About the Company

PropertyData is a subscription-based software founded by Michael Dent in 2017, designed to aid property investors and developers in the UK. The platform provides tools to research local property markets, evaluate investment opportunities, and conduct thorough due diligence. The goal was to democratize access to comprehensive property data by offering an affordable alternative to expensive, corporate-focused analytics tools.

The company, initially operated solely by Dent, is profitable and generates significant recurring monthly revenue. Dent focused on keeping operations lean, relying on digital marketing and a small team, and achieved a steady growth trajectory through constant product updates and user feedback.

Idea Behind Company

Dent conceived PropertyData while working as a web developer and observing inefficiencies in how investors gathered data for property research. A friend’s cumbersome spreadsheet method inspired Dent to automate the process, which he felt could simplify decision-making for property buyers.

He identified a gap in the market, where existing data tools were prohibitively expensive for individual investors. PropertyData was designed to make robust data accessible to all investors, from one-person operations to small firms, with a low-cost subscription model.

To address this market gap, Dent focused on creating a platform that was affordable yet powerful enough to compete with high-end industry software, filling a niche for solo property investors.

Creating the Company

Using his background in web development, Dent built a Minimum Viable Product (MVP) for PropertyData within three weeks. The MVP allowed users to analyze local property markets and retrieve data from popular property portals, presenting insights like price per square foot using Optical Character Recognition (OCR) technology.

He launched the platform with minimal costs, relying on affordable cloud services for hosting. Dent’s approach to the MVP emphasized simplicity and quick deployment, aiming to test core functionality and market demand without a large financial investment.

Once the MVP proved viable, Dent continued to improve PropertyData incrementally, implementing user suggestions and new features. This iterative approach, developed while running his web agency, allowed the product to evolve based on real-world user needs.

Launching the Business

To promote PropertyData, Dent used a combination of press releases and targeted exposure at property trade shows. He secured a last-minute booth at a major trade event, which helped attract early users and gather valuable feedback from potential customers.

Setting initial pricing low helped Dent gain traction with users who might otherwise hesitate. This strategy allowed him to adjust prices over time based on demand, gradually building a base of loyal subscribers willing to pay higher rates for advanced features.

The positive response from the trade show and early adopters convinced Dent to borrow funds, enabling him to focus fully on PropertyData. This decision paid off, as the business grew steadily, turning profitable without external funding.

Earnings
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PropertyData generates approximately $128,000 monthly in recurring revenue, primarily through subscriptions. The business has high margins since serving additional users incurs minimal costs. Primary expenses include paid advertising and data sourcing, but these are offset by the consistent growth in subscription numbers.

Dent’s reliance on organic growth and reinvestment kept the company largely self-funded, allowing him to maintain near-complete ownership. Over time, PropertyData’s scalability has strengthened its financial stability, leading to consistently high profit margins.

The company also benefits from its affiliate program, which contributes a steady stream of new users. Affiliates, typically YouTubers or event hosts, receive a lifetime commission on referred customers, providing an additional source of revenue.