The modern process of apartment hunting is more accessible than ever before. Our parents had to deal with newspapers and classifieds. Now we can access thousands of top-quality rentals through the most advanced house rental websites on the web.
Actually, there are so many of them that you can get confused. That’s why we decided to rank the best rental websites to help you choose the platform that will be your final stop for apartment hunting.
We have analyzed the most discussed websites out there, tried each of them, and highlighted the benefits and negative issues that you may face. As a result, we’ve gathered eight top-notch home listing sites that will be perfect for both tenants and landlords.
Our list will rank from 1 to 8 where 1 is the top ranking website with the best features you will find right now on the web. Make sure you understand that 8 is not bad; it may just miss some features or has UI/UX issues. Let’s start our rental journey.
1. Rentberry
The Silicon Valley startups are entering more and more niches these days, and the real estate market is among them. Rentberry is a small company that had a controversial start because of its bidding feature. They allow tenants and landlords to negotiate the final price. Some magazines said it’s crazy and some press highlighted that it might be a good idea.
No matter what, the controversial startup became pretty popular in 2019. The set of features that you get for free on Rentberry is excellent. You can:
- List rental property for free
- Run free tenant screening
- eSign the lease
- Send maintenance requests
- Schedule property tours
- Pay and collect rent online
And there’s more! As of today, Rentberry covers all the rental tasks from A to Z. Since they’re now available worldwide, they’re becoming the first international platform offering apartments for rent almost everywhere around the globe.
2. Zillow
Zillow is an old and reliable platform; it’s a dinosaur of long term renting (in a good way). They’ve had a tough way from being a classic classifieds website to becoming a powerful rental platform with an interactive map, custom property listing filtering system, and other fantastic features like Zestimate.
This website makes it easier for you to compare two listings side by side, which can be super-useful while making an important decision about choosing your next home.
3. Hotpads
It’s very similar to the previous two websites. However, we really enjoy some of the Hotpads features you may like. For example, if you do not find the rental you like in your city, you can set up a custom alert to get notified whenever something great pops up.
This feature works great for those who remain in a passive search of their new home. Just set an alert and wait for your dream home to arrive at your email.
4. Realtor.com
Websites like these are not as convenient as Rentberry, Zillow, or Hotpads. They have a pretty old-fashioned design, and their UI/UX doesn’t seem to be that good. However, websites like Realtor.com bring value. They’re old, but they’re reliable and have a vast database of rentals nationwide.
This platform manages both long-term rentals and properties for sale. This means that you can take the best out of two worlds on one platform. Doesn’t it sound amazing?
If you’re not afraid of old-fashioned design and usability, try this one. It’s definitely worth it.
5. Trulia
Trulia is a very convenient website that can stand among the best; it’s very similar to Rentberry and Zillow. There are plenty of useful features for both landlords and tenants, but one of the best things they offer is their community question board.
It’s a place where you can find an answer to almost every question you may face as a landlord or tenant. People ask their questions and get answers from industry professionals or community members with the necessary knowledge. It may come really handy while apartment hunting.
6. Rent.com
It’s a platform with one of the biggest traffic volumes on the list. They have lots of apartments and multi-family homes for rent. It is mostly used by property management companies just like Realtor.com.
Big websites like Rentberry, Zillow, and others syndicate their properties to these two huge platforms to put the rental properties of their landlords in a spotlight.
7. Walk Score
They aim to be the most informative website helping people choose the most walkable areas and neighborhoods with the best commute time. However, they also have their own listings from landlords and property management companies. Real estate search engines like Walk Score can be reasonably considered one of the best since they not only provide prospective tenants with the listings but also have the most extensive information on the neighborhoods, cities, and suburbs.
8. Sublet.com
While Sublet.com may seem a bit old-fashioned as well, they still deserve their spot among the best apartment rental sites. They offer different types of housing, but they do it worldwide, just like Rentberry. These two are playing on the other level managing thousands of properties worldwide and nationwide at the same time.
They also offer lease contracts, tenant screening, and other tools, but they are a bit pricey sometimes.
Conclusion
There are plenty of apartment listing sites on the internet right now. You should do your homework and choose the best one for your apartment hunting. We hope our list will help you find your next home. Feel free to share our guide on the best apartment rental sites and leave your feedback!
This article has been contributed by Alex Tkachenko from Rentberry.
