Estate agent wars: Zoopla hit by the launch of rival website OnTheMarket in January February 12, 2015 Online property portal Zoopla's membership was hit last year as its customers prepared for the launch of new, estate agent-run rival OnTheMarket. Nonetheless, it dismissed the new website's impact as "short-term". OnTheMarket's "one other portal rule" effectively bans agents from advertising properties with more than one rival website, meaning many must choose between Zoopla and [...]
London house prices: Unseasonable heat in the capital’s housing market January 19, 2015 After a muted end to 2014, London house prices grew 0.9 per cent in January, compared to just 0.2 per cent in the first month of 2014. 10 of the 32 boroughs surveyed by Rightmove reported asking prices having dropped in January, with the positive score for the region pushed up by some top performers. [...]
Charles Dunstone gives backing to online estate agent HouseSimple January 21, 2015 Sir Charles Dunstone has moved from phones to burgers and student digs. Now the Carphone Warehouse founder has given around £5m of backing to an online estate agency aiming to shake up the high street. HouseSimple is one of a number of online players challenging high street estate agents by offering sellers a way of [...]
London average house prices top £600,000 for the first time November 16, 2014 The average price of a residential London property has risen above £600,000 for the first time but signs of cooling are evident. The break through the £600,000 barrier in house prices in November marks just a 0.8 per cent increase on October’s figure, according to data released today by online property market platform Rightmove. Rightmove’s [...]
City Moves for 11 February 2015 | Who’s switching jobs February 10, 2015 Close Brothers James Mallinson has been appointed as director of Family Business, a role created as part of the asset manager’s expansion of its initiative to support family businesses. Mallinson has 10 years’ experience and was at In Partnership and St. James’s Place before Close Brothers. easyProperty.com The online property platform has appointed Robin Wilson [...]
OnTheMarket vs Zoopla: Property portals at war as estate agents’ website enters the market January 26, 2015 A war of words broke out last night as the boss of property portal Zoopla labelled OnTheMarket – a new challenger in the property portal space – as “a regressive business model trying to stifle innovation”. The new property sales website, mutually owned by estate agents including Savills and Knight Frank, is being launched this [...]
Blow for Zoopla as estate agent The Spicerhaart Group lets deal expire November 27, 2014 Online property giant Zoopla was dealt a blow this morning as a leading UK estate agent revealed that it would not be renewing its contract with the site. The Spicerhaart Group – which runs Haart, Felicity J Lord, Darlows and Chewton Rose – will allow its deal with Zoopla to expire at the end of this week. [...]
London estate agent Knight Frank cuts ties with Zoopla over new website Onthemarket.com December 11, 2014 Property website Zoopla yesterday brushed off the break up of its partnership with London estate agents Knight Frank, with share price dipping by just 0.35 per cent. Knight Frank’s decision to cut ties with the online business comes ahead of a January 2015 launch of Onthemarket.com. Knight Frank is one of the founders [...]
From Quindell and Gotham City to Uber and the LDTA – five of the biggest business battles to watch out for in 2015 December 22, 2014 Rival camps have banded together, the lines are drawn, battle armour is on and adrenaline is running high. All that's left for spectators to do is grab some popcorn and watch from the ringside. From rival estate agents, to a business targeted by a Batman styled US fund and an influx of tiny new banks [...]
UK house prices: A return to optimism? – CNBC Comment February 16, 2015 The UK housing market is a favourite topic of conversation – a national pastime, even. But an abundance of different data types mean that statistics can swamp and confuse anyone looking to gauge the current climate. Property website Rightmove just announced its busiest ever month for house hunters, while Halifax saw its biggest January monthly [...]