A six-branch firm, Andrew Milsom Estate Agents in Buckinghamshire and Berkshire, has joined OnTheMarket.
The firm will now be listing on OTM and Rightmove, after removing its properties from Zoopla.
Andrew Milsom, director, said: “We have been impressed with how quickly OTM has established itself, and we think the website is a refreshing change for the consumer because it focuses entirely on the property listings.”
Helen Whiteley, commercial director of OTM, said: “It’s exciting to see yet another long-established, high-quality, multi-branch firm such as Andrew Milsom deciding to join us.
“It strengthens our market position in the Thames Valley and Chiltern Hills area and we are looking forward to working closely with Andrew and his team.”
OTM announced in May that overall support for the portal had reached in excess of 7,000 UK estate and letting agent offices. This figure includes offices which are contracted and those which are covered by Letters of Intent to join Agents’ Mutual and to list on OTM when overall support exceeds 7,500 offices.
Comments (29)
OTM have offered me a ludicrous deal to join them, however that would mean dropping zoopla or rightmove, obviously we are not mad so rightmove is staying & our zoopla costs are reasonable, and here’s the crux provides us with vendor leads that convert.
Will OTM? Given brand awareness to the general public seems little more than zero, that’s highly unlikely!
Your choice but “here’s the crux provides us with vendor leads that convert”. Just like the lottery if your not in, you won’t win.
Given brand awareness to the general public seems little more than zero, that’s highly unlikely. Do you live on an island in the North Sea? It may be a surprise to you but you also have to put some effort in!
Now what were all those good reasons that would help save your business that both RM & Z you want to support, are not providing …. oh I’ll stick my head in the sand and not see I’m helping my downfall. But that’s your choice and perfectly entitled to.
Damage my business by leaving Z & going to OTM?! No thanks.
I don’t put the effort in to increase rightmove & zoopla brand awareness so why should I for OTM (& pat for the privelege?) Besides my efforts would be a drop in the ocean.
OTM brand awareness is terrible amongst both buyer & vendors, even vendors who are listed on it!
In my opinion OTM has done more damage to my business because all they’ve done is strengthen RM’s hand by weakening Z.
If on the market had been open (no restrictions on where I can market) & sensibly priced from the start, I’d have been on board & even have helped support / market them in my own small way.
If I was a founding member id be pretty pissed off being tied into a long contract at a set when they are now offering ludicrous deals to other agents.
Agree with all your posts.
Lets put it in lehmens terms for those defending OTM, purely because of cost rather than actually thinking what’s best for the clients.
Those who defend OTM if put in the position where they were selling their own property, they would want their property to be marketed to the widest audience possible to achieve the best possible price. Not list with an agent who chose to ditch Rightmove/Zoopla because they were too expensive.
If anyone says anything differently, they’re lying. The only reason agents are defending OTM is purely because they’re fed up with paying rightmove and zoopla such high subscription fees.
I am a pro OTM supporter not just because of the cost savings. There is more to it than that. Your future is at stake! There are many things wrong with both RM & Z operating system, which no agent has been allowed to discuss with them or object to. We feed them, they shaft us oh so many times. It was made big by the support it had solely by High Street agents but they now up the fees year on year and encourage new customers who openly wish to put out of business the High Street and even go out of their way to accommodate them (NoAgent is a prime case). Since when did anyone role over to allow your business to be jeopardised?
Here is a case in point: A letting agent is being charged £900 PM by RM but only ever has 2 or 3 properties to advertise. They are a very reputable agent with stock of properties that retain tenants because they do their job properly. The landlords declines to pay £300 each to advertise on RM on top of the agents other reasonable and valid fees, so is forced to pass the costs onto the tenant. Oh no, the tenant is being stung, shameful conduct? and the authorities wish to ban tenants fees. It doesn’t take a child to work out that is not viable for a lettings business to survive. Meanwhile an on-line agent under cuts the High Street agent, provides arguably a poorer and risky option for the landlord. Town shops close, employees laid off and ancillary services suffer, local expertise is lost for ever and all because someone didn’t look far enough ahead to what is looming on the horizon.
What’s best…. widest audience….
Do you advertise in every paper and magazine? No i thought not, what if the best buyer is looking at that paper and not where you advertise?
You LocalAgent201625 are nothing without rm/z and full of excuses.
Ditch zoopla on price? You really do not understand the real reasons.
basher52
Damage your business? People are scared to change.
Increase rm/z brand awareness? – just concentrate on your own brand
drop in the ocean? that’s what labour voters said at the last election and remainers
OTM know in the short term they will strengthen rm – old news
rm/z supporters unfortunately are like sheep – head in the sand
be brave try new things – you never know you may do better if you adopt a new outlook
Figures for how many have left OTM during the same period please? +1500 – 500???
Speak of the devil…
You really should read more, 1TB. Agents Mutual announced only a few days ago that they had reached 6400 branches.
A few ‘minuses’ here and there are an annoyance – and brings into question the ethics of those companies who believe they can simply walk away from a Contract they freely and willingly entered.
However – as long as there are more ‘ins’ than ‘outs’, then the bites continue to be taken out of the elephant… which is the aim.
1TB Are you saying there was 9,000?
Ahhh, danny – so pleased that you’re back!
I was just saying to that nice young fellow, Sylvester, from Microsoft Helpdesk a couple of days ago that I look forward to hearing from him and his many colleagues; all those lovely people sorting out my PPI and free new boiler, and those that keep ringing me about the accident I had in the last 6 years (it must have been a bad one – I’ve completely shut it out of my memory).
BUT – best of all – I love to hear that you, 1TB, and the jolly bunch of OTM-obsessed contributors are still so bothered by its’ very existence that you submit to the inexorable need to flex your fingers on the keyboard to tell the world (well… a thousand or so individuals in it at best…) how you feel/are paid to feel*.
*delete where applicable.
So pleased that your back ….. OTM Obsessed contributers… Youve taken just three sentances to contradict yourself
Err… I don’t think so.
You’ve been ‘absent’ from EYE for a while (as ‘danny’ at least…) – you’ve returned.
OTM obsessed? Absolutely. Show me a single thread that you’ve posted in that does not concern the ‘Portal War’.
Go on – just one.
Just wondering… do you know ‘femaleagent88’ by any chance? Share a body, perhaps?
Both absent ..and obsessed, and now im multiple people , dont forget to fold the corners in on the tin foil hat ……
I only asked – there’s such strong similarity in certain aspects of your posts.
Maybe you just both went to the same school.
Tin foil hat? My – you have been away for a while, haven’t you?
It’s common knowledge my Heads Gone – so you’re not breaking any news there…
OnTheMarket are a breath of fresh air owned by agents. A clean uncluttered interface without loads of outside adverts.
No price history to put off buyers.
A level playing field without extra fees for bigger agent’s adverts.
A portal for all traditional high street (not call centre) agents to be on.
The sooner all agents come away from Zoopla (or the weaker portal in their area) and join the better.
You make it out that OTM is more aimed at buyers, but also potential vendors use internet sites when deciding on which agent to choose, so price history when sellers are trying to research the possible value is paramount in my opinion.
If I was selling and my property had displayed how long it was on the market for, how much that portal values it at, when it was last sold etc I may not be too happy. Some those figures could put people off.
Why don’t agents put all that info on their details/own website/window display if it’s good for the vendor?
You can’t see the wood for the trees!
I’m SO glad you posted this, Herb.
LA201625 thinks I’m simply cruisin’ for an argument when I post – and this is var-nigh EXACTLY what I was going to respond with.
He can disagree with you, now! ;o)
So you wish to hide important information from the public? Typical Estate Agent.
Firstly, anyone with half a brain knows zoopla’s pricing is totally inept, and those who use this tool as a guide for their valuation is a complete idiot. Previous price history is all over the internet, if people search OTM’s listings and wish to find the information they can easily – so what’s the point in hiding it?
The reason I can’t see the wood through the trees is because there’s no wood, OTM bragging about attracting a brand with 6 offices isn’t really ambitious is it?
An agent’s job is to do the best for their client – the seller.
If you were selling your car LocalAgent201625 and next to the advert I put this has been advertised for 6 months without selling, it is overpriced and here are three better cars – you wouldn’t use that agent or website.
Enjoy your trolling Sir!
And advertising on a website purely based on costs, which doesn’t actually benefit the seller isn’t acting for the clients best interests.
You’re point is utterly ridiculous, but I can’t say i’m surprised.
LA201625
Who says that Agents are advertising based purely upon cost?
Who says that where they are advertising doesn’t benefit the seller?
I am sorry to seem to be arguing with you once again – but it is YOUR post that in this instance looks ridiculous.
It’s a bit embarrassing belittling the competitions success. Row your own boat Danny instead of hoping someone else’s sinks.
Well said.
Its a bit embarrassing if your doing a press release when you make a sale/giving away your product ( you decide which)
OK well done on the market you have nearly reached target??
When do you move to phase 2? i dont hear many signs that your now going to focus on killing Rightmove which was what you sold us on launch.
tbf if every agent wasnt tied to a contract you would have been dead in water after 6 months.
Bless You
Hate to be the one to point this out – but you’re coming over a bit #bunnyboiler here.
You apparently saw the potential that OTM had when you signed up – wilfully and without pressure.
You seemingly ‘believed’ in it enough to commit to become a Member.
You bring up being “tied to a contract” as if that’s an unusual thing (I believe that is the whole purpose of a Contract) – yet you have previously stated here on EYE that you have renaged on your own Contract with OTM.
What gives?
Come on, Bless You – can’t go all coy on us now.
I’m not saying ‘put up or shut up’ – quite the opposite.
You’ve started like you’ve got a set and ain’t frightened to stick ’em on the block – it’s now time to show you’ve got them.