PocketList is Here with a Slew of Offerings for Landlords, Managers, and Renters

PocketList is a renter-backed housing platform that allows renters to find homes before they hit the market. The startup has officially launched after less than a year under wraps and already offers an inventory of tens of thousands of units with verified feedback from current and past tenants. 

Based in the Los Angeles area, the startup looks to offer a transparent platform for renters based around safety. 

Nick Dazé, Co-Founder and CEO of PocketList, said:

"We're tapping into the power of earlier information and transparency for the benefit of everyone. When renters share a 'heads-up' on when they're moving and insights on what it's like to live in their old place, they're alleviating a huge uncertainty for their fellow renters."

Along with launching with an impressive inventory, PocketList has also raised $2.8 million in Seed funding. The round was led by David Sacks’ Craft Ventures, with participation from Abstract VC and Wonder Ventures, along with angel investments from Zillow Co-Founder Spencer Rascoff.

Rascoff commented:

"Bringing transparency to real estate has been a nearly 20-year process, and the apartment market is only just getting there.

“PocketList takes transparency to the next level, bringing exclusive 'pre-market' inventory into the light, and it's no surprise that renters have flocked to the service."

PocketList’s app is free to download. Through the app, users can rate their current home and access ‘PocketListings’ where they can browse through verified listings for rent. For a subscription fee, property managers and landlords can access PocketList Pro for their own needs. 

Features for renters include:

• Early access to pre-market listings
• Anonymous insights to promote transparency on listings
• Engagement tools
• Direct contact with current tenants of a listing to inquire about specifics.
• Save units to a Favorites List
• Security
• No contact info is shared with the property manager unit until the renter submits an application
• Last names are hidden from property managers to further promote privacy and combat discrimination

PocketList Pro Features:

• In-depth insights on properties and competitors
• Claim properties for free and view unfiltered feedback from renters
• View competitors in the vicinity of their properties
• Early access to potential renters
• Communicate directly with potential renters 

PocketList seems to be offering a lot right off the bat, but there’s more planned for the future. The startup has neighborhood discovery tools in development.

Nick Dazé, explained:

"Given the way the current rental market is set up, there's almost always a gap between when a renter 'needs to find a place' and actually 'rents a place. PocketList breaks the cycle and gets people into homes they love earlier than ever before."