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If you’ve tried to rent your property online, you know what a pain that can be. For DIY landlords, it’s often the toughest task in the ‘patchwork of frustration’ known as their job description. And without the right tools, the process can stumble and fail.
If you’re still using a patchwork of tools — spreadsheets, multiple site logins and email systems, hardcopy forms, manual imports & exports, outsourced services, and ‘cross-your-fingers’ legal compliance — then you’re probably barely treading water in the online marketplace.
Here’s a better way: switch to a single automated system that eliminates all that manual effort and frees up many hours of your workweek. You’ll have much more time for the essentials, including writing better listings, pushing them out to a larger audience, screening applicants, and approving leases with your ideal renters.
Market to Dozens of Listing Sites. For Free.
More eyes on your listings means more qualified renters.
How to List Your Property Online
Listing your property online can be both simple & effective, provided you have the right tools. Here’s a best practices workflow:
Choose the Right Property Management Software
Evaluate and choose an automated property management platform that fits your needs. The options range from full-featured and pricey to covering the basics at little or no cost. Choose wisely.
The tightly integrated features of TurboTenant cover all the property management basics, and then some. With more than 800,000 registered users, it’s a de facto standard and a good baseline for comparison. We’ll use its workflow as our case study. Here’s where you’ll start…
Add Your Property Details
First, collect all the essential property information such as address, number of bedrooms & bathrooms, square footage, rent price, and amenities. Complete and accurate details enhance search filtering and will catch the eye of your preferred tenants.
Include clear, high-quality photos that highlight your rental’s best features. Highlight any unique features, updated appliances, or pet policies so your property stands out from the crowd.
Create Your Rental Listing
Write a concise and compelling description that makes your rental sound special; for example, its convenient location or premium touches. Visualize your ideal tenant and paint a picture of their satisfied life in your special rental.
Again, include all essential info, including monthly rent, lease terms, and how to apply. Be transparent and you’ll build trust and encourage honesty in good applicants. The goal is to filter out unqualified applicants and cultivate renters who are a good match for your property.
And if you’re looking for a good place to start, get an assist from TurboTenant’s AI property description feature.
Post Your Rental to Dozens of Listing Sites
Once your listing is complete, take advantage of platforms that publish listings on the top rental websites. With automated tools like TurboTenant, it’s easy to rent your property online by posting to sites like Rent.com, Redfin, and Apartments.com.
The right listing on the right mix of platforms means your rental will reach millions of prospects. That’s what you want: a large crowd of qualified renters to choose from. Then you can be picky and select the best match.
Watch the Leads Roll In
Once your listing goes live, follow up on the inquiries quickly. Your best prospects will be eager to rent, so schedule their tours, answer their questions promptly, and get applications in front of them.
Savvy property owners choose automated tools like TurboTenant to manage their showings and communications efficiently. That’s the vital first step to converting a healthy stream of leads into signed leases and lower vacancy rates.
Where Your Rental Listings Will Appear
Here’s a list of TurboTenant’s major rental syndication partners, the top high-visibility sites you’ll want your listings on.
Apartments.com
Apartments.com receives tens of millions of monthly visits from renters seeking apartments, condos, townhomes, and single-family homes. Listings created with TurboTenant will auto-post directly, and all leads, communications, and screenings are managed in TurboTenant’s unified dashboard.
Craigslist
Craigslist is a giant in listings for apartments, houses, and room shares. Alas, Craigslist doesn’t allow automated postings, so TurboTenant’s wizards walk you through creating an optimized listing for your copy-pasting. All your inquiries will flow back into TurboTenant for easy management.
Dwellsy
Dwellsy delivers exposure on the largest rental marketplace, with 14 million listings ranging from affordable units to unique homes. TurboTenant lists your property on Dwellsy with no fees, and all Dwellsy leads are managed centrally inside of TurboTenant.
Realtor.com
Realtor.com has a 29% US market share and offers powerful features like compliance tools, applicant screening, and AI-powered listing descriptions. TurboTenant integrates simply and seamlessly while managing your property listing end-to-end with its unified dashboard.
Redfin
Redfin is another leading rental search site, attracting millions of prospects every month. TurboTenant easily posts and manages your listings on Redfin, which can then cross-post to its network partners, Rent.com and Apartment Guide. Our dashboard centralizes lead management, applications, and screenings.
Rent.com
Millions of renters also browse Rent.com, another facet of the Redfin network. Again, TurboTenant offers instant, automated listing syndication. All leads, messages, and application activity from Rent.com are unified and actionable, vastly simplifying communications and screenings.
Zumper
Zumper is visited by 75 million renters every year because of its breadth: everything from apartments to rental houses to vacation stays. TurboTenant syncs Zumper listings in real-time via its flexible dashboard that includes support for Zumper’s strong in-platform messaging.
And Many More…
TurboTenant-generated listings also reach many thousands of additional prospects, thanks to the power of cross-posting and industry networks — think Homes.com, ForRent.com, Apartment Finder, ApartmentHomeLiving.com, HotPads, Trulia, StreetEasy, and Rentals.com, to name just a few.
How to Attract Good Renters
Think like a renter and boldly showcase your property. Paint a vivid image of why your property is both comfortable and trustworthy. This kind of transparent, renter-friendly approach will attract tenants who respect your space and pay on time.
Know Your Market and Find the Pricing Sweet Spot
Before listing, research comparable rentals based on location, square footage, and amenities. You don’t want your rent price to be too high (a deterrent) or too low (may not attract your ideal tenants). Use tools like market reports or rent estimates for realistic, localized pricing benchmarks.
To attract the best tenants, avoid headline-grabbing rents and stay flexible. Factor in neighborhood growth, changes in seasonal demand, and amenities. Then, regularly adjust pricing to reflect updates and market trends, and don’t let your ad go stale.
Take High-Quality Listing Photos
Lighting is everything — flood rooms with natural midday light to show the details, including close-ups of noteworthy features. Capture the outdoor views (big windows, yards, balconies) with evocative ‘golden hour’ shots around sunrise or sunset. Make your listing leap off the page.
And don’t forget to declutter first so viewers can imagine ‘their stuff’ in place. Clean all surfaces and pull back the curtains. DIY landlords can use smartphone cameras with wide-angle settings for sharp, professional results. Enhance your photos by cropping or adjusting brightness as needed.
Write a Compelling Property Listing
Make part of your listing a short story that answers the question, “Who thrives here?” Maybe a traveling nurse or a growing family. Mix that story in with the dry essentials of lease terms, price, pet or parking policies, etc.
Steer clear of cliches or generic terms. Instead, highlight recent improvements, neighborhood perks, or the joys of a nearby park. End with a plausible warm tone by extending an invitation to apply, and you’ll soon be scheduling showings with high-quality future tenants.
Post to as Many Trusted Listing Platforms as Possible
To rent your property online, syndication is a must. Expand your reach by simultaneously publishing your rental to as many trusted platforms as possible. That gives you the best odds of attracting renters actively seeking a property just like yours.
Evaluate each platform’s strengths: some excel at apartments or house shares, others draw families or professionals. Keep your profile updated everywhere so prospects can easily find you, and always monitor which sites drive the best leads your way.
Respond Quickly to Leads
Prompt follow-up can seal the deal. When a renter inquires, reply within hours (not days) to demonstrate your reliability. Prompt replies will elevate your reputation for professionalism, which most desirable applicants have as a top priority.
Timely follow-up is challenging, and wise landlords use automated tools or message templates to manage multiple inquiries. Scheduling showings in batches or offering virtual tours can save a lot of time and increase your chances of securing a signed lease and lowering your vacancy rates.
What To Do Once the Leads Start Rolling In
Respond promptly, maintain professional communication, prioritize applicants who meet your criteria, and guide them throughout the process. Here’s what that looks like in the real world…
Schedule Showings
Let serious prospects schedule property showings at their convenience by using TurboTenant’s integrated tool. Customize your available times and share a booking link to reduce the back-and-forth. Being proactive will limit no-shows, saving everyone time.
Automatic reminders help boost show-up rates and keep appointments organized. Notes and renter details are attached to each slot, so you remember who’s next and avoid paperwork headaches. The process is streamlined, professional, and renter-friendly.
Resource: Scheduling Software for Rental Showings
Send Rental Applications to Interested Parties
After a successful showing, invite interested prospects to complete TurboTenant’s secure online application. This streamlines the process, is mobile-friendly, and helps you keep all applicant data, documents, and communications in one place.
Applicants can provide income details, references, and background consents in minutes. Once received, you can swiftly screen and compare candidates, advancing the best prospects to the next step in the leasing workflow.
Resource: Free Rental Application – Online Forms & Templates
Screen Potential Tenants
Protect your investment with TurboTenant’s comprehensive screening tools. Review every tenant’s credit, criminal, and eviction history. No manual data handling or paperwork is required.
You’ll quickly receive reports that contain everything needed to make informed decisions. This is a reliable strategy to avoid costly tenant issues and boost your confidence in selecting the most responsible and stable renters.
Resource: Tenant Background Checks & Screening Services
Create a Lease Agreement
Once you’ve selected a tenant, use TurboTenant to generate a state-specific and legally-compliant lease. It only takes a few clicks to customize the templates that handle all the essential terms, from rent and deposits to special pet or policy clauses.
Now you can forward the agreement for e-signature approvals. All contracts and related documents will be securely managed and stored online, capturing every stage of your landlord-tenant relationship.
Resource: Lease Agreements & Residential Rental Contracts
Set Up Online Rent Collection
Would you like to simplify your rent collection? TurboTenant lets renters pay via ACH, credit, or debit. The system’s automated reminders and autopay options minimize late payments and missed deadlines. And the funds will be deposited directly into your account.
Payment tracking, easy exports for accounting, and automatic late fee setups will simplify your life while building a professional and reliable process for you and your tenants.
Resource: Collect Rent Online – Best Rent Collection Software for Landlords
Ready to Rent Your Property Online?
Open a Free Account and Publish Your Listing Today.
If you use manual, ‘patchwork of frustration’ systems, they’re holding you back, especially in the vital online area of listing, qualifying, and closing on rentals. Integrated property management platforms are huge time-savers, with cost and feature sets being the primary differentiators.
TurboTenant pioneered freemium pricing for DIY landlords by offering its core technologies as part of the free account registration process. Advanced optional features are also available at affordable rates.
More than 800,000 real estate professionals have registered for TurboTenant accounts, and many of them consider the core features as all they’ll ever need.
Open a TurboTenant account for free and publish your first listing today.
Advertising Your Rental Property Online FAQs
How can I list my rental property online for free?
TurboTenant’s core services let you quickly compose and list your rentals on dozens of popular sites. Sign up for a free account and start generating high-quality leads while eliminating hours of tedious manual effort.
Can I rent out my property without a real estate agent?
All the tools you’ll need — from marketing, applications, screening, and lease signing — are included when you open a free TurboTenant account. No agent required; most of our landlords manage their rentals on their own with ease.
What should I include in a rental listing?
Take clear, well-lit photos; write an engaging description; detail the amenities, payments, lease terms, number of bedrooms and bathrooms, square footage, and any notable features. That’s the trustworthy professionalism the best renters are looking for.
How do I screen applicants who are interested in my property?
We greatly simplify applicant screening by inviting them to apply online. TurboTenant then handles the background and credit checks. You’ll soon know their financial, criminal, and eviction history so you can make an informed, low-risk decision.
