Created 20 years ago, Abry Immobilier shines today on Puy-de-Dôme, Cantal and Haute-Loire. Also having strategic locations in Paris and Saint-Raphaël (83), the network of Abry Immobilier agencies is the result of the constant efforts of its creator, Guy Roche , a committed and inspiring character. Spotlight on this partner of the World Property Business Club !
Can you tell us about your network and your professions?
I have an atypical background. After 25 years in the Army, I decided to completely change my life. I created my structure with the fierce desire to do battle with real estate! Twenty years later, Abry Immobilier continues to grow. Today, we unite twenty employees divided between the eleven agencies of the network, in Puy-de-Dôme , Cantal and Haute-Loire . These locations are strategic, as they are all located along the highway. In addition, there is a certain economic relationship between Cantal and Puy-de-Dôme and the real estate offer is flourishing there. In addition, this territory is very attractive, because it is among the most affordable in France. Finally, as a major manufacturer (249 sales concluded in 2021), we had to meet the needs of our customers who have to travel for their professional activities or rest on the Cote d’Azur. This is done thanks to the creation of an office in Paris and another in Saint-Raphaël.
What innovative services do you offer to your customers?
Recently, we started selling real estate online . Currently, French real estate agents are not yet very adept at this type of practice. They seem not to have found the commercial purpose of using this service. Still, I think this form of bringing buyers and sellers together could account for at least 4-5% of market sales.
Online real estate auction
This process is very useful in a specific case. It happens that sellers do not accept the valuation of a property carried out by a real estate agent. The family house or their apartment in the city center are essentially emotional goods. It is objectively complex to accept an assessment that one may have tended to inflate, given one’s life history in the place.
An auction allows you to get a realistic idea of the price of a property. Thanks to a necessarily attractive call price, we can know the “market” price at which it can be sold. It’s a clever way of making a landlord “hear reason” if he wouldn’t give in to the price offered during a traditional negotiation. On the other hand, the latter remains totally in control of selling to whom he wishes his property. Just because you’re the highest bidder doesn’t necessarily mean you win the sale. The seller remains “sole master on board” and the final decision is up to him.
The seller sets a “reserve price” below which he refuses to sell his property. And when he receives an offer, he can give preference to the amount, even if it means accepting the file of a family having recourse to financing. Either the speed of the transaction, and accept the slightly lower proposal of a person who immediately has the sum. For buyers and sellers to understand the principle of the auction of real estate, we have designed a document. Before any participation in an online transaction, we ask them to sign it. A precaution which makes it possible to avoid any misunderstanding on both sides.
We are accompanied in the online auction by the company Winup , and intend to carry out approximately one each month.
The e-reputation
Another important point: our e-reputation. Like my friend André Perrissel, I realize the importance of e-reputation for a network of real estate agencies. This is why I actively collaborate with journalist Marc-Alexis Roquejoffre . As part of his Vue d’Auvergne program, he regularly gives me an open forum to discuss the attractiveness of Auvergne real estate.
The network of Abry agencies also publishes an e-magazine, embellished with videos, to maintain the link between all its partners and customers.
Dematerialization
Finally, the dematerialization of all the agency’s “paper” documents has been a reality for us for eleven years. Accounting invoices, management invoices, administrative forms… digitization has become essential for us since the beginning of the 2010s. A habit that now allows us to save one working day per employee! Reflexes that were very useful during confinement. Thanks to digitization, we have all been able to work as we do every day. COVID hasn’t changed our habits!
Network real estate
As a real estate professional, I have a dream. That a client can enter any agency and have access to all the properties for sale in the world. Admittedly, it is a question of utopia… But didn’t all the most beautiful inventions see the light of day because their creators had first dreamed of them? I like to imagine that this could be the case… And I’m working on it, on my scale!
Abry Immobilier is already at the origin of the AMEPI shared file , in the Auvergne Rhône-Alpes region. And as I like to think big, I am also an active member of the World Property Business Club. It was in this context that I met André Perrissel . We are both among those real estate agents who believe that in order to serve our clients, we must partner. We then naturally discussed and are considering synergies, particularly in Paris and Marseille . The network of Etoile agencies is recognized as a benchmark in real estate. We also have clients wishing to acquire or sell their property in areas where Agence Etoile is established. This partnership can only be beneficial for everyone.
What are your medium-term projects?
We have doubled our turnover in four years. Our goal, by 2025, is to double it again. We prepare and structure society for this. We know that this objective is realistic because the Auvergne Rhône-Alpes region benefits from a strong economic attractiveness. Furthermore, our Parisian and Côte d’Azur agency benefits from the current force of attraction of stone . We want to appear to our customers as the “real estate family doctor”.
Stone is also a living material! Do not hesitate to consult your real estate agent to make a regular update on the state of your assets!
Interview by Stéphanie Buitekant
