You’re probably already aware of the boring and archaic process of renting or buying a house on earth 2021. Boring billboard ads, life-numbing phone calls, realtors, and mostly a lack of what was once a meaningful and positive experience. A new Israeli startup called ChatList aims to combine 2021 online dating with the world of house listings.
Swiping, but for homes
ChatList is a social media app for real estate wheeling and dealing. And now it’s looking to take a page out of Tinder’s notebook and apply it to home searching. Users of ChatList are free to swipe through different properties, choose the ones you liked, and immediately chat with the homeowner.
In addition, the system includes an automated scheduling feature, personalized filtering engine, price comparison tool, new listings alert, as well as providing cooperating services like packing, moving, cleaning, and others. Going all out on the social impact tools, the platform also adds customer review and raking options. The company’s business model is built on realtors, sellers, and renters paying to list their real-estate assets.
Today (Thursday), ChatList announced a $1 million investment coming from Yaki Reisner, the CEO of a major real estate company. The funding round will allow ChatList to expand its platform into new categories, such as commercial real estate, new market expansion, more collaboration with service providers, and launching a realtor focused CRM system. In response to his investment, Reisner noted: “We are happy to partner with ChatList. Our investment in the platform stems from the belief that the connection between house seekers and house owners should be simple, efficient, and user friendly for all sides. The combination of developing technological tools and user experience aims to drastically improve the complex process of renting and selling real estate in Israel.”
Founded by a real estate lawyer
ChatList was founded by CEO Keren Goltz, and in a conversation with Geektime she tells that her focus is already pointed towards another funding round to further expand into global markets. According to Goltz, most realtors avoid posting listings in their database, as not to lower their value, but she claims that by utilizing the ChatList platform they can post their best assets with no fear. “Which significantly increases market offering, and empowers buyers and renters, further opening the door to healthy competition.”
Goltz adds that realtors won’t have to post their exclusive assets, but can use the chat to focus offerings while maintaining user privacy: “ChatList’s system blocks phishing campaigns and spam messages from realtors. Only licensed realtors can sign up for the platform. ChatList’s focus is on maintaining the quality of users on its platform, while strictly enforcing regulatory policies.”
It’s important to add that each property posted will be required to meet the customer’s requested specs. “Even in extreme cases like when different realtors post the same property, we know how to prevent unique ID duplicates,” said Goltz. She notes that over 1,000 new properties are added daily, and the database doubles in size every month. Since the launch of MMP version in December, more than a quarter of a million new interactions have started through the app.
