2D or not 2D? That is the question for estate agents as Metropix celebrates ten years of floor plan success

It is ten years since Metropix introduced its floor plan software to the residential property market. Founded by former estate agent, Brian Farrell, Metropix enables agents to draw out 2D floor plans, giving prospective tenants and buyers an instant visualisation of the size and layout of a property. Estate and lettings agents have created more than 6.7 million Metropix floor plans in the past decade.

“In 2005 floorplans were a novelty, today more consumers demand to see a floor plan included in property details,” reports Metropix Managing Director, Brian Farrell. 

The Metropix PLANBANK® contains a wealth of ready-made floor plans, including unusually-shaped layouts, giving an insight into the wide variety of properties that have been drawn using the software. The smallest Metropix floorplan, created for a property in London, measured just 188 square feet, or 4.78m x 3.66m. That’s a living space the equivalent size of 24 shopping trolleys. The largest Metropix floorplan, created for a property in Auckland, measured an impressive 31,415 square feet: large enough to accommodate two Olympic swimming pools and still have space for furniture.

The number of letting and estate agents using Metropix floor planning software to help with marketing properties continues to rise. Some of the first to use the service include corporate clients, such as Romans, and independent agents, Slades Estate Agents, based on the South coast, both have used Metropix since day one.

The very first Metropix customer was Berkshire-based agent, Atkinson Keene, acquired by Romans in 2012. Peter Fuller, FARLA, Letting Managing Director at Romans, explains his reasons for continuing to use the software today, “We produce between thirty and fifty floor plans per week, via Metropix. Many of our competitors don’t include floor plans as standard and this makes us stand out from the crowd. We regularly hear from prospective tenants that they have been frustrated at not having access to a floor plan. We find that if a property is being marketed online across multiple agency listings and we’re the only agent who offers a floor plan, it gives us a distinct advantage. Including floor plans helps to improve our click through rates,” asserts Peter Fuller.

In a recent survey by property portal RightMove, over half of 10,000 consumer respondents stated that they would not instruct agents that didn't include floor plans as part of their properties marketing. The research also highlighted that one in five consumers would ignore property adverts that didn't have a floor plan.

 

Brian Farrell adds: “We would like to thank all our customers for contributing to Metropix’ continued success. Back in the early days, the market for computer-generated floor plans was agents who were looking to offer better marketing to their clients. Nowadays, we are seeing increasing consumer demand for floor plans on agents' websites, because it helps them to assess a property’s suitability. More agents are realising they are at a competitive disadvantage if they don't provide a floor plan to prospective buyers and tenants.” 

Throughout 2015, Metropix will be sharing fun facts and competitions; join in at: www.metropixten.co.uk or on social media, using hashtag #metropixisten. 

More information on Metropix can be found at http://www.metropix.co.uk 

Making the List: Supplier of the Year (Products)

With the short-list for the Negotiator Awards 2014 being revealed, we were delighted to see that Metropix - a Landmark Information Group service - has once again made the grade and been short-listed for the ‘Supplier of the Year (Products)’ category.

The entry focused on how, as a business, Metropix is wholly focused on the delivery of what our clients want. We regularly seek feedback to identify what areas of the Metropix offering can be improved further still and to understand what other services clients might like developed.

We wait with bated breath for the outcome of the awards – winners are being announced at a gala evening reception on 4^th November at the London Hilton on Park Lane. Do wish us luck.

In the meantime, we would also like to extend our congratulatory best wishes to all our estate agency and letting agency customers who have been selected as finalists in the various agency categories.

More details on the Negotiator Awards, can be accessed here. 

Metropix sees uptake in customised floor plans

45% of all floor plans now upgraded to provide property agents with point of difference

Metropix, the leading supplier of floor plan based products to the residential property market, has identified an upswing in the number of property agents choosing enhanced floor plans when marketing properties for sale or rent.  Within the last 12-months, 45% of all agents now choose to enhance their plans, which includes the adoption of 3D or interactive plans, in addition to incorporating company branding or corporate colours.

Brian Farrell, Managing Director of Metropix said: “Today, 45% of all the plans produced on Metropix are being upgraded. This includes agents choosing to go from 2D plans to 3D, accessing interactive PicturePlus plans, which incorporate photos, or even personalising plans with their logo or branding. Agents like having the ability to customise their plans to align with their corporate branding and like being able to use our free interactive floor plans and colours to help differentiate themselves from the competition.”

In a recent study by Rightmove, it identified that consumers want to see floor plans when buying and selling properties; 78% of sellers rated the importance of having a floor plan when selling as 7/10 or higher.  In addition 42% of sellers and 37% of landlords would not invite an agent to value their home if they did not offer a floor plan.  In addition, 37% of buyers said they would be less likely to enquire about property without a floor plan.Concludes Brian Farrell: “Studies like Rightmove’s show the importance of floor plans when marketing properties – both for attracting potential buyers or tenants, but also in securing new instructions. Buyers, sellers, landlords and tenants all value them, therefore agents are now looking at ways of not only offering plans, but in enhancing these to help their services stand out from the competition.”

A free, no-obligation trial of the Metropix drawing service is available.  The trial provides free access to the Metropix system for a two-week period.  To access the free trial, contact Metropix via http://www.metropix.co.uk/  and click on the ‘try it now’ button or telephone 0845 838 5355.

Metropix makes the shortlist for this years ESTAS!

        

   

   Metropix has been shortlisted as a top 10 firm

in the biggest estate & letting agent awards in the UK,  known throughout the industry as THE ESTAS.

Metropix has been recognised for its outstanding customer service to its clients by the largest and longest running award scheme in the UK residential property industry.  THE ESTAS determines the best agents and suppliers in the industry through research carried out amongst customers who are asked a series of questions about the service they have received from their agent or supplier.  This years’ competition saw 32,000 surveys completed.

This year just over 3,000 agents across the UK voted for their favourite suppliers by rating them on the quality of the service they provide and the value each supplier brings to their business.  Just entering this category speaks volumes for the confidence each supplier has in the quality of the products & services they deliver.

The gold, silver and bronze winners will be announced at the 11^th annual ESTAS ceremony on the 9^th May at the Hilton Park Lane.  The awards will be announced by Phil Spencer in front of 600 of the UK’s top estate & letting agents.  All suppliers who entered the category will receive a full Client Feedback Report providing valuable data from their customers.

Landmark announces senior appointments to its Financial Risk division

We are delighted to announce two significant appointments to the management team of our Financial Risk division, both of whom join from internationally quoted blue-chip corporations, to direct the planned growth and future product development strategies of the group.

Peter Stimson joins Landmark as Managing Director of the Financial Risk division, having spent over 20 years in the mortgage and financial services industry at director and senior management level.   Peter has a wealth of experience in fraud detection, Automated Valuation Modelling (AVM) and risk strategy development, all of which greatly complement the Landmark Quest, Landmark Analytics and Metropix brands that sit within Landmark’s Financial Risk division.

Prior to joining Landmark, Peter’s previous roles included UK Managing Director of CoreLogic Solutions, Head of Product Management for Platform – the intermediary lender of the Co-Operative Bank, Commercial Director of Checkmate Mortgages and Senior Vice President at Lehman Bros.

Commenting on his new role, Peter Stimson said: “I have worked in the mortgage sector for over two decades, and more recently have concentrated on supporting lenders with their fraud detection, credit risk and AVM requirements.   I am excited to bring this experience to Landmark, where I will work closely with the team to implement the next phase of the Financial Risk division’s planned growth and development programme, in conjunction with our customers in the mortgage lending, surveying and wider property sectors.”

Working alongside Peter is Andrew Stevens, who has been appointed as the new Head of Development, Financial Risk.   Andrew joins from Sage where he was the Head of ERP Research and Development for the UK, Germany and Austria and responsible for turning product portfolio strategies into reality.  Andrew is a seasoned R&D specialist having worked in enterprise architecture development since 1993.

Commenting on the appointments, Mark Milner, CEO of Landmark Information Group said: “Our Financial Risk division is going from strength-to-strength with activity levels continuing to grow. With gross mortgage lending forecasted to rise to its highest levels since 2008, we have made two significant appointments to our Financial Risk division in order to ensure our business remains fully prepared for the further increase in demand that we will experience as a result.  Both Peter and Andrew join Landmark with considerable experience of managing business growth and product development within internationally-quoted corporations; we are delighted to have them both join Landmark at what is an exciting time and period of continued growth for our business.”