Markus Hoecherl
Markus Hoecherl stands at the forefront of the real estate industry, a seasoned expert with over two decades of experience and a commitment to simplicity and innovation. As the founder and president of Domunus, he has dedicated himself to creating simple yet effective solutions for the challenges plaguing real estate transactions.
Headquartered in New York City, Domunus empowers real estate agents, sellers, buyers, and their service providers with a centralized B2B management hub for transactions to eliminate inefficiencies and maximize business prosperity — through synchronized collaboration, customized opportunities, and real-time transaction data. Essentially, it brings all involved parties to a transaction together in a secure market environment by providing a robust and powerful way for partners to interact and complete deals. "We were convinced from Day 1 that such a solution must exist," Markus explains.
Markus boasts a robust background in real estate development, and asset- and investment management, having spearheaded, overseen, or managed ventures exceeding $30 billion, and led large teams domestically and internationally. His achievements include leading the hotel group at The Greenwich Group, managing acquisitions, and developing a $2 billion Series II venture platform.
Markus was part of the Luxury Brands Group at Starwood, transforming the W Hotel footprint in North America, and managed part of the $35 billion Phase I development of New Songdo City at Kohn Pedersen Fox. At Lord Norman Foster, he found solutions for an international law firm at the MoreLondon site. He shares his combined knowledge with students at NYU, where he teaches courses for maximizing real estate values.
Academically, Markus received a full scholarship from DAAD to pursue his Master of Science from Columbia University and studied as an exchange student from his home University of Kassel, at the Technical University of Barcelona through an ERASMUS scholarship. He earned acclaim for architectural and urban projects in Germany, and secured patent approvals for innovative processes.
These testaments to his ability, although diverse, share a common thread. They are all guided by his motto, "Less is More." This principle, rooted in the idea of emphasizing functionality and simplicity, has driven him to seek out ways to purify the essence of real estate transactions and eliminate unnecessary complications. It was this guiding principle that led to the creation of Domunus.
As Domunus prepares for the launch of its inaugural platform, anticipation within the industry continues to grow. The 1st version of the platform is set to be released this spring/summer for pilot testing in the marketplace, marking a significant milestone in the company's journey. Discussions with national real estate groups are already underway, signaling a growing interest in Domunus and its transformative solutions.
With its promise of efficiency and growth, Domunus is poised to redefine the landscape of real estate transactions. Through synchronized collaboration, customized opportunities, and real-time transaction data, Domunus empowers agents, sellers, buyers, and service providers alike. It offers a super-efficient online hub where users can find all the tools and information they need to be efficient, secure, and grow their businesses.
We spoke with Markus to learn more about Domunus and how, through their relentless pursuit of simplicity and innovation, they are paving the way for a brighter future in real estate—one transaction at a time.
Markus, can you tell us what inspired you to start Domunus?
Certainly! Look at the latest news within the brokerage community and its fee structure, caused by the million-dollar settlement by N.A.R., and other organizations before. An upheaval that will lead to fundamental changes around the brokerage business and will affect every single agent, buyer, and seller in the US. We already anticipated these shifts years ago through trend analysis, shifts which are reality in most parts of the world for decades. Our goal was to provide the industry with a novel tool that will buffer or eliminate the monetary and operational vacuum, caused by these shifts, by providing each agent and their customers and vendors with a centralized and powerful tool to make the process easy and intuitive and create a network effect to drive faster growth for agents and service providers. And it works for residential and commercial real estate as the transactional process is basically the same. Since some of our first customers are outside the US which live this reality, they already embraced the advantages the platform will bring to them. First, Domunus streamlines and automates the transactional process , leading to significant time and cost savings. And for mid- to high-volume brokerage firms, this translates to potential savings of tens of millions of dollars. By centralizing key processes and resources, Domunus enables agents to operate more efficiently and effectively. Secondly, networking and lead generation: Brokers thrive on building relationships and generating new leads. Domunus facilitates this by serving as a networking platform where brokers can connect with a wide range of industry professionals that are part of transactions. Through these connections, brokers can cultivate new leads that are otherwise not directly available which can ultimately translate into sales opportunities. This robust networking capability gives brokers a competitive advantage in the market. Thirdly, the network effect: As more users join the Domunus platform, the network effect comes into play, creating a virtuous cycle of increased leads and savings. With a growing user base, brokers have access to an expanding pool of potential leads and opportunities, further enhancing their competitive position. Lastly, we offer access to valuable opportunities: Domunus can link the different residential and commercial real estate networks, amplifying connections and making it easier for brokers, buyers, and sellers to discover special opportunities at the best price. By leveraging the platform's connectivity and resources, brokers can access valuable opportunities that may have been previously inaccessible, thus enhancing their business prospects.
In short, Domunus empowers brokers to achieve faster growth and gain a competitive advantage by providing them with a centralized hub for efficient operations, robust networking capabilities, access to a growing pool of leads, and valuable opportunities in the market.
The Domunus platform has already generated a buzz across the real estate industry before the platform’s pilot rollout. Can you give us a brief overview and share what went into designing it?
Absolutely. Our first customers at home and abroad are waiting for the roll out. What we saw as a problem is that existing brokerage software primarily focuses on marketing rather than transactional processing and the business around it, leaving two gaps in the market. We aimed to redefine this by envisioning a platform that streamlines complex real estate transactions and facilitating seamless collaboration among agents, sellers, buyers, and service providers. Designing such a solution was a meticulous process, addressing the diverse challenges and desires faced by all stakeholders involved. These challenges included friction and unstructured actions, as well as the need to find suitable partners and bring their offers to the table. Our marketplace effectively addresses these issues, serving as an umbrella organization that unifies information and data, making transactions more efficient and cost-effective for all parties involved. Since our hub requires to work across the industry, we have the advantage to offer a single-sign-on platform or white label, not a software which creates its own integration issues, providing users with a user-friendly interface that allows for smooth workflow, direct access to opportunities, reduced lead times, and real-time operational control and compliance management, ultimately fostering business growth.
Two significant challenges in real estate transactions are high costs and a fragmented, time-consuming process. How does Domunus address these issues specifically?
Indeed, the current state of real estate transactions is plagued by high costs and a cumbersome, disjointed process. Consider residential or commercial brokerages or high-volume sellers, managing multiple service providers, buyers, and sellers, each utilizing disparate communication and document management systems. This fragmented approach leads to inefficiencies, prolonged timelines, and substantial financial losses – estimated at approximately $50 billion for the US industry. Stakeholders seek solutions that offer efficiency, standardized data, and real-time access to transaction pipelines and transaction insights. Domunus addresses these needs comprehensively by serving as a management solution for the entire real estate transaction. Our integrated marketplace and centralized hub synchronize people, tasks, documents, communication, and time across all parties involved, fostering clarity, ease, accountability, and timeliness in collaboration. For instance, imagine a broker handling 100 inquiries, proposals, and transactions annually. Without a streamlined tool, they must meticulously track myriad details and coordinate with numerous parties to ensure successful closures. While existing software mainly provides digital checklists, Domunus provides transparency and real-time visibility, enabling efficient management by offering insights into each transaction's progress, potential delays, and bottlenecks. Brokers can readily assess offer volumes and other critical metrics, empowering informed decision-making. In essence, Domunus serves as the indispensable tool that unites stakeholders, centralizes data and documents, and delivers real-time transaction insights, thereby optimizing efficiency and mitigating risks of oversight or delays.
Let’s delve into the benefits for sellers and buyers provided by Domunus’s centralized hub. One standout feature is the instantaneous access to real-time transaction data and offers from buyers at the tap of a screen. Can you elaborate on this and its advantages for brokers, buyers, and sellers?
Absolutely. Picture this: as a buyer, you stumble upon a property you're interested in on a broker's site. With Domunus, making an offer is as simple as clicking a link or scanning a QR code that redirects you to our platform, where you can swiftly submit your offer directly to the seller's broker. What's revolutionary is that the entire bidding process works digitally. Sellers receive offers and inquiries in real-time, complete with details like financing type—cash or mortgage—allowing them to respond promptly and consider options on the spot. Our platform streamlines the entire transaction journey, from initial offer to closing, eliminating the need for additional tools. With our management hub, we prioritize functionality, not the marketing aspect, focusing solely on seamlessly facilitating transactions. Moreover, brokers can effortlessly invite stakeholders to the platform, granting them access to properties and enabling them to initiate inquiries and offers. By providing buyers, sellers, and brokers with real-time visibility into offers, inquiries, and transactional data, Domunus significantly reduces wasted time and resources, fostering quicker, smoother, and more efficient transactions. This streamlined process not only enhances user satisfaction but also drives business growth by optimizing efficiency and facilitating a more enjoyable experience for all parties involved.
Domunus also offers significant benefits for brokers, enhancing their growth potential and competitive edge. Could you provide a brief overview of these advantages?
Absolutely. One of the key advantages is our centralized management hub with its ability to save time and money by providing you with all the tools you need to be most effective and efficient – think of the synchronization and collaboration effect mentioned before. It is beneficial for all agents, be they small groups or large brokerage firms. Utilizing Domunus can result in substantial cost savings, potentially amounting to tens of millions of dollars for large brokerage firms. Moreover, brokerage firms thrive on building relationships, constantly seeking new connections that can translate into leads and ultimately, sales. Once users start joining our platform, it will serve as a networking powerhouse, facilitating the generation of new leads for brokers, which can be leveraged for future deals, providing a significant competitive advantage. As more users join Domunus, the network effect amplifies, creating a virtuous cycle of increased leads and cost savings. Additionally, our platform grants brokers access to valuable opportunities by linking service provider networks, making it easier to identify special chances at the best prices, further boosting business growth and competitiveness.
Lastly, Markus, can you tell us about your inaugural platform launch. Who can participate?
We have exciting news ahead! Brace yourselves for the launch of our groundbreaking platform, scheduled to debut this spring/summer. Our exclusive Private Beta beckons to a select group of Domunus users within the real estate realm, offering tailored support to propel them towards their unique goals. By joining us, participants gain an immediate competitive advantage and access to our enticing discount and reward program. We extend a special invitation to mid- to large-scale brokerages and boutique agencies alike, urging them to seize the opportunity to be at the forefront of this transformative launch. Our team is poised to revolutionize the industry, driven by the profound belief in our platform's potential to revolutionize the landscape. Initial feedback is overwhelmingly positive, with stakeholders echoing sentiments of confidence in our ability to reshape the industry paradigm. Essentially, we’re offering an opportunity to be part of this game-changing journey!
Markus Hoecherl
Founder and President
Domunus
Website: http://www.domunus.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hoecherl/