Bal Arora – Managing Director at Orlando Reid...

Who are you and what does it say on your business card?

Bal Arora – Managing Director

In your experience, what is the key to running a successful estate/letting agency?

Moving with the times and thinking outside the box. Digital marketing and social media is now essential, with less reliance on the traditional property portals. Property videos are also the future!

What is the modern consumer looking for in an estate/letting agent?

To be able to transact and communicate with the use of a few clicks or buttons.

How have agents had to adapt to the Covid-19 pandemic?

All agents have had to go virtual. Virtual viewings, virtual valuations, virtual meetings. Zoom has been a saviour!

What are your thoughts on PropTech – is it helping agents to be more efficient?

It’s here to stay! The covid pandemic has accelerated the use of prop-tech in the property market.

What is your greatest achievement in your current role and what made it so special?

Securing a tender to manage property assets for a royal family in the Middle-East. It gave me great pleasure that a growing independent with a high quality personalised service can get one over on the corporates!

What is the most satisfying part of your job?

Seeing my team grow and develop. Our people are our biggest asset! I believe in happy staff, happy clients.

What do you see as the biggest challenge facing estate and letting agents at the moment?

The constant change in property legislation and taxation.

What is your property prediction for the remainder of 2021?

Demand for central London apartments to start increasing again. Prices of houses in the suburbs to level off after the stamp duty holiday.

Country house or city apartment?

10 years ago - city apartment. Now - Country House – I’m a village boy at heart.

Trendy roof terrace or traditional English garden?

Trendy roof terrace.

Would you rather be a free-moving tenant or settled owner-occupier?

Settled Occupier – I live for routine!