Realestate.com.au launches assault on Asian market – itsReal

source: The Australian 

ONLINE property classified leader Realestate.com.au (REA) has commenced a major assault on the Asian online real estate market, using two newly launched websites in Hong Kong and Dubai as a linchpin to expand in the region.

CEO Simon Baker at realestate.com.au AGM. Picture: Bob Finlayson

Chief executive Simon Baker told the company’s annual general meeting that its objective was “to become No1 or No2” in every market in which it operated.

The company was now the No1 online real estate player in Australia, Italy and Luxembourg, he said, with strong positions in a number of other markets, including the UK, through propertyfinder.com. However, the prospect of growth in the Asian market is attracting most of Mr Baker’s attention.

In September, REA – majority-owned by News Limited, publisher of The Australian – bought Hong Kong’s leading English language property publication, Square Foot magazine, and last month launched a sister online property brand, Squarefoot.com.hk.

Big Google Maps user REA Group to take them into 10 countries – itsReal

One of the world’s biggest real estate website operators, with 16 sites in 10 countries, is already one of the world’s biggest users of Google Maps–1.4 billion pages served in the last 12 months. Now the REA Group has announced a new Enterprise Agreement with Google to begin using Google maps in all the countries where it operates.

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