Südwestdeutsche Fachakademie der Immobilienwirtschaft

What Südwestdeutsche Fachakademie der Immobilienwirtschaft does

The Südwestdeutsche Fachakademie der Immobilienwirtschaft e.V. (SFA) is a Wiesbaden-headquartered, eingetragener Verein (registered non-profit association) founded in 1986 that delivers accredited professional education and continuing training for the German real estate and housing industry. It serves in-service professionals, apprentices, licensed brokers and property managers, senior managers, and lateral entrants through a catalog of IHK- and SFA-certified certificate programs, the most prominent being the Geprufte/r Immobilienfachwirt/in (IHK) at DQR Level 6 (Bachelor-equivalent) and the Immobilien Ökonom/in (IHK/SFA) at an advanced level, plus the §34c GewO compliance course, the §26a WEG certification prep, the Immobilienmakler/in, Wohnungseigentumsverwalter/in, and Immobilien Consultant tracks, together with apprentice self-study modules and customized in-house corporate seminars.

The technology stack is conventional and education-oriented: a proprietary Moodle-based SFA-Onlinecampus LMS (weiterbildung.sfa-immo.de) delivers course materials, submission workflows, and asynchronous content; live-online instruction is conducted via Zoom with breakout rooms and screen sharing; an IHK-Lern-App extends access on mobile; and web analytics are handled by Matomo under GDPR-compliant anonymization. Distance learning programs carry ZFU (Staatliche Zentralstelle für Fernunterricht) state accreditation, and individual programs are co-branded with regional IHK chambers, producing nationally portable, government-funding-eligible certifications.

SFA's revenue model is tuition-driven, with course fees ranging from 99 EUR (apprentice self-study) to 3,800 EUR (Immobilien Ökonom), and the flagship Immobilienfachwirt priced at 2,870–2,880 EUR plus 230 EUR materials and a separate IHK exam fee. Distribution is hybrid: direct-to-consumer self-enrollment via the SFA event portal, employer-sponsored enrollment, and a B2B in-house corporate channel (SFA-VOR-ORT). Revenue mechanics are reinforced by statutory compliance mandates (§34c GewO, §26a WEG) that create legally non-discretionary demand on a recurring triennial cycle, by the bfb alumni partnership, and by a 20% IVD Mitte member discount channel.

Name

Südwestdeutsche Fachakademie der Immobilienwirtschaft

Legal name

Südwestdeutsche Fachakademie der Immobilienwirtschaft e.V.

Website

https://sfa-immo.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1986

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Südwestdeutsche Fachakademie der Immobilienwirtschaft (SFA) is a Wiesbaden-based non-profit professional education provider offering IHK-certified certificate programs, continuing education, and corporate training for the German real estate and housing industry, delivered via Moodle LMS, Zoom live-online, and in-house formats.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Real Estate Education

NAICS

Educational Services (611), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYEDAAALAI

Real Estate, Appraisal & Mortgage (Agent/Broker CE, Appraiser CE)

Education/Adult & Continuing Education/Professional Licensure & Continuing Professional Education (CE/CPE)

Keywords

• Real estate education
• IHK certification programs
• Property management training
• Continuing professional development
• Vocational real estate courses

Headquarters

HQ city

Wiesbaden

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Course Tuition Fees: SFA's primary revenue stream is tuition fees charged for its professional certification and continuing education courses. Fees vary by program: Immobilienmakler/in (IHK/SFA) 850 EUR + 250–400 EUR exam fee; Wohnungseigentumsverwalter/in (IHK/SFA) 850 EUR + 250–400 EUR exam fee; Geprüfte/r Immobilienfachwirt/in (IHK) Live-Online 2,880 EUR + 230 EUR materials + IHK exam fee; Fernlehrgang 2,870 EUR + 230 EUR materials; Immobilien-Ökonom/in (IHK/SFA) 3,800 EUR + 300–600 EUR exam fee. Instalment payment plans are available for most programs.
2. Continuing Education Compliance Courses: Fees for statutory compliance courses such as the §34c GewO Kompaktkurs (850 EUR) serving the mandatory 20-hour triennial continuing education requirement for real estate brokers and residential property managers.
3. Digital Self-Study Modules: Pre-recorded online courses such as Buchhaltung für Azubis (99 EUR) and Rechnen für Azubis (99 EUR), available as standalone modules or as a discounted combined package (179 EUR). Revenue is one-time per participant per course.
4. Supplementary Coaching and Crash Courses: Add-on programs including AdA-Coaching (249 EUR), Rechnungswesen-Vorbereitung (199–279 EUR depending on participant status), and Immobilienfachwirt Crashkurs (300 EUR for SFA participants, 390 EUR external).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

SFA is a professional education provider offering IHK-certified certification programs, exam preparation courses, and statutory continuing education for the German real estate and housing industry. Programs cover qualifications such as Geprüfte/r Immobilienfachwirt/in (IHK), Immobilienmakler/in, Wohnungseigentumsverwalter/in, and Immobilien-Ökonom/in, delivered via live-online (Zoom), ZFU-approved distance learning, in-person, and in-house corporate formats through a Moodle-powered digital learning campus.

Product overview

The Südwestdeutsche Fachakademie der Immobilienwirtschaft (SFA) is a professional education provider offering a comprehensive portfolio of certificate programs, intensive courses, seminars, and distance learning options for the real estate and housing industry. The core product lineup includes: (1) flagship IHK-certified programs such as Immobilien Ökonom/in (IHK/SFA) and Geprüfte/r Immobilienfachwirt/in (IHK) at DQR 6 (Bachelor-equivalent) level; (2) foundational certification programs including Immobilienmakler/in (IHK/SFA), Wohnungseigentumsverwalter/in (IHK/SFA), Immobilien Consultant (IHK), and Zertifizierte/r Verwalter/in (§ 26a WEG); (3) targeted preparation and coaching courses like the Crashkurs Immobilienfachwirt/in, Rechnungswesen prep, and AdA (Ausbildung der Ausbilder); (4) apprentice-focused online video courses for Rechnen and Buchhaltung; (5) compact courses for career changers (Kompaktkurs Wohnungswirtschaft) and mandatory § 34c GewO continuing education; and (6) open seminars, conferences, and customized Inhouse training. Programs are primarily delivered via live-online (Zoom-based), distance learning (self-paced), or in-person formats through a Moodle-powered digital learning campus.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• Up to 75% of programme costs covered through Aufstiegs-BAföG (50% grant + 25% loan waiver on completion), with additional Aufstiegsprämie of 3,500 EUR in Hesse or 2,000 EUR in Rhineland-Palatinate.

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• bfb – Bundesverband der Fach- und Betriebswirte in der Immobilienwirtschaft e.V.coreGTM or Marketing PartnerSFA offers all its graduates free membership to the bfb (Bundesverband der Fach- und Betriebswirte in der Immobilienwirtschaft) alumni network. The bfb provides members with free access to three recurring events per year: the bfb-Immo-Preis (January, Kurhaus Wiesbaden), the bfb-Summer-Lounge, and bfb-Vor-Ort property visits. The partnership provides SFA with a sustained alumni engagement mechanism and elevates the value proposition of SFA certification by connecting graduates to a broader professional community in residential and commercial real estate, facility management, WEG administration, finance, and urban planning.
• IVD Mitte e.V. (Immobilienverband Deutschland, Mitte)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSFA and IVD Mitte entered a cooperative agreement under which IVD Mitte members receive a 20% discount on all SFA training programmes (apprentice courses excluded). The partnership leverages IVD's 30-year history and political engagement to direct members toward SFA's certified continuing education offerings. Starting 2019, IVD members can access discounted enrolment across SFA's full course catalogue.
• Staatliche Zentralstelle für Fernunterricht (ZFU)coreOthersThe ZFU (Staatliche Zentralstelle für Fernunterricht) in Cologne is the German state body responsible for examining and approving distance education programmes. SFA's Fernlehrgänge have been reviewed and approved by the ZFU, confirming that the learning content is complete, professionally and didactically structured, and meets state standards for distance learning. This accreditation is a prerequisite for government funding eligibility and confers official credibility on SFA's self-study programmes.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Deutsche Immobilien-Akademie (DIA): DIA Freiburg offers certified continuing education for real estate professionals including Immobilienmakler and Wohnungseigentumsverwalter courses, positioning it as a regional direct competitor to SFA in Southwest Germany.
• VWA Verwaltungs- und Wirtschaftsakademien: VWA is a network of German adult education academies offering state-recognized professional development including real estate and management tracks; comparable in regulatory positioning and learner profile to SFA's offerings.
• BBA – Berufsakademie für Immobilienwirtschaft: BBA offers accredited vocational and continuing education programs for the real estate industry in Germany, including Immobilienfachwirt courses and corporate in-house training, directly competing for the same learner segments as SFA.
• Europäisches Bildungszentrum der Wohnungs- und Immobilienwirtschaft (EBZ): EBZ is Germany's leading specialized real estate professional academy, offering IHK-certified Immobilienfachwirt and related CE programs. It is the most direct competitor to SFA in the German real estate education market.

Emerging players

• Sprenger Akademie / private distance-learning institutes: Large ZFU-accredited distance-learning providers such as SGD offer Fernlehrgänge across professional fields including real estate, representing indirect competitive pressure on SFA's self-paced Fernlehrgang tracks.
• Hochschule für Wirtschaft und Umwelt (HfWU) – Real Estate programs: HfWU and similar universities of applied sciences offer bachelor's/master's real estate degrees and executive education in Germany, representing an academic alternative that overlaps with SFA's senior-level qualifications like Immobilien-Ökonom.
• Wohnungswirtschaftliche Seminare / targeted CE providers: Smaller specialized CE providers serve the same §34c GewO compliance audience with shorter, lower-priced courses, representing a price-competitive threat at the lower end of SFA's course catalogue.

Broad incumbents

• IHK chambers (e.g., IHK Frankfurt, IHK Wiesbaden): Regional IHKs co-certify SFA's programs but also offer their own preparatory courses and administer the underlying examinations, acting as both partner and partial competitor in the IHK-aligned real estate CE market.

Others

• bfb – Bundesverband der Fach- und Betriebswirte in der Immobilienwirtschaft: bfb is SFA's primary alumni and event partner; it also serves as an industry association that organizes networking and recognition (bfb-Immo-Preis), making it a strategic ecosystem enabler rather than a competitor.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/sfa.immo
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sfa-wiesbaden

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 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 Südwestdeutsche Fachakademie der Immobilienwirtschaft