Corinne Sweet, The Whistler’s  Interesting Person correspondent, talks to Amy Newman, Queen of Pearson Keehan the new estate agent on the block

If your idea of an estate agent is something out of Stath Lets Flats or Dubai: Buying the Dream. Then think again. There’s a new gal on the block and she’s breaking the mould. 

Amy Newman is a rare breed: a woman Director of a relatively new estate agent, Pearson Keehan, in Seven Dials. Born and bred in Hove, Amy spent her formative years in the midst of a football-loving household. Her father, Paul, set up and coaches the West Hove Dynamos, a grassroots football club. Her mother, Jayne, does the admin. Amy helps with the social media and advertising. And her brothers, Lee, Ross and Adam, played football and now coach the Dynamos themselves.

“My footballing family gave me a great background training for working as an estate agent”, grins Amy. “I was a bit of a tomboy and being the youngest of four I had to learn to stand my own ground.” Loving the outdoors, she played football, like her three bros, but also did netball and ballet. Amy went to schools in Hove and Brighton (St Andrew’s Primary and Blatchington Mill), and being sports and animal-mad decided she’d train as an animal care assistant.

Leaving school at 16 she went to Plumpton College to learn her trade helping abused, abandoned and sick animals. “I grew up with dogs and cats and really wanted to work with them”, she says. She ended up with a rescue dog, Poppy, who had a heart-wrenching history, plus a mature cat, Edward.

While finishing her Diploma at Plumpton, Amy worked in Pet’s Corner, in Hove, rising to Manager. On graduation she was offered work by a friend in the, now defunct, Brighton Accommodation Agency . It was here Amy began to cut her teeth on the house-purchasing business. 

She realised that helping people find a home, buy or sell their properties, was an important skill to have. “In many ways you meet people when they are having a difficult time: divorcing, moving cities or jobs, or after a death”, explains Amy, “You almost are a therapist and you have to understand how to help people”.

Amy’s experience growing up in a robust, but supportive home, and her work with animals, meant she has stacks of common sense mixed with compassion. Like her mother, she is a great organiser and is good at strategic thinking. 

Meanwhile, Amy worked for well-known local agencies for 13 years, saved hard and lived at home. She eventually bought her own home near Mile Oak Farm where she lives with partner, Billy, who is an up-and-coming DJ.

However, working in estate agencies has not all been plain sailing. Amy has found the glass ceiling has sometimes been reinforced with heavy-duty concrete by particular types of male colleagues. “It’s sometimes felt like being in a frustrating boys’ club”, she says wryly, “But my experience working with animals had shaped my compassionate approach to people.” 

Amy decided to rise above any challenging situations thrown at her at work. “I’ve learned to manage complex and sensitive situations with empathy and understanding”. And certainly, it’s helped Amy succeed in a male-dominated industry.

Now working with Chris Pearson and Kevin Keehan, who happen to be old friends from childhood, their attitudes to work inspired Amy to join them in their new enterprise. Together they set up Pearson Keehan together after the trials of lockdown. 

Amy joined on a self-employed basis in October 2024. Tragedy struck in January 2025 and Amy ruptured her Achilles heel playing netball. While injured, Amy used the time to develop new branding, a website and designed the new office at Seven Dials. Ironically, it was the same building she worked in (Mishon Mackay) at the beginning of her career – but it was now getting an Amy makeover. She had gone full circle. Having worked closely with Chris and Kevin for the launch of Pearson Keehan, Amy became a Director when the Seven Dials branch opened in August 2025.

“I have always been really focused on selling and buying houses, which I think is important.” Amy says it’s important for sellers to have a clear strategy and approach to selling in the current uncertain market, which is why it’s important to work with the right agent. She believes it’s important to do your homework and stay positive. Meanwhile, in the office, Amy says she likes to lead from “under the radar” as she has no need to stoke her ego. 

Amy is chic, calm and straight-talking. Exuding quiet confidence she believes women are generally more empathic and treat customers well. Plus, she has words of wisdom for any woman wanting to rise to the top in the estate agency business: “Back yourself, know you’ll succeed, but do it your way”.