BVFI Bundesverband für die Immobilienwirtschaft

What BVFI Bundesverband für die Immobilienwirtschaft does

BVFI - Bundesverband für die Immobilienwirtschaft is a German federal trade association (e.V.) for the real estate industry, founded in 2010 and headquartered in Lüneburg with a backoffice in Windeck. It serves individual brokers, brokerages, property owners, and real estate investors through a membership-based platform combining traditional association services (lobbying, certification, events) with a proprietary digital ecosystem anchored on the BVFI24 Eigentümer Allianz platform, which lets members operate ClubCenters and access owner/investor networks. The organization reaches members through 17 Landesdirektionen, 282 Regionaldirektionen, and a distributed PremiumPlus franchise of Regionaldirektoren, serving more than 10,000 members nationwide. Monetization comes from tiered membership subscriptions (Free, Premium, PremiumPlus), professional training and the Fachmakler Immobilien Investment BVFI certification via the BVFI-Akademie, events such as the Deutsche Immobilienmesse and Online Kongress, and platform services delivered through the BVFI24 stack and the IMAG closed MLS, which links 300+ real estate companies and 1,000+ specialized brokers.

The technology layer is built around Zoho CRM, CentralStationCRM, Zoho Campaigns, and Webinaris, stitched together with Zapier and branded across multiple domains (bvfi.de, bvfi24.de, bvfi-akademie.de, imag.immo, stadtportal.immo, award.immo, maklerwelt.immo, kongress.immo, branchenbuch.immo). BVFI's wholly-owned subsidiaries include BVFI24/Eigentümer Allianz (the member-facing club and lead platform) and the acquired IMAG (Immobilienmakler AG) MLS marketplace. The association holds Bundestag accreditation and has publicly claimed credit for blocking the proposed 2% commission cap and the Bestellerprinzip in property sales, framing political advocacy as a core member deliverable alongside networking and education. Leadership is provided by Chairman Jürgen Engelberth and Managing Executive Board member Oliver-D. Helfrich, supported by a Verbandskanzlei and Beirat structures referenced on the corporate site.

The business model is fundamentally subscription/membership recurring revenue, augmented by transactional event and training fees, with no disclosed external funding or parent company. Distribution is hybrid: self-serve digital onboarding through bvfi.de and bvfi24.de for SMBs and individual members, supplemented by a field network of Regionaldirektoren and inside-sales Zoom strategy calls for PremiumPlus enterprise-style accounts.

Name

BVFI Bundesverband für die Immobilienwirtschaft

Legal name

BVFI - Bundesverband für die Immobilienwirtschaft e.V.

Website

https://bvfi.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

BVFI is the German federal association (Verband) for the real estate industry, founded 2010, serving 10,000+ brokers, owners, and investors via tiered memberships, the BVFI24 Eigentümer Allianz platform, and 282 regional directorates. It combines lobbying, professional certification, events, and a closed MLS marketplace (IMAG) for members.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Lüneburg

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: BVFI generates primary revenue through membership fees at multiple tiers including free access, PremiumPlus membership for regional director positions, and Premium membership for general members. The PremiumPlus tier enables members to build their own Immobilienclub networks and receive passive income from member contributions.
2. Professional Education and Training: Revenue from the BVFI Akademie and Fachmakler Immobilien Investment BVFI certification programs, offering professional development and coaching services for real estate professionals.
3. Events and Conferences: Revenue from hosting the Deutsche Immobilienmesse (Immobilienmesse & BUKO), Online Kongress, Immo ClubTalk, MaklerTalk, and various sports and networking events.
4. Platform and Network Services: Services provided through BVFI24 platform including club management, real estate exchanges, and various partner services and integrations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

BVFI is a German federal association for the real estate industry that delivers membership-based services including political advocacy, professional certification, networking infrastructure, and a proprietary digital ecosystem (BVFI24 / Eigentümer Allianz) that connects real estate brokers, property owners, and investors through club centers, an MLS network (IMAG), and regional portals.

Product overview

BVFI is a professional real estate industry association offering a membership-based platform with networking opportunities, exclusive training, and proprietary systems. The core product is the BVFI24 Eigentümer Allianz platform, complemented by the BVFI-Akademie for professional development. Additional offerings include IMAG (broker network with 300+ companies), Stadtportal.immo (regional portals), Award.immo (industry awards), Maklerwelt.immo (broker tools), and various clubs including Business Club and Immobilien Campus for financial education.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• BVFI24: Eigentümer Allianz platform providing network infrastructure for real estate professionals with ClubCenters, member portals, and business networking tools.
• Eigentümer Allianz
• IMAG (Immobilienmakler AG)
• BVFI-Akademie
• Maklerwelt.immo
• Stadtportal.immo
• Award.immo

Products and services

• BVFI24 Eigentümer Allianz

Quantifiable outcome

• 100+ ClubCenters successfully established across Germany
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• IMAG - Immobilien Makler AGcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIMAG (Immobilien Makler AG) operates as the closed MLS (Multiple Listing Service) network within BVFI, providing off-market and portfolio listings. The network connects 300+ real estate companies and 1,000+ specialized brokers, enabling members to access thousands of commissionable properties for their own websites.
• Zoho CorporationcoreTechnology or IntegrationBVFI utilizes Zoho CRM for customer relationship management and Zoho Campaigns for newsletter distribution and marketing automation across its member communications.
• IONOS SEcoreTechnology or IntegrationWebsite hosting provider for bvfi.de and associated domains. Used for web analytics through IONOS WebAnalytics.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• ImmoScout24 (Scout24 SE): Germany's leading real estate marketplace platform. Not a peer association, but a structural counterparty: BVFI exists partly to help brokers compete against ImmoScout24's disintermediation, making it the dominant incumbent shaping BVFI's value proposition.
• Immowelt AG: Major German real estate portal competing with ImmoScout24. Relevant as an industry force BVFI members must navigate; not a direct peer but shapes the competitive context for BVFI's MLS and marketing offerings.

Others

• Zillow Group: US-based real estate technology and marketplace company. Not a direct competitor but a comparable operator of MLS-adjacent and broker-tooling infrastructure; useful as a reference point for the digital platform trajectory BVFI24 is pursuing.

Direct peers

• Haus & Grund Deutschland: Large German property owners' association with over 900,000 members. Comparable in mission to represent and educate real estate stakeholders, though focused on owners/investors rather than brokers; both compete for German real estate association mindshare.
• National Association of REALTORS (NAR): The US equivalent trade association for real estate professionals. Comparable in mission (advocacy, MLS infrastructure, education, certification), though at vastly greater scale; useful as a structural analogue for BVFI's potential trajectory.
• IVD - Immobilienverband Deutschland: Germany's other major real estate professional association, representing brokers, property managers, and appraisal experts. Directly comparable to BVFI in serving German real estate agents with advocacy, training, and certification offerings, though with a more traditional association structure.
• BFW - Bundesverband Freier Immobilien- und Wohnungsunternehmen: Federal association of private real estate and housing companies in Germany. Comparable as a trade association for the German real estate industry, with overlapping advocacy, training, and networking services for member companies.

Regional players

• Century 21 Germany: German arm of the global Century 21 real estate franchise. Comparable in offering German brokers brand affiliation, training, and lead-generation tools; relevant as an alternative model to BVFI's association-plus-platform approach.
• RE/MAX Europe: Global real estate franchise network with significant German operations. Comparable in providing brokers with brand, training, technology platforms, and referral networks across multiple countries; operates as a peer at the broker-support layer rather than association layer.

Emerging players

• Engel & Völkers AG: German-headquartered real estate franchise/brand network. Comparable in operating a broker network with training, brand standards, and a proprietary platform, though commercially focused rather than association-based; serves similar real estate professional customers.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/bvfi
• Instagraminstagram.com/bvfi
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/bvfi-bundesverband

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about BVFI Bundesverband für die Immobilienwirtschaft