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Written by rosalind renshaw

The new property portal, AskTheHomeSearch, has clarified its position on private sellers after announcing its deal with Sarah Beeny’s for sale by owner website, Tepilo.

AskTheHomeSearch’s website makes it clear: “As a policy we do not allow private sales or third party advertising … Just listings and the agent and developers’ details.”

However, criticising EAT’s coverage of the deal with Sarah Beeny as 'negative', AskThe HomeSearch boss Jonathan Davies said: “We have a policy as stated that we do not accept private listings from vendors. However, if a property portal subscriber, be they Tepilo.com as quoted in your article or any other site, we list properties from their data feed.”

He revealed: “We are currently in negotiation with another paid-for self-sale website that not only will list with AskTheHomeSearch.com but also lists on one of the current top three portals in the UK.

“I am also led to believe that at least one of the top three portals is offering the private sale by owner listings option in some form.

“We also believe that to ban listings from property services like Tepilo and other sale by owner sites would be a restrictive practice and believe that the other portals will in time be forced to re-take such listings like they have in the past.

“Sale by owner sites, be they free or paid for, make up only a small share of the property market, and in most cases the property listed on them is also listed with agents.”

He said that vendors using private sales sites would also benefit agents if they had joint agency agreements: “After all, the vendor would be doing their job for them!”

AskTheHomeSearch is part of The Property Channel, which is on channel 216 and airs three days a week on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday at 2pm.

Comments

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    Askthehomesearch.com is to end listings properties from Sarah Beeny's Agent Free website Tepilo.com from midnight tonight. Monday 26/04/10
    AskTheHomeSearch.com wishes to provide its users with detailed listings that give the user all relevant information for the property
    We have found the listings given by owner listings to be lacking in any detail and thus give a less than ideal service to our clients.
    We feel that given the important nature of property purchase to individuals we have to ensure details for all UK property listings on our site
    comply with The Property Ombudsman code of practice by listing properties agents bound by The Property Ombudsman.

    • 26 April 2010 16:10 PM
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    Malky our financial arrangements are not of your concern however one thing I can assure you is we did not pay for the site in $ we pay in £ and it was not 50 of them.
    The site has been designed as an easy to use clean site no clutter just the property details and images in regards the images you mentioned any you wish to point out? as the images are as supplied into the system.
    With regards the no photo image we hope not to have many with no image but what you want a red cross???
    It does a function it is not there to sell a property just inform no users image available.
    With regards our logo we have no idea to what you refer and suggest you clean your screen.
    And all we can add to your comment regarding banner ads on dubious websites referred to, you must be viewing those sites in order to see a banner on them? Maybe that’s why you have a screen that needs cleaning.
    I have personally gathered that a small minority of people who view this site and post have nothing better to do than criticise others that are trying to build a business and help the industry as we emerge from the economic problems of the last year.
    Would your time not be spent more constructively either offering constructive advice or doing your own job? We can take constructive advice and even criticism but to do so behind the vale of a website post just shows the type of character you are.
    I would like to thank those agents and individuals both on here and in person who have offered support and advice and look forward to working with you all over the coming months as we incorporate your data feeds and thank our new data feed partners xml2u.com and masterkey.com to enable international clients as well as UK clients to feed data into our portal.

    • 19 April 2010 15:32 PM
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    Just looke at the website, it is appalling, how the hell can you afford to advertise on TV and then create a website like that, some of the text is in the footer,the images are stretched, your logo is not even clear, the 'photo not available' image is tragic. This looks like you have paid $50 for a website in a box that you upload to a server and click on 'Now add your logo, now add your address'. Sarah Beeney should be embarrased to be listed on there, if it were my site listed there I would demand to be removed immediately. I am a fair person but come on, that is a poor site! Also Sarah, is thereany site you won't list on, will be see your banner on adult sites soon?

    • 19 April 2010 06:43 AM
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    Dave you have prompted a response given your personal remarks. Yes I do have a problem with some of my spelling and grammar along with a large proportion of the UK and no probably including a number of your fellow Estate Agents. May I congratulate you on you obvious skill having a full grasp of the English language. In regards to the “would of “” would have” etc this is a forum post not a formal document, or press release. If you have the time to pick up on small maters such as this then you are a luck man.
    With regards any errors on our site if the feed from the agent has errors then they are not as a result of our input error. I am sure many agents will own up to having details with errors in at some stage having received a number over the years during property transactions myself.
    If you had taken the time to view our portal offering or TV service before passing comment or judgment you would be better placed to give a constructive view on our operation.
    If you had take the time to do this I would have or maybe over would of given you a bit more respect but if you wish be petty over spelling and grammar rather than discuss the business opportunity offered by AskTheHomeSearch.com and The Property Channel. As stated we wish to work with Agents to offer a service to benefit them as a marketing channel to promote the vendors property to clients.
    We are not here to fight against agents and waste time debating the English language with petty individuals who obviously have more time than enough that then begs the question would that time not be spent more constructively promoting your vendors property!
    Have a Nice Day

    • 14 April 2010 22:34 PM
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    I'm sorry but i simply could not bring myself to list my clients properties on a property portal whose representitive seems to have such a poor grasp of the English language - Sorry AskTheHomesearch but if your posts are representitive of the quality of your site then you need help! it's not "Would of" it's "would have" and it's not "people will end up selling there property" it's "their property"
    Have a great day.

    • 14 April 2010 20:08 PM
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    this is our final addition to this post. At the end of the day the Point of A portal and the goal of agnets should be to get The property listings in front of as many potential clients giving maximum exposure for the vendors property. AskTheHomeSearch.com and The Property Channel on Sky 216 Mon Wed and Sat 2pm are just a tool to help agents achive this.
    Hope to here from you all soon 0845 2698107

    • 13 April 2010 18:53 PM
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    having taken a look at radarhomes details in full one quote that had me smile and wonder how often others may say it?
    'feeding the hand that bites us' the portals are not here to bite any one we list property if agents want to list they have to give the details of what they want listings. Or have we all been missing the point?
    maybe vendors should give there house away free to the agents who lists it for free who pops on a free portal that hen shows it to some one free who takes the house for free.
    but then back to the real world who does any thing for Free!

    • 13 April 2010 18:45 PM
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    Very constructive what??
    You are more guilty of what you are accusing Tim M of.

    • 13 April 2010 18:43 PM
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    Garry why do you feel you need to fight against portals? Portals are like yourself a business so yes they will charge to list your listings and yes you will have to provide the info you want listed.
    after all you charge the vendor that bring there property to market with you. other wise we are bast to the start of this post the agent does the portals job why by that same token can the vendor not do the agent job if you take that stand you are fighting the portals. cant have both ways. sound bit like pot kettle black

    • 13 April 2010 18:30 PM
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    I'm only expressing my opinion what ??. I have never claimed or suggested otherwise.

    • 13 April 2010 18:14 PM
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    Sorry when I said 400 in as many months I should have said 400 of us in 4 months!
    Best explain before some clever Harry pulls me up on it.

    • 13 April 2010 12:16 PM
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    We should be building our own property portal.A collective of us have got together down in the South West and have built our own site. www.radarhomes.co.uk
    We the agents own the site and we the agents are promoting our site.We already have over 400 of us on the site in as many months and growing rapidly. The guys who run the site for us are proven, experienced estate agents themselves and know the business as well as any of us.
    Working together we are fighting back against portals that are taking our hard earned money for the content we provide to them in the first place. This fight back has to start somewhere so -
    WHY DON'T YOU JOIN US.
    I hope my grammar is OK!!!

    • 13 April 2010 12:13 PM
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    what?? - you and I seem to be reading completely different posts. I have never read Tim M's posts as anything other than HIS opinion; never patronising; and generally of good value. He has never professed - or tried, in my opinion... to be the voice of Estate Agents; simply an interested party, as we all are.
    This thread clearly shows that Agents do not like competition. Yet, if self-sale adverts are as amateurish as is being professed - why worry?
    In the press, Agents' adverts are alongside private sellers with no bruhaha. And, as has been pointed out, the motor trade happily share publications with private sellers. Fighting it will only backfire on Agents, putting more strain on their reputation as a profession and probably increasing the want to try alternative methods. I am sorry, by the way, if you feel that I too have been patronising...

    • 13 April 2010 10:52 AM
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    Congratulations to Tim M again for thinking that his opinions speak for the whole of the rest of the industry.Wow, what a guy. You must be the most patronising poster on here.

    • 13 April 2010 09:02 AM
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    Really the question should not be Who lists? it should be Who looks?

    Get the relevant search traffic and the listings will follow.

    Chicken and egg I know, but perhaps so too should agents. But, the guy is asking what can he do, help him out, clearly he is not your enemy.

    • 12 April 2010 19:57 PM
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    O WELL tommorow will be some one else getting it in the neck. maybe i should of been an MP less flack.

    • 12 April 2010 17:34 PM
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    Your spell check is working but they are not the correct words.

    • 12 April 2010 17:31 PM
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    Ok guys there has been lots of beating the proverbial bush today brass tacks time cards on the table what do you want from a portal then what would we have to do we are hear for you at the end of the day you cant operate without vendors we cant operate without agents and there listings.
    TELL US WHAT YOU WANT! But you will have to back it up with actions
    And just for you spelling PeeBee I put it through spell check first :)

    • 12 April 2010 17:21 PM
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    Wardy ... that makes you an industry leader, at the top of your game.

    I am just vexed by why not many else have cottoned on yet. They probably only will when they "have to", when not having killer marketing will make it obvious that you are the only boy left in short pants.

    • 12 April 2010 17:11 PM
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    Tim, I dont see that we disagree.Our standard marketing use's floorplans (done by us, not part of the HIP) video tours, A3 brochures and premium listings. I am obsessed with click through rates, so my colleges tell me, im not so worried about private sellers sites but strongly disagree with listing alongside them.

    • 12 April 2010 17:02 PM
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    Ok, I've agreed with Wardy, now I'm going to disagree with him. Sorry.

    The reason that agents are so "twitchy" about FSBO sites is that they are threatening. The internet has changed how buyers shop for property, the role of an estate agent has been diluted.

    Buyers (with the help of portals) are more than capable of matching property for themselves.
    Sellers, don't just have 2 meg pix, no flash, point and shoot cameras (many agents look like they do though), they are increasingly sophisticated.

    Video, top promotional medium, how many agents even know how to use it ?

    Lifestyle brochures, most agents are still tied up in coving to the ceiling, four power points in the third bedroom, inventory style insomnia cures.

    Yes professional marketing cuts the mustard and separates the amateurs from the professionals. BUT, the amateurs are getting better and many of the "professionals" are stuck in the good old days.

    Got to learn new tricks.

    • 12 April 2010 16:48 PM
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    wardy - oh, I've got plenty to do, thank you.

    It is nevertheless interesting to observe how you and other industry professionals so ineloquently attempt to defend your positions. Meanwhile... I'm just sitting on the fence, watching the sparks fly - and the reputation of the profession sinking into the sunset with every swing of the handbag...

    • 12 April 2010 16:35 PM
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    Nothing better to do than pick people up on spelling? Constructive? Like i said....bore off

    • 12 April 2010 16:18 PM
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    What do you mean gurning, I'm smiling.

    • 12 April 2010 16:18 PM
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    by the way Tim love the profile pic i am very close to gurning like that my slf at the moment :)

    • 12 April 2010 16:13 PM
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    Gees, wardy - constructive criticism at its' best! And three words with correct spellings to boot - a personal best for yourself. I am impressed...

    • 12 April 2010 16:12 PM
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    Tim you have hit the nail on the head maybe the one i was offered for the coffin in another post :) we are here as a Tool for Agents to use to HELP! them by getting there listings in front of more clients via our Portal's and The Property Channel.
    We dont wish to take there trade or compete with them.

    • 12 April 2010 16:11 PM
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    Is selling a house different from selling a car? . . . Yes.

    Is marketing a house different from marketing a car? . . . No.

    The marketing bit is not selling IT, it is selling the viewing of IT. Make it look as good as possible, and show it to as many relevant people as possible in order to get them to come and view.

    Estate agents have little influence over whether or no not a prospect buys a property. When they view, they either like it or not. No silver tongued agent will change that.

    Where agents can make a difference is in the marketing. As Wardy points out, poor marketing = not much, dogs &"!!0&k$ marketing means more viewings.

    Marketing viewings is smarter than "selling" houses.

    • 12 April 2010 15:55 PM
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    Bore off PeeBee.

    • 12 April 2010 15:51 PM
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    I just wish they would install spell check on here. I blame Bill Gates its all his fault spell check corrupted my perfect english :)

    • 12 April 2010 15:32 PM
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    I love the spelling and grammar on this thread! A little care and attention to both would make your arguments hold so much more weight...

    • 12 April 2010 15:29 PM
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    sorry wardy did not want to get any ones goat i was jsut thanking David for a possitive commet no way do i class selling a car to selling a property. And as for the valuble service that estate agents provide to 99.9% of the market.
    At the end of the day that 0.01% will always be yes the agents will always sell a house better than self sell. I do not advocate the self sell method but it is there as an option just as an agent most people will end up selling there property via an agent even some of those that try the self sell method. But what would you do if some one opened up in a shop next to you letting any one come along and pop adverts in there shop to sell there own property?
    Go put the window through? through a paddy? or pop up a big advert showing how many properties you have and how many you have sold and why your service is better way to go most vendors just want to sell there house not have all hard work agents have to deal.

    • 12 April 2010 15:14 PM
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    ohh and while im at it, if you think selling a car is a kin to selling a property then you really are out of touch.

    • 12 April 2010 14:48 PM
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    Shocking! The job of a portal is to present a property to prospective purchasers. You can increase the amount of online viewings that property gets depending on how an agent (or private seller)promotes the advert. 2 pics and a breif description = no hits. 15 pics, floorplan, virtual tour = lots of hits. This is not rocket science. You are suggesting that property will sell regardless of who puts the listing up? I felt guilty about giving you a hard time but that comment has really got my goat. Do you think a private seller with there own 2mega pixel flashless camera and a discription not subject to PMA has as much chance as a professional listing?
    I am shocked that you think its that easy.If you think thats the case then why dont you go for the private sellers yourself? if it dosnt matter whos listing the advert and they will sell anyway then you have as much chance of selling as i do?

    • 12 April 2010 14:45 PM
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    Thanks David at the end of the day Listing property is what its all about if a client wants a particular property they will go for that property regardless of who is selling it.

    • 12 April 2010 14:22 PM
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    The motor trade embraces the internet with both private and trade using autotrader.co.uk. Are estate agents such an endangered species that they need protecting from any form of local competition? Bring on a true independent one stop portal including all properties for sale and rent.

    • 12 April 2010 14:11 PM
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    Brian now wishing to correct u but right move do accept listings from pay to sell sites that are not MEMBERS OF A REDRESS SCHEME

    • 12 April 2010 13:48 PM
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    Just don't use them, use rightmove

    • 12 April 2010 13:24 PM
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    Wardy: Qualify as a member of one of the divisions of NFoPP and you have what you have asked for, an agents only site.

    • 12 April 2010 11:45 AM
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    Don't be fooled. Virtually every top property portal in the UK is now accepting feeds from private seller sites. The private seller sites are branding themselves as 'online estate agents', but really they are just private property portals and have no high street branch and will accept a listing for a low fixed fee. Most of the big property portals now have policies for accepting feeds from these types of companies.

    • 12 April 2010 11:28 AM
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    If a portal came to me and said. 'WE ARE A PORTAL BUILT AROUND AND FOR ESTATE AGENTS AND WE ACCEPT FEEDS ONLY FROM AGENTS WHO ARE MEMBERS OF A REDRESS SCHEME' Then you would get my vote and possibily £75

    • 12 April 2010 10:31 AM
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    If you are NAEA/ARLA use Propertylive and you'll avoid all this private listing nonsense. Oh, and it's free.

    • 12 April 2010 10:23 AM
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    New site did not want to be first on new portal the lsit goes on. We are aware of the need industry objection to some of the other portals this was our reason or starting the portal and The Property Channel. We have methods to accept the feeds either direct via client software or our agent interface or thirdparty data feed services. Butat the end of the day the agent still has to want to list on the site and like the agents we are here as a business so we need them to join up and pay the monthly subscription to the service to get listings on the portal.

    • 12 April 2010 10:18 AM
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    The fee is not the issue, We can list on thinkproperty.com/Glowbrix for nowt. Why not try speaking to some of the software/data feed companies. Someone like Vebra or Expert Agent may be willing to do a deal and then you get all the listings you want without the need to visit agents. Like I said the industry is crying out for a well planned good looking functional agents only website. You could make a killing here. What were the agents objections to listing with you when you first made contact?

    • 12 April 2010 10:09 AM
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    See comment on last post wardy we are here to talk to agents and review policy. At the end of the day To launch a Tv Channel listing property with no property on wont work agenbts did not want to be first to sign up till we were operational now we are as result of property from Tepilo.com however this is obviousley not going to be compatable with our long term goals if agents will not coexsist on our site.
    However i lay the gauntlet down if agents wan an agent only site they will have to put there money were there mouth is if our policy is. We have a simple charge for the portal £75 per month per branch unlimited listings contact us about the Property Cahnnel listings direct.

    • 12 April 2010 09:57 AM
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    This guy just does not get it. You do not accept private listings, however you will list for a private sellers site.Just to top it off they are in negotiation another private sellers site.In the previous post i asked them to diside which way AskTheHomeSearch is going, private sellers or agents? This post has answered my question.

    • 12 April 2010 09:37 AM
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    Ask what now?? So you DO accept listings from private sellers then. How can you say otherwise? I can see everyone on here is going to be a big fan, lol.

    • 12 April 2010 09:22 AM
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