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From assisting insurance companies and banks with valuations to helping developers and agents collaborate on how to move forward safely and productively, the destructive fires in southern California this winter will demand a lot of the state’s real estate industry.
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One company hoping to make a difference is Gitcha, a marketplace that helps buyers and renters create public notices for desired properties. Initially active in Arizona, the company said in a Feb. 21 press release that it has started operations in California, aiming to assist consumers in the fire-ravaged markets of Los Angeles.
The company said it was waiting until 2026 to launch operations in The Golden State.
“Gitcha has added a special feature for users to designate in their want-listing if they have been displaced by the fires. As part of their support, Gitcha will also be waiving all fees on the platform for users in Southern California indefinitely,” the release stated.
The company emerged last summer in the wake of the NAR settlement, which mandates signed buyer agreements pertaining to commission payment.
“Like the well-known MLS, the Buyer Listing Service from Gitcha offers a robust platform where real estate professionals can list and share their clients’ specific home search criteria, including financing, timing and other pertinent purchase details,” the company said in June last year.
Members of Gitcha — primarily aspiring buyers and renters — use the application to broadcast to agents, sellers and landlords specific needs sought in a home or apartment, including location, size, budget, specific wants, school district desires and the like. It allows for a custom description where the renter or buyer can provide additional context, as well.
Gitcha has launched a Los Angeles-specific webpage to augment its message of assistance, available at https://www.gitcha.com/losangeles. It provides a screenshot-based guide for signing up and to explain the process and lists all of the counties in which it aims to provide service.
“These wildfires have left thousands in Southern California searching for homes,” said Dan Cooper, CEO of Gitcha. “While we can’t create more housing, we can help those affected share their needs and connect with their community for support.”
The California Association of Realtors (CAR) published an open letter in February to help Californians displaced by recent wildfires understand and avoid common pitfalls as they recover from the disaster, Inman reported. It was published in national outlets as well as many California new sources.
“The next several months will bring untold challenges for so many,” said CAR President Heather Ozur in the letter. “As professionals whose core values are tethered to the building of communities and to the meaning that ‘home’ occupies in our lives, we not only stand committed to helping rebuild what has been lost but also aim to protect you however we can.”
