Property-Porn Stars

A different kind of episode to the 'usual programming', but one that has huge importance. Regardless of your gender, well worth listening to, but especially so if you are considering moving into the premium market. To celebrate International Women's Day, and recorded the day after the Women in Estate Agency Conference, David sits down with three brilliant By Design MD's, Katie Solaru, Marie Fritz, and Amanda Haworth, to get into the details of what impact their gender has had on their career, and what advice they can offer others who might be considering the premium market, too. We cover a lot of ground, including: Whether sexism and gender bias are actually better or worse in the premium property market. Real experiences of female estate agents dealing with sexism from clients and colleagues. Why women often feel they have to prove themselves more than men in estate agency. The surprising gender statistics in the industry: 56% of estate agents are women, yet only around 8% of self-employed agents are women. Why so few women start their own agency businesses despite making up the majority of the workforce. How traditional high street agency structures and promotion opportunities can limit female career progression. The impact of motherhood, childcare costs, and rigid working hours on women’s careers in property. Why the self-employed agency model can offer greater flexibility for parents. The safety risks female agents sometimes face when meeting clients and conducting viewings. The reality of building a personal brand on social media, including unwanted messages and harassment. The mindset required to succeed as a self-employed agent, including resilience, confidence, and entrepreneurial drive. Practical advice for women entering the industry: build confidence, expect rejection, find supportive networks, and learn as you go. Practical advice, experience, shocking stories, and much more - we hope you enjoy this very special episode.

Everything you need to know about the premium property market so far this year, in 3 minutes... And its an interesting one - encouraging numbers in some aspects, and a clear divide emerging for which homes sell, and which don't! Stats provided as ever by the man in the know, Simon Gates, and I'll leave a link to his full market report below which is well worth a read for a deeper dive into whats going in the market. Back with another update next month! Simon's full premium property market report:https://bydesignhomes.com/blogs/january-20226-uk-premium-property-market-update

In this episode of Property Porn Stars, David Lindley sits down with Toby Martin, Chief Content Officer at Unchained.Marketing, to unpack the real role of video in modern estate agency. Toby shares his journey from a 13 year career in lettings to stepping into the world of marketing consultancy, and explains why video is no longer optional for agents who want to win instructions. The conversation explores the concept of Google’s “messy middle”, why 70 percent of a client’s decision is made before you step through the door, and how agents can batch create six months of content in a single day. They also debate presenter led property videos, discuss whether agents should feature themselves in tours at all, and share practical advice on camera confidence, editing, AI tools and why most agents are sitting on a goldmine of untapped content. If you are serious about growing market share in the premium space, this episode is a masterclass in modern visibility, covering: • From Lettings to Marketing: Toby explains his move from a stable employed role in lettings into consultancy and now Unchained, driven by a passion for helping agents market better.  • The Messy Middle: By the time you arrive at a valuation, vendors are already up to 70 percent through their decision. Clients research online, consume content and form opinions before meeting you.  • Video Is Where Attention Lives: Around 82 percent of internet traffic is video. If agents are not creating video, they are not meeting clients where they already spend time.  • Fast Forwarding Trust: Regular video content accelerates familiarity and authority. Vendors feel they already know you before you meet.  • You Are Sitting on a Content Goldmine: Estate agency is complex and fascinating to consumers. FAQs, market updates, process explanations and behind the scenes insights provide endless content opportunities.  • Batch Content Is the Answer: One focused filming day can produce 50 to 70 short videos, giving six months of evergreen content. Two days per year could power an entire annual strategy.  • Camera Shyness Is Discomfort, Not Fear: Confidence comes from repetition. Toby recommends a private daily 60 second diary for 60 days to build natural ease on camera.  • Hook or Lose Them: You have roughly three seconds to stop the scroll. Avoid introductions and filler language. Lead with a compelling statement or visual hook.  • Serious Often Equals Boring: Estate agents default to grave, formal delivery. Approachable, human and occasionally humorous content performs better.  • The Property Video Debate: The episode explores whether presenter led tours help or hinder premium marketing, and introduces the idea of seller led storytelling videos as a powerful alternative.  • Editing and AI Realities: CapCut remains a practical tool for in house editing. AI can assist but cannot yet fully automate quality video production.  • Video as Foundational Marketing: Educational and advice based content forms the core layer of modern agency marketing, with aesthetic property content layered on top.  [Side note - this episode was recorded many months ago, so Toby's 'new role' isnt all that new anymore!]

How did the premium property market fare over 2025, and whats it got in store for 2026? Some highlights from Simon Gates' latest premium report here, with (pretty much!) everything you need to know in 4 mins. So far...so good? Seems like lots more activity in the market after the budget/Christmas double whammy, so long may that continue! Also, some interesting stats on which months to list homes, to get the highest chance of selling...👀 Link to Simon's full report is here: https://us21.campaign-archive.com/?u=db74f5b588c5289dd2935b2fe&id=07445824b7

What will the future of property portals, of agents websites, and the industry look like when AI changes the way we live and work? What should agents be doing now to prepare for the change and keep ahead of their competition, and what shouldn’t they be doing? How do agents get ‘found’ on LLM’s like ChatGPT, how do their listings show up, and where does that leave agents websites and the mainstream property portals? I am very interested in the ‘front facing’ side of AI, and wanted to ask Mark what he thought about it. So I did, and Mark kindly let me record the conversation to share on this platform, in case you are interested in how the industry will change, too. Hear from one of the best in the business when it comes to integrating AI into technology, and who has studied this field for years - so you know whats coming.

Never one to shy away from a controversial opinion, Charlie shares his opinions (and the outcome of his testing with an estate agency business) of a new method of bringing properties to market WITHOUT conducting a valuation. Certainly a though provoking proposition, we'd love to know your thoughts on this? In this episode we cover: • Why traditional property valuations may be harming both agents and consumers • Whether estate agents should stop giving valuations altogether • How true market value is actually discovered, and why offers matter more than opinions • What agents should talk about if they are not talking about price • How to handle seller objections when they insist on a valuation or a ballpark figure • Why launch price is not the same as market value, and what its real purpose is • How buyers behave differently when agents stop guiding offers • Why overpricing puts serious buyers off before they even view • How this approach can lead to faster sales, higher fees, and fewer fall-throughs • Whether shorter agency contracts create better outcomes for sellers and agents alike We hope you enjoy the conversation, and thank you Charlie!

What does the budget, the premium estate agency market, a life lesson from Mariah Carey, and a questionable Christmas jumper all have in common? I'm glad you asked... All of which feature in this festive Premium Market Update of course! As always, to read Simon Gates' full market report get subscribed to Premium Estate Agency News here: https://us21.campaign-archive.com/?u=db74f5b588c5289dd2935b2fe&id=88ec3e34bc

In this episode, David Lindley sits down with Sam Ashdown - Co-Founder of AshdownJones, a premium estate agency in the Lake District, who have enjoyed huge success since launch; doing things differently to conventional agency! In this conversation we get in to some of those different strategies, including: • From Kitchen Table to Premium Brand: Ashdown Jones launched with no premises, no investor funding and no big backing. It began at Sam’s kitchen table, proof that premium agency is built on strategy and mindset rather than budget.  • Selling the Unsellable: The first listing was a property that had been with multiple agents, with many failed attempts to sell. They succeeded without reducing the asking price, simply by transforming presentation and narrative.  • Brand Before Property: Sam believes the agent brand and feeling of trust come first. Clients need to believe in the brand story before they believe in the listing. It is not just about the home, it is about who is representing it.  • Marketing That Feels Premium: They focus on poetic property descriptions, lifestyle storytelling, magazine-level photography and bespoke brochures. Presentation is the differentiator in premium agency.  • Video Should Serve the Agency, Not the Listing: Sam does not believe property videos with agents presenting outside a house are effective. Instead, she uses video to build her agency brand and connect emotionally with the audience.  • Direct Mail Is Their Biggest Growth Lever: Their most successful lead generation channel is direct mail, sent with consistency, relevance and personality. It remains the most predictable and scalable method they use.  • Premium Clients Choose People, Not Portals: Vendors want to feel their home is valued, cherished and understood by the agent. They are not looking for a portal listing. They are looking for a steward of their asset.  • The Office Is Not a Shop Window: Ashdown Jones intentionally chose not to be on a traditional high street. Their rural location fits their brand, creates exclusivity and reflects a premium lifestyle experience.  • Not a Lifestyle Business: Sam speaks openly about the difference between a personal brand business and one that has true asset value. She believes in building something saleable, scalable and not dependent on a single individual. • And lastly....47 Home Moves: Sam has moved house an unbelievable 47 times, which gives her deep empathy for sellers and buyers and a personal understanding of the emotional journey involved in moving.

The premium market is NOT doing what you might think...! 🤔 Simon Gates kindly sent through his premium market report for the latest month's data, and even he labelled it as 'surprising'... So see what you think, and let me know 🙂 Click here: https://us21.campaign-archive.com/?u=db74f5b588c5289dd2935b2fe&id=002db01c01 to subscribe to receive Simon's full report (plus an unorthodox top tip coming into the winter period), plus some cracking content from Elaine Penhaul and Simon Leadbetter (and myself!) to boot, in November's Premium Estate Agency News.

In this extraordinary episode of Property-Porn Stars, David Lindley sits down with Andrew “Diesel” Bennett, a former police officer whose life was turned upside down when he suddenly lost his entire memory at the age of 30. Andrew shares the unimaginable story of rebuilding his identity from scratch, relearning who he was, rediscovering his family, and rebuilding his life through sheer determination. From there, he found purpose in the world of performance psychology, going on to work with Olympians, Paralympians, business leaders, and Formula 1 champions, including Fernando Alonso. Together, David and Andrew explore what “high performance” really means, the psychology of resilience, and how understanding yourself and your human wiring can transform both life and business. They also dive into practical strategies for estate agents and entrepreneurs: how to recover quickly from setbacks, build resilience, and understand clients on a deeper human level. It is one of the most powerful and moving conversations yet, raw, inspiring and packed with lessons for anyone who wants to perform at their best. In this conversation, we cover: • Extraordinary Life Story: Andrew recounts his time in the police, exposure to trauma, and the sudden onset of dissociative amnesia that wiped his entire memory at age 30. • Rebuilding from Zero: How he relearned everyday life, from making coffee to re-meeting his wife and family, while living with a 24-hour memory span for two years. • Finding Purpose: Transition from police work to Porsche driver, to VIP chauffeur at Heathrow, to stroke survivor, and ultimately to high-performance coach. • Turning Trauma into Strength: How personal tragedy, including his brother’s suicide, became the catalyst for understanding mental health and resilience. • Defining High Performance: “Anyone who wants to be better than they were yesterday is a high performer.” • Practical Mindset Tools: • There is no failure, only feedback. Learn, adapt, and move forward. • Resilience is “how quickly you return to standard performance after a setback.” • Language, Attitude, Behaviour: the core framework for personal and team success. • Understanding People: How to read communication cues — visual, auditory, and kinesthetic — to better connect with others (perfect for agents understanding clients). • Spotting a Liar: Insights from his police training on reading body language and eye-movement cues. • Performance in Sport & Business: Lessons from coaching Formula 1 drivers and Olympians, and why mindset and data awareness separate good from great. • Human Connection: Why success begins with self-understanding and empathy. “Know your human being.”

Is the premium market struggling with pre-budget nerves? The answer might surprise you - find out in this month's premium market update in 3 minutes. (OK the video is longer than that, but I threw in some brucey bonuses from Simon Gates full report, which you comes out tomorrow, subscribe in the link below) Also, did you get the answer to the 'cliff hanger' right? Read last months, and subscribe to receive October's edition, here: https://us21.campaign-archive.com/?u=db74f5b588c5289dd2935b2fe&id=b4ba42cc4f

In this episode of Property-Porn Stars, David Lindley and Matt Giggs sit down with Sarah-Louise Fairburn, Founder and MD of Imp & Maker, the luxury hamper and gifting company shaking up the food & drink market. Sarah-Louise shares her journey from running one of the UK’s biggest farming businesses to starting again with a disruptive new brand. We discuss the challenges of building a luxury business, the sacrifices behind the glossy exterior, and the importance of resilience, vision, and surrounding yourself with the right people. She opens up about balancing entrepreneurship with being a single mother of four, lessons from her mentors, and why disruption and high standards are at the heart of her success. Sarah-Louise also appeared on BBC’s Dragons’ Den, pitching her vision for Imp & Maker to the panel of investors. She shares candidly what the experience was really like behind the scenes — from the preparation and intensity of the pitch, to how the Dragons reacted, and the lessons she took away from being in that high-pressure spotlight. It’s a fascinating look at what most viewers never get to see on the show. If you’re an entrepreneur, business leader, or simply curious about what it takes to build a modern luxury brand, this episode is packed with insight, inspiration and honesty. In this episode, we discuss: • Vision & Disruption: Imp & Maker was born to modernise gifting — every item should be used, loved, and create memories (not just wicker baskets and re-gifted tea). • High Standards: Sarah-Louise refuses to settle; inspired by mentors like Judith Batchelar (ex-Sainsbury’s), she obsesses over every detail of brand experience. • Entrepreneurial Drive: Built one of the UK’s largest egg brands, then started again from scratch after a separation — now determined to prove herself again. • Resilience & Sacrifice: Talks openly about scars from setbacks, grueling challenges, long hours, and the emotional toll of building a business. • Surroundings Matter: Emphasises the importance of the right people, both in personal life and in business networks. • Scaling Challenges: From supply chain problems to expensive lessons in Google ads and tech systems — learned agility and adaptability are key. • Brand Positioning: Differentiates through modern, artisan, relevant products and an exceptional unboxing experience. • Women in Business: Candid reflections on being a female entrepreneur, navigating biases, and inspiring her daughters to believe they can achieve anything. • Health & Balance: Stresses discipline in eating, exercise, and family meal times as ways to cope with burnout. • Long-Term Ambition: Aims to build one of the UK’s biggest gifting brands and, longer term, help other entrepreneurs from a place of real experience.

The usual monthly premium market update, but featuring the stats man himself Simon Gates! So instead of the usual 3 or 4 minute long summary, we analyse the premium markets performance this year so far, and how August fared, in light of political turmoil affecting the market. What all this means to you, your sellers and your buyers? Find out here!

In this episode of Property-Porn Stars, I am joined by a hugely successful premium agent, with arguably the most incredible story in the industry. Alice Watson-Smith, Managing Director of Fine & Country French Riviera & Provence shares her story, and her insight, grit and determination needed to succeed in a hugely competitive market. Alice’s story is nothing short of remarkable. Born in Zimbabwe, her family lost everything overnight when their farm was seized during Mugabe’s land reforms. Forced to flee to South Africa with only suitcases in the car, they eventually rebuilt their lives in Europe, starting again in Cannes. Today, Alice leads one of the most respected premium real estate agencies on the French Riviera. She shares: - The dramatic story of leaving Zimbabwe and starting over from nothing - How her family turned chance property purchases during the Cannes Film Festival into a thriving business - The six tough years of door-knocking and prospecting it took to establish their office, eventually building the business up to 18 self employed agents working alongside her - Why she championed *exclusive mandates* in a chaotic French system, changing how sellers and agents work - Insights into today’s Riviera market; from €400k apartments to €5m+ villas, and a client base 60% international, 40% French - The importance of resilience, reputation, and daring greatly in both business and life And lastly, a profound message that has stuck in my mind for 5 years since I heard Alice share it on stage…maybe it will stick with you too. If you’re interested in luxury property, resilience in business, or what it really takes to build success from the ground up, this is an episode you won’t want to miss.

In this episode of Property-Porn Stars, host David Lindley speaks with Mark Breffit, a leading figure in London’s premium property market. With over £1 billion of property sold, Mark shares his journey from working at Dexters, Knight Frank, and Hamptons Private Office in prime central London, to launching his latest venture — KnokKnok, a prop-tech platform aiming to reshape how buyers and agents connect. We cover: •Life inside corporate agency vs the independent mindset •Mark’s early career experience with Airbnb and what he learned about innovation •Why tech, personal branding, and consumer behaviour are reshaping estate agency •The inspiration behind KnockKnock, and how it bridges the gap between portals, social media, and direct client connections If you’re interested in property, startups, or the future of estate agency, this is a must-watch conversation.

In this super-short episode, we cover the headlines of what is going on in the premium property market (spoiler, there is lots of activity!) for July 2025. All stats provided by Simon Gates, whose full report will be out on Friday as part of Premium Estate Agency News - you can read last month's episode and subscribe for free here: https://us21.campaign-archive.com/?u=db74f5b588c5289dd2935b2fe&id=dd3de8a355

Is your business worth what you think it is?? This is crucial listening for agents, in order to avoid a nasty surprise down the road, and to set their business up for future success if and when they look to exit. This month’s guest is Adam J. Walker, who is a Business Transfer Agent (or, put another way, he is an agent for Estate Agencies!). With decades of experience and having accomplished over 700 agency sales in his career, he shares with us the pitfalls, traps, and value-reducing mistakes agents make… as well as how to set yourself up for maximum value on your exit. Plus, how all this plays out in the new world of Self-Employed agents, as well as the future of valuations in the agency market. In this conversation, we cover: Lifestyle business vs. saleable business, how even profitable businesses can be almost unsellable. The importance of lettings in business valuation Valuation benchmarks, and how to sell for more… Common deal structures, and what to avoid Top mistakes agency owners make when selling When to start planning a sale What the characteristics of a saleable agency are (and they might not be what you think) Industry trends, changes over the past 25+ years, and what to expect next Perhaps most interestingly, when Adam thinks that traditional sales agencies will be the most valuable… i.e., when to sell! Certainly not one to miss….

Welcome to the next instalment of our, super quick, premium market reports. This month we review the headline stats for the first half of 2025 and how the premium property market has performed, and it's some particularly interesting listening! All stats provided by Simon Gates, and you can read his full market report (as well as his top 5 Google Chrome extensions tips, newly updated!) in his article for Premium Estate Agency News, out on Tuesday 22nd July. Subscribe for free, and catch up on last month's content, here: https://us21.campaign-archive.com/?u=db74f5b588c5289dd2935b2fe&id=bfb6ee9673

Hosted by David Lindley, with expert insight from Simon Leadbetter, Elaine Penhaul, and Simon Gates. Join four leading voices in the premium property sector for a candid and thought-provoking discussion on the state of the UK’s high-end housing market. In this special episode of Property Porn Stars, we dive into the findings of the 2025 Voice of the Agent Survey—with over 1,000 agents contributing their views. 📈 In this episode, we explore: • What agents across the country really think is happening in the premium market • Why understanding market sentiment is crucial when dealing with homes at the top end • How staging, marketing, and messaging are evolving in today’s landscape • The tension between data-driven insights vs. agent anecdotes • The role of collaboration and how different industry perspectives can shape better outcomes Whether you’re an estate agent, property professional, or simply intrigued by the premium market, this episode offers rich insights, expert commentary, and lively debate from a panel deeply embedded in the industry (even if not currently practising agents themselves). 👥 Featuring contributors from: • Lemon and Lime Interiors (Elaine Penhaul) • Opening the Gates (Simon Gates) • Unchained Marketing (Simon Leadbetter) • By Design (David Lindley) 📣 Don’t just take one opinion—hear the collective voice of over 1,000 agents and the commentary that brings it to life. 👉 Watch now, and let us know your take in the comments! Subscribe to receive Premium Estate Agency News, featuring articles from Simon, Simon, Elaine and I each month, here: https://us21.campaign-archive.com/?u=db74f5b588c5289dd2935b2fe&id=dcada24633 #PremiumProperty #EstateAgency #VoiceOfTheAgent #UKHousingMarket #PropertyPodcast #ByDesign #PropertyPornStars

Welcome to the first instalment of our new feature, a (super quick!) monthly update on the premium market. Perhaps you're curious, thinking strategically about the premium market, or are on your way to see a client - hopefully there is some useful information here to help. All stats collated by the numbers man, Simon Gates, and his full in depth market report is available on our monthly newsletter, Premium Estate Agency News. You can check it out, and subscribe for free to receive it directly to your inbox, here: https://us21.campaign-archive.com/?u=db74f5b588c5289dd2935b2fe&id=dcada24633 (Plus you can check out Simons top 5 hacks for listing and launching properties to sell, particularly pertinent at the moment!). Back with the 'usual' interview style episode next month, until then I hope you enjoy this premium market update episode.