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Cohabi simplifies room rental management with intuitive tools for landlords and tenants, making co-living seamless, affordable, and efficient
The idea for Cohabi came from Irving Barajas’ deeply personal experiences as both a tenant and a landlord. As an undocumented immigrant, Irving grew up facing financial hardship, often sharing homes with roommates or family to make ends meet. Later in life, as a first-time homeowner, he discovered the financial potential of renting out spare rooms to avoid being "house poor." However, managing these room rentals proved to be a frustrating experience due to outdated, complex, and expensive tools. This pain point led Irving to develop Cohabi, a platform designed to simplify property management for landlords renting out shared spaces.
"The journey began with my first house in Pomona, California," Irving shares. "After renting out spare rooms, I quickly realized the challenges of managing tenants efficiently. None of the existing property management tools fit the unique needs of room rentals. My background as a software engineer gave me the skills to design a solution tailored for this market."
Years of refining his idea and researching the challenges faced by other landlords culminated in the launch of Cohabi. The app is a testament to Irving’s mission to make room rental management seamless and affordable for everyday people.
Cohabi addresses specific pain points that landlords and tenants face in shared living arrangements. Traditional property management tools often focus on full-property rentals, leaving room rentals underserved. Irving explains, "Cohabi simplifies tasks like rent reminders, tenant communication, chore management, move-in inspections, and accounting. These are the real issues landlords and tenants face every day."
The app’s streamlined, user-friendly interface is designed with simplicity and affordability in mind, making it accessible to landlords managing 1–10 properties. For tenants, features like chore rotation and in-app communication improve household organization and foster better co-living experiences.
Before launching Cohabi, Irving validated his idea by applying its concepts to his own properties. "The processes I developed were so effective that I scaled from one property to four in just three years," he recalls. In addition to testing the app’s functionality in real-world scenarios, he conducted extensive user interviews with other landlords and tenants to refine the platform’s features. By aligning the app with actual needs, Irving ensured that Cohabi directly addressed the most common challenges in room rental management.
Cohabi’s long-term vision goes beyond simplifying property management. Irving envisions a world where co-living becomes a sustainable and appealing option for both landlords and tenants. "We want to empower everyday people to achieve property ownership and manage shared living spaces effortlessly," he says. "Ultimately, we aim to be the go-to platform for room rental management worldwide."
By making room rentals more accessible and manageable, Cohabi helps individuals realize that homeownership is within reach. Renting out rooms can offset costs, making owning a home more financially viable—a vision Irving deeply believes in, given his own journey.
Unlike traditional property management tools, Cohabi focuses specifically on room-by-room rentals and shared living arrangements. Many competitors, such as DoorLoop and Avail, cater to full-property rentals and offer features that are too complex or irrelevant for small-scale landlords.
"Cohabi is simple, user-friendly, and affordable," Irving explains. "We only include the features you need without overwhelming you with unnecessary ones. Unique features like chore rotation, rent reminders, and tenant profiles enhance the co-living experience for both landlords and tenants."
User feedback plays a central role in Cohabi’s evolution. Irving shares how user suggestions have shaped the platform: "We added late fees after users requested a way to manage late payments. We also streamlined move-in inspections and enhanced tenant profiles based on feedback. By prioritizing features our users need, we’ve made Cohabi more tailored and effective for our customers."
This commitment to user-centric development ensures that Cohabi remains a valuable tool for landlords and tenants alike.
The rise of co-living and shared living arrangements is a growing trend driven by increasing housing costs and a desire for more affordable options. DIY landlords are also on the rise, as more people choose to self-manage their properties to save on costs. Irving positions Cohabi perfectly within this landscape.
"Our app is built specifically for room-by-room rentals, which aligns with the growing trend of co-living. We focus on simplicity and affordability, making it ideal for DIY landlords who need effective tools without high costs," he explains.
Cohabi operates on a freemium model, offering essential features for free and advanced functionality through premium subscriptions. Pricing is designed to be affordable for small-scale landlords, with premium tiers starting at just $5/month.
"We’re focused on creating a sustainable business model that scales while staying true to our mission," Irving says. "Success for Cohabi means creating a seamless experience for landlords and tenants and building a strong community around shared living."
Beyond just a tool, Cohabi aims to foster a sense of community among landlords and tenants. Through content, events, and forums, Irving hopes to create a platform that supports collaboration and shared learning. "Co-living isn’t just about sharing a space — it’s about building better relationships and improving how people live together," he concludes.
With its focus on simplicity, affordability, and user-centric design, Cohabi is well-positioned to transform the way landlords and tenants navigate shared living spaces. Irving Barajas’ journey from financial hardship to creating a thriving platform is a testament to the power of innovation fueled by personal experience and a desire to make a difference.
