By Jordan Baker, Founder of Fair Public Relations and former UK national journalist
Estate agents and property professionals can be excellent media sources because housing produces a constant stream of questions journalists need somebody to explain.
Are house prices rising?
Should buyers wait?
Why is one area performing differently from another?
Are sellers reducing asking prices?
What are first-time buyers doing?
How much negotiating room exists?
What is happening to rents?
Which property features are becoming more important?
What do new tax or policy changes mean in practical terms?
A good estate agent, developer, property investor or other credible market professional can often add useful context because they work inside the market every day.
But property PR is not simply sending journalists ordinary homes that are for sale.
The same editorial rule applies here as everywhere else:
there needs to be an angle.
A three-bedroom semi-detached house being listed at £450,000 is commercially important to the seller and agent.
It is not automatically journalism.
If the home has remarkable architecture, unusual history, a celebrity connection, a compelling human story, extreme design, a meaningful local link or something that illustrates a wider property-market story, that changes.
The listing becomes the raw material.
The angle makes it editorial.
Why can estate agents make good media experts?
They are close to buyers and sellers.
A credible property professional may know:
what offers are being accepted;
why sellers are reducing prices;
what buyers repeatedly ask;
which homes attract multiple offers;
what landlords are worried about;
how local markets differ;
which features buyers care about;
and how sentiment has changed.
That practical experience can help a journalist put public housing statistics into context.
When I worked as a journalist, the useful property experts were the people who actually understood the market rather than simply repeating sales language.
They could explain things in normal English.
They had genuine local or national experience.
They gave specifics.
They could sometimes provide figures.
And they had useful examples or anecdotes that brought the subject to life.
That is still what I would look for.
What makes someone credible as a property expert?
Owning an estate agency does not automatically make somebody an expert on the entire housing market.
Credibility may come from:
years in the sector;
number and type of transactions;
a defined local market;
a particular type of property;
investment experience;
landlord experience;
development;
mortgages or finance, subject to appropriate regulation;
or another clear professional specialism.
A London luxury-property agent and a rural estate agent in Yorkshire may both be excellent experts.
They know different markets.
The profile should say which one.
Local expertise can be extremely valuable
Property is inherently geographic.
A journalist may want somebody who understands:
Liverpool city-centre flats;
prime central London;
new-build homes in Manchester;
rural Scottish property;
Miami condos;
first-time buyers in Birmingham;
or another specific market.
A good local expert may provide more useful insight on that question than a famous national commentator with no direct experience of the area.
Do not make a local specialism sound smaller than it is.
Make it precise.
National expertise needs evidence too
If somebody wants to comment on national house prices, they should understand the wider evidence.
That does not mean an estate agent needs to become an economist.
It means they should be comfortable working with reputable information such as:
UK House Price Index data;
ONS housing and rental data;
mortgage-market information;
credible sector research;
and their own clearly labelled professional observations.
The UK House Price Index is produced jointly using official residential transaction data and provides national, regional and local breakdowns, but the most recent periods can be revised as further completed-sale data is incorporated.
That is exactly why a good expert should understand what a statistic actually represents before turning it into a headline.
Can estate agents make house-price forecasts?
Yes.
Forecasts can be useful journalism.
They are opinions about the future.
They should be presented that way.
Imagine an estate agent says:
“Prices in this area will rise 10% next year.”
My first question would be:
Why?
Useful support could include:
recent transaction data;
supply;
buyer demand;
planned transport improvements;
new employment;
development constraints;
mortgage conditions;
historical performance;
or another relevant market factor.
The expert can then say:
“My expectation is that prices could rise by around 10% over the next year if current demand and supply conditions continue.”
That is a forecast.
It is not a fact.
Why wording matters
Compare:
Fact
“Average prices in the area increased by X% over the previous 12 months according to the UK House Price Index.”
That can be checked against the source.
Professional observation
“We're seeing more buyers return to the market than we were six months ago.”
That reflects the estate agent's own experience.
Forecast
“I think prices could rise between 5% and 10% next year.”
That is a professional opinion about the future.
Unsupported certainty
“House prices will definitely rise 10% next year.”
That is much harder to defend.
A journalist can use all three legitimate categories.
They should know which one they are receiving.
What kind of evidence strengthens a property forecast?
A useful forecast may combine:
official transaction data;
listing supply;
local sales volumes;
days on market;
price reductions;
mortgage rates;
buyer enquiries;
rental demand;
development pipeline;
local employment;
and direct professional experience.
Not every data source measures the same thing.
Asking prices are not completed sale prices.
Mortgage approvals are not completed transactions.
Online searches are not purchases.
One estate agent's enquiry volume is not the national market.
Each can still be useful if described accurately.
How do public datasets help?
The UK House Price Index uses completed residential transactions and provides data down to local-authority level. It is broad and authoritative, but because transactions enter after registration it is less immediate than measures based on advertised prices or mortgage approvals.
ONS rental statistics likewise have their own methodology and are designed to measure rental-price change across the rental stock, not simply the latest asking rents seen on portals.
A good property commentator understands that:
different data answers different questions.
What made property experts useful to me as a journalist?
Four things.
They understood the market
Either locally or nationally.
They had direct experience.
They had specifics
Not:
“The market is challenging.”
But:
“Three months ago we were seeing X. Now we're seeing Y.”
They could explain data
They understood what the statistic actually meant.
They had examples
An anecdote, transaction pattern or public case could bring an abstract housing trend to life.
The expert did not need to predict the future perfectly.
They needed to help the reader understand the present.
What are the strongest PR routes for estate agents?
1. House-price commentary
Respond to new official or reputable market data.
Explain:
who benefits;
which areas differ;
what buyers should notice;
and what the headline figure may hide.
2. Buyer advice
For example:
negotiation;
viewings;
offers;
chains;
property types;
new-build incentives;
service charges;
location;
and common buying mistakes.
The advice should remain within the expert's actual professional scope.
3. Seller advice
Why a home is sitting on the market.
When a price reduction may be worth considering.
Presentation.
Listing photographs.
Seasonality.
Buyer feedback.
4. Local market insight
Why one town or neighbourhood is behaving differently.
5. Landlord or rental insight
Rental demand.
Tenant behaviour.
Supply.
Property standards.
Landlord decisions.
Again, distinguish market observation from legal advice.
6. Founder story
An unusual estate-agency founder can sometimes be interesting in their own right.
7. Exceptional properties
Where the home itself genuinely has a story.
Is Fair in the business of PRing ordinary houses for sale?
Not really.
If a home is simply:
for sale
that is usually a listing, not a press story.
Fair is looking for the editorial angle.
For example:
a remarkable former resident;
unusual architecture;
genuine historic significance;
a celebrity or public-interest connection;
an extreme interior;
a highly unusual price;
a striking renovation;
a meaningful local story;
or a property that perfectly illustrates a wider trend.
It is the same principle we apply to business announcements.
The fact that something is available does not automatically make it news.
Hypothetical example: ordinary listing
Beautiful four-bedroom detached family home comes to market for £725,000
That belongs on the agent's website or property portal.
Stronger example: architectural story
1970s home built around a 200-year-old oak tree goes on sale after first major renovation in 50 years
Now there is something visually and editorially interesting.
Stronger example: historical story
Former home of pioneering local surgeon goes on sale with original 1920s consulting room intact
If the historical details are verifiable, there is a genuine story.
Stronger example: market story
The £300,000 house nobody wanted last year now has seven offers: estate agent explains what's changed in this commuter town
The property becomes an example of a wider market issue.
Permission and factual accuracy still matter.
What about celebrity homes?
A genuine celebrity connection can obviously create media interest.
But verify it.
Do not write:
“Former home of famous actor”
because somebody in the agency vaguely remembers being told that.
Check:
ownership;
dates;
public records;
reliable reporting;
or another credible source.
A famous person once eating dinner there is not necessarily a meaningful property connection.
Can an unusual property get national coverage?
Absolutely.
Homes journalism is visual.
A property with:
an underground swimming pool;
medieval tower;
converted lighthouse;
extreme interior;
private cinema;
remarkable garden;
bizarre layout;
or extraordinary history
may appeal nationally.
The images matter enormously.
A brilliant property story without usable photography can be difficult for a homes editor.
How should estate agents use their own market data?
Carefully.
Imagine one estate agency records that 30% of its sellers reduced their asking price.
Useful statement:
“Thirty per cent of sellers handled by our agency during the period reduced their asking price before agreeing a sale.”
Potentially misleading statement:
“Thirty per cent of UK homeowners are cutting their prices.”
The agency's clients are not the whole market.
Internal data can be interesting.
It needs context.
Can anecdotes be useful?
Yes.
Property journalism often benefits from examples.
For instance:
“We recently had a buyer who rejected three almost identical properties because none had dedicated working space.”
That may illustrate a theme.
But one anecdote does not establish:
“Home offices are now the number-one priority for all buyers.”
Anecdote and data do different jobs.
How should agents talk about market predictions?
Give the reader the reasoning.
Weak:
“London is about to boom.”
Stronger:
“I expect activity in this part of London to improve if mortgage rates continue easing because we are already seeing more first-time buyers return to viewings, while available stock remains lower than it was last year.”
Now the journalist can examine the logic.
They may disagree.
That is fine.
Five property angles and what supports them
| Angle | Useful evidence | Main risk |
|---|---|---|
| “Prices may rise next year” | Public price data, supply, demand, rates | Forecast presented as certainty |
| “Buyers are negotiating harder” | Offer data, agent experience | One branch treated as national |
| “This area is becoming more popular” | Sales, enquiries, transport/jobs | Vague hype |
| “Homes with X sell faster” | Internal transaction data | Correlation presented as cause |
| “Sellers are cutting asking prices” | Listings/agency data | Asking price confused with achieved price |
Should a property expert always agree with the market consensus?
No.
Interesting commentary sometimes comes from disagreement.
Suppose the consensus says:
buyers should wait for prices to fall.
A credible agent may believe:
certain local areas have such restricted supply that waiting could reduce choice without creating a meaningful discount.
That can be useful.
But they should explain:
why;
where;
for whom;
and which evidence supports the view.
Contrarian for the sake of attention is not expertise.
What are the dangers of being too promotional?
Property experts often accidentally turn an interview into a sales pitch.
Journalist:
“Are buyers negotiating more aggressively?”
Weak answer:
“At Smith & Jones Estate Agents we pride ourselves on achieving the very best result for every seller.”
That answered nothing.
Better:
“Yes, in the transactions we're handling we're seeing more buyers test the seller's flexibility before making a formal offer. The biggest difference is on homes that have already been listed for several months.”
The agency receives attribution naturally.
The expertise provides the value.
Can a property investor be a media expert?
Potentially.
They may have valuable experience around:
buying;
renovation;
landlords;
development;
investment behaviour;
or market cycles.
But their expertise should be described accurately.
An investor is not automatically:
an economist;
a mortgage adviser;
a tax adviser;
a solicitor;
or a surveyor.
A journalist should understand where the experience comes from.
What if the story involves mortgages?
Mortgage advice can involve regulated activity.
A property professional can potentially discuss broader buyer behaviour or what they see happening in transactions.
Specific regulated financial advice should come from a suitably authorised and qualified person.
Do not stretch one person's credentials because the article happens to involve property.
What if the story involves property law?
Same principle.
An estate agent can explain what normally happens operationally in a transaction.
They should not be presented as the legal authority on a complicated conveyancing question unless they genuinely possess that professional qualification.
Bring in the right expert.
National, local or trade property coverage?
Property can work brilliantly across all three.
National
Housing-market trends.
Buyer advice.
Seller advice.
Unusual homes.
Property forecasts.
Major tax/policy developments.
Local
Local prices.
New developments.
Area changes.
Local buyer behaviour.
Interesting local homes.
Trade
Estate-agency issues.
Development.
Proptech.
Landlord market.
Professional changes.
The right mix depends on what the business actually wants to achieve.
How do you prepare a property expert for the media?
Have:
accurate professional biography;
markets covered;
years of experience;
credible transaction/business background;
expert subjects;
useful public-data sources;
good headshot;
availability;
and clear boundaries.
The journalist should be able to work out quickly:
Why should I quote this person?
Property media briefing sheet
Before a fast-moving interview, prepare:
Current official numbers
Latest relevant house-price/rent data.
Local observations
What is the expert actually seeing?
Three explanations
Why might this be happening?
One or two examples
Where appropriate and permissible.
Forecast
If asked, what does the expert expect and why?
Caveats
Which factors could change that forecast?
That last section is important.
A credible forecast should acknowledge uncertainty.
Real Fair property commentary in practice
Fair's current Property PR work is built around the same principle reflected in our live sector positioning:
property professionals with demonstrable market experience can be suitable expert sources on housing trends and practical questions.
Property-media angles that Fair would consider include:
house-price movements;
seller pricing decisions;
first-time buyers;
service charges;
new-build incentives;
landlords;
and Budget-related property issues.
The common thread is not:
“Please promote this estate agency.”
It is:
“Here is somebody with relevant property-market experience who can help explain a question readers are already asking.”
That is the stronger media proposition.
What about Standard PR versus Expert Commentary PR?
A property expert whose main objective is to be quoted on:
housing;
buying;
selling;
landlords;
or market trends
may potentially suit Fair's narrower Expert Commentary PR service.
A property business that also wants:
company developments;
founder positioning;
launches;
services;
research;
major property stories;
or broader business publicity
is more suited to Standard PR.
The services solve different problems.
When might a property company not be ready for PR?
If:
the proposed expert has little real experience;
every opinion is simply a sales pitch;
market forecasts are unsupported;
the business insists ordinary listings deserve national coverage;
the company cannot provide images;
or nobody can respond quickly enough to journalists.
A PR agency can improve the pitch.
It cannot manufacture a genuinely interesting property.
How should property PR be measured?
Separate:
activity;
journalist interest;
interviews;
published articles;
expert attribution;
links;
relevant audience;
and eventual commercial signals.
A quote in a national property story can be an excellent result even when the entire article is not about the estate agency.
That is normal PR.
The purpose is to build:
visibility;
credibility;
authority;
brand awareness;
and a stronger public association with the expert's subject.
Frequently asked questions
Can estate agents get quoted nationally, or is local coverage more useful?
Yes. An agent with credible market experience can be a useful national source on prices, buyer and seller behaviour and local-market differences, especially when they explain specifics rather than promote their agency. National coverage is not guaranteed, though, and regional or specialist property media can be more directly relevant to actual buyers and sellers. The choice should depend on the business's audience and the story.
Can estate agents forecast house prices or use their own sales data in a pitch?
They can give a reasoned forecast, but it must be labelled as professional opinion rather than a known future outcome. Official price statistics, local supply and demand, transactions and mortgage conditions can support the explanation without proving what happens next. An agency's own sales or enquiry data can also be useful if the sample, place and period are defined accurately. Results from one branch should not be presented as representative of the national housing market.
Will newspapers feature an ordinary home that is for sale?
Usually not on availability alone. An ordinary listing is generally better suited to the estate agent's website and property portals. A genuinely unusual home may be newsworthy because of remarkable architecture, verified history, an interesting former resident, unusual design, a meaningful local story or its relevance to a wider housing trend. Strong photography, permission and accurate supporting evidence make such stories more usable.
Do property experts need qualifications, and what makes them good journalist sources?
Relevant direct experience can qualify an estate agent, developer or property investor to explain suitable market questions, without a formal qualification for every topic. They should still stay within their expertise and must not be presented as a mortgage adviser, solicitor, surveyor or tax specialist without the appropriate qualifications and authorisation. Journalists value clear explanations, specific observations, relevant evidence, timely responses and a willingness to explain uncertainty.
Could your property experience be useful to journalists?
Fair Public Relations works with suitable property businesses, founders and experts to turn genuine market knowledge into relevant earned-media opportunities.
Property professionals with demonstrable market experience may be suitable for Expert Commentary PR where the primary objective is journalist commentary.
For wider property-company campaigns, founder visibility, business developments and broader publicity, explore Property PR and Standard PR.
We look for the story behind the listing and the evidence behind the opinion.
If you are an estate agent or property specialist with real market insight, get in touch to discuss the right PR route. Editorial coverage is never guaranteed.
About the author
Jordan Baker is the founder of Fair Public Relations and a former UK national journalist.
He has worked across journalism and PR for more than a decade and advises founders, experts and small businesses on turning genuine professional experience into useful earned-media stories.
View Jordan Baker’s media expert profile
