Property website OnTheMarket today reports that the number of estate and letting agent offices listing on the website has grown every month since the start of August last year.
Last month marked the portal’s 12th consecutive month of growth.
OTM, which is now just over 18 months old, had more than 6,400 listing offices at the end of July – an increase of almost 1,000 offices year on year, equating to 17% growth.
Several multi-branch agents have chosen to list with OTM since the beginning of the year, boosting office numbers.
These have included Nottingham Estate Agency and Harrison Murray which have a total of 37 branches; eight-branch firm Arnolds Keys which has offices in Norwich, Norfolk and north Suffolk; Watsons, estate agents and chartered surveyors covering East Anglia; Jeffries, a seven-branch firm in south-east Hampshire; Goadsby, a 25-branch firm with offices across Dorset, Hampshire and Wiltshire; and Meller Braggins, a five-branch firm in Cheshire.
Ian Springett, OTM chief executive, said: “OTM has grown considerably over the last year, by almost 1,000 offices. And between January and June, the number of listing offices grew by 10%.
“As irritating as this is to our detractors, we enter the autumn stronger than ever, determined to work towards creating the best portal for consumers and agents alike.
“Many agents advertising are launching their new-to-market properties exclusively at OTM first, 24 hours or more ahead of any other portal, which is a strong and compelling reason for consumers to visit the website.
“We announced in May that OTM had the support of 7,000 estate and letting agent offices.
“This figure – which continues to grow – includes offices which are contracted and those which are covered by Letters of Intent to join Agents’ Mutual and to list at OTM when overall support exceeds 7,500 offices – our next milestone.”
Comments (26)
You are right Robert but you cant re-invent the wheel. All that the internet is doing is making the wheel go round smoother and fast and cheaper for some and be a disruptor for others, who frankly have a lot to loose. What we have isn’t evolution, just another type of newspaper. The important thing for all to remember is the end user experience/acceptance is what makes the success. Currently they do not see the experience of what is being offered today as being “tough mate, you get what you paid for”. Ironically everyone knows that, but as it is still a new thing with on-liners some have yet to learn the cost savings are not that good or even what is advertised.
It’s not all about agents and portals. There is another factor. If I were a sales manager, my stock line to a vendor would be ‘Yes, I know that agent. One reason they are cheaper than us is because they don’t advertise on Rightmove’.
When I was in London, we didn’t sell much through Primelocation, but if your weren’t on it vendors would raise an eyebrow.
I have nothing against OTM and their journey has been fascinating. I just feel they need an awful lot more money to really compete
They could also consider spending a lot less and try doing something different; Rightmove and Zoopla are mid 1990’s tech that aren’t hugely different from Homes on Line and Asserta. It is time for something different to a portal centered aggregating site.
Bang on. Dead right
Same arguments, whenever OTM is mentioned. RM & Z only ever got to where they are today is from high street agents support, not TV advertising. The latter is pitiful and compared to on-liners who use their sites who actually help promote them.
Take away the hand that feeds (which they have chewed off so many times) and the public will visit where they can find the stock. RM & Z are scared stiff that one day that is precisely what High Street agents will do. However in the present climate they see that risk as minimal and continue to milk the cow for all its worth. They see agents as disorganised and afraid and will never come together as one. OTM is no different to any web portal for viewing properties as far as the public are concerned ……. It is however a place where High Street Agents can become organised and become one, take back control of their business without disadvantaging their customers, the public.
AM failure is not getting the message over to agents in town. Why everyone isn’t using them at a fraction of RM costs for example appears to be a lack understanding or nerve and as many will confirm, waiting for someone hold their hand.
This will not go down with those that are not High Street agents, so no doubt the dislikes will go off the chart. But I never see any High Street agent show a valid reason why OTM does not do the same as RM or Z or other portal but ignore all the advantages it has to offer and if you don’t know what they are …. no wonder you haven’t joined!
You need to weaken Zoopla before you can chew away at RM!
There is little point in doing anything to Zoopla, the acquisition of PSG means they have all the BIG data they need. If no-one ever visited Zoopla again there is a mountain of vertical earning opportunities sat there ready to be harvested from the various CRM systems they now own.
yes let them be the portal for ‘call centre agents’ with local advisers 30 miles away and you pay money to upfront with a low selling price or no sale
let portals ‘help’ agents by giving the whole history of that property
time on market
price owners paid
current asking price [too high]
on with three agents previously
adverts alongside for the paying agent’s competitors
this property has exceeded the average time to sell in this area
pay extra to display agents name and logo
use air bnb to let or sell your home
They’re not worried about any of that, they have access to the data and the cash that comes with it. It is madness to think anything other than money means anything at all.
All the agents who dont agree with the cheap call centre agents need to drop Zoopla and join OTM today. Take back control!
And what would this achieve? Cheap call centre agents list on Rightmove which is where the public go.
Er, the public only go there because that’s where the properties are. if agents stopped listing on there because there was a better option………
Precisely hence my initial question. Leaving Zoopla strengthens Rightmove.
[the public only go there because that’s where the properties are] is exactly my reason.
I suggest educating yourself a little. I like everyone else, do not visit websites I have never heard of… it’s not all about stock. A site could have all the properties in the country, but if people haven’t heard of them, it’s pointless.
I suggest YOU educate yourself a little more.
The human animal is inquisitive. If it wants something, it will find it. It will go out and look for it as a last resort – but mainly it will ask someone where to find it.
Back in the day we had people called “Estate Agents”. People called “buyers” picked up something called a “phone” and used it to ask* the “Estate Agents” to direct them to homes for sale or to rent.
This is still possible today. There are still “Estate Agents” to be found. These people do not live inside the internet; they are not automated; they can talk – and they can use that power of speech (or email, if that is how they are contacted) to tell people where they can find homes online if that is where people wish to search for them.
So… they direct the buyers/renters to the website where their homes are listed.
It’s hardly rocket science. Just human action:interaction.
How do you think you “heard” of Rightmove? Of Zoopla? Of ANY property site or portal?
Of PropertyIndustryEye, for that matter? Funny, innit, how you ‘found’ that yet it’s mostly unheard of outside of the industry…?
(*The Oxford English Dictionary will provide the most concise definition of this word, if needed)
Ahhh reminiscing about days gone by … did they telex you over their contracts ?
Thought you wouldn’t be too far away, danny…
Only five ‘Dislikes’?
I must be slipping.
That’s more like it! Keep rolling and hating, folks!
OTM is a poor website, let’s face it you’d be mad to drop zoopla or rightmove to advertise on it.
So… basically you’re questioning the sanity of the owners/principals of pretty much 1 in 3 Estate Agency branches.
Another third or so couldn’t join even if they wanted to due to pre-existing relationships and tie-ins… a small proportion of the final third can’t because they don’t meet the Membership requirements – and who knows what percentage of the rest of that section are on the fence or already decided to make the leap of faith.
And then there’s you, LA201625 – the only sane one amongst us.
I already know my Heads Gone – Eamonn made that perfectly clear long before you confirmed it… ;o)
And how many of that 17% are paying more than the original members as promised by the AM board?
Can we have a breakdown please of subscriptions paid?
To what purpose? If you are an AM members you should already know as they have made it very clear or do you not read your AM bulletins?
Great. So when are you guys dropping Rightmove then?
When they have the Bxxls.