Product and Services Roundup: Jitty, Rightmove, Zoopla, Adevinta, Rentsync, Jiji.Africa

This week's roundup starts in the UK, where the ever-imaginative Jitty has found an even more unique way of searching for properties...

United Kingdom: Jitty launches 'Surprise Me' property search

UK AI-powered property search platform Jitty has added a 'Surprise Me' button to its search tool, allowing users to be shown properties that may fall well outside their usual search parameters.

Described as "sometimes useful, mostly chaotic, always fun", Jitty's new search "throws you into a completely random search. One click. Endless possibilities. It’s home search, but spontaneous and fun (rather than depressing and soul-crushing)."

Search results included 'huge mansions', 'music studio', 'Victorian fireplace', 'maximalist chic', and 'wine cellar'.

Graham Paterson, CEO at Jitty, said:

"One interesting challenge of building Jitty has been educating people on what it can do. People often think that it's a regular property portal and look for regular things. So we've created a 'surprise me' button that showcases the unique and wonderful homes around the country."

Rightmove International enters EMEA listings deal with Exp Realty

The hybrid real estate agency Exp Realty has entered an agreement with Rightmove to show all its listings in he EMEA region to be advertised via Rightmove's overseas portal.

Exp Realty’s properties will get more exposure across Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

Exp U.K. is part of the U.S.-based hybrid agency Exp Realty and is owned by Exp World Holdings.

Adam Day, head of Exp U.K. and Europe, said:

"Rightmove has become a dominant force within the property portal space, not just in the UK, but on a global scale and it’s one of the most trusted names for buyers in search of their next property. This includes British buyers, who form a significant level of market activity across a large number of Exp’s global regions, particularly the likes of Spain, France and Dubai."

Zoopla survey suggests homeowners are undervaluing their property

The UK's number two portal Zoopla has released survey findings showing that two-thirds of homeowners are underestimating the value of their property by a significant margin.

Zoopla said 64% of surveyed respondents discovered they had more equity in their home than they thought by undervaluing their property.

15% of homeowners undervalued their property by between £10,000-£20,000, and 13% undervalued their home by between  £20,000-£30,000.

A staggering 35% undervalued their home by more than  £100,000 and 18% undervalued their home by £250,000 or more.

Daniel Copley, consumer expert at Zoopla, commented:

"For most people, homes are their most valuable asset and most homeowners will need the money in future, whether that is to fund their next home or to free up money for retirement. It’s therefore surprising to see how few have a clear idea of their property’s value and are missing out on potential gains when selling their homes. It’s even more surprising when you consider how easy it is to get a quick and accurate valuation online on websites such as Zoopla.

"While for most it is good news and their home is worth more than anticipated, a significant number have not realised that the house price boom has slowed down and they are overvaluing their property. This can lead to issues agreeing on an asking price with estate agents. But as the data shows, those who go against estate agents’ guidance rarely get what they hope for, highlighting that going with their guidance is the best way to get a reasonably quick offer and secure a sale."

Europe: Adevinta close to $6.8B private credit agreement

Adevinta is in advanced talks to secure $6.7 billion in private credit—money lent from a non-banking entity—to refinance its debts.

Adevinta wants to reduce the cost of its existing debt as well as pay a dividend to new owners Permira and Blackstone.

According to Bloomberg, which has been reporting this story since rumours started circulating last month, sources close to the deal suggested the deal will go through soon, to the disappointment of traditional banks interested in providing credit to Adevinta.

Bloomberg said:

“Private credit lenders are aiming to shave one percentage point off the unitranche loan, with a new price of 4.75 percentage points over the Euro Interbank Offered Rate."

The lenders would provide an additional $1.75 billion to allow Adevinta to pay a dividend, Bloomberg added.

Adevinta's preference for a deal with private lenders suggests that the conglomerate is willing to pay a higher premium than a traditional bank would offer due to ongoing uncertainties surrounding US President Donald Trump’s trade tariffs—which have played havoc with the markets in recent weeks.

North America: Rentsync launches Instant Leasing product

Canadian rentals specialist Rentsync has launched the Instant Leasing tool to streamline the entire leasing process for property teams.

The optional feature, available for users with a Building Stack Leases Tool, allows potential residents to apply, make deposits, set up rent payments, and sign their lease within one smooth, online workflow.

A post on Rentsync's blog said:

Instant Leases combines flexibility, security, and speed, making it a powerful tool for improving occupancy rates and gaining a competitive edge.

The Instant Leases feature isn’t an ‘instant’ process from the property management or leasing point of view. For the new resident, it will feel like a faster process, as they complete all application and leasing steps upfront, eliminating the traditional lengthy back-and-forth process. 

After the initial application and lease steps have been completed by the prospect, leasing personnel can proceed with their standard qualification process. By having all the necessary information and payment details readily available, once the application is approved, the internal team will sign the lease and secure an ‘instant’ resident.

Rentsync offers a platform that empowers professionals to streamline workflows, engage tenants, and maximize property potential with confidence.

Asia: Jiji.Africa enters Bangladesh, its first foray into Asia

The Poland-based marketplace operator Jiji.Africa has launched a marketplace in Bangladesh—its first Asian portal outside Africa.

The company will focus on classifieds in four core markets: real estate, jobs, automotive, and electronics. The portal will monetise premium seller packages with plans to add local delivery services in the future.

Oleksanra Petrunok, a spokesperson for Jiji, explained why Jiji changed its Bangladesh URL from Jiji.com.bd to Jiji-BD.com:

"We deployed the platform early to test localization, gather user feedback, optimize the interface for local preferences, etc. before our official market entry announcement. We’re using the global domain as part of our phased approach in Bangladesh, while we wrap up some technical and administrative details. We’ll switch back to the local domain (Jiji.com.bd) in the coming weeks as we complete our official market entry.

"We are implementing advanced seller verification systems that have proven successful in similar markets."

Bangladesh's current biggest marketplace is Bikroy.com while Bproperty, the country's largest specialist real estate marketplace, is owned by the beleaguered Digital Classifieds Group which recently entered administration.

Jiji operates in Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Senegal, Tanzania and Uganda.