Ebay UK in talks to launch channel for selling homes

Ebay UK intends to allow people to sell their homes through the auction site from next month.

The company is in advanced talks with real-estate site PropertyIndex.com to launch a UK property channel in a bid to drive revenues.

new media age understands the auction site aims to tap into a perceived increase in consumer interest in online property listings, up 10% year on year, when it rolls out the service in spring.

Ebay aims to replicate its existing US real-estate channel and Ebay Motors, which it launched in the UK in June 2006.

The move is understood to be part of an overall review of Ebay’s European marketing operations headed by European marketing director Torsten Schuppe, who assumed the role in January.

Earlier this month it was revealed Schuppe had initiated a review of Ebay’s pan-European integrated advertising account.

A source close to the project told new media age, “Ebay is looking to bring in new vertical sectors to develop the site and grow profits.”

Ebay would be the latest entrant into a crowded online property listings market. Earlier this month Estatecreate.com, a service which enables people to sell their homes online, launched in partnership with The Independent. Last month Asda said it aimed to showcase 85% of all new homes on its fledgling online property service, Homes In Asda.

PropertyIndex launched in the UK in September, appointing TBG London to manage its global PPC account.

Ebay refused to talk about the plans, while Propertyindex was unavailable for comment as new media age went to press.

This story first appeared on newmediaage.co.uk