Product and Services Roundup: SMG, Pararius, Idealista and Fotocasa

These are the real estate portal product and services announcements that came across our radar this week...

SMG adds FSBO tools to its marketplace

Swiss real estate portals Homegate and ImmoScout24.ch have integrated a set of listing creation tools for private sellers and landlords in a clear bid to capture more 'for sale by owner' (FSBO) listings on their marketplaces.

The listing creation tool, supported by artificial intelligence, allows users to write descriptions and upload images. The tools were previously only available to property managers and real estate agents.

Martin Waeber, managing director for Real Estate at SMG, said:

"Many private landlords only occasionally create a listing. Thanks to AI support, they now receive a high-quality, structured proposal within seconds that meets the standards of professional real estate agents.

"This also benefits all those searching for apartments, because the more precisely a listing is described and the faster it goes online, the faster people find their new home.”

ImmoScout24.ch is a leading real estate marketplace in Switzerland, operated by the Swiss Marketplace Group.

Pararius and Huurwoningen Drop Programmatic Ads Across Rental Portals

Pararius and Huurwoningen have removed almost all programmatic advertising from their portals, prioritising user experience over short-term revenue in a move that will resonate across the rental classifieds sector.

Both platforms are owned by Dutch proptech group TreeHouse that operates in the rental market. Pararius, founded in 2006, is widely regarded as the premium destination for professional agents, while Huurwoningen focuses more heavily on consumer reach and lead generation.

Announcing the change on LinkedIn, Pararius founder Jasper de Groot wrote:

“Let's face it: no one comes up on Pararius or Huurwoningen.nl for a flashing lottery banner or that ‘singing fish’ you once accidentally clicked on and has been chasing you like a shadow ever since.

“That's why we got rid of almost all programmatic ads last week. Bad for sales? In the short term, yes. Good for the visitor and the real estate agent? Absolutely.

“Less noise, more focus on what really matters: finding that new home. It looks clean, it feels good, and the conversion for brokers benefits from it. Quality over quantity, always.”

idealista Rethinks Map Search With Multi-Zone Property Hunting

idealista has rolled out a significant update to its property search experience, allowing users to select multiple, non-contiguous zones within a single search. The feature is now live across both web and app.

Users can now mix neighbourhoods, districts, municipalities and entire provinces in one search. A buyer could, for example, look simultaneously in Madrid city, the province of Cáceres and central Málaga, all within the same results set.

The company positions the update as more than a usability tweak. There is no cap on the number of areas selected, administrative levels can be freely combined and zones can be added with a single click directly from the map interface.

The functionality is accessible from multiple entry points, including the homepage zone selector, property listings and the results map. It reflects increasingly fragmented search behaviour, where users compare locations, not just listings, before committing.

Fotocasa Awards 700 Agencies Its 2026 Quality Seal

Fotocasa has awarded its 'Sello de Calidad Fotocasa 2026' to 700 real estate agencies, as it pushes to raise professional standards and trust across the Spanish property market.

The certification process assesses agencies on training, customer care, legal knowledge and adherence to a formal code of conduct. Accreditation is granted annually, requiring ongoing renewal and compliance. Fotocasa says certified agencies benefit from improved visibility on its platform, stronger brand credibility and access to more qualified leads.

The initiative is similar to a program launched in 2024 by the Emirati portal Bayut, which has had success in increasing trust on the platform through its TruBroker scheme.