Product and Services Roundup: Bien'Ici, Idealista.it, Domclick, Hogangnono and Zoopla

Here are the latest product updates we've seen coming from real estate marketplace operators around the world...

Europe: Bien'Ici introduces 'Excellence' pricing package

The French agent-backed real estate portal Bien'Ici has introduced a new pricing package.

The "Excellence" package refocuses customer needs around advertising distribution and increasing communications between advertisers and consumers, focusing on re-soliciting buyers who have signed up for alerts for properties in particular regions.

The package also includes services to capture mandates and innovative tools, particularly to facilitate the sale of new properties.

In an interview published in Journal de l'agence, Didier Monnet, Deputy General Manager at Bien'ici, said:

"The launch of the Excellence Package is part of a desire to offer real estate agents the best tools to stand out from the competition and never miss a contact again.

"We have developed new services to maximize contacts and the visibility of ads. We have also strengthened the tools to re-solicit buyers registered for alerts in each agency's area. Finally, another major new feature, we have added an audience extension service to capture all buyer prospects on Bien'ici, including those who are not registered for alerts. With the audience extension, our customers will no longer miss any prospects and will be able to shorten the duration of holding mandates thanks to the multiplication of qualified contacts."

Bien'Ici is France's primary industry-backed portal, with leadership on the record saying it wants to take market leadership away from rival SeLoger this year, a claim Simon Baker questioned in a recent episode of the PPW Podcast:

Idealista ad campaign ramps up rivalry with Immobiliare

Idealista has upped the ante in Italy by launching an advertising run to rival Immobiliare's long-running campaign.

Idealista, best known for its market leadership in its native Spain (and Portugal), is in a close-fought battle for leadership against the Italian incumbent.

Since February 2024, Immobiliare has run a television advertising campaign inspired by Sherlock Holmes, including the catchphrase "Immobiliare, Watson!"

Now the Spain-based portal has taken to television to remind users of the choice of portals in Italy, presenting a "We'll take it" message for home buyers and sellers.

In the ad, a couple of home viewers—so impressed by the property listing on Idealista ahead of the viewing—walk into the property and tell the agent "We'll take it" before he can say a word.

Vincenzo De Tommaso, PR and communications manager at Idealista, said:

"The basic idea of the commercial is that real estate agents using Idealista’s technology can streamline the home-buying process. A well-prepared listing saves multiple visits, allowing deals to close more efficiently."

Domclick adds a chatbot function to book viewings

Defacto state-owned Russian real estate portal Domclick has added chat API functionality to its 'book a viewing' feature.

The new feature facilitates automatic online bookings for API chat users, a task that previously required calling or messaging an agent or property owner. Assuming the agent or seller accepts the request, both parties can then communicate in-app before the viewing itself.

Domclick was the first property portal in Russia to launch a free service that allows users to book a property viewing without calling or messaging the realtor or owner.

Asia: Hogangnono switches up pricing model with new subscription service

The Korean portal Hogangnono, owned by ZigBang, has pivoted its pricing by replacing its pay-to-list offer with a monthly subscription model.

The new "Apartment Basic" subscription service is for apartment real estate agencies, who can upload an unlimited number of listings per month for a fixed fee.

Hogangnono previously launched its Apartment Pro offer in November 2024, which gives extra exposure to agency profiles as banners, while subscribers to the Pro product will also receive notifications when properties are registered on the market by users of Zigbang and Hogangnono.

Hogangnono will offer a free trial period on a first-come, first-served basis to celebrate the launch of 'Apartment Basic'.

Ahn Sung-Woo, CEO at Zigbang, which owns Hogangnono, said:

"The apartment basic subscription service will help real estate agents promote their properties more effectively and provide consumers with the opportunity to receive better choices. We will continue to discover services that can coexist with real estate agents to overcome the real estate market slump and contribute to revitalizing transactions."

United Kingdom: Zoopla to tour cricket grounds as part of national roadshow

UK number two portal Zoopla will visit prestigious cricket grounds on its national roadshow tour starting next week.

Zoopla's tour starts at Edgbaston next week, the first in a series of roadshows that explore local property market trends and provide regional market predictions for the year ahead, while leveraging Zoopla’s position as the Official Property Partner of England Cricket, a partnership announced in September 2024.

The programme will include a presentation from Zoopla’s Director of Research, Richard Donnell, a panel discussion with industry experts, and a networking event and a chance to win match day tickets at Edgbaston Cricket Ground.

Alex Rose, Commercial Director at Zoopla, said:

"We’re excited to bring agents in the West Midlands to an event that will deliver the localised insights and strategies they need to gain a competitive edge in the year ahead. We have an action-packed agenda, with some fantastic industry experts in attendance, as well as a chance to network with peers from the West Midlands region. This event marks the beginning of the local element of our partnership with England Cricket, with more exciting opportunities for agents to come in 2025."