Google and a UK Property Portal?

Google may set up a Property Portal in the UK

According to a news item from the FT, Google is about to create a Property Portal for the UK market.  The idea is to create a similar Portal as the one already in existence in Australia. UK Estate Agents could list their property on that Portal and Google provides images from their Google Maps Street View

A Real Estate Company in the UK claimed through their spokes person, who is the commercial Director of (Douglas & Gordon) that they have spoken with Google, but Google has neither confirmed or denied the comments and have not responded to claim.

There is real concern amongst newspaper publishers that the involvement of Google in Real Estate Portals will further add to the pressure the papers are under with falling advertising revenues. Operators of other Property Portals could see their Property Listings fall, but if the Australian example is anything to go by,  than there is no real concern, since Property Portals in Australia still receive Listings despite the new Google Property Portal.

“It looks very simple. If it stays free, then Google has a massive winner on its hands as it will get the backing from estate agents currently paying for rival sites,” Mead is quoted as saying.

Concern has been expressed as to how such a portal would affect other UK-based real estate web sites, but in Australia, such sites are still getting listings. However, some also think Google getting more heavily involved in real estate listings could have a further effect on newspapers, which are already struggling.

Google recently modified their Google maps with it now being possible to search for “Real Estate” within a specific geographical location, and the user will get automatically Real Estate Listings.

Our Verdict: Very clever!!!