Ownr

About Ownr

Ownr (ownr.eu) operates as a real estate technology company in Germany, providing a lease-to-own model for residential properties. The company was established in Hamburg in 2017 by founders including Nils T. Kohle, David Raabe, and Roland Wenidoppler. Sandeep Agarwal, with over 20 years of investment banking experience, including at Credit Suisse, joined as Group CFO in 2019.

The firm's business model targets individuals who wish to live in a specific home but are not yet ready or able to purchase it due to factors like insufficient equity or income requirements. Ownr's process involves purchasing properties selected by its clients from the open market, undertaking renovations to the client's specifications, and then leasing the property back to them. This model effectively increases the supply of rental properties by converting for-sale listings into leased homes. The company generates revenue through monthly lease payments.

Clients enter a leasing agreement for a minimum term of 24 to 48 months. A key feature of the service is a purchase option granted to the lessee, allowing them to buy the property at a predetermined price at the end of the lease term. This price is calculated based on Ownr's initial purchase price, renovation costs, and a factor for price inflation. Clients are not obligated to buy and can choose to extend the lease or move out. The company claims that customers may save money on the eventual purchase due to its professional negotiating power on price, fees, and refurbishment costs. To identify and assess properties, Ownr partners with real estate assessors and utilizes major property portals like Immobilienscout and Immowelt.

Since its inception, Ownr has secured over €4 million, including a seed round from Berlin-based Atlantic Labs in 2019. A subsequent Series B funding round in November 2020 raised an additional €12.5 million ($14.6M), with Atlantic Labs participating. Initially active in the Hamburg market, the company has since expanded its operations to Berlin and the Frankfurt Rhein-Main region.