Canberra-based property-listing portal, Zango, has just turned one, with the locally owned and operated business celebrating the anniversary of its go-live date on Wednesday.
Despite launching just before a global pandemic, Zango has managed to shake up the market in the ACT, Queanbeyan and adjacent areas, by applying targeted sales data, insights and resources to offer a hyper-local alternative to its competitors.
Zango Director Ben Faulks said more than 13,000 local property owners had used Zango as part of their property marketing campaigns, with many opting to exclusively engage with the portal.
“Agents are choosing to support our new local business through a desire for a better – and more cost-effective – customer experience,” Mr Faulks said.
Mr Faulks said launching a new portal during such a turbulent year had not been without its challenges but it had also reinforced the importance of community.
“It’s been an eventful first 12 months,” he said.
“We were planning our launch in the midst of the bushfires last year and COVID restricted our ability to get our message into more lounge rooms.
“But there’s been such a tidal wave of support from the Canberra community, who want to see us succeed, and we wouldn’t be able to celebrate our first birthday without it.”
Zango has just recruited new CEO Darryn McRae, who was previously employed by REA Group for almost two decades and most recently served as the group’s NSW Sales Manager.
Mr McRae says he is excited by the challenge of helping the new portal strengthen its current customer base and expand its reach.
“They needed somebody to come in and take what they’ve done to the next level,” Mr McRae said, adding that Zango had specifically been on the lookout for someone with the requisite skill set but who also didn’t have a background with any particular real estate agency.
He said Zango had an opportunity to differentiate itself from other portals in the market because it was locally operated and not affiliated with any large players on the media landscape.
“The real estate industry in Australia has a space for a real estate industry-owned company to play a role in the landscape that the big media companies own.”
It was a sentiment echoed by Mr Faulks, who said the Canberra property search market had remained stagnant for almost two decades.
“None of the major portals are locally owned and operated, and have lost that connection to the local community.
“We are proud to be an agent for change in this space and to have saved Canberrans over $1,000,000 in advertising fees since our launch, and that is quickly climbing.
“Homebuyers now know that they must search Zango if they want to see every property that’s for sale.”
Mr Faulks said ensuring locals achieved the market results they desired remained Zango’s primary focus.
“Helping buyers and sellers navigate towards their home is our obsession,” he said.
“We thank the people of Canberra for making us feel at home.”
