Nathan Emerson, CEO set the scene by announcing Propertymark Protection Company Membership, Connect and the new Propertymark Qualifications Level 3 Certificate in Property Agency which is revolutionary for agents to help grow careers across the property sector due to its modular-based learning.
Member-led professional body
We listened to members and designed our new proposition to meet individual agents and their business's needs. Having reassessed not only the services we offer, but the whole membership structure, Company Membership will offer simple, cost-effective solutions across a host of business services, delivering wrap-around support to free up the time of agency directors so they can focus on clients, team development and agency growth.
Connect is another exciting new intuitive, bespoke tech platform to provide agents with an unprecedented opportunity to increase portfolios and harness additional income. It harnesses the power of the Propertymark member network in the UK and internationally to allow agents to refer business between credible, professional agents.
Buying Agents
Founder of Move iQ and co-presenter of C4's Location, Location, Location Phil Spencer announced a new Propertymark division devoted to supporting buying agents, designed to reflect changes and new opportunities in the property sector.
Spencer also encouraged housing stakeholders to think outside the box as we face a new era. With an ageing population and seismic demographic changes, the industry needs to evolve, and what property professionals can do to meet future challenges.
Keynote speakers to inspire
Sarah Beeny spoke about her experiences spanning a career in property development and what drove her forward through tough property markets maintaining how the sector is resilient. Claire Williams spoke openly about her time at the Formula 1 Williams team through challenging times and how she kept driving for peak performance expressing that true success will prove elusive without a strong team and there won't be one unless you invest in them and care.
The housing sector could save the economy
Daisy McAndrew, former Economics Editor at ITV fervently educated everyone on how decisions are reached within government, stating most politicians are economically illiterate, and, if Labour is successful, we may get some stability, which is better than the chaos we’ve had.
Every economic recovery has involved a building boom for the last 100 years apart from the last one, so the lack of investment has resulted in a shortage of housing and planning applications are at the lowest level ever. McAndrew thinks the penny has finally dropped whereby whichever party wins the 2024 election will finally do something about it. She further shared some wisdom that to grow the economy, the housing sector is the key, pushing hard on building which will have quick wins to impact the economy. Although too many government departments are involved in the planning and building side, local authorities have been disenfranchised and housing put into the hands of others.
However, it isn’t as straightforward as building more houses, as Ruby Hinchcliffe stated in the How Do We Tackle the Housing Crisis breakout session, there are not enough bricklayers and construction workers to meet the targets and since Brexit that’s got worse.
Helping everyone on the housing ladder with stamp duty savings, as well as giving the older population a stamp duty break was a theme from McAndrew and the Earl of Lytton who passionately spoke in the breakout sessions on solving the housing crisis too. The levelling up hasn’t happened as promised and with the revolving door of housing ministers, stabilisation is required, stated Rachel Hanniquet-Brooking who passionately spoke about the build-to-rent sector and the issues they have had.
PRS can adapt to change
Discussions across two breakout sessions which included Conor O-Shea, Generation Rent, Victor Chamberlain, Local Government Association, Valerie Bannister, Your Move, David Cox, Rightmove and Rory Cowan, the legal counsel who supports our Scottish Letting Helpline, all stated the Renters (Reform) Bill was trying to do too much too quickly. Whilst Scotland is going through a housing crisis, with a Housing Bill going through Parliament, lessons can be learnt on how they lost their Section 21 and how the Scottish PRS survived, with the key difference tbeing he outgoing government in Westminster couldn’t get right with additional grounds of possession and strengthening the courts missing impetus.
A change will come for the PRS across England with any new government, listening to all sides is key to getting it right and not promising to bring change immediately because it will damage the PRS further for everyone involved.
Helping agents be the best they can be
Whether knowing how to manage your social media channels, producing videos to promote your agency, or making your customer service ethos go across all staff – Propertymark One didn’t disappoint and provided so many helpful hints, tips, do’s, don’ts that can be instilled in every agency for business and personal growth.
A key theme is “it’s a team effort” so training staff and having policies in place can provide clear expectations, for example, having a customer service policy charter. During a workshop breakout session on the Art of Customer Culture, members learnt how customer service should be and how it feels to have bad customer service, and then produced ten things that can formulate a charter.
Future-proofing, with younger and new team members via an induction process, will empower everyone to be confident in sharing that ethos through all channels and media.
Inclusive membership
The smaller property divisions were also represented at Propertymark One to share with the wider sector how they can all work together and the benefits they can bring to each other. Auctions and Commercial Property are often seen as stand-alone sectors and sessions brought experts to the forefront in the education of how auctions can drive value for business and insights shared into how commercial agents see the potential income everywhere which can provide additional income for estate and letting agents.
Solutions to save time and money
No conference can be successful without its sponsors, and Propertymark One certainly had the cream of the crop. Rightmove was the headline sponsor and a tranche of platinum, gold and silver sponsors reaped rewards for delegates with offers, giveaways, money-saving initiatives, prizes, and merchandise to spread their services.
Don’t just take our word for it
The proof is always in the pudding, and positivity across our social channels and our photo gallery measures how all Propertymark One delegates came away with numerous tangible benefits, the ability to talk further with speakers on areas affecting them and their business, immeasurable networking, and the immense amount of expert wisdom to help them and their businesses grow.
