An online start-up firm could cut estate agents out of the new homes sales market.
Yourkeys, due to launch next month, says it is planning to “shake up the property industry” and revolutionise the way new-build homes are sold.
It says it will give power back to developers and buyers, via its new platform.
This will allow buyers to purchase new-build properties online, from start to finish, from anywhere in the world.
The platform is said to set out the buying process in a clear linear timeline, on buyers’ own private online dashboards.
“This means that house developers will have less reliance on estate agents to sell their properties,” the firm said.
Yourkeys says that it “goes above and beyond” typical online estate agents by offering assistance and control at every stage of the process.
It says this involves setting clear and realistic deadlines for all parties to follow and generating real-time reports and notifications during the sales and conveyancing process.
Buyers will be able to select conveyancers online, while the platform will also allow buyers to virtually visit and select various upgrades and finishes for their new homes.
Founder Riccardo Iannucci-Dawson said: “Property buyers now expect to use technology to make and track their purchase in the same way as they would use Amazon to buy goods or Uber to order a taxi.
“We wanted to change outdated attitudes to the property industry and revolutionise it with modern people’s attitudes and needs, whilst retaining the key knowledge and experience of the key players in our team.
“We already have a great selection of developers on board and investors backing us, and we can’t wait to watch the revolution unfold.”
According to his LinkedIn profile, Iannucci-Dawson is also sales and marketing director at London-based boutique developer Shape Real Estate.
Asked by EYE whether the new site is planning to disintermediate estate agents by cutting them out of the new homes sales market, a spokesperson for Yourkeys told us: “There is every chance that it could cut out estate agents, but that is not our objective.”
Comments (11)
Ooh, my first disruptor of the week and typical of someone who has no idea how the sector works.
Developers aren’t stupid, they know that if an agent finds them a good site and they don’t go back to them with the re-sales they won’t get another one.
Developers need agents, agents need developers, it’s the perfect match.
The platform I’m developing (developing, get it?) on the other hand will automatically throw up on screen any land that has yet to be developed, remotely contact the landowners and make them an offer they can’t refuse whilst at the same time putting in a planning application that the planners can’t fail to accept, pull down all the trees before someone slaps a TPO on them, buying off all the NIMBYs in the area by promising a new village hall which will in reality be a 7’x5′ B&Q Pentland shed and agreeing a deal with a major blue chip developer all of which because of latest prop tech solutions, will be achieved within 42 minutes and 3 seconds. (It’s 42 minutes really but always good to have a bit of wriggle room).
Crowd funding page to follow, just waiting on some advice from the Russell Quirk.
Shame we no longer have the like buttons (who did they upset?)
so this is my ‘Like’
Now listen here… I don’t need replacing!
I’m just having a rest. Break. Time out. A holiday, if you like.
You have no idea how stressful it is for me to be constantly bombarded by the multiple pressings of dom-boy and ducky to their own ********-rich self back-slapping drivel… and my poor older and uglier twin, Dislike Button, has to suffer the same relentless assault from those two eejits to every post you sensible ones on here submit.
It’s literally wearing us out.
To be honest, Dislike Button (or ‘DeeBee’ as he prefers to be known) is getting so wazzed off by it that I’m not sure if he will ever return. I’ve heard he’s looking for a window-cleaning round – and he hates heights! But as far as I’m concerned – they can click their mouses to destruction after my sanity break. So – fear not, dear Buttoneers…
…I’ll be back!
Ah… I thought I was having issues with my phone.
Bring back the LIKE buttons.
Pahahahaha
RM and Zoopla have already cut Estate Agents out of the new homes sales market!!
aren’t yourkeys normally covered in chocolate ?
There is always going to be ‘The Next Thing’ to take cut out estate agents but guess what, there are plenty of agencies still around. Granted traditional estate agencies has suffered over the last few years but that is because they have been slow to adapt to technological changes. Being more visible online is paramount for any agency nowadays. Having a strong online presence along with a strong track record and heritage that the traditional estate agents have, will always shine through.
Absolute nonsense – this person clearly hasn’t tested his minimum viable product with the house builders as the decision to appoint an agent in the first place is judged on what they will bring to the party. This can vary from allowing a developers member of staff to be based in the agents office prior to a show home or on site presence. Similarly when house builders are sitting on stock or can’t rely on generating sufficient footfall they turn to the very agents who are valuing X amount of houses, listing Y amount of houses, booking 200 viewings a month, letting 20 properties a month to tenants and on behalf of likely BTL landlords – the value an agent can bring to the party for a house builder is considerable.
As Mark mentions above, any land deal done by an agent protects that agent for the resales as well.
Finally, just to put some perspective on Riccardo the super hero of selling new builds, – his LinkedIn profile shows that he likes to change jobs circa every 2 years. He launched this business in January 2017 – great work in 18 months. Also zero experience of selling new homes and range of roles from boutique developer, clothes shop and a brief stint in an architectural practise. Move on, nothing to see here!!!
Revolutionise what exactly?
No it won’t………
So the developers that were introduced to and bought the land through the agents will now just go online. What about the marketing deal tied to the land deal. It’s not coincidence that Knight Frank, Savills, Colliers and JLL have their names all over the marketing suites of the large developers. They did the land deal.
Can’t wait to watch the revolution unfold. No me neither I’m too busy in the real property world.
For Sale by Developer ???
I can’t see it working but they don’t care as they are probably getting investors to fund it as they test the market.