THE PORTAL TAX — by DataJockey
THE PORTAL TAX — by DataJockey
You pay Property Finder and Bayut somewhere between AED 300K and +1M a year.
What did you get back?
Not the leads. The money. Which agents repay their spend. Which listings quietly burn credits for months. Which communities you advertise in but never close in. We work it out from your own data, in three weeks, for a fixed fee.
Not the leads. The money. Which agents repay their spend. Which listings quietly burn credits for months. Which communities you advertise in but never close in. We work it out from your own data, in three weeks, for a fixed fee.
WE ARE NOT A PORTAL, NOT A CRM, AND NOT A MARKETING AGENCY. WE HAVE NOTHING TO SELL YOU MORE OF… AND THIS IS /IN FACT/ THE POINT
WE ARE NOT A PORTAL, NOT A CRM, AND NOT A MARKETING AGENCY. WE HAVE NOTHING TO SELL YOU MORE OF… AND THIS IS /IN FACT/ THE POINT
An audit, in the form of three questions you’d think someone would have answered by now:
An audit, in the form of three questions you’d think someone would have answered by now:
01
What does a closed deal actually cost you — on each portal?
What does a closed deal actually cost you — on each portal?
Property Finder will tell you your leads-per-listing. Bayut will tell you your response rate. Neither will tell you your cost per closed commission, for the same reason a casino doesn’t display clocks.
Property Finder will tell you your leads-per-listing. Bayut will tell you your response rate. Neither will tell you your cost per closed commission, for the same reason a casino doesn’t display clocks.
02
Which of your agents are being subsidised?
Which of your agents are being subsidised?
In most brokerages, a third of the agents generate the spend justification and a different third generate the commissions. Everyone suspects this. Nobody has the table. We bring the table.
In most brokerages, a third of the agents generate the spend justification and a different third generate the commissions. Everyone suspects this. Nobody has the table. We bring the table.
03
What did your stale listings burn last month?
What did your stale listings burn last month?
A listing that’s been live for 90 days without a lead is not “coverage.” It’s a standing order to the portal, in dirhams. We put a number on it. The number is usually rude.
A listing that’s been live for 90 days without a lead is not “coverage.” It’s a standing order to the portal, in dirhams. We put a number on it. The number is usually rude.
THE ODDS
In any given month, a listing in Dubai has roughly a one-in-ten chance of selling. The portal charges you for the other nine. Casinos, at least, buy you a drink.
In any given month, a listing in Dubai has roughly a one-in-ten chance of selling. The portal charges you for the other nine. Casinos, at least, buy you a drink.
Your listing has about a 10% chance of closing this month. Its portal fee closes 100% of the time.
Your listing has about a 10% chance of closing this month. Its portal fee closes 100% of the time.
THE PREMIUM ARMS RACE
Most listings are premium now. Which means premium is the new standard — and you’re paying a surcharge to be average. The only party who wins an arms race is the one selling the arms.
Most listings are premium now. Which means premium is the new standard — and you’re paying a surcharge to be average. The only party who wins an arms race is the one selling the arms.
You approved those upgrades, of course. So did everyone else. That’s the trouble.
You approved those upgrades, of course. So did everyone else. That’s the trouble.
Based on live for-sale listings across both portals against DLD’s published monthly transaction volumes. Your own odds may be better. That is the question, isn’t it?
Based on live for-sale listings across both portals against DLD’s published monthly transaction volumes. Your own odds may be better. That is the question, isn’t it?
THE PORTAL TAX / GUARANTEE 001
The only honest guarantee in analytics
The only honest guarantee in analytics
If the audit doesn’t find at least its own fee in annualised waste, the first quarter of the follow-on work is free.
We can offer this for an unsporting reason: we’ve never had to. The waste is always there. It isn’t hiding especially hard — it’s just that everyone in your building has a reason not to look, and we’re not in your building.
If the audit doesn’t find at least its own fee in annualised waste, the first quarter of the follow-on work is free.
We can offer this for an unsporting reason: we’ve never had to. The waste is always there. It isn’t hiding especially hard — it’s just that everyone in your building has a reason not to look, and we’re not in your building.
THE PERSON WHO WILL DO THE WORK
David Ó Cinnéide. I run DataJockey — analytics judgment for businesses that already have the data and would rather not have a data department.
I will personally tell you within one call whether your brokerage is worth auditing. Sometimes it isn’t. You’ll want to know that too.
David Ó Cinnéide. I run DataJockey — analytics judgment for businesses that already have the data and would rather not have a data department.
I will personally tell you within one call whether your brokerage is worth auditing. Sometimes it isn’t. You’ll want to know that too.
Message me on WhatsApp →
Message me on WhatsApp →
No forms. No “book a discovery call.” No newsletter. You have quite enough software subscriptions already.