Using Zillow to market your rental property Vs Craig's list

Using Zillow to market your rental property Vs Craig's list

Real Estate Agent · Bothell, WA · Member since 2016 · 27 posts · 2 votes

Ok so my house in Marysville,Wa became available after almost 5 years occupied with the same tenant. I have used craig's almost exclusively to find new tenants for the last 12 years. I was initially trying to get new tenants in there before old ones moved out. Wasn't going to happen! Maintenance issues mostly cosmetic. Once the house was vacant. Carpets were cleaned ect. I started running craig's people through 4-5 a day. Felt like they were shopping used cars. Holding out for Bigger better deal. After going back and fourth negotiating one lease. Then prospective tenant backing out of deal. I started to look at my options.  

I thought to myself. Let me try Zillow. I had the day earlier taken my Dslr and took several high quality photos. So put an Ad together on zillow and posted at around 6am. My email blew up with responses to see the house. Needless to say We had a signed lease before 5pm that day.

See when you post with zillow it also posts with Hotpads and Trullia as well. Massive exposure for your income property.  I ended up leasing to an out of state party that was relocating.  

So If you have a rental your struggling with getting a lease signed try Zillow. Also Craig's had tons of people with horrible credit and evictions applying. I served two 3 day vacates in one day once. Not fun.

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Russell BrazilBusiness Member
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Real Estate Agent · Washington, D.C. · Member since 2012 · 17k+ posts · 30k+ votes
10y

The answer to what works is very market specific.  For instance in my market...in Washington DC, there is a 95% chance you are going to get your renter through Craigs List. However if you move just 30 miles north of DC to Frederick MD, you will get no responses off of Craigs List and almost all your responses will come from Zillow.

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  • Augusta, GA · Member since 2014 · 1k+ posts · 1k+ votes
    10y

    My experience between the two sites...

    Craigslist used to monitor to limit repeat ads,  Does not appear to happen any longer.  Local apartment complexes/mobile home parks will post the same ads 10 or 15 times over, each and every day.   Easy for ones ad to get lost in all of these.  In addition, there are BIG problems with ads being stolen and reposted by scammers claiming to be the owners/landlords; this has frightened off a number of potential renters from this site.

    Zillow/Trulia/Hotpads will often have "automatic" responses ("I'd like to learn more about this property") from folks hitting computer buttons left and right.  When you call them they will often ask you what property you have available and at least half of them haven't a clue what you have for rent.  Still; the picture quality and information you can post on these sites is often more detailed than on craigslist and, as you mentioned, developing an ad for Postlets (now owed by Zillow) automatically sends the ad to the other sites.  Theft of ads also seems to be more difficult (so far) with these sites.

    Gail

  • Real Estate Agent · Bothell, WA · Member since 2016 · 27 posts · 2 votes
    10y

    yes Gail I forgot how much fraud goes on with Craig's. 

  • Russell BrazilBusiness Member
    Moderator
    Real Estate Agent · Washington, D.C. · Member since 2012 · 17k+ posts · 30k+ votes
    10y

    The answer to what works is very market specific.  For instance in my market...in Washington DC, there is a 95% chance you are going to get your renter through Craigs List. However if you move just 30 miles north of DC to Frederick MD, you will get no responses off of Craigs List and almost all your responses will come from Zillow.

  • San Jose, CA · Member since 2015 · 4k+ posts · 3k+ votes
    10y

    I personally don't like using Zillow.  I don't find it user friendly.  So, I didn't use it as a manager, and I don't use it now as a renter.   I tried to find renters through the university (grad students), but I did learn how to deal with Craigslist callers and to pre-screen them so I didn't end up showing to a bunch of people that wouldn't be qualified.

    Plus, wherever you get your tenants, it's up to you to screen them.

    If your tenant pool uses Zillow, though, that's the way to go, for sure.

    Interestingly enough, I would get calls from people who saw ads on Zillow about the units I was renting - and I'd never put them there lol.  Maybe their bots grab the yelp listings?

  • Investor · Riverside, CA · Member since 2011 · 2k+ posts · 3k+ votes
    10y

    In my market, tenants don't trust CL. They say it is full of scams. Zillow is a much better platform for finding quality tenants.

  • Rental Property Investor · Concord, GA · Member since 2015 · 3k+ posts · 3k+ votes
    10y

    When I get an automated response from Zillow, I send an email giving rental requirements such as minimum income, no pets, non smoker, background checks that will be done, etc. Then I end all that with "if you think you would be a good fit for the tenant we are seeking please contact us for additional information". That email seems to weed out a lot of tire kickers because they realize if they don't meet the specifications, they're not going to be accepted.

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