Otodom's new model increases costs for intermediaries. Will the market bear it?

Pay raises or change of philosophy? Intermediaries talk about real costs

In industry discussions, there are calculations indicating: cost increase from 60 percent up to 300 percent

The new model means moving away from paying for activity (number of offers) to paying for potential (portfolio value). This is a fundamental change.

Ewelina Michlewicz-Kośna, who runs a sole proprietorship, has no doubts: – This transfers all business risk to the intermediary, while guaranteeing revenue to the platform – assesses.

As he explains, the specificity of the Polish market – based on open contracts – means that the agent often invests in an offer without a sales guarantee. — You can have several properties worth PLN 3 million and not sell any of them. And still cross the threshold of a higher subscription – indicates.

He also adds that the effectiveness of individual portals varies. — Otodom generates a lot of traffic, but not always the highest conversion. Transactions are often finalized thanks to other sources, he emphasizes.

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Freedom: It's not a price adjustment, it's a game changer

The analyzes of representatives of the Freedom agency go even further. In their opinion, the change is part of a broader trend of the platform economy. — This is no longer a price list correction, but a game changer – says Łukasz Kruszewski, Co-CEO of Freedom.

Notes that platforms are no longer just a marketing tool, but become market infrastructure. — We are entering a stage where the platform not only connects demand with supply, but also begins to influence the economics of the entire industry, Kruszewski points out.

Freedom emphasizes that the new model changes the cost logic. — The fee is no longer related to current activity, but begins to result from the historical value of the portfolio, we read in the analysis.

Experts pay attention to the “lock-in” effect. — The greater your presence in the system, the harder it is to leave it. This is a classic platform economy mechanism, they explain.

In their opinion, this may lead to a growing asymmetry in the relationship between the platform and intermediaries.

“And very good.” A voice against the industry

However, not everyone criticizes the changes. Urszula Kurpiejewska from White Lion Investments presents a completely different view. — In my opinion, this change can be very healthy for the market – assesses.

He thinks that the new model attacks the pathologies of the industry, such as collecting unsellable offers or inflating prices just to build a portfolio. – This is not a sales strategy, it is collecting advertisements – he emphasizes.

Kurpiejewska believes that higher costs will force agents to reflect. — The agent will start asking himself: does this offer make business sense? – says.

He adds that in practice, the cost of the increase may correspond to one additional transaction per month. — If someone runs a business consciously, they will quickly see that this is not an insurmountable barrier – assesses.

Otodom: a new settlement model and “fair” cost matching

Otodom firmly denies allegations of pay increases. As Jakub Kląskała, sales director of the platform, explains, the change is systemic.

— The word “raise” is inadequate. This is primarily a change in the settlement model, which adjusts fees to the actual scale of customers' operations – he emphasizes.

The new system is based on the value of the real estate portfolio. In the lowest threshold of the professional package, offices will pay from approximately PLN 650 net per month with a portfolio of up to PLN 5 million. The portal gives examples: an agency with 10 properties worth PLN 500,000. PLN will pay approximately PLN 65 per offer per month, and for more expensive properties the unit cost increases.

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— The clients operate in different markets, but what they have in common is the value of the portfolio. It is the common denominator and the basis for fair settlement – argues Kląskała.

The portal also highlights new elements of the offer: possibility of increasing the number of offers by 30%. above the threshold without changing fees and greater cost predictability thanks to a fixed monthly rate.

— We offer not only the publication of advertisements, but also access to customers. This It is up to the agency how to use this potential – adds the representative of Otodom.

At the same time, the company admits that market reactions are mixed. — Some customers are cautious, others evaluate the changes positively, we hear.

However, it is clear that the platform is aware of the difficult image moment it finds itself in (although it does not admit it out loud). They try to explain the changes they are introducing through various channels, but they are met with negative responses from the market on all sides. It came to the point that comments were blocked under the video published on YouTubebecause after the first 600 views there were no positive ones.

When asked whether if the market does not come to terms with these changes, they will consider returning to previous settlement methods, they answer that they know that customers need time to get used to these transformations. The only question is, how many of them will actually get used to it and stay, how many will reach the heights of negotiation skills and win costs reduction, and how many will simply give up cooperation.

Competition: more inquiries and emphasis on stability

The changes in Otodom are immediately taken advantage of by competitors. Michał Kurczycki, managing director of Nieruchomosci-online.pl, points to the growing interest in cooperation. — We see increased interest from offices. The market is looking for a stable alternative – says.

Emphasizes the importance of predictability. — Today, clear rules and the ability to plan a budget are key, he adds.

The portal cooperates with over 4.8 thousand. offices and generates millions of contacts annually, which – as Kurczycki points out – confirms its role as a real source of demand.

Similar signals are coming from the Morizon-Gratka Group. Its CEO Łukasz Szymak emphasizes: – The market is going through a period of changewhich encourages reflection on the quality of cooperation and standards of operation.

In turn, Krzysztof Piątek from the same group points out: – We see increased interest in cooperationbut we need to wait for the full effects to be assessed.

Joanna Szymczyk adds: – We focus on transparent rules and partnership relations. This is crucial for the market today.

Voices from the market: emotions, boycotts, denunciations to the Office of Competition and Consumer Protection and lack of trust

Discussions in the intermediary community are extremely emotional. Critical voices dominate the comments, often very harsh ones.

Many agents indicate a sense of dependence on the platform and a lack of a real alternative. There are opinions that the portal takes advantage of its market position.

Some intermediaries declare their resignation (some have already “thrown the papers” and assure that they have broken off cooperation immediately), others say that it is necessary to diversify channels. Groups are being created on social media encouraging boycotts.

There is mutual motivation among website users to report the matter to the Office of Competition and Consumer Protection. There are also skeptical voices about the boycott idea – some believe that the industry is unable to act together.

It's also repeated in the comments thread of inequality — especially in the context of smaller towns, where the minimum value of the property included in the portfolio is PLN 200,000. PLN, even if the real price is much lower.

The Office of Competition and Consumer Protection knows about the whole mess. The institution receives more and more complaints. — We receive a lot of notifications about the Otodom website. They are analyzed by us – says Agnieszka Orlińska from the Office.

At this stage, the office does not decide about violations, but the scale of reports shows the seriousness of the problem.

What's next? The market is entering a new phase

The changes at Otodom are part of a broader context of market concentration. Estimates indicate that capital-linked platforms may be responsible for up to 70-80 percent. traffic in the real estate advertising segment.

This level means very high concentration in economic analyses. In practice, this means that the platform ceases to be one of the channels – it becomes key market infrastructure.

Additionally, integration with other services strengthens the scale effect by accumulating traffic and data in one ecosystem.

Changing the Otodom model may have far-reaching consequences. Experts point to possible market consolidation — smaller offices may not be able to cope with the rising costs.

On the other hand, it appears pressure for professionalization and greater efficiency.

As one of the intermediaries sums up: the decision to stay or leave the platform today is not only a financial matter. This is a strategic choice that can define the future of the business.

One thing is certain – the real estate market in Poland is just entering a new stage.