Property editor Caroline Culot comments on the events in the housing industry this week which has seen new proposed regulation of estate agencies.
It has been another incredibly intense week in the ever wondrous world of property.
Can you believe we are finally going to see the regulation of the estate agent industry? Over 11 years, I have reported the views of those campaigning to see some kind of mandatory estate agency qualification - I remember Norfolk agent David McMaster when he was president of ARLA Propertymark (Association of Residential Letting Agents) and then Jan Hytch, as president of the NAEA Propertymark (National Association of Estate Agents) speaking on how regulation must happen to put an end to the ease at which just anyone can decide to open up an agency and start selling your biggest and most treasured asset.
It's not right that this has been allowed to happen and we are really lucky that in Norfolk, we just don't see many, if any, true 'rogue agents' practicing.
I think the standard of agency is high and the competition tough and there is a robust body of agents locally in the 32 member strong NDAEA, Norwich & District Association of Estate Agents.
And then more good news as I compiled the top 10 most expensive homes completed this year. You can read the story in full on this site but when I did the sums, the Land Registry data showed over 1500 completions since the start of the year in Norfolk, 72 of which were for homes sold for more than half a million pounds. The highest sold for £2.2 million - and all this in the past few months!
So, if you were reading yesterday that house prices are falling at the fastest rate in nine years - that is apparently in the capital and Norfolk was, the last time I checked, not that close to London! We are bucking the trend and have so much to celebrate!
Enjoy this week's supplement which is available to read in full in page suite format on this site.
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