Hemnet – Viktiga händelser som format tjänsten

Sammanfattning: In recent time Hemnet has faced an intensified criticism because of the latest introduction of ad-fees, and not least because of the take-over regarding Swedbank Fastighetsbyrån and Svensk Fastighetsförmedling. There is a growing concern amongst real estate agents about the development for which the Swedish real estate advertising market is taking. Many of the competitors on the market that have previously experienced difficulties in establishing on the market now see their opportunity to make use of the situation that has emerged regarding Hemnet. By offering better and more lucrative terms they could potentially bring in enough real estate agencies to pose a real threat on the advertising market. Hemnet is part-owned by four organizations, Fastighetsbyrån, Svensk Fastighetsförmedling, Mäklarsamfundet and Fastighetsmäklarförbundet. All of which have a 25 percent share in Hemnet. With Fastighetsbyrån now possibly taking-over Svensk Fastighetsförmedling, their share would rise to 50 percent. Many are those who have expressed their worry and anger with the whole situation and within the real estate industry a sigh of disappointment is spreading given the way Hemnet is developing. The vision was never to become a profit-driven platform, but a fair and just platform owned by the real estate agents, to escape the dependency-state and growing ad-costs for which they otherwise would have to pay the newspapers. It proved important to use the internet in its early stages to build a good platform from where they could compete with the newspapers. It turned out to be a successful move and Hemnet soon became a leader on the market, by some regarded as nothing short of a monopoly. Hemnet is now being challenged perhaps for the first time from all sides in form of competitors, but even by its own organization. A tough period awaits Hemnet with their over a decade long market leading position at stake