Kenyan Prop-tech Startup Launches Kijiji For Real Estate Agents
Aug. 24, 2021, 12:54 p.m.
Obodo, a Kenyan prop-tech startup, has announced the launch of a pilot product, a digital property management tool to improve property management in the country.
Called Kijiji, the property management product is expected to help real estate agents and landlords to manage their rental units easily and affordably. It further aims to take property management in Africa, which is currently done manually, online.
Founded by James Muriuki, Skitah Wambui and Mark Muita, the new product will help Obodo better understand tenants, their needs, behaviours and expectations, as it prepares for future launches.
Speaking on the development, Muriuki explained that the idea of launching the startup was inspired after experiencing the ordeal that comes with securing a shelter as a young man.
He said: “The idea for Obodo came to me last year when I moved out of home for the first time. I had to experience the hell of renting as a young person with a limited budget. Fighting with landlords, getting conned and lied to, enduring days or weeks with unresolved maintenance requests.”
“When I did research I realised that somehow I was among the lucky few because over 60 per cent of people in Nairobi live in slums. This made me take the leap.”
“Property managers or landlords do not have or have not adopted the tools they need to manage their rental units more effectively. This leads to a lot of lost time doing administrative work, loss of data, and fraud,” said Muriuki.
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“Kijiji can bridge this gap. By collecting, analysing and sharing access to rental data Kijiji can help property managers better understand their business and improve them, give tenants the tools they need to get their concerns taken into account, prevent fraud and increase transparency between the two parties.”
The self-funded startup is about to open a pre-seed investment round, and says it has had positive feedback since the launch of its product. This has been slow to convert for now, but Muriuki believes this is due to the nature of the business. For now, the startup is focused on the five most populated urban regions of Kenya, but plans on subsequently expanding into East and Southern Africa.
tag: real estate, Startup,
Verny Joy Author
Verny loves to write poetry, fiction and quotes. Her love for writing landed her in journalism. She loves gadgets and travelling to explore new places.