Investor · Port Saint Lucie, FL · Member since 2017 · 49 posts · 6 votes
I normally use Transunion’s Smartmove. But I like how you get the app, background and payment collection through Zillow rental manager. Anyone have any feedback ?
Rental Property Investor · Member since 2020 · 1k+ posts · 1k+ votes
5y
I currently use it and like their payment collections but beware it usually takes 5 business days to receive the funds. They are also only set up to accept 1 payment which helps protect you against partials but also means roommates need to figure something out for 1 payment. I have always used their online applications in the past, they were simple to use and most tenants found me on Zillow anyway so they already had an account. I also feel there is a sense of fairness with Zillow where the tenant owns their background check for 30 days so if not selected they can use it with another landlord and not be billed again. The downside is their credit reporting is not very detailed, you get a credit score and it reports collections and has caught evictions before. I think I am moving to rentprep for screening, it is a little more expensive for the applicants but I can't really see an extra 10/adult scaring someone off and if money is that tight anyway it may not be a good fit.
Investor · Geneva ohio · Member since 2020 · 4 posts · 0 votes
5y
@Beau Pearson I will post a property on Zillow but use cozy.co for all the background checks once I have found a suitable tenant I use deposit slips pre-filled out for the bank account associated with that property so far it seems to be working great
Investor · Seattle, WA · Member since 2020 · 106 posts · 89 votes
5y
I sat through one of Cozy's payment webinars, and it seems straight forward. However, on the property advertising side I seemed to get much better results from Zillow. So far I can't find anything to differentiate the two platforms other than I got more leads from Zillow. However I don't have any first hand experience on the payment side; if one routinely clears payments faster maybe that would help me choose.
@Joe P. Excellent feedback. I appreciate it. Ok be have always used Zillow to list. I do a phone screen. Then when/ if they want to see it, I hand them a paper app. If they return it I send link to smartmove. This system has always done me well. But I was just trying to streamline. I use zelle to collect.
I hear you...phone screen is a good idea but for my one property, it was a BRRRR and was really, really nice for the neighborhood. I had a ton of interest on Zillow and FB marketplace and phone screening would have been a second job. I just used canned messages and responded to people with the requirements, which dropped out about 75% of the tire kickers. Then I always have a 10-20% rate of people who don't show up to our scheduled time (which is just a time slot within an hour I create...open house style), and then from whatever is remaining, some people don't make the cut because of minimum requirements.
I ran it like you with the paper app and the link and stuff, but there is an application already on Zillow they can fill-out and it does the work. Payment collection can be anything that makes the tenant do it properly...if they like Zelle, use Zelle. If they like a paper check, let them do that. Path of least resistance.
I have active tenants that applied, signed leases and have auto payments through Cozy, now Apartments.com, and Zillow Rental Manager. Both platforms brought quality applicants, provided detailed credit and background checks and make setting up automated monthly rent payments easy for me and the tenant. Zillow provided more quality leads, quicker here in Austin. The fee on Zillow, after your first listing, is worth it based on my experience. Good luck, @Beau Pearson.
What is the fee for Zillow? Did I understand correctly that it's $10/week for as long as your listing is up? How does the fee work for managing year-long tenants?
What is the fee for Zillow? Did I understand correctly that it's $10/week for as long as your listing is up? How does the fee work for managing year-long tenants?