Apartment List Launches World's First Apartment Matching Engine

Combines the Power of Social Networks With Personal Preferences and Extreme Math to Make Finding the Perfect Apartment Easy and Fun


SAN FRANCISCO, CA--(Marketwire - Sep 12, 2011) - Apartment List today launched at TechCrunch Disrupt the world's first apartment matching engine, using the power of social networks and the company's proprietary matching technology to instantly transform the way people find apartments. Renters can now personalize their apartment search and pare down thousands of listings to only the few that fit their needs simply by connecting to their social networks and answering a series of insightful questions.

"Finding a new apartment should be a fun and exciting time that has instead become a painful experience for most people," said Apartment List CEO and co-founder John Kobs. "We are making it incredibly productive and efficient, and wrapping it inside an entertaining and engaging process. Involve your friends, answer some crazy questions, and get really great apartment recommendations in return -- some that you might never have imagined. It couldn't be any easier."

Features:

  • Facebook integration automatically personalizes apartment recommendations based on your activities and those of your friends;
  • Insightful and entertaining questions (ranging from "Do you have any money in the stock market?" to "What is your favorite type of birthday cake?") along with apartment and amenity rankings further refine your apartment match recommendations;
  • 1.3 million apartment units nationwide and counting -- all on an easy-to-read map with nearby restaurants, entertainment and shopping options based on your profile and highlighted to help you make a smarter decision;
  • Consistent listing details and tons of photos to help you easily compare the best apartment matches;
  • Collaborative apartment hunting with your friends through Facebook so they can tip you off if the street you're in love with is too noisy at night.

How it Works

Renters login at ApartmentList.com using their Facebook account. The matching engine then asks a series of entertaining and predictive questions about their personal preferences and draws on their social network to narrow the field of potential apartments for rent from thousands to the handful that are most appropriate. For some users, the process can lead to a new neighborhood or apartment match they never would have considered on their own.

Apartment List also features editorial content on individual cities and neighborhoods within each listing. Visitors to the site can engage their Facebook friends in the search by asking them for opinions or reviews on specific apartments and neighborhoods.

Similar to recommendation services offered by Pandora, Netflix and Amazon, the more questions renters answer and the more information they provide -- the better the quality of apartment matches returned.

"There simply is no other way to screen this many apartments, this fast, and with this much success," continued Kobs. "We combine heavy duty math with the way you live your life to help you find the perfect apartment."

The Need for Change

As the U.S. rental market continues to grow and Americans have demonstrated a preference for renting over buying, renters need a better way to research and choose their next apartment.

Frustrating, lengthy, and often disappointing apartment searches are a near universal experience. Thousands of inaccurate or misleading listings can weaken the resolve of even the most seasoned apartment hunter. Now, Apartment List makes the process of finding an apartment easy, enjoyable, and effective.

For more information on Apartment List, or to begin your apartment search today, please visit http://www.ApartmentList.com.

About Apartment List

Apartment List is the world's first online apartment matching engine. Its technology leverages a renter's preferences and their social network to recommend the best apartments and the best neighborhoods, eliminating the hassle and frustration of searching through thousands of irrelevant listings. Founded in 2011 and based in San Francisco, Apartment List is a Vertical Brands production.

About TechCrunch Disrupt

TechCrunch Disrupt SF 2011 (http://disrupt.techcrunch.com) is TechCrunch's second annual conference in San Francisco attracting over 2,500 leading technology innovators and investors and over 150 new startups. The main conference is preceded by the popular Hackathon -- a 24-hour competition where over 500 top developers present new innovations. TechCrunch Disrupt follows with a format that combines top thought-leader discussions with new product and company launches. Morning executive discussions debate the most timely disruptions in the technology industry. Afternoons host the Startup Battlefield where 30 plus new companies will launch for the first time on stage, selected to present from more than 1,000 applications received from around the world. Another 100 early-stage startups will exhibit in Startup Alley. TechCrunch will award a $50,000 grand prize along with other award recognitions at the conclusion of the conference. The Hackathon is Sept 10-11; the main conference is Sept 12-14, 2011 at San Francisco Design Center Concourse, 635 8th Street (at Brannan), San Francisco, CA 94107.

TechCrunch (www.techcrunch.com) is a leading technology media network dedicated to obsessively profiling and reviewing new Internet products and companies. Founded by Michael Arrington in 2005, TechCrunch and its network of websites reach over 13 million unique visitors and more than 30 million page views per month. TechCrunch was acquired by AOL in 2011 and operates a global network of websites including dedicated properties in Europe and Japan, as well as specialized industry websites including MobileCrunch, CrunchGear, GreenTech, TechCrunchIT, and CrunchBase. TechCrunch's CrunchBase is the leading open database about startup companies, people, and investors. In addition to TechCrunch Disrupt, TechCrunch hosts other conferences and events, including the Crunchies Awards (http://crunchies2010.techcrunch.com) and various meet-ups worldwide, serving as community platforms for industry conversation and collaboration.

Contact Information:

Press Contact:
Michael Azzano
Cosmo PR
415/596-1978