Private Property
Private Property is a South African digital property marketplace connecting buyers, renters, sellers, landlords, and estate agents across all nine provinces, monetizing via agent listing fees and home loan affiliate referrals. Founded 1997, headquartered in Johannesburg with 51–100 employees.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1997
- HeadquartersJohannesburg, South Africa
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingDigital Commerce or Content
What Private Property does
Private Property is a South African online property marketplace operating at privateproperty.co.za. Founded in 1997 and headquartered in Johannesburg, the platform connects residential and commercial property buyers, renters, sellers, and landlords with estate agents and supporting service providers, with national coverage across all nine South African provinces. The company serves consumer end-users (free property search and browsing) and a paying B2B customer base consisting of estate agents and agencies, including major franchise networks such as Pam Golding, Rawson, Keller Williams, RE/MAX, ERA, Seeff, Jawitz, Just Property, and Leapfrog, alongside independent operators.
The platform's core technology is a web-based listings engine with property search, filter, and comparison capabilities, supplemented by a mobile application on iOS and Android, a dedicated Agent Login Portal for listing management, and consumer-facing decision tools including a Bond Calculator, Affordability Calculator, and a Property Alerts email notification service. Supporting modules include a Neighbourhoods research tool, an Estate Agent Directory, an attorney referral service, and a content library of property news and guides covering topics such as buying, selling, flipping, developing, and buy-to-let. The company has no public API, SDK, or developer platform disclosed. The 'Private Property' name and logo are registered trademarks held by Private Property South Africa (Pty) Ltd.
The business model is two-pronged. The primary revenue stream is recurring subscription listing fees paid by estate agents and agencies to advertise properties on the platform, with non-publicly-disclosed pricing. The secondary revenue stream is affiliate and referral income generated through partnerships with two home loan providers — BetterBond and ooba Home Loans — when users referred via the platform complete bond origination. Employee count is reported at 51–100, and the company is privately held with no disclosed funding rounds, parent company, or external institutional investors identified in available sources.
Private Property firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Private Property
- Legal name
- Private Property South Africa (Pty) Ltd
- Website
- https://privateproperty.co.za
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1997
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Private Property is a South African digital property marketplace connecting buyers, renters, sellers, landlords, and estate agents across all nine provinces, monetizing via agent listing fees and home loan affiliate referrals. Founded 1997, headquartered in Johannesburg with 51–100 employees.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Private Property industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Online Real Estate Marketplace
- NAICS
- Offices of Real Estate Agents and Brokers (53121), Other Activities Related to Real Estate (531390)
- SIC
- Real Estate Agents & Managers (For Others) (6531), Real Estate (6500)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Traditional Residential Brokerage (Existing Homes) (BPAJAAAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Tenant Representation & Corporate Services Brokerage (BPAJABAJ), Land & Development Site Brokerage (BPAJABAG)
Keywords
Where Private Property is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Johannesburg
- HQ country
- South Africa
- HQ region
- Africa
Offices1 record
Markets served
Private Property business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Digital Commerce or Content
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Agent/Agency Listing Fees: Estate agents and agencies pay to advertise their properties on the platform. Agents can list as agents, advertise their agencies, and access the agent login portal for listing management.
- Lead Generation: The platform generates leads for partner services including home loans (BetterBond, ooba Home Loans), attorneys, and other real estate services. These partnerships may generate referral or commission revenue.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels4 records
Private Property product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Private Property operates a web and mobile-based two-sided real estate marketplace that aggregates residential and commercial property listings from third-party estate agents and agencies across all nine provinces of South Africa. Consumers can search, compare, and set alerts for properties to buy or rent, access bond and affordability calculators, and view neighbourhood and market content. Estate agents and agencies subscribe to list properties and use the back-end Agent Portal to manage listings, while the company earns referral commissions from integrated home loan partners BetterBond and ooba.
Product overview
Private Property is a South African online real estate marketplace that operates as a unified platform offering property listings for sale and rent, agent directory services, and financial tools. The core product is the listings platform (Private Property Listings Platform), supplemented by financial planning tools (Bond Calculator, Affordability Calculator), property research features (Neighbourhoods, Property Guides, Property News), and referral services (Find an Attorney, BetterBond, ooba Home Loans). The platform also includes a dedicated Agent Login Portal for estate agents to manage listings and a mobile app for on-the-go access. Property Alerts serves as the primary notification system for new listings matching user preferences.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Private Property Listings Platform A national online marketplace for residential and commercial property listings across South Africa. Enables consumers to search, compare, and connect with estate agents for properties to buy or rent, while estate agents and agencies subscribe to advertise their listings on the platform.
- Private Property Mobile App Mobile application for iOS and Android devices that enables consumers to search properties, set up alerts, and access platform features while on the go.
- Agent Portal A back-end management system for estate agents and agencies to create, upload, and manage property listings; advertise their agency; and track buyer or tenant inquiries.
- Bond Calculator An online financial calculator that helps prospective home buyers estimate monthly bond repayments based on property price, deposit, interest rate, and loan term.
- Affordability Calculator An online assessment tool that helps users determine how much they can afford to spend on a property based on their income and expenses.
- Property Alerts An email-based subscription notification service that alerts consumers when new properties matching their saved search criteria are listed on the platform.
Companies that use Private Property
Customer profileNamed customers12 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Private Property technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature5 records
Private Property partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- BetterBondcoreHome loan origination partner integrated into the Private Property platform. Users can access BetterBond services directly through the platform for mortgage applications and financing. The partnership provides revenue through referrals for completed home loan transactions.
- ooba Home LoanscoreHome loan partner providing bond origination services. The platform features ooba alongside BetterBond as options for users seeking mortgage financing. Partnership generates referral revenue when users complete home loans through ooba.
- Estate Agents and Agencies NetworkcoreThousands of estate agents and agencies list properties on the platform, paying for listings and advertising services. Agencies include major franchises (Pam Golding, Rawson, Keller Williams, RE/MAX, ERA) and independent operators. This constitutes the primary content supply relationship.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves1 record
Expansion highlights5 records
Private Property competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Rightmove: UK's largest property portal, a publicly listed incumbent with a near-identical agent-subscription and lead-referral model; comparable as a scaled, mature property marketplace in a developed market.
- Zoopla: UK-based property portal that monetizes agent listings and lead generation; comparable as an established residential listings marketplace with similar subscription and referral revenue mechanics, though in a different geography.
- Property Finder: Leading MENA-based property portal with a marketplace/listings business model targeting buyers, renters, and agents; comparable as a regional listings platform monetizing through featured ads and lead generation.
- Zillow: US-based publicly listed residential property marketplace with agent advertising and mortgage referral arms (Zillow Home Loans); comparable as the global benchmark for consumer-facing property search + agent listings + lending referral integration.
- Realtor.com: US-based property portal operated with the NAR, monetizing through agent leads and listings; comparable as an established, content-rich national property marketplace in a different geography.
- Idealista: Leading Iberian (Spain/Portugal/Italy) online property marketplace combining listings, valuation tools, and mortgage content; comparable as a multi-country property portal with similar feature scope including affordability calculators and neighbourhood content.
- ImmoScout24: Germany's largest residential property portal with subscription listings and consumer marketplace features; comparable as an established European property marketplace serving both agents and end-buyers/renters.
Direct peers
- Property24: Property24 is the leading online real estate portal in South Africa, owned by Naspers/Prosus, and the most direct competitor to Private Property in the same market with a nearly identical listing-based marketplace model.
- Bayut: UAE-focused online real estate marketplace operating a very similar agent-listing subscription plus referral business model; comparable as a digital property portal serving a single national market with similar tools and partner integrations.
Emerging players
- 99acres: Indian online real estate marketplace (Info Edge subsidiary) with listing-based monetization and broad geographic coverage; comparable as a large-scale residential listings portal operating in an emerging real estate market.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Private Property social profiles
Digital presencePrivate Property financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Private Property leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Private Property funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Private Property M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Private Property
What does Private Property do?
Private Property operates a web and mobile-based two-sided real estate marketplace that aggregates residential and commercial property listings from third-party estate agents and agencies across all nine provinces of South Africa. Consumers can search, compare, and set alerts for properties to buy or rent, access bond and affordability calculators, and view neighbourhood and market content. Estate agents and agencies subscribe to list properties and use the back-end Agent Portal to manage listings, while the company earns referral commissions from integrated home loan partners BetterBond and ooba.
Is Private Property a public or private company?
Private Property is a private company. It is classified as unknown and is currently operating.
When was Private Property founded?
Private Property was founded in 1997. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Private Property based?
Private Property is headquartered in Johannesburg, South Africa, in the Africa region.
How does Private Property make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Agent/Agency Listing Fees are the primary driver. The others are lead Generation.
Who are Private Property's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Rightmove, Zoopla, Property Finder, Zillow, Realtor.com, Idealista and ImmoScout24. Direct peers are Property24 and Bayut. 99acres is listed as an emerging player.
Does Private Property have an API?
No public API is recorded for Private Property.
What industry is Private Property in?
Private Property's product category is Online Real Estate Marketplace. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAJAAAA, Traditional Residential Brokerage (Existing Homes), with a secondary code of BPAJABAJ, Tenant Representation & Corporate Services Brokerage. Its NAICS code is 53121 and its SIC code is 6531.