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  • August 2022
  • Technical Note
  • HBS Case Collection

Real Estate iBuying

By: Michael Luca, Jesse M. Shapiro and Julia Kelley
  • Format:Print
  • | Language:English
  • | Pages:14
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Abstract

This note provides an overview of real estate iBuying, or instant buying, a business model that involves buying homes and then reselling them at a profit. Introduced in the mid-2010s, iBuying streamlined the process of selling a home by offering instant, all-cash offers to sellers. This note includes context on the traditional home buying and selling processes, the impact of property technology (PropTech), the iBuying process and unit economics, and the iBuying market landscape (e.g., top players and geographic markets).

Keywords

iBuying; Profit; Business Model; Technological Innovation; Real Estate Industry

Citation

Luca, Michael, Jesse M. Shapiro, and Julia Kelley. "Real Estate iBuying." Harvard Business School Technical Note 923-001, August 2022.
  • Educators

About The Authors

Michael Luca

Negotiation, Organizations & Markets
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Jesse M. Shapiro

Entrepreneurial Management
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More from the Authors

    • January 2023
    • Faculty Research

    Shanty Real Estate: Teaching Note

    By: Michael Luca, Jesse M. Shapiro and Nathan Sun
    • 2022
    • Faculty Research

    Getting on the Map: The Impact of Online Listings on Business Performance

    By: Michael Luca, Abhishek Nagaraj and Gauri Subramani
    • November 23, 2022
    • Wall Street Journal (online)

    The Sinister Logic of Hidden Online Fees

    By: Michael Luca
More from the Authors
  • Shanty Real Estate: Teaching Note By: Michael Luca, Jesse M. Shapiro and Nathan Sun
  • Getting on the Map: The Impact of Online Listings on Business Performance By: Michael Luca, Abhishek Nagaraj and Gauri Subramani
  • The Sinister Logic of Hidden Online Fees By: Michael Luca
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