A new property search platform has launched across the UK, offering estate agents a free-to-list alternative to Rightmove and Zoopla while giving buyers a radically different way of finding homes. The Property DriveBuy app promises to cut agents’ costs by around £18,000 a year while reshaping how buyers and investors discover opportunities.
New model for property search could help landlords spot deals
Unlike conventional portals where users enter postcode, price and size filters, Property DriveBuy works via geo-location. It alerts potential buyers to available homes as they physically pass them, with instant access to photos, floor plans and even video tours.
For landlords and buy-to-let investors, the concept could mean discovering pockets of value that might otherwise be overlooked. A commuter spotting a rental prospect on their regular train route, or a landlord passing through an up-and-coming neighbourhood, could now access details in real time without trawling listings.
Steve Foreman, founder and CEO, said: “The property search process hasn’t meaningfully changed in two decades, and yet both buyers and agents are paying the price in missed opportunities and excessive fees. The Property DriveBuy puts discovery back into the hands of the buyer, while giving agents a cost-free way to get their listings in front of more people.”
Agents eye savings as Rightmove fees climb
With Rightmove’s fees a perennial complaint across the industry, many agents are looking for cheaper ways to advertise stock. DriveBuy’s free-to-list model, integrated with major CRM systems like Reapit and Alto, means agents can upload listings without friction while saving thousands.
For landlords, that matters too. As agents look to recoup portal costs from landlords through higher management fees, reduced overheads could ease pressure on letting margins. Iain McKenzie, an industry veteran now on DriveBuy’s board, has long argued that spiralling marketing costs ultimately feed through into rents and landlord charges.
Potential impact on buy-to-let investment
The app arrives at a time when landlords are recalibrating strategies in response to higher interest rates and looming legislative reform. Access to overlooked stock—especially in secondary markets—could offer buy-to-let investors a competitive edge.
One Midlands-based landlord told us he often drives through smaller towns in search of potential HMOs: “Normally you never know what’s available unless you sit down and search Rightmove for hours. If an app just popped up listings when I’m already there, I’d absolutely use it. It’s a different way of spotting opportunity before the crowd does.”
The company’s board includes senior political figures and former housing ministers, giving the project a degree of clout as it looks towards an international rollout. For now, agents can list properties free of charge during the initial launch phase.
Editor’s view
For landlords, technology that disrupts the monopoly of big portals could reduce costs indirectly while also opening up fresh investment opportunities. If DriveBuy gains traction, it may not just be estate agents who benefit but also the landlords who rely on them.
