Globrix

About Globrix

Globrix was a UK-based property search engine that launched in January 2008, co-founded by CEO Daniel Lee. The company entered the market with a disruptive business model, offering a 'free-to-list' service for estate and letting agents, which contrasted with the paid-listing models of competitors like Rightmove. Rather than hosting property details directly, Globrix operated like a web crawler, indexing agents' own websites and redirecting user traffic back to them, aiming to build the most comprehensive database of UK properties for sale and rent. The business generated revenue through geo-targeted banner advertising, premium services for agents such as SEO consultancy, and display ads. Initially, Globrix was a joint venture with News International, which held a significant minority stake. By January 2010, Daily Mail and General Trust (DMGT) acquired a 50% stake, integrating Globrix into its Digital Property Group (DPG) alongside other portals like FindaProperty.com and PrimeLocation.com. This move consolidated DPG's position as the clear number two in the UK online property market. The market saw significant consolidation when The Digital Property Group merged with its closest rival, Zoopla, in a deal that completed in mid-2012. The objective of the merger was to create a more formidable competitor to market leader Rightmove. Following the integration of the businesses, the new parent company, Zoopla, retired the Globrix and FindaProperty brands to focus its resources, though it maintained PrimeLocation as a premium brand.