Going down: online agent cuts its normal rates by up to 10%

Just when you thought it couldn’t get any cheaper – it just has.

Online agent 99Home has reduced its normal packages by 5% on both its standard £99 and its top £999 packages, and by 10% off its £499 deal.

Founder Vijay Vashistha told us that the discounts are temporary, with the exception of a 10% discount on all packages for NHS and emergency services workers which will be ongoing.

Vashistha said: “The aim of giving discount codes is to have traffic on site.

“Instead of paying £1 to £3 per click to Google or Facebook, I prefer discounting clients by offering them a 5% discount.”

99Home had been raising money on Crowdcube, but pulled its campaign two days early last month, having reached most of its £295,000 target, as Emoov went into administration.

Vashistha said that most of the investors were existing clients who had used the service.

He said: “At one point we were on £370k and could have been a bit more but  . . . thanks to Emoov.

“We did our planning in December 2018 and wanted to start execution (campaigns) from this month but we have not received our funds as Crowdcube is still doing final due diligence.”

According to earlier reports, 99Home should get some £292,000.

Vashistha said: “We are currently working on recruitment as we want to have 200 local property experts before the tenant fees ban kicks off.”

He said that so far this month, it has attracted 20 good candidates.

99Home’s ambitions include being one of the UK’s largest agents by next year. It launched in July 2017.

Vashistha expects the current discounts to end in late March.

The only package not to have been discounted is the free one.

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13 Comments

  1. surrey1

    Put a flake it in, son.

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  2. Property Ear

    Surely Vash could do some sort of deal on his free one?

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    1. Ostrich17

      The only package not to have been discounted is the free one.

      A missed marketing opportunity – he could afford to discount it by 99%  🙂

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  3. smile please

    Sounds like someone is desperate for a cash injection .

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  4. Property Ear

    Some sort of injection!!

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  5. Thomas Flowers

    Must be making some money to be able to reduce their fees then?

    £292,000 from Crowdcube!

    When will these investors learn?

     

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  6. Property Poke In The Eye

    I am always a bit curious where that money actually goes.  He must be on a good salary I suppose.

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  7. Property Pundit

    This is getting painful now.

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  8. Probably Pork in the Pie

    Never been an estate agent, yet runs an estate agency.  And we wonder why he is dropping his fees.  I feel for the customers parting with hard earned money.

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  9. Woodentop

    When you have to drop your fees, it is a sign of desperation.

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    1. J1

      It’ll be his pants next.

      This is just madness.

      When all other better on-line models go bust – the solution – wait for it……

      Reduce your fees…………congratulations on disrupting an industry.

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  10. porkpie

    99 Home’s Rightmove listings make interesting reading.

    From a stock of 374 properties, 335 are still for sale.

    You’d be better off spending that £99 down the pub and having a decent night out on it…..

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  11. AgentQ73

    Would love to see this guy stood in front of the Dragons asking for £292,000

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