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Written by rosalind renshaw

Askthehomesearch, a new property portal, has dropped its deal with Sarah Beeny’s private sellers’ website, Tepilo, just days after announcing it.

The move comes after criticism on the EAT site.

Jonathan Davies, founder of the website, said he had also found listings by owners to be lacking in detail.

He will now concentrate his efforts on building up listings from sales and lettings agents who subscribe to the Property Ombudsman scheme.

He will be listing properties from Not Estate Agents, who claim not to be estate agents and charge private sellers a flat rate of £150. However, Not Estate Agents are members of the Ombudsman scheme.

Comments

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    Hello! I'm new here. Just wanted to say hi

    • 19 June 2010 17:14 PM
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    Wardy you spoke we listened. Check out the changes we have made. See what you think feedback welcome. Virtual tour Video Tour Floor Plan can be added if agent has them available and links to agent site all included as standard no hidden cost. If any one has any other option they would like to see included in our site just ask after all as the name suggests all you have to do is AskTheHomeSearch We have made changes to our logo to make the name of the site more apparent at the end of the day we are here to work with Agents to help get there listings in front of as many potential clients in a cost effective method. No additional adverts will be included in the listings details or the search page.
    And if I may quote from your last posting on this subject “Reasonable cost. Basically a site like rightmove without the cdost, bullying and web links back to your own site. Not too much to ask. “We feel that £75 per month per branch unlimited listings is a reasonable fee this will include listings on our mobile portal and including all the site features listed above. No bullying and as stated every listing will have a link back to the property on your own site.” Plus we will not use any other phone number for your contact details just your own supplied client contact number they call you direct not via number that a profit could be made from like some other portals.
    Yes we have made some mistakes in past that we have learned from but I am sure that not one person on this site can claim to have never made a single mistake in the past.
    Even a number of other Property Portals have made some mistakes in the last few months not just here in the UK but other international portals so I know I am in good company.
    I hope to hear from you in the near future?

    • 19 May 2010 13:53 PM
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    Hi everyone. I'm new here so I just wanted to say hi

    • 15 May 2010 20:15 PM
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    Our site will require users to provide a valid email address and for vendors rating the sale of a property the address of the property for our validation.
    Check out the site on Launch.
    If you are not an agent or have a business that will be effected by the score given why worry Agent Orange.
    The EAT site although it does not give a score does allow the open exchange of views that are unregulated and can effect a business as a result of comments given by individuals who may or may not be involved in the industry or may have an undeclared interest. This thread is a prime example of this given the nature of the comments given by individuals that have not given any detail of there business interests yet have given comments that could effect business of the named company.
    So our comparison to the EAT site forum post with our site’s ability for individuals to give comments on a business that they wish to comment is a valid comparison.

    • 06 May 2010 22:21 PM
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    Do I really need to spell it out?

    This site (EAT) is not a rating site. This is essentially a forum. People exchange views under aliases, or not. Whatever views are exchanged, this DOESN'T result in a score or rating being given to any person or organisation. It's merely a collection of viewpoints organised by subject matter.

    Your site is, or will be, a rating site. It will assign a score or rating to someone's business, somewhere. This rating seems likely to be based on data provided by those who won't even be verified as true customers of the business being rated. This is where I feel your site model fails.

    Your spurious jibes about me being 'worried' about my business (for you don't even know if I HAVE a business, do you?) don't address this basic question, nor does your assertion, repeated for the third of fourth time now, that you have the same 'safeguards' as EAT.

    You're comparing apples and oranges if you think your site and this one are similar sites.

    • 06 May 2010 21:54 PM
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    “dodging the question, and merely saying the same safeguards as EAT which is totally irrelevant to the question”
    How is our safeguard any different regarding potential abuse by agents of our service given that the same potential abuse that can be exploited on EAT by rival agents and in the case of this thread portals against rivals. I feel the statement of our comment been irrelevant to be an incorrect statement.
    We will in due course be giving full details of our service and scoring system including how agents can use the results in there marketing and website to show there rating from satisfied clients after all if an agent does there job correct what have they to worry about!
    You are not worried are you Agent Orange.
    You do not think that this sight may cause your business and bad press do you because of comments posted by unnamed individuals?
    further details from info@scoretheagent.com

    • 06 May 2010 15:56 PM
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    You sense annoyance at scoretheagent dodging the question, and merely saying "the same safeguards as EAT" which is totally irrelevant to the question(s) that I asked them....

    • 06 May 2010 12:46 PM
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    Agent Orange - do I sense worry in your postings? ;0)

    • 05 May 2010 09:26 AM
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    and, if as you say "Agents will be able to respond to all comments", how will they find out about the comments on your site?

    Are you going to write to them? e-mail them? phone them?

    • 04 May 2010 22:11 PM
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    Well, it strikes me that EAT needs no safeguards, because it isn't providing any 'scoring' of any individual firm, agency, whatever.

    Most everyone here posts under an alias anyway. Maybe I'm an agent, maybe I'm not - you never know.

    You seem to providing a forum where names will be named, praise will be praised, shame will be shamed, etc etc, and it strikes me that your site - as with ANY scoring or rating site for ANY line of business - will be wide open to abuse, spurious postings, and all else that goes with it.

    You've repeated the same answer twice now, but not really answered my question. If an agency receives a 'score' on your site, what value will that score have, when you and the general public viewing your site don't know if whoever's contributed to the score is genuine?

    • 04 May 2010 22:07 PM
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    We will have the same safeguards as the EAT site has to ensure valid post’s.
    Agents would never be vindictive and unscrupulous would they!!!

    • 04 May 2010 19:56 PM
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    Likewise, how will you ensure that any high-scoring agent has not been scored thus by themselves, or by their close friends and associates?

    • 04 May 2010 19:02 PM
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    So how do you ensure your 'users' are genuine users, and not merely vindictive rivals of the agency being scored....?

    • 04 May 2010 19:00 PM
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    The irony is it is not about what we have put on a forum it is about you spelling and business operation that the site will score you.
    Agents will get a chance to reply to all comments given by our users.

    • 04 May 2010 16:44 PM
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    Score the Agent:
    "...public will be able to score Estate agent and letting agent for there service including marketing professionalism price helpfulness property details branch decoration branch location business name spelling and grammar in correspondence and may other point plus the ability to leave a general review and comments."
    WOW - a new record! I counted 16 spelling, grammatical and basic syntax errors in that one section alone. Suggest you pick up your award on the way out of the office tonight... ;0)

    • 04 May 2010 16:37 PM
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    Agent Orange Probably the same safeguards as EAT has in place for these post's

    • 04 May 2010 16:32 PM
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    Agent Orange Probably the same safeguards as EAT has in place for these post's

    • 04 May 2010 16:32 PM
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    My Friend it is not about my spelling the site will review and score your spelling and the score will be given by your clients not me

    • 04 May 2010 16:29 PM
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    Score the Agent - what safeguards will you have in place to ensure that (a) fullsome praise is not being placed on your site by EAs and their friends and associates, and (b) outright criticism is not being placed by EA's rival firms and enemies?

    • 04 May 2010 16:28 PM
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    "... grammar in correspondence and may other point plus ....."

    Am I the only one who notices the irony ...?

    • 04 May 2010 16:25 PM
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    You may be interested in my new site soon to launch score the agent www.scoretheagent.com or .co.uk public will be able to score Estate agent and letting agent for there service including marketing professionalism price helpfulness property details branch decoration branch location business name spelling and grammar in correspondence and may other point plus the ability to leave a general review and comments.
    The results will be displayed in both a star rating and an EPC style graph along with all comments by clients both buyers and sellers landlords and tenants.
    The results will be used to present the score your agent award each year when we will present the best and worst agent with a certificate and award for there respective category.
    Good Luck!

    • 04 May 2010 16:01 PM
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    Joining in the bid to create the longest string of pointless comments to an article... I'd just like to say this clearly demonstrates the need for a Friday afternoon 'flame war corner' for frustrated agents.
    It's Tuesday now chaps so stop playing and get back to selling or Nanny will get very cross!

    • 04 May 2010 14:41 PM
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    This post has been removed by site admin

    • 04 May 2010 14:32 PM
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    Wardy if you send us you email address we can send you a copy of our datafeed works with all current software just and has many additional feild to rightmove v3 and v4 feed although we can take the rightmove feed. Video and virtual tours are included at flat rate even inc a youtube video if you wish same on agent paqge mini advert for your agency our site is still in a beta and full feturs not yet used due to agents not ye requested activation for current listings on our site but almost all your requests are already inplace and we can match any other needs as requested. We have said from day dot we wish to work with agent not against them.
    and if any one has problem with any spellings on here it was done on a mobile phone due to the fact i am enjoying my saturday with friends and family.
    I hope to hear from you soon ward even if just to chat and thanks for the constructive comments.

    • 01 May 2010 14:06 PM
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    Ok ATHS, seing as youve had a hard time this is what i want from a portal.
    1, data feed from my software company.
    2, My own 'agents page'
    3, All my listings to have a link back to my website.
    4, All media types on the listing to be shown at the serch screen for properties (ie if a floor plan/virtual tour is available)
    5, None of my listings
    to come with other companies adverts (like when primelocation.com offer to give you a mortgage quote)
    6, Resonable cost.
    basically a site like rightmove without the cdost, bullying and web links back to your own site. not to much to ask.
    A portal that supported the use of movies would also be good, a sort of you tube for property presentation. Someone who does all this would get my vote.

    • 01 May 2010 13:22 PM
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    A meaningful discussion about the value, relevancy and power of property portals makes an interesting debate, where largely the market will be the determining factor. However, getting back to the thread, askthehomesearch.com is a poor website, with a ridiculous name and a poorly educated owner who gives the impression of having some sort of steroid addiction. FAIL

    • 01 May 2010 10:18 AM
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    Although I get regular updates from EAT I don't normally comment or respond.However reading some of the comments that have been made about and against this poor man at ATHS seem a little harsh. I for one think there is the possibility of just one portal but only if it was agent owned. I have an agency in the South West and we have taken ownership in radarhomes.co.uk an agent owned portal (when I say that I believe all the agents that are on the site so far have taken a shareholding which gives them a voting right and therefore control). We are really gathering momentum and the people that are running the site for us are impressive guys with a long and successful estate agency background. Say all you like but the proof is in the pudding, 5 months in and we already have over 400 of us on board and growing rapidly. I note looking on the site today we are now getting new members joining us in Bath and Bristol. What I like about this is it is giving me a real opportunity to join forces with others on the site and for us to take back control of our property information. Look at the site and talk to the people at radarhomes you will like it and them. We (all of us) have helped make the portals(or should I say portal) that now control the market what they are/it is, only we have the power to stop it and make a change.

    • 01 May 2010 08:55 AM
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    I think there needs to be a gloves off discussion surrounding portals and a thread like this might only have a few contributors but the points that can be raised and explored without long term personal or professional harm is invaluable.
    A welterweight punch up that goes 15 rounds and eventually ends up in a bloody draw, is ugly and unpleasant but folk will keep tuning in to see what is going on. That is good for EAT so long as it doesn't get out of hand. If the ref thinks the fight getting out of hand she can stop it at any time. If the conributors don't like it they can throw in the towel or hit the abuse button.

    NFOPP have got a real battle on their hands getting members to upload to their free site so where is the commercial sense in hosting another paid for portal that, even if it were slick and polished, has nothing new to attract Agents or applicants.
    Without a USP or a budget to promote itself the fate of Askthehomesearch.com is uncertain. It hasn't taken off yet but it hasn't yet crashed on the runway either.
    Propertylive on the other hand is airworthy and free but without someone who knows how to switch it on and fly it it will simply sit on the ground.

    • 01 May 2010 07:29 AM
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    Imagine the ratings if this debate had been televised instead of the leaders debate.
    Would have done as much for the industry the open Mic has for Gordon Brown.
    And it could have been on Sky News HD or even The Property Channel maybe they could have got Sarah Beeny in to host the show. Sponsored by Tepilo.com had the audience rate and give there views of the industry at start and the way this debate has gone watch the graph drop of the screen.
    Time to put the bone down now enjoy the long weekend and find a new target next week who knows Rosalind may pick you as the next unlucky victim to throw to the dogs.

    • 01 May 2010 00:01 AM
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    Mike Wilson: Ding ding...round three. You claim to have initially made a perfectly reasonable point. Actually, you made a smart-arsed dig at an individual's choice to develop a business. Then you attempt to justify yourself by dragging the likes of EBay into the ring as examples of monopolising business models - which you advocate as better for users. (Oh - as has already been pointed out Ebay is not a monopoly - and just to add more pee on your little firework, there are 100 or so EBays - if not more. They all seem to manage...)
    You type an extremely good fight, Mr Wilson. Unfortunately you cannot punch your weight. Stooping, as you have, to insults will not win you the argument. Firstly I don't take offence by such infantile behaviour; secondly it dilutes any argument you may have had.
    Extremely stupid? Plain daft? Or just man enough to question the vailidity of your inane rant? I am extremely content with who and what I am, Mr Wilson. Can you say the same?

    • 30 April 2010 23:36 PM
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    Are you honestly advocating one portal should have a total monopoly I think you have just answered any further comments that may be made regarding your sanity and business experience.
    And for the record EBay is not a Monopoly there are other sites running the same Business Model as EBay.
    One Portal monopoly think on after all the others have gone price hikes of the past will pale into insignificance compared to the power a portal with a monopoly would hold.
    It is only a mater of time before Globrix sends out the bills.
    No one can run a business for Free I am sure your vendors would be happy if you offered them a free service but then we come back to the root of the article this debate has grown from and Free services like Tepilo.
    Why should the agent be able to charge for a service but then expect the Portal to give a free service to the agent? The best future model for the UK is to follow the USA with the MLS model with regional Multi Listing Services feeding into a national listing service. Monopoly get real why should the Vendors not demand the same a Monopoly for Estate Agents maybe the government will give then a hand out to set up. There again they have done that with Halifax and LSL so maybe plans are in the works no more stupid than a monopoly for portals. Better still why not just rap it all up into one bundle let EBay run it vendor can list there house for few pound and pay for it with a PayPal Mortgage. Then you can rate the seller. Now there is an idea!

    • 30 April 2010 22:56 PM
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    Pee Bee: First, let's remember I made a perfectly reasonable point about the lack of need for yet another portal and you decided to try to be a smart-arse.
    I avoided responding to your patronising comments and made my case again.
    As you, clearly, are extremely stupid, I'll have another try.
    There are some business models that naturally tend towards a monopoly. EBay is a good example. From a user's point of view, if there were a 100 EBays, it would diminish the effectiveness of the business model for both buyers and sellers. You okay with that? Not too tricky for you?
    The same is true with portals. If there were only one, users would love it. If there were a hundred portals of equal size, there would be an overwhelming need for someone to scrape all the sites and put all the properties in one place. Like Globrix in fact.
    So, my comments about there not being a need for another portal are, from the point of view of anyone with half a brain cell, obviously valid.
    Your ability to compare the entry of a new estate agent into the market with the entrance of a new portal shows you are well, plain daft.

    • 30 April 2010 22:16 PM
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    Mike Wilson: Rather than worrying your little self with my ability to understand the concept of portals, you should worry more about your own apparent struggle with several concepts... but let us just home in on one - reality! It passed you by with amazing ease; you obviously didn't even hear or see it whizzing past on its' way to (most of) the rest of the human race.
    You raised a question - "I wonder why the owner of this new portal thinks there is room for (yet) another one." From this it seems you have some problem with the appearance of another property portal. Fair enough - everyone is entitled to their own opinion. I'm not even saying you are wrong... Yet you fail to see the relevance to my response, whereby I suggested that using your train of thought, yet another Agent opening in an area already served by one or more be just as much a case of 'who needs one more'. 'Choice' is a personal thing. People choose an Agent for many reasons; not always logical ones - and seldom those which you have put forward as your reasoning!. Similarly, Agents choose portals; again not always for logical reasons.
    No doubt we shall continue to differ on the subject. I am happy to continue if you so wish...

    • 30 April 2010 17:56 PM
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    A new agent will have the vendors property for sale in there window on there web site and press ad maybe interactive display in store or in window just the same as every other agent but the point of a portal is that it is a gateway that a potential client can find a property in a selected area without having to trawl hundreds of sites or walk into hundreds of branches or make hundreds of phone calls. Few clicks on the mouse and one portal can give list of all agents in the area and the property for sale.
    Would you go to Tesco for your shopping or go to the Heinz factory for your beans and the farm for your milk etc when you can get it quick and easy in one place. It has not been said the agent is not an important part of the loop but the portals play an important part of the same loop the removal of tepilo from ATHS.com is proof that they have listened to and agree with this.

    • 30 April 2010 15:55 PM
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    Pee Bee: Perhaps you struggle with the concept of what a portal is? Why you would compare the appearance of a new agent in town with the appearance of a new portal baffles me.
    From the point of view of someone looking for property, in an ideal world, one portal, with every house on it, would be the ideal. Having to look at multiple portals is a fag.
    The entrance of a new player in the portal market, unless they list properties unavailable on any other portal, is just a sideshow. They offer users of the portal NOTHING DIFFERENT.
    Whereas a new agent may well offer something different. Cheaper, more in tune with modern technology, innovative, fresh etc.
    I'm surprised you can't see the difference without having to have it spelt out.

    • 30 April 2010 15:41 PM
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    Click on "start"
    go to "control panel"
    click on "Region and Language.
    In the "Regional options" is your language setting down as English UK?

    Klik op " start" ga naar " controleer panel" klik op " Gebied en Taal. In " Regionale options" uw taal optekenend is als Engels UK?

    Cliquez sur dessus le " ; start" ; allez au " ; commandez le panel" ; cliquez sur dessus le " ; Région et langue. Dans le " ; Options" régional ; est-elle votre langue établissant en tant que R-U anglais ?
    点击" start" 去" 控制panel" 点击" 地区和語言。在" 地方options" 您的記下作為英國英國的語言?

    I don't think that is what he was saying at all. Is it your PC?

    • 30 April 2010 15:29 PM
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    Mike Wilson: So, by your rationale, no new Agent (independent, corporate or whatever) should open in a town if there is one there already?
    I wager that Connells, SpicerHaart etc wish they had such as insightful an adviser as your goodself before they embarked on their foray into the oversubscribed Agency world...
    The posts on this thread are getting more ridiculous by the minute!

    • 30 April 2010 14:42 PM
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    An estate agent parks his brand new Porsche in front of the office to show it off to his colleagues. As he's getting out of the car, a truck comes speeding along too close to the kerb and takes off the door before speeding off.
    More than a little distraught, the estate agent grabs his mobile and calls the police. Five minutes later, the police arrive. Before the policeman has a chance to ask any questions, the estate agent starts screaming hysterically:
    "My Porsche, my beautiful silver Porsche is ruined, it'll simply never
    be the same again!"
    After the estate agent finally finishes his rant, the policeman shakes his head in disgust: "I can't believe how materialistic you bloody estate agents are,"
    "You lot are so focused on your possessions that you don't notice anything else in your life."
    "How can you say such a thing at a time like this?", snaps the estate agent.
    The policeman replies, "Didn't you realise that your right arm was torn off when the truck hit you." The estate agent looks down in absolute horror..........
    "F***ING HELL!!!!!! he screams - "Where's my Rolex ?"

    • 30 April 2010 14:29 PM
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    Blimey, I've only just seen this debate. I know I'm not saying anything new, but I'm just gobsmacked at the things Jonathan from ATHS wrote on here. Perfect material for a training course on "How not to respond to on-line criticism".
    Also, if you're still reading Jonathan, please take this not as a personal insult but as constructive advice. I'm sure you're not barely literate, but that is the impression you have given with the standard of your grammar. I don't expect the "Comments" section of a website to be a showcase for perfect written English, but neither I (nor I'm sure many others) would ever take seriously a business-person who couldn't string a few sentences together in print, when their business proposition depends largely on the written word.

    • 30 April 2010 14:10 PM
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    Google has not hit the Australian portal market nor had the impact on the industry expected why will it be any different in the UK?
    Another point this thread has gone so far of the article it is attached to. The portal has at the end of the day done what the industry wanted dropped Tepilo.
    ATHS.com has not attempted to compete with agents by taking listings from vendors direct.
    ATHS.com have said that the site is undergoing a redesign
    With regards there been room for another portal competition is good it keeps everyone on there feet and drives the price down for Agents just the same happens if another agent opens next door the vendor gets a choice and thus ground to negotiate terms and price that life and if some of you are in your ivory tower and to pig headed to see that the world is changing you had better book your place at the job centre now.
    We have just had a chat with ATHS.com about listing with them and on The Property Channel a service that has not been mentioned with great potential we left right move a few month ago because of the price hike’s ATHS.com has given a fixed price for 5 years now before it is posted that if the site is not there then its not worth anything but some times you have to just a chance the same a every vendor does when they walk through your door and say “I want you to sell my house”.
    I for one wish them GOOD LUCK

    • 30 April 2010 14:07 PM
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    You wanted to know when Professionalism left the room! It was your question, you got my answer.
    When the internet was allowed to level the playing field.
    Professionalism left the room when it was no longer required to sell property.
    I am not critsising Askthehomesearch.com and agree it doesn't matter where it is hosted and who it is written by, re-reading my post will confirm that.

    • 30 April 2010 13:57 PM
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    I wonder why the owner of this new portal thinks there is room for (yet) another one.
    If you don't like RightMove what's wrong with Globrix or FindAProperty and all the others?
    With Google coming to the market allowing private vendors to list their properties on what is, let's face it, the world's best and most successful search engine, I would have thought we ought to be more concerned about retaining our business.
    The world is changing - 23 million people use Facebook and 50% of them log in every day! What if 50% of people start to use Google? Transactions will be halved again and we'll be down to 250,000 a year between 10,000 agents. 25 sales a year each!
    Time to stop thinking about new (and frankly daft) portals and start thinking about how to enhance our service offering so we still have something to offer.
    At the moment our biggest offer is the fact we can put a vendor's property on RightMove and they can't get it on there themselves. When they can get the same exposure via Google, we are GOING TO LOSE A LOT of business.

    • 30 April 2010 13:35 PM
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    Just an observation: "...I am not critisizing, but asked the question where has the Professionalism gone?" You asked nothing; you made a clear statement - "Portals are a delegation tool for lazy negotiators.
    If you are an agent that relies on the internet or a computer to win instructions or sell property then you are house seller not an Estate Agent." Think before jumping feet-first into brown, sticky pools - the result is only sticking to you!
    It is VENDORS who want their property featured on portals, as they see them as invaluable marketing tools. That is the way they are sold by... erm... the portals!! Most Agents have felt pressured to join the big portals due to losing instructions to those who were already on the darn things. In it to win it - and becomes a self perpetuating prophecy!
    And to slag a portal just because the Registered Office isn't in a swanky building is ridiculous. It's CYBERSPACE we are talking about - what does it matter where the server is?? And so what if Jonathan is twelve or a hundred and twelve - at least he's doing something meaningful instead of bleating without substance...
    I don't know where you are coming from - but it ain't this planet!

    • 30 April 2010 12:46 PM
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    We are not going to get drawn into a long debate?
    What a way to start a long debate.
    I have two suggestions for ATHS.com.
    First stop reading EAT.
    Second write your text in to Microsoft Word, spell check it then cut and past it into EAT. No more mistakes. Simples, tch.
    Nick

    • 30 April 2010 11:57 AM
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    The REA Group started out
    In the garage, the servers were stored on home-made shelves, up off the ground because the garage often flooded when it rained.

    www.rea-group.com/about-the-group/about-the-group

    • 30 April 2010 11:55 AM
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    To clarify

    by "this portal" I was referring to Askthehomesearch.com not Estae Agent Today

    • 30 April 2010 11:47 AM
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    Its alright to be a house seller, I am not critisizing, but asked the question where has the Professionalism gone? The fact that "Professional property agents" believe that flawed computer matching and help your self property lists and details whether in an office or from a portal is they way to sell property. The answer is fairly obvious.
    Is it any wonder why vendors question the use of an agent, is it any wonder Tesco have and eye on the industry. Selling Property has been reduced to a retail operation and like a Farmers Market, Car Boot Sale,Corner shop or Super Market, "retail" is very easy to get into. Take this particular Portal, the anonimity of the internet allows someone to operate in the same market as Rightmove. The registered office is a semi on a small housing Estate and for all we know Jonathan could be 12.
    Portals allow the good and the bad to compete on equal terms and sadly the good haven't spotted what is really going on. It might be I am not the one who needs to wake up?

    • 30 April 2010 11:45 AM
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    I suppose any publicity is good publicity as I just had to have a look at the website after all the highly critical (but amusing) comments posted here. The poor spelling, grammar and syntax throughout the site are an appalling indictment of the poor standard of education in our schools today. I would be ashamed to put something like this into the public domain without having the foresight to ask someone with a modicum of intelligence to proof-read what I was planning to publish. "Must do better" as my English teacher would have said before giving me six of the best with the gymshoe!

    • 30 April 2010 10:36 AM
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    Just an observation: Using your rationale, buyers are also too lazy to get off their behinds and traipse around the streets looking for a house, like the good old days. Therefore, Agents need to be on portals to catch these lazy buggers or risk losing potential buyers. Wake up, pal - it's a tool! It will never replace human contact - but it facilitates it.

    • 30 April 2010 10:02 AM
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    Portals are a delegation tool for lazy negotiators.
    If you are an agent that relies on the internet or a computer to win instructions or sell property then you are house seller not an Estate Agent.

    • 30 April 2010 07:00 AM
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    Other issues apart, dropping your largest, highest profile client (with a celebrity endorsement)to please the bigger market is a grand gesture.

    • 29 April 2010 18:10 PM
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    Observer: You say "This site is becoming more about this man, than his product..." Only because that is the way it has been pushed.
    ATHS.com was crowned "Sinner of the Month" a couple of weeks ago for listing Tepilo properties - me included as the content was appalling. Many had a go at the company for having the audacity to list Tepilo properties (funny - I never hear an Agent ringing their local rag & demanding they stop running Private Sale ads...) - they took on board comments and responded accordingly, from what I read here.
    And then, round #2 starts - this time over the grammar on the website (I'll be the first to admit that I had plenty to say last time - but I was being constructively destructive!).
    I believe that those who write here should remember that it is read by others who may judge by what they read. ATHS.com have got things to improve - they freely admit that AND mores to the point they say they will do it.
    I, for one, believe them.
    What has happened now, though, is that you have all allowed it to become personal. It's not ATHS.com any more - the latest batch of comments are aimed at an individual whose crime is to start up a property portal - prima facie hanging offence, from what I read here! So the guy retaliates (inadvisable but understandable...), no name nor any association mentioned - and the slanging goes into overdrive.
    When did the professionalism leave the room?
    There - I've said my piece. Now you can all pick on me for a while and leave ATHS to build a better website. Just remember that readers of this might just think we're all a bit juvenile to be trusted with their number one asset, and market their properties on Tepilo instead of paying for you to fight in the playground all day... ;0)

    • 29 April 2010 16:34 PM
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    So does the website!!!

    • 29 April 2010 15:24 PM
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    FGS are you Jonathan's IT teacher? This reads like a GCSE project getting horribly out of control.

    • 29 April 2010 15:01 PM
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    Askthehomesearch, please for your own sake don't post again.It is suicide to get involved in conversations. Have you not realised that you cannot win?? Even from your own post. I don't think you have a chance of success whatsoever but by continuing to post on here not only are you encourgaging more derogatory comments, you seem to be making quite a fool of yourself. Ignore this site and just get on with your work, and prove people wrong.

    • 29 April 2010 14:05 PM
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    This site is becoming more about this man, than his product or other posts which he keeps hijacking - he should be blocked or sectioned - one or the other please!!

    • 29 April 2010 13:36 PM
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    "I have always been driven to prove those that lay scorn wrong and you guys have given me more than enough fuel to keep going"

    The feeling is mutual.

    • 29 April 2010 13:23 PM
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    Propertys :eek

    • 29 April 2010 12:55 PM
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    Not all of the buttons work (Legal, privacy, links)

    Bottom bar "Legal and Privacy" link to "About us"

    If you want to make a fortune; For every £1 invested in the site invest £1 in lottery tickets. The odds won't be brilliant but with an investment division and a web portal division you will have a very impressive C.V

    • 29 April 2010 11:34 AM
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    Ooops! Didn't expect all that by pointing out a spelling mistake. This is, at times, a rough forum and perhaps not always fair (entertaining yes). However, professional people have been called leaches, liars, parasites, and one even depicted as Hitler. Most have either not responed at all or responded calmly. This is the first time I seen threats of violence being hinted at, not good in my opinion. Jonathan as much as it grieves you, you should not over react to those that goad you. By doing that you continue to fan the flames. Simply prove people wrong by your actions not hostile words.

    • 29 April 2010 10:37 AM
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    Preparation prevents poor performance - I learnt this years ago but clearly our portal owning friend didnt. Search box on site gives Penrith or CA10 as an example but no properties in that area ? Spelling and grammar on the site is awful to say the least, and I dont understand the 4th paragraph in About us about thunderbird 1 and I as an agent am your target audience ! Lastly you have made yourself look silly and unprofessional by picking a fight with agents on here, who have a right to an opinion. I wish you luck but wont be wanting to put my stock on your site.

    • 29 April 2010 10:36 AM
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    I cant see this site having any effect on the current meerkat.........

    • 29 April 2010 10:33 AM
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    Having reviewed your comments, Johnathon, I retract my comment about you being thick...... Sorry. You are clearly a comlete Moron.

    • 28 April 2010 21:38 PM
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    I don't think I will waste any more of my commanding wit on this subject, as you are clearly an idiot, and you wouldn't get it anyway. You are, sir, clearly thick. I hope you designed your stupidly named website yourself, or you were mugged. If I am wrong, then I shall apologise in the style of Gordon Brown being told that his microphone was still on.

    • 28 April 2010 21:31 PM
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    I have not Slagged off the competition the only time they have been mentioned in this thread was to ask how there name was any more off the wall than askthehomesearch. The trade press not slagged off just pointed out the fact that the articles all have negative angle. Potential clients the only people I have given any negative comment to are the ones that have given much worse at me and if they can not take it they should not give it.
    Yes we have that number of listings at the moment we had a few 3500 more on till industry pressure lead to the removal of tepilo from the listings and as has been pointed out at this time we have not started a big promotion of the site and been running for 1 month now just under a month so how may listings did you get in the same period. I am honestly at a loss with the comments on here you can give it out but when the target of your comments gives back it’s not allowed. Any one would think I was an MP the attitude take against me personally and AskTheHomeSearch.com
    I can now see why John Prescot punched the guy who egged him. Some times you have to stand up and give back and to hell with it.
    How would you react if the table was turned you had your vendors demand you only sell property on the left side of the road you can not list number 10 if you want to list my house your show looks crap
    Your sign is shit you act like a 5 year old, I could go on but life is short and I have no desire to waste mine any further with this forum or the EAT site if any one wishes to have the balls to make any further comments feel free to direct comments direct via email phone of in person just remember what happened with the EGG.

    • 28 April 2010 19:29 PM
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    875 properties on AskTheHomeSearch.com. A portal with more spelling errors than listings. Fail.

    • 28 April 2010 19:03 PM
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    I am (almost) speechless.

    Slagging off the competition, the trade press and potential clients in a single thread.

    Comedy gold.

    Best of luck matey - you're going to need it.

    • 28 April 2010 18:52 PM
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    We need a new portal for agents to get behind. I think E.A.T. should set up their own one,i'd go on it if I could have a say!

    • 28 April 2010 16:46 PM
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    What and absolute mess - just seems like they're desperately seeking publicity and think that us agents will go back to them with open arms as a result of this. Has to go down as one of the worst portal launches in history - poor thought, poor understanding of the market, poor name, poor website, poor press strategy and poor response to criticism. I could probably go on.

    One last point - has anyone thought about how buyers would actually get in contact when they find a property they like - don't seem to be any links to agents sites and can't find a "make contact" button? Not really going to work if users can't actually get in touch.

    Total rubbish i'm afraid - they won't be getting our properties - top of the market in 12 months - absolutely no chance.

    • 28 April 2010 16:46 PM
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    Who is ETA?

    • 28 April 2010 16:44 PM
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    We had hoped that The Property Channel service would give us some edge over other portals but it has become evident that for some nothing will ever do. Unless they own it. As I have said in the past we just wish to list your property for users to view. Even the current market leaders had to start at some point. How many agents have at some the early days of rightmove and propertyfinder said it will not catch on never work stupid name?
    If everyone just turned tale and closed shop because of the comments of a few what can only be called immature people this country would of grind to a halt a long time ago. We are working our business model to match the industry and feedback is good but be honest is spelling correction in a web forum post real constructive business comment. Yes we made a mistake I am man enough to admit that in listing Tepilo listings but we listened to the industry and corrected it as soon as we could. Try getting one of the other portals to make changes like that we wish to build a service that works for everyone agents and users but at the end of the day we are a business like you and need to make money and to do that we have to list property on our site end of.

    As part of our portal plans not limiting to UK listings will be carrying listings from UAE and the US and are currently in talks that will see 200,000 listings from the US and Canada go live on the site we have plans for a number of local UK portals including for example Yorkpropertyfinder.co.uk
    CumbriaHomeSearch.co.uk among them we are not going to lay our full business plan out for all to view but will build our service over time.

    To be honest I would like to thank all for the negative and derogatory comments posted both about AskTheHomeSearch.com and me personally as I have always been driven to prove those that lay scorn wrong and you guys have given me more than enough fuel to keep going so feel free to bring it on. I am more than secure with my future and my business plans and also confident in the future of AskTheHomeSearch.com are you so confident in your future is that why you wish to pick away at others from behind the keyboard hidden in the corner of the office trying to get some self gratification and make yourself feel big just as the boss gives you another roasting for poor performance.

    Sorry to those who are just reading the posts and article but I have had my fill of the comments given having put a lot of money and time into starting this venture and trust me The Property Channel service is not cheap to produce and not one comment on that????
    Or is that a stupid name to?????

    I have come to the conclusion that ETA can only run a story if they can put a negative slant on it the last section of the article was totally without merit a number of sites carry the named agent on including zoopla and others. ETA last week ran the property live story with negative reporting and at the same time had an advert for the portal running in the side banner. We have been operating The Property Channel for a month now and only as a closing section did it get incorrectly mentioned.
    “Voice of the industry” should perhaps be changed to “tittle-tattle of the trade”.
    Now I have a few business’s to Run what about you?
    Lets get some work done...

    • 28 April 2010 16:27 PM
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    'Askthehomesearch' with a few minutes you can find out about website names:

    Tepilo - "When I was a child my father used to tell me stories about a fantastical palace called Tepilo; a wonderful place to escape to. It seemed the perfect name for my new property site!" Sarah Beeny
    Zoopla - "The name has no translation or major story behind it. It’s deliberately different from the other property websites and you’re unlikely to forget it!"

    Rightmove is self explanatory.

    Ask the home search is not a statement, sentence, rhetorical question or anything else - but then reading your posts it makes sense why you don't understand that...

    • 28 April 2010 15:41 PM
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    Commercial suicide.
    Is 'ask the home search' such a bad name? i had a look at domain names and i have to say if i was starting a portal id be hard pushed to pick one. Anyway thats not the point. The point is the model and where you see the portal going. Ive said before that i dont think agents and private sellers will ever get into bed together, but the ombudsman only agents is a good idea (my idea by the way) 'not estate agents' listings are very poor though and not doing you any favours. I think what you need is a niche portal something the others havn't got. I dont have many vendors who have heard of globrix and that is owned by a massive media group that list for free. Taking the big boys on wont work unless you do something amazing.

    • 28 April 2010 14:54 PM
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    Last comment watch out for our portal changes over next week with new site design but sorry same name that one stays.
    You may not like it but its got you all talking and its propergating around the net so its doing its job. Last week comments were made about the name property live by one of the posters on here today he proberbly works for one of the other portal or is just a poor twisted man or both.

    • 28 April 2010 14:51 PM
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    Jonathan, what are you playing at?! Just let it go...I can't believe what you're doing!

    • 28 April 2010 14:32 PM
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    trying to find a home just ASK THE HOME SEARCH
    how the hell is that and worde than zoopla right move zillow google trove tepilo the site is a homesearch site users ask the site for a location to find a some or do a home search.
    Is the name realy any more off the edge than any of the other portals
    any if there is aspelling error to be honest i dont give a ****

    • 28 April 2010 14:20 PM
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    Jim as you and other are making suck a point over spelling on here if you are going to make comment in a child like way about our name at least spell it correctly…
    Then your comments may carry a bit of weight with me in the mean time Jim I can only assume the name is an abbreviation for your character Juvenile immature Moob

    • 28 April 2010 14:16 PM
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    The Askthehomesearch.com Business Startup Brainstorming Session, starring Michael Palin, John Cleese and Eric Idle.

    • 28 April 2010 14:08 PM
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    Is it just me or does 'askthehomesearch' not make any sense either?
    Ask the home search. Unless it's an acronym? Any suggestions? How about: Always Spell Korrectly, That's Horribly Emportant?

    • 28 April 2010 14:06 PM
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    I know how these things work. Agency isn't going well, being a mortgage broker didn't work out and lettings didn't take off like you hoped. Never mind, a portal must be easy. You just make a website, how hard can it be. Okay, lets pick a name. How about "HomeSearch.com" Gone, I'm afraid. "RightMove"..gone, gone, gone...all gone. "Well, what's left?". You can have Asthehomesearch.com. "That's a stupid name!" Do you want it or not? "Oh, go on then"

    • 28 April 2010 14:03 PM
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    "Would you care to submit a copy of every detail’s you have ever produced for scrutiny on spelling and grammar."

    Ironically that's wrong too.

    • 28 April 2010 13:55 PM
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    Apostrophes!

    • 28 April 2010 13:53 PM
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    Oh chaps, stop it now - too cruel, you're making my mascara run!

    • 28 April 2010 13:51 PM
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    Are you guy’s English teacher or Estate agents?
    Would you care to submit a copy of every detail’s you have ever produced for scrutiny on spelling and grammar.
    This is a forum post at the end of the day.
    Don’t you have anything better to do than sit around picking out spelling mistakes.
    Try a crossword

    • 28 April 2010 13:41 PM
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    Not only 'righting' I see six spelling mistakes in the Jonathan Davies posting, plus awful grammar!
    Y

    • 28 April 2010 13:29 PM
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    In righting?! More haste and passion = less speed and accuracy.

    • 28 April 2010 13:22 PM
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    We are not going to get drawn into a long debate again following this article.
    Let us just add that we have listened to the industry both on EAT on through contact with Agents.
    We are making changes that have been requested and advised to our operation and the site.
    The name is AskTheHomeSearch the price is as quoted and agents joining now will have there subscription fixed for 5 years and that’s in righting.
    We have taken your comments on board and still some of you find fault.
    Well the saying cant please everyone springs to mind.
    We ended the listings from Tepilo.com as a result of comments regarding the completeness of details and the fact that we wish to provide a service that users of our site can rely on.
    Wardy thanks and hope to hear from you soon.
    Observer keep watching.
    AskJeeve's “intresting name” we are getting attention and agents contacting regarding listing with us so must be doing something correct!
    Ray Evans I agree we entered into an arrangement we listed as agreed but the offered promotion by the other party was never honoured. (plain English marketing PR never happened that we were promised)
    Jim all you seam to do is pick fault on this site hope one day you wake up happy
    We hope to one day please all our critics in the mean time we will work with those that see the potential for our service.
    It is time the Industry worked together instead of infighting and back stabbing.
    Last week was the turn of Property Live will be some one else next week in the mean time we will move on with our plans.

    • 28 April 2010 13:12 PM
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    So you couldn't afford a d-List ex-celebrity. Or maybe she just thought the website had a really stupid name.

    • 28 April 2010 12:19 PM
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    What a mess, from within, this industry is becoming? Where is the professionalism and due diligence before entering into commercial arrangements?

    • 28 April 2010 12:12 PM
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    This guy is flying around the site for publicity like a 5 year old for attention. And already proved he cant stick to his business model for over a month. Yesterday I read he was promising NO price hike for 5 years - hmmm when are you dropping that thought mate? Before or after the site drops off the internet? By the way - that site looks like it was put up by a 7 year old.
    Should it be called AskTheKids?

    • 28 April 2010 12:12 PM
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    This is becoming farcical - this site will become like all the others no doubt - shout shout shout, and produce - well we'll see

    • 28 April 2010 11:50 AM
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    Bravo!

    • 28 April 2010 10:02 AM
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