Seattle, for whatever reason, has emerged as the epicenter of all things online real estate. From Redfin to Imprev to Zillow, the region has spawned a number of innovative up-and-comers in the category. (See last weekend’s podcast for more on this topic: How tech is reshaping real estate, with Estately’s Galen Ward).
Now, here comes yet another. The company is called ZipDigs, and it is looking to transform the way people find rental properties.
Of course, there are already some big players in that arena, from Apartments.com to Zillow’s own fast-growing rentals business.
But ZipDigs founders Tom Petry and Demetri Themelis think they can make some inroads. “We are trying to make renting easier,” said Themelis, who calls the experience a “pain in the ass” for both renters and property managers.
ZipDigs is setting out to change that. Themelis isn’t saying too much about the business strategy or approach, though he’s hoping to get the site launched later this spring before the big summer rental push.
Themelis said that ZipDigs will not compete with Zillow or other offerings, noting that the service is “completely different.”
Themelis and Petry previously worked at UBS Wealth Management. We discovered the startup in a SEC filing, which indicated the company had raised $50,000 in a $400,000 seed round.
