‘The LinkedIn of real estate’to launch

Properbuz, a website for searching different properties,will be launching on 20 August with the app version following a few months after.

‘The LinkedIn of real estate’to launch

Properbuz, a website for searching different properties,will be launching on 20 August with the app version following a few months after.

Estate agents list properties on the site which has a global property search for users. There’s also mapping, social networking and a ‘follow the agent’ functionality where a user can click to follow an estate agent or private landlordand see properties they post.

Joseph Onyero, the founder and chief executive of Properbuz, said: “It is the first social network for the real estate industry. It’s related to everything in real estate.

“This platform is similar to the traditional popular search but we’ve added lots of innovation to help make it easy for estate agents to reach out with features like the social media element,connecting with property buyers and location reviews.

“The feedback has been fantastic. Estate agents are excited. There’s nothing like this out there. Some have called this the LinkedIn of real estate.”

If someone is planning to relocate they can see what people think of propertiesinthat area.

Onyero said that it’s free to use and estate agents can list properties for free and see how many people have viewed them,but can pay more for some premium options likeappearingfurther up in searches.

He added: “I wouldn’t say we’re in competition with Rightmove because they focus on the UK whereas we are global. We want to work with estate agents.

“It can also be good for online estate agents like HouseSimple and PurpleBricks because they can list properties all on one place.

“Estate agents want to see something that will help them reach out to more customers.”

Onyero said in a few months’ time he will be incorporating blockchain into Properbuz to cut out the middle man in transactions to decentralise the industry.

He added: “This is to decentralise the intermediaries and make transactions transparent, faster and easy.”