It seems to me like the folks living in the houses should try to make deals directly with the property owners. It is not clear what value the intermediary is ad

It seems to me like the folks living in the houses should try to make deals directly with the property owners. It is not clear what value the intermediary is adding to the proposition. I mean, this is what we did when we were young and out of school with no money: a group of my friends rented a house and we shared it. (technically half of a two-family house).