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Power Law company profile

easyProperty

eCommerce & Marketplaces · Southwick, United Kingdom · Founded 2013

easyProperty is a UK-based online real estate platform that has undergone several strategic shifts since its inception. Originally founded in 2013 by David Brierley, Spencer Lloyd Gilroy, and MaryAnn Brierley, it was later launched in partnership with easyJet founder Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou and property entrepreneur Robert Ellice. Ellice, who had been in the estate agency business since he was 16, aimed to bring a no-frills, a la carte model to the property market, leveraging the well-known 'easy' brand to offer services without commission. The company initially focused on lettings with plans to expand into sales, new homes, and commercial properties across Europe. The business operates as a hybrid real estate agency, providing a platform for consumers to compare services and fees from thousands of partner agents across the UK. The core service enables property sellers and landlords to receive instant quotes from local and online estate agents, review their offerings, and select an agent for valuation and instruction. This model aims to simplify the process of finding an agent and increase transparency in fees. Over the years, its business model has evolved. After facing financial difficulties and questions about profitability, the company merged with GPEA Ltd (owner of The Guild of Property Professionals and Fine & Country) in 2017, shifting to a B2B model that relied on traditional agents to sell the easyProperty digital option. This was a significant pivot from its initial goal of disrupting high street agents. The company's journey has been marked by several changes in ownership and strategy. After a period under eProp Services, which faced its own takeover bid, the easyProperty brand was acquired by Evolve Partnership Ltd in 2019. Evolve aimed to grow the business organically by selling licenses to agents covering specific territories, providing them with a CRM system, website, and marketing support. However, in August 2022, Evolve went into voluntary liquidation, and the easyProperty brand, software, and client database were returned to the easyGroup, coming under the stewardship of Charles Hancock, CEO of easyCapital. The plan following this transition was to stabilize the company, control costs, and then pursue rapid expansion. Keywords: online estate agent, property fee comparison, real estate platform, hybrid estate agency, lettings service, property sales, agent comparison UK, landlord services, home selling, property valuation, fixed-fee estate agent, real estate technology, proptech, UK property market, agent finder, sell my home, let my property, estate agent quotes, easyGroup, Rob Ellice, Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou