Buy, sell and finance real estate with Tiscali World Online`s property channel

Tiscali World Online has launched a property channel, further broadening its portal offering. The ISP`s partnerships with residential search engine and listing directory CyberProp and commercial property information centre CompuSpace allow its users to search for all types of property including residential, business and holiday accommodation, farms, vacant land, and property on auction.

Users can also let or sell property through the channel. This complements Tiscali World Online`s existing partnership with MortgageSA, the online home loan application service.

The property channel gives users a one-stop property shop with all the information they need available in one place, and access to commercial and industrial property databases that are updated on a daily basis by estate agencies throughout SA.

"These partnerships allow us to offer our subscriber base and portal users the added value of a complete property search and listing service, in conjunction with the services of a home loan facilitator," says Natalie Thayer, portal division GM at Tiscali World Online. "This is in line with our strategy to increase revenue and traffic to the Tiscali World Online portal by offering essential services online.

"With more and more people migrating to the Web for services, the property channel will not only increase traffic to our portal, but will also pay off for all partners involved," she says.

MortgageSA has successfully placed over 40 000 clients into new homes through raising over R10 billion in mortgage finance. The company specialises in securing and managing the entire home loan process, offering speed and convenience to homebuyers. Its proprietary loan processing technology and paperless workflow solutions have re-engineered the home loan process, enabling loan applications to be submitted to multiple lenders simultaneously, ensuring streamlined approvals. Online home loan applications give the buyer anonymity in sourcing finance - a service that puts negotiating power back into the hands of the homebuyer.

"Mortgage lending is about closing loans quickly at low cost and with a high level of customer service," says Saul Geffen, MortgageSA MD. "The Web facilitates transparency in the pricing of mortgages and MortgageSA is the first company in SA to provide online access to home loan rates from the four major financial institutions. Our partnership with Tiscali World Online makes it possible for us to reach more new homebuyers."

CyberProp`s property search option includes province, city, suburb and price range, while users can also search for homes with a specified number of rooms, garages, swimming pools and other features. Users have the ability to search a directory of listings from various estate agents. The search result displays a location description and a photograph of the property.

The service is free to those searching for information, while private homeowners wanting to list their properties pay a fee of R275 for a months listing. Estate agents can also purchase CyberProp`s software to list their properties on the site.

Willie van Schalkwyk, MD of USP Designs, the developer of CyberProp, says the company identified a gap in the technology available to the property industry in 1999 and developed an affordable, local solution for the real estate industry.

"Fly-by-night companies were harming the attitude of real estate agencies towards software solutions aimed at this market," says Van Schalkwyk. "Our solution is built for the local market and helps estate agents develop long-term relationships with their customers, allowing them to view properties at the click of a mouse."

The introduction of the Tiscali World Online property channel could not have come at a better time. After 11 September and with the falling rand, SA has become one of the best property investment countries worldwide. Users searching for commercial property, including office, industrial and retail, have access to CompuSpace, a commercial property search engine which offers quick find and advanced search options.

"The Web site caters for all the needs of commercial property seekers," says James Gibson, MD of CompuSpace. "It complements Tiscali World Online`s residential search engine offering, and provides users with fast, user-friendly access to commercial property listings throughout SA."