Are you saying most agents are switching from Domain and REA to...

Are you saying most agents are switching from Domain and REA to RNT and leaving the two former? I would assume that any agent worth their salt would list on RNT because its free! yet still list on REA and Domain because that's where the eyeballs are.

The biggest issue from a purely marketing and eyeballs perspective is that if Rent.com.au does serious start to pull market share away from REA particularly, there is one thing they need to do to crush RNT.

They will just reduce prices or provide agent incentives to keep listing on their sites. Exactly as RNT is doing now.

The big guys will be able to afford it much longer than RNT will. And if they do end up getting acquired, someone will probably do this first (as any sensible competitor would do) to retain their market share and thus keep the value of RNT as low as they can.

Some of the other landlord features are really interesting and I think show some promise. Again though its a critical mass issue, for landlords to use a platform - particularly for marketing - they will want it to be where the eyeballs are.

If they are self managing, I would suggest that it follows they are willing to put in some effort over and above. So its not a stretch that a landlord would use some software/platform/service to manage their tentants, background checks etc and still use REA via one of the agencies which allow DIY listings and this would still exclude RNT.

Not to say Rent wont succeed, I just think it will be big uphill battle with some huge, cash-backed competitors. Remember, fighting REA you are fighting Rupert Murdoch!