After a member of the Lords was slammed by Propertymark recently for being rude about ‘estate agent degrees’, a university in Swindon has – with impeccable timing – launched what it says is a unique degree just for wannabe sales and letting agents.

While Baroness Fox of Buckley was disparaging about this kind of qualification, the Royal Agricultural University is now recruiting for the course’s first intake in September this year.

Students will be taught two days a week, enabling them to work while studying for the qualification over a four year period, or take it full time over two years.

Areas covered will include valuations, marketing, law, and professional sales practice, as well as more ‘hands on’ modules such as surveying, inspecting, and measurement.

The FdSc Residential Estate Agency course will also include a 10-week work placement, during the summer between the first and second year, during which students will gain further on the job training and experience as well as developing their confidence and employability skills and gaining valuable industry contacts.

Skills

Course leader William Leschallas (main image), Senior Lecturer within the Land and Property team at the university and both a RICS member and a former estate agent, says: “The role of an estate agent requires a diverse set of skills and attributes.

“This includes acting as a sales person to showing clients available properties, helping private buyers/investors buy and sell homes/investment properties, marketing properties for sale and assisting clients find that perfect home to rent or buy.

“This new estate agency course will give students a broad and innovative introduction to the key principles and practices in property services which examine property valuation, property law, finance, sales and marketing, people management and business strategy to enable students to become familiar with the core issues concerning the residential property sales sector.”

Read more about the degree

The post University launches UK’s first dedicated estate agency degree appeared first on The Negotiator.

EXCEPTIONAL OPPORTUNITY FOR AN EXPERIENCED PROPERTY PROFESSIONAL

A FULL OR PART TIME FLEXIBLE ROLE – NO WEEKEND WORKING

BASIC SALARY AS OPPOSED TO COMMISSION AND OTEs THAT NEVER HAPPEN

COMPANY EXPENSED CAR

We are looking for a great property all-rounder to work with our exceptionally friendly and highly motivated team, based in Chessington, Surrey.

This is a quite an exceptional opportunity for an experienced sales and sourcing professional to move to the buying side, following a successful sales career.

Reporting to the owner of the Group, this is a unique opportunity with a lot of freedom and autonomy.

The buying role criteria:

• Front line sourcing of property to buy for our lettings portfolio
• Researching online and in the market, specific flat and apartment investment opportunities
• Relationship building across agents and direct owners
• Estate agency sales and marketing background essential
• Good knowledge of Rightmove, Property Data and portals
• Experience of HTML, mailing and marketing campaigns
• Experience of the buying and selling process of property

You are:

• Hard working, committed, passionate and with a high work ethic
• A team player but independent and able to make decisions
• Thrive on responsibility and being left alone to make it happen
• Have a great sense of humour, able to speak to people at all levels
• Tenacious, charming, driven and politely persistent in all you do
• Based in South London/North Surrey

We are:

• A financially strong property company and best in class Landlord
• View why we are the best in the business: https://uk.trustpilot.com/review/www.holdenpropertygroup.co.uk
• Part of a private group that has many interests and is set for expansion
• A small, fun, loyal and hard working team, driven to succeed

It is unlikely that anyone under 25 will have the experience needed for this role. Start date ASAP.

Please send CV by email only to mholden@ultimateholdings.com

The post Exceptional opportunity for a high achiever in sales appeared first on The Negotiator.

Online property training and qualifications provider, The Able Agent, has put together 10 tips for finding and retaining property apprentices to mark National Apprenticeship Week as demand reportedly increases.

According to Charlotte Jeffrey-Campbell, co-founder and director of the company, recruiting the right apprentice and keeping them is the key to success in the property sector, but finding suitable candidates is a struggle.

Charlotte Jeffrey-Campbell, Director, The Able Agent

“We are currently witnessing a huge demand for apprentices. Many agents are succession planning, and looking to ‘grow their own’ fresh and motivated staff,” says Charlotte. “However, we are also seeing real problems for agents when it comes to finding (and retaining) the right ones. There is clearly a shortage in supply of good quality apprentices today – something the industry must work to rectify.”

To support the sector in countering the well-debated recruitment and retention crisis, The Able Agent launched an apprenticeship programme in 2022. Spotting a gap in training access, with no estate agency currently offering Level 3 qualifications. The company partnered with ITEC NE, a leading training provider in the North-East of England that specialises in digital training and apprenticeships, to solve the issue.

Over 15 property apprentices have been through the training since its inception.

The Able Agent will be running a webinar on the topic on 16th February 2023 and all are welcome to view. To register, click here.

10 tips for finding the right apprentice

1. Don’t recruit when you are desperately in need of a staff member to fill a vacancy. Consider the importance of succession planning. If someone leaves, do you have somebody in place that could step into their role? When a salesperson leaves it takes – on average – three months to return to generating relevant fee income levels.
2. Consider who will be responsible for the apprentice. If you are busy and short staffed this will have an impact on any training you need to do with them.
3. Choose an apprenticeship that helps the new starter operate as a property expert as quickly as possible and who can take some of the burden of training away.
4. Don’t rely on the national apprenticeship website to help you recruit. We advise that you recruit within your own network. You have landlords and sellers who may potentially have young people in their network who would love a career in property.
5. Set a clear career goal for your apprentice and milestones of achievement. For example, completion of assignments on time, or a point where they will earn a bonus.
6. Choose an apprenticeship that combines general knowledge as well as property knowledge. To attract a variety of candidates you may need to offer a business apprenticeship rather than a property apprenticeship.
7. When recruiting, ensure that your applicants have at least a grade five in English and maths. This will ensure that their time is focused on the business and not re-sitting GCSE exams.
8. Highlight in any advert the variety of experience your new starter will gain.
9. Try and make any recruitment adverts engaging. Use social media and advertise on your website or in your office window.
10. Whilst offering an apprenticeship can mean having somebody in your business on an affordable salary, consider the option of adding bonuses to any minimum wage. To be driven to be a successful sales person they will probably be motivated by targets and income.

Madison Browne, apprentice with MP Estates in Essex, who is currently studying on The Able Agent apprenticeship programme, said: “The course has taught me so much, and it’s so rewarding to have such positive feedback from clients and colleagues. I can really see I am adding value and making a difference, and driving my career forward.”

The post How to attract and retain property apprentices appeared first on The Negotiator.

This is where you can go from “almost certain to get the job” to “no, definitely not”, because you will be judged on the questions that you ask.

• “Do I get weekends off?” Look, this is estate agency. This branch is open all day Saturday. You’re already showing that you will be the flaky guy who is always ill when the local football team is playing at home. Nul points.
• “What’s the salary?” Is that really all you care about? And if it was actually stated in the job advert, that’s a double foot in mouth.
• “What kind of car do I get?” If you care that much, you might consider whether you’re better suited to car dealership than estate agency…

Instead, this is where good research gives you the chance to ask a question that shows you understand the business and you care about the long term. Research should already have established the basics; how many branches the agency has, their market positioning, recently opened new branches (or branches that have closed). A trawl through industry publications (or the corporate website, in the case of major corporates) might even find the managing director talking about company culture or long term plans.

Asking about training – what kind of training the agency gives new entrants, whether they have a record of getting people through the industry diplomas – is never a bad idea.

That opens the way to interesting questions. When a branch is relatively new, there’s room for questions about the progress that’s been made, and plans for the future, for instance. Acquisitions might be an interesting area to talk about – for instance if an agency has bought into an online agent, could that limit (or enhance) career opportunities for those working on the high street side of the business? And if a branch manager has declared a desire to become number one in the local area, exactly how they aim to do that is something you might be interested in. Or if the agency has just branched out into new homes as well as the resale market, understanding the reasons for the move and how the new business is being managed could be useful.

Asking about training – what kind of training the agency gives new entrants, whether they have a record of getting people through the industry diplomas – is never a bad idea. It shows a desire to learn and an understanding that the job includes a requirement for structured knowledge, as well as just sales patter. At a higher level, questions about what training the company offers to help senior negotiators make the transition to management, or to assist branch managers in running the business, might be appropriate. If the company has a mentoring scheme, you might ask how that works in-branch, or for an example of where it has helped one of the team.

There are a number of general questions that may also be useful to ask.

• What is the team structure? Who are the key people you’d be working with?
• What are the career opportunities further down the line?
• Where are last year’s graduate scheme entrants working now?
• How long has the job been open? Why did it become available? (Sometimes, a job is next to impossible to fill, and that may be a sign of problems.)
• How would you describe the work culture here? What makes it different from other agencies?
• What is the next stage in the process? When can I expect to hear from you?

Finally, and it takes a confident person to do this, you might ask whether you are the type of person they are looking to employ. Be ready to take a negative answer; but the answer might also deliver useful information that can be worked on before going for another job or another interview. Keep the tone light and even, so that the interviewer will feel ready to talk frankly. Don’t give the impression that you’ll burst into tears if the answer is ‘no’.

Above all, though, have a question or two ready to ask. Recruiter Anthony Hesse says that candidates who ask a good question straight off the bat are always given credit for it – they’ve shown that they are interested, and they’ve shown that they are keen, and those are both qualities that branch managers want in their staff.

The post Interview questions for an estate agent position appeared first on The Negotiator.

Estate agency is not a career that requires formal qualifications, and while some (mainly larger) firms have apprenticeships and graduate entry schemes, there’s no single entry route. So getting a job as an estate agent might involve going straight into a trainee job from school, starting in admin and transferring to the sales side later, or switching into agency after a career in sales or even a military career – like Nick Goble of Winkworth, who joined the property world after his time in the army.

There are, though, a number of things you can do that will improve your chances. For a start, younger applicants should try to get some work experience, perhaps working in support functions or through job shadowing. Recruiters will see not just an applicant who’s serious about a career in property, but also someone who understands just what they’re in for having seen what the working day in an agency branch is like. Anthony Hesse of Property Personnel even suggests candidates straight out of school or university might try to get some customer service or sales experience in another sector first, to hone their skills and boost their CVs.

Those who are switching career need to highlight those skills and experiences that transfer across to the negotiator’s role: hitting sales targets, providing great customer service, solving problems, making presentations. You might not have been your firm’s top seller in terms of volume, but perhaps you were the one who was always called on for ‘difficult’ customers or when a potential buyer had gone cold. Be prepared to explain what you did and why it worked.

Estate agency is a sales job, so you have to be persuasive and have good presentation skills.”

Estate agency is a sales job, so you have to be persuasive and have good presentation skills. That requires confidence and cool, rather than braggadocio. Saying, “I’m the best” is bragging – explaining why you are an excellent candidate “because I have a track record of sales success and the ability to organise my time well” is persuasive. And Graham Martin, of Orchard Recruitment, says “You need to stand out”, but he warns candidates, “avoid clichés – they’ve heard them all before.”

Many candidates just fire off CVs to every agent in sight. A more targeted approach, researching each agency to understand its market positioning and culture, will pay dividends. Do they sell at the very top of the market, or are they mid-range? Are they innovative? Do they have a house style – pushy, relaxed, posh? With that information in hand, covering letters can be precisely targeted to each agency.

Persistence also helps. Some job hunters organise themselves to make follow up calls on the phone a couple of days after they deliver their CV. This isn’t just a one-way communication, a chance to sell yourself; it’s also a chance to find out information; what is the firm looking for in an agent, and what experience would they like to see on your CV that isn’t there at the moment?

Social media can also be a big help in looking for the right job. LinkedIn and Twitter are used by a lot of businesses…”

Social media can also be a big help in looking for the right job. LinkedIn and Twitter are used by a lot of businesses, and LinkedIn gives the chance to contribute to discussions and keep up to date on industry news. Getting a good bunch of contacts and a good reputation on LinkedIn doesn’t just help get that first job, it can also help with progressing your career further down the line.

Keep up to date

Keep up to date on agency news with industry web sites like TheNegotiatorJobs.co.uk. It’s always good to know whether an agency is expanding, or whether it’s cutting branches – obviously a job hunter is in with a better chance at the company that’s growing.

Using a recruiter

Using a recruiter can make sense. There are a number of recruiters who specialise in the agency sector, which is probably a better way forward than applying through a general recruitment firm – they have a good feel what each of their clients is looking for and whether a particular candidate makes a good fit.

Above all

Above all, though, job hunters need to make a 100% commitment to a career in estate agency. If an interviewer gets the impression that the candidate sees agency as a stop gap rather than a long term career, it’s the kiss of death to that candidate’s chances of getting the job. And you’ll need to have a good answer to the question: “Why do you want to become an estate agent?” Being ‘a people person’ or enjoying the latest series of Location, Location, Location are not good answers!

The post How to get a job as an estate agent appeared first on The Negotiator.

The more experience you have of the entire process and how it works, the more attractive a candidate you become for a job selling new developments.

Selling off plan poses particular challenges; the property being sold doesn’t actually exist yet, so negotiators need to be able to paint prospective purchasers a picture of what the development will look and feel like when it’s completed, and win them over using a brochure and artists’ impressions – more difficult than taking buyers to visit an existing house or flat. And the deadlines are very tight, with most developers giving buyers only 28 days to move from reserving the property to exchange of contracts. In addition to winning sales, negotiators may have to help buyers choose between various options for finishes, and may also need to deal with builders and decorators to ensure faults are put right and properties are completed to the purchaser’s specification. They may even have to save the day when poor workmanship or late completion of the construction process cause problems.

Most openings in new homes sales demand previous experience of estate agency. That ensures candidates understand the basics of the job – particularly the whole conveyancing process and the mortgage business, and how to progress a sale. The more experience you have of the entire process and how it works, the more attractive a candidate you become for a job selling new developments. So if you’re not already working in an agency, that’s where you’ll probably need to start.

Just occasionally, developers take on trainees with sales experience in other sectors. Telesales might get you in, but they generally prefer face-to-face sales experience – for instance from the motor trade or travel agents.

Any involvement with buy-to-let investors should be stressed in both the covering letter and your CV.

Any candidate who has dealt with property investors as well as home buyers will have a clear advantage, since buy-to-let accounts for a good percentage of most new build sales. Understanding how investors run their slide rules over a property, what they’re looking for and what questions they will ask, is vital. Any involvement with buy-to-let investors should be stressed in both the covering letter and your CV.

“You have to understand a marketing strategy,” says Anthony Hesse of Property Personnel – so flag up any marketing qualifications or experience.

Whether you’re working within an agency or directly for the developer, you’ll also need to be able to promote that developer’s brand. “You have to understand a marketing strategy,” says Anthony Hesse of Property Personnel – so flag up any marketing qualifications or experience.

Be ready to provide evidence within your CV that you fit the bill. Hirers will want to see evidence of sales success, but they’ll also want to see problem-solving abilities, ability to work to tight deadlines, and preferably some training in the basics of the sales process (perhaps through study towards NAEA | propertymark qualifications). If you’ve been involved in progressing a particularly awkward transaction, boast about it; de-snagging is one of the key skills for a new homes negotiator.

Some experienced negotiators are lucky enough to be able to transfer across to new home sales within the same firm. Others have to look for a job elsewhere. Read the local newspaper on property supplement day to ensure you’re aware of what new developments are going on in the area, and note which agencies are handling the business. Those will be your first port of call.

Reading the local press means you’ll also get a good feel for how different developers present themselves, and if you read the accompanying articles, how buoyant the market is – are people queuing up for homes on new sites, or are developers having to promote their properties with giveaways or special deals? You might consider improving your understanding of the housebuilding sector by visiting the various developers’ websites.

Read the local newspaper on property supplement day to ensure you’re aware of what new developments… note which agencies are handling the business. Those will be your first port of call.

As for getting a job in resale, it may help to use a specialised recruiter, who can give you advice on any shortcomings in your CV or any areas you should emphasise, as well as helping match you up with the right job. But you can also approach both agents and developers directly. Be sure, though, why you want to move into new homes – because it’s a stressful life, and since most sites open when buyers most want to visit… you guessed it; you may never have a weekend off again.

The post How to get a job as a new home sales negotiator appeared first on The Negotiator.

The 2018 Property sector Salary Survey by RICS/Macdonald & Company showed that salaries for men and women with professional qualifications increased, on average, by 12 per cent, in 2018, with average salaries now £58,633 and average bonuses of £15,703.

If that figure sounds high to you, you may be female – males earn, on average, £61,705, (up by 12.3 per cent on 2017) while the average for a female is £47,260 (up by 7.8 per cent). So, no pay parity just yet for women, but things are getting better – the survey also revealed that the gender pay gap for those aged 26 or under remains at 3.5 per cent.

People should be able to bring their whole self to work in an inclusive environment, celebrating their individual talent, irrespective of differences.”

However, male or female, the lead message coming from the property sector Salary Survey 2018 is that professional qualifications do, in due course, lead to higher rewards. On average, RICS qualifications will bring a 21 per cent higher base salary and 65 per cent of respondents reported that they had received a salary increase – averaging 6.3 per cent, along with bonuses that averaged £15,703.

MOVERS AND SHAKERS

Good salaries and working conditions certainly bring the candidates into a business – but temptation is never far away and the better the staff member is, the more likely they are to be ‘poached’. Thirty four per cent of respondents said they are very, or fairly, likely to move on in the next 12 months, which also goes some way to understanding the pay rises, along with the fact that 74 per cent said that their primary motive for moving on is a better salary.

GEOGRAPHIC IMPLICATIONS

There are some constants in financial reward, but the property sector salary survey 2018 discovered that while Greater London, with an average pay rise of 12.7 per cent remains the overall honeypot, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland recorded the highest growth in annual salaries of 19 per cent, while the South East recorded a 13.9 per cent growth. East Anglia has the lowest average salary at £50,285.

EXTRA TREATS

There are other sweeties in the bag, of course. While the use of a company car fell slightly to 19 per cent, the most attractive benefits were a mobile phone (69 per cent), a contributory pension (66 per cent) and paid professional subscriptions/fees at 64 per cent.

JOB SATISFACTION

A YouGov survey published in August 2017 found that 67 per cent of people in the ABC1 social grades said they either love or like their jobs. Trumping that is the happy property professional, with a significant figure of 83 per cent saying that they are either fairly or very happy with their current job. However, being happy does not stop us wanting more, as many an employer has discovered – the job market offers constant temptation!

To go to RICS website for further reading, click here.

Barry Cullen, RICS
Diversity & Inclusion Director

“The results from this survey show that the built environment continues to be an attractive sector to work in with professionals’ pay hitting highs not seen since the financial crisis. As headcount is expected to increase in 2018, employers are placing greater focus on attracting and retaining talent, with attractive pay and benefit packages. However, organisations must embrace an offering beyond a salary and benefits package if we are to truly diversify the profession and meets the needs of our future.

“In 2018, the gender pay gap still remains evident and whilst it is significantly less for those under 26, more still needs to be done. People should be able to bring their whole self to work in an inclusive environment, celebrating their individual talent irrespective of differences. For the property profession to be a world leader in Diversity and Inclusion we need to place it at the heart of an organisation and ensure we retain our talent and build off the great advances we are seeing with our younger professionals.”

The post Property sector Salary Survey 2018 – Good news for property professionals appeared first on The Negotiator.

If you are interested in becoming a lettings property manager you need to know what the job entails.

So what is the overall role of the property manager and how will you meet the expectations of the recruiting firm?

Ensuring the effective management of the residential properties in their allocated portfolio and delivering a quality service to landlords and tenants.

The main objectives won’t be very different from firm to firm, though you may choose to put a slightly different emphasis on particular aspects – for instance some firms may stress effectiveness and cost, others may put a greater value on ensuring top quality customer service. Be ready for both approaches.

If this overall description fits your hopes and aspirations for your career, you now need to get to the nitty gritty of the role.

You need to know the specific tasks involved in achieving these objectives.

• compliance – checking tenants’ right to reside in the UK, carrying out credit checks, ensuring deposits are protected
• paperwork – ensuring leases are correctly drafted, handling renewals
• arranging for regular inspections of the property
• day to day liaison with tenants, in particular where repairs need to be made.

‘Managing finance’ should include the collection of rent, but also the management of payments to contractors.

Under ‘managing the property’, the manager’s tasks include arranging for regular maintenance and cleaning, ensuring gas safety certificates are up to date and that electrical safety checks have been carried out and documented, and arranging for EPCs, as well as attending to repairs – hiring contractors and checking that the repairs have been made and are up to specifications.

Depending on the level of your experience (and it could be zero) you won’t necessarily be expected to fulfil all these roles on arrival; you may need training and you may need simply to gain experience. The job description you’re answering will give you a steer on what the role requires and at what level of responsibility and experience.

You can be honest with your interviewer, but your research (like this article) will give you the right questions to ask and the knowledge to show at least, you understand what the job will entail and how your career can progress.

A good property manager needs to be able to prioritise their own work; it’s not a job for people who need to be told what to do next, nor for people who get caught up in ‘firefighting’ depending on the latest phone call to come in.”

The detail of the job description and vacancy you’ve applied for will vary depending on exactly how the firm is organised. For instance, the extent to which property managers are responsible for finance may differ from firm to firm, as will the boundaries between the negotiator’s job and the property manager’s when taking on new tenants.

We’re all individuals!

Your interviewer will look at the property manager (you!) as an individual, as well as at the tasks they expect you to do. The interview will be looking for certain competences that the property manager needs to possess – that is, your skills, knowledge, and experience, so this should have been outlined in the job advert. It is fine to stretch yourself for a new role – in fact you positively should aim high if you are looking for career progress – but if you are entirely outside of the realm of experience the job is asking for, you may need to lower your sights.

Some features of a good property manager

For instance, attention to detail is important. Without that, repairs that need to be made are forgotten about, rent payments may come in late, keys get lost, and neither tenants nor landlords will be happy with the service they are getting. A good property manager also needs to be able to prioritise their own work; it’s not a job for people who need to be told what to do next, nor for people who get caught up in ‘firefighting’ depending on the latest phone call to come in.

As a candidate you’ll need to have interpersonal skills enabling you to deliver great customer service, work under pressure, and handle dispute resolution where there’s a disagreement between tenant and landlord, or issues with a contractor’s performance.

Other competences

Other competences may be stated in a much more specific way in the job advert. For instance, a residential lettings property manager may be required to possess ARLA qualifications and membership. IT skills might also be quite specific; you may decide to stipulate familiarity with particular computer programs such as Microsoft Office (Word, Excel), Sage, Reapit or Rentman. If you have such experience and familiarity, bring it to the table – if you are competent in one app or software programme, you can be competent in any.

Put all this together

Put all this together and you’ll be in the right direction to be a successful property manager. If you are a good candidate, you’re highly sought-after in the current market. So go for the adverts that present an attractive company profile. The recruiting company needs to sell itself to you too – it’s not just a one-way street. Look out for how long the firm’s been established, what training and career progression are on offer, look for a steer on the company culture, and what make that company different from the rest.

Good property managers aren’t easy to find, so if you are good material, make sure you find a good company to work for!

Useful contacts: 

Letting agent comparison site: Rent Round

The post So you want to be a lettings property manager appeared first on The Negotiator.