By: iROOMit

Home. It’s a simple word, yet it holds profound meaning. For many, home is a place of comfort and stability, a safe haven where they can relax after a long day. But for millions of people worldwide, finding a secure, affordable, and welcoming place to live is an ongoing challenge.

Kal Merhi, founder and CEO of iROOMit, knows firsthand how challenging it can be to find a place to call home. Having spent over 20 years as a refugee, he understands what it means to search for more than just a roof over your head. A home is not just a physical space. It is about feeling secure, settled, and part of a community. That experience shaped his vision for iROOMit, a platform designed to make finding a roommate or rental simpler, safer, and more reliable.

With rising living costs and more people choosing shared housing, iROOMit is changing the way people find places to live. The platform makes the process seamless, secure, and stress-free by helping tenants and landlords connect more efficiently. But before iROOMit became a trusted name in the industry, it began with Merhi’s journey—a path shaped by resilience, innovation, and a deep commitment to helping others find a place to belong.

A Leadership Approach Rooted in Service

For Kal Merhi, leading iROOMit is about more than running a company. It is about solving a problem he understands firsthand. His approach is built on service, inclusivity, and innovation, making it easier for people to find a place to live that suits their needs. Everyone deserves a home, no matter their budget, background, or lifestyle. That is why iROOMit focuses on bringing people together, helping them find the right match, and making shared living more accessible.

A big part of what makes iROOMit work is its ability to adapt. Merhi is always paying attention to how people use the platform, especially how hosts set up their spaces. By staying connected to what renters and landlords need, iROOMit continues to evolve to improve the experience.

Merhi’s passion for this mission comes from personal experience. Growing up, his family moved frequently, always searching for stability. They often landed in unfamiliar places with no connections, struggling to find reliable housing. That uncertainty stayed with him. He saw how stressful it could be to secure a place to live, especially when money was tight or resources were limited.

At the time, he did not know he would one day help solve these challenges. But looking back, the path seems clear. iROOMit is the result of a lifelong understanding of what it takes to find a home and a commitment to making that process easier for everyone.

The Journey to Creating iROOMit

When Kal Merhi launched iROOMit in 2022, his goal was clear: make it easier for people to find the right housing and roommates without the frustration that usually comes with the process. He saw a gap in the market between traditional rentals and short-term stays and knew there was a better way. With rising living costs and more people turning to shared housing, he wanted to create a platform that offered more than just listings. It had to be efficient, secure, and built for real people with real needs.

To support its mission, iROOMit offers several features that differentiate it from other rental platforms:

• AI-Powered Matching – A smart algorithm takes into account user preferences, lifestyle habits, and budget to suggest roommates with potentially better compatibility.
• Verified Listings – To reduce the risk of rental scams, iROOMit employs a verification process for landlords and listings to help ensure legitimacy.
• Secure Messaging & Booking – The platform allows users to communicate safely and complete transactions within a protected environment.
• Comprehensive User Profiles – iROOMit enables more detailed user profiles, which can enhance compatibility and build trust among users.
• Focus on Community – The platform emphasizes community-building, offering more than just a transactional rental experience.

Of course, creating and growing iROOMit did not come without challenges. Competing with established platforms like Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace meant finding ways to stand out. Ensuring safety and trust within the platform required strict verification processes and ongoing improvements. Housing laws and rental regulations varied across different locations, requiring careful navigation. And as remote work and digital nomad lifestyles became more common, iROOMit had to keep up with the changing ways people live and look for housing.

Despite these hurdles, iROOMit quickly gained traction. People who had struggled with sketchy listings, bad roommate matches, and unreliable rental options started turning to the platform and saw real results. The combination of smart technology, verified listings, and a user-friendly experience helped iROOMit stand out in a crowded market. And as more people discovered how much easier it was to find a place through the platform, it became clear that the demand for a better way to find housing was stronger than ever.

A Vision for the Future: A CEO with a Purpose

Looking ahead, Merhi has ambitious plans for iROOMit. He envisions the platform evolving into a popular choice for roommate matching and room rentals, similar to how Airbnb impacted the short-term accommodation industry.

As he puts it,  “Our vision for the next 5 to 10 years is to establish our platform as the premier destination for roommate matching and room rentals, akin to what Airbnb represents for short-term accommodations. We aim to revolutionize the shared living market by providing a seamless, secure, and user-centric experience that caters to diverse housing needs across North America.”

To make this happen, iROOMit has a clear strategy in place:

“We intend to broaden our reach beyond major cities, making iROOMit accessible to users in smaller towns and rural areas. This expansion aims to provide more individuals with the opportunity to use the platform, helping them find compatible roommates and affordable housing options, no matter where they are located.”

Technology will play a key role in this expansion. iROOMit is set to enhance its Smart Algorithm, making roommate matches even more precise while integrating AI-driven personalization, virtual tours, and real-time communication tools to create a smoother rental experience.

But iROOMit isn’t just about tech, it’s about building a real sense of community. Plans are underway to introduce forums and social features where users can connect, share experiences, and support one another. Safety is also a top priority, with stronger verification processes, background checks, and secure payment systems being put in place to make sure users feel confident in their housing choices.

Beyond that, iROOMit is forming key partnerships with universities, employers, and real estate developers to provide housing solutions tailored to students, professionals, and different communities.

With a focus on expansion, smarter technology, stronger safety measures, and meaningful partnerships, Merhi is confident that iROOMit will continue reshaping the shared housing market, making it easier, safer, and more connected for years to come.

A New Era for Shared Housing

Merhi’s journey from recognizing challenges in the housing market to creating a platform that simplifies shared living is a testament to resilience, innovation, and a deep commitment to helping people find a place they can call home. With iROOMit, securing a rental or finding the right roommate is no longer a stressful process, it is a streamlined, reliable, and community-driven experience.

As iROOMit continues to grow, its mission remains clear: make shared living easier, safer, and more accessible for everyone.

Published by Anne C.