Zoopla
Encyclopedia
Zoopla is a property and house prices website that provides information such as sold house prices and current value estimates for all 27 million residential properties in the UK.
's database, the UK HM Land Registry
's data on property transactions, Google
maps, Microsoft maps' "bird's eye view", and other data sources. The data is then presented in a read-write format, so that user-generated content
can "fill in the gaps".
Based on this data, Zoopla has developed an Automated Valuation Model
or algorithm that allows the site to provide an instant valuation estimate for any property in the UK, similar to competitors Mouseprice and Hometrack. The AVM is based on user-added information such as property attributes, transactions from the Land Registry, and analysis of historical price trends. The site also allows users to claim their home or set a TemptMe price (a price at which they could be tempted to sell).
The site also provides listings of around 500,000 properties for sale or to rent from residential estate agents along with pictures, descriptions, maps, statistics and local information.
In July 2010, Zoopla also made a similar service as an iPhone application including GPS-based property searches and augmented reality camera view.
and Simon Kain, former senior developer at Bookpages / Amazon UK and LOVEFiLM CTO. The website was launched in January 2008. In June 2008, they hired Doug Monro, former Managing Director of Gumtree
, as Chief Operating Officer., who subsequently left to found Adzuna in 2011. The company is based in Southwark, London.
The website had 1.6 million visitors in March 2010, making it the second largest property website in the UK behind market leader Rightmove
.
Zoopla have been quoted in the UK press in a number of articles based on their data, such as the UK Property Rich List and comments on the value of various celebrity homes. There has also been some debate over the ethics of property porn and property snooping.
Zoopla is backed by Atlas Venture
, Octopus Ventures and other investors.
In July 2009, Zoopla acquired property website Thinkproperty.com from the Guardian Media Group.
In August 2009, Zoopla acquired the PropertyFinder Group, consisting of the websites Propertyfinder.com, Hotproperty.co.uk and UK Property Shop
, with combined annual revenues of £7M, from prior owners the REA Group and News International for an undisclosed sum.
In July 2010, Zoopla acquired property technology company Byteplay.
In August 2010, Zoopla launched its first television advertising campaign. The humorous campaign compares finding the perfect property with finding the perfect partner, showing a number of people discussing the house-buying process in terms that could be used to describe a relationship.
In 2010 Zoopla was named in the Startups 100 awards as one of the UK's most innovative, inspiring and ground-breaking new companies.
In October 2011 Zoopla and Digital Property Group, the subsidiary of A&N Media which operates property websites Primelocation.com and FindaProperty.com announced plans to merge their respective businesses.
Product features
The Zoopla site is a searchable directory of UK residential properties, created as a mashup of Royal MailRoyal Mail
Royal Mail is the government-owned postal service in the United Kingdom. Royal Mail Holdings plc owns Royal Mail Group Limited, which in turn operates the brands Royal Mail and Parcelforce Worldwide...
's database, the UK HM Land Registry
HM Land Registry
Land Registry is a non-ministerial government department and executive agency of the Government of the United Kingdom. It was created in 1862 to register the ownership of land and property in England and Wales...
's data on property transactions, Google
Google
Google Inc. is an American multinational public corporation invested in Internet search, cloud computing, and advertising technologies. Google hosts and develops a number of Internet-based services and products, and generates profit primarily from advertising through its AdWords program...
maps, Microsoft maps' "bird's eye view", and other data sources. The data is then presented in a read-write format, so that user-generated content
User-generated content
User generated content covers a range of media content available in a range of modern communications technologies. It entered mainstream usage during 2005 having arisen in web publishing and new media content production circles...
can "fill in the gaps".
Based on this data, Zoopla has developed an Automated Valuation Model
Automated Valuation Model
Automated valuation model is the name given to a service that can provide property valuations using mathematical modelling combined with a database. Most AVMs calculate a property’s value at a specific point in time by analyzing values of comparable properties. Some also take into account previous...
or algorithm that allows the site to provide an instant valuation estimate for any property in the UK, similar to competitors Mouseprice and Hometrack. The AVM is based on user-added information such as property attributes, transactions from the Land Registry, and analysis of historical price trends. The site also allows users to claim their home or set a TemptMe price (a price at which they could be tempted to sell).
The site also provides listings of around 500,000 properties for sale or to rent from residential estate agents along with pictures, descriptions, maps, statistics and local information.
In July 2010, Zoopla also made a similar service as an iPhone application including GPS-based property searches and augmented reality camera view.
History and company information
Zoopla was founded in 2007 by Alex Chesterman, who also founded ScreenSelect / LOVEFiLMLoveFilm
LoveFilm is a UK-based provider of home video and video game rental through DVD-by-mail and streaming video on demand in the UK, Germany and Scandinavia...
and Simon Kain, former senior developer at Bookpages / Amazon UK and LOVEFiLM CTO. The website was launched in January 2008. In June 2008, they hired Doug Monro, former Managing Director of Gumtree
Gumtree
Gumtree is an extensive network of online classifieds and community websites. Classified ads are either free or paid for depending on the product category and the geographical market...
, as Chief Operating Officer., who subsequently left to found Adzuna in 2011. The company is based in Southwark, London.
The website had 1.6 million visitors in March 2010, making it the second largest property website in the UK behind market leader Rightmove
Rightmove
Rightmove plc is a British-based company that runs www.rightmove.co.uk, an online real estate portal. It is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a constituent of the FTSE 250 Index.- The company :...
.
Zoopla have been quoted in the UK press in a number of articles based on their data, such as the UK Property Rich List and comments on the value of various celebrity homes. There has also been some debate over the ethics of property porn and property snooping.
Zoopla is backed by Atlas Venture
Atlas Venture
Atlas Venture is an international early-stage venture capital firm that invests in communications, information technology, and life sciences companies. From the late 1990s through the mid-2000s the firm was leading investor in startup companies in both the U.S. and Europe...
, Octopus Ventures and other investors.
In July 2009, Zoopla acquired property website Thinkproperty.com from the Guardian Media Group.
In August 2009, Zoopla acquired the PropertyFinder Group, consisting of the websites Propertyfinder.com, Hotproperty.co.uk and UK Property Shop
UK Property Shop
UK Property Shop Ltd - trading as UK Property Shop - publishes an online directory of UK Estate Agents and Letting Agents known as The National Directory of Estate Agents.- The Company :...
, with combined annual revenues of £7M, from prior owners the REA Group and News International for an undisclosed sum.
In July 2010, Zoopla acquired property technology company Byteplay.
In August 2010, Zoopla launched its first television advertising campaign. The humorous campaign compares finding the perfect property with finding the perfect partner, showing a number of people discussing the house-buying process in terms that could be used to describe a relationship.
In 2010 Zoopla was named in the Startups 100 awards as one of the UK's most innovative, inspiring and ground-breaking new companies.
In October 2011 Zoopla and Digital Property Group, the subsidiary of A&N Media which operates property websites Primelocation.com and FindaProperty.com announced plans to merge their respective businesses.