An Andover estate agent has been named as a finalist in four categories at the 2026 Personal Estate Agency Awards, following more than 350 nominations from across the UK.
Oliver Smith, who operates locally as Oliver the Estate Agent, has been shortlisted for Community & Local Impact, Best Social Media, Best Personal Brand and Best Video Marketing.
Oliver launched his own estate agency business in 2025, with a focus not only on marketing property differently, but on creating content centred around Andover and the surrounding area.
Much of that has come through his Street of the Week series, which sees Oliver explore the history behind streets, buildings and communities across the town and neighbouring villages.
What began as an experiment in creating something different from traditional estate agency content has developed into a weekly series, with local residents regularly contributing photographs, memories and their own knowledge of Andover’s past.
Oliver said:
“I’m genuinely blown away to have made the final in four categories. There were more than 350 nominations from across the country, so just making one shortlist would have been something I’d have been incredibly proud of.”
“The Community & Local Impact nomination probably means the most to me. Street of the Week started because I wanted to create something about the area that people might actually enjoy, rather than constantly putting out content about houses and asking people if they wanted a valuation.”
Social media has subsequently become a major part of Oliver’s approach to estate agency, with his content reaching tens of thousands of local people each month and providing an alternative to the traditional corporate estate agency model.
But Oliver believes the four nominations are particularly meaningful because, collectively, they recognise the approach he has tried to build since going independent.
“I’ve always believed that if you’re going to call yourself a local estate agent, you should actually contribute something to the place you work in.”
“Andover has an incredible amount of history and there are so many stories sitting behind roads and buildings that most of us walk past every day. I’ve probably learned as much making the videos as anybody watching them.”
“Ultimately, I’m an estate agent and this is my business, but I want people to get something from following me even if they have absolutely no intention of moving house.”
The winners and runners-up will be announced at the Personal Estate Agency Awards on Thursday 22 October at Edgbaston Park Hotel in Birmingham.
Oliver added:
“Whatever happens in October, I’m proud that an independent business from Andover is represented nationally in four different categories. If we manage to bring one of them home, though, I’ll be absolutely delighted.”