GoldenKey

GoldenKey, formerly known as SoloPro, operated as an online real estate platform engineered to restructure the conventional home buying and selling process. The company was founded in 2015 by Tommy Sowers, Shayne Sowers, and Narayan Krishnan. Tommy Sowers, the CEO, brought a diverse background to the venture, having served as a Green Beret in the U.S. Army, a management consultant at McKinsey & Company, and an Assistant Secretary at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. This multi-sector experience, spanning military leadership and strategic consulting, informed the company's objective to challenge established industry norms.

The firm was established to directly address the high costs associated with traditional real estate transactions. GoldenKey's platform functioned as a marketplace connecting residential property buyers and sellers with licensed real estate agents, but with a significant alteration to the payment model. Instead of a standard percentage-based commission, the company enabled clients to select and pay for specific, unbundled services on an a la carte basis. These services included property listings, coordinating home viewings, and managing transaction paperwork, each for a transparent, flat fee. This structure was designed to provide consumers with greater control over the process and generate significant cost savings, as the model allowed for the full buyer's agent commission to be rebated to the client upon closing.

Headquartered in Durham, North Carolina, GoldenKey garnered attention and venture backing, with investors including Lowe's Ventures and NFX. The company was recognized by outlets like CNN and Forbes as a notable startup for its approach to the real estate market. In September 2018, GoldenKey was acquired by Landis, a data science-focused real estate investment platform. The acquisition involved Landis absorbing GoldenKey's technology, intellectual property, and data to enhance its own platform for institutional real estate investors, though the deal did not include GoldenKey's employees.

Keywords: real estate platform, proptech, real estate brokerage, flat-fee real estate, a la carte real estate services, commission rebate, residential property, home selling, home buying, real estate disruption, on-demand real estate, real estate technology, property technology, Tommy Sowers, Landis acquisition, SoloPro, real estate marketplace, agent connection, transaction coordination, property listing service