Behind the newly established property technology startup RoomReach lies two young entrepreneurs’ brainpower. Co-founders Ethan Pereira and Alex Sevastianos started RoomReach to simplify the Champaign-Urbana housing process for University students. 

RoomReach is a website that allows University students to post their subleases for free, connect with potential roommates and learn more about different housing options in C-U.

Sevastianos previously worked for a similar startup, Abode and during the company’s temporary disbanding, he pivoted to create RoomReach. The duo realized the need for RoomReach after they experienced frustration with their housing search.

“I was looking for a sublease for my apartment and the process was extremely difficult,” said Sevastianos, a 2025 University alum. “I really struggled with just spending hours of time on Facebook and Reddit and found it really frustrating, getting a lot of spam, and I realized that there had to have been a better way to streamline this process and make subleases and apartment searching all in one place.” 

Pereira, a rising junior in Engineering, expressed similar gripes with his experience looking for housing. He felt that the entire process was too rushed, especially for first-year students who just got to campus.

As an out-of-state student, Pereira felt lost with all of the options and, as a freshman, didn’t understand the basics of the housing hunt.

“I didn’t understand how much I even should be paying for an apartment,” Pereira said.

After signing a lease last minute, Pereira still didn’t feel in control of his housing situation. He reported that when he asked questions to the landlords, it would take days for them to respond, and he felt overwhelmed by vague lease requirements.

At the end of the lease, Pereira said he and his roommates ended up losing half of their security deposit for unclear reasons. Pereira noted that, on top of searching for the perfect place to live, landlords and leases add another layer of confusion for students, particularly freshmen.

“This is the first time they’re signing anything like this and landlords have way too much leverage over students,” Pereira said.

Pereira and Sevastianos recognized RoomReach as a way to give students more leverage and knowledge in their housing search.

The duo brings a unique perspective  that helps them lead the RoomReach team to success.

As a student studying computer engineering, Pereira contributes to the technical aspects of RoomReach, like the website. 

Sevastianos possesses an extensive knowledge of real estate to the table, allowing RoomReach to connect with professionals in the field. Although his role at Abode is much different than his role at RoomReach, his time with Abode gave him experience cold-calling businesses and landlords.

Sevastianos, who started his real estate journey by listing a house at only 16 years old, continues to gain hands-on experience through RoomReach. As an aspiring property technology investor, Sevastianos believes working on the startup gives him a unique opportunity to learn the fundamentals of the field. 

Additionally, Pereira is using his experience with RoomReach to break into the field of creative software development.

“I genuinely enjoy making consumer products that bring consumers joy because of the problems it’s solving,” Pereira said.

Together, Pereira and Sevastianos lead their team of five to create a seamless user experience for students on RoomReach. Sevastianos leads the real estate aspects of the project while Pereira functions as the Chief Technology Officer and oversees the technical aspects of the platform.

RoomReach’s lead engineer, Srihari Gurugubelli, a rising sophomore in Engineering, works closely with Pereira on the technology side of the startup. Pereira and Sevastianos reached out to Gurugubelli to develop the technical products needed for RoomReach to function, an offer that Gurugubelli could not turn down.

“An exciting project with exciting people,” Gurugubelli said. “There’s nothing really to dislike about that.”

While Abode is up and running again, Sevastianos believes that the two property startups will remain distinct, especially as RoomReach experiments with potential artificial intelligence features. 

Another unique factor of RoomReach’s team is their collaborative environment. Sevastianos describes the team as having a willingness to learn from each other and their mistakes. He believes this educational atmosphere allows for the organization to develop to its full potential.

Gurugubelli noted that Pereira’s unique leadership also helps ensure RoomReach continues to evolve.

“He keeps the project on track and moving along,” Gurugubelli said. “But he also takes care of the social aspect of a team. I think that’s a pretty unique quality in a leader.”

Looking ahead, Pereira hopes to tackle apartment leasing in time for the 2026-27 school year housing process.

At the end of the day, RoomReach aims to create a less overwhelming and frustrating experience for students looking for housing in C-U.

“I see a certain level of beauty with RoomReach in the way it transforms the experience for students,” Pereira said.

[email protected]