Photo/Bao Jingjing (NBD)

ByteDance has never ceased its push into the real estate brokerage business. 

Media reports claimed that the Chinese tech behemoth's real estate business platform Xingfuli has established 15 real estate brokerage companies in Beijing and plans to open brick-and-mortar stores called "Qiuhe Real Estate". Moreover, marketing materials have been delivered. 

However, a person-in-charge with Xingfuli said that "Qiuhe Real Estate" is only for normal trademark reserve and Xingfuli has no plans to open "Qiuhe Real Estate" stores and to open any stores in Beijing. 

Data shows that Beijing Haofang Youxing Information Technology Co. Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary of ByteDance, indeed applied for the registration of multiple trademarks including "Qiuhe Real Estate". Now, "Qiuhe Real Estate" has opened a WeChat account, but the operator has nothing to do with either ByteDance or Xingfuli in terms of equity structure. 

However, in September last year, Byte launched an offline real estate brokerage brand "Xiaomai Real Estate", which focuses on real estate brokerage services offline and has opened more than 100 offline stores in Fuzhou. 

Insiders revealed that "Xiaomai Real Estate" only has a layout in Fuzhou and operates on a franchise model.