Well, the year has got off to quite a start with my ego taking something of a hammering!

First off, The Property Chronicle titled me a ‘Veteran Agent’ (could they not have thought of a kinder description?) then I was described as ‘Old School’ which I can just about handle but last weekend was a serious stab to my heart.

Better explain first – my email messages have a ‘banner’ across the bottom which includes my picture, very fashionable so I have been told.

Well, recently I sent a ‘round Robin’ email exchange to all those involved within a short chain of properties with which we are connected. The buyer at the bottom, to whom I thought I was being helpful, responded with a very aggressive “who is that grey haired man wearing red glasses looking like Dame Edna!” Followed by a various rants to others involved. Bloody cheek, my glasses are brown!

It seems the more you try to be helpful the more the current generation of house buyers and sellers respond with aggression. Are they watching too many Purple Bricks adverts?

Estate Agency is very much a ‘peoples industry’, helping and guiding those through the maze of odd and crazy human frailties to help move in or out of their homes. Sometimes you need the tact of the UN Secretary, at other times the wit of Ian Hislop or the humour of Billy Connolly but most important, very thick skin.