Local Startup Reinvents Housing for DC's Interns & Students
As DC home prices continue to rise, city homeowners are always on the hunt for new ways to help pay the mortgage. That often means renting out basements, rooms or even couches to the city’s constant influx of visitors. While there is no shortage of tourists, homeowners are seeing the benefits of hosting some of DC’s medium-term visitors: the more than 40,000 interns who flock to DC each year.
Enter Roomsie.
Roomsie is an online rental marketplace that matches local homeowners with interns and students in need of housing. Roomsie founder Jacob Chaney took ten years of experience, expertise and customer feedback as CEO of the Washington Intern Housing Network and poured it into this new, one-of-a-kind platform.
“I’ve spoken with a large number of students who have worked hard in their academic careers in order to land coveted intern positions but who couldn’t afford housing in DC and had to forgo amazing opportunities,” says Chaney.
Like other short-term rental marketplaces, Roomsie manages everything from tenant screening to digital leases, while creating a community among renters via networking and social events. Most intern and student programs typically last 14 weeks, so Roomsie hosts see less turnover than other short-term properties. Compared to a 12-month rental model, hosting on Roomsie has shown to increase a homeowner’s monthly rental income by 34 percent.
Roomsie also provides hosts with profiles of potential renters, and guarantees monthly payments by collecting rent upfront and covering any defaults or rent deficiencies.
“We’re really looking for engaged hosts to respond to the overwhelming demand for intern and student housing,” says Chaney. “Whether or not you got your start as an intern or student in DC, hosting on Roomsie is a great opportunity to both make money and give back.”
Roomsie is gearing up for the summer, which is peak intern season, but the company also facilitates thousands of rentals throughout the year and is now actively recruiting hosts.
For more information and to learn about how to become host, visit Roomsie online here; or get in touch with the platform's Community Manager Robert Brixton at 202-335-5549 or robert.brixton@roomsie.com.
See other articles related to: Roomsie
This article originally published at https://dc.urbanturf.com/articles/blog/local-startup-reinvents-housing-for-dcs-interns-students/15305.
Most Popular... This Week • Last 30 Days • Ever
DC continues to get close to meeting Mayor Muriel Bowser's goal of producing 36,000 n... read »
The National Park Service has given the green light for DC's 62 year-old stadium to b... read »
Plans for another residential project in downtown Bethesda are moving forward.... read »
On Wednesday, Airbnb launched the Icons Collection, approximately a dozen "one-of-a-k... read »
The application could be a sign that plans to redevelop a pair of former church prope... read »
- 34,000 And Counting: DC Is 96% of Way Towards Meeting 2025 Housing Production Goals
- RFK Stadium Cleared For Demolition
- Site Plan Filed For 68-Unit Condo and Townhouse Project in Downtown Bethesda
- Airbnb Unveils Icons, One-Of-A-Kind Listings For Free
- Raze Application Could Pave Way For 45-Unit Condo Development At Former Church Site in Shaw
DC Real Estate Guides
Short guides to navigating the DC-area real estate market
We've collected all our helpful guides for buying, selling and renting in and around Washington, DC in one place. Start browsing below!
First-Timer Primers
Intro guides for first-time home buyers
Unique Spaces
Awesome and unusual real estate from across the DC Metro