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The pandemic-infused real estate market sent a lot of people to real estate portals to find new places to live.
For almost two years, the real estate market witnessed Americans flooding rural mountain towns, trendy tech-centers and fulfilling sunbelt retirement enclaves long before social security would kick in.
Many also looked to move out of the country, a move not as easy as settling into an urban flat outside Austin.
But, to make becoming an ex-pat a little easier, look to Seattle-based Far Homes, a company that has just raised $2.25 million in a seed round to flatten the multi-faceted process involved with relocating to a foreign land.
The investment round was led by PSL Ventures.
Other notable investors include Evan Moore, co-founder of Door Dash and former VP of Product at Opendoor; Laurence Jankelow and Ryan Coon, co-founders of Avail; Victor Noguera, co-founder of Flat.mx; and Franco Forte, co-founder of Mudafy, along with Redfin CEO Glenn Kelman and other company executives.
Far Homes is a technology-backed solution that makes it “easier to find, buy, own, and sell homes abroad,” according to the funding announcement.
Chet Kittleson is co-founder and chief executive officer of Far Homes. He said his company is embracing the remote worker movement and that where a person works no longer has to define where a person lives.
“Our vision is that more people around the world have more access to finding, buying, owning, and selling homes across borders,” he said in a statement. “We are excited to grow our business, expand our network of partners, and help make a home abroad a reality for our customers.”
Kittleson and his co-founders Molly Braeunig and Max Blumen were previously executives at Redfin.
The trio has his philosophical backing, as well as his money, Kelmen said in the release.
“I invested in Far Homes because I believe in Chet, Molly and Max,” Kelman said. “These are people who will find a way to win, but what’s just as important is how. These are deeply moral people. Their business will benefit their customers, colleagues and communities, not just themselves and their other shareholders.”
The company’s listing portal helps buyers make sense of another country’s real estate advertising standards because there aren’t always listing sources as centralized as American multiple listing services.
Far Homes’ initial focus is on Mexico, and it is building an in-house, bi-lingual concierge team to support buyers and those who want to list on Far Homes’ portal. It partners with local real estate professionals when a person is ready to “get serious.”
“Our network of local agents have vast experience helping buyers from outside the country, so you can be confident you’re getting a guide who knows what you need,” the Far Homes website reads.
The portal also includes extensive destination guides to help aspiring buyers better understand what it might be like to live in a specific community.
The company said that the seed round will be used toward staff build-up and strategic investments.
Far Homes was launched in 2022.
