FurnishedThe Garden Studio
Santa Monica, CA
$520/mo
4.8–5.0 · Verified space
Now launching in CaliforniaAffordable homes,
Affordable homes,
right in your backyard.
Roomy is the marketplace for long-term backyard rentals and guest houses. Tenants find flexible, budget-friendly homes. Homeowners turn unused space into steady income — with local regulations made simple.
No listing fees
Verified hosts & tenants
Cancel anytime
Garden Studio · Oakland, CA
$430/mo
4.9 · Verified space
$450
Avg. monthly rent
vs. $1,900 city studios
2.4M
ADU-ready backyards
in California alone
10%
Flat platform fee
no hidden charges
14 days
Avg. time to rent
list to first tenant
How it works
Two sides of the same backyard
Whether you're looking for a home or have space to share, Roomy takes you from first click to move-in day.
For tenants
Find a home you can actually afford
- 01
Tell us your budget
Set your price, area and move-in date. Roomy only shows spaces that genuinely fit.
- 02
Tour verified backyards
Browse guest houses, garden studios and casitas with honest photos and real reviews.
- 03
Sign & settle in
Message the host, agree the lease, and move into an affordable home near everything you love.
For homeowners
Turn your backyard into income
- 01
List in minutes
Add your backyard space and we'll guide you through local rules step by step.
- 02
Meet vetted tenants
Screened, long-term renters reach out. You choose who moves in.
- 03
Earn every month
Collect stable rental income with payouts handled and a flat 10% fee.
Why Roomy
The gaps others left open
Airbnb, SpareRoom and the ADU startups each solve a slice. Roomy is built end-to-end for affordable, long-term backyard living.
Built for long-term living
Not a nightly rental. Roomy is designed for month-to-month and yearly stays, with fair leases and stable pricing — the gap Airbnb was never built to fill.
Regulation, decoded
We translate local ADU and short-stay rules into plain steps, so homeowners list with confidence and tenants rent without surprises.
Verified people, real spaces
ID-checked hosts, tenant screening and transparent reviews. Unlike open listing boards, every Roomy space is confirmed before it goes live.
Fair, flat economics
One transparent 10% take-rate — no service-fee stacking, no surge pricing. What you agree on is what you pay.
Move-in ready matching
Filter by budget, commute, furnishings and lease length. We surface spaces you can actually afford, not aspirational listings.
A California-first community
We're going deep in one ADU-friendly market before going wide — building density, trust and support where it matters most.
How we compare
Roomy
The others
Designed for long-term rent
Nightly-first
Local ADU regulation support
You're on your own
Flat 10% fee, no surge
Stacked service fees
Verified hosts & tenants
Open listing boards
Backyard-space specialists
Generic rentals
Featured spaces
Real backyards, honest prices
A preview of the kind of long-term homes you'll discover on Roomy. Sample listings shown.
FurnishedLong-termOak Backyard Loft
Oakland, CA
$430/mo
4.8–5.0 · Verified space
Pet-friendlyCasita Blanca
San Diego, CA
$610/mo
4.8–5.0 · Verified space
Utilities incl.Courtyard Casita
Pasadena, CA
$495/mo
4.8–5.0 · Verified space
FurnishedPoolside Suite
San Jose, CA
$580/mo
4.8–5.0 · Verified space
Best valueCedar Guest House
Sacramento, CA
$410/mo
4.8–5.0 · Verified space
Estimated monthly income
+$450/mo
For homeowners
Your backyard already pays your mortgage. It just doesn't know it yet.
List an existing guest house or a new ADU and connect with vetted, long-term tenants who care for your space like their own. We handle the hard parts — screening, payouts and the paperwork.
- Step-by-step help navigating California ADU rules
- Screened, long-term tenants — not weekend strangers
- Secure monthly payouts with a flat, transparent 10% fee
- Full control: set your price, rules and who moves in
Loved by early members
Community, affordability, flexibility
A glimpse of what tenants and homeowners tell us. Illustrative stories from our early community.
“I found a garden studio ten minutes from work for less than half of a downtown apartment. Roomy made the whole thing feel human.”
Maya R.
Tenant · Santa Monica
“Our backyard casita sat empty for years. Roomy walked us through the permits and now it pays our mortgage.”
Daniel & Priya
Homeowners · San Diego
“The regulation guidance alone was worth it. I listed on a Sunday and had a vetted tenant by the next weekend.”
Grace L.
Homeowner · Oakland
FAQ
Questions, answered
Everything you need to know before you join the Roomy waitlist.
What exactly is a backyard space?
A backyard space is a self-contained home on someone's property — an ADU, guest house, garden studio or casita. Roomy connects you with these affordable, long-term homes and the people who own them.
How is Roomy different from Airbnb or SpareRoom?
Airbnb is built for short nightly stays; SpareRoom is a classified board with little support. Roomy specializes in long-term backyard rentals with verified listings, regulation guidance and a single flat 10% fee.
How much does it cost?
Joining the waitlist is free. When you rent, Roomy charges a transparent 10% take-rate on the monthly rent — no stacked service fees and no surge pricing.
Do you help with local regulations?
Yes. We translate California's ADU and long-stay rules into clear, step-by-step guidance so homeowners can list confidently and tenants rent without surprises.
Where is Roomy available?
We're launching California-first — the most ADU-friendly market in the country — to build real density and trust before expanding to other regions.
When can I start using it?
Early access opens soon. Join the waitlist and you'll be among the first tenants and homeowners invited when Roomy goes live in your area.
Be first through the gate.
Join the waitlist for early access to affordable backyard homes and listing tools across California. Free to join — no commitment.