Revolutionizing Real Estate: A Conversation with Mike Vasiliev, CEO of Placy
Introducing Mike Vasiliev, CEO of Placy
I'm Mike Vasiliev, CEO of Placy. Before founding this venture, I was Chief Product Officer at CIAN, Eastern Europe's largest real estate portal. My journey in real estate spans over 20 years, beginning at a real estate agency and evolving through various innovative roles.
Why Start Fresh? The AI Opportunity
When ChatGPT was unveiled, I immediately recognized its transformative potential for real estate—a multi-trillion-dollar global industry. AI technology is set to enable unprecedented automation, benefiting buyers, sellers, renters, and landlords. Imagine effortlessly finding your perfect home in minutes instead of days. AI scans thousands of listings, comprehensively analyzing pros and cons exactly as you would, but without the exhaustion.
This massive productivity leap means everyone could soon have the world’s best real estate agent right in their pocket.
Is the Realtor Profession Doomed?
We've spent considerable time debating whether AI could fully replace human agents. Some startups think so—we disagree. We believe the human element will become even more essential as a differentiator. That’s why we're building Placy specifically for real estate professionals: an AI Platform tailored to enhance human capability, not replace it.
Understanding the AI Platform: Beyond a CRM
Placy PRO isn’t simply a chatbot builder, CRM, lead generation tool, or workflow manager—it’s a powerful combination of all these functionalities. Think of it as your ideal assistant, working tirelessly around the clock, proficient in dozens of languages, and always energetic.
Instead of adding complexity, Placy PRO seamlessly integrates with existing tools, enabling agents to focus on building meaningful client relationships rather than managing apps or data entry.
How Placy PRO Differs from Traditional CRMs
We don't compete with existing solutions like Salesforce or vertical CRMs such as iList or Qobrix; we complement them. While horizontal CRMs require extensive customization, and vertical solutions still demand significant manual effort, Placy PRO automates and orchestrates entire workflows. For example, if you miss a late-night call, Placy PRO steps in to qualify the lead, schedule viewings, and update your CRM without human intervention.
This illustrates our core philosophy: orchestrating workflows exactly as an agent would, but at scale and with greater efficiency.
Creating Your AI Clone
Our vision goes beyond automations and digital assistants; we aim to create AI "clones" of agents, including replicating their voices and even videos. This advancement is closer than many realize, although it’s still evolving. Existing companies will struggle to keep pace, often needing complete reinvention, while new entrants risk overwhelming the market with niche solutions.
Avoiding App Fatigue
We recognized early that real estate professionals don’t need more apps—they need solutions that simplify their existing workflows. Agents excel at building relationships, not managing data. Placy PRO empowers professionals to focus on their strengths, turning everyday tasks into streamlined, automated processes.
Why Companies Shouldn't Build Their Own AI Solutions
Although basic AI automations appear straightforward, the reality of developing robust, scalable, and reliable solutions is daunting. Large Language Models (LLMs) are inherently unpredictable, making DIY solutions risky. From managing hallucinations to ensuring cost-effective scalability, companies often underestimate the complexity involved. Placy, an AI-first company since 2023, provides an off-the-shelf, continuously improving, production-ready solution.
Recent Innovations: Multilingual AI Voice Assistant
One of our latest advancements is Placy PRO’s ability to handle multilingual phone conversations seamlessly. It accurately transcribes, understands, responds, and takes appropriate action immediately—ideal for capturing leads outside regular business hours. This not only saves significant time but also expands an agent’s market reach globally from day one.
Real Productivity Gains and Revenue Growth
Placy PRO can save agents approximately 30 hours per month—equivalent to gaining 2.5 additional productive months each year. Automated processes allow agents to handle more opportunities, thus generating increased revenue in a reinforcing cycle of growth. This productivity revolution is not merely advantageous—it’s essential for survival in the competitive real estate market.
Gaining Traction Among Investors and Professionals
Our rapid growth is fueled by an exceptional team with deep industry experience, previously responsible for a NYSE unicorn, coupled with expertise in technology, user experience, and global marketing. Initial VC backing significantly enhanced our R&D capabilities, providing insights and agility to stay ahead of the curve.
Today, Placy PRO is drawing significant interest from market leaders. We're in advanced talks with prominent developers in the MENA region and collaborating with globally recognized brands across Europe, poised to transform the real estate industry through AI.
