The attitude of Rightmove and Zoopla towards agents is already much more respectful and they are now offering quite attractive packages according to one of the founders of their new challenger, OnTheMarket.
Trevor Abrahmson of Glentree Estates, a high end agency that sells multi-million pound houses around The Bishops Avenue in north London, says he was the man behind OTM.
Writing on the website of Spear's, which describes itself as a wealth management and luxury lifestyle brand', Abrahmson explains that it was he who first wrote to 20 major estate agencies asking them to come to a secret meeting at Zafferano [restaurant] in Belgravia.
He says the board that was set up under the name Agents' Mutual - which initially consisted of Glentree, Savills, Knight Frank, Strutt & Parker, Douglas & Gordon and what was then the still-merged Chesterton Humberts - is representative of the most important agents in the UK.
Abrahmson then writes: I can tell you that the portals' [Rightmove and Zoopla] attitude towards agents is already much more respectful - they're offering quite attractive packages which never happened before. I wonder why.
He does not give details of the attractive packages on offer. But he does say that the falls in the market capitalisation of the two big portals since the announcement of onthemarket.com - although not entirely down to the existence of the new portal itself - is a demonstration of the impact made by OTM.
We're here to stay he says.
Comments
It certainly looks like Foxtons and Winkworth also received the upper-crust snub from our illustrious betters.
So Trevor Abrahmson is now claiming he single-handedly altered the property industry for the better, a little far-fetched don't you think Does he understand what an average buyer wants to hear They certainly won't appreciate revelations of attending secret lunches in Belgravia!
This Trevor Abrahmson of Glentree Estates would appear to have a far too high opinion of himself and the founding members of OTM. A little bit more modesty wouldn't go amiss.
Yep, a lot of these founding agents seem to be living in their ivory towers - as long as it benefits them, sod the rest. That's what OTM has always been about, looking out for their own self-interest rather than genuinely trying to improve the experience of their buyers/sellers/landlords/tenants etc, the very people who keep them in employment. That's my biggest problem with them.
Very true. Don't say this too loudly though, otherwise you'll have the pro-OTMers jumping down your throat telling you how wrong you are.
Quite.
Well said. My thoughts exactly. What a jumped up, arrogant, pompous so and so. I'm sure many others would disagree about his most important agents line.
He revealed it was he who first who first convened the meeting, was it also he who decided to spend a large chuk of the ad spend in The Times, The guradian, Hare and hounds , Country life Etc Etc. Selling 3 bed semis in Yorkshire not a great deal of my clients read the hare and hounds, what type of property do you sell Mr Gelntree estates...oh fantastic, as long as its ok by you ...
does he want a knighthood or something
sounds like a tory frat party to me and one day they'll come back and say we owe them!
Otm, doesnt really know the difference between unique visitors and hits. The time people spend on the site is very little and most people are leaving the site after looking at only one page. the current traffic is like a yoyo but the most concerning part is the repeat traffic. Very high majority of the people are actually not coming back and spend less than 30 seconds on the site.
Disappointing, isn't it A surprise, though Not at all.
I cant wait to see my new "attractive package".
Surely D&G doesn't rank even close to "the most important agents in the UK"
If Rightmove and zoopla are offering great deals it's not occurring North of the border!
REALLY - the most important agents.
That is his opinion. My thoughts of his opinion begins in 'B' and ends in 'ollocks' - jumped up what'not