TheHostels.com - Sell Project

🔑 Key HighlightsUntapped niche: The mid-term rental market (weeks to 12 months) sits virtually unclaimed between short-term platforms like Airbnb & Booking and traditional long-term agency rentals — the first mover has a clear path to market leadershipFully built, not an MVP: 50+ responsive pages, complete transaction cycle, financial module, verification system, integrations, and multi-language support — all live and functionalSignificant time & cost advantage: Building a comparable platform from scratch costs $400K–500K+ and 12–18 months; this asset can be adapted and launched within 2–3 monthsLow ongoing maintenance cost: 500–1,000/month for improvements and support, compared to 500–1,000/month for improvements and support ,compared to 10,000–15,000/month with a large dev studioScalable revenue model: Commission-based income (10–30% per deal), no cap on deal volume — 100 deals/day at 10% commission = $10,000/dayPeople-first approach: No passport scans upfront, no realtors, no "market roulette" — the platform acts as a trusted intermediary and guarantor for both partiesComplete turnkey asset: Includes legal entity, payment processing account, all IP, documentation, design files, CRM history, and 2 months of post-sale technical consulting⚙️ OperationsWhat the business does:The Hostels is an online marketplace for mid- to long-term housing rentals (several weeks to 12 months). It connects three parties — tenants, landlords (individuals, hotels, hostels, serviced apartments, dormitories), and platform administrators who act as transaction guarantors.How money is made:The primary revenue stream is a commission on successful rental transactions, ranging from 10–30% depending on the landlord relationship. The tenant pays for the first month of rent at check-in, with an average ticket of ~1,000. What keeps the business running:Onboarding and verifying landlords and propertiesModerating listings and reviewsManaging disputes and arbitration of blocked fundsMonitoring transactions and platform activity via the admin panelHandling tenant and landlord support via built-in messenger and Telegram botOngoing minor technical maintenance (~$500–1,000/month)Estimated time commitment:The platform automates most of the transaction cycle — invoicing, deposit returns, application timers, and notifications — so day-to-day technical operations can be handled by a small team or a single operator with developer access at a cost of $500–1,000/month. However, growing the business and capturing meaningful market share will require real estate expertise, a dedicated sales and marketing effort, and a larger operational team — which is precisely why the founders are passing this asset on to a more resourced buyer.👥 CustomersTenant profile:Students, professionals on extended business trips, people relocating temporarily, individuals undergoing medical treatment, and project-based workers — anyone needing housing for 1–12 months who falls between the Airbnb and traditional agent market.Landlord profile:Private individuals, hotels, hostels, apart-hotels, serviced apartments, and dormitories. Large landlords can operate through multiple manager accounts under a single entity.Customer acquisition:The platform is pre-configured with key acquisition infrastructure — social login via Google and other major providers, Telegram bot notifications, and existing listings on major rental aggregators. Active marketing has not yet been the focus — the current sale represents a pre-growth stage opportunity.Engagement & loyalty features:Two-way review and reputation system builds trust and loyaltyFavorites catalog, personalized tenant and landlord dashboardsTransparent penalty and fee structure reduces disputes and churnAutomatic deposit return removes friction at the end of a stayCommunity features: tenant forum, knowledge base, Q&A section, and project blog💰 FinancialsRevenue model:Commission-based — 10–30% per successful transaction. The platform handles all payments through an internal balance system (no direct card transfers), with multi-stage fund blocking and automated invoicing.Revenue potential:Average rental ticket: ~$1,000/monthAt 10% commission: $100 per transactionAt 100 transactions/day: ~10,000/day/ 10,000/day/ 300,000/monthCommission can be increased to 20–30% as the platform scales and gains market trustCurrent stage:The platform is being sold at the pre-revenue / pre-launch stage — it is technically complete and functional, but has not yet undergone a full commercial marketing push. There are no P&L anomalies or revenue history to report. This is a greenfield opportunity with a fully built product.Cost to maintain:Hosting (VDS): minimal monthly costDevelopment/improvements: $500–1,000/month with the existing lean dev teamPayment processing: configured and active in live mode📋 Additional NotesWhy is it being sold?The founders built a technically sophisticated product but recognize that achieving a true market breakthrough requires real estate expertise, a larger team, and resources beyond what the current organization can deploy. They are passing on the asset to a buyer with the infrastructure and ambition to take it to market leadership.What's included in the sale:Full platform (thehostels.com) — desktop, tablet, and mobileRegistered legal entity LLC "HOSTELS" with clean historyConfigured payment aggregator account (live mode)Domain, VDS server, all login credentials and service accountsFigma design files and prototypesComplete CRM history — all tasks, bugs, meetingsFull technical documentation (5 development stages)Telegram bot (@hostels2bot)All legal documents: licensing agreement, user agreements, partner contracts, privacy policyLogo source files and brand materialsVideo product walkthroughs (landlord, tenant, administrator)2 months of post-sale technical consulting included in the priceKey opportunity for a new owner:A buyer with existing real estate infrastructure, a property management network, or digital marketing capability can activate this platform quickly and capture significant market share in a niche that remains largely unaddressed by existing players.