ietty

About ietty

ietty is an online real estate platform that connects tenants with landlords and agents, primarily serving the rental market in Japan's metropolitan areas. The company's business model revolves around streamlining the apartment hunting process by moving it online, which reduces overhead from physical branches and allows them to offer tenants a 50% discount on standard brokerage fees.

The platform operates through a chat-based interface, where users can register their housing preferences, such as location and rent. Following registration, ietty's system, which includes both AI and professional staff, proposes suitable properties. If a user's move-in date is more than 60 days away, an AI system provides property suggestions twice a day. For users with a move-in date within 60 days, human agents take over to offer personalized support and property proposals. This service is available from 10:00 to 19:00, except on Wednesdays.

ietty's service provides access to properties that may not be listed on public-facing websites by utilizing a database exclusive to real estate professionals. The platform supports the entire rental process, from property search and virtual tours via video call to application and contract signing. While the service itself is free to use for tenants, a discounted brokerage fee, equivalent to half a month's rent, is charged upon signing a contract. The company also offers a corporate welfare service called ietty BIZ.

Initially launched in 2014, the company received $500K in an angel funding round in October 2013. However, according to PitchBook, ietty became out of business and entered bankruptcy liquidation in December 2023. The platform is operated by SYLA Co., Ltd.