Industry expert argues rising costs are forcing innovation in transaction fee structures. The convergence of record-high home prices and mortgage rates has created an unprecedented affordability crisis that’s driving demand for alternative transaction models, according to Nico Jodin, CEO of digital real estate platform Beycome.
The Affordability Squeeze
“The price of housing never be that high, and the price of mortgage never been that high,” Jodin says. “If you make the same salary and you want to buy the same house that you were looking for three years ago, you cannot buy it anymore.”
This cost pressure, Jodin argues, is forcing buyers to scrutinize every aspect of the transaction, including traditional commission structures. “Whatever is the cost of your loan, whatever is the cost of the properties that you’re looking to move, you have to put a roof on your car for your family… so you don’t have really choice.”
Impact on Purchasing Power
Through his platform, Jodin has observed how commission savings can meaningfully impact buyers’ options. The company has helped users “save 200 millions in commission” across their transactions, maintaining a 97.8% listing-to-closing ratio.
These savings often translate directly into increased purchasing power. Jodin notes that most users apply commission savings toward closing costs or to buy down their interest rate. “You pay 7% with Beycome, we give you the money… to buy interest points and you don’t gotta pay any more 7%, you’re gonna pay 6.4, 6.5 depending on the price of the house.”
Over a typical 25-year mortgage, Jodin calculates these rate reductions can save buyers “$60-70,000, $80,000” in total interest payments.
Market Response
The platform’s approach appears to be gaining traction across market segments. “Initially, when I started the business… people with less revenue, with smaller house, can use the platform because they want to save on everything possible,” Jodin recalls.
However, the model has since attracted a broader range of transactions, from “$5,000″land deals to “$25 million”l uxury properties, suggesting cost pressure exists across price points.
Technology-Enabled Solutions
Jodin’s platform uses artificial intelligence to help users navigate complex transactions while reducing costs. The system can “generate the contract, to make offer, to counter, to analyze absolutely everything, but in a very, very normal language,” he explains.
This technology-first approach allows the platform to process “a transaction every 28 minutes” while typically saving users “$12,000 on average” per transaction.
Industry Evolution
While Jodin acknowledges traditional agents will maintain a role in the market, he sees growing demand for cost-efficient alternatives. “We don’t gonna represent every buyers, every owners, on the country. We know that we good with that. We just want to offer an alternative.”
As housing costs continue to rise faster than wages, pressure for transaction cost innovation may increase. Jodin suggests the industry will need to continue evolving to address this fundamental affordability challenge.
