The first of the Martin & Co online agents have now hit the UK’s lettings market. Crystal Palace, Lichfield and Stowmarket are the first areas to say ‘hello’ to this new online model.

 

With the private rental sector currently home to one in six households (Paragon, 2011) and having risen 40% in the last 5 years (English Housing Survey & Council of Mortgage Lenders), Martin & Co recognised these statistics sum up the seismic shift towards the rental market and that many now have no inclination or perhaps option to buy. This came with dual force with the property industry now being hit with an online revolution.

 

Martin & Co was given food for thought with this new trend and developed the online letting agent. In addition to this, the number of online searches for lettings has overtaken those for sales for the first time ever. This combined with 94% of those searching for properties to rent starting their search on the internet!' (TDPG research, MyHomeLife, Spring 2011), is a shift in consumer behaviour that the industry is at best reacting to rather than leading. This is exactly what the UK’s number one letting agent have done.

 

Traditional letting agents are threatened in a number of ways if they are not adopting on latest web and e-commerce. Few agents have developed their online model to ensure that it’s their competition that is caught out by change and they break free Martin & Co continue to develop success in this online arena.

 

With no need for shop premises, and one of the most visible letting agent websites (Greenlight report, Feb 11) as your own private property portal this online model dramatically cuts the typical high start up costs for your own letting agency.

 

Investing in an online sales director, email marketing tools and quality content and adding further fuel to their motor with an optimized website and scope for offices to run local Google Adword campaigns alongside social media the brand has catapulted into the 21st century.

 

The experience of intelligent web tools, understanding of how the on-line market and technology are developing and top rated website means that Martin & Co continue to secure more online agents. Martin & Co will be launching three more online agents before the end of the year in Ely, Pontefract and Romford.

 

The new on-line agents have the right ingredients for a successful lettings business and are looking forward to providing a dedicated service to landlords in their areas.