Inès Kara is changing the real estate market in France with the Izzyhom app

The current state of the French residential rental market in 2024 is characterized by a slowdown in both sales and prices, which is due to several economic factors. The number of property transactions has fallen significantly, with a 20% drop in 2023 compared to the previous year, reaching a seven-year low. This decline is attributed to higher interest rates and more stringent lending conditions, which make it more difficult for buyers to obtain mortgages. The average time to sell a property has also increased, especially in large metropolitan areas such as Paris.

Into this volatile market comes visionary entrepreneur Inès Kara as a beacon of innovation. As Founder and CEO of Izzyhom, a groundbreaking SaaS startup, Kara is transforming the real estate leasing process. Her journey from strategic consultant to technology innovator showcases her analytical skills, strategic insight, and unwavering commitment to revolutionizing industry standards.

“Technology has answered so many needs in our lives, yet has only made small changes to the way we rent,” says Inès Kara. “We can rent a holiday home abroad with a few clicks, but this technology has not been implemented where we live,” she explains.

Tenants, once lost in a maze of listings and met with silence from real estate agents, can now navigate the platform safely and efficiently. Sensitive documents are no longer sent to the abyss of email, but to a secure, responsive system. Landlords, previously unaware of property demand and time-to-market metrics, now receive real-time information, enabling quick adjustments to prices or terms to avoid vacancies. Real estate professionals, freed from having to juggle multiple query, document and planning tools, see their workflows streamlined, increasing both efficiency and the tenant experience.

Kara’s ambitions go beyond simplifying transactions. Its platform aims to smooth out a key market as more people, especially in dense urban areas, choose to rent. With the US’s tech-real estate nexus in mind, the company is addressing broader challenges related to housing affordability and efficiency.

The vision of the platform is inclusive, targeting not only the direct participants in the rental process but also the surrounding ecosystem. Tenants gain a streamlined path to rental, with integrated moving services, postal changes and home furnishing options. Landlords enjoy minimized vacancy times and actionable property reviews. Real estate professionals who often put rentals on the back burner compared to buying/selling activities can now effectively manage their rentals with the platform’s solid property and service connections.

Kara’s work is more than just a technological tool; it’s an ecosystem that’s transforming the French rental market with aspirations of being implemented in the U.S. Her platform aims to redefine how the housing market works in the digital age.

Before starting her business with Izzy in 2021, Kara honed her skills at consulting powerhouses such as McKinsey & Company and Bain & Company. As an Associate Partner at McKinsey, she led cross-functional teams in Europe, Africa and North America, specializing in strategy, digital transformation and data analytics, with a focus on banking and insurance. Her strategic vision and execution agility were evident in projects such as 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 research to shape the product vision, collaborating with B2B and B2C professionals, and successfully onboarding a large user base. Her ability to create strategic partnerships and create a long-term vision has made Izzyhom a game changer in the real estate sector, underscoring her ability to navigate the complexities of startup growth.

Kary has impressive academic achievements, with a Master’s degree in Public Law and Public Administration from Université Panthéon Sorbonne and ENS Ulm in Paris and a Master’s degree in Management with specialization in Finance from HEC Paris. Her preparatory years at Lycée Pierre de Fermat in Toulouse prepared the ground for her future successes.

Fluent in English and French, Kara embodies the global mindset that is essential to today’s interconnected business world. Her interests in yoga, postcolonial French-language literature, and 1950s and 1960s films demonstrate her diverse passions beyond business and technology.

Inès Kara’s journey from strategy consultant to the helm of Izzyhom exemplifies the transformative power of vision, dedication, and strategic innovation. Her story inspires budding entrepreneurs and technology innovators, showing that with experience, vision, and determination, you can leave a lasting impact on industries ripe for change.