Ithy - Exploring 99.co and the Competitive Landscape in Singapore's Property Market

Key Highlights

99.co is a prominent real estate technology company headquartered in Singapore, operating property portals across Southeast Asia.
The platform utilizes a map-based search engine and smart algorithms to enhance the property search experience for renters, buyers, and agents.
While a significant player, PropertyGuru is generally considered the market leader in Singapore's competitive property portal landscape.

99.co is a real estate technology company with its headquarters in Singapore. Founded in 2014, it has established itself as a notable platform in the online property search market across Southeast Asia, with a significant presence in both Singapore and Indonesia. The company's core mission is to facilitate the process of finding homes for buyers and renters by providing comprehensive listings and tools designed to simplify the search journey.

The platform is recognized for its map-based search engine and the application of smart algorithms. These technologies are intended to provide users with a fast, transparent, and efficient way to search for properties. This approach aims to offer a better user experience compared to traditional methods or platforms that might prioritize sponsored listings.

Understanding 99.co's Offerings and Approach

Simplifying the Property Search Journey

99.co offers a platform for users to explore various types of properties, including HDBs, condominiums, apartments, and landed houses, for both sale and rent. The platform provides detailed information for each listing, often including photos, floor plans, details about amenities and features, and information about the surrounding neighborhood.

Key features highlighted by 99.co include:

Map-based search: Allowing users to search for properties based on location and visualize available listings on a map.
Smart algorithms: Utilizing technology like the ListRank algorithm, which considers multiple data points (reportedly around 30), such as listing quality and completeness, to present search results that are intended to be more relevant to individual user needs.
Comprehensive listings: Aiming to provide a large inventory of properties for users to choose from.
Detailed property information: Offering extensive details for each listing to help users make informed decisions.
Filtering options: Enabling users to refine their search based on various criteria like district, price range, number of bedrooms, size, tenure, and proximity to amenities like MRT stations or workplaces.
In-built chat system: Facilitating direct communication between users and property agents.

The company emphasizes that the property search is a "long journey" and aims to make this process reliable, easy, and trustworthy through its platform and tools.

Mockup of 99.co blog design on desktop and mobile

Representation of the 99.co platform's design and user interface.

Competitive Landscape in Singapore

Navigating a Crowded Market

The property portal market in Singapore is highly competitive, with several established players. 99.co operates within this dynamic environment, competing for users and property listings.

Several sources identify key competitors to 99.co in Singapore and the broader Southeast Asian region. These include:

PropertyGuru: Often cited as the leading property portal in Singapore, PropertyGuru is a major competitor with a significant market share and a large number of listings and agents.
Ohmyhome: Another platform offering property transaction services.
Hmlet: Primarily focused on co-living and rental solutions, but can be considered a competitor in the rental market.
EdgeProp: A real estate portal providing tools and resources for property seekers and professionals.
rumah123.com: A related entity within the 99 Group but also a competitor in the wider online property search space, particularly in Indonesia.
Lamudi: Operating in multiple emerging markets, including Indonesia.

The competition extends beyond just online portals, with print media still holding some relevance in the market, and other startups continuously emerging with innovative approaches.

Table of Key Competitors

Here is a table summarizing some of the notable competitors of 99.co:

Competitor	Primary Focus / Market	Notes
PropertyGuru	Singapore, Southeast Asia (leading in Singapore)	Large market share, extensive listings and agent network.
Ohmyhome	Singapore, Malaysia, Philippines	Offers DIY and agent-assisted property transactions.
Hmlet	Singapore, Hong Kong, Australia, Japan	Focuses on co-living and rental management.
EdgeProp	Singapore, Malaysia	Provides property news, data, and listings.
rumah123.com	Indonesia	Part of the 99 Group, significant presence in Indonesia.
Lamudi	Emerging Markets (including Indonesia)	International property portal.

99.co's Current Standing in Singapore

Market Position and Ranking

While 99.co is a significant player and has seen growth, particularly noting a rise in revenue, PropertyGuru is generally considered to hold the leading position in the Singapore property portal market in terms of market share and overall traffic as of early 2025. Various market analytics reports often rank PropertyGuru ahead of 99.co in terms of website traffic and user engagement within Singapore.

99.co has aimed to differentiate itself through its technology, focusing on the user experience and the relevance of search results rather than solely on the number of paid listings. Despite this, gaining the top spot in a market with established dominant players like PropertyGuru is a considerable challenge.

Reports indicate that 99.co has a strong number of listings and agents using its platform, including exclusive listings. However, the sheer volume of listings and the long-standing presence of competitors contribute to the existing market hierarchy.

Factors Influencing Market Position

Several factors contribute to a property portal's market position:

Number and Quality of Listings: A comprehensive and up-to-date inventory is crucial for attracting users.
User Experience: The ease of use, search functionality, and quality of information provided significantly impact user retention.
Agent Adoption: A strong network of agents listing properties on the platform is vital for growth.
Brand Recognition and Marketing: Effective marketing and a strong brand help attract users and build trust.
Technological Innovation: Features that enhance search, provide valuable data, or streamline the process can be a differentiator.
Data and Insights: Offering market data, price trends, and neighborhood information adds value for users.

Pathways to Achieving the Number 1 Position

Strategies for Market Leadership

To potentially reach the number one position in the Singapore market, 99.co would likely need to focus on strategies that directly challenge the strengths of the current market leader and capitalize on areas where it can offer a superior value proposition. Some potential pathways include:

Increasing Listing Volume and Exclusivity

While 99.co already has a substantial number of listings, further increasing the volume and securing more exclusive listings could draw a larger user base. This might involve offering more attractive packages or tools for agents.

Enhancing User Experience and Technology

Continuously refining the user interface, improving search algorithms, and leveraging technology like AI for more personalized recommendations could further differentiate 99.co. This aligns with their current focus on a technology-driven search experience.

Building Stronger Agent Relationships

Strengthening relationships with agents through improved tools, support, and value-added services can encourage more agents to list exclusively or primarily on 99.co. The introduction of products like 99PRO, which offers subscription-based features for agents, is a step in this direction.

Providing Deeper Market Insights and Data

Offering more comprehensive market data, trend analysis, and valuation tools (like the SRX's X-value, which is now part of the 99 Group) can attract both serious buyers/renters and agents who rely on such information for informed decisions.

Innovative Features and Services

Introducing innovative features that address pain points in the property journey could attract users. This might include enhanced virtual tours, community information integration, or tools that simplify the legal and financial aspects of property transactions.

Targeted Marketing and Brand Building

Investing in targeted marketing campaigns to increase brand awareness and highlight 99.co's unique selling points can help attract users away from competitors.

Strategic Partnerships

Forming strategic partnerships with related businesses, such as financial institutions, renovation services, or movers, could create an integrated ecosystem that adds value for users.

An example of 99.co's content strategy, providing analysis on the HDB BTO process. This type of content can attract and inform users.

Suggested Features for Enhanced Competition

Innovations to Gain an Edge

To effectively compete and potentially gain market share, 99.co could consider implementing or enhancing features that address current gaps or offer a significantly better experience. Here are some features that could be implemented or improved:

Advanced Data Analytics and Personalized Insights

Moving beyond basic market trends to offer highly personalized insights based on user behavior and preferences. This could include predicting future price movements in specific neighborhoods, analyzing the best time to buy or sell based on market conditions, or suggesting properties that are most likely to appreciate in value based on various factors.

Interactive Neighborhood Exploration

Developing richer, interactive content about neighborhoods. This could involve 360-degree street views integrated within the map search, information on local community events, noise levels, future development plans (beyond just transport links), and resident reviews of the area.

Enhanced Collaboration Tools for Agents and Clients

Providing more sophisticated tools for agents to manage their listings and communicate with clients within the platform. This could include scheduling tools for viewings, digital document signing integration, and shared dashboards for tracking the progress of a property transaction.

AI-Powered Property Matching and Recommendation Engine

Further developing the AI to understand user preferences more deeply, even implicit ones based on their browsing behavior. This could lead to highly accurate property recommendations that users might not have found through traditional filtering.

Integrated Financial and Legal Guidance

Partnering with financial institutions and legal firms to provide seamless access to mortgage calculators, loan eligibility checks, and basic legal information related to property transactions directly within the platform. This could simplify a often complex part of the process.

Community and Forum Features

Creating a platform or integrating a forum where potential buyers, renters, and residents can ask questions, share experiences, and get advice on specific properties or neighborhoods. This could build a community around the platform and provide valuable peer-to-peer information.

Sustainability and Green Features Filter

As sustainability becomes more important, adding detailed information and filters related to a property's environmental impact, energy efficiency features, and proximity to green spaces could cater to a growing segment of environmentally conscious buyers and renters.

Predictive Analytics for Agents

Providing agents with tools that use predictive analytics to identify potential leads, understand market demand for specific property types, and optimize their marketing efforts on the platform.

Implementing these features would require significant investment in technology and data infrastructure, but they could provide a competitive edge by offering a more comprehensive, intelligent, and user-centric platform.

Frequently Asked Questions about 99.co

What is 99.co?

99.co is a real estate technology company based in Singapore that operates online property portals in Southeast Asia, primarily in Singapore and Indonesia. It provides a platform for searching, buying, selling, and renting properties.

What types of properties can I find on 99.co?

You can find various types of residential and commercial properties on 99.co, including HDB flats, condominiums, apartments, landed houses, and potentially some commercial and industrial properties, depending on the listings available.

How does 99.co's search engine work?

99.co uses a map-based search engine and smart algorithms, such as the ListRank algorithm, to help users find properties. These algorithms consider various data points to provide what they aim to be more relevant and transparent search results.

Who are 99.co's main competitors in Singapore?

Key competitors of 99.co in Singapore include PropertyGuru, Ohmyhome, Hmlet, and EdgeProp, among others. PropertyGuru is generally considered the market leader.

Is 99.co the largest property portal in Singapore?

While 99.co is a significant and growing property portal with a large number of listings, PropertyGuru is generally considered the largest property portal in Singapore in terms of market share and traffic as of early 2025.