New Landlord - where to list and screen?

[Catherine Jacoby]

Hi BP community! Newbie here. We are preparing to list our current home for rent and become landlords. This will be our first investment property. I'm a little overwhelmed on where to list and where to screen and the more I read, the more confused I get. I've seen mixed reviews on Zillow Rental Manager. It seems while it's a great place to list, it's not the best for screening. I don't know if the type of property makes a difference in where you list or screen, but it's a large SFH in a desirable suburban neighborhood in the DMV area (Class A property). It will rent for about $4600/month. I have a couple leads already through word of mouth from my local neighborhood FB groups wanting to see it and apply once I list it.

Should I list in multiple places (Zillow, Hot Pads, Realtor, Marketplace) and screen through one screening service? What screening service is best? When you use a screening service outside of Zillow, do you send the screening link directly to the interested applicant if they find it on Zillow? I appreciate any insights and help. Thank you!