Despite what is projected to be a tricky financial sector in 2008, classifieds sites emphasising property search are going in to the year at full-tilt…
– Globrix: We get our first glimpse of Globrix, the search ad-funded property search site funded by News International, today – the site has gone in to public beta. Taking a similar approach to Zoomf (ad funding), Globrix was founded by a team including CTO Ian Parry, a former exec with search companies Fast and Autonomy, and the news publisher’s “multi-million” investment was announced in October. Ads so far include those for financial services – we’ll hold our breath to see how well Globrix will do during what is forecast to be a difficult year for the housing market.
– Trovit: Spain-based classifieds ads search aggregator Trovit has scored 600,000 euro funding from the La Caixa band plus angel investors. Formed in April 2006 by Iñaki Ecenarro, Trovit’s robots harvest ads from “tens of classifieds websites” covering multiple different segments (not just property), and has since rolled out versions facing the UK, France, Germany, Portugal and Italy as well as its native Spain. (Announcement and AC).
– Nestoria: Finally, the London-based vertical property site has now brokered deals to power property search for Channel 4’s 4Homes brand, The Independent newspaper and CityAM. These are the highest-profile of the small clutch of partnerships Nestoria enjoyed before. (Via TCUK).