News Roundup, 02/04/2026: Rightmove Sued, Zillow Vs CoStar Lawsuit, Hemnet's Bet

Harvey, Edmund and Simon get together for a breakdown of the industry's latest news, from lawsuits in the UK to multi-market challenges for CoStar Group...00:00 Introduction and Overview of the Real Estate Market01:41 Rightmove's Legal Troubles in the UK14:33 Zillow vs. CoStar Copyright Infringement Lawsuit Update25:18 Hemnet rolls out 'Sell Now, Pay Later' offer Nationwide31:35 The Shift in Real Estate Marketing Strategies37:41 Should Rightmove and Hemnet go more Transactional?43:30 Domain Layoffs and CoStar's Multi-Market Challenge

Ed and Harvey discuss the latest news from the world of property marketplaces, including...- Zillow's move to get with the program and offer pre-market listings- Domain's price freeze and possible layoffs- SMG's first set of results as a public company - AI products are becoming table stakesChapters00:00 Introduction and Conference Highlights03:28 Zillow's Pre-Market Listings and Industry Reactions06:28 The Role of MLS and Brokerages in Real Estate09:16 Zillow's AI-Powered Search Launch12:09 Swiss Marketplace Group Financial Results15:19 Domain's Pricing Strategy and Market Position18:19 ChatGPT Integrations in Real Estate Portals21:25 The Future of AI in Real Estate24:30 Conclusion and Upcoming Events

Ed, Simon and Harvey discuss what's been said on stage at the PPW Bangkok Conference 2026 including 'wicked AI' and 'babies being thrown out with the bathwater'. Apologies for the lack of video. The edit on this one was a nightmare.

Ed is joined by Daft.ie's CCO, Adam Ferguson to talk about the challenges in the Irish housing market, the introduction of vendor paid advertising, the rollout and adoption challenges, the relationship with agents, subscription costs, competitor reaction, international adoption, AI search, bidding system, market conditions, and the impact on affordability and market dynamics.Chapters00:00 Introduction and Sponsorship06:11 Vendor Paid Advertising Model16:11 Relationship with Agents22:56 Competitor Reaction and International Adoption29:16 Market Conditions and Innovations37:15 Offers by Daft and Market Adoption

Ed, Harvey and Simon discuss the latest news from around the world of real estate marketplaces. This week's topics...- CoStar's ongoing feud with activist investors gets even spicier- Portals are increasingly turning to AI for search- Purplebricks founders are set to return- The competition authorities in Czechia have clamped down on sweetheart dealsChapters00:00 Jet Lag and Commitment09:44 Investor Feuds and Market Dynamics18:51 AI in Real Estate Search26:02 The Future of AI and Data Partnerships27:44 The Surprising Disconnect in User Expectations29:33 Voice Search: A New Frontier in Home Searching33:54 The Evolution of Home Search Technology37:12 The Resurgence of Purple Bricks: A Brand's Struggle41:48 Czech Republic's Portal Pricing Controversy

Mathew Heywood is the CEO of NeuralIndex, a specialist that helps portals turn listing photos (and other inputs) into queryable, semantically enriched data.We spoke to Mathew because NeuralIndex sponsored The State of AI-Powered Real Estate Search and because his central claim maps neatly onto what the benchmark shows: most portals can only “converse” over thin listing data unless they enrich it first.Chapters00:00 Introduction to AI in Real Estate Search03:04 The Limitations of Current Property Portals06:41 The Complexity of Property Search Queries10:30 Data Enrichment for Enhanced Search Experience12:30 Subjective vs. Objective Queries in Real Estate15:49 Combining Fast and Agentic Search Methods18:40 Impact on Traditional Portal Business Models22:40 Missteps in AI Real Estate Search25:59 Why Traditional Portals Struggle with Innovation29:21 The Future of AI in Property Portals31:52 The Impact of AI on Mortgage Brokers34:58 Navigating Challenges in Real Estate Markets37:12 Enhancing User Experience with Data40:04 The AI Search Landscape in Real Estate43:42 Predictions for AI Adoption in Real Estate

Ed, Simon and Harvey discuss CoStar Group's Q4 and end of year financials, Zillow's lawsuit, an acquisition by Zoopla, Native AI Portals, and sea change in Sweden.00:00 Intros01:00 CoStar Group financials and investor call highlights17:00 Homes AI21:00 Zillow litigation update25:00 Zoopla acquisition30:00 AI-Native portals36:00 Sweden

Edoardo Ribichesu, CEO at Homepay, joins Harvey and Simon for a conversation around why he is building the next generation of financial infrastructure for real estate transactions in Europe (and potentially beyond).00:00 Introduction to HomePay and the Real Estate Sector02:47 Understanding HomePay's Financial Infrastructure06:05 The Process of Real Estate Transactions in Southern Europe11:50 Revenue Model and Future Services15:05 Expansion Plans and Market Opportunities21:06 KYC and AML Compliance in Real Estate Transactions25:29 Feedback from Private Beta Testing28:16 Strategic Market Expansion Plans30:25 Key Performance Indicators for Success40:57 Utilizing Investment for Growth

Ed, Simon and Harvey discuss Homes.com's big new AI announcement and the rapid innovation in real estate portals in general, particularly focusing on the introduction of AI search technologies. They explore the user experiences with these new tools, highlighting both their potential and limitations. The conversation also covers Domain's strategic divestments in Australia, recent acquisitions in the real estate sector, and the upcoming PropTech conference in Bangkok, emphasizing the importance of AI in shaping the future of real estate.Chapters00:00 Introduction and Overview of AI in Real Estate25:32 Deep Dive into Homes AI and User Experience26:50 Domain's Strategic Divestments in Australia28:29 The Surplus of Domain's Business Ventures29:37 Understanding Campaign Track and Real Hub30:44 Domain's Historical Acquisitions and Losses32:49 The Cycle of Acquisitions and Disposals34:09 Management Decisions and Strategic Direction35:49 CoStar's Focus on Core Business37:39 Implications for Potential Acquirers40:19 Recent Acquisitions in the Real Estate Sector42:34 Challenges in the Mortgage Brokerage Market43:32 Habi's Expansion into Mexico44:44 Wondome's Growth and Future Prospects46:50 Upcoming PropTech Conference Highlights

Harvey and Ed speak to Anthemos Georgiades, the co-founder and CEO of Zumper, a leading rental marketplace in the US and Canada. They discuss Zumper's journey, the competitive landscape of the rental market, and the challenges of acquiring inventory. Anthemos shares insights into Zumper's business model, which primarily focuses on B2B revenue, and the impact of AI and technology on the real estate industry. The conversation also touches on Zumper's decision to build an app for ChatGPT.Chapters00:00 Introduction to Zumper and Its Journey06:34 Understanding the Competitive Landscape10:21 Revenue and Inventory Dynamics12:37 Challenges of Diverse Rental Listings14:18 Exploring Ancillary Revenue Streams17:14 Monetizing the Consumer Experience19:07 Competing with Giants: Zillow and CoStar21:37 Embracing AI and Defining Risk22:52 The Future of Online Marketplaces28:17 API Quality and Real-Time Data31:23 Building for ChatGPT: Challenges and Opportunities38:54 Anticipating the Next Big Shift in AI Search43:52 The Dual Future of Marketplaces: Front End and API