Digital portals close the gap on Rightmove ...

Wednesday 24th August 2011

Digital Property Group, which owns FindaProperty and Primelocation, has recruited its 12,000th agency office, and says it is now just 19% short of Rightmove’s UK branch total.

The milestone customer is Keys Estate Agents in Bridgwater, Somerset, whose branch manager Wayne Waters is pictured with DPG account manager Jeni Matthews.  

To celebrate the signing, DPG has donated £1,200 to the Estate Agency Foundation.

DPG said it has increased its total branch count by 1,951 UK estate and letting agency offices since January, representing 19% growth compared with Rightmove’s 3%.

Mark Milner, chief executive of DPG, said: “DPG is growing at a rapid rate. This isn’t a case of DPG increasing its share from a small base – we’ve performed consistently well over a long period of time.

“This year our advertisers have received even greater exposure and enquiries plus a range of new business services products such as Market View.”

Although the group has lost its long-standing sales director, Jon Notley, to arch rival Zoopla – which is also trying to close the gap with Rightmove – Digital has appointed Greg Bruce as UK and international sales director, while former Rightmove sales manager Neil Comper has become Digital’s sales manager.

Since January, the sales team has expanded by 40%.

Milner said: “DPG has heavily invested in its brands and proved its worth to millions of home searchers, with close to one million properties to browse.

“We are clearly having a big growth drive and our portfolio approach is delivering a high volume of homes to suit diverse audiences: the result is record levels of inquiries.

“With another significant burst of marketing in August and September, I would invite agents not advertising through us to get in contact to see how we might help them generate more business and make more money.”