Written by
Anthony Kerrigan
Director, Kerrigans Property — with the business since 1993
During my working lifetime, the property industry has changed enormously, and not all of those changes have been for the better.
Rent books, and £25 a week on a Friday
My parents started our agency in the 1970s when things were very different. I still remember collecting rents of around £25 per week on a Friday, always in cash, and writing receipts into little rent books. Demand for private rented sector housing soared as a result of two factors that happened simultaneously in the 1980s: the sale of council houses and the introduction of the Housing Act 1988.
Historically, many estate agents had numerous strings to their bow. It was common for agencies to have building society affiliations, offer financial services, and provide commercial property advice. Today, the industry is much more specialised. Furthermore, lettings were often viewed as the younger sibling of sales. I have never seen it that way, and I believe the industry is gradually changing its attitude.
I never planned to be an estate agent
Growing up, I had many aspirations, but becoming an estate agent was never one of them. I watched my parents work tirelessly to build the business, often putting in more than 70 hours a week, and I had no intention of following that path. It seemed like far too much hard work.
I started as an errand boy at the age of 15, working Saturdays and school holidays. I did everything from stripping wallpaper and filling skips to collecting rents. By 1988, at just 17 years old, I was collecting rent from tenants across our portfolio.
Life, however, has a habit of taking unexpected turns. After completing a degree in Sport Science, I was trying to establish a career in outdoor pursuits instruction. At the same time, I could see challenges and gaps emerging in the family business. It was 1993, the country was in the middle of a recession, and I decided to put my own career on hold and help out.
Within a few years, my outlook had changed completely. I discovered that I was actually quite good at selling and renting houses, and I decided to make property my career. Shortly afterwards, my father became ill, and I found myself making most of the key decisions involved in running both the business and the team.
Qualifications, and the people who notice
Thirty years ago, our governing body was the National Association of Estate Agents (NAEA). My father was a Fellow, a distinction awarded in recognition of his long service. To gain my own fellowship, I was required to complete the relevant qualifications. I remain proud to say that I was among the first in the country to achieve two Level 4 qualifications: CPEA in Estate Agency and CRLM in Residential Lettings.
Like most professional organisations, when you show an interest in learning, contribute your views, and get involved, people notice. Over time, I progressed through the ranks of the NAEA and eventually became a Director. I only stepped away when the organisation merged with ARLA during the recession around 2007. NFOPP later became Propertymark.
While Propertymark may be less of a traditional members’ organisation than the NAEA was, it is infinitely better at communicating with its membership. The introduction of the Propertymark Facebook group has probably been one of the most significant changes I’ve seen. Years ago, when I faced difficult decisions, I often felt I had nobody to turn to for advice. Having a supportive professional community would have made a huge difference.
The value of a calculated risk
Although I don’t consider myself to be at the end of my working life, I have noticed that many of the most successful people around me are those who have taken calculated risks. Whether that has been committing to a large personal mortgage or expanding and opening new businesses, they have been willing to step outside their comfort zone.
Conversely, I have seen people sell their homes after a brief period of unemployment because they felt property ownership was no longer for them. They became tenants and, decades later, many still are. Calculated, well-thought-out risk-taking is often the key to success, and perhaps it is something I could have embraced more throughout my own career.
The team today
A small company — just four of us
Today, we are a small company consisting of just four people.
Anthony
Director · started 1993
Zoe
Director · started 2005
Victoria
Senior Negotiator · started 2001
Sam
Negotiator · started 2022
Delegating, and letting go of perfect
Delegating and having confidence in your staff is vital for success. You cannot be a perfectionist in this industry because there are simply too many variables. However, that is something I still struggle with daily. Worrying about every small detail is draining and can have an impact on those around you, particularly those closest to you. Recognising this is the first step towards managing it.
Two rules
There are two simple rules that I try to instil in my staff:
- Don’t put tenants into a property that you wouldn’t want as your own neighbours.
- Don’t list a rental property that you wouldn’t be happy for your own family to live in.
“It’s only for tenants”
One phrase I particularly dislike hearing is, “It’s only for tenants.” The implication is that spending money on a rental property is somehow wasted. I would passionately argue the opposite.
We are able to maintain these standards because we are a small, family-run business. We are happy doing what we do because we do it well. We can put our tenants first because we have built relationships that only a small agency can truly develop. I am fortunate to work alongside highly capable staff, most of whom have been with me for decades. However, the responsibility still ultimately rests with me.
A heart operation, and a change of outlook
In 2014, I underwent a life-changing heart operation. It altered my outlook on life considerably. Since then, I have reduced the amount of time I spend at work and realised that doing so has had little or no negative impact on the business. I may still deal with messages seven days a week, but I have learned that others are perfectly capable of doing many of the things I once thought only I could do.
Looking ahead, my ambition remains simple: to continue providing an exceptional service to our clients, past, present, and future.
What I wish I’d known
Perhaps the biggest lesson I wish I’d known earlier is this: trust your people, take calculated risks, and remember that success means very little if you don’t make time to enjoy life along the way.
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