IAIN Robb began his working life as a car salesman and the directors of an estate agency that he'd sold some vehicles to were so impressed with his technique, they came back and offered him a job. Eight years ago, he decided to set up on his own and is now head of the Robb Agency, a company with 60 employees and eight offices.

He said: ''I suppose it's not so surprising that I became an estate agent because my mother worked in the business successfully for many years as a sales person for some of the major housing developers.

''In fact, I bought my first flat from her when I was only 20 and my brother bought an identical one right next door - and no doubt she got commission on both of them. What I like best about my work is, without a doubt, winning. This is a fiercely competitive business and what keeps you going is beating your rivals to the best properties.

''The worst aspect of the job is the gossip, and I've often speculated that if there was some way to channel all of it in a positive direction, it could be a tremendous force for good. It's for that reason that I tend to avoid spending my spare time with estate agents, although I have some friends who are colleagues.

''Gossip apart, I think the estate agency system we have in Scotland is a good one and I don't think it could be improved on by a Scottish Parliament - although it will probably help drive property prices up in Edinburgh.

''Estate agency standards are much higher here than they are in England where practices like gazumping gave the business a bad name in the 1980s.

''Having said that, if you have four offers for a particular property, only two people are going to be happy with the outcome: the vendor and the new owner. Three others are going to be upset because they've missed out and that's when complaints can arrive.

''Looking at beautiful buildings gives me a tremendous amount of pleasure so I welcome events like Glasgow's appointment as the City of Architecture and Design.

''I would love to see housebuilders making more of our architectural heritage which is particularly evident in the centre of Glasgow. Unfortunately, most of the big developers are more interested in costs per unit than style.''