Martin Waeber, Managing Director Real Estate at SMG Swiss Marketplace Group.

In 2021, Scout24 Switzerland and TX Markets merged to create the SMG Swiss Marketplace Group.  Previously, the companies had sites in Flamatt, Zurich, Zug and Lausanne, but from Summer 2024, their combined workforce will be based at the bluefactory innovation quarter in Fribourg. Interview with Martin Waeber, Managing Director Real Estate at SMG.

Some 30 months on since the merger, how would you rate the ambitious launch of the SMG Swiss Marketplace Group?

The joint venture between TX Group and Scout24, which began in November 2021, brought together not only two digital pioneers but also over a dozen brands and distinct corporate cultures. SMG is now much more than the sum of its parts. Our extensive experience and Swiss DNA mean that we are well positioned to operate in a dynamic and challenging environment and face down stiff competition from national rivals like Comparis and Newhome and international ones like Meta and Google. We want to offer our customers impressive products across all our marketplaces so that they can make informed decisions about their Swiss property transactions easily and with the help of digital tools. We also want to attract and nurture the finest brains and best real-estate talent around.

How does the SMG Swiss Marketplace Group integrate technological innovations and market trends in its real estate operations?

At SMG Real Estate, our very talented team keeps me informed of the latest innovations, trends and developments in the national and international markets and keeps me motivated. As Managing Director of SMG Real Estate, I see it as my duty to learn from other markets, to share ideas with my peers from all over the world, draw inspiration from them and foster a culture of innovation within my team. But if innovation is to thrive, particularly as regards artificial intelligence, we need to make sure the right conditions are in place. I firmly believe that the medium- to long-term survival of companies in the real estate market depends on their ability to leverage the power of AI to benefit not only their business but also their customers. This is why we take a multipronged approach: from marketing campaigns generated entirely with AI to tools for automated insertion and conversation-based property searches.

What are the main challenges that SMG Swiss Marketplace Group faces in the real-estate sector and how does it respond to them?

The SMG Swiss Marketplace Group and its platforms have enjoyed success for a quarter of a century, which is an eternity in the digital world. Nonetheless, we operate in a national and global market that has never been more competitive and fast-moving as it is today. Added to this is the steady stream of specialized real-estate platforms and start-ups entering the market, and the non-stop evolution of established international players. We therefore cannot afford to take our foot of the gas pedal or stand still. We have to keep adapting our innovative solutions to our customers’ needs and to the rapidly shifting dynamics of the market.

In Fall 2024, the SMG Swiss Marketplace Group will relocate from Flamatt, its current site in the canton of Fribourg, to the bluefactory innovation quarter in downtown Fribourg. Why?

There is no better location in the region for our business than bluefactory and we’re really looking forward to our move. The decision to relocate to the city center was a no-brainer for us. First, bluefactory’s convenient location will make the commute easier for our staff, especially those based in western Switzerland. Second, our state-of-the art premises in Fribourg, which follows on from the opening of our new headquarters in Zurich Oerlikon in spring 2023, will not only better meet our office infrastructure needs and requirements but will also stand as an expression of our loyalty to French-speaking Switzerland. Our offices are now designed to support hybrid work while also providing an inspiring environment that facilitates face-to-face contact, networking and collaboration and combines a start-up culture with high-tech and science. bluefactory, Fribourg’s innovation quarter, offers the perfect blend of all of these elements.