Zoopla buys online business newhomesforsale.co.uk

Property portal Zoopla has bought newhomesforsale.co.uk as it continues to expand further into the new build market.

Zoopla said the deal – for an undisclosed amount – will see it buy 100% of the new homes property site, which has over 200 developer customers, supports 2,500 active property developments and connects over one million buyers with properties each year.

It comes amid a concerted push by Zoopla to grow its new build offering, having recently announced tie-ups with housebuilding giants Taylor Wimpey and Persimmon Homes.

As part of the efforts to further tap into this market, Zoopla has improved the visibility of new homes on its website and the consumer search experience, promoted the benefits of new builds and added features such as search by developer and affordability tools.

It has also rolled out the use of artificial intelligence (AI) to help lower the cost of attracting buyers, identify “higher-intent” customers earlier and make reservation pipelines more efficient for home builders.

Together, these product innovations have helped drive a 53% increase in the number of new home leads for builders year-on-year, according to Zoopla.

Paul Whitehead, chief executive of Zoopla, said the newhomesforsale.co.uk (NHFS) deal was “a natural next step in our strategy”.

He said: “Our recent partnerships with Taylor Wimpey and Persimmon demonstrate the progress we have made and the value we deliver.

“The addition of newhomesforsale.co.uk will strengthen our offer and deepen our relationships with home builders across the UK.”

After the deal, Stratford-upon-Avon-based NHFS will continue as a standalone brand and website, with its existing leadership team, led by founder and managing director Vernon Pethard.

All 10 staff – including Mr Pethard – are transferring to Zoopla following the deal.

Mark Hincks, director of newhomesforsale.co.uk, said: “Our focus has always been to connect developers with high-intent buyers and deliver a clear return on marketing investment.

“Joining Zoopla unlocks audience data, insights and innovation that will allow us to deliver even more value for our customers.”

Mr Pethard founded NHFS in 1998, initially offering a range of new homes newspapers, which later shifted online via the website in 2009.