Real estate startup Zumper, which offers tools that connect brokers and property managers with potential renters, has today released a new mobile application that allows users to fill out their rental applications – including pulling their Experian credit report – right from their iPhone. The company, which says it’s now seeing over a million monthly visits from web and mobile, had first announced this feature last fall. However, at the time, it was only available in beta on web and Android, even though Zumper expects most usage to take place via iOS.
The feature, which is now known as “Instant Apply,” could help give potential renters an edge over others in competitive real estate markets, like that of San Francisco where Zumper is currently headquartered. Explains CEO Anthemos Georgiades, there are always multiple offers on the same apartment, so being able to apply immediately from your phone can help you beat others looking at the same property.
“Using Zumper’s iPhone app, renters can apply for the apartment from their phone in the open house,” he says. “And because Zumper has very strong B2B adoption through 10,000+ Zumper Pros, renters’ applications are guaranteed to be reviewed when they carry the ‘Instant Apply’ symbol,” he adds.
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In addition to offering a mobile-friendly rental application, Zumper’s iPhone users can also purchase a $10 credit report directly from the new iPhone app, which they can pay for using Apple Pay. That report is then submitted alongside their application, which can speed up the sometimes cumbersome process of compiling all the necessary paperwork needed for a rental application.
Georgiades also notes that Zumper is now powering over 10% of the rental applications – meaning several hundred per month – in San Francisco, the first market where Instant Apply went live. Meanwhile, the company’s B2B tool Zumper Pro originates over 25% of all the rental listings in major U.S. markets, including not only San Francisco, but also New York, Boston and Chicago.
“Because the majority of applications and Experian credit reports are submitted when one of our B2B Zumper Pro users requests a renter’s application, well over 75% of applications are successful in closing the apartment,” the CEO claims.
Now a team of 19, Zumper has raised $6.5 million to date from KPCB and others, including Andreessen Horowitz, Greylock, CrunchFund [disclosure: founded by TechCrunch’s founder], and The Experiment Fund. The company was also previously a finalist at TechCrunch Disrupt several years ago.