Renting an apartment typically involves sifting through numerous listings, negotiating with the property owner, ensuring they’re not a scammer, and leaving a deposit. All of this takes a lot of time, effort, and nerves. Yerzhan Amirhanov, the founder of Livin and an introvert, decided to create a service that allows renting an apartment for a short term with just a few clicks, without leaving home and without unnecessary communications… And he succeeded! The startup team shared with ER10 Media how they were able to eliminate nearly 100% of fraudulent ads and fully automate the rental process.
Follow Kazakhstan’s Startup Movement in the "100 Startup Stories of Kazakhstan", a collaborative project by ER10 Media and Astana Hub. This initiative highlights the most innovative Kazakh startups, showcasing projects that stand out for their creativity and impact. Among the heroes are Astana Hub residents, as well as creators of other innovative technological products and services. The content is available in Kazakh, Russian, and English.
Interview Participants: Alexandra Tsoy — Project Manager, Ilyzat Kamilov — Marketer, Slambek Amirov — Business Development Director, Entering the Rental World with a Business Background
Entering the Rental Market with a Business Background
— What were you doing before creating the startup?
Slambek: Yerzhan Amirkhanov, our founder, and I have been working together for a long time. We started businesses in the construction and restaurant sectors. We also have extensive experience in leasing commercial real estate and organizing large-scale events in Almaty.
— Tell us about your team.
Slambek: Our team consists of 15 people across three departments:
- Development Department
- Business Development Department
- Marketing Department
— How was the Livin app born?
Slambek: The startup emerged from a personal problem faced by the founder. Yerzhan wanted to rent an apartment and found contacts on popular listing websites but encountered several challenges: phone calls, fees for viewings, fraudulent listings, and the need to leave a deposit. Yerzhan, being an introvert, struggled to cope with this process and realized that many others might find themselves in the same situation. That’s how the idea for Livin was born.
We started development in 2022, launched the website by the end of 2023, and released the app in May 2024. Within seven months, we registered over 28,000 users, and the app was downloaded more than 60,000 times on iOS and Android. Over 400 rental transactions were completed, corresponding to more than 800 nights each booking lasts about two nights on average.
Support at Every Step of the Housing Search
— What does your solution include?
Slambek: First of all, we created the Kazakhstan service to protect users from fraudsters. Property owners and guests undergo full verification via phone number and email. Soon, we’ll add features for uploading ID and property ownership documents. Payments to the property owner are made the day after check-in, allowing the guest to verify the authenticity of the photos and the actual condition of the property. If issues arise, users can request a refund within 24 hours. This prevents fraud since funds aren’t transferred to the owner in advance.
We also train landlords through our Livin Plus program, offering guidance on accepting bookings, cleaning, installing smart locks, and more. These instructions in a convenient format are posted on our Telegram channel.
— How does the 24-hour housing inspection benefit people arriving from other cities?
Alexandra: We’ve had cases where guests from other cities checked in without any issues. Users connect with the owner beforehand via chat to discuss details. If any problems arise, our specialists step in quickly, assisting even with finding alternative accommodations.
“Setting Non-Market Prices Is Unprofitable”
— Some property owners overprice their listings. How do you control this?
Alexandra: If a guest finds that the price does not match the quality, they can contact customer service within the first 24 hours and switch to another facility. We’ll investigate the situation, and if the apartment truly doesn’t meet the stated requirements, we’ll impose penalties on the owner.
Slambek: Setting non-market prices is unprofitable. Each area has an average price range. For instance, in the city center, an inflated rate of 60,000 tenge per night will lead to no bookings. Prices are determined by the market, not the owner. Our website features a map with price ranges by district, where the variation doesn’t exceed 5,000 tenge. Currently, with the New Year holidays approaching, prices are rising due to high demand, and we have no control over this process.
Alexandra: Yes, users can filter listings by price to choose the most suitable option.
Ilyzat: If the owner sets an inflated price, his ad simply won't make it to the top. Our platform doesn’t feature ads only rankings based on actual stays. Depending on reviews, a property can rise or fall in the rankings.
— Tell us how the filtering is accomplished.
Alexandra: We’ve implemented filtering parameters and district price lists.
For ease of use, our platform includes an interactive map that allows users to quickly find suitable options in the desired area, applying the selected filters. This provides an intuitive and visual approach to searching, saving time and simplifying the process. Our service offers a wide range of filters to accurately search for properties, from price to occupancy time.
— How is the property rating calculated?
Alexandra: Ratings are calculated automatically based on the following criteria:
- Calendar management by the owner
- Speed of response to messages
- Guest reviews
We have integrated sorting algorithms with our rating system to organize the listings on our platform.
— What does a property owner need to list an apartment?
Slambek: Listing is completely free. The owner needs to have an apartment and high-quality photos. If they rent out on Airbnb, they must provide their calendar so we can sync bookings. If the apartment is booked on another platform, the date is automatically blocked on our service.
We charge a 3% commission from the owner and 12% from the guest. Payment is processed upon the successful completion of the transaction.
Safety, Comfort, and a Positive Experience
— Do your revenues cover your expenses?
Slambek: We only opened seven months ago. Current earnings are enough to sustain operations and promote our product. As business professionals, we also address certain needs using our own funds. Of course, we aim to collaborate with investors. By the third quarter of 2025, we expect to reach breakeven and move into profitability.
— What kind of investments do you need?
Slambek: We’re looking to attract investments from business angels and venture funds on mutually beneficial terms. The funds will be used to increase bookings, enhance marketing efforts, and expand into nearby markets such as Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, and Azerbaijan.
With minimal overhead costs, primarily labor and marketing expenses and no reliance on external equipment, we face no barriers to international expansion. To launch abroad, we simply need to enter a new country, deploy our product, and start operating.
— Why are you choosing Central Asian countries for scaling?
Slambek: We believe it is logical to expand in countries with a highly digitalized market. After a recent visit to Silicon Valley, we found that the U.S. lags behind Kazakhstan and Southeast Asia in this regard. In Kazakhstan, opening a bank account takes just a minute, while in the U.S., it can take weeks. Thanks to digitized government data, we can verify both guests and property owners. Our service is all about safety, comfort, and a positive experience.
“We’ll Make Long-Term Rentals as Simple as Hailing a Taxi”
— How are you different from competitors?
Alexandra: We take immediate action against fraud. Every user undergoes moderation. In the future, we plan to automate the verification of guests and property owners by using biometric checks.
Slambek: We are constantly working to improve our service and strive to be the first to fully digitize long-term leases. People don’t want to waste time. We will make long-term renting as simple as hailing a taxi, eliminating the need for two-month deposits. At the same time, property owners will receive timely payments, and their apartments will be fully insured.
Ilyzat: Unlike popular platforms that act as directories where users must manually search for apartments, our solution is fully automated. People go through the entire rental process within a single app. There’s no need to spend hours searching for apartments or calling landlords to negotiate.
— Can you predict what will happen in the rental market by 2025?
Alexandra: Many businesses are moving online, and the rental market is no exception. A service like ours, where everything can be done in one app, isn’t even available in other countries yet. I believe that in 2025, people will increasingly rent apartments through Livin because it’s simple, fast, and secure.
Ilyzat: Younger generations are buying property less frequently it’s becoming financially challenging. As a result, renting is becoming a trend. It provides freedom, the ability to live in another country, and avoids being tied to a mortgage.
Slambek: By 2025, people may abandon subsidized mortgage programs and real estate agent services. Mortgages lock people in for many years, with the total repayment often being three times the original loan amount.
“The Outcome Depends on a Solid Strategy”
— What languages are currently supported by the app, and which ones do you plan to add?
Alexandra: The app and website are currently available in Kazakh, Russian, and English. As we expand into new markets, we’ll localize them for the respective regions.
— If you were to compare your startup to a sport, which one would it be?
Slambek: Football. In this game, there are 11 players, a coach, and countless strategies. Defenders block fraud attempts, forwards bring in clients, and the coach coordinates the entire process. Football is the most popular sport, and we want to make Livin just as in demand.
Ilyzat: Yes, just like in soccer, the outcome in a startup depends on a sound strategy.
