But regional banks which decide or not their strategy

Eight hundred kilometres. This is the total length of facades of the agencies of the Crédit Agricole in the territory. A distance that could become a tool of conquest of much more efficient than their Windows are gradually populate real estate ads... This is in any case the objective of the Green Bank while she prepares to add new trades to his palette, real estate agent.

Such as Bank, Credit Agricole finance housing for decades and assured for more than fifteen years. Like its competitors, the group is present in the promotion and sale of new products for investors. However, the choice formalized to the Congress of Tours 2004 to cover all the needs of their clients related to the world of housing and this up to the purchase and sale of their housing major is still somewhat singular, even if other banks are present in this activity (see opposite).

60,000 transactions per year

Ambitious, Credit Agricole SA is a 10 market share in the former to here to 2014, or more than 60,000 transactions per year. End of 2006, the Green Bank should already achieve the 3, with about 190 real estate agencies, and return to the Top 10 of the market.

In France, two-thirds of transactions are carried out in the former half only through a real estate agent or a notary public, against 80 to 90 in other countries. "Our main objective is not to take market share in real estate agents, but to expand from individuals using the real estate agencies," said Gérard worker-Buffet, Director General of the caisse régionale Loire Haute-Loire and head of the Steering Committee of the project.

Creation of an SAS

As to the usual to Credit Agricole, the project is coordinated at the national level with the creation by end 2006 of an SAS to consolidate resources (website, training, logistics, specialized subsidiary Camca bail, legal, etc.) and the launch of a national trade mark "Square Habitat". But regional banks which decide or not their strategy. As of 2004, four cases (Pyrenees-Gascogne, Loire Haute-Loire, Centre France, Central-Eastern) initiated the movement, today they are thirteen active in the former. Twelve others were projects for acquisition of agencies this year, and four cases are in the phase of study.

"Insurance-damages, we have ten years to ensure that all regional caisses launch;" "two years after the start of this project, 29 cases are already entered in the process: This shows that they have understood the importance of the issue and that this development is consistent", welcomes Gérard worker-Buffet. Only missing the appeal of the Ile-de-France, Midi and Gard who prepare their merger, Nord-Midi Pyrénées, Toulouse, Alpes Provence and South-Mediterranean.

Several key principles

Despite the differences between cases, several key principles guide the Green Bank. First, it is not question of buying a large national network of franchisees. "We have made the choice to work with networks built into the Bank and each fund built its network of agencies on its territory," said the head of the Fund Loire Haute-Loire. Then, the approach must be consistent with the rules of the profession of estate agent: it is the principle of the seal. "The real estate agency must be clearly separated from the banking agency and display its professional security, Camca or Fnaim, he continues. In addition, the mark remains different even if membership of the Credit Agricole does not doubt and if real estate space adjoining the banking agency. Finally, the agreement of the client must be systematically before the potential transfer of his case to the banking agency and vice versa.

The cost and profitability of such diversification Investments are enormous according to its promoters. And to prevent any reversal of the cycle, the group plans to expand trade for rental management, the administration of property, the sale of new and the most recurring results monitoring. With respect to the commissioning of agents, no question of dumping. "We have taken the party not to return the market price, provides Gérard worker-Buffet. We want to work in a spirit of fair competition with the profession, in which we also have many customers. "This should not prevent regional banks to take advantage of this new activity in terms of earnings of clients and results.