Rob’s long and successful career in the property market began when he was 16; he graduated with a BSc (Hons) Degree in surveying (estate management), is ARLA qualified, as well as qualified as a BSI internal auditor, attaining various accolades along the way. He was awarded the Who's Who Young Business leader 2008, ranked in the top 2% of company directors under 35; a position he held for three years running. easyProperty, a new online nationwide estate agency for the commercial and residential markets, is his latest venture in partnership with easyGroup.
1. How did you get into the property industry?
I’ve grown up in the property industry, it was the family business. Aged 16, I started working as an estate agent in Bishops Stortford Estate Agency practice and a year later, moved across to my family’s property development and investment company based in Harlow. I have a BSc (Hons) Degree in surveying (estate management) and also qualified as a BSI internal auditor,
I’ve been involved in many aspects of the industry, including working in a surveying practice, and later, overseeing land buying on the commercial aspect of one of the largest single regeneration projects in East London. Having being involved in multiple investment companies and start-ups, I saw an opportunity to branch out into an online estate agency. I managed to persuade easyJet founder, Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou, to get on board, and easyProperty was launched last September.
2. How does easyProperty differ from its competitors?
The biggest difference between us and our competitors is that ‘easy’ brand is already a household name, we are a brand that people already trust and know can deliver on its promises. Offering an alternative to consumers is what the ‘easy’ brand is all about. We saw a gap in a market that isn’t serving customers well, and easyProperty was designed to update an old, inefficient model, and we are making ground by embracing new technology. There’s been a shift in behaviour with people now making key transactions online. Our everyday shopping habits are propelled by the ability, and convenience, to pick and choose, with the consumer having full control. So why should the property sector be any different?
We help landlords list their properties on all the big online property portals such as Rightmove, Zoopla and Primelocation, where the vast majority of people looking for a house to rent are searching. But instead of charging commission on finding tenants, fees are upfront, and set at reasonable price points. easyProperty differs from traditional high street estate agents by offering the ability to choose exactly what you need and only paying for that service, without the fear of hidden fees.
3. easyProperty has referred to traditional high street agents as 'dead-weight', would you say that the high street as such is dead?
I don’t believe any estate agent starting today would believe they need a high street office. Being online, we don’t have to charge over-the-odds prices to cover expensive overheads. This makes us more agile and able to respond to what customers really need. When I started writing my business plan, I felt so excited because I was rewriting the rule book with easyProperty.
High street estate agents are extinct, they just don’t realise it yet. More and more people are putting faith in online transactions, seeing online portals are the new norm. Having a shopfront no longer instils trust and credibility, especially for estate agents, so there is a significant tide of people turning to online agents which are faring much better in terms of transparency. The marketplace is moving away from bricks and mortar, and easyProperty is determined to drag it into the digital age.
4. easyGroup has long been associated as a 'no frills' service provider, from pizza to now property, are you targeting a specific type of investor?
Our economies of scale mean that our services are much less expensive than traditional high street branches, so savvy investors realise our services can cut their costs to maximise returns while still providing an excellent level of service. The sector is naturally growing and so too is the base of investors, there is no set demographic - all investors want to be smart with their money.
5. Your sales website launches soon, how's that going?
As of September, we will be officially launching our nationwide, residential sales offering. It’s an exciting time for us as we’ve been building up to this point for the past year. We are working on some fantastic above-the-line advertising, from out of home posters to TV commercials, as well as social and PR activity. It’s all go.
Like our lettings, customers selling their houses with easyProperty will only ever pay for what they need. There will be no commission – just a flat, low, transparent fee. We’re here to challenge the high street agent model.
6. What are your predictions for the property market over the next six months?
The estate agency model will continue to evolve over the next six months, with the shift towards a customised experience being the driving force. New technology will be key in creating the impetus for more transparent and efficient ways of letting and selling a property, enabling customers to tailor their approach and take control of the process. As online estate agents become the new norm, we could see many of our competitors offer our flat fees to keep their customers, and a radical rethink from high street agents on their commission rates.
In the longer term, the marketplace will undoubtedly change, with technology coming into play significantly over the next decade, enabling innovations in the way we view a property, as well as the means of letting and selling it.
