Just when you thought the online rental field couldn’t get any more crowded, yet another startup has joined the fray.
Ventura, California-based iRent was founded by veteran Matthew Foster, who served in “Army Special Ops and Military Intelligence,” according to iRent’s announcement of its beta launch.
After exiting the army at the rank of captain, Foster built a successful corporate housing company, where he grew its revenue to over $5 million in five years, before founding iRent, according to iRent.
IRent says its focus on both commercial and residential properties sets it apart from all other rental websites.
In addition to offering the staple features of a rental search website, iRent lets users ask questions about properties through an anonymous iRent email address or from their favorite email client.
IRent joins a slew of other firms seeking to grab market share from Craigslist, which has long dominated the rental space.
They include Zillow Group (Zillow, Trulia, HotPads); RentPath Inc. (Apartment Guide, Rent.com, rentals.com and Lovely); realtor.com; CoStar Group (Apartments.com); Dominion Enterprises (Homes.com and ForRent.com); Apartment List; Zumper and RadPad.
