Holly Komorowski, Ben Faulks and Genevieve Jacobs talking about the launch of Zango in 2020. Photo: Supplied.
Zango, the locally owned and operated property listing portal that’s shaken up the Canberra real estate industry, is celebrating its first birthday.
Managing Director Ben Faulks says the new portal has saved Canberrans more than $1 million in advertising fees since its launch on 3 February 2020.
He says Zango has proved a game-changer for the ACT.
“Property search hadn’t changed in Canberra for over 20 years,” Mr Faulks explains.
“None of the major portals is locally owned and operated, and they 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 million in advertising fees since our launch, and that is quickly climbing.”
Mr Faulks says more than 13,000 local property owners have chosen to start their property marketing campaigns with Zango in the past 12 months, many using it as their only local property portal.
“Homebuyers now know that they must search Zango if they want to see every property that’s for sale,” Mr Faulks says, “while agents are choosing to support our new local business because they want a better, more cost-effective customer experience.”
Launching a new property portal in a pandemic posed its own challenges, but also inspired a strong culture of giving back to the community.
Mr Faulks says the experiences of 2020 were a reminder of the importance of home and community, and the support they provide in challenging times.
“It’s been an eventful first 12 months,” Mr Faulks says. “We were planning our launch in the midst of the bushfires last year, and COVID-19 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.
“The timing also drove our determination to give back. We identified the perfect local charity partner in Hands Across Canberra to really help us make a difference.”
On World Homelessness Day, Zango partnered with local real estate agents, donating $10 for every open home or rental inspection held to support the homeless community through the local charity.
“Through our partnership, we’ve already raised over $10,000 to support the local homeless population, and that’s just the beginning,” Mr Faulks says.
“Helping buyers and sellers navigate towards their home is our obsession. So in 2021, as we turn one, we say thank you to the people of Canberra for making us feel at home and for seeing things differently.”
Canberra Raiders Captain Jarod Croker and new Zango CEO Darryn McRae. Zango are proud sponsors of the Raiders. Photo: Thomas Lucraft.
Zango goes into its second year of operation in a strong position, with former REA executive Darryn McRae taking the reins as CEO this week.
Mr McRae was the third longest-serving employee at leading global digital business REA, owner of realestate.com.au, and is a 19-year veteran of digital real estate marketing.
He says he was drawn to Zango by its innovative approach.
“Zango’s structure and systems mean it can be nimble, which is incredibly important in today’s digital world,” Mr McRae says. “The agent-owned model of Zango is also unique and I am excited to immerse myself into that dynamic.”
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