Zillow rental listing renewal

[Sam Leon]

I have a few question about listing rentals on Zillow.

(1) To list a property for a week it's $9.99.  However it seems to auto renew on day 5.  Let's say you listed a place on a Wednesday, Zillow seems to auto renew the listing by charging your credit card on the next Monday.  There seems to be no way to have the listing run the entire 7 days before it expires correct?  In other words, if by Sunday I have already received two applications and I would need to deactivate the listing right then to avoid the auto renewal charge on Monday, but what if I want to let it run till Wednesday, to still get some leads?  I tell the applicants I have a pending application, can still show the house if they want to see it in case the applicant do not check out credit wise, criminal history wise or can't afford the deposits last minute?  Why must it be a premature deactivation?  Granted $9.99 is not enough money to worry about, but I have done the "let it auto renew for an extra week" enough times I want to know if there is an option I can't seem to find that is "do not renew just let it expire"?

(2) I do not show my real phone number, too much hassle and too many inquiries and spam from people looking for a 3 BR when I clearly advertised a one BR etc...so I prescreen by email.  But Zillow displays a totally different phone number on the syndicated listing sites.  On my edit listing page it says:

"The phone number displayed to renters is (123) 456-7690.
This allows us to better protect your identity and reduce spam."

I think they call it a relay phone number.  What is it used for and wouldn't that be confusing to renters?

(3) Now this last one is not Zillow specific, but may be it's my wording or ad.  I would get overwhelmed with messages once I post a listing, however, I would say 70% of them do not read the ad at all.  They would ask to view the property, and I would reply back to ask them specific questions to make sure there is a good fit before a viewing can be scheduled".  I ask him their the projected occupancy date, how many rooms, how many vehicles, do they have any animals, do they have this or that...when all of that information was already listed in my ad.  I listed a 1 BR apartment and half of the ones asking to see were looking for a house or a 2 BR.  I stated in my ad only 1 parking space for the 1 BR, I get people applying who has three vehicles, such a waste of time, but I have to because many want to see a place listed when they haven't even bothered to read the listing.  Last week I listed an apartment that has no private backyard, I stated that very clearly in my ad, and I had someone who wanted to see it and the Reason of leaving the current residence was "because my current apartment does not have a private outdoor area to relax".  Hello?  LOL!

[Joe Splitrock]

@Sam Leon it seems less like you have questions and more like you want to complain, haha. We are here for you to vent your frustrations, but you keep in mind that nothing is perfect.

1. We have had applications when renewal comes, but we just let it renew if they are not approved. Paying $10 in case an application falls through is just a cost of doing business.

2. We show our real phone number. We let calls go to voice mail. I have had people leave messages saying they are in town for the afternoon looking to view properties. I have been able to rent a place when they tell me they couldn't even get others to call them back. I dislike the relay numbers, because they reuse the numbers. That means you can get calls meant for someone else. I am convinced the relay numbers are for them to protect their own platform. I put my phone number on all my pictures.

3. People do not take time to read the listing. It is frustrating, but comes with the business. One option is to have your voice mail contain listing details. "The vacancy is a 1 bedroom 1 bath renting for $1000." That really only works if you have just one vacancy or use separate phone numbers. I always let messages go to voice mail so they can be screened. 

Before we do a showing we always go through pre-screening questions. The questions are redundant to what is in the listing, but it is necessary because people don't pay attention.