"We want to take the time to build solid foundations" Thierry Castan (Founder Croque la Com')

"We want to take the time to build solid foundations" Thierry Castan (Founder Croque la Com')

CROQUE LA COM’

Franchise Real estate agencies
Innovative phygital real estate agency at 1% fees
Real estate agency at 1% fee - digital - phygital - innovative - sale - estimate
1
Layout
€10,000
Personal contribution

All the Franchise: Can you introduce yourself and your brand?

My name is Thierry Castan, I am 44 years old, I am married and I have two children aged 13 and 9 years.

I have more than 25 years of experience in real estate because I was immersed in this environment at a very young age thanks to my mother who was a real estate agent. So it's a family story.

I remember installing a television in the window to scroll through the photos of the houses in 1996, a real innovation at the time that has become the norm today.

DUT civil engineering in my pocket, in 2003 I created Lauragais expertises, a company specializing in real estate diagnostics and market value expertise. This was the beginning of regulatory obligations as we know them today. After carrying out more than 2000 appraisals, I sold the company in 2011.

I joined the family adventure in 2012, initially as a simple commercial agent, then after €450,000 in turnover in three years, I was in charge of developing the Chasseur Immo network.

I have recruited, trained and managed dozens of agents.

When I made a sale, I often had to argue in order not to lower my fees, by 5% at the time: "It's a demanding job that requires specific know-how". It's a reality. But when the client pays €15,000 for two or three visits, is this justifiable? It is not the fault of the client if a real estate agent works 60% in a vacuum with often unnecessary visits. It's a bit like a craftsman raising his price because of the time spent making quotes that don't work. It was therefore by listening to the needs of buyers and sellers that I understood that the traditional agency was no longer suited to demand.

It was while discussing this observation with a friend, Thomas Bonomo, that the agency Croque La Com’ was born in 2016, a digital real estate agency with 1% fees. Thomas, by becoming a partner, was able to provide the IT and legal support necessary for development. We have kept what makes the added value of a real estate agent and digitized everything else. We made adjustments for two years in order to find the right model.

The agency responds to customer demand with an innovative concept:

Why did you choose franchise development?

Franchise development once again responds to customer demand. Some owners are reassured to be able to see the real estate agent who will take care of the sale of their property.

The Croque La Com’ franchise is the phygital real estate agency with 1% commission, a combination of digital, traditional real estate agency and reduced fees.

Who is your competition and how do you stand out against it?

The real estate sector is doing well with one million transactions in 2020. It is a very competitive.

Croque La Com’ is fortunate to have no direct competition to date. All the new players close to our concept are on the web and do not have a storefront.

Where are you at in your development?

We validated the business model, implemented the right work tools and optimized the sales cycle. Today is the beginning of the adventure for the development of the franchise.

What are your goals for 2022-2023? And in the long term?

We want to take the time to build a solid foundation by planning the opening of five branches in 2022. We then want to accelerate from 2023 to quickly take share in this emerging market.

Which profile are you looking for for your candidates?

We are looking for entrepreneurs who share our vision of the real estate of tomorrow. It is above all a human adventure and it is for this reason that we must share the same values.

Given the real estate sales cycle, the candidate must have a contribution corresponding to six months of operation, i.e. a minimum of €20,000.

What is the path of a candidate from making contact to opening? How is he accompanied?

The course in five stages:

  1. Making contact. The first exchanges will allow us to get to know each other better.
  2. Submission of the application file
  3. Franchise – validation of the business plan, pre-contractual information document then franchise contract
  4. Initial theoretical and practical training. We adapt the duration according to the candidate.
  5. Opening of your agency – support for the franchisor – continuing education
>> Read also: Croque La com’: an innovative concept that appeals to project leaders