Salt Lake City—Homie, a Salt Lake City-based tech startup, beat out all other Utah startups in front of thousands of people to take home the People’s Choice Award at the 2017 Start Madness Competition. The $300,000 competition (part of the Silicon Slopes Tech Summit) was designed to give Utah startup founders the opportunity to present the market viability and technological innovations behind their businesses. Johnny Hanna, co-founder and CEO of Homie, presented Homie as a technology platform that’s disrupting the antiquated real estate market.
“We aren’t anti-agent, we’re pro-tech,” Hanna announced during his presentation, “and our platform saves homeowners an average of $10,000 per transaction. That adds up quickly. In fact, Homie saved homeowners $3,600,000 in real estate commissions the first 12 months we were in business.” Hanna not only impressed the audience by demonstrating how Homie’s technology helps homeowners sell their home quickly and for top dollar, but he also demonstrated how buying a home can be automated. “When you buy with Homie, you’re no longer forcing the seller to pay your agent thousands of dollars, allowing you to negotiate a lower fee on the home you want to purchase.” Homie also provides licensed real estate attorneys to help homeowners with contracts and offers, advertises listings on syndicated channels and has an exclusive partnership with KSL Homes—all to bring sales up and keep expenses down.
Since its inception, Homie has won multiple technology and new business awards. The tech-driven startup continues to interest investors who see the value of using technology to revolutionize the real estate industry. While currently serving the entire state of Utah, Homie is just getting started with plans to launch the Las Vegas, Nevada market this spring. Other states are also slated for 2017 launches.