Proptechs: Como a inovação no mercado imobiliário pode ser a resposta a crise habitacional em Portugal

Abstract

This dissertation investigates how innovation in the real estate sector (Proptechs) can be a response to the housing crisis in Portugal. The primary objective of the study is to understand and categorize the main innovations in the real estate field, including the companies and their respective business models, as well as to identify the variables that are causing the increase in housing prices. In the second part of the research, the author will correlate the sector's innovation with the crisis variables, developing hypotheses on how these new business models can be a response to this problem. To achieve the proposed objective, the author initially conducted an extensive literature review on the topic, followed by an exploratory observational analysis as the research method for the development of the case study. The results obtained in this investigation suggest that Proptechs have great potential in mitigating the housing crisis, as these business models present (1) efficiency, agility, and transparency to the real estate sector; (2) ease of access to relevant information and data about this market; (3) innovation and improvements in the processes used by all actors in this ecosystem; and (4) access to housing in a more democratic way. Practically speaking, we suggest that society and the government pay attention to these new business models, as they have great potential to contribute to finding solutions to the housing problems. Ideally, we recommend that these solutions be included in the guidelines of government programs as a response to the housing crisis, given their capacity to improve the current procedures used today.