You have a picture-perfect rental property ready to go… but you’re left with one question: how can you get that property in front of top-quality renters in your area?

We've all been there — staring at the computer screen, wondering where on earth to put up that "For Rent" sign in the virtual world. You have dozens of platforms and limited time to build and manage listings. Where do you get started? What is the best place to list a rental property?

This post will cover the top four places you should list your rental property online! For each platform, we’ll talk about listing pricing, features, and ways you can use that platform to find the best renters near your properties!

What Makes Sites the Best Places to List a Rental Property? 

You've got a rental property, and you're eager to find the perfect tenant. Where do you start? Before we dig into our list of listing sites, let's talk about what makes some websites stand out as the best places to list your rental property.

Related Read: Property Management Tenant Screening: Tips & Tools to Improve Your Process

What should you look for when choosing places to list your rental property?

• High-Quality Photos/Videos: A picture is worth a thousand words, right? The best listing sites allow you to upload high-resolution photos and even videos. Show off your property's best angles and let potential tenants get a real feel for the place.
• Detailed Property Descriptions: Words matter too! The ability to provide a detailed description of your rental property is a must. Think of it as your chance to tell a story about what makes your place unique. Mention all the key features and amenities, like that cozy fireplace or brand-new kitchen appliances.
• Virtual Tour Option: Some top-notch listing sites offer virtual tour options. This is like the cherry on top of your rental listing.
• Tenant Reviews/Testimonials: Just like you read product reviews before buying something online, renters often look for reviews and testimonials. Sites that allow tenants to leave feedback can boost your property's credibility.
• Search Filters for Renters: The best listing sites offer search filters that help renters narrow their options. Features like price range, location, and the number of bedrooms and bathrooms make it easier for potential tenants to find your property.
• Social Media Integration and/or Easy Sharing Features: Social media is a powerful tool. Listing sites that integrate with platforms like Facebook and Twitter can help you reach a broader audience. Plus, easy sharing features let you spread the word about your property with a click.

Related Read: How To Refresh a Stale Apartment Listing

Now, it's not all smooth sailing when it comes to listing rental properties. You may run into some of these challenges, even if you list your property on a top-notch site. 

1. Managing Multiple Sites/Listings: If you're listing your property on multiple websites to maximize visibility, keeping all those listings up-to-date can be a juggling act. It's important to ensure that the details and availability of your property are consistent across all platforms.
2. Responding Promptly: Once your listing goes live, be prepared for inquiries to roll in. Responding promptly to potential tenants is key, and it can become overwhelming if you're getting inquiries from multiple sites. A missed message could mean a missed opportunity.
3. Tenant Screening: While listing your property on various sites increases exposure, you'll need to screen potential tenants thoroughly. Not all inquiries may be from qualified renters, so you'll need a robust tenant screening process in place.

Choosing the best place to list your rental property is all about showcasing your property effectively and making it easy for potential tenants to find and fall in love with it. However, be ready to manage the challenges that come with increased visibility and inquiries from multiple platforms. With the right approach, you can attract the perfect tenant for your rental property.

1. Zillow 

Zillow Rental Manager is undoubtedly one of the biggest players in the rental listing game. The site boasts over thirty million monthly visitors, giving leasing managers significant reach when they use this tool. 

Zillow's reputation as a trusted brand in the real estate industry adds credibility to your listings. The platform simplifies the rental process with integrated tools for listing, messaging, tenant screening, and online rental applications, including credit reports, background checks, eviction history, and income verification. It also allows for the creation and e-signing of rental leases. 

Additionally, Zillow enables rent collection with direct deposits at no cost. You can upgrade to their premium package for bonuses like increased exposure, pricing insights, and more. 

Pricing: Free for the first 30 days your property is live on the site.

2. Trulia 

Trulia offers a comprehensive platform for landlords looking to manage their properties more effectively. 

Landlords can list their rental properties for free, with listings typically appearing on Trulia within an hour. You have control over how potential renters contact you, either through displayed contact information or forwarding inquiries to your email. Additionally, Trulia provides a platform for managing and editing your listings, ensuring you can easily update property information, photos, and availability. 

Trulia is a part of the Zillow Group, along with HotPads, so any properties listed on one of these three sites will appear on all three. 

Pricing: Pay a flat fee of $29.99 for 90 days of premium features.

3. Apartments.com 

Apartments.com offers a comprehensive property management solution that simplifies rental management for landlords. With the ability to list properties, organize maintenance requests, and collect rent all in one place, it streamlines the rental process. 

Landlords can showcase their properties to millions of potential renters, collect rent online for free, create leases online in minutes, screen applicants, streamline maintenance requests, and simplify rental expense tracking. Trusted by property owners and renters alike, Apartments.com has been used by millions of individuals for advertising rentals, filling vacancies, and handling rent collection, making it a reliable choice for rental management.

Pricing: Free for property managers.

4. Rent.com 

Rent.com offers a streamlined approach for listing rental properties from single-family homes to large apartment communities. Rent.com provides digital tools for listing properties and accepting online applications. 

For smaller properties (1-19 units), landlords can quickly qualify renter leads and screen prospective tenants, backed by dedicated customer service support. For larger apartment communities (20+ units), landlords can reach actively searching renters, access lead reporting, and receive comprehensive customer service assistance. Rent.com stands out as a trusted network, offering exposure to over 350 million monthly visits across the Rent.com Network and Realtor.com, providing efficient solutions for attracting, engaging, and retaining renters.

Pricing: $49 per month commission for a promise of 15 leads in 30 days.

Get Your Vacancy on the Best Places to List a Rental Property with One Click 

These four options are the best places to list a rental property if you want to get maximum reach and get your property in front of the best-qualified renters in your area. 

However, creating and managing five (or more) separate property listings can be a headache at best and an impossible drain on your already limited time and budget at worst. How can you get around these challenges and still get the most from your property listings?

Intellirent to the rescue!

Our platform allows you to create your perfect listing once, then push it out to all these platforms (and 80+ other smaller online platforms) with a single click!

Take our product tour today to see how Intellirent can streamline your property listing and tenant screening processes!