Utterly Indispensable Podcast for Estate Agents

Rob Graves

Welcome to The Utterly Indispensable Podcast for Estate Agents , your go-to podcast for insights, tips, and inspiration in the world of estate agency. Join us as we interview industry experts, successful estate agents, and thought leaders who share their experiences, strategies, and innovative ideas. Whether you're a seasoned professional or just starting out, our episodes are packed with valuable content designed to help you elevate your skills and enhance your services. Tune in to discover practical advice and fresh perspectives that will empower you to become a top-performing estate agent and take your agency to the next level. Subscribe now and start your journey towards excellence in estate agency! #EstateAgency #RealEstate #Podcast #IndustryInsights #ProfessionalGrowth

  1. 1D AGO

    “19 Weeks to Move House? Or 28 Days? The Conveyancing Revolution Estate Agents Can’t Ignore”

    In this episode, I sit down with Chris Scantlebury, founder of ProConvey — and a man on a mission to fix one of the biggest bottlenecks in our industry. Chris spent a decade inside conveyancing. He’s seen the chaos. The delays. The endless back-and-forth. The duplicated AML checks. The paper forms. The “we’re waiting on the other side” syndrome. So he did something about it. ProConvey’s Digital Sales Ready Packs are designed to get everything sorted on day one — ID checks, Source of Funds, Material Information A–C, TA forms, title documents, EPC data, even searches and contract packs. The result? ⏱️ Completions shaved by 20+ days📉 Fall-through rates reduced dramatically📈 A faster, cleaner, more professional pipeline We get into the uncomfortable truths too. Why do some agents resist upfront information?Is the industry addicted to slow?Are panel conveyancers creating a race to the bottom?And could AI finally help us hit 28-day transactions? This isn’t theory. It’s a proper look under the bonnet of how deals actually get done — and why speed, structure, and systems matter more than ever. If you’re serious about improving pipeline velocity, client experience, and profitability, this one’s for you. You can find Chris and book a demo at www.proconvey.co.uk or connect with him directly on LinkedIn. Because 19 weeks might be normal. But it doesn’t have to be.

    40 min
  2. FEB 12

    From Redundancy to £300k+ Profit, The Unfiltered Truth About Building a Modern Estate Agency

    This is not a glossy highlight reel.It’s a proper, boots-on-the-ground conversation with Tony Ruby, one of the most consistently high-performing agents in the UK and one of eXp’s global standouts. Tony didn’t start with a grand plan, a war chest, or a safety net. He started after redundancy, with responsibility on his shoulders, a fear of failing, and a decision that he was done building someone else’s business. In this episode, Tony walks through the real journey, the good, the brutal, and the bits most people leave out: How being made redundant became the turning point, not the end• Why most agents misunderstand fees, profit, and what “busy” really means• What it actually feels like to go self-employed with no guarantees• Building a personal brand before it became fashionable, and why that mattered• Why higher fees didn’t lose him clients, but didgive him his life back• The mistakes, the burnout warning signs, and the decisions he’d change• What eXp got right, and what people still get wrong about it• Why success looks different for different agents, and that’s the point This is a conversation about independence, responsibility, values, and building a business that works for you, not one that slowly eats you alive. If you’re an estate agent who’s ever thought:“I could do this better on my own”or“There must be a smarter way than this” You’ll see yourself all over this episode. No hype. No scripts. Just experience, perspective, and straight talking from someone who’s actually done it. 🎧 Guest: Tony RubyHelping and mentoring agents on their journeyeXp UK No.1 volume agent | No.2 worldwideQuadruple ICON | 5x Capping AgenteXp Agent of the Year 2022 📲 Connect with TonyInstagram: @tony_ruby_estate_agentEmail: tony.ruby@exp.uk.comYouTube: Tony RubyMobile: 07900 010 507 This one’s for agents who want ownership, not just another target.

    49 min
  3. FEB 5

    From 30 Clicks to Zero: How Alto Is Rebuilding the Estate Agency CRM for the AI Age

    This episode is a proper deep dive into the engine room of estate agency software. My guest is Riccardo Dawson, CEO of Alto Software Group, the platform powering over a third of the UK property market. But this isn’t a corporate victory lap. It’s an honest, behind-the-scenes look at what really happens when you take over a complex SaaS business, strip it back to fundamentals, and rebuild it for the future. We talk about:  What it actually takes to turn around a large PropTech business without breaking customer trust  Why Alto deliberately went “back to core” before chasing shiny new features  The concept of “jobs to be done” and why most CRMs quietly fail agents every day  How AI should removeadmin, not just repackage it  The uncomfortable ethics of AI in lettings, tenant scoring, and automated decision-making  Why some AI features are just hype, and which ones will genuinely change how agencies operate  What the estate agent of the next five years will really be managing (hint: it’s not dashboards) Riccardo also shares his non-linear career journey, from architecture and fashion startups to founding Yourkeys, selling to Zoopla, and ultimately leading one of the most influential software platforms in UK property. If you’ve ever complained about your CRM, felt overwhelmed by AI noise, or wondered what’s actually coming next for estate agencies, this episode will make you think very differently about where the industry is heading. This conversation is grounded, practical, occasionally uncomfortable, and absolutely essential listening for agency owners who want to stay relevant rather than reactive.

    55 min
  4. JAN 29

    HR, Helicopters & Tribunals: The Stuff That Can Wreck Your Business (and How to Avoid It)

    If you think HR is just contracts and common sense, this episode might save you a small fortune. In this episode, I’m joined by Paul Fitzsimmons – an HR and employment law specialist who’s spent 15+ years helping business owners avoid expensive, stressful, tribunal-shaped disasters. Paul doesn’t do fluffy HR. He’s run his own business. He understands commercial reality. And he’s seen everything – from cocaine-fuelled Christmas parties to dismissals that looked obvious… until they cost £60,000. We talk about:  Why you can’t just sack someone on the spot(even when they really deserve it)  The simple HR mistakes that land good businesses in serious trouble  What the new employment law changesactually mean – without the scaremongering  Why performance management should be constant, not reactive  Christmas parties, social media, drugs, discipline… and why alcohol plus staff is a legal minefield  The uncomfortable truth about average staff, tough decisions, and avoiding six months of misery  How bad HR drains profit, energy, and leadership time  Why outsourcing HR is often cheaper, safer, and saner than winging it We also get into Paul’s refreshingly honest take on conveyancing, margins, service quality, and why racing to the bottom on fees breaks businesses on both sides of the transaction. Paul brings humour, clarity, and zero nonsense. You’ll laugh. You’ll wince. And you’ll almost certainly rethink how exposed your business really is. If you employ people – or are thinking about it – this episode is required listening. How to contact Paul You can find Paul Fitzsimmons on LinkedIn. Drop him a message with your biggest HR headache and he’ll translate it into plain English before it becomes expensive.

    1 hr
  5. JAN 22

    The Beginning of the End for Property Portals? AI, Agents and the Fight Back

    What if the way buyers search for property is about to change forever?And what if estate agents finally have a way to loosen the grip of ever-rising portal fees? In this episode, I’m joined by Mal McCallion, a true industry heavyweight. Mal was there at the birth of PrimeLocation, helped launch Zoopla, and has spent over 25 years inside the engine room of property portals and proptech. Now he’s back — and this time he’s taking aim at the very model he helped create. We talk about how AI is already reshaping how buyers search, why traditional filters are broken, and how “vibe searching” will replace rigid portals. Mal explains why estate agents have been boxed into an expensive, outdated system — and how AI finally gives them leverage again. This is not a fluffy “AI might be useful one day” chat. It’s a hard look at what’s changing right now:– Why AI search will challenge portal dominance– How agents can win market share, cut costs, and increase revenue per deal– Why being small, local, and human may become your biggest advantage– What the next 2–3 years mean for estate agency businesses that adapt… and those that don’t If you’re an agent who wants to stay relevant, profitable, and in control of your future, this conversation will make you think — and probably make you uncomfortable in all the right ways. How to Contact Mal McCallion (Show Notes) Mal is currently touring the UK, speaking directly to estate agents about AI, portals, and the future of property search. Register for the UK tour:👉 https://myporta.ai/tour26 Email Mal directly:📧 mal@myporta.ai If you’re curious about where AI is really heading in property — not the hype, the reality — this is one conversation you’ll be glad you listened to.

    56 min

About

Welcome to The Utterly Indispensable Podcast for Estate Agents , your go-to podcast for insights, tips, and inspiration in the world of estate agency. Join us as we interview industry experts, successful estate agents, and thought leaders who share their experiences, strategies, and innovative ideas. Whether you're a seasoned professional or just starting out, our episodes are packed with valuable content designed to help you elevate your skills and enhance your services. Tune in to discover practical advice and fresh perspectives that will empower you to become a top-performing estate agent and take your agency to the next level. Subscribe now and start your journey towards excellence in estate agency! #EstateAgency #RealEstate #Podcast #IndustryInsights #ProfessionalGrowth

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