The PPW Podcast

Ed, Harvey and Simon discuss various developments in the real estate marketplace industry, including CoStar's potential rebranding of Domain to homes.com.au, Quinto Andar's decision to cut its rental guarantees product, and TradeMe's acquisition of a stake in a media company. They also delve into the regulatory scrutiny facing major players in the industry across different countries, highlighting concerns about anti-competitive behavior and the implications for consumers and agents alike.

Harvey Hancock hosts Simon Baker and Simon Bray to discuss the evolving landscape of real estate online marketplaces, focusing on Kleinanzeigen's strategic positioning and the challenges of verticalization in the real estate sector. The conversation explores the importance of a seeker-centric approach, the role of technology in enhancing user experience, and the potential for conversational commerce to improve engagement. The guests share insights on monetization strategies, cultural adaptation in new markets, and the impact of AI on the future of real estate transactions.

Harvey and Simon are joined by Darius Cheung, co-founder of 99.co. Darius shares his journey from a mobile security entrepreneur to a leader in the prop tech industry. He discusses the challenges and opportunities in the real estate market, particularly in Singapore and Indonesia. He emphasizes the importance of understanding market dynamics, the role of technology in enhancing user experience, and the impact of government policies on housing. He also highlights the significance of the rental market and the need for real estate platforms to embrace AI to stay competitive.

Ed and Simon discuss the latest trends and challenges in the real estate marketplace, focusing on the REA Group's pricing power, the role of real estate agents in Australia, and the success of Square Yards in India. They also explore the implications of IPOs for real estate companies, the need for consolidation in the Indian market, and emerging trends in Egypt. The conversation touches on Zillow's new offer strategies and the future of buyer agents, as well as the complexities of duplicate listings in real estate portals.Chapters00:00 Introduction to Real Estate Market Dynamics02:55 Understanding REA Group's Pricing Controversy10:42 The Impact of Competition Authorities on Real Estate14:52 Square Yards: A Success Story in India18:53 Navigating the IPO Landscape19:55 Consolidation in India's Real Estate Market20:54 Emerging Trends in Egypt's Real Estate Market24:50 Zillow's New Offer Strategies30:58 Zillow's Legal Challenges and Duplicate Listings

Ed is joined by Bryan Wester (MD of PropertyCloud.mu) who shares his extensive experience in the African real estate market, particularly focusing on the dynamics of property portals across various countries. He discusses the unique characteristics of the Mauritius market, the challenges faced in Sub-Saharan Africa, and the misconceptions surrounding demographic tailwinds.Bryan emphasizes the importance of understanding local market conditions, the need for sustainable business models, and the potential for success among smaller, locally operated portals. He also contrasts the South African market with other Sub-Saharan countries, highlighting the differences in professionalism and profitability. The conversation concludes with insights on the future of real estate portals in Africa and the lessons learned from years of operation in the region.

In this episode, Simon Baker shares his extensive journey with the REA Group, detailing its founding, early challenges, and the evolution of its business model. He discusses the competitive landscape of real estate portals, the importance of vendor paid advertising, and the strategies employed to build relationships with real estate agents. Simon reflects on the lessons learned from international expansion, the challenges faced during his tenure, and the circumstances surrounding his departure from the company. He concludes with insights on the future of real estate portals and the importance of understanding market dynamics.

In this episode, Ed, Harvey and Simon discuss significant developments in the real estate marketplace, including CoStar's acquisition of Domain, the competitive landscape with REA Group and Zillow, and the implications of recent controversies in the UK and India. They explore the evolving trends in mergers and acquisitions within the industry and the importance of innovation in maintaining market relevance.

Edmund, Harvey and Simon get together for a quickfire rundown of the biggest news from the world of real estate portals and proptech in the last couple of weeks.0:00 intros (and powercuts!)2:20 CoStar Q1 results and VPA trial10:50 Zoopla for sale?17:30 Zillow CCP updates and two-tab search experience rollback24:30 Public iBuyers in choppy waters

Margaux Scalisi joins the podcast to talk about her niche portal, Vefaonline, the difficulties in building and scaling her business from brokering deals to getting paid, and the problems that keep her up at night.

Ed, Harvey and Simon discuss significant developments in the real estate and prop tech industries, including the ongoing Clear Cooperation Policy battle in the U.S., Zillow's market power and ethical considerations, CoStar's strategy with Homes.com, Immobiliare's expansion in Croatia, and DomClick's controversial data-sharing practices in Russia.

Simon and Ed talk to Abdelrahman Zohairy, CEO of Property Sorted. They discuss the challenges and opportunities in the Egyptian real estate market. He emphasizes the importance of user experience, claiming a 10X improvement over competitors, and outlines their commission-based business model. The discussion also covers innovative marketing strategies, including viral content and AI integration, as well as insights gained from participating in the PropTech & Portal Watch Pitch Club.

Ed and Simon are joined by real estate strategist Mike DelPrete to discuss the nuances of data presentation in the industry, and the global perspectives on real estate portals. He delves into Zillow's lead generation strategies, the complexities of profitability in real estate, and the lessons that can be learned from international markets. The role of AI in enhancing the search experience and the significance of basic practices in real estate are also highlighted, emphasizing the need for a balance between innovative technology and fundamental relationship-building in the industry.

In this episode of the PPW pod, hosts Edmund, Harvey, and Simon discuss significant developments in the real estate marketplace and prop tech sectors. Key topics include Immobiliare.it's expansion into Spain, Rocket's acquisition of Redfin, CoStar's bid for Domain in Australia, the launch of an MLS by Russian developer Samolet, and the Spanish government's proposed intervention in property portal algorithms. The conversation highlights the competitive landscape of real estate portals and the implications of these changes for the industry.

In this episode, Richard Hayes, COO of Zoopla, discusses the company's position in the UK real estate market, its strategies to compete with Rightmove, and the innovative tools being developed to enhance homeowner engagement. He emphasizes the importance of regional dynamics, the role of data in driving user confidence, and the future of monetization through seller leads. The conversation also touches on the impact of AI on property searches and the evolving landscape of real estate portals.

In this episode of the PPW pod, host Edmund Keith and Simon Baker engage with Tony Blamey, who shares insights from his extensive career in digital classifieds and his current role leading real estate businesses in Spain. The conversation covers market dynamics, the impact of recent acquisitions, and strategies for growth in the competitive landscape of real estate portals. Blamey discusses the differences between the Australian and Spanish markets, the importance of marketing and product features, and the role of AI in enhancing customer experience. The episode concludes with advice for young professionals and a look at the future goals for Fotocasa and Habitaclia.

In this episode of the PPW podcast, the hosts discuss key insights from the PropTech and PortaWatch conference in Bangkok. They explore the concept of the Dominant Advertising Portal (DAP), emerging business models in the region, the importance of clear messaging in real estate, and the evolving role of AI. The conversation also touches on the need for honesty in business presentations and the future of property portals in the age of agentic search.

Edmund Keith, Simon Baker, and Toby Chapman discuss the evolving landscape of real estate marketplaces, focusing on the role of AI and the potential disruption it poses to traditional property portals. They explore how AI can transform search experiences and the importance of adapting to new technologies to avoid complacency in a rapidly changing market.

In this episode, Edmund Keith and Simon Baker engage with Toby Chapman from OC&C Strategy to discuss the dynamics of real estate marketplaces. They explore the role of OC&C in the industry, the challenges faced by property portals, and the implications of the REA and Rightmove deal. The conversation delves into vendor paid advertising, the sustainability of traditional business models, and the impact of CoStar on the market. Additionally, they compare the US and UK real estate markets and debate centralized versus decentralized strategies in marketplace operations.

Simon and Ed are joined by Ricardo Frechou, CEO of 360 Latam, who discusses the challenges and transformations within the Latin American real estate market.They discuss the recent revenue drop at 360 Latam and the strategic shift towards a new business model centered around the Iris platform. Ricardo elaborates on the importance of adapting to market conditions, the potential for scalability, and the future aspirations for an IPO. The discussion also touches on shareholder concerns and the overall valuation of 360 Latam in the context of its parent company, Frontier Digital Ventures.

In this episode of the PPW Pod, hosts Edmund Keith, Harvey Hancock, and Simon Baker discuss significant developments in the real estate marketplace and prop tech sectors. The conversation covers CoStar's bid for Domain, the competitive landscape in the rental market between Zillow and CoStar, PropertyGuru's restructuring efforts, and highlights from the ongoing financial reporting season. The episode concludes with insights on CEO changes in the industry and the strategic considerations for selecting new leadership.

Simon Baker and Malcolm McCallion discuss the transformative impact of AI agentic search on the real estate industry.They explore the differences between generative AI and agentic AI, emphasizing the purpose-driven nature of the latter. The conversation delves into how agentic search democratizes property searches, the implications for traditional real estate portals, and the future of search technology, including voice interaction and personalization. They also consider the potential for AI to disrupt existing business models in real estate, leading to a post-aggregator world where consumer experiences are tailored and efficient.

In this episode of the PPW pod, host Edmund Keith and Simon Baker interview Theo Mseka, CEO of Private Property, discussing his extensive career in real estate portals, the challenges of building an Automated Valuation Model (AVM) in South Africa, and the competitive landscape of the real estate market. They explore the impact of regulatory changes, the importance of understanding local markets, and the future plans for Private Property, emphasizing the human element in real estate transactions.

Summary In this conversation, Edmund Keith and Simon Baker engage with Christophe de Rassenfosse, discussing the evolution of real estate portals from traditional search engines to engagement platforms. They explore the shift in user behavior towards mobile apps, the importance of consumer engagement, and the concept of a searchless experience. The discussion highlights the need for real estate portals to adapt their business models to prioritize consumer needs and preferences, moving away from outdated practices that focus on maximizing impressions and leads.

Edmund, Simon and Harvey get together to discuss recent goings on in the industry, including financial results for Square Yards, what market leadership in France looks like, listings volume as a metric, and the futility of iBuying. Chapters 00:00 - Introduction to the PPW Pod 00:29 - Square Yards Achieves Profitability Ahead of IPO 03:00 - Idealista Sees Decrease in Listings in Q4 05:51 - Bien'Ici and France 08:12 - Bright MLS and the Challenge of Competing with Zillow 19:06 - Innovative AI Image Search by Jitty 25:12 - Immobiliare Launches Renovation Tool 31:40 - Scout24's Data Acquisition and Partnership with PropTexx 35:41 - Aviv Group's Investments 38:19 - Rize in Saudi Arabia 40:56 - Tiko's Bankruptcy and the Decline of iBuyers 46:00 - Conclusion and Upcoming Interviews

In this episode of the PPW pod, host Edmund Keith and Simon Baker talk with Michael Kenner, the co-founder of FazWaz and now MD of Lifull Connect. Mike discusses the ambitious acquisition of Lifull's overseas business and explores the integration of tech-enabled brokerage with real estate portals, the challenges of managing a complex business structure, and the future of vertical search in the real estate market. Michael shares insights on the importance of focusing on core business models, the lessons learned from building a transaction-based business, and the strategic vision for growth and acquisitions in various markets.

Tanuj Shori, the CEO & co-founder of Indian PropTech giant Square Yards, joins Ed and Simon. They discuss his company's innovative approach in the PropTech sector, focusing on the full stack model that integrates various aspects of the real estate journey. He elaborates on the diverse revenue streams, the significant growth trajectory, and the lessons learned from building a complex business in an emerging market like India. Tanuj emphasizes the importance of ambition, market dynamics, and the role of technology, including AI, in enhancing the customer experience. He also shares insights on preparing for an IPO and the challenges faced in the competitive real estate landscape.

Ed, Harvey and Simon are back for a new series after a winter break. In this episode, they discuss significant developments in the real estate marketplace, including leadership changes at Property Guru, KE Holdings' strategic land acquisition, legal disputes in the sector, the rise of pre-market and off-market listings, and the current state of AI search in real estate portals. The conversation highlights the evolving landscape of PropTech and the challenges faced by industry players.

Harvey Hancock and Simon Baker get together to discuss recent financial results around the world and other news stories from the world of real estate online marketplaces and proptech industries. Part 2 of 2. 00:00:00 - Introduction to the PPW Podcast 00:00:37 - Scout24 Financial Results 00:08:35 - Adevinta's New CEO and Market Strategy 00:12:38 - Lifull and Lifull Connect 00:25:42 - Lifull + Generative AI 00:30:00 - Simon's go-to AI Tools and Technologies 00:35:05 - CoStar's Office Expansion 00:36:12 - Conference teasers and outros

Join us in this episode of the PPW podcast as hosts Harvey Hancock and Simon Baker sit down with Sarah Wood from realestate.co.nz. Discover the unique landscape of the New Zealand property market and how realestate.co.nz has thrived for 28 years as an industry-owned platform. Sarah shares her thoughts on the challenges and opportunities of operating in a competitive environment dominated by major players like TradeMe. Learn about the innovative features that have driven user engagement and how they are leveraging AI with their assistant, Tahu. Subscribe for more insights from the world of real estate and prop tech! 0:00 - Introduction to the PPW Podcast 0:30 - Overview of Realestate.co.nz 05:02 - User-Centric Product Development 06:36 - Innovation Tournaments and Idea Testing 08:08 - Successful Product Features: Listing Minimize and Price Change History 10:55 - Introduction of AI Product: Tahu 13:56 - Competing with TradeMe 21:13 - Comparing with Australian Market Leaders 22:00 - High Intent Market and Consumer Experience 29:13 - Building a Strong Leadership Team 30:02 - Hiring for Industry Experience vs. Fresh Perspectives 36:43 - Outros Follow us on linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/property-portal-watch Check out - www.onlinemarketplaces.com Listen to the full episode on your favourite podcast platform!

Welcome back to the PPW Podcast! In this episode, host Harvey Hancock is joined by Simon Baker and our first repeat guest, Brian Boero from 1000 Watt. Together, they dive deep into the current state of the U.S. real estate market, exploring the challenges and changes within the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) system. Key topics discussed include: + An overview of the sluggish U.S. real estate market and the impact of interest rates. + The unique structure of the MLS and its significance in real estate transactions. + The implications of recent legal settlements on commission structures and agent behaviour. + The rise of Homes.com and its competition with Zillow and Realtor.com. + The evolving role of AI in real estate, from marketing to transaction processes. + Future of the real estate industry and the potential for a more streamlined market. Don't forget to like, subscribe, and hit the notification bell for more episodes! Timestamps: 00:00 - Introduction 00:23 - Overview of the U.S. real estate market 01:46 - Understanding the MLS 04:38 - Factors driving change in the market 06:20 - The role of Homes.com 08:42 - Realtor.com's position in the market 10:26 - The impact of ad spending 12:58 - Future predictions for Zillow and Realtor.com 17:01 - Legal settlements and commission structures 19:04 - The role of AI in real estate 25:46 - Conclusion and future outlook Follow us on linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/property-portal-watch Check out - www.onlinemarketplaces.com Listen to the full episode on your favourite podcast platform!

Harvey Hancock and Simon Baker get together to discuss recent financial results around the world and other news stories from the world of real estate online marketplaces and proptech industries. Part 1 of 2. 0:00 - Introduction to the PPW Podcast 0:21 - Overview of Financial Results in the US 0:40 - CoStar's Performance and Competitors 1:02 - Realtor.com's Declining Market Share 3:05 - Impact of Homes.com on Competitors 5:28 - Zillow's Revenue Growth and Challenges 10:31 - Zillow's Segment Revenues: Rentals and Mortgages 12:35 - Redfin's Struggles and Market Share Issues 15:10 - Opendoor's Financial Losses and Layoffs 20:07 - REA Group's Strong Performance 25:08 - Potential Acquisition Rumors for REA 30:55 - Rightmove's Market Position and Challenges 35:34 - Future of Portals and Market Dynamics 40:16 - Conclusion and Teaser for Next Episode Follow us on linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/property-portal-watch Check out - www.onlinemarketplaces.com Listen to the full episode on your favourite podcast platform!

Matthew Page is Commercial Director at Ringier South Africa, a tech hub creating and distributing top-level software solutions to classifieds marketplaces worldwide. In this week's episode, Matt joins Simon Baker and Harvey Hancock to discuss what Ringier is working on, trends across different markets and economies, and what we can learn from Africa. 0:00 intros 3:00 Matthew and Ringier 8:00 Ringier's appearance in Barcelona 9:55 What are the use cases for Ringier tech? 13:00 "It's what you send, not how you send it" 15:00 Tech that does the 'donkey work' 20:00 Implementation and methodology 23:45 Pricing 26:07 Global trends in classifieds 29:21 Profitability challenges of being bloated 31:00 Agent Monetization Models from Ringier's perspective 35:00 Market scraping for sales-focused data analysis 38:15 Scraping without tech expertise 41:01 Bonus Conversation - Business lessons from Africa 45:15 Mobile first 48:10 AI prefers simplicity 49:25 outros

Simon Baker and Harvey Hancock get together to discuss the biggest stories from the past month. 0:00 intros0:59 Patient CoStar 6:15 Underperforming Domain 10:15 Dominant Hemnet 14:32 Sellable Homely? 16:57 Public Dubizzle Group? 20:20 Noncompliant FangDD 24:02 Private PropertyGuru 29:12 Disruptive AI 30:22 upcoming events, content and outros

In a first for the PPW Podcast, Simon and I take the back seat and let artificial intelligence take the lead (really). After a short introduction to set the context, this episode hands over to two non-existent podcasters to discuss all things real estate and conference takeways - all taken from Simon's notes from the on-stage presentations throughout the conference. A stroke of genius, or scary? You decide!

On this week's episode of the PPW Podcast, Simon Baker and Harvey Hancock discuss the complex, expensive and sometimes dangerous experience of being a publicly-listed company. From an overview to the listing and delisting process, to a few anecdotes and "zoom-out" questions, this is an excellent introduction to what being part of public company is really like. 0:00 intros 2:45 Breaking down public companies 9:21 Once you're listed... 12:20 Managing expectations (efficiently) 17:35 What is the profile of a company that is ready to go public? 20:06 Delisting 30:15 Wins and losses 33:25 A company Simon admires 34:30 The future of public vs private ownership 37:10 Final Barcelona conference pitch and goodbyes

Harvey Hancock and Simon Baker jump onto their second emergency podcast in as many weeks after Rightmove rejected a takeover bid by Australia's REA Group. Will a bidding war emerge? What premium needs to be offered to entice Rightmove shareholders to sell? Will a takeover even happen? 0:00 intros 2:52 What's happened? 10:00 Market dynamics and shareholder reactions 17:23 Will a high premium scare off bidders like CoStar? 19:00 Does Simon foresee a bidding war? 21:00 Vendor Paid Advertising 24:00 Has Rightmove's share price already hit its all time high? 27:00 next episode teaser and goodbyes

On this week's episode, Joe Hanna from Fusion 4 Ventures joins Simon Baker and Harvey Hancock to discuss all things scaling and exiting. With multiple exits under their belts, Simon and Joe get into basics, wrong turns, and pragmatism, among other topics. Please note there are some audio issues in this episode - but the conversation was good enough to warrant publishing the conversation anyway. Apologies for any inconvenience for listeners - keep your fingers on that volume button. 00:00 Introduction and Updates 02:58 Scaling and Exiting in the Real Estate Industry 08:04 Challenges and Strategies in Scaling and Exiting 14:51 The Connection Between Scale and Exit 19:07 Top Mistakes in Scaling and Exiting 21:28 Preparing for an Exit: Growth, Profitability, and Cost Synergies 24:35 Reducing Key Person Risk and Ensuring Company Independence 26:49 The Role of Fusion 4 Ventures in the Acquisition Process 28:53 Flexible Payment Schemes for Advisory Services 40:21 The Importance of a Realistic Understanding of the Process and Valuation

Harvey and Simon jump onto an emergency podcast to discuss (gossip about) the emerging news story that Australia's REA Group is considering a $4.4 billion buyout of British real estate portal Rightmove. 0:00 intros 0:45 diving into the rumour 4:00 Why is REA Group being opportunistic? 6:27 Hostile vs Friendly takeovers 8:40 Can REA afford a deal this big? 12:07 Does this deal make sense for both groups of shareholders? 16:00 Can UK agents afford another price hike? 21:26 Why are so many big money deals happening right now? 26:10 PPW Barcelona, non-financial advice, and goodbyes

Ed and Simon and joined by Bernardo Cordero, co-founder of Clau (formerly Flat.mx). A lot has changed since Bernardo and his co-founder Victor Noguera founded Flat.mx as a do-it-all PropTech in 2019. The company has moved away from iBuying and from being a brokerage and has rebranded as Clau looking to take on the real estate portal market. Bernardo talks about why Flat pivoted away from iBuying despite decent margins, the scale of opportunity in Mexico and the challenges ahead as Clau looks to take on incumbent portals.

One of the most surprising acquisitions in recent years was announced last week: PropertyGuru Group, the market leading real estate portal in Singapore, is set to be taken private just two years after going public. The buyer, EQT, is a successful PE firm that has a track record of "swelling and selling" assets—so what is its play in Singapore? Join Edmund Keith, Simon Baker and Harvey Hancock for a conversation including: 0:00 intros 1:24 Details of the merger between EQT and PropertyGuru 3:30 Who leaked the rumours: sources or the market? 5:10 Is this a good deal for shareholders? 8:30 a brief history of PropertyGuru 9:35 How does EQT double its money in Singapore 16:15 Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam 23:10 Mortgages and Mergers 31:30 Data as a revenue stream 34:20 Market expectations VS actual performance 41:00 Predictions: What is the next big headline we will write about PropertyGuru?

Is it a good time to raise funds as a PropTech? Mike Plichta is Proptech professional, advisor and investment manager, which makes him one of the best people in the world to answer this question. Join Harvey Hancock and Simon Baker for a wide-ranging conversation covering today's investment landscape, the difference between the startup that fails and the one that succeeds, and Mike and Simon's new VC fund that wants to back the next generation of PropTechs in South East Asia and Australia. 0:00 Intro and Barcelona Event update 3:00 Mike's background 6:50 Today's investment landscape and observable trends 10:15 What is the new VC fund you and Simon are working on? 12:00 What is the profile of a suitable investee? 15:45 Where are the big opportunities in the industry? 18:50 Why do startups fail? 24:00 Common characteristics of a great founders 30:00 What do funds get spent on? 33:10 How do you even set up a VC fund? 39:00 Goodbyes (and the Two Ronnies)

It's the story that continues to generate the most headlines in our industry but behind all the noise, is CoStar starting to win against Zillow, Realtor.com and Rightmove? Ed and Simon discuss some of the figures from CoStar's latest quarterly report in their broader context and ask whether there may be an ulterior motive behind the group's move into residential real estate...

Ed and Simon are joined by Hannah Parker, CPO at Addland (formerly of Zoopla and Property Finder) to discuss data on real estate portals. As a portal specializing in land, Addland has way more data than other portals in the market and is positioning itself as a research portal for home buyers. If all that information is out there, shouldn't the likes of Rightmove strive to put more of it in front of its users? 00:00 - Introduction and Background 02:55 - Addland's Mission to Make Data Accessible 09:05 - Target Audience and Pricing 12:02 - Collaboration with Rightmove 16:41 - Other Portals Lagging Behind in Data Integration 19:26 - Implementing Ideas from Other Marketplaces 22:00 - The Role of AI in the Real Estate Industry 25:05 - Balancing AI and the Emotional Connection in Home Buying 27:49 - The Emotional Aspect of Buying a Home 34:37 - Balancing Personalization and Monetization for Portals 41:07 - The Potential Impact of Adding More Data Layers 44:19 - The Importance of Information and Consumer Understanding 48:36 - The Uncertainty of Providing More Information to Consumers

Does it make sense for banks or FinTech players to operate real estate marketplaces? Jorge Combe is the CEO of DD360, a company with a unique business model. Having started out as a B2B development loan specialist it has since moved into B2C mortgages and has built its own very sophisticated marketplace on top. In this episode, Ed and Simon ask why a FinTech business would go to the trouble of building a marketplace on top of its existing business...

Inspired by a PropTech & Portal Watch presentation by Malcolm Myers, Simon and Ed discuss some of the threats to real estate portals that have come along over the years... Web-based horizontals Global verticals Search engines Social networks iBuyers Virtual brokerages Some are just buzzwords, others seemed more threatening. None of them have seriously challenged big name marketplaces. So are portals invincible? The link to Malcolm's presentation that inspired this episode is here password = PPWBKK24

The Online Marketplaces news team has to look through a lot of different real estate marketplace businesses and we often get naked if we've seen any interesting ones. Ed and Harvey try to impress Simon Baker with two companies that they think have gone a little under the radar: Tsukuruba in Japan and DomClick in Russia...

Ed and Simon are joined by Rubrikk Group CEO, Adil Osmani to talk about the future of real estate classified aggregators. These businesses sit above portals and pass them traffic but they have been in the news for the wrong reasons recently. Is time up for the aggregator-to-portal CPC business model?

On this week's podcast, Harvey Hancock and Simon Baker speak to Stefan Gunnarsson, CEO at PropTexx.From which photos get the most attention, to the importance of flexible pricing—and chewing glass—enjoy! 0:00 Intros and Proptexx in context 3:20 Proptexx's widget and functionality 7:00 What can Proptexx do and not do? 11:00 Data collection and usage 14:10 Challenges, and minimising lag times 18:20 Building in a high-growth space—what did you do right/wrong? 23:30 Where does user engagement evolve to next? 29:00 AI, Search and co-piloting 34:45 Pricing 40:00 Goodbyes

Edmund Keith interviews Simon Baker about running a real estate portal. They discuss the first steps a CEO should take, the importance of defending and extending market leadership, and the focus on pricing and adding new products and services. They also explore the role of operational expenses and the need to free up resources rather than just cutting costs. The conversation touches on the significance of traffic and leads for a portal's success, the challenge of measuring lead quality, and the importance of building relationships with agents. The conversation explores various levers that a real estate portal CEO can pull to drive success. These levers include staying connected to the audience, understanding unit economics and price increases, diversifying revenue streams, and navigating market dynamics. The key takeaway is the importance of clarity in strategy and execution, focusing on the core business, and avoiding distractions.

Ed and Simon are joined by Pietro Pellizzari, CEO of Wikicasa, to talk about the unique challenges and opportunities in the Italian real estate market. Discussion points include The state of the Italian market and the challenges and opportunities. The state of real estate portal competition. What makes Wikicasa different from its competitors Idealista and Immobiliare. The challenges of being an agent-backed portal business. FSBO listings

In part two of our interview with Dhruv Agarwala, we discuss a much-needed topic: health and wellbeing. Dhruv is the ideal interviewee—his personal and professional journey involved losing over 70 kilos in just two years, without any surgery, supplements or coaching; he did it all organically, by himself. How did he do it? How has it impacted his work? Find out all this, and more, on this episode of the Property Portal Watch Podcast. 0:00 Dhruv's Journey 09:20 Mindfulness and Prioritising Self 30:36 The Key to Successful Acquisitions 40:53 Longevity: A Focus on Quality of Life