How Rentalo Became a $12M Booking Giant and Sold in 30 Days via Flippa

A 22-Year Hostel Professor: How Rentalo Dominated Online Vacation Rentals and Exited Fast

Few travel businesses stick it out for two decades in the buzzsaw world of online bookings. Rentalo stands out, not only for surviving, but for thriving—serving more than 5 million travelers, earning $12 million in revenue, and building a vast database of vacation property owners—all while remaining independent. The kicker? Its exit, orchestrated by founder Alfredo Purrinos, happened in less than 30 days after listing on Flippa. Here's how it got there.

Origins: A Bootstrapped Bet in 2002

Rentalo started in 2002 from Miami, Florida, launched by Alfredo Purrinos—a certified professional engineer and small business owner. Seeing gaps in how travelers found rentals and how property owners marketed online, Alfredo built Rentalo as a solution for both. There were no VC dollars. He bootstrapped, focusing on building a comprehensive platform for matching travelers with unique stays beyond cookie-cutter hotels.

Business Model: 3-Pronged Revenue Streams

• Listing Subscriptions – Owners paid for enhanced listings, getting their rentals priority in search results.
• Pay-Per-Lead – Property owners and managers could pay for inquiries directly, a smart way to earn even from non-premium listings.
• Banner Advertising – Once traffic ramped up, Rentalo added a classic web media revenue channel.

This model let the site grow fast without risking big capital. Flexibility helped Rentalo serve both property owners seeking tenants and travelers wanting variety and value.

Marketplace Scale: The Numbers Behind Growth

• 100,000+ property owners listed in the database
• Over 1 million registered travelers
• Peak traffic: nearly 25,000 pageviews and 12,000+ unique visitors per month

Travelers found everything from beach homes to mountain cabins, B&Bs to boutique hotels, and connected directly with owners. Rentalo became a recognized name for niche stays, especially for family vacations and small business travelers.

Product & Technology: Efficient Simplicity

Rather than chasing trends, Rentalo focused on efficient, dependable tech. The site made it easy for users to search, send rental inquiries, compare offers, and book. Owners (mostly small biz landlords) received notifications of new inquiries and could respond directly to interested travelers. This simple but effective user flow kept operating costs low and customer experience solid.

Rentalo’s systems were mostly custom PHP, a robust relational database, and integrations with key email marketing and analytics tools. Social media was smaller but maintained—about 2,700 on Facebook and over 1,000 Instagram followers.

Bootstrapping for Longevity, Not Hype

Alfredo’s disciplined approach kept things running without venture funding. Instead of chasing explosive growth at all costs, he optimized for profit and resilience. Listing fees and pay-per-lead payments ensured recurring income. The business weathered travel booms and busts. Even in 2020, during the sharpest COVID drop, the model still supported the business.

Exit: Why and How Alfredo Sold Rentalo on Flippa

After over two decades, Alfredo planned to retire. Looking for the right buyer, he listed Rentalo on Flippa, an online marketplace for buying and selling businesses. Within days, the Flippa team connected him with Martin Mansell, a travel industry buyer. The deal, at $33,000, was negotiated and funds released in less than a month. For a 22-year-old business still producing revenue every month, this speed was remarkable.

Flippa provided the platform, screening, and communication tools—making the transaction smooth and transparent for both parties. The process stands out for its speed: many businesses linger for months or even years before finding the right acquirer.

What Drove the Fast Sale?

• Solid lifetime performance: $12M in total revenue speaks volumes.
• Clear, repeatable business model with multiple income streams.
• Real, organic web traffic and a highly engaged owner/operator.
• Clean operational playbook—easy for a buyer to take over.

Sellers often complicate sales with unclear books or questionable growth. But Rentalo kept meticulous records. Its operations didn’t require large staff or complex systems, making the transition smooth.

Lessons for Founders: What Made Rentalo Succeed

• Deep focus on core community: travelers and property owners, not investors or the latest trend.
• Resilient revenue—diversified between subscriptions, pay-per-lead, and ads.
• Hands-on, customer-first owner keeping operations lean and the product simple to use.
• Long-term thinking over chase for short-term “spurts”.

Rentalo proves not all big exits are about raising huge capital and blitzscaling. Sometimes, steady, independent growth and real customer value win long-term.

Where to Next?

The buyer aims to revitalize Rentalo by updating technology and expanding its marketing reach. Rentalo’s story still goes on, with new ownership and a strong foundation built over years.