Founder of Cafu launches ‘Urban’ for the property sector

10X Technology

Mita Srinivasan
10X Technology
Published:

Founder of Cafu launches ‘Urban’ for the property sector

New app offers credit and direct debit payments in addition to the option to pay rent in 12 monthly installments

Rashid Al Ghurair, a leading entrepreneur and CEO of Cafu, has launched “Urban”, a mobile/web application that brings the entire rental journey online, allowing users to discover inspected homes, visit them using their phone and make monthly payments.

The first comprehensive solution of its kind, Urban has been developed entirely in Dubai by a team who addressed some of the key frustrations from tenants such as false photography, inconvenient viewing times, exhausting negotiations, and inflexible payment options. Urban introduces several unique features, most notably doing away with cheques and instead offering credit and direct debit payments in addition to the option to pay their rent in 12 monthly instalments.

Other features of Urban include:

  • Virtual tours of every listed home

  • High-quality, carefully inspected homes

  • Allows tenants to unlock smart locks using their phones

  • Making an offer in-app and bringing transparency to negotiations

  • Renting online, without the paperwork

Urban is designed in response to growing issues voiced by renters, as evidenced in a recent YouGov survey commissioned by Intelligent B , the technology incubator behind Cafu and Urban, which found that two thirds (66%) of respondents had viewed a home that did not match their expectations, while 30% faced difficulties coordinating timings with agents. Almost a third (32%) of Dubai residents found the current rental process stressful .

As well as introducing greater choice for renters, Urban also addresses the pains of today’s rental market from the landlords’ perspective by helping them market their properties more attractively to qualified residents, allowing them to maximise returns, find and retain the right tenants through a comprehensive screening process and maintenance services.

Rashid Al Ghurair said: “The UAE is a playground for innovation where we are constantly encouraged by our wise leadership to push boundaries and deliver groundbreaking solutions. It is an incubator for technology start-ups, so we couldn’t be prouder that Urban was developed right here in Dubai.”

As part of its initial phase, Urban will feature 200+ homes located in Dubai Marina, JBR, and Jumeirah Lake Towers, with more neighborhoods expected to come online across Dubai very soon.