The current state of the French residential rental real estate market in 2024 is marked by a slowdown in both sales and prices, driven by several economic factors. The number of property transactions has decreased significantly, with a 20% drop in 2023 compared to the previous year, reaching the lowest level in seven years. This decline is attributed to higher interest rates and tighter lending conditions, making it more difficult for buyers to secure mortgages. The average time to sell a property has also increased, particularly in major metropolitan areas like Paris..
Into this volatile market comes visionary businesswoman Inès Kara as a beacon of innovation. As the Founder and CEO of Izzyhom, a cutting-edge SaaS startup, Kara is transforming the real estate rental process. Her journey from strategic consultant to tech innovator showcases her analytical prowess, strategic insight, and unwavering commitment to revolutionizing industry standards.
“Technology has addressed so many needs in our lives, yet it has only made slight changes to how we rent,” says Inès Kara. “We can rent a holiday home abroad with a few clicks, but this technology hasn’t been applied to where we live,” she explains.
Tenants, once lost in a maze of listings and met with silence from real estate agents, can now navigate securely and efficiently through the platform. Sensitive documents are no longer sent into the email abyss but into a secure, responsive system. Landlords, previously in the dark about property demand and time-to-market metrics, now receive real-time insights, enabling swift adjustments to pricing or conditions to avoid vacancies. Real estate professionals, freed from juggling disparate tools for inquiries, documents, and scheduling, see their workflows streamlined, enhancing both efficiency and the tenant experience.
Kara’s ambition extends beyond transaction simplification. Her platform aims to fluidify a crucial market as more people, especially in densely populated urban areas, choose tenancy. With a keen eye on the U.S. tech-real estate nexus, the company addresses broader challenges of housing accessibility and efficiency.
The platform’s vision is inclusive, targeting not just direct rental process participants but also the surrounding ecosystem. Tenants gain a streamlined path to renting, complete with integrated moving services, postal changes, and home furnishing options. Landlords enjoy minimized vacancy times and actionable property feedback. Real estate professionals, who often deprioritize rentals compared to buy/sell activities, can now efficiently manage rentals with the platform’s robust property and service connections.
Kara’s creation is more than a technological tool; it’s an ecosystem transforming the French rental market, with aspirations for the U.S. Her platform is set to redefine housing operations in the digital age.
Before her entrepreneurial venture with Izzyhom in 2021, Kara honed her expertise at consulting powerhouses like McKinsey & Company and Bain & Company. As an Associate Partner at McKinsey, she led cross-functional teams across Europe, Africa, and North America, specializing in strategy, digital transformation, and data analytics, particularly in banking and insurance. Her strategic vision and execution prowess were evident in projects like developing a 5-year growth strategy for a major insurer and overseeing a $10 billion compliance transformation for a global bank.
Kara’s entrepreneurial journey with Izzyhom includes conducting over 50 interviews and studies to shape the product vision, collaborating with B2B and B2C professionals, and successfully onboarding a large user base. Her ability to forge strategic partnerships and craft a long-term vision has positioned Izzyhom as a game-changer in the real estate sector, highlighting her skill in navigating startup growth complexities.
Kara’s academic credentials are impressive, with a Master’s degree in Public Law and Public Administration from Université Panthéon Sorbonne and ENS Ulm, Paris, and an MSc in Management specialized in Finance from HEC Paris. Her foundational years at Lycée Pierre de Fermat, Toulouse, set the stage for her future successes.
Fluent in English and French, Kara embodies the global mindset crucial for today’s interconnected business world. Her interests in yoga, post-colonial francophone literature, and 1950s and 1960s movies showcase her diverse passions beyond business and technology.
Inès Kara’s journey from strategic consultant to the helm of Izzyhom exemplifies the transformative power of vision, dedication, and strategic innovation. Her story inspires aspiring entrepreneurs and tech innovators, demonstrating that with expertise, vision, and determination, one can leave a lasting impact on industries ripe for change.
