2023-09-12 15:58:47
In addition to DuProprio and RénoAssistance, EspaceProprio includes the new Confia service, which provides a list of recommended real estate brokers. (Photo: The Canadian Press)
In the works since the acquisition of DuProprio and RénoAssistance in 2020, the Desjardins Movement officially launched, on Tuesday, a digital “ecosystem”, the EspaceProprio platform, which aims to be a reference point for everything related to real estate.
“It was very clear to us that ultimately, we wanted to create an ecosystem,” explains the president and CEO of Desjardins, Guy Cormier. The primary need expressed by our members and clients is: “Can you help me manage my property? Can you help me with the purchase of my property?”
In addition to DuProprio and RénoAssistance, EspaceProprio includes the new Confia service, which provides a list of recommended real estate brokers. The idea was for EspaceProprio to offer a neutral space in relation to the decision of whether or not to go through a real estate broker, explains Mr. Cormier.
If DuProprio (sales without a broker) and RénoAssistance (search for a construction contractor) have differentiated services and a certain notoriety, the question remains whether Confia can stand out from large brands like RE/MAX or ViaCapital, which already have a certain notoriety.
Confia is still little known, but its grouping with EspaceProprio might boost its notoriety as owners visit the platform for different reasons. “At a given moment the reflex will be as soon as I think regarding my property, I go to EspaceProprio,” bets Mr. Cormier.
The idea is not to compete with RE/MAX or ViaCapital who display their signs in the residential streets of Quebec, because the platform already recommends brokers belonging to the main brands, specifies the big boss of the Desjardins Movement.
The general director of EspaceProprio, Sylvain Trottier, is satisfied with the progress of Confia, launched in pre-deployment in May in Estrie and which is now extending to several sectors of Quebec. “We currently have 250 brokers integrated into the platform.”
The site also includes informative content, such as articles or podcasts.
Other services might potentially be offered on the platform. “There are services that might be added in the coming months, in the coming quarters,” replies Mr. Trottier. Obviously, the idea is to have a place to bring together all the services related to the management of a property. We’re just thinking regarding that and lots of other services might be integrated.”
An upcoming development is the addition of a tool that can provide an approximate assessment of the value of a property. The service will not replace the work of an appraiser or broker, but it will provide a rough estimate to a person who is thinking of selling their home.
Cross-selling (mortgages, insurance) will probably result from certain visits to the platform, but this is not the primary goal, according to Mr. Cormier. “We should not see EspaceProprio as a way to get more clients and do more mortgages and insurance. We already have 40% of the mortgage market share in Quebec. (…) The service offering serves to support people who already have mortgages and insurance with Desjardins by offering them an additional service that will meet their needs, which will simplify their lives.”
Stéphane Rolland, The Canadian Press
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