HouseME looks to change the rental market in SA with app

Real estate startup, HouseME wants to change the way property rentals are handled for landlords and prospective tenants in SA. The company has launched an app which it hopes will solve gaps in the rental process.

“The market is locked by a process where landlords advertise their properties for a set rental, and often accept the first tenants to put a deposit down,” says the CEO and co-founder of HouseME, Ben Shaw, in a press release to Ventureburn.

Prospective tenants will be able to bid on an open property instead of the landlord setting a price.

“It’s clear that both landlords and tenants will benefit from a transparent bidding mechanism, particularly where a property is in high demand, and a fair price unknown,” says Shaw.

HouseME and its accompanying app aim to verify all listed properties and deliver up-to-date pictures

Since its September launch, it has serviced 30 new landlords per week, and according to the startup, “has a 100% success rate in securing rentals”.

HouseME always wants to change the market by allowing prospective tenants to view all of the properties online. This is a feature that has been implemented to some extent in the rest of the private property market.

“Tenants come from all over the country and don’t always have the means to view properties before they arrive, which is why we verify every property listed and provide up-to-date photographs on the app,” he continues.

In order for landlords to secure appropriate tenants, HouseME runs a screening process for tenants registered on the system.

“We’re democratising the home rental market by incentivising and rewarding good conduct, just as one would rate a trip with an Uber driver. We’re hoping this will also reduce discrimination that takes place on the basis of gender, race, or culture,” says CTO and co-founder, Kyle Bradley.

“The HouseME dashboard for landlords provides access to expert maintenance services through one of our partners, Fix Forward, at a discounted rate.”