Countrywide are reporting that they've sold a third fewer houses in the first six months of this year than the same period in 2004 and the residential estate agency wing announced their first operating losses (£6.5 million, no less) in a decade. Managing director Harry Hill has suggested that, if the flat market continues, up to a tenth of the UK's 11,000 estate agents could find themselves without keys to jangle (what are the chances of that happening, eh? eh?). More, here. If you're an estate agent reading this (and we know a significant number of you are), don't, whatever you do, visit the Anorak.