Watching part of a podcast recently, we heard Peter Rollings FRICS — Non Executive Director at Foxtons — say he didn’t think an estate agent’s job was about being ‘nice’ to everyone. And honestly? We bristled because, for Brickworks, being nice is exactly what estate agency is all about.

In the UK, an estate agent’s contractual relationship is typically with the seller, so you’d be forgiven for thinking that we should be fully entrenched in the seller's corner, so to speak. But here’s the thing: the buyer isn’t the opposition. They’re not the other side. They’re just… the buyer. Another person trying to get from A to B without losing their sanity.

Property transactions aren’t a tug-of-war. They’re circular. Intersectional. Everyone’s experience affects everyone else’s outcome. And just like the seller, the buyer is a human being navigating one of life’s biggest transitions. Keeping things respectful and trustworthy with them isn’t optional. It’s essential. Especially because, unlike sellers, buyers don’t really have representation in the process — other than their solicitor.

But there’s another layer to this that doesn’t get talked about enough: estate agency is an emotional job, whether we admit it or not.

More often than not, people move house because something big has happened. Sometimes it’s joyful; a new relationship, a baby, a bigger chapter. And sometimes it’s much harder; a separation, illness, bereavement, or financial pressure. People don’t need indifference and confrontation in these times. They need kindness, clarity, steadiness — and someone who can be human without falling apart.

In several other countries, the estate agency fee is shared between buyer and seller, which makes the dynamic far more balanced. And it makes sense. When a house sells, the agent is the primary facilitator between buyer, seller and the legal process. We manage communication, smooth out complications, pre-empt potential obstacles, and keep everything moving towards exchange and completion. Doing that well takes experience, tenacity, attention to detail… and yes, being nice. To everyone.

That doesn’t mean we avoid difficult conversations, or that we don’t advocate firmly for our paying clients. It just means we don’t — to put it bluntly — piss anybody off in the process (well, not intentionally, of course).

And being nice doesn’t just feel better — it pays off. In 2025, almost 80% of Brickworks’ sales completed at the guide price or above. Nationally, in the same time period, only 35% of house sales achieved asking or above, so we’re punching well above our weight compared to the industry averages. In real money terms, that converts to an average of £12,543 achieved over guide across all agreed sales. That’s a bathroom renovation for some, a new car or a special holiday for others, or simply some breathing room at the next stage of life.

Based on last year’s figures, Brickworks typically sold homes at 2% over guide price — at a time when the wider market was moving in the opposite direction. In early 2025, the average London sale price was 5.6% below asking, and across the UK and Wales, homes sold for a moving average of –1.24% of guide price (REalyse, true as of Feb 2026).

We don’t think that’s a coincidence. Deals hold together better, buyers stay engaged, and momentum is easier to maintain when people feel respected rather than pressured. Calm, considered transactions tend to be stronger ones — and the results speak for themselves.