One of the refreshing things about commercial property agents is the openness with which they publish their market commentary.
Vail Williams’ first edition of View West is very much in the tradition of agents telling it like it is. Their agents report the good news of some record rents and a certain amount of recovery along with the bad news of the disaster that was, and continues to be, Covid.
In addition, the report notes the looming dark clouds of rising interest rates and inflation. In a world where mainstream news sources are trusted less than ever, it’s great to know we are in an industry where a level of honesty still exists.
You could argue that any spin to make things seem brighter than they are would soon be exposed by unfolding events. But that hasn’t deterred politicians from making statements which quickly proved untrue.
In the US there was a narrative going around that the inflation being experienced was ‘transitory’. Perhaps it is but only in the sense that the US is transitioning from being a rich, powerful country to a poor one. Their inflation, like ours, isn’t going anywhere soon.
Separating truth from narrative has become a fine art. Speakers at UK Property Forums events are frequently open to audience questions. These can come from any angle and are almost always from experienced professionals. Very few offer an easy ride.
Compare that to the patsy questions asked by the selected journalists at Covid press conferences. No off-narrative question would ever be contemplated.
One of the exciting things about the property world is the way in which news travels and communication, whether through networking or simply presentations or debate, is one of the things that make this one of the more transparent industries to be in.
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