Re:We replaced rental brokers with software and filled 200 v...
by vineyardmike on Thursday July 08, 2021 @08:56PM
(#27779449)
>> virtual apartment layouts
>I wish to see that. It'll be 10 more years before the implementation won't be total garbage.
It exists today. I used it for all my apartments since 2018. Its great (enough). Mattermost is the biggest one i've seen. They even have a (mediocre) VR app. Its sufficiently good enough for the purpose. You can even (somewhat precisely) measure the apartment (great for furniture/etc).
I wish to see that. It'll be 10 more years before the implementation won't be total garbage.
> ability to see profiles for roommates
Privacy concerns may prevent that. If not, it's a prime candidate for a paywall.
> no bait and switch of "that unit just got taken buuuuuuuuuuuttttt i have this crappy one that is still available just for you!
You're joking, right?
On-line services literally live by that. They've perfected it, refined it to the level of art. Only the best US used car salesmen can get close to pulling shenanigans the large on-line hotel and vacation booking services pull.
> the fee they charge will be less than brokers.
The fee will be whatever they say it will be. The more centralized the market will get - and this is what happens when things get handled by tech companies - the higher the fees are likely to be.
> no way would someone handover a month's rent to some company who's only interaction with you is via chatbot
People will pay if the service is good enough, for the same reason they pay brokers today. Many have more money than free time in their lives; one month's rent isn't much if it cuts out most of the bullshit that's involved in finding a place to rent.