LocalAgentFinder experiences record year thanks to surging investor usage
The comparison site has experienced a 30 per cent increase in property investors in the 12 months to November 2022 when compared to the same period last year.
According to data released by LocalAgentFinder, an unprecedented 30,000 Australian property investors utilised its systems to compare and appoint real estate agents this year. According to chief executive officer Richard Stevens, almost half the user base are property investors, despite “a common misconception about agent comparisons [being] that it is exclusively used by owner-occupiers”.
He expects this proportion “to grow as more and more investors understand the unique benefits of the platform”, which he explained includes providing the data and tools to facilitate investors making “efficient decisions, which can ultimately mean that they have more time and resources to grow their portfolios”.
This is especially important as “property investors are often time-poor and bombarded with information from multiple sources on a daily basis”.
Mr Stevens noted that “savvy investors place an enormous amount of value on assessing objective agent data and real-world agent reviews. They understand that finding the right agent can be the difference between an average sales result and a fantastic one.”
The platform’s national coverage has removed “the days when investors would have to travel to a local market to assess a market and connect with the agents that operate within it”.
Modern technology has dictated that whether investors yearn for “yield, capital gains, or a combination of both”, many are comfortable purchasing properties away from home, so long as it complies with their investment criteria.
“This benefit of the platform was probably never so realised as during the last two years [when] certain sellers couldn’t travel (or didn’t want to) but needed to appoint the right agent to suit their individual needs in order to sell an investment property,” Mr Stevens explained.
During this period, the agent-comparison model announced itself to a great portion of Australian investors.
Mr Stevens detailed that LocalAgentFinder collaborates with agents to “understand what they need to better service a property investor coming through [its] platform”. Adding it generates “a smoother experience for the property investor and ultimately helps to achieve a much better outcome”.
Despite major growth throughout the year, the platform remains “conscious that needs, technologies, and markets change rapidly”.
“With this in mind, we are constantly surveying property investors to find ways to improve and enhance the platform and the experience that it provides,” Mr Stevens concluded.
More from this writer:
-
Expert calls on government to review construction productivity, not major projects
-
RBA delivers hotly anticipated November cash rate call
-
Greens threaten 650% rate increase on Brisbane landlords
-
Dispelling some migration housing market myths
-
ACT developer under fire for multiple business failures
-
The Block Finale: Tom Panos to tell all
-
Australia dominates in the global luxury market’s top annual risers