When people are looking to buy or rent a property they will almost certainly start their search online. In fact, statistics state that only 1 in 10 people will begin elsewhere. While newspaper listings and traditional estate agency windows can still be a viable source of information, nothing beats a Google search.

Rightmove and Zoopla dominate the property industry. If you’re interested in selling you simply must utilise them. However, due to their stringent criteria, private sellers and landlords are not allowed to upload listings unless they are through a licensed estate agent. While you may want to avoid excessive fees, you’ll be cutting yourself short if you try to do it all yourself.

The Search World is Expanding

A decade ago the majority of searches were conducting via print. Now the Internet has a significant lead. Rightmove and Zoopla attract a combined 135 million visitors per month. They are the UK’s first and second most popular property portals and provide selected listings in national newspapers such as the Times, Telegraph, Daily Mail and Evening Standard.

Since the smart phone revolution the property market has been becoming increasingly mobile. The Zoopla application had been downloaded over five million times and both sites are now optimised for tablets and phones. In short, print is losing its gravity and the Internet is taking over!

Finding Potential Tenants and Buyers

Rightmove and Zoopla visitors come from a variety of sources. While serious renters and buyers will visit their websites directly and search for properties within a specific price range and in a specific area, others may begin via a search engine. Each listing is optimised for Google and will show up when somebody types a location specific keyword into the search bar.

Traffic can also come from referrals. Most estate agents use Rightmove and Zoopla as a source of listings for their own clients and may forward information about specific properties to them. In addition, various other websites contain feeds that list all of the most relevant or recent uploads. Fundamentally, Rightmove and Zoopla fuse multiple forms of advertising into one.

Getting On Rightmove and Zoopla

While individuals are prohibited from selling property on Rightmove and Zoopla, it doesn’t mean you have to pay excessive agency commissions to get on them. Online estate agents are a viable alternative. While you will have to conduct the viewings yourself, virtually everything else will be taken care of. Most online packages even cover professional photography and listing fees. Properties submitted via an estate agent tend to go live on Rightmove and Zoopla within 24-48 hours, and will be visible in Google almost immediately. We can sell your home for just £995, find out more here.

If you want to attract the greatest amount of buyers or tenants, then using an estate agent – be it online or offline – is crucial. While the extra costs may seem higher on the surface, the sheer numbers and chance of attracting a higher calibre of buyer, makes it worthwhile. Besides, if you can yield more interested parties, you will get closer to your asking price, and the excess could significantly exceed your investment.