The Estate Agent Consultancy Podcast
The Estate Agent Consultancy Podcast is where estate agents come to grow their business. Hosted by Chris Webb, we skip the fluff and get straight into the stuff that actually moves the needle, more listings, better fees, and a business that works for you (not the other way around). Expect real talk, proven strategies, and the occasional rant. Whether you’re scaling up or just starting out, this is the no-BS playbook for building a better agency.https://www.estateagentconsultancy.com/
The 3 Jobs of a Letting Agency CEO: Stop Doing 47 Things and Start Leading
Running a letting agency can make you feel like you have 47 jobs before lunch.
But as the business owner, your real CEO role is much simpler than we often make it: build the team, protect the money, and set the direction.
In this episode, we unpack why so many letting agency owners get stuck as operators, why everything still runs through them, and how to start stepping into the role your business actually needs from you.
Because growth doesn’t always come from doing more.
Sometimes it comes from finally letting go...
Most Agents Waste £500 a Month… Here’s What to Do Instead
If you’ve got a £500 monthly marketing budget, this episode helps you think about how to use it wisely.
We break down the importance of maximising all the free marketing opportunities available in your business before spending a single pound. From there, we explore how to approach paid marketing in a more intentional way, ensuring your investment actually supports lead generation.
This episode is all about building a strong foundation first—so when you do spend money, it works.
📚Want a free copy of the ‘Your First £100,000 Estate Agency’ book?
✅ DM me the word “BO...
The Letting Agent’s Dopamine Menu: How to Feel Better and Grow Your Business (At the Same Time)
Does your business feel like it’s taking over your life a bit?
You’re busy all day… but it never really feels like you’ve “won” the day.
In this episode, I'm talking about how to build small, productive dopamine hits into your day so you can feel more in control, more energised, and actually enjoy running your agency again.
No unrealistic routines.
Just simple, practical ways to make your day better, while still moving your business forward.
It’s about giving yourself enough small wins to keep going, keep gro...
Why You’re Barely Breaking Even (And How to Fix It)
If you feel like you’re constantly working but barely making a profit, this episode breaks down why.
We dive into the real impact of portal fees, marketing spend, and everyday costs like petrol—and how they quietly eat into your margins. We also explore how “business creep” happens, where expenses grow without you noticing, and why many one-person operators end up stuck in this cycle.
This episode focuses on understanding your return on investment, structuring your business more effectively, and making smarter decisions about where your money actually goes.
📚Want a free copy of the...
The Jam That Paralysed a Supermarket: The Paradox of Choice
On a Saturday afternoon in 2000, a psychologist set up a jam tasting in a posh Californian supermarket — and accidentally ran one of the most famous experiments in the history of consumer psychology. What she discovered turned everything we thought we knew about choice on its head. This week, Toby tells the story of the twenty-four jars that stopped a supermarket in its tracks, and explores what the Paradox of Choice means for estate agents who are quietly drowning their own buyers, vendors and landlords in too many options.
📚Want a free copy of the ‘Your First £100,000 Estate Agency’...
Estate Agency Is Un-finishable: Fees, Burnout & Building Belong, with James White
In this episode, I’m joined by James White (Belong by James White) to unpack the realities of building a profitable estate agency without sacrificing your health, standards, or sanity.
We go deep on what most agents don’t talk about: why agency work is unfinishable, how “full brain” overload leads to bad decisions, and how founders often hire help… only to fill the freed time with even more work.
We also get practical on what actually drives profit: relationship-led listing, knowing your market cold, charging sustainable fees (without relying on referral kickbacks), and building a business...
Why Being a “Local Lettings Legend” Is Your Ultimate Lead Gen Strategy
Landlords Don’t Want Big Brands Anymore (They Want You).
The big corporate agents might have the marketing budgets, the shiny offices, and the national brand recognition…
…but, they’re losing where it really matters.
Trust.
In this episode, we break down why becoming a “Local Lettings Legend” is no longer optional, it’s the fastest way to win more instructions and stand out in a crowded market.
Because while corporates are busy centralising, automating, and turning their service into a faceless process…
Landlords are looking for some...
The Digital Real Estate Gold Rush (And How to Dominate Your Town)
There’s a gold rush happening in the estate agency world right now—whether you realise it or not.
In this episode, we break down what it really means to secure digital real estate in your local area and why it’s becoming essential for winning listings and standing out as the go-to agent.
If you want to be seen as the local market expert before you even walk through the front door, this is a must-listen.
We explore how to position yourself as the “digital mayor” of your town—giving you a powerful adv...
The Renters’ Rights Act Is Not a Compliance Job… It’s a Pricing Opportunity
The Renters’ Rights Act isn’t just a compliance challenge. It’s a wake-up call.
In this episode, we explore why the biggest opportunity most letting agents are missing right now isn’t in their processes… it’s in their pricing.
As the role of a letting agent becomes more complex, more responsibility, more risk, more expectation, many are still charging fees based on what the job used to be, not what it is today.
We unpack how the job has changed, why “we’ve always charged this” is quietly damaging your business, and how to start t...
Why Feedback Is the Most Underrated Growth Tool in Your Estate Agency
Feedback might just be the most powerful (and underused) tool in your business.
In this episode, we dive into why feedback is the “golden bullet” for improving your estate agency—and how faster feedback cycles can help you spot problems early and fix them quickly.
We walk through practical methods and techniques to help you gather better feedback, more consistently, so you can make smarter decisions and continuously improve your service.
📚Want a free copy of the ‘Your First £100,000 Estate Agency’ book?
✅ DM me the word “BOOK” on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/estate...
Joshie's Holiday: How to Empower Your Team to Delight Your Customers
In the summer of 2012, a small boy left his stuffed giraffe at a luxury hotel in Florida. What happened next became one of the most retold customer service stories in business history, and it cost almost nothing. This week, Toby unpacks the Joshie the Giraffe incident, the radical trust policy that made it possible, and what a three-year-old's letter about bread can teach estate agents about turning small moments into lasting reputation.
📚Want a free copy of the ‘Your First £100,000 Estate Agency’ book?
✅ DM me the word “BOOK” on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/estateagent.consultancy/ a...
From High Street to National Network: Simon King’s Estate Agency Blueprint
What does it take to build one of the UK’s largest estate agency networks — and then do it all again?
In this episode, Simon King shares the journey from accidental beginnings in estate agency to founding and scaling a national network of over 1,000 independent agents. We explore the mindset behind growth, risk-taking, fail-fast innovation, and building real enterprise value — not just turnover.
We also dive into the changing landscape of conveyancing, why transactions take longer today, and how estate agency models are evolving toward self-employed networks and hybrid structures.
At the heart of it...
Why Your Letting Agency Is Getting More Complaints (And What No One Tells You About Fixing It)
Ever feel like everyone’s just… a bit more difficult lately?
More complaints. More chasing. More tension with tenants and landlords.
In this episode, we get into what’s really going on and why even the best agents are feeling the pressure right now.
It’s not just the Renters’ Rights changes or tenants becoming more demanding. It’s something far more subtle (and fixable).
We talk about the small communication gaps that turn into big frustrations, how “silence” is often the real trigger behind complaints, and why the agents who feel in control...
She Said She’d Double Her Business… She Did It in 12 Months
A year ago, Michelle Killoran came on the podcast with a clear goal: double her estate agency business.
Now she’s back—and she’s done it.
In this episode, we revisit the plan, what she implemented, and what made the biggest difference to her growth.
We talk about:
•Where her business was vs where it is now
•The power of consistency in lead generation
•Turning social media into a reliable source of instructions
•The reality behind growth—not just the highlight reel
•What’s now holding her back from the next l...
How the Books I’ve Read Shaped My Letting Agency (And How They Can Transform Yours Too)
Something really simple that’s had a huge impact on my growth, both personally and in business, is building a habit of consistent learning.
That’s why inside the Lets Grow community, I share a ‘recommend read of the month.’
Now, this isn’t about adding pressure or giving you another thing to do—it’s actually the opposite. It’s about creating a really simple rhythm of learning that compounds over time.
We spend so much time working in the business, we rarely step back and work on ourselves. And that’s usually the thing...
How to Increase Your Market Appraisal Instruction Rate by 37%
In this episode, we look at how to increase your market appraisal instruction rate by up to 37% by using a proven framework when pitching to sellers.
The agents who win more instructions are not always the cheapest, the best known, or even the most experienced. They are the ones who can clearly show sellers why their approach works.
This episode covers how to build and present a valuation framework that makes you stand out, separates you from other local agents, and gives sellers confidence that you are the right person to market their property.
<...The $25 Tyre Refund: The Economics of Saying Yes
In 1979, a man walked into a department store in Fairbanks, Alaska, rolling a pair of used car tyres. The store sold cashmere, not carburettors. It had never stocked a single tyre in its life. And yet a sixteen-year-old sales associate gave the man a refund, and accidentally created the most famous customer service story ever told. This week, Toby tells the extraordinary true story of the Nordstrom tyre return, unpacks the principle of employee empowerment and the economics of trust, and explores what it all means for estate agents who want to build a brand people can’t stop ta...
No Plan B: Dan Woods on Winning as a Self-Employed Agent
In this episode, I sit down with Dan Woods to talk about what it truly means to go self-employed in estate agency.
From leaving a demanding corporate role during COVID to building a thriving personal brand and carving out a niche in the new build sector, Dan shares the mindset, sacrifices, and relentless work ethic behind his success.
We explore the realities of independence — the pressure, the obsession, the fear of going back — and why having “no plan B” can become your biggest driver.
If you’re considering self-employment, building a personal brand, or trying...
“Renters’ Rights Act: What Letting Agents Are Getting Wrong (And What You Actually Need to Know This Week)”
With less than a month to go now...there’s a lot of noise around the Renters' Rights Bill right now.
WhatsApp groups. LinkedIn posts. Conflicting advice.
And this week, I’ve had more messages from letting agents than ever asking:
“Can we still take upfront rent?”
“What actually happens to Section 21?”
“Do I really have to wait 12 months to serve notice?”
So in this episode, I’m walking through real questions I’ve been asked this week and giving you clear, practical, legally sound answers you can confidently use wit...
Estate Agency Is NOT a 24/7 Job (You’ve Just Made It One)
“I feel like I live in my car… I’m always on… I haven’t had a day off in ages.”
If that sounds familiar, this episode is for you.
Too many self-employed estate agents believe success means being available 24/7—but that mindset is exactly what leads to burnout, poor service, and ultimately fewer results.
In this episode, we tackle the real question:
👉 Is estate agency inherently a 24/7 job… or have you just built it that way?
We break down:
•Why being “always available” actually reduces client respect
•The fear of losing clients—...
The Ghost Landlord: The £10,000 Sitting in Your CRM You’re Ignoring
Let’s talk about something most letting agents won’t admit…
You’re spending hundreds on Facebook ads, Rightmove leads and Google campaigns, while completely ignoring the goldmine already sitting in your CRM.
Every week, you’re chasing cold prospects who’ve never heard of you.
Meanwhile, landlords who’ve already raised their hand…
requested a valuation…
enquired about your services…
or even instructed you in the past…
…are sitting quietly in your database, completely forgotten.
I call them “ghost landlords.”
And they are significantly more lik...
If You Sound Like a 3/10 Agent, You’ll Get 3/10 Results
If you’re a brilliant estate agent but struggle to communicate your value, you’re leaving instructions—and money—on the table.
In this episode, we break down why communication is the real skill that determines whether you win or lose business.
Because here’s the truth:
Clients don’t judge you on what you know… they judge you on how clearly you explain it.
If you’re a 10/10 agent but communicate like a 3/10, the market will see you as a 3/10.
📚Want a free copy of the ‘Your First £100,000 Estate Agency’ book?
The Violinist Nobody Heard: The Importance of Positioning & Context
In January 2007, one of the greatest violinists alive stood in a Washington DC Metro station with a £3 million Stradivarius and played some of the finest music ever composed. Over forty-three minutes, more than a thousand people walked straight past him. Only seven stopped. He earned about twenty quid. This is a story about what happens when extraordinary quality meets the wrong context — and what it means for every estate agent who’s ever wondered why their talent isn’t translating into instructions.
📚Want a free copy of the ‘Your First £100,000 Estate Agency’ book?
✅ DM me the word “BOOK” o...
The Estate Agency Data No One’s Talking About – with Simon Leadbetter
Sentiment is down — but sales are up. Why?
In this packed episode, Simon Leadbetter reveals what the UK’s most comprehensive agent research project, Voice of the Agent, says about the reality of the market versus how agents feel about it.
You’ll learn:
•Why pessimism persists despite positive fundamentals
•The AI tools and tech adoption trends shaping the industry
•How to reduce fall-throughs and shorten time-to-sale
•What elite agents are doing differently to grow in 2026
•Why database-first marketing beats lead-gen every time
📚Want a free copy of the ‘Your First £10...
The 7 Seconds That Win You the Instruction
They say it takes about 7 seconds to make a first impression.
And if you're a letting agent walking into a landlord valuation, that clock starts the moment you knock on the door, or does it?
Here’s the thing most agents miss…
Your first impression actually starts long before you arrive at the property.
It starts with your website.
Your social media.
Your marketing.
Your reputation.
In this episode we explore the five moments that form a landlord’s first impression of your a...
How Estate Agents Build Trust Without a High Street Office
In this episode of The Estate Agent Consultancy Podcast, we tackle a challenge many independent estate agents face: how to build trust and credibility without a High Street presence or a well-known brand behind you.
If you’ve ever been asked, “Do you actually have an office?” or felt underestimated as a solo agent, this episode is packed with practical strategies to help you position yourself as a highly professional, trusted expert—without needing a corporate name.
Learn how to confidently communicate your value, demonstrate authority, and turn your independence into your biggest competitive advantage. Discover...
Selling My Letting Agency: What I Wish I Knew Before I Sold
I nearly didn’t record this episode.
Because most of what I do is help letting agents start and scale their businesses… not sell them.
But after selling my own agency, it’s probably one of the things I get asked about the most, even more than the Renters’ Rights Act.
So in this episode, I’m sharing what I learned from actually going through the process.
Not theory. Not guesswork.
The real things buyers look at, what actually affects value, and the parts of your business that matter far more t...
How More Sales Is On The Other Side Of One Tough Conversations
In this episode of The Estate Agent Consultancy Podcast, we explore why having honest, sometimes difficult conversations with sellers is one of the most important skills in modern estate agency. If you’ve ever struggled with overpricing, unrealistic expectations, or nervous vendors, this episode gives you the confidence and strategies to lead from the front.
Discover how shifting your mindset—from being liked to being respected—can dramatically improve your results, helping you secure more instructions and generate faster offers in today’s market.
📚Want a free copy of the ‘Your First £100,000 Estate Agency’ book?
✅ DM me...
The Fancy Brownie: How the plate matters as much as the food, and what that means for every estate agent
A researcher bakes a single batch of brownies and serves identical pieces on a napkin, a paper plate, and a piece of fine bone china. Same brownie. Completely different reactions. People thought the one on china tasted richer, more sophisticated — and they’d pay almost double for it. In this episode, Toby tells the full story behind one of behavioural science’s most famous food experiments, unpicks the fascinating principle it reveals about how we assign value to things, and shows you exactly how to apply it to your estate agency — from your property photography to your office frontage to the w...
Why Most Estate Agents Will Fail (And How AI Can Save You) With Mark Burgess
Estate agents aren’t failing because they’re bad — they’re failing because the workload has become unfinishable.
In this eye-opening interview with property tech expert Mark Burgess, we break down why estate agencies are drowning in disconnected tools, how current “AI” isn’t solving the real problems, and what a true AI Operating System can do to fix it all.
Discover the Brain → Context → Operator model that will define the future of estate agency — and why agencies that don’t adapt may not survive the next 3 years.
📌 Learn how to:
•Avoid “accidentally scaling the prof...
The Dangerous Ego of Letting Agents (And How to Use It for Good)
Letting agents don’t talk about ego very often.
But it’s there.
Sometimes it pushes us to grow, compete and build better businesses.
And sometimes… it leads us to make decisions for the wrong reasons.
In this episode I’m sharing two stories from when I ran my own letting agency.
The first is about a time when my ego got the better of me, when I was more focused on what something looked like to others than what was actually best for the business.
Spoiler: it didn’...
Stop Dropping Your Fees: How YOU Can Hold Firm on Commission
One of the biggest challenges estate agents face is defending their fee.
You win the instruction… then the vendor or landlord says another agent will do it cheaper. Suddenly you feel the pressure to drop your commission just to keep the business.
But when you cave on your fee, something else happens — resentment. You end up doing the same work for less money, and it slowly chips away at your confidence and your business.
In this episode we talk about how to hold firm on your pricing without losing the instruction.
We c...
AI, Admin & The Agency Shake-Up with Alto CEO Ric Dawson
The property industry is changing fast. And according to Alto CEO Ric Dawson, many agents don’t even realise what’s coming.
In this episode, we unpack one of the most overlooked but disruptive shifts in the UK market: major housebuilders moving into Build-to-Rent and quietly removing huge amounts of stock from traditional agents. Could this be an existential threat to the high street agency model?
We also dive into the reality of AI in agency, cutting through the hype to explore how it’s already being used in lettings and valuations, the risks of algori...
4 Brutally Honest Lessons I Learned Before Turning 40 ( Today! )
Turning 40 makes you reflect on the lessons that took years — sometimes decades — to truly understand.
In this podcast episode I share four lessons that shaped my career, business, and mindset. These are things I wish I had understood much earlier, and they would have saved me a lot of time, stress, and mistakes.
In this episode we talk about:
1.Why nobody is coming to save you — and why taking full responsibility changes everything.
2.Why effort alone doesn’t guarantee results (and what actually does).
3.Why most people quit far too early — and why succes...
The $2 Hot Dog on a $300 Plate: Customer Service as Marketing
A group of tourists sit in one of the most celebrated restaurants on earth, surrounded by the kind of food most people only read about — and the one thing they can't stop talking about is a street hot dog. This week, Toby tells the story of how a $2 hot dog helped make Eleven Madison Park the best restaurant in the world, and explores the principle behind it: that the most powerful thing you can do for a customer isn't dazzle them with your product — it's listen to what they actually care about. Then he unpacks what this means for esta...
From Agent to Business Owner: Claire Readings on Scaling Smart in Estate Agency
Grab your tickets for Mega Camp here: https://megacamp.uk/tickets
Use WEBB50 at checkout for £50 off ( you're welcome! )
In this episode, Claire Readings (Keller Williams UK) reveals what separates top-performing agents from those who stay stuck. We explore:
Her journey from scaling House Network to leading at KWTactical lead gen advice using data and personalizationHow agents can shift from “busy” to “leveraged”The tools (and mindset) needed to build a real businessAI, marketing systems, and the problem with relying on past successA preview of MegaCamp UK—why it matters more than everWhet...
The 12 Landlord Questions Your Team Will Be Asked About the Renters’ Rights Act (And Exactly How to Answer Them)
The 1st May is just around the corner now, the lettings landscape and landlords are asking questions.
Lots of questions.
The problem is many letting agency teams don’t feel confident answering them. And when that happens, landlords start looking elsewhere for guidance.
In this episode, I’m breaking down 12 of the most common questions landlords will ask about the Renters’ Rights Act and exactly how your team should answer them.
This isn’t about memorising legislation.
It’s about giving landlords confidence that you understand the changes...
Scared of Looking Cringe on Video? Why No One Is Judging Your Content
In this episode of The Estate Agent Consultancy Podcast, we tackle one of the biggest barriers stopping estate agents from growing their personal brand online: the fear of being on camera.
Many agents know that video content — from Instagram Reels to TikToks and property walkthroughs — has become a powerful tool for attracting attention, building trust, and increasing property listings. Yet despite knowing this, countless estate agents still avoid posting because they worry their videos will look awkward, embarrassing, or “cringe”.
The truth is far simpler — and far more freeing.
In this episode, we break down...
From First Hire to Dream Team: Building a Lettings Agency That Scales with Lauren Harriss
I’m joined by Lauren Harriss, co-founder of Tate and Harriss, who specialise in recruiting for the property industry. If you’re looking to grow your agency, the reality is simple: your business will only ever be as strong as the team behind it.
Lauren spends every day helping agencies find, hire and retain the right people, so we dive into what it really takes to build a winning team.
We discuss:
• When you should actually start recruiting as your agency grows
• Why understanding the role you’re hiring for is more imp...
Stop Selling Houses, Start Selling the Community
In this episode of The Estate Agent Consultancy Podcast, we explore one of the most powerful yet underused strategies in modern estate agency: community marketing.
Many estate agents focus purely on transactions — listings, viewings, and completions. But the agents building the strongest and most recognisable brands understand something deeper: people don’t just buy property, they buy into a community.
Drawing on insights from consumer research and practical estate agency consulting experience, this episode breaks down how estate agents can position themselves not just as property sellers, but as trusted community figures who attract more buye...
