Marcus Richards
BestAgent seeks to help home movers make a better choice of estate agent, by dismantling the corporate power structure in the property sector that misleads most movers into bad decisions. We want the end of bad estate agency.
Tell us about yourself?
After 3 years in the financial markets in the city in the 90s, I’ve worked for myself ever since. I started in the property sector in 1999 as a supplier of technology and marketing services in London and Sydney in the early 2000s.
I’ve been through countless rounds of funding where investor behaviour always derailed things.
I’ve been bootstrapping since 2015 and have built a £5m piece of technology with which to change the future of moving home in England and Wales, and ultimately help end homelessness.
If you could go back in time a year or two, what piece of advice would you give yourself?
Keep going. You’re doing ok, but look after yourself. You will get there.
What problem does your business solve?
The fact that 52% of home sellers don’t achieve any sale at all with their first estate agent, and then most eventually undersell by 3 or 4%.
We want to help movers achieve a faster sale at the best possible price, every time, by finding the honest professional agents with integrity, and avoiding the tricksters who will say anything to get the sale, then under perform.
What is the inspiration behind your business?
To solve life’s 2nd most stressful problem (after divorce) and to help stop low-income movers being constantly targeted by unethical middle men.
What is your magic sauce?
I don’t have any competition. This is the first venture of it’s kind and operates in a unique way. Corporate agents are already confused as to why we don’t offer corporate discounts.
What is the plan for the next 5 years? What do you want to achieve?
To become the no-brainer way for intelligent home sellers to go about beginning their home move. Nothing affects your chances of moving more than your choice of agent.
What is the biggest challenge you’ve faced so far?
Building a bigger piece of tech than Rightmove and Zoopla combined on 1% of their budget. And then proving the concept delivers (which it does).
How do people get involved/buy into your vision?
We want agents with integrity to join BestAgent, and anyone selling or letting their home to start the process at bestagent.co.uk
