Part 2: Interview with Jackie on the Roommate and Rental Finding Experience

Jackie is a RentHoop user, a web developer at Microsoft and a Seattle resident. We asked her a few questions about her rental experience and how she thinks blockchain can make life easier for renters.

You hopped on RentHoop a few months ago to find a roommate. How was your experience on RentHoop?

As silly as it is to say, I enjoyed the “dating-app” feel of RentHoop. As a user, I didn’t have to waste time figuring out how to traverse through arbitrary pages and settings. The application walked me through the necessary info fields which provided the best results for my roommate options. Of the matches I came across, I was able to vet several via mutual friends the app alerted me of. It added a human touch to the otherwise impersonal experience.

I loved the “Dealbreaker” option. It was an innovative idea that I hadn’t seen in other ‘traditional’ roommate finder solutions. I felt it answered un-asked questions and helped me relate to people more.

What do you dread most about finding and applying to a new apartment?

The act of actually MOVING your furniture! Everyone’s always busy on moving day, right?

Also, the application process is a bit redundant when you’re applying to a bunch of properties like I did.

Do you know what criteria landlords are looking for when you apply for a property?

In my experience, average to good credit, rent meeting or not exceeding 1/3 of income, and sometimes previous landlord information in order to screen your renting history.

Do you ever feel nervous that a landlord may discriminate against you for your gender/race/age?

More age than anything else. I feel landlords discriminate against younger tenants because they are perceived as irresponsible. I don’t think I’ve ever been asked my race in an application, however the landlord can assume my gender from my name.

As a developer yourself at one of the biggest tech companies in the world, how do you feel blockchain can be used to make renting and finding roommates easier?

Looking for a roommate, knowing that someone has paid rent on time through the blockchain for x amount of time eases my fear of a roommate disappearing and leaving me to pay all the rent.

I live in Seattle where apartments go off the market really fast so you may have to apply to a bunch of them before you get one. Being able to submit a rental application instantly without paying the $50-ish fee for each place is a huge benefit.

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This interview was edited for brevity and clarity.

RentHoop is a mobile app for finding roommates and rooms on iOS and Android phones. We were recently named one of the Most Promising Housing Apps to Watch in 2018 by Forbes and graduated from the Startup Boost(November, 2017) program in Los Angeles.

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