HOME'S Services | LIFULL Co., Ltd.

Message from the Head of LIFULL HOME'S

LIFULL HOME'S was founded in Japan as a media platform for real estate and housing information to make real estate information accessible to anyone via the internet. Over the years, the collection of services that we have developed catering to both home-seekers and real estate professionals and has grown into one of the most comprehensive sources for real estate information in Japan.
We are currently focusing on expanding Sumai No Madoguchi, our personal consultation service that operates both online and offline, and developing more AI-powered features for our websites. Additionally, we have integrated our investment property database with Kenbiya’s to strengthen our competitiveness in this field. Through these efforts, we aim to transform ourselves into a network of personalized services, assisting people in all aspects of their real estate journey.

Representative Director and Managing Officer
General Manager and Head of LIFULL HOME'S Business Department ITO Yuji

Business Overview

The HOME'S Services segment is focused around our flagship service, LIFULL HOME'S, one of the largest real estate and housing information websites in Japan. In this segment, we provide services to assist realtors and help each user easily find the right place to live according to their individual needs.
Through these services, our goal is to create a world where LIFULL HOME'S is an indispensable service.

Primary Services
-LIFULL HOME'S
-AD Master (Prev. Renters Net)
-NabiSTAR
-Kenbiya

Globally, many real estate portals adopt a listing-based pricing model, charging usage fees based on the volume of advertisements posted by real estate professionals. LIFULL HOME'S, however, differentiates itself by employing a unique model in the rental and resale markets to maximize the number of listings on our platform. We have implemented an inquiry-based pricing strategy, which allows our clients the flexibility to pay only when they receive inquiries from users, rather than for each individual listing.
To maintain the highest standards of data quality on our website, we have established a dedicated department responsible for overseeing and ensuring the accuracy of all listings. Additionally, we have implemented robust whistleblowing mechanisms and collaborate with industry-leading database partners to ensure that properties no longer on the market are promptly removed from our site. This multi-faceted approach underscores our commitment to delivering reliable and up-to-date information to our users.

Overview of FY 2023/9

We believe that the ultimate value that we provide through LIFULL HOME'S comes from our services which help guide people through the house hunting process and help them find the right home for their preferred lifestyle - and ultimately ending in a transaction. To ensure that each of our users is able to find the right home,, we have been investing in cutting-edge technologies, including artificial intelligence, to enhance our user experience and interface. Furthermore, we are continually expanding our network of real estate professionals to better serve our users and clients. This holistic approach ensures that we not only meet but exceed the expectations of those who trust us with their real estate needs.

During FY 2023/9, we continued to make investments in developments for our services. However, at the same time, we also reduced branding costs to the same level as two years ago. Despite these reductions, though, we still maintained a similar number of incoming inquiries as in the previous year meaning that we were able to increase profitability of the business

As a result, revenue amounted to ¥23,158 mil. (a decline of 11.2% YoY.) However, at the end of September 2022, we transferred all shares of a subsidiary which served as a advertising agency specialized in the real estate sector, LIFULL Marketing Partners (LMP.) After removing the effects of this transfer, revenue increased by 2.7% YoY. Additionally, primarily due to the reductions in advertising spending, segment profit amounted to ¥2,655 mil. (YoY +657.0%) - a considerable increase in profitability.

Topics

Progress toward Expansion of Investment Property Data

In July 2020, we acquired one of the largest investment real estate platforms in Japan, Kenbiya Co., Ltd., to accelerate our growth in the investment real estate information sector.

In April 2023, we moved the team responsible for investment properties on LIFULL HOME'S to Kenbiya and completed the integration of both databases.
Press Release (April 11, 2023, in Japanese)

Through the integration of our databases, client real estate professionals can streamline the listing process across both platforms. Additionally, our developers can enhance efficiency and further improve site features, thereby delivering greater value to both users and clients. We are also actively expanding our network within the investment community, striving to establish ourselves as the premier source of investment property information in Japan.