Residential Property

HomeShare, an online platform that matches would-be roomates, has just announced major partnerships with four of the nations largest apartment developers, including Equity Residential, Greystar, Sares-Regis and Fairfield Residential. The app is currently available in five of the country’s priciest real estate markets, serving Seattle, New York, Silicon Valley, San Francisco, and most recently Los Angeles. Often likened to a dating app, HomeShare matches roommates in multifamily developments based on personality and preferences such as cleanliness and how often guests are invited over. The platform partners directly with building owners and managers, charging a small percentage fee on the incoming money from new renters, ideally much less than a traditional broker. So far, the four real estate companies involved have had little to say about the deal, but HomeShare founder and CEO Jeff Pang has expressed enthusiasm about the “mutually beneficial relationship.”