As you know Charlie is a writer here on business2.com.au so I must be subjective in assessing this, but I do think it is a good move and will create real competition for major portals bring costs down to agents across WA and hopefully adding some key benefits.
Once things settle I would like to see some information from Charlie as what the plans are and some clear costs for agents going forward for subscriptions.
It will also be interesting to see whether REIWA will allow for competition amongst agents for top spots in search areas. I hope this does not happen and the combined effort becomes a pure site for agents and prospective buyers/tenants.
Here is the full press release…..
Mr Gunningham is the founder of aussiehome.com, a successful niche website for real estate listings with a strong presence in Perth’s western suburbs. The company is also renowned for web development and customer relationships.
REIWA CEO, Anne Arnold, said she was delighted that Mr Gunningham was coming on board and looked forward to his expertise and entrepreneurial skills taking reiwa.com to the next level.
“Charlie is well known, well liked and widely respected in the industry. He’s passionate about the internet and making the best use of it for customers and clients,” Mrs Arnold said.
Mrs Arnold said Charlie’s appointment begins a new era at REIWA as the Institute looks to improve its portal and to provide better personalised websites to members.
Mr Gunningham said that his appointment will mean that, subject to satisfactory due diligence, aussiehome.com will merge with reiwa.com on 1 July and over time staff from aussiehome will move across to REIWA to continue their work at the Institute’s headquarters in Subiaco.
“The aussiehome website will remain as it is now for the short term, and then we will merge the best elements of both sites ensuring that all the traffic and search engine benefits come together into one larger, stronger and more advanced WA real estate web site at reiwa.com, all owned and run by the industry for the industry,” Mr Gunningham said.
Mrs Arnold assured clients that all the personalised services they currently enjoyed from aussiehome.com will continue uninterrupted.
“Over the following year and beyond we will be combining all of these services with those offered by REIWA, to bring members an even greater array of products.
“This is a major strategic move by the two parties which believe that competition in the real estate portal space will be enhanced by this relationship and that clients and members will be direct beneficiaries of the enhanced combined site,” Mrs Arnold said.