Posted by & filed under Industry News, Opinion.

“Skills shortage” is something that I have become accustomed to hearing all too often over the past few years and even more so since the Brexit decision.

This opinion is voiced either in the newspapers, at networking events and while engaging with clients. So what is really going on and are we doing enough about resolving the issue?

Construction Skills Shortage and what is causing it?

The construction industry is one of the big players within the UK Economy, generating around £90bn year on year. It has around 2.9 million people working within it, which accounts for circa 11% of employment within the UK.

There is no doubt that since the crash of 2008 there have been fewer people joining the Property and Construction industry, as they are securing employment in more “stable” industries.

In addition to the potential loss of migrant workers post Brexit and economic instability in the UK impacting recruitment within construction. We also find ourselves with 27% of construction workers over the age of 50 and approaching the retirement age. With a lacking pipeline of people joining the industry and an ageing workforce, we will find that the skills gained by the older workers will retire with them reinforcing the shortage.

8% (175,000) of workers in the industry are EU nationals, with Brexit slowly creeping up on us, we need to look at how this is going to affect the industry. What are senior figures within the industry doing to ensure that migrant workers are protected? Will we be looking at the potential of an Australian based points system to ensure that we have skilled migrants within the UK? Getting the right deal to protect the industry is paramount, otherwise we could see the UK’s £500bn infrastructure project slowly coming to a standstill.

The issue is not just with the blue collar labour roles, but also the professional white collar side of the business. From speaking to our clients we find that the need to actively headhunt and keep in touch with our network is more important than ever. The majority of vacancies our clients are looking to fill have become harder to satisfy, due to the candidates lacking in the correct skills, qualifications or experience.

With the demand for commercial space and housing across the country increasing, the requirement for staffing, skills and experience within the industry has never been greater.

Are we doing enough about this?

Irrespective of a poor pipeline of workers into the industry, are employers doing enough to help the situation?

On average a larger proportion of construction companies do not provide training compared to other industries, relying on apprenticeship providers to carry out the training, only to put apprentices back with other job seekers once trained. Apprentices are therefore facing a problem of not having the experience to match the training.

The construction industry needs to make a commitment to apprentices making the construction industry more desirable to younger people over other options. Highlighting a clear line of opportunity and earning potential once training has been completed is paramount.

Companies such as Berkeley Homes, Redrow and Kier having specific departments set up for apprentices and training. On the Thames Gateway Project, construction firms have been asked to commit to 1 in 50 places to be given to apprentices. CrossRail and other major organisations have set out plans alike.

A clear commitment from both the public and private sector on projects can help them identify skills gaps early enough to ensure suitable people are trained and are available, ready for when they are needed. Rather than just employing ‘value for money’ skilled workers when recruiting simply adding fuel to the fire.

Closer alliances between businesses and colleges can ensure that students are being educated on the career options available in construction and taught the correct skills to ensure up-coming shortages alleviated.

In addition, other options at grass roots level could be, taking candidates from across the property sector working in different functions such as Customer Services, Administration and Sales etc. We regularly meet exceptional candidates who are motivated to working in construction that could bridge this gap in the short to medium term, with a bit of development and training from the construction industry.

More experienced professionals, with project or contracts management experience from other industries making the transition over into construction, with the right support could make the transition into construction far more swiftly, helping with the issue from the top down

As an industry, we need to work together to make an effort to appeal to both ends of the spectrum. On one side, guiding people to choose an apprenticeship/training in construction with a clear pathway for personal and professional development in the industry.

The other side, conveying to the construction industry the long term value in employing and training apprentices and other experienced professionals to assist with the skills shortage.

Sources
http://www.independent.co.uk/property
https://www.theguardian.com/business/
https://www.theguardian.com/money/property
https://www.ft.com/
http://www.ciob.org/media-centre
https://www.ons.gov.uk/
https://www.rics.org/uk/

 

Posted by & filed under Opinion.

It has been a challenging market for the residential lettings industry in recent times, with rents dropping for the first time in six years in the first quarter of this year. It has been suggested that this was down to the pandemonium created late year, with many landlords rushing to buy before the stamp duty surcharge came into play, this has caused an influx of properties available to rent. It has also been reported that there was a drop in the number of tenants registering, which obviously had an effect too.

I’ve spoken to many of my clients here in South London about this over the past few months as despite this they have achieved record figures. When I pressed them for more information as to how they had achieved these record months, they attributed this to taking the change in the market as a positive opportunity to hone their skillset rather than focussing on the doom and gloom that has been portrayed in the media. They said that they had taken the time to invest in training and development and employees were learning more about their vendors, applicants/tenants and the market in general. In turn they have passed the benefits on to their clients by educating them on market conditions thus allowing them to offer a more bespoke, knowledgeable and trusted service.

When asked about the future for residential lettings there was a common theme that seemed to crop up, which is the abolition of lettings fees. There is definitely a concern in industry in regards to this, as many see this as a significant challenge in months to come. The fees are being scrapped but in reality they are not, the referencing still needs to be done, the inventory need to be undertaken etc, these jobs do not cease to exist because the fees have been abolished.

The bulk of these fees will no doubt be passed on indirectly to the landlords, by passing these fees onto the landlord the concern is that this will cause landlords to shop around more than ever, thus meaning that there will also be pressure on residential lettings agents to keep their agency fees competitive, and in order to do this they will have to absorb a portion of the fees. This will put a squeeze on income for estate agents as they will have less money coming in and as mentioned before the residential lettings support staff will still need to be paid. Rents will no doubt rise also due to the increased agency fees, which could also lead to an increase in landlords renting privately, which will lead to added pressure on the lettings agents.

Yes, the next few months will be a difficult few months, however now more than ever, continuing to educate landlords on the market conditions and the significant role that residential lettings support staff play is important. As after the initial knock on effects, which will no doubt cause landlord to shop around based on fee, we should then begin to shift move back toward service again.

Only time will tell but the one certainty is, we have seen difficult markets before and we will see them again, estate agency has always survived as people will always need a roof over their heads.

What is your take on the future of the industry?

 

Posted by & filed under Industry News, Opinion.

I think it is clear to see that we are in a tougher market than we have seen for many years, with the effects of the Brexit vote and also the General election it has made the role of an estate agent much harder than it has been for many years and in terms of the calibre of agents, the bar has been raised substantially.

The days of “All you had to do is answer a phone first and you would have a deal” are long gone, it is now a case of educating your buyers, sellers, landlords and tenants on the market, advising them on the current market conditions, the processes and what the likely outcome is for them.

I am seeing a lot of very experienced agents leaving the industry that they love, due to work life balance and in some cases their concerns about earning potential in this tougher market. It is a shame to see so many of my peers leaving, another thing I have noticed is the shift from experienced professionals moving to online agencies.

As a recruiter on a daily basis I, just like many property professionals, see the constant battles on Linkedin between online agents and the more traditional agencies. I have noticed that now many of the smaller independents and the larger corporate agencies who previously used to Linkedin to battle with each other now reserve their usage of Linkedin to join forces and battle with the online agencies.

To me, it has raised a few questions:
Is traditional estate agency is becoming a thing of the past?
Is the new flashy hybrid online agency going to become our future?
Which model will come out on top?
Is there a place in the market for both traditional estate agency and also online agency?
Is the model so different? Surely it is just paying the fees upfront yet still working with estate agents who were trained in the traditional way?

In terms of revolutionising estate agency, the objective is still the same, a property is listed by a professional and then sold or let, the majority of online agents seem to be agents who cut their teeth so to speak in traditional agency but then moved over to online, taking years of experience with them.

Many business analysts from outside of the industry have likened the evolution of estate agency to; Blockbuster and Netflix or the black cab to Uber, 10 years ago who would have thought that in 2017 the world’s largest taxi firm would own no taxis and the world’s largest accommodation providers Airbnb would own no property.

The online agents that I have spoken to, all seem very happy with their choices and put this down to having flexibility in their work life balance and not being constricted to a structured diary, in their words they are able to make more money, working better hours and providing a greater level of service to each client.

Many of the traditional agents question the service that is provided by online agents and the processes that make them different, so paying fees upfront, whether the property is sold or not, which they say questions the motivations of the agent, they are also questioning the way that the fees are presented and also the service that customers receive.

However, looking at reviews for both online and traditional agency, I see common themes in customer complaints, it seems to be clarity, service and the age old, over promising and under delivering, could this be the answer?
Surely both models can exist harmoniously if they operate with integrity, clarity, provide outstanding service and do not under deliver, look at First Direct they are an online bank, who operate perfectly well within a market full of physical branches.

What are your thoughts?

 

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A report was released by Sheffield Hallam University on August the 1st that currently one third of private Landlords are cutting back on leasing to under 35’s due to the younger generation who are currently in unstable employment, universal credit or students. A separate piece of research by Housing Hand which shows the rising rents, household debt and poor credit is also making it harder for young people to secure accommodation. As a Property Recruiter which target market is largely focused on the younger generation with a massive proportion of roles being Graduate positions – this report did not only concern me, but the way houses are being used as assets rather than a home to people – morally worries me.

I understand to an extent the flip side, Landlords need to cover their backs and of course, they do not want a situation of rent arrears. My mother is a landlord so I can empathise with the latter – it can put the Landlord under huge financial pressure. RLA suggested instead of Landlords increasing their rents to make it unfordable, they are covering the ‘risks factors’. Which to some, may make sense.

Stating that the Property Market has been rocked in the past 18 months would be a huge understatement. Working in Property Recruitment for the past 5 years I have never seen more uncertainty– but is it this deleterious thinking that is adding to the negative effect. The Independent has recommended talks with the government to cover this decline (79%) of Landlords leasing to under 35s is needed ASAP – without action the younger generation will find it harder and harder to access any accommodation.

Alex Huntley, Head of Operations from Simple Landlords Insurance has suggested ways to overcome this with Landlords – interviewing tenants in person? Guarantors? Regular inspections of the property? Payment plans with tenants? Sheraz Dar chief exec of Credit Ladder suggests landlords should not be basing their decisions on gut feeling and pointed out that many young people can be better than the older are at organizing their finances.

So, what is the solution? I would say – is this effect on Landlords reverting back to the strict Buy to Let costs (I have discussed in previous blogs Is the Sales Market Doomed?) which are then translating to the negative impact on the Landlords thinking of who they would like to lease to? Something needs to be adjusted quickly – before Properties are not just a home or safe haven for people anymore, but just used an asset.

I would be keen to hear thoughts and opinions?

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Why I love Estate Agency Property in South London.

Ever since moving to London I have lived and worked in South London, I have become one of those people who shudder at the thought of “crossing the river”.
South London is a fantastic part of London to work in, especially for Estate Agency, the average house price over the years has risen dramatically. Looking at past figures, the average house price in the borough of Greenwich has risen by 480% from £47,655 to £382,874, the borough of Wandsworth has risen by 556% from £114,179 to £624,212 and the borough of Lambeth 639% from £47,059 to £538,477.

With 1 in 3 people renting their homes, there is a great mix of diversity and culture, it certainly is a vibrant place to be.

There are also the huge developments that are changing the face of South London making it increasingly desirable.

In South West London we have the Battersea Power Station development, which is sure to be outstanding once completed. Battersea Power Station looks like it is going to be one of the latest hangouts with their 6-week festival really starting to take shape. Over the course of summer, they are bringing us not only bars and restaurants but also dance classes, music, the arts and for you comedy lovers out there, there will also be previews of the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.

For all of the Love Island fans who are about to start morning the loss of Love Island, it’s not over yet. Iain Sterling, the voice of Love Island will be performing his material prior to the Fringe Festival alongside Matt Richardson.

There is not just Battersea Power Station, there are many other sites popping up, it almost seems like they are appearing out of nowhere. These sites are really transforming the look and feel of South London, they are bringing in lots of new homes, jobs and increasing the spend in South London and making it even more desirable.

Aside from the new developments, we also have exciting roof bars, pop up and cafes in South too. With the ever popular Neverland which has opened its doors in Fulham, with its fantastic location and its beach theme, this is going to be a hit all summer! Let’s not forget that the much loved Brixton Beach is back, also in Brixton there is the Prince of Wales and Franks Café in Peckham, the latter two among others have been voted London’s best rooftop bars for the summer. We saw the Ivy Café spreading their ivy across South London too, with the Ivy Café Wimbledon Village opening its doors last year and the Ivy Café Richmond following suit this year, which again is great for building the profile and the economy of South London.

The properties in South London are vast and varied making it such an exciting place to be, with more people relocating here for work and more home movers, whether you are buying for yourself or as a form of income, it is a great place to invest those funds.

Looking at past data, just in Battersea alone, I find it astonishing looking at Latchmere Road for example, in 1996 flats were selling for roughly £100,000 and now some of them are selling for upwards of £700,000. Also in Prince of Wales Drive, in Overstrand Mansions, in 1995 you could have paid just over £200,000 for a flat whereas now you are looking at just under £2,000,000, which really is phenomenal, most of us are probably wishing we invested in those flats!

One of the other things that I love the most about South London is the property professionals, they are so knowledgeable and passionate about their area.

They can talk in depth about the market, they can share stories about the history of the area and also the amenities. Over the past few years I have seen the standard of the professionals working in the industry increase and the bar has risen significantly. The people that you are dealing with now are experts in their field, they ensure that they are armed with facts, figures and knowledge so that they can do the best by their clients.

Here at Cherry Pick People I have the pleasure of speaking to many of you on a daily basis, hearing about your successes also sharing stories from my time in the South London property market.
I am always keen to meet new faces within the sector and to help and assist where I can, so if you are thinking of a move, know someone who is or would just like to connect, please do get in touch.

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The past year of the London Property Sales Market has been very interesting, something I have constantly kept track of. I have worked within the Property Recruitment industry for almost 5 years and this past year has been particularly different to previous years!

In my last blog, So Happy My Offer Has Been Accepted! But Oh Wait, The Dreaded Stamp Duty… I discussed the effect the increased Stamp Duty was having on first-time buyers and the London property market and whether it was even an issue for the most affluent?

Is everyone moving from Zone 1? Is it a boycott of Prime Central London!? PCL has been a location desired by many, I personally have always aspired to live in areas such as Kensington, Notting Hill, and Chelsea – if I could afford to move to the beautiful South Kensington or calm Little Venice I definitely would. But has that Hot Spot changed for potential buyers? Is it now the purchasers that are filtering from the Centre to what was known before as the ‘dreaded’ Zones 3-6. The Evening Standard has stated the largest drop in property prices has been in the Central Boroughs such as Camden (down 16.4%) and Hammersmith & Fulham (down 11.6%). The borough with the most increased growth has been Hackney with an increase of 15.6% and Bromley (even further out I know) has had a rise of 11.6%.

Data firm LonRes have also stated the number of houses over £1m sold in 2016 were down 21% year on year. City A.M reported London’s house growth is level with Portsmouth… Hometrack has stated prices in PCL are just becoming unaffordable, in Chelsea house prices have fallen by 10%. Savills concurred that the prices of PCL have fallen by 6.9% compared with last year (which was 4.9%). However, the real estate firm has said within the collapse of Sales (Brexit and increased Stamp Duty) the asking prices of properties have had to reflect this. Is this all doom and gloom? It was predicted that the fall in PCL would be 9% – so it is actually less than anticipated.

(Source from Knight Frank)

Even though Savills have reported lower prices, Persimmon has stated a rise in revenue (their average selling price was up by 4%) as the availability of mortgages have helped to boost prices!

More and more buyers are now buying New Homes which seems to be a strong choice for buyers.  New Homes are competitive with mortgage offers and therefore makes the purchase very affordable (I recently bought a new home myself!). The FTSE 100 in January showed the builder was the best performer with share up by 5%.

Richard Donnell of LonRes has shared that house prices in London are 85% higher than they were in 2009!!! – so it is not surprising the pace has decreased. Helen Cahill of City A.M has said the slump in the prices are at the top end due to Stamp Duty on homes worth more than £1m and has meant that some homes have slashed their prices by 30% – it is all to do with affordability. Are buyers simply not able to physically pay the price for PCL?

But will it all be over soon?        

Or will it be a case of Zone 1 buyers fleeing to the likes of Bromley? Or the up and coming Hackney? As the Sales Market changes so do consumers.