Zoopla.co.uk adds new feature and gives agents a voice
29th June 2009
Zoopla.co.uk, the UK's fastest growing property website and most active property community, has today launched an innovative, new feature (AskMe Questions & Answers) which enables agents to communicate directly with consumers about anything property-related.
AskMe Q&A is the first community feature of its kind in the UK and agents can browse user-generated questions in their area and share their local knowledge by answering questions posted by users of Zoopla.co.uk.
Agents who actively engage with AskMe Q&A will be able to demonstrate their expertise by building their online profile and getting points each time they answer a question or their contribution is rated by a Zoopla.co.uk user as helpful. Agents sharing their local knowledge directly with the community will be featured on the Zoopla.co.uk website as Local Experts.
Sample questions from Zoopla.co.uk users include:
- What are house prices like in my area for a two bedroom flat?
- How many local schools are nearby and how good are they?
- Are there any tennis courts or other sports facilities nearby?
Alex Chesterman, CEO and founder of Zoopla.co.uk said: "AskMe Q&A is a further extension of our mission to help connect property consumers and professionals in the most efficient way possible. By continuing to innovate in the property market, Zoopla.co.uk is fast-becoming the most effective way for agents to gain exposure and leads and to develop relationships with their future customers.
"Local market knowledge is one of the key criteria in the decision making process of potential sellers in selecting an agent. Through our AskMe Q&A feature agents will be able to raise their profile and engage with homeowners early on in the decision-making process and offer advice and local knowledge that will enhance their business reputation. AskMe Q&A will no doubt help the agents who are local experts to gain market share over time as local owners go to agents who they trust and have built a relationship with."
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For further information, please contact PR Team on pr@zoopla.co.uk or +44 (0)20 3873 8770.
Notes to editors
AskMe Q&A categories
General, Home Finance, Home Improvement, House Prices, Renting, Safety & Crime, Schools, Selling, Transport, Using Zoopla.co.uk
About Zoopla.co.uk
Zoopla.co.uk is a unique property website offering users information and tools to help them make better-informed property decisions. Our aim is to provide the most comprehensive source of residential property market information in the UK to help buyers, sellers, owners and estate agents alike and give them an advantage in the property market.
In 2007, following the success of bringing DVD rental to the web with LOVEFiLM.com, Zoopla founders Alex Chesterman and Simon Kain realised that the UK property market had yet to fully enjoy the benefits of the internet in terms of its ability to deliver transparency and efficiency. They set out with the mission to transform the property market for both professionals and consumers by:
- offering users FREE access to instant value estimates, sold house prices and local information and trends
- enhancing estate agents' marketing efficiency by providing exposure/leads on a pay-for-performance basis
- helping users find local agents and other property professionals to assist them in the transaction process
- letting buyers make offers on ANY UK home and owners test interest in their homes before choosing to sell
- creating an environment where anyone can ask/answer questions and share their knowledge about homes
We have started by providing FREE value estimates, sold prices and local information as well as letting users add content by editing information and uploading photos. We are the UK's fastest growing property website and by far the largest and most active property community in the UK, with over a million user contributions to our website in 2008 alone. We have already launched some unique features, like TemptMe™ and AskMe™, which allow consumers to gain an insight into the market and discover information they won't find anywhere else. Our estate agent directory, FindAnAgent and our unique AskAnAgent feature allow users to contact local professionals directly for their expertise. Very soon we will begin accepting estate agent listing feeds and delivering buyer leads to agents on a no-risk, performance-based model, making Zoopla.co.uk the most cost-effective way for agents to gain exposure and develop their inventory pipeline.
Our value estimates are calculated using a proprietary algorithm (a secret formula) that we have developed by analysing millions of data points relating to property sales and home characteristics throughout the UK. The algorithm works by comparing relationships between home prices, economic trends and property characteristics in given geographic areas. Our estimates are constantly refined, using the most recent data available from public sources combined with our proprietary used-generated data and a variety of statistical methodologies, in order to provide the most current information on any home.
Zoopla Limited is a privately held company with a highly experienced and proven management team, backed by well-respected angel investors and leading venture capital firms Atlas Venture (atlasventure.com) and Octopus Ventures (octopusventures.com).
Zoopla.co.uk Awards
- Winner: 'UK's Most Promising Internet Company 2008' (First Tuesday)
- Winner: 'Best Property Website - Gold Award' (Web User Magazine)
- Winner: 'Best Real Estate website 2008' (Websiteoftheyear.co.uk)