In the first of two papers, Colin Gilligan examines the nature and implications of the changes currently affecting residential estate agency. In the second, which will appear in the next issue of Property Management, he will explore the various marketing strategies open to firms.

My previous paper focused upon the increasing pressures being faced by residential agencies and argued that the need to adopt a proactive marketing stance is now greater than ever before. Within this paper, I consider the implications for methods of competition and discuss some of the ways in...