The Complete Agent - The Podcast For Premium Real Estate Agents

Ian Storey, David Warburton and James Kendall

Hosted by top-performing estate agents David Warburton, Ian Storey and James Kendall. The Complete Agent Podcast is your weekly inside track on building a smarter, more profitable estate agency.... without the fluff.  With over 60 years of combined experience, your hosts bring real-world strategies, proven marketing tactics, and honest conversations from the front lines of the UK property market. Each episode delivers practical insights on winning premium listings, commanding five-figure fees, navigating market shifts, and building a brand that attracts the right clients. Whether you're an independent agent, self-employed, or scaling your own agency, this is the podcast you’ll wish you found sooner. Direct mail, social media, mindset, market insight, and the systems we actually use - all laid bare. Join the UK's most ambitious agents and start becoming a Complete Agent. Join the Private Facebook Group here! - https://www.facebook.com/groups/911153513904767/

  1. 6d ago

    136. If We Started Our Estate Agencies Again Tomorrow, We'd Do THIS w/ Special Guest Simon Gates

    If you had to start your estate agency again tomorrow, knowing everything you know now, what would you do differently? In this episode, James Kendall and Dave Warburton are joined by Simon Gates for a detailed conversation about how they would build an estate agency from scratch in 2026. Simon draws on conversations with hundreds of agents to explain why there is no single winning business model. High street, self-employed, brokerage, boutique and volume models can all work. The bigger mistake is trying to be everything to everyone. His advice is to decide exactly what you want to be known for and commit fully to it. The trio discuss whether they would open a high street office, how tightly they would niche their patch and why your personal brand may be more important than your company brand when starting out. They also reveal where they would spend their first marketing budget. Direct mail, video and brand come out on top, while expensive offices, unnecessary technology, multiple portals and scattergun leaflet drops are questioned. Fees inevitably come into the conversation too. Would they launch immediately at 2% with no stock or track record? The consensus is that you should never build your lead generation around being cheap, although there may be occasions early on where doing a strategic fee deal helps secure the right instruction and build credibility. Simon then answers one of the most useful questions in the episode: how would you get your first ten instructions? His answer starts with the phone. Contact everyone you know, tell them what you're doing, ask for introductions, reviews and opportunities. If he needed an instruction that day, he would then go and knock on doors. The group also discuss hiring, outsourcing and why business owners need to remove themselves from low-value administration as early as possible so they can focus on winning stock and generating revenue. Finally, Simon shares perhaps the most important lesson he would implement from day one: mindset. Skills, marketing and systems matter, but if you don't genuinely believe you are good enough to win the instruction, command the fee or compete at the premium end, that doubt will follow you into the living room. A practical episode for anyone starting an agency, going self-employed or rebuilding an existing business with the benefit of hindsight.

  2. Sep 24

    135. You Want 2%. But Are You Actually Worth It?

    In this episode of The Complete Agent Podcast, James Kendall, David Warburton and Ian Storey challenge one of the industry's favourite pieces of advice: "charge more". Because while plenty of estate agents are undercharging for the value they deliver, there is another uncomfortable question worth asking. Are some agents already charging too much for the service they actually provide? The conversation explores what really separates a premium estate agent from somebody who simply has premium looking marketing. Dave shares a recent £1.4 million valuation where every competing agent was considerably cheaper, yet the seller ultimately told him she believed he could achieve more for the property and was therefore prepared to pay more. The difference was not simply photography, video or brochures. It was the entire experience, from the initial contact and personal brand through to market knowledge, questioning, strategy and confidence. James challenges the idea that great photography automatically makes an agency premium. If your marketing is exceptional but you cannot negotiate, communicate effectively or properly qualify a buyer, are you really offering a premium service? He shares an example of a £1.75 million seller whose existing "premium" agent presented a £1.7 million offer without even knowing the buyer's position. Ian explains why tangible evidence still matters. Stories tracks metrics including percentage of asking price achieved, reductions, sale success rates and time to exchange, allowing the team to demonstrate performance rather than simply claim to be better. The conversation also goes deep into negotiation. The group discusses why too many agents effectively negotiate on behalf of the buyer, why asking a seller "what's the lowest you'll take?" can immediately destroy value, and how a skilled agent can often earn their entire fee simply through better negotiation. Finally, they tackle the mindset behind charging premium fees. Can an agent genuinely be worth 2% but still lack the confidence to ask for it? And if you would not confidently instruct your own agency at the fee you are quoting, what needs to change? A candid discussion about value, confidence, negotiation and what being a genuinely premium estate agent actually means.

  3. Sep 17

    134. Presentation gets you considered. Pedigree makes you credible. Consistency makes you trusted.

    What actually separates a premium estate agency from everyone else? In this episode, James Kendall, David Warburton, Ian Storey and Michelle Smith unpack the key lessons from the latest Complete Agent Mastermind and share the practical changes agents are making to improve their positioning, fees, client experience and profitability. The conversation starts with brand presentation and pedigree. The group explains why sellers are judging your business long before you ever sit in their living room, from your Google profile and reviews to your website, social media, stock and overall consistency. One of the central ideas from the session was simple: presentation gets you considered, pedigree makes you credible and consistency makes you trusted. They also share some of the results TCA members are now achieving. Members who once operated around 0.75% to 1% fees are now securing 2% instructions, while others have moved to minimum fees of £10,000 plus VAT. The conversation explores how that shift comes from confidence, better positioning and actually implementing the work consistently rather than simply changing a fee sheet. Michelle then breaks down the valuation journey and why agents should stop thinking about booking valuations and start thinking about booking instructions. The team discusses the importance of the first phone call, reducing friction, building trust early and even servicing prospective sellers as buyers before the valuation appointment so they experience the level of service first hand. James also shares how AI is being used inside the business to create more detailed, personalised valuation reports in a fraction of the time. Work that could previously take 30 to 45 minutes can now be reduced to around five to ten minutes, while still creating a more bespoke and professional client experience.

  4. Sep 12

    133. The Estate Agent Who Increased His Fees By 65% And Still Grew Ft. Michael Parry

    Michael Parry of Frank Modern and Parry & Grace joins James Kendall and David Warburton to talk about what it really takes to move an estate agency upmarket. Mike shares how Frank Modern grew from a start up launched during lockdown into a successful volume agency, but also reveals the uncomfortable reality behind the numbers. The business looked successful from the outside, yet margins were tight and being busy did not necessarily mean being profitable. That led to a major change in mindset. Mike and the team increased their fees, invested more heavily in their marketing and became more selective about the clients they worked with. Since 2023, their average completion fee has increased by 65%. Despite completing slightly fewer sales this year, higher fees and upfront marketing charges mean the business has generated more revenue. The conversation explores the shift from a "win at all costs" mentality to what Mike calls "with or without you energy", and why having the confidence to lose an instruction can ultimately create a stronger business. Mike also explains why Frank Modern eventually created a completely separate premium brand, Parry & Grace. As £1 million plus instructions began coming through their direct mail campaigns, they discovered that their existing stock could sometimes undermine their positioning with premium sellers. At the same time, mainstream sellers occasionally wondered whether Frank Modern had become too expensive or exclusive for them. The episode goes deep into the practical changes that helped drive that growth, including handwritten direct mail, better use of property market data, presenter led video, premium marketing and learning how to demonstrate value rather than simply telling sellers what their home is worth. James and David also discuss why moving into the premium market requires genuine financial commitment, why sellers judge an agency long before the valuation appointment and why agents who want higher fees first need to create a service worth paying more for. Ultimately, this is an episode about backing yourself, becoming comfortable with losing the wrong instructions and building an agency around profit and value rather than volume and market share.

  5. Sep 3

    132. Why Estate Agents Need To Stop Hiding Behind Technology Ft. Amy Bibiris

    What happens when you combine premium estate agency, cutting edge technology and honest conversations about the pressures of business ownership? This week's episode welcomes Smart Compliance's Amy Bibiris to the podcast alongside Michelle Smith and James Kendall for a wide ranging discussion covering everything from unforgettable valuation stories to the future of estate agency. James opens with a heartfelt reflection following the tragic loss of a long standing client and friend, leading to an important conversation about mental health, asking for support and why no business challenge is worth facing alone. The discussion then shifts to Amy's journey from branch manager to PropTech leader, exploring how technology has transformed estate agency over the past two decades. From shared office computers and mail merges to AI and automation, Amy explains why technology should support estate agents rather than replace them. The panel also tackles one of the industry's biggest blind spots, Anti Money Laundering compliance. They discuss the common mistakes agents still make, why many businesses are unknowingly exposing themselves to significant fines, and why outsourcing specialist tasks can free agents to focus on winning instructions and delivering exceptional service. Finally, Amy shares practical advice on winning valuations, asking for the business with confidence, door knocking effectively and why the best agents still rely on genuine human connection rather than hiding behind technology. A thoughtful episode full of practical advice, industry insight and a timely reminder that estate agency remains, above everything else, a people business.

  6. Aug 28

    131. The Conversation That Saved a Million Pound Sale

    What separates a busy estate agency from one that consistently delivers premium results? In this episode, Dave Warburton and Ian Storey discuss the realities of running a high performing estate agency, from managing the emotional highs and lows of the business to handling difficult conversations with clients and keeping sales together. Ian shares how taking time away from the office has reinforced the importance of building a business that doesn't rely on the owner being present every day. He also talks about winning back a £2 million instruction after it left for a competing agent and why consistent service always outlasts reputation alone. Dave reflects on returning from holiday to one of the healthiest pipelines his business has ever had, despite losing £25,000 worth of fees through fall throughs. The discussion explores why resilience is essential in premium agency and why one setback should never define the direction of the business. The pair also dive into one of the biggest misconceptions in today's property market. Is the market actually slow, or are overpriced homes creating the illusion that buyers have disappeared? Through real examples, they explain why pricing strategy remains the single biggest factor in achieving successful sales. The conversation finishes with an insightful discussion around sales progression, client psychology and why understanding how buyers and sellers feel is often more important than simply giving them the facts. A practical episode packed with real stories, premium agency lessons and advice for estate agents looking to build a stronger business.

  7. Aug 20

    130. The 80/20 Rule That Could Transform Your Estate Agency

    What would your estate agency look like if it no longer depended on you being involved in everything? In this episode of The Complete Agent Podcast, James Kendall, Ian Storey and Michelle Smith explore how to build a more systemised, focused and ultimately more valuable estate agency. Ian shares the work he has started inside Storeys to understand exactly which properties generate the best combination of fee, ease of sale and profitability. Rather than simply chasing more instructions, the aim is to identify the types of homes the business actively wants to attract and then understand exactly where those clients are coming from. That means analysing completed and agreed business, identifying the source of each instruction and working out which marketing activities genuinely produce the right clients. The conversation moves into the 80/20 principle and why many agents could be spending significant amounts of time and money on activities that produce very little commercial return. James explains how one premium instruction can generate several further instructions further down the chain, particularly when an agency becomes good at recognising opportunities and asking for the business. He also shares why market update campaigns have become one of the most productive sources of new instructions within his business. Michelle brings the operational perspective, explaining why systems alone rarely solve the problem. Processes only work properly when the culture, people and expectations inside the business support them. She also explores why business owners need to identify the small number of activities producing the majority of their results and deliberately increase their focus on them. The conversation then turns to brand positioning, service and consistency. The team discusses how becoming known for a particular standard of property and client experience can create genuine brand preference, where sellers actively want your board outside their home and specifically seek you out. A useful episode for any estate agency owner who wants more control, better margins, stronger positioning and a business that can eventually operate without them being involved in every decision.

  8. Aug 13

    129. Why Some Estate Agents Will Never Break Into the Premium Market

    What does it really take to move from being a traditional estate agency competing on price to becoming a premium brand capable of commanding higher fees and attracting better instructions? In this episode, James Kendall, Dave Warburton, Ian Storey and Michelle Smith share the very different journeys that took their businesses upmarket. James reflects on moving from lower value stock and one per cent fees into marketing homes worth several million pounds. Ian explains why he became selective almost from day one and how saying no helped shape the Stories brand. Dave shares how his original high volume model nearly broke the business before he completely changed direction and built Burton James around service, presentation and stronger fees. The conversation also explores why premium positioning goes much deeper than professional photography or a smart logo. Your website, social media, team, communication, confidence and the type of properties you choose to represent all influence how potential clients perceive you. Michelle identifies four common themes behind each of their transformations: having a strong reason to change, learning from people already achieving the desired result, gaining absolute clarity on the direction of the business and maintaining belief when things do not immediately go to plan. They also discuss why your team needs to understand the journey, why copying premium marketing without understanding the strategy behind it rarely works, and why becoming a better agent matters far more than chasing the latest software or industry trend. A candid conversation about changing your positioning, changing your mindset and building an agency capable of attracting the clients, properties and fees you actually want.

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About

Hosted by top-performing estate agents David Warburton, Ian Storey and James Kendall. The Complete Agent Podcast is your weekly inside track on building a smarter, more profitable estate agency.... without the fluff.  With over 60 years of combined experience, your hosts bring real-world strategies, proven marketing tactics, and honest conversations from the front lines of the UK property market. Each episode delivers practical insights on winning premium listings, commanding five-figure fees, navigating market shifts, and building a brand that attracts the right clients. Whether you're an independent agent, self-employed, or scaling your own agency, this is the podcast you’ll wish you found sooner. Direct mail, social media, mindset, market insight, and the systems we actually use - all laid bare. Join the UK's most ambitious agents and start becoming a Complete Agent. Join the Private Facebook Group here! - https://www.facebook.com/groups/911153513904767/

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