Chinese tech giant JD.com has created a portal for UK developers to sell homes in China, in partnership with a proptech start-up from the former head of residential at Colliers, Ashley Osborne.
Osborne left Colliers at the start of 2020, after 15 years at the agent, including leading the UK residential and international properties division. Prior to this he also managed the international properties division, selling large-scale residential schemes to the Asian market.
He has now launched Du Val Group International, an online property sales platform that promises to streamline sales and better forecast returns for developers.
The tool will be the first to connect UK residential developers to audiences on JD.com’s new global property portal, via an exclusive partnership with ListingCo. The platform will give UK developers access to a market of 480m members in China.
JD.com is China’s largest internet company by revenue. The real estate platform sees over 50,000 users a day. JD.com has an exclusive partnership with ListingCo to promote international property. ListingCo has selected Du Val Group International as it single UK sales partner.
Osborne said: “Chinese investors are set to become the dominant group of offshore purchasers worldwide. China’s massive economic growth, fuelling the exponential growth of its middle class, is the catalyst behind the massive increase in demand for offshore property for homes, investment and accommodation for students.
“With more than 480 million users, JD.com offers access to China which has never previously been imagined.”
Roger Nader, chief executive at ListingCo, added: “Our mission is to have one place for best-in-class participants to conduct global real estate transactions on a transparent basis.
“[Du Val Group International’s] track record in the international sales market made them the obvious choice to partner with in the UK.”
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