The latest latest three-episode run of No More Waffle, hosted by me, shines a bright (and sometimes uncomfortable) light on the parts of estate agency most consumers never see, and many agents quietly struggle with. Joined by industry stalwart Matt Baldock, the series tackles the issues dragging the sector down, and the practical changes that could transform how people buy and sell homes.
Across the trilogy, Baldock is candid about the real problems: transactions that take far too long, overvaluing driven by long sole agency contracts, inconsistent training standards, and a conveyancing process that forces buyers and sellers to operate with data that’s months out of date. He argues that estate agency’s biggest failing is simple, too often, the system serves itself rather than the consumer.
The conversations cover everything from empathy and honesty in agency, to why more than 40% of agreed sales never complete, to the rise of self-employed agents and the growing divide between what the public thinks agents do and what high-performing operators actually deliver.
For agents, the trilogy is a refreshingly honest look at the standards the profession should be holding itself to. For anyone in leadership, it’s a reminder that culture, communication, and transparency remain the real engines of performance and public trust.
All three episodes are now live, and they’re essential viewing for anyone who cares about where the industry is heading next.
Ben Madden is founder of Digital Sparks and chair of Fine & Country NAC.
