Google to launch UK property listings

8 December 2009

We were interested to read on Estate Agent Today that Google is set to launch its own free property listings in the UK in the new year.

Rightmove shares immediately went down by 15 percent, which shows the industry is taking the new venture very seriously.

Estate agents are apparently 'not worried' that the Google listings, driven by Google maps, will see an increase in private sales.

Tim Hammond, of the Association of Property Finders and Buyers Agents (of which BDI Home Finders is a member) said that paid-for portals such as Rightmove will have to change their own business models or die.

“We absolutely welcome Google’s move into the marketplace. We think it would be fantastic for agents but, more importantly, it would be a huge benefit for buyers.

“Buyers do not want to go on the internet and have to juggle around with different websites – they want to see all the property that could interest them in one place.”

He added that the new Google listings could make the UK property market become more like that of the US.

“Faced with a possible Google shortlist of 50 properties on the books of different agents, the average buyer will want help in sorting this out and in negotiations. We see this as a big win for homefinding companies.”