View Media Group Launches a New Portal

View Media Group (VMG), the Australian real estate listing business backed by former Domain CEO Antony Catalano, has launched a new portal, View.com.au.

The portal will compete with the likes of REA Group's Realestate.com.au, Homely, and Catalano's former stomping ground Domain.

View is free-to-list for sellers, while a freemium offer will let real estate agents boost listings among other upgrades.

Catalano told Australian publication Elite Agent that View's portal is a much-needed alternative that will stimulate the market by letting homebuyers register interest in properties they find interesting, while also offering far more transparent information about recent sales and market behaviours.

VMG Chairman Anthony Catalano said:

"While VMG is much more than a portal play, it’s critical that we have a consumer-facing brand that will act as the front door to attract consumers and in turn allow us to offer products and services in a range of verticals across the property ecosystem.

"Our plan is to create a digital real estate superstore under the new View brand that will play in the $300 billion adjacency categories rather than solely focus on the $1 billion of digital property advertising.

"With View, our 'Freemium' listings model is a game changer and will allow vendors to list their properties for free, with upgrade options available for those agents who wish to further promote their listings and their brands.

"We’ve listened to the industry and the time is right for an offer to come to market with an alternative model that addresses the real estate industry’s concern at the continually escalating price of advertising."

View.com.au's website lays out the claim that it will "create a more transparent, truthful and informed property market."

And in fairness to it, both the app and the website appear to make good on those promises.

The inclusion of suburb profiles—with details such as median sale prices over time, neighbour demographics (age, income bands, job types) and schooling options—is a welcome addition to the property search experience.

Risks including bushfires and floods are also included on listings.

Watch the TV commercial below: