New Platform Aims to Streamline Sublet Search in Tel Aviv
Translated & summarized from Ice by baba
Two entrepreneurs launched Roomers, a new platform using AI to simplify finding and listing short-term sublets in Tel Aviv. The site centralizes listings, offers advanced filtering, and allows direct contact, aiming to replace inefficient social media searches. It has attracted over 900 users and 250 listings in its first month.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- New platform Roomers simplifies finding Tel Aviv sublets.
- It uses AI for listing creation and search filtering.
- Users can search by dates, price, amenities, and location.
- The platform aims to replace inefficient Facebook group searches.
- It has gained over 900 users and 250 listings in one month.
Two young entrepreneurs, Idan Schiller and Naor Wellerstein, both 23, have launched Roomers, a new platform designed to simplify the process of finding short-term sublets in Tel Aviv. The idea stemmed from their own difficulties in finding suitable sublets while serving in the reserves and needing to live closer to their base. They found existing methods, such as scrolling through numerous Facebook groups or navigating broad real estate sites like Yad2, to be inefficient and often frustrating, with listings frequently already taken.
Roomers aims to centralize sublet listings, transforming them from random social media posts into a searchable database. Users can filter listings by move-in/move-out dates, price, number of rooms, roommates, pet policies, parking, and balconies. The platform also allows for free-text search queries, such as "apartment near the sea up to 6,000 shekels." Once a suitable apartment is found, users can contact the advertiser directly via WhatsApp, bypassing intermediaries and fees.
For advertisers, Roomers uses AI to extract key information like price, dates, and neighborhood from a simple paragraph description, automatically generating a listing. If information is missing, the system prompts the advertiser with short questions. Schiller and Wellerstein developed the platform with limited programming experience, no team, and no investors, utilizing tools like Base44 and SwiftUI, and employing AI agents for tasks such as posting ads and reporting issues.
Launched on September 6th, just before the holiday season when many Israelis leave the city, Roomers has seen significant early adoption. Within a month, over 900 users registered, more than 500 inquiries were sent, and listings garnered over 200,000 organic views without paid advertising. Currently, around 250 active sublet listings are available in Tel Aviv. The service is free for both renters and advertisers, with the founders focused on establishing Roomers as the primary destination for sublet searches in the city.