Where are tenants looking for rentals online?
9 Replies
Jim Canull
Real Estate Broker from Indianapolis
posted about 1 year ago
I haven't listed my personal property for rent for 15 years. Where do you feel people (students) are looking online nowadays to find their rental options. I have a great property next to a University and want to make sure I am posting the property where they'll be looking. I will likely geo-target the area on Facebook ads, but didn't know if there was a new "Craigslist" type place people are posting nowadays. Speaking of Universities, what's the best timing during the year to lock students into a lease? Thanks a trillion!
Will Fraser
Real Estate Broker from Oklahoma City, OK
replied about 1 year ago
Hi @Jim Canull ! Zillow and Hotpads in my market work like gangbusters for the students. A friend of mine who does exclusively university rentals swears by the "sign and online" strategy, telling me that it has to be both. Without a sign up near a university you'll miss a good number of potential tenants (through friends and other Word Of Mouths), but still the primary driver of university rentals will be online, but not usually Craigslist. Facebook Marketplace may be a good one to test out, too.
Alex Smith
Property Manager from Chattanooga, TN
replied about 1 year ago
It's goign to vary by area, but the most common ones are Zillow (which also does Hotpads and Trulia), Craigslist, Facebook marketplace, and Zumper.
If you can put a yard in the sign or window, even in today's age, that's still a good thing to have. Outside of that, you want to make sure that your listing(s) are going to be accessible to potential tenants via an app or mobile website.
Thomas J Ellefson
Property Manager from Madison WI
replied about 1 year ago
Madison WI - I use Zillow, Madisonrent.com, Apartments.com. Facebook Market Place is also great, Our software Appfolio post our units to websites I've never even heard of. Good luck!
Ravinell Wilson
replied about 1 year ago
I think we have covered the fact that zillow and all the sites that they syndicate to do a good job. This is one of the few times that children and parents will be working together. : ) if you do not get the attention that you believe you need you might consider pay per click " campus apartments bloomington in" only has two paid ads on google. . however as covered above zillow will most likely do what you need.
Ravinell Wilson
Ashley Pimsner
Rental Property Investor from Saint Charles, IL
replied about 1 year ago
@Jim Canull I use www.rentlinx.com which posts to over 40 sites like zillow, hotpads, apartments.com etc.
Mark Sewell
Lender from Houston, TX
replied about 1 year ago
FB market is the new craigslist. Free.
Merle Brubacker
Investor from Medford Wisconsin
replied about 1 year ago
Originally posted by @Mark Sewell :FB market is the new craigslist. Free.
100 percent, In my small town it's almost exclusively FB marketplace. Free, easy to post. A lot of folks have it or know someone that does. What's not to like?
Felicia Hamilton
Rental Property Investor from Atlanta, GA
replied about 1 year ago
There are also some college student specific sites, www.uloop.com and also www.studentrent.com.