July 19 2024 16:00
SOUTH AFRICA
A groundbreaking listings platform is about to launch in South Africa.
Under One Roof is a fresh entrant in our country’s staid real estate listings space. Many commercial listings portals have become uninspiring and complacent, charging people and businesses hefty amounts to list properties, charging for the leads they attract, and not offering them further services in a competitive working arena.
It follows that SA’s property industry is ready to welcome a startup with a bold vision which will offer a full suite of services to estate agents and help them garner value from their online listings.
Under One Roof, which will start operations on August 1, will assist its clients from listing a property to completing its transfer to a new owner, and everything in between, CEO, Lynne Krawchuk says.
“At Under One Roof, we believe that every person deserves to find their perfect home on a platform that simplifies the process from search to sale. This group has emerged from a vision to transform the property market in South Africa, motivated by a desire to address the shortcomings of existing property platforms,” she says.
A focus on the actual needs of agents, buyers and sellers
The group wants to offer a solution that prioritises the needs and convenience of its users which equals the playing field on a platform, for buyers, sellers, renters and estate agents, and helps them make informed decisions based on what is important to them.
Krawchuk joined the group’s team in early 2024. Property development consultant and estate agency owner, Jacques Loubser also joined as business development manager to drive the growth of the group’s customer base and business partners.
Clients who join this industry disruptor will enjoy long-overdue functionality and better technology, at a more affordable price.
Under One Roof will compete with listings service giants who have monopolised this sector of property. The company is focused on serving estate agents, especially small and medium sized businesses in this space, who have been underserviced by established listings portals for years.
It sets itself apart through offering clients bond origination, bridging finance, assistance with transfer and rate clearance certificates.
“We have canvassed estate agents from across the country to understand what they want from listings platforms. A common bugbear has been that these platforms are tech companies and not marketers. Under One Roof is here to fill that major gap in service,” Krawchuk says.
Krawchuk who has years of experience as a marketing professional was brought into Under One Roof to ensure this startup serves talented and ambitious property practitioners. These include agents, current and prospective owners, who need world-class assistance in listing and selling their assets.
A complete approach to world-class service
Krawchuk explains how her team is driven to succeed by ensuring that all aspects of Under One Roof’s service are optimised and well-managed. The platform’s functionality is paramount to why people will enjoy using it.
“All clients will go to the group’s website, whether they are buyers, sellers, renters, landlords, developers or estate agents. They will each have their own unique login and registration and a customised backend dashboard that is unique to them respectively. On this dashboard they can monitor the success of their listings as well as update and edit their listings,” she says.
The search function will be advanced. Users can get information on properties including if they are supported by stored water and are off the electricity grid. The platform enables users to list associated municipal charges with each property.
The company has developed a simple pricing plan with a focus on generating value for users.
“We understood that to succeed we must be customer centric. When you use Under One Roof you receive a complete service, from listing to transfer. We charge a once-off fee and not a monthly listing fee,” says Krawchuk.
Users have the option to select either a three-month or a six-month listing package. This is unlike the group’s competitors who offer only six-month packages. The once-off listing fee is valid for the full period of that listing.
“We do not discriminate like our competitors either, with high and low interest areas, nor do we most importantly charge for leads. We ONLY charge for listings which is a key differentiator,” Krawchuk explains.
“Our packages also offer to estate agents free branding where others expect their clients to pay for this,” she says.
Many listing platforms are generic and templatised and Under One Roof will challenge this.
The main reason that Under One Roof offers the three-month package is to support faster deals.
“We sincerely hope you sell or rent your home in that time frame, after all isn’t that the objective of every lister. The sooner the better,” says Krawchuk.
The estate agent package six-month listing package only, has a unique selling point where if the property is sold within the six-month timeframe of the listing purchased, the agent can “sell, switch and save” to an alternate listing for the balance of their listing fee. For example, if they bought a six-month listing and sold the property in two months, instead of paying again for a new listing they can use the balance of the four months remaining for another. Terms and conditions apply to this such as the agent having to prove that the property was sold.
Receiving customer care from real people
Under One Roof also is not held back by limited chatbot technology.
“We offer a dedicated personal approach to each listing, where we have a human being at the end of the line or email, rather than a bot. We regularly check in on the listings, their performance and other aspects, offering advice based on the statistical data we receive on the website, to the end user. We also can help in the uploading of all listings for those who would prefer this service, at no extra charge,” says Krawchuk.
Customers will receive regular phone calls to help them manage their listings.
Under One Roof will compete with industry stalwarts. Property24 and Private Property will be their main competitors.
“We want to add value back to people, with a human centric and genuine care approach, rather than an impersonal just a number and a means to make money tactic. We believe that giving back is important too for our industry,” says Krawchuk.
The decision to enable more in-depth info about properties in searches crystalises the idea that “every home has a story”. Users will be able to download walk-through videos and downloadable info about properties.
“We appreciate that selling a home is emotional and not just a financial exercise which is why we a driven by such a detailed approach to every aspect of the platform,” says Krawchuk.
Under One Roof will become a market leader and a top insights provider for people working in real estate. While the platform will initially focus on residential property, as it grows its base will include an assortment of commercial property types.
“We prioritise customer care by humanising the sales journey through informative and educational engagement from listing to transfer. As we continue to innovate and evolve, our commitment remains. Join us as we revolutionize the property market, one home at a time,” she says.
Feel free to download our listing packages here.
This is a guest article for Under One Roof.
alistair@propertyflash.co.za