The co-founder of odd-jobs website Airtasker is transitioning to the property market with a new start-up venture he describes as’ LinkedIn for property’.
Jonathan Lui told the Australian Financial Review his new business, Soho, aims to change the way people buy and sell their homes.
Soho is a portal for property owners to manage the online profile for their asset, from the financial details of the investment performance through to rental payments. It also stores document items like bills and body corporate statements online.
The business’s main differentiator to other online property firms comes from the ability to connect with other property owners and facilitate a “digital doorknock”.
“Today, if you want to buy an apartment in an apartment block you’d have to wait for it to eventually come to market at some point. Or you have to go and knock on the door and get in touch with the owner,” Mr Lui told The Australian Financial Review.
“We’re breaking down those boundaries and letting those conversations happen,” Lui said.
Despite leaving Airtasker last year, Mr Lui still has a significant shareholding, remains on the board and travels back to Sydney frequently.
Soho will be based in Singapore where Lui now lives, but it will launch globally this week and Australia and Singapore will be its first target markets.