Ten Questions with João Abelha, Founder and CEO at Date A Home

"Unlike generalist portals that must cater to broad and diverse audiences, we target a small percentage of the market—but one that accounts for approximately 50% of the market's total spend."

What does a global, luxury real estate portal network look like? The best place to start your search is Brazil, specifically Date A Home, a thriving ecosystem of luxury real estate stakeholders in Brazil.

With an impressive number of revenue streams and a recent expansion to Portugal already under its belt, Date A Home plans to expand to Spain, Italy and France by this summer.

I spoke to founder and CEO João Abelha (pictured below) about high-net-worth individuals, ecosystems, revenue streams, and more...

What problem does Date A Home solve?

Date A Home solves the gap in segmentation within the luxury real estate market, where existing portals operate with outdated classified models.

Our unique B2B2C model fosters partnerships and synergies between developers, real estate agencies, independent brokers, architects, image professionals, and luxury service and product providers. This integration creates a thriving ecosystem where all stakeholders benefit, delivering a premium experience to the end consumer.

Our USP is that we offer an exclusive platform that not only connects but integrates all luxury market players, leveraging cutting-edge technology to personalise experiences and redefine the concept of a real estate marketplace as a true ecosystem.

Tell us about luxury real estate in Brazil...

With around 7 million listings per month on Brazil's largest real estate portal, circa 20% belong to the high-end, luxury, and ultra-luxury segments.

While this market has historically been driven by established high-income buyers, it is increasingly attracting young professionals from the technology and finance sectors.

These individuals— typically entrepreneurs, investors, or heirs with substantial financial capacity and a keen appreciation for brands and personalised experience—are entering the luxury real estate space in search of properties that not only reflect their financial success but also align with their values of comfort, sustainability, innovation, and strategic locations.

As of 2023, the country is home to approximately 365,000 HNWIs (high net-worth individuals), each with investable assets exceeding $1 million. Additionally, Brazil has a notable number of UHNWIs (ultra-high-net-worth individuals) with net assets of at least $30 million.

How is the business funded? Are you raising?

Date A Home launched in late 2022 and was initially funded through a combination of its own resources and angel investment. The business currently generates revenue from subscription plans and additional services.

We are now in the process of raising up to R$3 million (USD 490,000) to support continued growth in Brazil, sustain our European expansion, and further develop our technology backlog. This funding will be used to scale our IT infrastructure, ensuring it can handle increasing demands, strengthen our team, and invest in marketing to enhance our presence in existing and new markets.

What does your B2B2C model look like?

Date A Home is a luxury real estate marketplace ecosystem in itself.

We have adopted a collaborative approach that connects key players in the luxury market—developers, real estate agencies, independent brokers, architects, image professionals, and brands offering luxury products and services—directly with the end consumer.

For example, developers and real estate agencies can list, and luxury brands can sponsor properties and advertisements to transform advertising costs into shared revenue through cashback. Architects and professional photographers are integrated as partners into our ecosystem and collaborate to enhance property presentations by offering services such as virtual staging or professional photo shoots, adding value to listings and properties.

Only properties meeting luxury standards and professional presentation criteria are accepted on the marketplace, ensuring a refined experience aligned with our consumers' expectations.

This structure allows participating businesses to expand their client base and improve their digital presence, while end consumers benefit from a highly segmented property offering and an exceptional purchasing experience.

How does the business make money?

We generate revenue through a diverse and innovative model designed to meet the expectations of the luxury market as a whole. This comprehensive revenue model ensures financial sustainability while creating a robust ecosystem.

Firstly, stakeholders such as developers, real estate agencies, and brokers pay for tiered subscription plans to list their properties on the platform.

We also offer additional, paid-for services including a personalised website for brokers; integrated CRMs; a virtual home staging product; luxury brand sponsorships; and commissions on loans and insurance.

We are currently developing functionality for select partners to offer online shopping for luxury products, where commissions will be earned on transactions.

We also have a Benefits Club, events and networking opportunities, and an Educational Platform for training and workshops, all of which generate revenue.

Tell us about Date A Home’s "ambassador programme".

Date A Home is an ecosystem at its core. Our Ambassador programme is a strategic initiative that goes beyond simply promoting the platform. Ambassadors are responsible for sharing content related to the real estate market, exploring themes such as architecture, construction, interior design, lifestyle, and other areas that drive engagement and retention.

The concept behind the ambassador network is to create an ecosystem of high-quality content that engages our audience, attracts and retains the attention of potential clients, and stimulates conversation and interactions between users and the platform.

We already have two ambassadors on board and will strengthen this team as we scale.

How will you scale the business?

Cornering the luxury real estate market requires well-structured strategies, strategic partnerships, and a value proposition that meets the expectations of HNWI and UHNWI clients.

In Portugal, we have already secured contracts with major players in the luxury market including The Agency and Remax Collection. Meanwhile, we are in advanced negotiations with other prominent multinational firms, positioning the platform as a strategic bridge between the Brazilian and European markets.

Our partnerships with multinational groups provide a solid foundation for accelerated expansion. This semester, we are preparing to enter Spain, France, and Italy. Each of these markets has a strong demand for high-end properties and shares a globalised audience.

Unlike generalist portals that must cater to broad and diverse audiences, we target a small percentage of the market—but one that accounts for approximately 50% of the market's total spend.

What products and services are you currently working on?

We are working on Virtual Home Staging with Artificial Intelligence, a tool that enables personalised interior design and virtual decoration, helping buyers visualise the potential of properties creatively and engagingly.

We have completed the integration of Reels as media within property listings. Developers and brokers can now leverage their social media content directly in marketplace listings, enhancing visual appeal and boosting engagement.

We are on the verge of launching PRISM (Personalised Replication & Integrated Sales Model), which includes elegant and sophisticated websites for brokers with integrated Reels. This solution promotes organic growth and brand positioning, allowing brokers to amplify their digital presence within the Date A Home ecosystem.

Where do you see the market going and how will you stay ahead of the curve?

We're adopting a pragmatic approach with a development backlog planned for the next two years, which we will adjust based on market evolution and innovations that may emerge. Our platform has been built with a state-of-the-art architecture, developed in-house, allowing for continuous adaptation to technological changes and market demands.

This strategic decision to develop our code provides the flexibility to rapidly incorporate new technologies such as Blockchain, tokenisation, and augmented reality; adjust functionalities based on market feedback and creativity; and scale sustainably, leveraging a solid foundation to support our global growth.

What isn’t the industry talking about that it should be talking about?

One of the critical issues facing the real estate industry is the integration of digital and physical experiences. Most platforms remain focused solely on generating leads, without considering the importance of building authority and loyalty. It is vital to shift this paradigm to a model that is more customer and ecosystem-oriented.

The revolution brought by social media enables precise audience segmentation. However, real estate portals largely remain generalist property databases, equipped with more or less sophisticated search engines and a few added services. This model is outdated.

The industry needs to reinvent the architecture of these portals, transforming them into niche marketplaces—true ecosystems that not only generate leads but also prioritise brand positioning and strategic growth. These marketplaces should be designed to deliver highly segmented solutions aligned to the needs of unique audiences.

The real estate industry must acknowledge that not all audiences are the same. It is time for the industry to address how platforms can be transformed into tools that truly add value to the ecosystem and establish new standards of excellence and innovation.