In a highly significant move, the Glasgow Solicitors Property Centre is joining Agents’ Mutual, and has given notice to its current portal partner, Zoopla.
GSPC is the largest property marketing network in west central Scotland, and is the third largest solicitors’ property centre in the country, where it is common for homes to be sold by legal firms that also offer estate agency services.
GSPC provides a full property marketing service to its 169 member solicitors and is mutually owned by them. Altogether, the network has 240 offices.
The decision to replace Zoopla with Agents Mutual means that from January, all GSPC members will be advertising their properties on OnTheMarket.
Under the terms of the partnership, GSPC members will be able to list on one other competing portal – meaning that individually, they could go with Rightmove or Zoopla, or another portal of their choice.
The move will be accompanied by a new GSPC advertising campaign, promoting the benefits of selling through a solicitor estate agent.
Mark Hordern, chief executive of GSPC, said: “We have been impressed by the business model and strategic aims of Agents’ Mutual and we believe it is the portal partner best placed to serve the interests of our membership and the property-seeking public.
“Agents’ Mutual gives us the opportunity to regain control of our online advertising costs and of the presentation of our property content.
“Many leading independent firms in west central Scotland have already joined, including Clyde Property, Corum, Rettie & Co, CKD Galbraith, Scottish Property Centre, Move2, Residence and Caledonia Bureau.
“The combined presence of these firms, together with the clout of GSPC, will ensure that OnTheMarket will be a powerful presence in our market right from the outset”.
Ian Springett, chief executive of Agents’ Mutual, said: “We’re delighted with GSPC’s decision.
“Its support is a resounding vote of confidence from a large and powerful organisation and a major boost to our market strength in west central Scotland.
“The strong and growing support we have across the rest of Scotland means we’ll be hitting the ground running as soon as we launch in January 2015 and I’m confident that GSPC’s decision will encourage many other independent firms to join us to create a portal serving all agents across the country.”
Comments (20)
Quote PeeBee "it is what THE PUBLIC "see" that matters here". Spot on my dear boy. However everyone should not forget that both RM & Z only got to the position they currently dominate, not because of the public but because agents advertised with them and pushed these web sites and their customers followed. The big question is …. how will they survive when agents start to turn their customers to another web site. RM & Z rely totally on agents support to survive but lost the plot when they realised what a dominating position they had achieved from us agents doing the hard work. Now a new kid (their customers)is on the block and if they are not worried, they are incompetent because all the agents have to do is stop advertising their services – the only reason why they are strong at this time.
Wilko said…"Still that's c £100,000 p/a out of Zoopla's pot "just like that" and that's just for starters…" Sorry to be pernickety but if each agent is paying roughly £200 per month than I make it nearer £500k per annum out of Zoopla's pot just like that!!
Money they will have to replace… but with what?…. Perhaps a budget agent or two?…. Watch this space
"Money they will have to replace… but with what?"….All those agents who want to stay on, they told the city that they plan to raise fees by 15% remember.
First Martin & Co and now this, jeez who said build it and they will come… Ok so lets be realistic, sure we’ll have to re-educate but so what, I’m more concerned why this site doesn’t recognise paragraphs anymore. Look, AM’s on this yellow brick road because something had to give and I’m all in. It aint perfect and the lack of self promotion had me thinking I’d been 918 scammed but its definitely no joy luck club. Just like we can’t put a beat down on the carcinogenic spread of everything online, AM just sent another happy shopper to cashier number one and whichever way you chop it up, that’s a win.
Pee Bee – Does change upset your apple cart?……………………..Both RM and Z will still be viable routes for a FEW years – BUT with less content (ie houses) the public won't favour them so much. …………………………..On Z and I guess RM are now around 200 budget models. Proper agents are dong the right thing in taking valuable SEO content away from the big portals…………………………….At INEA we do a lot of UK and overseas property market study. What your not seeing is that if propertes are NOT on RM or Z then they can't be SEO optimized and will be found elsewhere…………………………………….. PeeBee – there are other things at play here too, such as changes in regulations that allow other models to grow or continue away from RM/Z favour and bits of legislation that can empower proper agents over budget agents……………………….The way the UK market CAN RUN isnt just down to where properties are advertised.
Mr Mealham, in answer to your question, no – change does NOT "upset my applecart". Neither, however, does it float my boat if it is either unnecessary or not in the best interests of "the industry" and its' customers. The public want – and currently have – what they see to be a working system for searching for property information. The 'consumer' (buyers and tenants) simply do not care which 'model' of Agency is marketing the property – they are not 'buying' that Agent – just the product on its' shelf. It is up to the Agent to convince THE CUSTOMER (Seller/Landlord) that they will produce a better result than any competitor in order to win the business and put it on their shelf. That has never changed in the period spanning five decades that I have worked in the industry. Budget models have come and gone. They will win some – but they will lose many more. But the public has a choice – and our Government are keen to reinforce and even widen that choice, as can be seen by changes that you seem to want to make out I am unaware of. You also state "What your not seeing is that if propertes are NOT on RM or Z then they can't be SEO optimized and will be found elsewhere" Mr Mealham, it matters not one jot what you think I am or am not seeing – it is what THE PUBLIC "see" that matters here. They will vote with their business if they want something that Agents can't offer them, and don't provide a convincing enough argument that they actually don't need what they think they want. And in my opinion, this could result in driving them closer into the arms of those 'budget models' that fuel your ire with such venom, and ringfencing yourself creates a further hurdle. In terms of your last sentence – I would suggest that what is actually correct is "The way the UK market SHOULD RUN isnt just down to where properties are advertised."
Mr Mealham. Your MLS iframe models don't allow for SEO benefits to be passed back to the parent site. As don't the links of includes from a lot of software houses in the property industry. This WILL have to change in order to "upset the apple-cart" and make a dent in search results.
Good news. It will be no surprise to anyone that I have a dislike for both Z & RM. Not because they advertise my properties but it is how they took over the marketing strategy, false promises and high fees. What these two companies need to get into their thick heads, agents wouldn't be leaving them IF THEY LISTEND to their customers (agents) and not doing what they think is best for the consumer (the public) and themselves. I just hope AM doesn't fall into this same trap.
"Under the terms of the partnership, GSPC members will be able to list on one other competing portal – meaning that individually, they could go with Rightmove or Zoopla, or another portal of their choice."
Hmmm… but what about the fact that they already have their own 'portal'? Not to mention the very real possibility that various firms could STILL advertise their properties on both, by 'sharing' listings with each other. This could unravel into a very interesting development…
Hang fire , are you telling that Scottish agents like Retties are now in contract to advertise in less places than GSPC members who have the choice on their GSPC portal AND one other ? Sounds exactly like a mutual to me and I'm sure that my Scottish breatherend will be delighted to have to have placed themselves into a worse situation than many of their counterparts selling property in the same city… Ladies and gentleman , welcome to unravelling of agents mutual
Unraveling of Zoopla' s profits more like.
Good move. As sites like Zoopla and rightmove let in more budget models like Openrent (who have adverts on Ch5TV and show first ad for private landlords for free then £29 after), or Purple Bricks silly buxget models. Then well done Scottish agents for leaving Zoopla. With less content sites like RM and Z will suffer. I understand Zoopla allows upto 200 budget models in. Looks like theyve just lost more tban that in one swoop.
Mr Mealham. The public LIKE RM & Z. They know where they are; they know what they do. AM Members are now going to have to try to re-educate the public – who to all intents and purposes don't want re-educating – and the added hurdle to that task is that there are plenty of other companies that will simply stick with the status quo, which will allow them to shun such enforced re-education. And, your 'budget models' will be among those. What you hail a "Good move" will, in my opinion, strengthen their position in the market – but you either can't see it, or refuse to believe it.
The public don't need "re-educating". How difficult it is to type in a different web address into a browser? They couldn't give a monkeys where they source their information, so long as the information is there. If it's on OTM that's where they will go. RM/Z traffic will dry up in an instant if they don't have any properties to display.
Teletext used to dominate the holiday advertising market until the web came along and "re-educated" people to source their information elsewhere. You never hear of Teletext anymore….
"The public don't need "re-educating". How difficult it is to type in a different web address into a browser? They couldn't give a monkeys where they source their information, so long as the information is there."….A very simple analysis of the situation that the non AM collective cannot seem to understand nor acknowledge!
" Teletext used to dominate the holiday advertising market until the web came along and "re-educated" people to source their information elsewhere. You never hear of Teletext anymore…."
Oh, dear – by adopting such a simplistic and throwaway attitude, the same sentence could very well read "High Street Estate Agents used to dominate the property market until the web came along and "re-educated" people to source their information elsewhere. You never see an Estate Agent's office anymore…." Sorry – you can't have it both ways.
AMAZING….I've been out of the loop for a couple of weeks. I tune in….read the first few comments on the first story and I thought I was looking at responses to an old article!! We do seem to continually grind out the same old views. Still that's c £100,000 p/a out of Zoopla's pot "just like that" and that's just for starters…
While I was away with the monks in the Tibetan mountains I was able to clear my mind….I saw the true future of estate agency. I am now truly enlightened.
This won't happen very often but I actually think PeeBee has made a decent comment for once and one of which I agree… Burying one's head in the sand and waiting for a victor in the portal wars will not change what's coming.
Thanks – can't now wait for your 'first'! ;o)