Working Together to Build New Opportunities

The fierce rivalry between some estate agents is the stuff of legend. But according to Kevin Ellis, founder of the Land and New Homes Network, agents working together can achieve fantastic results, especially when it comes to land and new homes. Property Academy asked him a few questions…

Q     Why have you created a network for the land and new homes sector?

A     The idea of non competing estate agencies working together to sell homes isn’t a new one, but in the rapidly growing sector of land and new homes it is. And working together is paying off handsomely for agents who are savvy enough to do it.

The land and new homes sector has massive potential for independent agents to bring in lucrative new revenue streams and forge profitable ongoing partnerships – it’s already offering real growth for agencies which are doing it properly.

It’s a big opportunity and one that online-only agencies or hybrids will have very little chance of cracking due to the importance of personal relationships cultivated over time.

Q    What can you tell us about building relationships with developers?

A    I’ve worked with developers and house builders for more than 15 years. They can be a demanding bunch but get it right and the benefits for your agency can be huge. Developers and house builders want to work with agencies that have land and new homes expertise, have slick new build marketing strategies and can offer exposure of properties to a wide audience.

To the uninitiated agent land and new homes can often feel like a mysterious dark art, but it isn’t when you know how the market works.

I’ve spoken with many independent estate agents who are keen to get involved but don’t have the knowledge, experience, budget or marketing reach to pitch successfully to developers and builders.
Here’s where working together within a network pays off.

Of course agents fighting for instructions and deals in a geographic area will never share their leads, learning or contacts with each other. Some don’t even speak to each other let alone do business together. But non-competing agents who are part of a network and selected because they meet the highest of professional standards in our industry, are attractive to house builders and developers with a capital A.

Q    What is the Land and New Homes Network about?

A    I set up the Land and New Homes Network in June.  My idea was to bring the best, non-competing independent agencies across the UK together to win more land and new homes deals. It was an idea born out of listening to builders and developers who were frustrated with agents who weren’t delivering the levels of service and audience they wanted.

The good news is a network working together can and already has delivered what the developers want – great service and results – and what the estate agents need – instructions and ongoing business from land sales, lettings and future sales commissions.

In the summer we had a great example of independents in Kent teaming up to win the opportunity to sell 47 homes in the county. The house builder builds a large amount of homes each year and was originally going to instruct a corporate agency but decided to go with the more personal feel of two smaller, perhaps hungrier agencies. The builders in question liked the idea of working with local market experts and because the agents were in separate towns the audience of potential buyers was much larger.

Along with my colleague Ian Stratford we are seeing more and more agents wise up to the power of partnerships. The lucrative land and homes market is only going to get bigger and more competitive as the Government see building more places for people to live as public priority number one.
You don’t have to be a sprawling corporate agency to get involved but you do need to learn how the market works, what developers and house builders expect want and be willing to form alliances and networks.

Before founding the Land and New Homes Network, Kevin Ellis previously spent 13 years running the successful New Homes department at Romans. He and Ian Stratford will be attending Property Academy’s New Homes LIVE event next Friday 14th October in London, where attendees can learn:

• The latest trends in marketing automation, content marketing, social media and PR
• How we can increase the perception of new homes through our marketing and communications
• What the decision to leave the EU will mean for house builders, the housing market and the UK economy

To find out more about the opportunities to grow your business and book your tickets click here.