Boomin, the still-to-launch property portal, has announced that it has secured the support of another 15 agencies.
The new website was supposed to launch last month, but the introduction of the new portal was delayed despite a major marketing campaign.
The latest sign ups will boost the number of property listings offered by Boomin, which is building towards a new launch date.
The latest agents backing Boomin are Bradleys, Beresfords, Bridges, Seymours, Taylors, Hammond Stratford, Rush Witt & Wilson, Aldreds, Dowen, DJ&P Newland Rennie, Andrew Milsom, Merry Weathers, Redbrik, FirstPort and Richard James.
Michael Bruce, executive chairman and founder of Boomin, commented: “2021 will be a defining year for the future of property portals as we finally reach a crossroads. Agents must decide between the status quo, which has changed little in twenty years and is limited in scope to classified advertising, with unfair, unaffordable fees for the vast majority, and embracing change, harnessing the latest technology and innovation. With Boomin agents and their customers can enter a new era where we invest in them to deliver a lasting and transformational experience.
“Our Agents will enjoy long term value for money, enhanced revenue opportunities, greater exposure than ever before for no extra cost and a meaningful input into the future direction and output of the business. Join the leading agents, the pioneers who are determined to be at the forefront of innovation for them and their customers.”
Comments (20)
White flags then submission to the enemy. Fools
Still waiting for Boomin to confirm that once they have used agents business’s to grow and make their portal common (wishful dream) ……
THEY WILL NOT THEN TURN BOOMIN INTO A FOR SALE BY PRIVATE SELLERS PORTAL
AND DITCH AGENTS = BOOM
I’m dismayed that agents signing up (actually no I’m not!) haven’t asked for this assurance from Bruce’s who were more than happy some time ago to see the High Street go under. Its not as if they need the money, so the motivation is suspect! Also any product for a business has to be customer related … customers (public) are not asking for this portal.
Dont back Boomin and come away from Rightmove – then agents should decide what is going to be the best way forward.
Bruce’s will never ever get my support in anything they do.
PIE – you also need to stop promoting these Boomin lot. The readers have being saying time and time again they Bruce’s shouldnt be give this free promotional advert – yet it falls on death ears. Or is it paid advertorial?
Hard to believe isn’t it Commentator91! They’d have had professional estate agents out of business just a few months ago and a load of sheep are now handing them their business on a plate.
On the subject of portals though, methinks with another downturn on the cards, RM could do an awful lot worse than reduce their fees for a while – it would very likely add to their vulnerable shelf life.
RM & Zoopla will not be helping out in 2021, they are already saying so……..
Unwise.
That attitude has already meant two connected and influential agents have dropped their concerns and agreed to give Boomin a go
Why would you ‘sleep with the enemy’?!
Why are High Street Estate Agents signing up to Boomin when it was the exact same owners spending £millions on TV advertising to tell the public that High Street Estate Agents charged too much and weren’t worth the cost?
They tried to put us out of business! And now we want to cozy up to them?
Why would you do that? You can’t trust them!
It annoys me that agents don’t have principles and will sign up to anything if it is free!
Get a back-bone!
Who is the bigger enemy? Purplebricks – who have probably had little to no detrimental financial effect on your business, or Rightmove who want to take, take, take, and for sure they will continue to do so. So you will happily effectively side with Rightmove all because Boomins people once said ‘nasty’ things about estate agents.
Boomin WILL change things, as soon as Rightmove open their ears and listen to why people are signing up to Boomin despite all the reservations, all the history and all of the concerns that many agents have, Rightmove WILL have to do something.
Since the CMA allowed 4 competing portals to be controlled by 2 firms not 3 in 2012 the Duopoly haven’t had to compete with each other. In March the Duopoly was broken and that let challenge out of the starting gate; OneDome, Homesearch, Openbrix, all the rest and Boomin. The upshot of all that is where there has been no pressure to innovate Rightmove, Zoopla (or On the Market) there now is.
The generation 3 portal model has been broken and that will leave Rightmove an Zoopla trying to compete against each other and a new way of doing things.
Personally I stand by my view I don’t think agents will or should tolerate any aggregating platform having a view of an agent’s small data beyond what is currently in portal feeds- that benefits the service more than it does the agent but with a full understanding of the implications its down to agents what they share.
In March I told Sam at Homesearch why their May 25th release date was unlikely, I suspect the same reason and the same firm is be behind both delay releases. I appreciate, post Ros, there’s a new editorial policy and as it’s Nick and John’s party that’s their prerogative but wouldn’t it be reasonable to know what is going on and why Boomin wasn’t released when it was supposed to be?
It will be interesting to see how the portal debate plays out this year.
As lockdowns come and go, as the stamp duty relief ends, and there is a general fizzling of the market, will agents break the status quo themselves.
As agents’ cash balances dwindle in the next month or two with tax bills coming in thick and fast, the portals won’t step in to help again.
In reality agents should not need more than one portal in their business, the trouble is they are all scared of what their competitors are up to.
I honestly cannot remember the last time I was asked which portals my firm is on by a prospective client…..
Happy Monday everyone, stay safe and fingers crossed for a resilient market, it’s a little too soon in the year to be able to tell what 2021 really has in store…..
So many agents hate pb and what they have done to the estate agents industry…. so why are so many signing up to a platform ran by the creators of pb, surely they would want to stay away.
It’ll be the number one portal within two years and you’ll all be on it so stop moaning about and knocking a company that hasn’t even launched yet!!
Much prefer the “status quo” thanks
In the words of Donald Trump – This is FAKE news. Some of these agents have already been quoted in previously PIE articles.
It was Obama who coined the term “fake news” Trump just copied him.
Forget the fake news, check out the fake tan in that photo. Never trust man in a fake tan!
If we go by PIEs updates they must be close to one hundred agents now.
Not really Booming is it.
Although I haven’t been tracking it, a recent statement said around half of agents have signed up, albeit for a free service. Half would seem reasonable if the corporates have signed up. “Around half” could be slightly over a third.
Good to see at the start of the week yet another plug for Boomin. replayed across all the property media , Bit concerning they are now referring to their customers as “our agents” . Tail wagging the dog ?