ZPG, the owner of Zoopla and PrimeLocation, reports that the total number of estate agency branches that have now left Onthemarket (OTM) to re-join ZPG over the past two years has now reached more than 800.
It claims that a further 16 agency branches returned to ZPG last week alone, taking the total number of UK estate agents that have left OTM to re-join ZPG and advertise their businesses and listings to 808.
Ian Odam, Director of Jeanes Holland Burnell, a multi-branch agency based in Somerset, said: “In January 2015 we decided to join Onthemarket. After two years of supporting the OTM project, we felt unable to sustain our membership with them any longer as we believed we were missing out by not listing our stock with ZPG. In December 2016, we re-listed with ZPG and such has been the response that our offices received as many leads in the first few weeks as we received in the previous 6 months with Onthemarket and is on par with the number we receive from Rightmove.”
Mark Goddard, Managing Director of ZPG Property Services commented: “Agents across the UK are increasingly feeling the pain of spending their marketing budgets inefficiently and missing out on the enormous exposure we provide. We will welcome any agent back who is not currently on ZPG and wishes to enjoy the benefits that most of their competitors do. Our agent partners benefit from the most cost-effective brand exposure and lead generation as well as a wide range of tools that allow them to understand their market and customers better and generate additional revenues.”
Ian Springett, the chief executive of Agents Mutual, which operates property portal OnTheMarket, said the agency would not comment on individual agent relationships, but issued this statement:
“OnTheMarket.com continues to have a positive material impact on the property portals landscape. Many thousands of agents switched from Zoopla/Primelocation to join us. Many thousands of agents continue to support the objectives of the business by creating a genuine alternative portal for consumers and agents alike. Many thousands of agents have not returned to ZPG portals with their advertising budgets and their data.
“Meanwhile, OnTheMarket.com has made impressive headway in a very challenging market, achieving millions of monthly visits with a record-breaking month of 11.2m earlier this year – an 85% year-on-year increase.
“We are concentrating on long-term growth strategy, and with regard to the legal proceedings between Gascoigne Halman and Agents’ Mutual, we shall continue to respect the Tribunal by not commenting on or around it as it completes its deliberations and prepares its judgment.
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