To buy a room instead of renting it. This is the disruptive proposal launched by the startup Habitacion.com, which has just closed a pre-seed funding round for an amount of 400,000 euros that it will allocate to boost its growth and to demonstrate that its business model is "an intelligent alternative to renting" and a valid option for saving and investment.
The operation has been led by the technology-based startup accelerator SeedRocket and has also had the participation of the funds Lanai Partners and BeCapital Seed Money. A group of investors belonging to the network of business angels of SeedRocket and other "relevant figures" of the Spanish business ecosystem have also backed the round, according to the company founded by Oriol Valls, Anna Labarias and José Fernández.
Habitacion.com explains that it will allocate half of the capital raised to operational and infrastructural issues, while the other half will be directed to "validating the business model through the sale of the first rooms." "We want to transform the way people save, offering customers to avoid rental expenses and save by buying a room. We are sure that this first financial operation will allow us to expand our business and achieve our objectives. In addition, very relevant figures from the Spanish business ecosystem have supported our project, a fact that reinforces our condition and will help us continue to grow," said Oriol Valls, co-founder and CEO of habitacion.com.
The company's goal is to sell the first rooms in flats located in Terrassa and Barcelona, and then expand the business to Madrid, Valencia, Granada and Alicante. The challenge is to sell a minimum of 40 rooms throughout 2024. On its website, the startup promotes the purchase of rooms for a price ranging between 320 euros and 460 euros per month.
"You will be the owner of a part of the property, with a signature before a notary and being the titleholder in the Property Registry. Our team will take care of all the procedures and necessary documentation," highlights the company on its website, where it also offers tailored financing and a "buyback service at market value". Habitacion.com emphasizes that its business model "grants the necessary legal security" to buyers, who, thanks to its intermediation, agree on a pact between the parties that safeguards their interests and regulates coexistence and the use of the property.