lost income.          More than ever, the lettings industry is under scrutiny,   The government hopes the ban will increase                include more benefits, without charging extras for
Automated admin solutions, additional services         but prepared agents will see their business flourish       mobility within the private rental sector. Landlords      property inspections and contractor visits.
charged to landlords and, in some areas, increasing    as they can prove their worth to their landlord.           are now facing additional costs in admin fees,
rents can make up for these losses.                                                                               referencing and Right to Rent checks, and as a result     Our business is built on the principle of personal
                                                       Turn to page 41 to read more about the RoPA                are claiming back their losses through increased          contact and professionalism. We provide our clients
Mortgage Interest Relief (MIR) on rental properties    Working Group's report to government from Mark             rents, exactly as expected.                               with regular newsletters and legislation updates to
will see its final phasing out and be cut to 0% from   Hayward at NAEA Propertymark.                                                                                        keep contact with them during the tenancy. This
next tax year, meaning some landlords may sell                                                                    While the fee ban may have more of an upside in           is what makes us stand out and has enabled our
up, raise rent or neglect maintenance duties to                                                                   cities where people sharing houses or renting rooms       business to grow. This has validated our belief that
reduce costs. While we at ARLA continue to argue         David regularly appears on Rightmove                     commonly move home every six to twelve months,            value for money is more important to our landlords
the benefits of MIR, agents can support and advise       webinars. Visit hub.rightmove.co.uk and                  the dynamic in leafy Epsom is, overall, very different.   than simply choosing an agent with the cheapest fee.
their landlords to ensure their properties remain        search “David Cox” to see his latest updates             Most of our tenants look for a property to settle
viable sources of income and offer services that
will prevent landlords leaving the market.

Page 20                                                                                                                                                                                                                    Page 21
New revenue and time-saving
opportunities for letting agents
We’ve partnered with Van Mildert to help you increase revenue from                                          New revenue for you           Van Mildert provide a range of solutions to help you support all your
landlords and reduce admin to work more cost effectively.                                                                                 landlords, so you can offer an improved service for higher fees.
                                                                                                            Less admin, low effort        Speak to your Rightmove Account Manager for full details.

  Rent Guarantee                      Rent Collection                  Portfolio Protect                 Tenant Referencing                 Rightmove Passport
  Let Only landlords                  Rent Collect landlords           Managed landlords                 All landlords                      All landlords

   A new revenue stream to            Differentiate your service       Step change in profit and         Quick, easy, compliant              Save time registering              Spot it:
   help you earn more per             to win and retain more           ongoing revenue                   referencing you can trust           applicants and                     Look for “Pre-qualified
   lettings transaction               landlords                                                                                              pre-qualify tenants fast           lettings enquiry” in the
                                                                       Make your managed service         Order references and track                                             subject line of your
   Earn commission by                 Van Mildert manages the          offering more premium by          cases at the touch of a             Free tool available                lettings leads.
   referring your Let Only            rent collection and pays it to   wrapping in a rent guarantee      button from within your             exclusively for Rightmove
   landlords to Van Mildert for       you on the due date - even if    and protection against            existing software                   agents and tenants.                View it:
   Landlord Protect Insurance.        the tenant is late paying.       eviction.                                                                                                Access the basic passport
                                                                                                         The “waiting approval”              Pre-qualify tenants to spot        on the link in the lead, or
   Refer your landlords with          If a tenant breaches their       Bulk transfer all your existing   feature allows you to reject        those who are proceedable,         via your Lead Report in
   one click using Van Mildert’s      agreement, Van Mildert will      managed landlords at once,        any tenant if you know they’ll      saving you time on wasted          Rightmove Plus.
   integration with the most          also cover up to £50k for the    insuring all existing tenancies   fail referencing, before you        viewings.
   popular agency software            legal costs of eviction.         – not just new ones.              are charged.                                                           Request it:
   providers.                                                                                                                                When a tenant completes            Ask your applicants to
                                      Plus, if the property is         Start with a free trial for you   You’re never tied into a            the soft credit check and          create a passport at
                                      damaged, they’ll pay 50%         and your landlords whilst Van     contract and you get a free         shares the PDF with you,           ready.rightmove.co.uk
                                      of the rent for two months       Mildert’s team help you get       one-month trial.                    you’ll see the identity check,     and send you the PDF.
                                      after vacant possession.         business converted.                                                   credit score and any CCJs.

Page 22                                                                                                                                                                                                    Page 23
Build to Rent key stats                                                                                                              Industry view: How Build to Rent supports
                                                                                                                                     housing delivery
As supply of rental properties has dropped year on      Letting and managing these new institutional
year, demand for quality accommodation continues        backed developments gives an opportunity for
to grow. The Build to Rent sector presents an           lettings agents.                                                                                  Stephanie Pollitt
opportunity to balance the scales in the UK’s major
cities, where quality rental stock to suit "lifestyle                                                                                                     Assistant Director of Real Estate Policy,
renters" is at a premium.                                                                                                                                 British Property Federation

                                                                                                                                     "The Build to Rent sector not only supports new housing delivery
                                                                                                                                      but also offers a unique opportunity for those people who want
                                                        Build to Rent sites Q2 2019 UK1
                                                                                                                                      or need to rent."

                                                             Under construction                            36,410                    The UK is suffering from an acute housing shortage,      Leading the charge for innovations in the wider
                                                                                                                                     and the government has made clear its intentions         market such as fixed, longer term tenancies and
                                                             In planning                                   74,366                    to increase housing targets to 300,000 new homes         index-linked rents, the sector is helping to provide
                                                                                                                                     each year. Housing of all tenures will have their role   more transparency and greater security for renters.
                                                             Complete                                      32,223                    to play and the Build to Rent sector offers a unique     Many also offer additional services such as gym
                                                                                                                                     opportunity to not only provide high quality rental      memberships, broadband and a 24-hour concierge.
                                                                                                                                     homes for those who want or need to rent, but also
                                                                                                                                     to help support the delivery of new homes.               Dispelling the myth that it is a high-end niche
                                                                                                                                                                                              product and with most providers in the sector
                                                                                                                                     Local authorities across the country are beginning       aiming their product squarely at the mid market,
                                                                                                                                     to recognise the sector’s capacity to support them       Build to Rent is becoming increasingly accessible to
                                                                                                                                     in boosting housing delivery. There are now 142,999      a wide range of people and providing a high quality
                                                                                                                                     Build to Rent homes completed and in planning            option in the UK’s private rented sector.

>1/2                                                     £2.6b
                            Over half of all                                                    In 2018, Build to Rent               across the UK, an increase of 17% over the past
                            Build to Rent                                                       investment totalled                  year, with London accounting for 52% and the
                            developments are                                                    £2.6 billion; an 11%                 regions 48% of the total.
                            located in London1                                                  increase from 20172

Page 24                                                  1
                                                          British Property Federation (England, Scotland, Wales) 2Savills research                                                                                                          Page 25
New

20
                                                                                                                                    Industry view: Can we
                                                                                                                                    deliver 300k homes a year?

Homes
                                                                                                                                                        Stewart Baseley
                                                                                                 Developer's view:
                                                                                                 The current new                                        Executive Chairman,
                                                                                                                                                        Home Builders Federation
                                                                                                 homes market
                                                                                                 “Demand for new homes has          The government’s ambition of building 300,000 homes a year
                                                                                                 remained high throughout           presents a huge challenge, but it is a deliverable objective. Huge
                                                                                                 2019. Buyers are looking for       progress has already been made, output has increased by an
                                                                                                 exceptional quality, strong        unprecedented 78% in the past five years and continues to grow.
                                                                                                 locations and fair prices.
                                                                                                 Low mortgage rates and the
                                                                                                 availability of Help to Buy have
                                                                                                                                    "The ambition of home ownership remains
                                                                                                 helped to underpin confidence       strong. Whilst things have become more
                                                                                                 in the market. New homes hold
                                                                                                 particularly strong appeal as
                                                                                                                                     challenging in certain markets, demand
                                                                                                 buyers seek the convenience         for new homes has grown."
                                                                                                 and reassurance of purchasing
                                                                                                 a home that will not require       We also have widespread recognition of the need to build more
                                                                                                 updating or upgrading - this is    homes and broad political support to do so. For this to continue,
                                                                                                 evidenced by our forward           government bodies, house builders and lenders need to work
                                                                                                 orders into 2020.                  closely together.

                                                                                                 We find buyers visit us having     Help to Buy has been central to the increases in supply we have
                                                                                                 researched the local market,       seen, and we are working to ensure products are in place for
                                                                                                 current availability and with      after its planned withdrawal in 2023.
                                                                                                 a firm understanding of
Over 3.1 million new homes have been                                                             their affordability levels. This
                                                                                                 educated buyer profile makes
                                                                                                                                    A continued focus is needed to ensure that our workforce has
                                                                                                                                    the capacity and skills to deliver even more homes of the highest

built in England, Scotland and Wales since                                                       the journey smoother both
                                                                                                 for the customer and for us
                                                                                                                                    quality. We need to continue to work with the supply chain and
                                                                                                                                    push new technologies that will deliver further improvements

Rightmove launched in 2000.
                                                                                                 as a business”                     in energy efficiency and build quality.

                                                                                                 Bellway
                    Source: Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government 2000 - 2018.                                                                                                    Page 27
Starts and completions

New build starts and completions are at their           Total starts and completions in 2018:                                    More recently, completions in England have                                 Starts and completions YOY change (England):
highest point since 2007, with over 198,000 starts                                                                               risen 11.9% year on year in the first half of 2019,
and 190,000 completions reported in 2018.                                                                                        with 80.8% of all new build completions being
                                                                                       Starts            Completions             delivered by private enterprises. Starts have                                                         Starts        Completions
In 2018, new build starts were 51.2% higher than in                                                                              dropped 10.7% in the same period.
                                                             England                  169,860                 164,390                                                                                             H1 2018              85,900           77,870
2010 when the sector began its recovery. England
and Scotland made the largest contribution to                    Wales                 6,000                   5,820                                                                                              H1 2019              76,690           87,150
this rise, with an increase of 53.5% and 54.5%               Scotland                  22,260                  20,250                                                                                          YOY change              -10.7%            11.9%
respectively, whilst Wales remains stable with
an increase of 1.0% in the same period.
                                                        Turn to page 25 to hear from Stewart Baseley
Looking at completions, England leads the way with      where he answers the question “Can we deliver                                                                                                       New build completions
a 54.0% rise, with Scotland up 19.5% and Wales up       300k homes a year?”                                                                                                                                 H1 2019 (England)1
3.6% on 2010's levels.
                                                        Starts                    England           Wales            Scotland
                                                                                                                                                                                                                  Private enterprise                          70,440
Starts and completions                                  Completions               England            Wales           Scotland
                                                                                                                                                                                                                  Housing Associations                        15,670
220,000
                                                                                                                                                                                                                  Local Authorities                            1,040
200,000

180,000
                                                                                                                                                                                                            Turn to page 24 to hear more about how the Build to
                                                                                                                                                                                                            Rent sector is contributing to home building targets.
160,000

140,000

120,000

100,000

80,000
            2007    2008    2009     2010    2011     2012       2013      2014       2015      2016         2017    2018        18%                            of all new build
                                                                                                                                                                completions are delivered
                                                                                                                                                                by Housing Associations1
                                                                                                                                                                                                              15%                         of all new build stock on
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          Rightmove is located
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          in London2

                                                                                                                                 Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government October 2019 - England
                                                                                                                                 1
Page 28                                                          Source: Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government                                                                                                                                 Page 29
                                                                                                                                 Rightmove data September 2019, residential properties listed on Rightmove as new build.
                                                                                                                                 2
Help to Buy completions                                                                                                                           Help to Buy purchase prices

Since the launch of Help to Buy                                        In 2018 there were 52,124 completions, 10.8%                               The average purchase price for property sold
                                                                                                                                                  under the Help to Buy equity scheme in
                                                                                                                                                                                                                              The government plans to introduce a new version
                                                                                                                                                                                                                              of Help to Buy in England from March 2021. The new
                                                                       of which were in the capital. In the first quarter
in 2013, over 221,000 Help to                                          of 2019 Help to Buy completions rose 2.8%                                  England is £300,487.                                                        scheme will be restricted to first-time buyers and
Buy completions have been                                              year on year across England, with a stark
                                                                       increase of 42.8% in London.                                               85.0% of Help to Buy purchases in England are
                                                                                                                                                                                                                              will include lower regional caps outside of London.

reported in England.                                                                                                                              first-time buyers, with an average purchase                                 England Help to Buy regional price caps from 20212:
                                                                       In Scotland and Wales the equivalent schemes                               price of £294,920.
                                                                       reported 4,219 completions in 2018.                                                                                                                    North East                                                  £186,100
                                                                                                                                                  For non-first-time buyers, the average Help to                              North West                                                  £224,400
                                                                                                                                                  Buy purchase price is 11.9% higher at £330,051.                             East Midlands                                               £261,900

                                                                                                                            52124
                                                                                                                                                                                                                              West Midlands                                               £255,600
Help to Buy completions in England                                                                                                                Average Help to Buy purchase price in 20181:                                East of England                                             £407,400
                                                                                                                                                                                                                              London                                                      £600,000

                                                                                                 46297
     All of England           London             England excluding London                                                                         England:                                               £300,487             South East                                                  £437,600
                                                                                                                                                  Scotland:                                              £172,000             South West                                                  £349,000
55000                                                                                                                                             Wales:                                                 £200,878             Yorkshire and The Humber                                    £228,100

50000
                                                                      38383                                                                       Average Help to Buy purchase                                                                    Non-first-time buyers                First-time buyers

                                                                                                                                                  price in England3
                                           31827

45000
                      28376

                                                                                                                                                  £340,000

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 £330,051
40000                                                                                                                                             £320,000

                                                                                                                                                  £300,000
35000                                                                                                                                             £280,000

                                                                                                                                                  £260,000
30000
                                                                                                                                                  £240,000

                                                                                                                                                  £220,000
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 £294,920
25000
                                                                                                                                                  £200,000

20000                                                                                                                                             £180,000

                       2014                      2015                       2016                       2017                       2018                                    2013              2014               2015               2016              2017               2018               2019

                        Source: Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government. Welsh Government, Help to Buy - Wales Shared Equity Loan   Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government. Welsh Government, Help to Buy - Wales Shared Equity Loan Scheme. Scottish
                                                                                                                                                  1
Page 30                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          Page 31
                          Scheme 1,849 completions. Scottish Government, Help to Buy (Scotland) A�ordable New Build scheme 2,370 completions.     Government, Help to Buy (Scotland) A�ordable New Build scheme. 2HM Treasury 3Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
New homes supply and demand                                                                                           Market insights for new homes developers

Nationally, 65.7% of all new build stock is houses,     Comparatively, demand for two and three-                      With Rightmove you have access to a wide range of
accounting for 63.6% of leads. Although this appears    bedroom houses outstrips supply, with 27.8%                   tools and reports to help you plan what to build, where
balanced on the surface, when we look at the            of stock compared to 35.2% of leads.                          to build it and how best to market your properties.
numbers based on bedroom number, we can see an
imbalance in the distribution of stock versus demand.   Flats present a much more stable picture across

While four and five-bedroom houses make up 37.2%
                                                        all bedroom numbers, with demand meeting
                                                        supply at a national level.
                                                                                                                      Available from your New Homes Account Manager:
of new build stock, they only receive
27.5% of leads.                                         Build the right property types in the right                     Supply & Demand Report                                  Fair Share Report
                                                        locations with Rightmove’s supply and demand
                                                        report – speak to your Account Manager.                         Make data driven decisions around land                  Discover how your Rightmove listings are
     Houses stock               Flats stock
                                                                                                                        acquisition, property specifications and pricing        performing compared to your competition
                                                                                                                        using Rightmove's demand, availability and              to identify under-performing plots and
     Houses demand              Flats demand
                                                                                                                        pricing insights.                                       developments early.

Supply vs demand by bedroom numbers nationally
                                                                                                                        Buyer Insight Report                                    House Price Index

                                                                                                                        Find out where your enquiries are coming                The largest monthly sample of residential
                                                                                                                        from, identifying new opportunities to target           property prices sent straight to your inbox,
                                                                                                                        potential buyers more effectively.                      on the third Monday of every month.

                                                                                                                      Insights at your fingertips with Rightmove Plus:

                                                                                                                        Property Performance Reports                            Lead Reports

                                                                                                                        Quickly see how each of your plots is                   Never miss a lead – all the emails and tracked
                                                                                                                        performing compared to similar properties               calls for your development are listed in one
                                                                                                                        and clearly identify how they can be improved,          place. Activate call recording to listen back to
      Studio         1bed             2bed          3bed           4bed           5bed               6bed               helping you sell your site faster.                      your calls to identify opportunities and deliver
                                                                                                                                                                                sales training.

Page 32                                                                         Source: Rightmove data Jan-Sep 2019                                                                                                            Page 33
20 years in

20
                                             Looking back at 20 years of
                                             evolution in property

property
                                                                        Peter Brooks-Johnson

                                                                        Chief Executive Officer,
                                                                        Rightmove

                                             It’s hard to believe that 20                                            At Rightmove, we’ve grown from a small team of
                                                                                                                     just 12, to over 500, spread across the length and
                                             years have passed since                                                 breadth of Britain. The team work tirelessly to
                                             Rightmove first launched.                                               maintain and improve the site, build new tools and
                                                                                                                     troubleshoot support issues to help agents and
                                             Which got us thinking – just                                            developers alike achieve your business goals.
                                             how much has the world of
                                                                                                                     In the next few pages we’ll take a walk down memory
                                             property changed since then?                                            lane, looking at some of the milestones in property
                                                                                                                     over the last 20 years. We’ve also asked some
                                             Looking at the housing market, we’ve witnessed                          industry leaders to share their experiences and what
                                             numerous legislative changes, home buying                               we might expect to see in the years to come.
                                             schemes and stamp duty reforms, not to mention
                                             Housing Ministers.
                                                                                                                                                     Then        Now
                                             Of course, we can’t forget Lehman Brothers,
                                             Northern Rock and all the pain in our industry which                      Average new seller          £130,306 £306,712
                                             followed in 2008. That I still see so many familiar                       asking price1

As Rightmove reaches our 20th anniversary,
                                             customer faces from when I joined Rightmove in
                                             2006 is testament to the resilience, adaptability,                        Percentage of households     29.4%       36.5%
                                             ambition and hard work of agents and developers.                          in rented property2
we look back at the key milestones and       Technological advances have had a huge impact on                          Average income3             £16,276      £27,742

changes our industry has faced since         our industry. Agents and developers have learnt new
                                             skills and adapted to the demands put on them by

2000, plus what’s just around the corner.
                                             consumers in an increasingly digital, fast paced world.

                                             1
                                              Rightmove House Price Index October 2001 vs October 2019 2Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local
                                                                                                                                                                    Page 35
                                             Government. 2000 vs 2018. 3ONS weekly wage report. 2000 vs Jan–June 2019
Timeline: 20 years in property

2000                            2003                              2006                               2008                               2012                               2014                                2016                    2018
Rightmove launched              3G goes live in the               Property sales                     Credit crunch                      4G goes live in the                Stamp duty reform                   3% stamp duty -         Rightmove launches
                                United Kingdom                    transactions peak                                                     United Kingdom                     slab structure scrapped             surcharge on            Tenant Passport
                                                                  at 1.6 million2                    Scotland: Home                                                                                            second homes            (turn to page 23)
                                                                                                     Reports launched
                                                                                                                                                                                                               EU referendum           Average new seller
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       asking prices peak at
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       £309,439 (turn to page 4)5

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       2019
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       Tenant Fees Act
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       is introduced
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       (turn to page 21)

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       Average annual income
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       peaks at £27,7426

2002                            2004                               2007                              2011
New Homes launched              100m pages viewed on               First iPhone launched             Affordability ratio
on Rightmove                    Rightmove in one month
                                for the first time1                New build starts peak at
                                                                   220,600 (turn to page 28)3
                                                                                                     reaches its lowest point
                                                                                                     (turn to page 5)                   2013                               2015                                2017                    2020
                                                                                                                                        Help to Buy launched               Mobile traffic overtakes            Start of tax relief     Final stage of tax relief
                                                                                                                                        (turn to page 30)                  desktop on Rightmove4               changes for landlords   changes for landlords

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       Regulation of Property
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       Agents (turn to page 41)

Page 36   Rightmove data 2HMRC 3Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, Scottish Government, Welsh Assembly Government
          1
                                                                                                                                        Google Analytics 5Rightmove House Price Index 6ONS weekly wage report Jan - June 2019
                                                                                                                                        4
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            Page 37
Agent's view: How technology has                                                                                 Industry view: Advice for agents that
changed estate agency                                                                                            stands the test of time
                     Tony Robinson                                                                                                   Peter Knight

                     Group Operations Director,                                                                                      Founder,
                     Robinson Jackson Group                                                                                          The Property Academy
                     London & Kent

The Robinson Jackson Group boasts a unique                " Technology has made it quicker                       As Rightmove celebrates its 20th anniversary, I      Whilst the private rental sector has exploded
number of "old-timers" (better referred to by                                                                    realise that I’ve now passed the 40-year milestone   in the last 20 years, home ownership is still the
us as "experienced" Owner Partners) who work                than ever to launch a property                       in my property industry career.                      most desired tenure for many people.
alongside talented young staff. Both old and young
                                                            to market. Within minutes we
                                                                                                                                                                      2
are constantly discovering how technology can                                                                    I work with many outstanding firms through the             Identify the true motivation of every
be utilised in an industry that traditionally relies so
heavily on personal interaction.
                                                            can send emails to waiting                           Best Estate Agent Guide, giving me an outside-in
                                                                                                                 view of what good estate agency looks like today.
                                                                                                                                                                            home mover and work with their
                                                                                                                                                                            emotional drivers.
                                                            buyers, receive calls from
During our 50-year journey we’ve radically                                                                       A lot has changed in the last two decades, not       Our research shows that two-thirds of moves are
modified our trading framework. From closed at              Rightmove users and book                             least thanks to Rightmove consolidating the whole    due to life events (marriage, birth, divorce, death,
weekends to open 9am – 7pm seven days a week
and embracing new technology to ensure our core
                                                            viewings for that evening."                          market into one incredible resource, but there are
                                                                                                                 many more things that have remained the same.
                                                                                                                                                                      job relocation, retirement etc). The remainder
                                                                                                                                                                      are those who want a better / bigger home or are
proposition is available 24/7.                                                                                                                                        buying for investment.
                                                          Technology has aided the management of                 Here’s some advice that’s just as important now as

                                                                                                                                                                      3
20 years ago, we would have spent many hours              information for agents, and in turn enables us to      20 years ago, and will be for many years to come…          Always be professional and courteous,
sending mailing lists which was labour and cost-          reach out to more home movers than ever before.                                                                   listen well with the intent to understand, be

                                                                                                                 1
intensive. Now we use computers to send emails,                                                                        Think about the next move for every                  knowledgeable and informative and always
run searches on Rightmove and data-mine our               However, the emotive nature of home ownership                current client and buyer; each time a new            quick to respond.
CRM system.                                               and the emotional rollercoaster of moving mean               property comes to the market ask yourself
                                                          businesses will thrive if they retain the ability to         “who do I know that would love this place?”    The “people buy people” cliché is true. Our
Since the advent of portals, we now have filtered         build their business on relationships.                                                                      research confirms the main reasons why sellers
and better-quality leads landing with us throughout                                                              The best estate agents know they can make            and landlords select one agent over
the week, rather than on Thursday mornings with                                                                  markets by connecting people and property.           another is likeability and trust.
the release of the local newspaper.

Page 38                                                                                                                                                                                                               Page 39
Industry view: How times have changed                                                                              Industry view: The Regulation of
for letting agents                                                                                                 Property Agents (RoPA)
                    Frank Webster                                                                                                        Mark Hayward

                    Owner,                                                                                                               Chief Executive,
                    FC Webster Consultancy                                                                                               NAEA Propertymark

I started in the property industry in 1979 as a        and regulation for the lettings industry, it’s an
Trainee Negotiator in Oxford, moving to Finders        opportunity for agents who are prepared to                 " An industry that prioritises consumers interests can only lead to a
Keepers six years later, where I eventually became     make bold and positive steps.                                healthier market, where agents are more trusted with their most
vice-chairman. During my career, the day-to-day
                                                                                                                    valuable asset."
role of a Letting Agent has changed dramatically…
                                                      " We can raise the standard of
Before the internet and portals, we used card           our service to landlords and
boxes to track and keep in touch with our                                                                          NAEA Propertymark has long recognised the                   By working towards the proposed regulation
applicants, telephoned or sent cables to our            tenants alike, so the public will                          need for holding estate agents to account and               standards, agents will become ready for the future
landlords and manually typed and posted tenancy         hold our industry in the highest                           encouraging high standards throughout the                   and more appealing to potential customers.
agreements. We took photos on film cameras                                                                         industry. We are, after all, a sector that relies heavily
and produced our own write ups, working hard            regard and younger people                                  on consumers to sustain us, their satisfaction              For those who haven’t done so, we recommend
to ensure they were photocopied and in the post         will aspire to become qualified                            and protection will always be a top priority.               gaining a relevant qualification as proposed by
that night. We carried boards in the back of our                                                                                                                               the Working Group, which is a Level 3 for agents
cars and put them up ourselves.                         letting agents."                                           The RoPA Working Group’s report to government               and a Level 4 for managing agents and company
                                                                                                                   on the recommendations for future regulation is             directors. Since these can take around a year
Roll forward to the early 2000’s and the millennium    I also expect the title "Asset Manager" will replace the    exactly what we believe the sector needs.                   of private study to achieve, the sooner you
bug didn’t destroy the world, but our obsession        outdated title of "Property Manager" as the job will        The proposals include:                                      start, the better.
with bricks and mortar grew. Our success being         entail planning, budgeting, forecasting and offering
the sum of our unique parts (buying, furnishing,       advice to increase the value and ROI of the asset.          •    A clearly outlined Code of Practice                    For more updates on the regulation and to
refurbishment, letting & properly resourced                                                                        •    Minimum qualifications                                 hear how NAEA Propertymark will support
property management, re-sale) and the                                                                              •    Formal licensing                                       their members visit hub.rightmove.co.uk
integration of good technology and great                          Visit hub.rightmove.co.uk and search                                                                         and search “RoPA”.
systems and processes.                                            "Frank Webster" to read the full article         Those already working to a high standard will easily
                                                                                                                   transition into formal regulation, whilst the minority
There’s more change ahead for letting agents.                                                                      of poor-quality agents must either increase their
As we move to a new world of qualification                                                                         own standards, or naturally leave the sector.

Page 40                                                                                                                                                                                                                     Page 41
Developer's view: A digital revolution for                                                                        Developer's view: The future of customer
 home builders and consumers alike                                                                                 experience in home building
                      Allan Walker                                                                                                      Andrew Weaver

                      Director of Group Marketing,                                                                                      Chief Executive,
                      CALA Homes - North, East & West                                                                                   Strata
                      Scotland, Midlands and South East                                                                                 Northern England

 I’ve been involved in the new homes industry            The consumer has tremendous power to                      We believe that the future of home building          The tool helps them understand their budgets
 for around 15 years and it has changed beyond           research and make key decisions without                   will centre around the customer experience.          better and increases the sense of excitement and
 recognition in that time.                               engaging the house builder until they are ready.                                                               anticipation around what their home will become,
                                                         What is happening across all industries is a              We are seeking to embrace modern methods             leaving them free to dream about their future.
 When I joined the industry (originally on the           digital revolution, powered by smartphone and             of construction that will, over time, help ease
 agency side) marketing of new homes was                 communications technology and it is only going            the skills shortage and make delivery times and
 still very traditional and led by “the property         to go one way.                                            quality more predictable. Rather than building      "The result is an experience
 section” in printed media, with very little genuine
 understanding of who we were actually courting.         Similarly, the availability of data to inform effective
                                                                                                                   homes at a distance and the customer buying
                                                                                                                   the finished product, we have been working on
                                                                                                                                                                        they’ll remember forever and
                                                         land acquisition and the technology to streamline         a project to offer our customers something           a home that is truly reflective
 At CALA, we were harnessing digital marketing
 opportunities in a much more serious way by 2008
                                                         build process has never been more readily available.
                                                         As an industry we have been slower to react than
                                                                                                                   incredibly special - the ability to configure and
                                                                                                                   customise their new home.
                                                                                                                                                                        of them."
 when the credit crunch hit, and I believe that really   others – but I think the tide is turning.
 accelerated the change and value associated with                                                                  Our customer base is young, urban and keen           We believe the power of personalisation and
 digital marketing of new homes.                                                                                   to engage. The configurator tool allows them to      advocacy from creating this experience will
                                                                                                                   personalise their new home and share inspiration     increase our brand awareness, reservations
                                                                                                                   with like-minded people via social media.            and ultimately reduce our cost of sale.
" House builders are really starting to turn on to the value of digital                                            Customers can personalise their home when it
  technology and the power it presents not only to sales and                                                       suits them, without the need for many visits to

  marketing, but the broader team from land through construction                                                   the show homes. They can see exactly what
                                                                                                                   their home interior will look like.
  and beyond."

 Page 42                                                                                                                                                                                                              Page 43
Your local      Contents

property data   46

                48

                50
                     Scotland

                     North East England

                     Yorkshire and The Humber

                52   North West England

                54   Wales

                56   West Midlands

                58   East Midlands

                60   East of England

                62   Greater London

                70   South East

                74   South West

                                                Page 45
Scotland - Sales                                                                         Scotland - Lettings

First-time buyer properties (1 or 2 bedroom)                                             1 bedroom properties

                                         Average asking price             New listings                                         Average asking rent             New listings

                               Price            1 year           5 year      1 year                                  Rent            1 year           5 year      1 year
     Region                                                                                Region
                             (Q3 2019)         change           change      change                                 (Q3 2019)        change           change      change
     East Scotland           £99,121            4.2%            10.8%       -12.6%         East Scotland             £420            -0.1%            7.1%       -5.3%
     Edinburgh               £195,735           2.9%            29.8%        -2.1%         Edinburgh                 £802            3.3%            34.1%       -0.8%
     Glasgow                 £119,468           6.1%            20.6%       -5.6%          Glasgow                   £613            5.8%            24.9%       -10.2%
     Highlands and Islands   £119,041           3.7%            10.4%       -9.6%          Highlands and Islands     £484            5.4%             5.0%       -20.4%
     North East Scotland     £110,280           1.4%             4.2%       -4.2%          North East Scotland       £454            -0.9%           -16.9%      -12.5%
     South West Scotland     £83,288            2.4%             7.7%       -12.8%         South West Scotland       £390            1.9%             4.5%        -4.1%

Second stepper buyer properties (3 or 4 bedroom)                                         2 bedroom properties

                                         Average asking price             New listings                                         Average asking rent             New listings

                               Price            1 year           5 year      1 year                                  Rent            1 year           5 year      1 year
     Region                                                                                Region
                             (Q3 2019)         change           change      change                                 (Q3 2019)        change           change      change
     East Scotland           £166,802           2.8%            14.2%       -5.4%          East Scotland             £544            1.5%            10.5%       -16.2%
     Edinburgh               £331,798           1.1%            15.5%       -1.2%          Edinburgh                £1,039           3.6%            30.2%        3.1%
     Glasgow                 £180,148          -0.6%            13.8%       -2.8%          Glasgow                   £769            1.2%            19.3%       -5.6%
     Highlands and Islands   £188,877           2.0%             9.3%       -5.5%          Highlands and Islands     £606            2.8%             5.3%        2.1%
     North East Scotland     £194,098           1.9%             4.1%        1.7%          North East Scotland       £627            -1.2%           -12.1%      -15.7%
     South West Scotland     £153,225           2.7%            11.0%        -7.5%         South West Scotland       £506            1.3%             6.8%       -2.0%

Page 46                                                                                                                                                                   Page 47
North East England - Sales                                                          North East England - Lettings

First-time buyer properties (1 or 2 bedroom)                                        1 bedroom properties
                                    Average asking price             New listings                                      Average asking rent             New listings

                          Price            1 year           5 year      1 year                               Rent            1 year           5 year      1 year
     Region                                                                           Region
                        (Q3 2019)         change           change      change                              (Q3 2019)        change           change      change

     County Durham       £86,405           1.7%            -1.0%       -8.4%          County Durham          £395             2.4%            1.9%       -12.4%
     Northumberland      £110,599          0.4%             1.0%        -7.0%         Northumberland         £388            -2.9%           -1.1%       -29.5%
     Tyne and Wear       £105,136          1.1%             1.5%       -9.8%          Tyne and Wear          £520            5.0%            10.4%       -15.6%

Second stepper properties (3 or 4 bedroom)                                          2 bedroom properties

                                    Average asking price             New listings                                      Average asking rent             New listings

                          Price            1 year           5 year      1 year                               Rent            1 year           5 year      1 year
     Region                                                                           Region
                        (Q3 2019)         change           change      change                              (Q3 2019)        change           change      change
     County Durham       £135,793          0.9%             4.1%       -5.2%          County Durham          £450            0.0%             2.5%       -8.8%
     Northumberland      £180,670         -0.6%             5.6%        -3.1%         Northumberland         £475             0.7%            5.0%       -24.9%
     Tyne and Wear       £163,681          3.3%             8.4%       -5.6%          Tyne and Wear          £577            3.0%             9.0%       -17.2%

Page 48                                                                                                                                                         Page 49
Yorkshire & The Humber - Sales                                                              Yorkshire & The Humber - Lettings

First-time buyer properties (1 or 2 bedroom)                                                1 bedroom properties
                                            Average asking price             New listings                                            Average asking rent             New listings

                                  Price            1 year           5 year      1 year                                     Rent            1 year           5 year      1 year
     Region                                                                                   Region
                                (Q3 2019)         change           change      change                                    (Q3 2019)        change           change      change
     East Riding of Yorkshire   £110,764          -0.1%             8.3%       -4.3%          East Riding of Yorkshire     £417            -0.4%            6.6%        3.0%
     North Yorkshire            £179,473           3.5%            16.2%       -2.0%          North Yorkshire              £573            4.0%            10.6%       -10.2%
     South Yorkshire            £107,108           3.5%            11.2%        -5.1%         South Yorkshire              £510            3.7%            14.3%       -12.4%
     West Yorkshire             £122,803           2.1%            12.9%       -5.9%          West Yorkshire               £502            1.9%            13.1%        0.0%

Second stepper properties (3 or 4 bedroom)                                                  2 bedroom properties

                                            Average asking price             New listings                                            Average asking rent             New listings

                                  Price            1 year           5 year      1 year                                     Rent            1 year           5 year      1 year
     Region                                                                                   Region
                                (Q3 2019)         change           change      change                                    (Q3 2019)        change           change      change
     East Riding of Yorkshire   £172,805           2.2%            17.2%        -3.1%         East Riding of Yorkshire     £508            2.4%             8.0%       -4.6%
     North Yorkshire            £269,129           3.1%            15.0%        0.3%          North Yorkshire              £709            3.6%             9.5%       -8.4%
     South Yorkshire            £157,588           3.2%            16.5%       -3.3%          South Yorkshire              £562            3.0%            15.3%       -12.0%
     West Yorkshire             £190,042           4.3%            19.4%       -5.7%          West Yorkshire               £619            4.0%            15.4%        -1.1%

Page 50                                                                                                                                                                         Page 51
North West England - Sales                                                            North West England - Lettings

First-time buyer properties (1 or 2 bedroom)                                          1 bedroom properties
                                      Average asking price             New listings                                      Average asking rent             New listings

                            Price            1 year           5 year      1 year                               Rent            1 year           5 year      1 year
     Region                                                                             Region
                          (Q3 2019)         change           change      change                              (Q3 2019)        change           change      change
     Cheshire             £156,956           4.7%            17.8%       -3.5%          Cheshire               £514            2.8%            12.4%       -10.4%
     Cumbria              £119,200          -0.7%            -0.8%       -5.6%          Cumbria                £432            3.0%             6.9%       -16.4%
     Greater Manchester   £140,393           4.6%            28.7%       -3.4%          Greater Manchester     £675             7.3%           28.6%        -1.3%
     Lancashire           £110,381           1.5%             5.1%       -4.8%          Lancashire             £438            2.6%             6.0%       -13.3%
     Merseyside           £113,418           2.8%            10.6%       -9.8%          Merseyside             £514            4.4%            13.2%        -3.6%

Second stepper properties (3 or 4 bedroom)                                            2 bedroom properties
                                      Average asking price             New listings                                      Average asking rent             New listings

                            Price            1 year           5 year      1 year                               Rent            1 year           5 year      1 year
     Region                                                                             Region
                          (Q3 2019)         change           change      change                              (Q3 2019)        change           change      change

     Cheshire             £242,090           3.5%            17.8%       -2.4%          Cheshire               £655            3.5%            10.8%       -4.2%
     Cumbria              £193,991           0.4%             3.6%       -6.1%          Cumbria                £501            3.0%             7.6%       -9.7%
     Greater Manchester   £213,461           4.0%            32.8%       -1.0%          Greater Manchester     £760            6.8%            27.5%       -6.4%
     Lancashire           £168,053           2.2%             8.7%        -2.1%         Lancashire             £531            2.2%             7.9%       -10.8%
     Merseyside           £170,065           5.1%            15.8%       -5.3%          Merseyside             £592            2.2%            12.5%       -14.9%

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