In this episode of The Complete Agent Podcast, James Kendall, Ian Storey, David Warburton and Michelle Smith tackle one of the biggest challenges facing agents right now: pricing, seller expectations and having the difficult conversations required to actually get properties sold.

The discussion starts with a simple question. If a property has been sitting on the market without meaningful interest, is the market really to blame, or were the wrong expectations created from the very beginning?

Michelle explains why the language agents use matters. Describing a market as “price sensitive” might make sense internally, but sellers and buyers need to understand what that actually means for them. The strongest agents are able to take market conditions, affordability, competition and buyer behaviour and translate them into clear advice their clients can act upon.

Ian explains why the problem often begins at the valuation appointment. Rather than telling a seller “my valuation is £850,000”, the agent should position themselves as an adviser using market evidence to help the seller make an informed decision. If the agent claims ownership of the original valuation, asking for a price change later becomes considerably more difficult.

Dave shares the story of a seller he originally advised at around £750,000 to £800,000. The seller chose agents suggesting figures as high as £900,000 and, two years later, is still on the market. The difficult reality is that the property is now likely worth less than it was when the original advice was given. The seller wanted to move to Spain two years ago and could potentially have already been there had the property been positioned correctly from the outset.

The group also debate whether an agent should ever accept an instruction at a price they do not believe the market will support. Sometimes testing the upper end of a credible range can be part of a sensible strategy, but there is a big difference between testing the market and simply telling a seller what they want to hear.

A major theme throughout the episode is that a price realignment should never come as a surprise. The work starts at the initial appointment and continues through every conversation, piece of feedback and market update that follows. By the time a change in strategy is required, the seller should already understand why.

The team also challenge the way many agents use Rightmove statistics. Simply emailing a seller a report showing thousands of property views achieves very little if nobody is actually booking a viewing. Instead, those numbers should be combined with buyer feedback, comparable properties, database activity, social media performance and proactive marketing to explain what the market is really saying about the property.

Finally, the conversation turns to how agents should actually deliver difficult advice.

Rather than nervously asking, “Have you thought about reducing the price?”, the strongest agents give clear professional guidance based on what has happened so far, what the seller wants to achieve and what needs to change to generate the next result.

A practical discussion about pricing, positioning, communication and why the strongest estate agents in a challenging market are not simply listing homes. They are managing expectations, educating clients and confidently advising them on what needs to happen next.

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.

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.