In the Spotlight with Paul Young

We caught up with Paul Young, Co-Founder of online estate agent, Settled.

Related topics:  In The Spotlight
Warren Lewis
5th March 2018
Paul Young

PR: How did you get into the property industry? Me and my co-founder (who is also my sister) were both influenced by our Dad who has been involved in the property industry for a long time. Out of university, we both spent time working in estate agents - me as a mortgage advisor and Gemma as an estate agent. It was here that we both got to see the inner workings of the property industry and began to see many of the problems that still drive us today at Settled. 

 PR: Would you agree that your business model is only attractive to a particular demographic, do many people over 50 use your service?  From the early days of Settled, we’ve always had a varied mix of customers; from ‘millenials’ who are stepping onto the property ladder, to seasoned sellers who are planning for retirement. While we’re a technology company, that doesn’t necessarily mean we only appeal to a younger audience. We’re gradually tackling each one of the problems that exist within a property transaction and that appeals to just about everyone. Providing you have a computer or a smartphone, there’s no reason not to use Settled!  

PR: How does Settled differ from its competitors?  We believe in empowering homeowners and moving to a place where we’re less reliant on middlemen. Settled gives both buyers and sellers the tools and product to make their home transaction journey as stress-free as possible. We are also by their side every step of the way, including the all important legal elements of a property transaction.

PR: How has Brexit and the current political climate affected business?  While uncertainty surrounding the Brexit negotiations has no doubt impacted the volume of transactions in the UK, the fundamentals of the UK residential property market remain strong and we’re on the right side of the economy, saving people time and money. 

PR: What do you love and hate about the property industry?  Love - That the UK proptech scene is flourishing. It’s great that investment into proptech is driving the emergence of so many customer-centric solutions to historic problems. Hate - That’s a tough one, but I’d have to say the availability of property data and information. There’s been some positive moves to make it more freely available, but we would love for this to happen soon, so that we can provide our customers with an even better service. 

PR: What property news headline would you most like to read in 2018?  “Sell your home in moments, not months” - Innovations such as artificial intelligence, virtual reality and blockchain will continue to change the way property transactions are conducted, putting more power in the hands of customers and removing lots of the delays associated with buying and selling a home.

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