Who are we ?
Our purpose
Real estate is the cornerstone of any wealth, whether it's about acquiring one's primary residence, a second home, or rental properties. It is a significant expenditure for households, but it's also a source of quality of life, financial security for the future, and a defense against inflation.
From a societal perspective, the challenges in real estate are enormous. The fundamental right to housing faces issues like financing, available land, the need for urban redevelopment, and urgent energy-efficient renovations...
Real estate and construction are also vital sectors of the economy, both in terms of employment and added value. However, they grapple with material and labor shortages, expertise for renovations, inflation, and a proliferation of regulations and constraints.
The verdict is clear: in France today, the housing crisis is becoming increasingly prevalent. Buyers struggle to borrow for purchases, prices are rising everywhere, landlords overwhelmed are removing obsolete properties from the rental market, and students are sleeping in their cars.
This presents a multitude of challenges for a single market that is indeed seen by investors as a reassuring safe haven but is also one of the keys to reducing the impact of our energy-intensive lifestyles.
To us, this market is stagnant and unquestionably needs more fluidity to address its challenges.
To create this fluidity, we are convinced that we need to address the main obstacles faced by real estate investors.
A team of 4 enthusiasts
Mehdi Zouari, CEO
With 20 years of retail and management experience, including 8 years in digital transformation, Mehdi is passionate about blockchain, crypto, and the new possibilities they enable. Let's meet in Lyon or at Station F (Paris 13th) !
Guillemette Depresle, General manager
Bringing 20 years of real estate investment and finance experience, Guillemette is the founder of Qwantim (real estate club deals, ASL management for tax benefits, and rental management). Let's meet at Station F (Paris 13th) !
Gary Franco, Director of Investments
With 17 years of experience in real estate, Gary is the founder of Easinvest, offering turnkey real estate solutions for individual and professional investors. Let's meet at Station F (Paris 13th) !
Mohammed Nahhas, CTO
An expert in Magento, blockchain developer, smart contracts, DeFi, and NFTs, Mohammed is your go-to tech expert. Let's meet in Annecy !Real estate strategy
Sourcing
Initially, Atoa is targeting residential or mixed-use properties (with commercial space on the ground floor) in single ownership (Atoa as the sole owner) to have complete decision-making control in conjunction with token holders.
This asset target is less sensitive to economic fluctuations, as housing is the largest expense in the budgets of the French population, 40% of whom are renters.
Our property sourcing efforts will be concentrated in areas that exhibit strong economic and demographic development potential and a significant proportion of renters, ensuring a sustained and strong rental demand for our assets under management over time.
Our experience in real estate investment has led us to select locations that are both secure (with strong heritage value) and offer medium-term appreciation potential. This potential can be realized through various means: renovation work, energy performance improvements, space optimization, and the dynamism of the area. The appreciation of the investment (and customer tokens) will also naturally come from the amortization of the bank loan associated with the asset.
Our network includes a wide range of stakeholders, providing access to opportunities both on and off the market ("off-market"). Through our experiences, we have established numerous connections with property hunters, agents, as well as recognized professionals who have access to opportunities (property dealers, family offices, notaries, etc.).
We will begin by offering property acquisitions in Metropolitan France before diversifying into other geographical areas, seeking significant returns that allow for both the appreciation of token values (through renovations, loan repayment, and property appreciation) and the provision of an attractive net monthly rental income.
Property management approach
NOur experience means that we are familiar with all types of rental arrangements: unfurnished, furnished, shared housing, short-term rentals, and more. The rental strategy for each acquired asset will be adapted to the property's characteristics (location, housing size) to optimize its rental yield for investors. This will enable us to offer properties with various types of rental arrangements. We are also open to experimenting with new rental strategies, with the consent of investors, to adapt to changing tenant preferences and demands (digital nomads, semi-secondary residences, etc.).
Property management will be handled by our in-house management teams, providing a comprehensive view of the property portfolio. They will be supported by local professional service providers - independent contractors, specialized firms, or real estate agents - for on-site tasks (property inspections, move-in/move-out inspections, etc.).
Responsible commitment
Atoa aims to continue the efforts initiated by its founders to have a positive impact on society and reduce the environmental footprint of buildings. Our responsible commitment revolves around three key areas :
Inclusive investment
Our solution, with a minimum investment of €50 and a user-friendly experience, breaks down several traditional barriers to real estate investment (e.g., down payment, bank documentation), making it possible for anyone to invest, regardless of their personal or professional situation and at their own pace.
We also aim to encourage and facilitate women's investment. The gender investment gap only exacerbates other financial disadvantages they face and limits their collective influence on corporate behavior and the world in general. Women are more likely to make socially and environmentally responsible investments and could bring in up to an additional $1.87 trillion in responsible investments (source: NBY Mellon study).
We will organize live webinars and provide tutorials to explain how the token system works, the embedded mechanisms to safeguard investors, and to address any questions.
Energy renovation
We aim to position ourselves as acquirers of assets with the goal of providing our tenants with energy-efficient housing.
We will make sure to select assets that are already energy-efficient or make them energy-efficient through renovation work.
For Atoa, profitability also involves the sustainability of our investments to align them with current and future market standards.
Improving the energy performance of the existing real estate portfolio involves renovation work such as insulation, replacing outdated and energy-consuming heating systems, and upgrading windows and non-efficient materials.
A certified sustainable property increases its real estate value by an average of 10%. Nationwide, a property with an Energy Performance Certificate (DPE) rating of A has a selling price 11% higher than a property in the same location with a DPE rating of F. In some cities, the differences can be even more significant or considerable. For example, in Brest, a property with a DPE A rating is currently sold for 57% more than a DPE F-rated property. In Nîmes, prices rise by 55%; in Limoges, by 49%. Profitability also means sustainability and energy efficiency of real estate.
Now more than ever, real estate investment is synonymous with energy efficiency and performance, and Atoa aims to lead the movement initiated by the construction sector to reduce the carbon footprint of existing and new real estate.
Occupant comfort
In order to retain our tenants and ensure a high occupancy rate, we aim to provide the occupants of the properties we manage with a high-quality living environment and energy-efficient housing. This ambition will materialize in the selection of properties, both in their condition at purchase and their potential after renovation. Improved energy performance will allow us to better monetize our assets by :
- Reducing the building's operating expenses and increasing the net rent received,
- Enhancing tenant satisfaction, their comfort, and avoiding high turnover,
- Significantly increasing the asset's valuation, making it align with market standards, and optimizing its resale value.
