The idea for KEUR-IMMO was conceived by a former real estate agent and wealth manager from Marseille in November 2020. Having long been aware of the real estate , I quickly understood that digitizing the real estate market with a platform connecting verified and certified agents was essential for its development. Discover in this article how the KEUR IMMO project came about.
THE GENESIS OF KEUR-IMMO.com
KEUR-IMMO was born in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic. The various health restrictions in France somewhat prompted me to explore new horizons. In November 2020, I traveled to Senegal for 15 days, where some members of my family live. Leaving Diass airport on my way to Ngaparou, I was immediately struck by the number of construction sites along the road. As a real estate agent, these are things that don't go unnoticed.
I was immediately charmed by the country, both by its warm people and its exceptional climate. I felt at home from the moment I arrived. I was able to explore Dakar, Gorée Island, the Sine Saloum …
So it was with a heavy heart that I left for France, which was in full lockdown at that time. But I was determined to return quickly.
ONE THOUGHT CAN LEAD TO ANOTHER
Upon returning to my apartment in Marseille, I inquired about real estate in Senegal . First, I consulted with family members living there, and subsequently through my own research.
It was clear that the real estate sector in Senegal was booming, with prices steadily rising for decades. At that point, I decided to invest some of my savings in a plot of land on the Petite Côte , with the intention of building a house and perhaps even living there myself later. And it was at that precise moment that the idea for KEUR-IMMO was born.
Indeed, while searching online for land listings, I realized there were only three options: real estate agency websites, general classifieds platforms, and Facebook pages dedicated to real estate sales. As a former real estate agent, I understood that this wasn't very practical and that a platform entirely dedicated to real estate would greatly simplify things.
SEVERAL LEADS
So, I returned to Senegal in December 2020 to finalize my first project: finding a plot of land. A local agency presented me with the property in which I invested my savings. The signing was scheduled for March 2021, which was perfect timing, as I had decided to move to Senegal in February 2021 to work on my second project: KEUR IMMO.
So here I am, settled in Saly, with no return ticket this time. And the project is ambitious: to make KEUR-IMMO the leading real estate portal in Senegal. It was from that moment on that I was able to truly focus on the project.
I first conducted a market study on local specificities in terms of internet consumption, the real estate market in Senegal, the means most used by residents when looking for accommodation, existing offers… All of this took about 2 months.
Once my research was complete, I had to think about the offer I wanted to propose. But above all, how it would stand out from the competition. After studying all the possibilities, it was ultimately my experience in real estate that led me to the final decision: to offer a platform entirely dedicated to real estate, where only verified and certified professionals in the sector can publish content, with the aim of guaranteeing maximum trust for those visiting the site.
In fact, this idea of building trust with individuals has been my guiding principle from the very beginning. When someone is looking to buy a property, they need every assurance that the transaction will proceed smoothly. They need a partner they can rely on to bring their project to fruition. And only a real estate professional can provide that.
A FORMER REAL ESTATE AGENT
As I mentioned earlier, I'm a former real estate agent. I was fortunate enough to be trained in this profession by an extraordinary person when I was at ORPI. He quickly became my mentor, and he's the one who taught me everything about this fantastic job. I applied his advice, and my experience in real estate has been very positive.
The first thing I learned during these five years is that real estate is a profession in its own right . Furthermore, buying a house is not the same as buying a pair of shoes. A house is paid off over 20 years, or by parting with a large portion of your savings if you buy outright. It is therefore essential to assure potential buyers of impeccable professionalism.
Furthermore, through my experience in this profession, I've realized that the real estate agent is the most important value creator in a transaction . Indeed, it is he, and he alone, who guides the buyer from the beginning to the end of their search, right up to the signing of the sales contract at the notary's office. In my opinion, his expertise is indispensable when one wishes to purchase real estate.
With all the points I've just outlined, you'll quickly understand why I decided not to allow individuals to directly post listings on KEUR IMMO. Firstly, other platforms already do this. I didn't want the platform to resemble other online offerings. Secondly, providing a real estate solution where only professionals can publish listings offers buyers a guarantee of security, in a context where, unfortunately, scams are frequent.
Does this mean that individuals with a property to sell are not concerned by KEUR IMMO? Of course not. I have integrated a " Sell " section into the website dedicated to individuals, who have the option of leaving their contact details and information about their property so that they can be contacted by real estate professionals in their area.
THE MANUFACTURING OF KEUR-IMMO
Now that I know what KEUR IMMO will look like, it was time to develop the website. And since I'm not skilled in this area, I had to turn to people whose job it is.
My thinking at that point was this: since Senegal is offering me an opportunity like KEUR IMMO, I need to show consideration and allow a local professional to develop the website. I found myself faced with two groups of professionals who were recommended to me. The first didn't convince me based on their past work, and I didn't want to pursue it, despite the honesty of their approach. The second, which was actually just two people (a programmer and a graphic designer), convinced me to trust them, only for me to realize that their sole motivation was the deposit money, and certainly not delivering a quality website. I wasted my time and trusted the wrong people. Too bad for them; a highly skilled friend from Marseille will be building the site.
THE CONSTRUCTION SITE
It took a total of six months to build KEUR-IMMO. And since I'm demanding, I realize I wasn't exactly gentle with my friend. But I have to admit he delivered a magnificent website, and I'm very grateful. My primary goal was to offer a pleasant user experience on a platform entirely dedicated to real estate . That's why, for example, the photos are prominently featured, because they're the first thing that catches a potential buyer's eye.
Furthermore, it was essential for me to have a website optimized for mobile phones, because in Senegal, nearly 80% of users access the internet exclusively from their phones.
As for real estate agencies, I wanted a platform for them where they could offer their properties without unfair competition. They have the ability to publish an unlimited number of listings with a maximum of 15 photos per post. No real estate portal in Senegal offers this.
In addition, agencies have the ability to detail each advertisement to the maximum, thanks to the large number of options and parameters available when creating a publication.
In my mind, it is the real estate professional who embodies the profession . They must be able to express themselves as effectively as possible through a specialized tool.
A POSITIVE START
Five months after its launch, KEUR-IMMO has accumulated over 30,000 visits and 65,000 page views in February 2023. Real estate agencies are receiving qualified leads, and that's what matters most to me.
New options will gradually appear on the site, such as the ability to boost listings or for businesses to insert advertising banners. KEUR IMMO also offers a full range of services for agencies, including website creation and social media management.
These are certainly very positive beginnings, although the story is only just starting. Let's hope it lasts a long time.
Nicolas L.