You can now try out a home before you decide to buy it
San Diego based startup Realstir has launched a feature where you can go live in a home for a weekend before you decide if you want to buy it.
For many homebuyers, just doing a quick walk though a home might not give the full experience of what its like to live in a new community, leaving you wondering what life would be like.
You don’t have to wonder anymore.
San Diego based home search portal startup Realstir just launched a feature for all their listings that is basically the Airnnb of home buying – you can spend up to 21 days in the home you are considering. Rates are negotiated on a nightly basis.
“Now we have launched TBYB – ‘Try Before You Buy,’’’ Realstir’s Director of Marketing Marina Tringali told Boston.com. “Every listing has an opportunity to become this.’’
Realstir drew their inspiration from vacation rental sites like HomeAway and Airbnb that have been increasing in both popularity and acceptability.
“The sharing economy has made that concept more acceptable and paved the way for making it acceptable to share a home,’’ RealStir’s founder and CEO Walid Romaya added.
How does it work?
Next to each of the site’s 1.6 million listings is a button that says “Try Before You Buy,’’ which when clicked sends the information to the listing agent.
“The agent contacts the seller and says that people want to try it,’’ Tringali said. “The seller then decides how much to charge per night.’’
She said that Realstir offers insurance or even recommendations for furnishing services if the home no longer has furniture.
“The buyer can stay there for the weekend and the seller can earn money and showcase the home for what it is,’’ Tringali added.
Basically it can help people that are second-guessing their home purchase – Romaya emphasized TBYB can make home buying more efficient and help eliminate buyer’s remorse.
What about Boston?
In the Hub new developments are popping up like crazy.
“Our next goal is to offer TBYB to new developments,’’ Tringali said. “They have model [units] they want people to use.’’
Both Tringali and Romaya recognized that Boston is a tough market, as homes sell quickly and oftentimes they have multiple offers or bidding wars.
“But it will apply to some properties,’’ Romaya said. “There are always pockets of listings that would need this feature.’’
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