It’s been another hectic week for the industry with property peaks and portals dominating the news agenda.

First: The top of the market?

It takes a brave soul to call the top of the property market.

But Spicerhaart boss Paul Smith made the bold claim this week, saying the market peaked in April and now there is “trouble in paradise”.

He is the first mainstream, or indeed any, agent to state the claim, which was clarified by EYE in a series of emails.

One EYE reader, Typhoon, warned against promoting doom and gloom, adding: “Great news. If the industry spends all day trying to digest this mass of numbers and not focused on trying to keep the market alive, ‘Paul’s call’ will come true. Come on folks we all know that longer term it’s perfectly safe to invest in property, so let’s not add the doom and gloom of “out of industry” commentators who may have agendas that a property crash could suit.

“I agree with Paul that with a shortage of stock having prevailed for some time, valuations are being pushed and vendor expectations unrealistically inflated, but let’s work the market, educate our sellers and put some oil on the cogs to get the market moving. I’m all for being realistic, but talking doom and gloom is not the way forward.

“But all that said, if ‘Paul’s Call’ comes true, I would not like to be in the ‘on line only’ camp. Could send a bit of an earthquake their way”

 However, Jacqueline Emmerson said up north the market is a different story, she said: “It was bound to go quiet in April for two reasons. The first being the ridiculous rush in March to beat the Stamp Duty deadline. The second being an early Easter so people not out looking at properties over the Easter break because most of us were caught out by it being so early. It’s very busy here in the north east. We have just opened a record number of files. I’ve noticed prices going up as well. On the Northumberland coast the prices have shot up and whatever comes into the market is moving very quickly. It’s the same in Newcastle.”

Second: 130%

That is the figure for Zoopla’s rise in revenues in its half year results.

Much of the growth was driven by performance at its comparisons website business uSwitch.

The business was acquired last May and delivered a performance ahead of expectations, with 46% revenue growth.

William Packer, analyst at Exane BNP Paribas, said uSwitch was now worth £500m, against the £190m Zoopla paid for it only 12 months ago.

EYE reader Glenn Ackroyd suggested Zoopla could be even more creative with uSwitch, saying: “USwitch does give Zoopla a powerful weapon to use against Rightmove if they start to harness it.

“USwitch earn referral income for every service they pass on. Gas, electric, phone, broadband, removals. etc

“If they shared this with estate agents, the financial incentives make it very attractive for an agent to choose Zoopla and stick with them.

“Agents have sellers, buyers and applicants. A wealth of data that has value.

“Currently there are no referral schemes in place because they are still integrating the business.

“One for the future.”

But PeeBee said genuine buyer inquiries were more important to him on the portals, adding: “I’m not in the least bit bothered that there are a gazillion ‘users/hits/whatever’ on Portal A, B, or WXY every second/month/ or whatever time-period that suits them to quote a snazzy number.

“They are useless to me – like the thousands of cars that whizz past every motorway café on a daily basis. (at 67.8mph, of course…).

“The only road-users I am bothered about are the few that slow down – they might hopefully pull in next time they pass this way; or the tiny fraction that actually put their dinky on to leave the road, and pull into my forecourt.

“I can actually sell them something.

“The others – purely road noise.”

Third: Proof that portals drive everyone crazy

You may not like the thought of Zoopla or Rightmove making buyers and sellers feel they know the market just by using their online tools.

But spare a though for car dealers.

An interesting letter from a car dealer has exposed issues with Auto Trader.

The writer of the open letter is critical of a part-exchange pricing tool that Auto Trader has introduced on its website.

He says: “Well, I have been giving part exchange prices for years when these customers reach my forecourt, so why do you need to give these details away now and risk them never visiting me?

“It’s already hard enough getting potential customers in through the door without you giving away information so they can decide to stay and shop online, so thanks too for potentially reducing my footfall….again!”