Houm: driving the digital transformation of Latin America’s real estate market

The global proptech market was valued at USD $26.8 billion in 2022, and is estimated to reach USD $119.9 billion by 2032, representing a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 16.5%.

Specifically in Latin America, the industry is experiencing a moment of great dynamism, driven by the need to modernize and digitize a traditionally complex market. The region is undoubtedly fertile ground for the digital real estate revolution driven mainly by online real estate platforms that are transforming property search and marketing.

In this sense, Houm has established itself as a key player, offering innovative solutions that simplify and make transparent the processes of leasing, selling and property management.

Founded in 2018 in Chile by Benjamín Labra (CEO) and Nicolás Knockaert (COO), the company has experienced exponential growth in recent years, expanding to 15 cities between Chile (Santiago, Valparaíso and Concepción), Mexico (CDMX, Guadalajara, Querétaro) and Colombia (Bogotá and Medellín), which places it as a benchmark in the region.

In an interview with Contxto, Labra explains that the initial inspiration to create the startup arose from the need to “make the property leasing process more efficient and transparent”. Since its inception, Houm’s mission has evolved to encompass comprehensive services, including property management and data analytics, transforming into “a digital real estate and real estate accelerator.”

Labra emphasizes that “the bureaucracy and slow processes of the sector in Chile were a big driver for our growth. We saw a clear opportunity to solve a real problem.” This focus on solving real problems, coupled with the CEO’s personal inspiration from his father’s entrepreneurial background, have been key to the company’s development. “My biggest inspiration has been my father and his history of entrepreneurship … His work ethic, resilience and vision taught me that, with effort and passion, any dream is achievable,” says Labra.

“What sets this proptech apart is its focus on digitization and efficiency. Instead of relying on traditional real estate agents, Houm uses independent ‘houmers’ who are in charge of taking photos of properties and showing them to prospective buyers or renters,” he explains. “From property search to contract signing and payments, they are done online, making property search, property management and real estate transactions up to 10 times faster than traditional methods.”

These main differentiators of Houm are key to its comprehensive value proposition, which addresses specific problems in the real estate market. Labra emphasizes that the company offers a number of advantages for landlords, tenants and buyers alike.

The CEO assures that the company seeks to simplify each stage of the process, also providing access to “unsecured leasing” to facilitate access to housing, “guaranteed management and payment” to provide security to owners even in case of tenant default, expert advice, and technology at the service of the user that allows from the instant scheduling of visits, both virtual and in person, the use of tools such as ReV, a digital calculator to estimate the sale value”.

A project in constant growth

Houm’s growth has been fueled by different rounds of financing, including angel investment and the backing of a real estate investment company that Labra founded with his partner Nicolás Knockaert.

This capital has allowed the company to expand geographically and develop its technology. In 2020, Houm took its first steps in Colombia, specifically in its capital Bogota, to be selected months later by Y Combinator, the prestigious startup accelerator recognized worldwide, to be part of its portfolio.

This achievement not only validated Houm’s vision and potential, but also opened the door to more explosive growth months later, when it began its expansion into Mexico in early 2021, by which time it had already raised more than $2.2 million dollars in several rounds of seed capital and that same year raised a Series A of $35 million dollars.

The company’s strategy for 2025 includes continued expansion in Chile, Mexico and Colombia, the development of new products and the strengthening of alliances with builders and developers, offering a 360-degree service that integrates property management and tenant search.

Its business model, highly scalable and adaptable to different contexts, allows them to face new challenges with confidence. The CEO told Contxto that “the company will focus on expanding to new cities within the countries where we already operate and on constantly improving our technology and services … In parallel, we are developing new products to strengthen our value proposition and offer an even more complete experience to our network of current clients.”

Finally, Labra highlights the importance of perseverance and a solid team as key learnings in Houm’s path, which is not only an example of success in the Latin American proptech ecosystem, but is also leading the way towards a more digital, efficient and user-centric future for the real estate market.