DPG Agency Numbers Up 44 Percent

The Digital Property Group (DPG), owner of UK property portals findaproperty.com, primelocation.com, homesandproperty.co.uk and findanewhome.com, says the number of agency branches signing up to its portals increased by 44 percent in the third quarter of 2009.

In a company statement, DPG says it attracted 895 new agency branches over the quarter, which DPG puts down to “improved agent confidence, rising house prices and ever improving consumer perceptions”.

“There’s an inevitable link between property price fluctuations, consumer confidence and estate agency performance, so these modest increases add credibility to those analysts predicting a recovery,” said DPG sales director Jon Notley. “The outlook, although uncertain, is starting to look more positive for estate agents.”

DPG says its websites generate an enquiry every 2.16 seconds and new home searcher every 0.57 seconds. The company says its combined total of unique visitors, according to ABCe figures from September this year, stands at 4.6 million per month.

DPG claimed the “fastest growing property portal group” title in September and October. The company, which conducts an ABCe audit twice each year, is also calling for fellow portal publishers to start the auditing process and allow organisations such as ABCe to verify performance and substantiate claims.

1. DPG Backs ABCe Audits for UK Portals

   With UK portals both within and outside of the "big 4" intent on proving their growth and strength by claiming the coveted title of "fastest growing" perhaps ABCe or a similar independent audit could halt - or at least settle - the arguments? ...

2. globrix.com Grabs All Large UK Agency Chains

   globrix.com have announced that Halifax, one of the largest estate agency groups in the UK, are now marketing all of their properties on the UK property search engine. The deal is really significant as it now means that all of the larger UK estate agency chains are marketing their properties on globrix.com. ...

3. s1homes.com Announce Agency Deal

   Slater, Hogg & Howison and Countrywide, two of Scotland’s largest estate agency chains have joined forces with Scotland’s largest property portal, s1homes.com. ...

4. Digital Property Group Takes Aim at Top Position

   In a coup for the Digital Property Group (DPG), Countrywide plc, the UK’s largest estate agency group, has agreed to list all its networks on DPG’s portals. ...

5. Records at findaproperty.com, findanewhome.com

   The Digital Property Group has revealed that it's not only its flagship property portal, findaproperty.com, which has been breaking records. It's sister website, market leading new homes specialist portal findanewhome.com, has also broken web traffic records this week. ...