MHN PROFILE: PostGradApartments
PostGradApartments connects recent college graduates with housing, and it is on the lookout to partner with apartment companies.
Chris DiLollo
By Keat Foong, Executive Editor
PostGradApartments connects recent college graduates with housing, and it is on the lookout to partner with apartment companies.
The firm was launched in 2009 in New York City—a city that can present perils for a young person trying to find apartments on Craigslist for the first time. “We link recent college grads with brokers who have integrity,” says Chris DiLollo, president. “A college graduate coming from Los Angeles to New York may not know the city or what to expect. We have someone talking to them and helping them with the process.”
PostGradApartments has an exclusive arrangement in New York City with the brokerage A.C. Lawrence and Co., and it has also entered the Chicago and Boston markets. PostGradApartments does not charge users a fee, but it negotiates on behalf of graduates the rate charged by the broker. The company receives its revenues though advertising and affiliated partnerships, says DiLollo. These partnerships can be with movers, car rentals and other suppliers of products and services.
The most important characteristic of PostGradApartments’ broker partners are a strong track record and experience in the market, says DiLollo.
PostGradApartments may also gain more relevance as the apartment market becomes tighter. The company was originally created by two recent graduates who were unhappy with the move-in process in New York City, according to literature from the company. They found that the search was endless and painful, and subsequently created the company to make the process less stressful for the new graduate.
PostGradApartments has an intitiative to build a presence on colleges. It hires student representatives on campuses to promote the site, says DiLollo. And in addition to partnering with brokers, it is working on linking with apartment companies to whom it can refer recent college graduates.
For DiLollo, the skills needed for operating in the business include maintaining relationships and catering to clients. “Service comes first,” says DiLollo. “Our clients appreciate appreciate that we put them in touch with people we trust, and that there are no surprises to the process,” he adds.
