Amazon Enters the Real Estate Business Through a Partnership with Realogy

E-commerce giant Amazon said that it will partners with Realogy, the nation’s largest residential real estate brokerage company and owner of Century 21, Coldwell Banker and other brands, to create TurnKey, a service that will help prospective home buyers find real estate agents. According to the Los Angeles Times, Amazon will give buyers up to $5,000 in home services and smart-home gear when they close as an incentive to use the service.

TurnKey will work by directing buyers who are interested in the program go to Amazon.com/TurnKey and answer four questions about who they are and where they live. They will then get a phone call from Realogy in order to determine what kind of home they are looking for.

The most promising prospects will be sent to agents. Depending on how much buyers ultimately spend on a home, those who close with one of Realogy’s agents get a coupon for $450 to $1,500 in Amazon Home Services like unpacking, cleaning and furniture assembly, along with $500 to $3,500 in smart-home products that Amazon or some affiliate will install. To get the maximum benefit, worth $5,000 in equipment and services, a buyer would have to purchase a home for $700,000 or more.