NI house sales website bought by Dublin firm

PropertyPal, Northern Ireland’s main house sales website, has been bought by a company which operates a similar business in the Republic of Ireland.

The new owner is Dublin-based Distilled which operates the Daft.ie house sales and rentals website.

Distilled’s other brands include the DoneDeal online car marketplace.

Last year, PropertyPal merged with rival site Propertynews, although the two continue to operate as separate brands.

That deal came after the entrepreneur Cecil Hetherington bought into PropertyPal.

Mr Hetherington is the founder of Used Cars NI which is also being bought by Distilled.

In 2023, Distilled made a pre-tax profit of €12.2million (£10.6m) on turnover of €41.4m.

Emma Marley will continue in her role as CEO of Used Cars NI. Likewise, Jordan Buchanan will continue in his role as CEO of PropertyPal.

The companies will be overseen by a new Northern Ireland Board to be chaired by Cecil Hetherington.

Mr Hetherington said: “We are delighted to partner with Distilled as we embark on the next stage of our growth journey.

“Distilled have a deep understanding of online marketplaces and we share with them a passion for delivering the best possible experience to property and motoring buyers in our respective markets, as well as providing a rich suite of services to property professionals and motor dealers.”

Eamonn Fallon, Founder and CEO of Distilled, said: “We have long admired the Used Cars NI and PropertyPal businesses and are excited to partner with them in their next phase of growth.

“I’m really impressed with the people in Used Cars NI and PropertyPal, and the quality of the products and solutions they have built for their customers.”