Interview with Eli Nemzer, Community Manager of StayaWhile
What is Stayawhile?
Stayawhile is a network of furnished, branded, designer apartments in major cities around the world.
Can you describe stay a while in numbers?
We currently operate 16 apartments in New York, Boston and Philadelphia with plans for international expansion on the near horizon. We’re an 8 person team based in New York City. We have been operational since 2016.
How much of a market demand is there for rentals of more than a month?
The traditional rental housing industry has fallen behind these global trends of remote work, minimalism and hypermobility. We feel that there are times in all of our lives where the status quo housing model fails us, and a rental for the medium-term length of stay would be a superior alternative.
There is a need for short-term apartments in the market. When people are in a transition period; such as a change of work, long-term assignment abroad or a divorce short term housing makes more sense than a hotel or a long let. Stayawhile provides the flexibility needed to make such a transition easier and more enjoyable.
Many careers such as business, consultants, professional athletes and artists, often require temporary housing or multiple residences.
How does the market for this service vary in each of the cities you vary?
Naturally, every city is different. In New York we might see more entrepreneurs and entertainment industry professionals while in Boston there are more students. As we expand internationally, we’re eyeing cities with tremendous global appeal — London, Berlin, etc..
Does Stayawhile own apartments or does it manage apartments for third parties?
We secure deals with property management firms and manage the apartments.
How competitive is the market for one month plus rentals?
There are certainly other players in the space but we believe our apartments are 
distinguished by quality and smart design.
What is the structure of the ICO? (Bonuses, Dates, Market Cap)
The token sale will run from Oct. 30 – Nov. 30.
What are the requirements to participate in the ICO?
Participants must meet standard KYC requirements
What are the pros and cons for the token holders?
There are a variety of benefits for token holders in our network. They include:
1. Frictionless payment
2. Booking priority
3. Collateral
4. Discounts
5. Voting on future expansion
6. Membership club
7. Building a ‘credit score’
Will the apartments have any cryptocurrency themed decor and a directory of business which accepts cryptocurrency in the surrounding area?
We haven’t considered cryptocurrency-themed decor for the apartments, but I love the idea — particularly the local guidebook or crypto-friendly businesses. We focus on create apartments that are joined by design and aesthetic, you can check out some of our apartments here: https://stayawhile.com/locations
In what cryptocurrencies will that renting be able to pay?
Currently, we accept Bitcoin and Ethereum in addition to fiat currency as payment for our rentals. Once the Stayabit is issued, we will accept Stayabit, with the eventual goal of phasing out fiat payments altogether.
Is there a difference in price if payment is done in FIAT?
Yes! As noted in our white paper, renters who pay with Stayabit receive a base discount of 5% and are able to participate in occasional flash sales with discounts as high as 20%. Additionally, when Stayabit Tokens are used as payment for the one-time application fee, the buyer will receive a $150 discount off the $200 fee.
How will the ecosystem of STAY tokens work?
It is our intention to rapidly expand the Stayawhile network into cities and locations where there is strong demand for our product, thus increasing the utility of the token.
We will use the token system to increase transparency around our expansion plans by allowing token holders to vote on new expansion locations.
Thinking longer term, as one of the first real estate companies to build its platform integrating blockchain technology, Stayawhile is in a unique position to become a leader in the space. While Stayabits in their current form are limited to the utility-uses specific to the Stayawhile network referenced above, the team envisions a world in which the entire multi-layered process of renting any apartment could be simplified into a single token protocol. Capabilities could include:
• Booking & Reservations
• Payment
• Digital Identification (background & credit checks)
• Tenant tracking (payment history & loyalty programs)
• IoT potential (smart digital locks)
Was there a pre-ico?
It is ongoing. 2,000,000 STAY tokens are being sold in the pre-sale.
What is the price of the pre-ico and the price of the ico?
The full list of STAY token prices can be found on our website: token.stayawhile.com
How many tokens will be issued?
50,000,000 tokens are issued, 27,500,000 of which are for sale
Is there a cap on the ICO?
Yes — 27,500,000 tokens are for sale, putting the dollar cap around $30 MM usd
For more information please visit:
We thank Eli Nemzer for the interview.
