Coronavirus update: the inside view from the UK’s property desks
Not since the economic crisis of 2008 has there been a more challenging time for property editors. With mortgage offers grinding to a halt and social isolation effectively shutting down the spring market, they’ve had to rip up flat plans to make way for coronavirus-related content. “This time will be very challenging,” concedes Helen Davies, property editor of the Times and Sunday Times. “Coronavirus is obviously the biggest story right now and is impacting on everyone and everything in different ways.”
As a result, a story about something that has NOT been affected by coronavirus, probably isn’t a story right now, maintains freelance property journalist, Graham Norwood. Davies insists, however, that it’s not all doom and gloom. Naturally, her sections have down-paged as advertising has dropped but there has been record digital traffic week on week. “More new readers are also coming from search engines to find answers, such as will I get rent relief? People just want to know what the crisis means for them,” she says.
The FT’s House and Home section has also cut pagination – it is now running at ten pages rather than 20, roughly half of what would be expected at this time of year – yet online traffic and engagement across FT.com and FT.com/house-home has seen a huge increase, says editor Helen Barrett.
For the national newspapers and websites such as Prime Resi, property market analysis is the main agenda – editors need relevant and up-to-date information from PRs. “Just knowing what is going on is useful – not every conversation is about getting a piece in the newspaper. It is about staying in touch, helping everyone through this period and making sure we can all make the most of it when the lockdown is lifted,” Davies says.
She’s looking for stories about real people and real impact with the same commissioning criteria as always: is a story exclusive? Is it interesting? Who wants to read this? How do we illustrate it? “Unless the statistics are robust, revealing and offer a top line story it is about the case study,” she says.
Prime Resi is also seeking detailed, original commentary and insights from industry sources; practical advice to help people and businesses cope. “We want interesting anecdotes, interviews and case studies,” says editor Dan Crofton. The FT, meanwhile, is avoiding stories that paint the crisis as some kind of opportunity. “Our global readership invest in property as well as live in it; helpful stories are those that don’t put gloss on the situation,” Barrett says. “FT readers see straight through that approach. I can't stress how inappropriate it would be to talk of ‘green shoots’.”
“This is not a time to be glib,” Barrett continues, “the FT will only be running stories backed up by robust scientific evidence. Least helpful are stories that claim architecture/design/property can contribute to that spurious idea of ‘wellness’,” she says. There is, however, still scope for non-coronavirus content – if it is pitched sensitively. “We want to bring comfort and reassurance with our regular names and faces – Luke Edward Hall and Robin Lane Fox, for example,” says Barrett, who has noted a positive reader response to escapist stories.
Davies believes the appetite for escapism and non-Corona stories will only grow as lockdown continues. “Our homes have never felt so important or been under this much scrutiny,” she says. “We’re running stories on interiors, gardening and DIY; we’re offering decluttering guides to get your home ready for a move, for example.”
The glossy magazines appear to be taking a wholly escapist approach to the crisis. Country and Townhouse is combining its four summer issues into two bumper editions designed to engage and inspire. “Our readers come to us for inspiration, a light touch and luxury ideas and products,” explains editor Lucy Cleland. “We want to be sensitive and sensible but we don’t want to be Covid-19 reactionaries.” Country Life is also focusing on taking readers’ minds off the current situation. “People read our magazine because they enjoy looking at beautiful houses in and out of their price range, and that hasn’t changed,” says news editor, James Fisher. “We’re running pieces on how to invest in your home – build that extension; improve your energy efficiency.” The magazine has seen a spike in online traffic over the past few weeks and a phenomenal increase in subscriptions.
Livingetc, Homes & Gardens and 25 Beautiful Homes are also steering away from the subject of coronavirus. “Anything beautiful and inspirational is welcome right now,” says Pip McCormac, acting editorial director. “Obviously homes are more important than ever, so anything people can do to improve their space is key – easy updates, house plants, organising.” His titles are still running at usual pagination with a spike in online activity. “Any information about how brands are adjusting is great – whether deliveries are still happening; any experiences that are going digital,” he says. “And we need lots of picture content as we can’t shoot anything.”
None of the aforementioned publications have any kind of ban on freelancers but journalists such as Norwood who write for national newspapers are feeling the crunch. He says his stories are largely on hold at the three publications he writes for. As a result he’s focusing on industry work, writing for just one national and a consumer-facing property website. Davies confirms there is an emphasis to write in-house at the Times and Sunday Times but she is open to the best, exclusive stories. While the FT is still using freelancers but has a glut of copy. “We had to tear up our schedule when the crisis hit, so we will be working our way through existing stories for a few weeks, commissioning to fill the gaps,” says Barrett.
Despite the appetite for escapism, editors are divided when it comes to overseas pieces. McCormack maintains they feed into the dreamworld vibe nicely, while Crofton and Davies will be publishing a limited number, concentrating on how international markets/firms are faring. “Striking the right tone is difficult, so a standard buying and selling piece may not be great,” Davies explains. “But if we did 100 European boltholes for £300,000 or less, or if Italian property is the cheapest it is in a decade (or more), that would be a peg.”
Of universal interest to editors, however, is how life will be post lockdown. “It’s key that we look beyond the pandemic; what comes next and how businesses can prepare,” says Crofton. Norwood is thus looking for research stories which reflect the future rather than the past: “it’s less about rental yields in February, more about ways to make money from our homes after all this is – please God – a distant memory.”
Davies is optimistic for the future, believing the current hiatus will focus readers’ minds on their next property move. “When lockdown is lifted there could be a surge in transactions, if not in prices as people take stock and look to get the best quality of life they can,” she says.
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