Property Search Engines 2022
February 25, 2022
Today we are highly likely to pop on line to start or at least continue our property search, the internet provides us with not only websites, but also social media and an endless supply of property listings can be found this way. Leading the traffic for property searches will undoubtedly be property search engines the likes of Rightmove and Zoopla both being house hold names today. Both are the Hoover of vacuums, McDonalds of fast food or
Over the years there have been many property search engines seen to come and go quickly, the big dogs have remained around through thick and thin and with the advancement of #proptech we are seeing more innovative solutions to property searches online.
For this article I wish to concentrate on the UK market and portals catering mostly to UK listings. Let us take a look through some of the most well known and also some lesser known property search engines, some may very well be a lost cause and no longer being managed:
- Rightmove: People spend an average of one billion minutes on Rightmove every month which in itself gives it top of the heap status. It is also a household name for many, it is easy to use and also available on mobile app and TV apps. It engages well on social media too.
- Zoopla: The second place property portal who have spent a tremendous amount of time and finance on building their brand awareness. Very well known and respected in the industry with a much better price point compared to Rightmove (though less traffic and results are reported). Easy to use, unique features to include useful ‘most reduced’ search option to find bargains.
- OnTheMarket: Relatively the new comer having been launched in 2015, properties show 24 hours or more before they’re advertised on Rightmove or Zoopla so they say. Once again an easy to use platform and relatively social on major social media platforms.
- TheHouseShop: The state themselves as being one of the only inclusive platforms to bring together private sellers and agents in the same place. A community as well as a search engine / market place. Relatively easy to navigate yet lacking that corporate identity in branding.
- Facebook: Yes, for me Facebook is a property search platform namely within the ‘marketplace’ section though countless groups and pages are dedicated to property so it is a portal of some sorts for real estate.
- PropertyHeads: Quotes as “Reduce the stress of moving home or making home improvements – or save money on running a home“, a relatively easy to navigate website though feels more like an early social media platform in presentation. Not a great depth of listings compared to the major property portals.
- Waterside Properties: Quite a good, luxury feel to the website and certainly gives you an impression that they are focused on property close to or on the water to include moorings and boat sales. If you are focused on the topic of water with your property it really is an exciting property portal to investigate.
- Property Pigeon: Nice and presentable. Easy to use though not too much information on the website.
- PrimeLocation: I feel this portal is somewhat distant to what it once was, up in the to three and now slightly on the side lines yet still a great portal to search for property with a high end feel to the branding. It sits under the Zoopla brand.
- Home: Very confusing site, plenty of data on there. Doesn’t inspire any genuine property search. Great domain name though!
- Nestoria: A less than inspiring design / layout and does not draw you in. Feels very automated and I fail to see the advantage. Yes they have the leads fed to their portal, but I’d rather choose another option to engage me more.
- Net House Prices: Relatively basic layout, pulling in data in order to populate. Provides sold prices.
- Mouseprice: Quoted as being the leading source of UK property market information online. Create your own dashboard facility, the website is full of useful information content, tools and utilities. Upon property searches you are given a useful selection of local data to include average property prices, transactions and ‘top roads’ which states most and least expensive roads locally. Doesn’t quite have the corporate branding quality for me re layout / design.
- Properties365: Just another platform pulling over the listings. Not overly inspiring in design nor name, as of today (24 02 2022) it brings up errors when searching for property.
- OverStreet: This surely is not a site that is managed any more. Local searches do not work, loading time is long and index page looks very boring and full of unnecessary data.
- Tepilo: With Sarah Beeny behind the brand you’d think it would be a national favourite, but as of today (24/02/2022) the website is down with errors. Launched, went away and came back again… maybe it’s time is in the future once again.
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