How do you find your sec 8 tenants. For 8 years we put a sign in the yard and that sufficed. We just hired a mgt company so I am assuming they will put on MLS and syndicate to all the big sites.
Investor · Collierville, TN 38017 · Member since 2017 · 589 posts · 445 votes
3w
Bill, the yard sign working for eight years tells you something valuable in itself: your area has organic voucher demand. Now that you've hired a PM, the game changes from finding tenants to auditing whether your PM actually reaches them - and syndication is the weakest form of reach. Memphis operator here, majority Section 8 portfolio since 2003. Three channels that outperform listings in my portfolio:
Tenant referrals with a bonus. My best voucher tenants came from my existing voucher tenants. A $100-200 referral bonus for a placed applicant costs less than one vacant week, and the referring tenant pre-screens for you - nobody refers a friend who'll embarrass them in front of their own landlord.
The housing authority's landlord liaison. Most authorities have one, and almost no landlord ever calls. Caseworkers have families with vouchers expiring and nowhere to place them - a landlord who answers the phone and keeps units inspection-ready gets remembered, and your vacancies effectively jump the line.
A one-page flyer at the authority office. Families leave voucher briefings with a folder of paperwork. A simple flyer that says "we know the program, our units pass first inspection" is rare enough there to stand out.
And since your PM is doing this for you now, here's the audit: ask them what percentage of placements come from each channel and their average days from vacancy to first HAP payment. Jim's right that syndicated-everywhere is table stakes - the local voucher pool gets reached through relationships, which is exactly what you're paying a PM to have. If they only answer "we put it on the MLS," you've learned something important.
Lender · TX, FL · Member since 2025 · 131 posts · 54 votes
4w
Great job on hiring a PM! They’ll handle the heavy lifting by syndicating your listing across Zillow, Realtor.com, and the major sites automatically.
If you want to double-check their reach, make sure they list on AffordableHousing.com (formerly GoSection8). That’s where most housing authorities directly send voucher holders to search.
Also, word of mouth is huge. Once your PM places a great tenant, asking them for referrals when your next vacancy pops up is often the easiest way to land another solid applicant.
Real Estate Broker · Northeast PA · Member since 2017 · 2k+ posts · 2k+ votes
4w
@Bill Vaughan, check your management agreement and check the major rental portals: assuming what the manager will do to advertise can be very different from what their contract says.
You can also search the major sites to find your rental.
To locate Sec 8 tenants, you could put a line in ads, and you could contact the local Sec 8 office serving your area.
Mechanicsburg, PA · Member since 2013 · 3k+ posts · 2k+ votes
4w
@Bill Vaughan Besides a sign, we put in MLS, Zillow and Craigslist. the add always says, "Section 8 OK". We also tell the Section * office that we have a property for their clients. Here there is a waiting list of Sction 8 candidates waiting for a suitable property. At some times the waiting list is years long!
Real Estate Agent · Memphis · Member since 2026 · 538 posts · 311 votes
3w
I wouldn't rely on MLS syndication alone. When I'm trying to reach voucher holders, I'd make sure the property is showing up where they're actually looking.
A few channels I'd want covered:
The local housing authority or its available-unit listings
Referrals from organizations that work with voucher holders
Since you just hired a management company, I'd ask them which of those they use and which actually produce applicants in your market. Getting syndicated everywhere is nice, but I'd care more about whether they're actively reaching the local voucher pool.
Investor · Collierville, TN 38017 · Member since 2017 · 589 posts · 445 votes
3w
Bill, the yard sign working for eight years tells you something valuable in itself: your area has organic voucher demand. Now that you've hired a PM, the game changes from finding tenants to auditing whether your PM actually reaches them - and syndication is the weakest form of reach. Memphis operator here, majority Section 8 portfolio since 2003. Three channels that outperform listings in my portfolio:
Tenant referrals with a bonus. My best voucher tenants came from my existing voucher tenants. A $100-200 referral bonus for a placed applicant costs less than one vacant week, and the referring tenant pre-screens for you - nobody refers a friend who'll embarrass them in front of their own landlord.
The housing authority's landlord liaison. Most authorities have one, and almost no landlord ever calls. Caseworkers have families with vouchers expiring and nowhere to place them - a landlord who answers the phone and keeps units inspection-ready gets remembered, and your vacancies effectively jump the line.
A one-page flyer at the authority office. Families leave voucher briefings with a folder of paperwork. A simple flyer that says "we know the program, our units pass first inspection" is rare enough there to stand out.
And since your PM is doing this for you now, here's the audit: ask them what percentage of placements come from each channel and their average days from vacancy to first HAP payment. Jim's right that syndicated-everywhere is table stakes - the local voucher pool gets reached through relationships, which is exactly what you're paying a PM to have. If they only answer "we put it on the MLS," you've learned something important.