Zoopla is to relaunch its market intelligence tool for agents, MarketView, on Friday – with Vizzihomes to disappear.
However, Zoopla has strongly denied claims that it is killing off its former competitor.
Vizzihomes was acquired by Zoopla last June for an undisclosed sum. It had been launched by Kevin Hollinrake, of Hunters, and Jeremy Ward and became a major success story.
At the time of the deal, over 5,000 agents were said to be subscribers.
The relaunched version of what was MarketViewPro will use only market information from Zoopla itself.
Zoopla is telling agents that this is “to ensure accuracy and reliability of our data”.
However, one agent said: “I believe Zoopla are being disingenuous to agents by introducing a price rise through the back door.
“Until last month, an agent’s invoice had two billing lines – for Zoopla, and Vizzihomes.
“My latest invoice now has just one line, but still the same money due.
“Zoopla acquired Vizzi and are now killing it off or, as they would say, integrating it into their back office, but it will be a lesser beast as the data will be just from Zoopla. So what happens to non-Zoopla agents’ sales?
“The basis of the information will be incomplete, as Vizzi did not discriminate by portal. It is not what I signed up to.”
As part of this week’s relaunch, all settings currently on Vizzihomes will be moved to MarketView.
A Zoopla spokesman said: “Since we acquired Vizzihomes last year we have been busy integrating the best features from both Vizzi and MarketViewPro into a new and enhanced MarketView.
“It is certainly the case that the only data viewable in the new MarketView is ZPG listing data. By making this change we can assure the accuracy and integrity of the data available and highlight our member’s share of listings data on a range of the UK’s leading property portals.
“It is worth noting that ZPG carries nearly 90% of the UK’s available property listings.
“An example of one of the major enhancements to the new MarketView is the addition of PropertyWatch. This feature helps our members quickly identify potentially missed fees and was previously subject to an additional charge for Vizzi customers.
“We are including it as part of the standard product when we relaunch.
“No member has seen their overall rate increased as a result of the merging of these products.”
Comments (10)
"I have been following the saga of online valuation tools / avms call the what you will for quite some time, quietly gathering evidence that suggests they are nothing more than random number generators which are an absolute scourge to any property professional."
You may well be right but the public seem to really like online valuation tools wether they work or not and I can't see that changing.
We buy any car has similar inacurate online valuation tools, as does the antique/collectable industry…..they are used on a massive scale by an adoring public who love to find out what their stuff is worth without seeing anyone.
I have to say Wilko I struggle with the notion that because the public like something that is on average reducing normal agency profit levels by 19% it should be allowed to continue.
The surveying industry is struggling to attract new entrant simply because of the onerous conditions PI insurance and the high likelihood of litigation if their considered valuations are a hairsbreadth out. How can it be the professionals of the industry are the target of stringent scrutiny yet advice on value can be given away freely with simply no comeback on the distributor?
Wilko last week you doubted fee erosion can be reversed, this week you are quite happy for the portals you are trying to control to simply feed data to your competitors, I have to say you have me confused. What is it like for vacant A2 usage in your neck of the woods?
"I have to say Wilko I struggle with the notion that because the public like something that is on average reducing normal agency profit levels by 19% it should be allowed to continue"
There are alot of things I don't like, but it would seem, the public like in their masses. Any ideas on how to not allow the following to continue?
x factor, big brother, britains got talent, etc etc….Even my family sit down each time with their I pads and phones at the ready to vote on acts that I consider a load of nonsense…..and I thought I had influence at least over them! Should I write to Simon Cowell and nicely ask him to stop….Or maybe start a rival programme like "Estate Agents can sing as well" on a smaller budget for airing on the community channel at 3am Sundays?……Do you think I'd give them a run for their money?
How much does your Agency earn from XF, BB, BGT et all?
I would guess about the same as it does from Nosey Norah snooping through the internet as a form of budget entertainment.
The claim is "By making this change we can assure the accuracy and integrity of the data available and highlight our member’s share of listings data on a range of the UK’s leading property portals"
Please forgive me being a little pedantic; the word 'assure' is that not over egging things a little?
I have been following the saga of online valuation tools / avms call the what you will for quite some time, quietly gathering evidence that suggests they are nothing more than random number generators which are an absolute scourge to any property professional. With hard earnt qualification in valuing property for sale and investment, added to 20 + years of experience on the IT side of the property industry I really am at a loss how any algorithm can be programmed to provide anything meaningful in terns of advice on value let alone a valuation on any property. None of the facts and features that determine value are even considered by most AVM systems and the best still need physical confirmation before any figure is considered accurate
Having already stated that fee erosion is something Local Property Index are looking to address, hiding here in full view is the mechanics that are I believe at the root cause of the fee erosion.
When a vendor can get a rough idea of value from the online valuation tools it doesn't take genius to work out that even with no skills, experience or training any PI/amateur Agent can haul up and tell a vendor what they are expecting to hear and appear credible simply because they (the PIA)are repeating what the internet has told them. That isn't a practice I recognise as valuation and the sooner it is stamped out the better. I am not looking for every agent in the country to come on board Local Property Index but I am keen to find agents who if asked to show or explain their advice on value can offer a little more than “I looked it up on Zoopla missus”
I felt that those who paid for Primelocation / Findaproperty separately before the formation of DPG were conned. Our Zoopla charges have not changed in a few years and we werent paying memberships for any of the others. Those that paid for Finadaproperty / Primelocation had their fees integrated and therefore have been paying much more than others for the same service….which isn't really fair.Looks like the same has happened here. I'm sure the the value of the data will diminish when 100's of 1,000s of property will be wiped from their site next year?
The minute they were acquired we didn't want anything to be involved so jumped ship to Savvy Agent. Job done.
We left vizzihome as we didn't find the data that accurate and discovered savvyagent which seems to be more accurate and cheaper so would definitely recommend it
Diluting the quality then giving it to everyone defeats the object totally. Talk about a value vacuum.
When is a price rise not a price rise according to Zoopla – when agents were paying for Vizzi; then integrated the package for use of those non Vizzi paying agents! Those ex Vizzi subscribers have not had their fees reduced to be in line other agents – so it is in effect a price rise for some!
Some agents who had say 3 Vizzi postcodes must be sore at this as their fellow agents now have the same access to data without the old monthly cost of £50(?) per office per month!